I always have a lot of questions about accommodati I always have a lot of questions about accommodation when we stay anywhere as a family so I thought I’d share this little tour of our room at @windjammerlanding which was a pretty perfect place to stay.

It’s the ‘Ocean View Two Bedroom’ which was like a little house, with an upstairs and downstairs, built into the hillside. Both rooms had outdoor space and their own shower rooms. Such a great option for a family.
A little photo dump from our holiday in St Lucia. A little photo dump from our holiday in St Lucia. We’ve been back a few days now but still miss the heat, the food, the pool, the constant sounds of wildlife and the lovely people. It was such a great holiday and I’m sure we’ll be back one day.
And just like that, Athena is 12! What a joy it is And just like that, Athena is 12! What a joy it is watching her grow and what a wonderful young woman she is becoming. We could not be more proud. Love you Pickle, have a great birthday.
We’ve just got back from two glorious weeks in S We’ve just got back from two glorious weeks in St Lucia staying at @windjammerlanding and it was just the holiday we needed. Two weeks of sunshine and relaxation in what must be one of the most beautiful islands in the world. 

We can’t wait to go back again in the future. Here’s just a little snippet of our trip.
AD - Press Tickets | We had such a nice day at @na AD - Press Tickets | We had such a nice day at @national_motor_museum despite the rain! The children loved the Little Beaulieu play area and we loved exploring the National Motor Museum and Top Gear exhibit before having a ride on the monorail! We went on an old open topped bus, explored the Beaulieu Manor House and loved the gardens. 
Beaulieu is always a great day out - whatever the weather. This summer they have a whole ‘Summer of Fun’ planned, with activities most days - parades, bird shows and hundreds of sculptures within the grounds too. If you’re looking for a day out this summer definitely think about heading to Beaulieu.
AD - Press Tickets | Tonight we took the kids to t AD - Press Tickets | Tonight we took the kids to their first concert - but it was so much more than just a concert! @abbavoyage is incredible. With CGI ABBA and a live band, it’s like being at an ABBA concert 40 years ago but with modern lighting, effects and sound. ABBA look and sound real, it’s a mind blowing experience.
The set includes all the songs you know and love as well as a few less familiar ones.
You can’t take photos during the show which actually made a refreshing change. A whole arena focused purely on the show and soaking up the moment. It’s definitely something the four of us will always remember.
Now, I’m off to sing Dancing Queen all the way home.
AD - Press Trip | We had such a great day at @phdo AD - Press Trip | We had such a great day at @phdockyard today. They have a fantastic Ultimate Explorer ticket that lets you visit all the attractions as many times as you like for 12 months - and after a day at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard we can see that you need more than one day to really do everything!

We explored HMS Warrior, HMS Victory and the Mary Rose Exhibition - which is incredible! We also saw where ships are built and restored and spent time in Action Stations where the kids climbed and did an assault course.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is such a fun, educational day out with something for all ages - we can’t wait to go on their harbour tours next time we visit!
AD | WIN!! Would you love to win a holiday? To cel AD | WIN!! Would you love to win a holiday? To celebrate #100YearOfARoads National Highways have launched their #ARoadsToSummer competition! It's all about celebrating summer holiday moments, time together, fun in the sun, days out and more.

So why not be in it to win it? To enter, all you have to do is send @nationalhways a DM on here with a photo or video of your favourite holiday moments. You can also comment on their Facebook or Twitter #ARoadsToSummer posts with your holiday photos. I've shared a few of our favourite photos to give you some inspiration.

The best six entries will each win a £500 @nationaltrust holidays voucher! SO what are you waiting for? Dig out your favourite holiday photos or take some new ones to share!

The #ARoadsToSummer competition runs from 24 July to 10 September 2023. Winners will be announced in September 2023.

Good luck!
Oh these two! Every day I feel lucky to have them. Oh these two! Every day I feel lucky to have them. As school draws to a close at lunchtime, I’m looking forward to a whole summer with them. My favourite people.

They’ve both had a great year at school this year. Troy’s first without his sister by his side and Athena’s first at secondary school. 

They both had great reports, always did their best and have made some really lovely new friends this year. I could not be more proud of them.

Now, let’s go and enjoy the next six weeks before school starts all over again!
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Family · January 21, 2016

14 Years of Independence

14 years ago today I officially moved out of home. Well, I actually got kicked out of home two weeks before Christmas but spent the next 6 weeks sleeping on friends’ sofas, on floors when there wasn’t a sofa and spending Christmas in Ireland – my first time on a plane and the most miserable Christmas I have ever had.

