Mum without a Mum

After losing my mum very suddenly a few years ago it tore my world apart.

Mother Day is always a difficult time of the year for me as Ive lost both my Nan and Mum and seem to get emotional at the simplest of things for example this morning we popped into Asda and while waiting to pay i went into a world of my own watching people busily rush by then I noticed a woman who had the biggest bunch of roses from the shop....her partner said 'by god Hun.....they are £30' to which she replied 'only the best for my Mum'.  She was right! Mums deserve the best!

That triggered me and i could feel myself getting all tearful as i started to look at everyone buying flowers for their mums and Nans.....Why was mine taken away? I want to give my Mum the biggest bunch of flowers and watch her smile with joy when i hand them over to her followed by a huge cuddle and kiss...but i cant. Yes i could put them on the grave but its not the same.

I get envious of women that i see with their mums and i get angry at people who don't respect their Mums. They aren't going to be there forever and i certainly didn't expect to lose my mum before she was 50.

If you are reading this and you have lost your mum you will know exactly how i feel. We would give the world to see them, cuddle them and kiss them and chat to them about girly things and have them there to give advise.....but our opportunity has gone.

If you are reading this and you are lucky to have your mums and grand mothers here this is what my advice would be...

• Don't be embarrassed to tell them you love them as often as you can. It can never be said too much.
• Its easy to say don't argue but having a few cross words is part and parcel of parent and child relationships, however make up before you go out or before you go to sleep. I argued with my mum before she dies and unfortunately didn't get change to say sorry and make up.
• Treat her....take her our shopping..even if its just for a browse, treat her to afternoon tea or lunch or even just a girly night in with a bottle of wine.
• Don't wait for her birthday, mothers day or Christmas to let her know what she means to you! 

I'm not telling you how you should manage your relationship with your mum I'm just letting you know about the things i wish I'd done more and i wouldn't have lived with regrets and guilt after i lost her.

I cant bring my Mum back but you can make the most of your Mums before something happens to them and your chance is taken away.

To everyone whos Mum has passed away.....Keep their memory strong, keep your head and chin up (even if it falls from time to time), make the woman who you called Mum so proud. Treasure each moment you shared together. Cry tears because they arent here and miss them with all your heart. Its good to let it out.

Stay strong

All my love!

If anyone is in the same situation as me and would like to talk please feel free to email me

mywouldandme26@gmail.com 

Primark shopping haul

So Primark happened this week!....I'm happy to confess....I love Primark. You can get clothing cheap, fashionable and lots of variety. Like many Muns I'm sure you will agree that you would rather spend money on clothing etc for your little ones. I'm not one for branded items plus i don't have the money to go and buy branded items willy nilly!

So as I'm going on holibobs soon I wanted to pick up a few bits! So here is what I got!

I wanted to get munchkin his own character towel for when we went swimming, so I found this cute Mickey Mouse towel! 

Only £4

This Chunky knit cardigan is a cream/stone colour and i bought it for when it gets nippy! I love a nice cardigan! Doesn't everyone?

This was only £10

I also needed to get a large beach type bag for using when we take munchkin swimming and I also wanted something big enough to put munchkins bucket and spade for when we go to the beach as well as all the snacks etc. This is a nice large one and it has a zip. It was only £4! Bargain!

I also got sucked into the 'near till purchases'.....and ended up picking up a hand sanitiser which I thought would be handy to carry around while out and about on holibobs.

It was only £1

A bit of sun and the flip flops are out!! If it wasn't so cold in the winter i would happily wear flip flops all year long!

I got these nude coloured flip flops with a cute bow on each! They had them in lots of other colours like a lovely Coral and a nice turquoise but i think i will go back for those another time!

Believe it or not they were only £2.50!!! total bargain.

Staying on the shoe front I picked up these beauty's! They are a nude colour with black toes and bows and they are so soft and comfy. They have a quilted effect to them.

Only £4!!

Its that time of year when you realise you have lost all of your favourite cheapy primark glasses from last year but your not really bothered as its an excuse to buy some more. I picked up these tortoise shell sunglasses....they are darker lenses than shown in the picture below as the sun was shining through the window in the photo. They also came with a fabric glasses case with drawstring top.

