Category: Family

Family posts , special occasions, memories.

Top Tips For Nesting While Waiting For Baby To Arrive

Parenting / 2 years ago / RelentlesslyPurple

Many couples find themselves nesting like crazy in the weeks and months leading up to the big day with a new baby on the way. Nesting is instinctual for expectant mothers – it’s their way of preparing their home for the arrival of their little one. If you’re finding yourself nesting too, here are some top tips to help you get prepared for your new arrival!

Via Pexels

Clean Your Home From Top To Bottom

This is an excellent opportunity to give your home a good deep clean. Tackle every room in your house, and be sure to clean all of the nooks and crannies that tend to accumulate dust and dirt over time.

If you’re short on time, try using a steam cleaner to clean your floors and surfaces quickly. Steam cleaners are great for getting rid of built-up dirt and grime, and they don’t require any chemicals. You can use them on various surfaces, including carpets, tile floors, hardwood flooring, and countertops. 

Declutter your living spaces

Once your home is clean, take some time to declutter your living spaces. This will make it easier for you to move around once the baby arrives, and it will also give you a little peace of mind knowing that there’s less stuff for you to worry about in the weeks leading up to the big day.

Stock Up On Supplies

Once you’ve decluttered your home, it’s time to stock up on supplies! Make sure you have plenty of diapers, wipes and other essentials on hand, as well as newborn clothes and blankets.

As well as stocking up on baby supplies, be sure to try stocking up on some groceries as well. When you are out shopping, pick up an extra pack of dry goods or frozen meals to put aside for those days when you won’t make it grocery shopping.

Setting Up The Nursery

This is what all parents look forward to the most, but it can also be the most stressful. It is important to remember that your baby will be tiny for a long time, and you will soon outgrow the nursery. Therefore, you do not need to go overboard with the decor, especially if it’s a boy or girl theme, because they won’t look at it anyway.

The essential items are, of course, the nursery furniture. You may want to invest in a few pieces of furniture for the nursery – a crib, changing table, and rocking chair are a few essentials. These may cost a bit more than what you had expected, but they should last years and see through a few children!

Set Aside Some Time For Yourself

Although it’s essential to get your home ready before the big day arrives, you should also set aside some time and space just for yourself! Take advantage of this opportunity to relax, unwind and pamper yourself – after all, and it won’t be long until your little one is here and you’re up all hours of the night with them!

Try reading a book, watching your favourite show, or taking a nap. You can also spend time with family and friends – it will help keep your mind off things like baby showers and other stressful tasks that need to be done before the big day arrives. Plus, having fun is good for your mental health!

Nesting is a great way to prepare for your new arrival, but it’s important to remember to take some time for yourself as well. Relax and enjoy this special time in your life!

3 Top Tips To Care For Your Family

Family / 2 years ago / RelentlesslyPurple

Taking good care of your family’s health is essential if you want to ensure that everyone in your family has a long and healthy future free of major diseases and illnesses. A healthy lifestyle and regular checkups are just some of the ways you can take care of your family. Take a look at the following list of helpful hints for keeping your family healthy and happy.

Image via Unsplash

Encourage physical activity on a regular basis.

An estimated eighty percent of American adults and children are not getting the recommended amount of physical activity to stay healthy. That is a total of four of the five people who participated! One of the best ways to keep both your physical and emotional health in control is through regular exercise.

Make an effort to incorporate a healthy amount of physical activity into your daily routine. Taking a stroll to school, stopping by the park on the way home, or going for a bike ride with your family on the weekends are all examples of ways to include physical activity into your daily routine. Even a game of bowling or a few hours of gardening count.

Eat healthily.

Is your diet healthy? Do you know what constitutes a healthy diet? Having your cake and eating it too does not have to mean only drinking water and eating only salads. You may eat healthy while also having your cake and eating it. Just remember to enjoy junk food and other high-fat and high-sugar foods in moderation and to eat well-balanced meals on the other days. Every day, consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, as well as a healthy amount of carbohydrates. Using wholemeal pitta as a base and spreading tomato puree and low-fat cheese on top, you can make your favorite junk foods healthier. Kids love it, and it is a healthy option that tastes fantastic.

It is possible to avoid significant health problems including heart disease, type II diabetes, stroke, cancer, and other disorders by ensuring that your diet is well-balanced.

Make sure you are taking good care of your mental health.

Our mental health is just as essential as our physical health, and many of us overlook it. Our families’ emotional health is equally as important as our physical health in light of the current state of affairs we find ourselves in. It is important to find ways of supporting a child with anxious feelings. Everyone, including children, may benefit from incorporating a little mindfulness into their daily lives. You can color or concentrate on your breathing if that helps you relax. Practising mindfulness can be extremely beneficial to your mental well-being since it enables you to center yourself and reconnect with the present moment.

