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Entries Tagged as 'Anything else'

Friday chat: Making your dreams come true

September 26, 2014

Over the Summer I mentioned a new project I was working on. Well this week I’ve really learned that nothing happens as quickly or as smoothly as you want it to. What should have taken no more than three weeks has taken well over a month. Apart from timing, there have been lots of little things that aren’t going according to plan. It’s been frustrating and stressful and some days I’ve really wondered if it’s all worth it. But deep down I know it is so I’ve tried to stay positive, work through the problems and stay focused on the end goal. You may have noticed the odd missed post and late posts but hopefully soon I will be back on track.

Today is the first day that I feel like this will come together and that I’m within touching distance. There is still a lot to do but it’s starting to feel very real. I can’t wait to share it with you and if all goes to plan that will be soon, very soon. I’m both excited and nervous – that first date kind of feeling in the pit of your stomach is the best way to describe it. But I’m so glad I haven’t let all the frustrations stop me from reaching that goal and making my dream a reality.

Have a wonderful weekend and don’t give up on that dream no matter what. If you haven’t started making it a reality yet, just start. Imagine where you could be in a years time – that thought is what keeps me going! x

Friday finds: Fun things from around the web

September 19, 2014

Today I wanted to share some fun things from around the web that I’m loving starting with these DIY cardboard dolls houses. How great are they?

Here are 20 surprising parenting tips that you’ll use once you know them.

This is an easy to make and very cool DIY wizard costume for Halloween.

Kids really do know how to embarrass you in public.

These DIY clown cupcake toppers are so quirky and fun.

A great idea for a fun birthday party invite.

Could these be the cutest kids meals ever?

Have a wonderful and fun-filled weekend and I hope that story about the kid who embarrassed his mum makes you laugh out loud like it did me. x

What’s the best bedtime excuse you’ve had?

September 5, 2014

I love bedtime with Anya. We snuggle up together and read a story often surrounded by a menagerie of stuffed animals. After lots of kisses and cuddles we say goodnight, I turn the light off and leave. That’s the good bit. Then comes the painful part – getting her to actually go to sleep! I’ve found that as she’s getting older, she is coming up with more and more imaginative excuses not to sleep. Of course we get the usual ‘I’m thirsty’, ‘I’m hungry’, ‘I need the toilet’ type excuses but recently her imagination seems to have gone in to over-drive and here are some of her latest reasons not to sleep:

“I don’t like sleeping, it’s too hard”

“I’ve forgotten how to close my eyes”

“I think my heart is sick, it’s beating too fast”

“My eyelashes are hurting” (what?!)

Anya: “I can’t sleep”
Me: “Count sheep then” (I explain how to count sheep)
Silence. I’m feeling smug because at least for today I’ve cracked it. But two minutes later, this:
Anya: “I’m scared”
Me: “Why”
Anya: “I think I saw a sheep in my bedroom”

And the latest one from last night:
“I have chicken pox”

What are some of the excuses your kids use? I’d love to hear them in the comments.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone x

*I’ve linked up to Honest Mum’s brilliant blog posts.

Just start…

August 15, 2014

Do you have a project that you’ve been putting off? Have you been waiting for the right time? I’ve had a project in mind for months and I kept finding reasons not to do it. The reasons ranged from time constraints to fear of failure (if I’m completely honest) and everything in between. I’ve realised if you put your mind to it, you can find one million excuses not to do something. And that’s exactly why I was stuck.

Then I came across this quote and it really resonated with me. I realised that I had been creating obstacles for myself and there really was no reason not to start. Yes, it may not work but I won’t know that till I’ve tried. And after all isn’t it better to have tried and failed than to regret never trying? Yes, time is an issue but I also believe you can make time for something you truly want. With hard work and dedication to my project, I pictured where I could be in one years time and that spurred me on greatly. And finally one of the best ways to make yourself do something – tell people about it! Simple. So I have started telling friends and I’ve now told all of you! I can’t wait to share more with you soon. Watch this space!

