shine on

Friday, 18 July 2014

Our Summer Fun List!

We have put together a fun Summer List with things to do this Summer for the hole family.

Now, there is a major event happening on the 15 of August in our family.

It's baby Alex Noah 's arrival (that's the name we decided on by the way:) ).

It's a planned Cesarean, so if he doesn't plan on coming sooner then 39 weeks, 15 of August it's going to be his birthday and a big event this Summer.

In England Summer Holiday it's really short, only 6 weeks...when I was a kid, growing up in Romania I had three full months of Summer Holiday to enjoy !

So there isn't a lot of time really to fit everything in, but that's our aim, to make the most of our time!

So here is our list, I hope you feel inspired and you make your own!

Happy Summer everyone!

Tuesday, 15 July 2014

SCHOOL IS OUT!

YAY!!

Summer Holiday is finally here!

We celebrated the end of the school year for Big Sister starting with some fun balloons at the school gate.

It was a little embarrassing to be honest being the only parent holding a bunch of helium balloons and waddling ( it's just the cool walk you get when you are 34 weeks pregnant and your baby mistakes your bladder with a squeeze toy ) trough the school.

But hey, anything for my babies! I am so proud of her, I don't care how silly I look, all I care is that she knows she is loved and that mommy, daddy and Little Sister are extremely proud of her.

Little sister and I went shopping ( her favourite activity lately) to put together a basket full of goodies to keep them entertained for a few days at least, while mommy recovers from a not so fun lung infection...booo. :(

Time sure flies by so quick.

I read this the other day,

"Your greatest contribution to the kingdom of God may not be something you do, but someone you raise."

-Andy Stanley

I leave you with that. :)

Thank you for reading and enjoy your Summer! Make time count!

Thursday, 22 May 2014

Going green without going in the red

If you are considering making changes to adopt a greener, more environmentally conscious way of life, then you may have concerns over potential cost. Does greener energy cost more, and do you need to invest in gadgets or devices to monitor your energy usage?
Will switching your car cost you more money than you can afford? In this article we take a look at a number of ways you can "go green" without breaking the bank.

      Firstly, there are any number of small changes you can make around the home that will save energy and, importantly, will also save you money!

     Turn down your radiators or your heating controls by a single degree and not only will you probably not even notice the difference, you'll see your bills shrink.
Alternatively, turn it down a few degrees and wear a jumper!

   Similarly, there are great efficiencies to be made by using a lower heat setting when washing clothes, or, with summer approaching, by hanging clothes outside to dry rather than burning up energy with a tumble dryer.
    One major change that could help with the environment and save you money is by switching your car to a more efficient model.
Hybrid cars remain fairly pricey, but there are plenty of lower budget models which now boast fuel economy approaching 80 or more miles per gallon and with very low emissions.

These will not only save on fuel and vehicle tax costs, they won't break the bank to buy. Alternatively, if you can't afford to change your car just yet, why not walk or ride a bike for shorter journeys. It'll save money and help get you fit into the bargain!

        Another good way to help the environment and keep your costs low is by topping up your loft insulation or by getting cavity wall insulation.
Most of the major energy companies (together with other suppliers) offer these services at very low cost for most customers, and completely free for others. It's well worth checking to see if you qualify for an offer.

The government also offers Green Deal initiatives, where you can get a grant to make energy-efficient changes to your property (e.g. a new boiler or insulation) - there is no upfront cost and repayments come via your energy bill savings. Installing solar panels is also a way to generate your own electricity, though the market and opportunities available aren't quite as affordable as a couple of years ago - though do shop around and you can still find a good deal.

        Many energy suppliers now offer ways for you to monitor your usage directly and alter your behaviour accordingly. Wall-mounted or handheld monitors are available free or at very low cost, so there's no need to spend a lot of money to track your use. Alternatively, keep an eye on your usage using online tools.

A big step you can make is in switching your energy supplier to adopt a green tariff. Many consumers are quite savvy when it comes to looking for a better deal on their energy supply, and there has been an increase in the type of tariffs offered. Some suppliers such as Ovo Energy now offer 100% renewable energy tariffs and are becoming major players in the marketplace as consumers seek greener power alternatives. The cost of these tariffs is also coming into line with other offerings - Today is a great time to start making big changes!

