This week, the Summer Holidays have been in full swing. We are on Day 10 now, and the sun has been shining every single day… until today. I never thought I’d be so happy to see rain returning to Manchester! My word(s) of the week this week are camping at Lady Heyes….. camping

Camping At Lady Heyes

I took my youngest camping for the first time this week, and she LOVED it! We headed to Lady Heyes park in Frodsham, Cheshire. As it was our first trip, we borrowed my sister’s pop up tent, for ease. We packed up an air bed, sleeping bags, my BBQ, hubby’s camping stove and off we went…! Thankfully the campsite was under an hour away. If you’re heading further afield, these road trip activities for kids might come in handy!

We had a lovely 24 hours camping at Lady Heyes, and did lots of traditional camping stuff…

Setting Up Camp

Yep – we pitched the tent – all by ourselves! (OK, so it was a pop up tent, but we are still claiming it as a victory – especially considering we got it back into the bag the next day, too)!

We remembered to pack milk for a cup of tea. (Admittedly, it was so hot, the milk curdled after this one cup, so it was a bit of a waste, really).

We made cheese and beans on toast for our camping tea – Camping toast is so much better than toaster toast, somehow!

Exploring The Camp Site

We went to the clubhouse, and I indulged in this Malteasers ice cream and a 0% alcohol beer – I know how to party!

Toasting Marshmallows

When it started to go dark, we made a fire and toasted some marshmallows. Did you even go camping if you don’t toast marshmallows? I’ll be researching some more exciting campfire desserts for next time though!

My daughter loved being able to run around and play outside all day and evening. The campsite had a playground right near our pitch, so she spent a lot of time on there making friends. This meant I got some time alone with the camp fire and my kindle…

We had such a good time, I have already booked to go back and do it all over again…. With the dogs and my son instead, though! (I’m not brave enough to take both kids on my own just yet. The inevitable “I need a wee” trips at 3am put me off!

Needless to say, it was a fab camping trip! It far exceeded my expectations, so I was a very happy camper! Check out more of our Travel Tales here.

Finally, find out why camping is good for your mental health here!

Later this month, I’m taking my 6 year old camping for the first time. I’ve not been camping in a good 12 years, so feel like a total newbie. This will be my first camping trip as a parent, so I am trying to plan ahead. I’m hoping this will make my first trip camping with kids a success.

Planning

I have booked the site, and opted to pay for the electrical hook up. I have bought the adaptor so I can charge the tech via there, too. We’ve got a tent and sleeping bags sorted as well as a pretty decent air bed. I’d love for us to be getting right off the beaten track, but I think a gentle introduction to camping will be a better approach.

Camp Site

The campsite we have chosen only has 21 tent pitches so it won’t quite be as away from it all as I’d like, but for an introduction to camping, I think it’ll be perfect.

The campsite has a play area, communal toilet and shower block, an indoor soft play centre and a small disco / bar. I’m sure the 6 year old will love it!

I’m mostly looking forward to teaching her the joys of roasting marshmallows on an open fire and making toast on a fire too.

Some people would laugh at the fact I have bought a camping toaster for just 1 night away, but for me, campfire toast is one of the best bits of camping.

Hopes

All being well, my daughter will love camping and I’ll be able to take her brother camping soon too. Equipment wise, I still need to get a fair bit. Including torches, plates, cups and some small long life milk cartons (I can’t survive without tea)!

I’m pretty excited about our trip, and I’m sure I’ll share a post camping update soon! Do you have any tips for camping with kids for the first time?

There are so many amazing ideas for great dates during the warmer months. From walks along the beach, to picnics in the park. Dining al-fresco or watching the sun set from a hilltop. Yet it’s not quite that easy when it comes to planning dates in Winter. So with that in mind, today I’m sharing some Winter date ideas. Read on for some suggestions which may just impress your plus one.

*This is a partnered post.

Outdoor Winter Date Ideas

My first date with my ex husband involved us meeting on a cold January afternoon for a walk around a local lake. The weather was cool and crisp, and we got hot chocolate to go as we walked around the lake.

He’d told me I’d be fine in flat boots, but I really could have done with wearing my wellies or walking boots. We had a lovely stroll by the water, and enjoyed each other’s company. This was definitely a good date idea for a dry Winter’s day. Just make sure you’re both wearing appropriate footwear. For more Winter date ideas, carry on reading!

Rainy Day Date Ideas

Life in the UK means there’s loads of rain. Especially in the Winter. This makes it tricky to plan outdoor dates in advance. That doesn’t mean its impossible though. There’s loads of great places to go which are still amazing in Winter. For example, Manchester’s Cloud 23 offers views of the City from 23 storeys up. So it’s an incredible place to have a date, no matter what the season.

