Review: A Christmas Carol, Waterside Arts, Sale

We were invited to see A Christmas Carol by Waterside Arts in Sale. All opinions are our own.

Everyone loves a ghost story at Christmas, and for my money, there’s no better ghost story than A Christmas Carol. On Friday, we went along to Waterside Arts in Sale, Greater Manchester to spend an evening watching A Christmas Carol, performed by Guy Masterson.

A Christmas Carol has been made into many films. It’s such a part of Christmas, I can’t imagine a December without calling an especially grumpy relative Scrooge. It’s been made and performed a thousand times over, but this one man show, this monologue performance by Guy Masterson was a masterpiece in storytelling.

Like all Dickens’ stories, there is a cast of many, all performed by Guy Masterson. Each one with a voice or mannerism of their own. Each character you can imagine perfectly, all due to a flick of some hair or the imaginary swish of some petticoats.

Review: A Christmas Carol, Waterside Arts, Sale

A Christmas Carol, performed by Guy Masterson

The stage is sparsely set with a chair and a coat on a hook. No other props are used, all are imagined by actor, Guy Masterson. Every sip from a cup, or closing of a door, you can see in your minds eye. You don’t need anything more, because Guy performs with such intensity, you are fully in the moment. You could hear a pin drop throughout. He jumps, runs, twirls and dances across the stage with a kind of energy I’ve long since been able to muster.

The show is 80 minutes long with an interval. It’s a masterclass in memory and Guy never stumbles. There’s the occasional and not at all hammy twinkly knowing eye to the audience, but the whole 80 minutes are an intense retelling of this classic Christmas tale. The ghosts, and the ghostly descriptions are vivid enough to cause the hairs on the back of your neck to stand on end. Tiny Tim is the sickly hero, played so beautifully you can imagine his pale face at the hearthside.

Each character is perfectly drawn by Guy. Everything is so minimal and sparce that the intensity of the performance really sings loudest. I felt like I’d not drawn breath for the whole 80 minutes.

It was a wonderful way to revisit one of my favourite Christmas tales. It was intense and left you with much to think about. It’s a reminder, as if anyone needed one, that life can be peppered with regrets, and it’s never too late to change your path and do better.

Alas, the show was at Waterside Arts for one night only, but Guy is on tour at various theatres throughout the UK in December. It’s not a colourful, jolly festive feast, but the right kind of ghost story for this time of year. It’s a real treat for Dickens fans. I loved it, and it’ll stay with me for a while.

If you’re local to Waterside Arts, Sale and would like to catch a Christmas show, then there are several different shows on their website with tickets available

If you enjoyed this, you might like to find out about other Christmas shows in and around Manchester this year.

The Man Who Wanted To Be A Penguin, Waterside Arts

We were invited to see The Man Who Wanted To Be A Penguin by Waterside Arts in Sale. All opinions are our own.

Going to the theatre at Christmas is something my family really love to do. I’ve got a serious soft spot for Waterside Arts in Sale, and their Christmas shows are always worth a watch. This year, and until 31st December, they’re playing host to their latest family Christmas show – The Man Who Wanted To Be A Penguin.

This is the story of an eccentric man (Steve Salt) who lives in a shed surrounded by neighbours (variously played by Loretta Hope) who just don’t get him. He’s always coming up with new and wonderful inventions, but when no one comes to his birthday party, he knows something has to change. That day he receives a gift in the post of a globe. He resolves to go to Antarctica and become a penguin, far from people and rejection. He dresses up as a penguin and even learns their language – something the audience is encouraged to do too!

The Man Who Wanted To Be A Penguin

Along the way he meets explorer Ernest Shackleton, who helps him reach the penguin colony. There he makes friends with the penguins and gets to help out on hatching day!

All the action is built around the shed, which spins on wheels and turns into an arctic tundra, an aeroplane or a mountain. The set is very simple, but very well done. With just a few props you are transported into the Antarctic and into the honking lives of the penguins who live there. There are a heap of crisp white duvets which double up as deep snow drifts, which is so cleverly done.

