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Mamma Fairy

Fairy Travels

The “Off the beaten track” bucket list

camera

Pic Credit: Pixabay

I met my now husband when we were (very) young teenagers and at that time we spoke about our bucket list travel destinations.  I’m thankful he loves to travel as much as me and we have been able to tick many items off that bucket list including recently Niagara Falls and as part of our honeymoon a show at the Sydney Opera House.  Next weekend we will hopefully tick another item off that list being a trip to Iceland. The icing on the cake would be to view the Northern Lights. I’m not getting my hopes up but it would be a dream come true.

This got me thinking, while many of us travel obsessives share common bucket list items like Niagara Falls or seeing the Northern Lights, what other less traditional, more obscure or “off the beaten track” bucket list items do other people have.  I decided to reach out to my fellow bloggers and see if they had any usual or obscure bucket list items.

Obscure bucket list items

First up Kate from Hitchens’ Kitchen volunteered in Africa. Herself and her dad fund raised and taught science in Ghana.  I have the utmost admiration for people who so selflessly give them time like this to others.

Next up Emma from Emma Reed wanted to get married on a beach location not expecting it to be a reality however she ended up making her dream a reality which is really lovely and not doubt incredibly memorable.

I love Terri from The Strawberry Fountain idea of 30 before 30, loving some of the items on her list she accomplished from driving an Aston Martin (mega jealous) to surving the longest zipline in the UK. Sorry Terri I just couldn’t do it. I love this idea (not the zipline!) while im a little bit post the 30 before 30 maybe I could start a 40 before 40?! Now there is an idea…..

For anybody like me who wiles away hours day dreaming about far flung destination click here for some inspiration. I’m super excited about Iceland this weekend and ill be sure to report back on whether or not I ticked the Northern Lights off my bucket list…..keep everything crossed for me…..

 

Note: This is a collaborative post however I retain full editorial control.

 

Home & Interiors

#WhatHomeIsToMe – some thoughts

I’ve been charting my renovation projects on the blog for some time, we are almost there. Its been a tough and at times incredibly stressful project but I know at the end ill have a house exactly as I want (within financial constraints of course!).  This post is was inspired by an ebook produced by Chill Home Insurance which looks at weird and wonderful home around the world.  It prompted me to think a little bit more about what home really is to me personally.  While in a material sense our newly renovated home will have all we want subject to financial constraints but is it a home?

Thinking deeper I think without the Dada Fairy and the boys im not sure the physical house could ever be a home to me.  In reality we could probably set up “home” anywhere and making our current house a home involved the combination of the physical characteristics we selected ourselves and the people we choose to share it with.  Very deep for a Sunday morning!!

grass houses in Iceland

Pic Credit: Pixabay

We are off to Iceland next weekend and one of the things that stood out to me when booking our accommodation was that huge variety of different types there were. Glass domes to hopefully view the Aurora or the grass covered or turf houses as they are known. They interestingly evolved in attempt to circumvent  the harsh climate conditions.

Chill Insurance have included many other example including closer to home in Co Louth is Dummond Tower.  Which incidentally I have just learned can be booked via Air BnB at certain times of the year. The listing gives a sneak peak into the interior of the Tower which has been restored preserving so much of the integrity of the building. The tower is accessed internally via a cut stone winding stair case. Its breath taking. It dates back to 1858 and I think there really is something special about how well this property was clearly loving restored.  I have just dropped some not so subtle hints for my Christmas present. I have always had a fascination with old properties thinking back to what might have went on there in a different time. To see how the features of the house have been preserved and stand the test of time. This is definitely a property to add to my bucket list.

Some other notable mentions in the ebook and much further field include, an 85 square meter almost transparent house in Tokyo! I have done lots of googling but apparently its location is a somewhat closely guarded secret! Or at the far end end of the design spectrum is a Flintstones inspired house in Malibu! Trust me google this you will not be disappointed!

