A big welcome to our 18th week of #SharingtheBlogLove and our weekly Blogger Showcase!

If you’re new to #SharingtheBlogLove, these are mine and Laura’s favourite posts from last week’s linky. I loved reading all your posts last week - it was another week with a great variety of posts to choose from and it really is a pleasure to be able to share the blog love each week by choosing our favourites.

 

The Butterfly Mother

Did you catch Sam Faiers in The Mummy Diaries last week? I missed it, but it provided some thought provoking reading from Laura at The Butterfly Mother with her post, Honest Mums vs. Perfect Mums. I think like most mums, I was definitely guilty of having an image in my head of what I would be like as a mother - an image which was shattered when the reality was completely unlike what I’d expected. I think that the slick image of the ‘perfect mum’ is one that society clings to, and one that is completely unhelpful for new mothers to set their expectations by. In a world of perfection, I think it’s fair to say that there’s been a backlash against that, with so many blogs springing up which tell it like it is - I think there is a big appetite out there from other mums to hear from people who are experiencing the same things as them, not just glossing over the hard bits. What do you think? Do you like your mums glossy and perfect, or with a dose of reality about them?

 

Mummy Miller

I love RHS Wisley - I think Max and I make a visit at least once every two weeks. It’s absolutely vast, and despite our regular visits, we still manage to find areas that are new to us. So it was lovely to read a similar post from Louise, An Autumnal Walk Around RHS Wisley, where she explored the orchards, just as we’d done a few weeks previously. And it made me feel a bit better that someone else manages to discover a new place despite being regular visitors too! Expect gorgeous autumn colours, cute baby shots, and some gorgeous photos.

 

Motherhoodery

I’m a big sucker for Cornwall (we’re off there in two weeks!), and I’ve heard great reviews of the Watergate Bay Hotel, but I’d not realise quite how amazingly family friendly they were until I read Kirsty’s review, Watergate Bay Hotel - A Child-Friendly Sanctuary. This is clearly a hotel that gets that balance between ‘luxury’ and ‘family friendly’ spot on, from the completely free Ofsted registered Kids Zone, to early dinner for kids, to Parents’ Kitchens on each floor, equipped with all the baby paraphernalia you’d need, they really do seem to have thought of everything. And with a stunning beach on your doorstep and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen just a stroll away, what more could you want?

 

Kippers and Curtains

Another fabulous autumn colour post - I just can’t get enough of them! I loved Sarah’s post about Winkworth Arboretum - a place which is actually really close to us but for some reason I’ve not managed to make a trip yet. The reds, yellows, and oranges look spectacular, there’s some very autumnal funghi, dogwood berries, and even a crayfish find - amazing!

 

Did you catch any of these last week? If not, please head over and give them a read and a comment!