Those that have read my post on diastasis recti will know how we've come to this point, if not then I have basically got a massive belly left on my otherwise slim frame which leads to me being asked if I'm pregnant on a fairly frequent basis. I have come to hate what I see in the mirror, nothing I wear can hide it and I avoid leaving the house unless necessary so I don't have to suffer the embarrassment and questions of looking like I do.
My youngest child is 5 at Christmas, I've tried all the advice to lose my belly but even the programmes specifically designed for diastasis recti have not helped either close the gap or the appearance of my tummy.
So when I decided to breed our ragdoll cat I decided there and then that I would use the money for a tummy tuck. Unfortunately she'd need to have 3 litters before I could have it done in the uk so I made the decision to look at having it done abroad.
The first company I contacted told me they only accepted cash?! They then refused to do it when they learned I have autism? The reasoning was that some people with ASD are anatomically different from normal people and the surgeon was worried about how safe it would be to intubate me?! I think this was nonsense I have had plenty of operations and no one has ever suggested such a thing to me before. I think it's more likely that when I listed my medication which includes risperidone they just decided I must be a psycho and didn't want to know. I think it may have been a blessing in disguise really.
I then found another company that seemed a bit more legitimate, they have been used by the tv for makeover programmes and I could find a few genuine reviews from people from the uk who'd used them so I booked my surgery date for 25th October 2017!
I managed to convince my sister to come with me as obviously my husband will need to look after the children and I should be really excited about it.
Instead I find I am absolutely terrified, I am genuinely terrified I'm going to die. I have read all the stories of women who went into cardiac arrest during the operation or died of blood clots or infection a week or so after the operation. I have also googled the thousands of operations that go smoothly but this is giving me little comfort.
Why would I think I would die you might wonder? Well I feel like I'm a fairly unlucky person, if something bad is going to happen it's probably going to happen to me. I have an inability to imagine myself growing old or seeing my youngest 2 grown up so therefore I convince myself it must be because it isn't going to happen. With all the recent terrorist attacks I've become terrified to go anywhere because I can visualise being caught up in an attack and dying. I also have had varicose veins removed from my legs twice and have a large lump behind one knee so I feel I'm a good case for a blood clot. I've had a fair amount of surgery and wonder if this will just be pushing my luck too far?
There's also the overwhelming guilt, what would life be like for my little 2 if I didn't come home? Freya would have no parents, my husband would really struggle to look after them both on his own, would he give her up? And all this because I despise my body?
I have had to come off my medication because they can react with anaesthetic which no doubt isn't helping my mood but I don't know how to get through the next few weeks without being either depressed or in a total panic. Everyone I speak to about it thinks I am being totally ridiculous.
I have told mike where the Halloween and Christmas stuff is and am considering writing the kids letters in case I don't come home.
I've considered cancelling the operation but the thought of spending the rest of my life looking like I'm 7 months pregnant is as bad as the thought of dying.
Just to add to my stress Ryanair have decided to cancel loads of flights after I'd just booked with them so I'm hoping mine won't get cancelled too nearer the time as you can't take out any travel insurance when you're going abroad for surgery!
I am hoping to do some videos of my journey to help anyone else who may be considering this surgery or clinic as there isn't much out there at the moment. Wish me luck!
Thursday, 5 October 2017
Saturday, 5 August 2017
Daisy, therapy cats vs dogs
There's a fair amount of documentation around about the benefits of a dog for children with autism.
We attended the dogs for good workshops a few years ago with a view to getting a dog to help calm Freya down, we learned how they could be trained to help with meltdowns, getting out of the house, road safety etc etc
I was sold on the idea despite never having owned a dog, (we'd had one when I was a child for about a week before it was rehomed) I spent months researching the best dog for us and decided it would be a Bernese Mountain dog. Why?! you may wonder, they're huge! Yes but gentle giants renowned for their patience and love of children and most importantly for me they have a deep non offensive bark.
So off we went and spent about another year attending all the Bernese events up and down the country to make sure we were doing the right thing. I might add Freya was terrified of dogs and still is but I thought she'd get used to it.
Bernese dogs are fairly pricey to buy, about £1200-£2000 depending on the breeder, you'd think therefore not many people would be after one, you'd be wrong.
I finally met up with one of the best known and most reputable breeders who informed me I would not get one of her dogs, her reasons? the children were too small, I wouldn't have time to train it properly and as my husband was disabled we would not have the strength to control it. I was devastated. She suggested we get a retriever or labrador instead.
I have a friend with a retriever and she is still very hyper at nearly 2, I just didn't think they were a good fit for us.
I searched for a dog that would suit us and we ended up bringing home a cross between a newfoundland, collie and german shepherd, we named him max.
Lucas loved max, he loves all dogs and Freya was as expected terrified for a week or so but she did calm down a bit with him. It turned out it was me that the biggest issue with him.
At first he had come to me all the time, I was the one sat in back of the car with him on the journey home cleaning up his sick, but as the weeks went by and I got more stressed with him having accidents in the house and being the only one that would let him out at 5am, clean up his pooh from the garden or play with him etc he started to bond more with my husband who is generally much calmer than me. This annoyed me even more as I was the one running round after him.
I found it especially hard in the evening when I wanted to relax and he would stand in front of me yapping and jumping about, he started barking whenever the dogs next door barked and poking his head through the hedge to see them, on one occasion he was eating and lucas kept touching his bottom and he turned round and snapped at him, this was the final straw for me.
My husband said he was a good dog but he honestly really scared me and I was going crazy with all the stuff he was ruining and all the noise and dirt. We rehomed him after 4 weeks and he joined a family with 3 other dogs and no small children where he is very happy.
So it turns out dogs are not good for all people with autism and rather than add calm to your household they can just triple the stress.
I can't remember how I stumbled upon some information about ragdolls online but I started to read about them and decided to bring one home last summer.
When we went to view the kittens Daisy was the one that sat still for the kids to stroke her so she came home with us.
Ragdolls are renowned for their patient laid back natures, they love people and follow you around like a dog would just wanting to be where you are.
At first she was a little startled by how much noise the kids made and how fast they sped around the house but she soon became used to it. Within a month or so I noticed how much calmer Lucas was when she was in the room, he can be in the foulest mood in the morning and refuse to get out of bed but as soon as she comes into his room his mood just switches and he gets straight up to give her a stroke. She has been so patient with him carrying her around, wrapping her up in blankets, putting feathers and hats on her, she just lies there.
