WYOO 3D Cinema? & Disney Tangled Review

You see that Villain on the right?  That's my JJ!

Any idea what WYOO means? I am not sure if it is a widely used acronym or if it just came from a Parenting forum that I used to frequent!

Anyway, WYOO stands for What's your opinion on.... and in this case I am asking about 3D cinema. I have to say that for me until last Sunday I was thinking that 3D cinema was over hyped and a bit of a let down. I kept waiting for those pop out of your screen kind of scenes - you know the sort that you get at the Imax. Then this Sunday I got to see a special preview of Disney's 50th animated Film, Tangled and boy did my opinion on 3D change. Instead of being full of gimmicks I came to realise that the 3D experience with most films just adds that extra special bit of magic. I'll be interested to hear what you think though..... leave me a comment.

So Disney Tangled, what can I tell you? I loved it, my dh loved it, JJ loved it and the twins loved it too. So that is all five of us ranging from 3 years to 37 years loving this film. It really has something for everyone in it. Disney have taken the classic tale of Rapunzel and turned it on it's head, creating something that is really unique and inspiring too. It is a beautiful tale of how two totally different young people from diverse backgrounds and experiences can meet by chance and go on a life changing adventure together and of course being Disney, they fall in love and the ending is happy - just how it should be.

I expected to go and see a classic Disney Princess tale and it is anything but. This film can be described as a comedy that will have you doing belly laughs - well it did me anyway! It is also a musical and there were some particularly good songs in it, such as Mother Knows Best.

My personal favourite character was Maximus the Captain of the Guards Horse. How they managed to make an animated horse so realistic and hilarious is beyond me, but it is done just perfectly.

Dh loved the simplicity of the tale and he found Flynn Rider a very authentic and appealing hero. While of course the girls just loved Rapunzel and her beautiful 70 foot magical golden hair (Just like mine, commented Miss M, well it would have been if she had not of cut it herself just before Christmas!).  Many a game of Rapunzel throw down your hair has been played in our house in the last couple of days.

My JJ thought that Pascal the mini chameleon lizard and Rapunzel's personal friend was a great character and he has since found out you can get Pascal toys so I know what he is now saving for.

I won't spoil the story for you and reveal too much but I can say that watching the trailer for this film you only get a glimpse of all the great stuff contained in the film.  You will not be disappointed, I assure you.

Our family will be giving this film a excellent 5/5 rating and we will definitely be buying it when it is released on DVD.

Tangled is out in the UK at cinemas from 28 January 2011.  Take a look at the trailer...



This is a review post.  I was invited to London to the Disney Office to watch the Tangled with my family.  We were also lucky enough to meet Mickey Mouse, have a nice lunch and receive some goody bags on leaving.  As per always I remain honest in my write up.  Thank you Disney for your super hospitality.

Silent Sunday: Watch Out, Here Come Double Trouble!

Go check out the other Silent Sunday entries - click the badge -

Pick of the New Parenting Bloggers

I have been chatting to lots of new bloggers just recently.  Not really sure how this has come about but I am very glad.  I love to make new friends and at last I feel as if I know a bit about blogging and that my blog is starting to be a pretty successful place (549 page views yesterday!  whoop, whoop!), so I can offer some advice and encouragement to some new bloggers and I do love to be helpful.  A few years back I moderated a twins board on a parenting forum and this 'job' gave me immense pleasure and now I am feeling that same good vibe by offering a friendly ear to some new bloggers.

I thought I would share with you some of my favourite new bloggers finds!  Go and have a read over this weekend, cup of tea in hand and share some blogger love with these newbies -

Bod For Tea Do you remember the children's TV character Bod?  If no, then you are too young, as I do. I don't know this lady's name so I will call her Bod!  She started blogging on 31 December 2010 and I like what I see so far, a beautiful clean looking blog.

Welcome to the World William & Esther Jennie has 23 week old twins and has just found her mojo for writing again, after starting her blog back in August 2010.  I thoroughly enjoyed having a look around earlier.

SAHMLovingIt Another one who started her blog on 31 December 2010!  I get the vibe that Heather and I would get on well in real life.  Do you ever get that?  when you meet someone on line and think 'ohh I like them'?

Hazel and Blue Becky describes herself as a crafty Kiwi mum living in beautiful Blighty.  Her blog is also brand new but is the full package- pretty crafty things, kiddie pictures & posts and yummy baking.

