Goodbye 2015

Goodbye 2015
 What can I say about you, what did you bring me this past year? For me personally it's kind of just been a bobbing along year where things have kind of just stayed the same and that's not a bad thing I kind of needed this year just to be straightforward. That was until the beginning of November where you gave me a job at my local school as a midday play assistant (well, dinner lady)... it's only a six month contract so in July let's see where your friend 2016 takes that for me.

I have been happily carrying on with my blog, I still really enjoy it even though halfway through the year my mind went a little blank and I couldn't think of anything to write. But I soon found my way again. As I look over my blog for the past year I wrote one about What I would say to my Teenage self. I really like that blog post and had fun reading over it again.

It was my Mum's 50th back in February and we went to the Aqua Shard for breakfast, it was lovely even though we found a hair in my mum's food, but the views were lovely looking down over London. Also Little Miss P had her KS1 test and she did well so the hard work she put in did pay off. Just still need to work on the spellings and reading. In April we took my mum to Disneyland Paris as part of her birthday gift, it was a fun time if not a little stressful at some parts. In April we did a lot of work to our Garden and it looks so much better now and it feels like it has a lot more room to play in.

I started to do Avon back in June just for a little but of extra money and I am doing OK with it. We had our annual Garden BBQ party where we invited family and friends to come over for our joint birthday party. Also around that time we had a little week away in Kessingland and in August Little Miss P said goodbye to being in year Two. In September she said hello to year Three meaning she is now in the Juniors, how time flies. The weekend after being back to school for just for one week we went to Center Parcs for the weekend for my sister's birthday.

Also this year Little Miss P has had two dance competitions and has just been a great girl this year, really trying hard with everything she has done, from dancing to school. I hope that she can continue that in 2016.

I will miss you 2015 but can't wait to see what 2016 will bring.

Love
Mrs P

It's Christmas!!

Little one has now broken up from school, later than most do from school on 22nd of December. So our Christmas has now begun. OK that's a little lie, Christmas started the weekend before, but this was the first weekend that Mr P hasn't had a gig so we popped into Romford. So I can go to Primark and change my new coat over because it broke on the first day of wearing it.  Also the Coca Cola truck was going to be there, we knew it would be busy we just wanted to see it. If you made it through the queue you could get a photo taken with it, but we didn't try because the queue was massive.

But the morning was actually a brilliant morning because we went to Thorndon Park in Essex where they had a celebration Santa Trail, more details on that over my daughter's blog. But at the end of the trial you found Father Christmas. And Little Miss P was ecstatic with it as I think this may be the last year that she believes due to all her friends saying that he is not real already.

And yesterday evening 21st December we went off to Lakeside Shopping Centre just to actually have a look round. I did buy a few things, mainly a present for the other half (only a small one as we're  not giving much to each other year due to our holiday coming up). Also got a Starbucks and Krispy Kreme doughnut, naughty of us but it was so worth it. We left there about 10 o'clock at night and the little one was very hot, probably very tired in school the next day as well. But all they're doing is watching teachers got talent, which will actually be very hilarious, then lunch and then they leave early, so I won't be up to much either.

I have had a fun few days around the Christmas break already and can't wait to see what the next few days bring for us. Time to chill out and have lots of family fun.

Love
Mrs P

 A Fun few days videos hope you all enjoy

Hello December

This is where I normally do monthly goals but this time I am not just due to it being Christmas. I don't have many plans in December so it feels like that this Christmas will be very chilled out as on Christmas Day we are just at home.

On the buying presents front I still have a few to do, mainly the kids in our family, just not sure what to get them. Actually I don't have a clue what to get them. This Christmas I really want to do a lot of baking with Little Miss P and watch a few Christmas movies with the family. I would love that. Little Miss P and I have already got the hot chocolate sorted with whipped cream and marshmallows, just need to be careful that we don't have it every night as it is so fattening.

This Christmas Mr P and I are not getting each other anything due to our holiday later on in the new year. I am excited for what may happen this December.

