tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79403934837364753692024-03-19T09:33:39.164+00:00The little things in life...Travel, Photography & LifestyleThe little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.comBlogger452125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-8229019733012466342021-02-07T17:27:00.001+00:002021-02-07T17:27:36.145+00:00Super Easy Meringue Kisses: Valentines Baking Ideas<p> As you can probably tell baking is one way I am passing the time during lock down! I have always loved baking but tend to dip in and out of it. A friend asked me to start sharing some recipes and I have been doing over on the <a href="https://www.pourhorsemobilebar.co.uk/" target="_blank">Grazing Brew Box</a> and thought I may as well here too. </p><p>I have also thought meringue was tricky and that there must be a knack to it. These meringue kisses look super impressive but are actually really easy to make. If you’ve made meringue before then you will know it’s just a case of whipping your egg whites and then slowly adding your caster sugar. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKsVa3vG2CfnZ73yyzGgoWSTN09mHSLFAwEpq6-jjimqIuFzhkrRcyik7WPCImiQA4UtiFhkT0wuFVmFZJ54ELvVuMKLnj1fXyQSt7ZfeckIGZAGVDJPqFj9gZ2kDpBetK3xmfWY76LU/s2048/20210207_124237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Valentines baking Ideas" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKsVa3vG2CfnZ73yyzGgoWSTN09mHSLFAwEpq6-jjimqIuFzhkrRcyik7WPCImiQA4UtiFhkT0wuFVmFZJ54ELvVuMKLnj1fXyQSt7ZfeckIGZAGVDJPqFj9gZ2kDpBetK3xmfWY76LU/w640-h640/20210207_124237.jpg" title="Valentines Meringues" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>There are various ways to add colour but you need to be sure to use a paste colouring not a liquid form. Sugar Flair colourings are great for this. You can either add some colour in when mixing your meringues (not if you have a liquid colouring as it will ruin your meringue and it won't stiffen) or to paint your piping bag! It depends if you want a block colour or swirls. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33UYlmM_77Hmt7fqhQXlNPYqP7faNoOApIPPYuQx-c1pECZYWIbHLBgZZKqwxCwNPpn_fHKWomr-JFuheO-6YNqB83xrAHfQb9qROPaMtsnRBVZ-G8pNrnWLrd5HX1WFza2L1X2PDy8c/s2048/20210207_124221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Easy Meringue Recipe" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33UYlmM_77Hmt7fqhQXlNPYqP7faNoOApIPPYuQx-c1pECZYWIbHLBgZZKqwxCwNPpn_fHKWomr-JFuheO-6YNqB83xrAHfQb9qROPaMtsnRBVZ-G8pNrnWLrd5HX1WFza2L1X2PDy8c/w640-h640/20210207_124221.jpg" title="Meringue Kisses Recipe" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>In the photos below I twirled some into the finished meringue mix loosely to leave stains if you like and then painted the piping bag too! It came out pretty intense which is exactly what I wanted! </p><p>Of course if you are going for a valentines look then red is the key! </p><p><b><u>Ingredients</u></b></p><p>3 egg whites</p><p>2 cups of caster sugar</p><p>Food colouring</p><p><b><u>How to make your Meringue Kisses</u></b></p><p>Preheat your oven to around125C FAN</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>You will need 2 baking trays lined for this. Baking parchment is best if you have to hand! </li><li>Next Separate your yolks from the whites, try not to get any yolk in there or you risk the meringue not stiffening! </li><li>Whisk them until they are stiff and fluffy. It’ll take a few minutes on a high speed, I use my <a href="https://www.kenwoodworld.com/uk/products/kmix/kmix-stand-mixers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kenwood K Mix</a> but use what ever you can! If by hand it can get very tiresome but is doable! </li><li>When the egg whites are looking stiff, keep your mixer running and add the sugar to the eggs whites one teaspoonful at time until it is all added, as long as you drop it all in at the same time you should be fine! </li><li>Prepare your piping bag. If you wish your kisses to look a bit like mine with the streaks of colour then paint stripes of food colouring down the side of the bag using a brush of some kind. </li><li>Spoon the meringue into the bag (if you wanted to add some swirls of colour do this to the mix before you put in the bag) and pipe little kisses on to the baking tray. Go as big as you like! However you will need to be quite consistent for them all to bake equally and not to catch any!</li><li> Put your baking trays in your oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes, Meringues like a slow cool bake. Do NOT be tempted to whack the heat up on your oven, believe me I have tried and failed! .</li><li>The meringues are ready when they’re hard to the touch, don't press hard though, they are fragile! </li></ol><div>The meringue kisses will keep for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQID96b-z1icXsORgqgP8Bp0GCke1t3wDLwd-w3xmIlpKy-4l4-A04FlWnjRsxG0F4XwZrj-fg7MCuZ3wTh4oLeFSX30XFOZxBW0CxL0qzFaXSPa0jIP4KdiIj_JcP5rhVQHsXhJsL95k/s2048/20210207_124237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Meringue Kisses" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQID96b-z1icXsORgqgP8Bp0GCke1t3wDLwd-w3xmIlpKy-4l4-A04FlWnjRsxG0F4XwZrj-fg7MCuZ3wTh4oLeFSX30XFOZxBW0CxL0qzFaXSPa0jIP4KdiIj_JcP5rhVQHsXhJsL95k/w640-h640/20210207_124237.jpg" title="Super Easy Meringue" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><p></p><p>Have you caught up with my super goey <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2021/01/the-most-scrumptious-nutella-filled-nyc.html" target="_blank">NYC Nutella filled cookies</a> recipe yet? </p><p><br /></p>The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com112tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-83589867024904954192021-01-31T10:33:00.000+00:002021-01-31T10:33:07.686+00:00The Most scrumptious Nutella Filled NYC Style Cookies <p> If you are anything like me then you have been hunting for <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2014/03/the-little-things-in-life-baking-days-1.html" target="_blank">super easy Cookie Recipes</a> to smash during lockdown, maybe with the kids, maybe just for yourself! </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYj-vL_zcPv0oJe5-qctggeE4hrz8P6clIB_IfMGsCxIJ2BGowxAOG8aEUCmR-O9HNVkd3sAU5OGKRbaajVN5D4dSnwsq5Nh_3mLoahYOd0aAC2y4xKdTBG2v5x870qe6pzJMSoWOl_hU/s2048/food-photographer-jennifer-pallian-OfdDiqx8Cz8-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYj-vL_zcPv0oJe5-qctggeE4hrz8P6clIB_IfMGsCxIJ2BGowxAOG8aEUCmR-O9HNVkd3sAU5OGKRbaajVN5D4dSnwsq5Nh_3mLoahYOd0aAC2y4xKdTBG2v5x870qe6pzJMSoWOl_hU/w512-h640/food-photographer-jennifer-pallian-OfdDiqx8Cz8-unsplash.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>This recipe is an old favourite of ours and one that I do at least monthly, it is pretty much fail proof and always goes down well! I love a thin cookie but I absolutely love a filled cookie recipe and even better than that, a <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/market/new_york_cookies?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search_UK_DSA_GGL_Main_General_New&utm_ag=UK-EN_DSA-General&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQiAx9mABhD0ARIsAEfpavTcS8MhbQztup2ja3QTGMnd3Y0F9cfhswQJxRe5bSYC6qtrgB_xbdsaAo28EALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_11120727342_112118310227_474876607397_dsa-19959388920_c_&utm_custom2=11120727342&gclid=Cj0KCQiAx9mABhD0ARIsAEfpavTcS8MhbQztup2ja3QTGMnd3Y0F9cfhswQJxRe5bSYC6qtrgB_xbdsaAo28EALw_wcB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New York Style Cookie</a>! I meannnnnn.... How could you not?</p><p>People often think these may be be a little complicated to bake, but actually they're super easy! </p><p>You have to be a little more prepared for when you are going to do them as you have to freeze the chocolate sauce into mini portions to pop inside the cookies, but that's it! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='383' height='318' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwoHyaeVMMSh49LCIQXedaHiBYo4zDdQHDEPRGQfOBAtmAxqrxpJDbuvFUjb5UnXm1Mm9YUC1CQeE8fv4L7YA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p><br /></p><p><b><u>Ingredients</u></b></p><p>* Nutella frozen into little portions (My recipe usually makes around 10 but I like them BIG)</p><p>115 g Butter - you will need it soft</p><p>175 g Light Brown Sugar or Coconut sugar (slightly healthier!!!) </p><p>1 tsp Vanilla Essence (The better quality the nicer they will be!)</p><p>1 Medium Egg</p><p>275 g Self Raising Flour</p><p>Small pinch of Salt</p><p>200 g Chunks of Chocolate (I use a mix of Milk and Dark but any is good!) </p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>Instructions</u></b></p><p>Pop dollops of your chocolate spread or Nutella onto a lined tray, and freeze till solid. The smaller they ae, the quicker they will freeze! </p><p>Preheat your oven to 190C/170C Fan, you are going to want to cook them on a middle shelf. </p><p>Beat together the Butter and Sugar until as fluffy as possible, and then pop in your essence and Egg and beat again till smooth. Please note Coconut sugar doesn't go as fluffy as other varieties so don't panic! </p><p>Add all of the other dry ingredients in to the wet mix. Make sure it is well combined. </p><p>Next choose how big you want you cookies to be, you want them pretty standardized so they cook well. If I am doing for the kids an ice scream scoop is the perfect size to portion out. If I am doing for all of us or friends then GO BIG! </p><p>Roll your dough gently into a ball and flatten the dough slightly so it goes a bit flatter, and add a frozen Nutella piece to the middle and then ensure the dough goes all around it. Careful not to over work your dough though. </p><p>Line your baking trays with baking paper or grease if you don't have any. Your cookies will spread a bit whilst baking, so spread them out well on the tray. </p><p>Bake in the oven for around 10 minutes. The more you bake them, the less oozy they will be. I like mine super goey but my husband likes them more crunchy - so what you fancy! </p><p>Hayley xx</p><p><br /></p>The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-87107522256718543092021-01-15T12:03:00.001+00:002021-01-15T12:03:53.626+00:00Lockdown 3.0: Coping Strategies<p> And here we go again.... </p><p>On NYE I sat and wrote the <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2020/12/where-do-i-start.html" target="_blank">first blog post</a> I had got around to in some time, thanks Covid! And yet here I am again, back in lock down. How awful is it that it feels almost normal now a days to not see anyone for weeks on end? To not get out of the house except for the daily walk and to pop for some essential groceries?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Z-OImjN5bwLpvgg9nOTqsvZZO7vWrvVAslpb28PX-1vJADdTI6tsHf9qamMvoTPJft2gJQlNPgYkWECZR68_v_uGo1RZg0oaxvCl52FJdNjo8Ffs3RJNVs5Vo5FkM4z4K3-7hcL3RY8/s2048/glen-carrie-Af-gYALXZWw-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lockdown photos" border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Z-OImjN5bwLpvgg9nOTqsvZZO7vWrvVAslpb28PX-1vJADdTI6tsHf9qamMvoTPJft2gJQlNPgYkWECZR68_v_uGo1RZg0oaxvCl52FJdNjo8Ffs3RJNVs5Vo5FkM4z4K3-7hcL3RY8/w640-h427/glen-carrie-Af-gYALXZWw-unsplash.jpg" title="Lockdown photos" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unsplash Photos: Glen Carrie</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Anyway, this isn't our first rodeo! I thought I would share a couple of <a href="https://adaa.org/tips" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">coping tactics</a> that I have picked up along the way that I definitely helping me out this time around. I would love to hear of your own coping strategies if I have missed any and should be doing them! The coronavirus pandemic has been hard for lots of us, for lots of various reasons and all that we can do to help one another right now has to be a win! </p><p><a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/for-children-and-young-people/coronavirus/managing-feelings-about-changes-to-lockdown/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mind</a> says "Coping is our ability to respond to, and deal with, unpleasant, difficult or stressful situations. Our ability to cope with things can vary – we can cope well one day, and poorly the next" and this couldn't be more true for myself. </p><p>1. <b>Look for something positive in each and every day</b>. At the end of each day when the little ones are tucked up in their bed and I get that moment to take a deep breath and turn on the tops to a very hot bath I like to remind myself of something positive from the day. Some days this is easier said than done, but there is ALWAYS something. Maybe it is that the kids got their set work done without too much fuss, maybe that huge pile of laundry got put away, perhaps you spoke to a friend or family member, maybe you got 5 minutes too pick up a book or just sit outdoors with a hot cuppa. </p><p>2. <b>Get outside</b>. Again I appreciate this isn't always an easy option for everyone. But IF you can then get out. In doesn't have to be a huge, long hike (Boris won't let us anyway hey!) but just a 5 minute walk around the block can help so much. I even find just wondering about the garden with my cup of tea helps me clear my mind a little. And my 2 kids have to get out once a day or they are at one another's throats all day long, it seems that they forget any tension as soon as they are out. They can be free and I don't need to shout at them or restrict them! We often just walk up to a muddy old field where they can just be free and kids for half an hour, let their imaginations run free. And I can have 10 minutes to just observe and be still. </p><p>3. <b>Feel productive</b>. Each morning I write a list. I have to admit I love a list and I love getting pen to paper, although I know it isn't for everyone. For me I like to write a list purely for the reasons of ticking it off and feeling accomplished. It is a feeling that I like and gives me real satisfaction. I do it for my day job but I also do it for generic things such as post letters, do the ironing, walk the dog, call mum, anything that I know will make me feel productive. </p><p>4. <b>Talk to People.</b> Yes, we can't physically see them but we have great social media now which means they are just a tap of a button a way. I am lucky in that my day job means I speak to people all day long but it is also good for me to put time aside to talk to friends and family. Make a conscious effort to pick up your phone and call family and friends, it is all too easy to lock yourself away and become lonely. You could even create a habit or routine out of it, such as having a morning coffee with a family member, virtually of course. If you have the facility to do this over a video call, then even better. I often sit and have a coffee break with someone from work, or call my mum during my lunch break so I can see her and have a catch up. </p><p>5. <b>Cut out the noise</b>. This has been a big one for me this time around. As much as I love social media and I am a visual person and love scrolling and procrastinating, but sometimes the clutter of all those notifications becomes too much. The endless messages and posts were almost starting to become expectations and competitions and no one else was setting them for me, just myself. I found by coming off a few WhatsApp groups and limiting my social media usage, for example I have removed the Facebook app off my phone then I started to feel free, like I had more time, and no one was expecting anything from me. This is very much my personality traits though and you may be very different. I love social media but the endless scrolling was not doing me any favours! Especially when home schooling was top of the agendas! </p><p>So they are just my top 5! I would love to hear what else you have been doing to help yourself this time around. I of course am still a HUGE fan of a <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2014/02/the-little-things-soak-your-troubles.html" target="_blank">hot, long bath and the odd bar of chocolate</a> with a trashy series, (Oh, Hello Bridergton!) but these are other steps I have taken to survive this next few months! </p><p>Hayley x</p><p><br /></p><p><u>Sources</u></p><p><a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/for-children-and-young-people/coronavirus/managing-feelings-about-changes-to-lockdown/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mind</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-76272155296667110402020-12-31T15:56:00.002+00:002020-12-31T15:56:40.299+00:00Where do I start?<p> Well, 2020 was a bit of a shambles huh. </p><p>The year has gone by in a blur filled with anxiety filled tiredness with the <a href="https://www.medscape.com/answers/2500114-197402/how-did-the-coronavirus-outbreak-start" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ongoing Covid situation</a> and everything else that comes along with it. When we look back on this year and our children ask us about 2020 and the pandemic that swept the world up into a state of panic and depression we will shudder and the days of home schooling, survival at work, lock downs and mask life will creep back into our minds. Who ever expected us to be in this situation? It all still feels like a bizarre dream, when I really think about that it creeps me out a little! </p><p>With the weirdness of the year, the craziness at work (I work in an industry which is linked to sales and supply of fast moving goods, i.e. - Supermarkets mostly and as you can imagine this year things went wild!) stepping up 16 levels, the requirement to suddenly <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2018/09/dear-daisy-it-is-your-first-day-at.html" target="_blank">become a teacher</a> and home school my children to some kind of degree (it soon dropped off when I dusted myself off and realized I couldn't parent, be an employee, a teacher and survive this!) and come out of this whole situation in one piece it sadly meant that things had to give and this blog was sadly the first on the list. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DBjs_zZeRWkLtowNTE8q8JAhaTTMq-5ZECknT_k_zveotTfdtmKVpLziOdNXntydfCR6hxAhbUWbP0CKJyjLMdC7YbPTvdOjbeJ-TFsAVZkIsIteyTWaAbXovhT0VFPpyg5IyxGPlRQ/s1616/IMG_20201230_144533_370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Outdoor clothing for kids" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DBjs_zZeRWkLtowNTE8q8JAhaTTMq-5ZECknT_k_zveotTfdtmKVpLziOdNXntydfCR6hxAhbUWbP0CKJyjLMdC7YbPTvdOjbeJ-TFsAVZkIsIteyTWaAbXovhT0VFPpyg5IyxGPlRQ/s16000/IMG_20201230_144533_370.jpg" title="outdoor wear for children" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>I wrote a couple of posts including one all around <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2020/03/how-to-talk-to-children-about.html" target="_blank">how to talk to your children about Covid</a>, but basically that was about it. I had no time to even sit and think about writing, which makes me so sad. It was only thing morning when my domain renewal popped through that it hit me, what a waste. It was a waste, but in actual fact my views have been up double to the year before even though there was no new content. But when I think about it there hasn't been an awful lot else to do except be online or go for your daily walk!! But then this too is a waste, I could have been writing, getting my thoughts out on paper even if no one was interested in hearing them, for cathartic reasons. But there is little point in dwelling on it right now. My poor friends had me droning on and complaining instead, but then that what friends are for right?