Drusillas Zoo and the Rainforest Carousel

Our first visit to Drusillas zoo was in 2017. It was quickly decided that it is, hands down, our favourite family day out. You can imagine, as a large family with children ranging from under two to twelve years old, finding somewhere that offers something for everyone is hard and this is exactly why we love Drusillas. When an email popped into my Inbox inviting us to a press day to celebrate the opening of their new ride – The Rainforest Carousel, we were absolutely thrilled. Drusillas Zoo is still as wonderful today as it was when we first visited two years ago. Apart from the animals and a new ride, not a huge amount has changed. So for my comprehensive review of Drusillas please read my 2017 post here. Drusillas is a small zoo situated near Alfristen in East Sussex. It is about twenty minutes from Eastbourne and about and hour and a half from London. Luckily for us, it is a forty five minute journey through the beautiful Ashdown Forest. When I said Drusillas is a small zoo, that is their description, but personally I think that is an understatement. They have over one hundred species and the enclosures and exhibits are extremley well designed and looked after. Mikey and Charlie are huge fans of reptiles. Since Rango the Bearded Dragon and Victoria the Horsefield Tortoise joined our family last year. Now they spend their days on YouTube, watching various reptile experts. They teach them conservation and how to care for everything from Alligators to The Monitor (I know, I had never heard of one either…google it, I am not a fan!) So they were in their element as they walked through the snakes, iguanas and lizards, reading new facts about their favourite animals and teaching the rest of us what they already knew. Arthur and George, the youngest of our family were fascinated by every animal at Drusillas. All the enclosures and exhibits have been designed in such a way that small children can see freely without having to be lifted up to view the animals. The monkeys were their favourite, watching them play and tumble with each other was not unlike a Saturday morning in our house! After walking through the Lemur enclosure, stepping over them as they jumped right in our path, we headed to Lory Landing, the Rainbow Lorikeet enclosure. We purchased our £1 pot of nector and fed these beautiful, exotic birds. They were landing on our heads, arms and shoulders. They took a particular liking to Charlie who spent over half an hour bonding with them. Just when you think you may have seen everything, you enter the kids park. It is a playground that childrens dreams are made of. It includes a water zone, zip wires, climbing frames, trampolines and most importantly, a cafe that serves coffee! Once you leave the playground, you pass the picnic area which is surrounded by amusments, inflatable games and the park train. …….you are still not finished though! Hello Kitty Secret Garden and Go Wild are where your youngest children can have a taste of a theme park, with rides suitable for young children (Arthur, aged 22 months loved it). The Rainforest Carousel is a beautiful addition to park. Situated at the exit, it is the perfect way to finish your day at the zoo. Pick your animal, a cheetah? A dolphin Butterfly? Lizard? Tortoise? Climb on and enjoy a relaxing ride around The Rainforest. After a wonderful five hours spent at Drusillas, we were ready to head home. When you look in your rear view mirror and see all six children fast asleep, not even ten minutes into our journey home, you know everyone has had a great day. We were gifted entry tickets to Drusillas in return for a this post. More days out in South East include: Day out at Thorpe Park Day out at Godstone Farm Day Out at Leeds Castle Day out at The Imperial War Museum

Lalo Hair and Make Up

It was drummed into me as a teenager that I should never colour or cut my hair.
‘People pay a fortune for your hair colour, you should never dye it’
As I got older I began to appriciate my red hair and it is a huge part of my identity so I never really want to change it.
That being said, I got bored of it very easily! Especially when your friends are mixing it up from blonde to dark to short to long, pink and grey!

I used to always ask for similar styles, layers, bouncy blow dry and maybe a few highlight through my hair.
It never looked much different, but to be fair, every hairdresser knew I didn’t really want a big change.
I was stuck in a ‘hair rut’, not happy with the style of my hair but too scared to hand the reigns to a hairdresser to make a big change.
Three years ago, I was celebrating my brothers in Laws 40th Birthday at a local Pub.
Across the dancefloor I saw one of the most beautiful redheads I had ever seen!
As I complemented her hair over a re application of lippy in the ladies loo, she informed me she was a hairdresser.
After that declaration, I was never letting her out of my life!