Love
Mrs P

Here is a little video of us putting up our Christmas tree

Main Tree up.

Oh yes, our big Christmas tree is up and is in the front room this year. Actually it's in the front room every year and it has seemed that we have started a new tradition. Little Miss P and I put up the Christmas tree up together as it's a busy time of year for Mr P with work and his music... we don't really see him that much so me and Little Miss P do it. Now we've put up the Christmas tree and decorations for him to see when he gets home.

I loved it this year with Little Miss P helping me as she is that bit bigger now. And she's a lot more independent as well this year, she really wanted to put the Father Christmas on top of the tree and she did. We do still need to buy chocolates for our tree but I'm waiting till December for that because they will be eaten very quickly, not just by Little Miss P but I will also eat them. I just can't say no to chocolate.

We've got a 6 foot slimline tree at the moment and I think we got it last year because our other one just completely fell apart. We did have it for the past 9 years before this tree so it was time it came to its end.

Do you have your tree up or not yet. My mum leaves it till the last minute and puts it down as soon as she can. That might be because she's got all her Grandkids over and a lot of them like to go for the baubles and knock the tree over.

Love
Mrs P

Here is a little video of our time in Devon
Hope you enjoy it

We have a Christmas tree up.

We have one of our Christmas trees up, yes one of them... we have three Christmas trees in our house; one in our porch by the front door that the other half got from work, a medium sized snowing one it's really cute, the second one is the main one that's in our front room where Father Christmas leaves all the presents under and lastly Little Miss P has a pink one in her room that Father Christmas usually leaves one present under for when she wakes up in the morning.

I absolutely love Christmas and last year I didn't really get into it. I felt a little bit bad for myself and my family, I felt like I let Christmas down but I'm not going to do that this year. I have already got quite a few presents for everyone, there are of course still some I need to get but I have got all my wrapping paper and I think I have most of my cards now. Hopefully in a few weekends' time I will have my main Christmas tree up with the lights on and pretty ball balls, I  just can't wait.

Usually by now I have all my Christmas trees up and so does my stepsister... actually I don't think she's got hers up either yet as it just hasn't been cold enough but it's definitely getting cold now. As I write this little blog I'm really excited for Christmas, I actually might just go up in the loft tonight and get the Christmas tree down. Not entirely sure whether the other half will be happy about that but hey ho, never mind.

As time goes on in the month I'm hoping to do some more Christmassy posts because I enjoy writing about it.

Love

Mrs P

Here is little Miss P dance outfits if you fancy taking a look.

John Lewis Advert

Yep it's that time of year again, it's the John Lewis advert. I've done this for the past two years and I actually kind of enjoy doing them. I like to give my review on the advert because everyone loves the John Lewis adverts. If I remember correctly I wasn't so keen on last year's one but the one before that I absolutely loved.

I'm guessing by now everyone has seen the new John Lewis advert so what do you all think?
I have to say it's still not my favourite one, this year John Lewis have done their advert where a little girl finds the man on the moon and she wants to give him a present because the man is on his own. It is lovely and sweet but at first I didn't understand it... to me adverts are meant to promote the store and what are they having at Christmas and this really didn't.

I understand that they are reminding us not to forget the elderly this year, and it is a really sweet and caring advert, and it could bring a little tear to your eye.

It didn't help that the day after I first saw it one of my friends put on Facebook that the old man has a telescope so he can perv on the girl. So now when I'm watching the advert that is what pops up in my head and it kind of makes me laugh.

So let me know what you think about the John Lewis advert. I'm in two minds about it, I like it but I don't entirely get it, especially from a brand perspective. Still my best one has to be from two years' ago. I don't think they can beat it for me.

Here is this year John Lewis Advert 

And this is the one I really like

I will never be a size 8 again

Yep I will probably never be a size 8 again.
When I was younger before I had Little Miss P I was a skinny mini size 8. Well a size 6 to 8 anyway. I would roll my shirt up to show off my bellybutton bar and of course my flat tummy. But I did walk everywhere and worked most of the time... I just didn't sit still.

