Omego have developed a fully functional mobile phone for children. Unlike regular cell-phones, the Omego phone can be completely controlled: when and who a child can call, who can call them (to ensure strangers or unwanted calls are not received), plus many more useful features.

The design of the handset is also very useful for younger hands: it cannot easily be broken or damages (issues which concern many parents in offering their child a regular handset to stay in touch!). Also it includes educational games and a fully featured kiddie scheduler so the children will always be organized.

You can purchase the Omego phone with either a 12 month contract (for £15 per month, the handset is free), or as a Pay as you Talk handset from Amazon.co.uk which currently costs £89.99 (plus delivery).

For more information or to purchase an Omego phone, visit the Omeg0 website at www.omegomobile.com

Image credit: Peter Verkhovenskey

With the new year fast approaching, I've been on the lookout for a new diary/organizer to help me keep track for the family. While most diaries and personal organizers are created to help women schedule for themselves, only a few seem to offer organization for a busy family. And any mum knows just how difficult it can be to keep track of all the family's appointments! So here are three of my favorites, any one of which would be a welcome Christmas gift for a busy parent!

The "Mom Agenda Kitchen Folio"

This particular organizer is aimed as mommies in the US though it's really so useful for any mum, no matter where in the world she may live!

With this nifty organizer, you can store class lists, school schedules, sports schedules, menus and more in heavy-duty, clear plastic page protector. There are 24 interchangeable tabs so you can organize for each child or family member with ease, and there are forms for Birthdays/Anniversaries, Babysitter's Info, Medical Info, Important Phone Numbers, and more. This could easy become the organization hub for your whole family and beyond. What's more, it's delightful to look at with the pink faux lizard skin jacket!

Cost $32.95 plus postage (approx £20)

You can order the Mom Agenda from www.momagenda.com, and can download free sample pages and day planners for print from the site too.

The Dodo Household Stuff Book

This is a gem of a household book, with it's unique design and especially the usefulness of the pages contained within. The Dodo Household Stuff book has sections and pockets for every conceivable household scenario, from birthdays and anniversaries to motor maintenance and home insurance.

You can purchase this either directly from the Dodopad website, or through Amazon (which is slightly cheaper, especially when accounting for the postage costs). You can also purchase extra pages to be used with the Household Stuff book, or find a range of complementary stationary to match the Dodo design.

Cost £18.95 from Dodopad.com

Life Book Diary

Here is another beauty of a family organizer: the "Life Book" by Organized-mum.co.uk. Of the three books I've looked at here, this is the one I covet the most: aside from being incredibly useful with stickers and sections to help you keep the whole family well organised, this is beautiful to look at, heardwearing and luxurious with the optional tan leather cover!

Price: from £5.99 for the pocket diary to £28.99 with tan leather cover from Organized-Mum.co.uk

Image credit: BitchBuzz

I came across this fabulous meme over at Ingenious Rose's blog and just had to nab one for myself! You can generate one for yourself over at Masquerade Mask Arts.

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Honourable Lady Amanda the Convincing of Mellow under Trollness
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

So what's your peculiar aristocratic title?

Any service which makes life easier gets the thumbs up from me, so I was thrilled to discover MySupermarket.co.uk:

"Our aim is to help shoppers get the best possible price for their supermarket trolley while enjoying an easier and more consumer-friendly shopping experience"

You can say that again! I tried MySupermarket out yesterday and was more than pleased with this service. This site offers your favorite supermarkets all in one place; you can shop online or print off a shopping list to shop for your items in your own time. But the best thing about this site is that you are shown cheaper alternatives to your selection and can swap items to get better value for your money. Also, you can view equivalent items from other supermarkets and are presented with the total cost so it's easy to see if you could save money by shopping elsewhere.

As a mummy, I do prefer to do my shopping online and have it delivered to my home. This saves me so much trouble (not to mention time) of traveling to the supermarket and putting up with the tantrums of my two year old while we shop. For me there's nothing worse than trying to read the labels on a can of soup while my daughter races around throwing unmentionables in the trolley or strops when she can't have a bucketful of sweeties all to herself! With MySupermarket, I found I can also save a lot of money simply by choosing different (but equivalent quality) items for my basket, like this:

Another feature of MySupermarket is the "Health Checker": this can help you choose healthier items for your basket based on fat content and calories: excellent for those who are watching their tums in the pre-Christmas run up!

It's a really easy service to use: once you have chosen your supermarket, you simply choose your shopping items as normal, and when you're ready to check out you'll be given options to swap items in your trolley for those which are cheaper or healthier. You'll also see how much it would cost to buy the same products from a different supermarket branch instead, so you'll quickly know if you can save money by shopping elsewhere.

I'm really impressed by MySupermarket.co.uk and will definitely be using this for my Christmas grocery shop instead of bracing the aisles! What's more, I can do the shopping whenever I want to, even at 1am when the kids are all snugly tucked up in bed.

I hope you will enjoy this great service as much as I do. Please let me know what you think by leaving your comments and opinions below.

Image credit: Simon Shek

Primark is perhaps most famous for it's cheap clothing and accessory ranges. So it came as some surprise to me that this great clothing store now has a range of ethical, eco-friendly clothes on offer too!

As always, these ranges offer great value for money: the white T-shirt (top left) is priced at only £4, as is this gorgeous boob tube. There's even more available in store, including long-sleeved tops which are perfect for the cooler months ahead.

