Record breaking party popping!

Last week, in half term all the family headed up to London to join Guinness World Records at their office for their #GWRdayout for bloggers. We have been to a couple of events before with them and had a great time and thus the kids were very excited.

JJ has attempted some world records before and sadly not managed to achieve one yet but he did get very close with balancing the most hats on his head last June. I feel really confident that within the next couple of years he will have one of the coveted Guinness World Records certificate and be a verified record holder. For now he is making do with a face paint tattoo.

There were three records that we could attempt last week and JJ took on them all. The most sticky notes on your body in 30 seconds, the most lemons caught whilst wearing a blindfold and the most party poppers popped in 30 seconds. You can see he had good fun -

...and here is dh attempting to catch the lemons blindfolded whilst JJ throws them to him -

For Miss E she was not so much interested in attempting the records as she was looking after the animals in the petting zoo. We were lucky to be able to meet lots of cute (and not so cute!) creatures because Guinness World Records have a free to download ebook called Awesome animals.

Miss M, I rarely saw during the day as she made herself very comfortable in the Guinness World Records office and befriended a few of the staff, specifically Marco Frigatti and his dog Nero. With a broken arm the records were beyond her, which was a shame as she wanted to get involved but she tells me she still had an amazing day.

In the true spirit of it, I also tried out the record attempts and I can honestly say I have not laughed so much in ages as my husband chucked lemons at me whilst I was blindfolded. We managed to catch 2 of them, which was not so bad! I seriously attempted the sticky notes and party poppers task. The record for the sticky notes is 32 on yourself in 30 seconds and I managed 26, dh got 27, so respectable efforts but the party poppers was where I excelled. The record is 36 popped in 30 seconds and I did 33 on my first effort but sadly only 28 on my properly adjudicated attempt. If only I had time to practise more, I know I could beat that one! lol

We had a great day out with Guinness World Records and I want to say a big thanks from our family. The kids are loving their 2014 books and I'll get a review up in a week or so when we have had a chance to really devour them.

These are the kind of great days you want to remember forever, so I'm linking up for the first time with Jaime at Olivers Madhouse

Reasons to be Cheerful - Week 37

Welcome all, lovely to see you, My baby has returned home today and it feels great to have #R2BC back here. What a super job all my guest hosts have done over the summer, thank you all so much for your support and hard work, I really enjoyed my time out.

Continuing with the alphabet theme it is the turn of P this week to guide my reasons to be cheerful.  So what can I come up with for P?

Party - I was pushed out of my comfort zone last Sunday and we opened our home to about 30 people to share a BBQ after Church.  I am not big on entertaining people as I get really nervous and stress about things being right but amongst these wonderful friends I was able to let go and really enjoy myself. It can be hard to make sure the food you choose is sutable for everyone as well but these egg free cupcakes are perfect and enjoyed by all.

Prayer - As a Christian, prayer is a big part of my life and I was excited and humbled to listen to Miss M's prayer tonight.  As she laid there and asked the Lord to help her to remember to pray each day (without any prompting I might add) my heart swelled and I was a happy mummy. It was also a super reminder this week to read a tweet from@DigitalNun saying that prayer is not only about 'chatting to God' but also waiting on him and listening.

Then my last 2 reasons are not P's but they are making me too cheerful not to mention them!  I am off to Blog Camp in London today and I can't wait.  On one hand I am nervous as I have not planned to meet anyone but the thrill of a grown-up day out with the chance to meet up with like-minded bloggers is a big draw.

And I'll be taking my new iPhone with me.  Yes I know I am about 3 years behind every other blogger but at last I have my own iPhone and only a day into owning it, I am loving it.  So quick and it makes life very simple and the bonus is I can listen to my music and podcasts on the train.

Then lastly not a reason to be cheerful but another P none the less.  Could I ask that we all pledge to try and visit a few more people in the link up please?  Community really does come about when we take the time to interact and I don't know about you but I have made some of my best bloggy friends through this link-up.

A big hello and welcome if you are new here today.  Please write a post about what is making you happy, cheerful, grateful right now. Grab the blog hop code from below, add it into your post and link up.  I'll be over to visit everyone who links up a related post this week.  Tweet with #R2BC too if you fancy.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, be blessed.  Mich x

Image Credit

Moving your blog to the next level....

