Saturday is Caption Day!!

We spent a chilly day out at Avebury on Thursday to blow away the Christmas cobwebs.

Cobwebs have gone so on to #SatCap!

Come up with a caption for this one - please.

Find some more caption fun here with Mammasaurus - roar!

Twitter #SatCap

Happy New Year everyone x x x x x 

Reminiscing on 2011 - A mixed bag

2011 has been a funny old year with a real mixed bag of emotions.

It was a year that has made me laugh, cry, shout and rant.

On the plus side....

My baby boy turned 3 and my gorgeous girl turned 5. These days made me very happy with the realisaton of how proud of them I am.

I had fun with friends and actually managed a night away from home and the family - twice.
I saw my husband Mr. Flowers - twice.

I began to blog and met some brilliant Tweeters / Bloggers at BlogCamp. You know who you are.

On the down side....

I threatened my husband with divorce, at Camp Bestival of all places.

I wanted the following to be my complete family unit and at times this is what I thought would be best for all of us:

I am the heaviest I have ever been - classic comfort eating?

I have admitted that I am not a perfect SAHM and have doubts over this role.

So, onto 2012. All pretty obvious stuff really.

• Get back to work
• Get fit
• Get happy!! 

By the way, I did not get divorced in 2011 and I do not plan to get divorced in 2012.

So, how was your 2011 and what do you hope for in 2012?

#ISpy..........something beginning with C

I hope you have had a Happy Christmas and Santa bought you something exciting. I am now looking forward to the New Year to sort a lot of things out with me and my life but today I looked back, all in aid of Mum of One's meme #ISpy. This week we are spying things beginning with C.

My photo shows a few Cs and this week I will tell you what they are!

Well done to Motherventing though who found loads of Fs last week!

This photo was taken in Easter 2009 in Cornwall, on the coast - there's the first two Cs. My in laws used to live there and it was ideal for weekends away at short notice and longer stays in the holidays. They now live in the middle of nowhere in France in a run down partially converted barn. Not quite the same and this has impacted our ability to get away for a change of scenery - a lot.

This picture reminds me of when I was content - C number 3. I was a SAHM but I was happier with that situation. I was always on the go with the kiddies, who at the time were nearly 1 and nearly 3, so my fitness levels, my figure and ultimately my positivity about myself were in a much better state than now. 

Fourth C - the Campervan! This one was for sale and we were seriously thinking about getting one as for some reason we seemed to have a bit of spare cash back then - the economy has clearly changed since as we can only just about afford a toy one now! I am also drinking a coffee - which I barely touch now as it makes me go all woosy. So five Cs have got me thinking about the future.

So as I look ahead to a New Year I wish to be content, driving to the Cornish coast in a Campervan but probably not drinking coffee!!

Find some more #ISpy piccies here:

Silent Sunday

Saturday is Caption Day!!

It's the last #SatCap before Christmas and my contribution this week occurred whilst the children 'helped' me to put up the Christmas tree.

What on earth is going on here?

#SatCap it below

Find more here:

Juggling Balls - All in a day's work

Smug git!

Image credit



Juggling Balls is all in a day's work for working mothers and that is one of the reasons I have enjoyed being a SAHM so much - it reduces the amount of balls! But recently I have RANTED, and in the past debated, about my choice. Well now I am ready to go back to work. But I am concerned. I am a crap juggler. Seriously. I cannot do it despite being told at a teacher training day many years ago that anyone can learn. Not me. So if I can't keep 3 little multi-coloured balls in the air how on earth am I meant to juggle my children, my husband, me, the home, my career and all the other extras that life throws at us?

I am a well planned, organised person - my teaching file always had colour coded sticky notes a la Monica Geller - but I am not always calm. If something upsets my plans I panic. When I get back to work the day will be meticulously planned out ahead down to the minute that breakfast needs to be finished by, teeth brushed and out of the door. My big freak out is over the fact that the OH will probably be away working for 2 days a week and all over the place for the other 3 days. He has said that things will change and he will do his best to help but ultimately I feel I will take on the bulk (99.9%?) of the responsibility for the children and definitely 100% of the worrying.

I know women do it, I have worked with women that do it but I am still worried about how I will do it. First though I need to get myself a job. Damn! I need to actually get a job! That means job application forms, visiting schools, schmoozing with the heads, sorting out references and if that is successful teaching a class of unknowns whilst being watched, doing a presentation - probably on some new initiative that has been introduced in the last 3 years that I know nothing about, and then the dreaded interview.

