In a hectic world of kids, full time job and blogging, sometimes it can be hard to come off that conveyor belt and take some time for me.  I suffered with blood pressure on both of the boys and while I should have known how important that breather, that five minutes to yourself was, I didn’t and for want of a better explanation I let myself go. The weight piled on, my skin looked awful same goes for my hair, so began a vicious circle where I didn’t want to leave the house. Some gentle intervention from my family and I can happily say im in much better place.

What I realised was that self care was important  and that’s even on bad days and self care can mean many different things to different people. I reached out to some of my fellow bloggers for their thoughts on this also.  Such was the reaction to this post that I have split it into two and in this one I focus on beauty.  Ill go first! For me it started with caring for my skin and taking those 10  minutes a day to do just that. I suffered from bad skin in my teens which rectified itself as I hit my twenties, now in the tail end  of my thirties I was back to square on. Some top tips:

• A good base is crucial, products like  Facial Enhancer are great for deep cleansing and improving texture.
• Find the moisturiser that works for you, that’s not saying it has to be mega expensive. These days I am loving Ziaja skincare products they are reasonably priced and readily available.
• As above find an everyday make up brand. I used to begrudge wearing my beloved high end foundation for the school run! Instead I found a good alternative which has turned out to be Elf Cosmetics   incredibly reasonable in price and last the distance too.

So what does “Me Time” mean to others – The Beauty Ed

• Helen from Natural Beauty with Baby loves chilling with a gorgeous face scrub
• Jemma from Have Kids will Travel UK loves a Spa day to herself. (love this myself!)
• The long hot bath featured heavily too with Stevie from This Mumma Needs Tea Becky from Mommy and Rory and Nina from Ready for Cuppa all loving it as some “me time” to chill out. I can empathise, im a fan of this myself.

Note : This is a collaborative post

While Utah is mainly famous for its various skiing points as it receives 500 inches of snow per year, it has a diverse topography. From the Great Basin to the Rocky Mountains, there is a lot to see here. 

Also known as the Beehive State, it has a thriving agricultural industry. With farms covering over 11 million acres of state, its primary agricultural income stems from livestock, and hay is one of the state’s largest crops. Hence, to preserve the crops, farmers must invest in large and well-ventilated storage spaces. Utah pole barns are perfectly suited for this purpose, and you will find plenty of them as you explore the different cities.

Choosing the Right Pole Barn

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Preserving livestock and crops is easier and more cost-efficient with the help of pole barns. Additionally, Utah’s climate is conducive to rainfall and snowfall, and hence, with the help of these barns, farmers can ensure that their livestock and crops are safe from damage.

There are several uses of pole barns, but your barn must be built with care. The quality of the barn will determine whether it is a worthwhile investment. Wondering how you can ensure that your barn is the best it can be? Here is what you should know:

The Location

As mentioned earlier, Utah has a diverse topography. Hence, the soil type also differs from area to area. When installing a pole barn, soil type (mainly whether it is loose sandy soil or more packed), soil erosion, and the probability of natural calamity play a significant role.

Material

Traditionally, pole barns are constructed out of high-quality wood. However, accessibility to recycled steel has made it a popular choice for farmers. It is more durable, does not rot, and a more sustainable option to construct pole barns.

Weather

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Across Utah, the weather conditions differ. While the state generally has a dry, desert-like climate, the western part receives heavy rainfall and snow cover and can be quite humid. These factors must be considered when constructing a pole barn. Materials used should be durable in these conditions, and proper care is also required to maintain them.

Storage

What you store inside your pole barn also matters when deciding how it will be constructed. The different crops or livestock you store in your pole barn will influence how the traffic lanes are situated to allow you to have easy access. If you are housing large animals, naturally, your pole barn will also need to be spacious.

Future Use

When investing in Utah pole barns, it is vital to think of how you may use the space in the future. These structures are quite versatile; they can be used as garages, workshops, and even cozy homes. Thus, when planning your pole barn, try to picture how space can be used in the future.

Pole barns are a worthwhile investment for farmers in Utah. They help you stay organized, provide you with ample storage, and act as space where you can fulfill future needs. 

