AD | Christmas has arrived at @thelexiconbracknell AD | Christmas has arrived at @thelexiconbracknell and there’s so much to entertain the whole family whilst you do your Christmas shopping! 

Visit The Lexicon Glow Room for a magical light experience that will dazzle you with 20,000 LEDs. It feels like the room goes on forever! Then, take a dip in the Light Pool, a magical ball pool with golden balls to be found and prizes to be won!

If that wasn’t all, have a photo in the giant Christmas bauble ‘sparkling selfie station’ and follow the Twinkle Trail, spotting baubles in shop windows to collect the clues and enter to win fabulous prizes this Christmas. Plus, share your sparkling selfie station pictures, tagging #thelexiconbracknell or email them to marketing@thelexiconbracknell.com and you will automatically be entered in a competition for the chance to win a restaurant gift card too. 

There are also special performances from local choirs, bands and singers and even the chance to meet Bluey, Hey Duggee and Chase from Paw Patrol! You can be sure that a trip to The Lexicon will have something for everyone over the festive season this year. We loved our visit to The Lexicon last weekend and know we’ll be back again before Christmas!

Find out more on @thelexiconbracknell website.

#TheLexiconBracknell #Merry&Bright
AD - Press Trip | What a lovely evening that was! AD - Press Trip | What a lovely evening that was! We had our first Glow Marwell experience tonight - and we loved it. It may even be the best light trail we have been to.

We spent well over two hours at @marwellzoo, enjoying the light installations, indulging in the food stalls and cafe, toasting marshmallows and even meeting Father Christmas! 

Glow Marwell was such a nice way to kick off the festive season - and it’s on all the way through December! If you’re looking for a really nice festive activity the whole family can enjoy, this could definitely be it!
AD | Are you looking for gifts for the grandparent AD | Are you looking for gifts for the grandparents this year? @famileo_uk is a wonderful gift, giving the recipient a personalised gazette of family news regularly throughout the year - and it costs from just £5.99 a month. 

Multiple family members can use the same subscription, all posting messages to be added to one gazette - and sharing the cost of the subscription too! It’s great for parents, siblings and children to all share their news with grandparents each week, fortnight or month. 

We’ve been sending my dad Family gazettes for a while now and he absolutely loves them. It means we tell him all the little things that are happening and not just the big news you remember to mention in phone calls. The children get to upload their own messages to their grandad and it’s definitely made them feel closer, building a stronger relationship despite living far apart.

Find out more about Family over on the blog - link in bio - and buy a subscription for your nearest and dearest this Christmas. It’s a gift they will definitely love to receive.
Two weeks of Fred & George! I won’t be doing the Two weeks of Fred & George! I won’t be doing these updates every week but I like having somewhere to put all these photos!

They’re now three months old, super loving and happy, making biscuits and purring constantly.

They stay in ‘their’ room overnight but explore the house during the day, getting more confident as time passes. They even got to the point of relaxing on the sofa with us last night.

Fred & George are now very much part of our family and I can’t imagine them not being there now - even at 7am when they’re miaowing at the door for breakfast!
AD | Stuck for screen-free entertainment that your AD | Stuck for screen-free entertainment that your kids will love? Claim your FREE Banjo Robinson activity pack today!
 
Reading for pleasure is a key indicator of a child’s future success, but if your child doesn’t love to read, what can you do? We know it’s not always easy keeping kids entertained and away from screens, so we’ve partnered with the award-winning @banjorobinson to gift you a FREE activity pack, worth £9.99.

Here’s a little look at the Banjo Robinson subscription - Troy loves it! Travelling to world with Banjo is so much fun! You can read our full review over on the blog and claim your free activity pack too - link in profile.
A whole week of Fred & George. We weren’t meant A whole week of Fred & George.

We weren’t meant to get more cats just yet but sometimes the universe sends you things when you don’t expect them.

These little guys needed a home and a family to love them. And we had a home and a lot of love to give. We still miss Leia but this pair are definitely helping make me feel whole again.

They are both used to us now, and love us. They’re less nervous, give us cuddles and let us pick them up. They’re still living in our spare room but starting to explore the rest of the house under supervision. 

They play fight constant. Love toys, especially a crinkly feather thing on a string attached to a stick, and love being up high. They are an awesome pair and we are so glad to have them.

Thank you @millbrook_rspca @rspca_official for trusting us with ‘Lonestar and Starfish’. We could not love them more. 

