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"If" you were having a movie made of your life, who would you want to play you? We have all seen those quiz's on social media that selects an actor / actress based on your answers but after reading an article on The Baby Website, featuring their Top 10 Awesome TV Mums, it got me thinking who I would want to play me, rather than who am I like.

They are not in order of preference .....

Fearne Cotton

She is a new mum, she is super cool, has a great sense of humour and is not afraid of giving her opinion. (maybe I should take a leaf out of her book)

Tess Daly

If I look as good as Tess Daly in my forties, I will be one happy lady and she could definitely play my 40 year old self in the movie. She is a strong woman, has recently started writing and is good at crowd control .... as she demonstrates each Saturday night on Strictly Come Dancing.

Davina McCall

She is awesome, she is a legend, she is also the fitness fanatic that I am (in my own head). She can play me during my gym commitment years (or were they possibly months??).

Jools Oliver

She bagged herself a man who can cook ..... this is a girl after my own heart. This deserves inclusion in any list in my opinion!!

Victoria Beckham

There are a lot of people that slate Victoria Beckham but I have always admired her tenacity and dedication to whatever she puts her mind to. She is also partial to stepping out in a sky rocking pair of heels to match her baby changing bag, which is totally my style. She definitely gets on the list.

Myleene Klass

I would love to be able to say that I nominate Myleene Klass to play the me that was an exceptional musician, an amazing singer or indeed able to shower sexily in a white bikini but alas it is none of these. Myleene is an ambassador for Save the Children, so I I think I would like her to play the caring and compassionate me! (although I have no qualms in using her as a body double at any point!)

Mummy Barrow

Now our Mummy Barrow is not a TV mum in the traditional sense but she has been on TV, she is regarded as blogging royalty and I can only hope that when I have teenage children, I will be as cool and approachable as she is. I would love her to play my future self.

Beyonce

Let's be honest she doesn't need a video to show that she is a strong, independant woman, who knows how to dance (like me of course) and lives by the philosophy of "if you like it then you should have put a ring on it". I love her morals and she can play me during my dancing years.

Kate Winslet

Any woman that can give up a life of luxury for love, is a true woman in my book. Okay okay, it may have been Rose in Titanic rather than Kate herself but given that she can actually sing too, she can play my musical theatre years ..... jazz hands and all!

Katie Holmes

Katie Holmes may seem a random choice but trust me there is a reason. She is the original girl next door, the girl that really did get Tom Cruise (he was my original poster boy too). She understands religeon (only too well) and has been through a painful seperation. I think out of all of my selections, Katie Holmes could probably empathise most with my character .....

Who would you choose to play you in the movie of your life?

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Parental life cheats?

Sound interesting?

Well there are some things in life that are more difficult than they need to be, they are usually made even more difficult by a wriggling toddler or a stroppy tween, so am starting this series of "life cheats" to find the things that make parents lives just that little bit easier.

The first one is "How to put on a swimming cap in less than 10 seconds"

It is a bizarre one to start with but with regular swimming lessons in our family, it is a frequent battle. From the "should we put talc inside it" debate to wrestling with a mane of curly hair to fit inside it!

So what is the cheat?

You need to turn the cap inside out and fill it with water (it is getting more bizarre isn't it?)

And then .......

I have to admit that we *may* have tried this a few times till we had mastered it. Maybe I should put the "bloopers" on our You Tube channel.

Do you have a life cheat you would like to share?

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This week has been a little bit crazy, although to be honest, that is no different than most weeks in our household. So often our life gets dominated by our own commitments - may it be work, our family or our kids - that we forget to dedicate time to ourselves. 

Does it happen to you too? To arrive to a stage when all you keep thinking about is what everyone else wants and not what you want? I guess it is part of the “job” description of being a woman, and especially a mother. 

It's funny though that is seems only as you get older that you realise the best pleasures in life always come from the smallest things that help us enjoy each and every moment. I genuinely believe that if every day we could manage to find some small things that really give us satisfaction, it would make such a positive impact on our mood and on our life. Doesn’t it feel good when someone makes you an unexpected compliment, or when you see someone smile because of something that you said or did?  

