Stain Removal with Vanish

As a first time mum everything has been new and exciting! Especially weaning, introducing George to new flavours and textures is one of my favourite experiences. People will always offer you advice when you have a baby and there are warnings after warnings about what to expect, but nobody ever told me about the stains that come with weaning! I learnt the hard way, baby food is one of the most stubborn substances to remove.

I have tried bleach, various stain removal products, hot washes, you name it. Seriously, invest in some cover all and plastic bibs, you will not look back! While George is teething he has a habit of wiping his mouth on his sleeves which drives me mad. The sooner he is old enough to realise clothes cost money, the better.

George and I were kindly sent some Vanish products to review and never did I think I would be so excited to open a package containing cleaning products, that's definitely a sign you're getting old. With the boys out for the day, I took the opportunity to put the products to good use.

First up we have Vanish Gold Powergel:

Powergel is a pre treatment product, where the instructions state to squeeze onto stains and rub in circles, work in for 1-5 minutes then wash as normal. Following these instructions I was feeling pretty optimistic. 

As you can see in the after picture, the more hard wearing stains have not been removed after using this product. I even put a scoop of the Oxi Action Powder in the washing machine and still have stains. I was slightly disappointed by this product, however these stains were dried on which I know makes them tougher to remove. I will try again when the stains are still fresh to see if this makes a difference.

Vanish Gold Oxi Action is a powder fabric stain remover, I didn't get my hopes with this one because I've tried powder stain removers in the past and not had much success. Anyway, following the instructions, I added one scoop of powder to 4 litres of water and set my clothes to soak for an hour before popping them in the washing machine. 

As you can see from the after picture, this t-shirt came up good as new. The boys arrived home from their day out and Pete told me George had done yet another poo explosion, so his clothes are now set to soak with some more of this bad boy. I would definitely purchase this!

Last but not least is the Powershot carpet cleaner. You will have to excuse this photo as our carpet is really dark, however I can assure you, there was an orange sick stain here which has come up trumps after using this carpet cleaner. It is a clear spray, which sinks into the carpet really easily, then you just scrub with a clean cloth. Much better than a foam spray in my opinion. The only thing I didn't like about this product was how badly it smelt, the fumes were really strong so I would recommend using with your windows open and when your children are out. 

Have you got any tips for stain removal?

Rachael xo

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*Disclaimer, these products were sent for review purposes. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

John Frieda Dream Curls

Up until I was three, I had no hair at all, then all of a sudden these little tight, ginger curls appeared. Looking back on some of my childhood photos, I resembled little orphan Annie. So yes, I have been cursed (some may say blessed) with curly hair! People in the street have stopped me to compliment my curls ever since I was a young child, some would even ask if it had been permed, I kid you not.

Curls can be so unpredictable, some days I can wash my hair, not do anything with it and wake up the next morning with amazing Carrie Bradshaw-esque curls, and other days I look Mick Hucknall! I have used leave in conditioner, mousse, normal conditioner but still nothing seems to tame it the same way every time. 

Now I have never been loyal to shampoo and conditioner before and never have I used one specific to curly hair, but I have changed my ways! I picked up the John Frieda Dream Curls shampoo and conditioner when they were on offer in Asda and on first use was completely wowed! I washed and conditioned my hair as normal, towel dried it as I do (I never use a hair dryer) applied some John Frieda Dream Curls setting spray, and left it. I slept in it and when I awoke I  really did have dream curls. As I mentioned before, no product has managed to tame my hair the same way, so on my weekly hair wash, I practised the same routine again and the next day, I woke up with amazing curls. 

It isn't often I say I love a beauty product (I am no beauty blogger) but this stuff is a miracle worker for curly hair. I am a big fan of anything that minimises my getting ready time in the morning. Now I am back in work, I have been wanting to embrace my natural curls to save on time and now I can finally do it without worrying what the day after I've washed my hair will bring.

Which products do you use for curly hair?

