Work.  My work is a stay at home mum...I still find it weird when I choose that option in forms. I love my new job; we try to keep it as varied as possible and most days are brilliant.  But there are other days I definitely miss getting to leave the house for work and the interaction with people who want to discuss things other than children!

So, I did some research and came across a company called The Hoxby Collective.   A group of people that believe that individuals should be free to work in a way that suits them. Everyone has their own workstyle and The Hoxby Collective encourages everyone to embrace that.  I have realised I work better with background noise in the middle of the day and later on in the evening...or mainly when baby naps!  I applied for Hoxby and was delighted when I was accepted into the fold.  I love still being able to do my digital thing and do it for an organisation I believe in.  If you think this sounds like something you might be interested in either instead of or on top of a current role please do check out the website and get in touch.

At the moment I am also a bit obsessed by sewing.  I have always loved the idea of making my own clothes but never got round to it.  Then I had Ismay and I looked at her little clothes and realised I could totes make them!  They are tiny, surely it's easy?!  So, its not easy but it is great fun.  I tend to be cutting out patterns or sewing most nights.  I make a heck of a lot of mistakes but I learn from them and the next time I make something it is a little bit better.  One day I would really love to make and sell things under the name "Wee Wears" but I think I need some lessons as so far I have just been teaching myself as I go along!  Watch this space...

Not a major success, more like a getting through the week and surviving type success.

I had a fab time in London and it was so so good to catch up with friends, talk about non mum things and be "me" again even if it was just for a day or so.  Then it was back to mum life with a bang. Ismay has been somewhat challenging this last week and has developed what I have decided to call a new war cry....it's a kind of constant droning which tends to come when unhappy!  Bless her.   I can't decide if it is teething or the after effects of MMR but I am definitely hoping for better this week.  Or is this just the transition to toddler-dom?!  My trip to London already seems like a distant memory.  Ha!

Shopping wise London was darn tasty.  I got the awesome shirt and floral dungarees from M&S (thanks for the help lovely Linzi) and some shiny shoes.  I also fell in love with Weekday body elastic skinny jeans.  I can't breathe in them which must mean they are excellent at sucking everything in.  Bravo Weekday.  Ooh and I got my nose pierced.  I love it.  And yes it did hurt but not as much as child birth and I now compare all painful things to that!

This week the mister is off to Nashville (my wannabe spiritual home so I am insanely jealous) so Ismay and I are heading back to Scotland (totes the same as Nashville!) for a week.  I have never been away with Ismay for a week and it appears we will need quite a lot of things.  Oh my.  I can tell it will be lists a-go-go for the next few days.

Here are a few photos from Ismay was not war crying and we were both jolly;)

I've got big news folks.  I have a weekend off, a whole weekend to myself.  So, I am hitting the bright lights of London and taking myself shopping.  It's long overdue (the weekend off and the shopping!) and I am very excited.  So excited I couldn't resist putting together a wee wishlist of things I have seen during my many online window shopping sessions.

My wardrobe has never really recovered post pregnancy.  I didn't have the biggest bump ever so I managed to wear a lot of my normal clothes for the full 9 months but not all of them retained their natural stretch;)  I need some new tops and I definitely need some new jeans, jeans are a nightmare though.  Or maybe I am just really really fussy.  If you know of any nice, skinny jeans that stay skinny esp round the ankle please do let me know.

Here are a few of my favourites pieces at the moment, I am especially loving M&S and Zara just now...

Ooh, pretty things

I have just realised how 'blue' my selections are.  Definitely going through a bit of a phase.  Maybe this weekend I should take the opportunity and time to try some other options!

Oh and on the down low I am also considering getting my nose pierced.  Have always wanted it done so why not?!

As soon as I got pregnant something really weird happened.  Well, one of many weird things but that is another blog post!  I started to enjoy cooking and loved the idea of making better meals to sustain me and bump.  This was very odd and somewhat terrifying.  I wasn't much of a chef.  Very quick pasta meals were my forte.

This odd notion has continued post bump and now I love nothing more than planning a menu of yummy (but very, very simple) meals for Ismay and I.  Plus Ismay seems to like my food as the only things she won't eat so far are watermelon and Heinz soup (can't blame her, not a fan myself!).  This will never be a cooking blog but I would like to share my weekly menus with you as I think they are good choices for busy people and heck if they inspire one person, amazing!

I get some of my ideas from recipe books but I often find them too complicated - they don't suit my throw it altogether style.  I get the majority of my recipes from Pinterest and slow cooker blogs.  I would be lost without my slow cooker.  I throw it all in when Ismay is having breakfast and wait for the magic to happen!

So, this week looks a little like this:

Monday - Mozarella stuffed turkey meatballs
Tuesday - Fish Pie
Wednesday - Chilli with sweet potato
Thursday - 3 ingredient chicken taco's
Friday - One pot chicken and potatoes


At the weekend we eat leftovers!

I have always been a bit of a stationary addict.  Not many things I enjoy more than a wander round Paperchase picking up random new pretty pens, polka dot washi tape and writing paper that I think I will use but rarely actually do.

Now my obsession seems to have moved on to planners.  I hadn't realised they were totally "a thing" until I started looking for one.  Some folks put a whole lot of effort into their planners and they look freaking awesome.  After lots of research (and a fair bit of cursing as most of the planners I wanted were sold out) I settled on the ban.do agenda.  It is so very pretty.  I heart it.  It even comes with stickers; I love stickers as much as toddlers do.  If you don't know much about planners google Erin Condron, that baby is the holy grail of planners.  Think I have to build up to something like that though.


I use my planner for everything.  All my appointments, all my lists (I can't be the only one who makes lists of films they want to watch etc?!) and this week I added a meal plan into the mix.  Why had I not done a weekly meal planner before?  Makes life so much easier.

Geeky.  So very geeky.

Anyone else a planning addict?  I have also just started the #52listsproject but that is a whole different blog post.  Bet you're excited?!  Check out this for total planner porn...

Hello!  Well, I'm Carol.  Apologies to those of you that know this already but one day I may get readers who don't know me...a girl can dream.  I am indeed thirty something and I am indeed a stay at home mum to one awesome, but slightly insane one year old little girl called Ismay.  The stay at home thing is new.  Real new and taking a bit of getting used to.  A mere 4 weeks ago I was living in Glasgow with the perfect balance between awesome job and stay at home.  Now I am just home. And I do miss my awesome job.  And awesome friends.  However, I am very blessed to be able to be at home with Ismay and see her develop and grow on a daily basis.  Plus we have an awful lot of fun. The reason for this wee (HUGE) change is that my partner D got a fab promotion which took us down to Bristol. I am now a Bristolian, is that correct?!  It would be amazing if I could get some Bristol bloggers to follow and keep me right.

I need all the help I can get.

Why blog?  Good question.  It's not like I don't have enough to do with running round after an active one year old!

I miss writing.  I feel like it is a good way to keep in touch with my interests otherwise I forget about all the things I get excited about on a daily basis.  I get to vent.  It can be my life/work wishlist.  I don't want to forget about everything I have learnt work wise...

Here's me and Ismay.  We very much enjoy taking selfies.


P.S If anyone knows how to get rid off the "lorem ipsum" nonsense that appears beneath this post please tell me.  It is driving me loopy.

P.P.S How amazing is Ismay's hat?!

I'm back, woo!  Seen as it has taken me most of the night to actually figure this out I won't post properly tonight as have a feeling it could be ropey but will be back tomorrow...