New Season, New Blog!

Anyone who knows anything about me knows I like to talk. And write. A lot.

This powerful combination of talents God has blessed me with has led me to share my heart and soul on a blog which has proved both therapeutic and challenging at times. Through the amazing blogging community I have 'met' many wonderful people from all walks of life and have learned more about myself than I could ever have thought possible. Sharing life with others is GOOD. God intended us to live in company and spend time with people, and I for one highly value the blogosphere and the knowledge and support gained from it a I have navigated raising two boys, dealing with post natal depression and launching my own writing business.

I believe that there are seasons in life, and sometimes things change or stop when they have run their course, and I have felt personally challenged to change the direction of my blog so that it is more focused on me as a woman and a mother rather than my children. This is partly due to being horribly conscious that my boys are discussed or displayed on the internet and my desire to protect them, but also due to our exciting plans in the coming year.

As a family we have always wanted to adopt and we are super excited to be  initiating the process later this year. This will of course have implications for my blog as if we are successful I may be unable to discuss my adopted child much less display their picture for their own safety, so I want to start reducing my boys presence in my blog now so that I might treat them all the same right from the off.

I still plan to discuss parenting issues that we face, as well as dilemmas dealt with by working moms peppered with video links to my new songs that I am writing (new season for me here too!) and also a sprinkling of sewing projects for your enjoyment, hence the new name: Sing Sew Write! Those who have followed me for a while may recognise the name as it was my first blog name so I am returning to my roots!

I hope you continue to enjoy reading my blog as much as I do writing it.

Love R xx

They are what YOU speak...

I am so sick of hearing the phrase 'He is a bad boy' or 'She is naughty girl'.

Now, as a mother of particularly boisterous boys, who have been more than a little challenging at times, I am only too aware that sometimes our children do misbehave. But I have learnt (the hard way) that confirming negative behaviour to a child will only entrench the behaviour even deeper, as they start to believe what they are told about themselves.

Children are NOT bad. They are not NAUGHTY. Their behaviour is not malicious and is not a personal attack on you or others around you. Children are tiny human beings who are learning what is right and wrong and are pushing the boundaries socially and physically to discover what is OK, what is acceptable. And yes, at times they will make the wrong choice. They will choose to snatch that toy, to push that child, to hit that parent or answer back in the middle of the playground. These choices and the resulting behaviour exhibited is naughty, not the child, and I would encourage any parent, guardian or carer, myself included, to isolate the behaviour and condemn this not the child in question.

Furthermore, if it is not your child exhibiting the behaviour, stop before you judge them or pass comment; that little boy lashing out may be struggling with separation from a father who left his mother six weeks ago, that little girl may have a poorly sibling who is requiring all mom and dad's attention so she is acting out to get noticed by someone.

Our words have more power than we could ever realise. The Bible tells us that our words have the power to destroy and the power to save lives (Proverbs 12:6) and for anyone who has ever been criticised, put down or gossiped about, you will know that words can wound deeper than any sword. When someone casts a careless comment to a child, saying 'You are a naughty girl', 'Why do you do that? What's wrong with you?' 'He is a nasty piece of work', they are speaking into their little, impressionable minds, into their soft vulnerable hearts and dealing them the most hurtful blow that can stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Having done The Five Love Languages, I am aware that my top love language is words of affirmation, so for me, words have a lasting effect that can have immeasurable repercussions on my emotional and mental well being. I remember harsh words spoken about me or to me from a very young age as if it were yesterday, and the comments still cause me to question my image, my ability or my talent some twenty five years later.

God spoke the world into being with his words and as we are made in His image, we are responsible for the words we speak out into and over others. Jesus himself said; "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned" Matthew 12:36-37

If you have guardianship or relationship with a child of any age, please, I urge you, be careful what you say to them, in front of them or around them. Children are like sponges that soak up all that flows in and around them, whether that is good or bad, positive or negative. Don't fill their heads with your own judgements, doubts, fears or frustrations. Make sure the words you speak into them are full of praise, encouragement and gentle love-filled discipline that will build your child into a strong, secure man or woman in the future.

R x

Mince Pies and Mommy Moments

So the countdown to Christmas is officially on!

Every day my 5 year old asks if Santa has been, which is getting more than a little tedious despite us being only 4 days in to his advent calendar.... I turned my hand at making a fabric calendar this year which was fun as I haven't sewn anything on my beloved machine for literally a year!! Definitely got the bug back and am looking forward to getting a bit more crafty as we wind down to Christmas.