More eco-friendly products are set to be in store in the new year, including selected styled for kids and babies. I'm really pleased that my favorite clothing store has opted to be more ethical about the sourcing of their clothes. And since these items are so reasonably priced, we can look good, make a difference, and not have to worry about breaking the bank to do so!

Do you drool over the latest designer handbags while knowing you could never afford the real thing? Beautiful though they may be, designer handbags can often cost more than we'd spend on food in a whole year!

But help is at hand: The Little Bag Company have a gorgeous range of designer-inspired handbags at a price we can all afford, such as this Fendi-inspired little number which is priced at only £24.99!

There are loads of designs and colors to choose from, and postage is very reasonable at around £3.00 per bag for first class delivery to the UK mainland.

For the man in your life you can also find a range of leather wallets, credit card holders and funky key-holders which are very reasonably priced.

The Little Bag Company offers real value for money, even competing with high street prices for style and quality. This is a great shopping site to visit for Christmas gifts for family and friends (and also as a hint to your other half...).

Bullying is a widespread problem, damaging the mental and physical health of children and young people.

• 45% of all children have been bullied (Department for Education and Skills)
• Bullying worsens social exclusion
• Victims of bullying lack confidence, often have few friends, spend their leisure time alone, and often suffer from anxiety, sleep problems, depression and even suicide (Royal College of Psychiatrists)
• 1 in every 2 school exclusions and 46% of school non-attendance is in some way related to bullying (Institute of Education)
• Bullying has a damaging effect on educational attainment
• School policies to tackle bullying are not always effective

If you are a parent whose child has been the victim of bullying, you will be only too aware of the problem, and the emotional turmoil it creates. Anti-Bullying week helps schools and communities coordinate anti-bullying strategies, and bring widespread awareness to the problem of bullying.
Anti-Bullying week runs from the 19th to the 23rd of November, and gives us all a chance to educate our children about bullying and how it can be stopped. Many schools and national authorities across the country are taking part in events and activities to raise awareness of this campaign. You can find out what's happening in your area by visiting the Anti-Bullying Alliance events page.

If you think your child has been the victim of bullying, talk to them about this and reassure them that they have done nothing wrong. Many children are afraid or embarrassed to talk about their problems and need reassurance to know that they will be alright. Schools generally take a tough approach to bullying, so if you worry that your child has been bullied at school, you should arrange to meet your child's teacher and ask about your school's policies on bullying.

For more information about Anti-Bullying Week, check out these useful and informative sites:

• http://www.beatbullying.org/
• http://www.uniteagainstbullying.com/
• http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

Bullying is something we all fear for our children, especially in this modern age when bullying can take so many different forms. This week is Anti-Bullying Week: an annual event organised by the Anti-Bullying Alliance which was formed in 2002 by the NSPCC and National Children's Bureau. Over 65 different organisations are involved in the Alliance, who have helped build the profile of Anti-Bullying week at both national and regional level. Anti-Bullying Week takes place this year (2007) between the 19th and 23rd of November. The theme is around school and community and explores safer routes to and from school, community cohesion, engaging parents/carers in school life, cyberbullying, and extended school provision. As well as a launch event in London there are many local and regional events taking place - take a look at the organisation's website for details.



The video above was produced by Nickelodeon as part of their anti-bullying campaign. As a parent whose child has recently suffered at the hands of bullies at school, I found this video both touching and motivational. Armed with information and support, we can surely help our children to beat the bullies, and also ensure that our children do not become bullies themselves.

When I saw an advertisement for the Irobot Roomba in a magazine, I admit I thought it was a joke. A robotic vacuum cleaner that cleans your floors while you are away from home? The stuff of dreams (or perhaps for those with millions to spend on a whim). So I was surprised when I checked this out and discovered that Irobot have sold over 1.5 million of these worldwide.

Even more shocking was the price tag: currently around £195 in the UK (and far cheaper than this in the United States).

Not that I'll be trusting the cleaning of my own house to a robot though! My kids make far too much mess for such a small device to effectively clean this house!

Theme parks, shopping malls and MacDonalds can all become rather expensive methods of entertaining the kids. And free days out are hard to find these days...

Or are they?

Kids Go Free is a great website which helps you find free (and low cost) days out and activities for the kids. You can search by town, postcode or area for attractions close to you.

This site is becoming invaluable in locating free and cheap days out for the family, especially when it comes to the school holidays! At Kids Go Free, you can find everything from local city farms to museums, walks and historical attractions near you. It also includes directories of "family-friendly" places to eat and stay.

Check it out the next time you're looking for an inexpensive way to entertain the kids. You could even use this as a bargaining tool so the children will put up with your Christmas shopping over the next few weeks!

Theme parks, shopping malls and MacDonalds can all become rather expensive methods of entertaining the kids. And free days out are hard to find these days...

Or are they?

Kids Go Free is a great website which helps you find free (and low cost) days out and activities for the kids. You can search by town, postcode or area for attractions close to you.

This site is becoming invaluable in locating free and cheap days out for the family, especially when it comes to the school holidays! At Kids Go Free, you can find everything from local city farms to museums, walks and historical attractions near you. It also includes directories of "family-friendly" places to eat and stay.

Check it out the next time you're looking for an inexpensive way to entertain the kids. You could even use this as a bargaining tool so the children will put up with your Christmas shopping over the next few weeks!

I've started the makeover process now, and have uploaded my brand new, fancy template! I hope you like these changes so far!

