Igniting passions and interests

I have been asked by Mummy And The Beastie to join in this meme set up by Multiple Mummy. Head over to her blog to find out why she started this off but in short, she found herself in a scary situation where she was at a dinner party at needed to talk about more then her family.

Reading through the other entries has got me thinking about what I love doing or used to love doing and how little time I have now. Having a family takes up so much of your time, it is easily to get so wrapped up in them that you forget about you.

Right here goes;

1.   Fitness:  I have always loved keeping fit and going to the gym.  I especially love the classes: spinning, step, cardio box and circuits.  A bit of a freak?  Maybe.  I always enjoyed the feeling of keeping fit and especially enjoyed the swimming and spa bit afterwards  (a jacuzzi would be amazing right now!).  Now I have children and could really do with going to the gym, its impossible with two under three.  I rarely have a chance to wee by myself let alone leave the house for an hour or two.  I have recently ignited my passion for fitness though by using the cross trainer my Husband brought me before Christmas and using the Hip Hop Abs DVDs I brought years ago. I have been recording my progress on my blog.

Cardio box

2.  Travelling:  My Husband and I love travelling and experiencing different customs and cultures for ourselves.  We have a dream that we would like to see the seven wonders of earth before we die. So  far we have seen the Egyptian pyramids.  In 1998 we took Poppy to Las Vegas and had plans to do a helicopter ride over the the Grand Canyon...with an 8th month old who decided she didn't like loud noises during this break it didn't happen.  In the same year we were due to go to Toronto and see Niagara falls but that fell through too.  One day we will do it all I am sure.

Niagara falls

3.  Reading: I love reading, mostly chick flicks now my brain has shrunk but I  do enjoy true life stories, crime thrillers etc. I have managed to read a bit since the girls but now I spend so much time blogging and reading other blogs, I don't have as much time.  I am planning to have a bubble bath pretty soon though and am going to take on in with me (something I also used to do a lot).

The book I will be reading tonight

4.  Blogging/ writing:  I have only been blogging since January so this is my new passion.  I have not worked for the past four years and was beginning to feel a little brain dead.  However, blogging has ignited my passion for writing.  I always had a pipe dream that I would one day write a children's book.  I may not be doing that yet but am definitely enjoying doing this and feel as though I am using my brain a bit more, I guess I am one step closer to writing my book.

5.  Photography:  Again, this is a new passion since having the girls.  My Husband is the photographer in our family.  He has all the gear but not the time.  Its a big thing when he gets his camera out and it is so big, he often doesn't want to take it out with us.  I however, am the one that takes snaps every day.  Some turn out pretty good, if I do say so myself.  my Husband has agreed to buy me a new camera and give me some lessons and tips on using it properly so hopefully I can get better.  Watch this space!

Hopefully my new camera

6.  Scrapbooking/ card making:  Living in Canada for a few years, I got into scrapbooking.  I took so many photos it seemed a nice way to record our time abroad.  I would love to do some more of this, maybe even explore digital scrapbooking but there is never enough hours in the day.  I also used to make my own cards.  I love giving people handmade cards, I have all the gear but just not the time. Perhaps Poppy might enjoy doing it with me.  I really should get round to sorting it all out.  I have not unpacked that box since moving back to the UK.

A scrabook

7.  Horse riding:  I love horse riding.  When I was a child, I used to be a groom for polo ponies. Over the years, I have gone through periods of doing quite a lot and then none for a few years.   I had just got back into it in Canada when I fell pregnant so that put a stop to that.  I would love to get Poppy on a pony this Summer.  Maybe I should look at getting a few more lessons myself!

Riding in North Wales (not me, but I used to ride here)!

After doing this I am thinking it really is time get back into some of these hobbies and passions.  I seem to have forgotten who I am a bit so I am going to make a pact with myself to try a little bit harder to make sure I don't forget who I am and what I like!

I am also going to tag the following blogs into this:

• Medioce Mum
• The Mummy Bean
• Don't step on the cracks

Karen x

oooh another award...I feel special!

Thanks to The How To Mummy for awarding me my 3rd versatile award.  I feel very special!

I am not sure if I have to do it all again as I have done it before but here are seven different things about me:

• I am vegetarian but am not bringing my girls up this way
• I love taking photos. I don't really know what I am doing, just point my camera and snap but when you have two gorgeous girls to photograph its easy to get good results
• I love cooking but am not especially good at it
• I love travelling
• I love candlelit bubble baths but can't remember the last time I had one

I will add the 15 blogs I am passing this onto later as I have to make Supper for the girls now.

