Tuesday 7 July 2015
Monday 6 July 2015
I love following parenting blogs online and have recently discovered the 'Like Real Life' blog. A recent post really resonated with me as I'd been feeling quite overwhelmed, under pressure and burnt out recently. I've been running around like a headless chicken trying to stave off the inevitable post natal depression by filling my days with as much business as possible. It turns out that this was the wrong thing to do and when I came crashing down early last week it was time for a re-think.
The post 'How To Do Nothing With Your Kids', which I recommend you and go and read now, showed me that I'm not the only one that gets trapped in this cycle of trying to be busy and upon telling other mums about the post and how much I loved it was surprised to hear them agree with it. It seems that quite a few of us want to be able to stop and smell the roses....... or at least plonk the kids down and enjoy a cuppa. No one is saying they want to spend all day at home making pasta pictures, or tent forts (really, who the hell does that??!) but they do want their kids to be able to spend SOME time playing with the toys you've bought them in their own home. For themselves and their children to be able to chill out in their own surroundings and actually be okay with it. Sure, they may get a little bored but who amongst us can say they were 100% entertained by their folks when they were wee?? I can't but that doesn't make them bad parents. Or me one either.
So I've decided to dial back the frenzy and stick to the Monday morning parent and baby group (cos their a good crew and I need son3 to be able to socialise) and Thursdays Book Bugs as we know I am all about the books. Apart from that I'm going to go for a walk when I want to and if other mums want to join me, fine. But I'm also okay with the idea of me and son3 just pottering about the house and village.
Unfortunately, as I type this it is the summer holidays and so son2 also has to be amused. Luckily he's 8 and has a really nice wee group of friends and our local community centre runs fab activities for him. Plus I still have to take him to 3 kickboxing lessons a week, 2 of which are a 25 minute drive away so not sure how much dialling back I'm going to be able to do!!
The post 'How To Do Nothing With Your Kids', which I recommend you and go and read now, showed me that I'm not the only one that gets trapped in this cycle of trying to be busy and upon telling other mums about the post and how much I loved it was surprised to hear them agree with it. It seems that quite a few of us want to be able to stop and smell the roses....... or at least plonk the kids down and enjoy a cuppa. No one is saying they want to spend all day at home making pasta pictures, or tent forts (really, who the hell does that??!) but they do want their kids to be able to spend SOME time playing with the toys you've bought them in their own home. For themselves and their children to be able to chill out in their own surroundings and actually be okay with it. Sure, they may get a little bored but who amongst us can say they were 100% entertained by their folks when they were wee?? I can't but that doesn't make them bad parents. Or me one either.
So I've decided to dial back the frenzy and stick to the Monday morning parent and baby group (cos their a good crew and I need son3 to be able to socialise) and Thursdays Book Bugs as we know I am all about the books. Apart from that I'm going to go for a walk when I want to and if other mums want to join me, fine. But I'm also okay with the idea of me and son3 just pottering about the house and village.
Unfortunately, as I type this it is the summer holidays and so son2 also has to be amused. Luckily he's 8 and has a really nice wee group of friends and our local community centre runs fab activities for him. Plus I still have to take him to 3 kickboxing lessons a week, 2 of which are a 25 minute drive away so not sure how much dialling back I'm going to be able to do!!
Kelly x
Wednesday 24 June 2015
Bag Review: Kipling Wonderland Baby Bag Packing and Review Video
My new favourite bag!! I love all things Kipling anyway but this bag is fab. As I said in the video it's quite large for a day to day changing bag so there may be a smaller one on the way ;) Hope you enjoy my review!!
Kelly x
Thursday 18 June 2015
A Thursday Book Review!
I haven't been able to get much reading or listening done this week so thought I would share one of my older book reviews with you :) Until my reading picks up again I'd like to share some of my Goodreads reviews or just some BookBug happenings each Thursday with you so Thursdays will be all about the book love <3 Hope you enjoy!!
The Blackhouse by Peter May
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I couldn't not read this coming from the island could i??! This was really enjoyable and of course I did enjoy the references to home. But that wasn't the reason I enjoyed it as even though I am normally a science fiction type of girl I found the twists and turns of this crime novel kept me totally engrossed till the end.
