Joe Brown - School run style entry

Hiya all,

You may think, why are you entering, you don't have a child of school able age. Yes that's correct but that doesn't mean i don't have to do the school run.

My niece goes to the same school where my mom and my sister (her mom) works so when it comes to after school meeting and extra early starts etc I'm left with the school run for my niece, and i must say, the mothers at our school have questionable fashion sense, if that's what you call it! Most mothers, come rain or shine will be at the gates face ful of slap, flip flops on and a vest top! That's the staple mother look at our school.

I though i would join in with the Joe Brown School Run Style competition that's being run from there website as Joe Browns clothing items are something that Ive been aware of the past few years. My sister is a HUGE fan of there ranges. She loves there floaty long tops and dresses that she wears over jeans and there staple plain items for her to wear to work.

So here goes, this is what my normal school run style is:-

rubbish take photo of self picture here!

 yep hoody and jeans, normally what im wearing when I'm running late to fetch Evie.

If i could choose anything to wear on the school run and put a bit more thought in than just grabbing the 1st thing that falls out of my wardrobe, i would go with this:-

So i picked:-

Perfect Palazzo Trouser  £29.95

I love palazzo style trousers they look so comfy and floaty and i like the pretty floral print all over 

Must Have Mesh Trim Vest £12.95

with the trousers being busy and floral, i like the plainess of the white vest, but with an added mesh trim its not to fussy 

Must Have Cropped Denim Jacket  £34.95

i love a cropped denim jacket, i own one not to dis similar to this one, and its great when its not quite hot enough to go bear armed, the 3/4 sleeves make it perfect for layering

Bright Bead Detail Toe Post £19.95

a bit of bling i needed and these toe posts are just the ticket, i love the different coloured beads and gems, adds a bit of sparkle 

Rose Tinted Aviators £9.95

aviators are my favourite sun glasses style, they make my normally horse like face look less long and horse like, i mean theres nothing wrong with horse faces, as long as there on horses themselves! And dont we all want to see the world through rose tinted spectacles? 

Funky Friendship Bracelets £9.95

with the 3/4 sleeves of the jacket, its nice to add a bit of colour and texture to your wrists as there on show so these bright friendship bracelets do just that and they match the colours in with the sandals

I think this outfit is perfect for school runs in the summer as its very simple but has a touch of bling and colour!

Well that's my pick, im really enjoying seeing others ideas of what they would wear

Have a nosey over at http://www.joebrowns.co.uk/ what would you pick?

Love Lucy x

celeb mums - role models

 Hiya all,

Something that really riles me - celeb mums, not the fact they have children and are famous, that's fine. Who am I to say who can and can't have children. Its the fact that get paraded all across the papers as amazing role model mums, and look how good were looking 1 weeks after birth!

Well bloody good on you, how did you find the packed hospital wards then?

Oh that's right you had a private hospital with a team of midwives feeding you grapes

How did you snap back into that bikini body so quick? I can bearly raise the energy to move from the sofa most days.

Oh yh that's right, you have a personal trainer to get you there and a personal chef to prepare your meals!

How you dealing with the sleepless nights, there terrible ain't they?

Oh yes, I forgot you have a team of in house nannies to look after your child, while your catching up on sleep, or not so much as your out getting papped at clubs

Now I no some may think, well they have to maintain there career and would you if you had there money? but no, i honestly wouldn't!

My argument is, 'normal' mothers who have to go back to work after 1yr, if there lucky, else they won't be able to pay the bills, have no roof over there heads and no food on the tables, I can totally understand the need to get back to work, but when these big celebs have millions in the bank, then why do they feel the need to go out straight away, if I had the money I would say that's enough, I've got 10million+ in the bank I don't need to do any more gigs for now, this money will last me a few years, I'll stay at home and enjoy my child.

Surely there missing out on quality time with there little ones?

Beyonce is my main issue, I don't no if my dislike of her comes from the fact that my niece likes her so much (were like chalk and cheese, if she likes something, I'd do my best to dislike it) I don't no, she just annoys me! Sorry Beyonce lovers, I no there's a few out there, she's just not my favourite person.

But the recent story is about her losing 60lb (4 stone 2lb) after the birth of her daughter back in January, well how does she and the papers think this statement will make other new mums feel who are struggling to keep awake through the day let alone think about losing weight.

Maybe its not the celebs as such, but the medias obsession with them and the celeb mags, and the way there portrayed as amazing role models.

I'd rather stick with my role model, my mom, who's raised 3 kids and held down a job, house and is generally amazing!

OK rant over! normal service will resume shortly :)

What do you think of the celeb mums as role models?

Lucy x

Trendy toddler tuesday . . .

Hiya all,

Again this week Harry will be joining in with the lovely Marías, over at verybusymamablog.com, and her lovely little mans, Trendy Toddler Tuesday linky!


Today we haven't been up to much, i went dentist then we popped to farmfood so this is definitely a casual look!

very well worn now hes been in the garden with them

Harry's wearing:-
Disney Cars2 top - H&M - £3 on sale
Green shorts - Sainsburys in a pack of 2 -£5
Trainers - buckle my shoe design - £0.99 eBay :)

told you it was a lazy day!

