Back to school sales are beginning to pop up and organised parents are starting to think about the start of the new school year. School supplies lists are growing and every year more parents find themselves frustrated with the growing cost. With a plan and a little thinking ahead you can save money on school supplies this year. 

Go through what you have in the house from last year before you buy anything new. You do not need new pencil sharpeners, scissors, and other odds and ends that do not get used up. This can lead to a big savings as you work your way down the teacher's list. 

Keep an eye on the sales. The early sales are often not as good as the later ones so only start shopping if you know a better price will not be coming. If you have the budget but want to wait for the sales getting a gift card to set to the side is always a great way to set your budget.

Buy non-school supplies items off your teacher's list at the pound shops or use vouchers and sales to get the best deals. Some teachers list items that help keep our kids from getting sick during the school year. While this bothers some parents it can be valuable for keeping your family healthy come flu season. Tissues, disinfectant, and hand sanitizer in your child's school will save you a lot of money after so if you find a good deal, your child's teacher would love some extras.

Stock extras when the best sales hit or grab extras when offers are online, so you won't need to pay full price later. These extras can be pulled out when your child needs more supplies without paying full price or if you really want to plan ahead, they could even be used as frugal stocking stuffers.

If money saving is on your hit list for this summer, why not take a look at easy ways to save money from Baby Budgeting.

Tweet

Raising kids can be overwhelming, so much so that an entire week can quickly go by in a blur, and you may not even realize that. If that sounds like you, here’s something to help you get recharged over the weekend.

Read on to discover 7 super effective self care tips that you can implement on a Sunday, even if you’re a busy mum, and find yourself ready to take on the new week!

Sleep In

Yes, that’s right. There’s actually nothing healthier than getting enough sleep every night, and if that’s not really working out in your favor, utilise your Sunday and give your body the rest it needs. Turn off the alarm and wake up whenever your body wants to. If you still need to be up at a certain time to get things done, get some sleep in the afternoon, let your partner take over the childcare just for an hour or so.

At Home Spa Sesh

Ah yes! Bring out those sheet masks and bath bombs, and turn your bathroom into a full-blown spa on a Sunday afternoon, especially if you’ve got younger kids and you don’t have the luxury of heading off to the spa for a couple of hours. The skincare benefits aside, a home spa session will help you truly relax and unwind after a long and tiring week.

Get Out

Oh yes, self care isn’t just about bubble baths- taking a walk in the park, barefoot, phone turned off can be self care too. Infact, getting out for a breath of fresh air can be deeply relaxing and refreshing; so much so that you might find yourself hooked. Studies have found that spending some time outside can also relieve stress and anxiety, and boost the production of those ‘feel good’ hormones in your body. 

Soak In

Speaking of bubble baths, there’s nothing better than the feeling of soaking in a warm bath, uninterrupted for a good 20 minutes, and if that’s what your Sunday self care idea feels like, go for it! You don’t even need those fancy products- just get in there and feel your tense muscles ease!

Digital Detox

Here comes the hardest of them all- a digital detox may not exactly seem like pampering, but trust us on this, it is! There’s a different kind of rejuvenation and energy that comes with not incessantly scrolling through your Instagram feed, or checking your emails every few minutes. You’ll be surprised at how much lighter and ‘free’ you feel, and guess what- you can actually use that free time to do what you like! 

Enjoy Solitude

As parents, we tend to overwork ourselves, push ourselves more than we can, and often set our expectations from ourselves way too higher than it needs to be. The result? Burnout. That’s not all though- in the process of doing so much, we often lose ourselves, our choices and even our identities. This time, take self care up a notch by enjoying some ‘me’ time, even if it is for just half an hour- reading a book or sipping on a cup of coffee at the coffee shop, all alone!

Netflix & Relax

If nothing else seems to be going your way, consider settling on this no-brainer. Some good old Netflix-ing and chilling can again, be a great way to relax on a Sunday. Stay in your PJs, grab a bowl of popcorn, put on a random Netflix show or movie and enjoy some time with your kiddos (or spouse)!

Self care isn’t overrated. It is infact, absolutely necessary. It is all about keeping yourself in good shape physically and mentally to go on with everything in life, and tackle it all with a smile on your face!

Tweet

I am not a morning person. I like to stay up late, chatting, reading and falling into a deep sleep that I struggle to get out of the next day. So just when you thought all those sleepless nights and nappy changing was over, there comes the school time madness. I might have mentioned that mornings are already not my favourite thing, and to top that comes the crazy rush of making sure the lunch boxes are packed, the clothes are clean and the kids are ready in time for the school run. It’s tough. We get it. 