I know there are loads of links which need to be changed or added, and that most of my previous widgets are gone. In the next few days I'll tidy things up a bit and soon everything will look and act better than it ever did before!

If you're looking for a new template for your own Blogger blo, why not check out the selection I created over at Blogger Buster? There are various templates available to suit almost all tastes and preferences, or you could even search through the archives to find a tutorial to help you customize your own...

I've started the makeover process now, and have uploaded my brand new, fancy template! I hope you like these changes so far!

I know there are loads of links which need to be changed or added, and that most of my previous widgets are gone. In the next few days I'll tidy things up a bit and soon everything will look and act better than it ever did before!

If you're looking for a new template for your own Blogger blo, why not check out the selection I created over at Blogger Buster? There are various templates available to suit almost all tastes and preferences, or you could even search through the archives to find a tutorial to help you customize your own...

Now that I have a Pagerank (of three, no less!), and have made several blogging friends who have inspired me, I've finally decided to give Glamumous a complete overhaul! So in the next few weeks or so, you'll see many changes here on the Glamumous site, including a brand new makeover and a focus on all things "Glamumous"!

I hope you will like the new look and focus of this blog. I will blog about all these changes as they are happening, and as always appreciate any comments and suggestions you may have on this subject.

Now that I have a Pagerank (of three, no less!), and have made several blogging friends who have inspired me, I've finally decided to give Glamumous a complete overhaul! So in the next few weeks or so, you'll see many changes here on the Glamumous site, including a brand new makeover and a focus on all things "Glamumous"!

I hope you will like the new look and focus of this blog. I will blog about all these changes as they are happening, and as always appreciate any comments and suggestions you may have on this subject.

I bet the contestants had so much fun in this race, which was held in St Petersburg! The winner was awarded $3000 dollars worth of shopping vouchers. I so wish there was such a competition near me, I'd be one of the first to sign up!

I bet the contestants had so much fun in this race, which was held in St Petersburg! The winner was awarded $3000 dollars worth of shopping vouchers. I so wish there was such a competition near me, I'd be one of the first to sign up!

I have just signed up with : an advertising scheme which is surprisingly simple to use. With TLA, you can create available spaces in your blog to sell as advertising space. TLA handle the advertisements for you, and to begin earning money you only need to add a new feed to your blog's layout.

Simple, yes?

For me, this is certainly much easier than fiddling with AdSense codes, and I won't have wasted the advertising space with ads that dopn't earn me any revenue: as soon as an advertiser purchases space in my blog, the payment will be sent to my account. And I don;t have to wait for months on end to receive payment either, since the minumum transfer is only $25!

As for how well this will work for me (or how much money I could earn from this program), only time will tell.

Tonight it's Halloween, and how I wish my little ones would join in the celebrations!

My son has never wanted to dress up or go "trick or treating", and now that he's eleven he's even more reluctant! Little Angel (bless her) is scared to death of anyone dressed up in a spooky costume! She won't even go near the Halloween section in the supermarket as she's frightened that the sinister display will somehow come to life...

Back when I was a kid, I used to plan my costume weeks in advance. I loved Halloween, more for the spirit of the evening than for the sweeties I'd bring home at the end of the night! My friends and I would sit round each other's houses until our parents made us come home, telling each other spooky stories, trying to be the storyteller who could scare the others the most. This year, I'm resigned to watching (slightly) scary movies with my son, who luckily does seem to have inherited my passion for horror flicks!

Wishing all of you a very happy Halloween!

Tonight it's Halloween, and how I wish my little ones would join in the celebrations!

My son has never wanted to dress up or go "trick or treating", and now that he's eleven he's even more reluctant! Little Angel (bless her) is scared to death of anyone dressed up in a spooky costume! She won't even go near the Halloween section in the supermarket as she's frightened that the sinister display will somehow come to life...

Back when I was a kid, I used to plan my costume weeks in advance. I loved Halloween, more for the spirit of the evening than for the sweeties I'd bring home at the end of the night! My friends and I would sit round each other's houses until our parents made us come home, telling each other spooky stories, trying to be the storyteller who could scare the others the most. This year, I'm resigned to watching (slightly) scary movies with my son, who luckily does seem to have inherited my passion for horror flicks!

Wishing all of you a very happy Halloween!

I'm always on the look-out for bargains, and this really is one of the best I've found in recent weeks!

Vistaprint, famed for their 250 free business cards offer, are now offering even more personalized stationary for free! You can choose from desk calendars, holiday cards, postcards and even more. You only need to pay for the postage!

As Christmas is only a couple of months away, this could be a great opportunity to bag a few free stocking fillers for your family and friends. Or you could choose the free business cards for yourself, and use these to help promote your blog!

My husband yesterday received the business cards he ordered to help promote his cell-phone shop, and he's rather pleased with how good they look. What's more, as we are now Vistaprint customers, we've been emailed even more great offers (free T-shirts, personalized rubber stamps and notecards) which are only available to customers who have completed an order.

Why not try Vistaprint for yourself? As all these offers are free, you really have nothing to lose!

I'm always on the look-out for bargains, and this really is one of the best I've found in recent weeks!

Vistaprint, famed for their 250 free business cards offer, are now offering even more personalized stationary for free! You can choose from desk calendars, holiday cards, postcards and even more. You only need to pay for the postage!

As Christmas is only a couple of months away, this could be a great opportunity to bag a few free stocking fillers for your family and friends. Or you could choose the free business cards for yourself, and use these to help promote your blog!

