Journeys Are My Diary

Life, Adventures, Entertainment and more - A little bit of everything blog!

Monthly Round-up – January 2017

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Watching: I always lose track of everything I watch so I started making lists on my phone. This month I watched; A Series of Unfortunate Events (binge watched the new series on Netflix the day it came out), Bad Moms, London has Fallen, Iron Man 3, Star Wars: Rogue One, A Monster Calls, Now You See Me, Now You See Me 2, Sausage Party, Miss You Already, Allegiant, Five Year Engagement, Mad Max: Fury Road, What to Expect When You’re Expecting and of course keeping up to date with all the various series that I usually watch.
Sewing & Making (for Closet Geek): I thought after Christmas that things might quieten down a bit and they did… but only for a little while. After catching up on orders from the holiday period, I had a quietish week or so where I even got to try out a few new products but it soon got busy again and I haven’t caught up since. I think I’ve had approximately 100 orders for January. As well as all the usual, I made new Infinity Scarves which I hope to list soon and new Travel Wallets which I still want to perfect. I also made a Belle Christmas dress which was for Liv’s birthday at the end of the month.

And in other news…
– This month has been a combination of really dreary and wet, or absolutely freezing cold so the truth is, doing anything has been a bit of a struggle. We went swimming early on (before school started) and managed a trip to Disneyland Paris which was booked a while back, but otherwise I’ve just wanted to huddle in the house!
– Speaking of swimming, this term has been Lily’s class’ turn to go swimming on Thursday. I go with them as they always need parent helpers and last week Lily managed her 50 metre badge which I’m super proud of as she could barely swim last year when they started.
– At the beginning of the month, Chris managed to write his car off which meant rescuing him on the day and then spending a week looking for a new car. In the process we did get to try out a new place called Meat Inc. and we’re hoping to go there again soon! We also had a day out to see Rogue One (which we combined with looking for cars) and had lunch at Yo Yo’s for the first time in a while.
– As I mentioned, we went to Disneyland Paris and on the way home I managed to crash my car in the car park. This meant I had to pay almost £400 to get my car towed home and then another £35 to get it mended in the garage. It was a lot of hassle but it could have been worse I guess.
– Megan got a boyfriend (her first proper one) in December and though they didn’t see each other over Christmas, things are still going strong in January. We took Daniel to the cinema and Pizza Express and she has been invited around to his house for dinner twice after school.
– Also I attended Megan’s first secondary school Parent’s Evening, where I had appointments to see all the teachers separately. She is doing so well and on track for As and A*s in all her subjects. After leaving I burst into tears as I was so proud of her.
– I finally got around to using my new soup maker and made soup almost every day for a week. It wasn’t particularly healthy mind you as my favourite is broccoli and stilton.
– Over Christmas, Lily and I played a lot on the Harry Potter Lego games and for Christmas she got the new Fantastic Beasts set for Lego Dimensions. We spent all afternoon one Saturday building up the portal from Lego and then the rest of the evening playing on the game.
– Finally the end of the month saw Chinese New Year and so we “celebrated” by ordering Chinese takeaway!

Looking forward to in February:
– As far as I know, there isn’t much happening in February. I know we are hoping to organise a games night and give Nat’s fella Dan, a chance to meet our friend’s Jon and Becka.
– Also there is Valentine’s Day, but Chris is working in the daytime (as always) and the girls will have been at their dad’s overnight. I’m planning a lie-in, then my mum is picking them up and heading over and we’re going to play board games. Probably in the evening we’ll have a nice meal together as a family.
– Sing and The Batman Lego movie are both out at the cinema so hopefully we’ll see those. There is talk of a movie marathon day so that would be great!
– It’s half term this month and I love that for so many reasons. Firstly it means I don’t have to turn out on the school run both in the morning or in the afternoon (that saves me 3 hours of my day). Also it means I get to spend time with the kids (Chris is working every day, surprise surprise). Lily and I also have her school project to finish and that means baking so hopefully that will be fun too.
– Otherwise, I can’t think what else will be happening. It’s my sister’s birthday at the end of the month so we may well go out for that.

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Hello 2017

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On New Year’s Eve I wrote a post reflecting on 2016 and so today I want to look forward to 2017. As it’s already 3rd January I’m sure it’s probably clear that a whole “new me” is not on the horizon. I think I’ve learned from previous years, that that’s not the best route for me. Instead little changes, positive attitude and a hope for better things, is the direction I would like to go.

