A Mother's Ramblings

Like every parent in the world, I know that my children are the most funniest, smartest, adorable children in the world. Unlike every parent in the world, I know that this might not actually be strictly true. I mean sure they will have their moments, but at times they will probably not be the funniest, smartest or most adorable children in the world, but because I'm their Mother I won't see it like that. To me they will always be the funniest, smartest and most adorable children in the world; they take after me after all! Other people tell me that the children are great, but I can't believe that. For example, take the Children's teachers, if you are friends with Teachers, then when they say something complimentary about your child, you kind of don't believe them. There are two teachers who, if say anything to me about Tops being smart, I'd wave it off, a sort of "Of course you'd think that, we're friends". And then Top Ender comes home a

There are two things that my Children love to do, or at least here at the end of half term that's how it seems to me. They love to eat and they love to decide themselves what they are eating. Now this isn't a problem, normally they have a hand in deciding our meal plan for the week, they know my "rules" on how many times we must eat Fish, or have a Vegetarian meal. They have their favourite meals that they request us to have, maybe Top Ender get's her choice this week and BB the week after but overall everyone is happy. Unless we're eating Pizza. Then it seems that nobody is happy. Top Ender and Big Boy like Pizza to have pineapple on. As far as I'm concerned Pineapple has no place on a pizza. The children like Ham and Sausage and tonnes of Cheese. I like Mushrooms, Sweetcorn and maybe some Chicken. The Children like a deep pan, where as in my old age I've started to like a thin crust.

There are some things that when your child says to you, you know that you've made it as a parent, as well as being a review of The Sound of Music, currently showing at Milton Keynes Theatre , this is the story of how I know I've made it as a parent, when Top Ender said something that was the sound of music to my ears... Sitting in the Theatre watching The Sound of Music with Top Ender, I lent across and whispered I love this song, just before Maria and Georg sang "I Must Have Done Something Good". You see, I've seen the film version of this musical at least a zillion times, I can remember the first time I saw past the wedding, I have memorised not only songs, but huge passages of dialogue and yes even the dance moves too.

I'm writing this whilst watching Eurovision, which can only mean it's the third week of May! As normal, Daddy, Top Ender and I are watching Eurovision (daddy and Top Ender are downstairs scoring the acts on choice of costume, performance, song and generally just how much they like or dislike them! Daddy is normally pretty accurate, but then again he has loved Eurovision for a lot longer than I have. Anyway. The Third Week Of May The weekend was a great family time. Daddy, the children and I did all the jobs we normally do, and on Sunday I had the privilege of attending a birthday party with BB (just in case he had a low or was high or whatever). It did feel really odd missing Church, but we had a good day and I got to hang out with several children who I've got to know quite well over the last couple of years thanks to popping into School at regular intervals. One of the other Mums who stayed with the group took the most amazing photographs, I might have to get her t

My children love their local Build A Bear store. Actually, they love all Build a Bear Stores and so I thought I'd share with you some of my top tips for getting out alive and with your wallet mostly intact. Join the Stuff For Stuff Rewards Scheme Apart from having a really lovely card to put in your wallet, you will also have get vouchers sent to you periodically. Basically you earn 1 point for every £1 you spend and when you reach 50 points, you earn a £5 Reward Voucher. The children use these vouchers for discounts on more expensive bears, and as they are valid for six months after issue, I tend to be covered if I need a discount on a major purchase like we typically make for gifts at  Christmas and Birthdays! Talking of which, in the run up to Christmas you can sometimes get offers, for example spend x amount and get a free gift voucher to spend in store. One year my Mum and Sister both gave Top Ender BAB clothes for Christmas and BAB Vouchers for her birthday a few w

One of the great things about our local Build A Bear store, is that when we go in every member of staff knows who Top Ender, Big Boy, Daddy and I are and greet us by name. Admittedly, we have been going to the store for several years and the children are forever popping into check out new outfits and other accessories and see new bears, but it is still amazing to me that the staff know me and my family and the staff can even remember for the most part what bears and bits and pieces the children have. Most of the staff know I blog too, as I've done a couple of reviews in the store in the past and so they weren't surprised when I turned up after they had been told a blogger and her two children were coming in to experience the new Promise Pet line. The children were most excited and had already decided what pets they would like to adopt from the new range after having been on the website (it's in both their browser favourites) and made a beeline straight for the pets and