#catsofinstagram #catstagram #catsofig #catsofinsta #catlovers #adoptdontshop #rspcarescuecat #kittensofinstagram #kittens_of_instagram
[AD - Press Trip] I’ve just finished writing abo [AD - Press Trip] I’ve just finished writing about our half term break at @pottersresort and it’s over on the blog if you want to go have a read.

I wanted to put some of my favourite photos on the grid too as the kids did so many fun activities - they had THE best time. 

Giant swing, segways, climbing, archery, laser clays… there was so much to do that we couldn’t fit it all in - we need another trip!
And there ends our October half term - well, apart And there ends our October half term - well, apart from Troy who has a bonus week off!

This half term has been pretty lovely. Troy had his school residential the first weekend and then we had a really lovely few days in Norfolk before heading home and picking up two new members of our family - Fred and George. 11 week old rescue kittens who have pretty much stolen our hearts.

It’s been so nice to have a chunk of quality time with this pair and now I’m looking forward to the Christmas holidays. These two are the best company and I really do live for the school holidays. 

How has your half term been?
[AD - Press Trip] We’ve loved spending half term [AD - Press Trip] We’ve loved spending half term at @pottersresort in Norfolk. With great food, an action packed schedule of entertainment and activities plus everything included in the price of your break - even drinks - it’s a fantastic way to holiday as a family, giving quality time together in the nicest of surroundings. 
I’ll write a full review soon but for now here’s a little Reel  of our trip.
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Family · September 16, 2015

Steps, Halves and Love

I read a post of Charlotte’s a while ago and it really hit home with me. Looking back at my family life, especially as a child, it wasn’t always the most conventional. You see, my biological Dad left when I was a baby and from 18 months old I had a new Dad in my life – my step Dad. But to be honest, my step Dad was my Dad. I didn’t know he wasn’t biologically my Dad until my last years of primary school and I didn’t actually see my biological Dad again until I was 17. So I grew up in what I thought was a typical family.

I had two brothers living at home with me when I was younger although one wasn’t around for big chunks of time – he was a bit of a troubled child and that story is best left there. Both brothers had different Dads to me so I guess they were, are, my half brothers. But when it comes down to it there isn’t anything half about siblings – they’re as much my brothers as if we’d shared a Dad, the only difference being that one of my brothers spent Sundays at a different house, with another family.

So growing up I had a Mum, a Dad and one consistent brother. It was traditional, normal and not at all unconventional. It was only in my teenage years that I learnt about all the steps and halves and broken marriages and it didn’t really effect me at all – it was what it was and it didn’t change that I had a Mum, Dad and brothers who loved me and who I loved back. It was unconditional.

My parents split up when I was sixteen, just before my GCSEs and I got kicked out of home just after my 17th Birthday. After that I got in contact with my biological Dad but things have never been the best between us – we see each other every few months and speak on the phone every few weeks in between and that’s it really. I already have a Dad – albeit one who doesn’t share the same DNA as me.

My Dad – the one the brought me up – found someone new to be with shortly after him and my Mum split up and sadly, 10 years down the line, their relationship broke down but before that it produced three gorgeous kids – two boys and a girl who are my brothers and sister. I know, there’s no shared DNA there either. But that doesn’t stop me loving them as much as my older brothers. I saw them in hospital after their births, I held them as babies and I have watched them grow into amazing kids who sadly have their fair share of family issues to deal with.

And my Mum. Well, I only have one of those – as everyone so often reminds me – but she couldn’t cope with the fact that my Dad still wanted to play that role after their divorce and she couldn’t cope with the fact my biological Dad was also in my life. In fact, she couldn’t cope with the life she had made for herself and her children and in the end that meant she couldn’t bring herself to come to my wedding and resented the life I had carved for myself – complete with step parents, half siblings and other siblings that aren’t step, or half but are still very much siblings to me.

Now, my extended family life is pretty messed up. I now have my own beautiful family and in-laws who couldn’t be better – they mean everything to me. But then I have my Dad, three little brothers and sister that I don’t see often at all, my biological Dad and my big brother who I don’t see often but we always carry on smoothly from where we left off. There isn’t much blood shared in any of my family but does it really matter?