Karen x

Wow - a Wedding fit for a Prince and Princess!

I cannot help but get carried away with all the hype around the Royal Wedding.  What a spectacular day they appear to have had.  They also look very happy and in love and the day seems to have gone without a hitch.

Wow, can you imagine having a wedding day and album like this?

First of all marrying into the Royal family and becoming a Princess:

Having not one, but two beautiful dresses designed especially for you:

Having a car, a carriage and a sports car to travel in:

Having this many people waiting for you to kiss and this type of entertainment just for your pleasure:

Having not one, but two magnificent cakes:

It really does look like they have had an amazing day and around the country millions have enjoyed sharing it with them.  I really do wish them every success for a happy and long lasting marriage.

Karen x

Our family and the Royal Wedding

A huge congratulations to the happy couple today.  What a magical day.  She looked every bit the Princess she is in her beautiful dress and William and Harry both looked gorgeous in all their finery.

Poppy did make me giggle though when she said "here comes the yellow Queen Mummy"!

Can you imagine having all those eyes on you when you are getting married and the funds to have whatever you wanted?  I especially loved the open top horse and carriages once they were married.  I expect that was amazing to see live in London.

Due to having a poorly little girl we did not have much planned for today.  We decided to watch the Wedding at home and I dressed the girls up in Princess dresses.  Poppy had been too poorly to make bunting and cakes as planned, so instead I made them a little flag each using their fairy wands and some special Wedding napkins I had brought from Sainsburys! They happily waved them along with the crowds.

Poppy 2 1/2 years

 Poppy thought she looked beautiful in her wedding dress just like Kate's.

Rosie 10 months

Rosie had great fun playing in her little ball pit and waving her flag whilst we watched the Royal Wedding.

Then Daddy made us all a lovely barbecue.  Poppy is still not eating much but we all had a lovely day.

Hope you all had a lovely day too and wish the couple lots of happiness for a great future together.

Karen x

Daughter is ill and Mummy flashes!

Oh dear, poor Poppy is still poorly.  The only thing is, she is hungry too.  Tonight she asked for some pasta.  I made it for her but before I got a chance to give it to her she threw up everywhere, all over me, all over the kitchen...yuck!! I cleaned her up and stripped her clothes off but all she wanted to do was sit back at the table and eat her meal.

My top was covered in vomit, so I took it off and cleaned up.  The girls ate their Supper happily whilst I busied myself with cleaning up around them.  I cleaned up all the sick, rinsed out our clothes and then stood at the sink, looking out of the window, washing my hands and thinking I hope this is the last of it!

Now our house is on top of a hill so you can look out and see everyone, but they have to actually look up to see you.  Anyway, a passer by looked up and smiled at me, I smiled back and then realised I was only wearing my bra, I had taken my sick covered top off...whoops!!  At least it was a pretty new one! hee hee!!

Since then we have called the Doctor's and she has been seen.  She is very dehydrated and they want samples tomorrow to investigate further.  Her heart was beating very fast so they think as well as being dehydrated she is fighting of an infection, but we will have to wait and see.  I hope she feels better soon, it breaks my heart seeing my little girl so ill.

Karen x

The Gallery - Green

This weeks Gallery topic is Green.  Now my camera needs charging so I have just quickly taken a few photos on my iphone.  They are not the best pictures but hopefully you get the idea.

The first two photos are the view from my patio.  This one is the view to the right where we overlook fields and trees.  It really is a beautiful rural view.  This is also the view form my kitchen window which makes cooking and washing up more fun.

The second overlooks the river.  This is also what we see from the living room and bedroom.  The scenery seems to change daily, depending on the weather, the tide and what boats are in.  It truly is beautiful and I never tire of it.  I wake up to this every morning feeling happy (well most mornings...unless I have been kept up all night by little monsters!)

Next I wanted to share with you, the fruit and vegetables poppy and I are growing.  We water them daily and she likes to sing and talk to them to help them grow!  They really like "rock a bye baby"!!

Our strawberry plants

Our lettuces

Peppers, sweetcorn and tomatoes

Look how big the sweetcorn is. They are going to be huge!!  I am loving sharing this experience with my little girl and am hoping we will be able to taste them very soon.

To check out more entries head over to Sticky fingers and come and join in the fun!

