All-in-One Mum

I have no words.  Well, I have a few.  I failed.  Miserably!  Oh, the shame!  The horror!  The sheer embarrassment of it all! My attempt at my spring cleaning goal last week was a complete non-starter.  Not only did I blog just once last week but I missed out on Silent Sunday too which is one of the things I've grown to love and look forward to along with Kate Takes 5's weekly Listography.  That too was put on hold this week by Kate who ironically was doing a bit of spring cleaning herself.  Maybe I should have taken the hint from Kate and jumped at what I was meant to do a week ago?! I do take my hat off to all the working moms out there that can manage and juggle work, children, cooking, cleaning, looking after pets, looking after themselves and generally most other things that life throws at them whilst still finding time for themselves and time to blog.  I was exhausted all of last week and lacking inspiration as well as the time and energy to blog, I simply decided not

I've been every so slightly useless and aloof in the past few days on my blog.  It isn't due to lack of interest or anything like that.  I don't have any excuses really, so, I am going to stop right there! Kate's listography for this week is  "Top 5 Things That Make Me Happy" , so here goes! 1. My husband, my daughter, my parents, my sister.  Basically, my family .  Without my family I'd be lost.  I am truly blessed to have these amazing, loving, beautiful and caring people in my life. 2.   My close friends .  Some I've known for nearly 20 years, some I've known for 2 years or less.  Always there for a good laugh, to share a bit of gossip over a glass of vino or coffee and give a hand when I need it most.  I feel like the luckiest person in the world to know these special (and some crazy!) people. 3.   My blog.   I love to write and although I know that I'm not due to win any literally awards anytime in the foreseeable future, I carry o

Other than looking for a new soft toy to pattern that I can start knitting this week, my major goal is a Spring clean of my bedroom clothes cupboard and the dresser next to my bed! Since having my daughter I am now back to a weight that I was at in my early 20's, largely down to a great deal of walking and then partly to a healthy diet.  I gave many clothes to charity and clothing bins but kept a few 'just in case' items, which seems a bit silly. Hopefully by next Sunday I will have bagged up a good number of items that I can donate to  The Children's Society Charity Shop . Do you have a weekly goal or something that you want to finally achieve in the next few days?  It could even be the start of a long term plan with week by week achievement updates! Think about it.   Blog about it.   Post a link to it in the widget below. Very, very easy! There is something amazing about putting things in writing on the public domain.  You feel largely obliged to commit

The Toy Run is a non-profit organisation that collects toys through a bike run held annually right across South Africa. My sister and her husband's family (my extended family!) have supported the Toy Run for a number of years and in 2011 alone, with massive support from friends, family, co-workers and other businesses collected over 3,000 toys.  These were given to  orphans, abused children, shelters and needy families throughout South Africa.   Have a look at their Facebook Group  and see a few photos of what they collected for the children. The Toy Run supports charities who care for children up to the age of 18 years old and strive to get as many toys for them as possible each year.  All toys in good condition are accepted with open arms and new toys are definitely greeted with a very warn welcome.  Donations of money can also be made to buy gifts and toys that are so desperately needed. This year my sister and her family have challenged me to make knitted toys.  I'

I can't believe that it took me nearly 2 years to sew this very small knitted toy together.  The big question is, why did I find the thought of it so daunting? Before my Gran passed away in September 2005 I would have asked her to help me to complete most of my knitting projects.  She was a very talented knitter and sewed beautifully too.  I would knit a jersery or whatever I had decided to do at the time and she would either finish knitting it (we had the same tension in our knitting) or sew it together for me.  I knew that if I ever got stuck I had my Gran to help me out.  She taught me to knit when I was 5 and I am so grateful to her for this skill.  I love using my hands and being creative and find knitting very therapeutic and relaxing. As in most things in life, you learn through trial and error.  I do my best to make the finished knitted product look at least half as good as what my Gran would have done which is quite a challenge. I have only completely finish