Rachael xo

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Mummy Guilt

The time has come for me to say goodbye to my life as a stay at home mum and embrace the life of 9-5. Leaving my boy all week is going to be so hard, I miss him enough when I don't see him over night! I hate the fact I have to go back to work full time and I feel this incredible sense of guilt. Guilt that I have to leave him with family 40 hours a week. Guilt that he does not understand where or why his mummy has been gone for so long. 

I think as mums we all feel like this at some point and I know it will pass once we have settled into our own little routine. He will some day learn that me going back to work when he was a baby was to make a nice life for us and that alone makes everything worthwhile. Deep down I know I am doing right by him but it still doesn't stop this feeling and if I had it my way, I'd stay with him all day every day! 

Today when I got home from work and my nan dropped him off his little face lit up and I got the biggest smile from him along with lots of sloppy kisses (did I tell you he does that now? It's all kinds of adorable) and it was the best thing to come home to after a somewhat average day in the office. Our time together is precious and the past eight months has flown by without me even knowing it.

Love you George x

Rachael xo

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Money Saving Tips for New Parents

Babies are expensive and it only gets worse as they get older! I have found some simple ways to save that little bit more money because let's face it, every little helps.

Switch to cheaper nappies
Asda's own Little Angels nappies are just as good as Pampers and they are a fraction of the price. I get over 100 nappies for £12 when they are on offer. I have also heard good things about Aldi's own nappies but we are yet to try them. I did find with Little Angels we had a few leaks of a night time whilst he was on bottles only so I did use Pampers just of a night time, but it still saved me a fortune.

Look for offers
I think this is one nobody needs to be told, we all love a good bargain. We always get our baby wipes from Amazon when a 12 box of Johnson's is on offer. I think we are stocked up for the rest of the year! Buying multipacks works out to be a lot less expensive than individually so do your research and shop around.

Make your own food 
We go through so many jars of baby food a week, it is ridiculous. They are always on offer which is a relief to me because I cannot cook so they come in handy. I want to start making my own food for George though because it will be so much nicer and just healthier in general for him, I just like the convenience of jars. I purchased some plastic pots from Asda for £1 and they can be put in the freezer.

Join your local baby buy/ sell page on Facebook 
I recently joined my local buy/ sell page and snagged a bargain on the same day. You will be surprised at what you find on there, some of it is tat, but some of it can be really good, just be quick because items will go fast.

Baby and Toddler Events 
Check out your local supermarkets for these events because they have some fabulous deals on everything from car seats and highchairs to food and clothes.

Don't dismiss pound shops
Some pound shops have some cracking things, I've seen Woodwards Gripe Water in there, they have teething rings and even food nets (much cheaper than some of the branded ones and they do the exact same job!

Shop in low end high street stores for basics
I refuse to spend over £10 on baby grows for George when he is just going to be sleeping in them. I won't even splash out on vests and socks for him, with the rate he grows out of clothes, it just isn't worth it. I find supermarkets perfectly fine for these items and even good old Primark!

Breastfeed
Not only is breastfeeding most beneficial for your baby, it is free! Formula milk is so expensive and when George was newborn, we used to go through a box a week. Now he is on solids we use it less so it lasts a bit longer but I wish I'd been able to breastfeed to save on the cost of milk.

What tips have you found that have helped you save money?

Rachael xo

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George at 6 and 7 Months

It's that time of the month again where I talk about the love of my life. It appears that I never did write a six month update which means there will be two months in one. Bad blogger. Bad mummy. I have honestly lost track of time lately, with doing a few days in work, shopping, going on coffee dates, not to mention the copious amount of gigs that March and April have brought me. 

So where do I begin? George can now sit up all by himself, he was unsteady at first, but now he's got it down to an art. I no longer have to sit behind him and can leave the room for a few minutes if I need to. When he does not want to sit up anymore, he flops back so we have to strategically place cushions round him to soften the fall. George visited the park with his grandad and went on the swings for the first time this month, he didn't look too bothered by them, he was just quite chilled. However, on a third visit to the swings with mummy and nanny, he was giggling away. Keeping up with physical activities, he can now roll over both ways instead of getting stuck on his back, and by god do I wish he would just stay still. I need eyes in the back of my head, I will turn away for 30 seconds and his little hands will be grabbing at the ornaments on my fireplace! I am dreading the day he starts crawling already.

