Headspace

I have taken to walking every day.

Through the kissing gate, past the sheep, up by the horse chestnut trees and out into the countryside.

For that hour I don't think about whether there is enough milk in the fridge for breakfast or how large the ironing pile is or how I'm going to get given the run around in the bedtime hour.

I walk. I think.

My soundtrack is the birds singing in the trees and the bees buzzing in the hedgerows.

In the distance someone is mowing their grass.

The smell is delicious.

Every day something changes: Flowers bloom, petals are lost, wheat grows taller, baby animals change.
And every day I enjoy an overwhelming sense of peace that I thought I would never reclaim since having children.

I have taken to walking every day and I my head is very very grateful!

(Of course I still take my phone with me to capture a snap or two . . . )

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The Gallery: Week 14

Hello and welcome to week 14 of The Gallery.

This week's theme is going to be tough for entirely different reasons to the killer themes I've set you before.

Bwha ha ha ha ha.

I was browsing around Twitter the other day (tut, who am I kidding, I'm always on Twitter) and I clicked a link to this photograph.

I thought it was brilliant. How can such a random 'thing' make such a fabulous photo?

And then I thought, I wonder how hard it is to find an inanimate object and make it interesting either through the camera angle or through the words with them?

So. This week's theme? Still life.

Interpret the theme any way you like (but no taking a photo of your other half when he/she is asleep).

And as always, come back on Wednesday to add your link, visit as many others as you can, say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.
Appreciate the wonderful photos that are opening themselves up to you.

Now get clicking!

The Gallery

If you're new to The Gallery, here's the brief: I will give you a prompt, an idea, a notion and you go out and take a photograph using that prompt. Or just use a photo you already have.

The prompt could be one word, an object, an idea, a phrase, anything, and you have to post a picture which you feel represents that prompt.

Post it on your blog and write about it.

That's it.

It's not about taking technically brilliant photos - although if you do, I'd love to see them too. It's about having a passion for pictures; any photos, all photos whether you took it with your all singing all dancing SLR or snapped it on your camera phone.
You don't even have to be a blogger to take part - just send me your photo and I will publish it on my blog for you. You don't even have to include your name if you prefer.

When you've published it, come back on Wednesday and via a groovy widget thing you can add a link to your post and share it with everyone. The link remains open for a week.
Visit others, comment if you like them or feel inspired by them. Just go out and encourage and support amateur photographers out there.

The more support you give, the more you will get back.

And if you want to add a pukka linkable Gallery button to your blog (instead of the amateurish one I've been using!) the code is just under The Gallery picture in the right hand column on this blog.

Come back on Wednesday and join in. I can't wait to see what you come up with.

And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.
Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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Guest post day: How old do your kids think you are?

Hello! I'm Liz from LivingwithKids.

I’m squatting here on Tara's blog (not literally, you know what I mean) because it’s Guest Post Day.

If you’re looking for the fabulous Tara, you can find her over at mine.

Meanwhile...

How old do your kids think you are?
My six-year-old nephew Ben told me yesterday that he thinks I’m 20 while his granny – my mum - is 21.

Obviously this is incredibly flattering, if a physical impossibility, especially as he knows his own mum is 41. Meanwhile my friend Karen’s son, who is seven, thinks she’s 28 (she’s 44) but that the Queen is just a year older at 29 (she’s actually 84. I promise you Karen looks much younger).

It must be brilliant to live in a world where all grown-ups are more or less the same age. Sadly, despite Ben’s fla

ttery, the bathroom mirror tells me the unpalatable truth every time I look in it and the number of anti-ageing products on the shelf is multiplying faster than bacteria.

Keeping my feet firmly on the ground is No 1 Son, who, ever the charmer, put me at a year older than my real age (no, I’m not telling you what that is).

But I dare you to ask your kids how old they think you are - you never know, you might get a pleasant surprise.

Or a nasty shock!

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The Gallery: Friendship

The school playground is a notoriously difficult place for parents.

If you're shy or new or a parent who works full time, you can step onto that tarmac and feel the years strip away until you too feel like a child in a very scary place.

Everyone seems to know each other, has something to discuss, something to share and you, you feel like an outsider; like you don't belong.

It's horrible. It can be soul destroying.

When my son started school 3 years ago I thought this was where I was heading.

He didn't know anyone (he had been at nursery in a different town), I didn't know anyone (I worked full time) and we were moving him to a village school where the close-knit community's children had pretty much grown up together.

I confess I was dreading it.

Probably more than my son who, trotted into school on that first day without so much as a "bye mum" and came home having made a new best friend.

Three years on they are still best friends and through their friendship we met his parents and their friends and found a group of very warm-hearted, genuine, lovely people.

Hubby and I have often thanked our lucky stars at our son's good taste in friends!

So today I would like to say a virtual thank you to the group of people who took us into their circle with open arms, made us feel welcome, made us feel like friends.

This is a picture from a camping holiday we were invited to join last year - 8 families and their children enjoying the sunshine.

Bliss.

This post is for week 13 of The Gallery: Friendship.

So what did you all come up with?
It's week 13 of The Gallery and this showcase of all your amazing photographs - this online art gallery of all your work - has been stunning.

People taking part have seen the number of people visiting their blog rise, they've met new people and have helped create an exciting buzz around the internet.
That's you helping drive this. You are making a different just by taking photographs!

