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Our February…

by thejoyoffive2 Comments on Our February…

Well February has been a pretty funny one weather wise hasn’t it. We spent the beginning of the month with everything crossed that the snow flurries were going to settle and give us a couple of ‘snow days’ and then the end of the month stripping back to T-shirts and eating ice cream in the park.

The beginning of the month was actually a cause for celebration in our house as we celebrated granddaughter number two’s imminent arrival with a baby shower for Alice. I haven’t quite got my head around being a nanny to Isla yet and we already have another one on the way to add to the madness of the family.

We also spend a good few hours in the garden getting it ready for the warmer weather. The boys have been really lucky to have a new playhouse, slide and sandpit and we can’t wait to find the perfect paddling pool to make us completely summer ready!

It’s not to often that I socialise in the evenings anymore and I decided this new year that I was going to stop being such a misery and get out with my friends more.

I had a lovely evening with the mums from Oscar’s class. Ate to much a drank more than I should which made for an all round great evening.

Getting back into my fitness has been a great success this month thanks to Jemma’s Heath Hub. Jemma and I had found each other though the wonderful world of Instagram and she asked me to trial her online fitness program which had seen me out of bed super early three times a week to take part in an online exercise session with a whole load of other likeminded women. Go and check her out if you are looking to get back into fitness and want something to do in your own home.

My husband is the romantic one in our relationship and my lack of romantic is something that really gets to him. So this Valentine’s Day we both took a few hours out of our day to grab some lunch and randomly walk around a local museum…not really his idea of a good day out!

One of my first real jobs was working in the food hall at Marks and Spencer. I still have fond memories of this and they were an amazing company to work for. So fast forward a good few years my new job has landed me back at Marks and Spencer…but behind the scenes at head office.

It really is moments like this that make me realise all the hours I put in are most definitely worth it and it was so amazing to be behind the scenes of a place that is so close to my heart.

The boys were gifted scooters from the wonderful Micro Scooters this month and they literally haven’t got off them since. They have always been my first choice for scooters as they are so easy to use and look amazing. They came with use on a trip to the park the other day where we all enjoyed our first ice cream of the year.

We get to explore many parts of London with my job but Battersea is someone I don’t I have ever been and the children certainly haven’t. We had a more than pleasant surprise when we went along to the power station during half term and got to witness what an amazing job they are doing there.

They have some great shops and restaurants and lots of bits and pieces to keep the children occupied along the waterfront. We were actually there to try out a class at the über cool Boom Cycle whist the kids were kept occupied at the lovely ladies from Kids Table. It is definitely one to put on your list.

We actually did a lot of eating in town this half term with a trip to Yo Sushi and Las Iguanas who both offer great deals during the school holidays so keep this in mind for Easter.

Half term was actually a pretty packed one for us and aside from duties of dog sitting at mum and dads we got to enjoy some great events, including a trip to Neville’s in Belgravia for the launch of the new range of hair care from Child’s Farm.

The boys thought they were super models and spent the morning requesting exactly how they wanted their hair styled whilst me and Izzy were treated to some braids and of course a bit of glitter.

The end of month saw an event just for me which is always a welcome change and I attended the launch of the Emma Willis Collection from Next.

It was an amazing evening where I got to see the whole range which was a stylish and gorgeous as Emma herself.

I spent the evening catching up with friends, drinking way to much Prosecco and fan girling Emma for most of the night!

Children, Dinosaurs, Families, Family Life, Festivals, Food, Holidays, Large Families, Memories, Outdoor Play, Parents, Photography, Reviews, Summer, Woodland

Camp Bestival 2018 Highlights

by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment on Camp Bestival 2018 Highlights

All I can really say about Camp Bestival this year is, “you’ve done it again”.

Despite being battered by 50mph winds and torrential downpours Camp Bestival still managed to keep shinning and gave everyone a weekend to remember.

I’m not going to give you a blow by blow account of the whole weekend, as to be honest there is way to much to cram into one post, so instead I will give you the highlights of my amazing weekend and will have more posts to follow.

Food Glorious Food – When we first visited Camp Bestival three years ago now one of the biggest surprises for me was how amazing and varied the food on offer there is.

