Tutu’s & Teepees.

When one reaches a certain age, it is considered unbecoming of a lady to prance down the street in a tutu.
Don’t ask me why, it just is. And, since I don’t want to be judged in the way in which I judge adults that wear Disney items or those weird fleeces with wolves on, for now at least I am conforming with societies expectations. Call me weak, it’s just the way it is.It is for this exact reason that I am now living out my fashion (and all other) dreams, vicariously through my delicious offspring.So, for this birthday, the only worthwhile gifts we could possibly get our daughter were:

• A teepee (or 2!)
• A tutu and
• Some very fierce shoes.

Who doesn’t want to read magical tails in a wonderful den whilst channelling your inner awesome?

I’ll tell you who. No one.

All set up for the Birthday Girl.

Bedhead birthday cuddles.

If you go down to the woods today…

 

…You’re sure of a big surprise!

 

You’d better be in disguise.
(or at least an amazing outfit!)

Or two…
check out the sulk!

Catching some massive bubbles!

check out the tutu and boots combo!!

 

Thank you so, so much to everyone who made our Birthday weekend such a special one- proper Thank you’s to follow…probably!

And, for all those wondering where these items of amazingness hail from; you can get them here:

Tutu– so soft it is basically like wearing a cloud: Angels face

Bother Boots– The one and only Dr Martens, obvs.

Indoors Teepee– The wonderful Janine at Littleme Teepee

Teddybears Picnic Tent– The delightful, nothing on this earth is too much bother, Katie at The Celebration Tent

 

Happy Monday People!

Muma.

XxxX

Shhhh….Don’t say the C word.

Christmas. That’s right, Christmas. You didn’t think I meant the other one did you? Walk away from the screen right now and wash your mouth and mind out.

I definitely meant Christmas!

It’s a comin’ people. 

I hate to be the one to break it to you but it is. The X Factor is kicking off again this week-end and that signals Summer’s over like nothing else.

If this year you intend to break the habit of a life time, get yourself absolutely organised and awesome then you are going to need two three things;

• An early bird shopping trip to bag the inevitable ‘must have’ that is on every childs Christmas list.
• A Fabulous Frost Fair to stock up on a range of utterly beautiful and unique pieces which are simply perfect for all of the special people in your life (and you…we all deserve a treat!)
• The third is the number of a good beautician…it is pointless to leave your festive defuzz booking to the last minute…get it in the diary now ladies!

Thankfully, because I adore Christmas, spending time with friends and a glass of the good stuff, I have got it all sorted for you.

All you need to do is get your tickets, invite your friends and look forward to feeling super smug on Christmas Eve as you curl up on the sofa watching Carols from Kings (or Home Alone, depending on your preference!)

1) Muma Leary’s Shopping Extravaganza.

This signals the start of your Christmas planning and preparation.

Shopping in the Christmas madness is no fun. Whether you’re the one with the buggy or the one being rammed in the ankles by someone elses, shopping with young children is rarely simple. More often it is stressful, manic and nerve shredding!

Avoid at all costs.

Instead, meet your friends for a relaxed day of shopping, book-ended with fizz and festive cheer at The Divine Devon Doorway. You can book your tickets by clicking the Eventbrite link on the left of this page (just below the search bar in fact) or by visiting the Eventbrite page which has all the details you need.

They’re selling quickly though so don’t wait too long. It’s great to see so many people confirming via Facebook but, without a ticket, that’s not a booking- if you’ve already paid me directly, you’re on the spreadsheet!! Sorry to sound like a geeky version of Scrooge.

Think roaring fire, glass of red and good friends.

 

2) The Fabulous Frost Fair.

This is the place to be this Christmas. The stunning Hillbark Hotel and Spa is the perfect venue for this 3 day event showcasing the very best of the North West independent businesses that focus on quality, originality and customer service.

With over 40 stalls of amazing products including clothes and accessories, candles and homeware, cards, books and gorgeous stationary as well as delicious food and drink, you can pick up everything you need whilst supporting your local area in the process.

The website launched this week and on there you can find out everything you need to know about tickets, opening times, exhibiting and the work of our chosen charity, The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity.

3) The Beauty stuff.

Come on now; you have to do something yourselves! If I gave you the number of my lovely lady and then I couldn’t book in…well; it doesn’t bare thinking about!

Oh, Hillbark does have a spa though and, if it’s good enough for Rory Mc Ilroy…

And Relax…

 

Looking forward to seeing you all at either or both of these events now get out the onesie, it’s almost Autumn!

Love Muma.

XxxX

And all before 10am! Phew

Holy Crap- What a stressed out start to the day that was!

We woke up late thanks to a 2 1/2 hour hiatus in the middle of the night where the little little decided that no one could possibly survive the night without knowing the breadth of her (impressive) vocabulary.

It started around 1am with the obligatory muma muma muma and, when I realised the incessant wailing would not stop without help I went in to her. This led to her poking my eyes and pulling my hair in turn simply to prove she knew the words. Marvelous.

I took her into the spare room which also doubles as my office; a somewhat grandiose term for ‘room with desk and other clutter’. She changed tack…chair chair chair. We sit on the chair. Obviously at this stage I had already attempted the back to bed thing more than once- I’m not a total idiot. Anyway, eventually, after asking where the horses* were (asleep) where grandma was (asleep) and where the dogs** were (also asleep baba- do you see the common theme here?!) She went back to bed and so did I. That was around 3.30 so when the alarm went off I felt I deserved a snooze or two…Cue waking up at 8:18, way later than necessary to get everyone sorted and out the door in time for nursery for me to start work. Shiiiiiiiiigar!