The Cinema or Theatre are also good ideas for a rainy day. Although they don’t strike me as particularly different from a “typical” date.

Road Trip

Alternatively, Wiltshire dating could involve a trip to Lover Village. That’s right – a village called “Lover” – it doesn’t get much more romantic than that! How cute would a loved up photo by the village sign be as your new profile picture on social media! (Assuming you’re ready to go public as a couple, of course).

Star Gazing

Cold Winter nights are usually amazing for star gazing. So why not light the fire pit, bundle up under loads of blankets and watch the stars from your garden?

If you’re feeling adventurous, you could always go for a drive to find somewhere away from the light pollution you find in towns. Pack a couple of camping chairs, some thick blankets and a flask of warm drinks, and take in the amazing light show that Mother Nature has created. Time it right, and you could even catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

Crisp Morning Walk

If you’re the kind of couple who are up and about early, why not grab a couple of coffees “to go” and take in some of your area’s natural beauty? A walk along the local riverbank or canal can be stunning on a crisp morning. Alternatively, head to your local park and feed the ducks, before grabbing breakfast together. Who says dates have to happen in the evening? In my experience, childcare is easier to find for a few hours during the day than it is in the evening.

Finally, for more Winter date ideas, why not check out these tips for dating over Christmas.

When you live in the UK, it’s almost expected that your first family holiday abroad will be to Spain. Mine certainly was. So it’ll come as no surprise that I am currently planning a family holiday to Salou. Lots of my family have been there, and have recommended lots of accommodation and attractions. So with that in mind, today I’m sharing my tips for planning a family holiday to Salou.

*This is a partnered post

Planning A Family Holiday To Salou

The first thing you should do is decide what type of accommodation you would like. If you hate cooking, then an all inclusive hotel may well be the way to go. However, if you enjoy exploring local establishments and eating somewhere different each night… Self catering accommodation will be best suited for your break. Alternatively, you can always hire a villa and cook your food in your home away from home, if you prefer. Holiday Village Spain offer a great range of self catering accommodation.

As a family, we love to go camping in the UK. So I had to consider camping Spain style. There are clamping, camping and touring caravan options, so you can pick the option which best suits your family.

Family playing at the beach

Location Location Location

My Aunt and her family have been to Salou many times, and her top tip is to choose accommodation close to Llevant Beach. She says its super clean, not mad busy and perfect for chilling out, away from the crowds.

Alternatively, opt for Playa de la Pineda for a more upmarket feel. This area has plenty of bars, restaurants and amusements, but isn’t as “tacky” as other areas of Salou.

Money Money Money

When it comes to planning a family holiday to Salou, it’s worth considering your budget well in advance. If you opt for self catering and plan on eating out a lot, you can expect to pay at least £8pp for a basic evening meal, not including drinks. So it’s realistic to assume you’ll need £50 for your evening meal each night, with a couple of drinks each.

Personally, we always save money by buying in cereal or chocolate croissants for breakfast. Given the constant stream of ice creams, drinks and snacks, the kids will probably opt to skip lunch most days anyway.

Closeup of Spanish omelette served with bread slices on table in restaurant

Things To Do In Salou

The local water park costs €25 per child and €29 per adult, when booked in advance online. There is also a theme park and Ferrari Land close to Salou, and all 3 are owned by one company. So if you love having days out when you’re on holiday, it’s worth considering getting their 3 day passes. That way you’ll get 3 days out for a reduced price, when you book in advance.

Transport

Most families opt to book a hotel close to the beach so they don’t need to travel at all once they’ve checked in to their hotel. Alternatively, others choose to hire a car so they can explore the local area. Additionally, you can use public transport. There’s a good bus route in Salou, which will get you to plenty of other areas.

The water park is approximately 3km from the main Salou beach, so it is walkable. The bus is around €2 pp and the bus runs every 10 minutes, so it’s perfect if you want to avoid the walk.

Finally, if this post on planning a family holiday to Salou has been useful, why not check out my post on planning a budget family holiday to Majorca.

Today, I’m sharing my Coleman Valdes 4 tent review. If you read my blog regularly, you’ll know that I enjoy taking the kids camping. One of the biggest issues I face when camping is the fact I take the kids by myself. Hubby isn’t a fan of camping, and pitching a standard 4 man tent alone is borderline impossible. When I was asked to review the Coleman Valdes 4 air tent, I was thrilled to accept!

Coleman Valdes 4 Tent Review

If you aren’t familiar with the air tent concept, the basic idea is that rather than fibreglass or steel poles, the tent is held up by air beams. This makes pitching your tent faster and less stressful to pitch. Additionally, it means one adult can easily do it alone!