Hope your all having fun :)


Lucy x

Weekend Fun in the Sun!

Hiya all,

Well harrys been well and truely loving the sunshine over the week and weekend :)

We visited family on saturday and then sunday we spent all day in my sisters garden where she had a paddling pool set up and a ball pit :)

I thought i would share some pics with you as i dont really have a topic as such to post about today. Im being lazy, i no, i could moan about the people at my dentist this morning, but that will more than likely bore you to tears so i will spare you the details.

ready for the Norway match on saturday :)

posers! - ignore the vest & half finished tattoo, its work in progress :)

rocking the geek chic look

checking the temp of the water!

ready for the syncranised swimming

oops heads stuck in the window

then he said 'mom' and gave it to me!
knows how to melt my heart!

So there we go, a few pics from our weekend!

I thought id use these to join in with www.thelifeandtimesoftheworkingmum.com fun in the sun link up :)

Hope you all had just as much fun as we did.

Lucy x

What to Expect Before and on Delivery Day - A guest post

What to Expect Before and on Delivery Day  

There are a number of things expecting moms have to do to prepare for their new baby. The preparation period can actually satisfy the nesting need many mothers experience, as well as help them, feel more calm and ready for motherhood when go labour does strike.  Following these few examples of how to prepare for your new baby can do just that: 

The first thing an expecting mom needs to take care of is making an appointment to see a doctor, and make sure to schedule and attend all of her subsequent doctor appointments. Secondly, mom needs to learn what foods and beverages she should stock up on and which ones she should stay away from throughout her pregnancy. She’ll also need to educate herself on what types of activities are safe for her and the baby and which ones are not. Talking to her doctor during her first appointment will answer all of these questions for her.  

Closer to delivery day, mom needs to make sure she is in possession of an infant car seat that is up to date on safety standards. An approved infant car seat is one that faces the rear of the car. The hospital will require that mom brings the car seat into the hospital prior to going home with her new baby so that it can be checked to ensure it is safe for the new baby. For moms that are unsure how to install an infant car seat, hospitals are happy to show her how.  

The day that mom goes into labour she needs to make sure she takes precise notes regarding her contractions. Her doctor will require this information when she checks into the hospital and even when she calls to tell her doctor she is in labour. Mom will need to write down when each contraction begins, the length of time it lasts and the level of pain she experiences with each contraction. Typically, the doctor tells new moms to call the hospital when her contractions are five minutes apart and last between 45 and 60 seconds.  

There are a few things a woman can prepare for when it comes to post-delivery. A mother will need to decide whether she wants to breastfeed or formula feed. If a woman would like to breastfeed, it’s helpful to take a breastfeeding class similar to a childbirth class. Whether you breastfeed or formula feed comes down to a woman’s preference. An additional post delivery consideration is cord blood banking; this is where the cord blood is collected and saved for potential future use to treat disease that might affect the baby, possibly a sibling 

"This article was written by Katie Moore. Katie is from the US an active writer within the blogging community who discusses maternity, motherhood, prenatal health, childbirth and other topics within this niche.  If you have any questions or would like to connect with Katie please visit her blog, Moore From Katie, or contact her via twitter @moorekm26."

The Sun Mousse® - Kids sun screen review

Hiya all,

As soon as we spot that golden ball of fire entering the Sky's over the not so sunny shores of Britain then we all grab the chance to get out and make the most of it, after all, its Britain, we don't no how long its going to last!


I personally love letting Harry play in the Garden, and him being able to walk around with a pair of shorts on. And boy does he love being outside! But as every parent knows, the sun can be very harmful to our little ones if we don't protect them against it.

When the very lovely people over at Zeon Healthcare asked if i would review some of there kids sun mousse i jumped at the chance, what stood out for me with The Sun Mousse® was that it was suitable for sensitive skin.

As parents we want to know were giving our children the best and protecting them as much as we can. So knowing that The sun mousse® is suitable for sensitive skin, water resistant, protects against UVA and UVB rays and does not contain fragrances or unnecessary colourings is very much piece of mind for me as a parent.

harry enjoying helping his uncle Karl in the garden!

down on the farm!

Over the last week or so i have been using the sun mousse on Harry, i used the factor 50 for high protection of his skin. Like most 2yr olds, Harry hates being still to be washed and dressed, but the good thing with The sun mousse® is that it can be fun, when the mousse comes out onto my hand, harry likes to see it take shape and then we apply it all over him, it absorbes VERY quickly into the skin and doesn't leave any stickiness to either the skin or your hand when you apply it. You don't have to rub for ages like you do with some sun creams and lotions that i have used in the past and there is no residue left over. Final bonus, no nasty chemical smell!

