All-in-One Mum

A few of you may think that I'm about to go straight into waxing lyrical about my daughter and what she has brought into our lives.  I think it goes without saying that each child is precious and individual and that they touch your lives in such a unique way and that all the words in the world could never truly express this. Yes, I do get a bit soppy at the end of this post but the real aim of this was to see what a change Isabella has actually made to our home in the physical sense of the word.  It must have been extremely dull and boring before she arrived in April 2010. Here is a small peak into what our home is like now. 1.  Our Bathroom Pre-baby our black and white tiled floor bathroom with other basic white goods was very simple.  Now it is colourful with baby bath toys, bath products, etc. 2.  Our bedroom Our room is a subtle green.  Extremely peaceful with black brown furniture and a gorgeous Feather and Black Oliver bed which I adore. ...

For my 30th birthday I was given a very generous gift card for  Champneys .  Any other sane person would look at the little golden book of fabulous treatments that Champneys includes with the gift cards, pick something and book in to be pampered.   Well, not me! Let me attempt to explain a bit of my logic behind not treating myself to a much needed (deserved?!) full body massage just yet. I don't usually take the time to treat myself to things like this.  I get the basics done (mani, pedi and other bits) but nothing more indulgent than that. There are 9 treatments that would fit the bill.  I'm torn between Mediterranean Bliss and a stock standard full body massage.  I have read this booklet front to back on a number of occasions and each treatment sounds more dreamy than the other.  I can actually imagine how relaxed and zen like I will be after my special pamper session.  The more I read them the harder it is to choose! If I actually bo...

My daughter knows the basics of cause and effect, action and reaction, etc.  She is slowly learning not to do the same thing twice and if it isn't something that will bring her harm, she does it very carefully and with much greater caution that her first attempt. Bella was sitting on the couch with my husband who had his legs stretched out on the couch with the cat lying on top of him.  Isabella stood up and decided to walk from the head of the two seater couch to the other end where my husband's feet were resting and subsequently close to where Snickers's head (and claws and paws) were positioned. I'm not sure of what actually happened next but all I know is that Snickers swiped at Bella's foot and her claw clipped on Isabella's heel.  I'm pretty sure what did actually happen was that Bella stuck her foot directly in Snickers's face! Bella was obviously slightly shocked and upset but she knows that if she disturbs Snickers while she is sleeping, ...

Phew! MELT DOWN OVER!!! Panic stations are back to zero and mommy can calm down!  That serves me right for trying to be a fancy pants and change my blog for the umpteenth time!!! Basically, after trying to be clever and attempt a bit of HTML, I lost the entire side bar on my home page. I realised that I'd deleted something and managed to work it out thank goodness. I now resolve to keep my blog layout and design as simple as I can and the only changes I make should be new badges and things like that.  I think that this new theme suits me and says a great deal about the person that I am.  Less is more and all that stuff.  Rainbows and colour make me feel optimistic and cheerful. So, welcome to my new blog design and layout, complements of the folks  The Cutest Blog on the Block .  When I saw their logo pop up on a few blogs I thought that it might be an award for bloggers who had cute looking blogs, but when I finally clicked on the badge to see what...

I came across Kate's blog, Kate Takes 5,   a couple of weeks ago.  When I read 'Blogging for Sanity's Sake' under her blog title I immediately took a liking to it. Once a week Kate picks a topic or subject and makes a list of 5 things that relate to her particular choice for the week.  These can range from top 5 destinations right down to top 5 biscuits.  Once posted, Kate invites her readers to do the same and then share a link to their list on her page.  You can read about what inspired her to begin Kate Takes 5 Weekly Listography here . It is extremely interesting and a real eye opener to see just how different (or similar!) we all are.  For a person that loves making lists, this is heaven!  I make lists for absolutely everything.  I even make lists for what I am going to blog about.  I like order and it makes me happy and keeps me semi-sane.  So, with all that said, I start my 1st listography list on my Top 5 Websites! ...

I think I have fallen in love.   Completely head over heels in fact!   A very routine shopping trip turned into a rather fabulous outing today!   I stumbled across the  most wonderful, fabulous and amazing kitchen storage ranges at my local Marks and Spencer.   With collection names like Circus, Geisha, Animal Print, Retro and Cherry Heart, how could they go wrong?   The spring cookware collection is also completely gorgeous and simply on first sight would inspire anyone to cook and bake in an utter frenzy of food happiness!   The snaps you see are of a couple of the Circus tins that anyone who loves to bake should, in my humble opinion, own.  I will definitely have to buy them and once they are filled with scrummy cakes and bakes, I will post the photos for all to see. My store also stocks La Crueset and with Valentine's Day just around the corner, what better excuse to buy the collection of 3 gorgeous  h...

