Reasons why I love the internet

Hey readers,

 Could you imagine being without the internet....no me neither *sweating profusely at the thought*. 

The internet is my dear friend and it has helped me so much just as a parent which I would be at a total loss without it. 

I have made a list of the reasons why I am thankful for having such an amazing tool.

The internet is where you can find advice and talk with like minded people and generally just feel a sense of solidarity. 

Whether that be topics depression, parenthood etc wherein face-to-face be really difficult to talk to you can relax with a cuppa in a relaxed environment and talk openly with people in a similar situation.

The social media offers a variety of platforms such as blogging allowing you to meet others with similar interests and gain valuable knowledge, find a sense of identity and learn about yourself and the topics you're interested in.

The internet can be a fun way to get information on a whole a host of topics and it is so easy to access 24/7.

The internet lets you meet people from all around the world regardless of distance, money etc. It also provides a wider learning experience as your not limited to what you know but learn about different cultures, opinions and perspectives.

When buying products you can enquire and get information about your purchases. What with more reviews and feedback from consumers this has helped give a bigger picture of weighing up whether to buy an item or not. 

The net also gives you the opportunities to explore different avenues giving you more of a consumer choice. This would not have been possible years ago as pre-internet you would be stuck with the shops you could access. Now in this modern-day, you have more choice.

Research has shown that internet therapy has helped the reduction of onset post-natal depression as you can talk about your experiences leaving you to feel less isolated. Not only that meeting other parents can be a motivator and help make you feel better in your mood. 

Even if it just learning about other people's experiences or knowing that you are not alone with having negative feelings and knowing that others have manned their depression can make you feel better.

Opportunities can arise though the interest such as open university degrees, meeting new people or gaining aspirations to name a few can be down to logging on the internet and connecting to the online community.

Do you relate to any of these positive aspects of the internet? Love to hear your thoughts down below in the comment section. 

Cheers for reading X

6 ways to deal with rejection.

Hey readers,

Sometimes I just want to throw the towel in because I feel like a pile of shit. I am particularly venerable in feeling down because my confidence is at rock bottom.

 It can be really mentally draining when you are rejected all the time, it can be so disheartened especially when you have so much hope in that one thing.  So, how do you overcome rejection, well here my tops to cope with such a horrible feeling?

1. Cry.

 First of it is ok to grieve in a sense and have a  good old cry. I feel it is good to mope for a short period as it gives you more time to come round to the decision.

2. It will pass.

Reminding yourself that this feeling will pass and it will get better.

3. Distraction.

 A great way to try not to pay all your attention to the feelings of rejection is to keep yourself distracted. This will make you not feed into the downward spiral of a downer instead you can do something practical and deal with the feelings at a later date when you are calmer.

4. Acceptance.

Accepting the rejection and moving on. It may help to acknowledge that you are not the only person in the world to have experienced rejection. At some point in life, everyone will experience rejection even the most successful people can't run away from it either.

5. Think of the positives.

 Rejection may be a good thing for you. For example, if you attended a job interview you could ask the interviewer the reasons behind their decision to not employ you. This could potentially help you learn and help make changes to improve if needed.

6. Appreciation.

 Finally, I feel it is important to praise yourself as it is an indication that you are living your life and taking that risk by putting yourself out there.  It takes courage to put yourself in a venerable situation so take time to appreciate the work you have achieved.

What ways help you deal with rejection? how do you deal with rejection? Love to hear your thoughts in the comments down below. 

Cheers for reading X

50 of the best satisfying feelings in the world

Hey readers,

You know the feelings that are totally satisfying well I have done a list of 50 the best satisfying feelings ever in the world to nod along to.

