Living Arrows 17/52

This week my daughter has been obsessed with blowing dandelion clocks, the perfect childhood activity.

Learning to Tie a Shoe - Childhood Milestones

This weekend my son got his first pair of lace up shoes, it is a momentous milestone for any child.

As I sat teaching my son to tie his laces it bought back memories of nursery and the wooden shoelace board that I learnt on.

I remember doing it for the first time and I got a big star sticker, it was such a wonderful feeling so I wanted to make sure he had the same experience.

As I sat behind him we slowly went through the process, he got a little frustrated but we persevered and eventually he had it nailed.

We had lot's of clapping and high fives, I hope that this made him understand how important it is to keep trying in order to achieve something.

I certainly was a very proud mummy,  I had managed to teach him something and he had achieved a huge milestone in his development, I am sure there will be a lot more practice required though ;)

Silent Sunday

Finding My Inner Grunge

Since having my hair cut my style has been a little mixed, I have lost a little of what I was, who I am.

It has also given me an opportunity to try and restyle myself, so I have been looking for some gorgeous pieces to put together .

They are quite grungy in places, but I love the first look with this gorgeous mustard coloured dress and purple boots, I think it looks great and teamed with a cream jacket makes it oober casual.

The dress on it's own would be beautiful with a pair of plain heels and the jacket and boots are both key pieces to a wardrobe.

Dress by Orla Kiely for People Tree

Blazer by Reiss

Boots by Dr Martens

Next, well as everyone loves a black outfit, I thought these all go super well together, I know I am including Sun Jellies again but they are perfect for a busy mum on the run, great for rain or shine and go with everything.

This is a great smart causal look for town and could easily be made glam for a night out with heels.

Trousers from Reiss
Jacket from People Tree
Vest by Hello Apparel from Southwood Stores
Shoes by Sun Jellies

Although the Reiss trousers do seem pricey they are a key piece, I bought a pair of work trousers from them a few years ago, they still look as good as the day I bought them.

I am sure these outfits aren't to everyone's tastes especially the first one but having tried the boots on they aren't the same as normal DM's the leather is super soft and they are a great purple colour.

Our Family As Drawn By My Son

My son drew this picture earlier and then I remembered that the lovely Sonia over at This Mummy Loves has the Draw With Me Linky with a family theme so thought I would get it in quick sharp.

This is my sons take on us, I don't really have one big leg and one small one (at least I don't think I do) but I am on the right, my husband is on the left, my son is middle right and my daughter middle left. Oh and the little brown squiggle at the bottom is our hamster Peppa.

I love how raw and innocent everything is through a just turned 6 year old's eyes :)

Is Two Not Enough?

It was my sons sixth birthday party on Saturday and as usual it brings round a whole load of emotions, my baby is growing up so fast etc etc.

My sons friend's mum bought her newborn baby (and fourth child) to the party, it was inevitable I would end up holding him.

I love babies and get all clucky around them, but that doesn't mean I am going to have any more, then come questions from said mum and the others who were there. You should have another one, when are going to have another one? Why not, you're still young!

Hold on a minute, I have two perfectly healthy children, one of each in fact! It was difficult a time to conceive those two without the worry of another.

Why do people feel it is OK to ask these questions, no one asked the 40 something year old mum if she would have another one, so what if I am only 31 that doesn't mean I need anymore.

For a start I couldn't fit them in the car, I certainly wouldn't be able to pick up the child of one of these other mums if I had 3!

I suffer with a terrible back and neck now and just 20 minutes holding that newborn left me in agony, I suffered with PND after my son and then had a miscarriage between him and my daughter so having another isn't really something I want to put myself through.

So why do people ask this question? It's so insensitive and cruel, yes I would love another baby but circumstance means I don't want to bring another child into this world.

And besides when has two become an unfashionable number of children to have?

Linking up to #MumdayMonday on DannyUk blog

Finding a New Place to Scoot

My son got a new scooter for his birthday so after a quick search on the micro scooter website we found Blidworth Woods.