</p><p>The year hasn't all been bad though and we have had some good times amongst the chaos. It has actually been nice in some respects to go back to a more simple life, less running around, less planning and more being in the moment. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bNmLfVDyrl-Fze73wKpatrYegaJ8D1QqHwOCEOhKqj6y8tyVFmhpvWrVG8QPbINHbUMvWYfY1azqLkk__OJfc-Ld77uLYtllnJq5Aac1fRLSXSfEKNU0ka-ACuwXv4croWtfc0XiC8g/s1356/PSX_20201011_131710_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pumpkin Farm Shropshire" border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="1356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bNmLfVDyrl-Fze73wKpatrYegaJ8D1QqHwOCEOhKqj6y8tyVFmhpvWrVG8QPbINHbUMvWYfY1azqLkk__OJfc-Ld77uLYtllnJq5Aac1fRLSXSfEKNU0ka-ACuwXv4croWtfc0XiC8g/s16000/PSX_20201011_131710_1.png" title="Pumpkin picking Shrewsbury" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>We had a great heatwave in the summer and spent most of the time sat in the sun watching the little ones roam about the garden and splash in the pool. It was almost as if Mother Nature knew it was really what we needed? I guess this winter season will test us, it was one thing being locked down in the summer but in the winter could be a whole different story. </p><p>I thought as a come back I would share a couple of pictures I love from the year to remind myself it wasn't all bad. There were good times, we are healthy and we are still hanging in there, waiting for the days when the world opens back up again to our adventures. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eCyYyx1nmlVTo9Hetniexua74ri9bthTHVMIEoAhTTV3KDz6RYSxPS2ccFJo2j-DuMk2avoa8M14kjh65wTutvUfbkvoV3blA0GINgh1SzOGPnwKEaSMPJ3F3zKtyPwts2hHyxZS40Y/s2048/IMG_20201118_213439_942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="horse riding with one hand" border="0" data-original-height="2011" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eCyYyx1nmlVTo9Hetniexua74ri9bthTHVMIEoAhTTV3KDz6RYSxPS2ccFJo2j-DuMk2avoa8M14kjh65wTutvUfbkvoV3blA0GINgh1SzOGPnwKEaSMPJ3F3zKtyPwts2hHyxZS40Y/s16000/IMG_20201118_213439_942.jpg" title="Riding for the disabled" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJi611vHgtfsYdSCyf80w_It1RMOnZF3ONIvo4THfTUs7ePy8ln8j-Yu6u3u09oydjXzQSrAfg8aNUrMrfc_kcFNgB5E2Zelfy7kr1DMESB3jQg4I4jpCBHCXXgI-exQXsYVRfhbDK_x8/s2048/20200416_142616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJi611vHgtfsYdSCyf80w_It1RMOnZF3ONIvo4THfTUs7ePy8ln8j-Yu6u3u09oydjXzQSrAfg8aNUrMrfc_kcFNgB5E2Zelfy7kr1DMESB3jQg4I4jpCBHCXXgI-exQXsYVRfhbDK_x8/w640-h640/20200416_142616.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljpQjotBWSYQwcgh8eElmauNAIjDhabRnBMGFsrrEprKY2cI6S-enwzJMeGs7Xq3Pee2yTVYhiZmbQPfjraCPHZWEmsHpJsQp64GyhgvabFaaddWEnbdUI8et5jUGGi23q85BrZVLwYI/s1616/_DSC8323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lanzarote with children" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljpQjotBWSYQwcgh8eElmauNAIjDhabRnBMGFsrrEprKY2cI6S-enwzJMeGs7Xq3Pee2yTVYhiZmbQPfjraCPHZWEmsHpJsQp64GyhgvabFaaddWEnbdUI8et5jUGGi23q85BrZVLwYI/s16000/_DSC8323.jpg" title="Lanzarote with children" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I hope you are all well, I would love to hear what you have been up to and what positive (if anything) has come from your year. </p><p>Much love, H x</p><p><br /></p>The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-79054982798965584102020-06-05T21:38:00.002+01:002020-06-05T21:38:52.645+01:00Quick, Easy Ways to Pamper Yourself<div>If you’re a mum that feels like she’s on her last thread every evening as the kids get tucked into bed, only to remember that you have a load of laundry to do, packed lunches to make (Pre Covid hell), and emails to respond to, firstly you aren't the only one and then actually it’s about time to take a moment and pamper yourself. First, throw in the load of washing and get that off the mental to do list. The other things can wait. Then, get to pampering yourself. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBe_aVn-FNRSp4nNkyjFpTjk7yNMmitJHjZ_HSe7wxB0ul-aNt3ODQoeqgCA6pL6Ls0QConLBDfmDymHOTIVzrsZC3Y8-u0tOs6PozsuD1OW3ZMfSnhm8KZ8fUzhSZXC4XLm-yLIw3tw/s2048/unnamed+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBe_aVn-FNRSp4nNkyjFpTjk7yNMmitJHjZ_HSe7wxB0ul-aNt3ODQoeqgCA6pL6Ls0QConLBDfmDymHOTIVzrsZC3Y8-u0tOs6PozsuD1OW3ZMfSnhm8KZ8fUzhSZXC4XLm-yLIw3tw/w640-h426/unnamed+%25284%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><font color="#ba67c8">GO FOR A SOAK</font></div><div><br /></div><div>A bath is one of the easiest ways you can pamper yourself and is always my first stop in an evening when the kids are in bed. In an earlier blog, <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2014/02/the-little-things-soak-your-troubles.html" target="_blank">soaking your troubles away</a> was discussed, and it’s one the easiest ways to get rid of the tension of the day. Pop in a bath bomb or some bath oil, light some candles and play some music. </div><div><br /></div><div>Or if you are like me pop on some Netflix and relax catching up with your latest series or movie. </div><div><br /></div><div><font color="#ba67c8">INDULGE RESPONSIBLY</font></div><div><br /></div><div>A huge advantage to a little evening pampering after the kids have hit the hay is you don’t feel obligated to share that chocolate you hid with anyone. Pour yourself your beverage of choice (wine, milk, no judgements here!) and actually take the time to enjoy it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Or to mix things up a little you could turn on a podcast, pour yourself a glass of wine, and paint your toenails. There’s nothing quite as relaxing as that sip of wine after you’ve finished up the chores of the day and everyone else is in bed out of the way! </div><div><font color="#ba67c8"><br /></font></div><div><font color="#ba67c8">A MORNING PAMPERING</font></div><div><br /></div><div>Pampering doesn’t have to just be done in the evening. If you have an unexpected few extra minutes one morning, spend some time just on you, instead of starting on the first task on your jobs list. </div><div><br /></div><div><font color="#ba67c8">MORNING ROUTINE</font></div><div><br /></div><div>Playing with cosmetics that you never have time for is a fun way to pamper yourself, whether it be a revitalizing sheet mask or <a href="https://wonderfuldiy.com/diy-face-masks/">diy facial</a>, or maybe you don't usually wear make up and just fancy making a bit of an effort that day. It is so weird how a bit of mascara and bronzer can perk you up. Another of my makeup favourites is <a href="https://colorescienceuk.com/collections/foundations">mineral foundation</a>, since it stays exactly where it’s put all day, and its light enough to crack on with your day, even after running around after kids so you feel fresh even by the time dinner rolls around. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Take the time to appreciate yourself and show yourself some self-love. Pampering doesn’t have to take place at exotic spas, and it doesn’t mean needing to order a five-course meal. Sometimes, it’s as simple as a warm chocolate chip cookie and a hot, steaming cup of tea in your favourite mug. Or catching a spare 10 minutes with a trashy magazine or a good read. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-51071432807955947762020-05-04T20:18:00.001+01:002020-05-04T20:18:26.734+01:00Why You Need To Remove Makeup Before Bed Every NightIt’s safe to say we’ve all been in the position where you lie down on your bed and realise you haven’t taken your makeup off. Sleep threatens to engulf you, and you end up giving in because what’s the worst that can happen? If this happens once, then it can still be temporarily bad for your skin. But, if you do this frequently, then you’re asking for a long life of skin problems.<br />
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It may seem trivial - why does it matter if you leave your makeup on, you’ve already worn it all day? Hopefully, the points below will show you precisely why you need to start removing your makeup every night. This is something I have learnt as I have sadly got older...<br />
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<b>It will age your skin</b><br />
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Leaving makeup on your skin each night will gradually age it. There are <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2380419/What-sleeping-make-does-skin-Our-shocking-experiment-exposes-happens.html" target="_blank">studies that back this up</a>, with one woman apparently ageing 10 years after not removing makeup every night for a month! Leaving your foundation on your skin will basically break down the protective skin barrier that sits on the surface. When this happens, you’re going to get wrinkles. This barrier will naturally get weaker as you age, but leaving your makeup on means it’s more likely you’ll be seeking a <a href="https://www.bellavou.co.uk/face/facelift/" target="_blank">facelift</a> before your 40th birthday (If you are into that kind of thing!!). So, think about that before you go to bed every night with your makeup on!<br />
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<b>You’ll get more spots</b><br />
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Even if your skin is naturally quite clear, you will get spots if you leave your makeup on every night. It’s pretty easy to see why. Not only will you have makeup clogging up your pores, but you also have a day’s worth of sweat and dirt on your face. All of this becomes ingrained into your skin and will leave you with lots of spots the following day. This is why it’s essential to remove all of your makeup and use a <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2019/01/liz-earle-cleanse-and-polish-review.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">facial cleanser</a> to keep your skin clean and fresh. Now, you can sleep safe in the knowledge that your skin is free from any dirt or sweat.<br />
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<b>Your face might get red and itchy</b><br />
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It’s not uncommon for people to wake up with a red face and a rash. This happens because of the <a href="https://www.science.org.au/curious/people-medicine/chemistry-cosmetics" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ingredients in your makeup</a>. They can often be pretty harmful to your skin, particularly when left on there for a long time. A few hours of wearing your makeup during the day is bad enough, but an extra 8 hours on top of that at night is very dangerous. If you have sensitive skin, then you could see redness or itchiness on your skin in the morning. To make matters worse, how would you usually respond to this? If you have places to be, you need to cover the redness with more makeup! So, you compound the problem, and it gets worse and worse.<br />
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<b>Your skin loses its natural shine</b><br />
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The skin has layers. An old layer will gradually waste away to reveal a new one underneath. Typically, the top layer of your skin is full of oils and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/remove-dead-skin-from-face" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">dead skin cells</a>. That sounds gross, but it’s just the way the body works. Usually, when you wash your face, you remove the dead skin and reveal a new and bright layer of skin. As such, when you leave your makeup on, you don’t give yourself a chance to get rid of the dead skin or oil. Therefore, you can wake up and feel like your skin has lost its natural shine. For want of a better phrase, your skin looks dull and boring. Cleansing before bed is the best way to prevent this. Remove all of your makeup and get rid of any dead skin or oils. As a result, you will wake up with cleaner and more vibrant looking skin.<br />
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<b>You stain your pillow</b><br />
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Okay, this has nothing to do with beauty, but it’s still a concern! Leaving makeup on your face will mean it rubs off onto your pillows. Not only does this look gross, but it means you have to keep washing your pillow covers every day. Or, you leave it on there and it causes a stain. Neither option is ideal, so don’t put yourself in that position. Clean your makeup off, and you avoid any stains!<br />
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As you can see, leaving your makeup on every night can be detrimental to the health of your skin. If you want to look younger and have brighter skin that’s free from blemishes, then be sure to follow a night time cleansing routine. Take all of your makeup off, no matter how tired you feel.<br />
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The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-48882584954662228932020-03-29T09:36:00.001+01:002020-03-29T09:36:40.763+01:00How to talk to children about coronavirusI wanted to be next coming on here to write about our recent holiday to Lanzarote and share what we have been up to, how it was staying in a villa versus a hotel and so on... But sadly like every other person in this world we were locked down and didn't really get the holiday we planned.<br />
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We are home safe and sound (and have been for some time don't panic!) and have spent the last few weeks isolated at home. With 2 small children. Working full time. Whilst attempting home schooling (or emergency schooling) and keeping sane.<br />
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I expect none of us actually ever imagined we would be in this situation. It feels as if we may wake up any minute and it was all a dream. How in this day of age does something like this happen? It feels absolutely ridiculous, but it most certainly is happening. And it is terrifying to us as adults never mind small children.<br />
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I have been doing lots of reading up on <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2017/10/how-to-improve-your-blogs-da-score-what.html" target="_blank">how we should be talking to our children about the situation</a> and how perhaps they may be feeling. It has become fairly clear over the last few days that Daisy is pretty worried over "the germs". And Alex definitely knows something serious is going on. So, how should we talk to our children about Coronavirus?<br />
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So a couple of my tips or at least things I am trying to do currently:<br />
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- Shelter them from the news stories and publicity as much as I possibly can. We all know what it is like to become absorbed by the news aound Covid-19 but even I have taken the steps to stay away from it as much as possible at certain points of the day, to avoid starting the day in a dark place. If I struggle how hard must it be for a 5 year old to absorb and process all of that terrifying news? They pick up of far more than we give them credit for. We are now catching up on the headlines when they have gone to bed in an evening. It may not exactly be sheltering them from the news but perhaps filtering.<br />
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- Give them a sense of control. So one thing we can control now we are in lock down is our hygiene. Take it as a time for education on germs and virus. How can they keep themselves clean. How can we wash our hands effectively. But also making sure you get that balance correct and don't push them into becoming obsessive over washing their hands for example.<br />
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- Reassurance is key. We have been asked questions such as we have to look after older people at the moment and stay away. will they die? But we turn it around and talk about older people we may know and talk about how fit and healthy they are and how they too are isolating to keep themselves safe. Try to keep the way in which you talk to them super simple and appropriate for their age.<br />
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- Take your cues from your child. This is a tip from Childmind and I thought it was really, really helpful. Invite your child to tell you anything they may have heard about the coronavirus, and how they feel about it. Give them the chance to ask questions they may have, just be preapred that you have to answer them!<br />
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- Try to avoid them seeing you in a state of panic or heightened anxiety. We are all going to feel it at some point and I expect potentially there may be more to come but we need to try and disguise this. Children pick up on our behaviours and moods. When we are all stuck at home the last place we want to feel like a deep dark gloomy cave is here.<br />
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There are some fantastic resources available to help you with this such as the below:<br />
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Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus: <a href="https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/">https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/</a><br />
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Unicef: <a href="https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/how-talk-your-child-about-coronavirus-covid-19">https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/how-talk-your-child-about-coronavirus-covid-19</a><br />
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Young Minds: <a href="https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/talking-to-your-child-about-coronavirus/">https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/talking-to-your-child-about-coronavirus/</a><br />
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Kids Health: <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/coronavirus-how-talk-child.html">https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/coronavirus-how-talk-child.html</a><br />
