Christmas Just Got That Little Bit More Magical

Christmas has always been a special time for me, full of family, love and lots of laughter. It got that bit more special when I met my now husband, even that first Christmas after only being together less than a month was one that I will never forget. Then Finley was born and his first Christmas was just magical, even if he wasn't even 3 months old. Everyone spoilt him rotten and having a special little bundle to spend the festive season was just lovely.

The years since have been lovely and all about the boys. But this year there has been some added sparkle to it and that is from Finley actually knowing what is going on. Last year he knew about Father Christmas and we visited him, Christmas day was just pure chaos with him wanting to open all the presents at once. But he was yet to be at the age where he knew who Father Christmas was and what he actually did.

This year is so different and it adds that little bit of magic to our Christmas too. Finley is singing all the Christmas carols and has been asking everyday, about 50 times a day 'When is it going to be Christmas?'.

Noah is only 2 so doesn't really understand the whole Christmas thing but as he copies his older brother he has been getting excited too whether he knows why he is getting excited or not.

We walked into our local Sainsbury's the other day and they had just put up a tall tree in the corner as you enter the shop. Well the boys clocked it straight away and immediately started shouting 'Christmas tree, Christmas tree!'. This filled me with such excitement for the season to come as Christmas is no longer about me, it's all about them and rightly so. It's about their dreams and wishes. The excitement in their voices about a simple Christmas tree was so lovely to hear.

On Wednesday we were at a shopping mall with my mother in law and they had their Santa's Kingdom up and Father Christmas was there ready to see children. Well Finley's reaction, followed by Noah's cemented that we were going to need to go and meet him. So after soft play we made our way down to buy tickets to see him with two very excited boys, we only had to wait 15 minutes to see him, but that is a lifetime in a 2 & 4 year olds world. As we entered the castle Finley got an immediate smile on his face and that was the smile that was then plastered on his face for the rest of the day. After seeing the fluffy penguins and polar bears it was into see the big man himself.

This will stay with me a whole lifetime. The looks on their faces, especially Finley's. The excitement mixed with him not being too sure but that smile still on his face. He kept looking at me for reassurance and I think I had the biggest smile on my face too. It's the seeing your children so happy that fills you with such joy and happiness its hard to hide it, but lets be honest why would you.

The boys were asked what they would like and Finley had replied with 'Piggy things', which after racking my brains I realised was the Pig Goes Pop game that he had played with at my friends house about 2 years ago!! These little people have such amazing memories. Noah then grabbed Nana, pulled her to see Father Christmas and told him he would like 'Lego'. So there we have it two things that Father Christmas needs to bring!

This Sunday we are going to be visiting our local arboretum that has their annual Enchanted Christmas where they have the trees lit up in all different colours and they have lots of things going on in the woods. This for me will mark the start of Christmas as we will get to drink mulled wine, laugh with our friends and see the pure enchantment on the boys faces.

I really can't wait for Christmas this year and to spend it with friends, family and two very excited little boys.

Wicked Wednesdays #42

He didn't want to walk anymore!!

Talltape Height Chart - A Review And Giveaway

I was recently contacted by Memories of Growing up and they asked if we would be interested in reviewing and hosting a giveaway for one of their products, Talltape. Now I have to be honest and admit that I have been pretty rubbish at recording the boys height. I did it a few times for Finley, once on the giraffe in his  old room (now Noah's) and once on his height chart he was given by Clarks shoes with his first pair of shoes. They no longer give these out to my knowledge and experience. And with Noah I have never recorded his height. I know naughty mummy.

So being contacted and asked to review Talltape I thought this was the perfect chance to start, because its never too late.

"Talltape, the portable children’s height chart, helps you to keep an on-going record of your child’s height from birth all the way to adulthood. The perfect alternative to recording measurements on a wall or door, Talltape won’t get left behind or painted over – it just stays with you.

Compact and portable, it arrives two metres long and tightly rolled up – simply roll it the other way to straighten it out."

They have a beautiful website that is very easy to navigate and very fresh looking. I was asked to chose a design each for the boys so I went for the 'Tree' for Finley and the 'Animals' for Noah. They arrived in the post a few days later and I wasn't disappointed.

They were packaged in two plastic roll tubes with the Talltape rolled up inside. Along with the Talltape in the middle of each roll was a mini sharpie pen.

As per the instructions I unrolled the Talltape and rolled it the other way to straighten it out. Once it was rolled out I could see the design fully, and it is gorgeous. I started with the tree design for Finley. I led it on the floor and got him to lie down next to it. We decided to do it on the floor rather than put it on the wall as we are moving very soon so will wait to put it on the wall until we are in the new house.

The tree design is a tree all the way up the Talltape and on the tree, sat on branches, are children and animals. The design is just beautiful and so magical.

It was then onto Noah and the animal design. On this one there are animals all the way up the Talltape and they are all stood on each others heads. Again this is a beautiful design and just perfect for children. Writing on the Talltape is made easy with the sharpie as I know from previous experience what a pain writing on a height chart can be.

The chart measures up to 200cm/6' 6", both measurements are on the chart. Once you have recorded your child's height you can either put it on the wall or roll it back up and keep safe for next time.

There are 7 different designs to choose from and another is being added which I have 3 to giveaway.

We all love Talltape, the boys for its fun and magical design and me because its easy to store, you don't have to worry that it will get ripped off the wall and it can be treasured forever.

The lovely people at Memories of Growing Up are offering 3 lucky readers to win a Talltape with their new design on. All you have to do is enter using the rafflecopter link below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions

UK residents only.