We are now up to three meals a day! We started weaning George at 4 and a half months because he was a very heavy boy. We started small, a little baby rice or porridge with a bottle at breakfast time. Then we introduced dinner, then dinner and a pudding. Then lunch and pudding. It was really difficult at first because George refused to drink water and his body was trying it's hardest to get used to a new diet which resulted in him becoming a little "bunged up" shall we say. We had to give him liquids via a syringe but I caved and gave him some juice. This only lasted roughly two weeks and he was right as reign again.  Introducing new foods to George is one of my favourite things to do, I love watching his face as he discovers something for the first time. He loves banana but refuses to touch vegetables so that is something I need to persevere with. If anybody has any advise on which fruits and vegetables make good fingers foods, let me know in the comments below. 

Nanny Sue started singing Pop Goes The Weasel to my boy and he absolutely loves it. His face lights up and he belts out the dirtiest laugh I ever heard. Another game he has grown to love is Peekaboo, he even moves your hands away from your face. We are currently trying to encourage him to clap but he looks at you as if to say "I'm not a performing monkey. Leave me alone, mother!" He will hold your hands as you clap though, so that's something right?

We now have a tooth! This was such a tough time for both George and myself, it really felt like he had been teething forever and he struggled cutting his first tooth. First came the grouchiness, then came the runny nose and cough. Two days later a tiny, little white tooth poked through. Thanks Nanny Sue for finding it and buying me a present! Every day we notice it a little bit more and he looks so funny with one little bottom tooth. I  totally underestimated how sharp it was until I put some food in his mouth and he bit me! Beware mums, they are like little razor blazes.

He has learned to push your hand away when he doesn't want you to do something, such as dress him, touch his head, or even just touch him. But the thing I love most about him, is he now gives kisses, it is the single most, adorable thing in the whole entire world. He moves his head forward and opens his mouth for one of those baby kisses that they do. His personality is shining through with each and every minute.

George, I love watching you grow every day and I love all these new milestones that we are going through together. You are perfect.

Rachael xo

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The Blackout Farewell Show, Merthyr Tydil, 28/03/2015

If there was an award for world's worst blogger, I would win it hands down! I made a really good start to the year, vowing to be more organised, writing my blog posts down in advance and making note of what I wanted to talk about. We are now in April (almost) and I have well and truly let myself down. In my defence though, my maternity leave finishes very soon therefore I have been making the most of my days with George before I go back to work! Good enough excuse? I think so. 

Way back in 2009, I discovered a little Welsh band called The Blackout. During this time the Welsh music scene was thriving with bands such as Lostprophets, Funeral for a Friend and Kids in Glass Houses. The Best in Town had just been released and I was fully embracing my inner emo child, this album was full of absolute bangers and I was obsessed. The first time I saw The Blackout live was when they supported Lostprophets at Liverpool University in October 2009. Everyone chanted "we are the dynamite" as they came onto the stage and they blew me away with their performance and I thought "these boys really know how to get a crowd going!" There was no going back after that and seeing them live became a big part of my life. I made some friends for life through this band and in 2013 they even let me crash their set to be proposed to on stage, so it goes without saying, they will always hold a special place in my heart. 

When the news came they were splitting up, I was not shocked in the slightest and it may sound harsh, but I wasn't saddened by the news, mainly because I hadn't seen or listened to them in a really long time. Life just gets in the way you know? That being said I was definitely going to be seeing them one last time on their farewell tour, so I booked tickets to see them in both Manchester and their last ever, home town show in Merthyr Tydfil.