This Year I will:

  • Get a better grip on my finances. As I’ve mentioned on my blog before, I have a lot of debt – largely from my time as a single mum (I mean, I’m technically still a single mum but I have a very supportive partner now). For a few years, I just buried my head and the debt got worse but then two years ago it all hit me and I had to stop avoiding it. 2016 was the year I finally started to get that debt down and while I definitely managed to stop adding to it and clear one particular lump of debt, I still have a fair way to go. I have a specific target in mind by the end of the year and that will hopefully lessen my debt by about a third.
  • Work hard on my business, Closet Geek. It would be a lie to say I don’t work hard on it already as to be honest its my main focus, after the kids. I have thoroughly enjoyed working from home this last year and despite how crazy busy it has gotten at times, I wouldn’t change a thing. This year I am aiming to add at least 6 more product ranges (don’t ask me what, I have no idea yet) and hopefully more variations of the products I already sell. That said, I must remember to take time out and relax (which is hard because I often get into a flow).

  • Weight Loss is something I want to focus on this year. I haven’t jumped into any kind of diet yet as there is still a lot of bad food kicking around the house. However I am trying to regulate myself and not eat too my rubbish and when routine starts over again and I start cooking evening meals from scratch, I aim to make healthy dishes and avoid any junk. Last year I felt uncomfortable in my skin and it stopped me from dressing up, cosplaying and even feeling like I wanted to make any sort of effort. Its amazing what a knock on effect feeling overweight can have to all areas of life. I also want to try walking more often, especially as life isn’t so hectic that I need to save every minute of time by hopping in the car.
  • Last year was a wonderful change to family life, working from home instead of feeling stressed in the job I had previously (I actually can’t believe I walked out on that job 2 years ago – I’ve honestly never regretted it). I managed to attend so many of the kids events at school and I’m sure I will be doing so again this year. That said I want to make time outside of those events, to do things as a family. The kids love to play board games (we had a day doing that during holiday), go swimming and play computer games (Lily and I have played Lego Harry Potter for most days of the holidays) so I want to make more time for fun, not just scheduled events. I also want to make more time for Chris as he often gets neglected, just because he “understands more”. On evenings when he’s not at work, I need to step away from my sewing or even my computer and just be with him – doing whatever it is we feel like doing.

This year I would like to:

  • Moving house is definitely top of the list for things I’d like to do in 2017. Sadly not a huge amount of that decision is in our hands, but we need to try wherever possible. From the house going on the market last April, till now, we’ve only had two viewings. I think there has been many reasons to that but largely the price recommended by the agents is too high. We do have another viewing tomorrow so we will see how that goes but at some point this year we will have to make some firmer decisions – perhaps to change agents, sell at a loss, or whatever other options there might be.
  • During January I have a weekend away booked with the girls, to Disneyland Paris. However as much as I’m looking forward to it, I’d really like a nice week away somewhere abroad. Top choice for this year would definitely be Italy and ideally during the warm weather. Chris booking holidays at work can be a pain though as he can often only get out of school holiday time. With Megan now at secondary school I am loathed to take them out of school for a holiday, so it’s definitely going to be a juggling act – and of course available money. If we can’t get away this year, I would definitely love to book something bigger for next year – maybe a two week holiday somewhere further afield like the US.

This Year I will try:

  • Yesterday I was in a position (as I often am) where one of the girls asked if we could do something (something they had been asking for a while and have been saying “soon” to) and my immediate answer was “yes, tomorrow”. Now although that might seen immediate to you, it’s really only because it was that day or tomorrow that we needed to do it, before it was too late. But my reaction was still the latter, not the actual immediate. However after I walked away, I thought “actually, why can’t we just do it now?” and so that’s what we did. Basically I really want to stop putting things off till tomorrow and just get on with them. Because tomorrow never really comes and before you realise it, you’ve been putting everything off and never getting anything done.