Only £1

I needed a swimming costume because I've not bought one since losing 4 stone and i didn't want one that was really expensive because I've still got weight to lose. I have real difficulty finding swimsuits as my clothing size is 12 however my 'top half' (if you know what i mean) Is larger than a size 12 so I went for a size 14 and hoped for the best.

It has tummy control which is a must for my Mummy tummy! The straps are also removable. 

£13

Last but not least was this lovely cream quilted design make up bag! It has two zipped compartments and was only £3

So That's if for that shopping trip! just some bits and bobs that I needed

I love looking at Primark hauls so if you have one on your blog let me know in the comments below

Optical express childrens book review

A week or so ago I was contacted by Optical Express who have recently helped children's charity Children 1st to produce a book aimed at detecting visual problems in children.

They asked if I would do a review on the book and I jumped at the chance because Munchkin loves books! and a book that can help detect visual problems too!!! I couldn't wait to receive it!

The book arrived (much to mine and munchkins delight)

The book tells a story about a troll hunting in the highlands.

All proceeds from the book go to Children 1st and the book is available on Amazon click here to be taken to the page.

The book has a lovely glossy cover and the illustrations are colourful and clear. The book encourages counting (munchkins favourite) 

At the back of the book you will find detailed instructions on how to carry out the visual assessment. You will also find a handy little pocket in which 3D glasses can be found!

I love the fact that the 3D glasses add a fun aspect to the book and children are unaware that there is another reason behind the use of the glasses.

I have never seen a book that can help detect visual problems in children and I think its a very cleaver idea!

Munchkin loves the book however he is a bit of a diva and asks Daddy to hold his glasses to his eyes while he reads the book!

This review is my own views and opinions and I've not been paid to do this review

Please pop over to Amazon to buy your book as its for a very worthy cause! and best of all its a lovely book.

Please note:- This book is not to be used as a full eye test, please see your optician if you believe there may be an issue.

Also a big thank you to Optical express for allowing me to review this lovely book!

Early Easter Gift

Having some sunshine lately has put us all in a good mood right? Well it has for me! 
as the sun comes out I started to think of the garden and tidying it up as we not long ago moved in and out last house didn't really have a garden. 
Last Saturday my inlaws came down for the day and came in with a large box and told me and hubs that this was our Easter present and that we could have it early.....after turning the box around I discovered that it was one of those green houses with plastic covering and it was a nice big one too!

I love putting stuff together so it didn't take long before I was excitedly unboxing it (excited over a green house?!?...yes this is what my life has come too). I put it together and we moved it into position in the garden!
 
It came with selves on one side and pegs to peg it down as these can be known to fancy a fly around the streets so we also put some paving slabs on the bottom bars inside to keep it secure! It has a zip door that you can roll up if needs be.

My inlaws also brought down some seed....i forgot to take a picture but they were aubergines, tomato, lettuce, strawberry, sweet pea, and some flowers for munchkin to grow like sunflower seeds.
We decided we would plant them in April. 
Its safe to say that munchkin loves it and calls it his play tent.
The next day we wandered on down to the garden centre to have a look at what other seeds and things we could consider growing. Munchkin was happy because they had a funky trolley with a car attached.....he thought this was amazing and keeps asking to go to the garden centre (undoubtedly to ride in the car)
I was so overwhelmed at the amount of seeds available.....so many different ones! As a beginner its all trial and error for us! We ended up coming away with Mint (I love mint), Cabbage, peppers and leaf salad.

There is something about wandering around a garden centre on a Sunday that i really find satisfying! I don't know why because I'm not a big gardening person but growing up nearly every Sunday me and my parents could often be found walking around a garden centre!

Munchkin has fallen in love with a Robin ornament that is in the Local garden centre. Ive gotta admit its pretty damn cute! Ever since we bought our bird feeder for the garden we get so many birds but we have two little robins that come onto the feeder very often and hes named them Robbie the robin. So every time he insists on going to see Robbie in the garden centre! I think we are going to have to buy it for him as we have probably spent more on petrol going to see 'Robbie' than what he actually costs to buy!!