I love May, I think it's because of my Birthday being at the start of it, BB's being in the middle of it and the last week of it generally being Half term that some childhood part of me clings to May as being a good month. I've also discovered that May can also be a month of revelations, but the good kind and for that I think that January, September and May all rank as three of my favourite months of the year and my own personal "Start Over" months too. With that in mind, here is May so far. The First Week Of May Week one saw me celebrate my birthday and put on a tonne of weight. It was unfair of me on myself to have let myself relax as much as I did and I know that in the future I have to be more balanced. If I do relax and eat a tonne of junk food then I need to remember to pair it with a lot more healthy living in the preceding and succeeding weeks. Anyway. We had the Missionaries round for dinner the day after my birthday and I swear, not every member

Today is Big Boy's 7th birthday and it gives me yet another chance to think back about the life that he's had and to remember how he used to be and just how much we love him! Giving birth to Big Boy was memorable, as Big Boy was born in his amniotic sac and decided to have his first poop before he'd fully exited me. We spent the first night in hospital together, me looking at Big Boy and not wanting to put him down (although I did, I learnt from Top Ender!). Big Boy's first birthday came all too quickly and I think that someone may have been a little spoiled. I swear that we blinked and it was Big Boy's second birthday. Do you remember when all his pictures had him surrounded in little curls? Big Boy's third birthday was memorable for the number of cakes he had and the fact that he insisted that what he wanted was a Tinker Bell cake. Big Boy's fourth birthday was about picnics and the best wrapping paper in the world (according to

At Church we have a song that the children sing, called Choose The Right. It's a nice song which encourages children to, funny enough, Choose The Right. The song is something that I often find myself humming at random moments in time and I've found that it's also really useful to hum at the children when they are making choices that I might not approve of... it's also really good advice for when you're lost in a maze. Anyway. Recently I've been making good choices in relation to my general health and well being. I'm sure you've all seen that I've been exercising more and that I've been out running with Top Ender and for long walks with the family. Some of you may have seen that I've been tracking my food on My Fitness Pal and just generally making better food choices, many of which I've been photographing and putting on Instagram. And it's been working. I've been losing weight, I can feel muscles in my thighs, calves

April is now well and truly over and May has begun, we're still celebrating my birthday (I get a special four day deal as my Mum's birthday is the day before mine and so we went out to lunch together with my Sister to celebrate and of course then I get my actual birthday and then I get today and tomorrow because Bank Holiday Weekend people!) so everything is good in the AMR Household! The Last Week of April Well, the week started off well. We went on the Saturday to one of our favourite parks in Bedford and had a good look round and just generally had a giggle together. On Sunday, Top Ender wore a poodle skirt and cat head tight combination that just didn't seem right to me, but everyone else said was a brilliant eclectic mix and I do admit Top Ender carried off the combination with style! Sunday after Church, the children and I went to our Ward Munch and Mingle and I took Salad with me. Proper Salad, with carrots and spring onions and salad leaves. As expected I

It's my birthday! Hooray! Thinking back on this past year, it's been a great year and I think that this holds some great promise for the next year. I have a rather fabulous, thoughtful, resourceful, loyal, unassuming, faith filled and handsome husband who not only works hard in his work life, but works hard in his personal life to ensure that he and I have a fabulous life and relationship. He is not only my husband, but my best friend too. His love makes me the best person I can be and for that amazing gift, I'll be forever in his debt. He is without a doubt, the most amazing person to have ever existed on this planet and thankfully, despite my many and varied faults, he thinks the same about me, so I think we're even or possibly both a bit biased. I have two adorable, humorous, energetic, articulate, compassionate, charming, intelligent and witty children. They are honestly the two things in my life that I am most proud of, and from comments other peopl

The Election is all our home can talk about at the moment. We've been talking about policies that we think are important to us, policies that we think are important to others and how we think the implementations of policies that we don't like will affect us too. We sound like a really intellectual family don't we? Well, actually we aren't. Well, we are because Daddy and I have been talking politics and about what is important to us and how we think we're going to vote and it's actually really hard this year. In the past I've known who I've been voting for because of the parties policies on key topics, this year however there is a lot more, erm crossover. At least I know who I'm not voting for and that kinda helps. The real election in our house, the one that we are all talking about on a daily basis is the election to find out who will be the Superhero of our family. Yeah, we're *that* family. It all started last term, when Top End