Have you been putting off a dream? What will motivate you to start? I’d love to hear what’s stopping you from going after it because chances are whatever it is, can be overcome.

Have a wonderful weekend full of making your dreams come true x

*Quote by Karen Lamb | Image via

Family friendly London: The National Portrait Gallery

August 8, 2014

A few weeks ago I attended a bloggers networking event at the National Portrait Gallery. I got to meet some inspiring bloggers and I also found out that the National Portrait Gallery has loads of free Summer events, workshops and activities for kids. Most of these events are held on Thursdays, Fridays and the weekend. So last Friday we decided to check one out. We attended a clay modelling workshop where kids get to pick a portrait from the gallery, draw it and then create a clay sculpture of it.

Even though the workshop was aimed at the kids, I totally got in to the clay modelling part and really enjoyed it too. And I wasn’t the only mum there that was almost taking over their child’s clay! Anya wasn’t crazy about the drawing bit but the clay modelling was a huge hit with her. The clay is cool and soft to the touch so it was lovely to feel and it was really fun to be able to mold and shape it and see a head and shoulders emerging. I’ll admit our end result looked a bit frightening but we had so much fun making it.

All the free kids activities on offer at the National Portrait Gallery are arty and creative which is why we were drawn to them in the first place. The clay modelling workshop is only one of many – others include colour workshops, using loom bands to create portraits, drawing sessions and more. Each year, as I discover more and more of the wonderful free events for kids in London, I feel so lucky that we can take advantage of these. Have you discovered any? Please do share in the comments so that others can try them too.

{all photos by ebabee}

Family friendly London: Alice the Opera

August 1, 2014

With the Summer holidays in full swing, we have been enjoying some of the amazing family events on offer in London. So I thought I would share a few of our favourite picks over the month of August. The first one I wanted to share is Alice in Wonderland, the Opera which is held at Holland Park. I found out about it last year but didn’t manage to get tickets for the 2103 season. This year I was prompt and Anya and I ended up going twice!

Any concerns I had about a 5 year old child getting bored at the opera were completely unfounded. The opera was fantastic. Each and every child sat there completely captivated and even though it’s an opera, every word was clearly understandable. It’s ideally suited to 4 years and over but there were younger kids who were never once bored. It’s a very intimate show, where you sit extremely close to the actors so you really feel like you’re a part of it which just adds to the charm. My favourite character was the Queen of Hearts who was absolutely outstanding but the rest of the cast were great too. The show usually takes place in the Yucca Lawns of Holland Park, weather permitting (this is London after all!). We ended up seeing the show once inside due to rain and once outside. The outdoor performance is probably even better for kids as you get to follow the cast around the gardens but the indoor performance really wasn’t lacking in any way either.

Even though tomorrow is the last day of the show for this Summer, they will return for the 2015 Summer season but in the meantime there will be other events around the country as 2015 is the Centenary of the publication of Alice in Wonderland. So check Alice the Opera for updates on interim performances. Otherwise, if you’re going to be anywhere near London next Summer, definitely put it in your diary now for July 2015; it’s unmissable. I’ve mentioned how much the kids enjoyed it but I went with my mum and Anya and all three generations loved it equally. Family events like these are such a treat and I’m wondering how I’m going to top this one.

Disclosure: I bought tickets the first time and was invited the second time. I was going to share this even before I knew I was going to be invited because I loved it and highly recommend it.

{all photos by ebabee}

Celebrating Summer!

July 4, 2014

Hello July! July is my favourite month of the year. The sun is shining, the flowers are in bloom, the days are long and bright and you can wear open toed shoes! What’s not to love? This weekend we’re planning to spend a lot of time outdoors with some strawberry picking tomorrow, outdoor pub lunch on Sunday with friends and family and lots of park time in between. What are your plans for the weekend?

Here are a few Summery links I’ve liked from around the web this past week:

How summery and fresh do these cupcakes look?

