Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2020 i Pick Me Up! Special

With such uncertain times in our midst, we do hope you’re all staying safe, happy, and healthy. And, if you’re spending all of your time at home like most of us are, we’ve got plenty to keep you and your family entertained in this month’s edition. With our helpful guide on how to stay fit and active at home (pg26), we’re sure you won’t even miss the gym. We also have clever ways to give your home a new Scandi look (pg36), which will see you passing the time on improving your living space – you might never want to leave! This month, we’re also looking up to those who have faced life head on while showing unbelievable courage. Jennifer (pg8) suffered the worst possible tragedy any new mum could…

As he babbled away, I was sure it wouldn’t be long before my little boy Ralph finally said his first word! ‘I agree,’ I giggled as he rambled nonsense at Postman Pat on TV. It was July 2015 and Ralph was just four months old. Already, he was reverse crawling and bum shuffling. He’d be walking before we knew it, too! From the minute Ralph was born in March 2015, he’d been our wonderfully happy-go-lucky boy. Nothing fazed him. He never fussed at bath time, rarely cried. Me and my husband Stephen, 38, counted ourselves really lucky that he was such an easy little baby. And we were already imagining our clever boy in years ahead of us. Would he be a teacher, or even a scientist? Would he get…

Waving my daughter Caoimhe, three, off in the school playground, I smiled from ear to ear. Caoimhe was a beautiful little girl, who loved dressing up. ‘Her outfit is amazing!' the other mums beamed. We love getting crafty at home But they weren't talking about a classic Cinderella dress or a Tinkerbell tutu, they were all pointing at her bright pink, homemade Transformers cardboard costume. You see, I'm a crafty and inventive mum. And all the other parents are used to my crazy ways now. Before I had Caoimhe in 2014, I made and sold personalised bags online. With less time to craft and sew as a full-time, single mum, I took every opportunity I could to get creative. On birthdays, Halloween, book days and Christmases, I stitch, pin and…

Home salon When painting your nails, always do multiple thin layers of nail varnish instead of thick. That way it won’t chip and will last longer. Louise, York Chilled to perfection I recently bought plastic ice cubes to put in drinks that I don’t want watered down. They’re great for whisky and wine, and you can buy metal ones, too. Diana, Northern Ireland Clothes hack If my belt hangs loose, I use a clear hairband to keep it in place. Simply tie round the belt and then again round the loose flap. Julie, Tottenham DJ duties I didn’t have a speaker on a recent weekend away with friends, so I used a glass jug and placed my phone in it. It made such a difference to the volume! Georgina, Essex…

This month... REDUCE FOOD WASTE AT HOME With 7.3 million tonnes of food being binned every year in the UK, waste and recycling firm Warrens Group are calling upon families to help fight against food waste. Get on board with these simple tips… 1 Smarter shopping Reduce impulse-buying by shopping small and often, and only buying what you need. 2 Bravocado Put your overripe avocados to good use. They’re packed with antioxidants, and combined with honey, create a funky facemask to help fight sun damage and wrinkles. 3 Preserving foods Pickling carrots, cauliflower and cucumber is a great way of preserving foods and the kids will really enjoy helping you do it. 4 Fruit storage Separate foods that produce more ethylene gas, which promotes ripening, such…

Should I make him do it again? My boyfriend proposed to me when he was on the sofa over a takeaway. I know I sound awful, but I was so disappointed as it didn’t feel special at all. Should I ask him to do it again?! I want a wonderful memory! Claire, Basingstoke YES  Pick Me Up! reader Tess from London says: If you are really disappointed then tell him. It’s always nice when your partner makes a big effort. Make sure you choose your words wisely and have a conversation about it. Instead of a re-do, you could suggest that he does something a little more special to officate it? Maybe offer to surprise him with something special in return. You need to be sensitive! NO  Pick Me Up!…

Slicing up some fresh berries, I plonked them into my bowl of steaming porridge, ready to tuck in. Lovely healthy breakfast, I thought, feeling smug. While not many people actually stick to their New Year’s resolutions, I was on track with mine, had been going strong with my diet for a good few weeks. I’d always been an active person, but since starting university, my motivation had slipped. I wanted to get back on track, and the new year seemed like the perfect opportunity to start. ‘New year, new me,’ I’d told my mum Caroline. To keep on track, I’d downloaded a fitness app that tracked exercise and diet, and calculated a daily goal of calorie intake. I’d become used to studying the backs of tins of soup or any…