After that Little Miss P was born and I was made redundant from my job so I didn't even have one to go back to. So I thought I would be a stay at home mum and I have loved every single little bit of it. But that does mean I don't do as much moving around as I used to, so I now have a mummy belly (well that's what I call it anyway). I know that Little Miss P is now seven and I still call it my baby fat but who am I kidding, I'm just a bit podgy round the sides, at the top of my legs and my bottom. One thing I have liked is that I have put weight on my boobs so my boobs are slightly bigger than they were.

I am really starting to hate my body and the way I look and that would make me worse because I'd eat because I wasn't happy and I'll put on more weight because I was eating more. Also it doesn't help when my husband makes silly sarky comments about my weight and that was leading me to eat more and then put on more weight... it was a vicious circle. There is no getting away from it, I love my chocolate, I've always loved my chocolate and I will never stop loving my chocolate. But maybe I can just eat a little bit less of it.

I am just going to be happy with my body, whatever shape and size it is.

Love
Mrs P

Me while I had baby Little Miss P in my tummy

I have a job

Well I have a new job. I've been doing it for the past week and it's official title is Midday Meals Play Leader... in other words I am a dinner lady!

I haven't been doing much in my first week, I've mostly been helping out in the dinner hall making sure the little reception kids are okay and taking their plates to the table without dropping it all over the floor. I get to eat some of the cook's leftover dinner because most of the just want to quickly go and play, I don't blame them though. I'm trying to encourage the kids to eat their main lunch first and not go straight to desert. I'm guessing we all did this when we were younger... if you had your lunch in front of you, you would always be tempted to go for the desert first. 

And I have also been out in the infant playground. They are actually really sweet kids. I even taught one of them how to skip, I have to say I'm pretty proud of that.

I am enjoying it so far but as I said it's only been a week so let's see what the up-and-coming week brings me. I'm only on a six month contract so I don't know what will happen after that. I don't need the money, that's not why I'm doing it, I'm doing it to actually get me back out there because I have to say that being at home all the time is kind of lonely.

I will keep you updated on how it's going.

Love
Mrs P

My new job video, hope you like it.

November Goals

October

1) Get ahead on my filming for YouTube

2) Get through Little Miss P's dance competitions without pulling my hair out or any crying from anyone

3) Get ahead of Christmas shopping 

Well October was alright, I did most of the things that I wanted to do.

Hello November...

...what have you got planned for me? I don't think you have much planned other than starting my new job as a Midday Meals Play Leader and finding out a way to fit everything in. Whilst still working on my blog and YouTube and of course all the Christmas fun that I hope will be coming my way.

November 

1)  Get through my job for a month without any stressing out

2) Have a positive month

3) Finish reading my book that I have already taken 8 months to read

Love

Mrs P

It's been a busy one

It's the 1st of November and it feels like ages since I have sat down with my Laptop to write a blog post.

And you know what, it actually feels really good because I've missed it. I've missed just sitting down and putting my thoughts on paper (well, Laptop). So I thought that this blog post will just be what I've been up to over the last two weeks, oh my I can't believe it's been two weeks. It has been fun and have had some new experiences involved.

I will start with half term week. The other half had a week off work so on Friday straight after school we went down to Devon to see my sister-in-law and her family... I love the part of Devon they live in. The views are to die for and you can even look up at the night sky and see stars.Where we live we don't see stars because there's too much light pollution. That's one of the downsides of living in the city.

We left it too late to book accommodation so we stayed two days with the other half's parents in their caravan they have near his sister, and two nights on the floor in the front room with his sister so that Little Miss P can have as much fun with her cousins as she can. She certainly did that with Miss R and Miss A. So much fun that she was absolutely knackered on the way home but that's what I wanted for our five hour journey home, with the little stop off at Little Chef for a bit of dinner.