My husband yesterday received the business cards he ordered to help promote his cell-phone shop, and he's rather pleased with how good they look. What's more, as we are now Vistaprint customers, we've been emailed even more great offers (free T-shirts, personalized rubber stamps and notecards) which are only available to customers who have completed an order.

Why not try Vistaprint for yourself? As all these offers are free, you really have nothing to lose!

Today is my 29th birthday. The kids woke me up with a lovely birthday hug, and Hubby Dearest planned a surprise dinner out for us at a lovely local restaurant which has just opened. What a lovely treat!

I just wish there were more years until I hit the dreaded thirty... Does this mean I can start lying about my age now?

For your eighteenth birthday to my special Sis: I hope all of your wishes come true. May each hour and minute be filled with delight, And your birthday be perfect for you!

With love from all the family xxx

For your eighteenth birthday to my special Sis: I hope all of your wishes come true. May each hour and minute be filled with delight, And your birthday be perfect for you!

With love from all the family xxx

Today Dad finally was discharged from hospital after all the problems which resulted from his operation. He's seemed much better for the past couple of weeks, in fact, though the doctors didn't want to let him leave until they were sure he's be safe and well at home.

What a lovely birthday treat for my sister and I (as both our birthdays are coming in the next week)!

I'm so glad he's home, and now I'll be able to visit much more often as I won't be struggling to find a sitter to visit in hospital any more :)

Today Dad finally was discharged from hospital after all the problems which resulted from his operation. He's seemed much better for the past couple of weeks, in fact, though the doctors didn't want to let him leave until they were sure he's be safe and well at home.

What a lovely birthday treat for my sister and I (as both our birthdays are coming in the next week)!

I'm so glad he's home, and now I'll be able to visit much more often as I won't be struggling to find a sitter to visit in hospital any more :)

My main blogging venture of late has been my other blog: Blogger Buster. This is where I discuss and tutorial-ize everything I've learned about blogging so far.

I'm so proud that I started this blog now! At first it began as an offshoot from Glamumous, since it was here that I first started blogging about blogging with Blogger. When I noticed that my posts about blogging were the most popular here, I quickly realized that I ought to create a blog about this specific subject, rather than clutter this one up with technical info. And it really paid off! These days I get loads of comments, emails and opportunities from Blogger Buster, which really fuels my desire and ambition to blog.

I've also developed a love of creating Blogger templates, and have now created quite a few original designs which you can download and use in your own blogger blogs. What's more, a few people have asked if I'll create custom designs for them too!

So if you need any helo with your Blogger blog, or are looking for Blogger templates, head on over to my Blogger Buster blog and you'll be sure to find something to interest you!

My main blogging venture of late has been my other blog: Blogger Buster. This is where I discuss and tutorial-ize everything I've learned about blogging so far.

I'm so proud that I started this blog now! At first it began as an offshoot from Glamumous, since it was here that I first started blogging about blogging with Blogger. When I noticed that my posts about blogging were the most popular here, I quickly realized that I ought to create a blog about this specific subject, rather than clutter this one up with technical info. And it really paid off! These days I get loads of comments, emails and opportunities from Blogger Buster, which really fuels my desire and ambition to blog.

I've also developed a love of creating Blogger templates, and have now created quite a few original designs which you can download and use in your own blogger blogs. What's more, a few people have asked if I'll create custom designs for them too!

So if you need any helo with your Blogger blog, or are looking for Blogger templates, head on over to my Blogger Buster blog and you'll be sure to find something to interest you!

As you may have read a few posts back, my Dad had to go to hospital for a lengthy operation on his spine.

I felt really bad about being on holiday while he was still recovering in hospital, though I did my best to keep in touch everyday and by the time we arrived home, Dad was discharged, safe and sound at home.

Or so we thought...

Only a week after being discharged, Dad was back in hospital again. He had an infection in the wound from his operation and had become severely ill again. Later today, Hubby Dearest will be looking after the kids so I can go visit him on the ward. I do hope he's feeling a bit better today.

It's been such a long time since I last updated this blog... Of course, I know I should have updated sooner, to let my few readers know about my lengthy absence from this blog. But what with one thing and another, I simply didn't have the time or the inclination to do so....

Yes, I'm a terrible mommy blogger! I know this and from now on vow to keep this blog updated, as I should have done all along.

In fact, I have a few bright and wonderful ideas in mind for the (soon-to-be-newly-revamped) Glamumous blog!

So keep your eyes peeled. You could be in for a pleasant surprise!

It's been such a long time since I last updated this blog... Of course, I know I should have updated sooner, to let my few readers know about my lengthy absence from this blog. But what with one thing and another, I simply didn't have the time or the inclination to do so....

Yes, I'm a terrible mommy blogger! I know this and from now on vow to keep this blog updated, as I should have done all along.

In fact, I have a few bright and wonderful ideas in mind for the (soon-to-be-newly-revamped) Glamumous blog!

So keep your eyes peeled. You could be in for a pleasant surprise!

Last night, my son came in screaming moments after he'd gone out to play across the road. He'd been so preoccupied with a gift he'd just received from his aunt that he walked out into the road without looking, and...

Well, you can guess what happened.

He was so SO lucky to have come out of it with only bruises and a sore leg! The driver of the van was so concerned and stayed until he was certain my son wasn't badly injured. I hardly remember what I did, except that I sobbed and insisted on stripping him to his underpants right in the open doorway until I knew for certain nothing was bleeding or broken.

