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Children’s Mental Health Week 🧠

Mental health is about how we think, feel and act. Just like physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it.

Mind (2021)

We all have good days and bad days, and mental health is very much a spectrum of feeling.

Good mental health is when we are feeling positive and calm as well as feeling confident in what we do.

Bad mental health is very much a feeling of being out of control, overwhelmed and unable to cope with your feelings, this is often reflected in your actions.

“Mental health is on a spectrum – we can be ill and struggling and well and functioning. It constantly changes which can be exhausting, but it’s also a reminder that things will change for the better again.”

Mind (2021)

There are lots of different ways to help promote and nuture a good mental state in children, which will then form a good basis later in life.

Of course trauma, events, things out of our control etc can influence our mental health at any point, but being able to deal with this and recognise it in yourself is so important – especially in children and young people.

Get talking…

Here are some great books that are a good talking point for mental health and wellbeing discussions with children.

‘Confidence is my superpower’ by Alicia Ortego
‘Lucy’s blue day’ by Chris Poke
‘Monty the Manatee’ by Natalie Pritchard and Natalie Merheb.
‘Kindness is my superpower’ by Alicia Ortego.
‘Whs’s going on inside my head’ by Molly Potter
‘How are you feeling today’ by Molly Potter.

These are great for children to read/look at themselves, as part of a storytime, to aid/prompt classroom discussions or as part of an activity/activity tray (See below my tuff tray)

Useful links:

https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/campaigns/children-and-young-peoples-mental-health/

https://www.place2be.org.uk/

There is alway’s help out there.

Don’t suffer in silence.

Everyone is different.

Your feelings are valid.

♡

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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2021 🌟

I obviously post alot about books on here but I’ve always enjoyed using it as a diary of sorts so, here is a little round up of the last year.

January

Lockdown – Quiz Nights – Trip to Venice Covid Style – Snow!!

February

Valentines – Pancake day – First Covid Vaccine – Video calls.

March

Lots of walks – Springtime – Covid styley Mothers Day Afternoon tea – Darren releases new music/merch etc.

April

More walks – Meet ups – Fambizzle Easter Chinese Covid styley – Naya tribute – AC Anniversary – Covid Vaccine no 2.

May

May bank Hol – New Series of LOD – Me & Sarah turned 30 – First tattoo – F.R.I.E.N.D.S reunion – Suprise 30th party in the park.

June

Meet ups – Suprise birthday drinks with work friends – Bought my first car – 5 Year Wedding  anniversay/10 years together – Euros – Uni Reunion, finally – Dr Who Experience – Pizza – Drove to work for the first time – More pizza!

July

Passed my theory test – Tim turns 30 – Tims suprise pizza party – Naya 🖤 – Evie turns 4 – Euros heartbreak – Tim & Ducks party in the park – Days out – Boys round to ours, first time since Covid – More sunny walks – Summer Reading Challenge Volunteering is back –
First sleepover with the boys post Covid.

August

A busy Summer ☀️
Meeting up – Eating out – More special birthdays – Roxy’s Hen Do – Our Holiday Camping – Youth Club ending – Summer Reading Challenge completed – Casey’s 5 – Tim’s Meerkat Experience – Parties.

September

Roxy’s wedding, being a bridesmaid – Noah’s 7 – Mcfly – HP Photo exhibition –

October

ITFC Show – Out & about – Afternoon tea – 20 years of HP at the cinema – Jasmine’s Hen do in Brighton – Halloween fun at the farm & a partyy –

November

Wedding fun – New Ear piercing – Trip to Dorset – Covid finally got us

December

Christmas prep – Christmas Tik Toks – HP concert – Jasmine’s wedding & CHRISTMAS (&NYE)

2022 is here…

Fingers crossed for a good’un.

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Bookcase tour 📚👉🏻

Hi guys 👋🏻

So, I started the new year by giving my bookcase a little reshuffle.

Here are the different shelf arrangements…

1. The Harry Potter Shelf

This is obviously a must 🤪

It’s a mixture of my copies of the book series as well as other illustrated versions and books about the wizarding world and films.

2. The tbr Shelf

My ‘to be read’ (tbr) shelf is all of the books that are on my list to read. It’s rather extensive at the moment – who else has a problem with being unable to stop buying books?! 🤪

It’s got quite a nice mix of different genres to choose from, from easy readers, Thrillers, Autobiographies, Novels, Romances, Fantasy etc.

3. Recommendations Shelf

This shelf is my go to when anyone asks for a recommendation. I get asked for recommendations quite a bit so they are handy to grab.

4. My Favourites Shelf

These books are some of my alltime faves. Most I have read more than once.

Some of my favourites include ‘Bridget Jones’ – ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ – ‘Animal Farm’ – ‘The Land of Stories Series’ and ‘Goodnight Mr Tom.

This one kinda spills onto two shelves – special mention to Heidi Swain whos books almost have a whole shelf to themselves now haha.

5. My Childrens Book Shelf

Working with Children as well as being an Auntie means that I can appreciate a good picture book. I have some classics as well as just random ones I have picked up on the way. These are a mixture of Fiction and Non Fiction.

I love colour co-ordinating my shelves too, I have done this with my ‘tbr list’ as there is quite an array of different books and covers.

This always looks pretty cool.

How do you organise your bookcase?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Reading round up… 2021 📚

So, here is my final reading update of 2021, July – December.