The Christmas presents are sorted (please don't hate me) and the house is decorated so I feel very organised this year! Work is as busy as ever, but I am trying to get a better work/life balance as the past few months have seen a lots of late nights and laptop bound afternoons while the little one sleeps. The only nights that remain untouched are connect on Mondays which is our weekly meeting with fellow Christians who live locally, and Friday night which is our date night! We are very protective of date night, and although we rarely actually go anywhere, we always have a nice meal, some treats, sometimes a bottle of wine and we curl up on the sofa for a movie. *heart melts*

But what about 'me time' I here you ask? My immediate reply would be 'what is that?' Seriously, my days are so jam packed with attending and helping out at toddler groups, going to midweek church services, completing the school run twice a day (usually on foot), running a household, buying groceries and trying to keep up with our pastoral area that we look after at church. Oh and holding down a writing business!

I wouldn't change a thing about our life as I love being busy (although a cleaner or ironing lady would be sooo appreciated to keep up with two boys and two cats!) but I am aware that to be a good wife and mom I need to do things for me too. My perfect day would be a trip to the hair salon or beautician for some pampering followed by a couple of hours of uninterrupted writing in Starbucks or Cafe Nero, then maybe squeezing in reading Hello, House Beautiful or Country Living magazine or one of the many novels on my bookshelf.

Writing my blog and reading all the other amazing blogs on the circuit gives me so much joy, so in absence of my 'perfect day' being possible right now I am making the most of a mince pie and a mommy moment while my boys entertain each other. Life is too short to spend all our time working, once in a while close down the emails, let the dishes pile up or stick on cbeebies (shock horror) and indulge yourself in some you time.

R x

Why I won't be hounding my boys about homework

No one likes homework right?

(Unless you were a geek like me who begged my middle school teachers for homework for a year in then soon lost interest by year 9....)

So my eldest is in his second term of reception class at am amazing faith school and is absolutely loving it. We knew he was ready for the discipline and stimulation of school but could never have dreamt that he would change and grow so much so quickly and it has been a joy to watch him bloom.

The only 'concern' that I had about our choice of school (and it really is no concern at all) is that there is quite an emphasis on the academic side. My son is actually really bright and has embraced the new skills and subjects with much gusto, however learning has changed a great deal since I was at school.

We knew there would be some homework in reception, although mainly just reading at home, and when A first came home with a home learning diary and various passwords to join reading eggs and mathletics, I was very impressed with the technology available and excited to get started. However within the first half term my son was starting to notice that he hadn't gotten a certificate in mathletics like his friends at school, so I started looking in to what he needed to do to gain a certificate. I was horrified to learn he needed to earn 1000 points and as he gets 10 points per exercise he would need to complete 14 exercise per day for a week just to gain a piece of paper to put on the wall.

I know that the exercises are not compulsory, but kids talk and its hard not to compare when his peers are doing an hour plus of homework every night and have several certificates proudly displayed on the wall. I have really struggled with the concept of my five year old finishing school and coming home to spend his afternoon sat at my laptop in order to achieve recognition for his academic intelligence.

Don't get me wrong, we dedicate a great deal of time to learning at home, but I prefer my children to learn through play; counting lego pieces, making shapes and discussing them, ordering toy cars into colours and writing cards and letters to family and friends. I have spent years teaching my son at home and don't intend to stop now that he is at school, however I also don't intend to fill his down time with hours sat in front of a screen.

When my boy comes home, he throws down his school bag, grabs a drink and a biscuit and excitedly tells me about his day, then he plays. He plays cars, he plays superheroes, he plays lego, he plays dress up. He runs around with his baby brother until they collapse in a fit of giggles on the floor, he reads a book to me after dinner and he has a bath before more stories in bed.

I am so crazy proud of my son and I try to praise him regularly for the great things he does every single day and reassure him that he is doing great. In the meantime I will let him carry on with they very thing he does best; play.

The below poem by Anita Wadley sums up my thoughts on the subject.... R

Just Playing

 

When I'm building in the block area,

Please don't say I'm "just playing."

For you see, I'm learning as I play,

About balances and shapes.

Who knows, I may be an architect someday.

 

When I'm getting all dressed up,

Setting the table, caring for the babies,

Don't get the idea I'm "just playing."

For you see, I'm learning as I play;

I may be a mother or father someday.