'This is a sponsored post

Tuesday, 13 May 2014

WIWW - Pink Blush Maternity Review & Giveaway!

For this week's What I Wore Wednesday I have a surprise for you!

A giveaway!

The very lovely people from Pink Maternity have contacted me to review their line of Maternity and Nursing clothing. I had the chance to review this gorgeous tunic!

I had a really hard time choosing.

Their line is full of beautiful tops , skirts, maxi dresses and shorts, everything you could possible need to feel comfortable and still look cute and chic while expecting.

I love tunics, and not just as Maternity wear!

This is my third baby, as you all know, and with each pregnancy I learned to look beyond the 9 month period , so I choose this top because I can wear it after the baby comes too. Especially in the first few months after delivering.

It is very comfortable!

The fabric is light and soft, perfect for spring and summer.

I just adore the gorgeous print and mint colour! The gold pearl buttons details on the sleeves and neck line are a really nice touch. You can easily dress it up or down and still feel comfortable ! I'm 26 weeks and comfort is very important ~~for my mood~~!:)

I paired it with some Capri trousers from M&S (with an elastic waist band - not maternity)

Some comfy sandals that I got from a car boot sale.(garage sale)

My favourite cross body bag - Accessorise

Watch - Fossil

Let's get to the even more exiting part!

The GIVEAWAY!

Pink Blush Maternity has been kind enough to offer one of the blog readers here a $25 gift certificate to put toward any of their products. And yes, they do offer lots of items that are under $25!

To enter all you have to do is to be a follower of Shine On - my blog and

visit Pink Blush Maternity and let me know in the comment section what would you spend your $25 on, you can get extra entries if you like Pink Blush Maternity on Facebook.

The giveaway is international! Be sure to enter trough the Rafflecopter below:

Entrants who have won a giveaway from Pink Blush Maternity in the past 6 months, or have hosted a giveaway in the past 6 months, are not eligible to win a gift card again.

I'm linking with these lovely ladies for What I Wore Wednesday, join me, it's fun!
The Pleated Poppy
TransatlanticBlonde

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/50cae11/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, 3 May 2014

High Street Spring/Summer 2014 Girls Wear - My Picks

I went "window shopping"for my girls...but on line...is there a word for that? ~~(Please don't tell me I'm the only one doing it!)~~

And I put together some of my favourite picks the way I would style them.

Everything is from High Street shops like Gap, H&M or Zara so not expensive and from the current collection (except the yellow Gap cardigan-on Sale).

1. 2. 3.

1. 2. 3. 4.

This is actually my favourite one, it's bright, colourful and fun.

It just screams Summer!

1. 2. 3. 4.

Friday, 2 May 2014

whew...it's Friday!

I'm so happy for this week to be over and looking forward to the long weekend with the bank holiday on Monday. It's been a little tricky getting back into our normal routine after the Easter Holiday, and I'm lost without my routine. We are planning on doing a lot of outdoorsy stuff this weekend (including a car boot sale/ garage sale), I'm just praying for nice weather, because I do not have a plan B!

I stumbled on this picture on Pinterest awhile back and as I went trough my pins looking for some ~~desperately needed~~ inspiration and it spoke to me.

Create what makes you happy! Just create!

I wanted to write about different things that inspires and motivates me, different fun post ideas and always felt like " it doesn't go with the rest of my blog".

I have been reading different posts on how to grow your blog and almost all suggested that you should stick to a niche. I have learned a great deal from more experienced blogers out there that were kind enough to share their knowledge and wisdom for the benefit of others like me.

But I think is more to a woman then being a mum and a wife,( don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying being both of those things, I'm living the dream!) DIY projects and cooking recipes.

I love to read books that inspire, mostly christian books, missionary work, design, travel and beauty stuff. I plan on sharing some of those on my blog.

So if you get a random e-mail with a random blog post title, don't delete it, it's not spam. :)

I hope you have a great weekend with your loved ones!