Whilst we were there we went to a little model village because it was Halloween themed. It's not my sort of thing I have to say, but it was okay. My favourite bit was the burning man on the street. I am guessing it was because it's coming up to fireworks night. It's basically a miniature one and it was really sweet (if you can really call a burning wicker man sweet). The main thing for me when I go down there is just to relax and take in the scenery and of course get my cream tea at Dartmeet.

On the last day we had some time on our own just as a family. Mr P really wanted to go to Becky Falls, which if you don't know is a pretty waterfall in the moors. You have to go in and pay to see it but there are also animals to see and  some food as well. There are three walks you can do at different levels of difficulty and we did all three of them. I am very impressed with how Little Miss P did and she had to climb over the boulders and up a very steep hill. In fact Little Miss P did better than me... at the end of the steep hill I was so out of breath it was ridiculous, and halfway up I think I might of said I'm going to kill you to the other half for making me do this walk. But by the time I got up there and got my breath back I was kind of thankful for him picking it as I am so out of shape now it's just not healthy. And I should really be doing more walks like that.

We got back home on Tuesday evening. Wednesday it was just a day of rest, washing on, just doing bits around the house. Thursday we had a lovely wedding to go to, Helen and Nasser's, and it was a lovely wedding, very small with only about 30 people in a lovely hotel in Southend. Helen looked absolutely gorgeous in her dress and of course Nasser looked very dapper in his suit. Little Miss P was the other star of the show being the only kid there other than the baby. She did her song and dance at the top table and was actually being a little social butterfly, one minute she was next to me the next she is off talking to someone else, it was very sweet and I haven't actually seen her like that before. I think dancing and drama is bringing out her confidence.

The rest of the week was just getting the house back to normal but it felt like it had been a while. It actually wasn't, I'm not entirely sure where the rest of the week went but on the Friday I definitely know that Little Miss P and I caught up on some reading and just having some mummy and Little Miss P time. It was lovely, we didn't do much but it was lovely and just what I needed and what she needed. On Saturday it was Halloween, I will do a different blog for that, and on Sunday my mum took Little Miss P to Colchester Zoo which of course she loved.

So that is what happened in the half term. It felt so good writing this as I have had a bit of a blogging downer but I now feel like I'm back on top of it.

Love
Mrs P

Here is a little video of A Small Haul 

Christmas at Rosie Hopkins Sweet Shop

Christmas at Rosie Hopkins Sweet Shop

By Jenny Colgan

Rosie Hopkins is waiting excitedly for Christmas in the Derbyshire village of Lipton. Her sweet shop in festooned with striped candy cane, piles of Turkish Delight and happy, sticky children. She's going to be spending it with her whole family and boyfriend Stephen.

But when tragedy strikes at the heart of their community, Rosie's plans for the future collapse. Can she build a life in Lipton? And is what's best for the sweet shop also what's best for Rosie?

My View

I love, love, love, this book, it's got that cozy feeling about it and it's great to read to get you in a little bit of a Christmas mood. It really was a fantastically enjoyable book. I never knew this book was a 2nd one, but it can be read independently as I did. I didn't find out it was 2nd one until I looked on Amazon. It has plenty of things going on and contains some very odd, interesting characters. It flows well and is easy to read and keep on reading.

A series of events threaten the livelihood of the village as well as her relationship with Stephen - will they all live happily ever after? Of course they all live happily ever after... It's that type of book where you know before you even read the book that it'll be a happily ever after.

As I've already said I love this book and would say go and buy it and read it.

Love

Mrs P

Why are girls so bitchy?

Why can young girls as young as seven be so bitchy, and put each other down all the time. 

They always just want to be better than their friends instead of trying to help their friends and they try and get one over on them. I've tried to teach Little Miss P that if you can't say anything nice don't say it at all, but then she just comes home and tells me what all the kids have said... like on the way home from drama today here is the situation for you...