The moment we leave the car Izzy is on a mission to have her first Nutella and cream cover waffle whilst Darren finds it hard to move away from the Paella UK stall the entire weekend.

I however like to try something new each time we visit and for me it was DJ BBQ that tempted me this year with his woody flavoured pulled pork, crispy rustic chips and of course the fab tunes blasting out whilst waiting for your order. You really do get a feast for all your senses when you eat there.

Absolutely every taste is catered for from delicious maki rolls that are perfect for vegan diets, crispy breaded chicken, amazingly creamy mac ‘n’ cheese, corn on the cobs as big as your head and so much more!

Music, Singing, Dancing – One of the main attractions at Camp Bestival is the music and in the past the boys were a little young for us to really appreciate it due to the fact they got a little restless. This year however they fully embraced it all and we couldn’t be happier.

It as actually my youngest that made my weekend when we when to see YouTube star HRVY take to the stage in the big top. Izzy had left us all and weaved her way to the very front of the stage to get as close to her teenage crush as possible, while Oscar waited patiently on Darren’s shoulders for him to take to the stage.

His little face lit up and he spent the entire set transfixed on the stage, singing along to his favourite tunes. It so amazing that children so young can get the opportunity to enjoy the wonder of live music in such a safe and friendly atmosphere.

Sarah Cox wowed the crowds with an outstanding set of all our 80’s favourites that we took great pleasure in dancing along to whilst embarrassing the kids. Basement Jaxx and Clean Bandit were as awesome as I expected and we were thrilled that the boys managed to stay awake long enough for the later acts this year…with the help of a little sugar!

Doing It For The Kids – Ultimately Camp Bestival is all about the kids and this year as always there was something for them to do around every corner. This year we didn’t watch so much on the main stage although Dinosaur World Live was pretty amazing. Instead we spend a lot of time in the Kids Garden where the children got their craft on in the craft tent, turned into little einsteins in the Science Tent, wurled around on the helter skelter more times than I can remember, dug away in the sandpit and created some brilliant sandcastles.

A big hit with us was the LOL Surprise stand that was a real crowd pleaser. Izzy and the boys are all big fans of these little collectables and as you can imagine a whole area dedicated to them went down really well. They got to hunt for prizes in the ball pit, get a glittery makeover and even take to the catwalk that Izzy relished in.

All Mucking In – Camping is bundles of fun but far from easy, especially when there are a few little ones to sort out. This calls for everyone to have their own little tasks which is something they don’t really get involved with at home. I’m actually my own worst enemy and take care of all the cooking and cleaning at home for a quiet life so I love that Camp Bestival allows me to relax a little and hand the meal prep baton over to Darren, the washing up and water runs to Izzy and the tent cleaning to the little ones.
A bit of responsibility is certainly good for them and something I love to see.

Good Friends – Over the past few years Camp Bestival has been a brilliant place to make new and meet up with good friends. The blogging world is a funny one with a lot of friendships being built online and I love that Camp Bestival gives me the opportinity to meet with them at least once a year and have a good catch up over a cocktail or two! Aby from You Baby Me Mummy and Caro from The Twinkle Diaries being two of the lovelies I can’t wait to see each year.

Back To Basics – Every year I say the same thing but it always has and probably always will be the most import thing about Camp Bestival for me – family time.
We all spend way to much of our live lost in our own little words and rushing around worry about the next thing, tied to our smart phones and computer screens and forget about the things in life that are really import.
The ability to really get back to basics and forget about everything else for a few days is the perfect way to draw closer as a family and just enjoy each other.

If this sounds like the kind of place for you, and lets face it why wouldnt it! take a look HERE and get yourselves booked in for more fun next year.

*I went along as an ambassador for Camp Bestival and here are all my own honest opinions.

Blogging, Cafes, Photography, Reigate, Surrey

Finding My Confidence With Laura Shaw Photography

by thejoyoffive2 Comments on Finding My Confidence With Laura Shaw Photography

This year was the year I had set goals to challenge myself, push boundaries and try new things.

Over the past few years so many people have asked why I don’t appear more on my blog and the simple answer to this was always that I was way to critical of myself.

I would take endless selfies and delete them all or get one of the children to try and get a picture that I would be remotely happy with and to be honest this very rarely happened.