Its no surprise that when asked the question over 60% of people said it was family that make the home. Its certainly my view too. Id love to here what the true meaning of home is to you….let me know in the comments below.

survey results on the meaning of home

The True Meaning of Home (Credit: Chill Insurance)

 

Note: This is a collaborative post however I retain full editorial control
Features

Genetic disorders that new parents should know about

A couple waiting to welcome their first child has inexplicable levels of excitement. While you are happily waiting for the birth of your little one, there also exists an anxious feeling. Will my baby be born healthy? There is constant thought about the health and well-being of the little one. 40

There are certain genetic disorders that a minute proportion of children globally are diagnosed with right at birth. Although, the odds are on the lower side. However, it is essential for you to know about them and be prepared. 

Here, we mention prevalent inherited syndromes in newborns. Read on to learn about each in detail

  • Down syndrome 

It is a disorder caused due to anomalous cell division. Children with down syndrome have an extra full or partial chromosome. It causes physical and cognitive developmental changes in children.

Babies with down syndrome may exhibit the following symptoms: 

  • Flattened face
  • Protruding tongue
  • Upward slanting eyelids
  • Short neck
  • Excessive flexibility 
  • Poor muscle tone

 

Infants with down syndrome may have typical size at the time of birth but show a slow growth later. Diagnosis can be before or at birth. Earlier, such people had a little life expectancy. However, it has dramatically increased in recent years. 

There is no one treatment for every down-syndrome patient around the world. All of them have different needs; some may need more cognitive help, while others may need treatment for heart illnesses. 

Craniofacial syndrome

It is a rare genetic defect found in 16 children per 1 million. The babies inherit genetic mutations from their parents. It is mainly caused due to alteration in FGFR2 and FGFR 3 proteins.

Doctors diagnose crouzon syndrome at birth based on distinctive physical signs. 

In this, children may have: 

  • Bone deformities in the face
  • Jaw deformities (protruding lower jaw, receding upper jaw)
  • Difficulty in breathing 
  • Wide-set eyes
  • Misshapen head and more. 

There are several surgeries and procedures available for this disease, depending on the severity of the condition. The pediatrics and syndrome specialists sit together to discuss the case of the affected baby. Some procedures are surgical, while others are not. 

  • Carpenter disorder 

It is a rare congenital condition wherein babies have abnormal growth in their skulls, toes, and fingers. The primary cause of the diseases is the passing of mutated genes from parents during the fetus’s development.

The children affected with this syndrome often experience the following symptoms: 

  • Webbed, fused, or unusually short fingers 
  • Misshapen, low-set ears
  • Crooked teeth
  • Hearing loss
  • Bone deformities in the spine, knees, hips, and more. 

The syndrome is typically diagnosed at or shortly after birth. The misshapen skull is also a symptom of many other syndromes. Therefore, the specialists run x-rays and more to check the deformities in other body parts such as fingers, toes, and spine. 

The treatment options include surgery on the skull to relieve pressure. Other treatment options include procedures to improve facial and dental deformities. 

Bottom line

Genetic diseases are rare, but the probability still exists. So, it is better to know the situation well in advance. It helps to tackle the problem in a much more positive and better way. In addition, each condition now has a medical treatment available. 

Note: This is a collaborative post

Mamma Musings

Living Arrows 37/53 – the simple things

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth – Kahlil Gibran

Probably around this time last year I joined Donna from What the Redhead Said linkie – known as Living Arrows where each week you share a photo from the week which celebrates childhood. I don’t know exactly why but this link up speaks to me! I love what it stands for and love the quote above that gave Donna the inspiration to start this.

I am aiming to link up each week but life sometimes get in the way. I missed last week but im back this week.  My photo this week is of my dad and my youngest son. Im not sure what it is about this photo but something in it touches a nerve and makes my heart swell with pride.