Last Friday I was at BritMums Live and by this time of night I was well and truly merry!  Well that is the polite way of putting it, I was the worse for wear but luckily I am a fun and giggly drunk and I tend to still know exactly what I am up to but I lose my inhibitions.  If only I could master being that relaxed in everyday life……. maybe...... one day!

Earlier in the evening I had not been so relaxed if I am honest, I think my tweet of about 4.30pm to @Nickie72, @HerMelness, @NorthernMum1 and @RedTedArt was ‘that I was crapping myself’.  Logically I should have been fine about speaking as part of the blogger studio (Crossing the chasm – moving your blog to the next level). My paid job is as a trainer and I regularly stand up and present and facilitate training courses for between 8 – 50 people.  I write those courses and have lots of fun but speaking at BritMums Live felt like a different kettle of fish.

Nickie was our facilitator for this session or ‘Master’ as we fondly came to know her. She advised me I had to do a 5 minute introduction on myself and talk about how my blog is at the next level. All 5 speakers would do this and then we would field questions from the floor. I have to say it was a tad hard to follow Melinda as she had prepared a checklist of 10 super sensible points to consider and basically she stole the show, but that is OK as she is pretty darn amazing.

So after being nagged it's time for me to share with you what I had planned to say and I have no idea now what I actually did say.  I have had some very good comments though and even a few people tell me they were inspired or touched by what I said and that is perfect.

So who am I?

I started out by making the point that I am just an average woman and I have never had a desire to be a writer or be famous.  The reasons I blog are for personal therapy, to demonstrate that Christians can be normal too and we don’t all wear socks and sandals and because I love it. My blog was born in 2008 out of a desire to record my life with my kids, but that was far too ambitious with 7 month old twins and a 4 year old so it sat on the bloggy shelf for a year and festered.  Then in 2009 I returned to it with a renewed hunger and posted most every day.

Slow starter that I am, I kept my blog private for all of 2009 and then in early 2010 started to find the parenting blogging community and joined in….. very slowly! I just dipped my toe and then ran away from the big bad sea of bloggers for most of 2010 but it was like a drug I could not keep away from and I kept coming back for more. By the end of 2010 I was pretty well known and was ranking in the top 50 in the Tots100 and I started to find my feet and feel good about what I was doing.

January 2011 was when I started to feel like I had stopped being a newbie.  I took a regular feature from my blog ‘Grace in small things’ and made it assessable to people of all faiths or none by turning it into Reasons to be Cheerful, I still run that linky 77 weeks later. A few weeks later I held the first new bloggers fortnight and established a name for myself as someone who would reach out to new bloggers and take the time to help them and read their blogs.

You can call me marmite!

I may have been a slow starter but today I am happy with my loyal readers.  I call myself a marmite blogger, as people either seem to love or hate me and that is OK, as it is better to be that way than just bland. The most important thing I say to any blogger is to be you.  Your own unique voice is so important and it is what makes your blog readable. In blogging never imitate. Remember you don’t have to do what everyone else does to be a success.  It is good to be bold and to do something different. Find your path and your voice.

For me I realise that -

I can’t be funny like Jane is,

Nor provoke debate and have strong opinions like Nickie does

Nor create an empire like the mighty Maggy

And I don’t have an ounce of the natural talented that Melinda has but that is OK and I don’t have to.  I am me and that’s unique and many people like that. Blogging should be fun and that is individual.

Prior to this event one blogger commented to me that she would say hello if she could get through my throng of admirers and this really did make me laugh out loud, as I am just me.  A normal and average mum.

What makes someone an established blogger?

I finished by saying that for me being an established blogger is about your state of mind. Act successful and believe you have something good to offer and people will buy into it.  It sure worked for me!

All the time you believe you are new or inexperienced you will believe it and everyone else around you will believe it. Change your mindset and take a risk, step out from your norm and become known.

I read a post the other day which said that our session was vague to say the least as none of us knew what we meant by the next level and firstly let me say that I love the fact a newer blogger said what she honestly thought of the conference and made some good suggestions for next time. But let me also say we all knew what we meant by the next level but just because what we believe is different to you does not make us wrong.  Like most things in blogging there is no one right answer.  All five of us before the conference spoke about what the next level was for us and each one of us had a different idea, be it outstanding content, strong readerships, stats, state of mind, being published or whatever.