Get your body beach ready with this 3 day bikini re-set plan

Learn how to make a flowery pinata

Get inspired by this gorgeous outdoor dinner party

These 4th of July popsicle cakes look good enough to eat everyday (even if you’re not American)

Matching mama and baby outfits can be cool

Who needs expensive toys and gadgets to have fun in the great outdoors?

Have a happy weekend and wishing all my American readers a wonderful July 4th.

{photo via Kirsten Rickert}

6 of the best kids cushions

June 24, 2014

I’m a huge fan of cushions for both kids and grown up spaces. I love how easily cushions can transform any room. And in a kids room they bring lots of colour and lots of fun as they often double up as playthings too. Here are 6 of the best kids cushions that are around at the moment:

5 confessions of a naughty mama

June 20, 2014

Are you a naughty mama? I know we’re all grown-up and supposed to be sensible and responsible all the time. But sometimes do you do naughty things? I do and I just can’t help myself. Here are 5 things that I do that I probably shouldn’t:

1. I ~~often~~ sometimes hide from Anya in the kitchen and eat chocolate secretly. And if I run out of my chocolate, I start eating Anya’s after she’s gone to bed. When she discovers that her chocolate has nearly disappeared, I blame daddy.

2. I make up crazy stuff about things like what not eating your veggies or sucking your thumb can do to you. I once showed Anya a completely toothless old man and convinced her that is how she would become if she didn’t stop sucking her thumb.

3. I’m not big on swearing except for saying ‘shit’ way too much in front of Anya. The other day she asked me “Mama, why do you keep saying shits?!” I gave her a chocolate biscuit to distract her (after I had earlier told her there would be no biscuits today) .

4. I tell little lies. All the time. Things like I don’t know how that (noisy) toy disappeared overnight. Maybe you lost it somewhere. That is the most beautiful painting I have ever seen (sorry Picasso!). I will tell your teacher if you don’t brush your teeth. The list goes on…

5. When I’m tired, to shorten the bedtime story routine, I skip lines from the book I’m reading to her. It used to be pages but she’s cottoned on to that little trick!

What do you do? I’d love to hear about your naughty habits because I’m seriously hoping that I’m not the only naughty mama out there!

5 unexpected things about fathers and daughters

June 13, 2014

Have you ever watched the movie ‘Father of the Bride’? For those of you who haven’t it’s about a father who is struggling (in a humorous way) to come to terms with his baby girl growing up and getting married. In our home, Richard has already made a few joking (i hope) comments about Anya not being allowed near boys till she’s at least 25! But boys aside, fathers and daughters do have a very special relationship. It’s a different bond from what mothers and daughters share. As Fathers Day is on Sunday I wanted to share a few lovely yet unexpected differences in our relationship that I have noticed and wondered if you have noticed these too:

1. The bonding time took much longer for Richard. He loved Anya from the day she was born and probably before but he didn’t find it easy bonding with a baby. And then 6 months in to her life, everything changed and the bond grew stronger and stronger from there on.

2. He notices lovely little things about her that I miss. Little facial expressions, big new words she uses, if she’s grown a millimetre. Maybe because I spend a lot more time with her or maybe because he sees her differently than I do.

3. He falls for her feminine wiles each and every time! All children want to get their way. Boys tend to be more straightforward asking for what they want whereas girls can be a bit more creative. When Anya is plotting to get her way, I can see what she is up to from the start. But Richard innocently falls for her ploys hook, line and sinker! And the best part is that she knows this and takes full advantage.

4. He lovingly makes complex DIY things for her that she adores like dolls houses and magnetic fishing games. Recently he made her a ride-on plane from a large cardboard box and when she tired of the plane and demanded a boat, he stayed up late in to the night to transform the plane in to a boat so she would wake up to it the next morning.

5. Anya gets away with doing things to Richard that no other person on the planet could do. Like putting frilly clips in his hair or even painting his nails!

Have you noticed any special little differences in the way you and your partner are with your daughter? Or maybe this applies to sons too in a different way? I’m really curious to hear.

A very happy Fathers day to all the wonderful dads out there! x

{photo by ebabee when Anya just turned 1}