Days Out: Rockpooling in North Devon

Earlier this week my husband and son went rockpooling in North Devon with the National Trust. They returned rosy-cheeked and brimming with enthusiasm for what they’d found and experienced. In a rare guest post, my husband shares their wonderful morning in Woolacombe. Over to Matthew…

A few weeks before we came down to Devon on holiday, I was beginning to keep an eye out for things to do. I saw a link somebody had shared on Facebook about guided rockpooling with the National Trust in Woolacombe. The “Rockpool Rambles” looked quite interesting and I thought that both me and the lad could learn something.

We holiday in Devon quite a lot and we tend to plan ahead a little bit, but also take each day as it comes especially with the weather. On one of the days the rockpooling was scheduled it was going to be mixed weather, so we decided to hop in the car, head to Woolacombe and take our chances.

Days Out: Rockpooling in North Devon

When we arrived, the heavens opened. Undeterred, the lad and I put on our waterproofs and sandals and headed down to the Combesgate part of the beach. Here, our guides, Ed and Dave met us and our fellow rockpoolers and gave us our nets and buckets and a short briefing about what to look for and a couple of things not to do such as climbing on the rocks covered with barnacles as they’re very rough and feel like a cheese grater if you happen to slip on them.

Off exploring we went and we quickly came across some sea lettuce, followed by our first starfish of the day. Ed and Dave pointed out that the barnacles make a snap, crackle and pop noise, so we listened out for that too. Around the corner there were starfish aplenty; along with beadlet anemones and small hermit crabs, as well as limpets and mussels.

Days Out: Rockpooling in North Devon

There were excited cries from the group as small fish were seen darting for cover in the pools. Rockpool prawns were seen, captured and temporarily put in buckets while we examined them. The lad did very well to find a secluded rockpool and a snakelocks anemone in the water. We lifted a stone and out popped a five bearded rockling. By the end of the session, the clouds parted and the sun came out. The best was saved till last when a little red octopus was spotted swimming across one of the larger pools. It was a wonderful sight and one we will remember for a long time.

The guided rock pooling is a fantastic way to spend an hour and half. It costs just £1 per person, and it probably can’t be bettered.

Days Out: Rockpooling in North Devon

The little red thing you can see in the photo above is a little octopus. What a find!

For more information about Rockpooling in North Devon and the Rockpool Rambles run by the National Trust, visit the NT website.

Five savvy suggestions for surviving motherhood

Becoming a parent is one of the most wonderful things in the world, but it’s also incredibly hard work. It can be quite isolating and emotionally tough, which you could probably cope with if you’d had enough sleep, which you won’t have done. Last year my lovely friend Karen from That Lancashire Lass became a mum for the third time. In this guest post, she shares with us her tips for surviving motherhood.

Five savvy suggestions for surviving motherhood

It’s no secret that the first few weeks, months and years of parenting is hard work. The most beautiful and amazing thing in your life just happened, but it’s a shock to your body and your life changes drastically. Sometimes you feel like your kid is driving you up the wall and you need a bit of space, or even just a conversation with another grown up. Sometimes your four walls at home feel like they might start closing in on you and you need to get outside and get some air in your lungs. Other times you might need reassurance that your baby is doing just as well as all the other babies her age. And once in a while, you just need to know you’re doing okay.

I have always had good friends around me. When I had each of my babies my friends were there with gifts, baby cuddles and wine and they were a great source of support for me. The thing is though that once the initial visits wear off you find that your friends are at work, or busy with their own families and commitments. That’s the time you need to put yourself out there. Here are five things you can do to stave off the loneliness, isolation and general blues that can creep in when you have a new baby…

Make time for yourself

Whether it be painting your nails, going for a massage or simply having an early night while dad, sister or your mum watches the baby once a week, it’s really important to make time for yourself. I really struggled with this myself as I find it difficult to hand over the reins, but once I learned to let go a little bit I felt so much better in myself and I was a generally happier person. Which leads me onto point two…

Accept help

I promise you that nobody is going to judge you for letting other people help with the baby. If someone you trust offers to help, to watch the baby while you nap or take a bath, to take him out in the pram while you hoover round (or even better if they offer to hoover!) then honestly, just say yes. It will make them feel good for being able to help and they really wouldn’t offer unless they meant it. People generally love to lend a hand. I’m not saying pack your newborn off to Nana’s for a month but do welcome the opportunity to shower for more than 30 seconds at a time!

