Post Comment Love 28th - 30th April

Welcome to another Post Comment Love with me and Stephanie, it's great reading your posts week after week and we're so glad that you decide to come back every week. If you're new here, welcome! We love having newbies link up and if you have a minute why not check out our Blogger Showcase questions and send us your answers, you'll be featured in a Blogger Showcase in the future!

This week I've been noticing changes in my boys, both of them at the same time! BP is months away from becoming a teenager, he's been going through the process for years, slowly changing from a smily boy into a grumpy teen. It's rare that we catch him in a good mood so when we do we take full advantage of it. We've had arguments and strops, slamming of doors and lots and lots of complaining. It's tough, especially when I realise he thinks that everything I say is wrong.





Teenagers who are never required to vacuum are living in one. 

Fred G. Gosman





LP is also changing, he used to be the ray of sunshine in the house, he always had a smile on his face. But lately his smile is turning into a frown and he's spending a lot of time sulking. At 8 years old I thought he was a little young to be going through the tween changes but it's clear that that's what is happening. It doesn't take much to hurt his feelings and he can sulk for England! If he gets in a sulky mood almost nothing can snap him out of it. At the moment I'm just clinging to those times when he's happy because I know, like BP, they won't last long.

I have taken on my Evil Mum persona more often than not recently and it can be tough. The boys choose not to listen but then it is my fault when they get punished for not listening. I can't win. It's tough, this parenting lark. Right now I'm just holding on to the thought that I'm doing it for their own good, sooner or later they will thank me for it. Won't they?





Good habits formed at youth make all the difference. 

Aristotle





At least we had a good time during the holidays!

I've been spending a little time doing crafts this week, although nothing has come out of it yet ideas are circling around my head. I've also done some reading, which is lovely as it's my time to wind down.

What have you been up to this week? Are you enjoying your time with the kids back at school?



Blogger Showcase Natalie from Up Your Vlog



Who are you? 


My name is Natalie and I run a blog called UpYourVlog. It's a Lifestyle blog which focuses on Beauty, Fashion & Fitness mainly.



How did you discover blogs/blogging?


I discovered blogging through Zoella. I got hooked on YouTubers and then realised the world of blogging which seemed much more appealing to me.



Why did you start blogging?


I started blogging to appease my parents. They'd constantly ask me questions about what I got up to so I thought this would help! I also love writing and wanted to keep it up after I finished university.



What do you find most challenging?


The thing I found most challenging (and still do) is finding the balance between my online life and my offline life. It's hard to keep the balance but I'm getting there...I think!



What is your favourite topic to write about?


My favourite topic to write about is advice blogs. It always fills me with pride when I get comments back saying that I've helped in some way. Or that I've shed light on something that wasn't understood by the reader.



Are you blogging for fun or do you have goals?


I started off blogging for fun but now I've noticed that my blog is a small stream of income, I want to progress and turn it into something that could potentially be a full-time job. I've got the drive and passion for it so why shouldn't it do well? As long as I have fun though, that's all that matters!



Have you ever attended a blogging conference and if so, what did you think?


I've not yet attended a conference because I wanted to get a couple of years blogging under my belt. I feel like I'm nearing the point now where a blogging event would be beneficial to stepping up my blog to another level of awesomeness.



What are your 3 best posts?


My three best posts would be:

http://www.upyourvlog.com/2015/10/orvis-uk-fly-fishing-in-green-park.html - I know, fly fishing. But it was such a great experience and a surprisingly high traffic post!

http://www.upyourvlog.com/2016/07/the-final-results-gravitate.html - Finally a health product that I actually saw results from!

http://www.upyourvlog.com/2016/10/why-jealousy-can-be-good-thing.html - I love advice posts and this is one of many in the future that I wish to do more of.



Describe yourself in three words!


Caring, Passionate and Creative.



Are you a tea and biscuits or coffee and cake person?


Depends on the time of day. Morning definitely coffee... perhaps skip the cake, but afternoon is tea and biscuits.



What's your idea of a perfect night out?


Cocktails, cocktails and more cocktails. Equally alternative beverage would be presecco. I would spend the night dancing in a bar. That would be a perfect night out for me.



What would your best friend/OH/mum or kids say is your best quality?


My drive. I'm a hard-worker and give it my all.