Peter May was a screenwriter on the Gaelic TV series 'Machair' (don't worry if you haven't heard of it!!) and so spent quite a bit of time filming in the Islands. I don't know if he was only here in the winter but he certainly captured the bleakness and desolation that can be felt in certain conditions there. Not only that, he also captured the community aspects of the area. I know the area the book is set in very well and the author had no problem communicating the secrecy that can occur in small communities as well as the protectiveness they have for their own.
The main characters' feelings on his return to the Island from his new mainland life are something that many of us who now reside away can relate to and I loved the description of the plane coming in. Almost made me feel homesick ;)
Generally, a good read that will have you wanting to continue with the second and third in the trilogy, but also nice and easy and quick to get through.
View all my reviews
Kelly x
The Blackhouse by Peter MayMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I couldn't not read this coming from the island could i??! This was really enjoyable and of course I did enjoy the references to home. But that wasn't the reason I enjoyed it as even though I am normally a science fiction type of girl I found the twists and turns of this crime novel kept me totally engrossed till the end.
Peter May was a screenwriter on the Gaelic TV series 'Machair' (don't worry if you haven't heard of it!!) and so spent quite a bit of time filming in the Islands. I don't know if he was only here in the winter but he certainly captured the bleakness and desolation that can be felt in certain conditions there. Not only that, he also captured the community aspects of the area. I know the area the book is set in very well and the author had no problem communicating the secrecy that can occur in small communities as well as the protectiveness they have for their own.
The main characters' feelings on his return to the Island from his new mainland life are something that many of us who now reside away can relate to and I loved the description of the plane coming in. Almost made me feel homesick ;)
Generally, a good read that will have you wanting to continue with the second and third in the trilogy, but also nice and easy and quick to get through.
View all my reviews
Wednesday 17 June 2015
WIP Wednesday: Ummmm.... more like no progress :(
Yep, it's time for another WIP Wednesday and yet again it's all about the grey cardigan for son3. Unfortunately it's yet another unexciting read for you guys as there isn't much progress :( Well, there is some but it doesn't feel like much as I'm still on the hood.
The hood has to be knitted for x number of cm's and it's quite a lot so what little knitting I got to do this week hasn't really made much of a dent as you can see:
I have to keep going till the top of the tape measure so there's still a fair distance. It means that although I was determined to finish this before son3 grows out of it, I've decided to put it aside for 1 week and work on something else when I get the chance so I can feel a bit more productive come next Wednesday!! I will obviously still finish this but I have accepted that it may go to one of the other smaller babies at parent and baby group instead which is okay :) I'm sure son3 won't be too fussed about it lol.
In other knitting news, I had a lovely evening at knitting group yesterday evening but got very little done. To be honest we were all too busy chatting, looking at projects online and generally having a good laugh which is what I really needed after a tough few days. And I had a little happy sigh when I saw that my lovely postman had delivered this months edition of Simply Knitting magazine today :)
Time for a sit down with a cuppa, biscuit and my favourite knitting porn!! Have a good day all.
The hood has to be knitted for x number of cm's and it's quite a lot so what little knitting I got to do this week hasn't really made much of a dent as you can see:
In other knitting news, I had a lovely evening at knitting group yesterday evening but got very little done. To be honest we were all too busy chatting, looking at projects online and generally having a good laugh which is what I really needed after a tough few days. And I had a little happy sigh when I saw that my lovely postman had delivered this months edition of Simply Knitting magazine today :)
Time for a sit down with a cuppa, biscuit and my favourite knitting porn!! Have a good day all.
Kelly x
Tuesday 16 June 2015
What's In My Purse: Kipling Uki Video Post
I thought I'd do a 'What's in my purse' video of my Kipling Uki as it has my entire life in it and I love it!! It's such a shame that this style has now been discontinued and I would totally buy it again.
Hope you enjoy :)
Hope you enjoy :)
Kelly x
Tuesday 9 June 2015
Bag Review: PacaPod Feeder Pod as a baby essentials bag
As I'm a massive over packer it's sometimes a real pain to take the changing bag out with me so instead I have my PacaPod Feeder Pod packed as a 'grab and go' bag. This means that even though son3 has been fed and changed and may well be asleep, I still have all the essentials with me just in case but in a small convenient package.
I've done a video review of this and here it is for your viewing pleasure ;)
Hope you enjoy and please check back in the near future for more bag/baby/family stuff reviews as well as what's on my needles and hook!
I've done a video review of this and here it is for your viewing pleasure ;)
Kelly x
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