» Listings for September 2016

1. Get More Out Of Your Garden! *

   Posted on 7:27am Friday 30th Sep 2016

   Your garden doesn’t need to be just a pretty view out of your window. If you’re lucky enough to have outdoor space- take advantage! There are lots of ways you can utilize your gardens, and allow them to become an extension of your home, rather than just be wasted space.

   Grow Your Own Produce

   One great way to put your garden to work is by growing your own produce. It’s a fun, worthwhile hobby to have. You’ll save money, and will know exactly where your food has come from. No dodgy pesticides or thousands of air miles! Plus, growing your own is incredibly satisfying. You could excavate an area in the garden to use as a vegetable patch. You could plant some fruit trees, or grow herbs in pots and containers.

   Keep Chickens

   As well as having access to your own freshly grown food, why not take it a step further and have fresh eggs each day too? Chickens are relatively easy to take care of, and as well as making great feathered friends you’re also rewarded with fresh eggs. You could buy a chicken coop or make it a DIY project to work on if you’re handy kind of person. The good thing about chickens is they don’t need masses of space, so could be something to consider even if you only have a medium sized yard.

   

    Credit: Pexels

   Build a Garden Room

   You need more rooms in your house, but have plenty of space outside. It’s a no-brainer- have a garden room built! Our needs can change over time. A house that was perfect a few years ago can quickly feel cramped and small if your family has grown, or you’ve started to work from home. A fully insulated garden room can be ideal in all weathers. You don’t usually need planning permission and they’re cheaper than building an extension. All in all, a win-win. Choosing the right materials will help the room look best in its surroundings. Plus, encircling it with gorgeous plants and flowers will help it look ‘at one’ with the garden. If you’re not sure, you could consider contacting a couple of landscaping companies for advice.

   Set Up The Perfect Seating Area

   Without a proper seating area, chances are your garden is going to waste. Investing in some good garden furniture encourages you to move from inside to the garden. A table with a parasol, chairs, a garden swing and even added extras such as a fire pit out on the patio will make the garden much more inviting to spend time in.

   Get Cooking

   To accompany your seating area, adding a place to cook will again encourage you to spend time outside. You could build a pizza oven or a barbeque which would be perfect for hosting parties. If you were looking to go all out, you could even have a full outdoor kitchen installed!

   Do you put your garden to good use, or is it wasted space for most of the year?

    

2. I Can’t Even Eat Omelette!

   Posted on 1:25pm Thursday 29th Sep 2016

   

    

   6 month brace update & bottom brace fitting

   Oh my goodness.  I’ve just tried to eat what I thought would be an easy lunch of cheese omelette with a drink of banana and strawberry smoothie.  The smoothie went down just fine, but the omelette was difficult.  Uh oh.  I think I’ve possibly had it quite lucky with my top brace and now the fun will begin!

   I’d been pretty much eating most things with just my top brace.  I couldn’t bite into apples, carrots, etc, but I could still even eat these chopped up. I’d been eating certain meals (like treat night pizza) with a knife and fork to make it easier and more manageable.  The only thing I really hadn’t been eating which I used to love was wraps and fajitas.  I think the wrap would mush all over the brace and as my top bite has moved forward so far away from my bottom teeth, biting things off with my teeth has been quite tricky.  But, if there’s a knife and fork to hand, I can eat it.  Or I could until today!

   This morning I had my bottom brace fitted.  Exciting!  BUT I also had biting blocks fitted.  These are the issue!

   The biting blocks look like blue tac – yep they’re blue.  They are on my top back teeth and are the same (or similar) material to a temporary filling.  At the moment they are sticking out to stop my teeth from biting together.  Eventually they’ll wear down and away.  But for now, the purpose is to stop me biting my teeth together.  This will enable my teeth to move as my top canines are currently getting stuck on my bottom canines meaning they’re not moving any more.  One of the top brackets was also catching on a bottom bracket so it will stop this until my bottom bite is corrected.