And the beauty is you can jump in any time you like.

Miss a week, miss 2, come back; you don't even have to post a picture if you don't want to, just visit everyone else's. If you are joining in this week at the foot of this post you will find a widget to add the URL to your own Gallery post.
The aim is to get as many of your photographs viewed by others, so if you do have the time, make sure you try and visit some of the other entries - even if it's only a couple - and let them know what you think.
And if you've missed this week's prompt, no problem as there will be a new one on Friday.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Read more...

The sun came out . . .

. . . and the world was good.

People smiled more, children giggled and the weight of the winter seems to have lifted off all our shoulders.

Daughter and I spent a wonderful day today walking, biking riding, playing in the garden, chilling.

The sun came out and the world was good.

Read more...

What's the first single you ever bought?

My 7 year old son's playlist is Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson (the early years), Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Killers.

When he's in his 30s and sat in a pub with his mates comparing the music of his formative years, he will be laughing.

He will be seen as Cool.

Here is a picture of the band whose single was the very first I ever bought in the flush of my pre teens.
I handed over my hard saved pennies with shaky hands (I was probably wearing that 80s fashion must have, the fingerless gloves too) and carried that plastic record shop bag home like I was transporting the crown jewels to the Queen herself.

It was a 'new' sound, it was edgy and I thought I was way too cool for school.
Funnily enough, the lead singer Suggs went on to advertise fish fingers on TV adverts. Not so cool.
Which just goes to show that even though you think the likes of Coldplay and Radiohead and Lily Allen are the cool kids now, they too could be advertising frozen veg or Hovis bread in 10 years time.

But now we're in the age of downloads, gone are the days of the 7' and the 12' singles. Which is really sad because saving up for that first piece of vinyl to call your own was a wonderful part of growing up.
Of course, what I want to know is, what was the first single/album you bought?

Far be it from me to sit in judgement, but if anyone says Lady in Red they'd better have a pretty good explanation . . .

Read more...

The Favourite Photo Meme: A gallery

Earlier this year I launched a new meme.

I was delighted when people didn't run away. In fact they jumped all over it in their droves.

It was the Favourite Photo Meme and I promised to gather them all together in once place to showcase all your great photographs.

Well, I've done it! It took me AGES but it's been worth it.

I really hope you like it.

Apologies for anyone I've missed out but I had to stick with those who had either let me know they'd done it or tagged me as it was the easiest way to find you!

I've also added in the original URLs for each picture so you can visit the sites to see the full story behind the photos - some really quite wonderful tales.

And yeah, it took me ages.

Did you take part? Can you see yourself on there?

There are 77 fantastic entries so sit back and enjoy x

Customize a slideshow design

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The Gallery: Week 13

Hello and welcome to week 13 of The Gallery.

I was stunned by your entries last week. STUNNED.

I was convinced that people would opt out, make excuses, RUN FOR THE HILLS when I said it would be 'self portrait'.

And sure enough the messages started to come back saying 'I'll have to sit this one out' etc.

But then people thought about the reasoning behind the theme. Thought about why I'd set it and, well, your posts were just brilliant.

One thing that came out of it all for me was the fact that many of us - myself included - have issues with how we look; issues that are usually unfounded because we're all in the same boat and we all recognise those insecurities.

I hope you all found it as eye-opening as I did. And many many thanks to Laura for being the inspiration for making us all just stop and think a little.

So. This week's theme?

Well.

I have seen a great deal of kindness around the blogosphere of late.

The comments you all left on each other's blogs offering support and a hand to hold.

Blogger Susie at New Day New Lesson who has launched a Kindness Club "to try to make the world a better place one person at a time".

And a group of bloggers who are doing an amazing amazing thing to raise money for a small charity which helps parents who have lost a child.

So go and support Susie and help her vision to make the world a better place.

And go and support our friends - bloggers we all know, admire and love - as they walk from one side of the UK to the other with the sole aim of helping parents in need.

A fabulous act of kindness.

Which is all a convoluted way of saying this week's theme is: Friendship.

Interpret the theme any way you like.

And as always, come back on Wednesday to add your link, visit as many others as you can, say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.
Appreciate the wonderful photos that are opening themselves up to you.

Now get clicking!

The Gallery

If you're new to The Gallery, here's the brief: I will give you a prompt, an idea, a notion and you go out and take a photograph using that prompt. Or just use a photo you already have.

The prompt could be one word, an object, an idea, a phrase, anything, and you have to post a picture which you feel represents that prompt.

Post it on your blog and write about it.

That's it.

It's not about taking technically brilliant photos - although if you do, I'd love to see them too. It's about having a passion for pictures; any photos, all photos whether you took it with your all singing all dancing SLR or snapped it on your camera phone.
You don't even have to be a blogger to take part - just send me your photo and I will publish it on my blog for you. You don't even have to include your name if you prefer.

When you've published it, come back on Wednesday and via a groovy widget thing you can add a link to your post and share it with everyone. The link remains open for a week.
Visit others, comment if you like them or feel inspired by them. Just go out and encourage and support amateur photographers out there.

The more support you give, the more you will get back.

And if you want to add a pukka linkable Gallery button to your blog (instead of the amateurish one I've been using!) the code is just under The Gallery picture in the right hand column on this blog.