Ghostwritermummy set up her blog as she was avoiding real work at the end of October 2010.  Sound familiar to any of you? lol Many a post has made me smile on this blog.

Helloitsgemma'sblog This blog has been around since October 2010 and I feel as if Gemma has been around for ever (in a good way).  She certainly fits right in with the blogging/ tweeting community.

Reasons to be Cheerful, 1,2,3 - Join in! Week 1

So here is my first post in the new Friday series - Reasons to be Cheerful 1,2,3.  Sharing our gratitude and bringing lots of big smiles!

If this is the first time you have seen this link up and want to know more, then look here. It is open to all....

My reasons for being cheerful this week -

1. My car got pranged on Xmas eve while we were busy seeing Santa (funny reason to be cheerful I hear you say).  Well a lovely lady Ruth left me her number and a sorry note and she has already paid the garage to fix my car next week.  £500 of damage. Did you realise there were still beautiful honest people out there?  Thank you Ruth, you restore my faith in people.

2. See this picture?

That is Miss M in the first one helping Mummy put the washing away.  The second photo are the vests that Miss E and Miss M folded up for me.  I am so grateful to have such caring little girls who want to make Mummy's life easier and who join in with the chores.

3. My girls started school on Thursday and they ran into the classroom without a care in the world.  Praise the Lord that they want to be there and the transition into both nursery and school is an easy one for them.

and that is it, 3 simple reasons why I am grateful to be alive and grateful to be me!

Come on link up and tell me, what are your reasons? 

Or if you can not link up, as you are not a blogger then leave your reasons in the comments.  I promise that it will do your soul the world of good to think positive, even if life feels anything but positive at the time.

Feel free to grab the Reasons to be Cheerful button and pop it in your post but no pressure!





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and if you want to tweet about your post use the hashtag  #Reasons2BCheerful

We're So Excited!

There have been three very excited girls in our house today and in fact excited for quite some time!
Two of those girls are age 3 and are justified in their excitement and the other 'girl', for I am using that term very loosely is a big 37 years old and is in fact me!

My babies started school today, you know those tiny little tots who used to share one moses basket together? They set off this afternoon for their 2.5 hours at a real big school, JJ's big school.  Wearing their cute little green and grey outfits - they had not a care in the world.  Mummy, who is she?  We are at school and we will have fun.....

I could hardly even get a photo of them together in their special little outfits - the excitement was too much!  They woke in the night, would not eat breakfast, were hyper and Miss M even had a little accident (so unlike her) - all in the name of this big event which has happened in their lives today!

Mummy's excitement has changed to a bit of mummy worry now and a strange kind of unneeded feeling but I know this will only last a day or two.  I have been so excited for weeks as I will be having 3 afternoons (well 3 hours a day) to myself each week.  One of those days I will be working at home, one I will help sometimes with some Church stuff and be a school parent helper in JJ's class and the other one really is free.  3 hours to choose to do what I like - relax, blog, read, clean up or exercise - these are my options at the moment.  Watch this space to see what I get up to!
 

Miss E

I am so excited! I can not stand still!

Miss M

Reasons To Be Cheerful 1,2,3 - Every Friday, Come & Join In....

I am submitting this post as part of the BMB carnival being held over at Bringing up Charlie on Tuesday 15th February.  There is bound to be a good show, so go and take a look!

Tim set us the task to submit a post to him which tells you what we are passionate about and in fact I wrote a recent post about my passion to help others.  I try to help in any form I can, I do not claim to be great at it, I just try my best with what I have.  One of the ways people tell me I am helping them at the moment, is to help them look on the bright side of life.  Specifically in my new weekly link up - Reasons to be Cheerful 1,2,3.  I know there is a lot of cynicism in the blogging world and many people think that weekly link-ups, meme's (call them what you will) are just done to attract inlinks and move you up the ranks.  Yes that is a great little bonus but it really is not the motivator.  Read below and discover my motivation...
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I know that I am completely blessed in my life and that ultimately I am a lucky lady.  So I feel that in 2011 I have to remind myself of this on a regular basis. Also, when I feel thankful I tend to find it is a tonic for my soul and the positivity just oozes (great word) out of me. Result! The best medicine for a negative day is to remind yourself of what you are grateful for.