On Saturday 28th March 2015, my friends and I made the ten minute journey from our hotel into Merthyr Tydfil. After a quick pub tea, we headed over to Merthyr Leisure Centre (an unusual choice of venue) and grabbed a drink at the bar. Right on cue at 8.45, The Blackout hit the stage, opening with Tick Tick Boom, the whole crowd chanting along. As always, the energy from both the boys and the sold out crowd was at a high the entire night. The guys slowed things down by playing Hope followed by Life and Death in Space which was absolutely perfect.  I made it through most of the set without shedding a tear, but got a bit teary during Top of The World, it was one of my favourite live songs (you know you've seen a band live too many times when you sing the added bits right? We won't stand for hazy eyes anymore). 

There was plenty of crowd interaction from these Welsh boyos and plenty of that famous Sean Smith sense of humour that you would expect at one of their shows, especially when they introduced their medley of The Blackout, The Blackout, The Blackout. All you old school fans will appreciate this! I do not think I can even find the words to express how brilliant this was, hearing Fashion Conscious Suicide transition into Hard Slamming was definitely the highlight of my night. 

Closing with Save Ourselves (The Warning) I was surprised I didn't get emotional, it was their last song and of course it was during that song they got me up on stage to be proposed to in 2013, but I held out well. The Blackout thanked everybody and left the stage, then as they were leaving, the entire room started chanting "thank you Blackout!" It was the perfect end to a perfect show and of course the tears started rolling. 

The past six years have been the best, I have made some great memories and even better friends, so thank you The Blackout, without you I wouldn't have any of that. You're still the best in town, although in Merthyr, that's not hard!

Good luck in the future boys!

This is it, is it?

Rachael xo

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20 Things I Would Like This Mother's Day

Tomorrow marks the day of my first Mother's Day! I am so excited and I know Pete has put a lot of thought into gifts for me but when I saw Kerry at Oh So Amelia's post about what she would really like this Mother's Day, I could relate and thought I'd do my own! George is my world and I love my life, I love how his smile can light up the room and how he will babble away. However, being a mum is hard, you literally do not stop all day!

1. A lie in (number one on Kerry's list and certainly number one on mine too!) 

2. To drink a cup of tea before it goes cold. 

3. George to fall asleep in his chair rather than on my knee so I don't get pins and needles in my arm.

4. To watch one TV show without George shouting over it or crying because he wants to play.

5. To have a song stuck in my head that isn't the theme from the Jumperoo. 

6. Not to have to wash and sterilise bottles.

7. A day to myself to read a book.

8. To give myself a proper manicure and pedicure.

9. To be able to put my makeup on without George crying (I don't think he likes my eyebrows). 

10. To straighten and curl my hair so I look presentable. 

11. Not to have to do any laundry.

12. Not to feed George mushy purees whilst trying desperately not to get any on his clothes (oh the stains).

13. To be able to eat a meal guilt free without George watching my every move.

14. To not have to clean up sick and poopy nappies. 

15. Not to have to roll George onto his back again once he has rolled over because he is stuck.

16. To keep my glasses on my face without George pulling them off.

17. Not to have my hair pulled and face grabbed.

18. To leave the room without a tiny person being really sad and crying for me to come because he is lonely.

19. To make and eat my lunch without it going cold. 

20. For George to let me play on my iPad/ iPhone without trying to grab it off me.

What would you like this Mother's Day?

Rachael xo

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Throwback Thursday

This morning, Peter took George downstairs and gave him breakfast while I spent some time relaxing in bed and let me tell you how nice it was to just chill of a morning. Whilst scrolling through Instagram and seeing photos of all the gorgeous newborns on my feed, I got so jealous and nostalgic for George's newborn days. This week, my baby turned six months and while I am loving each and every new milestone, I miss having a tiny little newborn baby. At 9lb 14oz, George was never really tiny but compared to what he is I can say that.

George did not stay newborn for long, he had uncurled within his first two weeks and all of a sudden he looked like a proper little baby rather than a squishy little newborn. He would guzzle bottles every three hours, sleep all the time and we would be like zombies after the night feeds. At eight weeks though, he started sleeping right through and it was amazing. 

