my Sunday photo 08/03/2020

Rubbish bits about motherhood.

Hey readers,

We all know there are wonderful parts of motherhood but also sometimes motherhood can sometimes feel a bit crap. So, here are the rubbish elements of motherhood and let's have good old rant shall we.

1. When kids make that hideous wingy noise especially when they are tired everything will bother them and cause so much distress, even simple things like do you want a drink or put your pyjamas on for bed. 

2. When siblings constant think it is funny to jump on one another or you if you dare lie down. 

3. Having to entertain children when it comes to imaginary play sucks because I am so crap at it and it is 100% harder when you are not good at something. 

4. The never-ending feeling of being tired, does it ever stop I wonder?

5. Nothing belongs to you anymore, when I say nothing I mean NOTHING. 

6. You lose a sense of direction with fashion etc, don't even ask what the number 1 is in the chart.

7. The relentlessness of it all.

8. Boredom... cause lets be frank here at times it can feel like GroundHog day especially when it is rubbish weather outside and you stuck in the four walls going slightly mad.

9. Everything takes a whole lot longer to do.

10. The pace of a child walking, honestly, you think they were a snail the rate they walk at especially when trying to get to school first thing in the morning. 

11. Having to blow their nose constantly.

12. Shit programmes you have to watch, I mean some examples Peppa Pig, Power Rangers and Shimmer and Shine to name a few, though the list could go on forever.

13. The constant squabbling between my two children, I literally have to be the referee and split them apart at times. 

14. Not being able to go to the toilet without one of my little darlings wanting to smash the down like they were part of MI5. 

15. Having a consistent alarm clock in the form of your child who wakes you up without fail EVERY.SINGLE. DAY without fail. 

16. You are excluded from that day once a year where you don't get an extra hour in bed but more like an extra a wake courtesy of kids not getting the memo that clocks go back means stay in bed.

17. The non-stop washing, even when you get to the end of it like magic another item appears. I think children have a secret sensory where they get a message to tell them that the laundry bin is empty, my theory anyway ;).

18. The never-ending walking around the home and saying who has left the light on? Whos left there cup here? Why is this sticky? 

What bits do you relate to? Have I missed anything off the list? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Cheers for reading X 

How to put a spring in your step.

Hey readers,

I know it is grey and rainy outside and can sometimes it can be hard to find the motivation to do anything. Which is a sad case as it Spring but it is hard to believe when looking out of the window.  So, here are my five ways to put a spring in your step.

De-clutter.

There is nothing more cathartic than having a good clean out, sort out the things you want and not need. If there is the stuff that is suitable sell it on eBay or give it to charity.

 I also love to get organised as sometimes as a parent always have the time or energy to put things in order. 

So, this could mean putting items in the right location to sorting out your paperwork so that it is in order and clear to find.

Go outside.

It can be hard to feel motivated when it is so wet and grim outside but sometimes it is good to get outdoors for your soul. 

Put your wellies on and go out with the kids, they love splashing in puddles and you feel tons better after getting fresh air.

Flowers.

A lovely way to bring Spring into your home and some colour are to buy some flowers, even if it is just a bunch of £1 daffodils they really do brighten up your mood.

Spring Clean.

Nothing says Springtime like good old deep cleanse around your home, dusting them cop webs of and giving the place a good old bleach. 

It is lovely now and again to feel like a new page has turned and you feel so much better in your home.

Try something new.

Sometimes, as parents or adults, we can get stuck in a rhythm and we do the same old because change is scary or hard work. 

However, trying something new can recreate the excitement, whether that be doing exercise, learning a new hobby or visiting somewhere you have not been before is a great way to get that buzz back in life.

Cheers for reading X

My top 25 frugal tips.

Hey readers,

I love to save money and being frugal is something I strive for in my life. So, if you like me and like to save some pounds then check out my top 25 frugal tips below. 

1. Only go to the supermarket twice a week.

2. Don't go to the supermarket when hungry.

3. Swap from branded items to supermarket own branded items.

4. Write a plan for food shopping and stick to it.

5. Use discount sites such as eBay or everything for five pounds.

6. Each week meal plans your meals.

7. Ask yourself before buying do you I really need this.

8. Try cheaper cut meats.

9. Wait 21 days before making a purchase on a big item such a TV. This will give you time to assess whether you need it or not.

10. Use something up before buying something that does the same job.

11. Use trials to get free temporary items such as Amazon Prime and Spotify. 

12. Check out the yellow sticker section of the supermarket, ost stuff is fine if you use it up immediately or freeze it. Saves a small fortune, especially as the supermarket, knocks off a lot when it is about an hour before the supermarket closes. 

13. Before going out buying something specific check out mysupermarket.co.uk to find the best deal. 

14. If you have short journeys such as taking your children to school, ditch the car and walk. 

15. It will do you and your car the world of good. 

16. Buy second hand because it is more environmentally friendly and tends to be of good quality 90% of the time, checks out eBay or Facebook market to find some fab deals. 