Later that day Munchkin was excited to plan some of his sun flower seeds so we trundled up to the greenhouse and he had great messy fun putting the soil into the pots, planting his sun flower seeds and then watering them (and himself) with the spray gun!
I also couldn't wait until April to plant some thins so I planted a few of the seeds! I'm not sure how they are all going to turn out but i guess we will find out! I will keep you posted!
Its become our little hobby and even we don't get anything from it at the end we will have had fun as a family in doing it. Hubs is wants munchkin to have hands on experience in growing things from scratch so obviously this is a learning experience for him too. I would highly recommend getting one for your garden! You can bigger or smaller ones than the one we have.

The 'boring' non drinker

Me:- Are you going on Saturday?

Friend:- yeh!!

Me:- fab I'll pick you up if you like!

Friend:-What?!...Are you not drinking??

Me:- No, I don't drink do I?

Friend:- Ahhh you are sooo boring!!

This is just one of many conversations that happen regarding me not drinking alcohol!

Why is not drinking alcohol such a big deal???

In my younger years (oh don't I just sound like a little old biddy) I would really enjoy going to a friends house to get ready before our big night out in the City. We would drink whatever we could even if we hated the taste of it!! Then we would head into the City and all of the night clubs and drink whatever took our fancy. We would flirt with men and have a right giggle and often get so drunk that we would never remember it the next day. We would be left with the worst hangover!

This was something I used to brag about!

Just before my 21st Birthday my mum passed away suddenly and it tore my world apart and I began to look at many things in life differently.

I realised that in the past I'd be drinking on the weekends just to get drunk! I hated the taste of alcohol so why was I drinking?? It was just to get 'smashed' as we used to call it.

I began to look around at people who believed that they needed to get drunk to have a laugh and be stupid. people who would make themselves sick at the end of the night so that they wouldn't have a hangover the next day.

Pic taken from Personalised pretties

Next time you speak to a friend or family member who doesn't drink alcohol don't call them boring! There maybe a reason they don't drink alcohol....health reasons, personal reasons or even just because they don't like the stuff!

Do you call vegetarians boring because they don't eat meat??

I have had people in my life who rely on alcohol and I've seen the impact that it can make. Obviously I'm not saying that everyone who drinks is an alcoholic!

Ive always wanted to be the person who cracks open a nice bottle of chilled rose and sits down after a long day sipping away at rather large glass of wine.....however I can honestly say i don't enjoy alcohol what so ever! I would rather sit there with a nice glass of coke!

Why do you have to have a drink to be more confident and have a giggle?? isn't this relying on alcohol to become a person that your not!

Why is getting pissed an important part of your night??

I'm now 27 and other than very special occasions Ive not had a drink. Now I have a Fiance and a baby I hate nothing more than going out with friends to nightclubs! I'm over that and I more than happy to stay in with my little family with a nice cuppa tea, if this makes me a 'boring tea drinking' then so be it!

Maybe next time someone say 'ahhh your sooo boring' i should reply with 'ahhhh your just a saddo that needs alcohol to make you happy'

List Lover

This is such a random post but I prayed thought alot of you would be able to relate.

SO in my house i seem to have a growing collection of note books! Some are a4 size and some are tiny little ones that I always buy because they are 'handy to just pop in your bag' however once i have purchased these tiny ones i soon decide that they to small to be of use to me! So this tiny notebook will get thrown into a draw, bag etc And in a few months i will end up giving it to munchkin to play with!

New time I visit a shop that stocks stationary i will instantly feel the pull towards the stationary area....and I will most likely definitely end up buying a notebook of which will probably be a tiny cute one (that I will never use again)

I do however find a use for my larger note books! and that my lovely friends is......LISTS!!!

Yes you heard me ladies! What lady doesn't love lists!

I love reading them, I love making them, I love allocating them!

So My list obsession began when I was pregnant with munchkin! Lists of names we liked, list of things we needed etc!

So at this point it would only be right for me to make a list of my current lists!

A list of what lists I need to make

Food shopping lists

To do lists

what to pack (for holibobs!) 

Wedding planning list

Guest list (wedding)

home improvement list

I think I'll stop there

I'm even as bad as too write a list then write it out again so that its 'final draft'.....am I organised or obsessed???

Please tell me I'm Not alone!!

Who else is a #listlover

Giving my attention

Its been a lovely week so far! The sun has been shining which always puts me in a good mood. There is something about the sun shining through my windows, the birds tweeting that just makes me want to open every window in the house open all the doors and get some fresh air flowing through the house and get my washing out on the line.