Fantastic Advice for New Parents: Family Happiness Tips

Family / 2 years ago / RelentlesslyPurple

Being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences in life. But, it can also be one of the most challenging times in your life, and there are so many things that you may not have thought about before becoming a parent. However, there are some things that all parents need to know- no matter what age they are when their first child arrives- and these tips can help make your parenting journey more manageable. They will also bring more happiness into your home.


Trust Yourself


Being a first-time parent can be very scary, full of many unknowns. Trusting yourself to make the right call for your child is a big part of this journey, and it can lead you down paths that may seem more difficult than others, but they are going to guide you towards being a better parent in the long run.


Practice Self-Care


Being a new parent means sacrificing time with family and friends, so having some alone time every now and then or even just taking times during your day where you have 15 minutes of downtime from your child is so important. It will help you to not only recharge but also stay sane during your parenting journey.

Your self-care routine as a new mom should include the following activities:

  • Get enough sleep: sleep is an essential part of self-care. Ensure you get adequate sleep regularly.
  • Eat healthy meals: your diet will affect your mood and energy, so you should ensure you’re fueling your body with good foods.
  • Take breaks when needed: put the baby down in a safe place and take a few minutes for yourself to do something that relaxes you, whether that is reading, taking a bath, or watching your favourite show.
  • Cracked nipples: You may experience cracked nipples when you start breastfeeding. Therefore, you need a way of caring for cracked nipples to return them to the right condition. Lanolin cream can help soothe the pain and speed up healing time
  • Take a relaxing bath: Add some soothing essential oils to your bathtubs like lavender, chamomile, or rosemary oil
  • Exercise: Taking walks with your baby, doing prenatal yoga, or light weightlifting are all excellent exercises for new moms

Be Kind to Yourself

Being kind to yourself is one of the most critical aspects of keeping your family happy. It may seem easy enough for non-parents, but it is more complicated than you think when you are a new parent. However, you can be kind to yourself by making time for yourself each day that is not about your baby.

Try to keep your social life alive by inviting friends over or going out once every few months so that you do not feel too isolated. This way, you will have opportunities to talk about adult things other than just work-related topics, giving yourself an outlet away from all the stress of parenthood. These little acts might seem insignificant on their own, but they can add up when done regularly.

Accept All the Help You Can Get

Asking and accepting help may seem difficult at first, but it is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family. It can be difficult to let go and allow others to help, but you will create a sense of community and support that will benefit everyone involved. Friends and family want to help – let them.

There are many ways they can help, from watching the baby while you take a break to grocery shopping or even cleaning your house. If people offer to help, accept the offer graciously. Not only will you get some much-needed assistance, but you will also be strengthening your relationships with those around you.

Be Flexible in Your New Parenthood Journey

Flexibility is vital for adapting to the many changes that come with being a new parent. Things will not always go according to your plan, so be prepared to roll with the punches. There is no right or wrong way to do something as a parent, so go with the flow and let yourself be open to learning as you go. It will help you to be less stressed and more patient as you navigate through this new chapter in your life.

Adjust Your Expectations

Every parent has expectations of what parenthood will be like. However, it is essential to remember that things may not go as planned, and you must be flexible. So please do not get bogged down by the small stuff; enjoy your time with your child and let the rest work itself out.

One of the most important things to remember as a new parent is that you are not perfect, and that’s okay. Accept that you will make mistakes and permit yourself to relax your expectations. You don’t have to be a supermom or dad – try your best and enjoy this new chapter in your life. As your child grows, they will teach you what works best for them, and slowly but surely, everything will fall into place. Until then, take it one day at a time.

Seek Opportunities To Bond With Your Baby and Make Memories

Bonding with your newborn is a cherished experience that will be filled with lots of cuddles, laughs, and tears. There are so many beautiful moments to enjoy during those first few months, so take the time to soak it all in. Whether you’re reading stories, singing songs, or taking long walks together, make sure you’re spending quality time with your little one. You’ll cherish those memories for a lifetime.

In addition to bonding, try to create some unique traditions with your family as soon as possible. It could involve weekly meals together, playing games on holidays, or setting aside specific days for special outings. These traditions will help to anchor your family and provide consistency during what can be an unpredictable time.

Find your Tribe

One of the best things you can do as a new parent is to find your tribe – a group of people who will support and encourage you and who you can rely on for advice and friendship. It could be friends from before you had kids, other parents you meet through activities, playgroups, or even online parenting groups.

Having this support system in place will help make the challenging early years easier. Knowing that you have someone to talk to when things get tough – or to share funny stories about your kids with – can be reassuring. Plus, it’s always nice to have people to celebrate milestones with.

Live in the Present Moment

Practice mindfulness with your child every day so that you can be fully present when it matters most later on. As new parents, you may get distracted very quickly because there is just so much to take care of. Try to focus intensely for short periods throughout the day while playing games like peek-a-boo, patting their back until they fall asleep, giving them tummy time while singing songs, etcetera. With enough practice, this type of engagement will come naturally over time. You might also want to read up on meditation if you find it too hard to stay focused.

