Welcome to my family lifestyle and travel blog – enjoying life and having fun with my son.
I’m Mary, I turned 50 in April 2018 and am Mum to my son, born December 2009.
I had a busy life in Export Sales before my son (originally called ‘Monkey’ on the blog right at the start) came along, but decided to become a stay at home Mum once he arrived. I now have a part-time job but the blog is still an important part of our family life.
We’ve had a busy time over the years with lots of adventures. My son is now in Year 8 at Secondary School and has asked not to feature so much on the blog so I’m slowly finding a new path for this blog.
We have two cats, Brewster and Pippi who makes appearances on the blog from time to time…
Sadly our younger cat Paddington was Killed in November 2020 and is very much missed.
We also lost his nephew, Fudge, in June 2022, but thankfully Pippi is far less adventurous.
I’m a mad Ferrari F1 fan so you’ll find mention of my passion, especially around the British Grand Prix.
We love reviewing toys, games and books and would love the opportunity to look at anything that fits in with our family lifestyle.
We are always out and about and offering an insight into the places we visit. Whether we are going on a snail hunt, exploring nature in Spain with my family, or having fun at The Natural History Museum – we love nature in all its forms.
We love exploring new places both at home and abroad; whether it be Warwick Castle, the Bournemouth Wheels Festival, Legoland Windsor here in the UK …..
and abroad – for example, Marchena or Mijas in Spain or exploring the Algarve region of Portugal.
If you like what you read please leave me a comment, I love to hear from people and always try to reply. Enjoy the read. If you’d like to contact me directly please visit my Public Relations page for contact details.
Hello
My name is Jessica and I understand you have been tweeting with our MD the lovely Katie.
I am emailing you to find out what you require from TCC in order to write a product review.
I can send you a sample personalised with the words of your choice if that helps.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Jessica
Hi Jessica,
I’ve emailed you back with details and my address. The products look lovely, can’t wait to review.
Regards
Mary
I came across your blog by chance – I confess that I don’t generally ‘do’ blogs but the title of it struck me, mainly because it sums up my story as well. I am also a first time 40+ mother. I had my ‘little pudding’ aged 44, a surprise natural pregnancy after 5 years of unsuccessful fertility treatment. He will be 3 early next year and I am now a SAHM. I return to work next year when he starts reception. My goal for the next year is to lose some much needed weight and turn myself into a yummy mummy, so that he doesn’t have an old, aged, frumpy mother at the school gates :-).
I will look forward to following your posts with interest.
One of my biggest dreads is being mistaken for Granny at the school gates!
Trust me you do not look mid 40s. X
Thank you, sadly if you saw me right now you would know that I do 🙂
hi there, stumbled across your blog from the Olivers madhouse, I am 42 & SAHM mum to 4 daughters age 11-2 and I live in Oxfordshire too! So lovely to find a local mummy blogger at last! I will have done 20+ years of school runs by the time I’m finished so will be well known in the playground by then!
Looking at your Bloglovin’ profile I think we live rather close to each other – will have to try to meet up one day for a coffee 🙂
Hello Mary,
My name is Jennifer. I was wondering, do you accept guest posts on your blog? It’s about our approach to organic clothing here at http://www.greenlabel.com/ so it would be a great fit for your blog.
Let me know what you think!
All the best,
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
If you’d like to email me at over40andmumofone@gmail.com with your proposal and budget that would be great.
Regards
Mary
I noticed that you have lots of yummy recipes on your page and I would like to suggest you have a look at our Top Food Blogs section here: www(dot)alldishes.co.uk/top-food-blogs
If you want to add your food blog for get more visit traffic to the list and have your recipes indexed on Alldishes.co.uk, all you have to do is follow the instructions here: www(dot)alldishes.co.uk/add-your-food-blogs
Hopefully hearing from you soon,
Thanks,
Sakkarin Sº
info@alldishes(dot)co.uk
Thanks for your message, if I decide to become more of a food/recipe creator blogger I’ll bear this in mind.
I’m press rep for the Peppa Pig tour and have just read your review for the show. Delighted that your son had such an enjoyable time.
If you wish to receive information on future Peppa tours and other children’s theatres tours that I look after, please do let me know.
Kind regards
Cameron
Thanks Cameron, I will email you 🙂
Hi Mary,
Have had a little peak into your window and you are one busy lady!
Take care
Fiona
I know, not helped currently with Windows 10 x
Hi I’m really looking forward to reading your blog. I’m also a first time mum age 43 to our 6 month boy Alfie. Although many people keep telling me I don’t look anywhere near 43 it’s been interesting meeting other mothers Mainly younger than me at various groups and sometimes I’ve found it difficult (they want to meet and drink wine in a bar with the babies and discuss baby number 2 plans , ive waited so long for Alfie I just want to be out in the fresh air with him or cuddled up at home reading a book to him and savouring every second with him)!!! Have you experienced difficulties relating to younger mothers?
Oh congratulations! I was really lucky when Monkey was a baby etc with the whole age gap thing. My NCT group have been my rock for over 6 years now and there’s 15 years age gap between me and the youngest in our group, but we all get on extremely well, no wine bars with babies for us! We saw each other every Monday until the children all started pre-school and I still see the Mum’s at least once a month, and the kids get together at Easter, Summer Hols and in December to celebrate their birthdays. They’ve all had second children, bar one who had twins first time round and it’s lovely seeing them all grow up. I have found it a bit tougher since he’s started school, but it’s more that other Mum’s have more children and already have a ‘click’. Also my OH isn’t around a lot, so socialising after school hours has ,never been great for me. But honestly, my age has never been the issue, I’ve never been made to feel like a ‘granny’ although I could be now – eek. Children are a great leveller, maybe look at different groups – are there any forest school type groups for babies and toddlers in your area? I know Netmums normally have local meet ups but I met loads of people through play groups, that I still bump into now. Good luck, shout, if you ever have any questions, and treasure every moment. Before you know it you’ll be agonising over trying to get your 6 year old to complete their dreaded homework xx
How nice to come across your blog. I am around the same age and my daughter was born in 2010. I have just started getting used to being the oldest mum at the school gates. Love your blog, keep up the good work!
Oh thank you. We’re taking over you know! We’ve just enjoyed life for a little longer x
I saw your blog link on Instagram after you liked one of my photos.. Figured I’d check it out. I’m the ‘actual’ Grandma at the school gate. lol. I was awarded custody of my 4 year old granddaughter, so I’m a single parent all over again at age 45. 🙂
Oh wow, but look how much more experience you have than all those others at the school gate, and me too! Sounds like your granddaughter is very lucky to have you looking after her xx
Hello
Just found your blog, and love it. I am more or less the same age as you (also turned 50 in 2018) and have a daughter born in November 2009 (as well as a younger son, but that is another story). Sadly for me I am nothing like as youthful looking or energetic as you are but I will follow your blog with interest!
N
Hi Nicole, thank you for your message, trust me I rarely look anything like ‘youthful’ these days 🙂
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Thanks for your kind words