   So basically I now can’t bite ANY of my teeth together!  I can just bite the weird feeling biting blocks onto one  lower back tooth on each side.   So all I have for chewing at the moment is two weird biting block feeling things on two back teeth.  I attempted an omelette just now thinking it would be easy, but it was quite tricky!  Really hard to only chew on one tooth on each side and I kept biting my cheek – ouch!  This is certainly going to take some getting used to and I fear a liquid diet is going to be on the cards for a while.

   The exciting thing is my teeth should now move even quicker.  The orthodontist said the good thing is the teeth are no longer obstructed in any way so can get a move on!

   Aside from these block things, the fitting went well.  I’m now a fully fledged brace face.  Top and bottom!  The fitting was fine, no more than half hour.  I can feel the spikey brace against the inside of my mouth, but hopefully my mouth will quickly adjust and give the brace room.  My top brace only took a week or so of getting used to, so I hope this will be quick too.  I have wax on hand for any sores and it’s good to know what to expect this time.  My teeth have been feeling quite itchy since!  It’s a strange sensation and makes me want to bite my teeth really hard together – but I can’t because of the blocks!!!  There’s no pain though and maybe there won’t be, as with the top brace it hurt when I bit my teeth together, but I can’t currently do this!

   It could all be a different story in a few days once things have settled, so if there’s anything worth writing about I’ll update again. I have another two appointments before the end of this year, so my bottom teeth could really be in position and the gap start to be closed before the year is out!  That’s exciting.

    

3. Options For The Christmas Break - The Easy, The Difficult, And The Almost Impossible! *

   Posted on 3:48pm Tuesday 27th Sep 2016

   When you’ve got children that are still enchanted by the magic of Christmas, then few short weeks leading up to the big day can be tough. And it’s not all about the toys! Many kids have already started to ask for the big Christmas experience. Meeting Santa, travelling to Lapland, and eating lots of chocolate yule log. Then there’s the advent calendar, the twelve-foot tree, and all the lights that will illuminate the planet from your own home.

   When the kids finish school, there will only be a few days before the 25th to worry about. But by then, parents need to be ready. Try to get everything prepared and purchased in advance. You’re less likely to have to battle your way through the mayhem of last minute shoppers. And the kids are less likely to become over-excited by all the last minute promotions the stores will put on!

   An easy Christmas for some would involve very little of the hard work that inevitably occurs for us mums. If you work, you may already be having to book up your Christmas parties for the office. It’s always nice to have someone else do all the cooking, catering and cleaning up. Why not see if you can book a Christmas meal for the family too? If you’re travelling to be with family, this may be the easiest option for you.

    

   It can be difficult to juggle the cooking for a house full of family and guests. Vegetarian cooking is often thought to be easier. But it takes just as much preparation and attention to detail as other meals. Of course, it can be wonderful to see everyone and let the kids lap up all the attention from their favourite relatives. If you’re lucky enough to have people that like to help with the cleaning up, then it can turn into a really great event. 

   Of course, it is every parent’s dream to provide the most memorable and awe-inspiring Christmas for their kids. Many choose to take their holiday so they can enjoy a winter break with a Christmas theme for the kids. The trouble is, this can be incredibly expensive. And it’s almost impossible to gauge how your children will react. If they’re absolutely terrified of the jolly Santa or the reindeer, it can be a pretty heartbreaking Christmas.

   Most of us have to budget for Christmas each year. The cost of lights, decorations, food, and gifts can really hurt your wallet. It’s so hard to say no to your kids sometimes. And even Santa can’t give them everything! In the warmer months, it’s easy to engage them in garden activities like football, or tending to the patio garden. At the end of December, chances are the weather will be awful, so indoor activities may be best.

   We all want the Christmas break to be a wonderful couple of weeks for the kids. It’s not always easy, and sometimes it can be almost impossible to satisfy the little ones. Whether you cook at home or choose the Christmas party approach, make sure you have a little fun yourself too!

    

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