GET READY FOR DATE NIGHT WITH THIS HIS 'N' HERS VALENTINE STYLE

With love just around the corner, or at least the social out pouring and feverish declarations of hearts and flowers only weeks away, I though it would be fun to put together a little style guide for the perfect valentine date. Nowadays most romance is contained to the swipe of screen or the furious volley of emjoi's, but not me. I prefer a much more old skool approach of getting asked out on a date rather than sending a risque selfie, so being married I still make time for a night out or a sneaky day time adventure.

A JOULES CHRISTMAS GIFT LIST FOR HIM

When it comes to the kiddo I'm never short of ideas for Santa, but when it comes to the big ones in my life I need a little help. So when I was asked to make a Joules Christmas Gift List for Him I thought it would be easy, but with so many great products in the accessories, underwear and nightwear ranges, it was hard to narrow it down to create one stocking full.

I'm quite a fan of Joules women's range – you can always find me rocking their rather gorgeous wellies and Raincoats – but it was rather fun shopping for the men in my life instead, and bring them Christmas goodies this holiday season c/o Joules. I had to make sure I didn't get distracted with the new arrivals full of stylish shirts and festive knits!

So here is my top for him selection:

1. Everyone needs some cosy Lounge Trousers for kicking back and relaxing in. I can imagine these Plum Plaid lounge trousers looking good on Paul beside and open fire, book in hand and leaving lots of room for his post Christmas feast belly. Plus they're made from brushed cotton making them soft and warm for those cold winter months.
2. Treat the man in your life to this Manton Tweed Wash Bag, perfect for those weekends away or keeping all his thing together at home. I can imagine a romantic getaway to the highlands with this sitting in the washroom, and for all those business trips away he can travel in style.
3. I love cosy toes and can see myself sneaking off with these, even if they are for him. I think these blue Homesteadm fluffy slipper socks are super fun with their stripy patterns would make a great stocking filler for the one you love.
4. Whether he's into winter walks or a man about town, then this beautiful wool blend Grey Fleck Travishat Knitted Hat is just what he needs, and will be making an appearance under our tree *shhh* it would look great paired with a chunky knit, distressed jeans and walking boots.
5. You can't have Christmas without gifting a pair of socks, right? Especially ones with stags on! In fact it’s become a bit of a tradition in our house to get at least one pair for Christmas and these Brillbamboom Bamboo Socks will definitely fit the festive mood, especially as they are hypoallergenic and thermo-regulating...oh so good.
6. It's not only the girls who like to feel good in their underwear. Made with super soft cotton and added stretch for comfort, the Crown Joules Stripe pants even come in a gift box making them the perfect package.

Now all I have to do is get all my presents ready with the perfect gift wrap and this year we're making our own; think traditional brown paper, paint and mess and you get the general idea. F is super excited to help out and is feeling very proud at making gift tags for his daddy! Are you rushing to find some last minute stocking fillers?

FAMILY TRAVEL AND HOLIDAY STYLE

One of the exciting things about travelling abroad is deciding what to pack and wear. Choosing what holiday style to go for can be a challenging process, as I want to be comfortable and look good without taking everything but the kitchen sink. So when Debenhams asked if we'd like to choose some items from their Holiday Shop I was excited that I could get something for all the family in one fell swoop, without spending days darting around in a lat minute pre-holiday panic.

With a renewed sense of wanderlust, I'm excited about all the travel plans we have lined up in the near future and I feel so grateful for the opportunities this blog of mine has given me and my little family, and mostly to you lovely lot for reading it *blows kiss.* I've done a few solo trips this year and found it easy to pack light, but heading on a family holiday is a whole other matter.  On our most recent trip we managed to take two small carry on cases and a trunki, which meant that a lot of things were jammed in due to F wanting to take various toys, books and other home comforts.

However in July we have two weeks of travel to take and I've been dreaming of a long haul flight, I really want to visit San Fransisco, Portland and LA as it would be an amazing adventure. So I though this would be the perfect opportunity to upscale our luggage with this generous Tripp suitcase, also the bright pattern makes it easy to spot at baggage claim.

Packing for F is easy as he's happy in t-shirts and shorts while hanging out by the pool, he was pretty stoked when I picked out this Dinosaur top and palm print hat, which looks good and protects him from the sun. Paul loved these brilliant blue casual shorts and I think the contrast of these brightly coloured suede boat shoes really makes the blue pop.

I tend to stick to dresses and shorts when travellings somewhere hot as I hate feeling restricted in my clothes, so this knee length scalloped hem dress is perfect for the day and the embroidery detail is so cute.

But my favourite of all is this Grecian style midi dress teamed with these minimalist white flats from one of my favourite brands, perfect to dress up or down depending on what you're getting up to!What is your staple style when holidaying abroad? Do you have a favourite holiday outfit?