Finding myself at Camp Bestival 2015

I sit at my laptop, a little weary, thinking back over just how amazing the last five days have been; for me, for my children, for my family.
I don't know where to start with the hundreds of photos so for now I'm going to focus on me and how I went about finding myself at Camp Bestival 2015.

I had already made plans for some 'me time' safe in the knowledge that the husband was joining us for the first time properly in four years and the children could be safely left. Plans are often made for Camp Bestival then we find ourselves sat in a field Sunday night and thinking, 'Oh! I never did that!' Well this time I booked myself properly in and earmarked a couple of extra activities - just for me.



The Hideaway was one of my favourite spots and I found myself here at 8:20 on Friday morning ready to go off on a nature run with the very soothing Nick from Uber Wellbeing. I was joined by another six or so runners for a truly peaceful start to the festival. The run took us off site via the Dingly Dell, across fields of cows, through meadows where we paused for some meditational moves and round the lake. This had me set up for the rest of the day and the rest of the weekend.

Later the same day I was back but this time heading for the Yoga Tent for a lovely hour of Yoga for a Peaceful Mind with Louise. This was pure bliss and having never taken part in an actual yoga class before has made me realise the pros over doing it alone in the front room. This was an hour of complete switch off, gentle movement and meditation from which I took away the rather splendid affirmation;

I am enough, I have enough, I do enough.

On Saturday we found ourselves in the Sleepy Hollow and I took part of my yoga affirmation with me to the Badger Press Letterpress Workshops. Here you could use the old fashioned technique of letter pressing to print whatever you like.

The last thing I had planned was a trip to the Guardian Literary Tent. This is a tent I have always enjoyed chilling in at Camp Bestival listening to a number of different speakers and artists over the years. On Sunday I headed down to catch the lovely Lucy talking about How to stop washing your hair! This wasn't as scary as it first sounds as Lucy, with the help of the Scummy Mummies, talked us through the natural alternatives of 'no poo' to clean your hair instead of pouring on parabens and sodium laureth sulfates on a daily basis. A lot of what she said made sense and she assured me it can be done with curly hair.

Listening to Lucy, and dreaming of a yurt in New Zealand, the words from Friday's yoga came back to me. Sometimes we just need to strip back and realise that we do indeed have enough.

And that was how I made some time for me at Camp Bestival 2015.

I highly recommend doing it!

I obviously had an immense time with my family too and this is just a snippet of what we experienced.

So, watch this space.

x x x

Disclaimer: I received family Camp Bestival 2015 tickets in return for previews and reviews of this year's festival. As always, views and opinions are my own.





Project 365 2015 #31

This was a week of two halves; prepping for Camp Bestival and going to Camp Bestival!

Project 365 #31

Day 207
I looked out of the kitchen window and saw that my big sunflower had come out!
Day 208
Lots of planning today and making lists of things we need to take and things we want to do at this year's Camp Bestival - I also managed to post a non Project 365 blogpost too!
Day 209
I took the kiddos out to The Courts for some fresh air today and then in the evening I managed to get out with just the husband - a rarity indeed! We headed to Bradford on Avon for a wander along the canal and a walk to the pub.
Day 210
I spent the whole day packing and prepping food for Camp Bestival tomorrow. I am so glad we have a van this year as everything went in with minimal fuss.
Day 211
We finally made it! It was an early start to beat the crowds and with relative ease we were in and pitched up ready for the weekend ahead.
Day 212
I got up early today to go on a Nature Run around Camp Bestival. The 6k run took us off site, across fields and around a tranquil lake. Here we stood for a while just breathing and taking it all in. It was a perfect start to the festival.
Day 213
I also did some yoga yesterday and there was an affirmation; 'I am enough, I have enough, I do enough'. I took part of this and used it to do some traditional letter pressing today in the beautiful Sleepy Hollow area of the festival site.

x x x

Mummy, do I look pretty? {Parenting Girls}

Earlier today I was sat in my conservatory listening to the chatter and giggles of my 9 year old daughter, her friend and my boy as they played 'schools' upstairs.
I love these moments and it proves to me that they are still very much children throwing themselves into the world of imaginary play with no worries or concerns interrupting them.
However, I want to go back a few days to when my daughter came skipping into my room in a summer dress, hair tied up in a side pony with a questioning look on her face and she asks,

"Mummy, do I look pretty?"

 

Part of me wanted to respond with this; 

 

"Why does it matter? You're 9, you shouldn't have to worry about how 'pretty' you look, that word shouldn't be in your vocabulary. Why aren't you pulling on grey joggers and beat up trainers and throwing yourself around on the floor playing goalkeeper like I did at your age? Who do you think you need to be 'pretty' for? What crap have you watched on the television that makes you think you have to look 'pretty'? Now stop being so silly."

 

But I didn't.

I simply replied;

 

"Of course you do. But being pretty isn't everything in life."

 

And off she went.
 

Did I screw up there?

Should I have sat her down and explained her future role in life as a strong independent female who shouldn't feel the need to be led by society's expectation of her to look preened and 'pretty'?

Am I a hypocrite and sending out the wrong message whilst I put my make up on every day but can't actually explain to her that I do this as I lack in self confidence to go out bare faced?
Have I actually 'learnt' from my own mum who would have laughed off such a question and made me feel tiny for daring to ask?
Should I have wrapped her up in my arms and told her she is the prettiest girl to have ever walked the earth, because that is what I always wanted my mum to do and say to me?

I feel caught.
Caught between the realisation that she is feeling exactly how I felt - albeit much later in life for me at the age of 12 onwards - and the pull of my desire to tell her to stick two fingers up to the norms and 'expectations' and pressures in life.

So, which way do I go?
Where is the balance?!
What would you have responded with?

x x x

Project 365 2015 #30

The kiddos finished school this week to catch up with me so I now feel that the Summer holiday is well and truly here!
I just wish the weather would realise that too.

Project 365 #30



Day 200
Today was the day I ran my 10k Race for Life in Cirencester. The weather was cloudy and cool and I loved every minute of it - although I have decided grass is not my favourite running surface! Next goal - half marathon.
Day 201
A quiet day for me as the children are still at school. I tackled the four foot dandelions and other weeds to make some space in the garden and planted out my sunflowers that I received last week. Hopefully they will survive.
Day 202
Another quiet one - I found this moth in the bathroom.
Day 203
The last day of school for the kiddos today! The weather was lovely and we stopped on the way home to take a peek at the horses in the field of hay bales.
Day 204
Today we went with a friend to Stourhead; the grown ups sat on the picnic blanket and talked and talked and the children made their own den beneath a huge tree by the lake. The hydrangeas by the pathway down to the lake were looking beautiful.
Day 205
A very soggy Friday today so we battened down the hatches, made some popcorn, crawled under the blankets and watched Maleficent.
Day 206
The blue sky and sunshine returned today and we headed to the in laws for a BBQ - I also managed to parallel park the van in the dark tonight!

x x x