We currently have 5, 7 week old kittens and while we are having some issues with Lucas's behaviour with them the kittens are already demonstrating their wonderful temperaments.
I know lots of people have said their lives have been changed by having an assistance dog but for us our Daisy is a much better therapy cat.
We attended the dogs for good workshops a few years ago with a view to getting a dog to help calm Freya down, we learned how they could be trained to help with meltdowns, getting out of the house, road safety etc etc
I was sold on the idea despite never having owned a dog, (we'd had one when I was a child for about a week before it was rehomed) I spent months researching the best dog for us and decided it would be a Bernese Mountain dog. Why?! you may wonder, they're huge! Yes but gentle giants renowned for their patience and love of children and most importantly for me they have a deep non offensive bark.
So off we went and spent about another year attending all the Bernese events up and down the country to make sure we were doing the right thing. I might add Freya was terrified of dogs and still is but I thought she'd get used to it.
Bernese dogs are fairly pricey to buy, about £1200-£2000 depending on the breeder, you'd think therefore not many people would be after one, you'd be wrong.
I finally met up with one of the best known and most reputable breeders who informed me I would not get one of her dogs, her reasons? the children were too small, I wouldn't have time to train it properly and as my husband was disabled we would not have the strength to control it. I was devastated. She suggested we get a retriever or labrador instead.
I have a friend with a retriever and she is still very hyper at nearly 2, I just didn't think they were a good fit for us.
I searched for a dog that would suit us and we ended up bringing home a cross between a newfoundland, collie and german shepherd, we named him max.
Lucas loved max, he loves all dogs and Freya was as expected terrified for a week or so but she did calm down a bit with him. It turned out it was me that the biggest issue with him.
At first he had come to me all the time, I was the one sat in back of the car with him on the journey home cleaning up his sick, but as the weeks went by and I got more stressed with him having accidents in the house and being the only one that would let him out at 5am, clean up his pooh from the garden or play with him etc he started to bond more with my husband who is generally much calmer than me. This annoyed me even more as I was the one running round after him.
I found it especially hard in the evening when I wanted to relax and he would stand in front of me yapping and jumping about, he started barking whenever the dogs next door barked and poking his head through the hedge to see them, on one occasion he was eating and lucas kept touching his bottom and he turned round and snapped at him, this was the final straw for me.
My husband said he was a good dog but he honestly really scared me and I was going crazy with all the stuff he was ruining and all the noise and dirt. We rehomed him after 4 weeks and he joined a family with 3 other dogs and no small children where he is very happy.
So it turns out dogs are not good for all people with autism and rather than add calm to your household they can just triple the stress.
I can't remember how I stumbled upon some information about ragdolls online but I started to read about them and decided to bring one home last summer.
When we went to view the kittens Daisy was the one that sat still for the kids to stroke her so she came home with us.
Ragdolls are renowned for their patient laid back natures, they love people and follow you around like a dog would just wanting to be where you are.
At first she was a little startled by how much noise the kids made and how fast they sped around the house but she soon became used to it. Within a month or so I noticed how much calmer Lucas was when she was in the room, he can be in the foulest mood in the morning and refuse to get out of bed but as soon as she comes into his room his mood just switches and he gets straight up to give her a stroke. She has been so patient with him carrying her around, wrapping her up in blankets, putting feathers and hats on her, she just lies there.
We currently have 5, 7 week old kittens and while we are having some issues with Lucas's behaviour with them the kittens are already demonstrating their wonderful temperaments.
I know lots of people have said their lives have been changed by having an assistance dog but for us our Daisy is a much better therapy cat.
I don't think I'll survive this summer break!
So we're 2 weeks into the summer holiday and I've been in total stress mode for the best part of it. I hear there are people that actually enjoy the summer break and relish in the time spent with their offspring but I'm definitely not one of them.
We currently have 5, 7 week old kittens and these present extra stress for me as they'll be here until mid September. On Sunday Lucas tried to kill one of them, really? you ask. I was in the garden with my husband and Freya and he'd come in the house, I assumed for the loo but after about 5 minutes I wondered why he hadn't come back. You have to watch Lucas 24/7 there are very few times that he is actually doing something normal like watching tv or playing appropriately with his toys, usually he's just stealing food or breaking something or drawing on my walls or furniture or smearing something somewhere etc, he has been overly "loving" the kittens since they were born and has trapped them, held them down, pulled them by their tails etc in an effort to just be with them. Anyway I wasn't expecting to come in the house to find one lying not breathing in the middle of the lounge floor with a string pulled tight around it's neck. Lucas jumped when he heard me coming and moved away from it, I was in total shock and panic and couldn't think what to do, I screamed for my husband while holding it. After a minute or maybe a few seconds I don't know I suddenly realised I needed to get the string off, it was totally limp so I thought it was dead but as I tried to pull it off it gave a tiny wiggle. I couldn't get it off and ran to get scissors and typically couldn't find any, my husband had appeared by now and tried to cut it off with a knife which didn't work as it was quite thick but by now I'd found the scissors and he cut it free. It immediately perked up but I was hysterical by this point. All I could think was my son is a murderer, I remember reading somewhere that serial killers start by abusing animals at a young age and here he was strangling a kitten that he claimed to love.
My husband thinks I'm insane, he thought maybe he was just trying to take it for a walk or something and hadn't meant to hurt it, he also claims he killed his first fish by keep taking it out of the water to look at it?!
I know children with autism struggle with empathy but I just don't believe that he didn't understand what he was doing, he's 4 and a half now he's not a baby and he knows right from wrong, if it was an accident why did he jump when I came in?
We had his appointment with the child development centre this week and the paediatrician confirmed my fears that this was not normal and needed further involvement from a psychiatrist, as he put it, not having empathy doesn't mean you go out of your way to hurt something.
Following on from that is both Freya and Lucas's obsession with trying to hold each others heads under the water every time they get in the paddling pool?! Again I feel they're both old enough to understand how dangerous this is and have had it explained to them a hundred times but still think it's a really good idea!