  • When we went swimming, the girls and I, I was reminded of how much I enjoy it and, that despite not going very often, I’m still pretty good at it. While I don’t always want to go when they suggest it, I did realise I could take them and just watch (they’re both old enough now), but also I could go when they’re at school and just swim lengths. It would be a great way to make time for me, get fitter and even find time to shower! I don’t want to set myself a frequency but I would like to swim more.
  • As I mentioned last year, our friendship group is a little bit fractured now and so in the past 12 months I haven’t thrown any large group events. I think its probably easiest to just see each group of working friendships, by themselves, whenever there is time, rather than force everyone to get together. Last year we did enjoy a meal out as a group of friends, a cinema trip as a double date and a few times having friends around for dinner. I would like to continue that this year, making more of an effort but hopefully making time for everyone.
  • Finally I should probably give my blog a mention. At this time of year it’s always easy to say “I’ll post more”, or “I’ll post frequently” but the truth is when life gets busy, my blog takes a backseat. I also often find that I lose inspiration for what to write at times and it can become just one big life update that people probably aren’t that interested in. I’m ditching Project 52 (as I did towards the end of last year) as I always forget to take pictures weekly). Instead I might do something monthly, as I did with my round-ups (which definitely suits me better so I will be sticking to those). I’d like to keep updating about books I read (which maybe should have been another bulletpoint as I really should read more) and movies we see at the cinema but past that I’m uncertain of the direction my blog will take. I am considering various options though so watch this space!

Travel Diary – 21st May 16 – Paris Day Two

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Yesterday I posted my Travel Diary – Day One and so today I’m sharing Day Two. Sadly this day wasn’t at all what we had planned, but we made the most of it anyway.

Day Two

On Saturday morning, I woke up with the most sickening of headaches. I do get headaches a lot so that’s fairly standard but this one was migraine worthy. When I sat up, I felt sick and when I lay down, my head banged. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how I was going to get through the day! After several trips to the bathroom, thinking I was going to throw up, a drink and some paracetamol, I finally found a position in bed to rest my head so it didn’t hurt and also not feel sick at the same time. Chris decided to get up and keep an eye on the kids, while I slept a little longer.

When I eventually got up, my headache was mostly gone and I felt a bit better. Chris had taken the girls swimming which was lovely for them as I was already worrying about ruining and wasting the day. Sadly I had ruined our plans – which was to head back to Paris and spend the day there shopping and sightseeing. It was midday and there was no point tackling the hour there and hour back, especially feeling a bit rough. Everyone grabbed a late lunch and we tried to decide what to do. I got myself upset for ruining the day and everyone agreed we should head to Disney, even if it was just to Disney village. The sun was out and it was a beautiful day so this seemed like a good save for the day.

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Lily put on her Disney bounding Ariel Town dress and I put on my Ursula ears and necklace. We all headed out to Disney which was about a 45 minute drive. When we got there, I actually felt pretty excited. I was sort of disappointed that we weren’t actually heading into the parks but since we only had a one day pass, I didn’t want to waste it on only half a day.

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We first headed to World of Disney, where we browsed around and I actually found a gift I would like for my birthday, which my mum offered to buy. Other than that we didn’t spend anything though, as I knew I might be getting an annual pass the following day and knew this would give me a discount.

Next we grabbed some churros and nutella from a little food van and enjoyed the sun. Mum and Pippa decided they wanted to sit for a while and so we all got a drink and sat down. After a while, Megan, Chris and I decided to go for a wander, as I’d never actually looked around Disney Village. We went in ever single shop and it was really nice. I saw some beautiful ornaments in The Art of Disney and even some clothes we wanted in other shops. We had a lovely afternoon and took an hour or so to browse.

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At around 6pm, we went back to the car and headed home. We’d parked at the train station instead of the Disney Park itself and this made it not only nearer to walk, but cheaper for half a day. It took around the same amount of time to get back as it had to get there and so when we got home, dinner was straight on. We all sat around and ate lasagne, drank wine and chilled out. Afterwards the girls played in their room and Chris and I went off for a game of pool.

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Finally we headed back to the accommodation and I put the girls to bed. Chris and I headed up to our room and watched TV on my iPad. After only one episode we were exhausted though and we headed to sleep ourselves.

All in all, I really enjoyed our visit to Disney but I was disappointed to not get back to Paris. I had wanted to see several more things and I don’t know when I’ll next get chance. That said, the weather was beautiful and it was nice to get an extra dose of Disney that wasn’t expected, the girls loved swimming again in the morning and it was definitely nice to get an hour playing pool with Chris in the evening.

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My first picture this week is of Lily. On Sunday we received an Amazon delivery with some things she’d spent her birthday money on. She was so excited, especially as Megan had upset her the day before by refusing to play with her and I had offered an hour or so on Sunday to play instead. Lily and I were watching OUAT when the dolls arrived and Lily unpacked them all and faced them towards the iPad to watch with us!