Make some mum friends

Since there were 696,271 live births in England and Wales in 2016, I’m certain there are mums with children of a similar age to yours nearby! Using an app like Mush makes a world of difference when you need some contact with the outside world. You can use the app to search for parents with children of a similar age, with similar interests to yours or who are in your local area. Where I live there are several meet-ups per week, all of which started off as a simple connection on Mush. I love the app and have made some lovely new friends through it. I’d definitely recommend it.

Five savvy suggestions for surviving motherhood

Sleep when you can

You know when midwives say ‘sleep when the baby sleeps’ and you think it’s ridiculous because who is going to cook dinner, wash the pots and do the laundry? Well you’ll feel much better if you sack the housework off and get your head down. The laundry will get done eventually and nobody will starve to death. Just order a takeaway.

Don’t be pressured

Formula or breastmilk? Cloth nappies or disposables? Routine or baby led days?

It really, truly, honestly doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks you should do. Sure, listen to what they have to say and make up your own mind about it, but when all is said and done you are the one bringing up this tiny human and it is your decision on how to do that. As long as you and your baby are safe and happy, then you crack on. There is no ‘right’ way to be a parent and we’re all different. Ask for advice if you need to, but have faith in yourself!

Are you a parent already? What advice on surviving motherhood would you give to new mums?

Exclusive Christmas MCFC Stadium and Club Tour

I spent most of last weekend sat in a jacuzzi with some good friends, drinking fizz and generally having a good time. I’d left the boys at home for the weekend with a list of chores and no expectation they’d do any of them. I was right, they did this instead…

Mrs. HodgePodgeDays decided to go away for the weekend, so that left two boys at home wondering how to pass the time. It was fortunate that amongst other things, we had been invited to try out the brand new Team Santa vs Team Elf MCFC Stadium and Club Tour at the home of Manchester City FC, the Etihad Stadium.

MCFC Stadium and Club Tour

The new festive themed MCFC Stadium and Club Tour launches on Saturday 10^th December. Families are invited to enjoy a City Santa vs City Elf themed tour with a sprinkling of Christmas spirit. We went along to get a sneak preview of what Santa and his footballing elves had in store this December.

The MCFC Stadium and Club Tour includes exclusive access to fascinating behind the scenes areas of the stadium, including the team dressing room and the official press conference room where you can sit in Pep Guardiola’s seat, exactly as seen on TV. From here, visitors emerge pitch side through the players’ tunnel before taking their seats in the dugout and dreaming of the moment they’re called upon to wear the famous sky blue jersey. The Christmas tour is all that and more.

MCFC Stadium and Club Tour

We arrived at the City Store with a few minutes to spare and were greeted by our very knowledgeable and cheery guide Dominic. His job was to show us around the stadium and also to sprinkle some festive sparkle on it.

We started in the Tours Exhibition Area which is above the City Store and is home to historic memorabilia, interactive games and videos, and also features the story of the club right back to 1894. It was here that our tour group was split in two teams, Santas and Elves. We were all handed one of Manchester City’s Christmas themed jumpers to have our pictures taken in and then it was time for festive game No. 1, decorating the tree. In our teams, one by one, we had to decorate our trees and the fastest team would be the winners, this ended in a draw.

MCFC Stadium and Club Tour

We began the stadium tour and went first to the directors’ seating area and into one of the award winning hospitality suites. We sat outside for a few minutes in the directors’ seats and surveyed the pitch in front of us, then went to check out the media centre and sat in the room where the after match press interviews take place.

The tour continued with a visit to the away dressing room for festive game No.2. Each team took turns to throw mini footballs at little snowmen sat on the benches and again, this ended in a draw of the seemingly equally matched teams. Moving on, we went to the home dressing room to enjoy the comfy seats and to tackle festive game No. 3, flipping the water bottles, which ended up being won 10-4 by the Elves.

MCFC Stadium and Club Tour

Back to the tour and the tunnel leading to the pitch and then pitch side and a rest in Pep Guardiola’s seat in the dugout for a different view of the pitch than we’d normally have. We then went back inside onto the concourse for the final festive game of chipping a football up into a container. Absolutely no-one on either team managed to do this, so overall Team Elf won the competition because of their superior skills in flipping the water bottles.