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<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-31068989844740782342020-03-09T16:06:00.001+00:002020-03-09T16:06:35.022+00:00Jooki | Kid's Music Player Review*We were recently sent a <a href="https://jooki.rocks/" target="_blank">Jooki Music Player</a> to test out and it went down an absolute storm.<br />
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Jooki is a very colourful, bold, solid and super easy to use speaker for Children. It comes with five little solid characters which you then can program to play different songs and stories set up in Spotify (or Deezer). You can also upload any MP3 content that you may wish to or even stream live internet radio stations. We haven't actually done that though as we have never had a need, the spotify function has always been more than enough! The idea behind Jooki is that it allows your kids to control the music themselves.<br />
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The Jooki was super quick and easy to get set up, we had it up and running within 5 minutes. You just simply follow the instructions in the leaflet, connect your Jooki to your wifi – download the app (which is free from iTunes/ Play Store) and you’re ready to get playing. The next task is to program all your characters, you just use the app. You can create simple playlists and then just assign the character you want to that playlist. The the kiddies can argue over which character gets to go first!<br />
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Our Jooki has already had a few tumbles (3 year olds!!!!) and has survived without a mark at all. It really is built for little hands and is built to survive a few bumps and crashes. It is a little heavy as expected for something so strong, it definitely feels like it is worth the money you pay for it.<br />
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My favourite part of the Jooki is that it is actually screen free. To find something so interactive that doesn't involve a screen can only be a good thing.<br />
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Another good benefit is that it is rechargeable and will easily last 8 hours whilst on. You simply just plug in the USB charging cable to the back of it for easy charging. It didn't take long to charge either.<br />
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I would say that the age range for this product would probably be up until about 8 years old. But although the characters may become tiresome at that age it also doubles as a bluetooth speaker so can be used forever more. It isn't something they grow out of and it is never used again! It would be a <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/p/beauty-posts.html" target="_blank">great birthday gift! </a><br />
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Jooki is available to buy <a href="https://jooki.rocks/" target="_blank">online at Jooki</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jooki-Screen-Free-Stories-ToyTouch-Technology/dp/B07FGG5H4X" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>*We were gifted our Jooki for an honest review. All opinions are my own </b></span><br />
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<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-9375210410360244302020-03-02T15:47:00.001+00:002020-03-02T15:47:21.845+00:00Things to do in London with your mumI recently went to London as part of a <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2017/01/travel-plans-2017.html" target="_blank">girls weekend away</a>. We were a mixed group and thought we did some great things that your mum may enjoy to do whilst in London.<br />
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There is so much to do and look at but it really would depend on the season, weather and how active you want to be.<br />
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I will pop a few <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/p/travel-posts.html" target="_blank">mum friendly London things</a> that we did down below, that you may also like to try next time you go.<br />
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<u><b><a href="https://skygarden.london/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Sky Garden</a></b></u><br />
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This wasn't the first time I have visited here but I knew the group I went with would absolutely love it. And it is Free, which is a bonus! You don't mind paying the slightly high prices for a G&T when you get to the top then. The Sky Garden is basically a free public space at the top of the Walkie Talkie Tower with the most spectacular views of London, depending on the weather.<br />
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The garden is filled with various species of plants and fauna which makes it unique compared to many other spots you will get to see the views of london. There is a restaurant (which has to be booked separately), a bar and plenty of seating. There is also an outdoor terrace, but this was closed this weekend due to the bad weather.<br />
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It was absolutely peeing it down when we went up at the weekend and we were expecting the views to be pretty poor. However we were pleasantly surprised to find it absolutely fine.<br />
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You do need to book tickets before you go though.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJPm22I5YPRlZw5rxiCyNMts7-25pewuK9GQqiESliyG_G3CdgAYs6uHqwW2bjKwtfSo2ymJ6n_89j5w3NVUw5caJuyfr9Ojn5_V7kps34xJrcsgUfX_EpqqNqoNVFZ0e3amayA0haU0/s1600/PSX_20200229_184606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photo of the walkie talkie building in london" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJPm22I5YPRlZw5rxiCyNMts7-25pewuK9GQqiESliyG_G3CdgAYs6uHqwW2bjKwtfSo2ymJ6n_89j5w3NVUw5caJuyfr9Ojn5_V7kps34xJrcsgUfX_EpqqNqoNVFZ0e3amayA0haU0/s640/PSX_20200229_184606.jpg" title="Photo of the sky Garden" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Gin-themed visit to Mr Fogg's.</u></b><br />
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I had heard of <a href="https://www.mr-foggs.com/mr-foggs-tavern/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mr Foggs</a> several times before heading to London last week, it has been a must visit for a while. It is an instagrammers heaven, so beautiful. There a couple of location and we headed to the Covent Garden Tavern spot. A really fun spot especially if you’re not from London and on a weekend trip. It’s a different and unique experience to the usual British pub you may stumble across. You won't miss the doorway of My Foggs with its gorgeous floral garland, first up you will notice tourists having their photo taken outside of it !<br />
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Not only is the venue quirky and visually pleasing but the staff were also so welcoming and did all they could to give their customers a real experience! The bar itself is really cool & based on a Victorian theme. We didn’t have food but it looked and smelt good too!<br />
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The drinks were absolutely beautiful too, to look at and drink!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4QONKHAeGcsa1obvNvQjw03xSUEibzY55ZRapH2TyK1OJdiQH3JMH-RQGMzIoeebzz2FVJXiNI88nWIZ-ca84Rf_EuBoXv5l3bRGjnRM59pVprhjTHdGH_ibi13bCIUvbtw_5IUOX2E/s1600/IMG_20200301_074725_140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="beautiful doorway outside mr foggs" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4QONKHAeGcsa1obvNvQjw03xSUEibzY55ZRapH2TyK1OJdiQH3JMH-RQGMzIoeebzz2FVJXiNI88nWIZ-ca84Rf_EuBoXv5l3bRGjnRM59pVprhjTHdGH_ibi13bCIUvbtw_5IUOX2E/s640/IMG_20200301_074725_140.jpg" title="beautiful doorway outside mr foggs" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTljst35ar-fFat2h0rjDPlc2glvO9vXKVmOP9fLu9a4i08Gb1YE5ge9oVk7a4SEyK1ZmzARxLZl6z_6uLWYaFDs6kRrNd_PsGQ32RYEytCeiwg4-YqI3_sjROTshW8G2z8I7vpvLHjH8/s1600/IMG_20200301_193818_992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mr Foggs Gin Parlour, Mixologist making cocktails, gin cocktails" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTljst35ar-fFat2h0rjDPlc2glvO9vXKVmOP9fLu9a4i08Gb1YE5ge9oVk7a4SEyK1ZmzARxLZl6z_6uLWYaFDs6kRrNd_PsGQ32RYEytCeiwg4-YqI3_sjROTshW8G2z8I7vpvLHjH8/s640/IMG_20200301_193818_992.jpg" title="Mr Foggs Gin Parlour" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u><a href="https://theivymarketgrill.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Breakfast at the Ivy, Covent Garden</a></u></b><br />
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Everyone has heard about the Ivy, and who wouldn't want to be treated for breakfast (or lunch or dinner of course!) there. I know i would! It had again been on my watch list for a while and finally last weekend we went.<br />
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I made the reservation for the Saturday morning and we got there at around 10.15am and it was fairly well occupied. By the time we left at around 11.45 it was really busy! I would definitely recommend booking and getting there early if going for breakfast.<br />
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The venue itself is absolutely beautiful, it is what you would imagine. Classically decorated, shiny brass and interesting artwork. The bathrooms are also beautiful.<br />
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The breakfast menu was good, something for everything although rather heavily egg based. Was expecting the quality of service and food along with the gorgeous venue to come at a fancy price but I was surprised by how modest the bill actually was.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-2cLH8KJYHcwLqoOW4LKOzF6X4NO1vO0zLXK4bMq8ztPK3so4iNYHMy4mys_KFURwkYtiD3_10uS3asIRq-tQcO93BhIHNplwmhC5i6P5XdprsVjDMhCj3g_F9_GNLJ5pPKaduZjACs/s1600/PSX_20200229_184257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the bar inside the ivy market grill in covent garden, " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-2cLH8KJYHcwLqoOW4LKOzF6X4NO1vO0zLXK4bMq8ztPK3so4iNYHMy4mys_KFURwkYtiD3_10uS3asIRq-tQcO93BhIHNplwmhC5i6P5XdprsVjDMhCj3g_F9_GNLJ5pPKaduZjACs/s640/PSX_20200229_184257.jpg" title="traditional victorian bar, brass bar" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Visit the west end and see a show</u></b><br />
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We often go to see a show, weather that be in London or when touring at more local venues. The reason we actually visited London this weekend was due to us getting tickets to see <a href="https://www.thepiccadillytheatre.com/pretty-woman?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ccr-paid_search&utm_campaign=x-pit-pw-onsale-20190912-x&genre=musical&venue-implementation=ccr&ds_rl=1258903&gclid=CjwKCAiA-vLyBRBWEiwAzOkGVF4C2e9RFknHgVcUDIJ47m7U_VanPA4NxOaY1L7eNlKdfPbkbFe0pxoCJ2kQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">Pretty Woman at the Piccadily Theatre</a>. There is nothing better though that a trip to the actual west end to see a show.<br />
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The show itself was fantastic. I have always loved the film so was excited to see how it would transfer to the stage. From the opening scene I was loved it, the music was really catchy & the story followed the original fairly well.<br />
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The theatres in London are beautiful and really are an important part of London and in particular the west end. Whats On Stage has a fantastic article all around the ideal show to take your mum to: <a href="https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/mothers-day-top-shows-presents-theatre-mum_48718.html">https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/mothers-day-top-shows-presents-theatre-mum_48718.html</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrAx9yK-z9Gj_yeJ7H7SeB0kC5A7meKO9XEUnhQucaWG2l2WxijDFsy0O9bsqKgJfYbGSwle7KFJAA3AA40eDCvz2TZxHHFC1clbf0wDacWPETNB_bHO8_z-VcpfvbFTiNpTAb6JuULo/s1600/PSX_20200229_184508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pretty woman in london" border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="1600" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrAx9yK-z9Gj_yeJ7H7SeB0kC5A7meKO9XEUnhQucaWG2l2WxijDFsy0O9bsqKgJfYbGSwle7KFJAA3AA40eDCvz2TZxHHFC1clbf0wDacWPETNB_bHO8_z-VcpfvbFTiNpTAb6JuULo/s640/PSX_20200229_184508.jpg" title="Review of pretty woman in the west end" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-21834211759613810902020-02-18T21:41:00.002+00:002020-02-18T21:41:48.361+00:00Where to stay with kids in Lanzarote & Favourite Playa Blanca BeachesWe went to <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2018/04/thb-tropical-island-review-playa-blanca.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lanzarote with children</a> in 2018 and are heading back there again in a few weeks time.<br />
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The canary islands are a favourite destination of ours for a winter escape to the sun. With it being just a 4 hour flight and almost guaranteed sunshine, it is hard to resist! We do get the odd cloudy day and you will definitely need a cardigan or jacket in an evening but to have a high chance of feeling the sun on your face and a bit of warmth after the freezing, wet weather here in the UK it is most definitely worth it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1yh3jUe0QDJ-SzP0DFQcJcYoZQMrEQOqwZRoMxceVKWLrvIOZZlyA25XRjitiZbsnONL5dUhE2x66B7QnhlT3zYY_LfPuaaUN6y6hHff9HJlc9G7bu1v45DaTDPKAm1dR_N39fMGtPU/s1600/asdf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Best beach in lanzarote with children, flamingo beach playa blanca. Kids playing in the sand on the beach" border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1yh3jUe0QDJ-SzP0DFQcJcYoZQMrEQOqwZRoMxceVKWLrvIOZZlyA25XRjitiZbsnONL5dUhE2x66B7QnhlT3zYY_LfPuaaUN6y6hHff9HJlc9G7bu1v45DaTDPKAm1dR_N39fMGtPU/s1600/asdf.jpg" title="Best beach in lanzarote with children, flamingo beach playa blanca" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fOA67otfTF3Yciy0BKAMM7tz884MLzWwVyjdukJ-XBTPOVj2nwSYMkvwdaMpjP4Bbqgieyqj88t7jyR6hlSfEGx35hXxZtKlc-rQGgF9B_NWdtOm1IxK_4UNhhCJDAECqpCXqVnXc00/s1600/kijuhgf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Where to stay in playa blanca with children, family friendly holidays in lanzarote, instagram spot in playa blanca" border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fOA67otfTF3Yciy0BKAMM7tz884MLzWwVyjdukJ-XBTPOVj2nwSYMkvwdaMpjP4Bbqgieyqj88t7jyR6hlSfEGx35hXxZtKlc-rQGgF9B_NWdtOm1IxK_4UNhhCJDAECqpCXqVnXc00/s1600/kijuhgf.jpg" title="Where to stay in playa blanca with children, family friendly holidays in lanzarote" /></a></div>
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On both occasions we will have visited Playa Blanca with Kids. The first time we stopped at the <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2018/04/thb-tropical-island-review-playa-blanca.html">THB Tropical Island</a> resort in a self catering apartment. At the time we had hoped to stay in a villa or an apartment as we usually would, but we had left it too late and when we came to book on somewhere like Owners Direct they were 90% booked for our dates and we couldn't really afford what was left. So we ended up here.<br />
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We ended up booked in to the <a href="https://www.thbhotels.com/en/hotel-tropical-island-playa-blanca?" target="_blank">Tropical Island Aparthotel</a> (Has all the facilities of a big hotel but is made up of smaller self catering apartments) through Hotels.com and we are really pleased it worked out that way as we had a fantastic stay. If we are honest, the hotel was far bigger than we would usually go for, with lots of facilities we knew we just wouldn't use. However, being out of season meant that it was quiet. Which for us was just what we were after. We like enough to keep the children entertained, so the big pools dotted around the grounds, the splash park and the mini playgrounds were just what we needed. There was enough to keep them busy at the times were around our accommodation.<br />
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The hotel was a short 5 minute drive from Playa Blanca's centre, we had read that a car was easiest but there was a fairly safe walk with a pavement if you fancied it. We did it once or twice and although it only took 20 minutes or so, it was quite hard work with the 2 kiddies.<br />
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This time we have booked into a smaller part of Playa Blanca towards <a href="https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/lanzarote/playa-blanca/flamingo-beach.html?WT.mc_id=pgo-97249685471-dsa-855962923121&ch=hn&gclid=Cj0KCQiAs67yBRC7ARIsAF49CdXQFMTP0rD14WHrAmDmonQgFTeRjJySMNKWZr4jsejW1kXimqteTXwaAn5cEALw_wcB#state=BQoUAAAAA_____hQoABBQ5bDAgAAZDg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Flamingo beach</a> in a little family villa that we have booked through owners direct. I will of course share our thoughts on this, photos etc when we return.<br />
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Flamingo beach is a really small beach area that we stumbled across one day when we were out for a drive and absolutely fell in love with it. We ended up spending a lot of our week there in the end so to find a villa that is on it's doorstep was the perfect choice for us.<br />
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There is actually a <a href="https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/europe/spain/lanzarote/playa-blanca/apartments/tui-blue-flamingo-beach.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TUI resort next to Flamingo beach too</a> that has good reviews if you wanted more of a hotel based break.<br />
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Flamingo beach is a location we highly recommend with small children. It is the perfect Lanzarote beach! It is the perfect beach for the kids because it has really tranquil waters and really fine white sand, which they will play in all day long. Flamingo beach has showers and sunbeds with umbrellas which is something we always look out for at a beach now that we have children to cater for. Along the perimeter of the beach there are shops and restaurants too, perfect to grab some lunch and snacks from. Oh, and ice cream of course!<br />
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It is worth noting that this is a man made beach and so here you will find clean but imported sand and reliable breakwaters, which means the water is shallow and gentle.<br />
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Shall update this as soon as I have more details on our next stay!<br />