1 Life Health Care  have offered  all my readers/followers  £10 off their 1st visit to their  Clinic in St Albans. Being a client, I can vouch for the extremely professional care  and treatment that they provide.   I know that I am in good hands and am always  given excellent and valuable aftercare advice.   Click here  to be taken to their contact page to book your first treatment and let them know that you were referred by Ally's Blog! A x

Fabulous article from the folks at 1Life Health in St Albans on ' functional training '.  This is where it is at people!  Get with the programme and have a read about it  here .  It's trending now! Bit of cosmic goings on happening, seeing as I'm thinking about putting my body through its paces this year. Keep your eyes peeled on your way to work for that strange lady walking down the road, pushing her daughter in her Bugaboo Bee buggy and doing lunges at the same time! Ax

Being the wife of a 2 x Ironman (Frankfurt 2009 and Lanzarote 2011 with the tattoo and medals to prove it), I have a good idea of how time consuming, mentally and physically taxing, completely competitive yet exhilarating, amazing and life changing this experience can be.  Travelling to different locations around Europe doesn't hurt either. Before you ask how my training is going I'd like to stop you right in your tracks!  Here are a few things you should know about me... 1.  I love watching triathlons and supporting my husband.  Yes, he does triathlons because he loves them but there are times when you need the support during and at the end of the race, and I'm very happy to carry his kit and scream and shout to drive him on to swim, bike and run as fast as humanly possible!  In fact, I get quite competitive about shouting as loud as I can and being at the front of the crowd so he can see me! 2.  I'm not very good at early morning starts (except for ...

I can think of few better ways to end a fabulous weekend than with a touch of Gu Goodness. On this occasion I had the pleasure of savouring a delicious, decadent dark chocolate and vanilla cheesecake. Totally scrumptious and delectable experience! Ax

This is by no means a regular Friday/Saturday occurence.  My life is anything but boring but it isn't extravagant or over the top.  I am very happy and content sharing my two work free days with my immediate family unit, friends and other family members.   Throw in a good meal here and there, a fabulous movie and a beautiful bottle of vino, and you have a pretty good of idea of what my weekends are usually about! Below is a short and sweet account of the past few days in my simple but wonderful life. Friday day Royal Albert Hall most of the day.  Extremely privileged to be seated in the Queen's Box.  Watched two of the many scenes from the current Cirque du Soleil show (tears in eyes experience), "Totem" and listened to interesting and inspirational speeches from a number of major public figures - Sir John Major, Seb Coe, Phillips Idowu to mention a few. Experienced the mastery of International Emmy Award winner Gareth Malone  in a...

Being the quirky yet loveable soul that I am, one of my 'things' is that I have a song that I play each and every Friday on my way to work.  This has become my 'Friday song', and a song that I use to bring me extra enthusiasm and energy for my day, a song that makes me feel euphoric, exhilarated and a song that makes me feel like I can take on the entire world (one bit at time of course!) What is my song, you ask?  It is.... Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful World  by Johnny Clegg and Savuka It get's me everytime! Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful World Lyrics from Metrolyrics.com Gone on, have a listen.  I know you want to!  I'm pretty sure that it will make your day too!!! Here is to wishing you all a Fabulous, Fantastic, Fascinating Friday!  I'll be living it up at the Royal Albert Hall all day followed by a fabulous dinner and then shutting my eyes at The Dorchester. It's a tough life, but someone has to do it, and I accept the role with open arm...

Not much beats the smell and taste of freshly popped popcorn as an after dinner/late night snack. Throw in a fabulous movie and excellent company and you have a near to perfect evening! A x

A rather rushed morning has landed on rather a high, I'd say! Let's weigh it all up, shall we! Negative: not washing my hair this morning before work. Positive: it was ridiculously rainy and windy on my walk to work so it would have been a wasted exercise. Negative: had to push Bella one handed in her Bugaboo while holding my black brollie in the other. Positive: arm muscles are definitely much stronger. Negative: brollie blew inside out and has a broken bit. Positive: I can buy a colourful one now! Negative: having the rest of Bella's milk spilled on my coat. Positive: no work on Friday so no need for this particular one as will be living it up at the Royal Albert Hall and then staying at The Dorchester! Negative: walking the rest of the way from nursery to work with no brollie. Positive: receiving a fabulous and very important email that made my day, possibly my week and 2012!! Always look on the bright side of life! :) A x

