Sunsets in Norfolk

Norfolk is one place I have never been before, but with so many people telling me what a beautiful part of the country it was I decided to give it a go for our holiday this year.

My children knew nothing about the trip and even on the day we went I had kept it a secret, only letting on we were staying away for a week when we were half way there.

As we pulled into the caravan park they squealed with glee at the thought of staying there for a week, announcing that I was the best mummy ever.

Who knew that my choice would create such a reaction, with a pool, amusements and a short walk to the beach their little hearts were full to bursting with excitement.

We headed to Heacham just down from Hunstanton, it is one of the only places on the East coast that you get to watch the sun set into the sea. And what a sunset it was, we ventured down the first night after some tea and played on the beach as the sun lowered itself into the sea in a blazing orange and blue glory.

The children built sandcastles and found a dead crab which they named and then buried in the sand, I love how they are both confident enough to pick the crab up and investigate it.

We didn't manage to make it down to the beach until a few nights later and I just love the difference in the sunset, from one cloudy sunset where the sky lit up orange and blue to another where the sky became a wonderful warm glow like the sky was on fire.

My children making beautiful dark figures standing on the waters edge, there heads resting on one another made my heart melt and for that moment I could of stayed like that forever. Never letting go of the sounds of the beach and watching as so many people stood cameras ready absorbing the wonderful sight that is the sun setting.

They were without a doubt the most stunning sunsets I have ever seen and watching them with my two most favourite people only made it better. I love watching sunsets, each one as magnificent and yet completely different as the last, it made me realise how few beautiful sunrises I see and that I need to change that this year.

A Thoroughly British Holiday

There were a lot of changes here in The Mummy Diary house during the summer holidays, with life so busy it meant I hadn't managed to plan any time away for us.

I knew I wanted to take the children to the coast though, so I decided to take them back to one of my old childhood haunts, Mablethorpe on the Lincolnshire Coast.

It was busier than I had expected, with the streets, arcades and shops bustling with people. The beach was packed and it was hard to find a space that wasn't occupied. Although this would normally have bothered me, it made my heart swell, that so many people had come back to a place I once loved and that for some years had lost its appeal to many.

We spent a good few hours playing in the arcades, eating ice cream and playing on the beach. However, before long it was time to head back to our chalet to clean ourselves up, so that we could head out to the local fish and chip shop for some traditional seaside food.

We were staying in Trusthorpe just between Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea, it is a quiet little village with a few caravan parks dotted along the coastline.

Our chalet at Seacroft Holiday Estate was every bit the 70s classic from the outside, however it had been refurbished on the inside, with a new kitchen, sofa and telly and comfy beds to sleep in. The bath was another story, with my 5'10 frame being unable to even lie down, but I laughed about it and there was a shower block just across the park which I didn't realise until it was too late.

I managed though and it was the perfect place for us to stay, with the beach just a short walk through the estate it meant there were no roads to navigate and instead we were just straight onto the sand.

We headed down to the beach about 10am and spent the whole day on it. Running, jumping, making sandcastles and playing in the sea, we even spotted some seals in the sea. We had a picnic and my son made friends, it was just perfect and the archetypal British holiday of my childhood, it seemed it was equally as great for two of todays technology loving children.

We went back to the beach after we'd had some tea just as the sun was setting, it was empty apart from a few people having an evening dip and some curious seagulls and crows digging through the scraps of the days visitors. The unforgiving wind off the North Sea was still there and as our hair whipped up around our faces it was difficult to get a family picture of the three of us.

So instead I just sat and watched my children running, laughing and jumping over the holes that we had dug earlier that day. It was great to see that this holiday was as fun for them as it was for me back when I was their age.

With summer days slipping away and autumn tip toeing in, I am making the most of my sandals, and until I have battered out the last few grains of sand from our beach bags and buckets then summer will remain in my heart. What did you get up to  this summer holidays.

ParkLives - Free Outdoor Activities for all the Family

A few weeks ago I was asked if i'd be interested in trying out one of the activities as part of ParkLives, if you haven't heard of it, which I hadn't, ParkLives provides free activities in your local parks and green spaces.  

I had been wanting to try yoga for a while as i'd been told it may help with my Fibromyalgia. There were a few places with Yoga sessions, but Wollaton Hall was the easiest to get too and meant the family could come too if they wanted.

Unfortunately, there was another event on so it meant paying £4 for the car park as opposed to the usual £2, had the family been with me, we could have spent the whole day there but it kind of negates the free aspect of it so I was a little disappointed. However this is just Wollaton, most other locations have free parking.

When I arrived, Lisa, the instructor was just setting up, it was easy to see where she was because she had the ParkLives banner with her, details of the location are also on the activity booking form so make a note of where you need to meet.

Mats were provided but if you had your own then you could bring it along, I didn't have one so I used the ones provided, I did take some water though.

Lisa was really lovely and I spoke to her for a bit before it started, as I am a complete newbie to yoga I was worried I wouldn't be able to do any of it, especially with the Fibro, however she explained if I couldn't do it to stop or she could give alternative positions for me to work in.

There were a few regulars to the event and another newbie on the session, it was really nice and I felt completely relaxed and not at all like I was being judged by anyone who had more experience.

