Pick Me Up! 08-Feb-2018

When my eldest daughter Michelle and her husband Vic had my very first grandchild, Lucy, in 1987, I was so excited. We’ve been close since she was a little baby, and I used to love it when she stopped in to visit me on her way home from school as a teenager. Lucy’s grown up to be a strong, wonderful young woman with a good job at a medical-research company. She’s done us all so proud. A few years back, Lucy met a lovely young man called Mark Strange. It was obvious they were perfect for each other, and loved travelling the world. The two eventually married in their favourite destination - New York City, throwing a fantastic wedding party for all the family a few months later. Then, last…

They didn’t tell me they were going to pull silly faces! Nina Steer, North Petherton Here’s my mum trendsetting in North Wales just before her 91st birthday. Jenny Harden, Borthyn When your Prosecco loves you back! Susan Wallace, Belfast Browsing around the toyshop, I just had to hold hands with this Playmobil policeman. Isn’t he a cute little chap? Diane Hakala, Sheffield I always thought I had a hot boyfriend, but check him out holding up the sun at the National Science and Media Museum. He’s sizzling! Jo Greasby, Clayton After a weekend of wedding planning, I felt it was appropriate to put my fiancé in the stocks. Sarah Myers, Bracknell My son Fraser, 5, loves a good workout in the park. No pain, no gain! Natasha Douglas, Rainham My…

His smile was the first thing I noticed. The cheeky twinkling in his eyes. Micah Taylor was handsome, with bags of confidence - a real ladies’ man! A single mum-of-two, I was on a rare night out when we first got chatting. We ended up at Micah’s place. A one-night stand, I assumed. I didn’t think I’d see him again... Then, a month later, I found myself looking at a positive pregnancy test. My gorgeous baby boy arrived in March 2012. When Micah found out through the grapevine, his response wasn’t at all what I expected. ‘I want to be a proper dad,’ he insisted. I’d thought he was too much of a Jack-the-lad to want to settle down. But we decided to make a go of it, and Micah…

Another month, another disappointment. ‘Maybe next time,’ my hubby Alex, 34, encouraged. ‘Or maybe we’ve already had our miracle?’ I said. When Alex and I had married in July 2011, we’d started trying for a baby right away. But it’d taken much longer than we’d expected. Finally, our boy Henry was born in August 2013. He was worth the wait and we loved being parents. But trying to give Henry a little brother or sister, we were back in the same boat. Every month, we tried, and every month, no baby. So, in May 2016, we decided to go for tests to find out if we might need IVF. Results showed there were problems, as we’d suspected. The doctor suggested we make some lifestyle changes. So we cut down on…

Hip chips These trendy Blue Corn Tortilla Chips by Food Should Taste Good are just £1.50 in Tesco (usually £2.19) until 6 Feb. You’ll find them in the free-from aisle – but don’t be put off, as they’re a real crowd-pleaser! Go fly with your guy this 14 Feb! Make sparks fly this Valentine’s Day and give your special someone the thrill of a lifetime at iFLY indoor skydiving. iFLY has a great Valentine’s Day deal – 25% off bookings. The offer runs from 6 February until 14 February. Tickets can be purchased from iflyworld.co.uk Something sweet Sweeten up your hot drinks and bakes without the calories with these Canderel granules, on offer for 90p (usually £1.80), in Sainsbury’s until 6 Feb. Wax lyrical… These gorgeous candles are…

Taking it to the next level If you have an elderly relative who struggles with the stairs, leave a basket at the bottom so they can place any small items in it and carry everything up at once. Dawn Grey, Chester-le-Street Super storage I wanted to keep my fruit and veg separate, so I used the clear boxes they came in, and they all fitted nicely on this stand. Susan Ginn, Lack Juiceful idea Keep blemishes and spots at bay by squeezing some juice from a tomato on to your skin and leaving to dry for a few minutes before rinsing. Heather McEwen, Norwich Short and sweet When my hubby was finished with his old PJs, I made some boxers. Much cooler than long bottoms! J Robinson, Gipsey Bridge Foodie…