Karen x

Poorly daughter

What a hectic few days we have had.  Poor little poppy has been really poorly, suffering from d&v since Easter Sunday. The day started off all okay: we had an Easter egg hunt and a barbecue with family...lovely! Then at about 4pm she starting vomiting, not good! It was everywhere.  No sooner was it cleaned up, she started again. She seemed to have settled after about 3 hours so we decided to risk it and head home.  She managed to sleep most of the journey but about 15 mins before she got home, it started again!

Today she has just winged all day and wanted to be cuddled!  Luckily the husband has the week off so he has been able to help out lots and he really has.  He did a huge pile of ironing today and has shared the cuddling and cleaning up of vomit duties!  With a baby and a toddler who require cuddles, its been difficult to get anything done, I really do not know how I would have coped if he had been at work!

Here's hoping she feels much better tomorrow!

Karen x

WYP66SP6XTTH

Tuesday blog hops

Its Tuesday again already, how on earth did that happen?  I like to join in these two blog hops on a Tuesday and if you want to follow me, I will follow you back!

Feel free to click on them and come along to join in the fun :-)

Karen x

Still feeling good!

I have been on  a bit of a health and fitness mission for about 4 weeks now and have been doing the hip hop abs programme for 2 of them.  I saw some of my family at the weekend and am pleased to say they noticed a big difference in both my figure and my general well-being.  I might not be quite a yummy mummy yet, but am definitely moving away from the tired mummy image I previously had going on.

I have relaxed a bit the past few days, due to being away and it being Easter but am back on it now.  I really do want to be feeling fitter and slimmer for the summer. I even went shopping at the weekend and discovered I am not as big as I think. 

Watch this space for more updates!

Karen x

Review of new innocent orange juice

I have been asked by the lovely people at innocent to test and review their new orange juice.  They already make the most amazing smoothies which are enjoyed by our whole family, so I was happy to oblige.

It comes attractively packaged in a 900ml carafe and costs £1.99.  They also had it on offer 2 for £3.  This makes it pretty similar in price to the other brands.  It seems to be flying off the shelves as there were only two left.  It comes as smooth, with juicy bits and they do a new apple juice too. There is a little sticker on the lid saying what kind it is, making it easy to ensure you buy the one you want and don't make a mistake. I tested the one with juicy bits, luckily for me this is the one I would have chosen anyway. 

The actual juice is a very smooth bright orange colour.  On one side it tells you that  they use 11 oranges to make one bottle of the juice, and that it is squeezed straight from the fruit - no concentrating, freezing, watering or sweetening involved. 

We had a full house this weekend, so got it out for everyone to try.  It is not as thick and sweet as some of the other leading brands, it almost tasted watered down. I would not say this is bad thing though, as it gives it a light, smooth taste and actually makes it more refreshing on a sunny day.

There seemed to be mixed feelings about it in our group.  The overall consensus was that it is a light, refreshing drink, but for those who have a very sweet tooth, they would have liked it to be a little sweeter.  It was the women and children who seemed to enjoy it the most. I think it would be perfect for picnics in the park or a mixer with your favourite tipple, it would even be good as part of your bucks fizz for the Royal wedding.

We gave it five stars

Talking about the Wedding, innocent have set up a Royal Wedding competition to win street party packs! They include champagne, free juices, bunting, deckchairs, the lot! If the wedding day is as nice as today, then it will be a real treat.You can check out the site & enter here: http://juice.innocentdrinks.co.uk, all you have to do is tell innocent why your street is the most worthy-est of winners, good luck!

Innocent kindly donated me three bottles to try. I am now looking forward to trying out the apple juice, so go on try it for yourselves and don't forget to enter the competition.


Karen x

Listography - Top 5 things I'd change about my Wedding Day

Ooh when I saw this one I had to join in.

I loved my Wedding Day,I loved  everything about it.  I loved the fact I was finally marrying the man I loved after ten years together, I loved being surrounded by our family and friends and I loved feeling as pretty as a princess!  It was pretty perfect but if I had to change five things they would be:

1.  I would make sure that my Dad did not forget the Special License as we left home.  As I got out of the Wedding car, I had my photo taken a few times and turned around to see my Dad had disappeared!  He had to nip back home to get it hee hee.  It did not ruin the day at all but my poor Husband was starting to worry when I was nearly 20 minutes late!

2.  I loved my dress and felt like a princess.  However, I think next time I would go for the full out big meringue one!!  They do look gorgeous in photos.

3.  As I was getting married in April, my Dad arranged to have daffodils planted all around a certain tree outside the Church where I could sit and have my photo taken.  Unfortunately we forgot to tell the photographer!!  It looked so pretty, which was  real shame.