Pitching the Coleman Valdes 4 Tent

Last month I made this video of me pitching the tent for the first time. It was a very windy day, so excuse the noise!

The tent comes packed in an oversized tent bag, complete with pump and instructions. It weighs around 21kg, so is not light. I managed to lift it in and out of our SUV easily enough though. With an RRP of £665, this tent is an investment. It is extremely well made though, so feels like it’ll last for many seasons.

We went camping with it last weekend, and I bought a large tarpaulin sheet to go underneath the tent. This serves two purposes… Firstly it keeps the bottom of the tent clean and prevents mould. Secondly, it adds an extra layer of insulation between the ground and the tent, so your tent is a bit warmer.

Camping With The Coleman Valdes 4 Tent

We went camping at Royal Umpire in Preston last weekend. It took me around 40 minutes to get the air tent up, then another hour or so to unpack everything else and sort out the air beds…

Once we were unpacked, I was really impressed at how much space we had inside. The sleeping area has a dividing wall which is removable. We took this down to allow us to block one of the doors with a chair. There was sufficient space for our camping table, two camping chairs and the dog’s large dog bed in the living space. We used the space under the table to store our cooking equipment and food.

Fab Features

There are a few things which make the Coleman Valdes 4 tent stand out in my opinion. Firstly, the hinged front door! If you’re anything like me, the constant zipping open and closed of tent doors is frustrating. Coleman have addressed this with their hinged door. It takes less than 2 minutes to pop the fibreglass poles into the door, thanks to the zip closure. Once they are in place, you can close the door to with the velcro fasteners, or the toggle which holds the door open.

The Sleeping Space

In the bedroom, we had a double camping bed the first night. Unfortunately, the double air bed didn’t fit very well, as the frame pushed out the back of the tent. I read the measurements for the tent, but failed to take the sloping rear wall into account. This wasn’t a problem the first night as we just spun the bed around so it used the space for both bedrooms.

The second and third night, we added a double height, double airbed to our setup for my son. This fit nicely into the space, but the double camp bed was pushing into the tent fabric as we had to push it over as far as we could. There was no footpace at all once it was in situ.

The thing I loved most about the sleep area is that they are Coleman’s Patent Pending Blackout Bedrooms. Once the windows and doors are closed, the sleep area is pitch black – even at noon!

The Weather Test

During our 3 night break, we had a fair amount of wind and 24 hours of rain. The Coleman Valdes 4 tent stayed upright through it all, and didn’t let in any rain. One thing to remember is to pitch your tent so the porch isn’t facing the wind. It was pretty windy when we arrived, so I pitched the tent side on, with my car alongside it. This definitely seemed to help.

The temperature was around 13-16 degrees throughout our stay, and dropped to 8-10 degrees overnight. The tent was toasty warm on all 3 nights. The kids had 3 season sleeping bags, and were both so hot they stripped to their underwear. I had 2x 1 season bags, and was perfectly happy in my PJs.

Packing Up

When the day came to pack up, it was, typically raining. Despite that, it only took 20 minutes to pack up the tent once we’d emptied all the gear. Impressively, I even managed to get it back into the bag!

All told, I highly recommend the Coleman Valdes 4 tent. It’s not cheap, but it is 100% a case of “you get what you pay for.” The tent feels like it’ll last a long time, so it’s a good investment.

Finally, if you’ve found this Coleman Valdes 4 tent review useful, check out more of my camping posts here.

We have 2 boxer dogs, and a cat. All 3 of them have pet insurance, and we thought that meant we wouldn’t face huge scary bills if they ever got sick. We were wrong.

Sneaky Pet Insurance Rules

Monty – our male Boxer has always been on the small side. At his 1 year check, the vet noticed his testicles still hadn’t descended and she couldn’t feel them when she examined him. The vet said this meant they were probably stuck inside him, and needed to be removed before they became cancerous. Of course, we agreed and set a date for the surgery.

Elective VS Essential Treatment

We immediately contacted our pet insurer and explained the circumstances. The response was – and I quote… “This type of procedure is elective, therefore it is not covered by your pet insurance. The treatment will be covered by your policy WHEN he gets cancer, but not before”.

I should add at this point that it’s not a cheap policy, and it isn’t basic cover. It’s supposedly a maximum cover pet insurance policy, which we bought via compare the market. Of course, we went ahead with the treatment, despite it costing us hundreds of pounds we didn’t really have.

Monty’s surgery left him with over 30 stitches and it took him 3 weeks to recover. They found both testicles wrapped in his intestines – the pet insurance company stood by their initial decision.

A few months later, we took the dogs camping. Monty had an allergic reaction to the long grass on the campsite and came out in hives. His neck swelled up too. We rushed him to the vet and they gave him a course of antihistamines and steroids to help him get over the worst. The vet mentioned allergy testing at this point. I was reluctant to start any treatment until the insurers approved covering it, after what had happened last time.

