We rarely explore what is right around the corner. 

Almost every weekend we bundle the boys up in the car and head to family and friends or familiar surroundings. But this weekend, whilst Rich took Ollie to a pre school chum's party, Sammy and I headed to Clevedon for a lunchtime date.

Just 15 minutes up the motorway, there is a beautiful seaside town. One of my favourite vintage shops is nestled in the heart of the town, but on Saturday we went to discover Hill Road.

It was heaving. People of every generation taking advantage of the break in the wintry weather, enjoying a drink on the pavement cafe tables and there were too many trinket shops to expect one 4 year old to cope with, so I saved those for another visit.

The big pig was a main attraction. Seeley's Food Market is shouting from the stripey green and white rooftops how wonderful it is to support local sellers and shop local! I was in heaven with the florist Stephanie Eastwood's stall and Sammy lovingly picked out some stunning red anemones at 50p a stem.

You could almost do your whole weekly shop here. A butchers, bakers and you won't believe it, a candle stick makers! In the window of the market are some sweet little tables, littered with old pots filled with daffodils. We toyed with stopping for lunch, after purchasing our beetroot straight from the ground, but we had a little more exploring to do.

We headed up the hill to Murrays, a delicatessen which has a breathtaking range of products from the Mediterranean. We spied a table in the window and ordered 2 of their fabulous homemade pizzas. 

It was both strange and wonderful to be with Sammy on my own. He has a vocabulary that would rival some adults and talked non stop. In fact he was so loud with his inquisitive questions about the giant pears behind us, that the owner himself wandered over to give him some history about his deliveries from Milan.

It was a real pleasure having a little lunch date with a boy so wide eyed and full of wonder for the world. He was blown away by the Romanesco broccoli I popped behind the counter, so no one bought it whilst we finished our pizzas.

I wish I could have photographed every wall to share with you, but after a couple of strange looks from other customers at me craning over the lemons, I decided to stop snapping and we browsed the shop. Clearly not bloggers, with sons of bloggers ;)

I was not surprised at all to see that all their 5 course taster events had sold out. Most definitely on the to do list for this year.

We headed for the promenade and shared a 99. Who cares that the temperature had dropped by this point and our noses were freezing?! The lovely ice cream van man snapped a photo of us and as we strolled back to the car armed with a paper bag of goodies (Is it just me but why does it just feel nicer to carry a paper bag as opposed to a carrier bag?) we popped into the charity shop and Sammy went straight for some disgusting sticky goggly eyes. 50p for a perfect end to a mini adventure.

It was a pleasure spending a few precious hours together, holding hands and feeling special. Gorgeous local produce to take home and sticky eyes. Why of course!

Have you been to Clevedon? I'd love to hear your recommendations for next time.

Linking up to #MagicMoments and #WhatstheStory

When I was first pregnant with Sammy I rushed out, I'm sure like millions of others, and bought the huge travel system with it's enormous frame and bulky, heavy wheels.

I was quite delirious in fact, at the 10 piece wonder that stood proudly before us complete with it's matching changing bag. 

But as time went on I realised that what we needed for our travels and lovely holidays was a lightweight buggy that collapsed to the smallest size possible. And so the travel system went in the loft ready for a number 2 someday and the changing bag gathered dust. My handbag then became a makeshift changing bag, filled with crumbs and odd wet wipes stuffed into pockets.

Now Ollie, our number 2, is rising three, and the list of "essentials" is slowly getting less and less by the day. I end up grabbing a nappy and some wipes and sticking them in the back of the seat pocket in the car.

Not at all satisfactory when we have an emergency 2 person situation, which still happens on occasions.

So when I was sent this beautiful soft grain leather Coco changing bag from BabyBeau, it made me realise that, whilst he's still 2, I do need somewhere to store all his bits, a snack, maybe a drink, just not one that screams "I am a changing bag!"

I often go straight from the school run to a supermarket and this bag is perfect for the ever changes stages of motherhood.