Talk About Money Decisions With Your Partner

It is one of the most vital conversations you will have as a couple regarding your family. Money is one of the leading causes of stress in relationships, so you must be on the same page regarding financial planning and budgeting. Discuss your goals for the future, how you want to save for your child’s education or future expenses, and what kind of lifestyle you hope to provide for your family. It’s also essential to be honest about any debt you may have accrued and develop a plan to pay that off together. By communicating openly and honestly about money, you can avoid many potential conflicts down the road.

Conclusion

Parenthood can be very challenging, even for seasoned parents. However, new research shows that there are ways you can increase your family’s happiness. Promising statistics show that including these tips in your lives will help to improve the well-being of both you and your child.

Empowering and Educating Autistic Children With Technology

Autism / 2 years ago / RelentlesslyPurple

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a diverse group of conditions. According to the World Health Organization, around one in 160 children have ASD. Their abilities and needs can vary or evolve over time, which is why some people with autism can live independently, while others require life-long care and support. And as we discussed in our blog post on Eva’s Autism Diagnosis characteristics may be detected in early childhood, but more often are diagnosed later.

Credit – https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1526662092594-e98c1e356d6a

In Eva’s case, she wasn’t diagnosed until she was in year 6 having waited two years, her teacher suspected her to be autistic despite her masking it well and had referred us for diagnosis. Regardless of the symptoms, a person with ASD has — Eva, for instance, is sensitive but remains outgoing and chatty in public — autistic children need plenty of love, support, and acceptance. As parents, it’s important to seek out ways to help them. Research indicates that the use of technology alongside evidence-based psychosocial interventions can help children diagnosed with ASD overcome the challenges they face.

How Assistive Tech Helps

We know technology has served as a key tool in diagnosing ASD. The Edith Cowan University has recently begun research using high-tech 3D facial scans for a better understanding of the genetic causes of autism. Using machine learning techniques, the researchers found that parents of children on the autism spectrum had more asymmetric faces than other adults of a similar age, based on the measurements of 5000 facial points.

As for managing ASD, assistive technology can better allow children to handle difficulties in social interaction and communication. Assistive technology is anything that allows users with a disability to perform tasks they would otherwise find impossible to perform on their own. Often, children on the spectrum use assistive technology to complete daily activities and work tasks. Research points out that the use of technology leads to improved literacy, adaptive and social-communicative skills, and emotional detection in children on the spectrum. Assistive technology also presents information visually, which is more effective for children with autism to learn with than audio information.

Technology and Education at School

Schools are now embracing modern learning environments by heavily integrating technology into both classrooms and curriculums. As New Globe points out, education is a science. Powerful, technology-enabled systems allow schools to gather and apply data-driven learning improvements across the education system, which can enhance learning in the long run. Assistive classroom technology can help autistic students adjust better in formal education.

There are plenty of use-cases we’ve seen over the years. Communication apps have built-in features that support individuals with autism at all levels and abilities. Visual schedules and step-by-step checklists help ASD students get organised in class and master independent living routines. With tools that create a roadmap, they’re more confident to socialise — bridging the gap between them and other kids.

Technology can also be integrated into the curriculum itself. VR experiences, memory aids, audiobooks, and text-to-speech systems guide students through more advanced projects. In a STEM-based K-12 plan, for instance, students with ASD engage in a flipped classroom model, wherein they collaborate on using 3D printers, robotics, and computer-aided design programs.

Assistive Tech at Home for ASD

At home, technology can sharpen your child’s fine motor and life skills, or even reinforce speech and language therapies. As BBC Bitesize article notes, it helps to experiment with different methods because ASD often leads to a range of learning needs. If they’re struggling with low motivation, motivational apps can be especially helpful. Video modelling and social networking tools are also good for improving relational skills.

Some parents opt to apply technology for tracking their child and securing their homes as well, because these increase the independence of a child on the spectrum, while keeping them safe. Other devices and apps aim to improve their quality of life by reducing any sensory overload or stress; some are designed to help them sleep better — which ultimately leads to less agitation for everyone.

Technology is a boon for many families supporting a child with ASD, so don’t be afraid to try various tools that can make your lives easier.

3 Tips for Balancing Out Parenting and Self Care

Parenting / 2 years ago / RelentlesslyPurple

Image credit 

Practicing self-care as a parent is something that feels a little too far out of reach at times. Being a parent, no matter if you’re a mother or father is really just an incredibly tough job. It’s a job that you’re constantly doing around the clock and there aren’t any breaks or timeouts like a normal job may have. Regardless, parenthood is simply a beautiful experience that reminds you of how far you’ve come with your little one. While we’re taking care of our children, we can’t neglect ourselves either.

Parents tend to constantly put their children or others before themselves. This can be good, it shows your dedication, but it does mean that sacrifices are made such as sleep and even a decline in health. It’s important to focus on self-care habits as these affect the mind, body, and soul. Here are some ways to help change your mindset so you can begin focusing on your little ones and on yourself too.