When constructed with the help of a reputed company, they can meet your present and future needs.

A good photo of your kids or grandchildren when they are laughing or smiling is always nice. You only have to look at it to lift your spirits and end up smiling yourself.

The problem is that these days more and more kids are too self-conscious to actually smile properly. Usually, this is because they are missing teeth. Unfortunately, childhood tooth decay is a growing problem. Instead of the number of fillings and extractions falling, they are on the increase. As a result, parents need to make teaching their children good dental hygiene a priority.

Educate yourself

The first step is to visit blogs that are actually written by dentists to learn about proper dental hygiene. There you can quickly learn about common dental problems, the latest hygiene techniques and how to help your children to look after their teeth. From personal experience, I would make sure as a parent to educate yourself on orthodontics and what is required and when to seek more information or perhaps even seek a consultation with a dentist, as issues like this will often require earlier intervention to resolve it. Therefore, knowing what to look out for is important. You should also familiarise yourself with what dental options are available for your child, as they can vary from fillings to braces, and you can read more here for an example of a dentist specialising in the latter. 

Baby teeth really do matter

An awful lot of parents make the mistake of thinking that baby teeth do not matter much because they soon fall out. Whilst this is understandable thinking like that is a big mistake that can have a very negative impact on a child´s long-term dental health. For example, a full set of healthy baby teeth is essential for setting the mouth up for the emergence of their adult teeth. If there are baby teeth missing there is a good chance that they will need braces and other dental treatments to straighten their adult teeth out.

Set a good example

By far the best way to teach your children the importance of dental hygiene is setting a good example. If you brush and floss at least twice a day your kids are far more likely to do so as well. This also extends to booking your own dental appointments or even taking your kids with you so that they see the set up and what happens in a dental practice.  If you are unsure or new to booking a quick search including your local area, something like “dentist Essex” will bring up relevant local results. Setting a good example is vital. 

Teach your children about sugar

After you or your child has eaten something sugary get into the habit of cleaning your teeth. You will be really surprised at how doing this reduces your child´s thirst for things like sugary drinks. They are far more likely to opt to drink water instead of pop, especially if they are busy playing a game. The last thing they want is to have to get up, stop what they are doing, and go to wash their teeth. Naturally, they are more likely to ask for water rather than a sugary drink.

This is good for their general health as well as reducing the chances of them suffering from tooth decay. You can find out more about the connection between a child´s sugar consumption levels and the chances of them having problems with their teeth, by reading this article.

Supervise your child´s teeth cleaning

When your children are young, you bath them, dress them and, naturally, clean their teeth. Pretty soon their dexterity improves to the point where they are able to start taking care of those tasks themselves. Or, so you think. In reality, even children who are perfectly capable of dressing themselves will not actually clean their teeth properly. Even if they know how to do, and are physically capable of doing it, the chances are that a lot of the time they will not spend enough time actually brushing in the correct way.

You really should supervise your child´s teeth cleaning routine until you are 100% sure they are doing it properly and really understand the importance of doing so. Occasionally using disclosing tablets is a good way to check what they are doing and show them what areas they are missing.

Using the above information will help you to avoid the most common childhood dental hygiene mistakes. This should result in your child having fewer problems with their teeth and being able to avoid having to have extractions or fillings.

“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth”

I have been a fan of Donna’s Blog for some time and I kept meaning to join the Living Arrows linkie and never got around to it.  So im super excited to join for the first time.  This week in the Mamma Fairy house its all about the great outdoors.

Wild West (and wet) Donegal 

Wild Atlantic Way Donegal

We spent a wonderful weekend in an extremely wet Donegal! By 12 o’clock on the Saturday having arrived late Friday, I heard “im bored” more than once as the rain lashed against the window pane.   And I mean lashed,  it looked like the  middle of Winter out. The Dada Fairy suggested we don the rain gear and head our to explore the place where he grew up.  The kids needed no encouragment, I on the other hand wasnt quite as eager!

