My Experience

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in NorthHantsMum, NorthHantsMum Community 0 Comment

2016 has been a tough year for NHM but we are still here! Yay!!

Thank you very much for all of your support. It’s been overwhelming on a number of occasions how much support NHM has. Thank you!!!!!!

I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank the NHM Marketing team and especially Shona who has gone above and beyond in writing up posts, helping me to put the schedule together and generally keeping me motivated! I probably would have quit NHM this year, had it not been for these Ladies support.

I normally take the time “off” NorthHantsMum between Christmas and New Year and end up finding myself working harder than ever! So this year, I will be writing but probably in the background and I have a few things that I haven’t gotten around to posting that I really need too, before the end of 2016. So keep an eye out.

Merry Christmas and I hope it’s not too stressful and very, very enjoyable!!!  I hope you and your loved ones have an AWESOME time!!

Thank you x

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I have a confession to make…

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in My Experience 1 Comment

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I REALLY don’t like the first few weeks of December.

I love Christmas, I love the time that we can spend together as a family, but these first few weeks of December are always soooo stressful.

My heart literally sank this morning when one of Miss NHM’s school friends started handing out Christmas cards. I had COMPLETELY forgotten about that. We are away this weekend, visiting friends that we don’t see very often and Miss NHM finishes school on Friday 16th December, which means I need to find a few hours after school one evening in the next week and a half, to “persuade” Miss NHM to write Christmas cards for at least 30 of her school friends. (After much talking to lots of my good friends scientific research , it’s pretty clear that Miss NHM is one of the most strong willed children that we all know, so I’m really looking forward to asking her to write these cards… I’m lying, obviously). And I’ve got to get her to do this in between her end of year parties for the few classes that she does after school, one of which is a pyjama party and I’ve just realised that we will have to open one of her Christmas presents early as all of her current pyjamas are far too threadbare to wear out and about in public!

And the also sudden realisation that I may also have to buy Christmas presents for some of her classmates. Even though I’m organised enough to have a “Present box” that I fill throughout the year with stuff when it’s a bit cheaper, it’s still never enough.

Then there’s the next sudden realisation that I need to get the presents posted off to our friends who live abroad, before the postal closing dates in the first week of December. I am very, very grateful for all of our friends who live abroad but don’t they realise that getting a parcel posted at a UK post office, during working hours, is a logistical nightmare!

Last year I wrote 165 Christmas cards. Yup, 165. I know it’s my own fault for being so popular (:-D) and I LOVE getting Christmas cards in return, but 165. It took me a whole weekend last year. Sigh.

Thankfully, I set a precedent when we first got together, that Mr NHM does all of the wrapping in our house because I HATE wrapping presents, of any kind. I look wistfully at those presents that have been wrapped with the fancy bows and the ribbon that’s been curled “just so” but realised long ago that I just don’t have the energy for all of that crap creativity!

I also hate shopping. Yes, Amazon is an amazing invention but have you read up on how they treat their staff? I try to get everything sorted by November, to avoid the crowds, because people seem to be that little bit more grumpy in those first two weeks of December. Plus, parking is hellish everywhere.

Also, I just don’t get the “Elf on the Shelf”. Yes, it’s fab and yes I’m sure the kids love it, but where do their Mum’s get the energy from to do it? All that head space needed to come up with original stuff and then the time to put it all together when the kids are asleep, when all I want to do is lie on the sofa like a flat fish and try not too have a panic attack about how much more I still have left to do before the end of term! AND I’ve got to fit it all in around work!!?!?!?!!? Plus, I’m sure that “Elf on the Shelf” would make Emily Pankhurst spin in her grave, if she knew that she’d given up her life so that generations of future women could dedicate so much time to these slightly creepy elves! (I know, controversial :-D).

Oh and the Christmas play. The wonderful Christmas play! Last year, my first year of the “joy” that is the Christmas play, I got the “finger of doom” when Miss NHM’s YR teacher summoned me at pick up to say that if Miss NHM didn’t have her costume ready for the dress rehearsal the following day, she wouldn’t be able to take part. I wanted to elaborate on how Amazon Prime had lied to me that the black T-shirt I’d ordered wasn’t actually on Prime and wouldn’t be delivered the following day, but two weeks AFTER Christmas and that I was in the middle of leading a very large project worth $40M that was due in the following week. However, I knew this wouldn’t cut it, so I risked being sacked by schlepping through Asda and Sainsbury’s on my lunch break, trying to find a sodding black T-shirt so that Miss NHM could be a star in her Christmas play.

Then Miss NHM cried all through the performance we went to see because she wanted cuddles from me. Which should be super cute but when all of the other Mum’s tell you that she performed beautifully in the first two performances it’s a little gutting that you didn’t get to see her “shine” because she was so upset and I couldn’t even get to her to give her a hug as we aren’t allowed to even comfort our children when they are at school!

(This year, I was far more organised and had her outfit delivered to the teacher the day after the letter arrived at the end of November. Not that it made a difference because it was a completely different teacher, but still! And we’ve already sorted our game plan of hiding in the back so she doesn’t see us!!)

And the joy that is the Christmas stockings. I’m normally pretty organised with stockings, as I just delegate Miss NHM’s to Mr NHM and do my Mum’s myself. However, this year Mr NHM rudely got himself a new job, which means he’s working 5am to 4pm every week day and isn’t on shift like he used to be and therefore isn’t around to just “nip” to the shops to pick up a few bits when needed or to wait in the post office queue for an hour when he’s off shift. Plus he’s bloody knackered from working such long hours. So this year it’s all down to me. Last year, I actually forgot about Mr NHM’s stocking until about three days before Christmas. Opps!!! Thankfully, I don’t think he reads these posts so I haven’t been busted yet!