Laura is a bubbly, ball of energy that oozes style and confidence.
She is effortlessly boho chic and always looks fabulous, even when she isn’t feeling it!
It is this persona that made me feel confident enough, for the first time ever, to say….’do whatever you want to my hair.’

If her aura isn’t enough to make you beg her to play with your locks, her credentials are.
She managed one of Surreys top salons for years before leaving to work freelance.
Since then she has worked everywhere. From London Fashion Week to exclusive weddings, she has styled so many celebrities from Madonna to to Binky Felstead and the Victoria Secret Models.

She has been flown by private jet to luxury yachts plotted up in the Mediterranean to style A Class celebrities and assist in shoots.

She has been creative director for an exclusive Beauty Agency in London and also is an incredible Make Up Artist.
Her passion is bridal hair and it really shows in her work. She also adores her private clients (especially me).

In typical hair stylist fashions, she is a great listener. I often find myself moaning, ranting or laughing throught my appointment.
I genuinely look forward to seeing her, not just because I know i will come out feeling like a million dollars, but because she is great company.

As a mum, it is great for me that Laura comes to my home aswell and is so patient when the kids are around.
She has completly changed my attitude towards my hair and it has given me so much confidence.

I asked Laura a couple of questions about her work.
What is your favourite thing about being a hair stylist?
My clients! I have a great relationship with all of them. I love seeing them and we love a good catch up. It’s important to me that my clients trust me and feel comfortable with me in their homes. It’s like a new friendship group.
What has been your most memorable moment whilst working?
I have lots of amazing memories, I am very fortunate to have travelled a lot for jobs so I always remember the amazing yacht trips and lovely warm evenings after work. Client wise, probably styling the Victoria Secrets models for the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in Monaco.

What is your top hair tip?
Be brave! If your bored, change it. But use someone you trust. I like to make people feel better about themselves so will always offer up advice to make them feel a bit different. A change is better than a rest!
If you could style anyone’s hair, who would it be?
Well, she isn’t my typical ‘style’ of work but The Queen! Love her! Otherwise I think Marilyn Monroe would have been fun.

For more of Laura’s styles and work take a look at her stunning photos on Instagram Lalo Hair

Laura is based in Surrey but can travel depending on locations. For more information contact Lalo Hair and Make Up and mention Modern Mum
What do you think of her results?

Dear Mum, Happy Mothers Day

Dear Mum,
I am in bed with my coffee, enjoying my Mothers Day lay in, thinking about you. Reflecting on our relationship and how much it means to me. I love you mum xxxx

I would not be the mother I am today if it wasn’t for you. You have helped me, taught me and guided me without any judgement, just unconditional love.
Mum, do you remember when you took us fishing and told us YOU would empty the buckets because you didnt want us to fall in?
As you got close to the stream, you slipped and landed straight on your bum in the water….with your feet in the air because you didn’t want to ruin your new boots! We laughed about it for weeks.
Mum, do you remember when I went on PGL at primary school? I didn’t want to go because I would get to homesick. Dispite hating sending me away sad, you encouraged me and told the teachers you would drive to Wales if I really wanted to come home.

Mum, do you remember when I was fifteen, I got so drunk, you had to take me to hospital to have my stimach pumped?
You laid next to me all night until I woke up. I am so sorry.
Mum, do you remember on my 16th birthday, I had my first kiss with Mike? You were so excited for me and made sure you caught it on camera.
Mum, do you remember when I wanted to ask Mike out but was too embaressed? You rang him and pretended to be me! Thank you.
Mum, do you remember when I told you we were having twins? you were so happy and supportive, telling me how you had always wanted twins.
Mum, do you remember when we were in LA, checking into a motel? You walked out, refusing to stay there, saying the room smelt of sex! Dad and I were hysterically laughing. Turned out it was a ‘rent by the hour’ room!

Mum, thank you for everything, thank you for being there and loving me throughout my achievements and my dissapointments.