Once the festive themed games had finished it was back to the City Store for both teams to collect their prizes (all children under the age of 12 on the tours will receive a Christmas gift from the Club and be entered into a prize draw giving them a chance to be a player escort at the Manchester City v Liverpool match, scheduled to take place on Saturday 18^th March 2017).

Manchester City are offering all those that have been on the MCFC Stadium and Club Tour in December a 20% discount off all purchases in the City Store that month. It’s a great place to pick up a present for the Manchester City supporter in your family!

The MCFC Stadium and Club Tour is a really fun way to spend an afternoon, especially in the run up to Christmas. The small boy had a fantastic time and returned home with the biggest smile. He couldn’t wait to tell all his friends at school about it the next day!

Tickets for the MCFC Stadium and Club Tour cost £17 per adult; £11 per child aged 5-16 and £12 for concessions and will run on select days throughout December. For more information, visit the MCFC website.

MCFC Stadium and Club Tour

We were invited guests of Manchester City, all images and opinions are our own.

What we did on our holiday by Mr HodgePodgeDays

My husband is famously a man of few words, but he kindly volunteered to put pen to paper and write about what we did on our holiday this October Half Term. We stayed at the Sol Katmandu in Majorca, courtesy of Jet2 Holidays. It’s always interesting for me to see things from his point of view, but it looks like he had a good time…

Being self-employed has its ups and downs. I am my own boss and I answer to no-one, but on the flip side I am totally responsible for everything at work. If I ever think about taking a sickie, the boss knows about it straight away.

Because I work for myself, I’ve had to work some long hours recently to get things ship shape before our first family holiday abroad. Over the October Half Term we packed our bags and went on a family holiday to Majorca courtesy of Jet2. It was eagerly anticipated, especially by the little fella as it was going to be his first time on a plane.

On departure day we woke early at 4am as the flight was due to depart at 6.30am. We jumped in a taxi and headed off to the airport. The check in at the airport and passing through security was a doddle and soon we were relaxing in the departure lounge with a coffee and sausage butty.

We didn’t have long to wait before our flight was called and we made our way to the gate and boarded the plane. I did wonder at this point if the little fella would be a bit scared by it all, but he was happy as Larry and took it all in his stride. He loved the flight, especially the take off, and soon we were landing in Majorca which again put a big smile on his face.

Sol Katmandu Hotel, Majorca with Jet2Holidays

The transfer to the hotel was a breeze. We were staying at the 4* the Sol Kathmandu in Magaluf. The hotel was excellent, our only quibble was the lack of a balcony which we could sit out on, but I think everyone will always find something not to their satisfaction.

After we’d unpacked in our room, the lad wanted to go exploring as he’d seen the three outdoor swimming pools on our way into the hotel and couldn’t wait to get in the water, and his dad couldn’t wait to get on a sun lounger.

What we did on our holiday

If you want to know what we did on our holiday, most of our days were spent relaxing by the pools; sometimes all of us splashing about in the water, sometimes Ben in the water with the new friends he’d made, while his parents topped up their tans, read their books and had a glass of sangria or two.

Twenty-four hours into the holiday, both my better half and I said that we definitely more relaxed in a hotel abroad than on our usual holidays in Devon. We usually go self-catering and in Devon we are the small boy’s only source of entertainment.

It was so nice to be away and to only have to think about when next to apply sun cream and not about the stresses of work, if only for a week. It was nice to spend time with my family, especially the missus, instead of rushing around badgering the boy to get dressed, or going back to work in the evenings to catch up with stuff.

What we did on our holiday

Here’s to our next holiday abroad, which hopefully won’t be too far away. Thank you to the Sol Katmandu for putting up with us and Jet2 for getting us there and back safely and efficiently.

-What we did on our holiday by Matthew, aged 41 and a half

Review: OM Yoga Show Manchester 2016

Yoga is a beautiful thing, something I used to really enjoy but can no longer do, which is a shame. When I was invited to the OM Yoga Show Manchester I really wanted to go but thought it’d be better if someone who would really appreciate it went in my place. My very lovely friend Naseema who LOVES yoga spent a day at the show and wrote this wonderful guest post for me – thanks Naseema!

I visited the OM Yoga Show last weekend as an attempt to learn more about Yoga and its practice since I am a little bit of a budding yogi myself. I had a preconception that this event only included professional yoga teachers doing headstands and handstands but much to my amazement I felt right at home.

