Capturing These Days: September 2016

It was a few months ago when I realised that we were spending way too much time inside watching Cbeebies, and not enough time outside keeping active and getting fresh air. I'd read a worrying article which stated that on average three quarters of children spend less time outside than prisoners, and it really struck a chord with me. As parents, we are meant to set a good example to our children, but we were spending day after day at home in the living room, playing with the same toys over and over again and watching far too much television. I knew that things needed to change.

Since then I've really focused on keeping Zach active; something that is actually not very hard as he never stops moving. Whilst he is so energetic now I know that if I let us fall into bad habits while he is still so young it would be hard to change them when he is older. In fact, research by ESP Play, a leading manufacturer of children's play ground equipment, showed that currently 1 in 3 children between the ages of 2 and 10 are overweight, which is quite frankly a terrifying statistic, and something I definitely don't want for my son.

I've found that for us the key is getting out of the house. Going outside every day, even if it is just for an hour, has made a huge difference. Not only is Zach keeping active, but he is sleeping better as he is burning off all of his energy, and we have a stronger relationship thanks to all of the quality time we're spending together. There are so many different things you can do with your toddler to keep them active, so I thought I would share a few of our favourites.

Ways to keep your toddler active:

Go on an adventure

Whether you're just popping to the local park, or going somewhere further afield, getting outside and away from the house on a little adventure is a great way to keep active. Zach loves to run around so we often head to the beach or the forest for the day where we can let him loose - big open spaces are great for toddlers because it means they can explore freely as there is no need for them to be strapped into a pushchair or reins.

Getting away from everything, so that you're fully surrounded by nature, is a great detox to the bright plastic toys and annoying tv shows which seem to dominate life with a toddler. I think it is so important to teach children that they can have fun without those things, and I like to encourage Zach to use his senses; we like to collect things, like stones or conkers, listen to the animals, and look for beautiful flowers.

Play at the park

Another great way to get outside and keep active is to play at the park. Zach absolutely loves hitting up the playground; he's a super climber so he likes to brave the heights on the climbing frame before hurtling down the slide, again, and again, and again. When he's bored of that he'll want to go in the swing, which means I get a bit of a work out too while I push him, and then it's straight onto the roundabout!

Join a class

Joining classes is a great way of keeping toddlers active, especially in the colder months when it's harder to get outside. Zach has swimming lessons and Tumble Tots every week, and he absolutely loves them. It gives him a chance to burn off some of his energy at the same time as making new friends and learning a new skill. I've also noticed a huge difference in his development since he started his classes, and by taking part in activities he is picking up social cues such as when he needs to follow rules, or take turns.

Join the National Trust

I feel like joining the National Trust is one of those moments when you suddenly feel like a 'real adult', but we have really made the most of our memberships this year, and I would really recommend getting one. Locally we have a few National Trust properties, all of which have amazing grounds to explore and are an easy way to get outside and keep active on a slow Sunday afternoon. They cater so well for children too, which really makes a difference when you're heading out for the day.

Go to soft play

I absolutely hate soft play. The food is awful, the equipment is dirty and there is always a child pushing Zach out of the way BUT it is a great place to go to when the weather is awful and you want your toddler to keep active and burn off some energy. I know that we will be going a lot during the winter months, and I am sure Zach will absolutely love it.

Go swimming

As I mentioned above, Zach has a swimming lesson each week, but we also try to fit in another session just us two. We have so much fun splashing around in the pool and playing games, and it is so wonderful to see him build up his confidence in the water. It is such great exercise, a really important life skill AND something you can do during the colder months. Perfect!

Going forward I hope that the school we send Zach to in the future will hold the same values we do. Encouraging fitness is so important, and sadly, further research by ESP Play found that on average students spend 68% of their PE lesson stationary. Using this information they have gone on to design playground solutions which further testing has shown that there is a 19% increase in activity when schools use their equipment - that sound's pretty good to me! I hope that the school we send Zach too will have their equipment, as well as the right attitude towards the importance of keeping active.

How do you ensure your toddler stays active?

