Hey there regular readers and new ones too (where've you been people!)
This week, this family is luckily going away on a press holiday with the gorgeous James Villas to Marbella for some rest, relaxation and hopefully sunshine!
We're a household of choccy-lovers so we're all egg-tremely (sorry) egg-xcited (and again) about Easter coming up and the chance to indulge in chocolate eggs!
This weekend was gushingly one where I literally kept thinking, 'Wow I'm so happy, I'm so lucky'...stick with me...You see we are all so busy rushing around aren't we, running from here to there, working, hustling, multi-juggling that these last few days went by a bit slowly in comparison and allowed me to truly take stock.
Blogging is utterly brilliant isn't it?! Thanks to my style blog Mummy's Got Style originally and this post HERE, stunning luxury designer baby bag brand Nova Harley hired me to model their beautiful changing bags, and nearly 1 year to the day, and 3 campaigns later, I'm hugely proud to be their model and ambassador.
The weekend was one relaxing affair, we stayed at my folks' house, the home I grew up in on Saturday night so Peter and I could enjoy a rare date night, and all woke up to buttery warm bagels and the best babysitters in town. Bliss.
Bloggers/business owners/brands depend on social media to grow, expand and thrive.
Social media is an easy, instant way to connect with friends and potential readers/consumers.
Being married to a software developer and general computer wizz, Peter, and of course being a pro-blogger myself, means the boys were introduced to IT from a young age. Both feel confident using iPads (hello Cbeebies app), my phone (give it back!) and even using the remote control for the TV!
Last week excitingly saw me host a style party in my home for one of the most coveted brands in Sweden, me&i.
I've reviewed their clothes for over a year now and adore working with such a stylish company whose collections for kids and women are absolutely this family's collective style - vibrant, unisex kidswear and understated, classic womenswear.
OK so let me explain, ever since I was a teenager, or a tween even (isn't that word odd?!)-when I was a tween and that term hadn't been invented (thankfully), I realised I had a bit of a lovely bond with kids, I connected with children and adored playing with them. I did play with dolls pretty late so I suppose they were an extension of that!
Most of us have had terrible two year olds on our hands at some point haven't we-please tell me you can relate-that loss of control, the irritation, embarrassment and frankly, downright fatigue of dealing with a 2 going on 12 year old 'twonager'!
Yes we all know this stubbornness and quest for independence is formative, normal behaviour especially as 2 year olds can't yet reason, but it doesn't make it any less tough when you're in the midst of it all, does it?
Those who follow this blog know that this family are photo-mad, be it striking a pose in photographs ourselves or simply snapping family days out, the ordinary (park life, the food we love) and the extraordinary (film premieres, holidays, modelling shoots and more), usually my gifted husband Peter behind the lens.
After a month of illness in this family, we finally all felt better and were in much need of a retreat, a break from the norm, not far from home to simply rest, relax and feel rejuvenated once more.
The universe must have been listening, as the wonderful Gorgeous Cottages got in touch to see if we wanted to break in a luxury holiday home, The Coach House in Yorkshire.
As you get older and perhaps a little wiser (or in my Dad's case, sillier, much, much sillier-it can go both ways) you start to realise what really matters in life.
I think having kids can do that to you, that whirlwind of new love for the kid you made merged with the mammoth overwhelming weight of responsibility (no more spontaneity in life is pretty sobering) and puts everything that came before, and after it, into sharp perspective.
You don't need to have a kid for this I should add. Yay for being wiser without having to actually use your cervix! Life experience, travel, pets, nurturing plants, charity work, whatever it is that takes you out of yourself, can be enlightening,
It got me thinking about all the tiny touching moments that make up the bigger picture, the intricately woven happy-making little things I reflect on right before I go to sleep or if I'm away from my kids, missing them madly, or my zone out to more joyous times when I find the children fighting over toys/films/my affection and I need a happy place pronto.
Peter (and I ) were a bit blown away by the response to his landscape photography when I shared them on the blog recently so thank you to all who viewed, commented and shared. Now, as part of a regular photography feature by Peter, I'm sharing portraits, mostly of our children that I love.