 

When you see me up to my elbows in paint

Or standing at an easel,

Or molding and shaping clay,

Please don't let me hear you say, "He is just playing."

For you see, I'm learning as I play.

I'm expressing myself and being creative.

I may be an artist or an inventor someday.

 

When you see me sitting in a chair

"Reading" to an imaginary audience,

Please don't laugh and think I'm "just playing.'

For you see, I'm learning as I play.

I may be a teacher someday.

 

When you see me combing the bushes for bugs,

Or packing my pockets with choice things I find,

Don't pass it off as "just play.'

For you see, I'm learning as I play.

I may be a scientist someday.

 

When you see me engrossed in a puzzle

Or some "plaything' at my school,

Please don't feel the time is wasted in 'play.'

For you see, I'm learning as I play.

I'm learning to solve problems and concentrate.

I may be in business someday.

 

When you see me cooking or tasting foods,

Please don't think that because I enjoy it,

It is 'just play.'

I'm learning to follow direction and see differences.

I may be a cook someday.

 

When you see me learning to skip, hop,

Run and move my body,

Please don't say I'm "just playing."

For you see, I'm learning as I play.

I'm learning how my body works.

I may be a doctor, nurse or athlete someday.

 

When you ask me what I've done at school today,

And I say, "I just played',

Please don't misunderstand me.

For you see, I'm learning as I play.

I'm learning to enjoy and be successful in my work.

I'm preparing for tomorrow.

Today, I am a child and my work is play.

 

-  Anita Wadley

Why getting damp could be good for you

No one likes being damp. Least of all me on the school run.

The sudden onset of winter has taken us all by surprise after such a lovely summer and mild autumn, and the constant rain hat we have been having has been particularly unwelcome by most. My mantra has always been 'there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing' and although I still stick by this saying, the Great British rain storms have dampened even my spirits when it comes to the repeated trips to and from the school gates with my buggy bound toddler in tow.

I have never been a fan of damp, especially after having to leave our previous home because of it, however God reminded me this week that being damp can have its uses. This revelation came to me whilst quietly ironing yesterday as I discovered that some of my husband's shirts had gotten quite damp from the iron leaking on to them in the ironing basket. Thinking that I would just iron them anyway then leave them to air, I was surprised to find that it is actually easier to iron clothes that are not fully dry as the creases aren't so set in to the fabric. Feeling rather pleased that my least favourite chore of ironing seven plus shirts had become far less arduous I felt God whisper into my spirit "that shirt is just like you".

Excuse me? I put the iron back in its rest on my battered ironing board and asked God "How exactly am I like a damp shirt?"

"Because when you are in the storms of life, stood in the relentless rain and finding your spirits dampened, it is then that you are most malleable and most receptive to my Holy Spirit speaking into and changing your life".

The reply stopped me in my tracks. It was so true, the times of greatest change and transformation in my life had been in times of difficulty, despair and disappointment. I have learnt more about myself and about the God I love and serve during hard times than I have in times of blessing and abundance. That is not to say that to experience a closeness and intimacy with God you need to endure trials, quite the opposite as God will meet you in whatever circumstances you are in. However for me I know that my strong personality is like those stubborn creases that just refuse to budge no matter how hot the temperature is on the iron, but with a bit of steam added they smooth right out.

God is a loving God who wants to bless us, and help us in our day to day lives, and He knows what is best for us.

"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11

So next time you feel under the weather, that your spirits are dampened, be encouraged and turn to God and allow Him to get to work and start smoothing out the creases of your life.

R

Why I won't let my children trick or treat

If you saw your son or daughter conjuring up demons and dead spirits or casting spells would you be ok with that?

I hope that the answer is no, yet millions of parents will allow their children to take part in the 'harmless fun' of Halloween while the devil sits back and laughs. He doesn't need to incite a curios in the dark arts within children because their parents unwittingly due it for him by making light of acting like a witch or wizard. The adaptation of JK Rowlings books have seen children across the world brandishing a wand like a weapon and chanting their very own spells wwhilst touring the neighbourhood as a spooky being. 

Magic is not fun, nor is it harmless. It is a slippery slope to the dark arts, the power that it offers the participant lures them deeper and deeper into a demonic world where Satan can really get a hold of you.

I myself as a young girl was transfixed my shows like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Charmed and so on and I gained an interest in the occult but thank God Jesus claimed me for His own and saved me.