Some of you dear readers who have been round a while will know that every so often I do a post entitled Grace in Small Things and then I list why I am feeling grateful at that point. I first thought to myself that I would put more effort into this in 2011 and then I re-thought and wondered about starting a linky post that everyone could join in with each week. Not only do I love to feel thankful myself, I like to read about others being grateful too, lots of good feeling just makes my smile even wider!

What do you have to do?

I have decided to rename this weekly linky post, as 'Grace in Small Things' is predominately a faith based title as Grace is of course what Jesus extends to us without us deserving it at all but I know that many people do not share my Christian faith. I wanted to make this accessible to all so I have decided to rename it 'Reasons to be Cheerful 1,2,3'  and just ask that you do a short post listing 3 reasons why you are thankful at that point.

The reasons can be anything, the post does not have to be long and eloquent, it is not supposed to be something that becomes a battle for you to complete.  It is a short task that I guarantee will make you feel better for doing it.

Why Join in?

Do you know what I believe are two of the fundamental keys to happiness? One, is to choose to be happy and the other is to want what you already have!  Endless seeking of things, money, status, time or anything else will never fulfil you! This is where the gratitude comes in....

Have you ever watched the film Pollyanna?  It is marvellous, I would definitely recommend it.  It is about a little girl who looks on the bright side of everything. This is something I aspire to.  Here is an example of one of my thoughts today 'My car got pranged on Christmas Eve and now it has to go in to be fixed, what a pain' and the Pollyanna slant on that 'at least it was not written off and I still have a car!'.

So, when is the Linky Live?
 
I will do my 'Reasons to be Cheerful' post on a Thursday evening and post it about 10pm, the linky tool will be on that post.  You can link up any time that week. (I am posting late on a Thursday so that any of my overseas friends can join in on their Friday too).
 
Any Rules?

• No None!
• I would love to say you have to follow me and take my badge and jump through a hoop but the honesty is that this is something I want to do, as I will enjoy it and if you like my blog you'll follow anyway.
• However, it would be super fab if you fancy visiting and commenting on any other people in the linky list, as this will encourage them for next time. Encouragement has to be a close second to gratitude for making you feel good.

So that is it!  My new idea.  I commit to persevere with this for a full year.  I do hope you will join me on this journey....... My first post will be up Thursday night ready for anyone to link up with....

Introducing My New Review Blog...

Have you seen that I have a new blog for my reviews?

Some of you had told me that you like it better when bloggers keep their personal writing and their reviews separately, so I thought why not....  and I also thought to myself that I am the kind of person who likes to recommend things - good service, good products etc and if I had a separate review blog I could also make it choc full of my recommendations without diluting my writing here.

So I introduce you to Honest Mummy Reviews & Recommendations... where I will let you know what our family think about all sorts of things and as I am the ultimate honest mummy I thought why not name it just that!

Already on the new blog - Waitrose Profiteroles, Duracell Ultra Batteries, Cifford James Mens Leather Slippers and today Orchard Toys - Post the Most game.

There will be another recommendation live on 6th January and then you will see regular posts appearing and I am sure some great giveaways and competitions too.

Can I lastly ask you a little favour?  If you like my writing style and want to keep up to date with what is going on on my new blog, would you pop over and press follow or sign up to the RSS feed.  I would appreciate it loads.

Thanks all, Mich x

Stop Whinging and Start Working!

I caught myself today....... and I am pleased to say I stopped myself! It is not pretty, nor grown up, nor necessary!  Therefore, I refuse to do it.  My new mantra for this year, for me and for anyone else out there who feels hard done by is to stop whinging and start working!  Work hard, real hard and you can get whatever your heart desires.  I truly believe that....  and if whatever you are after you can not seem to achieve then it was obviously not meant to be and you should just accept it with good grace!  Do not waste your energy on negative emotions, channel it into work.

Any idea what I am on about?  No, well let me enlighten you.

Sometimes I find myself feeling a little down, feeling a bit hard done by and as if I have had the rough part of the deal when it comes to blogging.  I start wondering why others get the invites to days out, why they get tons of toys or why they get more visitors than I do. Ever have those horrid little thoughts pop up - but their blog is crap? they sell themselves out to anyone? their attitude stinks!  my page rank is higher than theirs? blah, blah, blah.....

So today I had a good think about this and guess what I came up with?