Do not guilt yourself for your needs

Parents tend to guilt themselves for not putting in enough time and energy doing other things. Self-care tackles mental health and it can be a way to help improve your mentality as well. You need to first start with yourself and understand that you’re not a bad person for wanting to have time to yourself.

You’re not a bad parent for wanting to take care of yourself and tend to your needs. If you want to tend to others’ needs, such as your children, you need to focus on yourself so you can properly be there to help the ones you love. So first begin getting it into your head that you need breaks, you deserve breaks, and you have to take care of yourself.

Know that your sleep matters

Parents and lack of sleep go hand in hand, it’s the dark truth, but it’s something that eventually gets accepted. You may have even seen some funny memes online about the lack of sleep that parents get. While it may be one of the facts in life, it’s important to know that your sleep matters and you have to try and get it.

You can look into getting a Moses Basket for your baby and have it right next to you at bedtime, this way you can immediately tend to your baby in your room and get back to sleep. Alternatively, you can talk with your partner about taking shifts and days in balancing out who will tend to the kids and who’ll sleep.

Think of the little ways to get yourself feeling good

There are plenty of ways to help your soul feel good such as eating your favorite sweets, getting yourself a little gift you’ve had on your wish list, but you should think about the things that will make you feel physically good as well. This includes eating healthy meals that will nourish your body. A healthy meal is going to drastically help in giving you more energy and making you feel physically better. The same can be said with regular exercising, even just doing a bit of movement each day such as walking can do wonders to how you’ll feel. 

Eva’s Autism Diagnosis

Family / 3 years ago / RelentlesslyPurple

We had Eva’s Autism Diagnosis a few weeks ago. I know we are all relieved to finally have the diagnosis confirmed so we can move forward with providing the right support for Eva, especially with moving up to secondary school in September.

For quite a few years we have suspected Eva is somewhere on the autistic spectrum. We tried to bring this up with several teachers and professionals in the past who just labelled her sensitive and forgetful. Knowing so many families fight such a long time for a diagnosis with support from teachers etc we decided to wait it out and hope someone would notice. Its hard with autism as it presents in so many different ways and girls especially are known to mask it by learning and copying their peers.

Getting Help

Thankfully that happened in year 4, two years ago. Eva’s teacher at the time suspected she is autistic and masks well, she passed us on to SENCO and suggested I took the NAS course to learn about autism in females. I am so glad I did take that course as it taught me about masking which made me realise that’s exactly what Eva does. She seems sensitive but outgoing and chatty, she masks well in public. Come home time though and the meltdowns occur, all the stress from the day just comes pouring out. In reality while she appears chatty and outgoing she struggles to maintain friendships, having only made her first real friend this year.

SENCO at Eva’s school have been fantastic, I really can’t fault them. The lovely woman who I spoke to chatted for a good hour with me discussing Eva’s behaviours and struggles both in school and at home. Having a daughter similar to Eva who was also late to be diagnosed, it was lovely to chat to her and I left feeling like someone had finally truly listened and agreed with everything we were saying.

I expected this to be an extremely lengthy process, we warned Eva of this to prepare her and were surprised when in just a matter of weeks we had our first assessment appointment at the local community hospital. There we went over Eva’s history, behaviours and struggles again and they agreed a 3di assessment (computer assessment) was the best way to diagnose Eva.

This was all booked for last April, but of course covid19 put a halt to this. The phone lines wouldn’t connect and nobody within the same building could get me through to that department so I decided to wait it out and chase it when things eased. I expected this to be a drawn out process and was amazed at the speed of our referral so far so I felt hopeful things would be back on track soon and thankfully last month we received a letter for a phone call appointment.

Eva’s Autism Diagnosis

The phone call went surprisingly smoothly considering how worked up I got over it. I don’t do well with phone calls, my brain fog makes me panic I’ll forget stuff or mix up my words but thankfully the guy I spoke to was really nice and we quickly got through the 3di assessment with him reading the questions and telling me the options. All the questions were either yes/no, somewhat/mostly/all the time etc to each part which made things a lot easier.

In just under half an hour we completed the assessment and I was shocked to discover we would find out there and then. The results quickly came back showing Eva is on the autistic spectrum. The guy told me this and followed it up with ‘but you knew this anyway didn’t you?’. Parents do just know I think, it can be hard to get a diagnosis but if you know deep down you can still provide the support they desperately need.

Helping Eva Cope With Sensory Issues

We already have a fairly good routine that suits Eva well, changes to it do throw her but we do our best to warn her well ahead of time. She’s been using ear defenders since year 4 as and when she feels too overwhelmed. Socks and clothing have always been an issue, I’ve lost count of how many mornings we’ve both ended up in tears just trying to find socks she will wear without getting upset.

We’ve bought a few different sensory toys for her over the years and she has a few favourites she always goes back to. Eva struggles with food, tastes and textures can really distress her. Sometimes she will eat the same thing on repeat, she eats food from her plate one food group at a time, never mixing them. Some of the things we’ve done or do to help do make things a little easier but we rarely go more than a day or two without a small wobble over something.