As I listened to the medium make her predictions, I couldn’t help but laugh. ‘A baby boy is definitely in your future,’ she explained. ‘I don’t think so,’ I chuckled. I already had Alfie, eight, and Millie, six from a previous relationship, while me and my husband, Tony, had five-year-old Connie and little Darcie who had just turned one. We certainly weren’t thinking about adding to our brood. But just a week later, I realised my period was late. The medium certainly knew her stuff, and before we knew it, baby number five was on the way. ‘Well, that’s one more to add to the chaos,’ I laughed to Tony, 27. Two days overdue, our little boy Frankie was born weighing 8lb 12oz. ‘He looks just like his daddy,’ I…

With summer fast approaching it's time we started thinking about how we can protect our skin from the sun’s harsh rays. We’ve enlisted the help of skin cancer expert, Dr Ross Perry, Medical Director of Cosmedics UK (www.cosmedics.co.uk),to explain exactly what we need to be doing to protect ourselves in the summer heat… WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN SUNSCREEN?  ou should be aiming for a SPF of at least 30 Y to protect yourself against harmful rays. There will be a star indication for UVA which indicates it meets the EU standard and you need to be aiming for at least four stars when choosing a particular sunscreen. Most sunscreens last so if you're using old sunscreen make sure it's within date, with most having a shelf life of…

MAC N CHEESE WITH A TWIST Mac n Cheese just got even better, with this brand new dish combining it with Wotsits. The mash up of dreams is made with a rich cheddar and gooey mozzarella sauce, with halved and whole Really Cheesy Wotsits folded into the mixture. It's been created to celebrate two new Wotsits flavours - Sizzling Steak and Flamin' Hot. For now, it's available on Uber Eats in London but the team behind the hybrid want to know where to take it next. To vote for the next city it should head to visit the Walkers social channels. YARN BOMBING With new research naming Slough as the gloomiest place in the UK, crafters are on a mission to spread a little bit of joy! LoveCrafts.com asked…

After brushing my teeth, I was about to get into bed when my phone started ringing – it was the call that I had been nervously waiting for. ‘She’s ready for you to collect her,’ my niece, Charlotte, said down the phone ‘Yes!’ I squealed with delight, nearly giving my husband Andrew, 68, a heart attack. In August 2011, I found out that I was about to get my dream pup – a white Maltipoo. A woman I knew was no longer able to care for her and I snapped up the chance to take her home. Andrew and I were away in Cornwall on holiday when I found out, but I was too excited to sleep knowing that the little ball of fluff was waiting for me. ‘Can we…

Film and TV 1 Who voices Elsa in the Disney film Frozen? a Kristen Bell b Idina Menzel c Cameron Diaz 2 Which of these presenters does NOT work on Good Morning Britain? a Susanna Reid b Lorraine Kelly c Kate Garraway 3 How many Mission Impossible films are there as of February 2020? a 6 b 7 c 8 4 Who directed the 2017 film Dunkirk? a Christopher Nolan b Stephen Spielberg c Stanley Kubrick 5 Which male pop star makes a guest appearance in Bridget Jones' Baby as himself? a Justin Bieber b Ed Sheeran c Robbie Williams 6 How many times have Ant and Dec won Best TV presenter at the NTA's? a 19 b 16 c 12 Showbiz 7 Who found love on the set of…

Pick Me Up! astrologer Claire Petulengro reads your month ahead! Aries March 21st - April 20th People can only hurt you on the inside if you allow them to. Rise above the bad things others may have done to you and learn to put them behind you. You are a sign of courage, dignity and determination. The past is only being talked about you, because you are the one doing the talking. There is a future in front of you, and a certain someone is not going to wait for you forever. Find the courage to say what's in your heart. If you try between the 17th and 24th, your response is likely to be a pleasing one. Grab your destiny with both hands. Taurus April 21st - May 21st…

Passing through the work kitchen with a pile full of dirty plates, I stopped to give the chef a quick peck. It was always a busy day waitressing, but working with my boyfriend made it all better. ‘Fancy going out for a bite later?' Stoyan, 25, said, flipping the pan. ‘Sure!' I smiled. ‘Now stop distracting me from work!' In 2011, a friend introduced Stoyan and I in our home country of Bulgaria. We were so loved up, that when Stoyan moved to the UK in 2016, I had to join. Stoyan wanted it to be special So 15 months later, I packed my bags and we set up home in Cheltenham. We worked in the same restaurant and enjoyed it. ‘Would you ever want tattoos?' I asked Stoyan one…

