Me time Archives - Page 2 of 8

Family Scooting with Micro Scooters

7th May 2017 By thatmummysmile Leave a Comment

You cannot go anywhere these days without passing someone on a Micro Scooter, and for the first time ever we recently had our first family scooting day out! Yes that’s right, Tye and I have our very own, very cool, adult scooters. Wait for it…..with suspension!!

The boys have been massive Micro Scooter fans for years. Harry even went through a phase of collecting rubber bands which he gathered on the bar of his! When Harry was younger we always instead he wear a helmet too. The speed in which kids whiz around on them can be quite terrifying for parents looking on. Harry no longer wears one but Stanley does and everyone knows how much he loves wearing something on his head so we’ve luckily never had a battle with him not wanting to wear it!

We have some fabulous parks and open spaces in London so we thought we would test drive our new scooters in Battersea Park. Having mastered the art of collapsing and unlocking them, they slotted easily into the boo of the car and clicked back into the upright position swiftly once we arrived. I’m not going to lie, I was pretty terrified about the prospect of totally stacking it in front of passers-by. Tye on the other hand was totally relaxed about the whole thing, even at one point showing off with some ‘crouching’ down ‘skate-boarding’ action! The boys loved seeing mummy and daddy joining in on the scooting fun. I was very dubious about how much I would get into it but I was honestly HOOKED instantly. We effortlessly glided around Battersea Park like an updated Von Trapp family…minus the outfits HAHAHA!

As a family, we regularly have days out and find new and exciting places to go to. With us all having our own Micro Scooter, the FAMILY FUN has now been taken to another level. The giggles we all have every time we take them out are priceless!

If you too have been thinking about getting the adult scooters and amping up your family fun days out, I highly recommend the suspension scooters Tye and I have. The foot plate is a great width for a steady balance and the wheels are larger than most, perfect for a bit more of a rugged terrain. You can find ours over on the website HERE.

To check out the full range visit www.micro-scooters.co.uk and all of the accessories they have on offer too.

I would love to hear all about your own family scooting experiences 😉

by Laura xx

How to juggle kids and get your hair done!

17th April 2017 By thatmummysmile Leave a Comment

Yes, I didn’t think kids and hair salon should be in the same sentence either HOWEVER my good friend Frankie is a PRO hair colourist and works in the uber cool salon ‘53 am‘. I’ve known Frankie for over 10 years now, she’s a fellow West London girl and has been colouring my families’ hair since before time 😉 If she’s not in the salon, she’s on another awesome holiday somewhere living the high life (always envious of her tan!).

53 am is on Golborne Road, on the doorstep of the renowned Trellic Towers, and among some of the trendiest west London boutiques/ antique shops and most famously the Golborne Road weekly market. A stones throw from Portobello road, this neck of the woods is my stomping ground.

Run by the lovely duo that is Angela and Justin (hence the shops’ name ‘am’), this TRENDY salon is home to some top notch stylists and colourists, plays fab current tunes, has eclectic decor and oozes with vibrancy.
My last visit to get my bad boy roots sorted was with child in tow! No, it wasn’t planned that way (trust me), as usually my hair time is MY time, however childcare issues meant little Stanley had to come with. Having had a morning from hell with Diego in full force (Stan’s alter-ego name), a tantrum before leaving the house for school run, then a further tantrum after leaving his mini pals at the school gates, meant I was DREADING the next couple of hours in my ‘foils’. To my absolute shock though, he was the most well behaved Stanley ever….and no sign of Diego!

I’d pre-prepared a rucksack of goodies (OBVS) such as cars/ dinosaurs, snacks etc and let him get on with it. The salon were great and it meant Frankie and I got to have a good ol’chin wag and discuss everything BUT kids! Anyone that has their colour done knows it takes a good couple of hours, and surprisingly my little toddler was fantastic and totally charmed the clients!