The hour long show is dotted with magical moments. The dancing toasty coat was so well done, my son and his friend were open mouthed at the magic, because it was magic. At the end, a handful of snow is thrown up in the air and it magically comes down for minutes, which just had them both sat there, agape. It says a lot that a show aimed at children aged 3+ could still hold the attention of two 12 year olds, and what’s more, show them some Christmas magic too.

The man who wanted to be a penguin

Of course, the real stars of the show were the penguins, which came in all shapes and sizes. These were mostly puppets, but it was easy to suspend reality and you really felt for them. You worried about their eggs getting cold, and their struggle to snuggle together for warmth. The chilly atmosphere is only enhanced by the frosty soundtrack, which at times makes you shiver a bit, you’re in the moment so much!

Steve Salt and Loretta Hope both deliver a stunning physical performance, dotted with humour and pathos. The way they climb and leap and gambol through the icy Antarctic landscape really brings an extra, dynamic dimension to the show.

The Man Who Wanted To Be A Penguin is such a lovely wintery show. It’s just an hour long, so perfectly pitched for little ones, but even not so little ones, like my pair of 12 year olds! It’s an hour of magic, beautifully done and if you learn a little something about penguins along the way, then so much the better!

For more information and to book tickets, visit their website.

10 Family Christmas Shows in Manchester

If you enjoyed this, you might like to find out about other Christmas shows in and around Manchester this year.

A cosy cashmere cardigan from Lands’ End

We were sent a cashmere cardigan from Lands’ End for review. All images and opinions are our own.

With the cost of gas and electricity being a concern for almost everyone this winter, we’ve all been doing what our Nan’s have long been encouraging us to do, and that’s layer up, pop a vest on and find our cosiest cardigans. I live in hoodies and cardigans anyway, so my Nan would have no complaints about that. Despite that, I knew I needed a cosier upgrade to my usual cotton hoodies. Cashmere was the answer, so I opted for a lovely cashmere zip front cardigan, and with Jack Frost sprinkling his magic all around, I was keen as mustard for it to arrive.

A cosy cashmere cardigan from Lands' End

Weirdly I do have some slightly picky sensory issues about fabric. I have to have natural fibres as anything synthetic makes me itch. I live in cotton tops and at a push, some nice woollen cardigans for winter. In general I much prefer a cardigan too, as I often feel a bit stifled in jumpers. Who knows what the root of my pickiness in this respect is, but it mostly just means that my wardrobe is fairly low maintenance and easy to wash, apart from my woollens, which I handwash very carefully.

I knew my cashmere cardigan would be cosy, and thankfully it arrived on the first of the coldest days of the winter. Despite the winter sunshine, there was frost everywhere and the thermometer didn’t rise above 2 degrees all day! It was definitely a day for wrapping up, indoors and out!

A cosy cashmere cardigan from Lands' End

The cashmere cardigan I chose is available in four colours – blue haze heather, soft nutmeg heather, teal shadow heather and charcoal heather. I opted for the charcoal heather, which is a lovely soft grey which is actually a little bit lighter in colour than it looks on the website. Not a problem. I love grey, it goes with absolutely everything.

A cosy cashmere cardigan from Lands' EndOnce I unpacked it, I took a good look at it. It was very soft and it felt like a nice weight, not thin, but not at all thick and bulky. It had pockets which I love and it’s a good length for me. I have a fairly long body and short legs, so I often find jumpers and tops are too short. The cuffs and hem are ribbed. It also comes with a length of spare wool in case you need to make a repair at any point.

The cashmere cardigan also has a hood, something which I really like. Having a hooded cardigan under a hooded coat makes the inside of the hood extra cosy on very cold days.

It is hand wash only, which is totally fine. It’s not like I’ll be wearing it while I’m coal mining or mud wrestling, so it’ll just need a freshen up from time to time with some cashmere wool detergent.