I was walking up with a few of our friends on the way home from drama, her friend was on her scooter and asked her if she wanted to race. Little Miss P said no then her friend said its because you just don't want to lose, then she came over to me and said 'she told me I was stupid'. I didn't hear the conversation so I don't actually know if that was said. Little girl said she didn't say that. I  just said ignore each other, don't talk to each other for the rest the day I can't be asked with the pathetic arguing and putting each other down.

Who knows who was telling the truth in that situation but I wish Little Miss P would stand up for herself a little bit instead of saying 'that person said this' and 'that person said that'.

It's just not little seven year old girls that do this, people my age at 29 still do this and I have done this myself but I try and stop myself before I say anything now.

Love Mrs P

First Weekend of Dancing Competition

Yes we had the first day of Little Miss P's dance competition and I have to say she did so well for her first day. She had two dances she had to do, the first one was a ballet duet with her friend Keili, of course they got 1st and were both so happy. It was great seeing their little faces when they got their medal.

The second dance was a quartet modern with her friends Poppie, Sidney and Penny. They all looked so cute in their bright pink outfit, pigtails and white head bands, you just wanna squeeze them. In the photo above this is their dance teacher that taught them the dance, Tallulah. They all gave her a massive hug when they came off. When I was watching it I have to say it wasn't the best they have done that dance, it was a little bit messy but as they weren't up against many others they got first too.

So the first weekend overall she had two dances and got first in both of them. In the weekend coming up she's got her song & dance solo that has about 10 children in so I'm not expecting her to win that one and I think she isn't either. She also has a lyrical trio with Poppie and Sydney, I'm not sure how many are in that category but it's a great dance and they look beautiful in what they're wearing.

Love

Mrs P

Here is a little chatting video of what I thought about the first weekend of the Dancing Competition

October Goals

September

1) Keep working on doing that 1% extra 

2) Try and get ahead on my filming for YouTube

3) Enjoy reading my book and finish it once and for all 

   4)  Lose a bit of weight 

       5) Sort out my wardrobe

OK so September wasn't a good month... I don't know why but it wasn't so I just need to get back with it.

Hello October, what will you bring to me...

...other than three weeks of madness dance competitions for Little Miss P, that is! With me feeling very nervous for her and her not really feeling nervous at all, making sure that I have her make up bag, dancing shoes, her dance outfit and money for McDonald's afterwards are all ready. And about three bottles of drink (no alcohol for me sadly, only water hehe). 

I also hope that you will bring lots of Halloween fun like making pumpkins and maybe some sort of Halloween cookie thing, not sure yet about that one, but maybe. Also it will be fun to see the family  go out kicking through the leaves and collecting conquers.

October 

1) Get ahead on my filming for YouTube

2) Get through Little Miss P's dance competitions without pulling my hair out or any crying from anyone

3) Get ahead of Christmas shopping 

Love

Mrs P

Weekly Vlog x

Blogging Mojo

Hi everyone, at this moment in time I really don't know what I should be writing about, I've kind of lost my blogging mojo. I think I need to sit down and just read a lot of blogs to get some ideas. Maybe go out for a walk, I don't really know. I can't be the only one that's lost their blogging mojo before, so how do people get back into it?

Okay I'll do a blog post about me losing my blogging mojo and tips on how to get it back, yeah that's what I will do. I better go and do some research on it now and then below this come up with five best ways to get it back.

Tip 1

Go for a nice long walk - there's nothing better than getting some fresh air to get the juices going. I got so many ideas when I went out, just remember to take a little notepad with you.

Tip 2

Sit down in a quiet place, light a candle and read a book, read a few other people's blogs; just read anything really, it will spark a few ideas.

That's all the tips I have really as that is what works for me. Let me know if you have any other tips.

Love
Mrs P

Here is a little video about Little Miss P's year three homework

Next - Blogger

I am part of the Next blogger network and have never done anything with them before. I thought I would join so I could get some ideas when my mind can't work out what sort of blog post to do.

