I have to show you all this lovely basket I won from L’Occitane En Provence
It is a fabulous prize with lovely shampoo, conditioner, eau de cologne, soaps, face, body and foot creams, and more. It is an absolutely fabulous gift. I don’t win things very often, so this is a very welcome prize.
Thank you very much.
xx
Thank you to the lovely Mummy Musings for tagging me in this meme.
This meme originated from Lauren of The Real Housewife of Suffolk County.
So here is the A-Z of me!
ANORAK…Do you have a sad side?
I remember what people tell me and I seem to be able to tell when they are telling white lies. It means I get a red face when I know that someone is standing in front of me telling me a lie about why they have changed their mind about something or are making excuses and then they think I have something to hide.
BODY…What physical attribute would you most like to change?
My size and weight battle. It’s been a life long issue for me. I am a sugar and carb addict.
CELEBRITY…Which one would you most like to date and why?
I agree with Mummy Musings – Robbie Williams. What’s not to like there.
DEBUT …Tell us about your first ever blog post. What made you start blogging?
I can’t remember my first blog post, as I lost my first blog, but I remember I began blogging as a way of venting, and then found the fantastic community out there who blog and talk to each other.
ERROR …What’s been your biggest regret?
I have a few. I think most of us have them by the time they get to 40 +. One of them would be the fact that I didn’t stand up to a bully when I was 25. Every so often, I think about what I could have done or said, but hey ho, that’s life.
FUNNY – who’s making you laugh?
My lovely blind dog makes me laugh a lot. She still does silly things to get attention. I don’t know how the boys are going to cope when she goes.
GRAND…If we gave you one right now what would you spend it on?
Easy – I’d get my eldest son some help at school.
HOLIDAY… What’s your favourite destination?
I am going to be a bit boring here. Anywhere that my family is.
IRRITATE… What’s your most annoying habit?
My bad habit of repeating what I say. It drives me nuts, so I don’t know what it does to other people who have to listen to it. I can’t stop.
JOKER…Whats your favourite joke {the one that makes you laugh everytime you hear it}?
I can’t think of anything that isn’t a joke my kids have told and some are not printable, so I’ll keep those to myself.
KENNEL… Do you have any pets?
1 lovely blind lab, and 1 needy and haughty ex wild cat
LOVE…Are you single, married, engaged, living with a long term partner?
Married 16 or 17 years. Can’t remember which year we got married, I never can.
MEAL… Whats your ultimate starter, main and dessert?
Starter – Melon and Grapes or Breaded Garlic Mushrooms with Mayo (depending on the diet), Main – Anything that has no meat or peppers in it. Dessert – Easy, cheesecake anything.
NOW…If you could be anywhere right now where would you be and who with?
In a relaxing spa retreat on my own with a kindle full of books……….
OFF DUTY…What do you do in your spare time?
Blog, tweet, read & the odd day out. Hmmm, I think that is common among blogger, tweeter, readers.
PROUD MOMENTS …What are you most proud of?
My Degree.
QUEASY …What turns your stomach?
The smell when people or animals pass wind or vomit. “you did ask”
RELAX…How do you relax?
Tweeting, Reading, Blogging
SONG…Whats your favourite song of all time?
Robbie Williams – Angels
TIME …If you could go back in time and relive it again, when would you choose?
From age 24, as long as I know what I know now.
UNKNOWN…Tell us something about yourself that no one else knows?
My weight. You didn’t think I was going to tell you, did you. I don’t even know.
VOCAL…. Who is your favourite artist?
Robbie Williams tho I think Matt Cardle is coming a close second if he could get some better songs to sing.
WORK….. What is your dream job, and are you doing it now?
Not doing it just now. What I do for free would be nice to get paid for though.
XRAY…Any broken bones?
Arm, Leg and Nose. All as a child and nothing as an adult (yet) *touch wood*
YIKES…What’s been your most embarrassing moment?
I can’t tell you that, it’s too embarrassing.
ZOO…. If you were an animal, which one would you be?
A contented, well loved and well looked after dog. I treasure loyalty.
And now I have to tag some other victims bloggers to take part in this meme.
@helpfulmum
@glasgow_mummy
@welshmumwales
@cazbattweets
@julesey10
@seasiderclaire
@mi_shmash
A very similar post I did is here.
A couple of weeks ago, with the van on a campsite, the threat of flood water in the van was getting higher. The kidlets had told each other scary stories, ranging from dying under tonnes of dirty water, to hearing screams coming from the direction of the river.
The water was very dangerous and the flood alert was in force for the area on the Monday. Local disabled residents were evacuated, and the caravan site was sitting smack bang in the middle of the flood plain. We took an early evening walk down to look at the raging river, and I couldn’t get close enough to get a good photograph of the river, and all roads in and out were closed.