A cosy cashmere cardigan from Lands' End

Cashmere clothes are made from the wool from cashmere goats. It’s known for being incredibly warm and cosy and it’s also very much at the luxury end of woollen clothing. Although on me, the cardigan looks incredibly casual, it is very much nice enough for me to wear in the office. It’s also seriously warm, so it definitely comes with my Nan’s approval!

A cosy cashmere cardigan from Lands' EndThe cashmere cardigan costs £220, but there’s currently a half price offer on the Lands’ End website, which makes it a very reasonable £110. The cardigan is available in sizes 8-20 and also in plus sizes 20-30.

This is the kind of cardigan that will last me half a lifetime if I look after it properly. It’s certainly the warmest thing I own by a country mile, and will be my go to on the very coldest days this winter. As they’re currently half price, they’d be a great buy for Christmas if you want to treat someone to some cosy cashmere!

For this and a whole range of other warm clothing, visit the Lands’ End website.

School Bag Review: Futliit LED Backpack

We were sent a Futliit LED Backpack for review. All images and opinions are our own.

When my son started high school in September, there were many things I worried about, not least him getting himself to school and back safely. Now that the nights have drawn in, that slight anxiety I have has been compounded and I knew I needed to do something other than wrap him in reflective strips. I did buy him a small wind up torch to carry, but then I heard about Futliit LED backpacks, looked at the website and I was completely won over.

School Bag Review: Futliit LED Backpack

The Futliit LED Backpack is genius. It’s a normal looking backpack, a great size for school and an unassuming design, but at the push of a hidden button, LED strips light up, making you visible as you walk home in the dark. Futliit’s light up backpack has two bright white LED light strips, which give you several lighting options (two flashing modes, one constant light and off). The bags also have reflective panels which add an extra layer of visibility.

The bag itself is available in a charcoal grey colour and is an excellent size for carrying all the books and stuff you need for high school. It’s big enough for a laptop too. There’s a smaller front pocket which also has a key holder, which is an absolute must for my boy who has dyspraxia. He loves his key holder, which means his keys never go missing in the dark depths of his bag. There are also two side pockets for bottles of water, should he need them. It’s a very well designed bag.

School Bag Review: Futliit LED Backpack

I’ve been a big fan of backpacks since I was at school. I don’t drive, so I’m reliant on public transport or just walking to places, so it’s just easier for me to use a backpack. Because I use one every day, I am fussy about what I want in a bag. The Futliit LED Backpack is an excellent design, roomy, padded for comfort, and has lots of useful pockets, and that’s before you get to the LED lights!

When I first got my hands on the backpack, I didn’t know where the on/off buttons were. The design is so clever, you’d never know it was a fancy light up bag until it was actually lit up. If you put the backpack on, then put your hands on the adjustable straps and run them down until you get to the fabric triangles where the straps meet the bag. Inside the triangles are the on/off buttons for the two LED light strips. Press once and you get a rapid flashing light. Press twice it is a slower flash and three times, you get a static light. If you press it a forth time, the light switches off. It’s so clever.

I confess, when I first received the bag and had a good look at it, I was sort of hoping my son would hate it and I could use it myself. It’s ideal for me to take to work. It’s comfortable to carry and has everything I’m looking for in a practical backpack. Alas, my son also had very similar thoughts, and as it was technically for him, I’ve graciously let him keep it; though I will be asking Father Christmas for one this year!

If I could change anything, it would be to add a few more colours of backpack to the range. I suspect the charcoal grey is a colour that won’t get you told off at school.

School Bag Review: Futliit LED Backpack

I love this bag, the Futliit LED Backpack is such a clever design. Clearly made my people who understand what a good backpack needs to be great. The LED lights are clear, bright and will probably save lives as people travel home from work and school in the dark.

Good quality backpacks which are able to cope with the rigours of daily use and school life are not cheap. I’ve bought cheap before and regretted it as the bag often falls apart within a month or so. The Futliit LED Backpack currently costs £79.99 from the website, though deals are occasionally available. I do think you get what you pay for. Knowing how quickly my son burns through cheaper shoes and bags, I think this is an investment in something he will use daily and which will hopefully last him a year or two.