So so lucky. And so unlike my son to cross the road without looking both ways first! I've installed road sense into him from the moment he could walk, so I can only believe he must have been too excited about his gift and the impending holidays.

I thank God that he is safe and well. Heaven knows what I'd have done if he'd been seriously hurt, or worse... I'm so glad that the driver had enough sense to drive through our road with caution and safe speed, since there are almost always children playing in the street. If the car had been one of the "boy racers" who speed through the road at night, I certainly wouldn't be here writing this post now.

Thank God for small mercies, and for keeping our children safe.

Today I took Dad to hospital, where at present he's being prepared to have major surgery on his spine. I hated leaving him there alone and nervous. These days, he seems so weak and sad, and pained. It hurts me to see him this way, so I know the operation he's having can only make him more comfortable than he is at present.

The picture above was taken when Dad was feeling much healthier, and this is always the way I remember him: seemingly invincible and happy. I do hope he's well enough for me to visit tomorrow evening during visiting hours. Now I feel so guilty that we're going on holiday this Saturday, as I won't be able to visit him after tomorrow, and I'm really anxious about him. If it wasn't for the kids, I'd have cancelled the holiday and stayed at home instead to be there when he needs his family close by. At least I'll be in Sheffield when he comes out, to help him at home while everyone else is at work.

Miss you Dad!. All my love and hopes for your swift recovery!

Today my little man spent an "induction day" at his new comprehensive school. I was so nervous for him! He still seems too young and small to be attending comprehensive!

But he dispelled all my fears when he met me in the car park at 3pm, all smiles and gossip about how much he'd enjoyed the day. He;s already made friends with some of his classmates and feels he knows his way around the maze of corridors, which is no small feat considering the size and scale of the school!

Only six weeks of holiday to go now before he's there full time! Still, we have to get through a summer of rain before then...

Technorati Tags: comprehensive | school | education | induction+day

Today my little man spent an "induction day" at his new comprehensive school. I was so nervous for him! He still seems too young and small to be attending comprehensive!

But he dispelled all my fears when he met me in the car park at 3pm, all smiles and gossip about how much he'd enjoyed the day. He;s already made friends with some of his classmates and feels he knows his way around the maze of corridors, which is no small feat considering the size and scale of the school!

Only six weeks of holiday to go now before he's there full time! Still, we have to get through a summer of rain before then...

Technorati Tags: comprehensive | school | education | induction+day

• Sheffield United F.C. Open Day - Bramhall Lane, Sheffield on Sunday the 29th of July 10am-3pm
• Flood Benefit Gig, Little Man Tate - The Plug, Sheffield, on Saturday the 4th of August.
• Floodstock Charity Weekend - The Leadmill, Sheffield on Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th of August.

Technorati Tags: chariband | charibags | sheffield | south+yorkshire | flood | appeal | charity

• Sheffield United F.C. Open Day - Bramhall Lane, Sheffield on Sunday the 29th of July 10am-3pm
• Flood Benefit Gig, Little Man Tate - The Plug, Sheffield, on Saturday the 4th of August.
• Floodstock Charity Weekend - The Leadmill, Sheffield on Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th of August.

Technorati Tags: chariband | charibags | sheffield | south+yorkshire | flood | appeal | charity

Despite today being so gloomy and overcast, I took the kids to Stannington Carnival for a much deserved day out. Here's some of the pictures I took with my cameraphone (apologies for the poor quality!):

Despite today being so gloomy and overcast, I took the kids to Stannington Carnival for a much deserved day out. Here's some of the pictures I took with my cameraphone (apologies for the poor quality!):

We were hoping to be able to spend our summer holidays in Tunisia this year, staying in our "holiday home" with all the kids (as my stepchildren haven't been with us for a couple of years now). But when we saw the prices for the flights, we were absolutely shocked! For a flight only from Manchester to Monastir during the summer holidays, the price is TRIPLE that which my husband paid to go last month, and double that of going the week before (thus missing a week of school).

Can you believe this???

I had hoped to take a photo of the websites we'd looked at in order to demonstrate these prices to you, but unfortunately it seems there are no longer flights available to Tunisia during the summer holidays (if I can get these up in the future, I will edit this post to include them).

Honestly, I am shocked that airlines can do this. I wouldn't want to take the children out of school to go on holiday, as they'd miss too much of their education. But the difference in cost for us is well over £1000 for the flights. Money which we would have wanted for spending money while we were there.

Travel-Rants.com includes a post about this, demonstrating an example of the rise in costs during the summer holidays most parents face. It's awful that holiday operators manage to get away with this,. Travel-rants suggests we band together to put pressure on MP's and airlines in the hope of changing this situation.

Unfortunately, we'll have to forgo Tunisia this summer. I am rather disappointed, as I was looking forward to seeing my Tunisian sisters (in law) again, and spending time away from this awful weather in the sun. I guess we'll have to look a little closer to home for something much cheaper instead. Either that, or we'll go in the Autumn half term instead, though from what I've seen so far, the costs will rise slightly that week too...

Technorati Tags: school+holidays | prices | tour+operators | flights

We were hoping to be able to spend our summer holidays in Tunisia this year, staying in our "holiday home" with all the kids (as my stepchildren haven't been with us for a couple of years now). But when we saw the prices for the flights, we were absolutely shocked! For a flight only from Manchester to Monastir during the summer holidays, the price is TRIPLE that which my husband paid to go last month, and double that of going the week before (thus missing a week of school).