First we stopped to have a picnic and then off to look in the pond, we found lots of tadpoles.

Walking round the woodland in the sunshine was just what we needed after a  rather dreary Sunday. Spotting lot's of beautiful butterflies...

More scooting, looking at the fields of dandelions and looking to see if we can see any more tadpoles...

It was a really lovely few hours and my son was brilliant on his new scooter.

Linking up to Country Kids on Coombe Mill and Magic Moments on The Olivers Madhouse

Spring in the Garden

We were out in the garden the other night and I was snapping away at the children playing and then noticed how gorgeous all the flowers were so decided to snap a few, here is what I captured. Isn't nature beautiful!

Head Lice, Words Every Parent Dreads

Most weeks since the school started back in January have we had a letter advising that head lice are rife in school and we should be on the look out for them.

I have always used a Tea Tree or Lavender based shampoo on my son and thus far we have not had any.

However I am sure now i've said that out load it won't be long, there are so many treatments out there and although I haven't had to try them yet it is good to know about the ones that do exists and the methods you can use to get rid of them as well as preventing them.

This fab chart from Lyclear is really useful and has just about as much information as it is possible to cram onto a page, so I hope you find it as useful as I did.

PS Sorry if this has got you itching, just the thought of those little nasties gets me going.

NB: I have received no payment for this post, it was something that was of interest and I wanted to pass on to my readers :)

Mental Health and Me

Last week I spoke to someone from the Let's Talk team in Nottingham, having suffered with unexplained pain for the last 8-9 months it has taken it's toll. There is no fuse anymore not even a short one, I lose my temper over silly things quite quickly and worry about everything, from the bee on the floor dying to sending my son to school with a grape in case he chokes.

I have no idea why I am this way or have started with these fears and feelings, but something is obviously wrong so I have been referred for CBT (Cognitive Behaviroual Therapy).

I saw a counsellor when I was at school and after the birth of my son a Perinatal Mental Health Nurse came to see me to help me with my PND.

So I guess I am predisposed to mental health problems but what with the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia (although this is something that can never be 100% diagnosed) it has just gotten to much, thoughts and feelings that I shouldn't be having are there again.

Day's, although that is all they are, where the darkness sets in and I feel close the edge of a pit I know only too well.

Staring at the ever further away light at the end of the tunnel, but I know I need to be better for my children.

I used to use my blog to post about my feelings but it got a little like I was talking to myself, but maybe that is who I need to talk too.

More to come on my journey with some CBT and Fibromyalgia and if anyone has been through CBT I would love to hear more about whether it helped or not.

Newstead Abbey - History and Exploring

This last few weeks have seen illness in The Mummy Diary house so I haven't been up to writing much.

So with the sun shining and the family together (hubby has been away for a week) we decided to head out to the Car Boot followed by a trip to Newstead Abbey, we haven't been here with the kids before so it was a lovely place to take them.

I love the imposing facade of the Abbey (which wasn't actually ever an Abbey apparently) it was simply stunning against the blue skies.

First we walked down to the waterfall, you can walk behind it and it is a lovely experience for the children.

View out from behind the waterfall, I like to wonder who might have stood looking out from here.

Lots of space to run....and run!

The back of the house, beautiful with the blue backdrop.

Lots of lovely peacocks, loved this one walking up the stairs

The gorgeous walled garden, stunning blossoms and hedges

I love finding out brickwork and gates, so beautiful.

Looking into the pond, no fish just pond skaters...

The rose garden was beautiful...

Next, to the Japanese Gardens, these stunning gardens are all laid out presumably to make for wonderful features to paint, images to think and write about, you can see how this would have been  inspiration.

Next, to the rock garden, up and down the rockery

And finally into the woods to do a bit of exploring and bug finding...

We only found a few woodlice...

Finally a quick walk along the path ledge and off take part in the easter activities, my son decorated a cake and my daughter made an easter themed plate.

We had a wonderful few hours at Newstead, it is a wonderful place steeped in history and magnificent  decoration and architecture.

Linking up to Country Kids over on Coombe Mill