Monday's Moment of Wisdom - Pearl Number 36

Over the last week I have been trying to reflect some inner peace, Anger has been welling up in me for a while, it has consumed my thoughts a little and been my primary emotion, I'm very Angry at what life has thrown at me lately and the knock on effects, my weight has been suffering, my skin has also, my health is completely run down, my emotions and hormones are all over the place and all of this has been, well mostly beyond my control, and as it turns out for no good reason at all and I'm struggling to see the point, so I have been feeling very Angry about it all.

I've come to realise that all this Anger is not good for me, emotionally I know I still need some time but physically I need to let some of this tension go or my body will never recover. so I've been try to I still some calm by introducing a few new changes which to my relief are working!

Gentle stretching - Pre - motherhood I used to love doing yoga, it was a bit of space in time for me. Now I find it impossible to fit in, with the demands of parenthood, work strange hours from home (although that's about to change) and living rurally, it's not so easy to pop out to a class. I've decided though that I need to do something and so I have been getting up a little earlier, LC has been sleeping in until 7-ish and I have been doing a few yoga positions that I can still remember. This has just made me feel so much better to start my day and given me a few minutes of inner peace and reflection to think about how my emotions feel and how I want my day to go...

Changing how I eat - I've really struggled with this since my final hospital appointment in February, I had really started to comfort eat and I knew I needed to overhaul my diet, I lost a good amount of weight at the end of last year and not only did I finally fit back in to my size 10 wardrobe but I felt better, more energised and my hair and skin were looking great. Now I'm up two dress sizes and just feel awful and frustrated with it all. In the last couple of weeks I've really worked on my diet, I've stuck to lose Weight Watchers plan and managed to lose 5lbs already and started fit back in to some of my regular clothes. It's been a struggle and I have had to really discipline and reason with myself, it's definitely been mind over matter but now I feel the benefits and I'm motivated to stick at it and just keep going!

Looking after my skin - Having two general anesthetics in the space of 4 weeks really beats the crap out your body, especially your skin and I felt like a spotty teenage again, almost 5 weeks on from the last one my skin is starting to resemble a thirty something's again and I'm feeling like I don't need to hide under layers of make up. To really help this I have been drinking lots of water and managed a cup of green tea most days (I like the ones that are flavoured with lemon or blueberry), a change in diet has really helped, swapping cakes for fruit always works wonder for my skin.

I know if I put more good stuff in to my body and make an effort to look after it I reap the benefits, I look better, feel better and this definitely has a knock on effect with my emotions. I have started to feel a bit more like me this last week or so and the changes have also seen my Anger melt away a bit too, which I'm sure makes me an easier person to be around. I don't want to spend all this time being cross at the world, I want to enjoy my family and my life and by letting myself be surrounded by a red haze, I won't be able to look clearly and positively into the future...

Easter Tree

I have never ever let LC do craft at home, the odd bit of play dough of controlled baking but usually the thought of messy play just simply stressed me out, she gets to do lots of it at nursery and comes home proudly with all sorts of creative masterpieces so I wasn't harbouring too much mummy guilt.

But this year I decided that it would be fun to decorate the house for Easter, just like we did at Christmas, she got such a kick out of the Christmas decorations this time that I thought it would be nice for her to have the house decked out again, the last couple of months have been tough for this family and she deserves to have some fun and celebrate, I thought it may encourage lots of quality family time too and so we started out with this by turning off the TV and getting out all the craft bits I'd saved up over the last year ( just incase I got brave and let her do it) and we had the most fun together painting, sticking, cutting and just chatting between the two of us. as I said I'm not one to normally get crafty at home but I also felt it would be good for me too, to put my mind in to creating something and sometimes when life does a funny turn on you isn't it good opportunity to try something different?

So here is how it happened....

Craft time!

If this dull dreary Friday is making you feel all bluergh, get your craft on! LC and I have been making decorations for our Easter tree this morning and I will reveal the finished product next week, so watch this space!

Monday's Moment of Wisdom - Pearl Number 35

“Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of spring?” - Neltje Blanchan

For me, Spring always starts in March and although the weather is still questionable (snow?!), it brings the promise of sunnier days and new beginnings. Traditionally New Years is the time when most people try something new but this year the start of Spring feels like a good time to make a few positive changes..

With a new season comes a change in look but not all of us can afford a new wardrobe or a restyle, this got me thinking though about making some small tweaks that can help towards us feeling uplifted and confident about ourselves. My talented and stylish blogging buddy Mrs Jones has written a perfect guest post this week about how moving with the seasons inspires a change in mood and fragrance for her and gives us her best picks for Spring's sensational scents. You can read more about all things beauty and baby at her fabulous blog Keeping up with the Joneses and here too - do check her out!