Can you believe this???

I had hoped to take a photo of the websites we'd looked at in order to demonstrate these prices to you, but unfortunately it seems there are no longer flights available to Tunisia during the summer holidays (if I can get these up in the future, I will edit this post to include them).

Honestly, I am shocked that airlines can do this. I wouldn't want to take the children out of school to go on holiday, as they'd miss too much of their education. But the difference in cost for us is well over £1000 for the flights. Money which we would have wanted for spending money while we were there.

Travel-Rants.com includes a post about this, demonstrating an example of the rise in costs during the summer holidays most parents face. It's awful that holiday operators manage to get away with this,. Travel-rants suggests we band together to put pressure on MP's and airlines in the hope of changing this situation.

Unfortunately, we'll have to forgo Tunisia this summer. I am rather disappointed, as I was looking forward to seeing my Tunisian sisters (in law) again, and spending time away from this awful weather in the sun. I guess we'll have to look a little closer to home for something much cheaper instead. Either that, or we'll go in the Autumn half term instead, though from what I've seen so far, the costs will rise slightly that week too...

Technorati Tags: school+holidays | prices | tour+operators | flights

Today we went shopping for my little man's birthday presents. Since much of Meadowhall is still closed due to the recent floods, it was rather busy and I had to park in the multi storey. You may be wondering why this is such a big deal for me? Well, unfortunately I suffer from vertigo. Such an irrational fear, I'm sure you'll agree! But each ramp we climbed to find the empty spaces my heart beat faster, my palms became more sweaty... By the time we found a space on the roof, I almost felt sick!

I wasn't always so afraid of heights though. In my youth, I was always the one wanting to go on the highest roller coaster, climb trees, fly in planes... Vertigo seemed to suddenly creep up on me, and I didn't realise it until one Christmas when my little man wanted me to take him up a fairground slide (the type which goes round and round a small tower). When we reached the top, I almost collapsed with fear. I felt dizzy and strangely frightened, while my son happily climbed up and slid all the way down alone. He asked me then, as my little Angel did today: "Why are you so scared, mummy?"

So I tried to do a brave thing, and walked to the edge of the car park to take the photograph of the city you see above. Just to show my daughter that there really is nothing to be afraid of!

Technorati Tags: vertigo sheffield fear+of+heights

Here in South Yorkshire so many families have been devastated by recent floods. Many are still homeless as their homes are uninhabitable.

Chariband, who raise funds for a number of charities in this region, will be donating 25p of the sale of each Charibag sold to the Lord Mayor's Flood Appeal funds. This fund will be used to help local flood victims rebuild their lives and homes after this terrible event.

A wide range of bags are available, from reusable shoppers in many colours, to student bags and even child school bags. A new range will also be released on Friday 27th of July at Crystal Peaks shopping centre in Sheffield. Charibags are available to purchase online, and cost as little as £2!

Why not head on over to Chariband now to see the full range? Not only will you be getting a great new bag, you'll be helping a very worthy cause!

Technorati Tags: chariband | charibags | sheffield | floods | appeal | charity | lord+mayor

Here in South Yorkshire so many families have been devastated by recent floods. Many are still homeless as their homes are uninhabitable.

Chariband, who raise funds for a number of charities in this region, will be donating 25p of the sale of each Charibag sold to the Lord Mayor's Flood Appeal funds. This fund will be used to help local flood victims rebuild their lives and homes after this terrible event.

A wide range of bags are available, from reusable shoppers in many colours, to student bags and even child school bags. A new range will also be released on Friday 27th of July at Crystal Peaks shopping centre in Sheffield. Charibags are available to purchase online, and cost as little as £2!

Why not head on over to Chariband now to see the full range? Not only will you be getting a great new bag, you'll be helping a very worthy cause!

Technorati Tags: chariband | charibags | sheffield | floods | appeal | charity | lord+mayor

Over at Rocks in my Dryer, Shannon has posted her "5 question" meme, which I thought would be fun to answer here. So, here are my questions and answers, some of which were a little tricky to answer (especially with the kids arguing in the background!) but here goes:

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Um, I'd hate to have to eat only one food forever! That would be so boring, not to mention unhealthy! But if I have to choose, it would be "Lift": it's a Tunisian dish made with meat, lots of spinach, garlic, tomatoes and chickpeas. Can I still have some French bread to go with that..?

What's the most nerve-racking "close call" you've ever had?

This would probably have to be an incident which happened some years ago when my little man was still a toddler. We'd just moved into a new flat after some troubles, and were both exhausted. Since I didn't have a cot or proper bed for my little man to sleep in, I tucked him up in my double bed and went to watch some TV in the lounge. I was so so tired that I fell asleep right there.

When I woke up a few hours later, I went to check on my son. But he wasn't there. I called his name over and over, and when he didn't answer I began to panic: it was a new place for both of us, and I was worried that he'd done himself a mischief. Then I noticed the front door was slightly ajar. I ran out onto the landing and started screaming for him, running around the block like a madwoman thinking someone had kidnapped my son. Eventually, I went back inside to call the police when I noticed a lump in the bed covers. Upon checking it out, I realised my little man was just huddled beneath, and he'd been there all along! I felt like such a fool!

Name five features your ultimate dream house would have.