I hated myself for how shallow this made me feel but due to a culmination of different insecurities I just couldn’t bring myself to be on screen.

A while ago now I won a competition to have a photo shoot with Laura from Laura Shaw Photography and I knew from the very first moment I met here she was going to be the lady to put my mind at ease when it came to getting in front of the camera.

The session was booked and cancelled endless times and finally a few weeks ago all the pieces fell into place and the session went ahead.

I probably didn’t pick the easiest of locations for my nerves as a high street packed with people would never be a place you could naturally relax, but Laura worked her magic and after shots that felt terribly uncomfortable I finally relaxed and started to being to thoroughly enjoy the whole experience.

It was actually a few crude words from Laura that set me off into fits of giggles and I will never look at her without thinking of these worlds again!

The hours flew by as we flitted around the town borrowing changing rooms and handbags from the lovely Nancy of Gerrards and stopping to use the beautiful surroundings off Willows florist.

I have have to say a big thank you to guys at Stone House Vinyl as we plotted up there on a few occasions during the day!

This really was an experience I never thought I would have the courage to do and I can’t thank Laura enough for finding my confidence, giving me an amazing afternoon of fun whilst capturing the most amazing images.

Blogging, Children, Education, Families, Family Life, London, Memories, School, Shopping, Sons

Celebrating The Small Things:Week Ten

by thejoyoffive5 Comments on Celebrating The Small Things:Week Ten

Running behind with this series once again – but hey ‘better late than never’.

It was a pretty big one for me work wise and was a little hard to really concentrate on the smaller things when there were so many exciting things taking place, so this is exactly where I will start.

Working With Kids: By this I don’t mean having to go out of the house everyday and leave the kids, I am in fact lucky enough to take my little ones along with me for a large part of the work I do and this saw Izzy taking to the ice with some of the stars from Disney On Ice and little Oscar get a special screening of the new Peter Rabbit movie.
They always say never work with kids and animals and although it can be pretty stressful at times I am very grateful to be able to do just this.

Loving My City: A lot of my work takes me into London on a weekly basis and normally involves me flitting from one place to the next and not really stopping to take it all in. After the Peter Rabbit screening I had a few hours with Oscar and we took this chance to wander around town taking it all in; from the beautiful architecture to the eclectic groups of people.
London has so much to offer and I really need to slow down and make the most of it when I get the chance.

Oscar Writing His Name: This is a proud moment, mixed in with a little Mum guilt too if I’m honest.
The more children I have obviously the more limited my time is to spend with each of the children and with the older ones having homework to complete I sadly devote a lot of learning time to them a poor little Oscar gets a little left out.
So the other day whist he was writing his Grandad’s birthday card with Izzy, she came in showing me how well he had done with writing his name without any help from her.
I was over the moon that he had done it and a little guilty that there had been little input from me! So its a big thank you again to his fantastic nursery and a big kick up the bum for me to set some time aside to work with him.

Blogging, Books, Children, Children's Books, Families, Family Life, Holidays, Large Families, London, Memories, Parents, Siblings

Celebrating The Small Things:Week Seven

by thejoyoffive2 Comments on Celebrating The Small Things:Week Seven

Well I am really playing catch up with myself this week and I am really behind with my “celebrating the small things” posts, however I promised myself I wouldn’t miss a week and I’m going to stick to it.

This week I’m going to be looking back over half term which was a pretty horrendous one for us to be honest!

All of the children were ill until the end of the week and to say I was getting cabin fever would be an understatement, but we still managed to get a few good moments to record.

Feeling Grateful For My Job: School holidays can be a real issue when it comes to thinking of things to occupy the children and this is where I am extremely grateful for my work as it brings such amazing opportunities for the children and allows their time off to be filled with amazing memories.

This half term we were asked if we would like to become Chessington World Of Adventure ambassadors again this year so it would have been rude to not have a trip to celebrate wouldn’t it. We also had a wonderful afternoon at a Little Miss And Mr Men Tea Party where the children were treated to an afternoon of food, fun and personalised pictures from Adam Hargreaves.

Growing Up Fast: I received an email from Oscar’s nursery to let me know that they would be changing things a little at nursery to get the older ones ready for their big move to reception this coming September.

