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This day I love.......

The item mentioned in this review was sent for review purposes. All words are my own personal opinion and I have not been paid to write this post.

I spent my childhood around aeroplanes. My Dad is a flying instructor and so I would spend weekends at the airfield. It perhaps goes as no surprise therefore that as a family we also love to travel and are always planning our next adventure.

Little Man seems to have developed a passion for planes too. He spots them in the sky when we are out walking and asks rather a lot 'where's plane gone?' if he cannot find one. I would love to have the money to buy our very own plane, I think that is probably the dream for most people, for now though Little Man has his very own plane and he could not be happier.


The bright blue plane comes complete with pilot and passenger. The figures legs bend allowing them to sit in the plane and they stand up independently too. In addition there is also a large plastic suitcase and some steps which can be wheeled into place ready for the passenger to leave the aircraft.


The plane is light weight so Little Man at three years old has no trouble carrying it around. The edges of the plane are smooth so not sharp areas either. The base is wood and left a natural wood colour, whereas the top of the plane is blue plastic.


Little Man enjoys opening up the door of the plane to reveal the seats for the pilot and passenger to sit in. He has tried to fit them in without bending the legs first, and whilst they do fit in the plane the door will not close. You have to bend their legs to make them sit for the door to close.


At an RRP of £19.99 it is certainly well priced. The plane appears durable to last and certainly has sparked the imagination of my three year old. The pieces are just the right size for his hands and he loves to fly his aeroplane around the house. I wonder where is next adventure will take him.

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As a family we love to travel and we are incredibly lucky to have visited some amazing places. The girls love to explore and discover new cultures and places. Little Man it would seem is also picking up the travelling bug.

I have many memories of travelling with all three of my children as babies. I also have many memories of them trying to get comfy on the plane. My eldest at 8 months visited Dubai. I remember her not wanting to stay in the sky cot and her sweaty hair sticking to my arm as she squirmed to get comfy to sleep. My youngest daughter having an almighty meltdown on the entire flight home from Spain because she wanted her own space to sleep and couldn't get comfy laid on me. It was one of those moments I am waiting for the video to appear on YouTube, she was having that much of a meltdown.

When Little Man was smaller he seemed to like to curl up in your arms to sleep. He would get very hot and sweaty throughout the flight but he seemed to like the contact. As he has gotten bigger he wants his own space to get comfy but still wants to hold hands as he sleeps. 

Skybaby recently got in touch to see if we wanted to put one of their travel mattresses. The Skybaby mattress is suitable for babies aged 0-2 years, I knew Little Man would be at the very top end of this as he would be a few weeks away from his second birthday at the time of travel. However I would be able to tell from experience how the Skybaby would work for a younger infant.

Skybaby can be used with or without the infant seat belt. This makes it perfect for keeping the seat belt fastened when needed and removed the need to disturb your child when the airline staff need to check if the belts are fastened. Skybaby is lightweight and fitted perfectly into my hand luggage. It took up minimal space meaning I still had room for all the essentials needed on a long haul flight. There is no assembly needed, so it can be used straight out of your hand luggage.

The Skybaby mattress sits between you and your child and the sides can then be wrapped around your child keeping them cosy on the flight. The Skybaby stopped Little Man from getting too hot against my arm, so his hair didn't go all sweaty. He also found it much easier to get comfy than lying on my lap on the plane. [It is very difficult to take a photo of a child sleeping on your knee on a plane with your phone]


One of the great features about the Skybaby is that it can be used anywhere, not just on the plane. So when Little Man wanted a nap at the airport, I could use the Skybaby mattress whilst I sat and held him. 

I really wish we had had the Skybaby when the girls were younger. I think it would have stopped lots of the tantrums that occurred because the girls were struggling too get comfortable or getting too hot from resting on my arm. I found it much more comfortable having the Skybaby there too, as the mattress moulded and was much softer against my arm making the situation more comfortable. 

Whilst Little Man is now too big for the Skybaby I will be passing it onto our friends who also like to travel, as I can see it making their flight experiences much more comfortable. 

Skybaby was sent for review, all words are my own opinion 




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The Easter holidays have arrived and I am very much looking forward to getting out and about with the girls and baby.  We have lots of activities planned and my Mum has even offered to have the girls for a day out.


The girls have been trying some new products to help with our trips out over Easter. The Sneck is a travel pillow which attaches to the headrest using Velcro.  It is incredibly soft as it is filled with microbeads and it provides a great place for a child to rest their head without getting in the way of the seat belt or harness.  The girls also love the pocket so they can stash treats inside.  It is really easy and simple to use and gives the girls that extra comfort if they need it.  I can also see it to be useful on the plane when we go on holiday next year.