The batteries are also pretty easy to change and there are instructions on how to do this on the Futliit website.

I’m so impressed with the Futliit LED Backpack. I know my son will use it every day and while it’s dark coming home from school. It’s a weight off my mind knowing he is that bit safer out there with this bag on his back.

For more information about Futliit LED Backpacks, visit their website.

24 Positive Affirmations for Advent

As much as December is a lovely, glittery, warm time of the year, for many people it’s also a time for stress or hardship. I know as a busy mum, I’m usually the last person I get to treat well. I’m so busy rushing around making sure everyone else has the perfect Christmas that I usually end up neglecting myself. I know that once I hit peak exhaustion, my mental health can start to take a hit.

Sometimes, when things start to get on top of me, I remember that as twee as it sounds, affirmations can help. What I like to do is write down positive affirmations on little pieces of paper or card and pop them in a jar. Each day I pull out a new affirmation, read it and put it in my pocket to look at again when I have a moment later, when I need reminding that I am good enough, or that anything is possible.

24 Positive Affirmations for Advent

Download your free sheet of 24 positive affirmations for Advent here!

They remind me a little of the little scraps of paper you get in fortune cookies, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Whatever you do this Christmas, please do find time to be kind to yourself. Self care is so important, especially when your energy reserves are running low.

24 Positive Affirmations for Advent

  1. Say YES to new adventures
  2. I value myself
  3. Do it for your future self
  4. We rise by lifting others
  5. Good things are coming
  6. Remember you are amazing
  7. Be kind and be kindest to yourself
  8. You are enough
  9. You are entirely up to you
  10. You deserve happiness
  11. Today is going to be a great day
  12. Be present and take a deep breath
  13. You’re doing great
  14. I choose to be happy and love myself today
  15. I believe in myself
  16. Anything is possible
  17. I am grateful for the life I have
  18. I accept myself as I am
  19. Today is a new beginning
  20. Forgive yourself for your mistakes
  21. All of your problems have solutions
  22. My challenges help me grow
  23. I am in control
  24. I will get through today

Download your free sheet of 24 positive affirmations for Advent here!

If you liked this, you might also like these 24 acts of kindness for Advent. Merry Christmas!

Days Out: Christmas at Dunham Massey 2022

We were invited guests of Christmas at Dunham Massey. All images and opinions are our own.

Spending an evening enjoying a Christmas light trail is something of a tradition now in our family. There’s something lovely about wrapping up warm and going for a walk in the dark, marvelling at the lights together. We went to the first Christmas at Dunham Massey event six years ago, and it’s been one of our favourite trails ever since. We decided it was time to make a return, so this week, we did indeed bundle ourselves up, and headed to Dunham Massey near Altrincham to take in the sights and the lovely festive lights.

Days Out: Christmas at Dunham Massey 2022

First off, if you’re planning to go, make sure you’ve pre-booked parking, as it saves a lot of faff and bother if you do. Admission is timed, but they’re not super-strict about you being there on the dot, which was great news because we got caught in the rush hour traffic. The trail begins gently from the car park, with two enormous illuminated stags marking the entrance to the social area, with traditional fairground rides and food (try the Greek gyros, they’re lovely). Once your tickets are scanned, you’re free to explore the trail.

Days Out: Christmas at Dunham Massey 2022

On the night we went, it was raining quite heavily, so despite wearing good stout boots, I was a bit worried the trail might have been slippery in parts. I needn’t have worried, as rubber matting had already been put down in the worst areas and as long as you’re wearing walking boots or wellies, you should be ok.

The start of the trail takes you through a full on sensory experience. There’s a pavilion of lights dangling down, with ambient music playing as you walk through. It’s the kind of thing I could have enjoyed for hours, and my son loved weaving in and out of the lights. Beyond the pavilion, the house itself was illuminated and “DUNHAM MASSEY” is picked out in lights. It was an awesome sight.