We've tried to get them out of the house as often as we can afford/handle but there has to be some time when we're just at home and this is when they're at their craziest. They were upstairs the other day and there was suddenly an almighty crash down the stairs, it sounded like a wall falling down but turned out to be lucas had decided to push a heavy wooden stool to the top of the stairs and let go?! Needless to say that was the end of the stool which broke into 3 pieces and made some lovely marks in my wall on the way down.
Even when we take them out it's like there's a timer on their good behaviour and usually by the time we get back in the car after a nice trip out they are back to behaving like 2 starved lions fighting over a piece of meat! I have never met kids that fight as much as mine do :(
I have 4 and a half more weeks of holiday to get through and every day seems like a mini victory but you know it all starts again tomorrow :/
We currently have 5, 7 week old kittens and these present extra stress for me as they'll be here until mid September. On Sunday Lucas tried to kill one of them, really? you ask. I was in the garden with my husband and Freya and he'd come in the house, I assumed for the loo but after about 5 minutes I wondered why he hadn't come back. You have to watch Lucas 24/7 there are very few times that he is actually doing something normal like watching tv or playing appropriately with his toys, usually he's just stealing food or breaking something or drawing on my walls or furniture or smearing something somewhere etc, he has been overly "loving" the kittens since they were born and has trapped them, held them down, pulled them by their tails etc in an effort to just be with them. Anyway I wasn't expecting to come in the house to find one lying not breathing in the middle of the lounge floor with a string pulled tight around it's neck. Lucas jumped when he heard me coming and moved away from it, I was in total shock and panic and couldn't think what to do, I screamed for my husband while holding it. After a minute or maybe a few seconds I don't know I suddenly realised I needed to get the string off, it was totally limp so I thought it was dead but as I tried to pull it off it gave a tiny wiggle. I couldn't get it off and ran to get scissors and typically couldn't find any, my husband had appeared by now and tried to cut it off with a knife which didn't work as it was quite thick but by now I'd found the scissors and he cut it free. It immediately perked up but I was hysterical by this point. All I could think was my son is a murderer, I remember reading somewhere that serial killers start by abusing animals at a young age and here he was strangling a kitten that he claimed to love.
My husband thinks I'm insane, he thought maybe he was just trying to take it for a walk or something and hadn't meant to hurt it, he also claims he killed his first fish by keep taking it out of the water to look at it?!
I know children with autism struggle with empathy but I just don't believe that he didn't understand what he was doing, he's 4 and a half now he's not a baby and he knows right from wrong, if it was an accident why did he jump when I came in?
We had his appointment with the child development centre this week and the paediatrician confirmed my fears that this was not normal and needed further involvement from a psychiatrist, as he put it, not having empathy doesn't mean you go out of your way to hurt something.
Following on from that is both Freya and Lucas's obsession with trying to hold each others heads under the water every time they get in the paddling pool?! Again I feel they're both old enough to understand how dangerous this is and have had it explained to them a hundred times but still think it's a really good idea!
We've tried to get them out of the house as often as we can afford/handle but there has to be some time when we're just at home and this is when they're at their craziest. They were upstairs the other day and there was suddenly an almighty crash down the stairs, it sounded like a wall falling down but turned out to be lucas had decided to push a heavy wooden stool to the top of the stairs and let go?! Needless to say that was the end of the stool which broke into 3 pieces and made some lovely marks in my wall on the way down.
Even when we take them out it's like there's a timer on their good behaviour and usually by the time we get back in the car after a nice trip out they are back to behaving like 2 starved lions fighting over a piece of meat! I have never met kids that fight as much as mine do :(
I have 4 and a half more weeks of holiday to get through and every day seems like a mini victory but you know it all starts again tomorrow :/
Thursday, 1 December 2016
Pick n Melt review
I'd never heard of Pick n Melt but when it popped up on twitter looking for reviews I had to reply.
I only discovered wax melts a few years ago, I had always used oil in my burner and wasn't sure how these would work. Oil is easy to change and I couldn't understand how you could use wax without a wick.
It turns out these are much better than using oil because they don't lose their smell as quickly, in fact I've never used a wax melt long enough to know if it loses it's smell because I like to change them every few days but with oil you're constantly topping it up and running out of water meaning the bowl is burning itself dry, I've lost a few burners that way!
So, I was expecting a few wax melts to arrive to try in my own burner, imagine my joy when a whole Christmas gift set arrived complete with burner and 16 lots of wax melts in 8 festive fragrances!
I couldn't wait to put it on, the only delay was trying to pick which melts to use first!
For those who haven't come across wax melts, here's how they work. You empty the wax cubes in to the top of the burner and put a tea light candle underneath and light candle. The heat from the candle warms the top bowl and melts the wax releasing the gorgeous aromas.
I'm a little sad and really like to watch the wax melt, the pick n melt cubes are especially fun as they come in different colours and you can see them mixing to create a lovely coloured liquid.
When I first saw them I thought, wow these are tiny, they won't last very long. I was wrong. The melts come in packs of 6 tiny cubes 1cm square, and they recommend you use between 6 and 12 each time you use the burner. I used the 2 packs of the same fragrance so 12 cubes and this made a nice amount of liquid in the bowl.
I have had these on all day some days and my candle burns out in the end but the amount of wax liquid looks exactly the same. In short, you'll run out of tea lights far quicker than you will wax melts.
I get my tea lights from ikea, they're about £3 for 100.
So, what do you do when you want to change the smell? I've tried getting the wax out when it's cold but you end up scratching the bowl, pick n melt recommend you heat it slightly then take it out carefully. I have found the best way for me is to carefully pour the melted wax into something that won't melt then use a kitchen wet wipe to wipe the bowl while it's still warm which leaves it totally clean to put your next lot of melts in. Meanwhile, the wax I've taken out hardens so I can store it and use it again. It seems an awful waste to just throw it away. A little silicone pot would be perfect for this.
For safety's sake I recommend you follow the instructions given by pick n melt when changing your wax.
These Christmas sets really are fantastic value for money and there's even a discount if you buy 3, I can't think of any lady who wouldn't be thrilled to receive this. The design is modern and fun and it goes very well with my home décor as you can see.
What when the wax melts run out or you fancy a less festive fragrance? Pick n melt have over 250 scents to choose from and you can even sign up to their pick n melt party and for £8 a month you get 18 small bags of melts, 3 bags of 6 different fragrances which you choose yourself online and 2 extra bags chosen by pick n melt, worth £15.95, or you can just buy them for 60p a bag.
