A while ago I was tagged by the very lovely Mummy on The Edge for an A-Z of Me!! This has taken me ages to do as there has been so much going on recently. But at last here it is.
Some of these you may already know and some you definitely won’t.
A- Age, Ok I hate to admit it but I am 41 ( quickly approaching 42)
B- Belfast, the place I was born and grew up.
C- Caring, but find it hard to show it.
D- Determined to win the lottery one day.
E- Exhausted ALL OF THE TIME!
F- Food I love it in all it’s lovely forms.
G- Galaxy my all time favourite chocolate.
H- Husband, I have one and have been married for almost 18 yrs.
I- Indecisive, quick at making my mind up but just as quick to change it!
J- July, my birthday month.
K- Knitting, something I have gone back to recently and just love it.
L- Loyal, or I like to think I am as a friend.
M- M.E something I was diagnosed with almost 3 yrs ago!
N- Nap something I do A LOT due to the above.
O- Old, I hate the thought of getting older ENOUGH SAID.
P- Presents, lets face it who doesn’t like getting them.
Q- Queue‘s I hate them with a vengeance
R- RAF, I served around 7 years many, many moons ago.
S- Stubborn!! Say no more.
T- Tracy, that would be my name.
U- U2, one of my favourite bands ( early years only!)
V- Vertically challenged at only 5ft 2″
W- Wing Walking, something I have done twice!
X- Xray vision– come on are you telling me you wouldn’t love this??
Y- Yummy Mummy.…………Yeah- a girl can dream can’t she?
Z- Zoo’s even now my kids are older and bored of them I still love a Zoo.
When we become parents we have sometime very definite ideas on how we are going to be as parents, how are children are going to be brought up, how they will behave etc.
Anyway as all parents know that plan goes completely out of the window the minute the baby is born! As a new parent we are thrown in at the deep end and pretty much left to get on with it as best we can.
Each stage of a baby/ child’s development brings new worries and stress as we hope we are doing things right. We learn from books, and friends, and family about what works for that particular child. So it’s always interesting when others offer tips of what works for them. Sometime the ideas are new and sometimes they are tried and tested.
I have included a video link below from Myleene Klass revealing her top parenting tips.
From separation anxiety to breastfeeding in public, watch our video where celebrity mum, Myleene Klass reveals her top parenting tips
Motherhood presents plenty of challenges and all of us mums know just how different life becomes when the little one arrives and becomes part of the family.
Whether you’re a working, stay-at-home or a celebrity mum, it is hard to know the best way to overcome any challenges you may face. From breastfeeding to separation anxiety, shopping and sharing, it is important to remember that when it comes to parenting, there is no size that fits all.
No one knows more about balancing a career and the pressures and joys of motherhood than Myleene Klass. Mum to two little girls under five, Myleene knows all too well the worries that every parent faces in trying to do the best for their children: “There are so many things parents have to think and worry about when bringing up their children, what they are eating, if they are warm enough, if they have good manners, but feet always seem to get forgotten.”
Myleene has this year joined forces with Start-rite shoes with the aim of promoting to like minded parents, the importance of having their children’s feet properly measured and fitted with quality fitted footwear to support their long term healthy foot development. “Many parents don’t realise just how malleable children’s feet are right up until their teens and hence the importance of looking after them right from the very start. By ensuring children wear shoes that properly fit their feet you can help prevent problems in later life.”
To find out more and hear about what Myleene has to say go to the Start-rite YouTube channel www.youtube.com/startriteshoes
July will also see the introduction of a dedicated Start-rite by Myleene Autumn/Winter 12 range of shoes which supports her passion for children’s fitted foot wear with an injection of her own sense of style and personality.
In our video, Myleene Klass shares the top parenting tips that help her get to through daily life with two young girls. From thoughts on breastfeeding to separation anxiety or “umbilical whiplash” as Myleene calls it, watch the video to find out how you can strive to create a balance and be the best mum you can possibly be.
