An August Bank Holiday

The August bank holiday is always one of my favourites.  It always falls around the time of my birthday and seems to be the perfect time to say goodbye to the summer, even if we are hoping for a few more weeks of sunshine.  We managed two days out of three where the temperature was above 20 degrees and we didn't need raincoats and welly boots so I think we did well!

There always seems to be lots going on locally over the weekend, and we chose a small fun fair right down by the beach on Saturday.  It was perfect for little ones like mine as they could go on almost everything and I think the teacups were definitely the favourite.

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Teatime Picnics

Summer is all about picnics, and we use any excuse.  We often take our lunch down to the park at the end of our road and day trips are usually accompanied by scotch eggs and strawberries.  Whilst the evenings are still light, we have been having a few teatime picnics too, grabbing our blanket and sandwiches and heading to the beach or a park.

This weekend the boys had a late nap, so it seemed the perfect excuse to head out late.  It wasn't sunny, but it wasn't too cold either and so the park was deserted.  I am loving our new Huggies style on the go pouch,  it is perfect to pop on the buggy or hang from a bag and makes the wipes easy to access - something very important with messy eaters like mine! I even hung it from the sling when we went exploring afterwards as I knew that the mud and sand would end up everywhere!

The refill packs for these reusable pouches are made with natural absorbent fibres, and are free from nasties like parabens, phenoxyethanol, alcohol and perfume.  I can use them on the big two as well as the baby and I don't have to go rooting through my bag any more to find them.

I took home four worn out boys, empty packing and crumbs.  Hopefully we can fit in a few more teatime picnics before school begins and the night starts earlier.

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A Vegan Kid's Christmas Party

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Christmasparty #CollectiveBias

Every Monday since the beginning of May, I have had two extra boys for the day.  It has been exciting and exhausting in equal measures, there are days I think four is easier than two as they tend to pair up, and days I need a megaphone and a whistle.  Hitting the third trimester in this pregnancy means things are coming to an end though, and yesterday was my last Monday with the four boys.

To celebrate, I decided we would have a little Christmas party in the afternoon, but with two being vegan, I had to be a bit more creative in what I bought, so I went to the big Tesco nearby as they have quite an extensive free from section.  The boys (as of this weekend) are 1,2,3 and 4 so I thought a little indoor picnic would be perfect, sat on a blanket by the Christmas tree, with a festive film and some stickers for after.

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When the Sun is Shining

There are days where even the best of plans can be ruined by the great British weather and those ever trendy ponchos are on standby even in August.  There are also times when everything comes together though, where the sun is on our side, the wind is low and the back up plans can stay just that, and this weekend was one of those.

After Saturday's showers, Sunday gave us beautiful sunshine and with a big family picnic planned it could not have been better timing.  Aunts, Uncles and cousins came from all over and the boys were in their element with green space, sea air,  picnic food and plenty of entertainers.  

We met in 'the dip', a dipped park on the sea front and played rounders and football, enjoyed ice creams and blueberries and had more fun than you can possibly believe with a stack of cones.  We took two exhausted boys back to their beds at the end of a perfect day.  

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A Toddler-Proof Lunchbox

I was contacted recently by the people behind an amazing new product that has made picnics easier and kept our blankets cleaner.  Flatbox is a fantastic lunchbox made of washable, heat-resistant neoprene that undoes completely to make a thick place mat.

I have a child who does not sit still.  No matter how tight you pull the harness, he climbs in and out of his highchair, and picnics have always been difficult as Archie hasn't quite grasped the concept of staying still to eat.  He isn't a fan of plates other than using them as frisbees of course, but he loves to be outdoors and he really loves food.

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The Very First Picnic of the Year

He refuses to keep either socks or shoes on, and any exposed skin looks grubby, covered in a thin layer of mud.  He crawls, cruises and explores every surface, touching everything he sees.  He is inquisitive, adventurous and determined and he is loving the weather getting warmer and the excuse to spend as much time as possible outside.

Archie is in his element in the park, and although he isn't quite walking yet, he loves the freedom when I let him explore his own way.  The warm weather meant we spent the first of many long days at the park, and the picnic blanket made its way out of the cupboard for the first time in months.

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Picnic Time

We may be cooped up in the hospital for the summer, but that isn't stopping us enjoying a good old-fashioned picnic.  The beautiful weather this weekend coupled with a suffocatingly hot ward meant we were over the moon when the nurses agreed to let us take the little man into the hospital garden (albeit with bed attached to him).

We skipped the blankets and bundled on the little man's bed instead with our bread rolls, scotch eggs, cocktail sausages and the picnic staple - strawberries.  

We enjoyed the fresh air and Dylan's cousins made the most of all the toys that the children's ward have on offer.  My little superstar did not even moan when he saw the motorbikes, wendy houses and trampoline, instead finding a police helicopter and an ambulance that he could play with on the bed.  Archie loved the activity centres and the freedom as he is now rolling around all over the place

The fresh air certainly worked it's magic and bed time was much simpler and faster than usual, with the littles settling early enough for me to enjoy the garden again with my laptop and some choccy treats.

We may be missing most of the summer, so we are really making the most of every bit that we get!

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Finally some Sun - Picnic and Carnival

We had given up hope of seeing the sun. 

Summer dresses had been stuffed to the back of my wardrobe and my warm winter jumpers were getting a lot of wear.  Birthday parties had been moved inside and summer days out cancelled when the forcast changed.

Yesterday's beautiful weather looks set to be the start of our summer and we are making sure we enjoy every minute.  The suncream has come back out and my shades are set to be a permenant feature.  We spent yesterday picnicing in the glorious sunshine for a friend's birthday and tucked into some perfect homemade (not by me!) cupcakes. 

They had even made a tiny one perfect for the little dude and his table manners were nowhere to be seen as he stuffed it in in one!

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Celebrating the Jubilee

Whether you are a royalist or not, you can't deny that the Jubilee is bringing the country together in a unique way.  I mean when else are street parties not only accceptable but commonplace?  Every commercial company seems to have cottoned on and it is not only your biscuit tins that are patriotic - suddenly everything from smoothies to Marmite (ma'mite) is covered in red, white and blue.

The local breast feeding support groups organised a picnic, (open to everyone no matter what your feeding choices).  Luckily the weather gods were being kind and the afternoon was beautifully warm.  The chosen park had enough trees to provide shelter for those blonde of hair and pale of skin, and enough open space for the sun worshippers.  In a show of community spirit, we had a shared picnic, with everyone bringing something along, and both parents and babies alike loved it.

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