Does Life Begin at 40? (Competition)

To celebrate the release of ‘This is 40‘ by acclaimed writer, director and producer, Judd Apatow, we’re giving one of my readers a chance to win a Does Life Pegin after 40?copy of the DVD and a £100 voucher from Red Letter Days.

The film itself, a ‘sort of’ sequel to Knocked Up,  follows a married couple played by Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann as they struggle with the changes of life as they turn 40 and the alterations that occur in their relationship and family dynamic – all with hilarious consequences!

I turned 40 a couple of years ago.  I know a lot of people fear it but for the first time in my life I finally feel  comfortable in my own skin and am thoroughly enjoying it so far.  My body is doing a few things I’m not too happy about; rogue hairs, cellulite and gravity but now I just find myself laughing it off!

We’d love create a list of  ‘The Ultimate 40 things to do after you’re 40 list’.  To enter the competition simply leave a blog comment via the rafflecopter form below stating what your ‘Ultimate thing to do after 40 would be’.   Additional entries are also available.  The winner will be chosen at random.  We will then generate an Ultimate Top 40 list from your suggestions.  I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

A full list of Terms and Conditions can be found at the bottom of the form but in short it’s open to UK residents only aged 18+.

© 2013 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This competition is listed on Loquax, Prize Finder and Competition Hunter.

My Top 5 Pranks to Play on Your Other Half

In all fairness, my husband doesn’t go out that much.  But when he does, after my daughters gone to bed and I’ve opened the wine, I can get a bit bored; which always leads to mischief.

Here are my top 5 pranks I play on him when he stumbles through the door:

1.) Cling Film the front door – this is one of my all time favourites!  You will need a Costco-sized roll of cling film.  I couldn’t stop laughing the entire time….but my only advice, make sure you place it on the right side of the door; bearing in mind which way the door opens.

2.) A dash of Lego – I can’t take credit for this one, I think I originally got the idea from Daddacool.  Sprinkle Lego on the floor along the route that they’re most likely going to take after they take their shoes off.  Then turn off the lights, head of to bed and wait for the yelps!

3.) Place a hairbrush, preferably one with hard bristles, under the duvet on their side of the bed.  Ouch!

4.) Rearrange the furniture – unfortunately this isn’t really possible in our bedroom as it’s, so small and stacked with furniture.  The most I could probably do would be to put the pillows on the opposite end of the bed.

5.) Duct tape the kitchen tap but leave a small gap between the tape, towards the front so when they turn it on it sprays them all down the front.

I’ve now run out of new pranks so would appreciate any you have to share.

Have a well deserved Bank Holiday!

 

 

 

 

 

Working from home….can it work?

Working from homeI was over the moon when hubby started work again a few weeks ago.  The only downside is we’re both working from home, we have a tiny house and I’ve been doing it a long time so have a rhythm and not used to having someone under my feet.  Something has to give.  This is my day and my hubby’s day…what do you reckon?

Mediocre Mum

  • Woke up before everyone else but not too early
  • Did the washing up from last night
  • Put a load of washing on
  • Made packed lunch
  • Gave Madame Breakfast
  • Did her ear drops and antibiotics
  • Helped her get dressed, brushed her hair, reading journal, boots and jacket
  • Did my invoicing
  • Sent out an email campaign
  • Responded to a few work emails
  • Went to the post office, pet store for Hamster supplies, Sainsbury’s for a few bits and Matalan.
  • Telephone conference with a client
  • Cooked Thai Green Chicken Soup for dinner
  • Cleaned the house in anticipation of the cleaner
  • Drove 50 miles to work including the Dartford tunnel, delivered a training session to 30 people with enthusiasm, drove 50 miles back, got stuck in a traffic jam, drove like a loon.
  • Picked up Madame, gave her a snack, danced around the lounge, gave her a bath, brushed hair, jammies, played with Hamster and did Bedtime stories.
  • Completed post visit reports
  • Plus another round of ear drops and antibiotics
  • Sorted Childcare for next week.
  • Wrote this post
  • Poured myself a very large glass of wine and hit Twitter!
  • Served dinner

 Hubby

  • Drove Madame to school
  • Sat in the corner in the kitchen on his computer all day……and he’s still there.

I rest my case!  Comments or suggestions on how we are going to make this work?

 

2012 Wasn’t That Bad Really

2012I was speaking with someone recently, who didn’t have the best start to the year.  She then said to me you haven’t had the best year either and if I stop and think about it, it wasn’t the best year but I’m not the kind of person to dwell on it.   We’ve had a few challenges this year but for the most part it’s been fairly positive.