As soon as the sun began to show itself, I got this urge to clean.....I don't mean just running the hoover around I mean totally blitzing the house....more of a spring clean!

Ive not had a urge to clean everything like that since I was pregnant with munchkin. (I'm defo not pregnant).

I made myself a cleaning rota which i printed out and laminated. I used white board markers to tick when i had done that job and then i just wipe it away ready to start the next week! 

Over two days I totally organised and cleaned the whole house thoroughly! Taking breaks in between to pop out with munchkin to feed the ducks, take a walk around the pond etc. While i was cleaning Hubs kept him entertained by playing in the garden etc.

Hubs-to-be and I decided that we would focus more of our attention on Munchkin and pay less attention to our ipads and phones. We also planned to do more things as a family....things that don't necessarily cost anything but yet they create memories.

We went to have a nice long walk around the lake and fed ducks (that weren't interested in being fed)

We visited an amazing ice cream parlour a few miles down the road! They have toys outside like scooters and ride ons for the children to play on....and the ice cream is to die for.

We have also been to the park several times as munchkin has a new love for swings and slides (which he hated before)

I also loaded the garden full of Munchkins ride ons, footballs, water tray, sand pit, slide, chalk and bubble maker. It was so lovely and Munchkin jumped around the garden so excited saying how he was a 'Happy boy'. I loved watching him play and laugh and giggle at things we were doing together. My Happiness turned to guilt and i started to question.....'do I give him enough of my time?' the previous week he just seemed to be naughty all week and i kept having to tell him off and sit him in time out.

Maybe all he needs is some more quality time??

 

Today we drove to Caerphilly castle to feed the ducks etc, The Birds always flock around! Loads of them! It was cute to see Munchkin eating the bread that he was suppost to feed the ducks. Hearing him belly chuckle because one of the larger birds came and took the bread out of his hand

Its been a lovely week so far and all three of us have had fun and bonded even more as a family

My top 6 parent pet peeves

I love being a parent to my munchkin but since having him more things seem to get on my pip!

The Trolley Bashers

These people ensure that it's on there daily agenda to visit random supermarkets possibly with no intention to buy any shopping what so ever!

You will often be introduced to these people by a firm nudge to your basket or trolley or even YOU. You find yourself apologising for their actions.....but yet you will appear invisible to them and without even as much as a smile they move on to their next victim.

You will also come across 'TBITs' (Trolley bashers in training). You will often move your Trolley to pull in behind one of the supermarkets many shelf stockers or even fellow shoppers to allow another shopper through, with a nod you signal to them that you are 'pulling in' to give way to them. This is where they make their way through.....you wait for an acknowledgement of your kindness....it doesn't come!!

Unfortunately you are very likely to bump into this person many times during your shop and your disgust is often paired with an out burst of 'NO! Thank you' OR 'no need to say thanks'.

Warning, warning, warning!!

During a visit to a play centre I watched my son enjoying himself in the ball pit. While my son knackered himself out played intently I over heard a lady shouting at her son. 'Jack if you do that again, you are going straight home right now!'.....the little boy paused, laughed and hit his mum again, to which she said 'Jack I've told you once! If you do it again I'm taking you home'. The little boy ran off to play and within 5 mins he was back and yet again hit his mum.....AGAIN! And I'm sure you get it by now but she gave the same warning!

I couldn't help but think ...Jesus woman!! How many warnings is he going to get before you actually act on them!!

I'm not saying I'm a perfect parent but munchkin knows that he has warnings and even if we have only just arrived....I will march him straight back home again.

The Judgemental onlookers

I know I probably shouldn't but often I find myself wondering what people think of me and I often try to seek approval.

My son has had temper tantrums when we have been out and about....I deal with it by telling him to calm down as there is no need for his tantrum (this never very rarely works), I then warn him in a calm but stern voice that if he does not stop his behaviour then I am going to find a spot for him to sit and have time out, if this doesn't work I then find a spot where he isn't going to damage anything or hurt himself or anyone else and 9/10 this calms him down within minuets. Having done this last week I had a few people look at us and shake their head in disgust.

What he hell ?!? Would you rather I screamed at him and smacked his backside??? Unfortunately that's not how I do it!