*This is a collaborative post with ESP Play*

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, by Chantal Capturing These Days

#LittleLoves

New Boots, Trains & Frozen #LittleLoves

This week I've found being a working mum harder than ever before. Normally I really enjoy having some 'me' time, but at the moment there's nothing I want nothing more than to be with Zach. It's definitely made me realise how much I appreciate being able to work part time, and this week I've made the most of every second on my days off.

READ

Honestly, this week I have still been reading 'And the Mountains Echoed' by Khaled Hosseini. I have been somewhat slacking on the book front recently as I have still been spending my spare time watching Gilmore Girls! I need to get back on it though, as I have such a huge pile to catch up with!

WATCHED

Yesterday afternoon Zach and I had ourselves a little adventure. We found the absolute perfect spot to watch trains go by; he is so obsessed with them, and we spent about an hour watching them go back and forth. It was the loveliest afternoon together, sitting in what might be the last of the summer sun.

MADE

Now that we are finally reaching the end of summer I am getting ready to embrace the cooler weather. This week I put together our autumn bucket list, filled with all of the lovely seasonal things we want to this year. Now it's just time to start crossing them off!

WORE

This week I wore my new bargain boots which were just £7 from Primark! They are so comfy, and come in four different colours - I really want to get them in black too. I just don't want to think about who made them, because I can't understand how it is possible to make boots so cheap.

HEARD

I absolutely love Frozen, but it wasn't something Zach had ever seen until last week. He's been teething and generally feeling a bit poorly over the past week and a half, and so one afternoon I decided to pop it on the telly, and snuggle up with him on the sofa. I have since been playing the soundtrack in the car, and absolutely love singing along with 'Let it go' - if only I had Idina Menzel's voice!

AND LASTLY...

We are going on holiday this weekend and I am SO excited!! It's been almost three years since the last time Jono and I went abroad, and it will be the first time for Zach. I am ~~a little~~ super anxious about our flights, as we have four over ten days, and I haven't started packing yet, but I'm sure we're going to have a great time!

Because we will be away there will be no little loves next week, but please follow me on Instagram to keep up with all of the holiday spam!

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, by Chantal Capturing These Days

Autumn

Our Autumn Bucket List

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Weekly Meal Plan

Weekly Meal Plan #3

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Being Mother

{The Ordinary Moments 2016} #19 - Mummy's Boy

I am needy.

I always have been, and probably always will be. Since the moment Zach was born all I have wanted is cuddles with my sweet little boy, goodnight kisses, and to hold his hand as we walk down the street. I dream about snuggling on the sofa with him, with hot chocolates, watching a disney film, and I long for the nights when he gets out of his bed and invades ours.

But ever since he's been able to move, Zach has always tried to avoid my grasp. He will climb off my lap and move to the other end of the sofa to watch Cbeebies. He will pull his hand out of mine when I try to hold it, and he will wriggle his way out of my arms when I hold him. He's never been the biggest fan of kisses either and has always wanted his space. And as much as I respect it, I can't help but find it hard.

Over the past week or two however, I've noticed that things have started to change a little, and slowly but surely he's showing me more affection than ever. At the park he grabs my hand and drags me up onto the climbing frame with him, or he pulls me up to the top of the slide so that we can go down together. He loves to sit on my lap and read book after book, and he will happily sit with me on the sofa whilst we watch Bing or Thomas the Tank Engine (over, and over, and over again).

But the most shocking thing of all is that he's actually been clingy, at times wants nothing more than being held by his mama; no one else will do. Of course it's always at the most inconvenient times, like when I'm cooking dinner, but I can't explain how happy it makes my heart. I finally feel like he needs me, and it's the best feeling in the world.

This photo was snapped just yesterday when we were out walking in the countryside. Although for the most part he was still fiercely independent on the walk back to the car he wouldn't budge unless he knew I was right there beside him. Whenever I stopped he would come and reach up to be carried, not wanting to part from me. And I'm so happy that I managed to capture it forever, a photo of my mummy's boy.