Not to worry, we’ll drive today as it’s raining…

Car seats at Grandmas…start again.

Put girls in buggy, Big little needs wee wee, Get her out, take her, praise her, etc etc…

Put her back in buggy.

Little little wants ‘nana. Get nana as an easy don’t cry bribe and set off.

Get a right old sweat on trying to do the old jork (jog walk) to nursery and arrive looking like the wild woman of Borneo and probably smelling worse. Also, forget keyworkers leaving present. I am amateur.

Right, now I’ve got that off my chest I’d better get back to changing the world through code! Someone’s got to…

Have a great day people.

Muma.

XxxX

* Important to note I think she is referring to the horses in the fields opposite, not our horses.

**Important to note that she is referring to random dogs we see, not our dogs!

I am linking this post with Vicky’s Brilliant Blog Posts so, click the link to see some other fab blogs.

Books, Babaslings & Big Girl Beds #Lovethelittlethings

Hello Hello My Dears,

So, another Friday rolls around and, as ever, it has been a pretty busy one for us- Nothing of real note, just life bounding along at an astounding rate. There are only 2 bank holidays left for the whole year now- better make sure we spend them wisely hey! Right then, Friday means two things…

1) The weekend is coming and

2) The quite brilliant; Love the Little Things…here goes:

Boxsets, Britpop & looking Blurgh and #Lovethelittlethings

It’s Friday, It’s Friday, It’s Friday!! I hope that you’ve all had a hunky dory week and are licking your lips with anticipation for the weekend- What are your plans? We have a Pirate Party for the amazing Archie tomorrow and the small matter of the FA Cup semi final where Mr L will be rooting for The Gunners…fingers crossed they beat Wigan tomorrow. Either way, there will be cake and beer!

Now, you all know the score with this one, unless you’re a newbie (in which case Welcome!) This is my run down of the week in topic form thanks to the lovely linky from Morgana at But Why Mummy Why. Hold on to your hats, here goes…

Grandma’s, Good Decisions & Grovelling! #Lovethelittlethings

Hey guys and gals- Happy April and, more importantly, Happy Friday!! We’re off to a quiz tonight so, hit me with some trivia to give us a fighting chance!!

Anyway; I’m not going to bang on this week about how I can’t believe it’s another Friday already. Instead I’m going to remind you all that, as life is racing by at an ever quickening pace, to grasp the nettle, seize the day and do something fun (one you’ve finished reading this!) what do you fancy? Anyway, enough of the small talk…here’s my low down of the week; 

Tales of a tantruming toddler

For the past two days I have been paying a heavy price for our weekend trip to Madrid.
I have been paying in patience and it is running out fast!!
Since we got home late on Sunday night the big little has been a tantruming toddler of epic proportions.

WOO HOO!! My first Winning Wednesday.

Howdy guys and gals!

I hope that your week is going swimmingly thus far?

Mine has been a little up and down what with an absent hubby (I hate that term!) and a toddler who is now old enough to vote with her feet on anything and everything.
Flash points this week include:

• Wanting to actually drive the actual car (thanks to the occasion last week when her and Grandma were playing driving to kill time waiting for me and HM)
• Wanting to hold her ‘boyfriends’ hand ALL the way around the supermarket (super convenient for me and bf’s ma who were both doing the hectic post playgroup shop!)
• Not wanting to be anywhere apart from the den which I created in their wardrobe (I’M not going to lie to you, it is immense and I am tres proud of myself for coming up with it but as I am required to be in there with her most of the time it has had an impact on how productive I have been!)

Buying the Perfect Christmas Gift- A survival guide for Blokes. (This blog could save your life)

So, that’s it.

Bonfire night is over and the next official big date in the calendar is Christmas.

It is less than 7 weeks away. Just 41 days people!

That means gents- and I am talking specifically to you (I know about my loyal band of squaddie readers!!) that there is only 40 shopping days remaining until your loved one is left bereft and disappointed crying into their cranberry sauce as a direct result of your lack of thought and imagination.

Sad times indeed.

You think that a poorly thought out gift is no big deal…think again my friend, think again.

A poorly chosen gift will send your Mrs’ into a tail spin. Her brain (which, by the way, is filled with images and froth from such films as The Holiday and Love Actually), will whisper things like

He doesn’t understand me.

How after all this time has he got me so wrong.

Oh my God, our relationship is a sham.

Before you know it there will be either a heavy silence or a pan being thrown at your face.

All happening with a backdrop of in-laws and over excited children. Before 8.30am. Lovely.

It could be you!
dailymail.com

Happily, this year you can avoid all of that nastiness and virtually assure yourself of a festive fondle simply by following these simple suggestions…

Easy Peasy Chocolate Torte.

Since Friday’s post on what I shall now refer to as ‘Daphnegate’, I have been inundated with stories of the utter stupidity of strangers from other mums! Read some of them here. It has made me feel somewhat better about my ‘run in’ in the bread aisle but, stodgy white carbs do something to me!

I have also been swamped with literally tens of requests to know what I eventually made with my freebie chocolate and so, here is a little recipe that you can try which is ideal for an autumnal evening with a little trickle of cream. Yum!

Easy Peasy Chocolate Torte.