The Junkie has been a life saver and absolutely amazing. It has two cup holders, retractable trays, a 'tech mount' and a place to organise everything you need in the car. 


The tech mount has been fantastic as it means we only need to take one tablet with us and the girls can share and watch the same film.  We fill the removable tote bag with things the girls need before a journey and then fasten the Junkie into the middle seat using the seat belt.  The Junkie really becomes useful after a journey as well as all the items the girls have used or their rubbish can be taken straight out the car.  We simply love how everything is easy to reach and kept tidy and that it contains everything the girls need for a journey.

The girls have also been trying the award winning BubbleBum.  BubbleBum is an inflatable car seat.  It takes less than 20 seconds to inflate by mouth and conforms to all EU and US regulations.  The BubbleBum has proved really useful recently as my Mum had to pick my eldest from school when I was in labour with baby.  My eldest had the BubbleBum in her school bag just in case.  It meant that should I not be able to get her from school she would be able to get in the car with my Mum or her friend and be safe.  It is designed for ages 4-11 so is ideal for my eldest.  It is perfect for those emergency situations or even for travel in taxis or abroad.  


For more info visit www.bubblebum.co


All items have been sent for review.  Words are my own opinion. 


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York will always hold a special place in my heart.  

This weekend I completed my first marathon.  The Yorkshire marathon and it took part in the city of York.  Starting at university campus, heading into the City centre and through the iconic City walls before weaving through the picturesque villages of York.  

There are so many beautiful villages which surround York and each one I ran through I wanted to buy one of the beautiful houses that were there.  Each with their own unique styles and of course a duck pond!


The City itself is like no other.  The river Ouse flowing through the city centre.  Famous Roman walls act as a reminder of the history of York and the Minster towering over the City below.  York is bursting with history and each visit uncovers a new discover.

The reason however York holds a special place for me, is that I have some wonderful childhood memories there.  York is a beautiful city but it is even more beautiful from the air, and this is how I know it best.  My Dad flies private light aircraft and as a child I would spend most weekends at the airfield with him.  I probably have a better understanding of York from the air that I do from the ground, even after running 26.2 miles of it.



York certainly is a city like no other, but for me my favourite place in York is the airfield with my Dad.  Getting ready for another adventure.

This post is in collaboration with Travelodge 


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A few months ago I posted in my running update about the 5K run or dye which I had entered into.  I could not believe that the event was finally here, when I booked August seemed a long way away.  Run or Dye includes everyone and with my eldest daughter wanting to run, she accompanied me on the course.

The course at Castle Howard was very hilly, but incredibly beautiful.  My eldest was amazing, she runs at full sprint then walks to catch her breath before running at full speed again.  It took about 45 minutes but she loved it and loved running through the rainbows.

After the run or dye run

As this was a fun run there were no medals at the end.  My daughter did not know that I had signed her up for the Virtual runner kids medal and at the end of the race I presented her with her medal.  She asked why no one else had a medal and I said it was because she was the best 4 nearly 5 year old who ran today.  She was very pleased. 

eldest with running medal

Our journey home took us past the airfield where my Dad has been building a plane.  Having last seen the plane as a shell I was keen to take a look, and I think the girls were excited too.  I am so proud of my Dad for building a plane, it is amazing to look at and it flies beautifully, incredibly smooth.  It is hard to recognise the shell it once was.  The girls loved having a grand tour and although they desperately wanted to fly we thought it best to wait until they are a little bigger.

the girls in the plane

Watching the girls in the plane with my Dad reminded me of me and my sister doing the same when we were younger.  A colourful family weekend

This day I love a colourful flying visit. 
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The lovely thing about a good book is that it can be enjoyed anywhere.  Stories are not just for bed time, they are for all time.  Our July Parragon Book Buddy book is Away in my Airplane by Margaret Wise Brown.  We decided to enjoy our book on our little trip.

We went to visit York Gliding Centre with Granddad.  Unfortunately we were not allowed to fly and so there were no airplanes in the sky to watch, but we did get to sit in and have a look at the planes.


The girls spotted some of the gliders in the hanger and wanted to take a look at those, my eldest climbed in with her book


She then asked her Granddad to read her the story Away in my airplane, so he climbed inside and read the book to her.


After reading stories we went back outside to have a look at the other airplanes.  The girls found a two seater and climbed in.  They couldn't resist trying on the headsets.  They looked rather sweet!