 

“A woman should wear perfume wherever she wants to be kissed.”

― Coco Chanel

Ever since I've been old enough to wear perfume, I've been on a mission to discover my signature scent, something that I would wear every day, that people would recognise me by. Recently though I have come to the conclusion that I am however far too fickle for that, my tastes in perfume change at least seasonally. In winter I prefer perfumes with heavier basenotes such as vanilla, rose and spices that last and continue to evolve throughout the day. In summer I prefer fresh fruity and floral scents which I can reapply frequently without knocking people out. Below are my top three perfumes for spring and summer but just as certain clothes or make up suit some people more than others, a fragrance that smells amazing on one person can smell absolutely awful on someone else. Years ago, enamoured by the advertising and branding surrounding Theirry Mulger's angel, I liberally sprayed the fragrance allover my wrists in a department store, only to find that it smelled like poison to me and I spent the next few hours scrubbing at my skin trying to remove any trace. Yet I have a friend who wears Angel 365 days a year and for me this scent truly defines who she is. It works so well on her that people often stop her in the street and ask what fragrance she is wearing. For me a good fragrance should be like wearing a new outfit that helps you convey however you'd like to feel that day. 

1. Acqua di Parma- Fico di Amalfi

My husband often wears this in summertime and to me this perfume smells absolutely edible, (although please don't try). I have since discovered that it is actually a unisex scent so it's top of my wish list for this season. To me this smells like ripe figs on a summers day, I'm obsessed with fig scents and I can't rate this one enough.

2. Annick Goutal- Le Jasmin

Jasmin is such a popular scent in many summer fragrances although very few of them actually manage capture the true scent of this summertime flower as Annick Goutal does. This reminds me of my childhood summers in Greece, playing outside in the evenings when the Jasmine scent is at it's most potent, one for real Jasmine fans! 

3. L'Artisan Parfumeur- La Chasse aux Papillons

La Chasse aux Papillons ( Chasing Butterflies) could quite possibly be the most beautifully named perfume ever. This is a really lovely subtle fragrance containing linden, light tuberose and orange blossom. I actually wore this on my wedding day and whilst on honeymoon this leaked all over my luggage, rather than being annoying it was actually quite pleasant to smell it every time I opened my suitcase. Whenever I smell this perfume it now takes me back to one of the happiest times of my life, I love how certain fragrances can be so evocative.      

What's your signature fragrance for Spring? I'd love to know and any other beauty tips for Spring to try out! Just one small change can make all the difference, what else could you change this month to feel good this season?

"We like to Move it, Move it!"

Her biggest jump!

One LC's favourite films at the moment is Madagascar, her Daddy has taught her to sing the song the Lemurs sing and she dances round the living room singing and prancing about in fits of giggles! Dancing and singing is her thing, it makes her so happy (her other favourite thing to dance to at the moment is the theme tune to Fraggle Rock, remember that?! She calls them Muffin Pups for some reason, so if you hear anyone of us going on about Muffin Pups you know where it's come from -anyway, I digress...), she goes to dance classes every week and she just gets such a thrill from being active and expressing herself!

I thinks she's on to a good thing here, being active is so good for us, keeps us in shape, gives us a medium to express our emotions and helps keep away the blues, so with this in mind after the emotional days that have reared themselves this week yesterday I decided that we needed to get out and about a bit, all house work was abandoned and Little Miss and me had all the fun that was to be had at soft play, she ran around jumping, bouncing and tumbling off everything and I ran around after her, it was good for me, we had a lot laughs together and I felt in good spirits and she got the attention she deserve from me. We were both exhausted after and it broke my heart having to wake her up when she fell asleep in the car on the way home.

I forgot how moving about has such a positive impact on me ESPECIALLY when times are tough and I'm struggling a bit, it's a important feel good tip to remember - get yourself up and "Move it, Move it" when things aren't going your way, it really does help!

This weeks Moment of Wisdom - Pearl Number 34

"Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother" - Lin Yutang, Chinese writer

Treats waiting to be given..

Today's Pearl is in honour of our Mums! Whether you are a mother or only have a mother or both, you may have done something to celebrate Mothering Sunday! We had out traditional Sunday lunch out and then indulged in some retail therapy, although it ended up with LC reaping the benefits of that with Granny buying her two new pairs of shoes and I bought her treats from the Disney store!

This last year has taught me the most so far about being a mum, I never knew I could find a limitless resource of love, patience and energy! That my beliefs and expectations of myself could grow and evolve into something I am proud of as each day goes by and that also, in my mid thirties I still need my own mum sometimes....

I constantly worry about being a good mum - am I teaching her all the right things, is she getting what she needs from me, should I be doing this or that, is she healthy and happy? But I know I'm not alone in these daily obsessions and because I do worry and think about this it somehow makes me a better mum because I work hard to understand why these are important to her and me and do my best to fulfil them.