When I posted about the symptoms of my M.E here I was contacted by The Fine Bedding Co who suggested that I take a look at their website and in particular the Perfect Balance range that they sell as it could help me get a more restful sleep.
I did take a look and I found that although the items seemed to fit what I was looking for they were very much out of my price range with not working at the moment!
However, they kindly offered me a Perfect Balance duvet and 2 pillows to try out and review. RESULT I thought and was sadly overexcited when the parcel turned up. Delivery was very prompt arriving the next day and the items were packaged well in a huge box.We missed the first delivery and they came back the following day.
Could this mean a perfect night’s sleep?
SO here is what they say :
Innovative Lysoft® technology absorbs and disperses excess humidity, helping to regulate your body to its optimal temperature to ensure a better sleep experience. The soft down-like microfibre filling provides cushioning softness and comfort. It provides exceptional breathability – perfect for those who get too warm or cold during the night.
Filled with our innovative Lysoft® microfibre blend
Regulates the body to its optimum temperature throughout the night
Wicks moisture away from the body and disperses for a more refreshing night’s sleep
Breathable, super soft Lysoft® cotton cover
Non-allergenic
Superbly light
Duvets in this range start at £60 for a 4.5 tog single and £90 for a standard double 10.5 tog!
Innovative Lysoft® technology disperses excess humidity and is exceptionally breathable, helping to regulate your body to its optimal temperature to ensure a better sleep experience. The soft down-like microfibre filling provides cushioning softness and comfort. Non-allergenic, this pillow provides medium support.
Filled with our innovative Lysoft® microfibre blend
Gently cradles the head
Wicks moisture away from the body and disperses for a more refreshing night’s sleep
Breathable, super soft Lysoft® cotton cover
Non-allergenic
A superbly light and fluffy pillow offering medium to soft support
Pillows in this range are £30
Now I don’t know what you would regard as pricey but this fell into the category for me unfortunately. I’m always very doubtful of whether my money will be well spent or not!
So we gave it a shot and changed all the bedding. Now at first glance the duvet appeared a little thin to me ( normally they are thick and fluffy and need stuffing into the cover) although it had a lovely ‘cool’ to the touch feel about it. The pillows had the same feel but were beautifully soft and did need a bit of stuffing into the pillowcase!!
Both my husband and I had a feeling that the duvet would not be warm enough and so kept our own one close to hand that night. However, we were very much mistaken. The duvet was plenty warm enough but even more surprisingly it did what it said on the packaging!!
With M.E I have no temperature control so about 95% of the time I am freezing but during the night for the other 5% I burn up. This does not bode well for a good night’s sleep. The new Perfect Balance duvet actually seemed to stop me from overheating. I was completely taken by surprise. So I decided that I should wait a week or so before posting a review in case it was a one off. But still I have been more comfortable during the night (temperature wise) although I will always have problems sleeping, at least now burning up is not one of them.
The pillow was perfect for me. I love a huge bouncy soft pillow and these were just that. They too claimed to disperse the body moisture away. Now I have thick, long hair and those of you with long hair can appreciate that we can get a little ‘heated’ at night, more often than not I tie my hair up to stop me getting too hot. But again VERY SURPRISINGLY the pillow did exactly what it said on the packaging. As with the duvet it also had a ‘cool’ to the touch feel which you get a sense of through the pillowcase.
My husband however, did not feel the same about the pillows. He is more comfortable with a firm pillow and so he didn’t find it comfortable and has since gone back to his regular pillow. Although he did mention that he didn’t have to keep turning the pillow for the ‘cool’ side (something he always does with his own!).That means I have a spare new one left for me!!! But he has been really impressed with the duvet and he too agreed that it seemed to stop him from getting uncomfortably hot.
So the question would seem to be
How much would you pay for a more comfortable and restful nights sleep??
Those of you with young children are sleep deprived beyond belief, so the time spent in bed is crucial. Those of you who suffer with M.E like me or another illness or condition that means you can overheat, again time in bed sleeping comfortably is crucial.