I'm sure this won't last for long; it most definitely won't last forever. So I'm holding on to every last second that my little boy clings to me.

And I'm still hoping that when he's a little older he'll want to snuggle on the sofa and drink hot chocolate with me whilst watching disney.

And our bed will always be a safe refuge from a nightmare or a thunder storm, should he ever need it.

And my heart will always belong to him, my little boy, my Zachary.

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, by Chantal Capturing These Days

Review

REVIEW | 1byone Turntable

Last month I was contacted by 1byone who asked if I wanted to try out a product from their range of electronics. I had a quick browse of their amazon store, and as soon as I spotted their vintage portable turntable I knew that it would be the perfect addition to our living room. It comes in two colours, black and turquoise; as our living room is very monochrome I opted for the turquoise to add a pop of colour, and I am so happy with my decision as it is the perfect shade.

I want to start by saying that I am not an expert by any means when it comes to turntables, or audio equipment in general for that matter. In fact, this is the first turntable I have ever used, so this review is purely for people who like me would like to get into playing vinyl, but haven't got a huge budget to do so; this turntable is priced at just £58.99.

The turntable was sent to me via amazon, whose delivery I can't fault. It was quick and convenient, arriving in a big box which was so exciting to open. I always think it feels like Christmas when you get big parcels to open! It was protected really well in thick foam, and after getting it out setting it up couldn't have been simpler - literally all I had to do was plug it in and it was ready to go.

The turntable has three speeds (33, 45 and 78 rpm) and an auto-stop function for when the record ends. Personally I think the sound quality is pretty good, especially considering the price and the fact that it's portable; it's not got the same sound quality that a whole stereo set up would, but if that's what you were after you wouldn't buy this anyway.

You can plug in your mp3 player/phone, which means that along side listening to the music you own, you can listen to Spotify or Apple Music through the turntable, although the lead for this is not included. You can also plug in other speakers via phono should you want to make it louder and increase the sound quality, or plug in headphones if you don't want others to hear your music.

When you're not using the turntable you can close the case, which also prevents it from collecting dust - something I have recently learnt is bad for vinyl records! We keep ours on the top of our bookcase and I think it looks great there. Now I just need to build up our vinyl collection - next on my list is Rumours by Fleetwood Mac as it is both mine and Jono's favourite album of all time!

Do you have a turntable? Would you buy one?

*I was kindly sent the turntable in return for this review, however all thoughts and opinions are my own

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, by Chantal Capturing These Days

#LittleLoves

Vinyl, Autumn Picture Books & Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake #LittleLoves

We've had a really lovely week. I had some holiday booked, so only spent one day in the office, meaning lots of one on one time with my gorgeous little boy. His music lessons have started again after the easter break, we've been swimming twice and to the park more times than I can count. It's been so nice to just relax a bit and enjoy the simple things.

This is what my week has looked like:

READ

I'm a bit of a bookworm, and have always enjoyed reading, so assumed that I would read regularly with Zach from the word go. However, we never instated a "bed time routine" and whilst we do read together it never became a daily occurrence like I thought it would. It's been something I've felt guilty about for months, so this week I've finally started reading with Zach every evening before we put him to bed. Of course we've been reading lots of autumnal books because I just can't get enough of everything seasonal.

WATCHED

As I've spent so much time with Zach this week I've really been watching him play and interact with others. Seeing him almost every day means that sometimes I don't notice the changes he's making, but this week I realised just how grown up he is. He is brilliant at climbing at the park, he loves to colour with his crayons, he's learnt to sit nicely during his music class and he's so much better at sharing. This age has to be my favourite so far!

MADE

I've really been getting into some Autumnal baking this week, and have made not one but two cinnamon apple bundt cakes. It was both Jono's mum's and my mum's birthdays this week, so I decided to make them one each and I have to say they were delicious! I might even make another one to take to work next week.

WORE

Flip flops, because it has been seriously hot! As much the weather is lovely, I am still longing for some cooler, more autumnal weather. Although I should probably just make the most of the beautiful warm weather while it lasts!