I've found that many of the older generation are quick to judge if you were to smack you child however I heard one lady say 'he could do with a good smacked arse'.....hmmm double standards??

He's not a bit of play dough!

Ever since munchkin was born, strangers would often come up to us and pull out his dummy, put their head an inch from his and do the whole silly baby talk..... This would often result in munchkin crying. They would then reply with 'awww he's a grumpy baby isn't he?...got your hands cut out with that one'

What on earth?? He's not grumpy!! Go up to a grown adult on the street and do what you just did to my son in their face....other than their being a slight risk of you getting a bit of a thump I'd think they would be rather 'grumpy' too!

Even now we still get strangers that will come and squeeze his cheeks, or play 'hide his hat' which I grin through and give the whole 'oh dear....where's your hat gone?' Speech.

Jeremy Kyle style shows

Before Munchkin was  born I will hold my hands up and admit that I would often watch Jeremy Kyle and laugh at some of the situations on there....HOWEVER....since having munchkin I WILL NOT have it on my TV....the reason being...It makes me Laugh when people say 'oh Hubby and I don't argue in front of our children' yet they are more than happy to have Jeremy Kyle on the TV in which people are shouting and screaming!!!?? It doesn't make sense! 

Hubs to be and I don't argue in front of Munchkin so we don't expect any one else to either!

so sorry Jezza your Banned in our home!

Eating in supermarkets

So this is one topic i know alot of Mums are going to disagree with me on!

We don't allow munchkin to eat in supermarkets and pay with just the wrapper. To me this is bad manners! The intention of paying with an empty container may well be the intention (or dump rubbish half way around!!) but i don't think this is good to teach your child. Would you go into boots and expect to apply a full face of make up then pay for the empties? or go into Tescos pick up some bread, butter and ham and make a ham sandwich? 

Its not just children eating food in supermarkets that i find unacceptable.....its adults doing it too.

I know that lots of people do it to keep their children entertained and to stop them from grizzling but why not give them a game to play or their own shopping list of things that they have to find, colouring etc......

I would love to here your pet peeves! follow me on twitter and use #parentpetpeeves

Trunki case review

Please note:- I do not work for Trunki and Trunki have not paid me to do this review. These are my honest opinions and views.

Last week we purchased a Trunki because we have booked to go on holiday in this country and Munchkin is so excited so we thought we would treat him to his very own case in which he could pack his toys and bits and bobs.

On first inspection of the trunki it was stronger than i thought and alot more robust....There was no fiddling putting it together with screws, clips, etc.....all i had to do was clip the strap on as shown in the picture below. You can just clip it on the one side of the trunki if you want to pull the trunki along or you can clip the other side of the strap onto the other loop on the trunki to use it as a strap to carry the case on your shoulder. (please note:- i have not clicked the clip all the way in as i wanted to show you the clasp)

There is also 2 handles that you can use to carry the case.

On each side of the Trunki the is a clip with a lock. you can clip these shut and lock the Trunki with the funky little key that comes attached to the strap. This is handy to prevent little tikes getting into their case when they aren't ment too.

There is a little button on the clip, you can just press this in and you should be able to open the clip.

 

 

Inside the case was ALOT more space than I thought there would be both me and hubs were shocked. 

On the one side is standard hard shell case and on the other side there is a strap that you can find in most adult cases. This is perfect to hold in all of muchkins bits and bobs!

There is also a handy fabric picket inside - yep more places for toys!!!

 

 Over all my opinion on the Trunki is very good! Munchkin loves it and he is now even more excited for holidays! Its very robust and the strap is strong so it feels stable when I'm pulling munckin. There is loads of room to store things inside and the lockable clips are a huge plus side!

There are lots of designs available! some of which include bee, dinosaur, princess fire engine, Lady bird, tiger, cow, gruffalo, and much more!

They have also brought out a brand new HELLO KITTY its glittery and pretty!!

I purchased this Trunki for £34.99 and it is well worth the money. I can tell that its going to last for ages! Its even useful for munchkins over night stays at grandparents :-)

Pop over to the Trunki site to view their designs and other products available!

Trunki Website

Tantrums & toys

Wow!....what a week! Hubs to be is off work for a little while and we have both noticed a change in our munchkin! The tantrums, ignorance, defiance and pinching and kicking has started wearing us out!