If I’m honest it gave me a big lump in my throat to think that my last little one would be moving on and I won’t have a little one around the house during the day anymore.

We spent a good while that afternoon practicing writing his name and learning his numbers and I was immensely proud of how far he has come…even if I’m not quite ready for it!

Feeling Proud Of My ‘Middlish’ Child: I say ‘middlish’ as when you have five children there isn’t really a middle child is there!

The one I am referring to however is Izzy. I often underestimate how much she does for me and when I sit back and think about it I would be pretty lost without her.

I always told myself that it was my decision to have a large family and putting on the older children was something I wouldn’t do as it has never been their choice.

In reality though a huge part of my day involves try to solo parent whilst working and this is no mean feat at times and I have to call in some help which 9 times out of 10 falls on Izzy.

Don’t get me wrong she loves to have a moan and a groan about it at times but is always there to help wether I ask or not and I really need to show her my gratitude for this more often.

Children, Families, Family Life, Festivals, Large Families

We Are Camp Bestival Offical Rock Stars!

by thejoyoffive4 Comments on We Are Camp Bestival Offical Rock Stars!

For anyone that reads my blog I’m sure that it hasn’t gone unnoticed that we are huge fans of Camp Bestival.

I have been getting so excited over all the fantastic acts that are set to hit this fantastic festival this year and with it being their 10th birthday it is sure to be even bigger and better than last year.

Last year I was asked to be an offical blogger at Camp Bestival and it was honestly the absolute highlight of our summer for so many reasons.

This is why I am delighted to announce that this year we have been chosen as Offical Rock Stars and can’t wait to get covered in glitter and rock out with everyone else at the best festival around!

Keep an eye out for updates on the ever growing acts that are coming through thick and fast and hopefully if you like what you see you can come along and join in the fun with us too!

           

Blogging, Families, Family Life, Photography, Uncategorized

The BiB Awards 2017 Are Open And I Would Love Your Support

by thejoyoffive7 Comments on The BiB Awards 2017 Are Open And I Would Love Your Support

Two years into blogging and I think I can finally now say that I now know exactly what ignites my passion to keep writing…photography.

When I first started my blog I floundered around not really knowing what I wanted to focus on and was forever worrying that I didn’t have a niche.

Still this far down the line the title family and lifestyle really does suit me best and the topics I cover are as irratic as my life and this is what I love.

I would be bored writing about the same subject all the time and as they say ‘variety is the spice of life’

One thing that has stood firm through the though is my passion for photography, in fact I would say my love grows for it by the day.

I’ve not had any formal training and that is something that is still on top of my wish list but my aim had always been to try and capture those moments be them good or bad so they they are recorded for a lifetime to come so they are never truly forgotten.

If you read my blog I hope that you have enjoyed scrolling through my images on my posts and over on Instagram which is something I have a pretty large addition too!

I really hope that you love looking through my photos as much as I enjoy taking them and I would love you to take a few minutes to click on the link below and cast a vote in the photo section for me.

It would be a dream to get nominated and here is a big thank you for taking the time to read this post and hopefully give me a vote.

BritMums
Blogging, Diet, Exercise, Families, Family Life, Fitness, Food, Gym, Healthy Eating

As My Blog Grows So Does My Waistline

by thejoyoffive10 Comments on As My Blog Grows So Does My Waistline

It is coming up to nearly two years since I started my blog and my love for it is a strong as the moment I hit publish on my first post which now seems like a lifetime ago!

Blogging has bought me so many wonderful opportunities and I never in a million years thought it would be something that I could turn into a job and I am absolutely over the moon that my little pipe dream has become a reality.

The only downside to staring this journey has been my ever increasing waistline!

All my time and energy are being engulfed by my family and my blog and my passion for exercise has fallen to the wayside and been replaced with a far more sedentary lifestyle. 

I was always a five times a week girl when it came to training in the gym and this would always be a priority, which in turn managed to keep my love for food under control.

In the past two years I have managed to gain a considerable amount of weight that has been really getting me down…yet apart from some sporadic training I have done little about it.