We sneaked across the football field, as close as we dared and although we could spot the raging river, we didn’t dare go close enough to get a decent one, so the flooded children’s playpark is the best that I could do. The raging water was terrifying. It certainly opens your eyes to just how awesome the force of water actually is, and I am someone who spent much time in the middle of the north sea on oil rigs in her youth.
At night, we packed a couple of bags, and I had them sitting at the door of the van, just in case the river had a major flood. We were told that the “flood man” would let us all know if the river began to rise again. The rain seemed to thankfully be slightly easier that evening, and we hoped that the rain would stay lighter upriver so that it didn’t head down towards our precious van again. There were major floods here a few years ago, and lots of fears that it could be repeated.
I had my alarm set for every two hours so that I could keep an eye on the flood alerts, and check out the window to see how it is going. I intended to pop out to the bottom of the site a couple of times during the night to see if they were under water. I never got that far. Thankfully we were at the highest up point on the site, so in less danger than the vans and tents further down the site.
The kids thought it was an adventure, and we all slept in joggers so that we would be able to get out at short notice if the knock came at the door.
I didn’t sleep well at all that night, and littlest woke up about 6 times during the night in terror. He sleepwalks, although it is not as often as it used to be. In strange places, he always has to sleep close to an adult so we hear him on the move. Several times, he ended up sitting bolt upright, in absolute terror shouting “mum, why aren’t you saving me?”? I guess I can get the gist of the nightmare. He faced the door of the caravan and it was not very nice to see hs terror & knowing he was still in his nightmare with eyes wide open.
Thankfully, the danger passed, and with it the last of littlest night terrors.
I have never managed to understand the designer bag craze. I just don’t get it. A bag is a bag, is a bag, is a bag, is a bag. It’s for holding stuff in that won’t fit in your pockets, right?
Now don’t go ratting me out as some kind of slobbish, unorganised, ineffectual mother (ok, yes you’re right, I am). My poor little bag sees very little TLC, and tends to suffer badly from the effects of rain, wind, sleet and occasionally snow in the lovely Scottish climate. I do give it the occasional polish to bring up the nice leather that it used to be, and the last episode of TLC was the day before the Cybermummy Train Trip.
My current bag has been slung on my back for the last 3 years and was a fantastic (splutter) £50.00 when new. I only tend to have one day bag and one for using on special occasions at any given time, so I like them to last. I have bought cheap synthetic ones in the past, but I’m lucky if they last me a couple of months. You’d think they could make them so that they would be tougher wouldn’t you? Then again, maybe I just spend too much time with my bag on my back.
Yes, my bag is a rather untrendy for my age, small, black leather rucksack. I’ve been wearing this type of bag off and on for about 20 years. The only time I don’t have one is when I can’t find a nice one when it comes time to replace a worn out trusty. Then I have to resort to the dreaded over body bags.
I just can’t understand the pleasure or practicality of having to use an arm or a hand to hold up a bag. Whats that for then? How do you hold onto a child, or children, and a dog, or shopping when one hand is permanently tied up holding onto a bag for dear life?
I also know people who have bags that seem to have a never ending supply of things in them. I have a friend whose bag is a revelation. It doesn’t matter what eventuality she comes across, there is something in that tardis of a bag she carries to fix the problem.
You are allowed to laugh when you see what is in my disorganised little carry bag. I am dreading looking actually as it is a couple of months now since I cleared it out.
Here goes:
House and Car Keys
Caravan Keys
Chewing Gum
Old Receipts (really bad habit I have of just throwing them in)
Ancient Purse (really could use a new one)
2 Pairs of Earphones
Wrist Strap
Paracetamol
Passport Photos for us all
Virgin Vie Tinted Moisturiser
Some Bloggers Business Cards
Two Pens
Bits of a Toy
Crayons
Tomato Ketchup
Oilatum Cream
Library Cards
Dog Poo Spare Plastic Bags
Yes, I am officially a slob. No lippy (note to self – must rectify that one).
Yes, yes I know, my bag is in need of replacement. This one might just last another winter before it bites the dust. I need to keep an eye out for rucksack handbags from now on.
Baby food seems to be an emotive subject. I stated my opinion on it on twitter, and I was rapidly unfollowed by 4 mum bloggers. Who knew that baby food mums took it so seriously. Nobody said anything in defence of baby food which was surprising, but there were plenty of us who think that jars (and the ready-made tubs ) of baby food for older children are just not needed. I can see the snacks being useful, but the need for the meals confuse me.
