The Bag Lady

If you know me you'll know that I don't really do handbags. I don't have many (I think its 3) and I know many of you will gasp at this.

One of my first and only vlogs (which lies hidden somewhere in the archives of this blog and which I can't find) was a talk about what I kept in my bag.

Well you'll be glad to hear that I have upgraded and am having much delight in people noticing my new (well Xmas present) bag. Many people have mentioned how bodenesque it looks but I am glad to say that I am far more high class than that.

This bag, made by Eleanor's Attic is my pride and joy - and it seems to be catching everyone eyes at the moment - the nurse who did my smear, the random strangers on a train and the random ladies while I was out having lunch.

I love it love it love it.

And I think you should all get one too - because am sure she would love you for ever. I have my eye on the Dandy next.

BNM

School Taster

" So if I don't like the look of it , I can stay at nursery"

"Do you think Daddy will be OK on his own without me!"

These are a few of the things that Car said on Monday night because yesterday she had a morning at school - the school she will be starting after Easter.

Yes, it seems that time is coming around again, the time when my babies become a part of the education system. Car, now 4 is at the threshold of school.

While putting her to bed on Monday night I had the talk with her about manners and what do if she wanted to go to the toilet - I have to put my hand up like this mummy! What if I want to fart at school! Oh burgers (yes its her version of oh bugger - oops Mummy must say it less!)

Yesterday she woke with a bounce in her step and was ever to happy to eat her breakfast. I then got a little voice going "What am I getting to put my pack lunch in?"I then produced the lunchbox that had been festering sitting in the back of the cupboard and her face lit with joy. So much so that in the car on the way to work/school she refused to let it go.

Unluckily for me, I had to be in work so couldn't drop off so after dropping me off at work, Neb took them both to school. I rang him after my meeting and found that she had been a bit wary of leaving him and gave him a huge hug.

Then, I rang at 2 , after her morning stint and Neb told me that she had a tantrum and refused to leave school. Ah, well at least we know after Easter she will be fine.

Car gave me the lowdown on what happened yesterday:

We played with bees and one of the twins put her hand up and said what weather it was. I didn't though. Then we counted butterflies and did some colouring in. Then we had our milk - but mummy the grown ups don't have milk. Then we played outside and I had fun. Then we had  a pirate story and then it was lunch and then Daddy came home. I think Daddy missed me Mummy and I gave him a big hug and one for you too. But, I'm happy we didn't do maths as I think that will be hard.

BNM

Furnished by bargains

Let me explain. We don't have much money and sometimes being the only bread winner in the house can be tedious but I love a bargain me. And our house well its furnished by bargains or cheaper.

Living room -

Sofa £80 - CRAFT - local furnisher recycling

2 Chairs - free - courtesty of Neb's grandad's house

Sewing Table/ Coffee Table - free - courtesy of Neb's grandad's house

Tv Stand - free - given to us when a friend one a new tv but already had a stand

Laminate floor - free - taken up from house Neb was working on and was going to be thrown!

TV - £50 - CRAFT - wide screen but not flat or LCD. Waiting for better ones to come in to CRAFT so we can trade up!

Dining Room

Table and chairs - free - courtesy of Neb's grandad's house

Sofa (and pull out bed) - free - courtesy of Neb's grandad's house

Sideboard - free - courtesy of Neb's grandad's house (also filled with Neb's grandparent's plates and a tea set that we got from CRAFT but for free as Neb's mum bought them!)

Washing machines x 2 - one from Neb's grandad's house and one that came with the house!

Bookshelf - £30 - CRAFT

Kitchen

Most of the things in the kitchen came with the house so we didn't need to pay for it but we also have a glass cabinet in the back of the kitchen which you guessed it was free and came from Neb's gran dad's house

Hallway

To be laminated - laminate currently stacked in it was again free and will be done at some point (or I will burn it!)

Bel's Bedroom

Bel's bed  - used to belong to friend's of ours who were giving it away on FB. They lived next to Neb's parents so they delivered it for us.

Chest of Drawers - used to be mine when little, I stripped it and painted it and now it lives in Bel's room though we do need new handles in it

Blanket Chest - my mums - will be moving out of Bel's room when we find some room in ours!

The wardrobe and bookshelves came with the house and are a pain as I would like to get better ones in!

Car's room

 Car's toddler bed - free - when Bel was small we were looking round for cheap ones when a mate said he had one left from his son so ta da we got it

Car's chest of drawers - again free - they where selling the last house we moved out of and so were told to take anything we wanted so we did!