Those with popular blogs or those who get all the invites and great reviews work hard at their blogs, bloody hard!  Some have been blogging a long time, some are great copy writers as they are/were journalists, some have great wit, some people have that special magnetic personality, some have started fab weekly memes that everyone can join in with, some start forums, some start conferences.  All these things do not come easy (well maybe the wit and personality are just part and parcel of them) they have been worked at over a period of time and yes there might have been the odd lucky break.  They may have known another popular blogger who recommended them, or tweeted them or something along those lines but that is life. Get over it!

What good will it do if I or anyone else for that matter (as I know there are tons of you out there who feel this same way, I have seen your grumbling tweets and posts) whinge and whine about the injustice of a handful of people being used again and again by the brands?  Absolutely nothing, we will just promote our negative selves and people will not want to visit us any more. I have no desire to become known as Moaning Mich!

So for this year (at least!) I pledge a serious lack of whinging and whining on Mummy From The Heart... and @michelletwinmum. Anyone else want to join me....?  Let's all work hard.  Promote others, spread that bloggy love, give people links, send readers their way and work, work, work.  Write great copy, keep it relevant and interesting and do not be scared to reveal yourself, the real self.  Not just a persona that you think a more popular blogger may like.  Use your own original voice and be proud of who you are. I am! 

My name is Mich and I rock!

Who are you?

2011 - What Does The Year Hold For Us?

Image Credit

Ella at Notes From Home has prompted me to think about my resolutions for the new year and I have to be honest, I do not normally bother!

I started to ponder why this was?  Is it because I am a cynic and just think there is no point as then you break them within a few days/ weeks?  or could it be because I do not really give myself enough quiet time and space to actually think about what might be important and what I need to focus on in the new year.  I have a sneaking feeling it is that latter option.  So I am taking some time now to ponder on 2011 and to wonder what the year might hold for my family and me.

I won't be making a big list of all the things that I must not do as that for me would just be depressing and dis motivating. Instead I will make a list of positive things that I intend to do, things that are good for my family and me and things that we enjoy but sadly can get pushed to the side with life's more boring and mundane tasks.  Last month I blogged about my priorities, I had a moment of clarity when I knew for sure I was supposed to be spending more time with my family and that is where my resolutions will start..

1. I will take time every single week to have quality alone time with each of my children.  Be it playing a game, snuggling and watching TV or going out together.  Just something for the two of us.
2. I will re-start date night for dh and I.  Sunday nights used to be full of romance and longing - I aim to bring that back again.
3. I will go to bed by 11pm at least 6 nights per week and I will not stay up blogging or on the PC for too long.  Life is more important that my blog!
4. I will look after myself and stop stuffing my face full of needless food each time I feel any kind of emotion. I need to reconnect with my recovery program and gain abstinence.  Reaching out to others in recovery on a regular basis
5. That is it, I will stay realistic in 2011 and know that if I can do all those things I will be a very happy lady!

It is a shame really that I was not making that big list of 'do nots', as I read the following resolution at a new blog I found today and it was just perfect for me, it was as if Helen was inside my own mind when she wrote this one -

• I resolve to take a deep breath and count to 10 BEFORE screaming/yelling like a banshee at my children. No matter what the provocation. Even if they have written over the walls / peed on the new sofa / sneaked a lemon drizzle cake into the teepee in their bedroom and scoffed half of it / flooded the bathroom floor (again).

OMG, she is me.  I often feel like a banshee.  I pray that we both find the strength to have more patience with our kids this year, however much they test us!

So that is me.  What about you? Do you do the whole resolution thing?

Wishing you a very Happy 2011.  I hope you will continue to read Mummy From The Heart... and please do pop over and see my new blog Honest Mummy Reviews & Recommendations... I appreciate each and every one of you. Mich xx

Baileys, Cheese and Chocolate!

That sums up my Christmas indulgences in one neat sentence and boy have there been quite a few indulgences over the last 3 weeks or so. I really need to take stock and start to think about abstinence again and getting my food obsessions back in check but to be honest I am not quite ready yet. I am enjoying this down time, not only with my food but also with my need to keep the house spick and span and it is so amazing to not have to be at work.  Waking in the morning and wondering what we all might do together is a once a year luxury that I really am going to savour.