4.  I would have had a horse and carriage.  I did have one booked, but about 4 months before the Wedding the venue fell through.  It was impossible to get the horse and carriage to the new venue so it had to go.  Maybe I could have just kept it to go to the church, for photos and for a walk afterwards but it was so expensive I could not justify it.

5.  My Husband would not drink quite soo much.  We had a great time but he still insists he does not remember cutting our cake.  How can you forget white chocolate wedding cake?

To check out more entries head over to kates page or click below.

Karen x

Make up and teething

What a day!

It started with me struggling to open my eyes as Poppy bound into the room and jumped on the bed saying "Morning Mummy, my clock is yellow" (she has a Gro clock).  I think my Husband was feeling the same as both of us were refusing to get up or even open our eyes.  Poppy  then proceeded to jump around the room, on the bed and generally tried to stir us both but we kept saying " two more minutes please!.  Next thing I knew she was using my small blusher brush and ever so gently brushing it all over my face.  It felt nice and she told me she was doing my make up for me...."that's nice" I heard myself say.  Two minutes later I thought... MAKE UP???????  I looked down and sure enough my little pot of blusher was opened and all over my white sheet...whoops!  I then looked at her hand and she had my foundation with the lid off, thank goodness I opened my eyes before she had not got around to using that one!

The reason I was so tired this morning was because I had been up a lot in the night with Rosie.  She has been showing all the signs of teething but they have not made an appearance yet!  Her cheeks keep burning, she's had terrible nappies, she screams when she tries to eat or put anything in her mouth and is drooling like you can't believe! Today she has just wanted sleep or to curl up and be cuddled...poor little thing.  I really hope they come through soon.

Fingers crossed we all get a good nights sleep tonight.  We are off to see my family tomorrow and I can't wait !

Karen x

The Gallery - My Blog

So this weeks gallery over at Sticky Fingers is about My Blog.  That doesn't sound too difficult does it... then I think about all the topics I ramble on about everyday.  How can I use one photo to capture what this blog is about?

I guess primarily it is about my family.  It started out almost as a bit of a diary, a way of recording my children growing up.  I  love the fact that my Husband is a hands on Daddy and does as much as he can when he is around.  I can't help but snap photos constantly and am loving writing down all the cute little things my girls say and do:

In this blog I cover everything about my girls from weaning to toilet training, from tantrums to cooking, from sleep to growing plants and vegetables.  Whatever effects us at a given time, I am planning to write down.  I am hoping it will be something special to look back on for my girls.

Recently I have been blogging about my diet and fitness mission.  I am desperately trying to transform myself from a rather tired looking Mummy into a much more yummy one.  I still have a way to go but am getting there slowly:

I am loving writing this blog and have found the support amazing.  The main thing I have have gained from it, is an understanding that the majority of us are muddling along doing the best we can, but no one seems to think they are perfect...very reassuring!  It has actually taken a bit of the pressure off.

To see more entries just click on the link!

Karen x

My blog needs a makeover!

I am bored of the look of my blog.  For the past two days, I have fiddled around with the background and header only to keep coming back to the same one. I want it to look pink and girly but a bit more chic and sassy too.

Watch this space for the new improved version and any ideas are welcomed!

Karen x

Blog Hops

I am involved in two blog hops today.

Feel free to click on them and come along to join in the fun :-)

Karen x

Perfect day for the beach

Today has been  a perfect Summers day.  We woke up to blue skies and decided today looked like a day for the beach.  So we packed costumes and towels, food and buckets and off we went.

It was a lovely day.  First we did a bit of sunbathing and made some sand castles.  Here is Poppy with her Daddy:

Then a bit of digging, Rosie had great fun trying to copy her Sister:

Next came a spot of running, Poppy can run pretty quickly:

After all that exercise we were hungry so we had a rest and a little bit of a picnic:

We were like a proper English family at the beach, covered in sand:

After freshening up, we went to the tacky fairground.  Poppy decided she wanted to drive this pink truck.  It was the first time she had ever been on such a grown up ride.  It looked as though it went pretty quickly.  We were worried she might be scared but she wasn't.  She thought it was great fun:

 After a nap this afternoon, we then planted all of our plants. These are our strawberry plants:

We also have lettuces, tomatoes, peppers, sweetcorn, oh and of course pretty flowers including sunflowers and pansy's!

We are loving the sunshine and hoping the weather stays like this because it feels like Summer is here!

Karen x