 

1.  Getting into a new set of PJs. 
2. Pealing PVA glue of the back of your hand.
3. Vacuum packing anything. 
4. Finally getting water out of your ear.
5. Pressure washing anything. 
6. Opening a fresh jar of Nutella. 
7.  Seeing your food coming in a restaurant. But you should always act surprised when the server actually arrives.
8. Getting your hair washed at the hairdressers.
9. Getting the last piece of food that is stuck in your teeth out. 
10. Taking your socks off after a long day.
11. When your song comes on the radio.
12. Wrapping a present perfectly. 
13.  Cleaning your ears out. 
14. Picking off a dry bit of skin off your lips. 
15. Sleeping in on a rainy day.
16. Cracking your joints when they finally are ready to be cracked.
17.  Getting the email you have been waiting anxiously for.
18. The feeling in your stomach after you have been up and down on a rollercoaster.
19. Finding money you didn't have.
20. Stoping a microwave when it has 1 second left.
21. Hearing the right song at the right time. 
22. Realising you have more time to sleep.
23. Rubbing your eyes without makeup on.
24.   Being alone at home and basking in the silence.
25. Taking a sip of the first drink. 
26. Stretching out at the end of the day.
27. Closing the curtains when it is dark and curling up in a blanket.
28. Finishing a book.
29. Working out to a super badass song.
30. Having a pee when it feels like you have been holding it for nine years. 
31. Taking your socks off and getting into bed. 
32. Waking up from a nap and not knowing how long you have been asleep for. 
33. Letting out a dramatic sigh.
34.  Watching the rain from the window. 
35. Drinking water after something spicy. 
36. Putting clothes on straight from the tumble drier. 
37.  Fresh clean bedsheets. 
38. When the hiccups finally go away. 
39. When the web page finally loads after waiting ages with the circle of doom.
40.  Tearing off a piece of paper perfectly from a notebook. 
41. Having a good laugh.
42. Kicking through crunchy leaves. 
43. Washing your face at the end of the day.
44.  Going to bed happy and with a full tummy. 
45. Taking your bra off after a long day.
46. Opening a book on the right page you want.
47. Watching your coffee and milk mix.
48. Relaxing outside on a sunny day.
49. Peeling the plastic of something you have just brought.
50. The first snow of the season. 

Is there any other satisfying feeling that I have missed off the list? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

 Cheers for reading X

50 Terribly British Quirks.

Hey readers,

Do you know that people who live outside the UK would look at some of the behaviour we do and think what the F? Where we would not bad an eyelid. So here are some fun things we do that are perfectly reasonable.

1. Using the term poorly. 
2. The weather is one of the main topics of conversation. 
3. Saying sorry to something that has happened even though you haven't even done something wrong.
4. Eating beans on toast.
5. Shouting your welcome when someone doesn't thank you for something you have done for them.
6. Finding a trolley in the supermarket you don't have to put a pound in.
7. Rearranging cups with letters in the store to form a swear word such as twat.
8. Complaining about how much Freddo chocolate costs.
9. Fish and chips at the seaside.
10. Dunking biscuits into your cup of tea.
11. Eating after eights before eight.
12. Exclaiming the idolism, "keep your hair on" with A strong accent.
13. Crisp sandwiches.
14. Clotted cream on a scone.
15. Marmite.
16. Biting the top of a walnut whip.
17. Sitting upstairs at the front of a double-decker bus.
18. Come dine with me on channel 4.
19. Being annoyed at someone posh on The Antique Roadshow and finding out the item is worth thousands of pounds.
20. Fish finger sandwiches.
21. Arguing over the correct pronunciation of scone.
22. A soggy bottom.
23. Arguing over how tea should be done correctly.
24. Grabbing a bargain.
25. Chip butty.
26. Overjoyed when the car park ticket machine is broke and the car park ticket is free.
27. Warming your socks on the radiator before putting them on. 
28. Listening to the weather forecast.
29. Socks with sandals. 
30. Queuing.
31. Staying in your pyjamas all day.
32. Stealing toiletries from the hotel you are staying at. 
33. Having hot chocolate with all the extras.
34. Sneaking your favourite chocolate bar out of the tin before anyone else does at Christmas.
35. A 99 ice cream.
36. Eating Nutella out of the jar. 
37. Buying yourself flowers. 
38. Weird celebrity crushes. 
39. Doing multiple Buzzfeed quizzes.
40. Eating the stash of sweets/chocolate that was Meant to be for the kids. 
41. Drinking juice directly from the carton. 
42. Watching Only Fools and Horses episode for the 1000th time. 
43. Watching dog and cat videos on youtube.
44. chips and gravy.
45. Ordering takeaway because you can't be bothered to cook.
46. Proving your partner wrong about something. 
47. Eating cereal for dinner. 
48. Listening to cheesy pop. 
49. Watching day time tv when your ill such as This Morning, Bargain Hunt or Homes Under the Hammer. 
50. Having breakfast in bed. 