For me now, it's making the most wonderful camera bag complete with pockets for spares and big boy pants!

Stage 1

The Newborn Stage - oh I remember it well! The cotton wool pads for the first few weeks, the bottles, the milk cartons for emergencies.

Then all of a sudden you start to slim down a little.

Stage 2 

1 years old and you have snacks available at all times, I carried around plastic cutlery for cafés that think an 18 month old can use grown up knives and forks and tissues. Is it just me or do they seem to always have runny noses at this age?!

Stage 3

Then by 3 you suddenly give your bag a new lease of life. Less crumbs at the bottom more room for your beloved bits, your phone/ultimate distraction toy/soother, keys, hairbrush and the zipped pocket can be an easy to find purse, instead of rooting around on the floor in the Post Office queue.

This bag not only looks divine but it actually smells divine too. Soft red leather that is flexible and so many inserts and pockets you will be spoilt for choice.

Apart from the striped organiser insert, which can be removed to be used as a separate smaller bag, my favourite feature is the changing mat. 

I have bought and wrestled in the back of the boot with awful cheap plastic ones that you end up throwing away after a week. The BabyBeau changing mat is in a league of it's own! Contemporary but above all comfortable for tiny ones. And tiny toes :)

Have a peek at the rest of the BabyBeau collection too. There is something for all modern tastes. Simple and sophisticated.

And the best thing about the Coco, now my babies are growing up, is that I can fit my laptop in it with ease. Psst it's also on sale now too.

A bag to last you through the early years and beyond is a worthy investment and with this bag you get so much for your money. Bottle holder, removable organiser, secure zipped pocket, changing mat, detachable zip pocket pouch, enormous dust bag and an adjustable strap.

How has your changing bag changed as your children have grown? Or do you still feel feel you carry around the kitchen sink?!

I was very kindly sent a Coco for the purpose of this post.

Today the boys are sharing their beloved books to read together at bedtime!

It can be tricky finding stories that are appropriate for both of them given their 2 year age gap, but all of these are firm favourites that we read endlessly!

I am also sharing the beautiful vintage inspired print pyjamas the boys were sent a little while ago from Their Nibs. 

Over the past couple of months they have become the boys' top choices and have been suitably road tested and ready to review!

As a parent, mornings still in pjs are to be savoured and so actually their bedtime wear is often the clothes they are in the longest! The ones that get splattered with breakfast, pulled around in wrestling matches on our bed and the ankles get pulled over the tops of their toes whilst watching a film on a Saturday morning.

For me, they need to be tough to withstand all that!

The boys feel grown up because they have an elasticated waistband "with writing on like Dada" and they wash and tumble dry beautifully. No fading, stretching or shrinking and the knees haven't sagged either unlike some of their cheaper character print supermarket pyjamas. 

They have elasticated ankles so even though Ollie's are a little too long still, they don't make him trip and the soft cotton has been lovely for Sammy's skin which has been delicate over the last few months with a rash.

I dress the boys traditionally (regular readers will know they have an extensive bow tie collection) and so these are a joy to see them in, rather than the scratchy fabric bargain versions with characters on they soon fall out of love with. The cowboy prints are young without being babyish and are perfect for us as they adore playing in their wigwam tent.

So without further ado, here are the boy's top bedtime books!

Bedtime is a happy time, time for calm and stories are brilliant for that. My boys love funny stories and it's magical to see their own little senses of humour developing. We are even at the stage now, with Sammy being half way through his first Reception year at school, that he reads a number of the words independently.

Mine are boisterous boys, so watching them lie together for a story at bedtime is wonderful.

Siblings who share a thirst for reading.

Do you have budding readers? Is reading a bedtime story part of your routine?

I'd love to hear what your favourites are to add to our little library!

The boy's were kindly sent the pyjamas from Their Nibs for the purposes of this article, have a peek for yourselves at their unique children's collection, you won't be disappointed.