The year started out as normal, enjoyed getting back into routine in January after all the Christmas festivities.  We were invited to a secret event in London hosted by Richard Branson.  I managed to persuade Helen from Actually Mummy to come with me.  As usual, Branson didn’t disappoint, we were privy to a rather impressive 3D projection on the Senate Building in London.

Then it all went horribly wrong in February.  My hubby was hit by a gritting lorry whilst cycling home from work and sustained substantial head injuries and ended up in a resuscitation unit in London.  We are incredibly lucky as he has pretty much made a full recovery.  This is not a phone call anyone loved one wants on a Friday night.

You’ll probably agree but it was about time we had a bit of luck.  In March, I won a trip to Copenhagen.

In April, we had the opportunity to take Madame to her First Ballet, My Sleeping Beauty, put on by the National Ballet!  It was truly magical. Unfortunately amidst all the magic, my hubby was made redundant and our daughter didn’t get her first choice of school so we would be losing our childminder she had since she was 4 months old.

I have never been so cold.  In May, we went Glamping in Shropshire.  It was great to get away and spend some family time together.

In June, the lovely Sheba invited us around her house for a Feast Through India.  The only way I can describe it is Come Dine with me but with Class.  The food was amazing and we met some lovely people.

This is the stuff dreams are made of….. Our daughter is 5 and was the perfect age for a trip to Eurodisney in July.

In August, we made our yearly trek to Canada to see my family.  We always have an amazing time; one of the highlights was Ziplining in Chase Canyon.

Madame, started school in September, luckily we caught it all on Camera as any good blogger would do.  Even, though she didn’t get her first choice of school we are incredibly happy where she is and she has settled in well with her new childminder.

In October, to celebrate our Anniversary we went to Copenhagen.  It was our first trip without our daughter, it was a bit of a logistical nightmare and we felt weird leaving her behind but we all had a great time.

As a Canadian, I grew up spending most of my time outdoors, predominantly in the woods.  So when I saw a Forest School advertised for school holidays in November we jumped at the chance.

Where did the time go, before we knew it was December?  I finally managed to have a proper catch up with a mate, whilst enjoying a spa day.

I was originally inspired by Laura from Yummy Mummy Flabby Tummy to write a year in review post after seeing hers.  However, I found it to be an incredibly useful activity to remind myself how fortunate we are and to be grateful for what we have.

As a family, we are looking forward to seeing what 2013 holds for us.  One big positive is that hubby starts work next week!  Yay!

 

 

How to Find the Right Save the Date Cards

With so many choices these days, people still manage to pick all the wrong stationery for their special events. How long do we spend really checking out the card we get in the post? One minute tops (more likely seconds) and then it gets tossed into the waste basket. So when brides-to-be start looking for perfect wedding save the date cards for the upcoming nuptials, the first question they should ask themselves is not how to pick out something very white, romantic and … well, boring. They need something to grab full attention of the recipients and make them run straight to their kitchen calendar and circle the date in scarlet.

Here are the three alternatives to traditional save the date cards that a newly engaged couple could consider (and their guests would love to get):

1. Cupcakes Save the Date Card

 

What better way to get the attention of friends than to present them with save the date cards featuring delicious cupcakes? It will help things if they are hungry when opening the envelope…Friends and family members will salivate at this prim bride and groom in cupcake form. It’s a truly satisfying design for food-lovers and can hint about the delicatessens waiting for the guests at the wedding party.

 

 

2. Bridal Shoe Save the Date Card

 

After a tiring day of being charming, this bride has kicked off her shoes in preparation for a night of romance… The glowing satin of the shoes paired with the single rose gives you a glimpse of an upcoming event almost making it real, as if it’s about to happen today (not a year from now). This provocative save the date card is a definite attention-getter.

 

 

 

 

3. Thailand Save the Date Card

A couple who’s throwing a wedding in a beautiful, warm climate would find this design ideal. A card featuring the calm sea and the white sands undoubtedly has the power to lure guests to a wedding! The azure sky as well as the inviting seat on a boat combine to make an appealing save the date card (and will look good on the fridge too).
No engaged couple wants to find their wedding invitation under a stack of bills, put aside to look at later, or even dumped in the round file. Save the date cards with a dash of flair are a must-have for couples who want to ensure their guests remember to slip on their fancy dress shoes and show up!

 

*Featured Post – please see my full disclosure policy for details