The Bible pulls no punches on this topic, warning very clearly in Deuteronomy 18:9-14

"...Do not let your people practice fortune telling or use sorcery, or interpret omens,  or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead..."

Fortunately God has the ultimate power, and the one name that makes the devil tremble is Jesus Christ. The Bible says if we call upon His name we will be saved and once we give our hearts to Jesus He lives within us. When you have done that you can be confident that;

Greater is He (Jesus) that lives in me than he (the devil) that is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

God ia the ultimate heavenly Father and He loves you and wants to protect you just the same as you want to protect your family. My prayer is that this Halloween would not be a spiritual battle between good and evil for your soul or your children's souls, but would be the day you surrender to God and trust in His unfailing love and everlasting protection.

R

Who wouldn't want an extra hour?

Mamma! Mamma! My sons urgent cries pierced my slumber like a pin to a bubble.

The call from my 19 month old wasn't actually any different from any other morning, only it was at 5am not 6am. (I so envy parents who have to wake their children in the morning!) Not being a morning person, my attitude was not particularly cheerful as I reluctantly left my soft, warm bed, padded in to the boys bedroom and lay down in little man's bed in a desperate bid to get them both back to sleep. I grumpily wondered whose stupid idea it was to put the clocks back in the first place, I mean, we are all repeatedly told how we should look to the future, don't revisit the past etc, so what benefit do we get from turning back time and gaining an hour?

A terminally ill mother who give anything to have an extra hour, God whispered to me.

A father holding his precious daughter in his arms would give anything to go back an hour to when breath filled her lungs.

The motorist who was distracted by a text message and didn't see the motorbike coming around the corner would give anything to go back an hour and switch that phone to silent.

Time is precious. It is fleeting and it is fragile. It is our most valuable commodity and yet we fritter it away on a daily basis. Today I have been awake since 5am, but that means that I have enjoyed an hour more of cwtches and cbeebies with my children. I am blessed beyond all measure and my prayer today is that I never forget that nor today for granted.

"How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog, its here a little while then it is gone." James 4:13

So if you have been up since the wee hours this morning, go and pour yourself a strong coffee, give thanks for your life and enjoy this day, this hour, this minute for we are not promised tomorrow.

R

School Run Style: Why I don't want to be a slummy mummy

I am sure that when my husband walks in he must think that I have spent hours in a wrestling ring, and to an extent he is probably right.

My once carefully applied makeup has been kissed or rubbed off by small chubby hands, my hair has been pulled on as I have adopted the role of ride on entertainment for my two sons or I have been so thoroughly soaked during the school run itself or during bath time. By the time I have dressed and fed our boys, coerced them in to getting out of the house on time for the school run, frog marched them to the school gates in biting winds and horizontal rain, returned home to play cars/trains/drums as requested by my toddler, cooked lunch, marched back to school to collect the big boy before returning home for CC time (cookie and catch up about our day), re-enacted scenes from Cars/Toy Story/Spiderman, provided ride on entertainment and had several tickle fights, I am not surprised that I look a little windswept by the end of it.

I have such good intentions when I start the day, have a shower and attempt to control my naturally wavy hair using brute force and straightening irons before carefully selecting a comfortable and warm outfit, plus coordinating accessories. Granted some mornings the shower is skipped in favour of a wash and I admit defeat and scrunch my tresses into curls to save a bit of time, and yes a long waterproof coat does cover a hoodie and weetabix splattered jeans on a bad day. However looking good makes me feel good so I make a conscious effort to look my best each day, even if that simply means a slick of lip gloss, and a sweep of mascara.

I think my image consciousness comes from not only being interested in fashion and wanting to make the most of my figure/face in my thirties, but also from the fact that I don't 'go' to a place of work. As a working at home mom, I am privileged to fit my writing business in around my children, however not dressing for and travelling to an office can leave me feeling feel less motivated as I could work in my PJ's all day and am less likely to push myself to develop new skills and succeed. Having battle Post Natal Depression following the birth of my second son, I like to dress well so that I feel more 'put together' and ready to face the world and as my house is filled with boys I also enjoy dressing in a more feminine manner whenever possible, adopting dresses and skirts over leggings and tights if the weather permits.

Please understand that I have nothing against moms who wear hoodies and slouchy jeans for the school run (although I draw the line at pulling a three quarter length coat and ugg boots over the top of your PJ's unless you seriously overslept!) if anything I applaud them for being so comfortable in their own skin to wear practical, comfortable clothing.