And today was one of them so I signed in and found this cute outfit. As you may know Little Miss P has her own blog now so I thought this would be perfect for her.

I am gutted that they don't do it in a big size, the top is from 3mths - 6yrs and Little Miss P is 7 yrs. It comes in a lovely Dark grey colour Long Sleeved tee. I still might need to buy this for someone as it's so cute.

The skirt works so well with the outfit and it looks like a great party skirt.

 But Next have come up good and got a bigger girl's blogger Light Grey Top with sequin details. I have just ordered it for her and it will be here by Friday, woohoo. I think this will really suit her with a dark pair of jeans for the Autumn / Winter.

I wonder if they do an adult's one of these or maybe one like it. If so I might need to get one for myself.

Love

Mrs P

What I Am Loving

So this is just a little blog post of things that I have been loving, it could be TV shows, books, films, food... whatever really. 

TV Shows

So there have been two shows that I have been loving. The first one is Dragons' Den, I watch it every year, it's just fun watching people mess up their pitch (I don't mean to be mean). Everyone knows when you go into the Den you need to know your numbers. Number two for my TV Shows is Doctor Foster, it's a new show on BBC one about a man cheating behind his wife's back. I have only watched the first one but I am hooked already.

Food 
Pop Tarts. I've always loved Pop Tarts and at the moment they are on offer in Tesco for £1.34 I think. The normal chocolate ones are my favourite ones. They are all so scrumptious though.

                                                       Websites

At the moment I am really liking looking at the John Lewis website. I love going into their stores and having a look around, and I do the same with the website. It helps that they have their Christmas section online now. I have seen a lovely set of Christmas lights that say hohoho on but they are £95.00 so a bit out of my price range, but it doesn't stop me from liking it.

Wish List

I have seen so many things that I like at the moment but I just haven't got the money for them so the main thing on my wish list this month is a new little camera. I've seen one that I love but it's about £300 so I will not be getting it... I know but I can still dream and have a little Wish List can't I? It's the Canon Powershot G7X.

Love
Mrs P

She's Back to School

Little one's been back at school for a few days now and I'm starting to get into the hang of things being back at home on my own. I do miss her but it is good for her to be back with her friends as she was starting to get bored at home.

For me being back home on my own it's been back to washing up, tidying, dusting things and hoovering. And of course working on my little blog that I do and also working a bit more on my YouTube channel. It's only been a few days of her being back at school but I am already a few weeks ahead on this blog. When I write posts I'll then schedule them for a few weeks' time... particularly book reviews or film reviews. I am starting to really like doing reviews.

I do sometimes just sit there and think I  don't want to do anything now. But it doesn't usually last long as I do have things that I need to do, and that I've just been putting them off.

I am trying to do a lot more in my day as over the past year I have started to get lazy and want to kick my butt at that. But it does take motivation.

I hope everyone had a great start to the new school year and that all the kids are settled in nicely.

Love
Mrs P

Here is a video of Little Miss P August Favourites 2015 x

Center Parcs - September 2015

Yes we have been to Center Parcs again for the weekend but this time it wasn't so busy. We had a lovely time and only a few of us went, my mum, my sister and her two kids, Mr P and Little Miss P and that was it. It was actually very relaxing.

Well it was relaxing in the day anyway, the evenings it was a different matter that was due to being woken up at 6:30 or something like that in the morning. This was caused by Master Hill and Little Miss P waking up very early and deciding to play in front room.

My mum and my sister got there first thing in the morning on Friday but we had to wait for Summer to finish school and Mr P to finish work, so I got there about 8:30 in the evening. I didn't mind though because we just stayed in the villa that night. Mr P and I did go for a drink after we had taken the car back to the car park and it was quite nice.

The next day we didn't have much to do because I didn't plan much as I wanted to do lots of swimming and we did. We went swimming in the morning and Little Miss P loved that. This is the bravest she has been for a while in the swimming pool going underwater and not hanging on to me for dear life. I was so proud of her but I have to say thanks to Master Hill for that because he is like a little fish.