Relief

I’m still in shock with how quickly we received Eva’s autism diagnosis to be honest. If you take away this pandemic year, it has taken less than a year, two years including a pandemic really isn’t too bad. I’ve been umming and ahhing over wether to add this in as I know so many parents struggle and fight for years for a diagnosis and I don’t want them to feel I’m showing off but equally I hope this does give hope to other families trying to get a diagnosis for someone they suspect may be on the spectrum.

It doesn’t always take forever, sometimes it really can be straight forward. I am so grateful, we have been so lucky that Eva is in a school with a brilliant SENCO team who are so friendly and happy to help. Without their support these last two years would have been so much harder.

Moving forward we have now made both Eva’s current school and her secondary school aware of her diagnosis and both schools are working on a hand over for all SEN children moving up which again gives me some confidence that Eva will have the support she will need through secondary school.

Eva’s diagnosis hasn’t really changed much for us as a family but it should hopefully make it easier for her at school and work. I’m hoping once we are able to talk to her secondary school we will be able to organise an EHCP for Eva to help make school life easier for her, she has made a fantastic friend who will be moving up with her too so I’m a little less anxious about how Eva will cope moving up.

Eva’s Feelings

Recently, I have been diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) which means at times I can get overwhelmed and struggle with certain things in every day life. This has made it difficult because in the past teachers may have thought that I am being emotional and struggling just for attention when I do not mean to do this as I enjoy being at school and it should be a enjoyable yet educational building.

Through my childhood leading up to now, both mum and dad have made things quite straight-forward for me. When there was clothing problems about certain materials and seams bothering me, I could tell my mum and when it was convenient her or my dad would go to a shop with or without me and choose a pair of socks. This would help immensely.

From Year 4, I have been using ear defenders but now I have started to cut down on using them so I can cope when I do not have them around so that I don’t get overwhelmed too easily. This year, after I got my diagnosis, I have started to grow a collection of sensory toys. Even before I was diagnosed I have had a lot of sensory toys. These help me by calming me down and helps me to cope by distracting me from what is around me. Sometimes this can get people annoyed with me as I zone out when using these sensory toys, but now I can tell them I’m autistic and these help me to cope.

Overall I think having an autism diagnosis has had positive and negative points in different ways. For example: A positive point may be that people may understand ways that calm me down to stop me from getting overwhelmed a lot. And a negative point may be that that if people do not know I am autistic they may misjudge me and think I am doing it for attention when I am not.

Izzy’s Thoughts

Izzy wanted to join in with this post, she said that although she is the younger sister she feels very protective over Eva. Izzy accepts Eva as she is and says that even though she may be different to others in some ways, she loves her no matter what and being diagnosed as autistic makes no difference because Eva is who she is.

Awareness and Acceptance

We have written this post in the hopes it helps raise awareness of autism, the difficulties with spotting autism, especially in females, the process of a diagnosis and individual feelings for those who may be looking for something relatable. I know a big part of me starting this blog was needing an outlet and a good way to discover things like this myself. In fact it is thanks to a lot of the bloggers I still follow being so open about their own journeys with autism that helped me realise Eva really was likely to be on the spectrum somewhere and without that I doubt I would have felt confident enough to chase a diagnosis for her.

We also want to remind our readers that it isn’t just about awareness, acceptance is just as important and I feel Izzy’s input helps to show that. Autistic children simply need acceptance and understanding. Especially as parents we won’t always get it right, it can take a huge amount of trial and error to make life easier for our children but surrounding them with love, kindness and acceptance goes a long way to helping them have a happy life.

Elf On The Shelf – 12 Days Of Elvis and Elfie

christmas / 3 years ago / RelentlesslyPurple

Elf on the shelf can be great fun! Over 14 million elves have been adopted around the world. Any parent will tell you though that sometimes it can be difficult to come up with ideas. Design bundles have some fab bundles and kindly sent us a box of goodies to make things easier.

Elf On The Shelf Day 1

Elf on the shelf - Elfie is sat under the tree with Elvis his cousin in an Elf Isolation jar, on top of a baking kit.

Elfie has been visiting us for the last few years. He’s an absolute terror and had been told he is not to steal the girls toys this year! So instead he brought along his cousin Elvis. Thankfully he seems a much better behaved elf and arrived in Elf Isolation adhering to the guidelines. Together they arrived with a fun Ginger bread baking kit for the girls to make!

Day 2

Day 2 came around quickly and Elfie and Elvis wanted to dress up. He arrived with a dazzling gold wardrobe and clothing from previous years hung up inside. Naughty Elfie had hidden his poor cousin Elvis (still in Elf Isolation) underneath a discarded dressing gown!

Elfie is sat in front of a homemade golden coloured wardrope, strong across the doors is a festive clothes line with a christmas jumper and pyjamas hanging from it. In front of the wardrobe are pieces of fabric, scissors, glue and a needle along with a sign saying 'I can't find any clothes to wear.. lets make some Love Elfie!.