This pair have an unbreakable bond. Its such a beautiful relationship and I feel both are luck to have each other in their lives.  We spent a morning exploring the Botanic Gardens in Dublin.  No devices, no playground, nothing snazzy just simple fun exploring the gardens.  Sometimes we get consumed but having to do “something” visits to playgrounds, play centres, shows etc.

Sometimes paring it all back it just as effective and just as enjoyable. I had the most beautiful relationship with my granda and I love seeing the bond between this pair growing every day.

 

 

 

 

Living Arrows
Fairy Travels

4 tips for road trips with kids

We travelled loads before having kids and since they were born we continue to travel albeit slightly differently. You might have seen our previous post on tips for flying with kids, I thought id set out some tips for travelling by road with kids.  Recently we had a discussion about how many miles a year we do with them and at a guess we think it would easily top 10,000 and that’s not including the school runs, the activities etc.

1- Snacks

Regardless of the method of travel we always have plenty snacks on hand. My pair are reasonably fussy eaters and can be a little prone to car sickness so im very careful about what snacks they have on the road.

What works for my pair is rice cakes, anything too heavy or sweet can lead to them feeling sick but rice cakes seem to be a winner.  Oldest loves the Kelkin rice cake bars and the youngest loves the yogurt covered mini rice cakes. They are also very handy snacks for out and about and lunch boxes.

 

2- Netflix

Downloadable Netflix was a revelation on our trip to Niagra Falls last year. I found it really great for passing the last hour or so of long car journeys when the boredom and tiredness start creeping in. The great thing is you don’t need wifi to be able to watch just download before you go.  The current favourites in our house are:

  • Sid the Science Kid
  • Story Bots
  • Harvey Street Kids
  • Horrid Henry

The download  is active for a day or so and they you just have to connect to wifi to renew it.  I love it!

3 – Making sure car roadworthy

fixing car

Pic Credit: Pixabay

This goes without saying and is paramount in my book. Starting with ensuring the car seats are fitted properly. The RSA regularly do check it fits road shows in local carpark so worth getting it done. The Dada Fairy is incredibly safety conscious and rightly so, he will check the seat before departing as well as the usual, oil level, petrol and very important that the tyres are roadworthy.

Places like Calmac Tyres sell good quality tyres at reasonable prices. Don’t forget other aspects of car maintenance too such as the lights, brakes, oil and regular servicing. Neither myself nor the Dada Fairy know much about cars so we ensure we visit the experts  like Calmac to make sure our car is in the best possible shape for transporting our precious cargo.  Safety cannot be compromised so always build in sufficient time before commencing your journey. Allied to this is making sure the garage you use is reputable, is appropriately approved/ certified and uses quality parts. If in doubt don’t be afraid to ask that question of them.

An additional consideration of course it to keep all emergency numbers to hand including also insurance details.

4 – Planning 

Maybe its inbuilt in me but I have to plan! I do my research in advance and plan for example, where we will stop for lunch or where we could a toilet stop or even or very long journeys we plan were to stop at for example a picnic area or playground. I also make use of the AA roadwatch web page to check for traffic updates. It just makes it that bit easy and saves the inevitable time wasting searching for somewhere and usually in our house an argument when the gang are tired and hungry. Never a good combination!!

If anybody has anymore tips to add do add them in the comments.

 

Note: This is a collaborative post however I retain full editorial control. All words (and miles) are my own.

 

Features

Family Activity Ideas For Autumn

autumn leaves

Pic Credit: Pixabay

As the summer draws to a close and the autumn appears, there are a whole host of activities to do with your family. Yes, you might not be able to go to the beach or enjoy other sunny day activities, but you can enjoy some of those that still work well in autumn. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the autumn activities that can do with your family. Make sure to keep reading if you’d like to find out more.

Host A Bonfire

If you truly want to get your family into the autumn mood you should try to host a bonfire. You can get small firepits online or in most hardware stores. Get some blankets, marshmallows and take the whole family outside. Your kids will love this as it is just like going camping but in the back garden.

