Life, Love and Dirty Dishes delivers award winning funny tales from the parenting front line delivered with humour and heart. We're all in this together.
The last time I lived with an 11 year old boy, I was 15 and the boy was my little brother. He was mildly annoying. Now the 11 year old is my son. There’s nothing mild about living with him! It’s fair to say I am finding the tween years very similar to the toddler […] Read more…
I’ve been a regular SimplyCook customer for a few years now and I happily rave about them to anyone who will listen. So as I have your ears, or eyes so to speak, I wanted to tell you why I rate them so highly, and tell you about their creamy honey mustard chicken. Simplycook is […] Read more…
If you are a similar age to me, chances are when you grew up, the photos displayed in your home were from a family photo shoot at Olan Mills in the eighties, that come the nineties make you cringe whenever you brought friends over. With photography becoming much more accessible, the options for displaying photographs […] Read more…
I love making hamper gifts for people. Collecting little bits that I see throughout the year. I think they can be a really personal and thoughtful gift, whether for an occasion or simply because. But what do we do when we can’t give that person a gift in person? We make a letterbox hamper! There […] Read more…
We all know the negative impact of lockdown. And it has been hard for so many reasons. But there are positives to be found. Without having to rush here there and everywhere I have been able to tap into my creative side, which has definitely helped me when my mind has been whirring and I […] Read more…
The Flower Shop are giving you the chance to win a luxurious Mothers Day bouquet for your Mum, or special maternal figure, this Mothers Day. Who Are The Flower Shop? The Flower Shop is a family run business with a network of over 200 florists across the UK. The Flower Shop trains florists in each […] Read more…
I’ve spent most of my adult life hating exercise. But I changed my relationship with exercise and now exercise and I are in a much better place! When I say I hated exercise, I mean I had to force myself, really force myself to do it. And it didn’t matter what I tried; Step aerobics […] Read more…
Love it or hate it valentine’s day is just around the corner. What immediately springs to mind when you think of valentine’s day gifts? Flowers, of course. The Flower Shop is a business local to me in the Southampton area and they kindly sent me the biggest bouquet of flowers I have ever received in […] Read more…
In the next few years we have a few 70th birthdays coming up in our family, including my Dad and my Mother-in-law. What do you buy someone for a 70th birthday gift? Especially someone who is hard to buy for, and you want it to be a significant and thoughtful gift. Fortunately Historic Newspapers asked […] Read more…
At Christmas we caved and got my eleven year old his first phone. I say caved because 90% of me thinks kids having mobile phones is utterly ridiculous. But I’m learning during these tween years that quite often I have to give in. I don’t want him to miss out because he is the only […] Read more…
It’s really important to have a good sense of your finances. Keeping on top of your monthly household budget by knowing your outgoings, and reviewing them regularly will help you to spend within your means. It can also reduce your chances of getting into debt, and increase your chances of saving money. It helps to […] Read more…
A few days after Christmas I was lamenting that we had far too many devices in our home. Little got his first tablet for Christmas, and Big got his first phone. And what with Alexa’s and various other devices it’s fair to say we are getting our moneys worth from our broadband. Yet fast forward […] Read more…
Lockdown is hard for everyone, no matter your circumstances. But lockdown can offer a chance for employers to show that they are human, that they care about their employees. To offer long overdue flexibility. Sadly, too often they don’t. Too many employers assume that home schooling is plonking your kids in front of a computer […] Read more…
This post is sponsored by klarify.me who specialise in home allergy testing kits. You can test for 294 allergens with an easy at home test, that makes finding out what you are allergic to simple. I have been paid to write this post, but all experiences of allergy symptoms are entirely my own! I’ve lived […] Read more…
Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we’ve no place to go, let’s open another box of chocolates early and get that wine seen to. Now, while I am 100% certain those are not the correct lyrics to Baby, It’s Cold Outside, I think it is fair to […] Read more…
My approach to skincare used to be quite hap hazard. It basically consisted of cleanse and moisturise in the morning and that was it. Occasionally I would commit to making more of an effort in my night time skin care routine, but it never really lasted beyond a week. A few months ago a friend […] Read more…
We are all aware of the kinds of the children of the nativity, the nose picker, the flasher and the waver to name a few. But what about the parents of the nativity? All huddled together on tiny chairs in big coats watching their little star be an angel, wise man, donkey, or chicken. Image […] Read more…
I was recently commissioned by Premier Care in Bathing to give my thoughts on the following topic: Premier Care in Bathing is one of the first ever companies to specialise in the installation of bathrooms specifically designed for customers with mobility needs. They are on a mission to encourage families to talk more openly about getting older and future-proofing […] Read more…
I was about ten when I read in a Judy Blume book, Superfudge, that Father Christmas wasn’t real. I had some suspicions. Mainly caused by grown ups asking me “Do you still believe in Father Christmas?” leading me to question was there something not to believe in. Grown ups ask dumb questions. I never asked […] Read more…
I love the poem If by Rudyard Kipling. I think the first two lines sum up life right now… If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you This is my version of If written for the Covid times… If If you can keep your head […] Read more…