Rachel Bustin

Weekend Family Time – Walking Through The Woods

Last week I went into work to discuss heading back to work in January. I will be back working Saturdays from January so at the moment weekend family time is precious to me.

At the weekends during the Summer we spent time at the beach. Walking across the sand and paddling in the water these are cherished family time moments. When the weather turned colder we took to walking in the woods that are just a few minutes down the road from us. When we were at Bluestone last month, it gave us a new found appreciation for walking, especially in the woods. Spending time showing the girls the trees, leaves, spider webs, that we found.

Weekend Family Time - Walking Through The Woods

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Which Extreme Adventure Sports Is Best For Your family?

Keeping family life exciting can be a challenge. Instead of the more traditional sports, why not try extreme adventure sports with the kids. These sports can be thrilling and perfect for creating family memories alongside boosting your health and family communication.

In this post we will explore the nation’s best extreme adventure sports for families alongside what equipment you will need and safety tips. So what activity is best for your family?

Extreme adventure sports for fearless families

Rock climbing

From moving up indoor climbing walls to scaling cliff faces outdoors, rock climbing is an adrenaline-pumping activity that is excellent for getting kids fully engaged in sport. But where did it all begin? Rock climbing started to become a loved sport around the end of the 1800s, with the Lake District considered one of three, major ‘birthplaces of rock climbing’ (the others are in Italy and Germany).

Of course, as popularity for the sport grew in the 1940s and 1950s, so did the demand for safety equipment and climbing aids, which made the activity more accessible for younger people and families. From steel carabiners to nylon ropes, technology has helped to propel rock climbing into mainstream sport. Today, you can climb all over the UK — both at indoor venues and on outdoor walls — and the sport has grading system that rates the difficulty of a climb and the climber’s skill to help make the sport even safer — but still just as exciting!

Benefits of rock climbing for families

  • Builds upper and lower body strength.
  • Enhances problem-solving skills (i.e. considering the best route for reaching the top).
  • Encourages concentration.

Rock climbing as a family

As we mentioned, there are plenty of places to rock climb with your family. If you’re just starting out, make sure you choose an instructing company with a high customer rating — especially for safety and teaching. The Association of British Climbing Walls is a good place to start if you’re looking for a climbing wall in your area.

In rock climbing, you’ll notice that you use your lower limbs more than your upper limbs — great to boost fitness and strength but may be tough for little ones at first. Although you and your family will improve in time, it may be worth opting for a few indoor sessions until you’re all confident with the height and physical strain. Once your family feels ready and has learned a few techniques, why not book an outdoor climbing session? There are lots of packages at popular landmarks across the UK and you can even make it into a weekend away.

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Reminiscing over those long Summer days as a child

Losing my dad a few months back, has brought me and my siblings a lot closer together. Isn’t it funny how the loss of a loved one reunites that bond? I’ve spent a lot of the Summer reminiscing over childhood memories with my sister. Talking about the good ol days. Reminiscing over those long Summer days as a child when we would get up to lots of mischief, play cricket, stay out all hours and munch away on blackberries.

Reminiscing over those long Summer days as a child

When you are a kid the Summer’s seem much longer. We used to spend the whole day from morning until it got dark outside playing in my dad’s fields on the farm. I used to love reading my books and poems sitting in the hedge. Eating sweets and drinking a bottle of Panda Pop from my bum bag! Now I have a fondness to read in the garden when I get a few moments peace. My favourite genres are crime, thrillers and the occasionally poems about memories of childhood on my Kindle.

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Living Arrows 30/53 (2018)

Welcome back to our little weekly round-up of Living Arrows 30/53 (2018). I’m enjoying getting into the routine of sharing a little bit of our life and how my gorgeous 2 year old is growing away so fast along with the new baby!

You can catch up on my last post here: Living Arrows 29/53.

The idea behind Living Arrows is to celebrate childhood. It’s name is taken from a poem by Kahlil Gibran,

“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth”

Living Arrows 30/53 (2018)

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How To Host The Perfect Summer Barbecue

Now that the summertime is finally here, it’s time to get out into the garden and have that much needed barbecue with the family. Having a barbecue on a sunny day is a great way to spend your summer and have fun with your family and friends. If you want to up your barbecue game this year and impress your guests, here’s how to host the perfect summer barbecue.

How to host the perfect Summer Barbecue

A great setup

The first thing you’ll need to consider when you are hosting a barbecue this summer is where you will sit. Make sure you have enough Garden Furniture for everyone who is visiting you, and also make sure that you leave enough room for the grill to fire up away from everyone. You can even ask your family to bring a chair with them if you don’t have enough!

How to host the perfect Summer Barbecue

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