<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-69271917257615996632020-01-09T20:35:00.000+00:002020-01-09T20:35:40.362+00:00Secret Hidden Bars in CopenhagenWe recently went to <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/p/travel-posts.html">Copenhagen for a long weekend</a> to soak in some festive atmosphere before the chaos of Christmas actually struck.<br />
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Not only did we find some of the most gorgeous <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2017/10/is-christmas-really-coming-why-do-we.html">Christmas markets</a> and shops but we also found some lovely, <a href="https://theculturetrip.com/europe/denmark/articles/copenhagen-s-10-impossibly-cool-bars-drinking-spots/">hidden gems of bars</a>. We were lucky that we (I say WE lightly, it was Ben!) did some research before we went and had a little list of places we wanted to go to when we were there and there were a couple of bars and restaurants on that little list.<br />
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Top of the list has to be <a href="https://rby.dk/" rel="nofollow">Ruby</a>, an understated Cocktail Bar which from the outside you may never know is there except for a little neon sign that hangs above the door. Ruby is placed in an old terraced townhouse in the oldest part of town, directly opposite the parliament buildings and Thorvaldsens museum. You go through a door which feels as if you may be wandering directly into someones house and amble your way through to what feels like a lounge. It is dark in there and slightly mysterious, but the atmosphere is indulgent and special. The cocktails were not cheap but they were really good! If you are looking for a cocktail bar in Copenhagen then I would highly recommend here.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bEggYRUepx0yjSuNuAonvFwR1dflKIZxsEVk_nfSAYg3O1OWAIHH7-tryZSPna9Ognjh_f5gi7AGDKD2wHu2GEomjD9pyi3RChpAe_PPdbS3q-SG2v9hsMTFCq-4Swb6FsFt2EAsW04/s1600/bronnum-copenhagen-bars-nightlife-guide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ruby Cocktail bar copenhagen" border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bEggYRUepx0yjSuNuAonvFwR1dflKIZxsEVk_nfSAYg3O1OWAIHH7-tryZSPna9Ognjh_f5gi7AGDKD2wHu2GEomjD9pyi3RChpAe_PPdbS3q-SG2v9hsMTFCq-4Swb6FsFt2EAsW04/s1600/bronnum-copenhagen-bars-nightlife-guide.jpg" title="Ruby Cocktail bar copenhagen" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Telegraph. (It was too dark to take my own!) </td></tr>
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Next up is<a href="https://lidkoeb.dk/" rel="nofollow"> Lidkoeb</a>. Now this place really is hidden. You walk down some random alleys and end up at the back of what looks like an old disused building. Located down a windy old street in Vesterbro, Lidkoeb is a bit hard to find but definitely worth it. Lidkoeb is a cocktail bar with two floors of cocktails and the top floor is a whisky bar. When we arrived at a weekend around 9pm it was very busy. There was not anywhere to sit but we were able to stand to the side of the bar until some seats at the bar become free. It was a beautiful location and the atmosphere was nice, it appeared to attract a nice clientele that enjoyed good drinks, all be it for quite a big price tag again. But again watching the mixologists at work I would say they were worth every penny.<br />
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Overall we found it friendly, good service, great products and a cosy atmosphere.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7HsfEwls9Xdg7iOhD4ldAzQ5U65IVKWUKuUrOqoJy7XGrwZAhUjfbO-QzxmGd_4wCMzelYkEiP2Mz_ZgKSmfHqM-wagAVZpw_e4rZpFXwzyWChNsmFzsDy4qbjVKfquObKiCbvOMmWg/s1600/79213595_10162631404080430_5290781293510918144_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="hidden cocktail bars copenhagen" border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7HsfEwls9Xdg7iOhD4ldAzQ5U65IVKWUKuUrOqoJy7XGrwZAhUjfbO-QzxmGd_4wCMzelYkEiP2Mz_ZgKSmfHqM-wagAVZpw_e4rZpFXwzyWChNsmFzsDy4qbjVKfquObKiCbvOMmWg/s1600/79213595_10162631404080430_5290781293510918144_n.jpg" title="hidden cocktail bars copenhagen" /></a></div>
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Next up, is <a href="https://www.noho.bar/en/about-noho" rel="nofollow">Noho</a>. This is in the meatpacking district where you can find several really cool bar and restaurants. If you are into instagram worthy venues then this is your place. NOHO is one of those places that when you step in for the first time you just can’t stop looking at the interior design, the flowers all over the ceiling and the beautiful neon lights. Again on a Saturday night this place was very busy. The restaurant side of the venue was full and the bar appeared full too. However, after we had been there a while we noticed there was also a downstairs and that lead to lots of areas of seating.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvZLHbL9YSccKvizYe2fK7cbfBiW97mdbUMvPDTwn1N_VoPy2vbDtBEz0cQsBSEIrX13u4j2sw5FPYLa-dfXljrKXASITBjsDvC1kIWC4H4kpyC5DSSjA1UWP9QRYVhHVyDhE__vH-14/s1600/img_9045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Noho Meatpacking district, cocktail bar copenhagen" border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvZLHbL9YSccKvizYe2fK7cbfBiW97mdbUMvPDTwn1N_VoPy2vbDtBEz0cQsBSEIrX13u4j2sw5FPYLa-dfXljrKXASITBjsDvC1kIWC4H4kpyC5DSSjA1UWP9QRYVhHVyDhE__vH-14/s1600/img_9045.jpg" title="Noho Meatpacking district, cocktail bar copenhagen" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Noho</td></tr>
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Have I missed any top bars?<br />
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<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com78tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-61020566653293804042019-12-02T15:49:00.000+00:002019-12-02T15:49:46.893+00:00Save Money This Winter, Be Sensible, Thrifty & Sustainable<br />
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Christmas is looming and we all know it can be a struggle with the old bank balance, Christmas also feels to be coming a lot earlier this year. I think we with the impending Black Friday and cyber monday the pressure mounts up far earlier than in previous years. All of the gifts you need to buy, the special food, clothes and all of the additional funds you need for the special events that come with it like your Christmas party! It’s never easy especially when you throw children into the mix.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6Cg3Y4c9MrwfZmoZXczQ_bfXW3tbTQv8ypgGlha-6MUbZHaK4f6wTjzy-hQ4IOF6rckzMUUruH0uM1zMTd_Ck7KVKsDK5TTZN7DiO_Uvd_2G77UKiimRSjd5KWhyphenhyphenvtuKk_Zf7TVvr70/s1600/26a4f6dc7044fa0d90ecb05ef6158dbf--sketches-of-girls-drawings-of-girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6Cg3Y4c9MrwfZmoZXczQ_bfXW3tbTQv8ypgGlha-6MUbZHaK4f6wTjzy-hQ4IOF6rckzMUUruH0uM1zMTd_Ck7KVKsDK5TTZN7DiO_Uvd_2G77UKiimRSjd5KWhyphenhyphenvtuKk_Zf7TVvr70/s320/26a4f6dc7044fa0d90ecb05ef6158dbf--sketches-of-girls-drawings-of-girls.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>
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These are my <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2018/04/my-top-5-tips-for-saving-money-ad.html" target="_blank">top ways of saving a bit of money</a> to help lighten the load a little this year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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1- <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2017/09/giving-hello-fresh-go-getting-out-of-rut.html" target="_blank">Meal plan</a>. I’ve talked about this before and how it really does help us a family to not only be organised and know what we are doing each evening for food but it also cuts down on waste and trips to the shop. We try to go for dinners that we can bulk and stretch out to at least two days, sometimes even three. For example if I’m doing a chilli then I’ll throw in some extra veg (what ever is lurking in the fridge) or an extra tin of beans or lentils to bulk it up and make it go that bit further.<o:p></o:p></div>
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2- This is more about utilising what you’ve got to free of funds rather than dipping into your bank account. Start working your way around the house room by room and minimalise. Do you need everything, love everything or have a use for it all? If not, sell it! That way you not only free your house up of unnecessary clutter but you also make some £ to spend on things you do need to buy or to put away for a rainy day!<o:p></o:p></div>
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3- Think free! At a weekend it’s so easy to pop out for the day with the kids and before you know it you’ve bought lunch, a coffee, parking, a present the kids have begged you for and so on. Instead go for a walk or a bike ride, visit the library and take some snacks with you or aim to be back home by meal times. It may not feel much of a day out to you but the children will barely notice, or at least mine wouldn’t who are just 2 and 4 years old. All they want to do is be out and about. Basically if you avoid opportunities to spend then you won’t! A prime example of coffee shops for us, it’s so easy to spend way over £10 on two coffees and a snack so I try to avoid it where I can because they all add up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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4- Sleep on it. With this I am talking about impulse buys. The internet is a wonderful yet very tempting place, it’s makes shopping that bit too easy! Instead of clicking buy now on that new pair of boots or what ever it may be leave it in your basket for 12-24 hours and then have another look, is it really necessary?<o:p></o:p></div>
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5- <a href="https://sammydvintage.com/how-to-thrift-store-shop/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Be a bit thrifty</a>. Not everything you buy has to be brand new. I know some people will stick their nose up at this but what’s really wrong with looking around a charity shop or eBay for that particular toy your after for your son? I have picked up a few retro transformer toys and bits for Alex, he will have no idea they are not brand new! Or maybe you’ve a thing for Joules or Boden clothing, then there are a ton of Joules pages on Facebook where people are selling either brand new or almost new items every single hour and you could pick up a bargain!<o:p></o:p></div>
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6- <a href="https://www.vouchercodes.co.uk/?ppcid=mowuhttxxcoggdxlicmfhotrlbqhiowfhptelflnrstnmdtevfwvugkcnrmykvmyjtxfgzxpndqumkkdhlnlndqvxhjaltlwxqvlxhvexlmhkvqeraxzrbxkyqxntmiaqzogxcxxtxgmmbqzxzxvjo&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlIXfBRCpARIsAKvManyqdSgbdp4EesO23JU_b2WAS967PYON5MXx5nUKgoAfClZQFx0lbuAaAkS_EALw_wcB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Voucher codes</a>. I used to be the person laughing at those others who would scour magazines and things for coupons to save that bit of money on their shopping. Now I’m not as In to it as that but if I’m buying online then I do a simple Google searching for vouchers for that particular store and quite often I’ll find a voucher of some kind such as free delivery of 20% off if you spend £20 etc. It’s always worth a look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-54463048736433297832019-11-25T14:37:00.001+00:002019-11-25T14:37:24.257+00:00Shopping Small This Christmas... IIAs a little reminder..,<br />
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This year (and last actually) I aim to be <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/sustainable-fashion-tips-how-to-shop-environment-fast-niomi-smart-a8941796.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">more sustainable, thoughtful</a> and I also aim to enjoy the experience a little more.<br />
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When purchasing gifts (which I do actually love to do) I am trying to shop small or local. Local where possible but sometimes you just can't find a specific thing locally and have to put out a wider search, but in those instances I want to find small businesses where your purchase makes a difference to those selling as well as receiving.<br />
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I am going to start sharing local gift guides, businesses and ideas with you over the next few weeks. If you know of anywhere then please do let me know as I would love to have a nose and perhaps share any secret gems that we find along the way.<br />
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So on to my second installment...<br />
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First up is not a business that is local to me but one I stumbled across on Facebook and one I have already shopped from for my children's Christmas stockings this year. <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PotionFizz?ref=search_shop_redirect" target="_blank">Potionfizz</a>... The business is run by a lovely lady called Molly and she handmakes all of the beautiful bath products that you can find over on her <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PotionFizz?ref=search_shop_redirect" target="_blank">etsy page</a>. Handmade bath bombs are the most beautiful, thoughtful gift, they can be used and loved and can make that person feel special whilst using. No waste and vegan!<br />
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All images belong to Molly:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdRbGRLXbBKG3JMzLuD2Gc_8VDfQRjpdFdtk6ZMUsHfULrsD3ogdumLpcqZMyFWHqLInbGp4EaQly5MFGEyhEAxWcCoVj__rGBCMVNVPvTMY1SP0d08ZTzmnwfMKG4kq0Q7ugkWRsSVY/s1600/isla_280x280.38214663_8vdb6d70.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdRbGRLXbBKG3JMzLuD2Gc_8VDfQRjpdFdtk6ZMUsHfULrsD3ogdumLpcqZMyFWHqLInbGp4EaQly5MFGEyhEAxWcCoVj__rGBCMVNVPvTMY1SP0d08ZTzmnwfMKG4kq0Q7ugkWRsSVY/s1600/isla_280x280.38214663_8vdb6d70.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxqn41MmRaymTNYmSSHcorAdEjDTlqy3yaYRR_Q62Wykz1OyfWePWqs9rhLxces46OWQnr0wd9K8fDa_dbyHuojXdKIxsguOQiym_NYROKHXrJE1QYplg8J7p_t2Eyq-9vbiB1b6rRws/s1600/il_1588xN.2077037104_tag1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1588" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxqn41MmRaymTNYmSSHcorAdEjDTlqy3yaYRR_Q62Wykz1OyfWePWqs9rhLxces46OWQnr0wd9K8fDa_dbyHuojXdKIxsguOQiym_NYROKHXrJE1QYplg8J7p_t2Eyq-9vbiB1b6rRws/s640/il_1588xN.2077037104_tag1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCqXhyK2f7zdJfitalTGnIu62PpKaqY-94e2iEL63ozwCcfZ_SjagtKAxGEBfsJk1Zn-P3wTuwdZ8-_hu10ef5lI8003ykxQW2YX24fit6stK5ADPGeg05qwOPY0FSTengkmLev51aXw/s1600/il_1588xN.2109739299_96od.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="handmade vegan bath products" border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1588" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCqXhyK2f7zdJfitalTGnIu62PpKaqY-94e2iEL63ozwCcfZ_SjagtKAxGEBfsJk1Zn-P3wTuwdZ8-_hu10ef5lI8003ykxQW2YX24fit6stK5ADPGeg05qwOPY0FSTengkmLev51aXw/s640/il_1588xN.2109739299_96od.jpg" title="handmade vegan bath products" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next up is again a business I have had the pleasure of meeting, trying and buying from. And That is <a href="http://www.shiregin.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shire Gin</a>, The Shropshire Distillery.<br />
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My mum has a Shropshire mobile bar business and as part of that and some events we have attended we have met the lovely owners Emma and Gareth and got to have a good look at their products. The Distillery is a family run business with with the gin all made in-house with no third party involvement with every batch and bottle hand numbered and signed.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimkTZ9TQ9TXbzBXOP_obOnTR_TZGDXcgCUBoOjVAsEqjpy_tghk3XC-_O1GKAQrJ5mMxLIho5x-TuZEGJyX_tZTadMImG7PuIaSujxnnSRAqPXKXlDmAsDDHHi-mrsU82fVY0KvkNjJU/s1600/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shropshire Gin, Shire Gin" border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="1600" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimkTZ9TQ9TXbzBXOP_obOnTR_TZGDXcgCUBoOjVAsEqjpy_tghk3XC-_O1GKAQrJ5mMxLIho5x-TuZEGJyX_tZTadMImG7PuIaSujxnnSRAqPXKXlDmAsDDHHi-mrsU82fVY0KvkNjJU/s640/Capture.JPG" title="Shropshire Gin, Shire Gin" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Shire Gin</td></tr>
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So there you go, 2 more small "local" businesses to feast your eyes on this Christmas. One being very local to myself.<br />
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I would be very content receiving gifts from either and I know that my friends and family would be the same! <br />
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Again if you know of any small businesses that you think I should take a look at then please do let me know!<br />
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Hayley xThe little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-28517641684213585022019-11-18T14:26:00.002+00:002019-11-18T14:26:52.593+00:00Shopping Small & Local This Christmas<a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2017/10/is-christmas-really-coming-why-do-we.html" target="_blank">Christmas</a> is a time when we all inevitably go out and purchase more than our usual monthly spends. Those of you that are well organised and prepared do so in advance and a lot of thought goes into finding the right gift for the right person, on the other hand some of us rush about in panic mode finding a gift for someone that may not necessarily be the right gift for that person.<br />
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This year (and last actually) I aim to be <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/sustainable-fashion-tips-how-to-shop-environment-fast-niomi-smart-a8941796.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">more sustainable, thoughtful</a> and I also aim to enjoy the experience a little more. Last year I tried to do as much as I could that would give that person an experience in some way. Think theatre tickets, spa breaks, afternoon tea etc. Creating memories rather that giving goods. I probably achieved this in about 25% of the cases but i do want to work on that this year again.<br />
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When purchasing gifts (which I do actually love to do) I am trying to shop small or local. Local where possible but sometimes you just can't find a specific thing locally and have to put out a wider search, but in those instances I want to find small businesses where your purchase makes a difference to those selling as well as receiving.<br />
<br />