Come back on Wednesday and join in. I can't wait to see what you come up with.

And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.
Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

Read more...

Not on the telly, no no not the telly, noo . . . oh OK

Hands up who has a pathalogical fear of stickers?

I have had to give my home over to the dreaded items. I find them on the walls, on furniture, on shoes, stuck to mirrors, kitchen cupboards, taps, windows, my mobile phone.
I take handfuls of them out of the washing machine after they've been through a cycle clinging to various clothes and I've even once found one on the cat's back (it was a picture of Clifford the Big Red Dog, which is rather ironic).

It's my own fault, of course. I bought them - and continue to buy them - by the truck load.
My children love stickers. Pirate stickers, Dr Who stickers, Dora stickers, animals, planets, gold stars, googly eyes. To be fair, they don't actually care what the picture is as long as it sticks to something.

I guess I keep buying them in the vague hope that one day they will actually use them 'properly' and stick them to card or in an album or on their Good Boy/Girl sticker chart. Tsk.

But no, they continue to whip the lot off in one go and stick them to whatever inanimate object looms infront of them - and it's often me.
"You've been such a good girl mummy. You deserve a sticker" (on my forehead? Really? And you just know that I'll end up forgetting it's there and trotting off to Tesco to do the shopping with it still firmly stuck there for all to see and laugh at and think to themselves 'aah, shame').

They clearly think our house needs brightening up. Home on the bland side? Nothing a couple of Mr Men stickers can't sort out though eh?
Kitchen kettle too silver? A giant Dora the Explorer will sort that out. Forgotten to wear a necklace? A 'Good Homework' sticker slap bang in the middle of your breast plate is just the ticket.

I know, I know, I've got to put a stop to this nonsense and try to find an easy and painfree way of getting them off the television screen.

Any suggestions?

Read more...

The Gallery: Self portrait

I love photographs. Always have done.

But I loathe and detest having my own photo taken. I don't think I'm particularly photogenic and as I'm usually the one behind the camera, it's been really really easy to avoid.

But a previous Gallery post written by Laura at Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy really touched me: What if my children grow up and look back on their childhood and wonder where the heck mummy was?

I don't want that to happen.

It's all too easy to groan at the lines, the skin tone, the slow decline of glossy hair as you get older.

But actually, I think a life is reflected in a face and you can tell an awful lot about a person from it.

So, this is me.

Through the eyes of my daughter.

If I look slightly anxious on one of them it's because she had my precious Nikon in her clumsy, young hands.

She wanted to take pictures with the camera, with my phone and with the computer. You've gotta love technology!

But first of all this one.
This is the view my children have on me on a regular basis!

Me on the computer in a 1990s A-ha stylee . . .



Me on the phone looking like I've either not washed my hair for a week or like I've styled it to look like an Irish ballad singer, you decide . . .



Me on my posh camera in front of 'that pretty tree because you're pretty too mummy' . . .

This post is for week 12 of The Gallery: Self Portrait.

So what did you all come up with?
It's week 12 of The Gallery and as you know, I launched it to showcase all the amazing photographs I see dotted around the blogs I visit.
This is an online art gallery of all your work.

And the results have been stunning and exceeded my wildest expectations.
People taking part have seen the number of people visiting their blog rise, they've met new people and have helped create an exciting buzz around the internet.
That's you helping drive this. You are making a different just by taking photographs!

And the beauty is you can jump in any time you like.

Miss a week, miss 2, come back; you don't even have to post a picture if you don't want to, just visit everyone else's. If you are joining in this week at the foot of this post you will find a widget to add the URL to your own Gallery post.
The aim is to get as many of your photographs viewed by others, so if you do have the time, make sure you try and visit some of the other entries - even if it's only a couple - and let them know what you think.
And if you've missed this week's prompt, no problem as there will be a new one on Friday.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Read more...

Can you spell M O R T I F I E D?

I've talked before about being embarrassed in public by my children.

I thought I was over the worst.

I didn't think it could get worse than the Dummy Incident.

Or the Doctor's Surgery Incident.

I was wrong.

I took the children for a pub lunch and am in the toilets with Mia who wants to sit there with the door open while I stand in the doorway.

We seem to spend a lot of our early parenting years in the doorways of toilets.

A lady comes out of the cubicle next to us and goes to wash her hands.

She is rather large.

Mia has gone quiet. Her constant chattering comes to a deadly halt.

This is a Bad Sign.

The air fills with a thick sense of foreboding as I await the killer question.

Mia: "Mummy I know why some people in this world are fat."

She's talking very loudly.

It also dawns on me that this is the landlady.
"It's because they eat so much food, isn't it? And they just don't know when to stop do they? Do they mum? Mum. Mum. MUM!

"Fat people need to stop being greedy don't they mum?"

And right there in the ladies toilets of the Red Lion pub I feel the hot burning fires of hell lapping around my ankles as I mentally add yet another venue to our 'places we can never ever visit again' list.

Read more...

How to keep the children entertained during the holidays

I'm not taking any chances with the school holidays looming.

I have a plan.

Not a plan on an Excel spreadsheet like one nerdish parent I shan't name, but a plan nonetheless.

I've told the children we're having a quiet one because we've all been really busy just lately so they've quietly cursing me under their breath. But just think how they will hug me and do my every bidding when I produce this work of art for them.

