It's impossible to not feel overwhelmed when you are a parent, with so much to do and juggle from work to kids parties, to be being on the PTA and looking after pets (no, I don't mean dad) and making biscuits for colleagues and preschool, and everything else in between, it can be hard to stay put together, phew I said it and I am not afraid to share some of my mum fails.
The past few weeks have been a little tough, to dealing with mediation, work, parenting, being a pet owner (Milo has been in a few fights of late) homeowner and blogger, trying to keep everything together on little sleep and with so much to do has been really hard and I felt my focus on being a better me/parent/daughter/friend has slipped and felt that I just needed a good cry, but instead I decided to take some time out and this weekend will be my first FULL weekend off in a very long time, and I am clawing my way to it!!
As a parent, I find that you are always expected to be on top of your game and frankly it's ok to not be on top of everything ALL the time. There are days when you just need to do as your child does and simply join in and kidult for the day.
What does matter however, is that you and your child are happy and healthy, I believe in teaching children it is ok to not be the best 100% of the time at everything, and it is ok to take a break and just be silly, have fun and enjoy the simple things in life, there is a time for play and time for work.
I find at times parents just are on a hamster wheel and going at 100 mph and forgetting to have some quality downtime be it on your own to recharge or with family and friends. So surely we should be forgiven when we become somewhat slightly frazzled and slip up, just a tad, I mean there is no shame in the game and just putting everything on pause as saying sod it, I'm getting down with the kid's, parent responsibilities, appropriate parent responsibilities are going out the window just for today.
Despite claiming that I have had a few mum fails, I thought I'd share with you some of my recent ones, to help brighten up your day and put a smile on your face and let you all know, that we can all have a few hiccups along the way and I am bloody sure I will have loads more to come.
I ate her sweets and blamed the cat.
I told her If she eats all her breakfast, that I would buy her a unicorn - SHE IS STILL WAITING AND ASKING.
I pretended I was asleep so that I did not have to get out of bed.
Forgot to pack tissue so let her wipe her hands all over me ( I had white jeans on!!).
I let her put makeup on me so that I could watch the tv in peace.
I let her put makeup on herself so that I could continue watching tv in peace.
I blackmail her, not afraid to admit it when I need quite or for her to get dressed.
I could not be bothered to leave the house all day, so didn't give her or me a bath.
I secretly encourage her to mess up my mum's house, so she knows how it feels and is sympathetic and has L for the night.
I farted and blamed her.
She farted and blamed the cat.
The cat farted, gave me a smug look and walked off (it stunk!).
London Mumma xx
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There is something spectacular that happens every year in London in November and that is the opening of Winter Wonderland.
With the smell of hot coco and mulled wine in the air, you truly know the festive period is upon us and if your a tad unorganised and not yet bought any Christmas presents put that to the back of your mind, bundle up warm with loved ones and friends and have a magical night at winter wonderland, whilst probably chasing after a chocolate churro infused toddler! What better way to spend time together at the beginning of the holiday season.
We ventured out down to Marble Arch mid-afternoon, to be able to go on every ride and see as many shows as possible, thanks to the lovelies over a Mumsnet.
We arrive with sheer anticipation, from the delight in knowing that we are going to have a great time, we race through the lined 'paths' with stalls from selling, trinkets to treats, it is a great place to grab, not just a bite to eat, but some delightful stocking fillers too.
The first ride of the season was these cars that the little ones sit, I did try to get in Leanora's insistence, but I'm afraid I got a big old toosh and was unable to squeeze in!
With a promise of a visit to the deep sea, we headed for the Magical Ice Kingdom! With sub-zero temperatures, make sure you and your little ones are wrapped up warm, with hats, gloves and scarves, big kids too, it is not for the fainthearted!
With so much beautiful creations to see, from the octopus, submarine and mermaid all perfectly carved out of ice you will truly be lost in the depths of this magical ocean.
Our first ever circus fun together and I was quite unsure if Leanora would like it, let alone sit there and watch it all, but I was pleasantly surprised that she was glued to the whole marvellous Zippos Christmas Circus show, with acrobats leaping from death-defying heights, to dancing bears and clowns. The only downside was that the little minx scoffed all the popcorn! But it is a brilliant show for all ages lasting 45 minutes, so good that we watched it twice.
If you follow me over on Instagram, you would of seen my insta stories of the little rollercoasters, suitable for Leanora's age, the views of Winter Wonderland are truly gorgeous, but what was more surprising were the heights of the roller-coaster for kids, a little high for me (becoming a scardey pants in my old age) But Leanora loved every minute of it.