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On Sunday we also went out swimming. It was something I had promised to do during Easter and with decorating and illness, we just never got around to it. So on our last day together, we headed out to swimming and as an extra treat I bought the girls lunch at the cafe there too. Megan had a cheese, tuna and mayo panini and for the first time, managed it all!

Week 28 – Monday Round-up

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For the most part, this week has been great. It’s been busy in parts but not to the point of feeling like you don’t have a moment to breathe! Monday started off with Chris heading out to work, taking Lily to school and then Megan and I attending an Open Morning at one of the schools she is considering for next year. It was between 10am and 12.15 but it was nearer to half past by the time we left. Megan ate her lunch in the car, we called in briefly at mum’s and then I dropped her back at school before heading home. The girls were going with their dad after school so I knew I didn’t have to turn out and get them again, meaning I got on with some work when I got home. That said I started to feel a bit rough and curled up on the sofa to watch TV and chill. When Chris got home we had takeaway and didn’t do an awful lot else!

On Tuesday I took both the kids to school (and Lily’s tardis that we made over the weekend!) and then came home again. It ended up as a busy morning, picking up parcels, doing some shopping, calling to see Chris’ Gran and getting my sewing machine serviced. We managed to grab lunch and a few hours to ourselves before heading out to get the girls from school and going out for dinner. After that we dropped Lily off with her Grandma and headed back to school as Megan was in her school play. Chris and I watched and thoroughly enjoyed it, before picking Megan up, collecting Lily and then heading home and putting the girls to bed. By that point I was exhausted and yet again, didn’t get an awful lot done that evening! I took a bath and read some of my latest book.

Wednesday was Sports Day and so I headed out to school with the girls. Lily went first in the morning, participating in 4 races, though as every KS1 group took part, it took all morning. The weather was dull and it even rained a few times, but it turned out okay, despite being cold. Lily and I then had lunch together (along with my mum) and eventually Megan joined us too. In the afternoon it was Megan’s turn and there was a Kingball Tournament for all the KS2 kids. This took all afternoon too and though my mum bailed on us, Grandma turned up to support and keep me company as well. We managed to leave school about 10 minutes early but it did make a difference when we came home and collapsed! We had takeaway for dinner and then Nat came around in the evening.

On Thursday I decided to really try hard with my diet. On Wednesday I’d had a nasty shock when getting on the scales and it was just the kick I needed to make me try again. After taking the girls to school and then popping to mum’s to drop off their stuff (they were staying the night), I came home and emerged myself in wrapping parcels and going to the post office, all just to keep busy. I was good for lunch and good for dinner and I felt so much better for it. I also remembered how much I love jacket potatoes! In the evening Amy and I collaborated to book our Inside Out cinema tickets for when she comes down to visit in a few weeks time. We booked with Vue which means we get Disney Store vouchers each and since we’re buying Tsum Tsums on a monthly basis at the moment, it all comes in handy!

The girls had stayed at mum’s on Thursday night as it was school disco and her having them saved me a lot of hassle, however I still needed to get up on Friday morning and head to school as Lily was in shine assembly. This was the last one of the year and I was so proud of her for being in twice (she was originally in it at the beginning of the year). No surprise but I cried when she was up at the front – I’m such an emotional mess when it comes to the kids! Afterwards I came home and set myself to sewing. I challenged myself to three dresses over three days and I’m happy to say I managed it! I made a dress for Amy’s daughter Liv on Friday, which took majority of the afternoon and a little into the evening. Once that was finished I started on Lily’s, cutting out the pieces that evening. I obviously picked the girls up from school at the right time, had dinner etc. but the majority of the day was spent sewing!

On Saturday I got up and began to sew again. I started on Lily’s dress and worked on till after lunch. At that point the girls and I headed into town as we needed a few bits of food and also some material/elastic/zips from Boyes. When we came back I continued to sew but I did take a break here and there – especially when Megan wanted to make brownies. However I got Lily’s dress finished by the evening and even started to cut out Megan’s pattern pieces. Megan made her brownies into Minecraft Blocks as she’s a nerd like that, but they tasted amazing and looked pretty cool too.