I was on facebook earlier and someones status caught my eye, it basically said something along the lines of 'Why do people prepare for Christmas for weeks and then wish it is over in 48 hours?'  and this really struck me. By the end of 27th Dec I was desperate for a bit of normality.  I can only take chaos and non order for a short time and I just felt the need to clean things up.  If I could take all the cards down and dust without upsetting everyone else in the house and looking like a complete 'bah humbug fool' I would! 

I know I am not alone as I found a post earlier from Frugal Mom who was asking when she could take her tree down? and some of the commenter's also agreed that they would like to take theirs down too. I know it does not mean that we do not enjoy Christmas, just some of us like to get straight again!  I am the same when I go away on holiday.  I am then pleased to come back and especially pleased when all the washing, ironing and unpacking is complete. Yes, I do realise some people regard me as completely sad!

So now I have revealed my anal nature! Not only am I a food obsessive, I am also obsessed with order, tidiness, organisation and routine, but I will fight my natural urges to sort and clean for at least the next week and just enjoy time with my hubbie and kids.  Today we did an impromptu trip to London and the kids went to Build A Bear and had a complete ball.  Then when we came back Mary Poppins was on and it was wonderful to sit and watch that and have a lazy tea of jacket spuds!  Long may this luxury last.

But what about you - how has your Christmas holiday been?  Are you still enjoying the down time?  or ready to get back to normal?

Keeping Perspective: It Is Just One Day After All!

Christmas Gift Stack photo from Shutterstock

So Christmas day has been and is now gone...  How was yours?  Good I hope.  If you have kids, how was theirs?  Did they have a fun day or perhaps in their eyes more importantly, did they get all those toys or gadgets that they wished for?

JJ had a wish for a DSi XL and this mean mummy crushed that idea before it even made it to his Xmas list.  I just could not see why he needed one when he had a perfectly good DS and he is only 7 years old. I felt quite satisfied with my decision at the time and dh was in agreement but since then I have been thinking.

Last week I met some friends of JJ's and their mummies and I was asking about what their children wanted for Christmas and every one of them said a Wii, Xbox and kinect, DSi, iPod touch or flip video camera and they were all getting them.  I was the only Mummy who had said no despite others showing concern about cost or necessity.  I felt a bit like Scrooge and said this on twitter. I was relieved to see some tweets from people in agreement with me, that these things were not the be all and end all.

I have since found out that JJ can trade his DS in and get about £45 off the cost of a new DSi XL and I mentioned this to him and he has some xmas money so he can do this if he wishes but it just shows how much he really wants this new toy as he has not even mentioned it again since Xmas and he knows all the shops are open!  Arrgghh, peer pressure and TV advertising taunting our children to own the latest things and I know this will just get worse with age.

On Boxing Day my family came to visit and with them bought the next lot of presents.  JJ opened his and was pleased to receive a DS game and Guess Who Extra and with that he shouted 'yes, I have received everything on my Christmas list'.  I would loved to have heard the next sentence be 'I am so lucky' but I do have to remember he is a 7 year old boy who is seriously lacking in social etiquette but I do take his acknowledging that he had received his Santa list as being a realisation that he is lucky.  Would you like to know what was on his list?

This is what it took to make one 7 year old lad very happy -

• DS Sims game
• DS Club Penguin Game
• Pink Smarties
• Some smart clothes
• Some Lego
• Some craft things
• Guess Who Extra

and that was it!  I was pretty pleased with that list.  Not too greedy and quite varied.

So today, do I still feel like scrooge?  No I do not, JJ got all that he needed and plenty more.  He was a lucky boy. I feel glad that I had the courage to take the unpopular decision and to say no to him when I felt his desires were too much. I urge other parents to do the same, it is not a case of being able to afford these things it is about teaching our children to value things and to learn that there is a cost to spending.  When we have a world which has wealth, that is completely unequally distributed, how we can justify all the excessive spending that we do?

I may make myself unpopular by posting this and some may read this and think 'who does she think she is, pompous cow!' but that is not my aim.  I am not sitting here thinking I am any better than you are as I managed to say no.  I am a massive advocate of parenting as you see fit, do what suits you and your family.  No, my aim is to just ask you to think these things through and to make your own decision, do not be a sheep and follow the crowd.  Christmas Day is just one day, have some perspective and know that if you do not buy the Xbox your child can still have a fantastic time if they get love and attention from you.