Days Out: Christmas at Dunham Massey 2022

The trail takes you in and around the garden. I won’t spoil the whole trail by describing it all in minute detail, but there are some serious highlights. We thought the first Christmas at Dunham Massey light trail was impressive, but they’ve really, really turned the volume up on the awesomeness.

There were many breath-taking sights, including the Gladioli Tunnel where arches of multicoloured flowers bathe visitors in a myriad of different lights. There’s the incredible Laser Garden and Light a Wish – a garden which sees the heads of fluffy dandelions floating in the night sky. There’s the stunning Fire Garden, the Singing Tree and the Christmas Cathedral, which is as Instagram friendly as it gets. When you exit the gardens to the front of the house, Father Christmas is there to greet you. He’s a fine old Santa, really traditional looking and he’s happy to chat to the little ones too.

Days Out: Christmas at Dunham Massey 2022

Just when you think it’s all over, and it’s time to head home, you walk through the courtyard, turn to go back to the car park and the lake is lit up with giant colour changing waterlilies which shimmer on the water. Just beyond, there’s a dancing fountain, beautifully timed to the Frozen hit, Let it Go. We watched it for several minutes, it was a grand finale to a very grand festive light trail.

Days Out: Christmas at Dunham Massey 2022

Christmas at Dunham Massey is full of seasonal surprises and shimmering reflections that cast light on beautiful silhouettes of majestic trees, all choreographed to a soundtrack of festive favourites. It’s a real sensory treat, and despite the rain, we all felt completely festive after about ten minutes. This was helped by the mulled wine stall, which warmed us up a treat. The food and drink available on site are great. While we drank hot mulled wine, the boy toasted a fancy marshmallow, which was a highlight for him.

Days Out: Christmas at Dunham Massey 2022

We have been to quite a few Christmas light trails over the years, each different and marvellous in its own way, but this years’ Christmas at Dunham Massey is spectacular, even in the rain. The lights and music have been beautifully curated and around each corner is a new visual treat. There’s a new something to be wowed by at each turn, and all in all, it’s a superb way to kick off the festivities this year!

Days Out: Christmas at Dunham Massey 2022

Five facts you didn’t know about this year’s trail:

  • This is the sixth Christmas at Dunham Massey trail
  • There are 1,200 laser beams in the multi-coloured Laser Garden
  • It takes the crew 19 days to put up installations and prepare the trail
  • The site is run on a combination of hydrogenated vegetable oil and grid power
  • The Instagram-friendly Christmas Cathedral is almost 30 metres long

Dunham Massey 2022

Christmas at Dunham Massey – The after-dark illuminated trail through festive gardens is on from 18 November 2022 – 2 January 2023. Tickets are still available. Book your preferred date and time at christmasatdunhammassey.seetickets.com.

Limited availability, therefore early booking is advised. Advanced Admission Tickets From: Adult £22.50, Child £14.50 (Age 3-16). Family £50-£72 (1 or 2 adults + 2 children). Parking £8 or free for NT Members. Must be booked in advance.

Recipe: Oreo cookies and cream cake

My son loves Oreos. They’re the thing he asks for when we need him to do something he doesn’t want to do, like take some medicine, or finish his French homework. So when it came to his birthday cake this year, he asked me for an Oreo cake, so I took to my kitchen, got experimenting and came up with this simple recipe for a three layer Oreo cookies and cream cake.

There are a lot of Oreos in this, and as we are trying to cut costs a bit, we used the Aldi version at a fraction of the cost. They’re really no different at all. I’ll leave it up to you if you want to use the real ones or the supermarket versions. This cake including the frosting used 5 packs of Oreos, which is slightly terrifying. You could use a little less if you feel that might be the right thing for you and your cake. 

Recipe: Oreo cookies and cream cake

For the frosting, I did experiment with making Oreo buttercream with butter, icing sugar etc, which worked fine, but the pre-made vanilla frosting really tasted like the inside of an Oreo, spread much more easily, and was just so much better in terms of flavour and texture. My advice would be to use the pre-made frosting and just stir the crushed Oreos through it.