I have not received any payment for this review however, I was sent a double duvet and 2 pillows for review purposes only. THE VIEWS STATED ABOVE ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN.
Well almost anyway. After the last few weeks of activity my body definitely isn’t used to and crushing recuperation in between has seen me absent from my blog for a while.
I’m getting back to some level of normality, but only just!
It started with :
On set of the short film he’s been doing recentlyHim and his ‘on screen’ sister!
This was a gruelling ( for me anyway!) four 12hr days with travelling on top. I really cannot explain how I managed to stay standing ( my lovely new walking stick came in very handy). I don’t think I have pushed my poor M.E body that hard for a very long time. When it was over I went to bed and lost almost 2 days in bed and the rest of the week sleeping while the boys were at school. However, he had 2 more auditions in London the next week and a day on location on Norfolk to finish the film!!
That meant another day spent in bed afterwards for me and very quickly my days were disappearing. I haven’t blogged or been on Twitter, I haven’t knitted for what seems like ages ( although I managed to do some whilst chaperoning my son. Even watching mindless TV would take it’s toll.
However, other things have been happening all be it around me:
YUM!
Like this great chocolate swiss roll that my eldest decided to make at the weekend!! It tasted just as good as it looks too, although I might have had to have several slices just to make sure.
Proud mummy moment!
We also found this, a copy of the paper my eldest was put in for his efforts to raise money for the London’s Air Ambulance. That’s him in the middle of the picture with the crew who got a call literally seconds afterwards and we got to watch them head off on an emergency call- fantastic!
Oh and of course the recent sunshine (most of which I have missed by being in bed) brought out the ‘Diva’ side of the cat…………………life is good, feed me more treats!!
However, the down side is I am sooo behind with everything, cleaning, ironing, cooking even to some extent. That’s without mentioning the blog. I have emails I haven’t responded to, posts that I need to write and networking to do.
So be warned, I have some great posts coming- an A-Z of me, a review that might interest those of you who value a restful nights sleep, a few of my knitting projects that I haven’t taken pics of yet!
I hereby welcome my newest family addition. This has been a long time coming as I had put it off for such a long time! Now however, the time is right. But I want to tell you it truly is a love/ hate relationship. Can we love something and hate it at the same time?? Well I think I do. I love what it enables me to do but hate it as it draws people that I do not know to stare look and therefore makes me uncomfortable.
So here’s my new addition……………………………what do you think?
My ankle pain has been so bad since before Christmas that I have ‘given in’ and bought a walking stick to help. I have to travel to London regularly with my youngest and his acting activities that it has become a necessity!! I refuse to use it all the time however, if I know I am going to be out for an extended period I will take it with me.
So I love it because it truly helps me when I am out walking but hate it at the same time as I see people look at the stick and look at me!!! What is it?? Never seen someone with a f**king walking stick before?? It does not mean I am mentally retarded or ‘care in the community’……………………………….it just means I need help to be on my feet for longer!!!
I feel as though I need a sign around my neck saying ‘I am normal you know- no need to treat me any differently’.
My health borough refuses to pay for any M.E treatment so I don’t have access to therapy groups, or OT’s or programmes to help me manage the condition better. I have to use what works for me- and this helps for those days I know I will be having to walk longer distances. I am always in pain especially in my ankles however I refuse to confine myself to bed or stay indoors and so this is seen as a solution to problem that I have to face.
Do you know of anyone who needs walking aids or help to get around who is frustrated with how they are viewed?
Lets face it most of us would like to think that we are, right? Well truth be told I struggle with my son’s yr 9 maths homework ( I’m better at spelling and literacy I think!), but thankfully my OH is good at maths so we get by with helping out with home works. So do you have a bright spark at home? How do you think they would fair against school children from across the world with maths, spelling and science?
This is what the World Education Games is trying to do.
To celebrate the World Education Games we put Britain’s best young Maths brains to the test against the general public and then the world famous ‘Human Calculator’ This March, hundreds of thousands of school children from around Britain will pit themselves against students from around the world to find the best young Mathematicians, spellers and Science brains in the universe during the World Education Games ( 6th– 8th of March).
