LIKES & LOVES| DECEMBER 2021

It's the last day of 2021 and I've been reflecting on the year. We have made some wonderful memories with friends and family however we have had heartbreak along the way too with the loss of a family member at the end of November. December has been strange this year however there still have been things I've enjoyed so read on for my likes and loves in December. 

Christmas Films
We've mainly been watching Christmas films this month. Some of my favourites include: The Christmas Chronicles, Micky's once upon a Christmas, A Christmas Carol and more. 

Blake's Birthday
Blake turned 7 on the 16th and we took him to Prezzo after school. The day before we had his friends over to play and for tea which he was so excited about. He was absolutely thrilled with all his presents.



2021 READING CHALLENGE | WHAT I'VE READ IN DECEMBER

It's the last of my reading challenge for 2021 and unfortunately I didn't complete my goal of 75 books however I have managed to read 60 which I'm happy with. December has been a good month and I'm not in a slump anymore and starting to enjoy reading again. 


The Deaths of December by Susi Holliday 
A crime thriller mixed in with the festive season and you get The Deaths of December. Most festive books tend to be romances and I'm glad to find one in my favourite genre. The hunt is on for a serial killer in a thrilling festive crime novel.It looks like a regular advent calendar. Until DC Becky Greene starts opening doors...and discovers a crime scene behind almost every one. The police hope it's a prank. Because if it isn't, a murderer has just surfaced - someone who's been killing for twenty years. 


LITTLE MOMENTS 2021: 52/52: OUR CHRISTMAS

 Christmas this year was different from usual. As we spent a few days over the holidays with Stuart's family the routine was different especially for Blake. We had a death in the family near the end of November so we wanted to be together and it didn't really feel like Christmas. 

We did the usual tradition of a mince pie and a glass of milk for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer before bed. In the morning Blake had a few presents to open however most were at ours so we didn't have to try and cart them around on the train. 


We had a lovely Christmas dinner and just had a pretty laid back Christmas. Once we got home today Blake got to open all his other presents followed by a takeaway for dinner. 




LITTLE MOMENTS 2021: 51/52: BLAKE'S BIRTHDAY/LINCOLN CASTLE ILLUMINATION

On December 16th our gorgeous Blake turned 7. He was very excited for his birthday and been pointing at his Peppa Pig cake we had in the fridge in the lead up to it. Once the day arrived he was so excited to see his pile of presents and kept shouting thank you, thank you! He managed to open them all before getting ready for school. We were told once he was picked up from school that he had such a wonderful day. It happened to be Christmas Party Day at school but his class did it a double celebration for him. He also got to see Santa and got a present from him too. 



LITTLE MOMENTS 2021: 50/52: CHRISTMAS MARKET/EYE TEST

 This week we were glad that Blake could finally get out of isolation and back to school on the Friday. This meant that we were able to get out and about at the weekend.

Saturday was an early birthday celebration for Blake with a few of his friends at soft play. We were so glad that this was something that we didn't have to cancel as Blake was so excited to see his friends.


On Sunday we headed to our towns Christmas Market that was on. It was slightly disappointing as there weren't many stalls. It turns out the event had more things on the Saturday. Blake still had a wonderful time though on the rides especially the tea cups.


We then headed to Specsavers with Blake for an eye test. It went much better than we had expected it to go and are very proud of how he coped with it all. They want to see him again in 6 months time so he gets used to it and in hopes that they will be able to be able to do more tests and get a better look at his eyes. 

SIGNS YOU NEED A NEW BOILER

*In collaboration with BBright


Boilers are an important part of keeping your home warm, especially this time of year. Boilers don't have an expiration date, however they can last up to approximately 15 years.  Over time you may notice that your boiler doesn't work as well as it is meant to. There are some tell-tale signs that your boiler is on it's way out before it gives up completely. Today I am sharing with you about those tell-tale signs to look for.



LITTLE MOMENTS: 49/52: COVID

After managing to avoid it Covid came into our home this past week. Monday just before lunch we had a call from school to say that Blake needed to be picked up as the whole class was shutting due to contact with a positive Covid case meaning we needed to get him booked in for a PCR.

At the time none of us had symptoms so was expecting a negative result. We managed to get a PCR booked in for him Monday afternoon. Tuesday Blake had symptoms of a cold and a bit of a cough. That evening his results came through, he has Covid.

Exploring Gratitude with Your Child

 By encouraging your child to look for the good in life and express gratitude on a regular basis, you will help them in a number of ways. For instance, they may feel more appreciative of the people around them and will therefore build stronger relationships. What’s more, they might feel more confident about their abilities and the support they have, encouraging them to take risks and overcome challenges more easily. They will become more empathetic towards those less fortunate. They may feel more optimistic about the future because they know that life is full of wonders. As you can see, there are lots of benefits to exploring gratitude with your child. If you’re wondering where to start, here are some tips from a prep school in Hertfordshire.




Exploring STEM Subjects with Your Child

*This is a collaborative post


STEM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. When referencing STEM subjects, one is usually talking about a subject that falls under one of those four categories, like Biology, Psychology, Astronomy, or Coding, to name but a few. With so many career opportunities nowadays seeking applicants with STEM qualifications, you may want to consider ways you can explore these subjects with your child at home. I have teamed up with a secondary school in Bath to share some advice. 



Top Tips for Helping Your Child Learn a New Language

*This is a collaborative post


Most schools in the UK provide students with modern foreign language lessons and you may be looking for ways you can help your child. It can be quite daunting, particularly if you don’t speak the language yourself, but there are still lots of ways you can help. Here are some tips from a boarding school in Wiltshire