Yes hes two and a half and to put a label on it many people would say its 'terrable twos' however the pinching and smacking has come on since hes gone back to play group! 

Hes not doing it out of anger and I cant help but think hes seeing it from some of the other children at playgroup. Hes also developed this horrid habit during a tantrum of doing short high pitched screams!

When hes in a right mood he will throw toys around, empty toy box in the living room and just walk away and purposely go to touch and/or remove things that he knows hes not to touch e.g the house phone, ipad, sky box.

I felt like the last week has been spent saying 'dont touch that' 'stop doing that' ' don't climb on that'. We use the warnings then time out system.

Today I decided that me and hubs would go through all of his toys and put them in the right boxes and that he would have structured play throughout the day. I have a list of things for Munchkin to do for example......

Colouring, painting, chalking, role play, music time, story time, mega blocks, cars, sticking, puzzles, fuzzy felts, games, dancing, going for a walk etc.

He behaved alot better today and both me and hubs noticed a difference. So its safe to say we are going to provide him with more structured play throughout the day as he seems to get very bored with free play.

I'm hoping that when the weather improves we can go out on more walks! Maybe I should invest in one of those waterproof all in one thingys!?

Anyways! how does everyone deal with their toddlers tantrums especially when your out and about?? Munchkin had a full blown tantrum in The Range....screaming, kicking, tears the lot!!

Everyone stopped to look as we were right by the cafe. 

I tried to calm him down but he just got worse so I found a spot on the floor and he had time out.

I could hear people tutting and see them shaking their heads. This annoyed me as I didn't shout and scream at him and I didn't smack him!

He soon got over his tantrum and quickly came to say sorry and give kisses and cuddles to me and hubs. I explained to him that i didn't like his behaviour and he forgot the whole thing and turned back into his happy old self!

Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels other people judge them when they are dealing with tantrums while out and about.

Play mobil Family motorhome review

So today my in laws popped by with a present for our little munchkin!

It was the play Mobil family motorhome from the summer fun range! His eyes lit up when he saw the box and couldn't wait for me to open it and put it together. He calls it his Camper van!

This is one of the first Play Mobil products that we have.

On opening the box i found lots of little organised bags and instructions on how to put it together.

The instructions were very easy to follow and it took me approx 20 mins to put it together (however i was chatting with family and drinking tea)

On putting the camper van together it became very apparent how sturdy play mobil products are! No screwdriver was needed and everything clicked/slid in place.

The back of the camper van has a funky little fold able bike rack! It also comes with two bikes which have removable bike stands. The wheels do in fact go around (a lot of cheaper alternative products tend to lack on details like that)

The fold able table and chairs are so sweet and conveniently fold away into the compartment on the roof. On the underside of the roof is a double bed which can be unclipped and attached on top of the table inside the camper van.

Above the driver and passenger seats is a bed with a tiltable tv. This bed is easy to lift off to have easier access to the driver and passenger seats. Behind the seats is a Table (which is movable - higher/lower) and a bench seat.

There is a sweet little sink and cooker area along with a storage area (2 small draws, one large draw and plate and cup holder)

At the back of the camper van is a frosted sliding door. slide this back to reveal a bathroom area where you can find a toilet with folding toilet seat, movable toilet roll, a wash basin and mirror (awwww) and a shower area.

The Camper van also has an outward opening door to allow play people easy access.

As you can see from the above picture it comes with lots of little bits! as my munchkin is a bit young for these I've popped them away until hes a little older. (not that he would put them in his mouth but they would end up under the sofa before the day is out).

It comes with some people, shoes/flip flops, cutlery, juice cartons, plates, cups, pots/pans and much more!

Thoughts

Its safe to say that I love this product! the detail that has gone into this product is unbelieveable and had all the family looking at all of the little extra touches that you don't get with other toys.

Pros

Durable

Good size

No screw drivers needed

Easy assembly

Fun (even for me)

Good value

Cons

None that I can think of! 

Some people may think that they are overpriced but having a play mobil product has now made me realise that they are worth every penny!

We are already eyeing up with other play mobil products we are going to get for munchkins birthday!

You will not be disappointed!!

(Please note:- I'm not being paid by anyone to do this review and this review is based on my own opinions)

Here is the direct link to the play mobil site where you can view all their range and purchase on their website.

Play Mobil