If you prefer a more traditional wax, they also sell candles but I really love my wax burner and melts because I can choose a new smell whenever I want, I can leave it on for hours without having to worry it will burn dry and I love the warm glow from the tea light under the bowl.
If you haven't tried them before give them a go, I don't think you'll be disappointed :)
www.picknmelt.com
Disclaimer: I received the Christmas gift set in return for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
I only discovered wax melts a few years ago, I had always used oil in my burner and wasn't sure how these would work. Oil is easy to change and I couldn't understand how you could use wax without a wick.
It turns out these are much better than using oil because they don't lose their smell as quickly, in fact I've never used a wax melt long enough to know if it loses it's smell because I like to change them every few days but with oil you're constantly topping it up and running out of water meaning the bowl is burning itself dry, I've lost a few burners that way!
So, I was expecting a few wax melts to arrive to try in my own burner, imagine my joy when a whole Christmas gift set arrived complete with burner and 16 lots of wax melts in 8 festive fragrances!
I couldn't wait to put it on, the only delay was trying to pick which melts to use first!
For those who haven't come across wax melts, here's how they work. You empty the wax cubes in to the top of the burner and put a tea light candle underneath and light candle. The heat from the candle warms the top bowl and melts the wax releasing the gorgeous aromas.
I'm a little sad and really like to watch the wax melt, the pick n melt cubes are especially fun as they come in different colours and you can see them mixing to create a lovely coloured liquid.
When I first saw them I thought, wow these are tiny, they won't last very long. I was wrong. The melts come in packs of 6 tiny cubes 1cm square, and they recommend you use between 6 and 12 each time you use the burner. I used the 2 packs of the same fragrance so 12 cubes and this made a nice amount of liquid in the bowl.
I have had these on all day some days and my candle burns out in the end but the amount of wax liquid looks exactly the same. In short, you'll run out of tea lights far quicker than you will wax melts.
I get my tea lights from ikea, they're about £3 for 100.
So, what do you do when you want to change the smell? I've tried getting the wax out when it's cold but you end up scratching the bowl, pick n melt recommend you heat it slightly then take it out carefully. I have found the best way for me is to carefully pour the melted wax into something that won't melt then use a kitchen wet wipe to wipe the bowl while it's still warm which leaves it totally clean to put your next lot of melts in. Meanwhile, the wax I've taken out hardens so I can store it and use it again. It seems an awful waste to just throw it away. A little silicone pot would be perfect for this.
For safety's sake I recommend you follow the instructions given by pick n melt when changing your wax.
These Christmas sets really are fantastic value for money and there's even a discount if you buy 3, I can't think of any lady who wouldn't be thrilled to receive this. The design is modern and fun and it goes very well with my home décor as you can see.
What when the wax melts run out or you fancy a less festive fragrance? Pick n melt have over 250 scents to choose from and you can even sign up to their pick n melt party and for £8 a month you get 18 small bags of melts, 3 bags of 6 different fragrances which you choose yourself online and 2 extra bags chosen by pick n melt, worth £15.95, or you can just buy them for 60p a bag.
If you prefer a more traditional wax, they also sell candles but I really love my wax burner and melts because I can choose a new smell whenever I want, I can leave it on for hours without having to worry it will burn dry and I love the warm glow from the tea light under the bowl.
If you haven't tried them before give them a go, I don't think you'll be disappointed :)
www.picknmelt.com
Disclaimer: I received the Christmas gift set in return for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
Friday, 25 November 2016
Evie and Lola review
I was lucky enough to be invited to attend one of Evie and Lola's craft making workshops last night.
It was the crystal bracelet workshop, learning about the spiritual and healing properties of the stones and making them into a beautiful bracelet to take home.
I've always been quite a spiritual person and already own a few tumble stone crystals that I've collected over the years so was really excited at the thought of making my own personalised healing crystal bracelet.
We had a last minute change of venue as there were only 3 of us attending so Anwyn decided it would be nicer to hold the workshop in her home instead of the Harpur St studio. I was quite glad about that as I wasn't sure there'd be parking at the studio and didn't fancy a walk through Bedford in the dark, it turns out the studio does have parking in the evening at the rear so I'll know for future reference.
I was a little nervous going on my own but I needn't have been, Anwyn made me feel at home straight away in her beautiful cosy room dedicated to craft making, she had set the table up with all sorts of gorgeous looking colourful crystal beads and there was an even more inviting plate of yummy cupcakes waiting for her guests with a glass of wine or a warm beverage.
While we were waiting for the others one of Anwyn's daughters made me a lovely drink to have with my cupcake.
When the other ladies had arrived we started looking at some reference cards to find the crystals that would be best suited to us, Anwyn really wanted us to reap the benefits of the crystals and spent a long time reading and checking what we felt we needed to make sure they were going to be just right.
I chose a Sodalite crystal, I was drawn to the beautiful blue hues and when I read about it, it seemed to be made for me, it helps free rigid thoughts and encourages freedom to express your emotions, it can increase feelings of self esteem and self worth, aids sleep and encourages communication, all things which I struggle with.
One lady was making the bracelet for her mum which I thought was a lovely idea, such a personal gift and what a great time of year to be making one.
When we were all happy with our selections we chose a button to be our bracelet fastener and threaded it onto some leather. We then tied some thin thread onto the leather and began sewing our beads on with a flexible needle. Anwyn was incredible patient and helpful with us all as we were all a bit fingers and thumbs to start with until we got going but you could soon see it coming into shape and after the first few beads we were able to get into a rhythm with the threading.
The workshop lasted for 2 hours which flew by and I stayed a little later in the hope of finishing but in the end came away with all I needed to finish it at home. I felt confident enough that I could do it on my own now and Anwyn helped me work out how long it needed to be to fit my wrist perfectly and explained how to tie it off at the end.
If I had to make a criticism I'd say I could have done with a little more light as my eyes were getting tired towards the end of the night.
I really enjoyed my evening and felt so comfortable spending it with others who it turned out I had a lot in common with and I'd definitely recommend these workshops to anyone who has an interest in crafting especially if you're fairly new to it as it was so well explained and set up. It would be lovely to go with a friend but I was more than happy going alone and meeting new people. I would love to do another workshop with Anwyn and am so glad I went along and made my gorgeous bracelet which I can now wear knowing I made something to be proud of that will also help me with some of the difficulties life throws my way.