The wardrobe and shelves came with the house and as a small room again are a pain!

Bathroom and Toilet

No freebies here

Master bedroom

Wardrobe and bookshelf  came with house

Bed, one bookshelf and dressing table - freebie from Neb's grandparents house

So as you can see, freebie central in our house! And to be honest I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I would love to get new furniture but when there are recycling places where you can buy things that are pre-loved as we like to call them then why not!

BNM










 

Nature Walks

We love spotting birds and other animals while on our walks! I also am lucky and blessed to live where I live, close to the sea yet minutes away from woodlands. We're also lucky to have several nature reserves in the area - a few which are also SSSI- Sites of Special Scientific Interests in the area.

I mean who else can be lucky enough to live not far from where Springwatch is filmed!

Or then there are the sand dunes near us:

And then there are the squirrels which live in many woodlands in our area:

I love living where I live, and when the sun is shining like today, I enjoy going out and exploring with my kids. Makes me a happy mummy.

As the sun has shined over this week, we hope for more sunny spells so that we can explore our area.
This year we are even hoping for another osprey family to visit.

Hope you are enjoying the beauty of your area!

BNM

Easy sticky chocolate cake

I love cake - as am sure most of us do.

Last night in a whirl of domestic godlessness's and the fact that I was feeling like some comfort chocolate, I decided to bake. Now, I have an age old recipe that I remember making when I was younger with my mum so I thought I'd get it out of my book and share it with you.

Now this cake is easy and a bit different. I mean when you have this:

No, the last one is not gravy. No its what makes this

Yummy sticky chocolate cake/pudding.

So here's the recipe

4oz caster sugar
4oz margarine
2 beaten eggs
3oz self raising flour
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp milk
3oz demerera sugar

Cream margarine and sugar until soft and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs and milk if needed. Add flour and 2 tbsp cocoa powder into mix and fold in. (Or do all this in food processor - like what I do!) Spoon into 2 1/2 pt dish.

Mix remaining cocoa and demerera sugar with 1/2 pt boiling water until smooth. Pour over mix (it may look a bit odd - but bear with it!)

Bake for 35-40 minutes at Gas Mark 5 until sponge is cooked and sauce has soaked to bottom of dish!

Eat , warm with custard or ice cream.

There is only a very small portion of this left which I may have in a bit....

And the girls loved it too bits, Car even proclaiming as usual that I was the best cooker in the world!

BNM

Hairy Mary

Last night, Neb told me that I needed to shave my pits and I asked him why. I haven't got dark hair and the hair I have there isn't that long.

He answered that I had to and I said I could be European or Scandinavian and then I wouldn't have to. I mean why should we - just for men, nah! I mean I will at some point this year, maybe when the sun comes out again but now, nah.

Thinking about it, my legs are possibly turning into yeti legs as its still winter but again thankfully for the light hair (one of the pluses for being redhead) no one knows. Plus, its too cold for skirts at the moment, so hair can grow!

Whilst we're on it - what about down there. Yesterday while I was lying on that bed, trying not to think of other things, I did start to wonder was I too hairy? I'm not one for waxing, or really shaving it, and there be'll be no vajazzle down there thank you very much but sometimes there may be some trimming involved.

So, what about you are you a hairy Mary?

BNM

Legs open

7:53

I'm sat here listening to the kids eat breakfast and wonder if I smell , you know down there. And whether I have to go to the doctors today. Whether I can get out of it.

There are several things I dislike and high among them is having a s, a sm.. a s m e a r. There I said it, I don't think I've had one since before getting pregnant with Car and she's 4. I don't know what it is about them but I don't like going. I mean you'd think that after having two kids and endless people at the mine shaft, so to speak, you'd think that one more thing happening down there I'd be fine with.

8.05
So need to get the kids dressed, Car still eating breakfast and now I'm thinking I just better give myself a quick wash down there. Just in case, I mean you don't want to present a smelly one to the nurse do you. (not that it is smelly!)

8.40
Neb takes Bel to school and then promises he'll come back to take me to the doctors surgery. Am feeling sick - though do manage to eat some toast. Have great conversation with Car about what the difference between boys and girls are - she now thinks that boys have sausage fw fw's (vagina) and us girls have flat ones.

9.10
Neb parks car and we walk down to surgery. Am feeling sick now. Give name to receptionist and sit down to wait my turn.