Can you relate to any of these British quirks? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

my Sunday Photo 04/10/2020

 

50 items to flip

 Hey readers,

Looking for a way to earn a few quid on the side especially with Christmas around the corner then a good way to do this is by a method called flip. 

What does Flip mean?

It is a term originated from America but to but it simply you buy something at a small cost and go on to sell it for a profit. 

Types of places to buy goods are:

• Chruch sales
• Auctions
• Charity shops 
• Library/university sales
• Car boots
• Markets
• Wholesalers.

Then what you do is simply place the item on money selling app such as eBay, Facebook market, gum tree etc and then increase value for its worth. 

Make sure photos are crisp, getting loads of photos so the buyer and clearly see the product. Give information about the product if it is used or new etc can help get a good sale. 

Of course, if you are doing this long term which some people do. I don't personally just the odd thing here and there but you will need to think about buying items in bulk such as bubble wrap, paper, sellotape, envelopes and even the best deal with delivery. 

It is important to do your research if you want to do this long time. Nonetheless, you chose what you want to put in of course it could be the odd item.  

You definitely need time as it is work to put all the information together, making sure the item is a good condition and getting items posted. 

Anyhow, I have come up with 50 items which are brilliant for getting a good sell and it helps to have something in mind to look for when out in a charity shop or similar.

 

50 top-selling items to flip on selling sites to make a profit. 

1. Vintage VHS horror. 
2. Cashmere anything.
3. New and used shoes. 
4. Old gaming systems. 
5. Car parts. 
6. Bicycles.
7. Textbooks.
8. Disney stuff.
9. Furniture.
10. Power tools. 
11. Designer watches. 
12. Antiques.
13. Basthtubs / proclein sinks.
14. Ceramic decorations that are rare to find. 
15. Concert t-shirts.
16. Canvas painting. 
17. Limited edition trainers.
18. Baby and kid gear.
19. Vintage eyewear. 
20. Vinyl.
21. Books. 
22. Sports memorabilia.
23. Old canning jars.
24. Wine.
25. Houses.
26. Trailers.
27. Websites.
28. Vintage board games.
29. Vintage toys.
30. Anything related to Star Wars.
31. Lego sets.
32. Nutcrackers.
33. Collectables.
34. Outdoor furniture.
35. Snow globes.
36. Vintage cups.
37. Glassware.
38. Remote controls.
39. Small antiques.
40. Sterling silver.
41. Mobile phones.
42. Barbies.
43. Pyrex.
44. Power washing equipment.
45. Record players.
46. Vintage video games. 
47. Appliances.
48. Photography gear. 
49. Scrap metal.
50. Commercial equipment.

Have you ever flipped any items to resell? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

How sensory helps me relax.

Hey readers,

Autism is hard at times to manage and I feel crap recently because I seem to be having frequent meltdowns due to added pressure socially. Plus additional important information I need process and adapt to new changes. 

So I have tried new ways to incorporate relation techniques into my daily life to help make me relax a bit more.

I know Asperger affects me in a way where I like doing physical hand movement type things as oppose to say thinking/meditating type things. I find some sensory activities can cause stress but others can create relaxation for me and stop me to obsessively checking of thinking  (as I also have OCD).

1) Firstly I absolutely love colouring. I have found it really helpful in giving me something to focus on and just being in the moment without constantly having several thoughts rushing through my head. It helps make me more relaxed so I can face challenges better too.

2) Planning something whether be a day out or activity with the kiddos I get pleasure from. Especially when it goes smoothly. I find it detracts me away from stress as again I focus on the here and now without worrying about things that I don't necessarily need too.

3) Personally for me there is something amazing about putting your head on a cold pillow.  Maybe because going into my bedroom (which is not often a lot cooler than other places in my home) can calm me down. I have several trips throughout the day to my room for 'timeout'. I found my temperatures get really hot when I'm anxious and faffing therefore feeling something cool can soothe me.

4) I have social anxiety, I do go out now but I tend to feel very anxious and on edge. So when I am using public transport I use a stress ball to help relax me when I get overwhelmed. It distracts me and I get to get rid of all that pend up energy and frustration.