[Disclaimer: I’m not that fast a reader sometimes, it comes in fits and spurts, and I’ve had lots of revision to do, so its not as long a list as I’d like]

All my lies are true By Dorothy Koomson

A springtime affair by Katie Fforde

Be careful what you wish for by Jeffrey Archer

The Catch by T.M Logan

The Skylight by Louise Candlish

The little dreams of Lara Cliffe by Milly Johnson

A baby at the beach cafe by Lucy Diamond

The Land of Stories: Beyond the Kingdoms by Chris Colfer

A country escape by Katie Fforde

Mightier than the sword by Jeffrey Archer

The Invisable Girl by Lisa Jewell

Underneath the tree by Heidi Swain

The Road Trip by Beth O Leary

Dying for Christmas by Tammy Cohen

I wish it could be Christmas everyday by Milly Johnson

Baby it’s cold outside by Emily Bell

Which books have you enjoyed the most this year??

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Twenty Four: Christmas Eve Fun!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE GUYS!!

Santa’s coming tonight 🎅🏻

OMG SANTA! I KNOW HIM. (If you know you know)

Anyway, here is our Christmas eve fun/day of madness 🤣

Christmas Eve Boxes 🎅🏻 & Presents with my Niece & Nephews

Christmas Craft – after the present opening they did some colouring, and then later on in the afternoon me and the boys made our own Snowmen and watched ‘Elf’

My favourite tradition of all is going for a drive to look at the Christmas lights around town.

And then we of course headed home for some yummy food, games and of course ‘The Grinch’

And now my stocking is out and ready for the big man, Santa C to come 😁

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE EVERYONE!

How have you spent it?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Twenty Three: Baking Christmas Cookies 🍪🎅🏻

2 days to go!

I love a bit of festive baking – and its super fun when you get the kiddies involved. Me and my Nephews made some festive chocolate chip cookies – heres how it went.

What do you need:

  • Cadbury cookie pack
  • Oil
  • Milk
  • Baking tray
  • Baking parchment
  • Mixing bowl
  • Spoon
  • Festive sprinkles
  • Icing sugar

What do you need to do:

  1. Follow the box instructions – pre heat the oven accordingly.
  2. Empty the packet mix into a bowl and combine with the oil and milk.
  3. Roll out into 10 equal balls and place evenly on the tray.
  4. Press down a little.
  5. Bake.
  6. Add Sprinkles on top with a little icing so that they stick (or you could bake them with the sprinkles on top but they do melt a little)
  7. Enjoy!

Who doesn’t love a bit of festibe baking!?

What is your favourite festive bake?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Twenty Two: Christmas Eve Boxes 🎅🏻

3 days to go!!

I love putting together a Christmas eve box for my Nephews and Niece. I have been doing it each year since my Nephew Noah was born. It is one of my favourite traditions as I love to treat them.

You can get some great (various sized boxes) for this purpose from places like Card Factory, B&M, Home Bargins, and most Card or Pop up Christmas Shops.

It’s fun and festive finding little bits and bobs to go in them.

Here are some things that I usually go for:

  • Chocolate Coins
  • Box of Festive Cookie Mix/Cupcakes
  • Chocolate Santa
  • Festive Sweets
  • Christmas activity pack
  • Christmas arts & craft sets
  • Christmas Pjs
  • Christmas Socks
  • Christmas decoration
  • Novelty Christmas headware/hats/hairbands
  • Reindeer food
  • Hot chocolate sachet
  • Mini Christmas games eg Christmas Snap
  • Christmas hair bands

Hopefully that gives you a little bit of inspiration!

Here are my Christmas eve boxes for this year..

Have you put these together before?

What do you like to include?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Eighteen: My Christmassy Reading corner 🎄

Hi guys 👋🏻

ONE WEEK UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!

I like to decorate and make my reading corner nice and cosy.

Let’s take a look!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Thirteen: Chocolate Christmas trees 🍫🎄

12 days until Christmas! – 12!!! Where is the time going.

So, lets make sure that we are fully in the festive spirit with another tasty (& super easy) Christmas recipe.

I made these with my nephews and we had lots of fun.

🎄 Chocolate Christmas Trees 🎄

Ingredients:

  • White Chocolate
  • Mini Kinder bars
  • Festive Sprinkles
  • Magic Stars
  • Green food colouring

+

  • Baking parchment

Method:

  1. Place a Kinder bar, vertical, at the bottom of your piece of parchment.
  2. Slowly melt your white chocolate, 30 second increments until it is all fully melted.
  3. Mix in some green food colouring.
  4. Mix until it forms a thick paste/dough.
  5. Roll out and cut into a triangle tree shape.
  6. Place the triangle on top of the Kinder bar leaving a bit sticking out the bottom as the stump.
  7. Leave to cool a little but don’t let it harden.
  8. Place a choc star on top and decorate with your festive sprinkles.
  9. Leave in the fridge to harden completely
  10. Enjoy!
They were a big hit!

Let me know how you get on if you give them a go!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Twelve: My Christmas Bookcase 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

13 days to go!

Last year, since I moved and ‘upgraded’ shall we say, my reading corner. Thanks to the pandemic I made more use of it and had more time.

Last year I found some cool pictures where people had made snowmen and reindeers using their books and bookcases.

Here is last years efforts…

This year I made a whole christmas tree, the length of my bookcase. This one was alot harder but it was fun to give it a go!

What do you think?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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