At six months, George can now roll over and is always on the move. He will not stay still, he will jump if you stand him up and throw himself forward when he is sitting in your knee. He is reaching out for toys, grabbing people's hair, glasses, jewellery, anything he can get his hands on really. He is on solid foods and will try and grab your food out your hands too! He's a growing boy, what can I say? He is a lot more demanding than a newborn, but I appreciate the extra hours of sleep I get of a night, his laughs, the way he smiles of a morning when we wake up, the cooing and babbling and of course the way he reaches out for people. 

Even though I miss those early days with our little man, I wouldn't have him any other way now and I'm really excited for the many more milestones to come.

Rachael xo

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Life Lately | What I've Been Up To

I have mostly been feeling uninspired to blog this past month and the best thing for me was to take an unintentional break. My Bloglovin' feed was neglected to the point I had 500 posts to catch up on but I have been enjoying the time to myself and my little boy with none of the pressure to write and comment on blogs. I go back to work next month, meaning I've been cramming lots of activities with George in to make the most of him before I have to go back! 

We got our little boy Christened on the 15th February so a lot of time was taken up with the organisation of that. This was such a stressful time, making invitations, sending them out, organising a caterer, organising a (no show) DJ etc. I can honestly say, I never want to plan another event again! 

George is now rolling over and eating three meals a day, so a lot of my time has been spent rolling him onto his back again. He hasn't quite mastered rolling from his tummy to his back and he cries because he's stuck. I have been willing him to roll over for weeks and now he's started, I want him to stay still again. God help me when he starts crawling! 

On Sunday, we went for brunch at Leaf on Bold Street (that's in Liverpool for all you none locals) and it was great to get out the house and do something together as a family. I had a full English breakfast which was really nice and their specialty teas are pretty great too. I can't remember the names of either of the green teas I had (how useless am I?) but they were both so good. 

My parents are both off work this week so they offered to take George out for the day so I packed his over night bag, dropped him off and got ready for a date night with Pete. We went to this restaurant, Death Row Diner. You know, another one of those hipster, burger places. The food was alright, but I much prefer Almost Famous. I only wish I'd taken the camera with me so I could do a full review which I had every intention of doing, but it was nice to have the night off together so I'm kind of glad I never took it. 

This month I've been loving:

Album: I'll Keep You in Mind From Time to Time - Mooseblood

TV: Pretty Little Liars 

Nails: Barry M - Eat my Dust

Makeup: Anastasia Beverly Hills - Dip Brow Pomade

Rachael xo

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George at 5 Months

I wrote this post at the start of February and have been planning to get it up for ages, but life has just passed by, so it's a little bit late, but hey ho, better late than never right?

How has another whole month just slipped right past? January, you were dreary and unwelcome, but I am welcoming February with open arms, with George's Christening coming up and of course my birthday, how can I not be excited? 

Last month, I introduced you all formally to my pride and joy, George now here we are again! Time is passing us so quickly and it only seems like yesterday that he was newborn, so small and delicate. Though I miss those days (he slept a lot) I appreciate every day more and more, watching George progress through each baby milestone fascinates me. He is learning so much every day and he always surprises me with how clever his little brain his! 

Towards the end of January, my baby started teething and it is the worst experience ever. Bright red cheeks, gums hard as rocks and many tears have been had from both of us. We've relied heavily on teething powder and lots of fun games to take his mind off things and I cannot wait for his first tooth to finally come through to relieve him slightly. I wish I could take the pain away from him, I feel so sorry for him. Imagine having toothache all the time? 

George is also on the verge of rolling over, he can get onto his side, but then gets stuck. Every time he gets close to being on his tummy, my heart skips a beat, but he's like "just kidding" and rolls onto his back again. Our neighbours must think we have a new dog for all the times they just hear "come on, roll over." I know as soon as he starts I'm going to regret wishing for this because he will just be moving all the time, he's wiggly enough as it is. 

Update: George rolled over for the first time yesterday (17/02/15).