Deli Kitchen have come up with a world-first. The new Deli Kitchen Brioche Style Wrap combines the subtle sweetness of a classic French brioche, with the softness and functionality of a Mexican tortilla. They're made with vegetable oil spread so are suitable for vegans and have all the buttery flavour you'd expect of a traditional brioche. Here are some ideas to get you started! Griddled steak & feta wrap Serves 1 INGREDIENTS 1 small steak of your choice (such as rump or sirloin) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 Deli Kitchen Brioche Style Wrap 1 roasted red pepper, sliced 2 chargrilled artichokes, quartered ½ baby gem lettuce, leaves separated 25g feta, crumble METHOD: 1. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Rub the steak with olive oil and season with…

As my pregnancy drew to an end, I was overcome with a mix of nerves and excitement. Just like any new mum, I worried about all the normal things, but there were a few other factors for me to consider. As a single mum, I knew it would be tough, but not only that, I had dwarfism. Whilst I accepted my condition long ago, and never felt like I’d missed out on anything, I still worried about passing the gene down to my unborn baby. With a 50 per cent chance of me passing it down, it was something I was concerned about. Despite being the only person in my family with achondroplasia – a form of dwarfism – I never felt any different. My brother Steven and sister Debra…

Sliding on another coat of lippy, I looked in the mirror one last time. ‘This will have to do,’ I smiled to myself, adjusting my new floral top. In just half an hour, I was due to meet a man for our first date, and even in my 50s, I was feeling as nervous as a teenager! David Harrison, 44, and I had met on a dating website just a few days before, had hit it off right away. I’d never been one for online dating, but being single for so long, my colleagues had eventually talked me round into trying it out. ‘What’s the harm?’ they’d said. And I had to agree. With my son Daniel, 30, all grown up and moved out, I spent all my time either…

With a huge grin across his face, my little boy threw his food onto the floor. Giggling at his new-found hobby, Ellis, 19 months, was proudly scooping up fistfuls of spaghetti hoops, flinging them away with a wet splatter. ‘We’ve got to get some of this into you,’ I laughed, wiping sauce from his chin. He was making such a mess, but I didn’t really mind – Ellis was such a happy little boy, bringing me so much joy. I was doing a course in mental health at Worcester University. The studying was intense, and Ellis would have me up at all hours, demanding attention. I was exhausted, but I adored spending time with my boy. His dad Julian, 25, and I had split up shortly after Ellis was born…

The long-term effects of repetitive harrasment can be life-changing… Transformation coach and author, Noor Hibbert, expands: ‘Psychological studies have shown that verbal sexual harassment can exacerbate depression and anxiety, especially in younger women who receive unwanted sexual attention.’ ‘Unfortunately, verbal sexual harassment is common and yet so many women don’t report it because they feel unable to speak out.’ ‘This is the type of stress which can lead to the development of mental health issues, and so the impact of verbal sexual harassment can spread far beyond the immediate discomfort experienced during the actual incidence.’ ‘Most women, including myself, have suffered from street harassment which over time, can lead to experiencing anxiety when out amongst other people. When women are constantly on the alert and feeling unsafe, this raises their…

When me and my husband Alan found out I was pregnant, we were thrilled. Preparing for our little one’s arrival, we kitted out the nursery with a zoo theme and bought a Winnie The Pooh outfit, to bring them home in. But then, at 39 weeks, in November 2012, I developed pre-eclampsia, and was rushed in for an emergency caesarean. Weighing 6lb, little Logan was the perfect bundle of joy. ‘He looks just like you,’ I smiled at Alan. We were so happy. Only, when I tried to feed Logan, he made this strange grunting sound. ‘Is everything OK?’ I asked the midwife. ‘I don’t think he wants it.’ ‘He’s just being lazy,’ she laughed. I decided to take her word for it, but that night, I was woken by…

INSTANT + APPOINTMENT Lesley Gilchrist is the Co-Founder and Clinical Director of My Expert Midwife, www.myexpertmidwife.com. Cracked nipples QI’m currently breastfeeding but am struggling with sore and cracked nipples. How can I treat them? Lilly, Leeds A Tender nipples are normal when you start breastfeeding. Cracked and sore nipples, Painful tear QI had a baby last month and suffered a perineal tear in childbirth. What can I do to relieve the pain? Louise, Nottingham A Many congratulations on the birth of your baby! Perineal tears can cause a lot of discomfort, as this is a nerve-rich area that is in constant use when we walk, sit or go to the toilet. Typically, these tears can take up to six weeks to heal completely, or longer if they have become infected…