Category: Views & Ramblings

1. Time Saving Tips for Mums

   Posted on 9:49pm Thursday 21st Mar 2013

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   I remember a time when I would arrive promptly for a dinner date, an appointment .... work and look haughtily at those that arrived looking hassled or, in some cases, disheveled. Today, I have to admit that there are days when I am that person.

   I asked our Facebook fans what were their top time saving tips for mums and here's what they came up with.

   • Prepare. Always prepare the night before if you can. Those extra few minutes in the morning may prove valuable when one of the children spills something down their front first thing in the morning. (Insert juice / breakfast / toothpaste - as appropriate).
   • Have a routine. Children thrive on routine and hopefully, if you do the same things often enough, they should become a habit for them. (Disclaimer ... this doesn't seem to apply to making their own beds)
   • Dont iron unless you absolutely have to! (This one made me giggle).
   • As long as the children are perfectly groomed, have some great hats and you can forgoe doing your own hair!
   • Have an "emergency" bag by the front door, with nappies, wipes, change of clothes and snacks .... just in case you have to dash out anywhere.

   Now finally, my personal tip is to find long lasting make-up. I have used the same liquid eyeliner for years (yes, I accept that I am a creature of habit), so I was devastated to find that it had been discontinued. However it has been replaced by "tattoo eyeliner" which  lasts for 48 hours, unconvinced I thought I would try it and guess what .... it works!

   So my time saving tip is to buy make up that you only have to apply every 2 days :-) 

   Do you have a tip to share?

    

2. As a parent, should you stop going out socialising?

   Posted on 8:53pm Sunday 17th Mar 2013

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   I remember when I was little that my parents had a really big circle of friends who they saw regularly but the men would often go to the pub and the women would meet at each others houses for a cheeky bottle of wine and a catch up. I never really remember them getting all dolled up and going into town to go clubbing but that is what we did this weekend.

   I love getting dressed up and going out dancing but this weekend we had two different occasions to go and celebrate, one on Friday and the other on Saturday night, it was like I was 19 again. Having children absolutely changes your social life, despite what many people say, it doesn't stop you socialising if you choose to but it does alter how you feel about it the following morning! 

   I have a very vague memory of once upon a time dancing all night and not getting very much sleep but when you have two small children demanding your attention, the thought of having no sleep doesn't appeal so much.  I have to admit that I have felt a little jaded today, not hungover, just very very tired. When your baby is waking you up in the middle of the night, you kind of accept that you will feel tired the following day but when your feeling of exhaustion is self inflicted, it somehow makes you feel worse.

   The friends we were out with this weekend all have children and to be honest, we spent a lot of the time talking about them but sometimes it is good to get out and be guaranteed of actually finishing a conversation without a little person interrupting it at some point.

   So, should parents still go out when they have had children? Absolutely.

   Could I do it every weekend .... absolutely not!

   My two daughters are bubbling with energy and excitement and if I am too tired, I can't enjoy it. So I will always continue to enjoy time with friends but I think I have to admit that my days of all nighters may finally be over.

3. Gangnam style : How to put some "seoul" into your life

   Posted on 10:30am Sunday 17th Mar 2013

   Let's be honest, unless you have been living under an enormous rock for the last twelve months, then the chances are you have heard (and probably seen) Korean pop star Psy’s mega hit Gangnam Style. We have seen children and adults of all ages doing the "Gangnam Style" and it is a phenomenon you can't escape. Named after a trendy area of the South Korean capital, the song apparently pokes gentle fun at the trendy hipsters that live in the district. Whatever the message, a billion views on YouTube means that it is one of the most watched things in the history of mankind. It’s also become an international dance craze. Not bad for a day’s work all in all.

   It’s not just Psy that is putting Korea on the map. He may be leading the charge but Korea is big in other areas too. Seoul is widely considered to be one of the coolest cities in the world right now and is really having an influence on global trends. Young people in the country are very fashion and style conscious and Korean design is currently riding the crest of a wave. So, all this means it is the perfect time to add a touch of Korean flair to your living room. What better way to do that than with a new sofa .... especially if your little ones like to use it as a climbing frame like ours, it maybe time to look for a new model? 

   Korean style sofas come in a few different shapes and sizes but the most common design is the large, flat corner sofa with extended area for a bit of ultra cool slouching (we know your mum told you not to slouch but trust us, it’s the only way to relax on a Korean sofa). The main distinguishing feature of Korean style sofas is the colour. It has to be bright and bold.

   Korea is a bright and vibrant place and this is really reflected in the bold colours and patterns they use. The fabrics they use hold their colour really well and don’t be afraid to mix it up with some really contrasting cushions, in terms of colours and patterns. (Again, we know that mum always told us that we should colour co-ordinate but sometimes it's good to be different).

   This kind of colour confidence is indicative of a country on the up and that definitely sums up Korea right now. It’s certainly a good time to try and get a bit of that confidence to rub off on us. With the doom and gloom around in the news at the moment, we could definitely use a little bit of positivity to give us a lift. Why not start with your sofa and work up from there.

   This is a guest post from Sainsbury’s. If you’re looking for new sofas for your home then take a look at their impressive selection online today. Taking inspiration from around the world, they’re sure to have just what you’re looking for.

    

   Disclaimer :  This is a sponsored post but having used the Sainsbury's website personally, it is also a natural recommendation too, I just haven't blogged about it before! :-)

4. When will spring arrive?

   Posted on 8:04pm Saturday 9th Mar 2013

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   I can't believe it is March already and Easter is weeks away. Wasn't it Christmas last week? Where has the year gone?

   I actually like spring, I think that there is something innocent about it and it is a time when we tend to look at redecorating or even moving, so whilst we are spring cleaning our houses, it is probably a good time to spring clean our finances too.

   Having children means that Christmas is always over indulgent (although I have always loved buying presents, so maybe I just have more of an excuse these days) and Easter is no different. I will happily add chocolate egg after chocolate egg into my shopping trolley and put money in cards for my god children without thinking how much money I am actually spending. I always intend to budget but this goes out of the window more often than not. (do you think I could be addicted to shopping??).

   I am a regular reader of the MyFamilyClub website and they have some fabulous budgeting tools available but I particularly liked their suggestions on How to Spring Clean your Finances. There are some really simple suggestions and even an avid spender like me can make a difference if I just take half an hour to go through my monthly expenditure.

   I have always said that shopping is my hobby and if I can spring clean my finances, maybe this will mean I may even have a little extra at the end of the month ..... for a new pair of shoes :-)