The dream house we'd build when we win the lottery? Oh yes, I've already thought this one through! We'd have:

1. A bedroom for each member of our family, plus two guest rooms, each with their own en-suite bathroom.
2. A huge library with a domed glass roof and shelves ceiling to floor.
3. A basement "cinema"
4. A wonderful huge garden including a labyrinth and secret "wild" area.
5. Staff to cook, clean and do the gardening

Perhaps too much to hope for, but I can dream...

Who has been the most influential non-relative in your life?

It's hard to define just one, so I'll have to make three: my English teacher at school, who I will always remember fondly; my tutor at college, who taught me to think for myself academically, and my good friend "C", who despite being my senior has taught me much about life and loyalty. If I could pick the most influential family member, it would have to be Dad!

What one non-physical feature would you most like to change about yourself?

Sometimes it would nice to be more selfish! I'm often told that I'm too apologetic, and always put others before myself, no matter what my feelings may be.

If you want to answer this meme yourself, head on over to Shannon's post and leave your link in her comments. Thanks for reading my answers!

Over at Rocks in my Dryer, Shannon has posted her "5 question" meme, which I thought would be fun to answer here. So, here are my questions and answers, some of which were a little tricky to answer (especially with the kids arguing in the background!) but here goes:

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Um, I'd hate to have to eat only one food forever! That would be so boring, not to mention unhealthy! But if I have to choose, it would be "Lift": it's a Tunisian dish made with meat, lots of spinach, garlic, tomatoes and chickpeas. Can I still have some French bread to go with that..?

What's the most nerve-racking "close call" you've ever had?

This would probably have to be an incident which happened some years ago when my little man was still a toddler. We'd just moved into a new flat after some troubles, and were both exhausted. Since I didn't have a cot or proper bed for my little man to sleep in, I tucked him up in my double bed and went to watch some TV in the lounge. I was so so tired that I fell asleep right there.

When I woke up a few hours later, I went to check on my son. But he wasn't there. I called his name over and over, and when he didn't answer I began to panic: it was a new place for both of us, and I was worried that he'd done himself a mischief. Then I noticed the front door was slightly ajar. I ran out onto the landing and started screaming for him, running around the block like a madwoman thinking someone had kidnapped my son. Eventually, I went back inside to call the police when I noticed a lump in the bed covers. Upon checking it out, I realised my little man was just huddled beneath, and he'd been there all along! I felt like such a fool!

Name five features your ultimate dream house would have.

The dream house we'd build when we win the lottery? Oh yes, I've already thought this one through! We'd have:

1. A bedroom for each member of our family, plus two guest rooms, each with their own en-suite bathroom.
2. A huge library with a domed glass roof and shelves ceiling to floor.
3. A basement "cinema"
4. A wonderful huge garden including a labyrinth and secret "wild" area.
5. Staff to cook, clean and do the gardening

Perhaps too much to hope for, but I can dream...

Who has been the most influential non-relative in your life?

It's hard to define just one, so I'll have to make three: my English teacher at school, who I will always remember fondly; my tutor at college, who taught me to think for myself academically, and my good friend "C", who despite being my senior has taught me much about life and loyalty. If I could pick the most influential family member, it would have to be Dad!

What one non-physical feature would you most like to change about yourself?

Sometimes it would nice to be more selfish! I'm often told that I'm too apologetic, and always put others before myself, no matter what my feelings may be.

If you want to answer this meme yourself, head on over to Shannon's post and leave your link in her comments. Thanks for reading my answers!

• Wear old shoes and trousers: car boot sales can be very muddy!
  
• Have lots of loose change. When things cost 10p, you don't want to ask for change from a £20 note! Also, it's easier to barter when you have the right money!
  
• Barter for everything! There are no fixed prices at car boot sales, and sellers almost always tell you a price higher than they will accept (even if it is already cheap!)
  
• Take carrier bags, as sellers often run out!
  
• Go very early if you want to find the best sales. Later in the day, such treasures will have already been snapped up!
  
• Go quite late if you are looking for cheap bargains: as sellers are packing up, they are much more likely to sell you that beautiful green glass vase for 20p when their earlier asking price was £2!
• Similarly, going on a day when the weather's bad will help you bag the bargains, as sellers just want to get rid of their stuff and go home!
  

Car boot sales are great for buying kids toys too. Last year, money was a bit short so we went to the sales just before the kids birthdays and found loads of great stuff they wanted which we otherwise couldn't afford. Clothes in every shape, size and design are found in plenty, so if you don't mind laundering second-hand clothes, there are designer bargains galore.

If you want to find listings of car boot sales in your ares, try CarBootCalendar.com which features all major UK car boot sales, flea markets and antiques fairs. Friday Ads also have regular listings of such sales and you can narrow your search by postcode.

An alternative, If you prefer to keep your boots clean, is to visit visit ibootsale from the comfort of your own home! You can even list items for free if there are things lying about at home that you want to get rid of.

Do let me know if you're a lover of car boot sales too by leaving your comments below. And if you're a CBS virgin, why not go out and visit one with the kids? It's a very cheap day out!

A while back, a routine smear showed that I had abnormal cells: a pre-cancerous condition called dyskaryosis. I panicked at first, as I'm sure many women do when their smear results show abnormalities. After all, we don't often discuss our private female parts!