It seems Elfie wasn’t happy with his current wardrobe and insisted the girls made him some new ones. Thankfully he at least brought his own materials, although cheekily he raided my crochet tin for the scissors and needle.

Day 3

The elves brought some colouring sheets and pens for the girls to do some festive colouring on day 3. Elfie had been colouring in a candy cane when we woke up! The girls couldn’t wait to get colouring with the elves when they woke up. Who doesn’t love colouring!?

Day 4

Elfie and Elvis wanted to make Christmas cards on day 4. Elvis wrote his very own tiny christmas card to the girls which was sweet.

Elfie and Elvis are sat with some colouring pens and cards/envelopes.

He brought the girls some paper and card to make their own which they loved doing. Card making is always fun!

Day 5

On day 5 Elvis and Elfie wanted to make some decorations. They arrived with a bag including a clear fillable bauble, fake snow and some small ornaments to go inside. Naturally we discovered Elfie using his poor cousin Elvis to get inside the bag of goodies!

Elfie's legs are sticking out of a paper bag, his feet are using Elvis' Elf Isolation jar to climb up.

Thankfully nothing was damaged and we were able to make a lovely bauble. The girls loved this as the Mr has a t-shirt in with a camper van and Christmas tree on top!

Day 6

On day 6 the elves decided it was time for the girls to write to Santa. They brought them an example sheet which I copied and a fun snowman pen to write out their lists.

Elfie and Elvis are sat on top of a blank letter to santa with a pen

We were pleased to see Elfie was behaving a little bit better today! Having an elf on the shelf can be worrying, you never know what you might wake up to!

Day 7

On day 7 the elves thought the girls would enjoy making a fun window display from. They brought lots of fun stencils and paper.. Although messily scattered everywhere! We are hoping Elvis is able to tame Elfie a bit when he finally finishes Elf isolation next week! SVG images are great for activities like these.

Elfie and is sat amongst a mess of stencils and paper

Day 8

The elves decided as the girls love doing random acts of kindness that they might enjoy making someone a gift. Along with some card they had left some chocolates. The girls decided they should make a Christmas cracker and use the chocolates to fill it up. Unfortunately this day became quite eventful so we missed a photograph!

Day 9

Acts of kindness are so nice the elves decided to encourage the girls twice! On the 9th day the elves provided a fun list of acts of kindness to help the girls out. Elfie had even left Elvis a note saying he SMELLS lovely! This led to the girls going through their toys and producing a bag for the charity shop a few days later. The elves then rewarded them with some sweets for their kindness whilst sat on the bag of toys.

Elfie and Elvis are sat on top of a sheet of random acts of kindness ideas

Day 10

The elves must have been getting hungry thinking about Christmas being just 15 days away. They brought the girls some things to help set the table. They came with a fantastic glass milk bottle for Santa and card and a shiny pen to make placemats.

Elfie and Elvis are sat with black card to make placemats and a santas milk botttle

Day 11

With the big day quickly approaching, the elves thought it was time the girls wrapped some presents. They brought wrapping paper, a gift tag and a bag of popcorn for the girls to enjoy with a film.

Wrapping with the Elves - Elfie is sat in a popcorn pot with his legs up in the air and over his shoulders next to wrapping paper, washi tape, a christmas tag and popcorn.

The paper is perfect for my sister who loves pugs and has her own called Pugsley! So the girls wrapped for their aunt and uncle using the lovely paper. Once we were all done they enjoyed snuggling up with a film and sharing the popcorn.

Day 12

Although I am certain there was something else planned, such as a fun scavenger hunt for the 12th day, instead we discovered Elfie up to mischief.

Elfie pulling Elvis from his Elf isolation

Of course, being such a naughty elf that he is, he couldn’t wait 2 more days and had dragged poor Elvis out of Elf Isolation!! Lets hope 12 days was enough to keep us all safe!

We definitely enjoy Elf on the shelf as a tradition now and cant wait to see what else Elfie and Elvis will get up to next. I will definitely be using Design bundles in future and check out their free printable resources and new products.

What has your Elf on a Shelf been up to? Do you use any fun resources?

Goodbye 2019 – Hello 2020

Family / 4 years ago / RelentlesslyPurple

Goodbye 2019. It wasn’t a bad year over all, I was a littler quieter on the blog, even though lots has happened. 2019 found me focusing more on my Crochet and Reading and I took up matched betting. Overall it was quite a positive year. 5th December 2019 also marked the tenth year of the Mr and I living together. Facebook also reminded us we’ve known each other for 14 years, almost half my life haha!

Goodbye 2019 - Hello 2020

Hospital Appointments For The Girls

We’ve had lots of hospital appointments to attend, mostly for Izzy’s hearing but also chasing an Autism diagnosis for Eva. We’re hoping this will help get an EHCP in place before Secondary school to make things easier for Eva. Eva has also complained of leg pain for quite some time and having been checked for signs of muscle weakness, the Dr highly suspects she may have Peripheral Neuropathy like me. This was hard to hear, knowing she could face the same as me was heartbreaking. We will have to monitor her to find out for sure though.