 Here's some top tips sun tips from The sun mousse company:-

The Golden Rules…

• Don't get sun burnt!
• Only use sunscreens with an SPF of 15+ or higher.
• Children are at a higher risk of burning so remember to keep an eye on.  Babies should not be exposed to the sun at all.
• Sunscreens should never be used in order to spend longer in the sun, they should only be used to increase your protection.
• Remember to reapply sunscreen regularly.
• Try to stay in the shade when the sun is at it's highest between 11am and 3pm.
• No sun screen, no matter how high the SPF, can offer 100% protection, so try to cover up with a wide brimmed hat, t-shirt and sunglasses.

And Remember…

• Just because you are not deliberately sunbathing doesn't mean you won't get burnt. You may be outdoors watching sport, doing the gardening or just sitting in the park.
• Damage to the skin comes from exposure to UV light not heat, so don’t be fooled by low temperatures or a cool breeze.
• Always check that your sunscreens are in date – many people are unaware that sunscreens have a shelf life!
• Don’t be deceived by the shade of a beach umbrella, the sun’s rays can penetrate through the fabric and may be reflected up from the sand so you will still need to reapply regularly.

If you know you’re going to be spending time out of doors always take sunscreen with you!

I'm very happy with the sun mousse and i will be definitely purchasing it to use on all of us over the summer, but another great fact that the lovely sun mousse company have informed me is that not only does the sun mousse protect against the suns rays it protects your skin against all weather conditions be in wind rain or snow.

The sun mousse SPF 50 is competitively priced at £17.99 and can be purchased from there website as well as boots, They also have a range for babies and adults, as well as aftersun and more.

http://www.zeonhealthcare.co.uk/

http://www.thesunmousse.co.uk/

Hope you all have a weekend filled with fun in the sun what ever you are doing.

Love Lucy x

*i was sent some sun mouse products to review, all thoughts are my own, i have not been paid to make this review.

Friday Finds & a ramble

Hiya all,

Well isn't it another lovely day!

I thought i would share with you some 'finds' i have brought over this week.

 

in the night garden book - £3 from matalan

zingzillas book - £2 from matalan

JCB box set - 99p discount wearhouse

Red Panama hat - £1.80 Matalan

Fireman SAM ball - £3 Matalan

  Best dad tshirt - £6 Matalan

Best son tshirt - £1.50 Matalan

 Gold card pack - £0.99 - discount Wearhouse

Blue crape paper - £0.99 - Discount wearhouse

(these are for me to start making my nieces jubilee crown for there party at school)

Today got off to a bad start when we had some sad news that hubbys dad had been rushed to hospital vomiting blood this morning, so hubby was there with him from 5am til around 9am then went to work at 10am after being sent home by the nurses. His dads been taken to the emergency care ward and more tests were being taken out by the doctors. Il know more later, just hope everythings OK.

My blackberry has given up the goat, I'm currently installing new software on it as advised by the orange team, but I'm not holding out much hope, just hope i can recover all my calender information and contact numbers.

Going to take my Dad to a fishing shop later for him to buy a new net! I no, i get all the glamorous jobs in my family.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend what ever you have planned, and i want to thank each one of you for following, it really makes my day when i get a new comment or follower, makes me want to keep going and blogging more and more :) hope im not boring you all too much

Love Lucy x

new babies . . .

Hiya all,

We have some new babies.

Not the babies your strictly thinking about, although they do make about as much noise and want feeding just as much. We have baby birds living in our house, literally in our house

A mommy blue tit decided that the air vent at the side of our house was the perfect home for her little babies. So she nested and out hatched 6 little beauty's.

I'm am in love with them! They tweet all the time and you can watch as the parents go in and out taking them food all day long. They are 6 very hungry birds.

I've managed to sneak a few pics and a video while the mommy wasn't looking because I don't want to scare her or them.

We live opposite a big open field, so she has lots of insects to catch and bring them back for them but I've brought some meal worms today for them and are going to leave them in my garden so she doesn't have to keep flying over the main road as much to fetch them food, my dad said that's the biggest killer of the blue tits because they fly so low, they get knocked down. (I no some wildlife experts will get mad at this because there meant to be wild and catch there own food, but we feed the wild birds all year long in our garden, so they always have a constant supply to help them along the way)

I think I'll be really sad when they fatten up and fly the nest, I'm sort of worried about them already, will they all be able to fly OK? I feel like there surrogate mommy! But maybe one of them will be back next year with there own family's.

I can't wait until Harry's old enough to understand about the wild life and plants in our garden!

Do you have any wildlife in your garden?

Lucy x

Fun in the sun - down on the farm

Hiya all,

Well its turn up for the books, this sun has lasted longer than the usual one day in a blue moon that we normally get.

Today me and Harry headed down to our local farm with my friend Lucy and her son Thomas.

Harry loves seeing the animals and due to the farm only being small, he gets to be out of his pushchair to have a wonder as its all in one courtyard.

We saw some newborn lambs, some goats, pigs rabbits and chickens. oo and the peacock too.

I hope you all are having a fab time in the sun with your babies and children, my heart goes out to you pregnant ladies in this weather, luckily i was only a few months pregnant through summer when i was having Harry, but i can imagine its not the most comfortable of weather to be pregnant in.

end of the day - tired out!!

What have you been up to in the sun?

Lucy x