Connect with Natalie:


Thanks for answering our questions Natalie, feel free to grab our 'featured' badge.


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Pocolo


Each week you'll be able to link up from either of our sites and between us Stephanie and I will comment on every post linked.

The rules; Link up your best post written in the last week and we'd like you to comment on at least two other linked posts, as well as the hosts.

Help us spread the #PoCoLo word on Twitter and include the badge on your post.

Please do pop over and say hi to this week's Blogger Showcase. It's always nice to get a comment or two.

If you'd like to be featured in our Blogger Showcase please do check out the questions and email your answers to us at postcommentlove@gmail.com.

Thank you for popping by.

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Have fun and Make Your Escape!

Over the Easter Holidays we spent days in theme parks, days at home, and days visiting family. It's not very often we find something new to enjoy but this time we did. On the very last day of the holidays we tried out Make Your Escape in Derby.





What is Make Your Escape?



Escape rooms. 

Never heard of it? Let me explain.

You, and your team, are locked in a room and have 60 minutes to solve puzzles in order to escape. You work together to solve the clues, some puzzles are difficult, some are easy. Your aim is to escape the room. 





Sometimes even the best of us have to lose ourselves in fantasy to survive reality.

Maxi Bransdale






How it works



There are two rooms at Make Your Escape; Signal and Spellbound. Spellbound is the more difficult of the two.

When you show up you are taken through a few rules (like not being allowed to take photos) and asked not to tell people about how to solve the puzzles. Obviously the fun is in solving them so to give it away would spoil the whole experience. 

Once you've been through the rules you're shown into the room and when the door closes your timer starts. 






Not good at puzzles?



Not to worry. There's someone on hand to give you clues if they think you need them, but they don't give the answers. It's lots of fun, even if you do end up needing help. 





You can take the kids!



Make Your Escape is recommended for ages 12+ but we took LP (8yrs old) with us and he did well. We all had fun.

I would say any younger than 8 and they may struggle a little. They could help find things but not help much with solving the puzzles. Obviously this is a judgement call on your part.





Our whole life is solving puzzles.

Erno Rubik





What we thought



From the moment the four of us entered the Signal room and began searching for clues it was a winner. LP found somewhere to search, as did BP, and they both contributed. First of all they helped us find things and later helped with solving some of the clues and puzzles. They were inquisitive and enjoyed looking through the room (I think it was the 'being nosy' they enjoyed most!). We used tools and the boys had a great time finding and solving clues.

There is a story behind the Signal room and it unfolds as you solve the puzzles. It was interesting to see it unfold and was satisfying at the end when we escaped with just 5 minutes remaining. 

Talking about it afterwards we decided that we would try out some other Escape Rooms too. We enjoyed Make Your Escape so much I'm sure we'll be back soon (they told us they're building a new room!). Although they say they're recommended for ages 12+ LP did very well helping us and we all contributed. If any one of us hadn't been there, we wouldn't have escaped.

I highly recommend a visit to Make Your Escape in Derby, it's a fun activity and takes a little more than an hour.



If you enjoyed reading why not join other mums and let me help make your days easier?



What we did during the holidays

The boys are back at school and we're getting back to routine, it's always lovely after a hectic break to be back to normal. We had a great time with the boys at home though and on the very last day of the break we did lots of things to fill the day. The holidays are a time to be spent together and we certainly did that during these holidays.



Climbing at the park


We visit family every weekend at the moment which means we're spending a lot of time in the car. The boys end up playing a lot of games and have lots of screen time so during the holidays we decided to change that and take them to a park close to my in-laws.




The boys both decided to try their hand at climbing and LP pushed past his fear of heights and managed to climb to the top of the climbing frame. He was so pleased with himself and couldn't wait to tell his Nanny all about it! 





Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.

Barry Finlay, Kilimanjaro and Beyond






Of course LP isn't one to shy away from a challenge so when he saw his older brother climbing a rock he wanted to try too. With a little help from the Hubby he did it, and my heart lived in my throat the whole time he was up there.






The little one wanted to climb too, but his mummy said he was too little so he waved to the boys instead. 