Image: Sharron Goodyear / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
My youngest came to me at 9 months old. I was told that he had been fed on cow’s milk, and he didn’t like pot noodles, so I decided to take it from there. I didn’t know any better, and with my mothers yada yada yada in my ear, I really never thought there was any other way of feeding a child, other than making something for them to eat. From day 1 in my home, he began eating the kiddie sized portion of what we grown ups and his older brothers had for meals.
Saying all that, before I get struck down with some bug from a curse from the mothers rights brigade, it is every mums’ choice of what to feed their child. The fact that their childrens’ taste buds might suffer eating bland gunk for so long in their lives is their choice.
What does annoy me is having to stand in a supermarket trailing my three hyperactive kids, who have little skills for waiting in line, to have to listen to a mummy righter blagging on about the baby food tub she had just bought in the shop – and wanted it heating up. On and on she went about how was she going to feed her baby now. The man behind the counter remained as calm as could be, although it was obvious he was dying to tell her exactly where to go.
She started off trying to persuade him to use the kitchens microwave to heat it up, but he explained that he couldn’t use industrial microwaves, then she tried to get him to let her go into the kitchen and heat it up herself. He explained that it was against company policy to allow that. I don’t know how often he said it, but eventually she paid for her food and walked away from the counter.
I had some sympathy for her, and stayed behind her in the queue without saying a word, as I could see that she was obviously getting stressed out about how to feed her baby. When she asked what she was going to do now to feed her baby, I almost felt like joining in and championing her cause.
When I had my childrens’ food paid for and got seated, I found myself facing straight towards where she sat with her friend and her “baby”. I felt a little jar of shock when I realised that this “baby” was well over a year old and possibly two or more. The kids menu had several choices of things that would have suited that child perfectly well. In the end, the mum mashed up some of her food, and spoon fed the little one.
My shock was at the fact that not only was she wanting baby food for such a big toddler, but that the toddler was getting it all mashed up, and not allowed to use a spoon or anything to eat it for herself. Far from being unable to feed herself through some disability or special need, I spied the “baby’s” dexterity with toys and the ability to be able to potentially eat for herself was evident.
It’s the mum that seems to want to keep her baby as a baby, and not let her grow up. Either that, or total laziness in feeding her child, so that the only thing she will eat is blah, blah, blah. I have tasted the jars and tubs of baby food, and they are completely disgusting. I suspect most children would turn away from them once they had “normal” not processed food to eat regularly.
I am not adverse to sticking on the odd packet of chicken nuggets, or pizza when I don’t have time to cook from scratch, but surely feeding toddlers that big on baby food is just silly.
If you want to unfollow me for that feel free, but I’d rather you debated the reasons for using it for older children with me.
I’d love to know the rationale and why baby food is so popular. Feel free to comment below.
We tried to find a way to amuse the kiddos on Tuesday, which saw us visit Transition Extreme. It is a skatepark for BMX’ers, skateboarders and climbers
My boys need to do the training before they are allowed to enter the park, so it was disappointment all round as I booked them in for next week as there were no slots left for this week.
Leaving TA with dejected faces, I took them to Codonas. It has long been the little carnival that is resident in our little home City.
I’m sharing some of the pictures of the only sunny day we’ve been privy to for three weeks now.
Beware.. When you buy a Codonas wrist band for the day, you get a ticket entitling you to a free kids meal for every adult meal purchased. When you try to order it, you are pointed to a large board with a corrected statement that says you only get a kids main course.
They refuse to honour the ticket.
Apart from that, it was a lovely afternoon for the boys.
My little pots are growing their leaves and flowers, and I hope, that eventually we will manage to have some lovely little flowers from the pots and containers that are full of gorgeous leaves. Whether they actually have some fruit or not remains to be seen, but hopefully they do. I have spent hours (ok minutes) tending these lovely pots and bags to try to turn my non gardening fingers into some semblance of a growers beginnings.
Here for your enjoyment, in all the Scottish dreary weather are some shots of my growing pot collection.
I did try to hold off until the sun showed its’ smiley face again, but I suspect that might not be anytime soon.
Ok, ok, I know these are not vegetables, but some pansies and geraniums make lovely pictures.
The strawberries are nearly ripe for picking (all three of them). There are two more, honestly, there are.
Leeks and Onions and Lettuce are really doing well.
My potatoes are growing up a storm.
And apart from the carrots on either end, I have no idea what is growing in the middle of my trough.
My neighbour gave me the seedlings and I planted them. She cannot remember what they were. If you recognise the leaves, do let me know.
Thats it for now. I’ll post more when I start to harvest my little crop.
Nice post!
Looks delicous...thanks for sharing the wonderful receipe...
Looks so delicious....thanks for sharing...