The session was billed as ‘a chance to sit down with your favourite bloggers and to pick their brains’ and yes I think BritMums were perhaps a bit ambitious when they thought that the 150 odd bloggers that attended our session might have the time to pick our brains. 45 minutes goes very quickly indeed, perhaps five bloggers is too many for a panel? Something for BritMums to ponder for next time.

To conclude -

Wouldn’t life be simple if there were published advancement points, just like there is at my work, when I reach X amount of service time or X level of competence I move up the pay scale? Blogging, like much of life is not like that, some shakers rock up and take the world by storm in 3 months and others like me take 3 years but that makes blogging rich and varied and we should treasure the diversity in our community.

It is great to move to the next level of blogging, the one where you feel good about what you are doing and you are comfortable in your own skin.  That is real success in my book.

Image Credit:  Shamelessly stolen from Her Melness Speaks

#BritMumsLive - Was it worth it?

500 odd phenomenal bloggers all in one room!

So I'm home and yes I am completely knackered and if I was sensible I would be going to bed and having a good sleep but I can't seem to let go of the high I am on...... the fever is continuing.

I have to say that #BritMumsLive is probably the best conference I have been to, I had a ball.  Some of that is to do with the people I shared it with and some is to do with me finding my feet and being comfortable in my blogging self!

#R2BC BritMums Live here I Come... (Week 25)

As this post goes live it is just 24 hours before I and about another 499 bloggers travel up to London for the massive blogging conference that is BritMums Live and I can not wait!

Yes I admit I am just a bit excited!

Last year going to CyberMummy I was a bag of nerves worrying about what I would wear and wondering if anyone would talk to me.

This year I feel completely confident.  I am meeting up with some valued friends and I intend to enjoy myself.

I am particularly looking forward to –

1.      Being part of the speaker panel for the Bloggers’ Studio: Crossing the Chasm, how to bring your blog up to the next level session at 5.10pm on the Friday. I join Nickie, Mel, Jane and Maggy and we will attempt to baffle and confuse explain how your blog can too operate at the next level. (Being part of this panel assumes that my blog is at that next level and that makes me go all shy and giggly so don’t expect much from me at this session!)

2.      Our google + hang-out after this session.  I am so old-school that I have never been involved in a google + hang-out before, so I really will just be looking pretty for this one but it is a good experience!

3.      The presentation for the Brilliance in Blogging awards. I am not being coy when I say that I have absolutely no expectation of winning my category (I mean outstanding, really).  I am in with some truly phenomenal bloggers and not just the usual suspects either, which is lovely.  I will enjoy watching many of my blogging friends walking away with their awards.

4.     I get to spend a whole night with Clare and Alex and we will have an amazing time.  I do hope we get to bed a little earlier than we did at last years MADS, we have to be up early and do a  full days conference on Saturday after all.  I am officially old now and cannot take it!

5.     Getting to meet loads of bloggers that I have chatted to for a very long time but never had the pleasure yet of meeting, like Bod for Tea, The Boy and Me, Helen, Ruth, Emma and a million others I have not mentioned.

6.     Then on Saturday at the end of the conference I am one of the keynote bloggers and that is fine in as far as I am comfortable with my post but I suddenly realised last night that I need to practise as I have to read it out to near 500 people – ekk and double ekk.

So to say BritMums Live will be amazing is an understatement. I am super excited and the bit I am most excited about is seeing Alex and Clare and all my other lovely friends and I will sincerely miss Heather and many other blogging friends who cannot be there.

As you'll know I have been basing #R2BC on a letter each week just recently and this week should be D but I could not resist writing about BritMums and that just did not fit with D, but here is one D - Dedicated Daddy (or I suppose that really is double D, lucky you!).  Here he is at 9.20pm tonight building the trampoline for the kids after a full day at work.  They are going to be so made up in the morning.

Over to you.....  what is making you cheerful?  And are you coming to BritMums Live? Let me know so I can look out for you.  If you recognise me, then please do say hi.  I am actually a little shy in real life and can be a bit quiet (well for all of 5 minutes anyway) but I'd genuinely like to meet you.  Yes YOU!