 My eldest wanted to find a red plane, just like the one in her book.  We looked round the run way and in the distance we found a red plane


She headed over with Granddad and showed him that the red plane they had found was the same as the one in her book.


My daughter wanted the book reading again, so we climbed onto the bus and sat down to read the stories.  My youngest took it upon herself to guard the radio.


The girls had a lovely day with Granddad and exploring the airfield.  It was nice not only to bring the story to life for them but also to enjoy the story together whilst out.  The girls loved watching the planes, its just a shame there were non flying.




 This day I love away in my airplane

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The Team Honk baton arrived this weekend, which resulted in a rather busy weekend for the girls and I.  When Spencer, from adadcalledspen, and myself first sat down to discuss the team honk relay [what seems like months ago] we had two clear aims:

1. Involve as many people as we could
2. Have lots of fun and try to do things a bit different.

We also decided the theme for our leg of the relay would be Planes, Trains and auto mobiles.

teamhonk barnsley

With this in mind Spencer created the rather fantastic mystery tour of Barnsley and his wish came true as he achieved his flotilla of mobility scooters.  Hats off to you Spencer, I said aim big and you certainly achieved an amazing day!

The girls were keen to be involved and could not wait to get ready

dressed and ready to gothe baton meets my eldest

Saturday my aim was to show it didn't matter how young you are you can still be involved.  The girls took part in a sponsored slide a thon.  How many times could we ride the rainbow slide at Playmania in 30 minutes?

down the slideoff we go

We managed 22 times, which I think is quite an achievement given I had to carry my youngest up the ramp and she kept wanting to stop to collect balls on her way up.  My eldest kept stopping for a drink too, well it is thirsty work.

The girls enjoyed themselves, and took a short nap at Playmania.

youngest rides a horseyoungest and the baton take a nap


In keeping with our theme we visited the trains!

teamhonk visits trains

Before taking the baton on a 3 mile walk.  The girls did really well.

youngest on walkeldest on walk

Our dog got involved too

dog joins in team honk

The final part of the challenge for the girls was to do a 5m swim each.  The other children in the girls class got involved too and we all did a 5m relay, so the baton swam 25m in total!

completed the swimteam honk baton pool side

 I think it was only fair that I then treated the girls.  They had done rather a lot!

well deserved ice cream

Sunday was the handover day as we handed over to team honk Hull.  In keeping with our theme our final component was Planes!

In the plane ready to go

The weather was very grey and there was quite a lot of wind around, but we took a brief opportunity of a break in the weather and set off from York gliding club.

All aboard team honk

After an almost sideways landing at Hull Aero club, due to the very strong cross winds, we did a quick handover and decided to fly back again before the weather really turned nasty.

Handover for team honk Hull

It has been such an amazing and busy weekend.  I would like to say thank you to ever one who has helped and to everyone who has sponsored us, it means a lot!  The girl,s its fair to say, are two tired little honkers!

up up and away

This day I love tired little honkers!
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For our first wedding anniversary I sat for ages thinking what to get my husband.  The traditional theme is paper, I knew I wanted something a little different, but what?  That's when it hit me, a plane ticket, that's paper!  So I set about choosing a holiday.  I could have picked any where, chosen to do anything, but there was some place I knew we both wanted to go, Lapland.  We have both always wanted to see the Northern Lights and as it was close to Christmas I thought it would be a truly magical experience.

My husband was surprised and very excited.  I had bought him a guide book too, again a book = paper, and we began planning our trip.  We were staying in Rovaniemi, which is in Finland, and often referred to as the official home tome of Santa Claus.  This really was going to be Christmas.

The plane was decorated with tinsel and played numerous Christmas songs.  It was lovely listening to all the children on the plane become aware of the surprise of where they were going.  It is quite possibly one of the happiest flights I have ever been on and after just over 3 hours our plane landed to snow.  

Landing in Laplandthrough the window

Suddenly there was a huge sense of excitement and all the children [and adults] wanted to get off the plane.  We were greeted by our designated Elf, and taking to our lodge.   Very beautifully named Christmas Cottages.  The cottages become our base, and were simply beautiful.  Providing a lovely place to relax and unwind in.  There was a local store nearby meaning we could stock up on supplies and everyone was very welcoming.

kitchen in Laplandcosy in Lapland

We had pre booked our activities, and were given our itinerary.  Everything was organised for us, a stress free holiday, perfect.  