HEARD

This week we've gone a little retro in our house and have been listening to records on our new turntable! I was sent it to review, so keep an eye out for that post coming soon, and I have been really enjoying it so far - although our vinyl collection is somewhat limited at the moment. I really want to get a copy of Rumours by Fleetwood Mac as that is both mine and Jono's favourite album of all time.

AND LASTLY...

I can't finish this post without mentioning that my new sofa arrived this week. I am so excited that it is finally here, although currently we also still have our old sofa and armchairs in the living room too which means things are a little cramped! After spending the last few weeks redecorating the living room it is finally coming together and I am so happy with the space.

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Book Year

August in Books

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Weekly Meal Plan

Weekly Meal Plan #2

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Days Out

Our One Day Holiday

I love going on holiday as much as the next person, but boy is it expensive. We are lucky enough to be going abroad at the end of the month, but it has been almost three years since I last left the country, and Zach never has. In fact, we have just been on the one holiday as a family, when we went to Eastbourne for Easter. We just couldn't afford to go anywhere further afield, and do you know what, we still had a great time!

Back in August I was contacted by Ocean Finance who wanted to set me a challenge; to go on a one day holiday for just £100. Of course I jumped at the chance and got planning straight away. I am in my element when it comes to day trip organisation, and after spending a long time deliberating I decided on a day out in Essex with my two lovely boys.

Our first port of call was Colchester Zoo. I realised we had never taken Zach to a zoo before, and thought that it would be really fun, especially now that he is starting to recognise animals. We left a little later than planned, arriving just in time for lunch. We found a bench and ate the picnic that we had brought from home before setting off to see all of the animals.

Sadly we didn't end up taking that many photos at the zoo, because in all honesty, we were too busy trying to avoid toddler tantrums. Before being a parent I never understood the need for playgrounds at places like the zoo, because there is so much to see and do, but now I totally get it. We were so grateful that there was somewhere for Zach to let off steam, run around and burn off some of his energy.

We spent several hours walking around, and managed to see almost all of the animals, including lemurs which are my absolute favourite. Zach was completely entranced by the penguins, and we all loved seeing the big animals - the elephants, zebras, rhinos and giraffes! Despite a certain someone being a little stroppy we had a really great time, and I think that he will enjoy it a lot more next year when he's older.

After a swift exit through the gift shop we hopped back into the car and drove to the coast, to the island of Mersea. I'm sure you all know by now that I absolutely love being by the sea, and after seeing photos of the beautiful pastel beach huts on West Mersea beach I knew we had to take a trip there. After taking a couple of wrong turns we finally found them, and the photos really do not do them justice as they were soooooo pretty!

We walked straight down to the sea, and paddled in the water avoiding the jelly fish who were threatening to ruin our fun! I love taking Zach to the beach because he is able to roam free and explore - meaning he tries to pick up every single pebble that he can find! There's something about the sea air that really works wonders, and by the time we left we were feeling calm and the tantrums were almost forgotten about.

We had the perfect end to the day with a seaside classic, fish and chips! After buying enough food to feed a small army we headed out towards the marina, and found a lonely weather-beaten picnic bench with a view of the boats. The ideal spot for dinner! Once we had eaten as much as we could it was time to get back into the car and begin the drive home, shattered after a day packed full of fun.

Just in case you want to see a bit more of our day we filmed a little video which I would absolutely love you to watch! :)

So, the big question is, did we manage to do it all for less than £100? Here is a breakdown of what we spent:

Zoo tickets - £39.36

Packed lunch - £7.85

Ice creams and drinks - £6.50

Fish and chips - £16.30

Petrol - £23.55

TOTAL - £93.56

We did it, and even had a little left over for a drink each at the pub the next night! ;)

The key to our success was saving money by booking our zoo tickets online in advance, and taking a packed lunch instead of buying it there. It's little things like that which can make a big difference when it comes to the total cost of your day out.

We had a really great time on our one day holiday, and it was so lovely to spend some quality time with my two boys. It just shows you don't need to go on a big holiday to have a great time. There are so many amazing places we haven't been to which are right on our doorstep, and I hope that we can explore them all!