You know what to do, link up a post, add in the blog hop code, tweet it and visit others to share the blog love.  I will visit and comment for all those who do the same for me (but it may well be the beginning of next week).

JJ's Record Breaking Heartache!

Last Thursday the kids and myself enjoyed a day at Whipsnade Zoo courtesy of Thomson Family Resorts and Guinness World Records. We were introduced to their new partnership and it seems like a super and really novel idea.  Basically, when you travel with Thomson to one of their 18 family resorts you can attempt to break a world record.  Yes a proper world record and you might even make it into the annual year book and you will of course gain yourself an official and coveted certificate.  Now if you are old like me you will have fond memories of Roy Castle presenting record breakers on the TV.

During the day time on your holiday you can take part in the heats and those with the best times/ scores will then be able to make official world record attempt in the evening in front of a cheering crowd. Maybe you could be the new champion who can put the most underpants on in one minute!

On our day at the zoo there were a few different records we could attempt.  Not just the kids but adults too.  The Mummy Whispers hubbie was a dab hand at lilo stacking and Claire from the Veggie Experience even managed to set a new world record and gained herself a certificate.

From the start my JJ took a liking to the 'how many hats can you put on your head in one minute' record.  He spent quite some time practising before lunch and really got into it; bossing people around, timing them and advising them of the rules.  The current record was 27 hats balanced on a head for 5 seconds once the one minute was up and in the practise time JJ got up to 24 hats, so he was feeling really excited and confident.  I'll let you watch how he got on....



If I'm honest he went home a little gutted but his friendly ways and confidence paid off for him because he will soon receive a special preview copy of the 2013 Guinness World Records book and that has made him smile a lot.  Now if only I could get him to buddy up with the people at Thomson's, we would make really excellent reviewers for a trip abroad! I have spent far too much time this evening  could set us up with.  If I just had a spare £2000 the 5 of us could jet off somewhere hot in August, but instead we'll be heading to Dorset!  My last holiday abroad feels like a super long time ago in 2004.

I think the highlight of the day for Miss M was meeting Thomson the dog, she took a real shine to him.  The girls are still at that lovely age when they do not question if the characters are real or not.

And my laid back one, Miss E she just watched all the others join in and was a happy little lady.  So easy to please, you have to love her.

Disclaimer:  Thomson treated us to a day at the zoo with a lovely lunch and some fun toys for the kids.  I have not been instructed to write a post but thought I would share with you. Thanks to Thomson and Guiness World Records for the invite.

The Day After the MAD Night Before!

The question on my lips all day has been 'was it worth it?'

Thankfully I have not been sick today, even after a ton of booze my sensible head kicked in and we went for food and water before falling asleep.  I think I shocked my lovely roomie @Kykaree when I stumbled into the room just before 3am but still look my false eyelashes and make up off, cleaned my teeth and washed my face - yes I really am that boring!

Today has been a day of waking up too early, feeling pretty darn awful, that sort of half death feeling, sweating alcohol and neglecting my kids. Thankfully dh was here looking after them so when I crawled into bed about 2pm and did not get out again until close to 7pm it was OK. A wasted day yes but thankfully OK. So many times I have felt like shouting 'shut up', Mummy is tender, I don't like this feeling and no thanks I don't want to eat your plastic food but instead I smiled and nibbled on my strawberry sunday that Miss E lovingly prepared for me.. Next time I am tempted by free booze I will recall this day and think nah, near 4 bottles of win does not suit you Mich!

But back to that question, 'was last night worth how crap I have felt all day?'  In the words of Gok Wan 'Hell yes!'

I had a ball last night at the MAD blog awards, sadly I did not win but when you lose to a worthy winner that makes it a lot easier to stomach.  I think Jane took it to extremes though when she hid her MAD award down her boobs so I could not get to it! Look at that smug face...

It is a long time since I have really let my hair down like I did last night.  I had just the best time as I stayed with some people who I really value and now class as good friends. We started with a superb Turkish late lunch with @AllforAleyna showing off her fluent Turkish, I then enjoyed getting ready and everyone seemed to agree that my sparkly silver glitter eyes were pretty cool. I felt special in my new Marks and Spencer outfit complete with sparkly jewelery and bag and boy was I glad I went for the sensible shoes when we realised that the MADS were a standing event this year!