I took George swimming for the first time this month too. It is something I have been meaning to do for weeks but have never got round to it. To help take his mind off his toothy pain, we took a walk into out local town centre where I purchased a swimming costume and swimming nappies. We booked our session online the night before and I had butterflies in my tummy as I hit purchase. Luckily George loves the bath so I knew he would be fine in the water, but I just didn't know what to expect. I had nothing to worry about, the class was free play with toys in the water and nursery rhymes on the speakers. George loved it and I adored watching him kick and splash, he even had the opportunity to go in his tummy which he's unable to do in the bath. After 45 minutes he was pretty exhausted so we got out and as soon as I dried him and dressed him, he was flat out. Result!

"Dada" has become the most used word in our house, George can now say it (even though he isn't necessarily talking to his dada) so we constantly try to get him to say it. I am now in competition with Peter however, as I want George to say mama, so it's a battle between parents! They never say mama first and after all we do for them as well!

As well as the teething, rolling over, swimming and talking, we have started introducing George to solid foods. Yes, the guidelines are 6 months but he was a heavy birth weight and a he is a hungry boy. He quite likes banana, baby rice and porridge but hates sweet potato! I think I need to expand on my cooking skills for sure. I have made apple purée though which I was quite excited about, but we haven't tried it yet, I am excited for that one. 

George has also started to learn to sit up, he is doing really well, I'm a very proud mum! He's very advanced for his age (shame he gets his brains from his dad and not from me!) So that's George at 5 months and not to wish his life away but I can't wait to see his 6 month milestones!

Rachael xo

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Tips for New Mums

Can you tell I didn't have access to straighteners in hospital?

Becoming a mum for the first time can be an exciting and daunting experience. Your pregnancy days fill you with worry from that very moment you take that pregnancy test and gives you that positive result you have been hoping to see. Those first, crucial 12 weeks being the upmost worse whilst you wait for your first scan to tell you your little speck is okay and wiggling about in there. The worry doesn't even stop when you have your baby in your arms, you lean over your baby's crib to check they're still breathing, if they're warm enough etc. You have to learn to adapt to a new sleeping pattern, discover what each of your child's cries means, maintain your house for when guests come round to prove you are coping. It can all get a bit much, especially if you have little or no baby experience. 

Being the eldest of twelve grandchildren on my mum's side of the family means I have always grown up around babies. At the age of 15, my parents had two little surprises in the form of twin boys, meaning I had the opportunity to practice changing nappies and all the fun of cuddling little ones with the pleasure of giving them back when they cried! 

Aren't they fab? (Even if this was taken 3 years ago so they look dead young!)

When people asked me if I was nervous about becoming a mum, my answer was always no. I realised I was very lucky in the fact I had a very big family with a lot of younger siblings and cousins to give me that bit of experience before I became a mum to my own little bundle of joy. Now I'm not saying I'm a baby expert, far from it! I Google like the best of us and always refer to my family for some advice, but I want to share my experience and tips for all your new mums out there.

DON'T FEEL PRESSURED TO BREASTFEED

This is one thing that is hammered into expectant mothers everywhere, yes, breast is best, but if you cannot do it, do no worry. Hospitals are unable to tell you if it is realistic or not for you to breastfeed because they have to promote it. George was a 9lb 14oz baby, with a slight tongue tie and he couldn't latch on. After trying it a few times, I decided it would be best to put him on the bottle. You have to do what is best for you and your baby. 

DON'T LISTEN TO WHAT OTHER PEOPLE TELL YOU

Whilst getting advice from other people is important and can be beneficial, nobody should EVER tell a new mum what to do. You will soon find your own routine and only you know your baby better than anyone. There is too much pressure on mothers on how to raise their child, nod along to those people and do what you want to do. 

IT'S OKAY TO SAY NO TO VISITORS

I have a lot of family so we had visitors almost every day when George was born, which didn't bother me at all, even though I was pretty exhausted. I enjoyed the company and the fact people wanted to come and see this little human that I had created, I wanted to show him off because I was proud. Not everyone is that way inclined, some parents just want time to themselves with their newborn and that is okay. If you want time alone, people will understand! 

HOUSEWORK CAN WAIT

Okay, this one comes very naturally to me because I hate tidying up, but your house is in no rush for a polish or a vac! Take your time to recover, leave the washing for another day, spend a day on the couch cuddling your baby. It takes a while to adapt to the sleepless nights whilst dealing with the demands of a newborn, so when your baby sleeps, don't feel pressured to tidy up. Have a sleep yourself.