Ladies, have a little faith and don’t cancel your appointment if childcare help fails on you…trust me. A bag of crappy toys and some in-house salon mags totally do the trick. And should you ever be in my neck of the woods, shopping the markets, browsing the Moroccan goods or sampling the local Portuguese delicacies on Golborne Road, I cannot recommend my Frankie enough for some brand spanking new colour!

Visit www.53am.info to book an appointment.

by Laura xx

Date Night with All Star Lanes

5th March 2017 By thatmummysmile Leave a Comment

It’s not often Tye and I get round to organising a date night. It’s one thing to have all good intentions but prioritising it and booking it in the diary is another! One bonus about coming from such a large family is that we are never too short of babysitters, however we have found that in order to get a few hours to ourselves, it often needs military planning!

We had such a fun date night last week at All Star Lanes– the all American kitch 1950’s bowling, with delicious cocktails and some yummy diner food. My mum was on hand for the kids and we managed to escape the house unscathed and with a skip in our step! All Star Lanes of Bayswater is luckily a 10 minute walk from our house so it did feel effortless.

Does anyone else love bowling shoes as much as me? I always find it’s like stepping back in time when I get mine on! Supposedly you transform from plain Jane to bowling extraordinaire instantly…hahaha not quite the case for me as I soon found out. I was however slightly envious of the retro shirts the staff were wearing. Maybe if I had one of those my skills would improve?! We ordered our cocktails, Tye had a Tommy’s Margarita (with additional dinosaur accessory) and I had the most delicious Aloha Jar cocktail (with the infamous pink umbrella). Now let me just set the scene: neither of us have bowled in a LONG time, so it was no surprise that I could barely keep my size 8 ball on the lane and out of the gutter! Tye however slyly got in a few strikes, throwing a victory dance any peacock would be proud of! At one point I even had the cocktail waiter ask if I wanted ‘the barriers up’?! Hahaha oh the shame. Needless to say, my game total came to a mere 27 with Tye smashing it with 137. But hey, who plays to win? Not me… I was more happy dancing along to the DJ, sipping on my drink with my umbrella in my hair, kid-free and having FUN.

Our chat consisted mainly of MY bowling technique, how I needed to stop ‘throwing’ the ball, and perhaps I should bend down lower. I think I tried about 3 different ball weights too, but let’s face it, I’m not going to be entering any bowling competitions anytime soon, but it was such a giggle! We didn’t talk about the kids at all, it was just the two of us making tits of ourselves.

Following on from our two games, we sat down to eat in their ‘diner’. We shared a platter and a crisp bottle of white wine. The menu is your typical American diner experience; burgers, mac and cheese, fries, onion rings, ribs, chicken etc. The Saturday night DJ was spinning his tunes and the atmosphere was buzzing. By the time we had finished our wine, you could say we were very merry and fully ready to take on the retro photo booth for some posing!!
It’s so important to allow yourselves to let lose one every so often. To just be the two of you, reconnecting, and conversating. In our normal every day lives, having an adult conversation without being interrupted is a rarity in our house. Those few hours alone really can and DO reignite the sparks and keep you feeling alive. Our night at All Stars filled us with some joy, the customer service was fantastic, the room was alive, the laughter was real and the cocktails were undeniably moorish!

To find an All Star Lanes near you, visit their website here. We highly recommend it- whether it’s a date night like ours, going along with the family, or hiring for private parties. Fun to be had by EVERYONE.

by Laura xx

My 100th Blog…Why I got into Blogging

10th February 2017 By thatmummysmile Leave a Comment

To celebrate my 100th blog post (I know right!..how did that happen?!), I thought I’d write a little about how and why I got into Blogging. To me, bloggers were just a bunch of self-righteous people looking for attention hahahaha (maybe we are?!), until I realised that actually creating and writing a blog was simply a way of connecting with people and writing about topics and subjects you care about. I remember when I told my mum that I was going to start it up and the only advice she gave me was “whatever you do, don’t publicly bash your husband on it”! Believe me, I’d probably have written 150 by now if I had ignored her advice! 😉

As you know, I’m a full time mummy, and do this as a sideline. I started the blog 2 years ago as a hobby and soon realised that writing and taking the time to sit and publish each piece was a fantastic break away from the everyday mum duties and more importantly, it’s nice to use my brain again! Having not been in the workplace properly since before Harry was born (all of 7 years ago), the cogs had started to rust. If you look back to some of my first posts, you can certainly see how I’ve progressed and that I’ve developed a writing style along the way.

