Family Diary and Roundup – July/August 2022

I started writing this on the way to Bluestone in Wales, but didn’t get around to finishing it until we were back home! We’ve been here twice before in 2018 and 2019 when Bluestone kindly invited us. This time we’ve paid ourselves as we thoroughly enjoyed before! We are expecting it to be busier this time as we are going in the school holidays and not in term time like before. I can’t believe the girls were only 3 1/2 and 17 months the last time we went! This is our first holiday since January 2020 so we can’t wait to relax, have fun and make memories!

Starting with July. This was a busy month! With sports days, end of school BBQ’s and of course my amazing older sister was home from Canada for a few weeks. She lives in a small town outside of Vancouver and comes over twice a year to see us. Back in 2010 pre-kids Mr B and I went over to see her when she lived in Toronto and went to Niagara Falls! Now that was one amazing holiday! One day we would love to go back again, but at the moment it’s not something that would be good for Dottie.

Back in April, we applied for Disability Living Allowance for her and we finally heard back that she was successful. It will help her very much with the sensory toys she needs, plus a bigger buggy and she’s still in pull-ups. Did you know that a child has to be 5 now before you can apply to the incontinence team for help with nappies etc? When I enquired they had moved the age back as part of cutting costs. It’s been extremely hard for us to get the help that Dottie needs. There has been setback after setback each and every time. I could go on and on about it, but that’s for another day!

In July we went to some gorgeous places around Cornwall, namely Trebah Gardens, Glendurgan, Eden Project and of course our favourite The Lost Gardens of Heligan. That was all before we drove to Bracknell for the BlogOn Kids conference!

At the start of August, we booked L in for a week of intensive swimming lessons. She did a week back in half term, so we wanted her to have another week to really get her water confidence. She thoroughly enjoyed it and is confident and capable enough to move up to level 2 now.

And of course last week we spent the week in Wales at Bluestone. The weather was so hot, just like the rest of the country! Dottie found it hard the first 24 hours to get used to her new surroundings for the week. After that, she was much better. But it was so hot we went back to our lodge for lunch each day for a few hours before heading back out again.

Things We’ve Looked At and Tried

SHO Water Bottles

We are more than halfway through the Summer holidays! Hasn’t it gone fast? I try to be organised and have been getting a few back to school bits each week. With Dottie starting reception I will have the two at school next month. Not sure where that time has gone! Keeping them hydrated at school is very important, so I’m excited to share with you the SHO Water Bottle.

The SHO Water Bottle is perfect for children; hard-wearing and eco-friendly, the 260ml bottles come in 8 fun designs including 4 brand new limited edition patterns from the artist, Sally Payne. They come with either a metal straw or optional straw lid and keep drinks hot or cold all day with SHO’s vacuum technology. L loves unicorns and was amazed at the design! She can’t wait to show her friends at school!

They are BPA-free, 100% leakproof and covered by the SHO Lifetime Guarantee, the Original 2.0 Kids bottle is perfect for the little ones in your life. 

SHO’s Original 2.0 Kids bottles are £12.99 a bottle from shoreuseable.com

Zerowater Water Filter and Pitcher

We were kindly sent the Zerowater 7 cup pitcher and filter to try out. I must say the filtered water tastes and seems so much clearer and cleaner than our tap water. We were very surprised! It’s the perfect size for our fridge door and was indispensable to have nice chilled water in the heat we’ve had lately.

The Zerowater filter removes twice as many solids and containments as Brita. Zerowater has a 5-stage filter compared to Brita who has just two.

Did you know the average cost of a bottle of 500ml water is around 45p in the UK? Zerowater will filter tap water for 8p per 500ml, meaning families can reduce their environmental impact by filtering and putting water into a reusable bottle on days out. Also with the cost of living increasing it is a great way to save on buying bottled water.

Sprout Pencils

I’ve always got a pencil in my hand to write notes and lists. So when I heard about Sprout Pencils I couldn’t wait to see what they are all about!

These are no ordinary pencils. Zero-waste, biodegradable and made from 100% natural materials including sustainably harvested cedar wood, graphite and clay, these pencils sprout into plants after use.

It’s a clever little invention that sprouts into plants, herbs, flowers and trees when it becomes too small to use as a pencil. Instead of throwing it away like a traditional pencil, flip it around, stick it into damp soil and in 1-2 weeks, the old pencil will have sprouted into plants – literally giving new life to old waste.

The *Happy Bee edition pencils grow into bee-friendly wildflowers, the *Mindful Thoughts edition features motivational quotes and grow in herbs and flowers, and the *Spread the Love edition features quotes designed to share positive vibes and grow into colourful flowers and edible herbs.

Available at sproutworld.com

ARRAN Sense of Scotland

I’m a huge fan of ARRAN Sense of Scotland, they have such wonderful high-quality home and skincare products. And now that have released their first scent in 10 years! It is a delicate, velvety scent, inspired by the tranquil, sun-soaked shores of Kildonan in the south of the island. Meet Kildonan, With sweet notes of violet and the heady floral tones of orris, it’s reminiscent of those beautiful wildflowers of Kildonan gently blowing in the summer sea breeze. 

I’m in love with this new scent, It’s very fresh and floral at the same time. It’s my new favourite!

Kildonan is available as Bath & Shower Gel, Hand Wash, Hand Cream and Boxed Saddle Soap. They will make the perfect gift!

Available to buy direct from ARRAN Sense of Scotland

Salt of the Earth

I’ve been really into trying out natural deodorants at the moment and trying to look after my skin. For many years I’ve used roll-on deodorants with god knows what chemicals in them. But I want to change and try natural products. So my first step is trying out the Salt of the Earth Balms and Spray. I thought I would go for one of each type to see what would suit me best.

Salt of the Earth is a leading natural deodorant brand stocked by a variety of retailers across the UK and Europe such as Waitrose, Ocado, Boots, and Holland & Barrett. Having started as a home-based business, owners Thomas and Sally Laird set out to create deodorants that are natural, environmentally friendly and as effective as they are ethical. 

This was the first one I tried – Orange & Neroli Natural Deodorant Balm – Plastic Free & Aluminium Free. When this arrived I was on holiday and the package was left in my outside recycling bin in direct sunlight in the scorching heat. This meant it had melted to one side of the container. But I popped it straight into the fridge when I got home to harden it a little and it has turned out fine. I love the smell, it’s fruity and fresh at the same time. It was easy to rub into my armpit and felt good all day. Even in the hot weather we had. No sweat stains here!!

The second product was the Ocean & Coconut Deodorant Spray. This smells like paradise! It’s easy to spray use and spray on. But I would rather prefer the Orange & Neroli Natural Deodorant Balm. Especially in hotter weather. I felt the spray didn’t give me as much protection as the balm. However in colder weather when I sweat less, I’m sure this will be fine! The balm is the winner out of the two for me!

Thanks for stopping by today, I will be back soon with next month’s family diary roundup!