Weekend Round-Up

Howdy!

It's been a rather busy weekend.
So I thought I would put together a brief ramble in hopes of getting my mind straight for the week ahead.

They grow up too fast.... Way too fast...
The one thing that sticks in my mind over the weekend was something my little lad told me. I just didn't think the day would come as quick!
When OJ was born, I would always cover him in kisses and declare to my hubby that I was getting as many kisses as could as there would come a time when he would tell us that I he didn't like them... I was right about one thing...

Mummy: Gimme a kiss babes
OJ: No
Mummy; Awwwwww... No kisses for mummy?
OJ: I. Don't. Like. kisses.

He's 2 years and 5 months old.

Gutted.

Like I was taking that...
Mmmmmm-mwah!
Ha. He was getting as many as I could plant on him.

Write, Write, Write...
I have been working on my second Blog home at Kiddi Corner, and it's slowly coming together...Just adding more reviews etc. I felt bad as I had to give a low rating for a book recently. I hate doing it but then I have to be honest don't I? I just hope the review will be read as fair and balanced.

I have also been struck by inspiration over the weekend and have come up with a new picture book idea. I couldn't write fast enough!

I love the excitement that comes with a new idea.
I have it on paper and now I need to get it typed up. I will then leave it for a week or two (this is sooooooooooo hard for me) and then re-read/re-write, leave it again etc. When I am finally happy (all being well) I will start drafting up a covering letter.
I am dying to share but at this stage I can't... I'm a little protective. I know, why bother writing about it if I won't share it?!

Mean.

Yeah, but I'm practically bursting so I had to write about it...

An extra snippet of writing news: I follow a blog called Write It Sideways and from time to time Suzannah (blog creator), offers the opportunity for budding authors to have an excerpt of their current work to be critiqued. I  am very excited (and nervous) to have been chosen. Details soon to follow....

Write It Sideways has been a fantastic guide in my writing and a source of great encouragement in my aspirations to become a published author. The writing advice and guest posts are inspirational.
If you have time, click on the link and check it out.

Spending time with the family...
Over the weekend the hubbys dad and step mum came to stay near us;they booked themselves into a holiday park near the sea. It was only 30 minutes away so it was ideal. Our son loved the caravan! So did we. as a gift, his parents have booked us into the same holiday park in August, which coincides with ones birthday. So we are totally blown away and grateful for the gesture.
I was lovely just get out of the house and spend some time with the in-laws. (Yes I mean that! They are fantastic!) We don't see them as often as we would like... But that seeems to be true for allthe family. Never enough hours in the day or days in the week-end!

There was even a little holiday romance for our son. We kept bumping into a family with a little girl the same age as OJ, in the soft play centre on site... They followed each other around and held hands. When it was time to go there was kisses and cuddles. A friendship was formed!

So there it is, our busy weekend...
I think the week ahead seems set for crown making as OJ is into castles and knights thanks to children's programme Mike the Knight...

Is there anything that you are looking forward to this week?

P.S. Thanks for reading my ramble, I feel better now!



I'm the king of the castle...

An Extra-Ordinary Weekend

*WARNING* May be a rather long ramble, prepare by arming with favourite beverage!

Have you ever had one of those weekends where nothing amazing happens but it just feels so fantastic anyway?! One of those times when you feel so grateful that you have what you do have...


Well, on Friday it started out with a bit of false hope. I had entered a writing competition. I sent a short children's story to win a place at Swanwick in August. It's a writer's dream... Or so the reviews say. A whole week is spent going to relevant workshops and lectures of your choice.

It would be amazing to get a place on this writer's haven!

So naturally, when the phone went and the lady on the other end said she was from the competition department... (you can imagine can't you?!) My heart went into over-drive and I don't think I took a breath... until she said she had only called to tell me that my submission had been received two weeks (!) after the submission deadline... and did I want her to shred it or send it back?!!  I felt like I had sunk right into my boots. I tried to tell her that I had actually sent the submission two weeks before the deadline; but how could I argue my point with her and not come across as a sore loser?!? Rules are rules, and do acts of God count? I was absolutely defeated and felt miserable as a result.
It wasn't that I believed that I would actually win this comp; oh no, I didn't even think I would have come close, but I had worked so hard on the submission. I had stayed up to unholy hours just to get it sent off early... just in case...

Some things just aren't meant to be...

So, back to point...

THINGS GOT BETTER!
YAY!!!


Friday
So after all that, and after I told myself "Pull yourself together girl, it was a writing competition." I took my little 'uns for a walk down by the canal. I used to walk there all the time with my family. It was one of my favourite places. I used to love dad telling me what he had learnt about it; like how to spot a moorhen, or how he reckoned huge pike swam in there...
We took some bread and looked for some willing, hungry ducks. My lad was starting to get impatient as the ducks must have been chilling out somewhere else; the baby couldn't care less as he was snoozing in the pram. But just as I had given up hope and was trying to coax my son into the idea of leaving without any ducky sightings, we found...

Swans! And much to my sons delight she had her babies with her!
What was so special about this day, was that I took a walk with my children down memory lane and also made new memories a long the way.
My children's fascination, excitement and curiosity is infectious and brightens my day.

Saturday
Boring, boring, boring... Until we went out to the supermarket and decided we had time to have a break in the cafe!
All normal stuff granted, but again, it was my son's experience of the experience that made the whole thing so exciting.
He was so good mind you. He wanted to walk (ooooh, the independence) and he proved to us that he could follow all the provisos we put in place. He had to hold my hand, not touch anything and not kick and scream when it was time to go... That's high expectations of a two year old, but with gentle reassurance (and a few reminders that failure to comply meant riding in the trolley, or even worse, back to the car with no cafe experience... Mummy plays hardball...) he managed to stick to it.
I was so very proud of him. He sat beautifully whilst drinking his milk through a straw and watching the world with his big, blue eyes.

Sunday
My son was a TIGER!
Oh yeah people, we know how to spend our Sunday mornings!

The best tiger's tail

It started with my son pulling off daddy's belt from his dressing gown; which was hanging on the back of the bedroom door. He was running around and saying RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAGH with it trailing behind him. So, I tied the belt around his waist and told him it was the perfect tigers tail and why didn't he give it a swish? To which he swung his bottom to and fro as best as he could. It had me in absolute stitches!

We also had fun in the park where he son discovered the tyre swing!

Children remind us how to be children and play! It's fabulous!




I also had a baking triumph.... Check it out:

Blueberry muffins! *SCOFF!*


So there you have it, my extra-ORDINARY weekend!
Hope you had a great one too; please do share your best moment of the weekend!