I've often pondered and wondered how many kilometres (can't work in miles) I've walked pushing my daughter in her Bugaboo Bee since she was born in April 2010.   I only really started walking to and from town in May 2010 roughly 4 days per week.  That's an average but some weeks its more, some it's less.  It all depends on whether I get cabin fever or not or if it is gorgeous outside or sub zero!!! Here are the rough stats for 2010 Distance to town and back home: 7km Days between 1 May and 31 December 2010: 244 (I got this figure from  ConvertUnits.com  . A fab site for when you are bored and wanting to know random things like this!) Subtract 35 days and 35 weekends (105 days): 139 days  Subtract roughly 20 days in South Africa for holiday: 119 End result for 2010: 119 days x 7 km = 833 km walked These are the rough stats for 2011 (pre office move) Distance to work (via nursery) and back home, bearing in mind this...

I have just finished my first book of 2012!!! Hoorah!!! 'Aleph', written by the world renowned author Paulo Coehlo, is also the first book that I've completed since I went on maternity leave in March 2010! Double Hoorah!!!! I won't write a review on this particular title as I don't think I can. I take something very personal from each of the books that I've read of his over the years and I don't feel that I want to share it, to be honest. One thing I will say though is that whenever I have read one of Paulo's books, they have always fitted perfectly into my life situation at the time, giving clarity to what was taking place or opening my thoughts to a new way of seeing the world. I think that there are quite a few others that would say the same thing. I'm sure there are many that would think I was nuts and talking utter rubbish and that are quite happy that I am keeping my views quiet. Anyway, how exactly will I be celebrating this mo...

Heather Smith is the founder and creative genius behind London based  Thelbridge Curtains, Blinds and Chairs .   She realised that not only did the blinds and curtains that she was creating for family members and own home look fabulous and very professionally sewn but that she enjoyed making them too!  What started out as a hobby has become a successful small business that is run alongside Heather's full time career. Chairs are the latest addition to the Thelbridge family.  I happened to see a photo of one of her first creations and I simply had to have one for my daughter, Isabella.  I contacted Heather straightway to see how I could get my hands on one!   They are perfect for watching telly (snuggled up in a blanket), reading a book, leaving at Grandparents, popping in the boot to take to a friend, having at your holiday home ... I could go on for a while here people! Our lounge is very bright with greens, reds, oranges and a Mexica...

I am extremely fortunate to have the pleasure of knowing a number of extremely talented and creative individuals and will be blogging about them all in turn over the next few days, weeks and months to share their many talents with you. So often we ignore local talent but I feel strongly about giving credit where it's due and acknowledging these gifted souls and showcasing their various lines of work and creative abilities. Have a fabulous Saturday! Axx

For those of you who follow my blog or read it from time to time, you may (possibly) have noticed that the colour scheme keeps changing. Well, I think this is a mood and weather thing, and at the moment I am 'feeling' pink and green with a touch of floral.  It makes me happy.  Need I say more? :) A x

For those of you who know me, I love my Bugaboo Bee .  It's light weight, compact and looks great too.  Well, I think it looks fabulous.  I wouldn't mind getting a canopy made with the South African flag and Proudly South African design logo on it.   I came across a tweet earlier that lead me to the this article:- Hands on With the World’s First Power Folding Stroller I walk close to 30km a week to and from work, to and from town, pushing my daughter in her buggy and I would have loved to have had lights and an odometer on my buggy.  I have thought about it many times infact!  It would be really interesting to see how fast I walk when I am in a rush to get Bella to nursery in time for her breakfast or how slow I trudge up a few of the hills. I'm pretty happy with the ease of folding of my Bugaboo Bee so the folding mechanism on the Origami, whilst it would be handy, wouldn't be a huge selling point for me.   Have a look at the  4...

While some parents struggle to get their children to eat fruits and vegetables, I have the complete opposite problem. I once made the rookie mistake of letting Isabella hold a packet of clementines while we were shopping. I knew I could smell oranges but I wasn't sure where it was coming from? I turned around to see Bella trying to eat one right through the net packaging! She had managed to nibbled through the outer flesh of the fruit through the netting and was sucking on the juicy inside. I now have to buy things without her looking and sneak them into the fridge as soon as we get home. Pure craziness I tell you. With a mom like me though, I guess that's enough to drive anyone slightly loopy! A x

Either full black or black and white. It's for a black tie event in London next Friday night. A xx