First on our agenda, a taster session.  This was great we could try each of the activities for free, Husky rides, Reindeer rides and snow mobiles and if coming to Lapland for just one day this really gave you a taste of what to expect.  We tried each and this confirmed we had booked the right activities for us, everything!  In true Lapland style we celebrated with Hot Berry juice.

drinking in Lapland

The taster session soon drew to a close and the Elves took us to our next destination, the Arctic Circle.  

Elves in Lapland

Rovaniemi is around 5km South of the Arctic Circle and I felt very lucky to have not only gone, but to have been part of a crossing ceremony.  We entered a dark traditional house with a wood burning fire in the middle.  The ceremony was performed and the story was told about why Rudolph has a red nose.  Our noses were then coated in black soot from the fire, which will glow on Christmas to help Santa find his way.

at the Arctic circle

Activity 1 - Husky Rides

There can be only one word to describe this and that is Wow.  The main ride took place at night, and was a little too dark for my camera to capture, but it was simply magical.  The dogs work together pulling the sleigh through the snow.  There is a real sense of speed as the cold wind rushes past your face, and a real thrill as the speed mounts.  The smell from the Husky is one that will stay with you forever, the thrill and enjoyment from the ride will leave you forever with a smile.  A truly magical experience.

husky ride

meeting the huskyhusky sleigh


Activity 2 : Reindeer Rides

There is something rather special about a Reindeer sleigh ride through  a snowy forest.  A feeling of peace and true magic fill every ounce of you.  Much slower and calmer than the Husky but yet equally exciting.  This is where I made a wish.  

reindeer rides

the reindeer sleigh

Activity 3 : Snow mobiles

Perhaps not as magical as the other two but this was simply fun.  Pure power and speed, not in the same way as the Husky and had the definite thrill factor.  I really loved the snow mobiles, and this was our best night to see the Northern lights, but sadly it wasn't to be.

Riding snow mobile

Exploring Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi is beautiful.  We explored the natural history museum,  Arktikum, which was really fascinating.  Of course we had to take a photo of the most Northern McDonalds, and yes its pretty much the same as any other but still.

Most Northern McDonalds

As might be expected there are some wonderful Christmas decorations and a great market.  I picked up some lovely decorations and some Christmas presents from here.  There are a great selection of shops, activity/excursion shops and restaurants.

Trees in LaplandSnowman in Lapland

The Jätkänkynttilä bridge with its eternal flame over the Kemijoki river, is simply stunning at night when it is all lit up.  The river was frozen and just looked beautiful.  There is something truly magic about Lapland.  It never really got 'light' and was in a constant 'grey' almost a dusk feel to it.  This just added to the experience.

Jätkänkynttilä bridge

 The parks and walks near by added to that wonderful escapism feel and just gave chance to unwind and relax.  Beautiful to explore.

Park in LaplandWalking in Lapland







There was one final place for us to visit and that was to see Santa.  

Visiting Santa

This is somewhere I am now really looking forward to taking the girls.  They will love it!  As two adults on our own with no children, it was lovely to go and look around but perhaps not quite the same magical experience as with the kids.  Still we baked cookies with Mrs Claus and wrote a post card home.  We even made time for drinks in the Ice Bar

Elf CCTVIce bar in Lapland


Lapland sign postSanta Post office


Our final night was celebrated in style with a full Christmas dinner.  Santa even came too.  The looks on the children's faces as Santa came into the hotel driven by his reindeer on his sleigh was fantastic.  There is no doubt this was the real Santa.

A warm log fire was started

warm log fire

Santa took off his coat and hung it with the Boys and Girls coats

Santa coat in cloak room

Before taking it in turns to speak to each of the Boys and Girls.  As the only couple present without children we decided that we wanted the children to see Santa and we were not going to go up.  However Santa had other ideas and his Elf came to get us.  He spoke to us and asked what we wanted for Christmas and I told him.  It was the same as what I had wished for on the reindeer rides.

Meeting Father Christmas

Lapland is a truly magical place, and it is a holiday that is still fresh in my mind even after several years.  I cannot wait to take the girls to Lapland, they will truly love it.

Oh and in case you are wondering what I wished for and did it come true, I can say it did but not straight away.  In fact 9 months after asking Santa my wish came true....

My wish

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About me

About Me

Welcome to This Day I love.

My name is Leyla, also known as Mum to my 3 humans and dog Mum to J. I have a passion for the outdoors and love to run. I can often be found off road exploring the trails and fells and covering distances all the way up to 50 miles. As a family we love travelling and discovering new adventures, as I try and run around the world!

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