Wednesday 29 April 2015

The week that was #14



A little late in posting this - feel like I'm running late with most things at the moment! - but still wanted to share some snaps, memories and thoughts from last week.

It's amazing how quickly my memory can fade, as one week ends and another begins.

What I do remember most about last week was this little face.


DOING We had a lovely day together, on Tuesday instead of our usual Wednesday due to diary needs at work.

We went to Starbucks for a coffee (babychino for the little Mr) after dropping hubs off at work then we did a spot of shopping around Tesco before I was due at the hospital to pick up a 24 hour blood pressure monitor. It's part of a series of tests the docs have been doing to try to work out if I have high blood pressure, what's causing it and whether I need medication. Hopefully, the monitor will reveal all...

Eeyore came with us everywhere.


Ethan used my appointment letter to draw on, and asked me to draw the different members of his family.


When we arrived home, I actually squealed when I saw these. Anyone who has never had a wheelie bin before and has had to just leave sacks of rubbish on the curb will appreciate my glee, however tragic this really makes me sound.


After a couple of hours playing at home, and catching up on chores, we headed to the park for a quick swing and slide before going to pick up hubs. It was lovely.


USING: I picked up this beaut shopper bag from Tesco. It's another Orla Kiely print and is the same size as another one I already have. Absolutely love it, just need to remember to take it with me when I do the shopping...!


EATING: I've been smoothie making until my heart's content and also enjoying some lighter dishes, including this superfood tuna bowl. It had everything from wheatberries and seeds through to avocado and halloumi, and it was absolutely de-lish.


CHANGING I spent the whole week (and the past three months, pretty much) counting down to having my hair done. Properly. I hadn't had it cut since last June (eek!) and it had been three months since I last coloured it, so I was in desperate need.

I was still undecided even when sat in the chair about what to have, all I knew was that I wanted a long, graduated bob again, like I'd had last summer.

Heather, my hairdresser, is super talented, particularly when it comes to colour, and she hand-blended this raspberry into red into peach beauty of a 'do for me. I was amazed by the result and it seems so many people love it too, so I am a very happy bunny indeed.


And after months of trying, I finally got a nice photo of Ethan and I together that I could use as a profile pic (the last was from August), with us both looking at the camera, both looking pretty happy and both of us in focus. Hurrah!

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Wednesday 22 April 2015

Write here, write now


When was the last time you put pen to paper? Properly?

Today? Yesterday? Last week? Can't remember?

Was it to rush off a shopping list? Update your diary? Scribble your name in a card?

I don't think we write as much as we should. Scrap that, I KNOW we don't.

Technology is great. Information at our fingertips. A way to keep all contacts and communications together in one place.

But do you get as excited by opening an email as you do when opening a posted letter that isn't a bill or junk mail?

Probably not.

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Tuesday 21 April 2015

My latest beauty faves


It's been a while since I wrote a beauty post but I'be tried a few new things recently and some of them won't be leaving my make-up bag any time soon.


First to give my make-up bag a breath of fresh spring-inspired air is these nail varnishes. I tend to stick to Essie for longevity but I loved these Rita Ora for Rimmel shades and they haven't been too bad for chips to be honest, plus the colours are bold and apply really evenly. At £2,99, they've brightened up my look in an instant.

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Monday 20 April 2015

The week that was #13

Let's take a look at the past week in my corner of the world...

DOING The week started with a rare child-free day. I was due to have a day off, carried over from the week before, and Ethan went to nursery as normal so I had some time on my hands to do, well, whatever I wanted.

Hmm. What first?

My plan was to do a spot of blogging and then catch up on my family scrapbook as it's been a while since I had time to do something creative. But, when I set foot through the door, the nursery called to say little man hadn't been himself and he had a temperature. I'd felt guilty about taking the day for myself and even more so after getting this call. I picked him up and after a sandwich on the sofa, Ethan and I had a really nice day together.


He was a little out of sorts, but Calpol and a dab of Bongela seemed to make a difference, as did several naps and dozens of cuddles, all upon his request. Maybe he just needed a Mummy day? Whatever was the case, it was actually a really lovely day and he was right as rain by bedtime.

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Sunday 19 April 2015

#SilentSunday / #MySundayPhoto


Ethan and friends, sitting on the stairs at Nanny's.

OneDad3Girls
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Thursday 16 April 2015

Bedtime reading

The collection of children's books I started long before Ethan was even a twinkle in my eye has been put to good use recently as Ethan's interest has grown as he has.

He's always loved books but now he remembers stories, recognises characters and each night, comes up to us and says 'Mummy, bed. Booht!' (his word for book). We go upstairs, he sits in bed, he tells me to sit so I do, on a cushion on the floor, and I read him a book; usually The Gruffalo (which he knows all the parts to and loves to guess the next word or action) or Paddington.

Many of his other books are treasuries and story collections and I've found that these aren't so good to read at bedtime as they're either incomplete stories, too advanced or too long, at least for the age he is now.


My favourite author and illustrator is Oliver Jeffers, who I have written about before,  and we have all of his books except one. They are beautifully put together and touching to read so I have moved these from display in our dining room to Ethan's bedroom so they're ready for bedtime now.
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Tuesday 14 April 2015

A belated 'the week that was' post #12

This is a little later than usual, seeing as we are well into a new week, but it's a busy time at the moment for various reasons and I just ran out of time.

