You have brains in your head quote

Where will you go?

by with 4 Comments QuotesUncategorized
Today my son turned 5.

I look at the amazing little boy that he’s becoming and I do start to wonder about his future.

Who will he be when he’s older?  What will he choose to do with his life?  Will he decide to spend his whole life in Wales or will he end up somewhere completely different?

But, while I’m curious, the answers to those questions honestly don’t really matter, as long as his choices are his own.  As long as he makes the decisions that are right for him, and goes in a direction that brings him happiness.

I know some parents have big dreams for their children.  But the one dream I have for mine is for them to be happy.

Whatever job, or partner, or lifestyle my son chooses, as long as he’s not hurting anyone, and as long as it’s HIS choice and he’s happy with it, then I will be happy.

He can steer himself in any direction he chooses!

You have brains in your head quote 

Do you have specific hopes and dreams for you children? I’d love to know what they are if you do!

 

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Cuddle Fairy
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My funny girl

by with 10 Comments PersonalPhotographyUncategorized
Last year I was participating quite frequently in the ‘wicked Wednesdays’ photo linky, hosted by the lovely Emma at Brummy Mummy of 2.  The linky is based around the idea of sharing a photo each week that shows the real, and funny, side of parenthood.  Think snotty noses, cross faces and disaster-zone living rooms!

Recently though, I’ve not really had any photos to add.

I would love to say that this is because my children have been angels, but I think it’s more down to the fact that we’ve had so many bugs and viruses that they’ve been too wiped out to do anything worthy of a Wicked Wednesday photo.

So, I was strangely pleased when I looked at my daughter sitting in gorgeous light in our kitchen and tried to take a lovely photo of her, just for her to go and do this!

Apparently she’s learnt to pull silly faces.

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We’re back Wicked Wednesdays, we’re back!

 

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brummymummyof2
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A space of my own

by with 14 Comments PersonalUncategorized
Last week I wrote a list of my happiness non-negotiables.   A list of things in our lives that we need in order to feel happy.  One of the things on my list was clear surfaces.

Oh I long for a house full of clear surfaces!

Unfortunately our house, while lovely, is just a little too small for the four of us and all our ‘stuff’.  So I have a feeling my surfaces will always be a little bit cluttered while we’re still here.

I’m working on chipping away at our clutter and clearing off at least some of the surfaces, but it’s a real work in progress.

In the meantime I’m starting to daydream about a new house, and a little space of my one.

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I’m picturing a beautiful house, with a playroom for the kids and a separate living room that’s just for the grown ups – no toys allowed.  I’m imagining a home with 4 bedrooms; enough for the kids to have a room each and a spare room so that my family could come and stay with us.  And I’m dreaming of a den for my husband and an office space, just for me!

In this dream house, my office is tucked away in an attic room where I could get some peace and quiet, and have the best views in the house of the sea.  Well, I need inspiration!

Here’s what else my perfect home office would have:

  • A lovely big desk to work at, with plenty of space for a computer, various papers and a large mug of coffee.

 

  • A coffee machine, so I wouldn’t have to venture down to the kitchen when I needed a caffeine fix.  Seeing as we’re talking ‘dream office’ here I’m picturing a really fancy bean to cup machine to make serious coffee for serious work!

 

  • Speaking of coffee, I’d have a little collection of fun and pretty mugs just for my office.  Most likely with quotes from my favourite tv programmes on them!

 

  • A proper filing cabinet so that I could get all my paperwork in order and start to feel more organised.  And a bookshelf for more storage and maybe to put a few pretty things to brighten up the room.

 

  • A giant whiteboard!  Seriously, I would have a huge one on the wall so that I could scribble down all my ideas and plans where I could see them all the time.

 

  • On the same note, I’d have a big pinboard so that I could create a dream board to focus on all the other things I want to create in this life!

 

  • At one end of the room I’d have a super comfy sofa.  I know, I know this is meant to be my office, a place to go and get work done, but let’s get real, I’d need to take the odd break, to flick through a magazine (for inspiration of course!).

 

  • Actually, this is my little haven, so I would install a blackout blind from VELUX so I could curl up on my sofa and take a sneaky daytime nap now and then!

 

  • Big, framed photos of my family.  I’m picturing this office as being quite clean and white, with beautiful clear surfaces, but I don’t think I could work that well in a completely blank space.  I need some colour and life in there to get the creativity flowing.  So I would have big photos of my family on the walls to bring that joy to the room.

 

  • Some artwork or quote prints.  I wouldn’t quite go so far as to put up one of those motivational posters that you see in offices (like Barney has all over the walls in his office in How I met your mother), but some positive and fun quotes on the walls would be great to keep me inspired to work!

I’ve created a Pinterest board where I’m starting to pin all sorts of things that I would love to have in my dream office.  Go and check it out!  I’m hoping that it might act as virtual dream board for me and give me something to aim for!