I'll be sure to make sure they tell all their friends what a fab half term they had . . .

MONDAY

The Natural World

If it's a choice between watching the TV or going in the back garden, my children will choose the garden every day of the week and twice on a rainy day.

Mud pies? Check.

Wheelbarrow rides? Check.

Helping daddy fit more in the 'green' wheelie bin by stamping down on it's contents? Check.

I've got a new tree to tend to, the grass to mow, leaves to clear and soil to hoe - I kid you not, if I said we were going to Disneyland they couldn't be more happy. Especially when I tell them there are a few dead plants to pull up and there will be WORMS on the lose.

I've also promised them a veggie patch of their own which they will need to plant and tend - and by tend I don't mean 'water' the seedlings with Coca Cola like Mia tried last year "because it must taste better than just water".

I don't think there is anything cuter than seeing children in the garden in their wellies, smeared in mud and brandishing a trowel.

TUESDAY

Delia Does Dinner

The day my 7-year-old son said the words: "will you teach me to cook mummy" was a day my heart did swell.

And look at him in his chef's hat . . . next Jamie Oliver? Pah, better than that.

He's already written his 'wish' list of lessons: Bolognese sauce, cottage pie, Spanish rice and for afters flapjacks, cookies and gingerbread men.

We've been sent a rather impressive box of baking goodies from Morrisons to get us started, including said chef's hats, aprons, baking trays, cake mixes, cake decorations and food colouring.

They opened the box and squealed.

What they don't know is that the kitchen is like an extension of the classroom: Measuring, counting, dividing in half/quarters, timing, reading instructions, listening to mummy/teacher when she says the grown up has to test the goodies first because, well, just because . . .

WEDNESDAY

Art Attack

I confess there are days one of the children asks to get the PlayDoh out and my heart sinks.

10 minutes of play and they're BORED of it and there is half a pack's worth littering the floor and I spend the next half an hour clearing up and picking it out of the living room rug.

So now we have an art day.

Junk modelling, card making, painting, drawing, copying, creating.

I set everything up in different areas and treat the house like a craft centre they can move around from area to area.

I've been buying the blank stretched canvases you can pick up quite cheaply now and having them create a 'work of art' on those. They will then hang them in their bedroom (as opposed to the million and one pieces of art stuck to the wall in the utility room) and so they take AGES pouring over it, perfecting it, tinkering with it with loving attention.

THURSDAY

The Movie Show

My kids love movies, no two ways about it.

And the preparation is almost as good as the actual watching.

Choosing the films (Dan likes action, Mia likes anything with Aslan in, I refuse to watch anything with a failed 80s star in), choosing the snack of choice (err hello? It's the movies, you HAVE to have popcorn surely?).

Then we close the blinds so it's dark like the cinema, cuddle up under a blanket (not so much like the cinema) and . . . silence.

Any suggestions for good family movies on DVD this half term. Any suggestions?

FRIDAY

The Discovery Channel

This family has a great love of the outdoors.

We joined the National Trust last year and it was money well spent. But you don't have to spend money to enjoy the great outdoors.

Just go outside. Go walking, discover fields, forests, hills, build dens and just walk.

Jump in puddles, discover interesting leaves, listen out for animals, race up hills, play hide and seek . . .

My latest plan is to have them keep a Nature Journal. Write down what they see, what they find: stick leaves, bits of bark, interesting finds in there: draw trees they see, statues, the view.

Really, just like the kitchen, the outdoors can be such a fabulous extension of the classroom.

SATURDAY

If I say today is a free day, Dan and Mia will pick one of three things to do.

1. Build a den from duvets, pillows, chairs, blankets and the clothes airer.

2. Wrestle (as in I'm the 'baddie' and have to pile drive them on to the bed while growling and snarling - really I look quite attractive when doing this). Throwing them around on the bed, calling them names and, ultimately, getting jumped on, pounded and pinned down is also part of the deal.

3. Build an assault course, using stools, cushions, the sofa, chairs, old boxes and, complete the course in the style of an army recruit. Alarmingly, they once used my make up as camouflage paint . . .

SUNDAY

The Board Room

I don't know where it began but Sunday has always been 'games' day for us.

I'm talking board games, games you play at the kitchen table. Games you play as a family.

And while we've been bought an array of interesting new fangled games over the years, we always, always come back to our old favourites.

Monopoly, Cluedo, Scrabble, Chess, Snakes & Ladders, Frustration.

We've even rediscovered the joy of just a pencil and a piece of paper and play old favourites like Hangman, Noughts & Crosses and the one where you write a long word at the top of the page and have to create as many new words from it as you can in 1 minutes.

You know what they say: A family that plays together, stays together - except of course when hubby cheats and tries to tell us he didn't see Mrs Peacock in the Library with the candlestick . . .

SUNDAY NIGHT

Collapse. Drink pints of tea. Eat my own body weight in chocolate. SLEEEEEEP.

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6 things you need to know about raising a 7 year old boy

1. Learn to do everything with a football attached to his feet.

Brushing teeth, getting dressed, watching TV - I've even caught my son having a wee while still manipulating a football.

Playing with it in the kitchen while you're trying to cook? Check.

Playing with it while you're trying to get shoes/coat on for the school run? Check.