A friend of mine designed my website and took a few stock photos, which was great because that initial start-up is probably the biggest hurdle. Once I had a couple of posts under my belt, it began to grow organically. Motherhood can be very lonely, so my blog has always been a place for me to share my thoughts, and feel like ‘laura’ rather than just the ‘mum’. A bit of an escapism.

There is a massive market for Bloggers and Influencers these days. So much so that most big companies actually have specific ‘Social Media’ departments and job roles. Businesses and Brands are realising more and more how valuable social media is as a Marketing tool and subsequently how FAST people can influence! I’ve recently had a couple of people tell me they want to get into Blogging, but wondered if they’d missed the boat. Totally not. Everyone thinks it’s a saturated market, but the reality is that there will always be a place for bloggers. The other thing people don’t quite realise is how much time it takes up. It really is a job in itself. I’m not talking about just sitting down and writing, there is much more to it than that. You obviously have to work on the content, thinks about the photographs you’re taking, think about the message you’re communicating, ensure you’ve linked to the correct and appropriate brands and businesses. You’re creating your digital presence. In order to collaborate with people, your blog needs to be as authentic and honest as possible as well as UNIQUE! Getting that right is the trickiest part because there are millions of blogs out there already so trying to stand out among the crowd isn’t easy!

I think the biggest lesson I’ve learnt along this journey is to simply ENJOY what I’m doing. If I’m stressing about having not posted a photo on Instagram, or frantically trying to get a blog post out purely because I’ve not published one in a fortnight, then I know I need to rein it in and take stock. It can get so competitive and consequently cause quite a lot of anxiety! I’m always trying to engage with my audience and think of new blogs to write which I know I will love featuring, but also that I know my readers will enjoy. I think so far I’m doing ok, but like I said, it’s such a learning curve.

My husband is always wondering if I’ll ever get paid for what I do, and honestly I don’t have an answer for that. What I do know is that I love writing it, I love attending events and meeting new people and writing about new experiences. I’ve found something that I enjoy and that I can (kind of) fit in around the children. Yes, it can be time consuming and yes I know I spend a lot of my time on my phone (sorry family!), but If I’m going to continue this blogging journey and hopefully grow it and collaborate with even more exciting people, then I need to make sure my engagement is consistent.

Thank you to everyone that has and is following the blog and thank you to everyone that likes and comments on my Instagram photographs. A good friend of mine refers to Instagram as her shop window- which I totally relate to. I’m passionate about posting photographs because the more interest I have at my ‘window’, the more people will enter my ‘shop’. I’ve made so many friends through blogging too…like-minded mothers who turned to blogging just like myself. We bounce off one another for ideas, hold each other up when we’re feeling crap, and meet up at fun events where we can be women with a purpose other than just parents. It’s been utterly refreshing and has definitely helped me to gain lots more confidence since becoming a mummy.

By Laura xx

My Valentine’s Gift Guide for all!

1st February 2017 By thatmummysmile 1 Comment

Valentine’s Day… Is it that time of year again? With Christmas all cleared up, packed away and the tune of ‘jingle bells’ finally out of our heads, the shop shelves are now stocking with all things ‘LOVE’! For all the heartbroken and singles out there, it really does feel as though it’s shoved in your face; the flowers, the cards, the perfume, the boxes of chocolates. On average, apparently men spend roughly £40 on a Valentine’s gift compared to women who spend on average £24. And get this… the total amount of money spent on flowers for this particular day is a whopping £300 million!