The three-day global competition will test students during a variety of online games set against the clock and our best young brains will be battling for honours during World Spelling Day, World Science Day and the opener – World Maths Day.
The games are being backed by world famous Maths entertainer Scott Flansburg AKA ‘The Human Calculator’ who holds the world record for the for adding the same number to itself more times in 15 seconds than a person could do with a calculator.
So to see how our British competitors are likely to fare during the World Education Games we challenged some of the big hopefuls to a ‘calculation off’ with ‘The Human Calculator’ as well as members of the public.
This originally started in 2007 with a World Maths day but has progressed since then with popularity to include spellings and science.The World Education Games are aiming to unite children from across the world in education and learning.
So take a look at the video below to see if you can answer some of the questions posed to people in the street!
Are You Smarter Than a 10 year old?
For more information visit the website at: http://www.worldeducationgames.com/
Charity starts at home, a view held by my eldest son, who last year decided as part of his Community Challenge badge in his scout group decided to collect for a ‘home ‘ charity.
He chose the London’s Air Ambulance service or HEMS as it can be known.
London’s Air Ambulance is a registered charity which runs London’s only helicopter emergency medical service, providing life saving care to victims of serious injury throughout London – serving the 10 million people who live, work and commute within the M25.
Based at the Royal London Hospital and founded in 1989, the service is unique in that it operates 24/7, with the helicopter running in daylight hours and rapid response cars taking over at night. The Team, which at all times includes a senior trauma doctor and a specially trained paramedic, attends an average of seven missions every 24 hours.
London’s Air Ambulance has an international reputation for clinical excellence and delivers pioneering procedures which have been adopted across the world.
London’s Air Ambulance was the first air ambulance service in the UK:
with a doctor and paramedic team;
to deliver high standard pre-hospital anaesthesia;
to have a clinical governance programme;
to perform a thoracotomy (open heart surgery) at the roadside;
to perform thoracostomy (to drain collapsed lungs);
to use check lists to improve patient safety;
with air & land based response; and to provide 24 hour cover.
He put a letter out to the whole of the scout group asking for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts to bring in all their used postage stamps which he had a remarkable response to. In fact he collected over 19,000!! Yes we counted them all.
Proof of the stamps and the counting!!
Just one of the boxes!
But today we had arranged for him to visit them at the Royal London Hospital at their new offices to deliver the stamps in person. We met a fantastic lady called Christine Margetts who did a brilliant job showing us all around. We met the paramedics and doctor on duty today, the firemen who also work there, we were told how a call is generated and processed and what information they receive and how they determine which hospital the patient will need to go to.
But to top it all we had the rare opportunity to go up to the helipad to get a picture taken with the actual Air Ambulance in the background. My son was able to go on board before very excitingly watching the helicopter and it’s crew take off on a real life call!
Cold and windy 300ft up on the helipad!Sitting inside before the Air Ambulance was called out!
Off on a real life call!
It was brilliant to see them in action, how quickly they reacted and how professional they all were. This truly is a worthwhile service that relies heavily on donation and every little helps.
I was very proud of my eldest doing what was necessary, helping a worthwhile charity close to home, and counting (with me) all 19,000 stamps!!
A night away with no kids is what I have planned for tomorrow night!
This is very VERY exciting in our little world. There is very little that we do without having the boys with us. This was booked so that when my boys were away with scouts in January my OH and I decided we could sneak away for a night and enjoy a change of scenery and time without the kids. However, it didn’t work that way and the only time we could book was TOMORROW night( Friday 10th), so we went ahead and made arrangements.
So tomorrow we see the boys off to school then we can get ourselves packed up and head off to Lewes!! Ok not somewhere too exotic but a break non the less. The hotel looks fab with a swimming pool and sauna, lovely restaurant and bar and great rooms.