So, I don't need to worry about those balls quite yet. Now I'm worried about getting a job. I've only got SAHM to put on the application form to justify the last three years. Oh bugger!!

Check here for more posts on work & motherhood.

#ISpy.......something beginning with F

Mum of one is keeping us on our toes this week, by not following the alphabet in order, and has thrown the letter F into the mix for the latest round of #ISpy. This meme game of #ISpy involves posting a picture of something beginning with the given letter - the picture can be obvious or it can get your readers guessing.

This week I have a prize personal blog hug for the person that can find the most 'F's in my photo. So here goes:

I spy with my little eye lots of things beginning with F...

For more info click here:

Happy I Spying x x

Snap Slappers - Week 6

Yikes! I missed last week's Snap Slappers - apologies Mrs Five Go Blogging - but I'm back with lashings of silliness this week!

It's been a week of Christmas shows and parties so here's the boy enjoying his food at the toddler Christmas party:

But what on earth has caught his eye?

Come and join in here:

Silent Sunday

#ISpy........something beginning with A

The lovely Mum of One has got us all playing I Spy. You know how it goes...I spy with my little eye something beginning with.......A. The thing you spy can be obvious or you can get everyone guessing. My first I Spy has two As to look for - one is obvious and the second will be clear if you are an eagle eyed reader of my blog!

So here it is...

Join in here and tweet using #ISpy

Parking Lessons

I have been playing cars with my son and decided to give him a lesson in parking. If you have the pleasure off on street parking - or should you visit someone living on a road with on street parking - you may find the following helpful.
The road is a public road, and in a lot of cases you have every right to park on it, but consideration and common sense should prevail. This is a good example of how cars parked on a road should look:

Please note the sensible spaces between front and rear bumpers.

Occasionally you will come across roads where occupants of houses park outside their own house. This results in a street looking like this:

Please note the spaces that do not allow any extra car to park.

This is fantastic when everyone sticks to these unwritten 'rules' and nobody ever has a visitor round but due to the spaces left between cars then problems will inevitably arise.

Should you return home and find your 'space' taken by somebody else and you in turn park, albeit sensibly, in another space you may wake up the next day in a rush to get to work to find that this has happened:

Beware - for if you knock on their door and query their parking be prepared for a verbal lesson of the 'rule' - "park outside your own house then". Please note that this 'rule' may only work one way and you may regularly find their visitors parked up in 'your space'. Should this happen, take deep breaths and try not to react. Remember, it is a public road and people are entitled to park outside your house.

A further issue that may occur is when two people go out in their cars leaving a huge space, a space that could easily fit three cars:

 The following will more than likely happen:

The driver of that car clearly has a fear of getting stuck in between two cars and having to manoeuvre out of a regular space. They are, however, breaking no law accept the laws of common sense and consideration. Please bear with them and remain patient at all times.

When any of the above happens to me I just hang on to the thought that one day, one day, I may live in a house with a drive - Hoorah! And to be honest the above occurrences are quite rare but still they are frustrating!

I thank my son for helping me to play parking lessons.

Silent Sunday

Saturday is Caption Day!!

Here it is again, Mammasaurus' funniest meme - Saturday is caption day!

So simple yet so much fun!

Just look at the photo and comment with a caption - see who can make me laugh the hardest this week with this one.

What the blazes is going on here?!

The Gallery - My Awesome Photo

Awesome - that's a big word to live up to! This week on The Gallery sees a collection of photos that are awesome to each person that stood behind the camera. My entry this week is not technically brilliant - it was a classic point and shoot. But the snap captured an awesome moment for me; the first time Edith met her baby brother.

So here it is.....

My Awesome Photo!

Find some more Gallery entries here:

Snap Slappers - Week 4

Last week some of the contributors to this fab meme went all arty and serious. I thought I really should do the same to show how picnik.com can add artistic value and integrity to a photo. So, I did.

We're heading towards Christmas and last year it was very snowy so I thought what better image to play around with than a beautiful scenic snowy one.

Before...

And here it is after I picniked it....

Ha ha ha or really that should be ho ho ho! x x x

Join in with the other slappers of snaps here!

Christmas Music - What's your favourite song?