I am going to start sharing local gift guides, businesses and ideas with you over the next few weeks. If you know of anywhere then please do let me know as I would love to have a nose and perhaps share any secret gems that we find along the way.<br />
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Most of you will know I am from Shropshire and so my search will begin here but then as I go it will go wider.<br />
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First up has to be this gem that I found earlier on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/primrose.and.lily/?hl=en" target="_blank">Primrose And Lily</a>. Offering beautiful, luxury tweed clothing handmade in Shropshire. I will share a couple of images because their items are really beautiful, all images featured on their Instagram page as tagged above.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcNgfLKURtivd-X_z2c2hu8HNCgw4D_6yXTLGniCzUf8BBJTBvUlNpFN6LT-zLMDEGbar9vXHStc9ALx08lsiIh2lJqjELtOQ4gdR4uIoMu-i_acLiN8igkD1__LjJdaa26hyphenhyphenFyKaSBs/s1600/66604631_2565666926785187_5627249626436323739_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tweed gifts shropshire, shop locally, shop small business, local shrewsbury business" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcNgfLKURtivd-X_z2c2hu8HNCgw4D_6yXTLGniCzUf8BBJTBvUlNpFN6LT-zLMDEGbar9vXHStc9ALx08lsiIh2lJqjELtOQ4gdR4uIoMu-i_acLiN8igkD1__LjJdaa26hyphenhyphenFyKaSBs/s400/66604631_2565666926785187_5627249626436323739_n.jpg" title="Primrose And Lily" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_hEKxCv6SKLUpY5-dWo_WOXqCdU18zCjQ0qwscKL2gZbbpslVuGnyMSyvIMsOhFrGnTFwo4gwwXIlWayvN1MDXj427uNBcIxgyNjldTdZFZbcUoJIsj3YK-f2QjkE3MpElkM9UbFeg8/s1600/67560559_143844940153114_4486439952871544378_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tweed gifts shropshire, shop locally, shop small business, local shrewsbury business" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_hEKxCv6SKLUpY5-dWo_WOXqCdU18zCjQ0qwscKL2gZbbpslVuGnyMSyvIMsOhFrGnTFwo4gwwXIlWayvN1MDXj427uNBcIxgyNjldTdZFZbcUoJIsj3YK-f2QjkE3MpElkM9UbFeg8/s400/67560559_143844940153114_4486439952871544378_n.jpg" title="Tweed gifts shropshire, shop locally, shop small business, local shrewsbury business" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next up for today's post is Washed Up Wood. A business I have heard of before and have known friends and family to buy from but somewhere I haven't actively seeked out until now.<br />
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A small family run business based in my home town of Shrewsbury. <a href="http://washedupwood.co.uk/" target="_blank">Washed Up Wood</a> offers a gorgeous collection of quirky and useful products that are all hand crafted. The use the combination of hand collected driftwood and also locally sourced vintage cutlery, and they aim to bring an element of rustic charm with a modern feel into your home. The perfect quirky gift!<br />
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They offer the perfect mix of contemporary and vintage finishes. I already have my eye on a few pieces including some of their gorgeous coffee spoon rings! I will pop a few images below for you to see for yourself, all images taken from their <a href="http://washedupwood.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website as linked here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkc7edb4rTAkatZBUlt989nF8BJuw2I5glbZCQ5EfV0koaj08i5utzMYfZP5_JQ1AVf3B7BlFN6PfL71SExg5YBF5lyqZ83a8hN8qPbkmNUs2UU5wFcHJKJnEdNJaJFN0gkXjk57110P0/s1600/keyscrooge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Washed up wood handmade gifts, shop local, shropshire handmade" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkc7edb4rTAkatZBUlt989nF8BJuw2I5glbZCQ5EfV0koaj08i5utzMYfZP5_JQ1AVf3B7BlFN6PfL71SExg5YBF5lyqZ83a8hN8qPbkmNUs2UU5wFcHJKJnEdNJaJFN0gkXjk57110P0/s400/keyscrooge.jpg" title="Washed up wood handmade gifts" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4mj5oVVThDtNl63cfhh7WePiAO5R1ndVobE_7xyXM85-6teOxb-J-PvFEeNLIuM9G8VcOSwVOWBjJwQFOyT92R48-NsA0UcTNUowSy8JgE7201smVOcYSUUNBRkJ9eyY5eWXGuqu56k/s1600/sslon1905coffring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Washed up wood handmade gifts, shop local, shropshire handmade" border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="401" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4mj5oVVThDtNl63cfhh7WePiAO5R1ndVobE_7xyXM85-6teOxb-J-PvFEeNLIuM9G8VcOSwVOWBjJwQFOyT92R48-NsA0UcTNUowSy8JgE7201smVOcYSUUNBRkJ9eyY5eWXGuqu56k/s400/sslon1905coffring.jpg" title="Washed up wood handmade gifts, shop local, shropshire handmade" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-33806170864428861912019-10-18T13:14:00.000+01:002019-10-18T13:14:11.977+01:00An honest review of Club Farret, with Eurocamp* We were lucky enough to be invited to stay at Club Farret at the end of the summer season this year with <a href="https://www.eurocamp.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eurocamp</a> for our family holiday. We have visited France with Eurocamp previously but a different site, <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2019/09/le-brasilia-campsite-with-eurocamp.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Le Brasilia</a>. <a href="https://www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/languedoc/wm023-club-farret/ataglance.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Club Farret is in the same region</a> but a slightly different part.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40X6R9giqXLjURnND0Dl7309KLQUzojk7kvuyUATQUefuwxqySGpvBsYE-TAJEX6QC2HEbV_7qDCg6gqq3dSTCa8UQRHh0cPWIDIaisYhwC_3QOJcK-1fsPKSeypzwkNHZIMCN17r3lo/s1600/France2019_First_Frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="club farret France review" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40X6R9giqXLjURnND0Dl7309KLQUzojk7kvuyUATQUefuwxqySGpvBsYE-TAJEX6QC2HEbV_7qDCg6gqq3dSTCa8UQRHh0cPWIDIaisYhwC_3QOJcK-1fsPKSeypzwkNHZIMCN17r3lo/s640/France2019_First_Frame.jpg" title="club farret France review" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's been a couple of weeks since we returned home from our week away at Club Farret campsite with Eurocamp and autumn has well and truly hit here in the UK, heading to France at that time in the season was a lovely way to end our summer adventures.<br />
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As a family we absolutely love France and it really suits our holiday lifestyle. The slow pace, good weather, beautiful beaches and amazing food is all we ask for on our week away and France ticks all of our boxes, as did the campsite we chose this year. When we were given the chance to choose a stay with<a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2019/09/camping-bella-italia-in-lake-garda.html" target="_blank"> Eurocamp</a>, I knew straight away that France was our best option - I mean the flight time has a big part to play in that but also we are never disappointed. The last time we visited we paid for the whole visit ourselves and knew we would return one day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPI7oj5MY29EuyBhHOVSVhH9k6VkavKO7AgoLqt4ry_34kIQ96AkrxkU285qtJlFlV91e0JQ_NGDLI33pPjZKmqD4_kNFTZellIt5r4NDrBrIv4DQ19ESfzw-Hz_FpHBdozi6Rr4DX2k/s1600/IMG_20190916_090537_266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Vias plage france" border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="1054" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPI7oj5MY29EuyBhHOVSVhH9k6VkavKO7AgoLqt4ry_34kIQ96AkrxkU285qtJlFlV91e0JQ_NGDLI33pPjZKmqD4_kNFTZellIt5r4NDrBrIv4DQ19ESfzw-Hz_FpHBdozi6Rr4DX2k/s640/IMG_20190916_090537_266.jpg" title="Vias plage france" width="510" /></a></div>
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Club Farret looked great because it looked like it had something for everyone, I was particularly drawn in by the pool which has a roof that closes when the weather isn't so great. With us going at the end of the season there was a fair risk that it would rain so knowing we have something to do if it did was good. And actually it did rain on our last day - so it was a good job!<br />
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<b><u>Accommodation</u></b><br />
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We stayed in one of Eurocamp's newest mobile homes which is called the Azure. It has 3 bedrooms, separate shower room to toilet and I have to say we were really impressed.<br />
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The mobile home had a large airy living area that was really spacious and certainly big enough for our family of 4. We had a small double bedroom and 2 twin bedrooms, each of the kiddies had one each which suited us perfectly as they have their own room sat home and it saved them waking each other up. <br />
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The bathroom was great too, although because we aren't used to it, it did take some time to get used to the toilet being in a separate room. You know what children are like as soon as they hear running water!! But it was fine, no issue at all.<br />
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The mobile homes are equipped with everything you need for your holiday and that includes the kitchen area which has an oven (Gas by the way, it took me a while to realize I needed to ignite it!!), fridge with a mini freezer, microwave and all the utensils you would need.<br />
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Outside there is a large decking area outside which the kids really made themselves at home with. It had a BBQ, dining table and chairs and also the clothes airer for all those soggy swimsuits and towels you will have! This also had a gate you could shut which was great for roaming toddlers!<br />
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<b><u>The Location</u></b><br />
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This site is only around 12 miles from Beziers airport so even though we personally did you wouldn't need to hire a car to get there from the airport. We actually flew into Perpignan as the flights were half the price and even that was only an hour away in the car.<br />
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This site is located on the coast with direct access to a large beach. The beach was beautifully clean and really wide and open, plenty of space for the kids to run and roam about. There are plenty of shops nearby and there is actually a shop on site too that was pretty good too, obviously a little more expensive as you would expect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOOl_ERZMF5OkXPtOabc8JwLyDcmJAjLMK30BzswdFeCclEccfviMhxk_UtNk9dx-8M6SkTeUa5A6IQFpIH0-ukG454mOViFrxtAm3hEcLNK22NzqZPvDYkm_lOpxJ-c9iyMh7_I_afw/s1600/IMG_20190924_070907_026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOOl_ERZMF5OkXPtOabc8JwLyDcmJAjLMK30BzswdFeCclEccfviMhxk_UtNk9dx-8M6SkTeUa5A6IQFpIH0-ukG454mOViFrxtAm3hEcLNK22NzqZPvDYkm_lOpxJ-c9iyMh7_I_afw/s640/IMG_20190924_070907_026.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The pools were amazing on this site and were the absolute highlight for Daisy and Alex.<br />
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We moved around the different pools each day to mix things up a little but one thing we did love was that each day at the Pirates Beach pool there is an aqua fitness class which Daisy absolutely loved!<br />
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Tao Beach and the Aquadome were our closest pools only a few metres away. The Aquadome is the pool wit the sliding roof and all of the water slides by the way!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPWUkydBTnnP7waHXZyIGuszRVDPt1mvXjzeh9PN74RBfzvNLyyafT0QcO7VgZJM-4VpkBGQQYDkJihrwqhsgP14-seEqsCMPtBDQzO6XGGlnih8uF5SE3m5-ZvlzPZEYs1_maQEwLW0/s1600/IMG_20190918_204450_786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="955" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPWUkydBTnnP7waHXZyIGuszRVDPt1mvXjzeh9PN74RBfzvNLyyafT0QcO7VgZJM-4VpkBGQQYDkJihrwqhsgP14-seEqsCMPtBDQzO6XGGlnih8uF5SE3m5-ZvlzPZEYs1_maQEwLW0/s640/IMG_20190918_204450_786.jpg" width="510" /></a></div>
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As well as the great pool areas there are a few play parks around the site too. There is one attached to the kids club (which I can't comment on as we didn't use t this time!) and there was also a big play park behind it with loads of sand too. There were swings, climbing areas, slides and a massive pirate boat climbing frame. Also by the other pool closer to our home there was a small play park area which was more suitable for pre-schoolers with a slide and climbing frame. It was a bit little for Daisy but they didn't complain. Everything on the site was really well maintained and looked in good condition.<br />
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You can also catch up on a short video I put together of our trip here. Please do let me know of any other sites that you have loved and watch our for more photos shared over here in the coming weeks.<br />
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<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YCLIprfHtZA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Accommodation was gifted in return for honest coverage but all travel etc was paid for by ourselves. </span></b>The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-85575260913904008902019-09-12T13:31:00.000+01:002019-09-12T13:31:05.133+01:00Le Brasilia Campsite with EurocampWe will soon be heading off to France with <a href="https://www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/italianlakes/il019-bella-italia/ataglance.html" target="_blank">Eurocamp</a> and thought it would be a good time now to share our last experience with you.<br />
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Last time we headed to a site called <a href="https://www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/languedoc/wm017-le-brasilia/ataglance.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw8NfrBRA7EiwAfiVJpRlHWCjlD8UaF-cqKt_JSUEJm0elmH_P9x3JjJUlpjHAUBpubirJHxoCU0IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Le Brasilia</a> after flying in to Perpignan. It was a short transfer to the site, which was a massive bonus for us. I should also mention that our last visit was not sponsored in any way, we paid for the whole trip ourselves.<br />
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So on to the review:<br />
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First up if we were to look for a self - catering holiday location we always go for the option where you have space. Space for a young family to run about, explore and well, be free. We sometimes opt for Villa holidays and other times we love this kind of mobile home camping holiday.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCHYGlkQVI8bA66RTowOi4iXolIaola7aoK5Meaq72-NT92_JYbW6IpuvccVS49bzSauIBP_9prh5-0Yi5Fry32k-v7fFC5SvOt7_Ii4925wo3IeaPjFVCQ5qbVZIrXPK_pmA6YQpSRk/s1600/20170515-183036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tempted By Eurocamp? | La Brasilia France " border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCHYGlkQVI8bA66RTowOi4iXolIaola7aoK5Meaq72-NT92_JYbW6IpuvccVS49bzSauIBP_9prh5-0Yi5Fry32k-v7fFC5SvOt7_Ii4925wo3IeaPjFVCQ5qbVZIrXPK_pmA6YQpSRk/s640/20170515-183036.JPG" title="Tempted By Eurocamp? | La Brasilia France " width="640" /></a></div>
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This time we stayed with <a href="http://www.eurocamp.co.uk/?utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=eurocamp&gclid=CjwKEAjw7J3KBRCxv93Q3KSukXQSJADzFzVS2rKTE1WXAVed4YYwgmQyKNopE13RgS8-6jUTQsjs0xoCYaXw_wcB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eurocamp</a> in one of their Aspect units. We opted for a two bedroom holiday home which was plenty big enough but for sleep arrangements (with a baby who was dead set on waking up their older sister) we do wish that we had booked the 3 bedroom. Next time we will, for the small price difference it would have been worth it for us. We ended up with the travel cot plonked in the living area, which wasn't a massive problem, but it would have been better tucked away in their own bedroom.<br />
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The holiday home is kitted out for everything you may need. We also were provided with not only the travel cot but also a bed guard for Daisy, a potty (not that we needed it), a high chair, a step for the toilet and also a baby bath. The bath actually was brilliant, it was big enough to sit in the shower tray and not only bath Alex but also Daisy (3 year old!). She was able to sit in it and wash away the sand from rummaging around on the beach all day.<br />
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You can see on the photo above that the decking area is also really spacious and what we loved most was that it was all enclosed. So they could roam about with us worrying they were going to fall down the steps or escape! It meant we could keep the sliding doors open any time we were back there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43tuvBYGXFYQDx4q7XK_dmAoFu80ATW0Wduh7H0Kd5fnYot_juvWS18piGpA-IGTAaZ4TXQ8R0KPVdmkSxoFlCgN6HxtYleQmfft3DBvqtrOGiuIonS0KWnZIfhYVzo8c9Y66xVeQdWI/s1600/20170516-090909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tempted By Eurocamp? | La Brasilia France " border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43tuvBYGXFYQDx4q7XK_dmAoFu80ATW0Wduh7H0Kd5fnYot_juvWS18piGpA-IGTAaZ4TXQ8R0KPVdmkSxoFlCgN6HxtYleQmfft3DBvqtrOGiuIonS0KWnZIfhYVzo8c9Y66xVeQdWI/s640/20170516-090909.JPG" title="Tempted By Eurocamp? | La Brasilia France " width="640" /></a></div>
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Not only was our home spotless and well equipped but the park itself was beautiful. I actually think La Brasilia was the nicest campsite that I have ever stayed on. It somehow didn't look like a campsite, it seemed a bit too "fancy". You can see by the pool areas how nice it was, the spa looked beautiful (from the outside, I wasn't lucky enough to give it a go!) and the restaurants and shopped were great.<br />