9.20
Get called in, Nurse Janet is lovely and is filling in paperwork while we chat. She thanks me for coming (I missed the last one) and notes that my last check was 6yrs ago (OOPS). Have a laugh about why this scares me and she also says everyman and dog has been down there to look at one point or other (during pregnancy and birth)

Take coat off, trousers and knickers (panic as wearing a gstring!), thank god for long top, lie on bed and cover myself with towelling for dignity (REALLY!)
Nurse Janet cranks the bed up, shoves lamp towards my front bottom and asks me to bend knees and flop legs. Out comes instrument of torture. Goes in and then comes out as she realises its not going to reach cervix due to my height. Looks around for larger one (great!) and up it goes again. Gets it in place but now cervix seems to be playing hide and seek. She asks me to  put hands under bottom to tilt it and then with a gasp of I can see it, she plunges in.
Painful as samples are taken and then its done. All that worry and its over in 10 minutes.

Have a chat about when results are going to be back,talk about self examining breasts and then done.

I know that am not the only one that puts it off but when you read facts that round 1,000 women die of cervical cancer in UK each year you know you shouldn't put it off Even though the smear is just a cervical screening test and will not give a final diagnosis it is better to have it than not.. Below is a lovely little chart (from Jo's Trust) which shows you why you need to be screened and what happens to the sample afterwards:

So, if your due one don't do what I've done for the last few years and go without, be brave and go and get one done. If it helps you can always ask for the lights to be dimmed pre check and let your mind wander.

BNM

Remeber if you, a loved one or a friend has been diagnosed with cervical cancer there is a fantastic trust called Jo's Trust which can offer support, information and friendship

UPDATED: After a great comment (see below), I've decided to add a linky to this post. So if you have a smear story to tell, either good or bad then join in. Getting a smear is not something any of us enjoy but if we can persuade more people to get them done then our lives can all be happier.

It's just about...

still World Poetry Day and I thought I'd share with you the poem I got from Bel for Mother's Day:

My mum is a ...

as quick as a car,
a luxury caribbean holiday,
a comic strip in the news,
a delciate flamingo,
a speedy runner,
a soft candy floss,
a staplers she holds things together,
an amusing comedy,
a creative artist,
pretty like a violet in the spring

Not bad for an 8 year old. Though am worried about some of her similies!

BNM

Is it you?

You know when you get that deja vu type feeling when you see someone and you think hang on I know you. I recognise those kids, that laugh, that satirical tone of voice, that look.

Except I probaly dont, but when at civilisation (ie inlaws in Birmingham) over Easter, I will probaly be on the look out for you. I've never met you before, but I will be the one looking funny thinking are you, is it you, is it YOU!

I'm as we know a blogger in the closet. Only one other blogger knows I blog (and she blogs too because of me, Hi RP). But I would love to meet one or two someday. And that is why , when I'm anywhere but here I keep an eye out for you. Sometimes, I think you recognise me and then I shy away.

So if you do, come across me, and think its me - remember noone knows. Just pass and whisper something (away from earshot of everyone else) and watch me smile.

Just remember don't ruin my disguise!

BNM

(this post is for @PippaD - except it wasn't me!)

the BNM alternative dictionary - part 1

Sometimes my husband tells me I'm very blond. As you all know I'm a redhead so not blond but sometimes I get blond moments (if you are blond then I apologise!). My memory is not great, and after having the kids it hasn't got any better. It got steadily worse when pregnant with Car and my the last trimester I had to have list everywhere!

Anyway, due to this and sometimes my inability to get the right words out, Neb suggested that I write a dictionary of words, the BNM way!

DICK: No not that one, a private detective, as said while watching Suits last week , is that his Dick!

And to make it worse, I can't remember any more BNMisms now so this will have to be part 1!

Off to stop the girls from killing each other!

BNM

Mothers Day

I had big plans for this post and I even posted for help. But I've been busy and  I failed. I wanted to highlight all the mothers who were in need across the world, the ones who for mother's day they may not be able to see their children, be it because of divorce, illness, child in care etc. And also highlight the fathers who on Mother's Day are also mothers , the single fathers who are both parents to a child. But best laid plans and all that failed when I just didn't get going. But today please spare them a thought.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So, I was thinking about what mother's day means to me. I find it hard and seem to forget that I'm a mother to. That I have two gorgeous girls who love me to bits.
I always moan at Neb that I'm not buying a card as does he not know that my mum isn't here. My mum, who I'd love to have more time with is not here. I know that however many years go by I will never forget her, but then I think of my dad- who has been there for me and who is now parent less having lost both his parents.