Do you have a special place in your home that’s just for you, either to work in or just to escape to?  What would your dream space be like?

Disclosure – this post is sponsored by VELUX.

 

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You Baby Me Mummy
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Cuddle Fairy
Living arrows photo

Living arrows 16/52

by with 16 Comments PersonalPhotographyUncategorized
Nerys is our little copycat at the moment.  Everything Rhys does, she tries to do too.  Everything he says, she repeats.  It’s really quite sweet.

Knowing this, I wasn’t really surprised by what she did on a recent trip to the beach, but it did make me laugh.

Rhys had been clamouring all over the sand dunes and then complained that his wellies were full of sand and asked Nana to empty them for him.  So of course, Nerys then complained about the same thing.

What made me laugh though was that after her boots had been emptied she then sat down, grabbed handfuls of sand and started to fill her boots up again, just so she could get Nana to help her again!

Living arrows photo  

Look at that cheeky face waiting for Nana to come to the rescue!

 

“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth”

 

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Living Arrows
If you're not scared Ted Mosby himym quote

Are you scared?

by with 14 Comments QuotesUncategorized
I’m not a natural risk-taker.

I like it in my comfort zone where things are familiar and safe.  But the problem with that is, it’s quite hard to grow in your comfort zone.

Since having my children I’ve definitely started to creep out of that comfort zone more.  I feel like I’ve taken a lot of chances and faced a lot of fears.

I was so anxious the first time I went to babygroup with Rhys, but I did it, and made some wonderful friends as a result.

I was terrified the first time I drove the car to a new place for a photo session, but I did it, and I was so proud of myself afterwards!

I had really cold feet when I was about to hit ‘publish’ on my very first blog post, but I did it, and a over a year later I’m really proud of what I’ve created with this blog.

I’ve been scared of a lot of things over the last 5 years, but I think that’s a good thing.  It shows that I’m trying something new, pushing myself, growing.

There’s a quote from How I met your Mother which I love that sums it up quite nicely:

“If you’re not scared, you’re not taking a chance.  And if you’re not taking a chance, then what the hell are you doing?”

If you're not scared Ted Mosby himym quote 

I’m still not a natural risk-taker, but I suppose I’ve become more of a chance-taker over the last few years.  It’s a good place for me to be; it still feels comfortable but with that little edge of fear that lets me know I’m doing something.

What about you?  Do you relish feeling scared and taking chances?

 

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Cuddle Fairy
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Colourful and fun wellies – Trespass review

by with 17 Comments ReviewsUncategorized
“I wish they made wellies like that for adults; all the ones I see are plain and boring”

The other day I was out walking with my children, and a lady walking past made that comment about Nerys’ wellies which, I have to admit, are very cute – dark blue with a lovely pink flower print all over and a pink trim at the top.

And I was so disappointed that I wasn’t wearing my new wellies so I could show her that actually you CAN get fun wellies for grown ups!

I’ve not had a pair of wellies for years, and so I was really pleased when Trespass contacted me to ask if I wanted to review a pair for them.  I chose the Candis women’s patterned wellies because I just loved the colour and design on them!

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Having not worn wellies for so long I really wasn’t sure how comfortable they would be, so I was pleasantly surprised to pull them on and find they were really comfy.

Of course, once I got them we had a run of lovely sunny days, not a rain cloud in sight!

So, rather than wait until the next potentially rain day, we decided to test them out on a trip to the beach.

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My kids love running down to the sea and chasing the tide as it comes in and out, and normally I keep back a few steps as my trainers are most definitely not waterproof.

This time though, I was able to get right in there with them, and am happy to report that my wellies did their job brilliantly and my feet were kept lovely and dry!  It felt a bit odd as the coldness of the water did reach my feet, but the wetness was well and truly kept out.

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We walked a fair distance down the beach; over sand, water and rocks, and the wellies felt nice and secure and were still as comfy at the end of our walk as they were when I first put them on.  I thought they might be a bit stiff and structured but they’re actually really flexible which I love, and which definitely adds to the comfort factor.
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Is it wrong that I’m almost looking forward to a rainy morning now, so that I can wear these to brighten up the school run?!

 

Disclosure – I was sent the wellies in exchange for an honest review.  All words and opinions are my own.

 

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Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday
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Living arrows 15/52

by with 4 Comments PhotographyUncategorized
At the end of a long second week of school holidays (both kids were poorly and had no energy at all to go out and do anything) we were in need of something to do together that didn’t require leaving the house but that was a break from all the jigsaws and colouring we’d been doing.

Enter fairy cakes!

My two love helping to bake cakes.

They get really excited, taking it in turns to help measure out ingredients and tip them in the bowl.

They enjoy adding the chocolate chips as they’re allowed to sneak a few before they go in the mix.

And they really love licking the spoon while waiting for the cakes to cook!

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“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth”

 

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Living Arrows