There are so many different events as part of ParkLives, from netball to frisbee, football to tai chi as well as healthy walking and best of all it's free. 

I can highly recommend checking out what ParkLives has to offer, I for one will be back for more sessions, I may even take the family this time. ParkLives sessions are currently taking place in and around Nottingham, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester and the London Borough of Newham.

NB: This is a collaborative post, however all words and opinions are my own.

Summer Exploring at Newstead Abbey

Sometimes we become too technology focussed, so for the next few weeks I have days out planned where we can get back to exploring and being silly!

This weekend, we took a picnic and headed in the rain to Newstead Abbey, when we got there it was spitting so we sat on the back of the car and ate our picnic, before donning our wellies, or jellies in my case and heading out down the lane to the abbey.

First of all we do as we always do and headed to the waterfall, you can walk behind it and the children always love to watch the water as it pours down over their heads. Then we headed down to the front of the abbey where there was a band playing, the kids really enjoyed watching and listening to them.

Then we went to explore, whilst we were playing tag we found a little baby froggy, the children both took it in turns to let the frog jump across their hands. It was really lovely to watch them both as they giggled and watched the frog jump.

We've been to Newstead Abbey many times, in the winter, spring and on a typically English day with rain and sunshine in equal quantities, it always looks so different with so many flowers and trees changing shape over the year. 

Over in the rose garden there are plenty of pretty flowers and corners to explore, my children always love peering down into the well.

After a minor incident with my daughter and the floor, we headed back to the car, the sun was shining and the house and lake looked beautiful against the sunlit sky.

Newstead Abbey is a really lovely place to visit, whether it is to explore the Japanese garden or tour the house, to have a picnic or eat in the cafe it is the perfect place to visit in the summer holidays.

Summer Sun and Staying Safe

I am a complete and utter suncream nut, my children are always covered in the stuff from head to toe and then if we are at the beach they are in sun suits with UVA protection of 50+ too! 

The reason probably stems from me being covered in moles, having spent years as a child with little to no sunscreen on, who knows how damaged my skin is, but it was one of those things, we simply didn't know as much about the sun as we do now.

So, when I spoke to the Boots team at BritMums about their #SummerGoodTimes campaign and care in the sun for both skin and eyes, I really wanted to pass this information on. It is so unbelievably useful and for me, proved there is so much more to just slapping on the suncream or sitting in the shade.

Skin

·     Wearing a t-shirt provides UV protection but only when it’s dry – once it becomes wet it turns opaque so swimming in a t-shirt offers no protection from the sun’s harmful rays.

·     Sand, concrete and even grass all reflect UV but if any of these surfaces become wet the amount reflected can double.

·     UV light reflects off surfaces so you will need to think about sun protection even if you are in the shade.  This effect is particularly strong in countries like Greece where white buildings are plentiful - so keep your suncream handy!

·     Hot baths can dehydrate your skin, leading to faster peeling.  Stick to cool showers and use a moisturising body wash to really lock-in your colour.

·     The effects of the sun are cumulative, so if you burn an area of skin, it will be more sensitive to burning next year…to achieve an even tan, protection is essential from the first day.

·     Around three tablespoons of suncream is enough to cover your whole body. But be careful not to over rub your lotion!  If suncream starts to ball up you’ve rubbed too hard so remove any residue and smooth on a new layer – more gently!

·     Think of your skin as a sponge that needs constant ‘topping up’ to keep it moisturised.  Re-apply suncream at least every 2 hours, and more if you are in and out of water or doing exercise.

·     40% of UV exposure occurs when you’re not in direct sunlight, always ensure you are protected by applying suncream before you leave the house.*

Eyes

·    UV rays bounce off glass screens, so remember while the surface of your smart phone may be small, as you are holding it close to your eyes you are increasing your exposure to this reflection.

·     Your eyes are ten times more sensitive to UV damage than your skin, so protecting them both in and out of the water is vitally important.

·     Children’s eyes have larger pupils and clearer lenses so are more susceptible to sun damage - 80% of the eye's lifetime exposure to UV light is reached before the age of 18.

·     Lenses with darker tints don’t necessarily offer more protection as even glasses with clear lenses can offer UV protection. Dark lenses which don’t offer a sufficient level of UV protection can be more damaging because they cause the eye’s pupils to dilate and let in more light.

·     Your eyes need protection from the sun all the time, even on cloudy days.  Cloud cover only reduces the amount of UV light by 10%.

·     In the morning and evening your eyes can also absorb light from reflective surfaces such as white buildings, wet surfaces and smart phones – even when the sun isn’t out. All Boots Opticians lenses have all round protection from UV on both sides of the lens as standard.

I have a Vitamin D deficiency and part of this isn't helped by the fact that every time I get out in the sun I have factor 30 on. It's a double edged sword really, but I try to get 20 minutes of suncream free sun time a day to ensure I keep it topped up.

I always use makeup that contains sunscreen, I have burnt on my face a few times in the past and so having something I don't need to worry about is important, I hate burning! I kick myself as not only is it painful but so bad for your skin.

How do you stay safe in the sun?