Go Kayaking

Although kayaking is often preferred around summer because of the weather, you’ll find that kayaking can be fun in the autumn too. You won’t need to worry about lakes being too busy as most people tend to go in the summer. This way, you know that your kids are safe, and you can spend some time together out in nature. You can get more information from bestkayaks.reviews if you think that this could be an option for your family. They have a great guide on tandem kayaks which will help you figure out which one you and your family need.

Try Baking

canoeing

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Baking is a fun activity at any time of the year but when it comes around to autumn, there are loads of treats that you can make. Think about getting your family together and baking a nice apple pie. Or you could make some pastries or even Halloween treats to give trick or treaters. Take a look at some Halloween baking ideas online for inspiration. 

Go For A Walk

Some of the most beautiful sights can be seen in the autumn as the leaves change and forests become prettier. Why not take your family out for a long walk and enjoy some of these views? You could even turn it into a leaf collecting activity or collect some pine cones that you can use for crafts. Make sure that you get out and experience nature during this season as it can be very beautiful.

When a walk is impossible to reach that dream destination, you can use great-quality motorized bikes, which have been gaining attention for quite some time now. With these bikes, taking the group to different destinations will be a new and different experience. Also, they can cover long distances in a short amount of time. Surely, the family can visit and explore more places this autumn with this vehicle.

Visit A Haunted House

Our final idea is for those who want to be scared so you might want to avoid taking young children on this activity. Visiting a haunted house can be very fun and your kids will love telling their friends about what they got up to over the break. You should be able to find local haunted houses online which will let you go on tours.

Final Verdict

Just because the summer is over doesn’t mean that you need to stop going outdoors. There are so many different autumn activities that you can enjoy with your family so make sure to try some of the ideas that we have suggested out. Go for a long walk in a forest, try some Halloween baking or try out kayaking!

 

Note: This is a collaborative post
Mamma Musings

The rise of messy play

It is known that children have always enjoyed getting messy — from splashing in puddles to playing games in the mud, youngsters love getting their hands dirty! Often, we let children discover these new environments themselves. However, messy play can be beneficial for babies and toddlers too, in fact it can help with their cognitive development in many ways. Together with Infinite Playgrounds, designers of wooden playgrounds and advocates of sensory play, we take a closer look at messy play and how it can be implemented in schools and nurseries.

What is it?

kids painting

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Messy play is all about allowing children to experience and explore objects that they aren’t always exposed to. It involves playing with anything that gets messy! This could be sand, water, chalk, paint or playdough. There are now many playgroups set up with messy play as the focus as the benefits have become widely recognised.

Often when parents play with their children, it is structured play with a target in mind — for example, pressing buttons to make the toy light up or make a sound. Messy play is different, as it is unstructured and allows the child to use their own imagination and explore new materials without any end goal.

This sort of play can support physical development too. As children create shapes with the materials, they are using their arms and they might push things around with their feet.

What are the benefits?

There are many benefits for children when they engage with messy play.   For children with special educational needs or disabilities, messy play is a good way for them to

messy play

Pic Credit: Pixabay

 interact with other children by communicating in different ways. They may be slower at reading or speaking but can join in with messy play. It can encourage children to develop the ability of creating signs and starting to write as well. By drawing pictures and shapes in the materials such as sand, they begin to discover their hands as writing tools and experiment with what they can do. This practice also allows them to build up their finger and arm muscles, which can be useful when children begin to pick up a pen.

Unstructured play in general allows toddlers and children to explore their imagination and practise concentration. As they come up with their own games or focus on moving the materials around, they learn more about how their bodies work and their spatial awareness improves.  Playing with the materials also allows the child to practice their fine motor skills and develop their hand-eye coordination. This goes on to improve their abilities in sports and involvement in games in the future.  Research has proven that toddlers are quicker to learn about solid objects due to their unchanging size and shape. Exposing children to soft materials allows them to learn more about non-solid materials and broaden their knowledge. It also allows them to compare and understand textures. For example, two things may look the same from afar but when they interact with them and touch them, they can understand the difference.