If you usually make your cakes using a mixer, that’s fine, but I’d urge you to just fold the crushed Oreos through the cake batter, as mixing it with the food mixer changes the texture and look of the cake. It’s darker and denser, and somehow less appealing because of that. This is a three layer cake, because it was a celebration cake, if you want, you can cut the recipe by a third and make it a two layer cake and that’s fine too.

Oreo cookies and cream cake

Ingredients:
300g caster sugar
300g softened butter or margarine (I use Stork)
6 eggs, beaten
3 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp milk
300g self-raising flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
300g crushed Oreos

For the frosting:
600g vanilla frosting, I used M&S
200g crushed Oreos

Recipe: Oreo cookies and cream cake

Method:

Heat your fan oven to 190c. Grease three 20cm sandwich tins, I also lined the bottom of each tin with a circle of baking parchment. In a large bowl, beat your butter and sugar together until fluffy (I used a hand mixer). Add the eggs, milk and vanilla and combine, then add the flour and baking powder and mix together until you have a smooth batter.

Put your Oreos in a sturdy plastic bag and beat them into a rolling pin until they’re nicely crushed. You can also do this in a food processor if you feel like it. Fold in your Oreo crumbs, don’t be tempted to beat them in or mix them with your cake mixer, this makes the mixture a fairly uniform but unattractive dirty brown colour. If you fold them in, the colour and texture are much better!

Divide the mixture equally between the three tins. You can weigh them to make sure they’re fairly equal if you’d like. Bake in your pre-heated oven for around 20 mins until golden and they’re cooked. Remove from the tins and leave to cool on a cooling rack.

Leave your cakes to cool, preferably overnight before decorating them.

To make your frosting, scoop your vanilla frosting into a bowl and fold in your crushed Oreos. Again, if you beat them in the frosting will go a funny colour and texture, the less you play with this the better.

Your sponge layers may have a domed top, if you’re being a stickler for good looks, then you can carefully trim the top flat with a good knife. If this is for an occasion and not just for scoffing, I will trim the top layer, but turn it upside down, so the top of the cake is guaranteed to be perfectly flat.

Recipe: Oreo cookies and cream cake

I like a slightly rustic look to my cakes, so I used an offset palette knife to spread a generous slick of frosting between each layer and then cover the whole lot in the frosting. The cake was for a 12 year old, so the terrifying amount of sugar here wasn’t a problem, but if you wanted to cut down the sugar a bit, you could always just do an artistic swirl on the top. I decorated the cake with a few leftover (pah!) cookies and some crumbs. 

I made two of these cakes for his birthday. One was plain and simple, and the other one was turned into a Warhammer Purity Seal cake. Both cakes were a huge success and were gobbled down quickly by friends and family. Everyone loves Oreos, right?

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like to try this peanut butter Oreo ice cream.

Recipe: Oreo cookies and cream cake

Review: Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus

We were sent a supply of Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.

A couple of months ago, I was sat chatting with my friends about menopause (that’s a hot topic and will be for a while), when one of my friends said she’s been taking liquid collagen and she felt it was making a difference to her. Naturally we all immediately leapt on this and quizzed her further. She had apparently been taking it for about a year and her hair, nails, joints and wrinkle situation had improved considerably in that time. We were all very, very interested and I imagine everyone did what I did, which was go home and do some reading up on collagen.

Review: Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus

The benefits of taking collagen are pretty clear, there are a million articles on the internet about the upsides to this wonder supplement. Collagen provides structure, support or strength to your skin, muscles, bones and connective tissues and is said to help plump and smooth the skin, add volume to hair and strengthen nails. I’ve heard of sporty friends taking collagen and after a few months of use reporting that they feel suppler and stronger. With my bad back and face that’s starting to show my age, I thought it was high time I staged a personal intervention.

Typically for me, I’d looked around at what collagen supplements were available, got a bit paralysed by indecision and did nothing. Thankfully fate intervened and I was offered a months supply of Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus to put to the test. I’d read the reviews and looked at some before and after photos and liked what I saw, plus what harm could it do?