Tye and I typically exchange a card and I usually get flowers bought for me from Wild at Heart, near my house. Tye calls them ‘meadow’ flowers because they’re beautiful and wild looking. I’m a bit slack on getting him a gift because his birthday is 3 days later!

Ive handpicked a few gifts to give you a little nudge and some ideas if you’ve not quite thought about it yet. Gift giving for Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be just for your husband, wife or partner. It could be for your children, best friend, grandma, godparent etc. We all have many special people in our lives who we care for and love very much. If like me you’re a little strapped for cash, a homemade card goes down a TREAT 😉

FOR HER

This gorgeous Sarah Baily wallet is YUMMY. I’ve had my eye on these for a while now, so this is a secret nod to my husband! Two of my favourite things in life: Cow hide and metallic leather! What’s not to love? They come in a variety of colour options and if you think your other half’s budget will stretch, then why not go all out and ask for one of the bags!! Click here for the website.

Who loves a bit of ‘Twinning’? One of my fav new brands is Scamp and Dude (previous post about them here), who do some really fun childrenswear pieces, but also these fabulous sweaters for us women too! So you and your littles can match in your leopard prints. Click here for the website.

A scented candle goes down sooooo well in my family. This M&S Per Una one smells FAB and will really get your home smelling lurrrrrrvly. Click here for the website.

If you’re in need of a new addition to your wardrobe, or even looking for a new little something to wear on date night, this Zara blouse is gorge! This bird printed top with pretty bow detail on the sleeves is only £29.99 and looks brilliant on any shape because the stripes run vertically! Click here for the website.

FOR HIM

Did you pull out the ‘socks and jumper’ card AGAIN this Christmas for the man in your life? Well I certainly did…with a few Ferrera Roche’s thrown in for good measure 😉 With a love for Retro design, the very British brand GPO have a selection of nostalgic old fashioned telephones and radios. I particularly love this state of the art Memphis Digital Radio. Not only is it a radio but it also allows you to record all of your vinyl records and cd’s onto your USB stick! The perfect Valentine’s present for the gadget man. Click here for website.

Now this is a game to get everyone talking and I mean literally, among a group of friends/ family. Covering topics such as Sex, Money, Relationships, Work and Family, ‘The Confessions Game’ is for the REALISTS. I’ve just discovered this company The School of Life and they seem to have some very thought provoking tools and products to help develop emotional intelligence. Click here to view website.

FOR THE KIDS

I recently discovered Zoofold at a Christmas Fair last year. These impressive cardboard masks are such fun, whether worn on your head or even hung on the wall. Simple but so effective…all you need is a steady hand to assemble! Click here for website.

Pucker up with this helium balloon. From my favourite party suppliers Pretty Little Party Shop, this party accessory will provide lots of fun. Click here for website.

Look at these gorgeous Girl Gang sweaters by Essex Mama. This new limited edition heart patch is on long sleeved tees as well as the sweatshirts. For both kids and adults… I LOVE THEM! Click here for website.

For all you sticker fans (not just the kids!), if you don’t already know about Pipsticks, then check them out now. Based in the US (YES they ship internationally…whoohooooo!), this sticker loving brand create the best sticker packs which you can purchase as a one-off buy OR even better, subscribe to a monthly surprise delivery! I favour the latter of course. This Valentine’s Day selection looks pretty awesome. Click here for website.

AND FINALLY….

If you’re looking to give more of a personalised gift this year, then why not order one of my customised watercolour Wreath Art Paintings. Totally made to order and designed to your specifications, they are A4 on acid free quality watercolour paper and mounted for only £18.50. You can find them on Instagram @wreathArtbyLaura or Facebook HERE. Below are some examples of previous orders.

By Laura xx

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FOR HIM

FOR THE KIDS

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What I’ve been up to