I've been doing the school run for over 10 years now, so have put together 7 super simple and actionable tips to make the morning rush a little more bearable.

Make A Good Nights Sleep a Priority

Even before we get started on the morning, we’ve got to focus on the nights. Getting restful sleep every night is crucial- not just for your little one but you too! Make it a point to get to bed early every single day- make sure you’re getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, and your little one is in their bed depending on how much sleep they needs as per their age.

This little trick can work wonders and both you and your little ones will wake up fresh and less cranky!

Create a Routine

You knew this one was coming- creating a routine is exceptionally helpful in all parts of your life. It basically helps you stay more organized and in control of how things are going. Divide your mornings into time slots, and assign different activities to each slot- depending on how long they take. This will also help you stay more realistic, and therefore, feeling less rushed.

Determine What Sucks

Whether it is your kid’s bathtime resistance or his habit of watching YouTube while having his breakfast, determine what is it that’s actually sucking and draining off the time and energy from your mornings. Work on ways to get that fixed, and you’ll notice how your mornings become less of a struggle.

Bring the Fun into it

Mornings don’t always need to be taxing and dull, infact you can actually make them a lot of fun! Look for ways to energize yourself and your kids every morning- you could play an upbeat song during bathtime or do a few light stretches before you grab your cup of coffee- just anything to put you in a fun mood.

Prep the Night Before

The simplest, most straightforward way to remove the rush out of mornings is to reduce the number of tasks you (and other members) have to do in the morning. This means prepping at night, but when you do it, you’ll feel much more relaxed in the morning (and at night too). Look up simple breakfast ideas and prep them the night before. Lay out the clothes to be worn, and all the essentials handy, so that there’s no last minute rush trying to find things.

Wake Up a Bit Earlier

Waking up a bit earlier everyday can make a huge difference, even if you’re not a morning person like me. I got up an hour earlier this week and by 7am I had stripped beds, done some washing, made lunches and felt really accomplished. It feels that somehow you’re able to get things done faster and more efficiently when you’re up early, and of course, you’ll be less rushed than you ever were.

Let it Go

And last, but definitely not the least, be easy. Even if things aren’t turning out the way they planned, and if your little one took a longer time to brush, or if you didn’t get the chance to chop those strawberries and add them to your children's cereal bowl, that’s okay. Don’t stress too much over the details and how things didn’t turn out perfect.

There is always tomorrow ......

Tweet

Most bloggers adore a beautiful background and the Confetti Flower Field in Wick, Pershore provide just that. But imagine that you also have teenagers who are also on the quest for an Instagram perfect shot, then a day out at The Real Flower Petal Confetti Co fields is in order.

Each summer, a huge field of flowers bloom on the Wyke Manor Estate. The Real Flower Petal Company then (amazingly) pick all the petals by hand, mix them by hand, and they are then used for weddings all over the world. The general public get just 10 days in June to go and revel in the beauty of the flower fields.

The 2019 information you need is below

• They will be open from 21st - 30th June 2019
• The Confetti Flower Field  - 10am – 5pm (Last admission at 4.30pm)

• Carpark is open - 9am – 5.15pm

• The Confetti Café - 10.30am – 4.30pm
• Flower Sales - 10am – 5pm
• Confetti Shop - 10am – 5pm
• Info Point - 10am – 5pm

• Adult entry: £5.00

• Child aged 6 – 16: £2.50

You can purchase admission on the gate, tickets are not sold in advance so if the weather isn't ideal for the photos you can literally just turn up on the day.

With the recent bad weather, we had been following the Facebook page and website for daily updates on whether the flowers had bloomed but a few days of sunshine at the end of the week, meant that we ventured over to Worcestershire on Saturday morning to create some Instagram worthy shots.

Our top tips for visiting the fields :

• Wear sensible footwear - the ground underneath is not even (it is farmland after all) and whilst beautiful sandals might look great in the photos, a broken ankle isn't a great look!
• If the sun is shining, don't forget the suncream / hat as there is very little shaded areas.
• Be prepared for some walking! (It might sound silly but there is a lot of ground to cover)
• There are toilets on the site in a couple of locations but they are portaloos, so always good to take extra tissues or babywipes.

We saw so many professional photographers at the Confetti Flower Field but if you have a decent camera on your phone, you can capture some really beautiful shots without the additional expense. Although, we have friends that have had professional shoots done and they are STUNNING! For now, I will stick with my Insta famous teens and their photo abilities! 

To visit The Confetti Flower Field, Wick, Pershore, Worcestershire WR10 3PA.

For more information, visit https://www.confettidirect.co.uk/flowerfields/  where they are posting daily photographs of the fields as the crops start to bloom!

Tweet