Being me...

Right now being me is a bit like being a sporadic, crazy, cartwheeling moron! one minute its all chocolate box cottages with roses round the door, the next I'm clearing up after someone Else's bullshit!
They say 'everything happens for a reason'. this i have lived by my entire life, through my own choosing, and everything, however shit things have been, have always worked out in the end. No nothing worth doing has ever been easy, no I've never been handed anything to me on a shiny silver platter and no I've never had a free ride. Ive scrimped, saved, worked my fingers to the bone, done without, made sacrifices and made tough decisions to be where i am now, no its not perfect, i don't have what i want but underneath it all i am happy and i am very content in my boring, mundane life style working within my daughters routines and spreading myself thin to keep everyone happy. Would i swap it for fame and success? No probably not. All i ask is a little respect, maybe a touch of admiration and a tiny amount of gratification for digging deep and helping ppl that, well lets be honest, will never help me out in return. No i don't do it for these things, i do it cos it makes me smile, i do it cos i feel karma is alive and kicking and id rather be on the good end, and i do it cos id like ppl to do the same for me, not in return but i believe you should treat ppl in the way you want to be treated. Have i been shit on from a great height regardless of these things?? hahaha well yes of course, who hasn't been shit on! whether you deserve it or not we have all had miss happenings with people we would rather not happen. Do i hold grudges.. no i don't think i do really. Sure, theres some people i cant forgive and forget, some things cant be undone no matter what you do or say but like i said, KARMA! they will get theirs in the end, whether they deserve it or not, what goes around comes around!! manners don't cost a penny, or a thought or even time yet ppl don't use them? Why?? has society bred a generation of inconsiderate, manner less brats that expect a free lunch? Or am i to old skool to accept that things aren't like they where once upon a time when kids believed in fairy's at the bottom of the garden and the lady next door always brings an apple pie on a Saturday tea time? Maybe if we concentrated more on what we do have and not what we don't have then ppl wouldn't be as angry and self absorbed.. maybe if ppl did more for others for no return the world would be a nicer place... maybe i was just born 60 years to late.. maybe I'm just dissillusional about life and i need a slap!!! maybe, like the hubby says, I'm to soft and i should harden up!! maybe i should just go hide under my duvet and cry and accept that throughout my life ppl will take advantage, at least i know, regardless of what shit happens i have someone i can turn to, rely on and moan to....my gorgeous, lovely hubby! Now can you say that? mr and mrs i dont give a shit who i hurt to get my own way!..  Now to you all out there that have used and abused me.... in the words of you me at six.. You've made your bed so sleep in it.....


L xx

Featuring ... The Bumblejums

MPM cares about the planet and is doing something about it. The ‘something’ they are doing is educating toddlers and youngsters about the environment and how not to be careless consumers of its resources.

It started as a daydream...Des Shanahan, founder of MPM, was contemplating the perfect gift for his soon-to- be-born son and as he looked out of the airplane window through the billowing clouds, the droplets of rain and then the bright sunshine a magnificent rainbow appeared and his thoughts drifted to the wonder of nature and how incredible it was. That was it, the perfect gift – sharing stories with his son about both the power and frailty of nature.

Not only was the Shanahan son born shortly after that daydream, but so were the Bumblejums, four amazing characters each with natural superpowers – Jem, Jo, Jay and Jon - who work together in harmony taking care of the word around them in Bally Bo. The Bumblejums are guardians of the environment and use their great powers to help their friends and foe understand and respect the environment.

The Bumblejums characters were designed to be representative of their elements (earth, air, water, sun) by Mike Collins who has worked on hit shows at Cartoon Network. The backgrounds were created by Oliver Akuin an animator at Warner Brothers Online. Shanahan who studied World Musics and Media at the University of Winchester in Hampshire creates the story lines.

In addition, Shanahan creates the lyrics and music for each adventure, collaborating on production with Marcus Cliffe whose resume includes numerous heavy hitters: Eric Clapton, Mark Knofler, Rod Stewart and Phil Collins.

MPM is set to launch the first of its series of books and music CDs in October 2009, titled, Meet the Bumblejums. The book will be printed using 100% recycled paper and soya ink. The CD will include numerous songs accompanying the book’s storyline but is also envisioned to be the perfect sing-along for car journeys.

MPM is targeting children 2 years to 6 years and each story will focus on respect and responsibility toward nature and delivered with song, humor and a moral.