Finally on Sunday I got up and had to take Chris to work, so the girls had to come too. We packed our swimming stuff as I promised we’d go swimming over the weekend and so once Chris was dropped off, we went to the leisure centre. We spent an hour or so there, had showers and got changed. We then had to pop into Tesco again on the way home, where the girls decided they wanted to make their own version of Subway subs. We then came home, made lunch and did some bits around the house, before I settled down to sew. I sewed all afternoon and into the evening, stopping to make food for the kids, help with homework etc. and of course feed myself and Chris. However by about 10pm Megan’s dress was finished too and I was really pleased with them all!

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So that was pretty much my week, I don’t think I missed anything! It’s been a good week but I have to admit things are always so busy at the end of term – I look forward to the holidays. As of today, the girls have a week and a half left of school and I have at least 5 things penciled into my diary that I still need to do with regards to school. That said, it’s nothing too hectic so it should be a good coming week! Hope you’re all having good weeks too, I’m off to sew again!

Where has summer got to?

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In previous years, Summer has usually been and gone by now. Well not really, but you know we’ve usually had that week in May where there’s a really hot week and after that, nothing really comes close, bar a day here and there. We were promised a heat wave this June and so far… well it’s a little disappointing to be honest. Sure, the sun is out and the rain has disappeared for a little while, but it’s still not HOT, is it?

When we were on holiday in Florida, in April, the weather was too hot. Us Brits just aren’t really built for that type of hot. That said, I really enjoyed how warm it was and other than worrying about hats and suntan lotions, myself and the girls really soaked up the sun. If the air conditioning had been working properly and we’d actually been cool in the villa, I think perhaps I could have lived with the Florida heat. Chris on the other hand grumbled the whole time, desperate to get back to the weather of our own country. Now we’re back I think I’ve been suffering from a bit of SAD. I need some nice warm days to get me back in a positive mood. I’ve sold all my Florida dresses on Ebay and it’s a little depressing. Would you believe I’m still wearing a leather jacket and a scarf most days?

So to get myself feeling a little warmer, I decided I would share with you some of the things I love most about summer!

Family Holidays – Two years ago we had a very impromptu holiday to Legoland. The weather was absolutely beautiful for majority of the day and even when it rained, we just got wet but not cold. I love having the kids off for six weeks, despite the fact they can get on my nerves a little at times. I always encourage Chris to book a week off in July/August so we can do something, even if it’s just for a couple of days.

Family Days Out – If we can’t manage a full holiday, we at least manage a few days here and there. Last year we went to Warwick Castle, Cadbury’s World, Eureka and National Forest Adventure Farm. Sometimes I take the kids by myself, other times Chris comes too and if all else fails, my mum is always on hand to tag along.

LFCC – Alright so I’ve only been once last year, but I’d love to go again this year too. In May we went to MCM Comic Con and it was great to see the difference between the too, but I’d still really like to head down to London in July and go again.

Learning new things – Last summer Megan finally learnt to ride her bike and I imagine this year Lily will too. Summer is always such a perfect time to learn to bike ride, swim, fly a kite etc. When the sun is out you always feel more inclined to do things. We always walk into town instead of drive too.

Adult Days Out – Normally the girls go away with their dad for a few days in Summer and he has them overnight at least once a week. This allows for adult days out and since these are so few and far between, I like to make the most of them. Last year we obviously had LFCC for a whole weekend but also I went to both Thorpe Park and Alton Towers. As much as I love the kids, it’s great to have time without them too.

There are loads of other things I like about summer – BBQs, trips to the beach, being able to wear dresses and so on. However these are just some of my top picks. However instead of a sun hat and sandals, I’m far more likely to be wrapping myself up in cashmere and wooly jumpers. Luckily Summer is great time to grab some bargains on Winter clothes!

Week 2 – Monday Round-up

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It’s been a good week, but a tiring week. I can’t reiterate enough how glad I am to not actually be working any more. It’s literally heaven every day – even when I’m hoovering or scrubbing the house! That said, I haven’t been doing an awful lot of that, but I have at least been keeping on top of things like the dishwasher and the washing.

Monday was a teacher training day at the kids school, so we had one last day together before school started. I’m used to the girls going to their dad’s on a Monday so it was nice to actually feel like I got that last day with them myself. Chris was at work so as such it was just us girls. In the morning we just hung out and chilled, but in the afternoon we had arranged to go swimming with my mum, who traveled over to come with us. When she first arrived, I had to get her to sort out some photographs with me, but after that we headed out swimming. It was about 3pm when we went in and about 4pm when we came out. Afterwards I had her drive me past Argos so I could pick up an Ab Roller I’d ordered and I also popped into Sports Direct where I bought another swimming costume each for the girls and two Frozen dresses as well.