If you've never heard of the workshops please check them out at www.evieandlola.eventbrite.com
It was the crystal bracelet workshop, learning about the spiritual and healing properties of the stones and making them into a beautiful bracelet to take home.
I've always been quite a spiritual person and already own a few tumble stone crystals that I've collected over the years so was really excited at the thought of making my own personalised healing crystal bracelet.
We had a last minute change of venue as there were only 3 of us attending so Anwyn decided it would be nicer to hold the workshop in her home instead of the Harpur St studio. I was quite glad about that as I wasn't sure there'd be parking at the studio and didn't fancy a walk through Bedford in the dark, it turns out the studio does have parking in the evening at the rear so I'll know for future reference.
I was a little nervous going on my own but I needn't have been, Anwyn made me feel at home straight away in her beautiful cosy room dedicated to craft making, she had set the table up with all sorts of gorgeous looking colourful crystal beads and there was an even more inviting plate of yummy cupcakes waiting for her guests with a glass of wine or a warm beverage.
While we were waiting for the others one of Anwyn's daughters made me a lovely drink to have with my cupcake.
When the other ladies had arrived we started looking at some reference cards to find the crystals that would be best suited to us, Anwyn really wanted us to reap the benefits of the crystals and spent a long time reading and checking what we felt we needed to make sure they were going to be just right.
I chose a Sodalite crystal, I was drawn to the beautiful blue hues and when I read about it, it seemed to be made for me, it helps free rigid thoughts and encourages freedom to express your emotions, it can increase feelings of self esteem and self worth, aids sleep and encourages communication, all things which I struggle with.
One lady was making the bracelet for her mum which I thought was a lovely idea, such a personal gift and what a great time of year to be making one.
When we were all happy with our selections we chose a button to be our bracelet fastener and threaded it onto some leather. We then tied some thin thread onto the leather and began sewing our beads on with a flexible needle. Anwyn was incredible patient and helpful with us all as we were all a bit fingers and thumbs to start with until we got going but you could soon see it coming into shape and after the first few beads we were able to get into a rhythm with the threading.
The workshop lasted for 2 hours which flew by and I stayed a little later in the hope of finishing but in the end came away with all I needed to finish it at home. I felt confident enough that I could do it on my own now and Anwyn helped me work out how long it needed to be to fit my wrist perfectly and explained how to tie it off at the end.
If I had to make a criticism I'd say I could have done with a little more light as my eyes were getting tired towards the end of the night.
I really enjoyed my evening and felt so comfortable spending it with others who it turned out I had a lot in common with and I'd definitely recommend these workshops to anyone who has an interest in crafting especially if you're fairly new to it as it was so well explained and set up. It would be lovely to go with a friend but I was more than happy going alone and meeting new people. I would love to do another workshop with Anwyn and am so glad I went along and made my gorgeous bracelet which I can now wear knowing I made something to be proud of that will also help me with some of the difficulties life throws my way.
If you've never heard of the workshops please check them out at www.evieandlola.eventbrite.com
Tuesday, 22 November 2016
Tis the season to be jolly...well nearly
So I'm feeling a little festive this morning trailing through the internet writing my Christmas list for the husband. I did already tell him all I wanted for Christmas was a tummy tuck but at the risk of getting nothing or worse still a bunch of random stuff I won't like I thought I'd better make an effort.
My Christmas list is pretty much the same every year so you'd think after 6 years he wouldn't need the list but he is a man after all :)
I've always been a huge fan of Christmas, my birthday is on the 22nd of December so there's only been December to look forward to all my life. Growing up, mum would refuse to put up the Christmas tree until after my birthday, (I have no idea why, I'll have to ask) so I always felt like I hadn't had enough time to enjoy it before it was over. That said I remember mum making quite a bit of effort with the decorations, we always had the garlands on the ceiling and the big bells that were sort of opened up from a flat shape, I can remember how they smelled :) I always remember how long it took until you got dinner, you could smell it from about 9am and it seemed a lifetime until it was finally ready. We weren't allowed to open our presents until after lunch so I was always keen for lunch to hurry up and arrive, I even had to wait while they did the dishes afterwards!
As soon as I moved out I had my tree up on the 1st of December, just because I could :)
I used to make a lot more effort than I do these days, perhaps it's because we've moved about so much, nowhere has really felt homely. We've had years where the stockings were hung on the stairs which were part stripped and on random nails whacked in, last year the lounge was being plastered on the 23rd so the whole place was filthy and just looked awful, this year I still haven't got the skirting on, there's exposed pipes because I can't find anyone to box them in and the nice wooden beam I promised myself I'd have by this year to hang the stockings from is still not up.
I like to have 2 trees, I have done for some years now because otherwise I think it only feels like Christmas in one room but this year we definitely haven't got room, I don't even know where the main one is going to go, there's no space to move things about when your husband needs access for his wheelchair everywhere. It could go under the tv but that would mean getting a tiny one and that doesn't feel nice :(
I get cross with myself about my choice of decorations, last year I bought an igloo and 2 polar bears and then I just kept looking at them thinking how childish I am. I love the wooden houses with lights in but they're quite expensive and with Freya and Lucas being expert demolishers we've learned by now we just can't have nice things on display.
The wires are also always a problem, I don't know how other people manage, we've got loads of plugs but we always run out or the wire doesn't reach and you end up with an extension lead hanging in mid air between the plug socket and the window sill!
I soon find the effort of going round switching them all on and off too much and by boxing day I want to take them down as it feels so messy with so much stuff around and also it's all over then isn't it, I don't want a Christmas tree up at new year, it's not Christmas anymore!
Lucas was born on the 28th of December so we always have trouble arranging something for his birthday, most people refuse to do anything in December at all, we were very lucky last year that quite a few of his friends came to his party but this year I thought it would be easier to have it at the start of December thinking no one would be booked up by then. He's very confused by this idea and I wonder if it's going to cause more problems than it solves.
On the whole the kids are fine with Christmas, I've met some people on the autism courses whose kids can't cope with the changes or the flashing lights or things being wrapped up in paper. I'd find that really hard.