The Bumblejums books and CDs will be sold through their website www.bumblejums.com and through selected retailersAbout My Planet Media Ltd (MPM)

My Planet Media Ltd (MPM) is a privately held company established in 2009 and located at “The Barn”, 489 Station Road, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7QR. MPM creates media with environmentally friendly themes for the next generation.

MPM partners with 1% For The Planet, an alliance of businesses donating at least 1% of their annual net revenues to environmental organizations worldwide. The Bumblejums are licensed exclusively by My Planet Media Ltd (MPM) All rights reserved.

For more information, contact Des Shanahan at des.shanahan@bumblejums.com or visit us at The Bumblejums website, www.bumblejums.com

This gorgeous book was a true delight to read with my daughters, it was fun and informative and was educational too. We went and learnt more about the planet and recycling after reading Bumblejums and it seemed to really make a difference to the girls about what happens with their rubbish after they dont want it anymore. The drawings inside where lovely and bright and caught the attention of all my daughters who age from 18 months to 7 years, and i also found them endearing. 

The CD was a lovely collection of songs that where cute and strangely soothing and the girls really enjoyed dancing about to it in the lounge.

Their website is lovely to navigate with lots of info, a shop and lovely images throughout, there is even the lovely Bumblejums sound track playing on though the pages. My 7yr old thoroughly enjoyed navigating though the bio of the characters and there is even a tab for Eco tips! There is a parents section at the bottom of the pages which gives you a mission statement to what Bumblejums is all about encouraging parents to get children on board to take care of the planet we live on.

I would most definately recommend this lovely book to other mums and dads for children of all ages! And would love to see something in schools.

Thanks to Des Shanahan for letting me and my girls review this lovely book and CD

and you can buy your very own set here Bumblejums Shop

L xx

silent sunday

Featuring...@beachybooks

Beachy Books is a family run publisher of children's picture books. Made by hand, reflecting on family experiences we love to write poetic prose that captures the magic of childhood, nature and family life.  Our illustrations are inspired by our own children and we hope children will be inspired by Jack and Boo, get out into nature and learn.

When this gorgeous book dropped onto our door mat, my three girls literally fought over it, then when they found out it had been personalised for them we had squealing!!

The illustrations are unique and really fun for the kids, even i found them really endearing.  The text is lovely to read and my 7 year old thoroughly enjoyed reading this and asking about the pictures at the back.
It has little beach quizzes at the back that really get kids talking about things they know little about and most importantly asking questions!

As we live by the sea its really fired their imagination and curiosity in where we live. We even had a google sessions to find out more info on the items listed.
I recommend you follow the lovely Philip on Twitter at @beachybooks and seriously check out their gorgeous website http://www.beachybooks.com/
I would more than highly recommend this gorgeous range of books for children of all ages, I will defiantly be waiting for bated breath for the next installment from Beachy Books.


L x

Featuring....@BabyCalenders

Baby's First Calender is one of the most ingenious baby gifts I've come across in a long time.  Its a fully customisable baby's first year calender where you can add photos, personal info, you can add dates and milestones and it even has an integrated baby thermometer.

 This amazing calender arrives in a corrugated printed cardboard tube, that has been made from recycled products no less, and gives you the basic info of whats inside. There are contact details and product details along with lovely pictures and photos.

 The Gorgeous woodland characters are so cute and really bring this calendar alive. The simple room thermometer is  a life saver with young babies, i wouldn't be without one with a young baby now. Its so easy to let them get to hot and this will give you peace of mind.

The stickers provided give you the months of the year so you can place them to fit your babies birth etc. The cute little milestone stickers are a real treat and the boxes are plenty big enough for you to write your own appointments or milestones.

There are two places along the bottom for your own photos and babies birth details, on the other side is baby at 1 years old.

Its not just practical but its a keepsake to map your new babies first year of life. They grow so fast those special milestones are often forgotten in a haze of sleepless nights and projectile vomit.  It's the perfect gift for that mum and dad to be or just a gorgeous keepsake for yourself to look back on when they are 16 and wonder where the time went. Any parent to be should not be without one of these awesome calenders. I just wish something of this size and simplicity was available when my girls where younger, they all would of had one!
You can buy yours now direct from http://babysfirstcalendar.com or contact @BabyCalendars on twitter for more info.


One lucky reader can win this amazing baby keepsake... all you have to do is tell me why you think you deserve to win and follow @babycalendars to be entered to win! Winner chosen at random at Friday 11th March.