This was all set to be a November favourites post and somehow out of NOWHERE, we’re in December. Mid-December, one-week-til-Christmas-December! Arghhh. Time is flying which is great when your kids want that magical morning to arrive as fast as possible but not when you want to hold on to every day of brown-eyed gazes and double chins from your little babe but they are now pulling up and crawling and leaving a blessed trail of destruction. You can find October favourites here but for now, here are some updates and insights from this month so far.

I guess I’m a homeschooling mum?! Three years in I think I can say we’re really doing it! It’s funny how many people have got things to say. Lots of fun opinions, thoughts and beliefs that people make sure you know. I have no problem with the conversation opening up, I just thought it would be fun to de-bunk some myths, or some of the most common assumptions I’ve heard. Let’s go.

They’re here! Ethical and sustainable gift guides 2024. It’s always my hope to help you to buy better when you need to.

Enjoy!

For more articles about ethical buying:

Here’s is a list of 100 brands that pay a fair wage in case you needed other inspiration this year. 

And you can find 23’s gift guide here, 22’s gift guide here, 2021’s gift guide here, and 2020’s here. These still remain presents I would buy from brands I love. There’s also an alternative gift guide here, with lots of free and creative ideas too.

October was my birthday month, can that be my first favourite?! I thought it could be fun to do a quick roundup each month letting you know a few insights- what we’ve been eating, reading, listening to etc. Enjoy.

I managed a few books this month! I devoured ‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ I wanted something light but with heart and it fitted the brief I pitched to the friend who lent it to me entirely! I hadn’t realised it was a movie and turns out lots of people are talking about it- have I been sleeping?

Some tips and thoughts on how to raise kids who enjoy their food and in turn create altogether more positive meal times!

It’s your first year of homeschooling, you’re wondering whether you need a printer, or the beautifully fancy Pinterest curriculum but more than that you’re wondering what on earth you’re doing and whether you’re about to single-handedly mess up your child s opportunities in life forever. The truth is you’re not and another piece of truth, it’s often far simpler than we make it out to be! Here are the items we used most in our first year of homeschooling!

For the last 5 years or so I’ve tried to find a suncream I’m happy with and I have miserably failed. The ingredients aren’t quite right, it’s too tricky to apply on the kids, I want one we can all wear. Well, this year was different! I finally found one to keep buying!

On the back of Lazarus’s birth, before everything was erased from my memory, I wanted to write down some of the things I found most useful to have on hand. Of course ‘Essentials’ will be different to everybody and depending on what birth you are hoping for, but these are some of the things I found useful!

If you’ve followed me a while, you probably will be aware of my other two birth stories. Both unique- you can read them here and here, but both ended in retained membranes/placenta and a significant blood loss. Moses’ birth was also during covid which obviously meant things looked completely different to how they were intended to. I had birth trauma resoultion after each birth with the wonderful Tracy- I cannot recommend her enough.

Hello! I went into pregnancy with incredibly low iron readings that were a concern to doctors and soon, naturally I was offered iron tablets, infusions and asked if I wanted to block my periods yet not once asked about my diet or lifestyle in general. I didn’t feel comfortable with any of the options presented and took the readings as a sign I needed to make some changes.

Some of you may know how the last few, in fact, FIVE months have gone for us! Last June we found out that our landlord would need our house back, and so we started looking where was available in our area. It was no surprise (because we have moved a few times within West Sussex), that the options were limited, expensive and we knew we would need a miracle situation!

Guys. Is it just me? Every week I sit with a pen and paper and stare at a blank and empty page as I try and figure out what on earth we even cook. Fun fact: I don’t enjoy cooking. Baking I get more excited about… BUT, I love the joy of knowing my kids are getting homecooked meals that can make their bodies strong!

My favourite ethical and sustainable maternity essentials for pregnancy so far!

I grew up believing in Santa. I remember the magic of waiting and watching out my window to see his sleigh but, growing up I soon became highly anxious about a random man entering my room at night. There wasn’t even a chimney at my Grannie’s house where we went each year so did he just let himself in the front door? And, if santa could then surely a burglar could too? There was great relief at about 7 or 8 when I went in to my mum one evening and asked her to confirm he really wasn’t real.

One of the things I have wanted to keep constant throughout our home education journey was reading aloud to the kids from a storybook, always having one on the go. This could be read before going to bed or over a cup of tea during the daytime.

I’d always dreamed of homeschooling my kids but, like with anything in parenting, I dreamed a lot of things and realised when you get there, even with great intentions plans change, and so I kept my mind open. I remember being in a local library and seeing a sign saying that the sign-up for school for Heppy’s intake had passed, and I felt such peace.

It’s November…somehow?! And thoughts of Christmas slowly infiltrate!

It’s always my hope to help you buy better when you need to! Whether you have no idea what shopping more responsibly looks like, or whether you’re a pro but just need some ideas- let this be for you! 

We all dread those incoming sniffles as the temperature drops off, so here are some of our immunity go-to’s that I always have on hand/are nourishing our bodies with so we feel prepared if that time comes. I grew up thinking Calpol was the holy grail, not because my mum had told me so, but because what was better than receiving a gooey pink sugary substance through a syringe at 6 years old?