As it's the International Day of Happiness, on the way to school today I asked my 5 year old daughter what makes her happy.  Her reply was quite simply "cuddles from you and Daddy". In case you didn't know the General Assembly of the United Nations in its resolution of 12 July 2012 proclaimed 20 March the International Day of Happiness recognising...

Our guest blogger Morgana, the face behind the very popular family life and style blog, ButWhyMummyWhy.com, explains why her wonderful Mother's Day celebrations can be tinged with sadness...Mother’s Day can be a bitter sweet time for me.After losing my mum when my eldest daughter was just a few months old I’ve found it can be a difficult day to process...

Last week was half term and my daughter and I spent a very enjoyable day in a local bookshop doing activities whilst browsing and buying a load of new books from her current two favourite authors Chris Riddell and Fleur Hitchcock.  Today is World Book Day and it got me thinking about why I love books and would never want...

Preparing for a Pancake Day kitchen session always makes me nervous. Little hands want to get involved and that’s all very lovely but someone has to scrape the pancakes from the kitchen ceiling and, funnily enough, that’s usually me.I have two children who love to get involved in cooking. In particular a 6 year old boy who wants to splash...

It’s taken two years for my Dad to complete the Dear Dad journal I gave to him for Christmas 2011. It seems like a long time but he is nearly 80 and there’s a lot to remember.He was flattered and delighted to receive the journal two years ago, but equally rather daunted and overwhelmed. I know he felt a weighty...

As we drip in to a very wet and windy 2014 I thought I would share my favourite poem which I hope you like as much as I do. So if there is anything you want to do in 2014 then just take off your coat and go to it . . .It couldn't be done by Edgar Guest Somebody said...

Our guest blogger and valued customer, Gemma Edwards of Gifts4Gifts.com, shares her Christmas excitement with us, and picks her top three Christmas gifts...It's that time of year when we see signs of Christmas around us: shop windows aglow, advert jingles, and glistening lights against the night sky. It’s enough to get us excited about the winter festivities.  I want to share...

I don’t see you very often, we have such busy lives and we live so far apart, so I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed spending an evening with you.It was really lovely to talk about ‘the old days’ and recall fun stories from our times together.I also wanted to tell you that I think you are amazing. ...

It’s a sure sign that my daughter is growing up when I’m waving her goodbye as her coach departs for her school residential. She’s smiling, laughing and waving excitedly and, waving back with a cheery smile, I’m actually very near to tears.I couldn’t be more excited for her. Her week will be packed with independence, fun and adventure. Mine will...

A nice relaxing drive to a business meeting. Latte to hand, cruising in the slow lane, radio on. Before long I’m blinking giant tears and letting out involuntary sobs. I’m moved by an interview with the journalist Robert Peston, where the BBC’s business editor explains that, for him, ‘being human’ is defined by the ability to love.Peston lost his wife...