The OM Yoga Show Manchester had over 100 exhibitors and was based at Event City in Manchester. The admission price was £7.50 (adult) for one day in advance, £12.50 (adult) for a two-day ticket and £16.00 (adult) for a three-day ticket. Upon entering Event City I felt really uplifted. I was able to purchase a copy of the OM Yoga magazine for £1 and started exploring the booths, speaking to different yoga groups in Manchester and from around the UK.

OM Yoga Show Manchester

I met different yoga teachers who were based around the UK and in Manchester. One to note is Donna Noble who started her practice encouraging individuals of all shapes and sizes to get involved in yoga. Her aim is to create a powerful and open yoga practice where all genders and different fitness levels can feel welcomed in her class. Even though she is based in London she was still able to spread her message at the OM Yoga Show Manchester and even lead her own lotus open class on Curvesome Yoga. I would recommend visiting her website to hear the stories of women who are transforming themselves in their yoga journey. You can find out more on Donna’s website.

Other exhibitors which were at the show included Dru Yoga, Meditation and Ayurveda, Yogacampus, Yoga mama, Sports yoga, Santosa Yoga and Meditation, Boxing Yoga, The Yoga Bank, the YogaLife Project to name just a few. One aspect that I really enjoyed the most was the section specifically for kids and the integration of toddlers into the practice of yoga. Yoga groups such as Relax Kids and Yoga Bears gave me information on meditation techniques specifically for kids and kids’ yoga. They combined mindful games and storytelling with stretching exercises, breathing, massage as well as positive affirmations. There were also classes specifically for children which seemed very popular.

OM Yoga Show Manchester

The yoga show also had a selection of vegetarian and vegan hot and cold food, snacks and beverages both hot and cold. The Detox Yogi tea definitely was my favourite with its ayurvedic blend of liquorice, dandelion and cinnamon. My other food favourite was Urban Fruit with their gently baked fruit with no added sugar. I also purchased an all natural Whey Isolate Protein powder from She Protein. This product is aimed for women who workout and need a protein supplement as part of their healthy lifestyle.

OM Yoga Show Manchester

Yoga merchandise was also on sale. Yoga mats were at very reasonable prices. Yoga clothing was also sold by Tiger Lilly clothing, Yoga Goodies, Pul Sera, The Power of Greyskull to name a few. Accessories were also sold in various booths all of them handmade and holistic inspired. The yoga workshops were extremely popular and cost around £5 per session. Each workshop differed vastly and can include one workshop on Yoga Nidra to another workshop on Boxing Yoga. There were also free open classes by various yoga teachers which were suitable for all levels and were on a first come first served basis.

OM Yoga Show Manchester

I really enjoyed visiting the OM Yoga Show and I will definitely be visiting it again in 2017. If you missed out on the show in Manchester, the London show is on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd October! My advice is to get there early and enjoy the positive vibes!

You can find out more about the OM Yoga Show Manchester on their website.

The Roost – Bloggers & Brands 2014 YouTube Video

In December the lovely lot at The Roost put a shout out to bloggers to send them a short video on what their hopes, dreams and ambitions were for blogging and working with brands in 2014.

What with me being a try anything once kinda gal, I thought I’d inflict my ugly mug the YouTube watching population. Thankfully (for you) they didn’t include the whole of my performance, but do keep an eye out for me. I think it’s a really well produced video about Bloggers & Brands, I’m really proud to be a part of it. Let me know what you think!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8bxy5x9D_s

The Mothers Project

In April this year I was lucky enough to take part in The Mothers Project.

The Mothers is a photo project documenting the stories and experiences of Mothers of all ages, with children of all ages. Complete with beautiful photography from Rebecca Lupton.

Rebecca asked me to answer a set of questions around my experiences of motherhood and then she came round to photograph us. Writing the blog itself was cathartic and it helped me to address and work through some of the issues around his birth as well as being something he can read in later life.

For me the real treat was having some beautiful photographs of us. I am usually the one behind the camera so rarely get a decent picture of us together.

In hindsight I wish I’d waited a bit longer, looking back at the pictures I can tell I was in pain. My first back surgery hadn’t worked and a few weeks after I was rushed in for more urgent surgery. I look tired and bloated (I’ve lost a lot of weight since) and I can tell I’m not happy and relaxed. But it does serve as a pictorial reminder of an awful time in our lives.

If you get the chance or want to take part I can’t recommend it enough. It was a really terrific experience. You can read my story here. Do let me know what you think. Hope you enjoy it.