17. Use a budget tracker to keep on top of your finances. 

18. Instead of buying a meal deal whilst at work for your lunch takes five to ten minutes the night before to knock up lunch for yourself, you will be saved so much money it is unreal.

19. Instead of buying coffee from coffee shops buy little sachets take them to work. You still get a treat but cuts the cost down a lot.

20. Shop for season stuff when it is at the end and being reduced, e.g Christmas items in January at knocked down prices.

21. Sometimes, when you are out and about in clothing shops you can forget how much stuff you own. That is why it is good to have a list of all the items you own and refresh your mind when out and about.

22. Rotate your wardrobe so clothes at the back get a chance to be seen and worn instead of instantly going for the easiest items to get hold of in the morning.

23. Check out your local library where there is an array of books and magazines you can read for free.

24. Check out websites like Groupon for cheap family days out.

25. When buying items online use Topcashback to get cashback for buying items on certain websites.

What are your favourite frugal tips? I love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Cheers for reading X 

My Sunday photo 01/03/2020

Masking it at a cost.

Hey readers,

 I have had a visitor come round. Every time this happens I feel completely and utterly exhausted. 

I literally can not do anything for the next few hours as it has taken me all my power to deal with the social situation.

 It is not the person, it is just the way that I am programmed with my autistic brain. I just really struggle with long periods of socialising. 

I feel awful for saying this like I am totally anti-social and I am not but I need my time out as well.  

It doesn't help that I also have to parent as well as having to deal with the social situation. I have my children with me and to be quite frank they are not the calm and placid type. 

They go absolutely go bat shit crazy when a visit comes round and trying to calm down is an absolute nightmare when they are this age. 

Therefore, for me it is just so tiring trying to keep both children calm and then deal with the stuff that is happening in my head is a lot of work for me.

 By the end of the social situation, I want to scream and when the person leaves I feel like my whole body just collapses and de-intensifies (if there is such a word).

 I just feel really angry right now, I think it is a direct response from all the frustration and having to pretend all the hours to appear a certain way. 

Yeah, I could be myself but no one wants to see me wild, believe me, and you. Acting is hard for an autistic person because nine times out of ten the individual is already anxious, but then they have to work that much harder to manage the situation.

 What you see is that us autistic people have to learn the art of remembering social equities as we are not naturally social people. 

So, therefore days like today are basically are a mental workout for me and I can guarantee the following day I will have the consequences where I can hardly do anything, other than rest. 

 Cheers for reading X

A list of common misconceptions.

Hey readers,

We have all heard information that has been taught as facts however, somethings are misconceptions.

 So here are a few of my favourite misconceptions that I have learnt over time not to be true, which makes me laugh about it now.

Fortune Cookie.

The fortune cookie is not Chinese but brought to the US from Japan.

 They are rarely found in China and are often seen as a symbol of American cuisine, even though nowadays they are regularly given out in Chinese restaurants.

Earthworm babies.

People believe that when earthworms are cut in half, two baby earthworms are born. 

However, this is not true as only the front half may survive - the back end dies. Very few kinds of the worm are able to do this.

Vaccines cause autism.

Vaccines do not cause autism or autism spectrum disorders.  

Although fraudulent research by British doctor Andrew Wakefield claimed a connection, repeated attempts to reproduce the results ended in failure, and the research was ultimately shown to have been manipulated.

Budda was a laughing fat bloke.

The historical Buddha was not obese. The "chubby Buddha" or "laughing Buddha" is a 10th-century Chinese folk hero by the name of Budai.

 In Chinese Buddhist culture, Budai came to be revered as an incarnation of Maitreya, the Bodhisattva who will become a Buddha to restore Buddhism after the teachings of the historical Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, have been forgotten.

The Earth revolves around the Sun.

Technically, the Earth, sun and all of the other the planets are orbiting around the centre of mass of the solar system, not specifically the sun.

   The Great Wall of China can be seen from space.

The Apollo astronauts confirmed that you can't see the Great Wall of China from the Moon. 

In fact, all you can see from the Moon is the white and blue marble of Earth.

 Dropping a penny from the Empire State building would kill someone.

A penny only weighs about a gram and it tumbles as it falls.

 Because of the tumbling and the lightweight, there's so much air resistance that the penny never really gathers that much speed before it hits its terminal velocity. 

A gram of weight travelling at a relatively slow speed might hurt a little if it hit you on the head, but it's not going to kill you.

  Shaving hair comes back thicker.

This is actually true praise be! Apparently scientists have known about this idea since the 20s.

 It might feel like your hair comes back thicker and darker after a shave, but that's just because of the shape of the stubble that grows back.

Its blunt ends feel coarser to the touch, but as the hair grows out, the end tapers and softens once more.

Your blood is blue before it’s oxygenated.

While many believe that de-oxygenated blood is blue, it is actually a myth because human blood is always red. Although the level of redness does differ depending on how oxygenated it is.

What misconceptions have you learnt about that everyone believes is true? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

Cheers for reading X