Thankful Thursday
Welcome to another Thankful Thursday. ‘Be Thankful’ by Cindi Albright/RustiqueArt Sorry today’s post is later than usual. We’ve just got back from Legoland. We’re all exhausted. This week, I have...
View ArticleEasy chocolate birthday cake recipe
The WASO theme this week is chocolate recipes, and here is one of my favourites. This is my default birthday cake recipe and is always a winner. It’s easy, uncomplicated and looks fun. It also...
View ArticleHappy Easter!
Happy Easter, everyone! I hope you’re able to find some time today for self-care, even if that means locking yourself in the bathroom with a handful of mini eggs and singing ‘Thine Be The Glory’ at...
View ArticleThankful Thursday
Welcome to another Thankful Thursday. ‘Be Thankful’ by Cindi Albright/RustiqueArt This week, I have enjoyed… Reading This excellent post on the Tories’ latest idiotic education pronouncment. Writing My...
View ArticleThe self-care book: update
Image by Leo Reynolds The work on my book The Seven Components of Self-Care continues. I am loving writing it and am excited (read: also mildly terrified) at the thought of getting it out there in the...
View ArticleThankful Thursday
Welcome to another Thankful Thursday. ‘Be Thankful’ by Cindi Albright/RustiqueArt This week, I have enjoyed… Reading The first few responses to the call for case studies for the self-care book. There’s...
View ArticleWhat does your self-care look like?
I’ve talked before about how my own self-care is a bit less about posh shower gel and a bit more about trying not to eat an entire jar of Nutella at a single sitting. My perfect self-care scenario...
View ArticleThankful Thursday
Welcome to another Thankful Thursday, this time on a Friday, because I forgot. ‘Be Thankful’ by Cindi Albright/RustiqueArt This week, I have enjoyed… Reading Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller (loved it)....
View Article10 easy ways to practise self-care
Image by Ben Geach Frazzled? Not much time or cash? Here are ten ways to fit in a little burst of self-care this week. (These ideas won’t change the world, but they’ll give you a dose of sanity for...
View ArticleSelf-care live blog
Thursday 6.00am I have four days of sanity-preserving self-care happening this weekend. I’ll be checking in to my hotel room later today, for a big dose of sleep, reading, spa visits, swimming,...
View ArticleWhy we won’t be Finding Dory this summer
I’ve written a piece for Standard Issue about Finding Dory. (And the editor kept my terrible puns in. Win.) On the same day last week, we had (a) an email from post-adoption support about the potential...
View ArticleSummer holiday survival resources: the schedule
We are now 24 hours in to the summer holidays and things are more or less on track. The girls have now been with us for four Julys. We have established that Joanna in particular Does Not Like Them, and...
View ArticleSummer holiday survival resources: the ‘magic’ activity chooser
Sounds ridiculous. Looks simple. But this thing is magic. Yes, it’s just like the ‘fortune tellers’ we made as children, but with activities in. (If you need a quick set of instructions, there are some...
View ArticleLazy Sunday
This morning’s reading material The children are with their grandparents for the weekend. We had a lie in followed by a breakfast of pancakes and coffee, and are now reading yesterday’s paper. Husband...
View ArticleSensory-seeking summer: six activities to try this holiday
Around here, as in many adoptive families, holidays are hard work, especially the first few days of adjustment to the different routines. Joanna (7) and Charlotte (6) both have sensory issues caused by...
View ArticleIn praise of screen time
It’s the silence I like best, I think. My children are often lovely, funny, helpful, kind, and generally delightful. And equally often… not those things. They can fidget for England and they really,...
View ArticleThe five love languages… for adopted children
Last night I was listening to Happier, a podcast by author Gretchen Rubin and screenwriter Elizabeth Craft, and they mentioned that they’ll be discussing The Five Love Languages (the bestselling book...
View ArticleTen things to pack when taking adopted children on holiday
We’re off on holiday this weekend and the packing is underway. It’ll be our fifth holiday with the girls and I have a mental list of things we need to take to keep things as calm as possible. 1....
View ArticleHow to survive taking adopted children on holiday
Photo credit: Henry Burrows (Creative Commons licence) Yes, I love them. No, that doesn’t make holidays with them any easier. For our family (and probably for many others), a family ‘holiday’ is just...
View ArticleThe back-to-school letter to teachers
At the start of every school year, (or if we’re very organised, the end of the previous one) we write a letter to the girls’ new teachers, filling them in on their background and giving them...
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