But I know I am a mother, it is to me they come when the tears are falling. When the hugs and kisses and the love is shared. I seem to forget this. I don't know how or why. But I do.

To all mother's of the world, with or without their children today.
To all the fathers who are being mother's
To me, to you and all of us.

Happy Mother's Day

BNM

Update

Big mentions to  http://www.jostrust.org.uk/  who helps mothers and others with cervical cancer. A charity set up for a mother


And also Health Poverty Action and their Mothers on the Margins campaign which is working to help keep maternal health on the international development policy agenda. Plus also a big shout out to everyone who took part in the March for Mothers yesterday.




 

C'mon boys

I make no qualms about being patriotic to my country. I am Welsh not British. I am honestly annoyed at the fact that everyone seems to say that the Union Jack is my flag. Ahem well there ain't no Welsh on that flag so there.

Today (unless you are living in a bog) is a very important day here in Wales. Today in approximately a few hours (depending when you read this) our Welsh rugby boys have the power to change a nations hope, a nations dreams. In a war to last 80 minutes they will reach out and touch our souls. Make us laugh, make us cry, make us leap around madly:




All for the pride in our nation.

All for the pride in our team.

So from BNM headquarters (well the sofa) I will be screaming at the ref, the telly and everyone else.

DEWCH MLAEN BOIS, CYMRU , CYMRU!

BNM

Oh and Happy St Patrick's Day to the Irish!
 

Cat in sink

You'd think with a lovely title I'd have a lovely picture for you but it seems that the shock of seeing our cat asleep in the bathroom sink yesterday morning made me forget to take the picture. I did not though forget to get everyone up to see him sat in the sink and I have asked him in cat language to do it again for me so I can take a picture (though husband thinks I asked him to go to bed with me!)

As you can see our house is just a jumble of randomness at the moment and my blogging is being a bit random due to it! I'm also not blogging that much in work as we are now in our new open plan office and its quite hard to do so (even though I am doing it at this moment but my friend CG in work is far too busy!)

Anyway here are some of the highlights from the last week

• Car stating in a cafe loudly " You are a horrible mummy and you will ruin the rest of my life" - said in melodramatic voice due to the fact I wouldn't let her have more cake.
• Bel going off on a teary tantrum - there's me thinking tantrums stopped at 3! Oh god no, apparently hormones are starting to kick in
• T'husband telling me I should write my own dictionary due to the random words I keep putting in sentences - this will be in a future blog post! (lucky you!)
• Car falling over yesterday and grazing face, nose, chin and hands. Spectacularly. Very brave girl - even though this morning she told Neb that she looked ugly! 
• All of us going to the new park in our home town. It is fantastic and even managed to persuade Bel to climb up to the tall crows nest slide. Kids now want to go and live there.
• Discovering more local woodland walks - with rivers. Hopefully a place to go when the sun comes out if it does this summer
•  Cooking lots of nice cakes, lemon cake Sunday which has now been demolished. Madeira cake last night - hopefully there will be some left when I get home
• Playing Pairs in Pears with both the kids, review to follow shortly

I hope you are all keeping well, forgive the lack of blogging, soo busy!


If you blog or wanted to blog am opening my blog up to you for guest posts on anything you want to write about. Let me know in the comments below




 BNM

I'm not wonder woman

Imagelink


I've learnt over the past week, that I'm not wonder woman. It's come as a bit of a shock to me!

I always thought that I was a fantastic woman - a woman who works, looks after kids, house and husband (yes in that order) and I could do anything. But Tuesday my idea changed.

Tuesday I went on a course to do with work (very interesting it was too, even if the coffee was vile!) and set off at the ungodly hour (only seen when a)children were small or b) coming home from a night out in student days) at 4.30.

4.30, a time of day when it was dark as the pit and when I was hardly awake. Yes, I had joined for the day the commuting army. I, take my hat off to the several women who I saw on the journey, the pristine women, the awake women (I was half asleep!), the women who may have had lives like mine.

I am a working woman but I have not and possibly will not meet the wonder woman standards of commuting women. I did not enjoy the commute or the tiredness that crept over me as the day progressed. I was a gibbering wreck by the time I came home and the kids just drove me insane!

BNM

Did you know that today is international women's day - so yeah to all of us in whatever we do!

Birthday Meme - 14th July

As a reader of The Five F's blog, I was happy to see this birthday meme come up (I wasn't tagged but am joining in anyway). I love finding out things so am joining in. If you fancy joining in too, then pop over here, read all about it and let's make this list huge!