After the climbing we took them for a walk and there were tracks leading down a very steep hill. They pleaded with us to let them take the steep track, I didn't want to at all but in the end we let them. You have to let them explore don't you? We took a longer track down and when we reached the bottom of their track we saw they were still quite high up and struggling a little. We watched as BP helped his little brother by showing him how to move slowly and if he needed to to go on his bottom. They slid down the track a little further until the Hubby went up to show them how to use the trees to help their descent.


The Hubby going up to help...


And coming down.




Even after that LP wasn't done and wanted to climb on everything...








Walking in Dovedale






If we take a different route to the in-laws we drive close to Dovedale and having visited before it was on our list to go again. Not wanting the boys to get bored we decided to take them to Dovedale for a walk and let them run off as much as they wanted.




I like walking in Dovedale, the views are amazing, especially when the sun shines on the hills. The river and the local wildlife makes the walk peaceful (if the boys are far enough away!) and the Hubby and I get to chat while walking which is always nice.




The boys enjoyed going over the stepping stones to cross the river (I always hate that bit), and enjoyed the freedom of running off ahead. We walked up the many steps and when we reached the crest of a hill LP spied a bench and sat down. 



Within a few minutes he was up again and investigating a tree close by. The Hubby then taught him how to climb the tree, moving along its branch. LP needed a little help getting down but once he'd been shown how to do it he was ready to try on his own. He proceeded to climb the tree, inch along the branch and get down all by himself. And again my heart was in my throat until his feet hit the ground. When he'd done it his face was a picture though, and it made me realise I need to let him do these things even though I might hate it.








Alton Towers



A view of the castle you don't often get to see.


On the same day we visited Dovedale we went to Alton Towers to pick up our Merlin Passes. We'd planned to go to Alton Towers in the afternoon as we knew there would be some waiting around for the passes. Usually we would go early in the morning to get around all our favourite rides.






Despite it being the holidays and us being there in the afternoon the boys still managed to get on some rides. BP and the Hubby rode Galactica (used to be Air) and LP, BP, and the Hubby rode Spinball Whizzer (used to be Sonic Spinball). It was LP's first time riding the Spinball Whizzer and he loved it.









Family


I always use the holidays to visit my family, they live more than 90 miles away and the drive alone takes a few hours. I do love visiting my mum and dad though, they welcome us with open arms, the boys are spoiled and I get to eat cake without feeling guilty!





The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life.

Richard Bach





We spent the day chatting and the boys played in the garden. It was just like any day at home but I was with my parents and that made it so much better.




Alton Towers again


This time we left home early to get to Alton Towers at opening time. The boys got to go on all their favourite rides and the Hubby and I got a lot of walking done. LP rode Thirteen for the first time and loved it and I went on it at the same time (and hated it!) and vowed never to ride again. The weather was beautiful, enough that the boys went on Battle Galleons, got completely soaked but still laughed about it.




We are lucky enough to live close enough to Alton Towers that it's a lovely day out without needing a hotel stay somewhere. There's plenty to do, and although LP is now too big for CBeebies Land there's still plenty for him to do and he loves that he's too big for some rides. I'm sure we'll be visiting a lot more over the summer and cannot wait. 





Board Games






Regular readers will know we love our board games but it got to the second week of holidays and we still hadn't played any. We spent a whole day at home, let the boys play their games and then got out the board games. There was a game of Carcassonne and Ticket to Ride and we even managed Colt Express. 



Spending time at home


Spending time at home during the holidays is just as important as the days out so we made sure to have some days at home. The boys played their games, we watched TV, we were happy at home. LP built some Lego, BP wrote a book review, and we all had easy days.





The last day of the holidays


On the last day of the holidays we went for it...




We'd already booked to see Lord of the Dance in the evening but the Hubby decided he wanted to do more. So we visited an Escape Room in Derby (review coming soon!) and played adventure golf at Paradise Island in Derby Intu. We spent money, had fun, and gave the boys some great stories to tell when they went back to school.




I feel like we made great use of the holidays this time and although I'm wiped out I know the boys had a good break from school and have plenty to tell their friends. You don't need to leave the country, or even your own home, to have a great time during the holidays.

I'd love to hear what you and your family got up to during the holidays.



If you enjoyed reading this you'll enjoy Trying out Highfields Park Adventure Golf, or if you're looking for ways to spend time at home check out Simple ways to enjoy summer.

Stop by Facebook and let me know how you spend your holidays.