Our last attraction of the evening, was a must Ice-Skating, a little scary for me as Leanora has never ice-skated before, but she took to it like a duck to water, we did three laps with me holding her from behind, then we scooped up a penguin to give her more support, well ok, my back! The only downside, is that I could not master taking a photo whilst holding on to her, as you are unable to take your bags to the rink, but a little heads up, if you have little ones that require the support of the penguins, have some cash to hand in your pocket, as they cost £5 to hire.
A little shoot off, to get my gal some toys before we head on home and I have to say I was a winner, obvs!
We both wondered off home, filled with hot chocolate and laughter from the perfect festive holiday affair.
A massive thank you to Mumsnet and Winter Wonderland for having us both.
Happy holidays everyone.
p.s. our Christmas stocking fillers is now live!
London Mumma xx
Nothing better than enjoying a lazy day off. Sometimes we all need a little downtime, just to kick back and recharge our batteries. With busy hard working and parenting lives, it can be Duffy to find a day, just to simply enjoy the little things in life and those little things can be simply doing nada!
Let me be frank with you guys, for the past few months I've worked my un-manicured fingers to the bone and I was quite simply burnt out, and a few days ago, I became a stroppy threenager and instead of all jumping out of bed, I turned to Leanora and said 'look, I'm not adulting or parenting today and I ain't getting outta bed, let alone the house' I was surprised when she smiled and said 'high 5 buddy, now go get me a bot-bot, put on my little pony and get back to bed and relax your batty mummy' That's my girl, my little partner in crime, she makes me proud lol!
At that moment, for her my little threenager to understand and love the fact that we were going to have a day off, no work, no preschool run, I even went as far as no social media 'shock horror' the only time the phone was picked up was to order pizza for lunch and Chinese for dinner! Told you super lazy day! But for her realise that I, we even need a day of it must have been apparent, just why does it take us so long, why wait to the point of exhaustion. Reason being, we all want that much more, be it success, money and a fighting passion to never give up, regardless if you are a parent or not!
But I think I've got the key to success to mastering the perfect lazy day off and you know what I am not ashamed to say it we took it on our stride and rocked it like an OG.
The first step is to not be all jovial and wanna get outta bed at 5 am, relax take it easy, for get the shoulda woulda coulda and just chill, this or time and your day why mess that up and get out of the comfort of our bed, when quite frankly you probably are not ready too, your body and mind will thank you for it and when your ready to move on to the next stage, be it brekkie in bed or heading to your local cafe for a spot of alfresco breakfasting with a little reading of your newspaper or new found book the day and decision is yours.
Once you've completed phase one, why not head of for a leisurely stroll, no rushing and darting around for you, you've got nothing but time and some fresh air, plus a little sightseeing of your local area, could open up to new eatery or shopping finds, great for a spot of light browsing, nothing quite better than having fun exploring your neighbourhood.
Comfortably heading in to lunch, that new restaurant you spotted on your leisurely stroll why not swing on back grab a table and tuck in and when you are done and filled, why not spend the rest of the afternoon doing something for you, be it crafting, whipping up a batch of cookies, watch a movie, to simply taking a little siesta, but whatever it is that you do make sure it is what you want to do- no more, no less.
Evening fast approaching, why not try out a new comforting satisfying dish for those cold chilly nights such as butternut squash mac n cheese or aubergine lasagna whatever is tickling your taste buds, a little too much work on your lazy day off, simply order in.
Nothing more relaxing in preparation of a good night, then a nice hot bath, filled with some amazing aromatherapy scents for an early night of unwinding with a good book, to help you have the perfect nights sleep.
London Mumma xx
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Simple things to do to get your life back on track and get focused, it may sound unrealistic, simple things, but that is because right now you are probably in a negative mindset and not ready, but trust me you will be, it is as simple as A B & C and some determination.
This year for me has been a crazy and most likely the worst year of my life, but I had to reevaluate my life and my head and thought how I can I change that and make it work for me and be in a much better and healthier place!? I have great friends & family who have got me out of my funk, but there is only so much they can do, the only real person who can get my life back on track for me was ME!
Face your demons
In order to conquer what is holding you back and keeping you in a rut, face it head on, stand up for yourself instead of allowing it to hold you back and drag you down, make a change for you, don't let it change you! As scary as it may be you have to face it and challenge your fear. Those demons are the ones making you second guess yourself and that is what puts doubt in your mind, but I assure you by standing strong will put those demons in check and restoring normal order in your life allowing you to take back control.