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It was only when you went to the mini supermarket and the entertainment disco area that you were reminded it was a campsite. The supermarket and take away etc was not cheap but I think you expect that in this kind of establishment, like anywhere when you are holidaying really. We used to go to the hypermarket up the road and do some shopping for our lunches and a few evening meals and it actually worked out quite reasonable, we brought home a fair few euros for our next trip!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhUXiv6FAVyNk3PtpVRa0fwgmbYdDpirIgBrYZPdwPDuu6BLBeqQq9-BPAfsl5f6V79X12OEErwTFxWLJhFGxplPjJl5ijqF6vdZRBHGljK8V5T8PVcltR5kXTAQh5YzmOM1F_8InIXI/s1600/20170513-145837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tempted By Eurocamp? | La Brasilia France " border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhUXiv6FAVyNk3PtpVRa0fwgmbYdDpirIgBrYZPdwPDuu6BLBeqQq9-BPAfsl5f6V79X12OEErwTFxWLJhFGxplPjJl5ijqF6vdZRBHGljK8V5T8PVcltR5kXTAQh5YzmOM1F_8InIXI/s640/20170513-145837.JPG" title="Tempted By Eurocamp? | La Brasilia France " width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHuXjGftHaprjwyqloeW1hik29hXvWuhMA3OcShPKzx1ejcAwpHx6s05-0vfLDhUqwlgcTb4BoW_Z9zo4tTb-Y9B4eY1GeyqHaz4d34Tqnni13zgWG6f9sPC_FFKM6560e-7XawUeYqI/s1600/20170513-080311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Aspect Eurocamp" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHuXjGftHaprjwyqloeW1hik29hXvWuhMA3OcShPKzx1ejcAwpHx6s05-0vfLDhUqwlgcTb4BoW_Z9zo4tTb-Y9B4eY1GeyqHaz4d34Tqnni13zgWG6f9sPC_FFKM6560e-7XawUeYqI/s640/20170513-080311.JPG" title="Aspect Eurocamp" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4M-PBM1EZwiyCCFrieJee_Yv6uU9dg1pztqi1eUVHvYcUiWo_IyZYTmbsxz37XzdHMP7Db3uQErnhyphenhyphenlvWjHPgIBuqK-Cue4KB2kPNoOlJuxjuPhfKT8qW3z2sdgBK2eulR_wuyKZ3r-Y/s1600/20170512-150257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Aspect Eurocamp" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4M-PBM1EZwiyCCFrieJee_Yv6uU9dg1pztqi1eUVHvYcUiWo_IyZYTmbsxz37XzdHMP7Db3uQErnhyphenhyphenlvWjHPgIBuqK-Cue4KB2kPNoOlJuxjuPhfKT8qW3z2sdgBK2eulR_wuyKZ3r-Y/s640/20170512-150257.JPG" title="Aspect Eurocamp" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvJAbX0PvUqRJuW-TO49Kfxuozdx_8xUR_h-BGMHWxiyz3IFecUbMg2bsShKfw2DjYrn1Wb8msXF55kMhjYlF_67gH8csIEvCMz7DtokLbAUNO9B7xs0UoKBixiHcGAy0QmflN9tVLZ4/s1600/20170512-150128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Eurocamp france" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvJAbX0PvUqRJuW-TO49Kfxuozdx_8xUR_h-BGMHWxiyz3IFecUbMg2bsShKfw2DjYrn1Wb8msXF55kMhjYlF_67gH8csIEvCMz7DtokLbAUNO9B7xs0UoKBixiHcGAy0QmflN9tVLZ4/s640/20170512-150128.JPG" title="Eurocamp france" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaUmrf_aqkTsFqfVq35NyarxLkf9Hl_f8aIqccXA_pSJW2vKXqfuoHTGh6BwI_l9pr_q9aHM8Bo0XjxwEYjScBRMsX6knKN-RSkWNJOFBGjpTW_VS9BeRIDqmYsIm3lBmENLrgx6bxoA/s1600/20170512-150035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Le Brasilia Campsite with Eurocamp" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaUmrf_aqkTsFqfVq35NyarxLkf9Hl_f8aIqccXA_pSJW2vKXqfuoHTGh6BwI_l9pr_q9aHM8Bo0XjxwEYjScBRMsX6knKN-RSkWNJOFBGjpTW_VS9BeRIDqmYsIm3lBmENLrgx6bxoA/s640/20170512-150035.JPG" title="Le Brasilia Campsite with Eurocamp" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hayley xThe little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-46282092012628627312019-09-09T13:13:00.001+01:002019-09-09T13:13:22.573+01:00Camping Bella Italia in Lake Garda Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Italy is somewhere that was always on my wish list of places I would love to go one day, it didn't really matter where as it all looks so beautiful. </div>
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Ben and I decided to go a few years ago and visit a few places while we were there to make the most of it. We would fly to Venice, move on to Lake Garda and see a few towns there and then do a trip to Verona before heading back to Venice. </div>
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As excited as I was for the trip I did feel a little apprehensive of what it would be like with a toddler in tow. Daisy would have been around 20 months old so not always the easiest time for her to travel. I wondered how she would be in Venice where she couldn't just run free when ever she fancied, how would she take the train journeys between places and how would we entertain her? Never mind feed her when she was just turning into the worlds fussiest eater! We really didn't need to worry Lake Garda is a lovely destination for children of all ages. There is plenty to do with a little planning and most things are accessible. We didn't get to sit and enjoy the cafe patios with an Aperol Spritz quite as much as we would if we were there as just a couple but we still had a fantastic holiday and had plenty of gelatos! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzdJGsGcVSHeNZHgALDK0fJs-yt86ovdxMDskJUDe_-4n4Ws164SgaN1baQXSq5aDihrPVWLhb3DY7c0zlePwZhFICfXkCOIm7AAKo8jK67QTNLe35IP1QKpno3tKDWLzpYmZreg6UhU/s1600/20151005-130801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Camping Bella Italia in Lake Garda Review" border="0" height="425" id="id_9139_489c_dc6d_2d5d" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzdJGsGcVSHeNZHgALDK0fJs-yt86ovdxMDskJUDe_-4n4Ws164SgaN1baQXSq5aDihrPVWLhb3DY7c0zlePwZhFICfXkCOIm7AAKo8jK67QTNLe35IP1QKpno3tKDWLzpYmZreg6UhU/s640/20151005-130801.JPG" style="height: auto; width: 640px;" title="Camping Bella Italia in Lake Garda Review" width="640" /></a></div>
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We got one of the high speed trains to the Lake from Venice and although I am not a big fan of train journeys back home these are a different experience altogether. They run to the minute, aren't late, are clean and comfortable. As well as being speedy of course! The train journey was around 2 hours long and with a bit of help from Peppa pig it went smoothly. </div>
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We stayed in <b style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); background-image: none; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.visitgarda.com/en/Peschiera-del-Garda-vacanze-lago-garda/" rel="nofollow">Peschiera del Garda</a> </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); background-image: none; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">which is a town in the Verona province and stayed at a campsite called <a href="https://www.canvasholidays.co.uk/italy/lake-garda/campsite-bella-italia.php" rel="nofollow">Camping Bella Italia</a>. The town is set </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">within the walls of an island fortress surrounded by quaint canals. Hidden behind the town walls you'll find the pedestrianised centre with cobbled streets and plenty of pavement cafés and restaurants. It's a quiet, pretty town that won't take you long to wander around but with give you a nice sense of being in Italy. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We stayed in a <a href="http://www.canvasholidays.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKEAjwxeq9BRDDh4_MheOnvAESJABZ4VTq3XQAp1W0LL3eAEmr7ww7RcIZUzMzzaM3lTIKbSGQzxoCizrw_wcB" rel="nofollow">Canvas Holidays</a> lodge but there are lots of options on this site. It is based right on the front of the lake and had all the amenities you would need like restaurants, supermarkets, pool etc. We </span>first started considering the camping option because it was something completely different from our few nights in Venice and also is so much more affordable than a hotel. You also get that degree of independence too, which is always good when you have a small child that needs space to tear around in!</div>
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<a href="https://www.eurocamp.co.uk/360/bella" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bella Italia</a> is much more of a holiday complex than a campsite in the way regular campers would be imagining, it really is all geared up for famillies. The site is well laid out with great signage across the site. There’s a fair bit of walking due to the pure size of the site. </div>
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The site has a little central square with a green grocer, supermarket, gift shops, tourist info centre, restaurant, ice cream shop, bar with live music and a takeaway. The supermarket was really well stocked, we would visit in a morning to get our breakfast bits and bobs! </div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was perfect for families as lots to do including things like bike hire and a kids club. We actually did hire bikes on one of our last days here which was great fun! Something we hadn't done before so it was memory I will keep forever. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I should note that we travelled in October and so it was out of season and the park was half empty, I am unsure if I would love it quite so much if it was really busy and hot. Although both Ben and I both said how nice it would have been to swim in the lakes if it had been warm enough, maybe something for the future. </span></div>
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From <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-image: none; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Peschiera</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-image: none; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-image: none; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">we were able to get the boat or bus from the centre of town to a few places such as <a href="http://www.sirmioneitaly.com/" rel="nofollow">Sirmione</a> and <a href="http://www.lago-di-garda-tourism.com/en/lake-garda-attractions/resorts-at-lake-garda/lasize.html" rel="nofollow">Lazise</a>. It was a great location for travelling about. The transport there is punctual and easy so there is no excuse not to see more of the Lake. They were completely child friendly too so you don't need to worry about that. We did find though due to the nature of cobbled streets and tight little alleys and hills to walk up that the child carrier was much easier to use than a pushchair! </span></div>
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So I will let the photos do the talking now...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDymGxG57BLTfipXtANKVfmw9tK7cAKxa78KkNMCmOsMq-v86JGnunTg_R_PlbQM4LP1mAv2Ofclo4tcWvewB7dBPaSYqU24OHQ3tK3j9FdE_m0EcZev68J58z7EiNGYc8I8EgpVf6PjY/s1600/20151004-104734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Campsites on lake garda" border="0" height="426" id="id_c511_fed2_889d_de7a" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDymGxG57BLTfipXtANKVfmw9tK7cAKxa78KkNMCmOsMq-v86JGnunTg_R_PlbQM4LP1mAv2Ofclo4tcWvewB7dBPaSYqU24OHQ3tK3j9FdE_m0EcZev68J58z7EiNGYc8I8EgpVf6PjY/s640/20151004-104734.JPG" style="height: auto; width: 640px;" title="Campsites on lake garda" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHVUaJwRWsyjMHj-LWocHjPKeHSzPwT7JeQVYz03iwGmS9aM__bChc2pLZ2b9Jr9uzFpb_EEdbsjLWLXXhc4_Wsqq1kX0pxFRYx62I0ZDQ8iFHpXEF8wf4HVPFXifQssZXfGGb09gj-Y/s1600/20151004-130151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" id="id_418b_995a_7482_c55d" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHVUaJwRWsyjMHj-LWocHjPKeHSzPwT7JeQVYz03iwGmS9aM__bChc2pLZ2b9Jr9uzFpb_EEdbsjLWLXXhc4_Wsqq1kX0pxFRYx62I0ZDQ8iFHpXEF8wf4HVPFXifQssZXfGGb09gj-Y/s640/20151004-130151.JPG" style="height: auto; width: 640px;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QDfZkjTSExOkJPyPem0ZirAqUBBvdMAd3S-e7GqE-ZtdtFUDFJebkIZM1tK3huQD5JjMu3ANOWMxiFvP90I9lQmll64IuWDQRSrhHcVR7HoJOySu47TP8f6h41v7YOoctChyphenhyphen3qxOK3U/s1600/20151005-120657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Camping Bella Italia" border="0" height="426" id="id_8fb5_d00c_201e_5688" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QDfZkjTSExOkJPyPem0ZirAqUBBvdMAd3S-e7GqE-ZtdtFUDFJebkIZM1tK3huQD5JjMu3ANOWMxiFvP90I9lQmll64IuWDQRSrhHcVR7HoJOySu47TP8f6h41v7YOoctChyphenhyphen3qxOK3U/s640/20151005-120657.JPG" style="height: auto; width: 640px;" title="Camping Bella Italia" width="640" /></a></div>
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We would certainly travel to Italy again with our children and travel about to see as much as possible. We found October to be a great time to go as it was warm and dry most days but not uncomfortable to walk around in, it was just right for Daisy.<br />
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To see the site you can find the <a href="https://www.canvasholidays.co.uk/italy/lake-garda/campsite-bella-italia.php" target="_blank">link here</a>.<br />
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If you have any further questions please feel free to ask,<br />
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Hayley xx<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please do not copy photographs without our permission</span></b>The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-563369154333596732019-09-03T14:42:00.001+01:002019-09-03T14:42:39.238+01:00Hotel Low Down: Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza<br />
I have been missing thinking about <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2019/07/my-top-tips-for-visiting-new-york.html" target="_blank">our trip to New York</a> and thought a good way to bring that back was to do a hotel review. We stayed at the <a href="https://fave.co/2zKipsO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ahtAagV4rdGtI9fF0rQNfA7t7MiNvbtAxD4PumeBuiPuEIxIS0U6g4jAykt8TdF0A1tN99C6dGQqRl-yDGmDqWV177q_peIH-3gnho5ehPXeST31_NqP9JhwCMT4RpwNVksAO0ySs3A/s1600/59611482_10161676394550430_3971960780105973760_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="960" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ahtAagV4rdGtI9fF0rQNfA7t7MiNvbtAxD4PumeBuiPuEIxIS0U6g4jAykt8TdF0A1tN99C6dGQqRl-yDGmDqWV177q_peIH-3gnho5ehPXeST31_NqP9JhwCMT4RpwNVksAO0ySs3A/s400/59611482_10161676394550430_3971960780105973760_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun Rise from the Millennium Hilton UN Plaza</td></tr>
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Finding a hotel was without a doubt the hardest part of booking our trip, the choices are endless. All come with good and bad reviews, pros and cons in terms of location and facilities. Our biggest draw to this hotel was the location. It is set across from the United Nations Headquarters adjacent to the River, based in the Midtown East it was perfect to get about.<br />
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Times square was around a 10 minutes walk away, Chrysler building and Grand Central Station just a few minutes and just a few minutes walk from the water taxi harbor to get over to Brooklyn. We really made the most of the location and were really pleased we went with this hotel and location.<br />
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We had breakfast a few times in Grand Central Station and it was definitely a highlight, it felt a little like we were in the movies!<br />
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The room sizes were another point that got our attention, they were double the size of some rooms you get in NYC, and although it didn't feel huge when we were there it was definitely adequate and we had enough space. There was only 2 of us travelling and we traveled fairly lightly.<br />
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The views from our room were incredible. To the right we could see the city skyline with towering skyscrapers and to the left the river with the bridges going over, it was gorgeous. Especially at sunrise, which we seemed to see a few of, thanks to Jet Lag!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VCE9rJPX3ydvYSCu305-bRbAfKdAHprPp2PReuvKvLH4-N3nqgZ7w7Xzusc_bmXvjfIuqYMs63pQAq3iQKflu1eV2JX6nbjNBgQ0lQcqIVif0-TG21og_NTrxhKW3uaJ2NGDB6TkQYM/s1600/59982997_10161698531475430_4091576336559112192_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VCE9rJPX3ydvYSCu305-bRbAfKdAHprPp2PReuvKvLH4-N3nqgZ7w7Xzusc_bmXvjfIuqYMs63pQAq3iQKflu1eV2JX6nbjNBgQ0lQcqIVif0-TG21og_NTrxhKW3uaJ2NGDB6TkQYM/s400/59982997_10161698531475430_4091576336559112192_n.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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The hotel and room was impeccably clean and the beds comfortable, just what you needed after very exhausting days!<br />
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We only had one negative experience/ thought about this hotel and sadly it was right at the end of our trip as we were leaving the hotel. We had checked out, paid our tips and said goodbye to the amazing security team at the hotel with their gorgeous labrador dogs and then the doorman (I am sorry if that isn't the correct terminology) threw the door open and basically snatched our bags from us to put in the taxi. We told him we were okay as we only had small hand luggage cases but he decided to ignore us and do it anyway, making us feel slightly awkward. He then started demanding tips for himself and his colleague who apparently don't get paid to do their jobs and tips make sure they can have a home and eat! When we said we had just given our last dollars to the concierge team he was furious. We got into our cab feeling a little intimidated and sad that he had ended our trip in that way, when we had not come across any sign of negativity in the whole week we had been there.<br />
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I did make a complaint to Hilton and they were very apologetic and I understand that perhaps these things happen. It is no reflection on our stay at this hotel and we would definitely return.<br />
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You can find loads of reviews and photos here at <a href="https://fave.co/2zKipsO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trip Advisor</a>.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Affiliate links may be used in this article</span></b>The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-6090803070164554382019-08-11T19:27:00.001+01:002019-08-11T19:27:34.598+01:00How To Survive The Summer HolidaysFirstly I should say this is slightly tongue in cheek. I value the time the children have off school, I wish I could have more time off with them rather than working but I also won't deny that it isn't easy every single day. It can be expensive, tiring and a day can feel like a week sometimes. And that can flip the other way too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4D6cr0rPRFl7PNkGdS5QUWBVkNj73fudqpQ852cfstkDLN8v8uhyqDYX8l2WQ4ElfNUqtFygXi7En3CQbAaBtF8LmQMv5_6B63yWm0eFKJD3lzZ56IjiyZNQNRX61XnW0V1Lz6_tXO6o/s1600/qawse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Thrifty summer holidays" border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1600" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4D6cr0rPRFl7PNkGdS5QUWBVkNj73fudqpQ852cfstkDLN8v8uhyqDYX8l2WQ4ElfNUqtFygXi7En3CQbAaBtF8LmQMv5_6B63yWm0eFKJD3lzZ56IjiyZNQNRX61XnW0V1Lz6_tXO6o/s640/qawse.jpg" title="Thrifty summer holidays" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>My <a href="https://www.mumsmakelists.com/school-holiday-survival-tips-for-working-mums/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">top tips for surviving the school holidays</a>:</b><br />
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(1) <b><span style="color: orange;">Wear them out as much as possible in the morning</span></b>. If you are lucky enough to have the children for the day during the holidays tire them out. Run them about, go to open spaces so they can be free and run around burning off pent up energy. I find the outdoors always wears them out that little bit more. Children that have exercised and are worn out tend to be more relaxed later on and hopefully will get nice early nights or give you quiet, relaxed, content afternoons.<br />