Izzy has glue ear and has lost 50% of her hearing, we’re currently monitoring her and using the Otovent to try and clear her ears. If this doesn’t work she will need gromits fitted and her adenoids and tonsils removed. The Otovent had made a difference with a few days use so we are hopeful once Izzy is less congested we can get back to using it and improve her hearing.

Izzy also has astigmatism like me which we have an appointment at the hospital for this Tuesday. I’m hopeful she has very few issues, although I’ve no doubt her eyesight will continue to deteriorate as she grows. Whilst it has been stressful we’re hopeful both girls will get the help and support they need to improve things.

My Own Health

Admittedly I have neglected my own health again, but I do plan to get on top of that this year. Fatigue, pain and eczema have made 2019 quite frustrating at times to be honest. Having a rather rude Dr make me feel awful for even asking him how I get referred to his department for my eczema, I felt too nervous to book in and get a referral. I’d hate to be referred to that Dr after he had talked to me so nastily in front of an entire waiting room of patients.

Trying to balance attending events with the girls, doing the small amount of tidying I do at home, actually leaving the flat to go shopping so I’m not at home 24/7 and trying to find time for myself has been quite tricky and I’ve had to miss out on more over the last year. I’ve learnt to reserve my energy for the more important things better than before but still the guilt gets me when I do miss things.

I guess that’s typical for anyone with chronic pain and mental health issues but thankfully reading and crochet have helped me rest my body whilst still feeling like I am doing something productive. I do still have days where I push myself badly and suffer sometimes for a week or so after but these days are becoming less and hopefully in 2020 I’ll learn to control that further.

Matched Betting

From matched betting, we managed to buy a car just in time for the school holidays and countless hospital appointments for both girls. Originally I was saving to build the Mr a PC for gaming, oops! We have at least made a start on buying parts but due to emptying the bank for the car we haven’t managed as much as I had hoped. I can’t deny we have made a nice amount over the last 6 or so months but having had so many financial struggles over the years we are still playing catch up too, as anyone with health issues will understand due to benefit changes.

Me and the girls in the car

Regardless, I am extremely grateful for discovering this fantastic way to earn a little extra each week. Having a car has given us back some of the freedom we had lost due to my health. We had some lovely trips out during the summer to Wicksteed Park, Wat Tyler Park, Canvey Island and we’ve even managed a few visits to Martyn and Hannah.

Reading

I am honestly proud of myself for managing to read almost 60 books in 2019! I can’t thank Random Things Blog Tours enough for organising so many fabulous tours. Thanks to Anne, I have discovered and rediscovered some amazing authors over the last year. I’m hoping to hit 50-60 books again during 2020 after a short break over Christmas.

Crochet

My crochet skills definitely improved over 2019! I decided to take on as many challenges as I could and managed to make most of the things I wanted. In total, I crocheted nearly 50 items, from blankets, cushion covers, teddies and bookmarks. I even took a pattern and edited it to make a lovely Skull Scarf and shared the pattern. It was definitely a good year for crochet even with a long break due to sore hands and wrists.

  • Witchy
  • Crocheted Bookmarks
  • Crocheted Blanket
  • Crocheted Nativity
  • Crocheted bear

I also created a bear pattern, Izzy asked me to make her best friend a red sparkly bear. Izzy explained he needed a longer body so her friend can grip him properly as she has weak hand muscles. Under her instruction and watchful eye to make sure he was perfect I finished him quite quickly and Izzy’s friend loved him. Several people really liked the bear when I shared pictures and with a lot of encouragement, I will be looking to sell my crochet makes, particularly the bears in 2020! I’m still undecided on a platform for selling but please do get in touch if you have a request.

Positivity

In 2019 I discovered several people weren’t worth the stress and effort anymore, those that put me down or treated me badly were simply cut out. I don’t need extra negativity in my life when I do have some amazing friends such as Slim, Martyn, Hannah, Fiona and Lisa who have all been there for me when I’ve needed it and I hope I’ve been there for them as much as I can too.

It’s hard to feel positive if people are putting you down or taking your kindness for a weakness constantly and I’m determined to have a more positive outlook. I also think this is much healthier for the girls, certain people have been cut out of our lives to protect them and ensure they grow up around kind, supportive people who genuinely care.

We said goodbye 2019 knowing we have some fantastic friends and feeling much more positive for the start of a new year.

Plans For 2020

I intend to read at least a book a week and crochet at least one item to see if I can manage 50+ reads and makes this year. Due to my anxiety and chronic pain I’ve not been out as much as I should, especially alone. I plan to change that this year and get out a bit more in the hopes it makes going out a bit easier and to give me a bit of a break from these four walls.