I was more than relieved to learn that dyskaryosis is not cancer, merely a condition which could become cancerous if left untreated for a number of years. Ten to fifteen years, as the doctors explained, though of course I wasn't taking any chances! I was referred to the hospital for a colposcopy (a detailed examination of the cervix) in order to find the most appropriate course of treatment. For me, this meant removing the affected cells using a treatment called diathermic loop: where heat is passed through a loop-type instrument to cut away the bad parts and cauterise the skin to prevent bleeding and infection.

It may sound painful, but believe me it wasn't! I had my treatment yesterday, and I wonder now why I'd got so worked up about the treatment in the first place! After the initial consultation and explanations, the treatment itself only lasted a matter of minutes and I barely felt a thing. Just a little aching and light headedness. I still ache a little now, and was told to expect some bleeding for the next few weeks until all is healed. No tampons, bubble bath or sex for a whole month, but this is a small price to pay for peace of mind, I'm sure!

For the next few years, I'll need smears more regularly than usual, just to make sure the problem doesn't return. And if it does, early detection will ensure it is most easily treated!

Most instances of cervical cancer occur because women have "slipped through the net" and haven't been screened as regularly as they could be. So, if it's been a long time since your last smear, please do yourself a favor and have one done. I know they're not pleasant and most uncomfortable, but at the end of the day, I'm sure you'd prefer to know you are healthy, or discover a small problem which can be easily treated, than leave it too long and discover the worst!

Technorati Tags: dyskaryosis diathermic+loop cervix cancer

A while back, a routine smear showed that I had abnormal cells: a pre-cancerous condition called dyskaryosis. I panicked at first, as I'm sure many women do when their smear results show abnormalities. After all, we don't often discuss our private female parts!

I was more than relieved to learn that dyskaryosis is not cancer, merely a condition which could become cancerous if left untreated for a number of years. Ten to fifteen years, as the doctors explained, though of course I wasn't taking any chances! I was referred to the hospital for a colposcopy (a detailed examination of the cervix) in order to find the most appropriate course of treatment. For me, this meant removing the affected cells using a treatment called diathermic loop: where heat is passed through a loop-type instrument to cut away the bad parts and cauterise the skin to prevent bleeding and infection.

It may sound painful, but believe me it wasn't! I had my treatment yesterday, and I wonder now why I'd got so worked up about the treatment in the first place! After the initial consultation and explanations, the treatment itself only lasted a matter of minutes and I barely felt a thing. Just a little aching and light headedness. I still ache a little now, and was told to expect some bleeding for the next few weeks until all is healed. No tampons, bubble bath or sex for a whole month, but this is a small price to pay for peace of mind, I'm sure!

For the next few years, I'll need smears more regularly than usual, just to make sure the problem doesn't return. And if it does, early detection will ensure it is most easily treated!

Most instances of cervical cancer occur because women have "slipped through the net" and haven't been screened as regularly as they could be. So, if it's been a long time since your last smear, please do yourself a favor and have one done. I know they're not pleasant and most uncomfortable, but at the end of the day, I'm sure you'd prefer to know you are healthy, or discover a small problem which can be easily treated, than leave it too long and discover the worst!

Technorati Tags: dyskaryosis diathermic+loop cervix cancer

This video may give you an idea of the great floods we have been experiencing here in Sheffield. My family and I have all been very lucky: our homes and businesses have escaped most of the flood damage and danger. For those whose homes have been wrecked by the bursting rivers, and those families tragically devastated by death and injury, I offer my heartfelt prayers.

Technorati Tags: sheffield | floods | flooding | yorkshire | river+don | flood+video

This video may give you an idea of the great floods we have been experiencing here in Sheffield. My family and I have all been very lucky: our homes and businesses have escaped most of the flood damage and danger. For those whose homes have been wrecked by the bursting rivers, and those families tragically devastated by death and injury, I offer my heartfelt prayers.

Technorati Tags: sheffield | floods | flooding | yorkshire | river+don | flood+video

Continuing my Tasty Tuesdays series of quick, simple dishes, I'd like to present you with a really easy recipe my kids love to eat: Quick Kiddie Carbonara. Okay, so it isn't strictly carbonara since it doesn't involve making any tricky sauces, but it's fast, fun and good for them. So why not give it a try?

Here's what you'll need to serve four hungry people (halve these amounts of you're only cooking for two):

• A packet of spaghetti (or your preferred pasta)
• Four rashers of lean bacon (we use turkey bacon instead) chopped into bite sized pieces.
• A cup of grated cheddar cheese
• 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• A knob of butter (or a drizzle of olive oil)
• Salt and pepper to taste

And here's how to make it:

1. Boil your pasta as directed (the time will change depending on the type of pasta used)
2. Fry the bacon in just a little oil until they are cooked. You could grill them, but be sure not to make them too crispy!
3. When the pasta is cooked, rinse with hot water from the kettle, drain and transfer to a big bowl.
4. Add a knob of butter (or a drizzle of olive oil), the mayonnaise and chopped bacon rashers. Mix well. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. You could always omit this step for the kids, and season only the grown-ups portions instead!
5. Share between four bowls and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Enjoy!

You could make varieties of this using different ingredients instead of the bacon. We've tried and tested canned tuna and cooked chicken breast, which are also heartily enjoyed in this recipe. The kids love to help me cook this as it's simple enough for them to do a lot of the preparation themselves!

Next week, I'll be posting a recipe for us parents to enjoy. In the meantime, why not have a look at previous Tasty Tuesday recipes for more simple recipe ideas?

Technorati Tags: tasty+tuesdays simple+food kids+recipes carbonara