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(2) <b><span style="color: orange;">Exercise</span></b>. This kind of links into the the first tip where the main idea is to tire them out a little. But Exercise, it stimulates them whilst also being beneficial for them and also yourself. Swimming is a hit in our house as in cycling, scooting, splashing in muddy puddles and so on. Even a walk into the woods getting them moving. When I sadly have to work around them this is something i will always do, I won't feel so bad then if they spend the afternoon drawing, playing or even having a little screen time.<br />
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(3) <b><span style="color: orange;">Plans. Always make plans. </span></b>This fills the time they have, it gives them something to look forward to but also yourself. You won't feel so alone if you plan to do some play dates down the local park etc. The key to this tip is to plan ahead and not on the day!<br />
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(4) <b><span style="color: orange;">Quiet Days are fine.</span></b> Don't feel like you have to fill every single day with an activity. Children need down time as much as you or I. A day at home does everyone the world of good, so I couldn't do more than this usually as cabin fever strikes but time at home doing "jobs" (Think of things like watering your plants, washing up, doing the laundry and so on), crafting, play dough and so on is just what they need at times. Not to mention it will save you money!<br />
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(5) <b><span style="color: orange;">Look up free activities.</span></b> There are lots of local groups and clubs that run activities during the holidays such as a reading competition at the local library, rock painting and so on. Make the most of <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2019/07/5-things-to-do-in-shropshire-this.html" target="_blank">free local activities near you</a>, even if it only take up an hour or so.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4-5H83cHILY26q_35QkbodnV9D4R5OWOF51dGIIlqXo95O2qaa1dnqhtpMfsKLWvv5rncQlenqKveqzxMxUymXuDkGlH2FPpztmzx2ETHN237Eai-XR8v05UyBxV1b-yUIUAHDBwHDs/s1600/ol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="free kid activities" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4-5H83cHILY26q_35QkbodnV9D4R5OWOF51dGIIlqXo95O2qaa1dnqhtpMfsKLWvv5rncQlenqKveqzxMxUymXuDkGlH2FPpztmzx2ETHN237Eai-XR8v05UyBxV1b-yUIUAHDBwHDs/s640/ol.jpg" title="free kid activities" width="512" /></a></div>
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(6) <b><span style="color: orange;">Pinterest Everything!</span></b> That place is blooming wonderful for ideas, especially if you have crafty children like Daisy. Think painting rocks, making paper plate faces, pasta art and so on! The lists are endless and more often than not, cheap. Just google <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2018/10/ideas-for-half-term-days-out-in.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest kids craft ideas</a> or similar and you will have hindreds of results pop up if you don't have the app yourself!<br />
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(7) <b><span style="color: orange;">Watch the weather! </span></b> If a week of rainy weather is forecast, phone round like minded friends and arrange a few play dates or organize rainy day plans such as the cinema! If it is sunny plan to do your free activities like long walks by the stream or camping out in a field to let the kids just roam free.<br />
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<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-21189492655714031562019-07-17T07:00:00.000+01:002019-07-17T07:00:05.606+01:005 things to do in Shropshire this summer holidaysI have done this kind of post before and it has been taken really well. I mean we are all in this together aren't we? We have to <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2017/10/pumpkin-picking-at-llynclys-shropshire.html">entertain the kids far more during the summer holidays</a>, some of you full time, others working around childcare and so on.<br />
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None the less some days out can be expensive so I have tried to find things that aren't massively dear or have short cuts to being a bit tighter on the money situation!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pPqgpl_VoaP6kAEvHnXZAdjWcBVWxDkN4NNonvSHCuj0pQ_HThajzTOVmhRTrjYoSaVHy1r6i8ynnQB7pzEq_7O4w7pTBLtf1jhi6I1Q6cLaxLqrgH6gXpPMzZDCO7Nl0DGRNgyg4UM/s1600/5+free+things.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="5 free things to do this summer" border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="811" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pPqgpl_VoaP6kAEvHnXZAdjWcBVWxDkN4NNonvSHCuj0pQ_HThajzTOVmhRTrjYoSaVHy1r6i8ynnQB7pzEq_7O4w7pTBLtf1jhi6I1Q6cLaxLqrgH6gXpPMzZDCO7Nl0DGRNgyg4UM/s640/5+free+things.jpg" title="5 free things to do this summer" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: <a href="https://missielizzie-meandmyshadow.blogspot.com/2015/07/five-free-things-to-do-this-summer.html" rel="nofollow">Me and my Shadow</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Cosford Air Museum</span></a><br />
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This is actually free of charge so should be on everyone's to do list this holiday. There is lots of hands on activities to do as well the obvious huge aircraft memorabilia that is dotted around the space.<br />
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*Worth noting there is a charge for the carpark though!<br />
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<a href="http://ludlowcastle.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Ludlow Castle</span></a><br />
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These are some impressive ruins of Ludlow Castle which was once home to plenty of royalty. So if your little one fancies themselves as a princess of perhaps a king then this could be a <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2018/07/a-free-day-out-in-shropshire-at.html">great free day out</a>. Take yourselves a picnic and you're bound to use a full day!<br />
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Lots of space to roam about here too for the littler ones.<br />
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Although it is free there is a request for donations :)<br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">The Quarry Park</span><br />
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The Quarry park is a huge space to accommodate lots of people even on its busiest days. It is a great place to head if the weather is good because again there is plenty to do. Spend some time walking the river, rambling about the dingle, picnic on the field, maybe an ice cream and the play parks that recently went under a renovation.<br />
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<a href="https://www.britishironworkcentre.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">British Ironworks Centre</span></a><br />
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This is one of our favourite spots in Shropshire to keep both kids and adults entertained! It has the biggest display of decorative metalwork in the UK. The cafe is really good too ut a watch out is that it can be pricey!<br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">Carding Mill Valley</span><br />
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This is another attraction where you would visit if the weather was nice enough. You would ideally want it to dry here as there isn't much shelter to hide from the elements here. But it is great to just burn off energy.<br />
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This is a beautiful place to visit on a good day, for half a day or a full day. The valley caters for a whole range of walks and activities, whether it be paddling in the stream, taking a gentle stroll to the reservoir, or a more strenuous walk to the waterfall.<br />
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<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-9502862916560426772019-07-15T10:02:00.001+01:002019-07-15T10:02:11.342+01:003 packing tips for a holiday with young kids<br />
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;"><a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/p/travel-posts.html" target="_blank">Exploring the world with your family</a> is an invaluable
experience, as you get to spend some precious time together and make memories
that will last a lifetime. Your kids will get to immerse themselves in a completely
different culture and try new activities and foods that they wouldn't get at
home. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjze4ham8RP6mG9DRoTzP6CwVfLw2gIo1ZVc8AZQTeMPw8RYeo-my6UD06pRrgcmwfFddJOLm5FS5gCddRkKx9RkY9P_zt4WtZsPF-qhCvrSyLAFrry5BJ-4tvmcMbcx0G2zQ-8rm9BfZo/s1600/wert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjze4ham8RP6mG9DRoTzP6CwVfLw2gIo1ZVc8AZQTeMPw8RYeo-my6UD06pRrgcmwfFddJOLm5FS5gCddRkKx9RkY9P_zt4WtZsPF-qhCvrSyLAFrry5BJ-4tvmcMbcx0G2zQ-8rm9BfZo/s640/wert.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;">Booking the holiday itself is the exciting part and you can start
planning the excursions and the amazing locations you intend to visit. But it's
the part that comes before the flight that most people dread. Packing can be an
arduous task, especially when you have to pack for yourself and the rest of
your family. Making sure you've packed all the essentials is stressful,
particularly when you've left it all until the night before. </span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;">Here are three <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2019/04/puerto-mogan-in-winter.html" target="_blank">toptips on packing for a holiday with young kids</a>, guaranteed to make your life so
much easier: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym6hFdviu2i30W2Z2tDXz7AvM8zjwvJlEzHVCKj_R7Xh7dCrqycjegQ0QxQkBZOuaw-mNj8tfeS24OW3XlCByHv7TTKByx2KJ_Bz5esBsp6tMBlYpkG_KthjvI4RYzT3-j3Qm1g-BQQk/s1600/QQAWSDF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym6hFdviu2i30W2Z2tDXz7AvM8zjwvJlEzHVCKj_R7Xh7dCrqycjegQ0QxQkBZOuaw-mNj8tfeS24OW3XlCByHv7TTKByx2KJ_Bz5esBsp6tMBlYpkG_KthjvI4RYzT3-j3Qm1g-BQQk/s400/QQAWSDF.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;">1. <b>Be strategic with your carry-on luggage</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;">Picture this: your baby is crying and the only thing that
can console them is their dummy, but you realise that you've packed it away in
your main suitcase. The next few hours are stressful and you whisper numerous
apologies to the other disgruntled passengers on the plane. However, this
entire situation could have been avoided if you packed your carry-on luggage
more efficiently. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;">If it helps, write a list so that you don't forget the
essentials like bottles and baby milk. However, check the </span><span lang="UZ-CYR"><a href="https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">airport hand luggage restrictions</span></a><span style="color: #4c4c4c;"> before you set off to make sure you're carrying the
legal amount of fluids. It might also be worth packing some wet wipes and a
spare change of clothes for the kids, just in case an accident or spillage
should occur. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR"><span style="color: #4c4c4c;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR"><span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: UZ-CYR; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">2.<b>
Pack for all weather</b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR"><span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: UZ-CYR; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR"><span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: UZ-CYR; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;">The forecast could be sunshine all week, but this is
subject to change and the weather can turn at any second. This could be
potentially disastrous if you've only packed shorts when the heavens have
opened outside, so make sure you’re prepared for all eventualities. </span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;">Another
great tip is to </span><span lang="UZ-CYR"><a href="https://www.groupon.co.uk/discount-codes/tui" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">makesure you pack appropriate footwear</span></a><span style="color: #4c4c4c;"> for
every child, including sturdy shoes that will keep their feet feeling
comfortable even after walking long and muddy distances. Sun cream is one of
the most important items you'll pack, as it will </span><a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">protect your family's skin from sun damage</span></a><span style="color: #4c4c4c;">. It’s a good idea to pack some waterproof sunscreen so
it won't wash off even when your kids play in the pool. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR"><span style="color: #4c4c4c;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_YTUum1ql2uifB_twq2ribpNCwfpwRsiVYGM5CJQ4QfY3DWA_lTDWNNVdHt9ThSp9i60bdTyqS0Lv1am8Fp3eY01N4XmOGzWq8auvCgFtrjbBMOH5O2UWXVolFtabASPY7KvMUNEbZ0/s1600/20161009-110019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="holiday tips for kids" border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_YTUum1ql2uifB_twq2ribpNCwfpwRsiVYGM5CJQ4QfY3DWA_lTDWNNVdHt9ThSp9i60bdTyqS0Lv1am8Fp3eY01N4XmOGzWq8auvCgFtrjbBMOH5O2UWXVolFtabASPY7KvMUNEbZ0/s640/20161009-110019.JPG" title="holiday tips for kids" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR"><span style="color: #4c4c4c;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR"></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;">3. <b>Entertainment is essential</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;"></span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;">Children need constant mental stimulation, especially on
flights and long-haul journeys when they can quickly become bored. Or if they are anything like my children anyway! </span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="line-height: 139%; margin-top: 4.0pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;"> It could be
worthwhile investing in an electronic tablet for your children, so they can
watch their favourite TV shows and movies during long hours of travelling. Unfortunately for my children I don't like them to have too much technology so they don't have their own but when travelling I do give them our ipad to keep them amused, for our own sanity! </span></div>
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<span lang="UZ-CYR" style="color: #4c4c4c;"> It
might even be worth packing your child's favourite cuddly toy as this can be of
comfort to them if they ever get distressed. Packing some snacks for the flight
will also be a good idea as airport food can be expensive as well as unhealthy. </span></div>
<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-74769650401368926032019-07-05T13:53:00.002+01:002019-07-05T13:53:39.218+01:00My Top Tips For Visiting New YorkI recently did a <a href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/free-activities-nyc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">blog post all around New York</a> and the Best <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2019/05/5-free-things-to-do-in-new-york.html" target="_blank">free things to do in New York</a> and I thought I would continue my little series with my top tips that I would suggest when hitting NYC!<br />
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They are a real mixed bags but I stand by my tips, even if some of you may disagree. Of course we all go to New York for different reasons with differing expectations so your tips may vary slightly to mine. I would love to know what your top tips would be too though...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZHKuWXrCLM-Us4GF1lqTDDY6GntbB_a5gqdazckrQmVH_YwEhOU3v_IVO3KF0Bdd1BSlfBtNvdXfJA7Id1jnDW5Rb2Zevr4SBtIhXT2Vn253z2nGxgCb2bZtFUeFDKNbTh87p1ir4mM/s1600/60095901_10161698511110430_8848408704580583424_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="My Top Tips For Visiting New York" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZHKuWXrCLM-Us4GF1lqTDDY6GntbB_a5gqdazckrQmVH_YwEhOU3v_IVO3KF0Bdd1BSlfBtNvdXfJA7Id1jnDW5Rb2Zevr4SBtIhXT2Vn253z2nGxgCb2bZtFUeFDKNbTh87p1ir4mM/s640/60095901_10161698511110430_8848408704580583424_n.jpg" title="My Top Tips For Visiting New York" width="640" /></a></div>
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(1) Look at the different area of Manhattan when deciding where you stay. Getting around the city is fairly easy so you don't need to worry about being too close to one particular landmark, unless you want to of course. <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k5244917-Stay_in_Times_Square_or_just_outside_it-New_York_City_New_York.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">People appear to be sucked into the Times Square area</a> because it is what they know, but you can get far superior accommodation by moving outwards from that zone for far less $! Definitely visit the area and soak in the sights, but it is busy and noisy and well there are far nicer areas to go to bed in!<br />
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(2) Don't be afraid of the subway. We put it off until our last day and honestly, it was super easy and we wondered why we hadn't used it previously.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5x5eu3bwO77FUs064gfW6mPD1tXE2Bnwb57JVEeLQprBLEc7pAPRfpD9mdy1zsEHgDPyp8iLoH9S6I8xFWiXzX90uwJ2jPYR56NdfxSH-mHl05viQHGeKrwFm1hDt_333FMNGUB__7M/s1600/59875155_10161676394705430_7078162921930358784_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rooftop bars by the brooklyn bridge" border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="960" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5x5eu3bwO77FUs064gfW6mPD1tXE2Bnwb57JVEeLQprBLEc7pAPRfpD9mdy1zsEHgDPyp8iLoH9S6I8xFWiXzX90uwJ2jPYR56NdfxSH-mHl05viQHGeKrwFm1hDt_333FMNGUB__7M/s640/59875155_10161676394705430_7078162921930358784_n.jpg" title="bars by the brooklyn bridge" width="640" /></a></div>
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(3) Get out and explore Manhattan. Our favourite thing to do was to just walk. Walk, walk, walk the streets and see where you end up! Most of the time we had a vague idea of where were heading but were not worried if we strayed off the path a little. There is much to see and if you are relying on tubes etc to get you from one end to another you may miss that special something. Of course the tbe is great at times and very, very handy but when you can, try to amble a bout a bit.<br />