I guess what I’m trying to say is that family comes in all different shapes and sizes. There isn’t a one size fits all when it comes to families and families are never easy. But, family is whatever works for you. I know in years to come my children will ask me questions – Where’s your Mummy, Mummy? Why do you have two Daddies? Why do Uncle J, Auntie H and Uncle E have a different Mummy? I can hear all this in the future and do you know what my answer will be? Because that’s the way things worked out. Sometimes relationships don’t last forever, sometimes you choose people to be in your life that otherwise wouldn’t be and sometimes you meet someone and they have kids, or you have more kids with them and it just works. And sometimes, sometimes you just have to walk away from people in your life. Some relationships just aren’t meant to be and sometimes you have to break away to get to a better, happier place in your life.

I grew up in what would now be called a blended family. My Mum has been married three times and had three kids with three different men, one of which she wasn’t married to – my biological Dad. Did any of that damage me, make me into a lesser person or cause me issues in later life? No. It didn’t. At times things were more complicated than if I’d grown up in a traditional nuclear family but it wasn’t bad. I had parents and siblings that loved me and a childhood that memories are made from.

Some people would say that my family was broken. Probably a repeatedly broken family but growing up I didn’t see that. I just saw the adventures we went on, the games we played, the experiences we had and the love that we shared.

As the saying goes, all you need is love and I had plenty of that.

Steps, Halves and Love

In: Family

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Comments

  1. Hannah Atkinson says

    September 16, 2015 at 7:55 am

    Gosh Donna, you should be so proud of yourself as many people couldn’t rationalise so many changes and upsetting events and come out so well rounded. I had the traditional- my parents are still together and I have one sister and I probably have more issues than you!
    I take such comfort from this post though as I am in unchartered territory with my little man and worry about how he will be affected my his father and I no longer being together and girlfriends and other ‘siblings’.
    Thank you for sharing x

    Reply
    • Donna Wishart says

      September 16, 2015 at 8:22 am

      Well Hannah, I’m sure with you to guide him and the amount of love that he clearly has that he’ll do fine 🙂 Thanks for reading x

      Reply
  2. Lindsay @ Newcastle Family Life says

    September 16, 2015 at 10:02 am

    I am so glad I read this as my eldest daughter has a different father to my youngest two . I always worry that she will feel left out or that they are only half sister and brother , I hope she never feels that. Her biological father was a waste of time and only seen her when he felt like it when she was a baby then decided to stop seeing her when she was four and my partner has been like a dad to her for the last few years. It was so reassuring reading how you have adapted to everything and see all your siblings and your step dad just the same as blood relatives. I really hope my daughter feels the same. Xx

    Reply
  3. Jess Paterson says

    September 16, 2015 at 11:03 am

    Oh, this made me well up, Donna! Such a lovely, loving, sensitive post. You look so sweet in your photo as a little girl. x

    Reply
  4. brummymummyof2 says

    September 16, 2015 at 6:06 pm

    Ah what a lovely post giving an insight into your life hun. Families are weird and come in all sorts of guises. I know parents of friends that have stayed together and are miserable and that’s effected the kids. You seem an ace well rounded person so something must have gone right with all your extended family! xxx

    Reply
  5. Laura's Lovely Blog says

    September 16, 2015 at 7:09 pm

    What a wonderfully heartfelt and honest post Donna. You are an amazing woman who embraces life and you should be proud of the positivity you find in everything. X

    Reply
  6. Katie @mummydaddyme says

    September 16, 2015 at 9:55 pm

    I really really really loved this post Donna. And it’s true all you need is love. I know we have spoken privately about family life, and I have also read what you have put on here, but it was interesting to hear your ‘story’ so to speak. So similar to Mr E’s in many ways, but different in others.
    You are creating a wonderful family and wonderful family life for your two babies. Always remember that. You should be so proud of yourself. x

    Reply
  7. cat culmer says

    September 17, 2015 at 12:09 am

    What a lovely post. I came from a ‘broken’ home. A single mother and a father who abandoned us both 2 weeks before I was born. And you know what? My childhood was bloody amazing, so it was ‘the sperm donor’ who missed out 🙂

    Cat x

    Reply
  8. Louise (Little Hearts, Big Love) says

    October 3, 2015 at 12:23 pm

    I can relate to a lot of this post with regards to slightly confused relationships with siblings. My parents were both married twice before and so I have a lot of half-siblings (although in my mind they are just my brothers and sisters – there are no distinctions with how much blood we actually share). What did confuse me later on was when my mum’s eldest son married my dad’s eldest daughter – it took a while for me to get my head around the fact that my brother had married my sister and that it was fine because they weren’t actually related to each other! Sorry to hear that your mum had such an issue with accepting your relationship with your two dads though.

    Reply

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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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