Now we are skint beyond belief this month however this was a Groupon deal we booked before Christmas so has come as a great treat!
We look forward to an Afternoon Tea and sparkling wine on arrival, a 3 course meal with wine in the evening and a full English Breakfast in the morning before we leave…………..all already paid for too!!
So the images above may not actually be what we will get but it wont be far short!!
Now my only problem is the bloody snow!!! I normally love the snow but this time I really want it to piss off so I can go on my fab overnight stay……………………………PRETTY PLEASE I SOOOOO NEED IT RIGHT NOW!
I'm so hoping I do not wake up to this tomorrow- selfish I know!
I have very kindly been awarded the Versatile Blogger award from the lovely Mette from Oddparent Thank you so much. So if you haven’t already heard of her pop over and take a look.
Now apparently I have to tell you 7 things about myself………………mmmmm………….Ok here goes:
1. I LOVE chocolate.
2. I am from Northern Ireland now living in Kent with my lovely family.
3. I absolutely HATE spiders!!!!!
4. I served 7 years in the Royal Air Force.
5. Sadly I am now old enough to be a mother of a teenage son ( Oh God where have the years gone!).
6. I have (thankfully) NEVER smoked.
7. Stand By Me is one of my all time favourite films.
So there you have it!
Anyway now the difficult task of nominating others, I thinks it’s supposed to be 15!!! But here’s a few as some that I would have nominated already have the award……
I was lucky enough to be invited to the screening of Journey 2 The Mysterious Island last weekend, we had seen the first film so generally had an idea what to expect.
However, when we arrived at the Vue in London we were taken by surprise as we were met by allsorts of snakes, spiders and lizards!! Not what you expect when you go to see a film!
Anyway, this had my youngest totally in his element. As both myself and my eldest wandered casually around eating the lovely croissants and drinking juice cocktails that had been supplied, my youngest went around trying to hold everything he could( this may have had something to do with the toys they were giving away to the kids who bravely held them)!
That's only a snippet of the lovely breakfast goodies!!
At one point a very nice lady politely asked me if I would like to try some snacks but as I looked at the plate it was true ‘Bush Tucker Trial’ stuff. I’m not kidding, she just laughed when I politely declined but asked to take a photo ( a true blogger me!).
I thought Ant & Dec were going to jump out and say I had to eat the lot!
Then it was time to go into the cinema. We got our 3D glasses at the ready and took our seats.
Now if I’m honest after seeing the first film ( that was a birthday treat if you don’t mind- funny how our birthdays always get taken over by the kids ideas!!) I wasn’t really expecting too much. However, I was pleasantly surprised. There was an element of comedy that was aimed both at the kids and the adults with a little obvious slapstick for the youngest of watchers too. The serious charm of Michael Caine as the grandfather was a great match against Dwayne Johnson ( who I expected to be slightly wooden but surprisingly wasn’t). The little one liners between them kept a great rivalry going. Watch out for Dwayne’s ‘pec’s’ talk………..hilarious.But Luis Guzman as Gabato played the comedy character you couldn’t help but like…….Bless him.
So premise of the story if you don’t know:
Sean gets crypted messages from a ‘mysterious island’, Hank ( stepdad) helps him uncover the code and accompanies him find the island. Gabato and his daughter help them get there by using their helicopter. Long story short…….they get there by default, find Sean’s long lost grandfather (Caine) and have to find a way off the island as it’s sinking!! Cue the Nautilus/ Atlantis slant.
Anyway, all in all a great film to take the kids too over the coming half term. Action, adventure and a splash of comedy makes for a kids film that even the parents may admit to enjoying for what it is.
The film has been rated as a PG and has a running time of 94mins
The 2 silhouettes are my boys trying to blend in with the poster!!
Declaration: I was given the free tickets to review this film, however all opinions are my own!
Sorry about the quality of the photos…..I stupidly forgot my camera and had to rely on my Blackberry!!!
Thank You to the lovely Emily at Think Jam for the chance to review Journey 2 The Mysterious Island.