We don't have a huge amount of traditions, we generally take them to see Santa, they are both still a little wary of him, last year Lucas just grabbed his chocolate coins and was heading out the door without telling santa what he wanted! There's been a lot of talk about santa this year, lots of questioning how it all works by Freya. Lucas actually liked santa more after watching stick man last Christmas, he's been playing the game for the last few months on his kindle.
I don't like the whole santa thing, (despite still telling my husband we don't really know it's not a group of elves in Taiwan who make the toys in the shops!) I feel like I'm lying to them and I know at some point they're going to be heart broken. I have always told them that we buy the presents and santa delivers them, they've never questioned this despite the obvious. As far as they're concerned santa just fills the stockings and that stops any ungrateful behaviour of santa can get anything I want.
For example this year with the hatchimals, Freya saw them and asked for one but it was in with a bunch of other stuff she'd like, she knows her list is just ideas and she may get a few things from it. Lucas on the other hand is expecting everything on his list and everywhere we go he asks daddy to put it on the santa list! For the record she would not be getting a hatchimal even if I found one for the original selling price as I thought that was extortionate enough. I think it's important to teach them to be grateful for whatever they get and I explain that we don't have lots of money so we can't buy things that cost lots of pennies and I think she is starting to understand that, she often asks what she could get with different amounts of money. Her money from the tooth fairy helped with that, another horrible lie in my opinion :/
We usually go to the Christmas light switch on although I feel less excited about it this year, it's always stupidly busy and they have a fair that the kids want to go on everything and you end up stressed and frozen, and why are they always late switching them on?!
We try to take them up to Milton Keynes to see what's on in the centre, last year we just did the train and carousel, they're not good at queuing so that limits what we can do as the average event won't make allowances for kids with special needs, especially invisible ones.
We don't make the kids wait till after lunch for presents, they open their stockings as soon as they come down and then when everyone's up and ready we do the presents. Freya likes to read the labels and hand them out and we try to wait until everyone has one and open them at the same time but it always goes a bit mad and they always have more than anyone else. Like most kids I expect, they want the toys out of the boxes asap and so begins the joy of working out how the hell to get them untied and the hunt for scissors, tiny screwdrivers and batteries (I'm never organised enough to prepare all this stuff in advance)
Mike likes to leave it until Christmas eve to wrap his presents which drives me absolutely nuts! Last year I was still unable to go to bed at 11pm because he was busy wrapping my stuff in the bedroom!
I usually get lumped with wrapping everyone else's stuff, even stuff my mum buys because they say I'm good at wrapping, it's not hard really is it?! I like to wrap as I buy to stop nosey children finding their things.
I like a real tree, I like the smell and the fact it's always a bit different each year and I like the whole process of going to choose it. We tend to buy our trees from ikea as they sell them for £25 and you get a £20 voucher for money off your shop from around mid January, so effectively the tree has cost £5, we like to shop at ikea anyway and there's always something we need.
Fitting in seeing everyone when you have such a large family is always a struggle, the older girls want to be with their partners or sometimes at their dads. There's grandparents and now grandchildren to visit!
If I'm honest I am wondering whether to have our Christmas dinner out somewhere this year, I've always thought it was a horrible idea but as mum has decided to go to see her sister in Germany for Christmas it just doesn't feel like it's going to be quite right anyway. She drives me nuts of course when we do have her, she doesn't eat turkey so shows up with a little bit of pre cooked beef wrapped in tin foil, she makes comments about everything imaginable and monopolises the tv the entire time she's here BUT I love seeing her little face when she opens her stocking and her gifts and it's nice to have someone who can cut up the cabbage nice and thin :) it just won't be the same without her.
I'm a big fan of Christmas movies, well lots of movies really, I'm one of those people who quotes from films all the time and it's just so cool when someone gets it :) I can also find a song for most sentences people say but I digress.... my favourite Christmas movie is the muppet family Christmas because it's got the muppets, sesame street and the fraggles, there's lots of festive cheer and singing without the misery of the Christmas carol and the scary ghosts!
I also love miracle on 34th st, we are always subjected to the queens speech when mother is here, and that doesn't thrill me at all! (see what I did there??) I love the predictability of seasonal tv, you know there's going to be home alone and die hard, the snowman and for the last few years, downton (sob) I miss downton.
For me Christmas starts when the kids break up from school, that's when I crack open the tins of sweets, (if I haven't secretly eaten them all already) that's when the movie days start with lots of snacks of course, the buffet dinners that we never do at any other time of year?! The cheese and biscuits, the bowls of satsumas, the salted peanuts :) ahhh I love Christmas.
Last year we introduced the kids to the kindness elves, I didn't like the elf on the shelf, I think he's creepy looking and the kids don't need to see an elf being naughty to give them ideas, and wanted them to do a kind deed each day. It started off well but I soon ran out of feasible ideas for them to do and the kids wouldn't leave them alone so I ended up putting them up on a high shelf and saying they were watching them for santa! Freya has already asked if they'll be coming back again this year, I really have no excuse for not making more effort, I manage to sit and write this!
I'm pretty much done with my present shopping already, I don't do crazy, busy last minute shopping. I've even had my paper a few months now, although I always see something I'd rather of had once I've bought it. I can honestly say I haven't seen one pack of cards that have taken my fancy, though I was amused by the buy 24 cards get another 24 free offers, I don't even know 12 people I'd want to send a card to!
So that's about it for our run up to Christmas, of course there will be school plays and dinners and parties and overtime at work and birthdays as well but it's the one time of year I really look forward to spending time at home as a family and I hope that wherever you are reading this, that you can enjoy the festive season with your loved ones too, as the years fly by so quickly, and before you know it those little people have their own plans and their own families, maybe that's when you take a trip abroad for Christmas :)
My Christmas list is pretty much the same every year so you'd think after 6 years he wouldn't need the list but he is a man after all :)
I've always been a huge fan of Christmas, my birthday is on the 22nd of December so there's only been December to look forward to all my life. Growing up, mum would refuse to put up the Christmas tree until after my birthday, (I have no idea why, I'll have to ask) so I always felt like I hadn't had enough time to enjoy it before it was over. That said I remember mum making quite a bit of effort with the decorations, we always had the garlands on the ceiling and the big bells that were sort of opened up from a flat shape, I can remember how they smelled :) I always remember how long it took until you got dinner, you could smell it from about 9am and it seemed a lifetime until it was finally ready. We weren't allowed to open our presents until after lunch so I was always keen for lunch to hurry up and arrive, I even had to wait while they did the dishes afterwards!