But 21st January was a new start for me. It was the day when I moved into a room in a house. It wasn’t much, a room double the size of my single bed. But it was somewhere I could finally hang my clothes, somewhere I could unpack and somewhere I could try and start again.

I ended up living in that house for nearly six years. Switching rooms half way through but still staying in that same house. It was a time that helped me a lot – gave me somewhere to live, somewhere to call home and somewhere to be happy. It was where I was living when I met Dave and when I got the job with the company I still work for now and where I learnt to drive. It was a home where I could finally be independent.

On 21st January 2002 I knew that there was no going back. I knew, at the age of 17 and a few months, that I would from then on be standing on my own two feet. I wouldn’t be going back home and I would, from then on, have bills to pay, work to go to and a whole adult life ahead of me.

From that day I was an adult, in an adult world. All my friends were at college and planning university and when, years later, I had a mortgage and a wedding to plan all those friends were still in education, still having fun and going out every night. That is how I had seen my life panning out – making friends, finishing college and enjoying my teenage years a bit more.

As it stands I didn’t really have those teenage years. I was thrown into a world I wasn’t ready for, working full time and paying rent. Trying to learn to drive at the same time and trying to squeeze a social life in somewhere too. It wasn’t all bad though. Looking back I think I did quite well for myself back then. I learnt a lot – quickly. I shrunk so many clothes learning to use the washing machine and I spent a long time living off Super Noodles and not much else. But I survived and I built myself a good attitude to work. When I had nothing else, I had work to go to and from there the rest of my life came.

Looking back that 17 year old feels like a different person. I was so young and so immature in a lot of ways but I was stubborn – I couldn’t fail. I wouldn’t fail. I would succeed.

I think, 14 years on, that despite the ups and downs I did succeed. I no longer shrink clothes in the wash and I can cook better than my 17 year old self would ever have imagined. I have lived away from home for nearly half my life and I have come so far. I think now, at this point in my life, I can say that I am proud of myself. I got through.

14 Years of Independence

In: Family

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Comments

  1. Lins @ Boo & Maddie says

    January 21, 2016 at 7:34 am

    This is such a poignant yet inspiring post. I imagine that it must have felt so tough at times, but bearing in mind where you are now you probably don’t regret it all. Well done you for using those challenges and difficult times to make yourself stronger, independent and focused Xx

    Reply
    • Donna Wishart says

      January 21, 2016 at 9:12 am

      Yep, some times were really tough but I’m a firm believer in everything in life happening for a reason. I wouldn’t be me without the experiences I have had. Thanks for reading and the lovely comments too x

      Reply
  2. Natalie Ray says

    January 21, 2016 at 7:40 am

    Wow, what a difficult time for you. I think you’ve done incredibly well to work everything out for yourself and be so successful. When I went to uni, I had just turned 18 and everything was in place for me. Despite this, it was still difficult learning to fend for myself. So to have to learn how to cope on your own completely at 17 is a real achievement. It is great to be able to look back and remember that you got through it despite everything and came out stronger.xx

    Reply
    • Donna Wishart says

      January 21, 2016 at 9:11 am

      Thanks Natalie. At the time it felt like an uphill struggle but yep, it does feel like an achievement now x

      Reply
  3. Clare @ Maybush Studio says

    January 21, 2016 at 7:42 am

    Goodness Donna, what a milestone! But you are such an inspiration and you’ve worked hard for everything you have!

    Reply
  4. Dannyuk.com says

    January 21, 2016 at 7:59 am

    Happy anniversary! No, wait. Should there be congratulations here?

    No idea.

    Well done on not letting life drag you down. Doesn’t sound like it’s been easy.

    Reply
    • Donna Wishart says

      January 21, 2016 at 9:10 am

      It hasn’t but in some ways the early years of being independent felt like they happened to someone else. Glad I’m now where I am though! x

      Reply
  5. Helen | Wonderfully Average says

    January 21, 2016 at 8:34 am

    Wow, Donna, what an incredible story! You should be so proud of yourself for everything you’ve achieved, many wouldn’t in the same situation.