Better it attached to his foot than left in the doorway you're just about to walk through with the pile of ironing in your arms . . .

2. Trumping is the height of hilarity

It was like a rite of passage: The minute my son cracked the mystery of how to do 'under arm trumps' (his phrase) it spread like wild fire through his friends.

So proud.

The parents must have loved me.

Still, if you think you've got it bad, spare a thought for their teacher . . .

3. It dawns on them that the world really isn't perfect

Questions, questions so many questions.

It's great that they are so inquisitive, that they are questioning the world around them but just wait until you're landed with the likes of:

"What's the point of sarcasm anyway?"

"If the election is so important, why is everyone saying it was a waste of time?"

"I thought you said eating biscuits before dinner was really bad for you? And why are you eating them behind that door?"

4. They can read. Everything.

You can't get away with "Pokemon has already finished" when scanning the TV guide or "that notice there says that all the DS games are sold out".

Won't wash.

You will also have to pay a visit to the neighbour down the road who has parked his white van near your house with the 'fruity' graffiti written in the dirt on the back doors and ask him nicely to a. move it b. clean it or c. write something more appropriate for a 7 year old to read.

5. There's a bone in my willy.

Seriously, if I had £1 for every time he says this I could buy myself a very expensive new gadget.

It's been an obsession for a loooong time now and it shows no sign of abating. I suspect it's only going to get worse.

6. You will know the true meaning of 'pride'.

No matter what they excel at (sport, academia, cooking, music) you will be look at that boy and love him with a love you never thought possible.

And then he hugs you; a big, gangly boy hug, and suddenly none of that other stuff actually matters.

This is a follow on from the post: 6 things you need to know about raising a 4 year old girl.

So what have I missed: What would you add?

Read more...

A new kind of superhero

Just because after a long, busy day, feeling tired and lacklustre, this turned everything around.

The power of a child!

Have a great weekend all.

Read more...

The Gallery: Week 12

Hello and welcome to week 12 of The Gallery.

I won't lie to you: This week's is going to be TOUGH.

Yes, I know we've done tough before. But not like this one.

This one will divide the camps. People may opt out. People may shout at me on Twitter.

I think it will be worth it.

The theme is actually inspired by Laura at Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy who wrote something that really touched me a few weeks ago and I want to 'celebrate' it through The Gallery.

On tenterhooks yet?

She wrote about photographs of her mum, who died when Laura was just 9.

For someone who has been voted in the Funnest Blog category of The MADS, she sure made me catch my breath with that post!

She wrote: "Luckily I have photos, quite a few in fact. I don’t just look at the photos, I pore over them I wonder what she was thinking, doing, wearing … just any glimpse of anything that makes me feel a bit closer to her.
Now that I am a mother they mean even more to me . . . "

And then on the same post, Mrs W commented: "This is the post that every one of us who has spent years avoiding having our photo taken should read. I’m striving to redress that little phobia – we all should."

Well, I'm going someway to help redress that balance today.

Imagine in years to come, your children looking back over photographs of their childhood. Are you in it? Are you always behind the camera?

Our photographs are the story of our lives, and even if you aren't a parent you need to be in it.

I know many many people hate pictures of themselves - myself included - so if you don't want to post one to your blog just think about what I've said and start making that change.

And if you do want to put one on your blog, then GREAT.

Get creative, and show us all who you are.

So, this week's theme is: Self portrait.

I've said it before: This Gallery is a success because of YOU and I thank each and every one of you for that.

And as always, come back on Wednesday to add your link, visit as many others as you can, say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.
Appreciate the wonderful photos that are opening themselves up to you.

Now get clicking!

The Gallery

If you're new to The Gallery, here's the brief: I will give you a prompt, an idea, a notion and you go out and take a photograph using that prompt. Or just use a photo you already have.

The prompt could be one word, an object, an idea, a phrase, anything, and you have to post a picture which you feel represents that prompt.

Post it on your blog and write about it.

That's it.

It's not about taking technically brilliant photos - although if you do, I'd love to see them too. It's about having a passion for pictures; any photos, all photos whether you took it with your all singing all dancing SLR or snapped it on your camera phone.
You don't even have to be a blogger to take part - just send me your photo and I will publish it on my blog for you. You don't even have to include your name if you prefer.

When you've published it, come back on Wednesday and via a groovy widget thing you can add a link to your post and share it with everyone. The link remains open for a week.
Visit others, comment if you like them or feel inspired by them. Just go out and encourage and support amateur photographers out there.

The more support you give, the more you will get back.

And if you want to add a pukka linkable Gallery button to your blog (instead of the amateurish one I've been using!) the code is just under The Gallery picture in the right hand column on this blog.

Come back on Wednesday and join in. I can't wait to see what you come up with.

And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.
Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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6 things you need to know about raising a 4 year old girl

1. You will never ever be right. 


Even when you think you’re right; convinced you’re right – have it in WRITING that you’re right, you won’t be right. 


And then you’ll even begin to question yourself about being right.

2. Fashion will play a big role from a very early age.


And by that I mean you will constantly fight over fashion. Why she can’t wear wellies to bed, why she needs to wear something, anything on her arms when it’s -5 degrees outside and, for some, why wearing top to toe pink might make them look like a giant ice lolly.