And now I will step off my soap box!

Do you like the army look?

Why not pin this post for later?

  

Christmas Eve - My Favourite Day!

 25 November 2011 - Today I am linking up to Festive Friday with Chris at Thinly Spread.

I don't expect many people can say that Xmas Eve is their favourite day of this festive season, but for me it is great and our family have some lovely traditions that we carry out each year.  I also read about one fab tradition which I may just adopt for next year.  Mum at The Mad House has a visit from the Christmas Eve elves each year and they leave new PJ's, a book and some chocolate for each person in the house.  Isn't that a great idea?

Here is what our Christmas Eve includes - What is there not to like?

• Off work with dh
• All the kids excited and full of fun/ mischief
• A visit to Santa in the morning with great friends
• 
  



• A cooked breakfast after to set us up for the day
  



• Reading the nativity story on the way home
  



• Preparing all the veg for tomorrow with my girls
  



• Going to Christingle with the kids and having a thoroughly lovely time singing hymns and worshipping
  



• Watching the kids open one present before bath time
  



• Bath, story and ready for bed with their stocking
  



• All off to sleep in no time at all (thank you Lord!)
• Having an Indian take-away with dh and watching a good movie with a Baileys.

You see why I like Xmas eve? No cooking involved, all chilled and no big expectations, just lots of fun with the kids and as it is not 'the main event' it is never a let down to me.

Silent Sunday: Modern Art

Bored on Boxing Day?  

From Toys, to Booze to Babes...

Well it is Christmas Day and I hope you are all having a fabulous time.

Before anyone shouts 'Get a life Mich, get off the PC and spend some time with your kids!', this was written days ago and is on scheduled post. So I am not really here....

I was chatting to a friend at work the other day and she was talking about how busy she would be that night as she had to get all ready for Christmas.  I wondered what it was she had left to do as she is going away and having a well deserved rest.  It turns out it was to do all her pampering treatments - face pack, nails, hair treatment etc and then pick out her special outfits for the big days and this made me smile a lot and also to realise just how my Christmas days have changed through the ages.  So I thought I would take a walk down memory lane and see just how much things have changed over the years......

Age 5 - It is all about the presents.  It is too exciting for words and I can hardly sleep on Christmas eve.

Age 8 - I still love the presents but I also love having my Nan and Grandad over for lunch and playing board games with them afterwards.

Age 9 - Bounding into my brothers room in the morning with my stocking and opening our presents together on his bed before we go into Mum and Dad.

Age 10 - Searching high and low to see if I can find any presents before the big day! Then on the big day getting all dressed up in my new presents - dress, shoes, underwear, make up, handbag and all sorts of other girlie things so that I can go out for a drink to the club that my Grandad helps to run.

Age 11 - I am so excited to get up earlier than everyone else and to set the table up with all the lovely things I have made - centre piece, name cards etc. I can not wait to see their faces when they see my hard work.

Age 15 - Working for 4 hours on Christmas day and earning 4x pay so that I can spend it at the sales.

Age 16 - Have my first serious boyfriend, so spend Xmas Eve night at the pub and have a super amazing time.  Stay in bed until very late on Xmas day!  All I can think about are sale shopping and getting a new outfit for NYE.

Age 19 - Happy to come home from Uni and see my family and boyfriend.  Work at a local pub Xmas Eve, Xmas Day and Boxing Day topping up my money.  Party all the other nights with my boyfriend!

Age 21 - Meet dh (to be at that time) and work at  hotel in Eastbourne.  My original thought was that it would be the worst Christmas ever with tons of old Grannies.  It turned out to be the best.  Yes I worked very hard in the hotel as one of the Trainee Managers but I made loads of good friends, gained a boyfriend, went nightclubbing constantly, got very drunk on many occasions and generally had a ball!

Ages 22 - 26 - Working every Christmas in various hotels. Serving all the guest but then having a great time with the other live-in staff getting drunk and having fun.Super staff parties in January to celebrate Xmas with karaoke - a real favourite of mine!  Still always with dh... Always receiving amazing and thoughtful surprise presents from dh, like trips to Paris, first class on Eurostar for 27th Dec 1998.

Ages 27 - 29 - Christmas with either my parents or dh's.  No hassle and no worries, waited on hand and foot.

