#MeAndMine - A Family Portrait (March 2015)

Phew! March has been a hectic month.

It always is.

I have both children's birthdays falling within 17 days of each other in March. It means planning birthday days and planning parties that just takes up a lot of my time.

We've also been stepping up the Orlando holiday planning and have, today, told the kids the secret that we've been keeping for a year - we are taking them back to our 'second home'. The excitement in our house is building to fever point...and that's just Matt and I!

In amongst the excitement Matt and I have been consuming Breaking Bad episodes like they are, literally, drugs. It was something we never even looked at when it originally aired and so it's been great to just watch them all. One night we watched 3 back to back! As of today we are 4 episodes away from the very end of the last season - tense and exciting is an understatement. Part of me is wanting it to be over though so I get my evenings back. I don't think I've been so into a television series since Game Of Thrones...and that starts again soon. Argh!

Sorry, I'm digressing. My photo...

Back on March 11th it was MC's 6th birthday and she chose Pizza Express as her birthday restaurant. We had a lovely meal and, as always, the children were impeccably behaved. I guess it comes from eating out a lot but they are always great in restaurants. So, I asked the Manager to take a family photo of us. It turned out quite nice.

Here's to another month passing and getting closer to our amazing holiday!

#MeAndMine - A Family Portrait (April 2014)

I've reverted back to a very quick iPhone selfie for this months photo.

As you will notice, I haven't been about this month. MC only went back to school after the Easter holidays on Monday and the week before that we all had a tummy bug.

I've spent most of the month - tummy bug aside - just enjoying 'real life' (and the glorious warm weather that April brought us) but I've enjoyed it that much I haven't thought to take any complete family photos. It's a shame as we've had trips out to the sea, trips to the zoo, trips to the park and trips to see family and friends. I've taken lots of photos but none of the four of us.

Big fail.

My homework for May is to try and get at least three photos. I'm sure we will be able to do it. We are away for the May half-term at the end of the month too and ending it at the Baby Tilda Barn Dance! I also have some extremely exciting news that I'm holding back on at the moment too.

So, anyway, this photo was grabbed last night. The kids insisted on pulling silly faces. They'd spent most of the afternoon, after MC got home from school, bouncing on the bouncy castle in the back garden. They were tired but full of fresh air and happiness. It also resulted in a 6.30pm bedtime so Matt and I were pretty happy too!

#MeAndMine - A Family Portrait (March 2014)

March is probably the busiest month of the year for our family.

Both children were born in the month.

MC on the 11th (she was 5) and TC on the 28th (he was 2).

Throw in Mother's Day, a themed Minnie Mouse party and a few other prior engagements and I'm ending the month feeling pretty exhausted... but full of love and happiness.

I have been taking a lot more photographs of the children with the 'big camera' this year but it's very rare that I'm in the photos. Setting up the timer can be a bit hit and miss and the kids get easily distracted but asking other people to take photographs is probably worse - especially when it's my mother-in-law. She's good at a lot of things but sadly she's no photographer (not that I am but you know what I mean).

The day before Mother's Day we met up with my in-laws at Trentham Gardens. It was a lovely warm but slightly breezy day. Lots of scooting, fun, laughter, bickering (Matt and his mum - not the kids!) and ending with drinks and ice cream. I only have one half decent photo of the 4 of us that my MIL took that I'm including this month but I have lots of quite nice photos that I took of the kids enjoying themselves.

This month has been all about them so I wanted to share them with you (even if MC had fallen over 2 days earlier and is sporting a huge graze/bruise on her forehead!).

*Sports the voice of a newscaster about to mention that funny bit at the end of a broadcast*

And finally…

After MC's Minnie Mouse theme party earlier in the month we did have this photo taken - I wanted to share it because even though I'm exhausted on it, I couldn't stop laughing at Matt and TC sporting exactly the same expression. Priceless!

Distant Memories

By the time this post goes live I will have been back in the UK exactly a week.

And what a week it's been!

A week of ups and downs coping with jet lag, solicitor stress and house move packing.

It seems like our 22 nights in Orlando is just distant memories already.

But oh what a memory!

We had a truly amazing time. It was just full of sun and fun. Matt and I celebrated our 6th Wedding Anniversary inside The Magic Kingdom with our two children - it doesn't get much better than that! I can honestly say that I feel like it's the happiest place on earth. The enormity of what Orlando has to offer is incredible. In total now, we've spent just over 6 weeks out there and we've still only just scratched the surface of it.

We can't wait to go back already.

Remember I was a little apprehensive about taking Tiny Ched with us at only 13.5 months?

Well, I needn't have worried a bit. In fact, I think he enjoyed it the most out of all of us. He even finally learnt how to walk, the lazy little monkey.

I plan on writing about our trip in a lot more detail over a few posts but we are due to move house in just 2 weeks so time is something I don't have right now. Remind me never to move house on the back of a holiday again! I have already shared a few of our family photos on my recent Me And Mine post if you missed it.