Here I am with the beautiful Liska from New Mum Online, she makes me look like a giant!  Then thanks to Lindy over at Squidgyboo for the full length photo,

Photo Credit

The wine flowed at the awards and I got to say hi to loads of great people and spent time with some diamonds. Later a few of us headed out for al fresco drinks until 1.30am and then on for a burger and chips up Shaftesbury Ave. Thanks @SAHMLovingIt @seasiderclare @clairelouise82 @superamazingmum @bobbity666 @allforaleyna I was so pleased to spend extended time with you all and it was great to get to talk.

I've just seen @Nickie72 tweeting that she does not have many photos of her from the night, so I'll share this treat with you.....  Nickie posing with the one who pretends to be an evil overlord, but look at her - pussycat!

Thanks to all who made last night happen - Sally, Jen, the ton of blogger helpers, TalkTalk, Parentdish and all the sponsors. I'm looking forward to next year already.....  well as long as my gorgeous readers want to vote for me again!

Just me and my Boy on the Space Trail at the Science Museum...

... well I say me and my boy, there was actually a few more people than that but no one else from our family.  I adore having one on one time with each of my children, that is when they get to shine and you can really delight in their growing personalities and experience all their quirks.  JJ and I have pretty much the same sense of humour, so we always have a good laugh together.

On Wednesday evening, a school night (yes, yes naughty mummy) JJ and I travelled into London, we offloaded the girls with Daddy and travelled on alone to the Science Museum.  We have been there quite a number of times before as JJ always enjoys it but this evening was for a very special treat.  After the Museum had closed about 20 of us were taken on a preview tour of the new Space Trail, that opens today, Saturday 23rd July 2011 ready for the summer holidays.

Each child received a flip camera to play with for the evening, to record their own journey around the museum.  To be honest I am not sure how much footage JJ filmed as he is such a hands on kid he wanted to be in there with the exhibits and touching everything.  I did manage to get a bit of footage though, so take a look and you can check out the Science Museums blog here. Which I believe will feature some of the kids footage soon.

#R2BC - Reasons to be Cheerful - Week 27

<center> <a href="http://mdplife.blogspot.com/search/label/reasons%20to%20be%20cheerful"><img width="150" alt="Reasons to be Cheerful at Mummy from the Heart" src="http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/ac230/RebaMc/reasonstobecheerfulv2-1.jpg" height="150" /></a></center>

I have lots and lots to feel grateful for today, just like every other day of my very fortunate life.  In truth, I am very tired today and I feel a bit blue (no massive reason, I think it is just that time of the month, you know how it is sometimes).

So going through the exercise of looking at what I am grateful for is especially good for me today. Here is my list -

1.  JJ had a little friend home for tea today and this morning as the boys Mum and I confirmed the details he had his fingers crossed that it would come off and he would come home with us. My heart jumped for joy as I knew he genuinely wanted to come and spend time with my beloved boy.
2. A wonderful night out on Tuesday with my Mum,  Some lovely time alone: a meal and then we watched Wicked at the theatre in London.  It is fantastic, if you have not been I recommend it. The costumes and staging are amazing.
3. I had a great phone call today with a lady from Thinking Slimmer and I am very pleased to start trialling this product in the next week or so.  I so need to get my weight in order and if anything can help my illogical mindset then I will be over the moon. Watch this space, I'll keep you updated.
4. I am very much looking forward to a family day this Sunday in London with Disney at the Athenaeum Hotel.  You may recall I stayed there last year for work and just loved it.
5. It is my little beauties birthday in just over a week and tomorrow I collect their bikes for them, they are having a party with just a couple of friends next Tuesday and then a family party the weekend after.  I think they will be thoroughly confused and not know when their birthday is at all!

I could actually go on and on but I won't bore you.   You know what though?  I really do feel just that bit lighter and brighter for having gone through these great things.

Over to you, what is making you cheery this week? If you are new to Reasons to be Cheerful, then check out HERE and then link up a cheery post from the last week.

Thanks for joining in, leave me some comment love. Visit others and leave them some comment love and don't forget to tweet. There was only 11 of us last week, we have become a select little group!