Age 30 - JJ is just 2 months old and this is our first Christmas as a family of 3 - so many presents for such a tiny person!  Life has changed and that suits me just fine.  A nice quiet day, just the 3 of us - we can suit ourselves and it is totally relaxing!

Christmas 2004, JJ is 14 moths old

Age 34 - The girls are 5 months old and my parents and brother come over to us.  Boy does our house feel full but JJ is having a complete ball and there are lots of extra hands to cuddle and feed the babes.  Let the good times commence.



Enjoying our Christmas Dinner, 2008. JJ is 5 and the girls are 17 months





Christmas 2009.  JJ is 6 and the girls are 2.5 years

Age 37 - A family of 5, with kids all old enough to 'get' and enjoy Christmas.  Trying to focus on the time together and the experience rather than too many presents and a lack of gratitude.  Parents in law coming Christmas day and my parents coming Boxing day - It should all be fab!  and yes I still do look forward to the sales every year!



Snow Fun

Lets be honest, what does every UK Mummy blog need right now? 

Yes, a mandatory snow post.  I had not as yet succumbed but now is the time.  I am sure my family and friends would love to see the kids enjoying this beautiful weather and who would have guessed how much fun a trampoline would be with a few inches of snow on it!



On our way to Church...



We love the sledge!

Our snowy house

Fun building snow castles

My arty shot! (lol)

Cold Mummy!  Like the hat?

Not content with the garden lets move outside for a snow fight!

I love the fountain at work right now

An icy dh, after walking 3 miles home from town pulling JJ on the sledge with no gloves! Brrrr

My cold little boy

...and in case you missed my last blog post.  Have a very Merry Christmas.  Thanks for reading Mummy From The Heart...    Mich x

Happy Christmas From Us

Well dear readers it is very nearly time for me to disappear for a few days and purely live in my 'real life' so I want to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and I pray that 2011 will be kind to you and those that you love.

Thanks for visiting me here this year and a special thanks for all the great comments you have left.  My little blog has gone from strength to strength this year and that is thanks to all of you. I'll keep blogging in 2011 and I have a new blog starting too, but more about that in January.

My girls wanted to sing you a festive song - so here they are with Father Christmas!

Be Blessed, Mich x

Edit - something seemed to be up with the video but I hope I have fixed it now!

Nomination for Dad of the Year Retracted!

So last week I was posting about how fab dh is and what a great daddy he is.  I even suggested he could be Dad of the Year.  Well scrap that!  The nomination is being retracted....

Want to know why?

I came home last Tuesday from work to find that Miss M had emptied a massive new tub of talcum powder all over upstairs - in my shoes, in her room, in the bathroom, in bags etc etc.  Dh had done a pretty good job of clearing up, although I had to scrub the hoover and in fact I think it might just pack up as funnily enough it did not seem to like 1000ml of talc!

These things happen, I have had shit times when the girls have run rings round me too, I am not perfect and if I am honest one of my first thoughts last week was I wish he had taken a photo - would have been good for the blog.  Very #sad I know!

All was forgotten, we have continued with the week and then today, it is Tuesday again and I get home from work and all seems fine.  The house is quite messy but a full snow day in and 3 lively, excited for Christmas kids do that - no problem!  I enjoy my chicken casserole, mash and veg and we sit and chat and I keep looking at Miss M.  She looks different and I can not put my finger on it.  Why?  Maybe she just looks a little older?

Bath time, dh takes them up while I start to clear up and down comes dh with a clump of beautiful white gold hair in his hand.  Who's is that?  Oh wait, my baby has white gold hair....... That is why Miss M looks different, she has got hold of the nail scissors today and given herself a hair cut.  Little bugger, terror, minx but you know what, she looks good.  It actually suits her.  The clever little lady has managed to give herself layers all round the front of her face, framing it.  I just can not believe it and it is hard to keep a straight face.  So what does the bad mummy blogger in me do, take a snap and promote completely the wrong message to her, making her think it was funny rather than serious! 

Tomorrow will now involve a trip to the hairdressers to see if they can even up her hair.  It could well be a short bob by the next time you see her.  Thank goodness she did not do any more serious damage and end up with a trendy asymmetric cut!

So there lies the reason why dh can not longer be nominated for Dad of the year, two weeks in a row he has taken his eye off the ball and they have caused havoc!  Who would have twins?  lmao

How can she have cut off this much hair and still look cute?