My relationship for with my own mum is still growing and I feel closer to her now than I ever did, she has gone through a lot of hardship in her life and can still see the bright side of things, I admire her so much for that! Plus I still love to give her hugs, not just on Mothers Day but all the year round!

Did you do something special for Mother's Day, what's important to as a mother or what's special about your relationship with your mum? I'd love to know!

How many women does it take...?

This is not first line from a sexist joke - today is International Women's Day and last year I remember writing about what kind of woman I wanted to be now that I was a mother - read more about that here. This year I have been thinking about who it is that inspires me to be that woman, who is my biggest role model, my hero, who has shaped the woman I am and the women I want to be?

After a lot of thought I realised that actually it's not just one particular woman that is influencing me but actually quite a few and they all deserve credit! I'm lucky that I have great mum who has taught me a lot about the kind of mum I want to be and passed on her love for fashion to me! I have some amazing, courageous friends who have shown me what it means to be selfless, who have faced tragedy and survived and who have been there to share the good as well as the bad times too. I'm also influenced by women in the public eye who show strength and confidence in what they do, have a kind of style I admire, take risks and excel in their careers through hard work and self belief, I think Gwyneth Paltrow is a good representation of this kind of woman, I love her style and what she has achieved as a working woman, also I admire her openness about the struggles she has faced as well as her successes.

I am so lucky to have so many awesome women around me, I truly believe that having a diverse bunch ladies in my life is what keeps me going to be the best woman I can be and as I get older I feel excited to keep evolving in to this and to also watch my daughter become the woman she will be as she inherits the foundation of women I have around me!

You can read more great blog posts about International Women's Day at Lulastic and the Hippyshake Blog Link up, do check them out!

Who is your role model as a mother, in your career or as a friend? Who influences your style or the things you like to do? What sort of woman do you strive to be? I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Monday's Moment of Wisdom - Pearl Number 33

"You can’t touch music, but music can touch you." - Unknown

We are all music lovers in our house, even little LC is developing a taste and passion for music, she's not overly bothered about sticking, painting or crafting, but puts all her creative energies in to singing and dancing and we often find her tapping her toes along to a song on the radio! In fact often when LC is a bit hyper or is acting a bit out of control there are certain songs we can put on that will chill her out and calm her down. She loves nursery rhymes, show tunes, songs of the radio and listening to my CDs in the car, her type of music that gets her prancing around the house is Motown, this really brings out her moves!

Her dad and me mostly share similar tastes in music, we can always find a common ground when travelling long journeys in the car. I'm known for my cheesy taste in music and I tease him for his love of country, neither of us have what would be considered a cool or hip preference for the latest tunes or artists but for us what we like makes us happy and we try not to inflict our taste too much on others! We all seem to find music quite therapeutic though and I often put on my favourite song when I feel down or need to find a bit of inspiration. Music is such a great way to lift your spirits, when your down, it's the best way to make exercising more fun, it can bring back happy memories and help you get through tough times, I do believe it can touch a person in such a special way like nothing else can, what kind of music or song inspires or leaves you feeling uplifted? I'd love some recommendations for something new to listen to....

5 ways to to freshen up your mood for Spring...

Spring has sprung in our house

It's March and the the promise of longer, lighter days and slightly warmer temperatures can really motivate a girl to look on the bright side of life but if you are still feeling a bit dreary and drab try one of these or all of them to feel fresh as a spring daisy!

1. Bring some Spring in to your beauty routine and try one of these seasons new trends on nail varnish, I have bought some lovely new polish in a champagne metallic - new trend number one, and did myself a DIY two tone mani - trend number two!

2. Try out some tasty seasonal veg, my OH likes leeks but they can be a bit of a boring so I have found this lovely recipe on the BBC GoodFood website to make things interesting.

3. Date Night at the cinema! This is always on my list of mood boosting things to do, if you're single you can organise a girly night at the movies with your best pal or with Mothers Day approaching take your nearest and dearest out for a feel good film.

4. This month Easter is upon us a little earlier and a fun way to celebrate and feel good about this chocolate fest (apart from obviously enjoying all the chocolate!) is to set the theme and decorate the house! We haven't done this before but my Little Miss enjoyed this so much at Christmas I have decided to do it at Easter this year! Getting crafty can get your creative juices flowing, bringing out a hidden talent is bound to put a spring in your step! I found a little decoration to get us started at one of my local gift shops.

5. Feel good with Flowers! Spring is of course all about new life and nothing is more up lifting than this season fresh new blooms. I love the bright, cheeriness of daffodils and seeing them in little vases around my house reminds me that that new begging gas are on the way!