Momma hangovers

Sometimes after a stressful day or a difficult week I like to chill out. Supper, candles, a little classical music on in the background while I enjoy a carefully selected wine.

Bollocks!

The dating game

So, I definitely never expected to be.... here.

Long term relationship, a child, it broke down. Marriage, another beautiful child, it broke down. Thought I found the love of my life - turned out he was a total chump.

So now, I’m 30. I really thought I’d have my shit together by now but who the hell was I kidding?

Cruelty Free Facial - Review

This review has been a long time coming - I've been a bad, bad blogger of late and not been writing. Life stuff but it's all under control.

Anyways - I've written about my beautiful friend Emma before, when she shared her cruelty free face mask recipe with me. She's an utter legend, and invited me to her beautiful beauty room Gold Holistic Beauty & Massage at Origin Health Club in Ripon, North Yorkshire, for a facial.

Chunky Monkey

I first realised I'd put a considerable amount of weight on when I couldn't get my arms through the arm holes in a dress that had always fitted baggily.

I'm happy to be curvy, and to carry a little extra. I've had two babies and I love food, so it kinda goes with the territory. But I absolutely draw the line at my latest fun discovery - I can't really breathe when I bend over to put socks and shoes on.

Smoke & Mirrors

Mental health awareness is growing, but the stigma remains. It affects over 350 million people world wide, and yet we still don't understand why it's such an issue.

The Mum Rant

Have you ever noticed, that being a mum (or dad), is like a never ending battle? It's the most beautiful, rewarding, exhausting battle ever. Like, I'm not even sure I sleep on a night, because I wake up feeling just as knackered as when I climbed into bed.

What She Really Wants

Ok, ok, so for some of you this is going to be so obvious. Like, of course that's what a girl really wants. For others - not so much. And trust me, I learned that lesson the hard way in my previous life.

Parabens - The Unknown Quantity

It’s so important to be aware of what you’re eating, drinking, breathing and washing your clothes in these days. All the allergies, cancers and other terrible things reported in the media; the fear is endless.

SLS – The Seriously Loathsome Substance

We all check our food meticulously, watching out for nasties such as too much salt or sugar, e numbers, scary sounding chemicals. Because you wouldn’t want to knowingly eat something that would cause you harm.

The Valentine's Day Gift Guide

I know, I know, it's an over commercialised made up holiday in the present day, but the old romantic in me does see the cute side of Valentine's Day. Obviously we should love our loved ones the other 364 days of the year too yadda yadda...

Cruelty Free Natural Face Mask

Busy mums (and dads!) might not have time to head out to the beauty salon for luxurious treatments and me-time, but you can treat yourself at home. Get the babies in bed, pour a glass of wine, sack off the ironing and enjoy this.

A New Happy

When you've had your heart broken it can be hard to let go again. New relationships shadowed by the fear of what's gone before, the constant niggling doubt that history might repeat itself.

It's difficult to trust again.

Enough is Enough

I'm well known for having a short fuse when it comes to people. And for having a pretty much non-existent brain-to-mouth filter. If I think it, I say it. My bad.

Spent Rhubarb Chutney

After making my Rhubarb Gin, I was left with a quantity of spent fruit that I was loathe to waste. After all, it had just spent two months in gin and sugar - it had so much more to offer!

Homemade Rhubarb Gin

I have a rhubarb plant that seems to go from strength to strength, even though I have successfully managed to kill any and every plant I have ever owned. Being the only one that actually likes rhubarb, however, it can be slightly trialing to find ways to make use of the fruit rather than let it go to waste.

Ode to My Baby

Thank you for the nights
You wouldn't sleep and I held you close,
The days we cried together
Mutual tiredness, exasperation, a journey every mother knows.

Raw Parenting

Babies are precious, wonderful things. Miniature dictators of our hearts with smiles that melt us and sticky hands, that grow up all too fast into fiercely independent children that seem to need us less and less.

Crappy Christmas

For the battle-hardened Warrior Parents, Christmas can be a seriously daunting time. Possibly the most family-centric day of the year, and yet one of you won't get to see the children.

My Mushroom Pate

I love the idea of pate, but really struggle to eat it because I can't stand offal. As such, I've played around with a few ingredients and come up with my own vegetarian one that's absolutely delicious and so, so easy to make!

Tasty Tomato & Red Pepper Soup

Winter is the perfect excuse to enjoy delicious homemade soups. I tend to make batches and freeze them in individual portions, so that I can defrost a different one each day for my lunch at work.