Crabbing Adventures - The Ordinary Moments

I talked a couple of weeks back about how being by the water is my favourite thing, and I'm continuing that trend today with some photos of our recent little adventure crabbing. 

With Dann on paternity leave, it meant we had access to the car and a lot more freedom to go exploring during the week, which also meant everywhere was a little less busy (school holidays broke the week Dann returned to work). 

We've attempted to go up to the pontoon at Hamble River Country Park a couple of times at the weekends, but always found it so very busy, but luck was on our side this time, with only a handful of other people around. 

We grabbed a bucket, string and some bacon to tempt the crabs and sat out in the sunshine. 

Seaviews and Country Parks - The Ordinary Moments

I think one of my favourite places to be is by water. 

I'm not overly bothered by what kind of water - river, lake, sea or a pool. But beside water is where I feel my most relaxed. 

Of course, luckily for me, we live on the South Coast. We've lived in homes where you could literally see water from our window (twice) and have lived within 15 minutes driving of a coastline for the last nine years. 

And I'm glad that we do. Not only for me. But for our kids. 

Henry is already a huge lover of water. Water play is my go-to when I need to entertain Henry in the house. He's been in swimming lessons since he was six months old. He adores splash pads and bath time. And now he loves being by the sea! 

Can you tell he's my kid yet?

For me, nothing beats being by the sea. The glittering sunlight off the water. The cool chill of the splashing waves. The nostalgic memories of summer holidays gone by. The calming sounds. 

Farmers Market exploring - The Ordinary Moments

There's something about finding new local things to do that just makes me really happy. Filling our weekends with new experiences and visiting different places is one of my favourite things to do, and more so with Henry. I just want him to experience as much as possible, and integrating it with our normal life is so important to me.

So when I saw a new Farmer's Market for Southampton, I decided it was the perfect excuse for a Saturday morning trip out.

I love a good Farmer's Market anyway, I think it's because it remind me of home and little town life. Plus there's something very satisfying about supporting small local businesses and finding really great food and products.

So a couple of Saturday's ago we went along to the Oxford Street Farmer's Market for a bit of a look around and a little shop.

Pick Your Own Fruit Farm - and how to survive it with a toddler - The Ordinary Moments

I always thought Autumn was my favourite season, but since having a kid/s I think I'm a summer convert. I do have two summer babies after all. But oh man, the adventures are what makes the season so damn great. 

I absolutely love spending our weekends as a family exploring new places and trying new things. It helps with my wanderlust for one thing, without having to spend a fortune or leave the country (or renew my passport) and teaches Henry so much. 

Luckily for us, being close to both the city centre and lots of countryside, we have plenty of opportunity for new adventures and repeating old ones from previous years. And this includes our new love for Pick Your Own farms. 

We've already built a little yearly tradition for Pumpkin picking, and now we're developing one for Strawberry picking in the summer too. Last year Henry was just starting to walk and was mainly interested in the straw on the floor. This year, well he wanted to help A LOT!! 

Father's Day on the Watercress Line - Ordinary Moments

Review Post*

Nothing beats an adventure on a special occasion. I think it makes that occasion just that little bit more memorable. In fact, trips and travels by far beat physical gifts in my opinion, unless it's something really sentimental. 

Just before Father's Day we were invited along to visit the War on the Line event held by the Watercress Line*, so we went along on the big day to explore steam trains and look around life during the Second World War.

Farm Play - The Ordinary Moments

It's no secret that we love the farm. I mean we have an annual pass for our local farm.

Henry is a huge fan of a farm and chattering to and about all the animals, in fact it's one of his strengths and something that his nursery mentions all the time. His knowledge of animals is pretty amazing for his age, which I imagine is partly down to all our farm visits!

When we were in Poole last month, we hadn't really planned much for our days, but were given a brochure from the caravan park about local attractions, and included on it was Farmer Palmer's Activity Farm. As it was so close and the weather was on our side, we decided to go over in the morning as it opened and let Henry have a run around. 

Oceanarium Adventures - The Ordinary Moments

There's something about being surrounded by water that is just so soothing, and Aquariums are the perfect place for exploring, learning and chilling all in one place. 

We've taken Henry to a few aquariums/oceanariums over the last couple of years. They're perfect for a winter escape, and make a great sensory experience too. Henry has always loved them, and now he's getting older, he's getting even more benefit from them. 

On our way to Poole earlier in the month, we decided to stop off in Bournemouth and have a little explore and show Henry another seaside. 

Being typically British, it was absolutely freezing and blowing up a stiff wind by the water, so we headed indoors to Bournemouth's seafront Oceanarium. 

Summertime feels less lonely - The Ordinary Moments

Sunny weeks and weekends mean more adventures, and I am so down with this.

I feel like Spring and Summer is so freeing.

I love Autumn and Winter for all the cosy days at home, the comfort food, and Hygge feels, but I also feel closed off and shut away during those darker months, and I think that really affects how I feel in general.

The first signs of blossoms and florals, and semi-consistent sunshine, lift my mood almost instantly. With longer days and better weather, we get out more, and not just as a family. I make the effort to go outside more, visit places, just be outside of our safe haven, and that alone is enough to make me feel like I'm being more productive and less alone.

Because that's the problem with staying in all the time, it gets lonely. Even when you're with other people.

Building our own mud kitchen: The Ordinary Moments

We finally had a bit of summer guys... in April!!
After snow and storms, I really wasn't expecting a weekend of beautiful sunshine, and we certainly made the most of it.

We've been working on our garden periodically for months, with little updates here and here, and we've been able to do it on a budget which I'm pretty proud of. Recently we added wood chippings to the "kids area" of the garden to cover the concrete base, and make it a bit more child friendly. The last addition to this mini-section to the garden was our planned mud kitchen.

The start of a Lego obsession: The Ordinary Moments

Dann is our resident geek and that includes a pretty big love of Lego.
I think I've bought Dann a Lego kit of some kind or another for his birthday and Christmas for pretty much the entirety of our ten year relationship.

Of course it goes without saying that since we started a family, Dann has been pretty excited to get everyone involved in Lego. It honestly wouldn't have mattered if we'd had girls either, though we may have had to invest in some other kits, though who doesn't love a bit of construction.

Laundry Day - The Ordinary Moments

I've recently had a bit of an impromptu blog break, and with most blog breaks you get thinking about what you really want to do with and gain from your blog. And this inevitably leads you to thinking why you even started blogging in the first place. 

For me, my blog started life as a creative outlet after I lost a baby whilst I was in a job I completely hated and had zero creativity to it. 

Jump forever three years and it's a hobby and starting to be a bit of a business. It's where I still channel my creativity after spending a couple of years juggling a career in marketing and communications. It's my online space to share my thoughts and advice, and document a little bit of our family life.

But the whole thing with having a family blog was to write about my family, and what we get up to. 

Unfortunately that content isn't the clicky articles that a lot of people want to read, and I know I don't read many posts in that style unless I really love that blogger (this post by Hannah Gale really summed up a lot of where I also believe blogging is heading), however, after reading this post from Kirsty, I was reminded how much I do love a good rambly ordinary moment post. One that is real. One that is about every day life. 

Because I'm an ordinary mum, with an ordinary toddler, leading a pretty ordinary life.