Hopefully matched betting will allow us to finish off the Mr’s PC at last as this keeps him occupied in between running around for the 3 of us. He has taken on the role of my carer fantastically and does so much for us it will be lovely to finally give him something back just for him.

It would be lovely if we could save enough for our first proper family holiday this year. We went away for a weekend to Kent when Eva was a baby but we would love to do something a little more special!

Goodbye 2019!

Overall 2019 has probably been one of our better years and it’s making me look forward to 2020! Saying Goodbye 2019 has been quite enjoyable. How has your year been?

Chocolate Emoji Maker and Zimpli Kids Products

Family / 4 years ago / RelentlesslyPurple

We received a Chocolate Emoji Maker to review along with some other really cool Zimpli Kids Products. The girls love Zimpli Kids products and couldn’t wait to get started!

Chocolate Emoji Maker

This fab little kit comes with everything you need to make 2 Chocolate Emoji Bars. The instructions are nice and easy to follow and both Izzy (5) and Eva (9) really enjoyed making their chocolate emojis.

Chocolate Emoji Maker

Once the chocolate had melted in the warm water, it was time to get to work! Following the instructions the girls found they were able to follow the outlines pretty well.

  • Izzy making a chocolate emoji
  • Eva making a chocolate emoji

Using White, Milk and Dark chocolate girls managed to create their chocolate emojis in just a few minutes. The hard part was waiting for them to set! Thankfully that didn’t take too long.

  • Chocolate Emoji
  • Chocolate Emoji

This kit was really fun, I can see us buying more chocolate and doing it again too as it was such a quick, simple and enjoyable activity and of course, ends in chocolate!

Snoballs

Snoballs

We also received some Snoball Sachets, simply mix with water create your own Snoballs! Perfect for indoor sensory play or outdoors. The Snoballs break down naturally or can be washed away leaving no mess behind. The girls love playing with Snoballs and seeing who can create the biggest one!

  • Making Snoballs
  • Snoballs

Blue Gelli Baff

Blue Gelli Baff is amazing! Simply add to your bath water and watch it turn into blue Gelli! This fun stuff doesn’t stain the skin and comes with a handy sachet that dissolves it all at the end making it safe to drain your bath.

Gelli Baff

We love using Gelli Bath to play with too, Izzy set up a bowl of Gelli Bath to give her toy dolphins a bath. As you can see they had plenty of fun too!

Dolphins having a Gelli Baff

Gelli Baff comes in several colours and is great fun at bathtime or in a tub for sensory play. Both my girls have sensitive skin and have had no issues using Gelli Baff either which is always a plus.

Crackle Baff Colours

Crackle Baff Colours

Add Crackle Baff to your bath water and hear it crackle as it changes colour! This makes another great sensory play activity as well as a fun bath product. The crystals crackle and pop so loudly whilst they turn your bath a mystery colour which Izzy thought was amazing.

Crackle Baff Colours

Paw Patrol And Top Wing At Showcase Cinema De Lux

Days Out and Events / 4 years ago / RelentlesslyPurple
Paw Patrol and Top Wing

On Saturday we watched Paw Patrol and Top Wing on the big screen at Showcase Cinema De Lux at Bluewater. We were kindly gifted 3 tickets to watch the Nick Jr Big Screen Heroes show in exchange for our review. 

Paw Patrol - Paw Patrol and Top Wing at Showcase Cinema de lux

Paw Patrol And Top Wing

We haven’t visited a Showcase Cinema De Lux before so we weren’t too sure what to expect. Bluewater is signposted really well making it easy to find Showcase Cinema De Lux (and the Mr was pleased to find an open bar below!). Upon arrival we were pleased to find that unlike our recent cinema trips, all the chairs were clean, in working order and recline!

  • Eva smiling at Showcase Cinema De Lux Bluewater
  • Izzy at Showcase Cinema De Lux BLuewater

This is perfect for us as Izzy often ends up on my lap halfway through which aggravates my chronic pain. Having my legs raised took off the pressure making the experience a rather comfortable one!

Izzy watching an episode of top wing

In total there were 6 episodes swapping from Paw Patrol to Top Wing and each one had Izzy glued to the screen, even Eva seemed happy enough to watch. Izzy loves Paw Patrol but hadn’t watched Top Wing before and she was certainly impressed.

Top Wing - Paw patrol and Top wing at Showcase cinema de lux

The display and sound were perfectly clear, we forgot Eva’s ear defenders but thankfully the volume wasn’t so high it overwhelmed her yet it was loud enough for Izzy to hear even though she only has 50% of her hearing currently due to glue ear. Overall we really enjoyed visiting Showcase Cinema De Lux and watching Paw Patrol and Top Wing on the big screen. I can see us visiting this cinema again in future.

Top Wing

Showcase Cinema De Lux

Showcase Cinemas has 21 cinema across the UK offering luxury recliner seats for a more comfortable cinema experience.

Ticket Prices are:

Adult – £9.35
Child – £8.60
Senior – £8.60
Student (Id required) – £9.25

Have you visited a Showcase Cinema before?