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Home & Interiors

How to Make the Home Chores Easier to Handle

cleaning products

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Dealing with household chores isn’t so bad when there’s only one of you, but when you have a family then the list of tasks expands.   Here are a few suggestions on how to make handling your household chores a little bit easier.

Divide the Household Chores Amongst Everyone

Create a weekend chores list and assign different family members to each task. Put it up in the kitchen for all to see.  For kids who are old enough, have them perform household chores to understand the value of work in their lives. Rule out the idea that pocket money – or, any money – is given freely. Developing a strong work ethic will serve them very well throughout their adult lives. Young kids can rake up leaves. Older kids can reorganise or move light furniture under supervision to help clean underneath.   For the parents, split up the chores that are best completed by adults. Treat some of them as learning experiences for the older children too. Add a fun element to it and see if they can invent new or different ways to get the task completed in less time. I will admit there are times when we are both really busy with work that we enlist the help of a cleaner. It can really save time at those critical times of year when life gets hectic. 

Eco Friendly all the way 

infographic

Credit: www.pattersons.co.uk

I used to feel so guilty using all the sprays, detergents etc until the rise of eco products in a more mainstream way, being readily available from places like Pattersons

I was delighted to see that they offer eco products for both the domestic and commercial markets. Eco products such as those from Pattersons avoid the use of chemically-reactive and toxic chemicals, which are considered safer and kinder to the environment. The environment is a hot topic at the moment and if we all make small changes together we can start to make an impact. They have very kindly shared with me their eco friendly Spring clean hacks which I have reproduced opposite with permission.

Remove Vacuuming from the Chores List Altogether

Vacuuming the carpets and dealing with the wooden floors isn’t difficult, it’s just tedious. If anyone has dust allergies, it does get more difficult when an old vacuum cleaner is spewing dust up at you. Seek out the best robotic vacuum cleaner to remove vacuuming from the task list altogether. Vacuuming the house might take 30 minutes every weekend and again half-way through the week. Why not let a robot vacuum clean the floors while you’re at work?    Look for reviews of robot vacuum cleaners to see which make and models are the most reliable and the best cleaners. You can start by checking out this list of the 17 Best Robot Vacuum Cleaners to pick the one that is both effective and economical.

Keep Things Organised, Automatically

Create systems at home that everyone can follow automatically to avoid having to deal with clean up later. For instance, when there’s a tall laundry basket in every bedroom, it’s no trouble throwing a used t-shirt into the basket on the way out the door. Similarly, when having a set place to put the shoes outside the back door or in a shoe rack at the front door, none of the family tread dirt from outside the home to the interior. These items are difficult for a vacuum to suck up and dispose of.   Wash up the dishes or load up the dishwasher as the last task of the day before heading to bed. You won’t notice the little bit of extra effort when it’s something you do automatically as part of a nightly routine. This avoids dealing with sticky plates and cutlery in the morning and it just makes life easier.

When you get your thinking cap on for how to make household chores easier, then you have time to enjoy your house for what it is; a family home.

 

Note: This is a collaborative post
Mamma Musings

Living Arrows 35/53 – back to school

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth – Kahlil Gibran

Probably around this time last year I joined Donna from What the Redhead Said linkie – known as Living Arrows where each week you share a photo from the week which celebrates childhood. I don’t know exactly why but this link up speaks to me! I love what it stands for and love the quote above that gave Donna the inspiration to start this. For the week that’s in it this weeks photo is of my oldest as he prepares to return to school this week. I always feel like this week is a bit bitter sweet, yes to getting back to normality and a set routine but no to missing so much time with my pair. An additional challenges that comes with starting school is the change in childcare arrangements, resources such as toddle can be a massive help with this.