I also have the amazing BabaSling to review which was a lifesaver on holiday. It's so lightweight and comfortable and was just what we needed, especially at the airport. Full review on this to follow.

In addition to this we took our Cosatto Yo!, which I've reviewed previously, away with us and it was brilliant! One of my major pieces of advice, if you are planning on visiting Orlando, is take a really good pushchair with you. 

We also used the brand new Snoozeshade Plus Deluxe which was fantastic - another lifesaver. TC slept so soundly even at busy and noisy theme parks in 35°C+ temperature! This is another piece of 'must have' advice for summer travelling with little ones.

Anyway, I digress (as usual).

I just wanted to churn out a blog post to announce my arrival back in the UK.

Ta-da! 

*waves*

I am also going to BritMums Live the weekend after next. Let me know if you'll be there and come say "hi". I still can't believe that I'm going down to London in the middle of moving house too! If I'm totally honest, I could do without it but I am so looking forward to seeing old friends (and hugging them tightly) and meeting new ones. I haven't even thought about clothes or even looked at the schedule yet and I don't think I will have time to.

*takes deep breaths and swigs wine*

I'd also like to thank my lovely guest posters who wrote awesome posts for my blog whilst I was away. They are all brand new bloggers so, if you haven't already done so, go have a look and show them some support. 

I also want to apologise for not being on my blog, other blogs or social media much at the moment. I really miss reading and commenting on my friends blogs but that has to take a back seat for now until things calm down. I'm sorry. I will be back! I promise.

I'd also like to say...wait for it...

*passes sick bucket in advance*

...yes this post should come with a boak alert...

I'd like to say that... although I'm busy and stressed to the eyeballs at the moment (and suffering the "why can't I live in Florida?" syndrome) and *breathes sharply* not sleeping properly due to jet lag and stress ... I am happy.

Very happy.

I know I'm one blummin' lucky lady. 

I have one gorgeous and amazing husband who I love even more than the day I married him (and I didn't think it was possible) and two gorgeous, happy and healthy kids. We have just been on, what many would call, the holiday of a lifetime and we are soon to be moving into a big brand new house.

With everything that's happened in the last 6 months (can't believe it's 6 months since the beautiful MultipleMummy passed away), it's really made me appreciate everything so much more and I am trying my best to just be positive and happy that I'm truly blessed. Kerry's comment on my blog in 2012 was on my mind a lot during our holiday. How I wish things were so different.  

Oh yes, how I wish things were so so SO different.

Friends who are going through hard times right now are always in my thoughts and always will be. That's blogger friends and a couple of my very close real life friends (they know who they are). I shed tears of happiness on holiday but I also found myself shedding tears of sadness occasionally. Jennie, especially, has never been far away from my thoughts during our trip. Every bubble I saw blown into the sky at Disney I thought of Matilda Mae and how she would have loved it. I also thought of Tamsin and all that she is going through. I wore my 'Making Waves For Alex T-Shirt' which Mickey Mouse thought was awesome!

Yes, this holiday has made me appreciate everything so much more.

I have the post-holiday blues and feel like our holiday is just distant memories but that's what they are.

Memories.

Amazing memories to cherish. Forever.

I'll always be thankful for them and so much more.

Goodbye Me - Hello New Bloggers!

I can't believe it's finally here.

We are off on holiday next week. Eep!

I've got someone I know to house sit for us and all is good, if somewhat hectic. We have signed the contracts on the new house in readiness and are just awaiting the final formalities before we exchange. I'm hoping it will happen while we are away *crosses fingers and toes*

To those of you still following my blog, thank you! I know I haven't been about much these past couple of months and your readership means the world to me. I promise, once the holiday and house move are out of the way, I'll be back on form.

I've made another important decision too. I've decided to step back from my freelance work for now. What has happened lately has made me realise that my family are most important. Tiny Ched is growing up so quickly (quicker than I ever imagined) and I want to cherish this time with him as a baby/toddler and give him as much attention as I possibly can. I guess I'm living up to my blog name!

I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, if I'm honest, as I've been struggling lately. I have also stepped back from my volunteer work - mainly because of the holiday and the house move. I hope to pick that back up after the summer.

Anyway, I'm rambling and keeping you from the most exciting news of all.

So? What have I got in store for you whilst I'm away?

I've lined up some awesome new bloggers to entertain you in between my indulgent Silent Sunday posts (and one other very special post I have planned which I hope comes together). They are all brand new bloggers who only started their blogs this year. In fact, some of them have only been blogging a month or two.

They are all really lovely ladies and I'm so excited as they have written some fabulous posts.

I'd really love it if you could show support for them by commenting, visiting their own blogs and tweeting/following them.  I remember a couple of years ago when my blog was brand new and it was the love and the support of the amazing blogging community who helped me get my feet on the blogging ladder.