Mum decided she would treat us all to Chinese takeaway which went right again the diet but was much appreciated! I put a little bit of money towards it too so I could order a little extra for Chris and save him some, but somehow we ended up with tons anyway. Once food was eaten, mum headed home and the girls and I had a little extra time before Chris was back. Both girls had to be in bed promptly though, especially with school the next day. I spent majority of the evening, catching up on blog stuff and also updating my diary and making sure I had current plans written in it. Afterwards Chris and I watched some TV together and snuggled on the sofa.

On Tuesday it was up early and out of the house for everyone – and boy was it a shock to the system! The kids’ dad was having them after school though so I just headed straight home and worked on my blog – which I had just moved to self-hosted. I had left over takeaway for lunch and felt a little guilty about the health kick I was supposed to be on. I vowed to go running the next day (though no surprise, that didn’t happen!).  My brother called in after he’d been to mum’s that night and so we had time to catch up too. The girls arrived home and Chris came in from work and it was a little crazy for a while but nice too. The girls and I started on the second Never Girls book called “the space between” and when I updated Goodreads it also made me feel guilty for not even attempting to read any more of my own books!

Honestly I don’t really remember what I did that evening but I know Chris and I finally managed to catch up on both Arrow Season 3 and Flash Season 1, up to the mid-season break. This is great because we managed to watch the cross-over episodes in the right place and be ready when the series’ start airing again soon!

Wednesday was school and work again, another early start that really was taking its toll (god knows how I managed to function when I was working too!). I dropped the kids off at school and headed into town for a little while – even planning to go for my job afterwards. Like I said before, that didn’t happen – I don’t know if it was the latte I chose to buy which made me feel sloshy, or the fact it started raining (or of course sheer laziness) but either way, I was rubbish! I headed home and made a start on sorting out my jewellery, before heading back out to get the kids. After school we were supposed to watch a Disney movie (it was supposed to be Tinker Bell but we’d already watched it accidentally so we were going to watch Snow White) but none of us could be bothered and we just wanted to mong! Megan and Lily just played on iPads and computers while I tuned out to the TV. I did manage to keep on track with food this day and combined with the walk in town that morning I definitely felt healthier. In the evening I cracked on with more work and all in all, it felt like a constructive day.

Thursday I dropped the kids off at school and headed to see my mum briefly. Afterwards I headed back to Gainsborough where I needed to get some shopping and managed to waste a few hours around Marshall’s Yard. I did spend the last of my M&S voucher (from my birthday) on some healthy food and that felt very positive. I then went home and had soup for lunch, which also felt very good. I finally got my Ab Roller built too, though I won’t lie and say I used it. I mean I did check it was all working fine – but for maybe 20 roll ups! The girls were staying at my mum’s that night and so in the evening Chris and I just spent time hanging out.

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On Friday I got a lie-in! It was so needed. Chris climbed out of bed around 7.10am and although I was aware of him moving downstairs, as soon as he left at 7.25am, I went back to sleep. I woke up at about 9.30am but I didn’t get out of bed until 10am. I potted around the house in my dressing gown and was basically very lazy! I made a few phone calls which I’d been needing to do and I put on more washing, hung it out on the radiators and did the dishwasher etc. I made myself a light lunch and then got to work on my Get Fit Friday post – which is my ongoing series to track my weight loss.

Eventually it was time to leave as I’d told my mum I would call in on her again before picking up the girls. I stopped with her for a cup of tea before heading to school and picking up the kids. We headed home and got some dinner, only to realise our Disney task for the day was to make disney themed food. We didn’t have an awful lot of choice so we just made some cupcakes in the shape of Mickey Mouse – and as it was late, we said we’d decorate them the next day. Once the girls were in bed and Chris was playing on his computer, I sat and watched a movie by myself and just chilled out. When we eventually headed to bed, I couldn’t sleep – so typical since I’d managed a lie-in that morning! It was gone 1am before I actually got to sleep and I can’t tell you how many times I nearly got up and did something “useful”.