For me this photo sums up a lot about him, while you cant see his face you can see the concentration in his gesture. He is so like me in many ways. He likes to be prepared.  He loves PJ Masks and being surrounded by his favourites is sure to help instil some superpowers of his own in him.

Its such new territory for them and hopefully familiarity and self belief will help them be brave on their new journey just like his favourite superhero CatBoy.  He likes to call me Owlette, which im hoping is become his mamma has her own superpowers to help him in any and every way she can.

Good luck to everybody starting or returning to school this week, in the words of Oprah – “education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom”

 

Living Arrows
Mamma Musings

Mamma Fairy Summer Loves

I was reading back over some old blog posts and realised I share loads of what the kids like or our travel adventures but very little about what I like or love (kids and travel aside!!). So I thought id share some of the current things im really loving. This isnt a review post it just a random collection of things that I liked or loved of the last few months:

Shoes, shoes and more shoes

  • Hot, hot, Hotter……

I just love shoes, for me they make or break an outfit. I’m on the go constantly either running with kids to school, activities or  to work myself.  I’m always in heels in the office but I badly needed a pair of dressy but comfortable shoes to run between the office, meetings, pick ups etc.  This summer I was introduced to the wonderful collection of Hotter Shoes  they are insanely comfortable and dressy at the same time.  I wanted flat shoes that were stylish but didn’t look too mumsy if you know what I mean. I have Natalia in black and brown and trust me you will not find a comfier dressy work shoe. Coming in a little hefty a price tag but they are so comfortable and durable and for me anyway, well worth the extra spend.

  • Skechers for Style….

Staying with shoes, while shopping for the kids school shoes in Skechers, out of the corner of my eye I caught these bad boys. I honestly didn’t know Skechers do “street style” shoes (their words not mine!).  Just look at these I mean how could you not get them?

Aside from being ultra stylish they are staying true to brand and are uber comfy. The sales assistant in Liffey Valley very helpfully advised me to go down a size and she was of course totally correct. I’m usually a 6 but these fit like a glove in a size 5. I feel so stylish wearing them.  Only issue now is I want them all. Lots of different types to choose from.  Have a nosey on their website so many types to choose from.

 

Blue Jean Girl

I am and probably always will be a jeans girl, love them in all styles, colours, types.  Comfort is king when im running about so im always trying out new brands and really putting them through their paces.  I suppose what I love most about jeans is that you can either dress them up or down so easily.  One of my current favourites are jeans from Esprit they also do some fab office wear if you are in the market for nice cut office dresses and trousers/ blazer coordinates.

Accessories 

While not really an accessories girl, I favour keeping it simple. I love a nice watch and im so in love with my birthday present from The Dada Fairy.  Its a rose gold watch from Adexe London.  How stylish is this?  It really dresses up an outfit. The rose gold trend shows no sign of abating and ive totally jumped on the trend ban wagon between my skechers and my watch!!

Never realised I was a tend follower!!

Lotions and Potions 

My skin care routine is simple! We only have the one so I do try to look after it and I don’t mind spending on products that do work.  For the last 3 months I have been using Clarins extra firming night and day cream. I love love love this. The texture is so lovely and a small bit really does go a long way.   I cleanse with the Clarins gentle foaming cleanser again love the texture of this and its not drying at all. I have combination skin so it can be hard to find products that really work.  I’m still clinging hard to that youthful glow so I really feel I have found products that not only work but suit my skin.

I’m probably 3 or 4 months at this routine while be no means am I that regimented that I don’t miss a night or a day using the products I do try to do it daily and nightly.   The price tag is hefty at around €60 each but do bear in mind a little goes a very long way.  It really works for me.  I would advise if you aren’t sure which products to go for id pop in to one of their counters for a chat. I have been to the one in both Debenhams and Arnotts in Dublin and found staff in both very helpful. Don’t be afraid to ask for some sample and go home and try them for a file. At €60 a pop these products are investments and you do want to be sure they work for you.