5) This sounds weird when writing this down but brushing my hair helps relieve stress and I love the feeling after.

I know a lot of this stuff is a hands-on or sensory element but I am not one for sitting still I struggle sitting at the Dinner table for five minutes.

Cheers for reading X

10 misconceptions about depression

Hey readers,

I have lived with depression for years, though some days are better than others it is hard to live with. There is always that one person who makes a snap judgement when really they are quite ignorant and have no idea of what a battle it is to live with depression. 

Here are my top ten misconceptions about depression that I have met over the years.

1. A golden oldie, all you need to do is snap right out of it. yeah, if it was that simple to just click my fingers and it the depression would disappear. At my darkest episode, I was healthy, eating well, exercising a lot and going out but I still felt shit. I did everything to make these dreading feeling and fear go away with no avail.

2. Drugs don't work, well actually that may be so and it may be down to thoughts but then thoughts are in the mind. Drugs have worked successfully for some people including myself and I have seen evidence of it impacting my quality of life. It does not erase everything but it reduces the immediate effects and helps lift you up to help you think more clearly and logically.

3. Depression is attention-seeking, maybe so for some people but when I had depression, in the beginning, I was ashamed and didn't tell anyone and hid away in my deep dark world behind closed doors.

4. Depression means your weak, far from it as you are living will this illness and having to deal with all the extra work it brings. It is very trying and you really lose your motivation to just do anything. Getting through it is pure hard work more then anyone would know.

5. Depression is the same as sadness, wrong sadness is short-lived with feelings of low. Compare that to depression which sucks all your energy, self-destructive at times suicidal battle for long periods all day and night is a hell of a different story.

6. You don't have depression if you are happy, well I disagree as I can have spiked up and down and all over the place. Sometimes I don't know whether I am coming or going

7. Depression is a result of stressful events, well that can be the case in some situations as we can't rule out the environmental factors. But you have to hear in mind that hormones, brain activity and genes also play a role in depression.

8. It's not really an illness, there has been evidence showing differences between areas of the brain that have less activity in contrast with brains of non-depressives.

9. It's all in the mind, sometimes yes but like point 6 there many factors that can not be ruled at as well when debating about where depression comes from.

10.  Talking about it only makes it worse, yes it can stir up bad emotions but it can help some people talk about feelings can help bring stuff to the surface and work through the emotions attached to issues. What you have to bear in mind is we are all different and what works for one does not necessarily work for another.

Cheers for reading X

Ikeas magical charm.

Hey readers,

As a parent, some of the things I look for is activities to keep little ones occupied whether that be indoors or out. 

Nothing beats having time out from the home to get a break from the role of being an entertainer. One of the simple but very effective family days out for me personally is that big grey, blue and yellow striking building commonly know as IKEA!!!! 



It is one of my eldest sons favourite days out so much so that he begs me to take him there and goes ape s**t when we go past the building.

I had a brain wave and thought why not write right down reasons why I love this magnetically enchanted kingdom that young children gravitate towards. Therefore I have listed my top reasons why Ikea is simply the best.

★ Let's start with food, very essential criteria on any family day out and what is there not to love about cheap hot dogs, meatballs and ice cream where you can use a machine to release the lid of fatty yumminess. 

★ If you did not get an Ikea family card then you must as not only do you get discounts but also free coffee and tea, win-win!

★ The whole atmosphere wreaks of families as you get the sense of child-friendly ness with the layout being bright, playful with its tunnels for kids to run around or the fact you can get a complimentary nappy for FREE for young 'uns speaks volumes.

★ It is great for kids to be free in a magical area where they can play kitchens, jump on beds and pretend to work in an office or like my son imitating his daddy using the computers. 

★ There is free family fun on during the holiday times whether that be making bird boxes or at Christmas seeing Santa Claus, that will make a child's day, therefore, meaning you a top parent!

★ Baby care room is excellent thinking with the decor being fun and playful, little and large toilets, hop hops and the like. Makes any parent with a child go to the toilet or changing a nappy a lot lot easier. And as parents like anything making a task smooth and less stress.

★ There is four-hour free parking that is family-friendly again making it an easier enjoyable experience for everyone.

★ Essentially it is a cheap day out and everyone is happy what more could you want.

