If, like so many other families, you spend most of your weekends outdoors, whether it’s watching the kids play in a little league game or spending the day out fishing then you soon learn that it pays to be organized. There is nothing nicer than waking up first thing in the morning to glorious sunshine and saying “come on kids we’re going out”! So being prepared for all eventualities is essential. You never know when you might want to be spontaneous and go on a family day out or drive past a beach and decide to have a well earned rest or an outdoor picnic.

Keeping your trunk full of helpful items such as coats, jumpers, umbrellas and blankets are a great idea. This way you will never be caught out come rain or shine . If you are looking for a decent picnic accessory blanket then the Siesta Riviera blanket. It has a waterproof back so you can use it on wet or dry ground and it folds up to a handy holdall for easy storage and even more handy carrying. Other useful items so keep in your trunk could include balls and games for the kids to play (or even the adults) will be invaluable when stuck for something to do. Other items could include a handy wine tote for those lazy afternoons (please remember not to drink and drive though).

So next time you are having an afternoon by the beach or whether you are just stuck in traffic and want to stretch your legs you will be ready with your trunk full of supplies to handle any situation.

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Since my kids have left home my marriage has become much stronger. Maybe it’s the fact that the kids were always a distraction or maybe it’s because we have more time for each other now but we are closer than ever.

We always go out on walks in the evening and day trips to museums and art galleries. We were never able to go to these places with our kids because they always used to either moan the whole way round or break something! Don’t get me wrong I love my children to bits but being an adult again instead of a parent is quite a nice feeling.

For our anniversary my husband decided to take me on a surprise trip. I didn’t have a clue where we were going. All he told me was to wear comfortable shoes! So off we went in the car to the mystery spot. When we got there we had to hike up this great big hill that took about half an hour but when we were at the top it was well worth it. The view over the city was breathtaking and worth the blisters. Just when I thought the evening couldn’t get any better my husband brought out our meritage wine and cheese tote for two. The wine tote was fully equipped with my favorite white wine and glasses! We had our own little picnic with our wonderful picnic tote and we drank the evening away while watching the sunset. It was by far the most romantic thing he has ever done for me. I can’t wait to see what he’ll do next year!

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If you’re wondering where your kids are during school break then fear not. Like most children they will be sitting in front of the TV or the games console whiling away the hours till they go back to school.

We all know it is far healthier for them to be outside but getting them off that couch is near impossible! So why not make a day of it for them. Tell them that you’re all going out for a picnic. Get the picnic basket out and let them make their own lunch to take. And while they’re at it they can stick a game/toy of their choice in there as well (try to encourage balls or tennis rackets). Having the responsibility of making their own lunch and lunch for everyone else will make them feel empowered and far more likely to move them from that couch!

For sitting while out on your day trip try the picnic table with chairs. It’s sturdy enough to hold the weight of 4 adults yet it’s a folding picnic table so it’s small enough once folded down to keep in the trunk of your car. It’s so small you could keep it in there permanently. You never know when you might need it.

So if your little darlings are glued to the TV why not take them out this summer and really make it a family day? They will get fresh air, exercise, quality family bonding time and best of all you won’t have to spend your summer playing second best to a TV!

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When I was little picnics had a slightly different meaning to how I think of them now. When I imagine going for a picnic I now see myself sitting on a checkered rug with a glass of wine in my hand eating chocolates while looking at the spectacular view.

However when I was younger picnics were not what has been described above. Picnics were merely lunch that came out of a hamper (I guess I used to believe they were picnic baskets). I suppose the change in meaning for me came when I moved to the US. I’m originally English so whenever we went out for the day to a theme park or day trip out we would always take lunch with us. Maybe it was my Grandma being cruel by making us think we were having a nice picnic when really it was a few packets of chips and some cold sausages (I think it’s an English thing). Someone really did have to tell her that eating outside did not constitute a picnic! I can imagine how surprised she will be when this happens!

Either way when I saw the Sussex Willow picnic basket it brought back such memories of my childhood that I had to have it. It was just like the picnic tote my Grandma had and took me back to all those times we had to sit by the road eating out of tin foil! Although now of course I don’t use it for sandwiches and cold meat. It is only ever filled with a cold bottle of wine, a selection box of truffles and my checkered picnic rug.

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I am a mother of four boys and while I love all of them (including my husband!) with all my heart, I really get tired running around after them, cleaning up the house, cooking for what seems like an army battalion, and just generally being a mother. All my tiredness disappears, though, when it’s dinner time and we’re all sitting down together. It always feel like a basketball game every time, I sometimes literally have to blow a whistle or say foul!

So you can understand that I very much look forward to our vacations, which I really try to arrange as often as possible. We have a big SUV, and we are all comfortable in that big car. When travelling, particularly when the destination is quite far, we always make it a point to bring folding chairs and picnic backpacks with us, so that we can stop and have a picnic anywhere we want to. Or when it’s traffic, we just pull over somewhere and rest. But the best thing of all, is their gift last mothers’ day! It was an ultimate serenity portable recliner, complete a shade to protect me from the harsh sun!

I am very much looking forward to our next trip. I will definitely look and feel like a queen when I am lounging in my chair, with my big sunglasses. Surely some heads will turn with plain envy! Now if I can just get one of my boys to fan me and give me grapes, the scenario will be complete!

