Life with boys

I was never really certain I would have a boy.

I'm one of three girls, and although I know this really makes no difference to what gender you have, I just sort of assumed that I would follow in my mother's footsteps (to be fair she also thought Henry was going to be a girl).

Don't get me wrong, having a son has been the most wonderful experience, and I have no daughter regrets (yet). Henry is everything you could want from a little boy, but there have definitely been some tricky bits. 

I'm totally out-numbered 3 to 1 - yes I include the cat in this! But I'm really quite happy with the arrangement.

So what is life like with boys?

LIFESTYLE: Re-finding my inner happiness

I have a somewhat fiery temperament generally. I've always had a flair for the dramatic, even from a young age, and for many years as a teenagers would go from one extreme to the other in personality. I haven't had the easiest, or the toughest of lives. I was always an intensely private person. Some things have been awful and some things have been great.

However, recently I've found that I really didn't like a certain side of myself, and that I wanted to be a better person, both for other people and for myself.

I'm happy to say I'm a much happier person right now. I feel more mellow and easy going. I feel more relaxed and at peace with the person I've become.
A lot of this I realised after seeing family that I haven't seen for a while, who remarked that I had changed in recent months, and seemed more open and happier in general.
And that was both slightly hard to hear, but also good to hear. I'm taking it as a positive however. I've worked hard to learn about myself and to develop myself. And it's a continual journey, but right now I'm happier.

I thought I'd share some personally things - reasons why I think I'm happier now than I've ever really been.

LIFESTYLE: 25 date ideas under £25

After seven and a half years with Dann we both know the trials and tribulations of a long term partnership. It's not all whirlwind romance, flowers and meals out, because let's be honest, it's hard work and expensive. Not that a long term relationship isn't hard work, you're trying to sustain the togetherness, without murdering, which can be especially tricky if they've left their socks BY the washing basket, rather than IN it for the 600th time!

But it is nice to have some special time together. With work, social commitments, pets, family, housework, budgeting and all those other 'adult' and 'grown up' things you have to do on a daily basis, it can be hard to fit in some one on one time, and make it more exciting and interesting than binge watching OITNB or SOA on Netflix (though that is good too occasionally).

So I thought I'd share 25 date ideas for your and your partner - be it a first date, one of many, or one of far too many - and they all cost less than £25, so your bank balance won't hate you. In fact some of them cost nothing at all.