3. Affection is conditional.


It won’t be dished out like a big, sloppy puppy like boys dish out hugs and ‘I love you mummys’. 
It will be when she wants and how she wants to give it. 
You may even get comments like: “I’ve run out of kisses, you’ll have to wait” or “you’ve had your hugs for today. You can’t have another until tomorrow so don’t ask again”.

4. It’s a battle of wits.


Where can I hide the mascara so she won’t find it? Answer: You can’t, she will ALWAYS find it. And then punish you because you dared to hide it from her.

5. They're cunning. Oh so cunning.

Even at this young age, my 4 year old knows how to manipulate. Mummy said no to a gingerbread man before dinner? Go and ask daddy. Throw in a hug, doe eyes and a big sigh and you're guaranteed to get the answer you're looking for.

Just before you need to ask for something you know you don't stand a cat in hell's chance of getting, do a bit of groundwork. Say something like: "Mummy, I love you all the way to the bottom of the ocean, into a shark's stomach and all the way back out again".

When mummy is basking in the glow of such a sunny comment, BAM ask for your impossible thing and you just might catch her off guard.

6. They will make you fiercely proud.


Because of numbers 1 to 5, when at the end of the day she crawls into your lap, creeps her hands around your waist and tucks her head into neck, you will feel a warm glow like no other. 




Obviously no two children are the same and these are my experiences of raising a rather challenging girl. And I guess it isn’t always necessarily just the girls showing these traits.


So what's your number 6?

(And there is a boy one coming on Sunday!)

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The Gallery: Men

My husband is a rugby coach for our son's local tag team and, along with one of the other dads, they spend every Saturday morning in tracksuits, with a whistle around their neck, training the boys.

It's a very big commitment and they've both spent many an evening pouring over spreadsheets, tinkering online and planning over late-night calls.

Last Saturday was their prize-giving ceremony where medals are handed out, trophies won and the past season celebrated.

At the end of the awards, one of the boys (he won Club Player of the Year) gave his coaches a gift each and a card he'd made himself.

It began: "Thank you for a fantastic year and for training us . . ."

That young man, I am very proud to say, is one of my son's circle of friends.

A group of 7 year olds who love their sport, get holes in the knees of their school trousers, can be loud and a bit cheeky - but who I am delighted my boy calls friends.

As parents we all worry about what sort of person our children will become.

Will they remain sweet-natured and kind or will the hardships of life change them; make them more cynical; darken them?

My own 7 year old is a sensitive, thoughtful lad who cares for his sister and who still wants to hug his mum.

He has a very strong sense of right and wrong, has a thirst for knowledge and can be found just as often with his head buried in a book as it is in his DS.

And he has great taste in friends.

Of course, as his mum I am inordinately proud of him, but I am excited for him too. Excited at his potential and for the man he could grow into.

Another generation of men with the power to make the world a better place.

This post is for week 11 of The Gallery: Men.

So what did you all come up with?
It's week 11 of The Gallery and as you know, I launched it to showcase all the amazing photographs I see dotted around the blogs I visit.
This is an online art gallery of all your work.

And the results have been stunning and exceeded my wildest expectations.
People taking part have seen the number of people visiting their blog rise, they've met new people and have helped create an exciting buzz around the internet.
That's you helping drive this. You are making a different just by taking photographs!

And the beauty is you can jump in any time you like.

Miss a week, miss 2, come back; you don't even have to post a picture if you don't want to, just visit everyone else's. If you are joining in this week at the foot of this post you will find a widget to add the URL to your own Gallery post.
The aim is to get as many of your photographs viewed by others, so if you do have the time, make sure you try and visit some of the other entries - even if it's only a couple - and let them know what you think.
And if you've missed this week's prompt, no problem as there will be a new one on Friday.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

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Green Fingers

The minute the weather improves you can't keep my children out of the garden.

Exploring, digging, getting enough dirt under the fingernails to give mummy heart failure.

I love this time of the year when the sun starts to warm the earth and breathe new life into the cold, hard ground.

It's a time for discovering the joys of the fresh air and the wind on your face . . .

It's a time for discovering bizarre and unknown new things lurking in the hidden recesses of the playhouse (this was found inside a spider's cotton white 'cocoon' and was a stunning beige and white colour and felt like it was almost made of paper. And inside, the tiniest little honeycomb - any ideas?)

It's a time for watching new things emerging from the soil . . .

And it's a time for bringing new life into the garden. This stick is actually a Silver Birch tree from Tree 2 My Door, an online tree delivery service which means you get to send a living gift that will keep on giving and growing. Brilliant idea. I'm now coveting the Olive Tree - imagine being able to grown and create your own olive oil?)

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The Young Children Workout

Exercise? What for?

I have two young children and I NEVER STOP.

I'm going to Florida in a few weeks.
I will need to show bare flesh (I will be swimming with dolphins - yes, yes I KNOW how bloody lucky I am believe you me).

And I've been reading on Twitter how a couple of people are trying to fit themselves up ready for the summer with the aid of a clutch of celeb fitness DVDs.

My friends, I am here to tell you to put your money back in your pocket.

Warm up: Stand tall. Now look down at the floor. See those peas/biscuit crumbs/Lego pieces? Pick them up. All of them. Without the aid of a dust pan and brush.