Thank you for being such an incredible Nana to by babies, thank you for always having our back and thank you for teaching me what a perfect mum is.
I only wish everyone had a mum like you.
I love you Mum,
Xxxxx
Happy Mothers Day to all the wonderful mums, dads, grandparents and Foster mums xx
Special Mothers Day love to anyone who doesn’t have their mum with them today xxxx

Five Reasons Why Everyone Loves a Leavers Hoodie

One of the most momentous moments of Year 6 for Mikey and Harrison was receiving their 2018 Leavers hoodies.
This wasn’t a tradition when I was at school but how I wish it was, I am sure they will last longer that my size 11-12 white shirt with pals names scribbled all over them.
What a lovely way to remember some of the most special years of your life. I even seen friends who are in their 20’s wearing their High School Leaver Hoodies with pride.
Robert Joyce, the managing director of personalised clothing company Yazzoo, has wrote a wonderful guest post for Modern Mum about this growing tradition and why it has become such a large part of our children’s school life.

5 Reasons Everyone Loves a Leavers Hoodie
A symbol of school spirit and a wearable memento of one of the most formative times in our lives, the humble leavers hoodie is a fashion hero. Bringing together comfort and nostalgia into one cosy, comfy and snuggly wearable item, it’s a rite of passage for students all over the country.
As students across the UK brace themselves for the coming exams and prepare to leave their schools, we take a look at the enduring appeal of the leavers hoodie. Here are our top five reasons why your child will love their leavers hoodie.
1. For the Tradition
Did you know that hoodies have been a fashion staple for over 100 years? Its origins are unclear, but one popular story is that way back in 1919, an American company called Champion Products was looking to boost its standard sweatshirts, so it added a hood to shield wearers from the cold. The rest, as they say, is history. Schools across the US rushed to buy hoodies for their sports teams and societies. In the 1980s, the rise of fabric screen printing technology led to customised school clothing growing in popularity, and the leavers hoodie was born.
But arguably, the long history of the leavers hoodie is part of something much more innate in all of us — the need to scrawl our names on things as a means of memorialising them and making our mark on the world. From the cave drawings of ancient man to etching our names in trees, desks and bathroom doors, it’s a trademark of humankind.
Graduating from the unintelligible scrawlings on signed primary school t-shirts, the leavers hoodie is a more elegant and effortless extension of this same impulse to immortalise our place in time.
2. For the Sentimentality
Do you ever think back to the simplicity of your school days when you’re having a bad day, or reminisce about your school day escapades during long commutes to the office? Our memories are far more than just meaningless thoughts — they make us who we are and help us get us through difficult times in our lives. No time is more important and formative than our school days.
A leavers hoodie makes memories tangible; they’re a wearable item that keeps those memories alive. Your child has no doubt formed thousands of priceless memories during their school years — school trips, new friends, playground larks and, of course, interesting facts, books and skills. School life is full of trials and tribulations and successes and discoveries that all play an integral role in our personal development. It’s those memories that stay with us for the rest of our lives.
3. For the Sense of Belonging
Leaving school can be overwhelming and many students experience a deep sense of anxiety as the big day approaches. Although there are many reasons why students feel unsettled by leaving school, one of the most common reasons is the prospect of no longer belonging to their own, comfortable community. When once they were surrounded by their friends and like-minded people within a secure bubble, now they’re facing the daunting prospect of adulthood and the many things life throws at them.
Emblazoned with their school logo and proudly displaying their school colours, a leavers hoodie is an informal uniform that binds all school leavers together. Whether your child will miss the camaraderie of the classroom, running around at break time or simply the routine of the school day, a hoodie is a perfect way to instil their group identity and help them navigate those first few months in a new and unfamiliar environment.
4. For the Comfort
No list about the leavers hoodie will be complete without a mention of its sheer comfort and wearability. Perfect for slouching on the sofa, wrapping up after the gym or nipping down to the shops, a leavers hoodie is a go-to wearable comfort blanket.
Not only that, but each time your little one (or perhaps not-so-little one!) returns for a weekend break at the family home or is feeling overwhelmed at university or in their job, their leavers hoodie will be a comforting trip back in time to a more carefree time of their life.
5. For the School
What better way to pay homage to the place that made you than by promoting it in the clothes you wear? Happy students are the best advert for a good school, so if your child loved their school experience, why not give its publicity a boost in an effortless and fashionable way?
Leavers Hoodies are a rite of passage for all students. Why not get one for your child from a personalised clothing company? It’s the perfect nostalgia trip.
Author bio: Robert Joyce is the managing director of Personalised clothing company Yazzoo, which delivers high-quality screen printing and embroidery services at economy prices.
*this post was sponsored by Yazzoo*
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