Pay Up Front

The vet then explained that we had to pay for Monty’s treatment up front, and then wait up to 4 weeks for the insurance company to reimburse us – assuming they approved the claim.

Again, Monty’s treatment was declined by the pet insurance company because we knew what he had a reaction to. They said unless he had a reaction to something else, they wouldn’t pay for allergy tests. This left us another £108 down, and unable to cover the cost of the allergy tests ourselves. We were about to take out a short term loan from cashlady.com, when a friend lent us the money to cover it.

A few weeks later, Monty’s insurance renewal came through – it had more than doubled despite us not having a successful claim. The reason…? He was high risk of allergies. OH THE IRONY!

Moving Forward

So…. Will I still insure my animals? YES – but only for accident and emergency treatment. It seems to me that the maximum plans are only worth having once your pet gets to a certain age and is more likely to need long term medication or treatment.

I’ve paid over £500 to pet insurance companies, plus £900+ to vets for treatments which weren’t covered by their policies this year alone.

One thing is for sure – Pets are expensive! Make sure you factor in the cost of things which aren’t covered by insurance, when considering getting a pet. These include spaying, flea treatment, worming, annual injections etc. You can find lots of information on what pets need on the vets 4 pets website.

Have you ever managed to claim successfully from your pet insurance policy when it’s not been an emergency issue? I’m yet to meet anyone who has.

You can find more of my lifestyle blog posts here.

My Sunday Photo

This Week’s My Sunday Photo was taken when we went camping a few days ago. The dogs may both be looking angelic here, but they were pests the entire time! I definitely wouldn’t advise camping with two bonkers boxer pups in tow!

Finally: Find more of my photography blog posts here.

My husband and I haven’t been on holiday abroad since we had the kids. This is partly due to our son’s Autism and partly due to finances. So far this Summer, we’ve ticked quite a few things off our family bucket list here in the UK… To get the kids used to planes, we went on a small aircraft flight 2 weeks ago. I have taken the kids camping for the first time and we’ve had lots of other adventures as well. After our successful camping trip earlier this week, I am now scouring the net, looking for budget family holidays for next Summer.

My confidence is definitely increasing when it comes to how our son handles new situations, and I am pretty sure that he’d love the flight after our short flight last month too. The biggest hurdles for us to cross will be waiting around in the airport and the hotel transfer to get to the resort. I know that once we arrive and he understands we are staying there for a week, our son will absolutely love his holiday. With it being our first family holiday, I’d prefer to keep flight times as short as possible. With that in mind, it probably makes sense to stay in Spain or the Balearics.

Santa Ponsa

I know the beach in Santa Ponsa would be perfect for our little family. We’ve visited the seaside in the UK several times this year, and I know the kids love feeling the sand between their toes almost as much as I do. The golden sand and clear blue sea in Santa Ponsa (pictured below) is a far cry from Blackpool, though…

I have been to Majorca several times, and think it would be a great place for us to go for our first family holiday abroad, for several reasons… The flight time from Manchester is only 2.5 hours – our son would manage that pretty well. Santa Ponsa is under 20 miles from Palma airport too, so a private transfer should only be around 30 minutes. (For us, it’s worth paying for a private transfer in advance. This means you’re not waiting around on a stuffy coach for other holidaymakers, and you don’t have to visit other hotels before getting to your own. It’s also better than waiting in line for hours for a local taxi).

Cabo Blanco:

If you’re not bothered about the sandy beach, Cabo Blanco is a much quieter resort. Its much less touristy, and much more peaceful. The rocky coast line puts some people off, but you get a lot more for your money here. A 4* All inclusive hotel with a kids club, Jacuzzi for the grown ups and a mini water park on site works out at around the same as 3* without these benefits in Santa Ponsa.

Cabo Blanco has a much shorter transfer time too – it’s only 10 miles from the airport. This means we should get to the resort in under 20 minutes if we opt for the private transfer option. Private transfers cost £24 each way, so they are only £2 more than shared transfers, too.

If you’re still looking for a last-minute getaway for 2018, there are some absolute bargains available. It’ll have to be next year for us though, as we all need passports.

Have you got any tips for planning your first family holiday abroad? I’d love to hear them. To read more of my own travel adventures, browse the Travel category!

My Sunday Photo

This week’s My Sunday Photo involved toasting marshmallows when we went camping! Yum Yum!

If you’re a fan of My Sunday photo, why not visit Kids, Cuddles & Muddy Puddles. She’s shared some fab photos this week, so check her out!

Finally: Find more of my photography blog posts here.