Where would you go on a one day holiday?

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*I was kindly given £100 to spend on my one day holiday by Ocean Finance in return for this blog post

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, by Chantal Capturing These Days

#LittleLoves

Gilmore Girls, Homemade Soup and a New Baby - #LittleLoves

This week we welcomed September and I have already started to fully embrace everything autumnal - today I even bought a mulled spice bleach; Tesco are taking seasonal to the next level! I really love this time of year because it feels like a fresh start, and despite no longer being in education I always want to buy all the new stationery and organise my life. Oh, and I want pumpkin spice everything.

This is what my week has looked like:

READ

I have been reading 'And The Mountains Echoed' by Khaled Housseni this week. I read his two previous novels 'The Kite Runner' and ''A Thousand Splendid Suns' earlier this year and loved them both, so knew I would get totally hooked on this one. There is something about his stories that are so beautiful despite being heartbreakingly tragic, and if you haven't read any of his books then you absolutely must!

WATCHED

Gilmore Girls. Every. Single. Day.

I don't know why I had never watched it before, but I am now absolutely hooked and storming my way through it on Netflix. I just can't get enough!

MADE

This week I made soup for the very first time, and I don't know why I had never done it before because it is so easy! I tried a very simple butternut squash soup, armed with a stick blender that I talked Jono into buying for me because "I really need it and want to make soup every day and oh my gosh it will be amazing!" I was right, and I fully intend to make soup every week throughout autumn and winter to take to work for lunch.

WORE

Last night I decided that to get completely into the spirit of autumn I needed to paint my nails a gorgeous berry tone, so that is exactly what I did. Since becoming a mum I don't actually paint my nails very often, despite the massive box of polishes I own - it always feels like too much of a faff, but I really love them when they're done so I need to get back into the habit.

HEARD

I've been listening to a lot of You Me At Six this week because we have tickets to see them in October! I'm really excited - I don't really go to gigs very often any more and I can't wait to get out and have a fun evening toddler free in London!

AND LASTLY...

This week we got to meet a new little love who has joined our family. Zach's new baby cousin is beyond gorgeous, and I couldn't believe how small he is - I don't remember Zach ever being that tiny! It's crazy how quickly they grow, and I have to say that after holding a newborn I am now super broody!

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, by Chantal Capturing These Days

Bullet Journal

Bullet Journal Bloggers - September '16

Hello!

Welcome to the first edition of the Bullet Journal Bloggers linky, hosted by myself and my lovely friend Stacie from Parker and Me! We are both complete Bullet Journal addicts, and love reading blog posts filled with BuJo ideas and inspiration.

Our new monthly linky, Bullet Journal Bloggers, is a place for bloggers who write about their Bullet Journals to share their posts. If you write about weekly spreads, lists, trackers, monthly lay-outs or anything else that is related to Bullet Journaling we would love you to link up below!

There are a few simple rules that we'd like you to follow:

- Please link up one post, either old or new

- Follow us on Twitter (@parkerandme & @milkandnappies) and tweet us your link using the hashtag #BuJoBloggers for a retweet!

- Be kind, and leave comments on a few other blog posts in the linky.

- Please include our badge at the bottom of your posts (HTML code available below) and use the hashtag #BuJoBloggers on social media - we would love to see some of your instagram posts too!

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We can't wait to read your posts!

An InLinkz Link-up

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, by Chantal Capturing These Days

Pages

Autumn Toddler Clothing Haul | Zara, H&M and Mango

Keeping Your Toddler Active

New Boots, Trains & Frozen #LittleLoves

Our Autumn Bucket List

Weekly Meal Plan #3

{The Ordinary Moments 2016} #19 - Mummy's Boy

REVIEW | 1byone Turntable

Vinyl, Autumn Picture Books & Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake #LittleLoves

August in Books

Weekly Meal Plan #2

Our One Day Holiday

Gilmore Girls, Homemade Soup and a New Baby - #LittleLoves

Bullet Journal Bloggers - September '16

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