Focus
Get organised, declutter your mind, life and home. Put things into perspective, make a list know and understand what you have to do to get back on track when you do, don't rush it, it takes time, keep a steady clear and focused mind.
Carve out your own success
Step out of the shadows and step into the light and create your own success, there is nothing better no matter how big or small an idea, be it lucrative or not, creating and forming something (not just babies) that has come from you is the first step to success and happiness.
Take care of you
I loved running it was my thing before I became a mother, but work being a single parent and support for just some me time was scarce unless I was working. But I had a few hours to myself and instead of coming home putting a load of washing on and doing the ironing, I got out my old running (reminds me I need some new gear) kit and went for a 45-minute run and it felt great, exhilarating even. I stopped making excuses as to why I shouldn't and took care of me, after all, if I can't take care of me who is going to!
Result
Don't just think about the outcome but think and process the journey you are on and why and how you have had to come down a path in order to get back on track, once you are able to understand the journey to make you better you will approach more the result in bettering you.
Forgiveness
I am not going to lie, it is the hardest thing, especially when you have been hurt. But learning to forgive others and yourself as cliche as it sounds will set you free from all that pain and heartache, don't think of it as being for others but for your own peace of mind to move forward.
Remeber...Do not get sidetracked, by people that are not on track.
London Mumma xx
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Ok, so we are halfway through Octobers half term holiday and there is still so much to see and do! From Halloween party makeup practice to going nuts at Kidtropolis and so many other great family fun days out and fun things to make, so why not make the most of it with the kids, ŵith a few half term treats.
Looking to get away and pack up the car, the kids the dog or cat for the last few days this week before the kids go back to school and you return to work, nothing beats heading into the country for some fresh autumnal air, but before you do! Safety comes first in the form of car maintenance, it is so simple and so basic but these things can easily be forgotten when piling up the car with luggage, necessities, and let's not forget to not have a home alone situation, the kids! A quick simple check of your engine oil, brake fluid levels, car tyre tread, keeps your car happy and you all safe, plus can have you saving loads on repairs, with simple car maintenance check-ups on a regular basis, think of it like going to your doctors. Here are the top most important car checks according to me:
• Tyres: It is extremely crucial to make sure that all four tyres are in good condition and there is a spare as well in case of a flat tyre. Make sure there are no cuts or bumps in any of the tyres and tread is also in legal limits. Since tyres are the only part of the vehicle that is in contact with the road, it is essential that they are in top notch condition
• Brakes: Another very important element is the brakes. Make sure your brakes are working fine and that there is enough brake fluid in the car to keep them working properly
• Exhaust: car exhaust helps in keeping the harmful fumes away from the cabin, if the exhaust is broken down or not working properly it can lead to a buildup of harmful gases inside the car which can be very harmful. Make sure to check your exhaust before going on a trip, if you live in or around the area you can book your car exhaust replacement in Dundee from Fife Autocentre
Now, we are not far off from Halloween and if you and the kids are still needing some inspiration, why not look no further than the professionals and the magnificent show, then Cirque du Soleil! They have a great tutorial video for you to master your makeup skills for Halloween.
Leanora and I were invited to attend Kidtropolis, our first ever time going and boy was it fun, plus I wish I wore jeans than a dress! A great family fun day out, filled with shows from an all-time fave sooty, dancing act by flawless, plus Leanora fave a performance by PJ Masks and Octonauts, who she got to meet too. With plenty of time in between shows, why not get crafting with ..... or go roller skating, the Dj will certainly have you all in a spin (FYI, I totally owned that floor, thanks to channeling my 8-year-old self who had no fear), or try the bouncy castle assault course, just don't wear a dress, so your butts not in the air, super embarrassing I must say, especially having to run after a toddler, then the whole of flawless seeing your arse, but they said nothing to my surprise, I would have totally roared my head off, but the gents they were helped Leanora round (thank you) well a little, they couldn't keep up with her little legs, neither could I! But if you fancy something a little bit more relaxed you can go golfing or peruse all the shops or grab a bite to eat.
With the days being a little dark and Halloween only a few days away, why not get your creative juices going and make these easy peasy no-carve pumpkins or head over to my Pinterest page for some more inspo.
For those looking to source Leanora's blue dress, knee high socks and mary-jane shoes you can find them over at Base Fashion and Next.
Happy Half Term.
London Mumma xx
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