Revive Collagen is a beauty brand founded by Amanda Holden, that aims to deliver real results for women of all ages. As our body ages, our natural collagen levels deplete which results in our skin losing tone and elasticity, and showing an increase in fine lines and wrinkles. Revive Collagen produce liquid collagen that can be taken once daily for the best results. The collagen drinks by Revive Collagen have been shown to have an absorption rate of 90% to 95% which is considerably higher than regular collagen tablets, of which only 30 to 40% is absorbed by your body.

Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus is a “Hydrolysed Marine Collagen Drink”. I was sent a 28 day supply which contained 28 little sachets of the tropical flavoured fluid. Each sachet contains 10,000 mg of marine collagen, vitamins B6 and B12, vitamins C and D, keratin and retinol. I’m no scientist, so I’m just going to assume they’re all good things. What this product isn’t is, vegetarian or halal, though there is a vegan version available on the website should that tickle your fancy.

With a month to put this to the test, partly to see if I got on with it, and partly to see if it made an actual difference, I set to work. The trick is to remember to take it each day, so I kept my sachets by the kettle, so when I go for my morning brew, I have my morning shot of collagen too.

Review: Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus

Each dose is in an individual pouch with a twist off top. It’s ideal for throwing in your bag if you need to, or keeping by your kettle, like me. It has a tropical flavour and it tastes a little like undiluted squash. It’s absolutely fine if you’re ok with just necking it back. They suggest that you can use it like squash and dilute it with water. I think it would also be lovely stirred into Greek yoghurt or similar. It’s not as liquid as water, a little thicker and it’s not at all an unpleasant texture.

I’ve been taking it for a month now, and although I suspect it’ll take longer than that to notice a real change in my wrinkles and general health and vitality. It could well be my imagination, but I do feel physically a bit looser. I feel like I’m taking fewer painkillers for my back and unusually for November, when I look in the mirror, I think my skin looks like it has a bit of a glow. The eczema on my hands, which gets worse in winter looks a lot better than usual. I don’t have any cracks on the pads of my fingers, which makes typing this so much more comfortable.

One of the reasons I decided to take collagen was to help counteract the drying effects of menopause. Over the last year or two I’ve noticed I’m more prone to skin dryness and if daily collagen shots can help keep that in check, without it developing into a patch of something requiring a steroid cream, then I’m all up for this. Drinking a sachet daily can help to rebuild and restore your collagen levels. It’s not cheap, but then if you shop around, it’s on a par with other similar products.

I think for me, it’s about making an investment in myself. I’m a mum, I work hard, I have a busy life and I don’t have an awful lot of time to spend on myself. In gentler times I treated myself to regular spa days and facials, now it’s all I can do to exfoliate in the shower twice a week. Whilst knocking back a shot of collagen isn’t the kind of spa level pamper I might be craving, the results, or the intended results are to me, worth investing in.

Review: Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus

As I approach menopause, I know I need to treat myself better, differently and find ways to nourish myself from within, rather than topically treat things externally. If taking a dose of Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus each day is one of the tools in my armoury which keep the effects of aging at bay, and not just the cosmetic sides of growing older, then it is a worthwhile investment. And if you don’t want to take my word for it, there are around 214 reviews on the website that would largely agree with me.

After a month, I’m perhaps starting to sense the green shoots of recovery. I will keep on taking the Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus shots each day and see how I get on with them in the long term. It’s not an instant thing, but one worth persisting with, and persist I will.

You can buy Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus directly from the website, but it’s also available from places like Boots and Holland and Barratt

FREE England World Cup 2022 Colouring Sheets

The World Cup 2022 takes place in Qatar from November 21st to December 18th 2022. This year, 32 teams from all over the world will compete in eight groups to win the coveted Jules Rimet trophy.

This will be the first World Cup ever to be held in the Arab world, and due to Qatar’s intense summer heat, the World Cup will be held from late November to mid December, making it the first tournament not to be held in May, June, or July. The World Cup 2022 is to be played in a reduced timeframe of around 28 days.