Also that day we had a meal booked at Huck's, an American-style restaurant. I have to say I definitely think the menu has got shorter from last year so there's not as much to pick from but I did have something new on the Menu and that was a hot dog with nachos and cheese sauce. Oh my it was lovely. And probably very fattening. But I was on holiday so hey-ho.

After Huck's we had a game of bowling. Mr P won as he normally does. And we had a little drink at the bar before taking the kids back for a good sleep.

After swimming we went back to the chalet for a bit of a chillout and Little Hill has got a thing for ducks. Oh my he loves them, he just sits at the window saying that duck duck and giggling away. Oh and on that day 5th September it was my sister's birthday, that's why we are there to start with. I think she had a lovely day.

Love
Mrs P

Here is a little video of our center parcs fun

Where did August go?

Where did August go? We are now at the start of September and it feels like I have blinked and missed the summer... it doesn't help that it has rained most of August.

The summer holidays for us were filled with a little holiday to Kessingland, birthday parties, lots of cooking at home, making cakes, learning our times tables and seeing some of the family as well.

The thing that stands out for me this summer holiday is how much Little Miss P has grown up. Not just because she has grown in height (though her legs have got very long and I will probably have trouble with her when she's older with the boys... But that's not yet luckily).

It's her character that's grown up as well this holiday as she seems to have turned from a very young girl into just a little bit of an older girl and is more independent. She's starting to work out what she wants to do instead of me having to encourage her to do something. She seems to be really focused on her little YouTube channel that she has worked on and has lots of ideas for it. She wanted to work on her maths and her English during the holiday without any help from me which is nice. She evens goes downstairs in the morning and does some work before I have even woken up.

I can't wait to see what this school year brings for her to see if she thrives, I hope she does and I think she is willing to as well, so that always helps.

I'm sure I will keep you updated through out her school year and I'm sure she'll do little snippets over on her blog too.

Love
Mrs P

Here is just me having a little chat

That 1% Extra

Hi guys, so I think in a recent blog I mentioned about that 1% extra so this is a little blog post just to tell you my thinking around it. I am not the most motivated person in the world I am probably one of the least motivated people in the world. Is it called lazy, well it probably is. 

I am the sort of person that starts things and doesn't finish them. Well no more (well I'll try to make it no more anyway).

I overheard someone saying that if you put 50% extra into your day you will be amazed at what you can do. I want to be honest, some people just can't do the extra 50% in one day because that is crazy, but if you do just 1% more than you normally do in a day then it would be a start, wouldn't it. 

Take this blog of mine, I have been doing it for about five years and it's just been bubbling along. I do a blog post each week not really watching how many people are commenting on anything, I just really do it for me and have a  place to write down my thoughts. And writing a lot about family things is for me to look back on in the future.

 I want to take my blog to the next step... I'm not sure what that next step looks like yet and I'm not sure how yet but I have been reading up on some other people's blogs. So today I put 1% more effort in and put up my Tots 100 Badge. I didn't have a clue how to do it so I looked it up on YouTube and found a video to show me. So for me today that is my extra 1%. I know it's not much but it's a start and that's where everything begins... everything begins at the start.

So wish me luck on this new little 1% extra thing and let's see where it can take me.

Love
Mrs P

Here is a little video of Little Miss P making a cake

Back Into a Routine

It's that time when we start getting back into the routine. Little one has got school in a few days' time and I'm trying to get her back into some form of routine... trying being the operative word!

She's been going to bed late, as late as about 11 o'clock so getting her to sleep by 8 o'clock is proving difficult. She has to be in her room at 7 and I read her bedtime story at 7:30 to try and settle her down for eight. But she's saying she's still quite awake and can't go to sleep.