Wild Atlantic Way Donegal

We took some photos on our walk and I look back on them and im reminded of how much history and memories places like this hold. Memories that will soon be long gone as generations depart and move on. This is the Dada Fairys home place and he has such a strong emotional tie to here and its (and his own) past. He loved telling us stories some his own, some he heard over the years.  This was where he played as a child, where he went fishing, exploring, climbing walls, hiding in ditchs and messing no doubt.  He is a total outdoors person and I can see how much the kids are like him and how much they love being outside.

I’m so glad I didnt let the rain get in the way of our day exploring as I was very tempted to say no we must be mad.   We came home hours later, we were soaked through, the kids were exhausted from the walking but most importantly they were happy, happy we were in Donegal, happy we were all together, happy we were having fun and quite literally dancing in the rain. There really is something quite magical about the squeals of your child dancing in the rain.

In the words of the Yeats – “Dance there upon the shore;What need have you to care; For wind or water’s roar?And tumble out your hair”

Summer holidays can be the highlight of the year for some of us, giving us the chance to escape the stresses of everyday life and relax in our own little paradise. However, not everyone can go on their dream holiday every year, for a wide variety of reasons ranging from family commitments to work schedules. As many of us are trying to tighten our belts in these uncertain economic times, it’s sometimes necessary to skip the expensive summer holiday and make our own fun at home instead. While this might not inspire the same enthusiasm as a tropical island break, it’ll certainly prevent us from worrying as much and might even give us a whole new perspective on what a summer holiday is. Read these tips and have a spectacular summer in the comfort of your own home.

Time Off

Taking some “me” time is good for the soul

Just because you’re not going away on holiday, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take some time off work to enjoy the summer. If you’re going to be spending time with family, make sure you sync up your holidays so you can make the most out of your holiday time. Book one or two weeks off and make sure you don’t do anything even resembling work during this time! If you or your family are known for working at home when you really shouldn’t be (ahem thats you Dada Fairy), then designate a cupboard for all of your work things to go in during the holidays. Make the cupboard off-limits for as long as you possibly can, and you’ll be surprised at how relaxing your at-home holiday is.

Plan Days In

Days in can be just as fun

While days out can be fun, having special days in at home can be cheaper, more relaxing and just as action packed. If you have children, planning themed days for them in the house can provide the whole family with endless activities to enjoy. You can have a family cooking class, start a band together, become artists or do a spot of gardening. All of these activities are as educational as they are fun, and will keep your family active during the summer. If you don’t have children, you can still take these ideas and enjoy them with your partner or with friends. Time away from the television is definitely quality time, however you choose to spend it!

Get Outdoors

If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor space, such as a garden, yard or even a park close by, then make sure you take full advantage of this during your summer holiday at home. Spending time outdoors is something we don’t do nearly enough these days, so leave your phones inside and go out for a game of lawn tennis, football or even an obstacle course. For a whole day of outdoor fun, you could plan a family olympics, including as many activities you can think of. You may even wish to invest in a paddling pool or trampoline to really make the summer one to remember, and keep the kids busy for hours at a time!

Brighten Up Your Home

Nothing screams summer like a beautifully bright living space, so why not take some time to restyle your sitting room or kitchen? You can simply rearrange your furniture so that it doesn’t block any of that glorious sunshine, or your could add some summery home accessories that give the space some splashes of colour. For more long-term solutions, try painting your walls a lighter colour, changing dark carpets to light ones, or for something totally wow check out these amazing internal bifolds to your living area. We intalled outdoor ones and they are seriously amazing this time of year a the garden becomes an extenion of the kitchen and we have a huge space for us and the  kids to play.  For us it has really opened up ou home and made what was once a dark space into a bright and airy space.

Summer Foods

Summer foods

Perhaps the easiest way to get in a summer mood is to eat summery food, so get in the kitchen and cook up some treats for your family and friends to enjoy at a summer party. This could be in the garden, if you’re lucky enough to have one, or in your newly decorated living room! Find yourself some brightly coloured summer recipes, enlist the help of your loved ones and enjoy a day of summer cocktails, delicious salads and homemade ice lollies. Even if the sun isn’t shining outside, as long as you have some summer music, tasty treats and good company, you’ll be feeling super summery all day long. 

Note – collaborative post