On Saturday we didn’t have much planned but Chris did have his first driving lesson booked for 10am. We woke up naturally about 5 minutes before his alarm was set to go off at 9am and dragged ourselves out of bed. While Chris was out on his lesson, the girls and I got cracking with everything we needed to do that day. Sadly the cupcakes got eaten however, rather than decorated. Once Chris was back home, Megan and I went out to buy some ribbon. We were way longer than we had expected to be, coming home with £30 of stuff. After getting some lunch, Megan and I spent the afternoon learning how to make bows. It was a long process but we got there in the end and now we’re making quite nice ones. The girls also painted a peg doll and a plaster figure, which was their Disney task for the day. We then all had dinner and relaxed for the evening. I went for a bath and then afterwards Chris went. While he was having a bath I went upstairs to read and eventually he joined me, bringing me a cup of tea. We lay mostly in silence for an hour – me reading and him playing on his phone. It was really nice and in the end we just headed to bed afterwards.

Sunday morning we got up and Megan wanted to make more bows. We were a lot better at it this time, finding it quicker and easier to accomplish what we were trying to do. Sadly I had a really bad headache that didn’t shift all day so I know my patience wasn’t the best. We had a fairly early lunch as we knew we were heading out to the cinema later. We left about 2pm and drove to my mum’s, swapping cars and traveling with her into Lincoln. When we got to the cinema the queue for the popcorn was huge and so even though we’d planned it, we had to skip food and drink – heading straight into the movie. We watched “Into the Woods” and it was great. It’s been really nice seeing two very current movies (Big Hero 6 last week) just as they’ve come out. Afterwards, since everyone was pretty hungry, mum drove us to Burger King. Chris and I went in to get everyone food but we drove back to mum’s before eating it. After we’d eaten, Chris hung up a picture for mum which she’d asked him to do and then we all headed home. It was Lily’s bedtime and Megan decided to go at the same time and play on her iPad for half an hour. Once they were in bed I sorted out some jewellery stuff ready to photograph the next day, but ultimately found myself restless. In the end I suggested to Chris that we head upstairs to read and relax again, which we did, and I’m pleased to say I only have about another 100 pages of my book left before I’ll reach the end!

So that was my week and while it was tiring, it was also quite good for a first week. Since I want to get some training in at the school office, I went in to sort out the forms for disclosure, but also worked on jewellery and hair bows for adding to my Etsy store. While I’d hoped to get on with making clothes, that sadly didn’t happen. I did however ring the Tax Credits people and sort out my claim which hopefully will get sorted in a few weeks. Finally, while I didn’t start off the week great, I managed to live a fairly healthy lifestyle for the majority of the week. This paid off on Weigh-In day, when I’d lost 2lbs (though this was over the whole Christmas period as well). I’m pleased with how life is going so far and I have high expectations for the future. Hopefully its onwards and upwards!

Denman’s Tangle Smoother*

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A few weeks ago I was sent this Denman hairbrush to review. I have to admit that for the most part, a hairbrush is just a hairbrush, but when it comes to brushing the kids hair, I’ll take any help I can get. Both of my children are girls, as you’ll know if you read my blog often. Lily has hair right down her back, where Megan got hers all cut off this time last year and now only has shoulder length hair. However both of them are complete fusspots when it comes to having their hair brushed – full of winces and loud complaints.

When the Tangle Smoother arrived, we were just heading out of the door to go swimming. This seemed like a great way to test the brush, so we took it with us. The results were great and both of the kids loved the brush. As the person using the brush, I also approved. After swimming the girls’ hair is usually incredibly tangled but this brush went straight through their hair, no complaints from the kids.

Now often when you receive a product to review, you feel a little compelled to say nice things – even the bad things, you try to put in a good light – but honestly, this is a great product. We actually have a Tangle Teezer (the kind that looks like a flower and comes in a pot), something we have had for years, but this brush is way better. It feels like a good strong and sturdy hairbrush, with a normal handle (the Tangle Teezer is not easy to hold, or use for actual styles). We have now used it several times; on both dry and wet hair. The kids love it and because of that, I do too. Not that I get a lot of tangles myself, but this new Tangle Smoother is now our staple hairbrush for every day use!

Week 31 – Monday Round-up

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It’s been a great week! As I write this, I’m looking back and thinking how its been a great balance of relaxing, plus getting out and about! Yet another week of school holidays have passed but its a lovely feeling to know there are several more to go!