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(4) Avoid the big fast food chains if you can. You may just find the best meal you have ever had at an authentic New York restaurant. There are some great Facebook groups where people are giving their reviews on attractions, cafes etc so head over there and wee what they have to say. I won't lie I had a cheeky McDonalds breakfast but it was out of desperate measures one morning at around 6am! (Jet lag.... )<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGD_VcshQpidqIHgwlDGtOJx9RL5JjfdT08ePu7GC0AVKBrZn9NK2fCmzsNIXO7-AyYNUJEA6WXjxraGrE8cfkP9CpmXs7HCyAbG8L4H4sE6yf7aAy2xcMDGmK-k8ck5wqd5_iWC17DgI/s1600/59391866_10161676394610430_5846047898332037120_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Best Food in NYC" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGD_VcshQpidqIHgwlDGtOJx9RL5JjfdT08ePu7GC0AVKBrZn9NK2fCmzsNIXO7-AyYNUJEA6WXjxraGrE8cfkP9CpmXs7HCyAbG8L4H4sE6yf7aAy2xcMDGmK-k8ck5wqd5_iWC17DgI/s640/59391866_10161676394610430_5846047898332037120_n.jpg" title="Best Food in NYC" width="640" /></a></div>
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(5) This may sound a little odd but get out of Manhattan and wee what else is around. We walked over the Brooklyn Bridge one afternoon and spent quite a few hours milling about Brooklyn. We just wish we had longer to explore more. The atmosphere and pace was different and it was a really cool place.<br />
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(6) be aware of the tipping culture. All I would say on this is having a read up on the etiquette before you go!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVe2q81Ix2ycQ3wZ0ws-SMqe3BaAK3A7OcrXdjNAmjgS28mWMHS3WjfvJ37LbllqyXzTkGg4IMG56HRhdsn-ANTupAgd3QlpygP4lU4KYiULOLEK06a_kWCE2r8Dm-VXuQj1BrWq7Zbs/s1600/60037612_10161698513610430_6014603383057416192_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Best street art in NYC" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVe2q81Ix2ycQ3wZ0ws-SMqe3BaAK3A7OcrXdjNAmjgS28mWMHS3WjfvJ37LbllqyXzTkGg4IMG56HRhdsn-ANTupAgd3QlpygP4lU4KYiULOLEK06a_kWCE2r8Dm-VXuQj1BrWq7Zbs/s640/60037612_10161698513610430_6014603383057416192_n.jpg" title="Best street art in NYC" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-55107540865442446282019-06-04T07:00:00.000+01:002019-06-04T07:00:10.240+01:00FLYNYON - The Ultimate Helicopter Experience in NYC<br />
When we recently visited NYC we pre-booked a helicopter trip with <a href="https://www.flynyon.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwitPnBRCQARIsAA5n84mbZnOEsvS9GGvWQzYXmuPZKAI64irmGI-ZQKDxOD1H8A7PY9Akm1YaAq6NEALw_wcB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FLYNYON</a> for our last day before we headed home.<br />
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We contemplated for a while on whether we do it, if we do it with doors on or off, is it worth the money? And so on. It took us a few weeks to decide but finally we came across a discount code for 50% off and just jumped into booking a doors off experience. I have come to realise that these discount codes are forever flying about and if you sign up to their emails that you are bound to get one every few weeks, just hang on in there if you're wanting to book too as the discount will come in good time.<br />
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Now, I know not everyone has this kind of money "spare" and that maybe it could be seen as a bit extravagant but hands down it was worth every single penny for us. We would do it again in a flash without a moment of hesitation.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuZFYBYCnwW9mjJHY7jpGK7CwDd1uPMMgIJdCbnQ_vx9Hc3nxI-D6KmZYmRcxzmsZdd6hsB1StWIxQolyD-TZx1O83C8WkrtutHoVjGe-WxLOk-1UL-6NgI80APExROCZLoW3aKIIP0s/s1600/60063899_10161678527740430_1503129212322578432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="helicopter trip with FLYNYON" border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="960" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuZFYBYCnwW9mjJHY7jpGK7CwDd1uPMMgIJdCbnQ_vx9Hc3nxI-D6KmZYmRcxzmsZdd6hsB1StWIxQolyD-TZx1O83C8WkrtutHoVjGe-WxLOk-1UL-6NgI80APExROCZLoW3aKIIP0s/s640/60063899_10161678527740430_1503129212322578432_n.jpg" title="helicopter trip with FLYNYON" width="640" /></a></div>
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I will put some photos up and also a video I created which shares some of the footage I got on the flight and I think that will speak for itself. For a while before we went on our trip I had followed <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2019/05/5-free-things-to-do-in-new-york.html" target="_blank">FLYNYON’s Instagram feed</a> and they always share the most beautiful shots, I think it is pretty difficult to get a bad picture of Manhattan from that angle!<br />
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I do think the company itself could work on a few things such as organisation but to be honest the flight itself erased all of the negative little thoughts that I may have about them. When you get to their hanger (it is over in NJ so a bit of a drive away from central NYC) it is a little bit unorganized, no one knows where they are going, you're rushed into various briefings and then someone tried to sell us an upgrade, I am pretty sure it is normal procedure for them. I can't blame them for trying!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Kmgz2uJ7aBAn-RNCpL2psGSnnLw0D-9JeapfkzAdsi915ZvnpT1lplGmhP_WdHZw71txbICGkqxZs7lLBE_hkmRKYUwOb91Ml58UuQfVP2SCHcQ3UNexRuxaVGsrondt5yd2BlTdAbc/s1600/59589966_10161678458850430_7695203826621480960_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="helicopter ride in NYC" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="428" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Kmgz2uJ7aBAn-RNCpL2psGSnnLw0D-9JeapfkzAdsi915ZvnpT1lplGmhP_WdHZw71txbICGkqxZs7lLBE_hkmRKYUwOb91Ml58UuQfVP2SCHcQ3UNexRuxaVGsrondt5yd2BlTdAbc/s640/59589966_10161678458850430_7695203826621480960_n.jpg" title="helicopter ride in NYC" width="428" /></a></div>
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We actually snapped their hand off with the upgrade and got a much longer flight for an additional cost and again it was really worth it.<br />
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We had been very unlucky with the weather for a day or so and it had meant we hadn't done everything that we really wanted to do such as the <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2019/05/5-free-things-to-do-in-new-york.html" target="_blank">Empire state of the Top of the Rock</a> as the fog was just too bad. So when we had glorious day with no clouds in the sky we couldn't really say no!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqdjFAQULBldkgDhwWWzhZCCqgJhnFB0FJGphlYyP3N86LVA2tFNwuLlZ5IvSIFnvRMC30FUUdG7EUMHuQz6_nyEd7THyj3ORHlavCxDLReUrjMV4BwoO_FmiG3Q0Pkv7OrQSZzlov8Y/s1600/59898227_10161698530960430_924808030510383104_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqdjFAQULBldkgDhwWWzhZCCqgJhnFB0FJGphlYyP3N86LVA2tFNwuLlZ5IvSIFnvRMC30FUUdG7EUMHuQz6_nyEd7THyj3ORHlavCxDLReUrjMV4BwoO_FmiG3Q0Pkv7OrQSZzlov8Y/s640/59898227_10161698530960430_924808030510383104_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So what was it like hanging your legs out of a helicopter? Exactly as you would imagine it to be. Incredible and unreal all in one go. The speed it goes is unbelievable and for the whole time we were up there it just didn't feel real somehow! Obviously while flying a helicopter over New York without doors it does mean you need to be strapped into a harness for safety, you really do feel very secure. Your camera gear is also attached to yourself so it doesn’t fall or get tangled anywhere. We managed to fly past some of New York’s most amazing landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, One World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, and Central Park.<br />
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Would I recommend it? Absolutely. If you have the money or you can justify the expense, do it.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post is in no way sponsored (sadly!!), the flights were paid for with our own money! </span></b><br />
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<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-33094821527316360162019-05-31T21:48:00.003+01:002019-05-31T21:48:34.245+01:005 Free things to do in New York<br />
Most of you who follow me over on social media will know that I recently went to <a href="https://www.newyorkpass.com/things-to-do/attractions-guide.html?aid=217&utm_medium=search&utm_source=googleNYP&utm_adcampaigngroup=NYP&matchtype=e&utm_term=things%20to%20do%20in%20new%20york&utm_creative=266442155704&addisttype=g&KPID=go_cmp-918206393_adg-46567782939_ad-266442155704_kwd-135328775_dev-c_ext-_prd-&gclid=Cj0KCQjwocPnBRDFARIsAJJcf95PD467nfUe3KufrqSP_K82_U9w3-oByysDhgSKpeqIBgGXLVLEnCsaAp5zEALw_wcB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New York on a girls trip</a> for a few nights. We had the most amazing time and I wanted to share some of it with you, in the hope that if you ever chose to visit then you'll have some tips and tricks to help you on your way.<br />
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This post is the first in a series that I will be sharing over here so keep your eyes peeled and stay following if you want to read more. First up; <a href="http://5%20free%20things%20to%20do%20in%20new%20york/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">5 Free things to do in New York</a><br />
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(1) This is not only free but it was actually my top thing on our itinerary, I absolutely loved it. <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/p/travel-posts.html" target="_blank">Walk the Brooklyn Bridge</a>. You should expect the walk to take about an hour (two hours round-trip) as you will be stopping along the way first to get the gorgeous views of Brooklyn but then central Manhattan behind you. Don't forget to take your camera along to capture some nice views of the Manhattan skyline that you obviously wouldn't get from within the city.<br />
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One thing I would note is that if you decide to start on the Brooklyn side and walk toward Manhattan, be sure you know how to actually get on the bridge, it can take some time. Failing that ask someone :)<br />
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Once we were there we headed for a rooftop bar to soak up the sunshine and watch over Manhattan. Definitely a highlight for us!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYh-pUjyutDc9clZTzce9tgPjWZMNmCtVMBKVQkrFUcnPP0cbWQp5Qye5H_Iyal43wlfrUbpNrLQ28IU8jTI8g5OUTVcwEiBuM7yrq_IPbEtK7hjx1uNkDkZUqvlUQ1RdKteaLudkG170/s1600/60232420_10161698522870430_6486008118609182720_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Is the brooklyn bridge free" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYh-pUjyutDc9clZTzce9tgPjWZMNmCtVMBKVQkrFUcnPP0cbWQp5Qye5H_Iyal43wlfrUbpNrLQ28IU8jTI8g5OUTVcwEiBuM7yrq_IPbEtK7hjx1uNkDkZUqvlUQ1RdKteaLudkG170/s640/60232420_10161698522870430_6486008118609182720_n.jpg" title="Is the brooklyn bridge free" width="640" /></a></div>
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(2) <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2018/03/5-things-to-do-in-berlin-with-children.html" target="_blank">Ride the Staten Island Ferry</a>. This actually something we had planned to do after being given the tip numerous times. However the day we were due to do it it was so foggy that we wouldn't have seen good old Lady Lib anyway so gave it a miss. We were very lucky to have a helicopter ride planned over the weekend so didn't feel too hard done by but it was definitely something we would have done had we had the time and weather for it.<br />
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The trip between Staten Island and Manhattan takes about 25 minutes, and doesn't cost a penny. You'll get views of Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of lower Manhattan.<br />
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(3) Another of our favourite things to do was to head to <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=grand+central&rlz=1C1AZAA_enGB792GB793&oq=grand+central&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60j0l4.1829j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">Grand Central Station</a>. This was pretty much on our doorstep and we visited numerous times. Our favourite time was first thing in the morning (usually pre-7am thanks to jet lag!) and we would head downstairs under the cavernous pillars for coffee and a croissant. It has such a lovely feel about it and feels somewhat nostalgic, no doubt from the endless films that feature it. Grand Central Terminal is one of the world's most famous train stations, and also among the busiest apparently at rush hour time, we didn't experience this as we loved the quietness.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdg29Cpm1YPh5r5GJjSqWtvFPYvC3WQuyPmiKF0NwRpKo0ACLjtLYSj6eVzTsCTv3Rlu4RdzB2CcoI5BqLCK4vP6oOtEHSHrExMHW-LTIjfR982yrL-mrvEuzmrUwUxr8iNIv9moe0O4/s1600/60053939_10161680882810430_7002253120185040896_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Staten Island Ferry" border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="960" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdg29Cpm1YPh5r5GJjSqWtvFPYvC3WQuyPmiKF0NwRpKo0ACLjtLYSj6eVzTsCTv3Rlu4RdzB2CcoI5BqLCK4vP6oOtEHSHrExMHW-LTIjfR982yrL-mrvEuzmrUwUxr8iNIv9moe0O4/s640/60053939_10161680882810430_7002253120185040896_n.jpg" title="Staten Island Ferry" width="640" /></a></div>
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(4) Walk Central Park. I mentioned in an earlier post about the weather and sadly as well as the fog we had rain. A whole day of downpours. Our plan was to cycle the park and take it all in but the weather just put us off completely. Instead we got a big brolly (thanks to the lovely concierge at The Plaza as we walked past!) and had a wonder through the park until we ended up at the Boathouse for a hot chocolate to warm us up. On a nice day you could easily spend a few hours in the park people watching, looking at the big fat squirrels running about and enjoying the free street entertainment in there. Even on a miserable day we sat and listened to some musicians.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKiXQ3tMTQgSuxAlRlrYQwud6enbFjxGNj3g_NT0V2ppfSoJIiKXCK57k9M_azETPTWrQuVd8g-JjjofU6LsVRbsrKr7M5N1TiJ16wXpjxLknwG4yebqJknUd5NM9BQ58XR4-BY-oFQo/s1600/60326557_10161698526675430_1776333765648318464_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Boat house Central park" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKiXQ3tMTQgSuxAlRlrYQwud6enbFjxGNj3g_NT0V2ppfSoJIiKXCK57k9M_azETPTWrQuVd8g-JjjofU6LsVRbsrKr7M5N1TiJ16wXpjxLknwG4yebqJknUd5NM9BQ58XR4-BY-oFQo/s640/60326557_10161698526675430_1776333765648318464_n.jpg" title="Boat house Central park" width="640" /></a></div>
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(5) The area around Ground Zero. This is a different side to New York, one that will make you stop and reflect for a while. Where the Twin Towers once stood,a beautiful pool structure has been built in their footprints, with engraved names of all the victims of that awful day. It is a beautiful yet heart wrenching site but one I would urge all tourists to head to if they get chance.<br />
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<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940393483736475369.post-1548683433307709182019-05-09T12:55:00.001+01:002019-05-09T12:57:47.416+01:00How to Save Money When Buying Furniture for Your First Home*<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Have you just bought your first home? In that case, your bank balance is
probably a little bit depleted. Of course, you still need furniture for your
home. More than likely you are wondering <a href="http://www.hayleyslittlethings.com/2018/04/my-top-5-tips-for-saving-money-ad.html" target="_blank">how to save money</a> when buying
furniture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">First of all, make a list of what furniture you need. Keep the list with
you at all times and tick each item off when you have found the right piece of
furniture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image not my own</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Great Places to Pick
Up Furniture<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">IKEA is not the only place you can pick up cheap furniture. Still, it is
a good idea to look out for special offers in your IKEA store. You can normally
find furniture offers advertised on the IKEA website. Offers change from week
to week, so check out the website on a regular basis. Don't forget to sign up
for the IKEA Family Card which will give you further discounts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Carboot sales are great places for picking up cheap furniture. You may
not be able to find major pieces such as beds and kitchen tables. However, many
car boot dealers try to get rid of smaller pieces like bedside tables and
smaller bookcases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Charity shops are an endless resource for many new homeowners. Many of
them do sell furniture and most of the time, the furniture is of good quality.
On top of that, you can find little knick-knacks to compliment your furniture
buys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How to Save Money When
Buying Furniture Online<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Saving money when <a href="http://www.latesthome.co.uk/" target="_blank">buying furniture online</a> is not difficult. Leading discounts sites like Groupon
and Wowcher often have offers on furniture. You may even be able to save money
when you buy furniture on eBay. Stick to your local area to avoid delivery
charges. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shpock is a cool app which can be used to find stuff for sale locally.
You can find everything from sofas to kitchen chairs. Best of all, you deal
with the seller directly and transactions are easy to complete.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Finally, don't forget to set yourself a budget. It is easy to spend too
much money on one particular item, and you want to make sure you get value for
money as well as great furniture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>*This post is a collaboration</b></span></o:p></div>
<br />The little things...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11721218713150943035noreply@blogger.com0