Christmas ideas

My sister and I went to an event called StylistLive last week.  Stylist (the host company) is a free magazine which launched not so many moons ago and has become my bible ever since.  I absolutely love the articles and most importantly their lists at the beginning of every magazine.  The lust lists.  There are always so many amazing things on there and I dream of owning them.  StylistLive was an exhibition where there were talks, stalls for buying things and catwalk shows - my kind of place.  I had vegan cupcakes, what seemed like the largest Greek salad I have ever eaten and attended a talk about blogging.  They had absolutely everything there and I cannot wait for the one in 2017. 

(Turn down the sound, this was by a main road!)

Anyway, as I am apparently a loyal reader I was given two free tickets to attend two of their quieter days and I jumped at the opportunity.   Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the vegan cupcakes but I can assure you they were lovely! My sister, who was initially annoyed at being invited as she had to begrudgingly take a day off work (she is self-employed), enjoyed herself and even got to attend a talk about house buying which left her feeling a little more optimistic about home ownership.  To put it into perspective, our news outlets regularly report that first time buyers of homes will only be able to buy in their 40s due to affordability (in London).

That aside, there were some amazing stands for me to start my Christmas shopping.  Notonthehighstreet, which is similar to Etsy showcased their most popular picks on their site and offered the opportunity to personalise jewellery for free.  My sister fell in love with their necklaces and she is now the proud owner of a rose gold personalised pendant just like this but at the back of the pic:

I also intend to buy a sweatshirt for my son like this (with a floral applique instead of camo) from Edy & Bridge who are on Etsy:

And they have also agreed to make a personalised order for me so my son can have his birthday number sweatshirt just like last year!

I dislike buying samey things every year and I love everyone to have something a little bit more personal.  I love both of these as they will be as unique as the person wearing them.  Other things I will be buying this Christmas are:

A Nintendo Mini - for my long suffering husband

Buckaroo - for my nephew

National Geographic's Big Book of Why - for my inquisitive little brother
(I'm also getting their Space one too for him)

An amazing informative and fun lift the flap book - for my husband's Godson

And a very boring but very useful gift card for my mum

I'm still racking my brain as to what to get my Dad.  I absolutely love Christmas and I will hopefully be finishing a couple of projects which I will post up here when we're done.

Oh and before I forget, because you know Christmas actually starts on 1st December, my son will be getting his very first advent calendar, which looks like this...

Instead of chocolate they are mini Thomas the Tank Engine trains and the box unfolds into a train track!!!

I AM SO EXCITED!

~AB~

Life always gets in the way

I won't make excuses, I have dropped the ball a little bit.  At home, here, in life.  Everything seems to be happening all at once and I am literally just keeping the balls in the air. 

This week, my husband has been away with work and I thought I could genuinely handle just my son and I being that it was only 3 days and 5 nights.  These are the three days in a very long time he has decided he will do literally everything we have ever told him not to and I am exhausted.  I do not know how single parents do it so props to them.  I will admit right now I lost my temper, on more than once occasion.  I have had to step away from the situation on more than one occasion and yesterday... the naughty step happened because, I won't admit this to the enemy (my son) but I was defeated.  I am a strong believer in using the power of words to discipline a child especially as my parents did not feel that way but then again they are of a very very different generation.  That all being said, I am pretty sure I handled this week waaaaay better than a year ago me would have so self-five to that!

So the changes.  Well I have joined a choir for one.  This was my third week and I absolutely love it.  I have been looking for one to join for a very long time and despite the fact the majority of women are retired, they're all so young-minded and fun and it reminds me of what I have been missing all of this time.  I loved to sing at school and in fact my husband has said on more than one occasion I have the weird ability of knowing the lyrics to a ridiculous amount of songs.  As a mum, it's nice to have that me time and I know I'm really really lucky to have it.  I am really looking forward to Christmas when we have a bunch of concerts lined up and my family can hear us.

My husband has been in transition, moving to a new company and learning the ropes all over again.  He finished his stint as a stay at home dad in the last couple of weeks while I took on some more hours at work to help out and I think despite loving the bonding time with our son, he was relieved to be back having adult conversation again.  I think the whole experience has been a bit of an eye opener for the whole family.  I am pretty certain I need to find my niche away from my current company and pursue it with all of my energy.  I know there is something out there that will challenge my mind, that I will enjoy and will also pay me for the pleasure. 

Finally my son has started up music classes for toddlers, he doesn't seem to enjoy it and seems to spend the whole class desperately trying not to interact.  This is the same boy who dances to the radio and sings twinkle, twinkle and no more monkeys jumping on the bed to me.  I do not understand him.  While the classes are more about the introduction of instruments, structure and listening through music, I am getting the impression my son just does not like the structure.  Unfortunately, this tough as my son is going to have to learn a class environment in the next two years.

I realise this doesn't sound like a lot at all (there is probably more I cannot think of right now) but these and mothering have kept me so busy.   I cannot wait for this weekend and hopefully having a lie in.  I will definitely be counting my blessings, my husband will be back again.   What have you been up to? Anything exciting?

~AB~