At the weekend, I decided to try and rest - actually rest, properly - and was going to catch up on Monday as I had a rare day at home, just to myself. Sadly, Ethan was out of sorts so I collected him again from nursery, felt guilty for having taken him there when I was free anyway, then we had a day of sofa and snuggles to see things right.

So, what have I been getting up to?

Well, I thought I'd let the pictures do most of the talking this time...

It's been a week of spending lots of time with this little fella, including a great day out as a family to Thomas Land - he'll be two in just a few weeks and I shared my latest letter to him at 23 months.


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Saturday 11 April 2015

Letter to Ethan, at 23 months


Hello my not so little man.

We measured you the other day and you've grown 5cm in the past six months (you're now 84cm tall) but you just keep growing in your skills, language and understanding in leaps and bounds.

You know so many words, I can't even count them now, and will repeat most things you hear almost instantly and almost always correct too. You like to point things out that you know and you're quite happy to give us and other people instructions too to get what you want.

You are so much fun to be around. I love your nattering and how you exclaim at things that have caught your eye or if you recognise something. You like to play games, like putting your brick bucket over your head, saying 'Bye Mummy!' before lifting it off again and saying 'Hello!'.

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Friday 10 April 2015

Our mini bedroom makeover

We've lived in our house for nine years this September and slowly but surely, as you do, we've changed each room in turn to our liking. Be it new furniture or a bold feature wall of colour, every room besides our bathroom has been made over at one time or another.

In the case of our bedroom, it's actually been redecorated a number of times but it's never been quite right. It was blue when we moved in and a few years later we went for an apple green. That didn't work out for us so we went for white walls, black curtains and a monochrome theme throughout. It looked much like we were going for a 'look', but I still didn't feel all that happy with it.

I wanted the room to feel 'together'. Cosy. Inviting.

So, armed with a roll of brick effect wallpaper, new bedding and a few nic naks, we gave our bedroom a makeover on Easter Monday afternoon.


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Thursday 9 April 2015

The O'Hanlon's and their Thomas Land adventure


One day, the O'Hanlon family visited Thomas Land at Drayton Manor. 

It was the theme park's 65th anniversary and they were unveiling a brand new extension to Thomas Land, which featured three brand new rides - Captain’s Sea Adventure, Flynn’s Fire & Rescue and Toby’s Tram Express - plus a new main attraction, Sodor Airport.

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Wednesday 8 April 2015

Time for tea, part 2

You may have read from my previous tea related post that I am quite fond of a cuppa. It really is the only way I can start most days and I've become quite particular as time has gone on.

Wake up. Kettle on. Cup of tea for me. Ahhh.

I've tried all the brands and have sipped many a cup that hasn't quite cut it in my view. Making a cup of tea to a T isn't quite so easy, it seems.

It does help if you have something pretty to pour it into, that's one thing I know for sure.


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Tuesday 7 April 2015

Better start to the mornings


I may be more of a morning person than a night owl, but that doesn't mean I like breakfast. Never have really. I just don't feel hungry until I have been up for a while and with a toddler, husband and myself to get out the door and off to nursery / work most days, breakfast more often is missed or 'enjoyed' behind the wheel of my car or at my desk.

I have tried many-a-time to get more interested in good morning foods but my good intentions go out the window when I have prepared anything or left my pre-prepared breakfast at home.

But, as I always say, I want to change and I have been making more of an effort in general to, simply put, get more good stuff.

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Monday 6 April 2015

The week that was #11



So, this week didn't quite start off on the right foot, so to speak....

DOING For some reason, Ethan's started having disturbed sleep patterns, none quite as bad as Momday night when he just wouldn't go to sleep. He'd nod off on one of our shoulders but would wake as soon as he was in bed, or he'd lie down and drift off to sleep in his bed, only to wake and start crying the second we creeped out the door.

This continued so many times, I can't even count. At 12.30am, we'd gone around the cycle of our usual techniques to help him sleep at least twice so, dressed in our dressing gowns, we went for a ride in the car. It was the first time I'd tried this but it was all I could think to do. It worked, until Ethan then had a coughing fit when he was back in his cot, bringing some stuff up, which meant he needed changing. And so he was wide awake again.

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Sunday 5 April 2015

#MySundayPhoto / #SilentSunday

I'll be homest - I was having a tough day yesterday. Sometimes, Ethan can be dismissive of me and I can end up taking it too much to heart. I need to remember that he's only young, his wants and preferences change by the second almost and that it really isn't personal. 

Every parent is different and what Ethan needs from me isn't necesarily what he needs from his Dad or other people in his life.

And this photo, taken in the midst of his strop yesterday, reminds me of that.


And because it's Easter Sunday, here's a pic of some pretty fairy cakes I made:




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Saturday 4 April 2015

Star attraction

I'm a big animal lover - big or small, furry or squishy - and so is Ethan which is why in his short life, we have been to farms, zoos, safari parks, lakes and anywhere there is wildlife to see and enjoy.

It's also why Ethan has been to Sea Life Centre Birmingham four times already - he just loves to see all the strange and wonderful creatures.


He actually went the past two weekends in a row, once with us and once with his Nanny and Grandad, but he's young and it wouldn't matter to him anyway - he just wants to see the fish!

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