For me, fashion and a sense of style is part of my identity as a woman and it also boost my confidence, making a concerted effort helps me to feel more confident in all areas of my personal and professional life, from meeting new moms in the playground to writing website content for a new client.

The beauty of fashion nowadays is that it needn't cost the earth, and some of my greatest finds have been in charity shops across the UK. As a parent to a boy who thinks flinging his food and drink around at every meal time, I have quickly realised that nothing is safe from mischievous sticky fingers, therefore buying preowned clothes that cost less than a brand new item in Primark is far more preferable to scrubbing stains out of a favourite blouse that cost my whole wage packet. Furthermore, I am doing my bit for the environment by reusing and recycling in the process, and what's better than bagging a bargain whilst saving the world one clothing item at a time?

R

Letter to my younger self....

Dear Rachel,

Congratulations! You have become a wife and a mother in the short space of 18 months.

Firstly I want to tell you to enjoy these precious few moments as a brand new family, you are in a great place emotionally, physically and spiritually following the move to your new church and you are starting to discover who you are and why God put you here on this earth.

Your role as a mother will not define who you are. You are more than a cook and bottle washer, more than a cleaner and laundry attendant. You are an independent woman who is strong, confident, accomplished and gifted, no matter how you may doubt and question yourself. Can I really do this? Can I ever be good enough? Am I qualified? The answer to all these questions in God is yes. If He has called you to it He will bring you through it.

Your girlfriends are your world right now, and that is OK. Fellow moms who are going through the same stages as you, attend the same church as you, attend the same toddler group, women that you have so much in common with. 

Don't take things to heart, you have a tendency to wear your heart on your sleeve a little too much so why not protect it and keep some things just between you and God. He knows your heart, He knows your desire to be loved, accepted and to belong which is why He sought you out to become a daughter of the King, part of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is also the reason He gave you a great marriage, a husband who knows you intimately and loves every part of you. A strong man who will uphold you and strengthen you in every area, a man who has got your back.

In the years to come you will face trials an tribulations but you will never be alone. God is with you, He is for you and He has gone ahead of you. You will overcome redundancies, health scares and depression. You will rise above doubts and dilemmas, bad decisions and bad behaviour. You will learn the difference between being a friend and being faithful and your personal faith will reach levels you never dreamed of.

Take courage and stand tall, the future is bright, you just need to believe it and grab it with both hands.

R

Embrace the place you are in

If I had a pound for every time a mommy friend welcomed me into her home saying "please excuse the mess" then I would be a very rich woman.

The truth is unless you have a live in housekeeper (or OCD) if you have children in your home then it WILL be messy. End of. Why moms feel the need to constantly keep up appearances for guests is beyond me, yet I fall foul of this every time I set a play date with fellow moms too.

As women I think we feel a lot of pressure to 'be' something, whether that is to be the perfect wife, perfect mom, perfect cook or perfect friend, and although I believe it is good to have goals and dream big we need to face reality that sometimes things won't be quite as picture perfect as we would like.

I have never once gone into a friends house and judged her by the state of the carpets as I picked my way through the lego bricks and happy land figures in the hallway to get to the kitchen. I have never once thought gosh you would think she would have washed the breakfast dishes up by 2pm, I have never wrinkled my nose in disgust at the crumbs on the sofa or the grubby finger marks on the walls and windows. In fact when I enter a friends house and it is in a slight state of disarray I inwardly relax, glad that its not just me then, and I feel less uptight about the mess that my own children are about to create from the toybox...

Furthermore, I have never met a mom who wished she had spent less time with her children, and if that is one legacy I want to leave with them it is that mommy was always there and always ready to play.

So what I would like to encourage you in is this; your little ones will not stay little forever. This season of having small people under your feet will fly by with no disregard for your heart as you watch them grow. They will not always follow you around with endless requests to play/give snacks/give drinks/read stories. One day they will find their feet and start their own journey through life, with minimal input from you, so fellow moms I urge you (and myself) to put down the duster, unplug the hoover and embrace the place you are in.

R

Are we ever really ready for parenthood?

If someone had told me what motherhood was really like I wonder if I would have gone through with it. 

Now don't get me wrong,  I adore my sons and I would not part with them for all the world, however I don't think I was entirely prepared for parenting. I am not talking about the sleepless nights associated with newborns,  or even the challenging tantrums that lasted way beyond the terrible twos, I am in fact talking about the huge heart wrenching responsibility of raising a little life.

