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Anyone with a toddler will not be able to escape CBeebies and the joy it brings to their lives, so when we hear that there was a CBeebies Live tour, we were a little excited but equally a little scared at the thought of a long car journey, trying to amuse a determined toddler.

Now we all know that travelling with children can be as easy as juggling jelly, so here are my top tips for a wobble free expedition!

Take your time.

It sounds so simple but trying to get out of the house with a toddler can take twice as long as any other time. Give yourself an extra hour if it is a long journey, allowing for some traffic and the inevitable toilet breaks!

Book in advance

Whether it is tickets for the event or a hotel close to the event, a tired, hungry and impatient toddler can test the patience of the most calm of parents. Relieve the stress and book in advance.

Baby wipes are your friend

Baby wipes are definately underated. Not only do they deal with dirty bottoms and sticky hands, they are great for wiping a table over in a busy service station or cleaning baby sick off leather seats in the car. No need to ask how we know this. We just do.

Technology is your friend

I fondly remember the days playing I-Spy in the back of my Dad's Ford Cortina on long car journeys as a child but this game will only last so long. It also isn't quite so effective with a toddler who doesn't really grasp the concept and shouts random words, consequently aggravating the ""tween". So in-car entertainment is your friend. DVD players on the headrests are a godsend .... although what is played can be a whole other debate!

Wear comfortable clothes.

This applies to everyone. As much as I love my skinny jeans and heels combo, its not the most practical for a long car journey and the same applies to the children.  They will undoubtedly be eating at some point, maybe spill a drink (or be travel sick), put them in something comfortable, not too warm and not too fussy. It makes life easier for everyone.

Think about the time of day you travel

We always try and arrange a longer car journey around nap time. It makes for a much more peaceful journey.

Don't swear

Driving can bring out the worst in the best of us. If a driver cuts you up, take a deep breath. If you swear, you know that your toddler will store that little gem of information until a really quiet moment, in front of a group of really important people. Or in church.

Enjoy!

We sometimes spend so much time planning our adventures that we forget to enjoy them. So Enjoy!!

Would you add anything else to the list?

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I have to admit that I have only really started using eBay in the last few years (I am not entirely sure how it passed me by before) but now before I buy anything, the thrifty side of me has to check eBay to see if I can get a better deal. The range of products listed every week never ceases to amaze me and you really can find anything on eBay.

So in March 2014, eBay launched their eBay Collections and we were delighted to be asked to create some of the the first collections to feature on the site. This was extremely exciting, especially when we found out that we were in the company of style icons such as Danni Minogue and Kelly Hoppen. The collections are essentially a mood board or an online scrap book for you to create a visual picture of what you are trying to create, whether that be a room, a theme or (like me) just indulging a shopping habit!

eBay have rolled out their collections now so you can click and create collections to your hearts desire. You will find  "add to collection"  just underneath "add to watch list" on each item listing. It really is that easy. I have created collections around our home and socialising .... which is something we love to do! The Man on the Pad is a little concerned at how excited I got over finding new things to add to each collection but it is a great way to see if items work together, especially if you are redesigning a room.

If you would like to have a little look at our collections, just click here. You can follow the boards too, if the mood takes you!

Click.

Create.

Inspire.

eBay Inspires me to shop more cleverly. How will you use the collections?

This post, is part of my ongoing partnership with eBay.

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Organising a party is totally my thing.

Planning a hen night is right up my street.

But what happens when it is my own hen night and my friends decide to take charge. Apparently I need to relinquish control and let them organise it for me. (I am breaking out in a cold sweat already!)

It is not that I don't trust them, it is just that I am a total control freak. We went for "pre-hen night" drinks to chat over general ideas and themes and I am slightly concerned that it was suggested we should all dress up as Smurfs.

So this post is for my bestest friends (and anyone else planning a hen party), here are my top tips for planning a great hen party.

Organisation is key

Here speaks the voice of reason. The control freak inside me needs to know that someone is in control, so when the bride (me) has had far too many bubbles and potentially is unclear which direction she is walking, someone knows the plan (and the way home).

Know the guest list

Hen parties usually include a number of different groups of friends – colleagues, family, school, college or university friends.  Make sure you don't leave anyone out and remember that not everyone will know each other in advance, so its a good idea to plan some ice breaker games to suit everyone. Setting up a Facebook group or What's App chat is a great way for the "hens" to get to know what is happening and meet the others.

Agree a budget - don't break the bank

This obviously depends on the extent of the hen party plans. If it is simply a night out, this isn't so relevant but if it is a weekend away or a spa day, you need to make sure that everyone can afford it or even set up a monthly payment plan to ease the pressure. That includes the bride .... remember she has a wedding to pay for!

Agree a theme

Unless everyone actually wants to dress up as Smurfs, it might be an idea to agree a good theme early on so they all have time to make or find somewhere to buy fancy dress costumes. I have already been looking at Amazon and Fancy Dress 1st to name but a few!

Make It Personal.

The best hen parties that I have been to are those that celebrate the very lady who has brought everyone together: the bride.  Try and tailor the day to her favourite things and quirky ways and add personal touches wherever possible. 

Look after the bride

Face facts that there will always be those people that you can't please but the bride's emotions will be high in the run up to the wedding, so make sure she has a drink inher hand, dancing shoes on her feet and a friend at her side. 

So the control freak inside me hopes that my friends read this post, failing that I will be the one wearing the Smurf outfit.

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What matters most to you?

Is your initial reaction, my phone, my laptop, my house, my car? There are times that I think that I couldn't do without them but they are not the things that matter the most.

Is it the big things, the little things or the things that evoke a memory or feeling?

I learnt some years ago that material "things" aren't the be all and end all and you can walk away from most of them but what about those things that tug on your heart strings, the ones that take you back 10 years to a memory you had forgotten? I am not overly sentimental and don't hold family heirlooms in the loft because what matters most to me is the here and now. My family. My friends. The adventures we take and the laughter we share.

What would you choose?