The day I visited Tŷ Hafan

On Friday I was invited down as a blog ambassador to visit the Tŷ Hafan childrens hospice.  Saying yes seemed automatic, but it wasn't something I took lightly.  I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep my emotions in check and lets face it, very poorly children don't need to see me balling my eyes out there, quite the opposite.

The hubby and I made a special day of it, he booked the day off work so he could look after Squidge while I was there, and be able to drop me off etc.  After Squidge not napping in the morning, we left a little earlier and he napped on the way there.  We stopped off at one of my favourite places to eat in that neck of the woods, The Captains Wife.  Both food and service were brilliant, but I couldn't help feel woozy at the thought of where I was about to go.

At 1:30 I landed at reception of Tŷ Hafan and was greeted by lovely friendly staff.  So far 5 mins in and I hadn't cried yet, I'd chocked up, but hadn't cried - always a good sign.  What I did notice were lots of paintings around of an older lady, so when we sat down to meet our 'tour guide', I asked who she was.

This kind looking lady is Suzanne Goodall.  In 1988 after retiring, she decided to start and try to raise money to build Wales' first childrens hospice.  Just 11 years later, after raising £3 million, the doors to the hospice opened it's arms to very poorly children and their families.

What they provide is an utterly amazing service to children who are as they describe, life limited (not expected to live past the age of 18), and they are almost wholly funded by donations from people like you and me (only 4% comes from the government).

One of the members of the marketing team gave us a bit of a talk, letting us know what to expect while walking around, and that some of the facility we wouldn't be able to see as there were a couple of very poorly babies that had arrived (cue being choked up again!).  With that, the tour commenced! 

When Tŷ Hafan started up, they only offered short break care - this is where a whole family (often including uncles and aunties) come to stay.  Here they create precious moments and provide palliative care.  Now they also have outreach services (music therapy at the childrens homes, bereavement councelling to parents as well as family support - helping families work out what financial support they're entitled to, and taking them through the application process).

They currently look after 260 children across south, west and mid Wales, and 200 bereaved families.

It felt like almost every wall there was covered in hand and foot prints, of children and their families. It was so colourful and happy, but I also couldn't help wonder how many of those little prints were of children who'd died :(

They have complimentary therapy rooms (here the families can get massages etc).  There's a newly opened hydrotherapy pool which helps children in pain.  A teenage room - the boys end has xbox, playstation, lots of TV's and a hi-fi with comfy sofas, the girls end is literally a massive bright pink wall with a pretty dresser.  There's also a sound proofed music room fully equipped with guitars, a piano, drum set & more.  An arts & crafts room, a great room to get messy in as it's all wipe downable - it's super colourful too.  Kids who are there can get creative - while we were there we saw a little one getting their hand-print done.  There's also a sensory room that opened up very recently - from what we understand it's pretty amazing.

About 18 months ago they also had a play area installed - it's so fantastic! All wheelchair friendly - there's even a wheelchair trampolene and a wheelchair race track - how fab is that!  So important that the kids have somewhere like that outdoors to play.

They also have a memorial garden, thankfully we didn't see that, there's no way I'd have been able to keep my composure then... they basically have a fountain, and lots of pebbles.  Each pebble has the name of a child who's passed away on it.  Then twice a year Tŷ Hafan hold a memorial service and invite all the parents to it.

What Tŷ Hafan offer is the ultimate in care, in every sense, to children and their families - it's a place that you hope you never ever have to take your child to, but one you are so glad is there, should that time ever come.

If you want to make a difference this Christmas, why not donate to such an amazing cause, I know I will be.  Also please don't forget to share your precious moments on Twitter and Facebook using the hashtag #preciousmoments and tagging Tŷ Hafan in the messages - this week's word is 'Inspiring' - honestly, the whole of Tŷ Hafan is inspiring.

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RECIPE | Quorn biryani

When I decided to move away from beauty to lifestyle, one of the things I really wanted to do was more recipe posts - I really enjoyed doing them on my mummy blog. Today I bring you my recipe for my own quorn biryani.  Back before I became vegetarian I used to make this with chicken instead, the recipe and process was exactly the same, I just swapped chicken out for quorn.

For this recipe I use 'chefs measures', so basically I haven't measured anything, I just chuck it all in and hope for the best, it pretty much always turns out well :)  So, for this recipe you will need:

Basmati rice (enough for however many people you're making the meal for)

Fresh coriander

Sultanas (a couple handfuls)

Small packed flaked almonds

Jar of curry sauce (I use korma sauce)

Coconut milk (I've been using the Alpro* one recently)

A packed of quorn chicken pieces (or actual chicken, whatever you like)

Salt

It'll take about 10-15 mins to cook :)

Method

1. Boil the kettle and get the rice cooking

2. Chuck the quorn in the frying pan with a little oil, once it's starting to cook, add 1 or 2 dessert spoons of the curry paste and a splash of boiling water.  Give it a good stir.