And if you're trying to stay organised so you have more time to spend with your kids during the holidays try out these cleaning checklists, they'll keep you organised.

Post Comment Love 21st - 23rd April

Welcome to Post Comment Love, a linky where you can share any post you like, as long as it was written this week. Stephanie and I love to read your posts and cannot wait to see what is linked.

So how was your Easter holidays? Or are your kids still on their holidays? My boys went back to school on Tuesday and to be honest I couldn't be happier about it. There's a funny thing that happens when your kids grow up, you start to look forward to the time they're not at home. It sounds awful and I'm sure you think I'm horrid but it's true. When they're at school they see their friends, they play games, and they attend after-school clubs and it keeps them busy and happy. When they're at home they have all this energy and no way to use it up. 





Motherhood is tough. If you just want a wonderful little creature to love, you can get a puppy.

Barbara Walters





As they get older and become more independent my role as their care-giver is diminished and I'm more of a chauffeur/referee/chef/cleaner. They do their own thing, and so can I. So instead of being sad about my kids growing up I choose to look on the bright side. I look forward to more time to myself, I see opportunities on the horizon. There are so many reasons I love being a mum to school-aged kids but having time to myself has to be at the top of the list!





I restore myself when I'm alone. 

Marilyn Monroe 





So as I was saying, they're back at school. We're back to early mornings, school runs, and after-school clubs. But we're also back to eating healthier meals, being able to control what I'm cooking for the week and seeing what's coming day after day (for the most part). 

I have more time for blogging (and hopefully card-making) which is always nice and means I can catch up on my reading (again!).




Well, that's all from me. If your kids are still on holidays enjoy the last few days, and if not enjoy that peace while they're at school!





Blogger Showcase Pam from pamsbakeandbabyblog.com



Pam, a 32 year old mum of two, enjoys writing about her mishaps with the kids and loves the camaraderie from fellow mums. As she's only been blogging for 5 months it's just for fun at the moment but she is looking forward to seeing where it takes her. Check out her answers to our questions over on Stephanie's blog.

You can connect with Pam here:



Feel free to grab our 'featured' badge Pam.


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Pocolo



Each week you'll be able to link up from either of our sites and between us Stephanie and I will comment on every post linked.

The rules; Link up your best post written in the last week and we'd like you to comment on at least two other linked posts, as well as the hosts. 

Help us spread the #PoCoLo word on Twitter and include the badge on your post.

Please do pop over and say hi to this week's Blogger Showcase. It's always nice to get a comment or two. 

If you'd like to be featured in our Blogger Showcase please do check out the questions and email your answers to us at postcommentlove@gmail.com.

Thank you for popping by.

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Taking the boys to see Lord of the Dance, Dangerous Games

The very first time I saw Lord of the Dance was in Las Vegas way back in 2003, the Hubby (then the boyfriend) were on holiday and it was showing in one of the casinos so we took the opportunity to see it. Not long after that we saw Riverdance too. I love both shows and since 2003 have seen them both twice.

A few weeks ago we noticed that Lord of the Dance, Dangerous Games was on tour and would be in Nottingham for just 3 days. We don't really have any babysitters available nearby so we wrote it off as a non-starter. Although we would've loved to see it, it just wasn't possible. That is until we thought about it, I mean what was stopping us taking the boys to see it too?

It took just an hour to decide that we would do it and the Hubby bought the tickets. We'd planned it for the last day of the Easter holidays (Easter Monday) and although the boys would have a late night right before going back to school we figured it would be worth it.



Arriving at the Concert Hall


When we take the boys to the Theatre we always try to make sure we don't go in too soon. The last thing we want is to keep them sat in uncomfortable seats waiting for something to happen, that's how you get irritable children. Five minutes before the show started we headed to our seats. In the past we've had issues with LP not being able to see what's going on on stage so this time we decided to take his booster seat (from the car) in to the Concert Hall with us. We sat down and I got LP's seat sorted, he had a huge smile on his face when he noticed he could see the stage without any problems.

After a few minutes the lights went off and the show began and I knew straight away we'd made the right decision.