Oh my word!  How did I miss Kate's Listography this week??!  Loving the weirdness of it all.  It appeals to me as I often say and do completely random things.   Great idea Kate! 1.  My 'Alison' Mug My mom bought this for me roughly 16 years ago when I still lived in South Africa.  I remember seeing them at the Pick 'n Pay in Constantia Village shopping centre and just had to have it for some reason.  This is by far my favourite mug.  I usually have a nice cup of Rooibos tea with a dash of honey in this. 2. Her Ladyship Mug Another mug from my mom.  I think it came from Past Times?  My hubby has the His Lordship  mug.  It holds less water than most so it's perfect for a small cup of tea before bed.  Don't think I drink coffee in this one? 3.  Gorgeous Petunia Mug This is one of a set of 6 beautiful floral mugs which funny enough, also came from my mom!  These were bought as either an engagement or wedding present and I use them when I have guests a

A very special Valentine from my daughter, the beautiful Isabella.  It made my day!   Daddy and I can take turns sharing it.  It was made for both of us really ;) Ax

My daughter recently had the pleasure of trying out a gorgeous pink floral Konfidence AquaNappy.  She loved the beautiful pink flowers and couldn't wait to pull it out of the packaging and go for a swim! It is a Multi Award Wining product and was recently announced as the  Winner in the Loved By Parents Best Swim Nappy award .   Suitable from approximately 3 to 30 months of age they are available in blue, pink, blue stripe, pink flowers, pink polka dot and red. In the past I have bought disposable swim nappies for my daughter.  Putting these on is usually a two man effort with one person holding Bella while the other pulls the nappy up and 'jumps' her into it, trying not to tear it apart while putting it on.  In my opinion, it's a bit of a hassle that no parent really needs or wants. To put the Konfidence AquaNappy on my daughter I lay her down as I would to put on her normal nappy, folded the sides in onto her tummy and then lifted the front flap.  I s

this becomes.... My goal for this week is a very simply one and that is to finish off and then put together a Winnie the Pooh knitted soft toy.  I started knitting this for my daughter before she was born in April 2010 and unfortunately never completed it and it has been sat under my bed in a shoe box ever since. I find knitting very theraputic and it is also extremely rewarding as everything that you make has a use in your life, whether it be a jumper, tea cosy, scarf, blanket, soft toy or pillow cover, each item you have crafted will retain memories from the time that you spent creating it.  You can tell that I'm a real nerd at heart! this! I aim to finish this little Pooh Bear by next Sunday afternoon and then post it to my sister in South Africa the following week.  More information on the reason why I'm sending it to her will be posted in the next few days, so watch this space! What is your goal for this week?  Once you've posted it on your blog, put y

I did it!  I achieved my 1st All-in-One Mum Goal !  I've just given myself a big pat on the back and am incredibly chuffed with this, if I do say so myself! It's a massive sense of achievement as this is the second book that I have finished this year, and it's only 2 weeks into February.  I started many books in 2011 but never managed to sit down and finish a single one due to a variety of reasons, mainly my inability to finish what I started. Did you achieve your goal from last week or would you prefer not to comment? Leave a link to your blog post in the link below so we can all follow your amazing progress and story! Ax

Why is it that many mom's think they can multi-task by carrying a toddler and the shopping/laundry/any other awkward object in their free hand and arm, all at the same time?  I do this ALL the time.  Never mind the fact that it really isn't safe but the damage that I am doing to my body is ridiculous! I often stand with Bella resting on my left hip which means that my hip is pushed out while I bend my upper body to the right like a contortion artist, making the perfect little place for Isabella to sit comfortably on my side.  As I write this I can imagine the feeling of the muscles in my back twisting and pulling, creating that awful dull ache that I have grown so used to.  I also walk along carrying her like this.  I must look ridiculous from the front never mind what I would look like from behind! Well, no more I say, no more!  I am not very good at suffering in silence so after boring myself to tears by constantly complaining about the dull pain in my back, I got my act