STAY CALM

Babies pick up on the atmosphere around them, so remember, if you feel stressed your baby will also be stressed. Go through these steps: is he hungry? is he tired? does he have wind? does he need his nappy changing? These will eliminate most of your baby's needs. If your baby is still crying they may suffer from colic and I highly recommend Infacol. You just give it to your baby before each feed and it helps them bring wind up and reduces the risk of colic. It's great! 

Being a first time mum is a complete learning curve for us all and is the best thing that can happen to a person. It can be stressful at times (especially when it comes to the dreaded teething stage) but it's something to be enjoyed and with these tips, I hope you can reduce some of the new mum stress in your life.

Rachael xo

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Sunday Summary | #011

It has been a while since my last weekly update post, our Sundays have been relatively busy, or perhaps they have just seemed busy and we actually haven't done anything. I always feel busy lately even though I haven't done anything, I guess that's what being a mum does to a person. January has mostly consisted of trying to stay healthy (however I'm not doing very well), all grey everything, lots of tea and a teething baby boy. This month I rediscovered my love for reading and it's been pretty great! Pete had been working a lot this week which has meant lots of mummy and George cuddles. I was hoping for a lazy day today but I need to go to the shops to buy baby milk. Exciting right?

Anyway just a quick post as I'm typing this on my brand new iPad that Pete bought for me as an early birthday present. I'm a very lucky girl and needless to say, I absolutely love it! 

Rachael xo

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Good Reads

I have always had a love of books, ever since I can remember and I think that stems from the fact my mum used to read to me every night before bed. One of my earliest memories is when I was 4 or 5, I sat on the floor of the reception class room in Cole Street Primary School and read The Gingerbread Man out loud to myself. The whole book. My teacher was so impressed, she sent me to my would be teacher when I reached year 1 with a note to tell her, and I was given a sweet. Isn't memory a funny thing? 

As we grow older it is easy to forget the things we love, life gets in the way of things. I know in the past year or two I haven't read as much as I would have liked to. I think that's because there hasn't been a particular book I have wanted to read and I cannot say I've made the effort to go and find something new. I miss that.

When I was in college, I used to get the bus to an outlet village just to visit the book shop there (I cannot for the life of me remember the name of it. It's closed down now and I think it's a Next instead. If you know what it's called, please let me know in the comment below!) The book shop was huge and I would spend hours wandering each aisle, reading the blurb of ten books before I decided on what I wanted to buy. It was then that I bought Twilight and fell in love with the book (I know, the books are actually really good), I must have read it in the space of a week when I went on to buy New Moon.

Another trip to this book shop resulted in me buying City of Bones by Cassandra Clare to which my friend said "another book about werewolves and vampires?!" My emo, teenage self was very much into books about vampires (you can blame Darren Shan for that one!) It was nothing like Twilight at all, I was sucked into a world of Shadow Hunters, warlocks, weapons and demons. If there's one thing I love in a book it's a good series to get stuck into and the Mortal Instrument is fabulous. In June last year, I went to meet an author and ended up buying four different books, I read the Zom-B books by Darren Shan, but neglected my Mortal Instruments series.

Last week, in one of my temper tantrums (seriously, Disney basically stole my personality and look and called her Merida), I went upstairs to our bedroom and decided to read. Nineteen days into 2015 and I am onto my second book already (okay the Darren Shan books aren't that long). Each night before I go to bed, I've been spending between thirty minutes and an hour just reading. It is by far the best way to wind down after a busy day of mum duties and I remembered just how much I love reading. I am all for me time and once George goes to bed for the night, it's just all about getting lost in a good story. 

I am also hoping that reading more books and indulging in one of my favourite past times it's going to improve my writing skills, another love of mine which has definitely been neglected (you can probably tell by reading previous blog posts that I can be a lazy writer).

If you have any recommendations for a good book, let me know in the comments below!

Rachael xo

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