As soon as I moved out I had my tree up on the 1st of December, just because I could :)
I used to make a lot more effort than I do these days, perhaps it's because we've moved about so much, nowhere has really felt homely. We've had years where the stockings were hung on the stairs which were part stripped and on random nails whacked in, last year the lounge was being plastered on the 23rd so the whole place was filthy and just looked awful, this year I still haven't got the skirting on, there's exposed pipes because I can't find anyone to box them in and the nice wooden beam I promised myself I'd have by this year to hang the stockings from is still not up.
I like to have 2 trees, I have done for some years now because otherwise I think it only feels like Christmas in one room but this year we definitely haven't got room, I don't even know where the main one is going to go, there's no space to move things about when your husband needs access for his wheelchair everywhere. It could go under the tv but that would mean getting a tiny one and that doesn't feel nice :(
I get cross with myself about my choice of decorations, last year I bought an igloo and 2 polar bears and then I just kept looking at them thinking how childish I am. I love the wooden houses with lights in but they're quite expensive and with Freya and Lucas being expert demolishers we've learned by now we just can't have nice things on display.
The wires are also always a problem, I don't know how other people manage, we've got loads of plugs but we always run out or the wire doesn't reach and you end up with an extension lead hanging in mid air between the plug socket and the window sill!
I soon find the effort of going round switching them all on and off too much and by boxing day I want to take them down as it feels so messy with so much stuff around and also it's all over then isn't it, I don't want a Christmas tree up at new year, it's not Christmas anymore!
Lucas was born on the 28th of December so we always have trouble arranging something for his birthday, most people refuse to do anything in December at all, we were very lucky last year that quite a few of his friends came to his party but this year I thought it would be easier to have it at the start of December thinking no one would be booked up by then. He's very confused by this idea and I wonder if it's going to cause more problems than it solves.
On the whole the kids are fine with Christmas, I've met some people on the autism courses whose kids can't cope with the changes or the flashing lights or things being wrapped up in paper. I'd find that really hard.
We don't have a huge amount of traditions, we generally take them to see Santa, they are both still a little wary of him, last year Lucas just grabbed his chocolate coins and was heading out the door without telling santa what he wanted! There's been a lot of talk about santa this year, lots of questioning how it all works by Freya. Lucas actually liked santa more after watching stick man last Christmas, he's been playing the game for the last few months on his kindle.
I don't like the whole santa thing, (despite still telling my husband we don't really know it's not a group of elves in Taiwan who make the toys in the shops!) I feel like I'm lying to them and I know at some point they're going to be heart broken. I have always told them that we buy the presents and santa delivers them, they've never questioned this despite the obvious. As far as they're concerned santa just fills the stockings and that stops any ungrateful behaviour of santa can get anything I want.
For example this year with the hatchimals, Freya saw them and asked for one but it was in with a bunch of other stuff she'd like, she knows her list is just ideas and she may get a few things from it. Lucas on the other hand is expecting everything on his list and everywhere we go he asks daddy to put it on the santa list! For the record she would not be getting a hatchimal even if I found one for the original selling price as I thought that was extortionate enough. I think it's important to teach them to be grateful for whatever they get and I explain that we don't have lots of money so we can't buy things that cost lots of pennies and I think she is starting to understand that, she often asks what she could get with different amounts of money. Her money from the tooth fairy helped with that, another horrible lie in my opinion :/
We usually go to the Christmas light switch on although I feel less excited about it this year, it's always stupidly busy and they have a fair that the kids want to go on everything and you end up stressed and frozen, and why are they always late switching them on?!
We try to take them up to Milton Keynes to see what's on in the centre, last year we just did the train and carousel, they're not good at queuing so that limits what we can do as the average event won't make allowances for kids with special needs, especially invisible ones.
We don't make the kids wait till after lunch for presents, they open their stockings as soon as they come down and then when everyone's up and ready we do the presents. Freya likes to read the labels and hand them out and we try to wait until everyone has one and open them at the same time but it always goes a bit mad and they always have more than anyone else. Like most kids I expect, they want the toys out of the boxes asap and so begins the joy of working out how the hell to get them untied and the hunt for scissors, tiny screwdrivers and batteries (I'm never organised enough to prepare all this stuff in advance)
Mike likes to leave it until Christmas eve to wrap his presents which drives me absolutely nuts! Last year I was still unable to go to bed at 11pm because he was busy wrapping my stuff in the bedroom!
I usually get lumped with wrapping everyone else's stuff, even stuff my mum buys because they say I'm good at wrapping, it's not hard really is it?! I like to wrap as I buy to stop nosey children finding their things.
I like a real tree, I like the smell and the fact it's always a bit different each year and I like the whole process of going to choose it. We tend to buy our trees from ikea as they sell them for £25 and you get a £20 voucher for money off your shop from around mid January, so effectively the tree has cost £5, we like to shop at ikea anyway and there's always something we need.
Fitting in seeing everyone when you have such a large family is always a struggle, the older girls want to be with their partners or sometimes at their dads. There's grandparents and now grandchildren to visit!
If I'm honest I am wondering whether to have our Christmas dinner out somewhere this year, I've always thought it was a horrible idea but as mum has decided to go to see her sister in Germany for Christmas it just doesn't feel like it's going to be quite right anyway. She drives me nuts of course when we do have her, she doesn't eat turkey so shows up with a little bit of pre cooked beef wrapped in tin foil, she makes comments about everything imaginable and monopolises the tv the entire time she's here BUT I love seeing her little face when she opens her stocking and her gifts and it's nice to have someone who can cut up the cabbage nice and thin :) it just won't be the same without her.
I'm a big fan of Christmas movies, well lots of movies really, I'm one of those people who quotes from films all the time and it's just so cool when someone gets it :) I can also find a song for most sentences people say but I digress.... my favourite Christmas movie is the muppet family Christmas because it's got the muppets, sesame street and the fraggles, there's lots of festive cheer and singing without the misery of the Christmas carol and the scary ghosts!