So I sat here and though about the little things that can bring make a difference and make each day a bit brighter.

Make a DIY gift for a friend 

Giving something to a friend that you have made with your own hands gives you a certain satisfaction that is difficult to explain unless you have done it before. Plus, DIY is a great way to release tension and express your creativity. I can be creative but I have nothing on my girls with some glue and glitter!!

Take a relaxing bath 

If you can’t have a week-end at the SPA, you could turn your bathroom into one! Prepare the room with candles, put on some relaxing music and take a long boiling-hot bath. (This is a particular favourite of mine ..... when I can finally get the bathroom to myself)

Enjoy the great outdoors 

The days are getting longer and warmer, so what better time than this to spend some time outdoors with your kids? Take the family to the park or the beach and spend some quality time together that you will all love. Alternatively, you could turn your back-garden into a great place for you to play together with your kids! 

My eldest has a love affair with the Argos book and loves to go through it picking things she would like for the garden, or her bedroom. You can find amazing deals on outdoor toys that you can enjoy with the children and the savvy part of me knows you don’t need to spend much on them, especially if you go for vouchers (I often find great deals on My Voucher Codes). 

Treat yourself to great food (and rekindle your relationship!)

Call a baby-sitter and take a night off to go to a very nice restaurant and order all the things that you like. Great food makes you feel happier (especially if someone else is cooking and washing up), plus, you would have some alone-time to dedicate to your relationship which should not be overlooked. Getting a babysitter isn't always possible but you could create a bit of "you" time by buying a treat for you to share, like a scrumptious cheesecake or a luxurious box of chocolates. 

Read a good novel

I am a book-addict. I absolutely love reading but it is not always something I make enough time for. My idea of happiness is sitting down with a great book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. If it’s winter, you can snuggle up on the sofa with a cosy blanket, whereas for the summer the best thing is to sit in the sun and also get some suntan whilst you are at it. It’s a win-win situation!

What simple things do you do to relax and take time out?

Disclosure: This is a guest post.

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Since becoming a mother, I have had even more reason to indulge my passion for bags. I have an ever increasing collection of oversized bags and my justification for this is that I always need to carry "everything" with me and when I say everything, I really do mean everything. (My friend and I recently went to a soft play and she didn't have socks but my bag had a spare pair for her little one .... and her!)

So when I was given the opportunity to review one of the bags from the Mia Tui range, I leapt at the chance and chose the Amelie bag for its classic design and amazing specification. It retails at £63.00 and there is an extensive range of colours to choose from but I typically chose black (as it goes with pretty much every outfit). I was delighted when it arrived as it was beautifully packaged and the quality was obvious from the first moment.

The Amelie bag is made in an ultra soft faux-leather and wipes clean (perfect for any mom with a sticky fingered child), which appeals to my tactical and sensory side. Whereas the the practical side of me loves that the Amelie bag comes with:

• 2 Clear internal bags with hand strap
• 1 Matching clutch bag with hand strap
• Water bottle holder
• Key clips
• Phone pocket
• Pen holder
• Hands free shoulder strap
• Zipped pocket on back of bag
• Blue Interior

Despite my love affair with a "big bag", I have to admit that the Amelie is probably too big to be considered an every day handbag but it is perfect for those occasions when you do need to cover every eventuality, such as travelling with children or it is a great option for a stylish gym bag. The matching clutch is a great addition to the bag, as you can go from day to night in the blink of an eye, if you going from work to play at a moments notice (or after carefully arranging babysitters in my case).

We have had great fun working out how much we can actually fit in the Mia Tui Amelie bag and the only thing that we have struggled with is my ability to carry it, rather than the lack of space in the bag! (My toddler has attempted to get in the bag but I don't recommend that you carry small children in there!!)

I know everyone isn't as passionate about bags as I am but even if the Mia Tui Amelie bag is a little too big for you, they have an amazing range to choose from. I am an existing customer and very happy reviewer ..... the only downfall about Mia Tui? They have so many bags for me to lust over!

Disclaimer: I was sent the Amelie bag to review but all opinions are our own.