The show starts


LP's face lit up when he saw the dancers on stage, he watched in amazement as their feet tapped and jumped. A couple of times he couldn't help shouting out as he asked me questions but not once did he take his gaze off the stage. I saw as his jaw dropped when the dancers tapped fast and he really enjoyed the final part of the show. We'd shown him a Youtube video beforehand and he was excited to see it in person. 





Dance is the hidden language of the soul

Martha Graham






I was surprised that LP managed to follow the story of the show. It was all dancing so I thought it might pass him by but near the end of the show, as the Lord of the Dance beats the bad guy and the bad guy disappears with the Lord of the Dance's belt, he whispered to me "But what about his belt?!" and I realised he'd followed the story the whole time. 

BP was sitting next to the Hubby but he said he really enjoyed it. He was entertained and enjoyed certain parts of the show, like the dance off. One thing he did say was that he was a little bored by the end, which I can understand. However, he did say he would like to see it again. 



What we thought


When we decided to take the boys to see Lord of the Dance I wasn't sure about it. I figured we would get to the intermission and they'd ask when we were leaving. They would be bored watching the same dances again and again and say so. 

But that wasn't the case at all. 

LP enjoyed it so much that he's starting tap-dancing around the house and having tap dance off's with his dad. And BP posted on Facebook about it - almost unheard of! So they must've had a good time right?





Dance is the only art of which we ourselves are the stuff of which it is made. 

Ted Shawn 









As a mum I wouldn't recommend going to see the show if you're children are younger than 8. LP just turned 8 and he coped okay but a year ago I don't think he would've. For the older boys (like BP) there are parts I'm sure they'd enjoy, like when the women dance in what I can only describe as their underwear (!), although I'm also sure BP would never say that was his favourite part. I'd recommend taking, or buying, snacks while there and definitely take advantage of the intermission. We made LP go to the toilet during the intermission because we knew he'd never last until the end. We also bought them both an ice-cream too. 

I absolutely loved the show (and not just because there were topless men dancing!), it's always impressive watching the dancing. Men doing press-ups to the beat of the music, dance-offs, and a very talented lead dancer made the whole evening brilliant. Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of the dancing, although I would've loved to we were asked not to do it as it distracts the dancers. I was far too engrossed in enjoying the show to take out my phone! I would go and see it again tomorrow if I could. 

Would you take your children to see Lord of the Dance, Dangerous Games?

Post Comment Love 14th - 16th April

Welcome to Post Comment Love, a linky run by me and Stephanie. Link up a post you wrote this week to give it a boost and Stephanie and I will read and share that post. It is always nice to see new people linking up but it's also great to see the same people coming back week after week. Our little linky has grown into a great community and I love reading the posts linked up every week.

With the boys off school this week has been a busy one, we went to Alton Towers again, went walking in Dovedale, and have had a couple of days at home too. I'm tired. We've done lots of walking and I'm unfit (again!), I know I should be doing more but I just don't want to. You know what that feels like don't you? When there's something you know you should be doing but you really can't be bothered or simply don't want to do it. Exercise and me aren't getting along at the moment.


The boys loved climbing and LP even climbed a tree at Dovedale. He loved the whole morning.





The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. 

Christopher McCandless 





That brings me to the topic of my weight... it's not good. Again I know I should be doing exercise to help me lose weight and yet I'm not. There's so much I want to do and because exercise isn't one of them I don't allow myself the time to do it. But I'm not losing weight, and I need to, so I'm going to start using the exercise bike while we watch TV at night. It's not perfect but it's something and hopefully it will help with the weight loss.

The boys are back at school on Tuesday and part of me is relieved. As much as I love my boys it's always nice to have the house back and be able to go to my room during the day and sit in the quiet. Constant bickering, fighting over the Xbox, and arguing about Pokémon cards wears me down and I'm ready for it to be over (or at least somewhere I can't hear it). Having them at home is not all bad though, we've played board games which sparked a conversation about boys being better than girls. Needless to say I was a bit put out when my youngest decided that I always lose these games because I'm a girl and girls are "rubbish". After a good talk he knows not to say things like that and I feel a little better too. I can't have my boys growing up thinking men are better than women just because they're men. It's my job to teach them that men and women are equal, no matter what. But before I get onto an epic rant (I'll save that for another blog post!) I'll stop.





No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men. 

Muhammad Ali Jinnah





The weather is not looking promising in Nottingham this weekend, so I guess we'll be spending Easter indoors. The boys won't mind that I'm sure, it'll give them more time to scoff their chocolate eggs! 