Monday started off with a family day out – my mum, the girls and I – to Warwick Castle. I’d gotten free tickets with my Sun+ Perks and so we headed out together for the day. It was breath-takingly beautiful at the castle, though mostly the grounds. I took so many photographs, though I have to admit that once we got into the castle itself, it did feel a little too comercialised. The girls seemed to enjoy the day and both left with a quill pen they bought themselves and a bow and arrow that I treated them to. I’m sure Lily thinks she’s Merida now!

Tuesday was a relax day. The girls and I didn’t do very much – in fact Megan spent pretty much the whole day Facetiming one of her friends. It still blows my mind how that’s even possible these days. Lily and I watched 3 movies, back to back; The Swan Princess, Tinker Bell and Princess Lillifee and the Little Unicorn. In the evening, Nat came around, and it was good to catch up!

Wednesday was another fairly quiet day. This time though, the girls and I headed out swimming. We’d been promising to go ever since school broke up but with one thing or another, we just hadn’t got around to it. We had a lovely swim and afterwards I treated the girls to their first proper Subway. We did some shopping in the afternoon and then headed home. Lily wanted to watch The Incredibles and amazingly Megan chose to come off her computer and watch it too. In the evening, my brother and our friend Jon came around to play a board game. Chris had bought the Firefly board game at LFCC and so we all sat down to play that – I even let Megan stay up for it. We ploughed our way through 5 bottles of wine and had a great night!

Thursday the kids were going to their dad’s, though he doesn’t usually arrive until almost lunch. However that seemed to put a stop to us really doing anything, just waiting for him to come and get them. We did of course pack up their bags and just hang out together. Once the girls were gone, I’d had lots of intentions of getting things done. However when the time came, I just wanted to mong! I finished watching Gossip Girl, season 5 and 6 which I had been making my way through for the last week or so. I then moved on to catching up on Misfits, only to realise I’d seen them all. Next I tried 90210 but that was only the first 4 seasons and I’d seen them. Finally I decided to just watch some movies and ended up watching The Big Wedding and Love and Other Impossible Pursuits. As well as watching A LOT of tv, I also caught up on the internet world and my blog. It was a nice day in the end!

Friday and Chris was off work, but I had to pick the kids up from their dad. We headed out about 10am and once we’d picked them up, we decided to head into Lincoln and get the kids school shoes sorted out. It didn’t take us very long, as it wasn’t busy. This was a huge relief compared the usual last week of holiday rush we’re used to. After shoes, we did lunch (Subway again) and then wandered around a few shops. We headed then to mum’s house and picked up Megan’s bike, as well as stopping for a cup of tea. Later when we went home, Megan went out on her bike but sadly at 9, she still isn’t willing to trust herself to ride! We’ll get there though…

Saturday and this time Chris was at work all day. We’d asked my mum if she wanted to come over and go swimming with us and so at about 10.30am she arrived. We headed out swimming and Lily made some good progress, managing to swim under water, even though she didn’t seem to be able to on top of the water. I managed to figure out why Megan was having so many problems swimming, and we tried to work on that too. After swimming, we stayed at the leisure centre cafe for lunch. It was pretty simple, not much choice, but nice enough. We headed back to our house and mum tried to take Megan out on her bike. Sadly there wasn’t much more progress and then it started to rain which put an end to it anyway. The girls and I relaxed for the rest of the day and I watched Short Circuit 2. Once the girls were in bed I sat down to just watch more tv and wait for Chris to get home.

Finally came Sunday and as we’d arranged for mum to come and go swimming with us again, we didn’t bother to get dressed until after lunch when we could put our swimming costumes straight on. To be honest, we didn’t really do anything all morning. However after lunch we headed out swimming again. I bought the girls a pair of goggle each as they’d struggled with sore eyes the day before. Lily officially became able to swim. It’s still under water but she’s managing almost a full width now. Megan also improved, finding that her style and form is much better under water, just like Lily. After swimming we headed to Morrisons for some shopping and then mum came back for a cup of tea. After she left, we got ready for the girls to go to their dad’s again, then had dinner and just waited for him to arrive. Once they’d gone, I again settled down with my laptop and the TV as company. I spent majority of the evening, chilling out and waiting for Chris to get home from work.

It was a great week and I’m hoping for another to come. I don’t think we have anything at all planned for this week so I guess we’ll just see what happens!