My Relationship With You - I've Fallen In Love!

I'm getting more and more brave, or is it stupid?

My relationship with you is becoming known about,

You used to be my little secret but now I am shameless.

My longing for you has increased, if I have a night away from you, I think about you, I pine for you.

I know it is not right, I am a married woman, I am a mother,

I have a career but you give me that special something.

You let me be me, I have no pretences when I am with you,

I can say whatever is on my mind,

you do not expect me to dress up and I find so much support through you.

My relationship with you is passionate but not sexual, obsessive but not unhealthy

and crazy much of the time!

You have made me happy, sad, mad and completely insane at times,

but I do not want to give you up! 

Dh knows about you and he is OK with the time we spend together,

I find you completely absorbing and you are my illicit affair.

My blog, I have fallen in love with you!

This post is part of Tara's Gallery over at Sticky Fingers.  Go and visit from Wednesday. I know you will find some great posts!

Thank You To My Kids...

To my gorgeous babies - JJ, Miss E and Miss M,

I wanted to write you a brief letter to say a big thank you.  I adore you my kids, each and every one of you. You are as individual and different as can be and you enrich my life greatly. I could not imagine being 37 and not having you, there would be little meaning to my life if it was just about money, possessions and self-gratification.

This year you have bought the magic back into Christmas for me. Watching you get excited and enjoy advent is helping me to remember my own excitement around Christmas. I have been thinking back to my childhood, decorating the tree with my parents, peeking a look inside the Christmas presents when they had gone out, eating chocolate yule log, playing board games with the family after our Xmas dinner and dressing up in my new Christmas outfit. I can not remember the last time that Christmas started in November and the sense of enjoyment and anticipation kept so high.  We have not even got to Christmas eve yet and I can not wait....  the three of you are really a blessing to me.

Mummy wants you to know that she is so proud of you.

JJ- I love your intelligence and inquisitive mind. You are so funny at times that you make great company and Mummy is very pleased with the way you have matured in the last 6 months and started to show more awareness in social situations. I must also say that you make me so happy when you help Mummy, either by being a great big brother or helping me with jobs around the house. You are my handsome little man.

Miss E - Woo betide to anyone who ever underestimates you.  On initially meeting you people think you are quiet and subdued but they have not seen that steely determination and fiery anger that lurks inside. Channel that well and you will be dynamite when you are older.  I adore that you love me so much and I love you that much right back, yes we are best friends darling. Your caring nature and desire to make people happy is very endearing. You are my poppet.

Miss M - My child who is wise beyond her years. Another clever babe but one who also has street savvy. Each day you amaze me when you undertake tasks in a way that 3 year olds just do not do! I love how you climb on me for a snuggle and all those amazing facial expressions that you make. Your chatty and outgoing manner makes even the most serious person crack into a smile. You really are a mini minx.

My message for each one of you is to be who God created you to be.  Be proud to be individual, live your life as you feel it should be lived.  Cherish every day and make the most of what you have.  Concentrate on the positives.  The secret to happiness is to want what you already have.  Remember to live in the day, do not project and allow any worries to creep into your lives, stay innocent and care free for as long as you can.  Enjoy life! Do unto others as you wish for them to do to you.  Think of that phrase 'what goes around, comes around'. Bless others and be blessed right back.  Right a good and righteous life in the eyes of the Lord and just try your best.

I don't care what you choose to do in life, you may wish to work in McDonalds or as an Ice Cream seller (JJ), or you may be a ballet dancer or vet (Miss M), or even a Mummy or teacher (Miss E). As long as you are happy in your life and you are not hurting other people then that works for me. 

I will always be there to support you, in the good and the bad and one day I hope to be a Grandmother and to see your children. I can not even think forward that far as yet but I know it will be a time of much happiness.

Anyway I am not drunk and it is not the end of the year yet so I probably should not be feeling so sentimental or mardly.  I was just struck tonight at Church about how much I love each one of you and how happy I am to be your Mummy.  Yes, you challenge me every day; you can be naughty, I can get cross and over react but by the end of any day we are always back to our loving relationship and enjoying our goodnight snuggle.

Thank you my babes for being you.  You are each just perfect for me.

Love you, Mummy xx

Silent Sunday: Who Is Having The Most Fun?