With the New Year started I have decided that with some organisation and getting my butt out of bed they little earlier in the morning I have the ability to give just as much effort to losing weight as I do to my blog and I’m feeling really positive about the changes I have been making.

Last year I attempted to get my old self back by tracking my progress on here.

This was an epic fail so this time I am going to put less pressure on myself, throw away the scales and just get back to a healthier and happier new me.

Wish me luck X

Blogging, Children, Families, Family Life, Learning, Uncategorized

Goals And Aspirations For 2017

by thejoyoffive2 Comments on Goals And Aspirations For 2017

A New Year is a chance for a fresh start, a blank page, a time for infinite opportunities.

A lot of people aren’t fond of the idea of New Years resolutions, but for me it gives me focus and something to work towards. If I don’t fulfil them by the end of the year I know that I have tried my hardest to get there.

Here are my goals for this year and I hope that I can fulfil as many as I can:

Educate Myself – I really want to press on with improving my blog this year and to do this I need to learn some new skills.

Photography has become a huge love of mine but I have been completely winging it so I am going to enroll on a photography course to hone my skills.

SEO is something that scares and baffles me in equal measures and is something I am determined to understand and implement this year.

Blog design is something I have no idea how to start with, but I’m going to have a complete rebranding this year and hope to do most of it myself.

A Tidy House, A Tidy Mind – My house has become increasingly cluttered this year with piles in corners and stuff squirrelled away.

This year I want to have a clear home that will hopefully allow me to be more organised in other areas of my life.

Giving Back – The extravagances of Christmas have got me thinking about teaching the children there are people out there that a lot less fortunate and getting them involved in projects that allow us to give a little something back.

Making food bank donations and sponsored fun runs are just a couple of the things I have in mind for us to do.

Play Everyday – After lots of time together and the obligatory Christmas games I have decided to dedicate one night a week to just playing games together as a family.

No screens will be allowed and we can have a few hours together having some good old fashioned fun  as a family, so any board game recommendations would be more than welcome!

Stop Procrastinating – I am terrible at putting things off in favour of doing something more appealing.

This is why I get into a state of panic several times a week when I’ve left posts until the last minute or school projects that that kids need help with.

From now on I will make lists of things they need doing and get them done without the constant distractions I make for myself.

One On One Time – I’ve attended a few events this year that I’ve only taken one of the children to and this one on one time with them had been so good for both of us.

This is going to be a hard one but I’m going to try my hardest to get some time every month on my own with just one child at a time.

Time For Me And My Relationship – Both of these this are always way at the back of the queue when it comes to priorities and every year I promise to put myself and my husband first every now and then and it never happens.

From now on even if it’s just a coffee on my own to be away from the home to collect my own thoughts or a trip to the cinema with my husband it’s going to be one of my top priorities as I’m sure it makes for a happier home for everyone in the long run.

Who knows how many of this goals will be meet and if they are will I keep them up for the entire year.

All I know is I’m going to try my hardest and give my all and I can’t do any better than that!


 

Blogging, Families, Family Life, Uncategorized

How Productive Is Your Home Office?

by thejoyoffive6 Comments on How Productive Is Your Home Office?

More and more of us are now choosing to work from home if our job allows for a huge array of different reasons.

For many working from home cuts the extra cost and stress of the daily commute, some would like to be their own boss and only have themselves to answer to and for a lot of people including myself working from home allows the big problem of childcare to be solved.

When I started blogging I never imagined it would be something I would be able to take up as a job but I have been lucky enough to be able to do something I love from the comfort of my own home.

This allows me to have time with my children, not have the worry of having to pay out for childcare and the flexibility to set my own working hours.

One of the downsides of working from home though is keeping up your productivity as there are so many more distractions than working in an office. 

The biscuit cupboard calling every five minutes, that pile of washing that keeps catching your eye or a little one trying to grab your attention whenever they can.

There are of course still deadlines to meet as with any work and having to set your own targets and making sure you are as organised as possible can be a real challenge.

One way to try and get into the right mindset is to create a good atmosphere.

There is something called Attention Restorstion Theory that belives people concentrate more if they have a calm outlook to their workspace.

Take a look at this video that will delve into this theory a little more and help you create a more productive workspace which will inturn make for a happier and healthier work/life balance!