So here are my answer's to the questions:

When is your birthday? 14th July

Pick three people who share your birthday and share what you know about them.
 So with the help of Wikipedia here are mine:

1) James Abbott McNeill Whistler, I have heard of him, he is a painter and not the person from American Pie.

2) Emmeline Pankhurst - cool, suffragette

3) Taboo- American rapper and not the drink. In Black Eyed Peas and a year older than me!

When I was in big school another girl in the same year as me shared my birthday and I thought it was cool. We now wish each other Birthday wishes via Facebook!

Is anyone listed as being born on the same day (year) as you? If so, what do you know about them.

There are 3 and to be honest without looking them up on Wikipedia, I would never have known:

1) Ranj Dhaliwal - Canadian Novelist - and has written two books with a third to be printed next year, books are gangster novels called Daaku -I've never heard of him!

2) Kirsten Sheridan - Irish film director and screenwriter - as I know nothing about any films , I have no idea who she is

3) Geraint Jones - got a bit confused when I saw this as went to school with a person of the same name and thought it also might be my cousins husband! Anyway this one is a English cricketer born in Australia to Welsh parents!

List three people who died on your birthday and tell us what you know about them.

Have just realised that am not meant to give you Wiki detalis but my knowledge (so here's hoping I know any of them!)

1) Richard McDonald -  I know who he is  died in 1998. He is one half of the brothers who made McDonald's and without him I would have been jobless from 1998-2000!

2) Quentin Roosevelt - died in 1918 , After checking, he was the son of American President Theo Roosevelt but died a year before his dad (which is sad) and he died in combat.

3) Billy The Kid, died 1881, famous American outlaw/cowboy!

List three notable events that took place on your birthday

1) 1430 - Joan of Arc was captured, I love the story of Joan of Arc and always thought she'd be somebody good to be friends with

2)  The tape measure was patented in 1868  (I don't know if that's very notable but most of the events have to do with the next question and you'll have to wait!)

3) First photos of Mars were taken by Mariner 4 in 1965

Tell us about a holiday that falls on your birthday

I actually know this without looking it up - 14th July is Bastille day in France, ie the anniversary of storming the Bastille prison. When I was younger and doing french exchanges I loved it because everyone celebrates Bastille Day and it was like having a huge party with fireworks and celebrations just for me!

It's also flag day in Sweden and also the feast day of 7 saints!

Well, I found that all really interesting but a bit disappointed that there were no hunky stars born on the same day as me.

If you want to join in, follow the link (up top) and lets make this linky big!

BNM  
  

Spice up your life!

(So, I know I said I was busy but while walking along earlier I had a blog post come to my head (like you do!))

So, what the hell am I on about (well, its not the Spice Girls song ,or  anything to do with sex!), its spicy foods and children. I was thinking about the Turkey Kebabs we're having for supper tonight and how Bel likes the fact that their mildly spiced so would I get away with giving Car the same.

You see my kids think that spicy = hot and therefore will not eat such things. Even southern fry nuggets have been poopood for being spicy before now!  I would so like them to eat spicier things but I don't know how to start them .

Or is it too late, should I have started them by now, should I have given them more spicy food at a younger age. Or does their taste for spicier food develop as they get older.

I mean this weekend me and Neb are having butter chicken, so do I give some to the girls to try?

BNM

I apologise for the rambling weird post, I'm definitely thankful for Friday!

 

WHAT'S UP

Actually what I meant to say was this:


 How is everyone?

Sorry not been around been full of busy things that blogging has flown out the window (if you squint you can see it doing it!)

So, quick catch up - Bel's birthday on Thursday, In-laws came up on Saturday, went out for meal, kids got presents and then Welsh rugby win! Sunday - cinema trip to see Alvin and the Chipmunks for Bel's birthday (yes, she has more days than the queen that one, film - not my cup of tea), then Liverpool football win ( of course I'd preferred it if Cardiff one but there we are !) and then busy in work again. Neb's pool season has finished so chances of getting on the computer yesterday were nil!
 Looking into buying my own net book type thing - if anyone has any ideas/ places to get cheap ones let me know.

Also, I haven't been meal planning due to half term , Bel's birthday week and general stuck in a rutness with our eating/cooking habits. Again, if anyone has any ideas for great cook books with family meals that my kids will eat let me know.

BNM

St David'sDay

Happy St David's Day everyone- be you Welsh at home or Welsh abroad.

Let the Daffs and Leeks be in your hearts today

BNM