Ah, Christmas music. It divides us all. So many genres to choose from; carols, nostalgia, pop, re-hashed classics, modern stuff.... the list goes on. Back in November it began with Wizzard and Boney M et al being piped through the speakers in the local Asda. Last night Justin Beiber was damaging my ears on X-Factor singing some tripe and completely ruining my Christmassy day - I put the tree up don't you know? Look!

I like the Christmas nostalgia of Big Crosby and Nat King Cole but cannot stand it when the likes of Mariah Carey covers some great classics and drives us insane with her incessant warbling - jeez,take a breath woman.

I'm not particularly religious but Christmas time for me is a time to go to church - somewhat hypocritically maybe - but I love a good nativity and have yet to complete Away in a Manger without choking up. My favourite Christmas song though is one I rarely hear but I think it is the best. So moving and just beautiful. You may recognise it from Home Alone when Kevin is all sad and, well, alone.

O Holy Night.

I've also found the lovely Christmassy music Somewhere in my Memory from the same film - take a listen it's really rather nice.

I tag the following ... @thelovebump @mum2babyinsomni @NotSoSlummy @Piglet33 @CatParrott

A huge thanks to SAHDandproud for tagging me.

So, what Christmas song do you love? x x x

Silent Sunday

Saturday is Caption Day!!

Grab a cuppa, browse through the variety of pictures and think up a caption. It's as simple as that.

Look what my boy got up to back in the Summer!

Check out more #satcap entries here:



Apologies - a SAHM rant is needed

Image Credit *

I have been a full time SAHM from May 2008 to January 2010 then August 2010 to the present day.....and counting. I chose to be a SAHM so maybe I do not have the choice to moan about it. I love being a SAHM, for my children. My youngest is currently in preschool two and a half days a week. This gives me time to volunteer at my daughter's school (I am a trained primary school teacher and am wanting to keep in touch with it), time to keep on top of the washing, drying and ironing that seems to accumulate into a mountain on a daily basis and crucially time for me to switch off and relax. When I write it all down it looks pretty cushy for me really. However, I am frustrated.

I am frustrated that the children are always my number one priority, not the husband's.
I am frustrated that if the husband's workmates suggest a drink after work he can go without a moments thought for what may be going on here at home.
I am frustrated when the husband may have a late start - a rare occurrence - and he gets to lie in but I have to get the children sorted.
I am frustrated that I am losing touch with issues in schools from a teacher point of view and fear that will make it a challenge to find work next year.

Yes, next year, well next September when Alban starts Reception, I want to return to work and teaching, possibly full time. But then the problems and my frustrations will change...

I will be working but still, in all likelihood, will be the one that has to sort out the children.
I have no family nearby so I will have to get them to Breakfast Club, pick them up from After School Club and drive them to ballet, Rainbows and the like.
I will worry about how on earth I manage the higgledy piggledy hours that Reception children do for the first weeks / couple of months. Seriously, how do people work round that when their child is in for a half day here and half day there??

So why don't I continue being a SAHM? We have scraped by financially to enable me to do it and it is nice for the children to have me take them to school and preschool, be able to help in school, be there at the end of the day, cook their meals every night and take them to clubs but.... I will be more frustrated five days a week 9 to 3 at home on my own. I want to go back to teaching. Helping in school has made me realise this. I also want my own car and element of freedom again. I want to buy nice clothes. I want the opportunity to move house as we are bursting out of this one. All material things I know but sometimes a balance has to be struck. I think that is the issue - balance. Balance will have to be struck between me and the husband when I return to work. I know mums that have to do it on their own but I need support. So, for now, I will continue to have days where I scream and rant and feel trapped but this not forever. I don't want to wish my children's lives away and I am SO glad to have stayed home through these early years. But, as a family we are going to have to adapt to changes, and work as a team to do it.

My ranting and moaning for now is over - thanks for listening x x 

* that is not me - I am not blonde but I am very screamy!

The Gallery - The Kitchen

Where can I start with my kitchen?! Well, my kitchen is..........mmmmm....tiny. I do believe it is the smallest kitchen known to man. It measures a whopping 2m x 2.5m and there is no room for my fridge-freezer. Cooking in the kitchen is always eventful but luckily it opens up into the dining area and we spill over into there. Along with the children I have a good time in the smallest room in the house and between us we have baked some rather yummy things over the years.

So here is my entry in this week's Gallery. In spite of it's small size The Kitchen always comes up with the - baked - goods and has helped create some very happy memories.

Enjoy x x x