Oh phooey! So you saw the post title and thought this was going to be a bit saucy? Seriously now, this is a family friendly blog people! On a more serious note, I really did just slip into something more relaxing. Two things actually and they are absolutely fabulous! You'll only see me wearing these babies when I'm at home and man, oh man, they fit like a glove. Soft, fluffy, tan and red Winnie the Pooh slippers.  Never mind that they keep my toes toasty but they always lift my spirits at the end of a nippy winters day. RANDOM INFORMATION THAT YOU COULD DO WITHOUT : I've lived in the UK for nearly 8 years and have slowly developed quite a collection of flannel pyjamas, gowns and fluffy footwear.  My winter wardrobe is about twice the size of my summer one and I always seem to have an emergency umbrella somewhere in the house in case one meets with a large gust of wind and turns inside out. Isabella thinks my Pooh shoes are hilarious, especially when they 'ch

Join my  All-in-One-Mum Weekly Goal  challenge. My goal for the week is to finish my book and start another.  Yes, I know it seems silly but I'm busy at the moment so it's hard to make the time to do it.  I'm 60% through my book.  No, I didn't calculate that but my Kindle did! Come on, be a sport.  You know you want to! Ax

I've been married for nearly 6 years and I still love all things wedding, so when a friend asked me to go with her to a Wedding Fair at Hatfield House I jumped at the chance.  Picking the venue, the flowers, the dress, the rings, the cake and everything that goes along with it is all so incredibly exciting! Not all of the exhibitors were able to attend the day unfortunately due to thicker snow fall in surrounding areas putting a spanner in the works.  The individuals and companies that were present though were all of a very high standard and so I'm glad that it wasn't me that had to decide between who would be perfect to give me my dream wedding day. I've often talked about my husband and I having our 10th wedding anniversary in Hawaii.  Our actual anniversary is in June but we would tie it in with Ironman Kona which is in October.  We would be killing two birds with one stone in doing so as hubby gets to watch the ultimate Ironman race and we can renew our vows on

Apparently tonight's dinner would only be eaten if the monkey suit was worn. Ax

I've still not been on a skiing/winter holiday as the idea of voluntarily spending a week playing in snow doesn't really excite me to tell you the truth.  Give me a beach holiday or other suitable location that is in excess of 30 degrees Celsius and I will be an extremely happy creature. All that said, I woke up this morning feeling like a child at Christmas.  Today is the first time that Isabella will have seen, touched and tasted! I slipped out of bed quite early, showered then dressed and even started to clean the house while my husband and daughter slept peacefully in their beds unaware of how giddy I was with excitement. Bella's little outfit was set out last night so that I could quickly feed her breakfast this morning, let it settle and then change her into her warm clothes for outside.  I had it all planned out! I lasted until about 8.30 a.m. before I simply had to wake the household up.  I couldn't wait any longer to see the look on Isabella's face

God Put a Smile Upon Your Face (Coldplay). Phew! Just had to get that out! Din, din, din, dinnnnnn, din, din, din, dinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn, din!   Din, din, din, dinnnnnn, din, din, din, dinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn, din! That is my version of the  opening riff as I hear it in my head. COLDPLAY - GOD PUT A SMILE UPON YOUR FACE LYRICS I love Coldplay.  By far the most amazing and outstanding live act, other than the band Live, that I have ever seen, live! As many of you know I am incredibly random.  Baby posts by day, parent or more grown up posts by night.  I was going to use the words 'mature' or 'adult' but I think the connotations of those two just wouldn't sit right and I foresaw a few negative comments coming my way if I'd used them.  I think that my quirkiness is all part of my charm and the reason that many of my friends like my company and that people follow my blog, or am I simply being presumptive? Please don't answer that...

