May 26, 2013
by Mirka
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Do you offer your kids vitamin supplements?

Looking after my children’s, mine and my husband’s health is definitely the most important thing for me. I think we are a very sporty family, love so many different kinds of sports, and also would say we try to eat healthy food. I am always so proud when Isabelle has a play date, and her friend’s mum reports she ate everything, even the vegetables. I think we are extremely lucky as she has never been a fussy eater, and to be honest I get easily stressed these days so wouldn’t even know how to cope with that. Of course she has her favourites, but when I tell her she has to eat at least a bit of something she is not that keen on eating, she still eats it. Luckily there isn’t anything she thinks is “disgusting”, as of course I wouldn’t make her eat anything she would find repulsive.

There are days that I feel like a super mum as I manage to control everything, I know exactly what both girls ate, and that way I know the “healthy meals” column is ticked for the day. These would mostly be the weekend as I can never really know what Isabelle really ate at school. I am not a fan of lunch boxes, and have mentioned this here before. For me it needs to be a hot lunch, a proper meal. But I think this has to do something with the fact I was brought up in the Czech Republic, where lunch is the main meal of the day, and dinner isn’t as important.

Anyway on the days when I cannot really know Isabelle gets all the vitamins she should, I go for the vitamin supplements. I came across a few that taste nice and she enjoys eating them. I often take fish oil supplements myself, and if you are or are planning to get pregnant don’t forget about the folic acid too. A very important think to do for your developing baby as it is scientifically proven that it prevents spina bifida. I will never forget how beautiful my hair and nails were when I was pregnant, and really think it was due to taking all the vitamin supplements.

In association with Multivits.co.uk

 

May 25, 2013
by Mirka
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Escape with Forest Holidays!

The first weekend in May we were invited to a very special blogging event, the opening of the new Blackwood Forest Holidays site in Winchester, Hampshire. Daddy wasn’t feeling great, so at the end I had to jump in the car and drive on M25 which as expected was not a piece of cake. Instead of taking us just over an hour it took as almost two hours thanks to heavy traffic. Escaping London is a great thing, and I was really hoping it was worth the journey.

When we arrived we were greeted by the friendly stuff and as we were a bit late, we headed straight for the cafe where lunch was served. There we ran into my blogging mate Uju from Babes About Town, and Isabelle was so delighted to see her two boys again. After the lunch went for our adventure walk with one of their forest rangers, who was revealing so much interesting information to the children and us mums too. For example, did you know you can eat birch tree leaves? I wouldn’t recommend it instead of your salad, but it would do to survive in the wild! Of course that was a huge hit with the children, and I even let Olivia to have a go, and she seemed to like it too! When the forest ranger announced we would be making fire, there was loads of excitement! All children started collecting dry sticks, pine cones, and other thighs that could be useful.Building a den was definitely welcome by all the children, who couldn’t get enough of climbing in and out!

And here is a little video of how to start a fire!

But the best part was still ahead of me. The main reason why we were invited were the new built cabins. I didn’t check the website before the event and had no idea what to expect. I can tell you that as soon as I walked in, I felt in love with the birch cabin. I love the layout of it, all the furniture, kitchen appliances, absolutely everything was according to my taste. I was sad daddy wasn’t able to see this, as am sure he would agree this would be a fantastic place to escape to from our busy London lifestyle. Hopefully soon!

Forest Holidays offer naturally inspired short breaks and holidays in luxury cabins and tree houses based in beautiful forests across the UK. All the sites operate entirely and exclusively within Forestry Commission land.

Check out some more fabulous pictures at Forestipedia, a new online resource that explores all aspects of life in the forest and stemmed from Forest Holidays wanting to share their expertise of the UK’s green, open spaces and create an informative resource about forests in the UK.

May 25, 2013
by Mirka
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Five Mistakes to Avoid When Booking a Holiday Online!

One of the easiest ways to book a holiday, the internet has opened many doors for travellers looking to book a quick break away. While there is plenty of information on what to look for and where to go, what about the common mistakes which should be avoided?

To help, here are five of the biggest offenders when it comes to online bookings.

1. Not reading reviews

There are now a great number of websites dedicated to providing a sphere in which holidaymakers can review everything about their holiday; from transport to accommodation and sightseeing. These sites are often an invaluable source of information about a place or company and should be used as much as possible. Not only will they help you plan a holiday but they should also stop you from making any terrible decisions over where you’re going.

2. Forget to include add-ons

It is often the case that you will spot an absolute bargain deal on a flight or room, get round to booking and find out that you had forgotten to include all the additional costs, taxes and duties that weren’t included in the advertised price. These additional costs can really increase the cost of a holiday and it is important to factor them into your budget to ensure there aren’t any nasty surprises when you begin to pay for things.

3. Not using travel specialists

Though sometimes it may be beneficial to take complete responsibility for a holiday and book every component individually, sometimes it is far easier and more efficient to utilise a specialist travel service. Companies such as the Co-operative Travel are able to provide you with a great deal of information; make the booking process simpler. Even if you don’t use them in the end, it is worth taking a look through their website for inspiration.

4. Forgetting insurance

Though no one ever expects an accident to take place on holiday, it is important to ensure you’re prepared for any eventuality. Consequently, it is vital that you don’t forget to purchase travel insurance, securing your possessions, health and holiday against any unfortunate accidents. The security afforded by insurance means that, if something does go wrong, the damage will be limited.

5. Not checking travel documents

It is surprising how often people make and book travel plans only to find that their passport is set to expire or that they have misplaced it. Ensuring that you have all the necessary travel documents on hand, and that they are all in order, is incredibly important when it comes to making travel plans and should never be overlooked.

This guest post was written by Amanda Walters