Gumdrops and the Bear

Book Review – Little Mouse Helps Out Little Mouse Helps Out written and illustrated by Riika Jantti With beautiful retro images the simplicity of Little Mouse Helps Out, reminds me of stories from my own childhood. Finnish author and illustrator Jantti’s second picture book follows a play date day for Little Mouse. As a mother of two increasingly independent ‘mini adults’ the scenarios and phrases are all too famil

Sleep deprivation – 5 ideas for how to cope sleep deprivation When you’re sleep deprived you may feel one of the following, or all: Like Kevin and Perry “It’s sooo unfair, why me, everything is rubbish” Total space cadet wading through gloop Hungover (cold, bit shakey, slight headache) Illiterate and unable to string a comprehensible sentence together Jelly skeleton – soggy (no bone) posture Compulsion to eat

Under the Love Umbrella Under The Love Umbrella by Davina Bell, Illustrated by Allison Colpoys This sweet, soulful book is an explosion of colour and warmth. “Up in the sky, amongst the starts there’s something you might not see … But over your head and just above there’s an umbrella of my love to show it’s you I’m thinking of wherever you might me’. The book taps into the real

Why start a blog? What is it about blogging? Why do we do it? Who reads it? After another epic Mumsnet Blogfest on Saturday, I’ve been reflecting on why I started my blog and what I really get out of it. Why do I blog? In hindsight, I think it was a form of therapy for me. I wasn’t in good health, which meant more time languishing in bed than out on the razz. Long periods of time in bed can be fairly l

Book review: There’s Not One by Jennifer Higgie   It’s not often that you’d happily display a kiddie book on your coffee table, but this one is a little bit different. Created by the editor Frieze magazine, Jennifer Higgie’s debut really is a work of art. Inspired by Matisse’s cut-outs and the Eric Carle books, Higgie introduces art to children in a way they can relate to and a language they understand. “Ther

To botox? Or b0110x to botox? Have botox and fillers become so normal now that there’s actually a pressure not to be left (sagging) behind? From mid 30’s-ish there’s no denying the Instagram or Snapchat filters are a woman’s best friend. We all know our best angle and are at least aware of the weird crooked-leg-model poses available – should the need arise. We know how to hide our chinny baggage

Working mum – missing the kids (the post I nearly didn’t post) This is the post I stopped myself from posting because … well, it just felt a little too self indulgent and pathetic. But I did find the Summer holidays as a working mum incredibly tough this year and I’m sure I’m not alone, so to hell with it … read on for a pitiful rant! Summer holidays are hard. Not in the way I thought. They’re hard because I miss my kids. I see

My Autumn/Winter Wardrobe Goals Ah Autumn, welcome back. We wouldn’t mind a sprinkling more of summer sun, but we’re ready for boots, blouses and beautiful winter coats. Who doesn’t love shopping for their Autumn Winter wardrobe? Item no. 1 for our AW16 wardrobe – some beautiful knitwear. We’re not quite ready to welcome the snow flurries, so some slim knits will work a treat for now. Look for metallic or anima

Best days of summer – Project Mc² Premiere Are the leaves nearly all gone? Am I the only one who feels the summer dresses only just came out of the attic? Before we charge headlong into Halloween I wanted to take one wistful look back on our family summer. While I worked for most of it <working mum sigh> we managed to squeeze in a few final bits of fun to round off a brilliant summer. The reminiscing has begun…just before I pur

Be a Friend – everyone needs someone   Be a Friend by Salina Yoon Be a Friend – Everyone Needs Someone – by Salina Yoon We are avid readers (of books with pictures!) so were thrilled to join the Boolino book testing team. Our first book is a beautiful, gentle book with a lovely message at the heart of it. “Dennis was an ordinary boy … who expressed himself in extraordinary ways.” Dennis, the little

We don’t own our children – they’re on loan I can’t be alone in staring at my children in much the same way I ogle a stunning designer dress on Pinterest (that I will never own)? How many millions of us creep in every night and stare with amazement and longing (to wake them and eat their little chubby cheeks and fragile ear shells) at our slumbering bubs? The sense of longing is a strange one. I long to devour them, if only theyR

Not going on holiday? It’s the small thrills that count Let’s start with a confession – I’m a total spoilt brat when it comes to dreaming of a sunny holiday and a sore loser when faced with the reality … we haven’t had a holiday for two years. We’ve only just finished paying off the one from 2014! Me: “Going anywhere nice this Summer?” Friend: “Just a week in Cyprus this year” Me: “Lovel

Reading with my kids – best part of my day I’ve been reading to the bear since he was old enough to stay awake and smear drool over the cardboard pages. It’s a huge part of our relationship. I associate it with happy times because: He will generally sit still (bar a bit of absent-minded twitching) I get to actually cuddle and kiss my whirling dervish of a 1st born I can relive GCSE drama and believe that I would have been won

5 thoughts on how to be happy Smell it. Always stop to smell the flowers. You must. Even if you have a small person catatonic with fear and loathing swinging from your Havaianas. In fact, it’s even more important then. You’ll look a bit mad; especially if you mis-aim your schnoz and air sniff. But madness and magic stop even the most apoplectic toddler in their steps and your brain and soul will smile. Wear it. T

A week of slummy mummy to-do lists A week of to-do lists in the life of a very wayward working mother … Buy clobber for the ‘Golden Chalice’ cups – school fair no. 1 : stickers, sweets etc. (Ocado – Gumdrops found and ate all, nipped to £1 shop) Buy clobber for the ‘Bagolas’ – school fair no. 2 (Ocado & £1 shop) Buy bottles for school tombola’s (1 nasty rosé + 1 average

The definitive (and honest) hospital bag list I received a list from my lovely sister when I was first expecting. I added to it after my first child and adapted it further after my second. After a few friends commented ‘If I’d known I’d have taken some make-up’ or ‘I had none of the right things with me’ I told them about THE LIST. I often get requests to email this list to my friends and their younger siblings, so it’s been ar