Pick Me Up! 05-Apr-2018

There’s nobody more deserving of some lovely flowers than my beautiful nanny Gloria. As matriarch of our family, she has a big personality and a bigger heart to match. She’s given us a roof over our heads, cared for me during a bad illness and held our hands through children, marriages and losses. She nursed my mum through a tough illness and when she passed away last year, Nan’s only concern was for everybody else. She stood tall and held me while I cried many a night, and held our hands through the dark days. She always kept her head held high through Mum’s illness and sudden death. She’s like a second mum to me. I’ve no idea what I’d do without her. She’s the light at the end of…

I love this photo of my children gathered at the church where I got married four years ago! Laura Cooper, Torrington What do you think of my hubby Shane’s new look? I’m not too sure, to be honest! Lisa Lewis, Swansea Silly, I know, but our sides split when we saw this road sign in Norway! We think it means ‘speed bumps’. Karen Gomersall, Newent I was such a proud mum on my daughter Josie’s graduation day at Cardiff University Jayne Woodhouse, Salisbury Here’s my son Sean, 49, striking a pose at his sister’s wedding. He’s always up for a laugh! Pauline Wheeler, Roby Mill This is my daughter El trying virtual reality for the first time. She didn’t have a clue I was next to her! Debra Stokoe, Sunderland…

Opening the door, I saw the flowers first. ‘These are for you,’ said a voice from behind the blooms. It was Nyasha Makunike, 16. He was my first boyfriend. ‘Thank you!’ I gushed, feeling the luckiest girl in the world. I’d first met Nyasha three months earlier, sharing shy smiles over burgers and fries with our mates in McDonald’s. We’d swapped numbers, texted non-stop. Finally, he’d asked me out. Now we were head over heels. Me and Nyasha spoke about our hopes and dreams. ‘I want to join the Army,’ he told me. And we both wanted to get married and have kids one day. I was sure we’d be together forever. So I supported his decision in 2012 to move down south for a few months, for Army training.…

Stepping off the treadmill, I was gasping for breath. ‘Smashed it!’ I said, chuffed with myself. I’d just done 20 minutes of running and had really worked up a sweat. That’s enough for one day, I thought, packing up and going home. I was only 15 and I didn’t really have a clue about working out. I wasn’t overweight, but I was an early developer and my boobs and hips made me look curvy. So I’d decided to get fit and lose a few pounds. I’d joined a local gym with my mum Ouadia, now 49, and went a couple of times a week. But I still ate whatever I wanted, so I didn’t shift any weight. Frustrated, I started obsessing over it. Why can’t I look skinny like my…

Grand Designs Liv e tickets Pick Me Up! is offering 500 pair s of free tickets to Grand Designs Liv e, taking place 5-13 May 2018 at London’s ExCeL. Head to granddesignsliv e.com  to claim your tickets, using the c ode PICKME. Nutty delight Snack smart with Eat Natural Almond & Apricot bars, which are 2 for £3 in Tesco (usually £1.99 each) until 11 April. These on-the-go bars – bursting with fruit and nuts – are good for you, but still feel indulgent! A pot of protein Lindahls Kvarg is a rich and creamy Swedish yogurt that is packed with protein. The 150g pots are only 50p in Asda (usually 95p) until 5 April. Smell like a star In need of a new spring fragrance?…

Bin there, done that! My girls wanted their own bins for their rooms, so I bought some cheap white ones and customised them using stickers and glitter glue pens! Stephanie Cullum, Chatham Safety box I use an empty tissue box to discreetly store sanitary items in our downstairs toilet. They come in handy for any unexpected emergencies for female guests. Sharon Carey, Runcorn On reflection My son is much bigger than me – too tall to see his face in the bathroom cabinet mirror. So I bought a cheap mirror and stuck it above the cabinet so he could see without crouching. You could put one below for kids, too! Julie Surtees, Gateshead Jazzed-up jewellery I wanted to inject some life into my tired jewellery, so I added some colourful…