Mad busy

This should help me to unwind - image from Basehead 

There are not enough hours in the day.

My last few posts have followed a similar vein, I'm not sure what is going on but it is so frustrating. I am so FRUSTRATED.

It can't help that I'm quite impatient. Everything needs to be done now, immediately. This INSTANT. I've got a million things to do and the time is always running away from me.

Take yesterday for example.

Day starts. Feed the children, wash the children, dress the children, entertain the children, soothe crying baby.

Housework. Make up the beds, load the dishwasher, do the laundry, hoover up, soothe crying baby. Put away the laundry, tidy up, tidy up again, then tidy up some more, referee a squabble, make lunch, eat lunch, make bottles, change nappies, soothe crying baby.

Debate whether to go out. Shocking weather, decide not to go out. Reason with defiant toddler, discipline defiant toddler, respond to the question 'Why?' from an inquisitive 4 year old for the millionth time, make dinner, eat dinner, children brush teeth, read children story, children say prayers, soothe crying baby, children to bed.

Carry out research online for blog, write blog, think of ways to promote blog, blog, blog, blog, blog...by this time it's usually past midnight!!!

I'm working myself into a frenzy here. There is too much to do, I need to slow down, but I don't want to. Not really. I am enjoying the freedom that writing brings, but with three small children it's a juggling act.

Got to push through. I can do this!

Finding my way



Image by I'mDKB from flickr



When I started this blog a month ago, my intention was to carry out interviews to share stories of career achievements and life goals. This is still the plan, but as every good writer/blogger knows it takes time to build content.

So, not wanting to lose my momentum I will continue to post frequently sharing with you my own experiences, challenges and take on life.

In essence I am finding my way as we all are. I hope you enjoy the journey.

Be kind to yourself



 Image by Nina Matthews Photography - from flickr

 Lately I feel as though I've been running on empty. I'm feeling drained, emotional and a little overwhelmed.

Not a good start for the new year.

I think my main problem is trying to do too many things at once, and in my quest to do them all perfectly, I end up doing all of them not very well and disliking myself for it.

Take today for instance. After nearly two days of not leaving the house, the better half and I decided to take the children out for the afternoon. Midway through the journey a thick fog of tiredness descended over me. I felt totally exhausted, probably the culmination of a teething six month old (he cut his first tooth yesterday - yay for baby!) and too many late nights blogging........

We drove around for a bit then the better half suggested going for a walk in the woods. At that precise moment in time I couldn't think of anything worse. It was freezing outside, the baby was sleeping contently and there was no way I was fumbling with the car seat to take him out, then faffing with the buggy, especially since sleeping hasn't been part of his repertoire of late. To be honest every task felt like too much.

The girls were beaming at me with 100 watt smiles. I felt horrible for letting them down, they were desperate for me to join them out into the crisp winter air. Hmmm what was I saying about doing more fun things with my children? Probably should have added in summer.....hahaa.
Needless to say the better half took them out to the woods on his own and they got a much needed run about. I stayed in the car with the baby and got a much needed power nap. Everyone's a winner.

I think today's episode has proved that I can't be superwoman, if I'm not up to doing something it's best for me to take time out to recuperate rather than beating myself up about it and turning into a snappy, crabby, blubber baby. After all it's true what they say; happy mummy equals happy family. Lol.

I suppose all we can really do is our best and learn to be kind to ourselves and of course one another.

Happy New Year! It's 2012!

Well we are here. 2012. A time for new beginnings.

(I'm loving this photo by *Sally M*. I found it on flickr.)

This year I am setting myself some clear goals. No dilly-dallying. 2012 is the time for doing.

My goals for this year:
1) Get fit. More healthy eating, less junk food and much, much more exercise.

2) Christen our son.

3) Get my children enrolled in swimming lessons.

4) Organise finances. With three children a savings strategy of some description is a must.

5) Establish a way to make money by working from home.

6) Do more fun/silly things with my children on a daily basis.

7) Spend a lot more time with extended family and friends.

8) A family holiday to Barbados. My dad is from this beautiful country and I love it there, (wishful thinking but needs to be done). We haven't been on holiday in forever. Aim high I say.

9) Work out how to credit photos properly on blogger, sounds simple but I'm having issues and it's bugging me (any help will be much obliged).

10) Build my blog and meet more inspirational people through the world of blogging.

That's a nice list to be getting on with I think. Certainly doable. Bring it on.

What do you want to achieve in 2012?

Goodbye 2011

Image from greetingcarduniverse.com

Well another New Year's Eve is here. Where has the time gone? Really? As I grow older the years seem to grow shorter. Nevertheless we must give thanks for what we have achieved.

I must give the good Lord thanks for allowing me to see another year and keeping my family safe.

Much thanks for the safe arrival of our healthy, precious baby boy.
We are blessed with two beautiful daughters as well as a son, and I give thanks for my loving partner (aka the better half).
We have spent the last year living in a different city. Leeds to be exact. It has been an experience, enjoyable but very tough at times. I'm ready to come home and hopefully 2012 will see us moving back to London.
I have realised strengths I knew I had, but never truly tested until this year. I must give thanks for this realisation.
I am looking forward to 2012 and all it has in store for my family and I. God has a plan for my life, I have goals and God willing all will be well.
Happy New Year!!

Why?

Image from hairspiration.blogspot.com

Can someone, anyone please explain to me why black hair care products are so expensive? Particularly when sold in mainstream high street stores. Take last night for instance, I was shopping and popped into boots to treat myself to the tangle teezer hair brush. I've heard so many good reviews about it so I had to make the purchase (I will update how I get on with it in a future post).

On perusing the shelves my eyes were drawn to a selection of black hair care products. Now this in itself is nothing new as I noticed boots had begun to stock black hair care products a few years ago, I brought the products at the time as they were reasonably priced and I wanted to support the cause. After all black products in high street stores has been a long time coming.

Fast forward to last night and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the shelves were stacked with the exact product range I use. 'Great, I 'll get some of that' I thought. Wrong. I was shocked at the outrageous prices. My beloved shampoo that I would usually pay £2.89 for at my local Indian hair shop cost a ridiculous £3.47 at boots and my much needed conditioner which should have been priced at £2.99 cost a mind boggling £4.39. Why oh Why is this? Do boots need the extra money? Surely not. So why are we being shafted?

Please don't view this musing as an out and out complaint, because it is very clear progress is being made but why at such extortionate prices.........????

School search saga

Who would have thought finding a school for your child would be so stressful. It is a minefield and not to be taken lightly. I must admit it is our own fault. Unlike many more organised parents who know which school their offspring will be going to long before they are born, the better half and I have been completely lax. Due in part, in our defence, to having three children in three and a half years.

Now we are frantically searching for the best schools in our area for our daughter to attend. We have trawled Ofsted a million times, seeking out inspection scores, cross referencing one school against another, organising school visits, analysing school performance tables and on and on and on. For primary school league tables click here.

The deadline is just over two weeks away and we have to list six schools we would like her to go to. Of these there are only three we are remotely interested in, and only one of those is our 'we desperately need her to get into this school', school. Well there was another marginally better one, but we live outside of that school's catchment area. Yes catchment areas. Read up on those, because they add yet another layer of frustration I'm afraid. We are going to have to put in some heavy duty prayer time to ensure the good Lord works this one out for us.

The moral of the story? Ensure you carry out plenty of research in plenty of time when it comes to your child's schooling. Maybe this is a no brainer for many more organised parents, but for us it sort of crept out of nowhere. A sorry excuse but a true one nonetheless.