    Reply
  6. Louise says

    January 21, 2016 at 9:27 am

    Gosh it must have been hard going it apne at 17, you must be mega proud of how you have dealt with stuff. I know people in their mid 30’s with families of their own who can nearly stand on their own two feet xx

    Reply
  7. Karen Hannah says

    January 21, 2016 at 1:21 pm

    I was in a very similar situation to you at 16. I’d left home, had a full time job and a part time college course, a flat to pay for and a life to build. I made some very iffy decisions along the way but ultimately ended up with a wise(ish) head on young shoulders which made me a fairly strong person. Life doesn’t always go the way we imagine it will, but for all the bad early on in my life there’s really not much I’d change. Just makes me, me. Well done you for not letting a tricky start to adulthood get the better of you. Happy independence day!

    Reply
  8. Donna Wishart says

    January 21, 2016 at 1:34 pm

    Thanks Pam. Less lemons now – more gin! x

    Reply
  9. Kelly | To Become Mum says

    January 21, 2016 at 1:44 pm

    A really inspiring post and a milestone to be proud of. Perseverance and self-belief is sometimes all you need x

    Reply
  10. Jessica Powell (Babi a Fi) says

    January 21, 2016 at 1:57 pm

    You should be so proud of yourself – *you* did it, and became the awesome person you are today! I dread to think what I’d have done left to my own devices at 17. (I still live on sandwiches if I’m left to my own devices now, heated food would have been a forgotten luxury, lol.)

    Reply
  11. Amy Bennett says

    January 21, 2016 at 4:23 pm

    I love this post, I too have living “as an adult” since I was 16, it makes you a different person, I find that these my friends now at 38 get stressed over I don;t 🙂

    Reply
    • Donna Wishart says

      January 21, 2016 at 4:46 pm

      I agree. Some people just haven’t lived in the same ways x

      Reply
  12. Donna Wishart says

    January 21, 2016 at 4:46 pm

    HAHA, I haven’t really changed much to be fair…

    Reply
  13. Mary @ Over 40 and a Mum to One says

    January 21, 2016 at 8:07 pm

    The circumstances were very different but I got told to leave when I was 18, and can relate to a lot of what you’ve written. It was really tough at the time, but I think it makes you appreciate everything just that little bit more when you really know how easy it could be to fall through the cracks and have had a very different life to the one you carve out for yourself x

    Reply
    • Donna Wishart says

      January 21, 2016 at 8:46 pm

      I’m sorry you went through that too Mary – but yes, it definitely makes you appreciate things so much more x

      Reply
  14. Katie @mummydaddyme says

    January 21, 2016 at 8:38 pm

    I know we have spoken about this before Donna but your life sounds eerily like Mr E’s. He was kicked out of home 2 weeks before Christmas when he was 18. It makes me so sad to think about him (and you) having a tough time but I am thoroughly sure it’s made him the most amazing person he is now. x

    Reply
    • Donna Wishart says

      January 21, 2016 at 8:46 pm

      I’m sure it has too. I have a feeling your Mr E is a really good man x

      Reply
  15. roystoncrandley says

    January 21, 2016 at 9:07 pm

    Did you harbour any anger for being placed in that situation at such a young age ? Giving what you know and now and what you have achieved now, would you go back and change anything

    Reply
    • Donna Wishart says

      January 21, 2016 at 9:17 pm

      I tried so hard to stay living at home, literally years of trying to sort things out but I never felt anger, just utter sadness. Hindsight is a great thing and tbh I think everything turned out for the best. It was such a messy situation that I don’t think I could have done anything differently x

      Reply
  16. Donna Wishart says

    January 22, 2016 at 8:24 pm

    It’s only really the last few months that I’ve reflected on it properly. It’s sad that ‘care’ often ends at 18 and back then I felt quite in limbo as far as the social system was concerned. Sorry you had to go through that too x

    Reply
  17. Sarah says

    January 23, 2016 at 11:18 pm

    I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you having to earn a living and pay your own way at 17 – I was still relying on my parents enormously at that age. But you did it, and look where you are now! You should be really proud of yourself for making your own way and making the lovely family you have now xx

    Reply
  18. Heledd - Running in Lavender says

    January 30, 2016 at 1:06 pm

    Oh Donna, I can’t believe this happened to you and that you went through all this at such a young age. You really have come such a long way and made a massive success of your life. I bet you are so proud of yourself now and it’s made you the person you are today. Also, I bet having children of your own makes it all the more difficult looking back at what happened.

    Congratulations xx

    Reply
  19. Claire @ Clarina's Contemplations says

    May 3, 2017 at 4:42 am

    Gosh, what a story! And what a testimony to where hard work and determination can get you. So inspirational!

    Reply
  20. Steph Curtis says

    March 22, 2019 at 8:58 pm

    You are amazing, you are a winner, you are definitely a success story! x

    Reply

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