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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Favourite Posts, Opinion/Debate · June 12, 2019

What Does a Summer Body Mean to You?

For years the media have drummed into us the need for a summer body. Adverts on the TV, in newspapers, in shops and more recently online have all urged us to get bikini ready and to make sure we have the best summer body to get ready for the season of sunshine and beach holidays.

I have always had hang ups with my body and didn’t wear shorts in the UK until last summer. Until a couple of years before I wore nothing but jeans all year round as it was how I was most comfortable but then I discovered linen trousers and those lightweight trousers that look like pyjamas. My wardrobe was revolutionised but I still would not show my legs above the knees in this country. For some reason being on holiday abroad always feels different. I’m sure I am not alone – so many people have different issues with their bodies and they are all so personal to the individual.

We all have things we like about ourselves, things we don’t like, things we have come to terms with and things we want to improve. These views affect us all in different ways. Some people can look at themselves and have an opinion on their body and then hide away, feeling like if they showed their wobbly bits or skinny bits that they’d be ridiculed by others. Some people have views on their bodies but put the bikini on, put the shorts on, put the playsuit on and hold their head high. They are completely confident in the skin they’re in, accepting every blemish and dimple and not letting it affect their life in any way.

Over the last couple of years there has been a huge online revolt against summer body advertising. We are all being told to love the skin we’re in and that to truly be bikini ready we just need to put that bikini on and wear it with pride whatever our size and shape. Everybody is born summer ready and we shouldn’t need to change our bodies seasonally, we should just stick the swimsuit on and be done with it.

What Does a Summer Body Mean to You?

And I love the wave of body confidence that is flowing across the internet and into day to day life. I love seeing a more varied range of models in swimsuit advertising in shops and I love that, thanks to this new focus, so many people have been able to wear things the wouldn’t have dreamed of wearing before. So many people are embracing more of life because they no longer fear what other people think and are confident enough to wear whatever the hell they want.

I am sure there are people who are looking at the body confidence movement and wondering what is wrong with them. They don’t feel confident, they aren’t happy the way they are and they still want to lose a few pounds or even put some weight on, they want to tone up or be able to run without feeling like they’re going to die. They want to lead a healthier lifestyle and they want to make changes that conflict with every bit of body confidence advertising they are seeing.

And this is where I find it really hard to get behind body confidence when your health is at stake. I know that I am overweight as I am now. I know that if I ran for a bus I would get out of breath and walking up more than three flights of stairs puts a strain on my body. I am unfit and at an unhealthy size for my height so for me to stick a bikini on and say that I am full of body confidence and summer ready would just be a lie. Yes, I could stick a bikini on now and people would say I look fine – and I probably would – but I wouldn’t feel body confident as my body is not being as well looked after as it could be. It’s not a healthy body and that is what I think this should all come down to.

There are many people in the same situation as me who are happier not wearing swimwear and they know that if they put a swimsuit on they would not have one jot of confidence in it. They don’t even want to fake it until they feel it. They want to exercise, fake tan and diet until they have a bikini body that is both healthy and makes them happy rather than being body confident in the skin they’re in.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

A couple of years ago I wore a bikini on holiday for the first time in years – and I felt great. Last year I was heavier and happier in a swimming costume. This year, at the moment, I would hate to put a swimming costume on in public and I know that before our summer holiday I want to lose some weight, tone up and get healthier. I want to get to a point where I am comfortable, healthy and a good role model physically – at that point I know I’ll be truly confident on the beach or by the pool in whatever swimwear I choose.

What Does a Summer Body Mean to You?

But, it doesn’t feel like you can say that right now. It doesn’t feel like you can stand up and say actually, I want to be healthier and fitter, I want to lose weight, I want to tone up, I want to exercise, I want to eat better, drink more water and be the best version of myself I can be because that will make me truly confident on the beach and in day to day life.

Society was swinging all one way for such a long time and now it’s swinging so far in the other direction that I think really some of us just want a happy medium. At the moment we are at risk of glazing over our health in favour of promoting body confidence regardless of our lifestyle which could be a dangerous thing.

I don’t want advertising to just show tanned, chiseled, perfect bodies on the beach. I want advertising to show a real, healthy cross section of society and I want advertising to inspire me to be whatever I want to be – and if that is different to how I am right now then I should be allowed to make changes without feeling I am going against the body positivity movement that I know has come from a really well meaning place and is helping so many people.

If you’re happy as you are and confident as you are then that is great. But, if you’re not happy and want to make changes to any aspect of yourself or your life then that is great too. There are different paths for different people and it takes all sorts to make the world go round.

Whether you are summer ready just as you are or you are making changes to feel better on the beach and have a healthier lifestyle it’s absolutely fine. Do what works for you and everyone else can do what works for them too.

What Does a Summer Body Mean to You?

In: Favourite Posts, Opinion/Debate

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Comments

  1. Laura's Lovely Blog says

    June 12, 2019 at 9:14 am

    This is a really interesting post and I agree actually. I agree in body confidence and I find posts by some people on instagram in their bikinis whatever their size so amazing and inspiring. But there is no way I am getting in a bikini and exposing my stomach to the world. Like you I only really wear shorts on holiday, if not it’s jeans, loose trousers and long dresses and skirts for me. I agree with wanting to get healthier, although I am now quite anti-diet as it had such a destructive impact on me and I am now making very slow changes. But I also want to be in my children’s and hopefully their children’s lives for as long as I can possibly can.

    Reply
  2. Plutonium Sox says

    June 12, 2019 at 10:41 am

    I agree with you, I think the body positivity movement goes a bit too far in making us feel bad for standing up and saying that we do want to lose weight and get fitter. It’s about health for me. I have no desire to judge anyone for their size or any other aspect of their life, but I also want to be as healthy as I can, set a good example to my children of how healthy eating and exercise can be a way of life and feel genuinely confident in the way I look.
    Nat.x

    Reply
  3. Natalie Dickinson says

    June 12, 2019 at 4:57 pm

    This post is so relevant to me right now! I’ve never felt not confident until this year, and whilst I am doing something about it now, the feeling is just awful. I hate not feeling healthy or getting out of breath far easier than I should. And I don’t even own a pair of shorts that aren’t pyjamas!

    Reply

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