Now you have heard all these wonderfulness go explore and have fun.

Cheers for reading X

my Sunday photo 27/09/2020

You know you are a mum...

Hey readers,

There is something strange about becoming a mum not only does your whole world change but you get this universal unitedness shared with other mums. 

This happened even though you don't know the

the person but you can relate and understand.

I am not your average mummy as I am autistic which can bring up an array of challenges as an individual and as a mum. 

Sometimes regardless of my disability I can listen, read or hear situations that I can identify with and feel the same way as that parent feels. 

OK, it can be very lonely being a parent but sometimes when you hear similar stories of motherhood that you identify you get this sense of solidarity. It can be uplifting to know your not the only one experiencing these situations. 

Therefore I thought I would make a list that is a general experience that other parents can identify with.

  
1. No!

Having to say NO a million and one times. I have never used a word so much until I had kids and used this word. 

2. The smell of little one's hair.

Smelling your little one's hair straight after having a bath. There is nothing that smells that amazing and I would even go as far as saying that I could almost lick the hair, haha!

3. Mum bag.

Why is that most common item in my bag is a dozen or so fruit shoot tops gathered up at the bottom?

4. Alone time.

That when you finally get time alone you still end up thinking about your child.

5. CBeebies.

You know the whole song to Cbeebies goodnight tune.

6. Referee.

If you have two children you are automatically promoted to a referee.

7. Bribery is key.

You are qualified in negotiating skills and bribe making.

8. silence is golden unless...

You have a panic when you hear silence and you think to yourself,  's**t what is it that is up to '.

9. Sleep.

Sleep becomes a hell of a lot sexier and you have never fantasised about anything as much as sleep.

10. Alone.

Being alone feels weird and you feel as if something is missing.

Cheers for reading X

9 mummy secrets

 Hey readers,

Now I will state firstly say I love my Bambinos to the earth and back. But it is OK to be selfish and have some things for yourself. That I have learnt through motherhood that you need some things that you can claim as your own or you will slowly lose a part of you.

1. Pen and pad.

My funky pad and pen are mine and not for little pinkies. I need my lists and order to keep me sane. They are the little luxury that belongs to me. 

Though my kids do try to get my pad and pen it ain't happening on my watch. They are secretly placed so that they are not at risk of being scribbled on and destroyed. H

ave no fear though that my sons do have all different types of pens, crayons, colouring pencils, paper etc. So, therefore they are not losing out and mummy feels happy having something special that's ALL MINE.

2. Toilet.

Going to the toilet is my time out and some peace - so much so that I have a lock on my door and I will not open it until I have done my wee without the tornado of destruction entering my tertiary.

3. Chocolate.

Secretly having a full bar of chocolate to myself without sharing it. OK, so I am secretly hiding around the corner trying to be the quiet son they can listen to rich American kids play Roblox on Youtube, *AHEM*!

4. Kids cartoons.

That secretly I hate the majority of children's programmes (though I secretly love Nanny Plum and her sarcasm). 

I shall name one in particular that gets right on my nerves and that be TOPSY AND TIM. (More Tim mind as he such a miserable so and so and always carries that look of being slapped with a wet fish). Not to mention when are they ever going to actually move into that new home which looks identical to the one that they live in now. Yep, I know motherhood really comes with random thoughts such as above. 

5.  Window.

My decision who gets to sit near the window - END.OF.CONVERSATION.

6. Messy play.

I hate messy play and only do it for the selfless reasons as I know you boys love it so much but it does make my skin crawl. 

7. Space.

I may intentionally accidentally have thrown out a few of your drawings that are so alike it seems wasted to keep them all. I still need to save space for all your other work/reports/cards/memorabilia to store

8. Notes.

When I want to tell daddy something that I don't want your kiddies to know I may spell out the word or scribble a secret note to my beloved that I would like a beer and chocolate tonight.

9. Countdown.

When both mummy and daddy count to five we have no idea exactly what will happen after. So far we have only gone to 4!

You know it makes sense to keep somethings a secret to make family life run smoothly.

Do you have secrets that you have that you don't tell your children? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below. 

Cheers for reading X

Reasons why I love autumn.

Hey readers,

We have reached September where the evenings are getting darker and that little bit cooler as we are fast approaching Autumn (22 September).