So, without further ado, here's who will be guest posting for me and when:

Tue 14th May - Jill from Delicious Designs

Thu 16th May - Claire from You And Me Are Family

Tue 21st May - Sarah from Stay At Home Mum - In Training

Thu 23rd May - Stephanie from Storybramble

Tue 28th May - Lucy from Baked Potato Mummy

Thu 30th May - Françoise from The Little Gang In Paris

Tue 04th June - Millie from Toddles And Tantrums

Please show them lots of love. I'll be attempting to schedule some tweets to promote their posts but would be so grateful for any help you can also offer.

With that excitement, I'll love you and leave you all, dear readers. Take care and see you on my return...and thank you again.

Florida here I come!

Woohooooooooooooooooo *runs off screaming with bikini in hand*

(Taken January 2012)
MC is ready to be reunited with her idol

#MeAndMine - A Family Portrait (April)

This was a last minute photo.

I suddenly panicked with a day to go, realising that I hadn't taken a family portrait for Lucy's 'Me and Mine' link up. It's something I really want to keep up with as this first year of Tiny Ched's life passed us all by with no photos of all four of us.

March was a busy month and April has been just as hectic.

I'm probably going to jinx this now by revealing this on my blog but...

...we are going to move house!

I didn't want to officially announce it until we had exchanged contracts (we haven't yet) but, at the moment, I don't see that anything is going to change *crosses everything* I haven't even told all my friends yet as I haven't wanted to say anything until it's all legal.

It's an exciting time but it's also scary. A lot has happened, both good and bad, over theses past few months but I'm hoping the future, for everyone, is going to be full of as much love and happiness as possible.

Our new house is gorgeous. It's so much bigger than the one we are in now and we are all looking forward to moving and making it our home. Our current house sold on it's first viewing which was amazing (it's so nice not having to worry about viewings with two small children messing the place up!) but it also pulled at my heart strings a bit.

This is the house that...

...Matt and I bought together 7 years ago
...we left from and returned to the night he asked me to marry him
...just 3 short months later (almost 6 years ago) we spent our wedding eve in
...we also spent our wedding night in
...we conceived both our children in
...we brought both our children home to after they were born
...we made a home

and

...has experienced so much love and happiness

I'm sure our new house will be filled with just as much love and happiness though. After all, they are only walls.

We are the essence of the house and home.

So this is a very poignant photo as, I think, it will be the last one of us all taken in this house.

We are due to move at the end of June...and we still have over 3 weeks holidaying in Florida to get through! We booked the holiday after deciding, last year, that we weren't going to move. Now we are doing both. Eek! Matt and I are totally knackered (as you can see) so I'm hoping a bit of sun recharges us - even if we could do without the holiday in the middle of all this.

Yes, life is very hectic right now.

But life, on the whole, is very good.

Time

My blog has been a tad neglected lately and so has my blog reading and for that, I apologise. I plan to catch up with everyone over the next few days. I promise.

My life seems to be passing in a blur. There aren't enough hours in the day sometimes. Although often I sit and ask myself "What have I actually done today?"

Often I can't answer.

I think it's something most mums experience.

I can't even claim to have a spotless house. I'm so behind with housework I think Kim and Aggie would have heart attacks if they popped by.

I can't claim to be snowed under with freelance work. It's a lot quieter on that front lately with things just ticking over nicely. I get behind on the little work I'm doing so I'm thankful that it's not too much right now.

I can't claim I'm taking care of myself. Yes I had my hair done a couple of weeks ago and looked half decent for about 2 days but that's well and truly gone now. Yesterday I opened the door to my glam neighbour. I looked like total crap - no makeup, hair scraped back and wearing baby sick on my shoulder. To make matters worse, 2 minutes after she left I realised the zip on my jeans was down. Oh the shame!

I can't claim to be spending time with Matt. He's so busy in his new job he's often working on the laptop until very late and I choose to just crash out.

I can't claim to be spending a lot of time with family or friends. On Tuesday of this week I actually went out for lunch with my parents - the most quality time I've spent with them in a long while. It was lovely to get out with them. I haven't seen my friends due to illness (them, me and the kids), immunisations (my kids) or just being busy doing other things or running out of time. I feel bad about that.

I can't really claim to be exhausted. Amazingly, Tiny Ched will sleep 9 hours at night without waking for a feed.

No, I can't claim a lot right now.

But I can claim this...

I'm enjoying having two beautiful children. Mini Cheddar makes me laugh every day and TC is starting to get a cute little personality and developing and growing well for only 11 weeks old. I'm extremely lucky. After MC I didn't think it would be possible to love another child as much but my heart has just doubled.

I'm loving being a mum of two and if that means I don't have time for other things right now then sobeit.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

My beautiful babies

Normal service will be resumed soon.