It suddenly dawned on me that not everyone is as comfortable with the Internet and all things computer as I am.  I've always been happy working on a computer and although I'm no wizard, I can work out basic HTML if pointed in the right direction. Here are a few ways for those of you who would dearly love to follow my blog but aren't quite sure how to do so. It's safe (and logical!) to assume that if you are reading this you are on my blog page, so you have already started 1 of the 5 steps.  Well done you! 1.   Visit my blog: http://all-in-onemum.blogspot.com.  Be amazed by the simplicity and beauty of it.  As I wrote that my mind immediately leapt to an old school friend called Shannon.  How strange indeed? 2.   Add my blog to your Bookmarks bar or folder (if using Safari) by clicking on the word Bookmarks at the top of your screen.  It should be six tabs across to the right. In Internet Explorer (if I remember correctly) you can click on the orange/yello

This topic for the  Kate Takes 5 weekly listography  this week is 'Top 5 Phrases That Drive Me Crazy'. I'm trying to be more calm and relaxed in 2012.  Listed below are my top 5 phrases that, in the past, would make me a bit twitchy.  A few of them should probably be classed as a statement of fact but through the years they have developed into phrases I think? I really enjoyed this because it was a real eye opener into aspects of my life that I potentially need to tweak and work on.  Thanks Kate! 1. 'It will only take a minute' - Um, no it won't!  What this actually means is that it will most likely end up taking a good 30 minutes of my time.  Lucky for most I'm happy to do it but honestly, just say what you mean people.  It would take less than a minute to say that in fact! 2. 'Could you just look at this quickly' - Basically asking for you to show the person what to do while inevitably doing the entire thing yourself.  I do mentally prepa

Welcome to my first All-in-One Mum personal weekly goal! As each of us is so wonderfully different I find it extremely interesting to see what others are striving towards in their lives, hence I've created my All-in-One Mum Weekly Goals and All-in-One Mum Weekly Achievements. My challenge to you is to set a goal for the week.  It can be as simple as making a small change to your daily routine, trying a new task, writing that blog post you never got around to doing, spending more time with your children, trying a new or interesting recipe or as ambitious as getting that marathon time you've always wanted or trying a new hobby that you thought was impossible to do.   Each Sunday you get the opportunity to write down a task that you are wanting to achieve for that particular week.   Add your name/blog name and link to your blog in the linky at the bottom of my post and you will have the opportunity to share your goals and dreams with the rest of the blogosphere.

Every night before Isabella goes to bed, I sing nursery rhymes to her.  I hold her snuggle in my arms and walk around her darkened room while she rests her little head on my left shoulder.  We usually start our routine with me singing the song from CBeebies (The time has come to say goodnight...). Isabella's current nursery rhyme top 10 The Time has Come to Say Goodnight (CBeebies Song) Baa Baa Black Sheep Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star Mary Had a Little Lamb Incy, Wincy Spider Three Blind Mice (a bit gruesome but I try to make the actions as PC as possible) Old MacDonald Humpty Dumpty  Rock a Bye Baby Hush a Bye baby The next step in the routine is for Bella to request a song.  I've seen a very big improvement in her language skills over the past few weeks and she is gradually learning the lines to the different songs, albeit that no one else but me can understand what she is saying in most cases.  For example, we have progressed from 'Baa Baa' to '

For the past few days I've been wrestling with a leaky nose, cough and achey bones.  I'm not sure where I picked it up from because my daughter is perfectly fine.  I do find that germs have a field day at playgroups so I most likely caught it from one of the groups.  Bleh! As a child I vaguely remember my mom having one or two days when she was feeling slightly under the weather.  She probably felt like death warmed up and simply wanted to crawl up in a ball and jump into bed but in my eyes she was invincible and she didn't get sick.  Simple as that.  It just wasn't a possibility.  My mom just didn't get sick! Looking back now I realise how tough it must have been having two kiddies, managing a household and a very successful business while still having to do the school runs when you aren't feeling well.  I only have the one child and have been lucky enough to mainly be man down on the days that I am off with Bella during the week.  I say I'm luck