FREE England World Cup 2022 Colouring Sheets

If the World Cup is going to be anything like last years delayed Euro 2020 tournament, it’s going to grip the nation and be pretty much the only topic of conversation in my house, which is no bad thing.

I’ve put together some colouring sheets to celebrate England taking part in the World Cup, so you can print them out and get the kids to colour them in. Or you could colour them in yourself, no one is policing this!

You can download the pdf here. All you need to do it press print and find some colouring pens or pencils and you’re good to go!

FREE England World Cup 2022 Colouring Sheets

Download your FREE World Cup 20202 Colouring Sheets here

This World Cup will be the last one to involve just 32 teams. The 2026 tournament which will take place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada will have 48 teams battling it out for the trophy. Whatever happens, this tournament will be one to remember!

If you enjoyed this, you might also like to download this free football reading log. Just get the kids to colour in a football for every book or every 20 minutes they read for. Once the whole sheet has been completed they earn a reward, whatever that might look like in your house.

FREE England World Cup 2022 Colouring Sheets

A letter to my son, on his 12th birthday

Every year I write a letter to my son on his birthday. He never reads them, but he will when he’s older and I hope they remind him of the good times we have and how much he is loved. Here is my letter to him, he is 12 years old today. Happy birthday Ben!

What a time you are living through, the last few years have been a global rollercoaster and you have ridden it well. Today you are 12 years old, and as always on your birthday, I take some time to look back at pictures from your other birthdays and remember the soft cheeked, adorable boy you were.

In the last year you’ve grown up so much. Physically you’re a step or two ahead of the boys you went to primary school with; sporting an increasingly dapper moustache, standing a good head above your friends, your shoulders broadening and your voice losing the gentleness of youth.

A letter to my son, on his 12th birthday

It’s hard to be an early starter, I was too and although it’s possibly slightly easier for boys, growing into the body of a man is not a simple process. Nevertheless, you’re dealing with it brilliantly, I know we have had lots of really awkward chats, but I’m glad you’re listening, sharing and asking questions. You’re doing fantastically.

It can’t be easy living in this hormonal house, me with my peri-menopausal moods and you being only just 12 and riddled with your newly minted manly hormones. It’s almost always fine to have a shout at each other, as long as we always follow it up with a hug and a sorry. It’s usually the hormones talking, and not the people we really are underneath.

Ben 2022

This time last year you were at primary school and I was sadly crossing off the weeks until you went to high school. You had a shiny new dyspraxia diagnosis which had taken just 8 short years to receive, and we had to learn some new ways of being. Dyspraxia is hard work, but sometimes you make it look easy.

 

Days Out: Adventure Now in Manchester

Last year I was worried about how you’d get on in a much bigger school, how you’d cope with the rough and tumble, the homework, the lessons, how you’d get to school and back. I should have saved my worry and trusted in you, because you’re half a term in and you’re nailing it.

Each day you get a small clutch of house points, we’ve had enthusiastic messages from your teachers. You’ve settled in beautifully and you’re finding your stride. You are flying my love, and we couldn’t be prouder of you.

Every few months throughout your life, I’ve stopped and reflected on how things are going, and usually I look back and think that this stage in your life is probably my favourite, and six months later I think that again. The truth is, you’re my favourite and watching you grow into the incredible boy you are has been a real privilege and honestly the highlight of my life.

I know I’m your mum and very biased, but other people say lovely things about you too. Your Dad is madly proud of you, your teachers say you’re kind, keen, helpful, chatty, interested. Others have said how much your confidence has grown recently, how smart you look, how respectful, kind and thoughtful you are. You have your moments when you are not very many of these things, but that’s usually the hormones talking, and not the fine person you are underneath.

A letter to my son, on his 12th birthday

I hope that you have the very best birthday with some of the friends and family you love most, that we will continue to have such a great friendship. I love sharing a hobby with you, going for walks, going on our regular Wagamama nights out and sharing bags of popcorn while we watch a film. Ben, I hope you know that I treasure all of these times with you. These are the best times.

Happy 12th birthday, Ben. Keep being completely awesome.

Mum xx