She's finally been going to sleep at around nine to 9:30. I would still like it to be earlier because otherwise she'll find it hard to wake up in the morning for school and will not feel herself at school. I know I won't be the only mum dealing with this at the moment but it does frustrate me and it is my fault as I should've started it earlier really. Probably a week earlier would've done it. I have one more day before she goes back and I know that tomorrow night it won't be 7:30 now, more like nine, but hopefully after that first day at school she will be knackered and go to bed on time... well that's I'm hoping for anyway!

Love

Mrs P

Here is a little Video of our garden from start to end.  

September Goals

September Goals 

So it's been a rainy August, let's hope that September will bring us a bit more sunshine.

August Goals

1) Have a great birthday party for Little Miss P

2) Take Little Miss P swimming 

3) Enjoy the summer holidays and make the most of it 

4) Do lots of cooking with Little Miss P 

September

1) Keep working on doing that 1% extra 

2) Try and get ahead on my filming for YouTube

3) Enjoy reading my book and finish it once and for all

                                                             4)  Lose a bit weight 

                                                                5) Sort out my wardrobe

Love
Mrs P


Head over to www.apeekatkarensworld.com she got a link all about goals and its a great to other. 

2016 Planning

Yep, I'm talking about 2016 already. And I'm a little bit crazy doing this but we got some exciting things happening in 2016 that I can't wait for. It does mean that I have to be a tight arse from now on though, lol. 

So the news is that we have booked a two week holiday, one week in Canada and one week in the USA. Don't want to give too many details why because one of them is a surprise for Little Miss P and I don't really wanna give away when I will not be in my house just for security reasons.

The first thing will be to see our family. We have a nephew out there and he has a child with his other half. We haven't seen them in ages I think it'll be about three years that we haven't seen them for and as he is trying to get a Visa out there at the moment he can't leave there for another two years. So altogether it will be four years that we wouldn't be able to see anyone as he can't leave Canada, so we thought that we would pop over and see him.

We've always thought about going to that part of the world and the USA to see and experience it so we thought this was the great opportunity to do them both. It will be a lot of work and we will be absolutely knackered afterwards but sometimes I think you've just got do something like this in life.

We have booked most things through different companies as that's the way it worked out the cheapest (more detail to come on that). I think that was the best deal we could find at the time and I am pretty happy with it.

We still have a few things that we need to sort out and I would really like to get that sorted just so I know where we're sleeping and making sure it all fits together. Once that is done I will be a lot happier and be able to start planning the fun bits, hehe.

Love
Mrs P

Keeping track of money

Hello, I fancy doing a few blog posts on here about saving money and keeping track of money. I can start to become a pro at this considering my husband likes to keep track of money... I never used to be like that but now I am. We don't keep track of every single little penny but pretty close to it.

I understand why my husband likes doing it and I understand the advantages of it but sometimes it can do my head in. We are not multimillionaires, we're not even close but we are not on the breadline either. We comfortably just bubbling along each month.

We can afford to pay our mortgage each month and pay all at other bills with a little bit leftover at the end of each month after paying things that we need to.

I would tell you how much our household income is but I'm not going to, not yet anyway.

Mr P and I do like to save money. It's not a load of money at once but it's little bits of money because all the pennies to add up. So here are my top five things to save a little bit of money towards that nice holiday of yours or even just a nice designer bag.

1) First of all we buy value groceries like Value beans, corn flakes, pasta, rice all the essentials that you buy each month.

2) Keep a little notepad in your bag to write down things that you buy with cash... when I buy them I usually forget what I have spent it on otherwise.

3) Set up an Excel spreadsheet, this is mainly the other half (for me anyway) as this is his domain. We can see each month how much we spend on phone bills, food and going out.

4) Anything we have leftover at the end of the month in the bank account goes towards our holiday fund even if it's 10p or even if it's £100 it will go into the holiday fund, then start the new month afresh (this one will give you motivation because you will start seeing your holiday fund going up and up)

5)  Keep bottles of water in your fridge. Every time I have a bottle of water and take it home and we fill it with tap water so when I next go out again I have got a full set with me instead of buying one for 60p.

Love
Mrs P