See your back and leg muscles warm right up as you bend over for the 56th time to pick up an unknown sticky object spot welded to the living room rug.

Shoulders: Did you have bolognese sauce/soup/casserole for tea last night? Now's the time to clean the detritus from the walls where careless spoon action has meant your magnolia walls have been given a Jackson Pollock-style make over.

Scrub, reach high, reach down low to those skirting boards. And don't forget the wall in the room next door - for despite the fact that there is a wall and a closed door between you, there is always ALWAYS food splashes on there.

Legs: Set the children up doing their favourite thing: Painting/watching a DVD, reading etc.

"Mummy, can I have a drink of milk?"

Run downstairs, fetch drink.

"Not that cup mummy. My OTHER cup."

Run back downstairs, change cup. Run back upstairs.

"Did you warm it up?"

Run back downstairs. Slightly slower because you're legs are starting to really ache.

Run back upstairs.

"Didn't you hear me shout I wanted a piece of toast too . . . ?"

Back: Carry your children everywhere. EVERYWHERE.

Out of the car because they've kicked their shoes off and can't find them and it's raining outside.

Up the stairs because they're sooo tiiired they can't possibly walk. But then start fighting with each other the minute they reach the top.

It becomes a case of powerlifting once they're 7 and 4 and don't weigh 1 stone any more.

Cool down/relax: This is never likely to happen. The minute your brain has a spare moment you'll be thinking about the packed lunches, if you've put the washing on, how high the ironing pile is or whether you've got enough milk in for tomorrow's breakfast.

Did I miss a move out?

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The Gallery: Week 11

Hello and welcome to week 11 of The Gallery.

I confess I do find it quite difficult to chose a theme every week.

Sure I could do 'light' or 'trees' or 'holidays' but that would be far too easy for you lot.

I know you like to think, to be challenged, to spend some time mulling over the right picture and the right words.

And let's be honest, to date what you have all come up with has been all those words like inspiring and heartwarming and I know that when Wednesday comes around and the doors open on our virtual gallery, everyone who visits will be taken on a wonderful journey.

I've said it before: This Gallery is a success because of YOU and I thank each and every one of you for that.

And while I'm on thank yous, a big, deep sweeping bow to all those who voted for me in The Mads awards - I am deeply, deeply honoured and have now been shortlisted in the Best Photography category for which I am truly grateful.

My fellow nominees are:

Clinically Fed Up

Mocha Beanie Mummy

Carrots and Kids

Suburban Mummy

All fantastic photographers and, funnily enough, some of whom you will have probably seen in The Gallery!

So, to this week's theme.

I'll keep it simple. The theme is: Men. Pictures of the men in your life - dads, sons, uncles, teachers, partners, brothers.

Let's hear it for the men!

As always, come back on Wednesday to add your link, visit as many others as you can, say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.
Appreciate the wonderful photos that are opening themselves up to you.

Now get clicking!

The Gallery

If you're new to The Gallery, here's the brief: I will give you a prompt, an idea, a notion and you go out and take a photograph using that prompt. Or just use a photo you already have.

The prompt could be one word, an object, an idea, a phrase, anything, and you have to post a picture which you feel represents that prompt.

Post it on your blog and write about it.

That's it.

It's not about taking technically brilliant photos - although if you do, I'd love to see them too. It's about having a passion for pictures; any photos, all photos whether you took it with your all singing all dancing SLR or snapped it on your camera phone.
You don't even have to be a blogger to take part - just send me your photo and I will publish it on my blog for you. You don't even have to include your name if you prefer.

When you've published it, come back on Wednesday and via a groovy widget thing you can add a link to your post and share it with everyone. The link remains open for a week.
Visit others, comment if you like them or feel inspired by them. Just go out and encourage and support amateur photographers out there.

And if you want to add a pukka linkable Gallery button to your blog (instead of the amateurish one I've been using!) the code is just under The Gallery picture in the right hand column on this blog.

Come back on Wednesday and join in. I can't wait to see what you come up with.

And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.
Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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7 photos

Ooo, I got given a tag award thingy that's been altered - I LOVE those sort (claps hands and jumps up and down).

My fellow photography lover Mocha Beanie Mummy has charged me with posting 7 interesting photos.

There is some award attached with rules but, you know, blah blah blah.

Anyway 7 photos.

Skiing.

For 3 years on the trot, hubby and I went on skiing holidays with out best friends to celebrate New Year's Eve.

Seriously the Best Fun Ever.

None of us had ever skied before, and all 4 of us were hooked.

Cannot wait to take the children.

40

On my 40th birthday I spent a Sex and the City-style weekend with a bunch of girlies at a friend's house who lived in a converted barn in the countryside.

There was no sex and not a city in sight. But there was lots of good food, giggling and cocktails. And we hired a beauty therapist to come along to give us all pedicures.

The cake was made for me by a lovely friend (and her 8-year-old daughter) and it was deee-licious.

I LOVED turning 40.

Hugs

We are a huggy family. And my children have inherited it.

Long long long may they hug each other.

Rugby widow
... and I couldn't be happier.
Just look at them. They have had the best time. They narrowly missed out on a place in the final (they finished 3rd after play offs) but it matters not to them.

They are flush with the joy of doing something with your mates.