3. Add about a third-half of the flaked almonds and a good handful of the sultanas

4. Roughly chop the coriander

5. Stir in your coconut milk - or in my case, the Alpro coconut cuisine (I actually prefer this to normal coconut milk, it doesn't separate, it tastes really coconutty and has much less fat)

6. Give it all a good stir and let it simmer while the rice finishes cooking

7. Next up, strain off the rice, chuck it in a big mixing bowl and add the quorn coconut mixture, the coriander, the rest of the flaked almonds and another good handful (or two) of the sultanas and a good sprinkle of salt.  Give it a good stir, serve it up in your favourite bowls with a knob of butter.

Et voila, it's ready for demolishing :)  This is one of our favourite meals - it's also really nice reheated the next day.  Just make sure you don't keep it for long or reheat it more than once, rice can be nasty with that and goes off pretty quickly.  I certainly wouldn't keep it in the fridge for more than 1 day before eating :)

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A perfect pout for the party season

There's a whole bunch of different ways you can maximise your pout ready for the party season that is almost upon us - from colourful lipsticks, to overlining, to enhancements - each different for different people, and your own preferences.

Colourful lipsticks
A great way to transform your look and potentially maximise your pout, is by experimenting with different colours.  While a classic red may look 'fuller' on one person, it might be less flattering on others, so lets have a look to see what colours are perfect for this winter.

Retro Red

You can’t go wrong with a classy red lip, but what many don’t realise, is that red comes in a variety of shades and hues.

Give your pout an update with a red lipstick with a touch of tangerine. And to make even more of a statement, why not match your lip and nail colour - a personal favourite trick of mine, it doesn't have to be exactly the same, but red & red, pink & pink etc.

Berry Burst

Whether London or Paris, Milan or New York, berry coloured lipsticks were all the rage for Autumn Winter 2015/2016. Some of the most notable mentions are: Carolina Herrera’s cranberry lips, Felder Felder’s matte berry pinks and Roksanda’s deep and indulgent wine burgundy.

For a catwalk to pavement look, why not take influence from these designers and try a statement deep Goth berry matte lipstick for a night out or a velvet dark raspberry for day wear? Pair with a simple ponytail and a natural face for rich, yet understated, glam.

Stay away from the bright and bold, such as fuchsias or magenta, as these are more summery colours.

Natural Nudes

Yeah, I don't wear many nude shades, they really don't suit me, but this one by Maybelline on the far right is pretty awesome.  And with it being matte it'll be very flattering too, and long lasting.  To give the illusion of a fuller lip, just dot a little clear lip gloss on the centre of your lips, and highlight your cupids bow - this will give the illusion of a fuller lip.  Plus, if you do wear a nude, you don't have to worry about the colour bleeding out or the lipstick looking messy when you're busy on the dance floor or sipping your cocktails.

Tantalising Tints

As much as I love lipsticks, I also love a tint, and a pale one at that!  The one of the far left in 'my pink' is probably my favourite tinted balm ever.  I absolutely love the Clarins Instant Light lip balm perfectors - they're really hydrating, they last well, and they smell amazing too (like white chocolate).

If you want something a bit more polished, maybe opt for a lip gloss instead.  In fact, what you could do is wear a lip stain (the ones that literally stain your lips and leave no residue that they were even there!) and a clear gloss over the top :)

Overlining

Now, I can't say this is something I'm a particular fan of.  Lots and LOTS of women do it, and do it well, I'm not one of them.  I understand it's a good way to make the most of what you have (i.e. lining to the very outer edge of your natural lip), but I'm not a fan of creating a whole new shape of lips just by drawing them on :P

Something a little more permanent

I'll be honest here, it's not something I would personally do, but I know a lot of people in real life who would have it and I know someone who has had it done, and they look fantastic, you'd never know they'd had it done, they just looked like they had good lips and you know what, more power to them.  I think this is where spending some time researching comes in - as with any form of cosmetic alterations, be sure you're going to the right person, and not just the cheapest.

Here's some places to start your search (p.s. as I've never had it done, so I'm not 'recommending' any of these, just giving you some links to start your search - who you pick is 100% up to you and needs to be based on your own research).
Perfect Lips by Dr Rob |  Transform | The London Cosmetic Clinic | The Harley Medical Group

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