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Going on picnics is always tricky. Of course, I would want to serve my family or friends with cold drinks that are cold and warm soups that are warm. Often, if the trip is too long, the ice melts or the soup cools down. Worse, the temperature could change so much so that the food spoils before I can lay it on the picnic table. Sometimes, I’ve thought of just bringing uncooked food I could grill on site but then I still have the same problem of varying temperatures. My initial solution was insulated lunch bags. The only thing is that the more commonly available picnic backpacks are either not insulated or too small for the mass of food I usually bring to fee a family of five plus friends.

The eco-collection – large cooler totes were the perfect solution. The size was just large enough to fill with stuff one person can carry. I just recently got two of those, actually. I’m surprised to note that they do really work. For one thing, the food’s temperature is as it should be. What I do is keep the drinks that need to be cold in one of the cooler totes then have the raw food packed in the other cooler. I figured that barbecues taste best when they’re freshly cooked anyway so bringing them along with us in cooked form are likely to increase the couple’s cost. With a new gas-powered portable grill as well as the tote, picnics will be tricky no longer!

Every woman needs some time off from the rest of the world. Even a mother, perhaps even more for a mother, taking short vacations or a day away from the regular routine, can do wonders for both physical and mental health. Every now and then, I fill up a small bag with food, coffee and water. It is an extremely stylish bag, by the way. I call that bag my Ultimate Columbia Coffee Backpack. The insulation keeps the contents in pretty much the same temperature as they were originally so that when I put the food on the picnic table, I can be assured that these are as fresh as possible.

Picnic backpacks and coffee backpacks are all the rage nowadays. Most of my friends have been giving them as wedding gifts. I wouldn’t mind receiving another one, really. Then we could use it for when the whole family eats out. It’s so much more convenient because everything can be neatly arranged inside. Another benefit is that I also have both my hands free while I’m walking to the picnic site and, therefore, am less prone to tripping and falling. Well, theoretically, anyway; I can’t help that I’m a bit of a klutz. While I’m careful not to give in to my klutzy self and while carrying my coffee pack, I go on my own to the park every now and then,. I bring a book to help me relax. Sometimes, it’s just good to get away from it all for a couple of hours.

I am very fortunate to have a job which allows me to spend almost all weekends with my family. I didn’t have to give up the once in a lifetime chance of seeing my children grow up and witnessing the many firsts in their lives. Parents are parents because they have children. Rightfully so, every child would want to share the most important moments in their lives with their parents. Time together is a premium in my busy generation. With this in mind, my husband and I set about planning a special summer weekend for our kids. The summer, of course, called for largely outdoor activities, preferably near the water. A day trip to the lake seemed ideal. Thus, we set about packing our picnic table with chairs along with the food, drinks and blankets. The picnic table is one of the most essential things to bring during a picnic. It was our main strategy to keep away the ants and other creepy crawlies along the lakeshore away from our food. Folding picnic tables are not only space savers but are more handy as well. The wooden ones are specifically more sturdy, just what we needed to handle the volume of food we usually bring on family outings. I personally prepared three kinds of sandwiches, a Caesar salad, potato salad, lasagna, pesto pasta, fried chicken, beef stew, fried rice, apple and cinnamon pudding and chocolate cake. My husband, on the other hand, packed wine, soft drinks, bottled water and various fruit juices. With the nice venue and impressive food spread, it was undoubtedly a resounding success. The children are already eager to go on the next one!

What’s a backyard party without a barbecue? It is a cultural custom I picked up during my two-year study in Australia. A typical barbecue consists of sausages, salad greens and bread with mustard and barbecue sauce on the side. Everything is kept pretty simple, easily prepared with the most rudimentary equipment. It is perhaps because most of the barbecues I’ve attended are held on campus and cater to a couple hundred of student. Now that I am back home, however, I have decided to – as Emeril Logassi always says in his cooking program – kick it up a notch! I have just recently bought the top of the line BBQ grill accessories as well. The barbecue fork thermometer is my favorite new gadget. Since I have expanded the menu to include steak and whole roast chicken, the thermometer has become a necessary tool to ensure that I am feeding my guests properly cooked meat. I have set up the master grill beside a large picnic table, where I could prepare the ingredients, lay my poking tool and, alternatively, serve the cooked batches. It was also a strategy for me to be able to draw more people to where I needed to stay. If I could not mingle, I wanted to at least have a steady stream of guests dropping by every now and then and keeping me updated on the party stories. After cooking, I thought, it would be easier to get into the party groove even if I smelled of smoke as long as I could contribute to the conversation!

I was stuck in traffic the other day on my way to work. I was wearing my usual work ‘do of skirt, shirt and high heeled sandals. I won’t even describe how horrible the traffic was, afraid that I might use some obscenities. Just believe me when I tell you that you wouldn’t want to be caught dead in that traffic. Well, inch by inch we moved and I learned that there was an accident that caused this massive headache. Thankfully after the site of the accident traffic eased up. So I stepped on the gas and hello, I lurched forward, felt the gas pedals harden, and I stopped. Just literally stopped and the car won’t budge! What was I to do in my ultra femme do? Out I got of the car and did the things I always do when I get into something I can’t handle – I get my mobile phone and call on my friends for help. But even before I completed the call, some gentleman (with a very nice car, I might add) stopped and asked me if I needed help – did I ever! Cut the story short, he drove me to work, and even helped me get the car towed and repaired.

The day after I immediately sent him a picnic basket full of chips and nuts. Ironically, it was called A Grand World of Thanks basket which attracted me even more to the basket – it perfectly expressed how I felt! So I sent him this gift basket, and he called me back to say thanks. Guess what, I’m meeting him for dinner tonight! I just wish my car won’t break on my way to the diner – perhaps I should take a cab, then.