I see my boy like this and it fills me with the most immense pride

My wedding day

You know, that day when you're a 'girl' and all your dreams come true . . .
We did nothing by the book on our big day.
No cake, no first dance, no official photographer. No disco (we had a jazz band). No pressure.
The beer was for social purposes *ahem*


Good friends
I have a friend who has been through a really really tough time.

She hit rock bottom.
We've known each other for years (she's my hubby's best friend's wife).
We went skiing together, we partied, we even lived with them for a time for a while when we were waiting for our house to be built.
Good friends. Friends you want to have in your life. Friends you have a lifetime of memories with (this was 1995 - eek).

She's in a great place now and it's been tough. But I'm pretty sure it's been worth it too.

Like mother like daughter

I've blogged before about how challenging my daughter is: such a spirited little minx.

She is SO like me when I was a little girl.

I look at photos of me and I was such a tomboy, such an adventurer, such a handful!

I'm just wondering if she too will one day look back at photos of herself as a youngster and think 'what the hell did you dress me in mother?'!

If you fancy picking this up do so, but be warned: It's bloomin hard work!

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The Gallery: The world around us (Thailand)

In 2000 my hubby and I travelled to Thailand.
To say what we saw of the country was beautiful is to totally undersell what is one of the most naturally stunning places I've ever seen.
And I've travelled a lot.
We pretty much avoided the usual tourist traps and 'backpacked' our way around the areas we fancied exploring.
And then one day while kicking back in a cafe a man told us, whispered it almost, about a hidden beach where few tourists visited.
They said it was tough to get to, but it was worth it.
They said take a camera, it would be worth it.
They said it would be like stepping into another world.
They were right.

This was the sight which greeted us when we stepped out into the light from the tangle of roots and plantlife.
Stunning.
(And this was before I owned a fancy pants camera so I really didn't do it justice).



Not long after Thailand was devastated by the Christmas tsunami which ripped through the communities we took to our hearts and laid to waist whole swaths of land.
One island we stayed on, Phi Phi, was totally submerged.
But these photos are the memory we hold of Thailand: Warm-hearted, beautiful Thailand.



This post is for week 10 of The Gallery: The world we live in.


So what did you all come up with?<
It's week 10 of The Gallery and as you know, I launched it to showcase all the amazing photographs I see dotted around the blogs I visit.
I wanted to create an online art gallery of all your work.
And the results have been stunning and exceeded my wildest expectations.
People taking part have seen the number of people visiting their blog rise, they've met new people and have helped create an exciting buzz around the internet.
That's you helping drive this. You are making a different just by taking photographs!
And the beauty is you can jump in any time you like. Miss a week, miss 2, come back; you don't even have to post a picture if you don't want to, just visit everyone else's. If you are joining in this week at the foot of this post you will find a widget to add the URL to your own Gallery post.
The aim is to get as many of your photographs viewed by others, so if you do have the time, make sure you try and visit some of the other entries - even if it's only a couple - and let them know what you think.
And if you've missed this week's prompt, no problem as there will be a new one on Friday.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Read more...

6 reasons why Lego is the best toy ever

1. It's an emotional toy

We've been given this Fire Station set to 'test' and the children nearly screamed the house down with the postie delivered it.

What other toy can do that?

2. I creates harmony throughout the house

Some mornings I am vaguely aware that the children are up but they're playing together so quietly I'm actually afforded a lie in. A LIE IN.

They are playing Lego; building stuff, making up stories, helping each other, creating.

3. It helps families bond

Every night after school for one week my children and I rushed home to add some more pieces to our expanding Fire Station set.

The 3 of us. Sat around the kitchen table together over a common interest. Getting excited because the up-and-over doors on the station are just BRILLIANT.

4. It's good value for money.

Even when it's broken it's the best fun. Buy a 'nuts and bolts' box from B&Q (or any other hardware store), put all the pieces in different compartments and voila; you're very own imagination station (above).

Unless of course you're one of those people who never takes it out of the box. Or is so nerdy they won't let their children 'mix' the differently themed sets. Yes, I know of someone just like this and yes he is a nerd. And yes I've told him.

5. You never ever ever get bored of it

Once you start you just can't get enough of it. It's so bloody clever, the little windows, they way you start building a little section and it clicks onto another section and voila, you have a battle craft with rotating cockpit and snazzy lights.

We've had Star Wars Lego, City Lego, Ben 10 Lego, and now we're coveting the new Toy Story Lego. And when I say we, yes yes I mean me.

I've actually found myself tidying Dan's Lego box (above) away and absent mindedly building a super jet powered hovercraft with twin guns and a front-loading cockpit . . .

6. It's good for your marriage.

We took Dan to Legoland a couple of years ago and he desperately wanted the aeroplane set, which at £30-odd was quite an expensive buy.

When I say Dan was desperate for it, he actually wanted a £5 Stormtrooper keyring.

"Don't you want something to remember today by" we coaxed him and pointed him towards the kit we wanted.

The minute Dan was in bed that night we got it out and started building; you know to help him. We sat at that kitchen table for 2 hours solid - daddy building, me passing the parts and in charge of the instructions.

The make them partially for adults anyway . . . Fact.

. . . and one reason why it's not.

1. ARRRGGHH.

I swear, if I get one more primary-coloured brick stuck in the soft fleshy bit of the sole of my foot I will SCREAM.

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