appreciate your loved ones

Despite being 'across the pond' I'm thinking about the terrible news in Newtown, Conneticut tonight.  I doubt any words of expression can adequately sum up such shocking horror.  I'm also thinking people will be just that bit more mindful of appreciating their little loved ones today.  Cherish the little things, do good and love life......

other peoples junk

Ok, confession...so I said to myself I wouldn't take anymore junk until I had completed all my to do's and found a place for all the items waiting for a new use in the shed!

I swear  I walked past this for the last week and yesterday evening....have you noticed it's getting dark earlier? Sorry I'm side tracking...

 I took it, off the street, it was calling me saying "hey, I'm still here, take me with you!"

So yeah I took it off a heap of what looked like someones moving out junk.  So just to prove I've not got a problem with collecting trash this is going to be something really special, a chandelier type structure.  Definately not a 30 minute project but something lovely hanging above my table for the coming cozy autumn/winter months...

There is so many possibilities...

remodelaholic.com

tipjunkie.com

via curbly.com

I've got to say I peed my pants a little when I saw that middle image, tiny plants hanging in jars, oh my goodness!!!

Watch this space ;)

big peoples wishlist

all images via urban oufitters

I get a little excited now it's that time to layer up! Autumn is finally creeping in upon us and the mornings are feeling alot cooler all of a sudden! I don't suppose it's too soon to ask Santa for a few bits ?....

Hand held devices

I couldn't access my blog earlier, you see my laptop's had it and is on it's last legs poor thing! Also I really didn't know how much you need the letter 'g' until the letter 'g' needs to be thumped a few times until it appears on screen! Arhhhh! Sorry I mean Arghhhh!!!

Earlier I made a point to turn off the TV, laptop, phone and just play with Nelly and tidy about the flat with no digital distractions...

it was peaceful and she seemed more content, not sure if I'm imaging this or want to admit that between giving my children attention I do tend to check my emails, send a text, that kind of thing if I'm honest and I know for a fact that other people do, I see it every day I could even go as far to say!

Anyway as I sit typing now after dinner I find everyone of us except baby is using some kind of electrical device.

You have 14 year old son on a mobile phone...

12 year old son on an Xbox...

10 year old daughter jumping around to a Nintendo Wii...

and me smashing away on my antique laptop...

I guess I shouldn't really be admitting all this...

but my point is, I'm always telling the kids to turn something off or moaning that they're not listening when they are using said computers/phones/etc yet I'm sometimes doing it myself. I really need to pick wisely when to grab their attention and be sure to have set times for digital usage then OFF.  No distractions or auto conversations where they or I are not really listening.

I probably should pretend we are going for an evening stroll with the dogs now and write a post on that but it's my turn on the Nintendo ;)

c/o  cellphonespywarereviews.com

Are we becoming a dumbed down society?

Are we all unhealthily attached to our mobile phones?

How much time do you and your children spend online? 

young mothers

After what I'm convinced is baby brain knocked my confidence to finding a nursing post when Nelly was around 3 months (in theory this was simple, in reality she is now 9 months, still exclusively breastfeeding plus I'm now single) my head lately has been whizzing around trying to figure out where I'm to take my skills, experience and training and what direction to go... I'd like to think I'm an inquisitive and motivated person and have been seeking a new 'path' in a way...

a few personal points lately also led me to where I'm taking this post...

I stumbled upon permaculture not so long ago (more about permaculture in an upcoming post) and the people care aspect really got me thinking...

about the 'types' of people who could benefit from network/community support...

which then, led me to search for available services available for teenage mums...

which in turn led me to search for blogs written by teenage mums...

as with any ideas and thoughts a web of never ending observations, thoughts, images etc accumulates and you arrive at a destination of sorts!

stay with me here!

the nurse in me has been checking out NICE guidelines and I am aware I have a long way to seek before I arrive at the bigger picture of available support...

however.... in case you were wondering...

• the UK still has the one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Western Europe
• about one in 15 of all births are to young mothers (those under 20)
• teens are three times more likely to suffer postnatal depression than older mums
• teens are also a third less likely to breastfeed than older mums...

(ref: Department for Children, Schools and Families Publications, 2008)

the statistics go on, and on, and on.....

I'm still thinking about all this and what's being done and what needs to change...

I can't help feeling personally this is a social class issue rather than an age issue and this is where society is missing the point...

I've also asked my Facebook friends list to play a word association game when you mention the words 'teenage mum'... no Jeremy Kyle jokes as yet...

Is there enough support for pregnant teens?

Has society swept them under the carpet due to the public perception of teenage mothers?

What is your initial association with teen mums?

Were you a teenage mum?

Are you a teenage mum?

What can multi- agencies (healthcare, schools, charities, etc) do to improve services to teenage mothers and mother to be?

the long hair debate

I'm definately not the first person to admit I spend way too much time browsing Pinterest.  Especially of an evening when all the kids have gone to bed.

I stumbled upon this picture...

Now in 2009 I had a very similar cut, it was easy(ish) to maintain and after having long hair it felt liberating to chop it all off.  This cut in my opinion is lovely!

 Fast forward 2012 and my hair is long again now, longer than its been for a long time!  Not intentionally, I just have an allergy to the hairdressers and tend to visit maybe once a year, no joke! I can honestly tell you I have not been to a hairdresser since that chop in 2009!!! 

So... I saw this pic on Pininterest and mentioned to an unnamed friend that I really think it's time I go for something like this again....

and here comes the debate.  Her response was I must not as I need to enjoy having long hair while I can because once you're 'old' long hair just doesn't look right so I'll have the rest of my life to wear it short...

WHAT??!!!

Apparently, in her humble opinion and many others for that matter (I've been on Google) long hair should be avoided as we age...

HHHMMMMM..... really?....

Like I said I've been on Google...

c/o http://www.theage.com.au

c/o http://soloroadtrip.com

c/o beautifulhairstyles.com

c/c  http://www.telegraph.co.uk

What do you think, can women of a certain age (I don't even know what age we're talking here?!) pull off long hair or do you prefer it cut short and neat?...

sunday snapshots

from where I sit feeling so ill with a headache and sore swollen throat... I've not been ill in so long so going to be a lazy day if that's even possible with this lot! I'm sure my body is telling me the cold weather is coming and I really don't suit the colder months.  This time last year I was pregnant and the only time in my life I've not felt the cold...what does pregnancy do to change your norms?... I think I need to live in warmer climes, if you had the choice where in the world would you wish to live, and why?...