 So I am going to celebrate why I love Autumn and why it trumps over other seasons.

1) Woolie jumpers to get cosy and snug.

2) Hot chocolate to warm off that coldness.

3) crunchy leaves to jump and walk-in is the best.

4) The air feels fresher and crisper.

5) Walking in the park is much more pleasurable watching the different colours changing.

6) The smell of cinnamon makes my nose twitch with joy.

7) Hot drinks and putting your hands around the cup is so comforting.

8) candles and wanting to stay in with blankets and books is a real joy.

9) I really like it when there is dense fog and I can't see anything. It feels closed in and secures.

10) Fluffy socks keeping your toes lovely and toasty!

Happy Autumn,

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday Photo 20/09/2020

 

How to improve your mobile battery.

Hey readers,

Do you suck the energy dry form your phone? Let me give you some tips to help extend the amount of battery phone.

Firstly, turning down the brightness can help reduce the amount of battery.

When using wallpaper as a background for your mobile chose a darker theme as less light is used and can help reduce your battery usage.

Turning off vibrate can increase talk time for an extra 10 minutes, If you go into the settings of your phone it is very simple to switch over.

Turn off additional settings such a GPS, location and anything else that might not be used.

One of the easiest ways to help reduce battery time is to turn down the brightness as this contribute to your battery life. 

This is one of the most popular and effective ways used by people.

Looking through the apps on your phone and work out which ones are using up more battery than others, then turn off the irrelevant ones.

Now again go through a clear out of apps on your phone that you do not use anymore, this will help with reducing battery.

If you are not worried about constantly getting notifications with emails and any other notification form apps. 

Then my suggestion is to turn off them notifications will be a big help in increasing your battery life.

I have found that being on Android that using apps constantly comes with updates that never seem to stop. 

Well, a way to deal with this is the turn off your notifications. Therefore saves a lot of battery and if you need to update an app it is easy to do manual through the app store.

All these tips may seem little improvements but when achieving all these actions then they soon add up to longer battery life, making you get more out of your mobile during the day.

Cheers for reading X

It's OK to bottle feed

Hey readers,

One of the main areas of things that you think about when you have a child is feeding them. I originally tried brest feeding and failed within five days as I was in pain, could not co-ordinate and triggered postnatal depression.

As a mother you want to do your best for your child. The one thing for me as a mother in the begining was trying to br this ideal perfect mother. I had to be able to breastfeed my baby or else I was doomed to failure.

 I felt this kind of message was reinforced everywhere I looked. There were posters on the hospital walls about the whole breast is best and the feeling that I had to do it succeed. 

No one teaches you about formula and that you as an individual can make the choice. I went to pre baby classes and the breast brigade forced this ideas of the importance of breast in a very dominated and unhelpful way.

 The effect of this was damaging and it triggered deep depression and self hatred way I was not successful with breast feeding.

I felt very depressed and felt like I was not what you would call a 'real women'. I could not co-ordinate no matter how many 'professionals' came and shoverd my arms here and there. 

I could not line up things the right way. I tried every position possible and the only way I would be successful is if someone did it for me.

I felt anger that no one talks to you about the emotional impact of the guilt. I hated myself and the world. Not to mention the emotional impact on the bond I had with my boy. 

I cut off feelings and attachment towards my son because I could not provide then there was no point connecting as I was damaged. I would just further complicate the situation. 

I felt I screwed up his development and he was going be retarded and not develop in the correct way.

I was a mess and lack of sleep combined nearly threw me over the edge. Thankfully after seeing my health visitor who said to me give him formula it doesn't matter as its 90% athe same closeness with the nutrient elements. 

She said.she formula feed all her children and they are grown u and fine. I can not tell you how relieved and reassured it made me feel. It also gave me confidence and helped build a proper bond with my child.

Now reflecting back I am glad I chose formula because for me it was the right decision. I accept that breast is obviously the natural way. But it is not the only option. We are lucky to have a place where we can provide health and alternatives that are just as good as breast milk.

Everyone is different, we all have our journey and battles to face. Some of us are successful and take breast feeding straight away. But that does not mean your failure if you don't. What the most important thing to remember is you do what is right for you and your child.

Thank you for reading X