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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What the Redhead said

The Future's Bright, The Future's Ginger

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Money, Reviews, Websites and Apps · January 25, 2018

Making Plans for the Future with PensionBee | AD

*This is a paid post

Until a year ago I had always been in employed job roles with huge organisations. We had so many company benefits from great maternity packages and sick pay to preferential rates on financial services and pensions.

Because of this I have never had to think about a pension. I knew I had a certain percentage of my salary deducted each month and my employer would match that, giving me a nice index linked pension pot when I retired.

But, a year ago I made the move to go self employed and with that freedom and independence came so much change. I didn’t have a guaranteed income each month anymore, I didn’t have to wear a uniform and I could take the children to school each day. But, I also didn’t have any work related benefits that I was used to.

There was no longer any sick pay, no holiday pay, no special discounts and no pension scheme. My pension contributions have been frozen and all the pension paperwork I was given when I left my job has been sitting on my desk, waiting for me to work out what to do with the money in that pension pot.

I can either add it to a new personal pension scheme or I can just leave it there where, when I reach retirement age, it will mature, like any pension. But, the money in that pension pot isn’t enough to do much with – I only paid into it for about six years in total.

So the time has come to start paying into a pension again but like most people the world of pensions is a minefield for me. Full of terminology and with something so important I wouldn’t want to make a mistake, make the wrong decision and end up not having a pension when I retire.

Making Plans for the Future with PensionBee

But PensionBee make pensions simple. They have a pension calculator that you can play with to work out exactly how much you should be paying into a pension each month to get your desired annual income after you retire.

The calculator looks at any existing pension pots, how much your employer pays into a pension and whether you will be making any lump sum contributions. This is as well as your age and your desired retirement age.

Making Plans for the Future with PensionBee

The pension calculator has shown me that the more I can save the more money I will have access to when I retire. This is easier said than done when you have a young family and so many expenses but as the picture from the Pension Calculator above shows, the amount I can afford to pay in at the moment isn’t quite enough to generate the right level of pension for me at retirement. However, the image below shows that as our circumstances change, if I am able to increase the amount I pay into the pension I will be in a much better position at retirement.

Making Plans for the Future with PensionBee

Also, if I retire later then my pension will start being paid out later, giving me longer to build up my pension pot. Realistically, I would love to retire by the time I’m 65 and I hope that once all the work on the house has finished I will be in a position to plough money into a pension – and PensionBee has definitely pointed me in the right direction.

On top of that, PensionBee are able to transfer my existing frozen pension to one of their good-value online plans, making my financial future as far as pensions are concerned that much more straightforward and easy to manage.

Making Plans for the Future with PensionBee

Now I just need to sit down and look at how much I can afford to put aside each month. Every little helps and the sooner I start paying into a pension again, the better. Plus, I can change the amount I pay in at any point so if something changes I know that I can increase or decrease the payment when needed. This will give me complete peace of mind both now and when I retire.

Do you have a pension and are you paying in enough to support you in retirement? You can use PensionBee’s Pension Calculator to make sure that when you retire you are in the best possible position.

Making Plans for the Future with PensionBee

PensionBee is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. With pensions, your capital is at risk. The value of your pension with PensionBee can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you started with.

In: Money, Reviews, Websites and Apps

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Hi everyone! I'm Donna. Mummy. Blogger. Social Media Manager. Traveller. Lover of stars, rainbows and gin. Firm believer that tea and cake can fix most things.

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