Enjoy the long weekend and I hope the sun is shining where you are!



Blogger Showcase Sam from Dove Cottage




Who are you?


I'm Sam, I recently bought my first house, and now spend all my spare time trying to transform it from a fairly small modern property into my dream vintage style home, whilst also being on a tight budget. I blog about my journey and my love for home interiors (and finding a bargain!) at www.dovecottageblog.com




How did you discover blogs/blogging?


I've always loved reading blogs, I find them so inspirational and love the fact that they're written by real people. Plus I always trust a bloggers opinion! 



Why did you start blogging?


When I moved into our house and got caught by the 'decorating bug' I discovered Instagram and became completely addicted to browsing some of the beautiful homes I found on there. After months of wanting to share my own home however not feeling like it was good enough, I took the plunge and set up an account (@dove_cottage). It all escalated from there really! After really enjoying sharing my home on there, I decided to set up a blog as somewhere I could expand it further. 



What do you find most challenging?


I find self-doubt to be the most challenging aspect of blogging. I always seem to think 'why would someone want to read my ramblings over someone else?' But there's room for everyone on the internet, and everyone has something different to add.



What is your favourite topic to write about?


Probably quite obvious - home interiors! I absolutely love writing about new trends and how people can introduce it to their own home, affordably and easily.



Are you blogging for fun or do you have goals?


Blogging is mainly a hobby for me right now, however I would absolutely love to turn it into a career if possible.



What is your favourite thing about blogging?


I love the fact that it gives me somewhere to be creative and share my passion for interiors. If anybody is interested in reading what I put out there is an amazing bonus. 



Have you ever attended a blogging conference and if so, what did you think?


I haven't, but I would love to! 



What are your 3 best posts?


I love my lounge makeover post, as it's the first room we tackled and put our own stamp on after moving in. 

I also loved my writing post about attending the Laura Ashley Press Day back in November of last year, as I was so over the moon to be invited, and loved the opportunity to get a sneak peek at the trends we'd be seeing this Spring. 

Finally, I also love my post 'Why I'm no longer scared about turning 30' as it's a bit of a different piece from me, and written much more from the heart. 



Describe yourself in three words!


Friendly, kind and approachable 



Are you a tea and biscuits or coffee and cake person?


Can I have tea and cake?! 



What's your idea of a perfect night out?


Being six months pregnant the idea of going out for some cocktails feels like heaven at the moment! 



Your perfect night in?


Nights in are definitely more my thing (particularly right now!), so curling up on the sofa with a blanket, good film and hot chocolate is all I'm interested in! 



What would your best friend/OH/mum or kids say is your best quality?


I think they would probably say loyal: I'll do anything for anyone!



Thanks for answering our questions Sam, I agree with you about self-doubt - it can be such a pain sometimes! Feel free to grab our 'featured' badge below.

You can connect with Sam here:

Facebook
Instagram
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Pinterest

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Pocolo


Each week you'll be able to link up from either of our sites and between us Stephanie and I will comment on every post linked.

The rules; Link up your best post written in the last week and we'd like you to comment on at least two other linked posts, as well as the hosts. 

Help us spread the #PoCoLo word on Twitter and include the badge on your post.

Please do pop over and say hi to this week's Blogger Showcase. It's always nice to get a comment or two. 

If you'd like to be featured in our Blogger Showcase please do check out the questions and email your answers to us at postcommentlove@gmail.com.

Thank you for popping by.


Post Comment Love
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Post Comment Love 7th - 9th April

Welcome to Post Comment Love, a weekly link up where Stephanie and I look forward to reading your best post of the week. Link up and get extra exposure for your post, connect with like-minded people and perhaps even find your BFF. We're a friendly bunch!

With the boys being off school and things being rather crazy I haven't got much done this week. We're doing the 'one day working, one day off' thing through these holidays and again it's quite tiring. Finding something for the boys to do while I sit upstairs and try to concentrate on getting a blog post done isn't easy, they're spending a lot of time in front of screens. But we are making up for that with days out. 