A winner will be chosen at random via rafflecopter.
There will be three winners of this bundle.

Competition starts at 12am on 16/11/15 and ends 12am on 22/11/15.

The winner will be announced within seven days of the competition closing.

The winner has 28 days to claim their prize. If the winner fails to claim their prize within 28 days an alternative winner will be chosen.

*For the purpose of this review I was sent 2 Talltapes. All opinions are 100% my own.*

My Sunday Photo 22/11/15

Just Another Linky #30

Welcome to week 30 of Just Another Linky. It's a big one this week - we're 30!! Let's all go and eat cake, your allowed, I said!

This is the place for you to link up any old or new post that you are proud of and would like to share with others. The post can be about anything you like.

Meet your hosts

HOST - Beth | Life-As-Mum | @lifeasmumblog

CO-HOST - Kirsty | Something Crunchy Mummy | @crunchy_mummy

This week has been a great week with days with friends and then a day at home on Thursday baking and sorting. Now down to the linky and here are just a few rules:

- No more than 2 posts a week

- Comment on at least 2 other posts

- New or old posts welcome

- Grab the badge below so everyone knows where to find us

Feel free to tweet your post, along with the hashtag #justanotherlinky, mentioning @lifeasmumblog and @crunchy_mummy and we will retweet for you.

By linking up to this linky you are giving Beth & Kirsty the right to copy one of your photos if you are chosen for the Favorite Post of the week.

We are open every Saturday from 12am until Monday at 11:55pm.

This weeks Favourite Post

My favourite post this week was by Helen from All The Beautiful Things with The Day My Husband Stole My.... as it really did make me giggle.

 

** GRAB THE BADGE **

 

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An InLinkz Link-up

Bitter Sweet

Life can be so bitter sweet sometimes and is full of decisions I really wish were not up to me to make. 

After the whole fiasco of Finley's previous preschool closing down and being so upset with the fact that I needed to find him to a new preschool, it has all worked out for the best. But there is one lovely, kind lady that worked at his old preschool that helped him and I wouldn't change this journey for the world as it has shaped him into the boy he is today.

His new preschool is amazing, and that really is the only word to describe the place. The staff are incredible with the boys and they have both settled in so well. I was terrified of sending Noah thinking that every Friday morning we would have tears and tantrums but he goes in every week and let's me leave without a fuss, and that is due to the staff. 

We now have our house move in the near future which means the boys will need to move preschools, as we're moving to another town and it will be just too far to drive three days a week. Now this is a move I have wanted for so long as I have friends in the town we are moving to and so do the boys. I will also be closer to my family as at the minute I'm feeling a bit lost and alone. The move will be positive for us all in so many ways. 

The other week I left the boys at preschool for their morning together and the subject of Finley's old preschool reopening came up and I was asked would Finley be returning there. I had to be honest and say no but in January he would be starting a preschool in our new home town. Saying this to his key worker broke my heart. I know how silly it sounds but when you have someone caring for your children you grow fond of them, she and the other staff have done so much to grow my boys learning and confidence.

If I could keep them in their current preschool and travel everyday I would but it's not fair on the boys, 1. With the travel and 2. They need to make friends with children going to their new school.

This is all so bitter sweet and I wish I didn't have this decision to make. I feel like I am betraying his new preschool by sending him elsewhere, but I hope they realise it's because of the move because the care they give is outstanding.

I can't wait to call our new town our home and to have my best friend just up the road and to get to know the parents of the children my boys will be going to school with. 

I just wish this guilt I feel would go away.

Wicked Wednesdays #41

That face!!

Beware Of My Insecurities

I have always been sensitive in all aspects of life. I've got a lot better since having the boys but I still let certain things get to me. Before I had the boys I would cry at the drop of a hat. Looking back now it seems stupid to have cried over something so silly, but at the time it had affected me in some way and more often than not it was because of what someone had said or what someone had done/didn't do.

Certain things people say make me question my parenting ability and make me question if I doing this right. But last night I read something that really annoyed me and it made me think. I'm not going to say what it was that I read but it was an article that I think if most parents read it would make them feel like they aren't doing the best job they could. And to me this is judging people by not even knowing that person at all. Their name, their face or their life. Because of something they have said or something they believe, they are making others feel inadequate as parents. I am all for freedom of speech but when its a speech that will in turn hurt someone or make someone feel a lesser parent/person than they are I don't like it.

Everyone is different and everyone parents their children differently. And that is their right. We have no right to tell someone how to bring up their children and we have no right to judge them on the parent that they are.

There have been a lot of things recently that I have seen that have made me question myself and now thinking about it, it makes me angry. These things haven't been put out there to directly make people question themselves but they are out there under the knowledge that it will make people think. I may be being over sensitive but we all have that voice in our head that makes us stop and think, and question what and how we are doing things.

These can either be in the form of an article or just a simple photo. Now I post a lot of photos and I hope that I have never upset someone or made them question anything in their life from one of my photos. But some people post bragging photos and bragging statuses. And this really annoys me. There is no need. There's no need to brag because someone reading that update or seeing that photo may then feel inadequate and feel like they are not doing the best for their children.

I just think people should think because they speak with certain things because people, like me, worry about every aspect of their life and people, like me, will be sat there looking at whatever it is that has been posted and will think they are doing a lesser job than they are. When they are not.

We are all the best parents to our children and never let anyone make you think otherwise. And never let anyone question the person that you are.