My heart swells with pride whenever I think about my boys,  they are both so individual and their smiles simply light up my day. Their personalities are so different yet so complimentary, and I love how they approach life so differently. The thought that my words and actions will mould them into the men they become is more than a little daunting, and I reminded daily of how much I need to teach and invest in myself in order to do the same for them.

More than this though, I realise that it is outside influences that can have the greatest impact on and be the greatest threat to my children. When I look at them together, playing so innocently with no realisation about the atrocities committed across our city never mind our world, the fear I have for their safety, their happiness and their future in a somewhat hostile world just overwhelms me. I know that we are privileged to live in a civilised, democratic and relatively safe world, however the news tells a very different story with rapes, murders and most recently the horrific beheading of innocent victims from IS extremists being reported on a daily basis.

As a mother all I want to do is protect my children. My job is to love them, care for them, teach them and ultimately make everything okay, and I can deal with bad mouthed bullies or bumps and bruises, but how do I counteract the cowardly acts of criminals who seek to hurt and destroy?

I yearn to offer my children the fun and freedom that I enjoyed as a child, so that they can learn and grow in the same way that I did, but I fear that this will never happen as the world we live in now has changed so much since the eighties and nineties. Where I was allowed to play out all day every day in the holidays, I know that no matter how street savvy my sons are, I would massively struggle with them playing out alone in our street much less away from home unaccompanied. Of course,  there will come a day when I have to let them go, and trust that the education that we as parents and that given by our church and the boy's school will stand them in good stead to keep safe while out and about.

I pray for the safety of both my sons daily,  not only that they would be physically safe and unharmed as they go about their day at school and at home, but also that they would be spiritually and emotionally protected, that they would guard their hearts and minds. The Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11 that God has plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future, so as Dave and I keep sowing the seeds of God's word into our family life, I trust that this truth will prevail as my handsome boy's become grown men and find their own way through this life.

Knowing how fast they grow up, this mommy is going to enjoy every precious moment with the undivided attention of my young charges, so that I can invest into their lives, influence them and help them to make good life choices.

Meanwhile I am happy to stick to supervised park play dates and having friends round to stay

R

MAD Blog Awards 2014

What a weekend! On Friday I went to my first ever MAD Blog Awards and all I can say is wow!! I was fortunate enough to win tickets to the awards in a competition just over a week ago, and since then have been frantically sorting out train tickets and cocktail dresses ready for the big night out. There are some seriously talented bloggers on the world wide web, and it was such a privilege to finally meet some of the UK's best Mummy and Daddy bloggers in person at the MADs.

I was a little apprehensive about travelling all the way down to London form Birmingham on my own, but I needn't have worried because as soon as I had entered the Palace Suite at the prestigious Royal Garden Hotel I was instantly put at ease and welcomed by fellow bloggers. Having been an avid fan of twitter for years, it was so lovely to put a face to the name of some of my favourite bloggers such as Katie from Mummy Daddy and Me and Morgana from But Why Mummy Why, plus I made lots of new friends amongst the fabulous finalists including thrifty lady Jennifer from My Mummy's Pennies, Lucy from London Bird Lucy, Grace from Eats Amazing and Katy from What Katy Said UK.

The venue was amazing, I felt like a VIP having my photograph taken on entry with some gorgeous girlies, then it was into the foyer for bubbles, nibbles and a spot of networking. There was a giant sized Operation game in honour of our host for the evening Dr Ranj and a giant Pikachu doing the rounds for some fun photo opportunities!

Once in the awards ceremony hall itself we were greeted by elegant candlelit tables and impeccable service by the waiting staff who rapidly brought us some truly exquisite dishes. The handsome Dr Ranj kept us all entertained all evening and the awards themselves were great fun and highlighted some of the extraoridnary stories of the mum and dad bloggers in each category. It was wonderful to hear the great fundraising and awareness campaigns that have been started by so many bloggers.

Finally we finished up with a huge goody bag filled with all sorts of treats from brioche loaves to baby cream and - my personal favourite - the handmade baking chocolate buttons! Sadly I had to leave before the end of the awards as my train was leaving from Euston at 11.30pm, but I left buzzing with ideas for my blog (hence the new name!!) and hope that with a bit of hard work I might one day make it back to the awards as a finalist myself.

Finally I have got to say a huge thank you go Sally Whittle and her team for organising such a superb event from start to finish! Thank you for having me, see you again soon!

R