This week we've celebrated LP's 8th birthday, I cannot believe he's 8 years old and am dumbstruck that he is my youngest child. How did that happen!? Anyway... He had a couple of friends over and we took them to Handmade Burger Co in Nottingham, they had a great time and particularly enjoyed the milkshakes. The day went by so fast but as he went to bed he said he'd had a great day, so we were happy.





Let us never know what old age is. Let us know the happiness time brings, not count the years.

Ausonius





We've also been to Alton Towers to pick up our Annual Merlin Passes, it was a quick visit yesterday and while we didn't spend a whole day there at least we have our passes now. It means we can go whenever we like and spend as much time as we like, without thinking about costs. Win! We'll definitely be putting those passes to use through these holidays with a trip to London planned for some time next week. 





The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate. 

Oprah Winfrey 





The boys off school, trying to be active for them, and other stuff going on means my head is kind of full at the moment. But I'll get on with it, we have to don't we? Things will ease off eventually and until they do I'll keep going. 

Are your children off school yet? What exciting things do you have planned for the holidays?



Blogger Showcase Jess from Enjoy the Adventure





Jess, a travel blogger and mental health support worker, describes herself as passionate, caring and loving. She started her blog after backpacking around Europe (wow!) and loves a good cup of tea and biscuits. To find out more about Jess stop by Stephanie's blog and read her answers to our Blogger Showcase questions.

You can connect with Jess here:





Pocolo


Each week you'll be able to link up from either of our sites and between us Stephanie and I will comment on every post linked.

The rules; Link up your best post written in the last week and we'd like you to comment on at least two other linked posts, as well as the hosts.

Help us spread the #PoCoLo word on Twitter and include the badge on your post.

Please do pop over and say hi to this week's Blogger Showcase. It's always nice to get a comment or two.

If you'd like to be featured in our Blogger Showcase please do check out the questions and email your answers to us at postcommentlove@gmail.com.

Thank you for popping by.


Post Comment Love
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Cleaning hacks to save you time!

Cleaning sucks, let's face it, so anything that makes life easier and helps the cleaning go faster has got to be good right?



Right.

Below you'll find some top tips to help your cleaning days go faster.




When life give you lemons... 




Clean with them!




I never thought of lemons as a cleaning product but it turns out they're useful. 

You can use lemons to make your chrome fittings shine like new. Scrub your fittings with a half lemon and wipe down with kitchen towel and see that chrome shine.





Excuse the mess, but we live here.

Roseanne Barr





Lemons can also be used to help clean your microwave, and you know you could do with some help in that department. I hate cleaning my microwave so when I read this it was a huge relief. 

Just add cut up lemons to a microwave-safe bowl filled with water and turn the microwave on for one minute. Remove the bowl (with gloves - it'll be hot!) and wipe the grime away with a cloth. Done!




A dishwasher doesn't just wash dishes.





You can wash all kinds of things in your dishwasher, and some of them I bet you'd never thought of.

Oven hood vents will look new again with a quick blast in the dishwasher, and it saves you from scrubbing and trying to get rid of thick oil and grime.

Does your fridge need a good clean? The shelves can be put into your dishwasher, making the job a whole lot easier!

Soap and toothbrush holders can go in your dishwasher too. So when they're looking grimy and covered with dried on toothpaste bung them in there - job done.

Plastic hairbrushes and combs will look great after a blast in the dishwasher, just be sure to remove all the hair first! Oh and don't put wooden handled brushed into the dishwasher, that'll just ruin them (yep, learned from experience - doh!).






Scissors to clean your hairbrush





Cut the hair along the bristles and use the end of the scissors to pull the hair free. The hair should come free easily but if there are any left over you can use a clean (spare) toothbrush to get rid of the hairs left behind. And just for good measure bung it in the microwave if it's a plastic one.








The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment.

Marie Kondo







Keep your bed linen together




It only occurred to me recently to start doing this but it's such a time saver and a space saver too!

When you're folding your bed linen put the folded set inside a matching pillowcase, this way they'll all be together and it's easier to store.


Cleaning Hacks To Save You Time! | Want to save time on the cleaning? Check out these hacks!




I hope these few cleaning hacks make the cleaning go quicker but if not you can always give the kids chores to do!

Why not check out these tips over on Groom & Style on how to declutter your life.



What cleaning hacks would you add to the list?




To get organised and become the cleaning hack queen why not grab the Organised Mama Pack.