I also love miracle on 34th st, we are always subjected to the queens speech when mother is here, and that doesn't thrill me at all! (see what I did there??) I love the predictability of seasonal tv, you know there's going to be home alone and die hard, the snowman and for the last few years, downton (sob) I miss downton.
For me Christmas starts when the kids break up from school, that's when I crack open the tins of sweets, (if I haven't secretly eaten them all already) that's when the movie days start with lots of snacks of course, the buffet dinners that we never do at any other time of year?! The cheese and biscuits, the bowls of satsumas, the salted peanuts :) ahhh I love Christmas.
Last year we introduced the kids to the kindness elves, I didn't like the elf on the shelf, I think he's creepy looking and the kids don't need to see an elf being naughty to give them ideas, and wanted them to do a kind deed each day. It started off well but I soon ran out of feasible ideas for them to do and the kids wouldn't leave them alone so I ended up putting them up on a high shelf and saying they were watching them for santa! Freya has already asked if they'll be coming back again this year, I really have no excuse for not making more effort, I manage to sit and write this!
I'm pretty much done with my present shopping already, I don't do crazy, busy last minute shopping. I've even had my paper a few months now, although I always see something I'd rather of had once I've bought it. I can honestly say I haven't seen one pack of cards that have taken my fancy, though I was amused by the buy 24 cards get another 24 free offers, I don't even know 12 people I'd want to send a card to!
So that's about it for our run up to Christmas, of course there will be school plays and dinners and parties and overtime at work and birthdays as well but it's the one time of year I really look forward to spending time at home as a family and I hope that wherever you are reading this, that you can enjoy the festive season with your loved ones too, as the years fly by so quickly, and before you know it those little people have their own plans and their own families, maybe that's when you take a trip abroad for Christmas :)
Friday, 18 November 2016
Review of Early Learning Centre Happyland country train set
This is the Happyland country train set, advertised as suitable from 18 months due to it's chunky nature.
We bought this for my son last year when he was nearly 3 as he has started to show an interest in trains.
I love this set, he played with it constantly for days, so much so I got a bit sick of it sitting on the rug in the lounge and tried to pack it away but as soon as he noticed it had gone we had to get it back out :)
I love it because there's not a ton of fiddly pieces, there's just 6 pieces of track, 2 sides of the station platform and the train,car and 3 people, along with a happyland station sign. There's a little birds nest which sits on the station roof and the station house has a cute little pretend clock on the wall and a post box on the side. There's flower boxes and hanging baskets, lift up barriers at the car crossing and pretend traffic lights.
It takes 2 AA batteries but I can honestly say we've had the same batteries in there for a year and it's still going strong.
The train is in 3 pieces so your little one can decide where the passengers go, there's one carriage for the driver which triggers a button as you sit him in to make the train move and a spare carriage for passengers, I think it's just designed for one but my kids manage to get 2 on and we've had all kinds of animals and even santa and snowman from the other happyland ranges hitching a ride or driving the train. We also have the happyland bus so we've got lots of spare people but most play figures fit in the holes because they're a good size.
The train makes cho cho noises and does it's horn as it makes it 's way round the track and when it gets back to the station it stops for about 8 seconds to allow the kids to swap passengers before setting off again.
As you can see the kids are getting bigger now, my son is 4 just after Christmas and my daughter is 6 but they both still love playing with this, play has become a bit more adventurous recently and we often have passengers jumping out halfway round the track and the sports car driver gets sat on the track to see how close he can leave it before the train comes!
If I had to make a criticism it would be that the track is a little tight at the car crossing but we've put it together and taken it apart hundreds of times and it's still rock solid, even when they don't get the track perfectly flat the train can cope with a little uneven surface, great if you're playing on carpet :)
This really was a great buy, it is quite expensive but it's so durable and they hold their value for selling on when they eventually outgrow it, I'm not sure when that will be!
At the time of writing Early Leaning Centre have them on offer for half price, so £25 instead of £50, a real bargain in my opinion :)
http://www.elc.co.uk/imaginative-play/happyland-country-train-set/118635.html
Disclaimer: All opinions expressed are my own, I was not asked to provide a review and did not receive anything for doing so.
We bought this for my son last year when he was nearly 3 as he has started to show an interest in trains.
I love this set, he played with it constantly for days, so much so I got a bit sick of it sitting on the rug in the lounge and tried to pack it away but as soon as he noticed it had gone we had to get it back out :)
I love it because there's not a ton of fiddly pieces, there's just 6 pieces of track, 2 sides of the station platform and the train,car and 3 people, along with a happyland station sign. There's a little birds nest which sits on the station roof and the station house has a cute little pretend clock on the wall and a post box on the side. There's flower boxes and hanging baskets, lift up barriers at the car crossing and pretend traffic lights.
It takes 2 AA batteries but I can honestly say we've had the same batteries in there for a year and it's still going strong.
The train is in 3 pieces so your little one can decide where the passengers go, there's one carriage for the driver which triggers a button as you sit him in to make the train move and a spare carriage for passengers, I think it's just designed for one but my kids manage to get 2 on and we've had all kinds of animals and even santa and snowman from the other happyland ranges hitching a ride or driving the train. We also have the happyland bus so we've got lots of spare people but most play figures fit in the holes because they're a good size.
The train makes cho cho noises and does it's horn as it makes it 's way round the track and when it gets back to the station it stops for about 8 seconds to allow the kids to swap passengers before setting off again.
As you can see the kids are getting bigger now, my son is 4 just after Christmas and my daughter is 6 but they both still love playing with this, play has become a bit more adventurous recently and we often have passengers jumping out halfway round the track and the sports car driver gets sat on the track to see how close he can leave it before the train comes!
If I had to make a criticism it would be that the track is a little tight at the car crossing but we've put it together and taken it apart hundreds of times and it's still rock solid, even when they don't get the track perfectly flat the train can cope with a little uneven surface, great if you're playing on carpet :)
This really was a great buy, it is quite expensive but it's so durable and they hold their value for selling on when they eventually outgrow it, I'm not sure when that will be!
At the time of writing Early Leaning Centre have them on offer for half price, so £25 instead of £50, a real bargain in my opinion :)
http://www.elc.co.uk/imaginative-play/happyland-country-train-set/118635.html
Disclaimer: All opinions expressed are my own, I was not asked to provide a review and did not receive anything for doing so.
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