Plus, it REALLY annoys me when he says that he won’t write his Christmas wish list because I should just “know” what he wants. Er, no darling. After I’ve bought ALL of the Christmas presents, written ALL of the Christmas cards (he doesn’t believe in sending any cards of any type. Bastard. I won’t go into the drama last year, when I sent his parents their Christmas card later than everyone else’s!!!??!!), sorted all of the Christmas “schedule”, worked out all of the food, done EVERYTHING to do with the school Christmas (Christmas lunch, christmas outfit, school friend cards, school friend presents, and all the other “stuff” I’ve forgotten”), done the advent calendars, I don’t actually have any capacity to come up with whatever he might like for his Christmas present. However, this year he has learnt and has given me a list in advance because I think he may have been a teeeeeeny tiny bit peeved that his stocking last year contained lots of things that I actually wanted, Hehe.

And I MUST not forget the Father Christmas mince pie, carrot and reindeer food. Because she’s old enough this year. She understands! She gets it! So if I screw up, she’s going to be scarred for life and will always remind me (like she does already when I’m so tired and call a plate a bowl. “No Mummy, that’s a plate, silly! in that slightly condescending voice that she uses just for me”) that I ruined that Christmas for her when she was 5 and three quarter years old. I definitely preferred it when she was younger and less vocal :-D.

Oh and the Christmas Eve box, which I thought I was organised for until I realised that Miss NHM’s Gran has bought the video I wanted to get for the box (I’d put it on the wrong wish list. DUH!), from the Amazon wish list that I was all smug about setting up in advance (oh the joy of being able to see what’s been purchased in advance on an Amazon wish list!) and Miss NHM refused to even watch Arthur Christmas (U) at the weekend on Netflix because it was “too scary” so now I have to negotiate with Gran to see if I can have that DVD and she can buy another one. Plus, I now need to get more pyjamas because we’ve had to use the Christmas eve box pyjamas for the pyjama party this Thursday (see above!)

And breathe.

Yes, I know this reads that I’m very bah humbug this year and I really do LOVE Christmas, it’s just all of the pressure and stress that comes with it, and despite however much planning or organisation I do in advance, I never seem to quite make it in time.

And this post is for all of my friends who are under the delusion that I’m organsied :-D.

I love it when school finishes and Mr NHM and I finish work and we just stop for a few days.

Just stop and chill and relax and have lie in’s and pyjama days and stop. But I’ve realised that we HAVE to stop by the time it comes to Christmas because we are all completely on our knees!!!!!

So all I want for Christmas this year is… a rest, please. Oh and a magnum of Prosecco. Obviously ;-).

Merry Christmas and may you not be sucked into the “end of term” vortex of chaos. Good luck!!! 😀

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My Experience: Homework in Y1

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Basingstoke, My Experience, Year One 2 Comments
Before I start, I want to be clear that I am very well aware of how careful I need to be when posting my thoughts and comments to NorthHantsMum about schooling in this country. I’ve “held back” in several places, although it may not look like it reading this through! lol.

Homework in Y1

Homework “steps up” in Y1.

People warn you of it, but that doesn’t prepare you.

So far, in her first 8 weeks of Y1, Miss NHM has had at least six tasks every week. She’s 5.5 years old. Every week she has spellings, a topic homework which is often writing and/or maths, reading books, library books, an online maths task and extra tasks that need to be done.

Spellings

10 spellings to learn and write, per week. If these spellings are not written in cursive (that’s joined up writing to you and me) then she gets 0.

Yup, even if she has learnt to spell and write these words, if she doesn’t write them in joined up writing when she is tested, her teacher will mark them as zero. I’m not saying any more on this for fear of reprisal.

Weekly Homework 

This normally takes between 15-30 minutes to do. It often involves writing sentences (cursive – joined up, of course) or doing a written activity. You get a whole week to do this but we try to do it on the weekend to get it out of the way.

Mathelitics

Mathelitcs is an online programme to help children improve their maths. This is not something that a child can be left with. You need to sit with them to go through it.  We’ve only done 15 minutes so far this term, because by the time I finish work at 5pm, get dinner on and eat dinner, Miss NHM is too exhausted by the end of the day to focus. She literally lay on the floor next to me when I tried to get her to go through this yesterday.

Reading Books

Ahhh, those wonderful chip and biff books. NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That have to be read every day and the reading booklet that has to be updated every day to say that you’ve listened to them reading. (God forbid you don’t update the reading booklet to say they’ve done it, or you will get a stroppy note from the teaching assistant telling you to update it!!!)

Honestly, these books are THE most soul destroying books in the universe. And have you seen that mother’s make up! Green eyeshadow! I mean, really! This is just the start of it, I daren’t write what I want too on the “chip and biff” books ;-).

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Thankfully for us Miss NHM loves reading so she can often be found following me round the house, whilst I’m tidying up or sorting the kitchen out, reading “at” me. Which doesn’t always help when I’m distracted doing something else!

Library Book 

Every week Miss NHM gets a library book that we have to read at home with her. I’ve actually been really impressed with several of the library books but I’ve also been quite horrified at some of them that have come home.

Some of the subjects that are covered are very inappropriate for young children, but I’m already labeled as “that Mum” at Miss NHM’s school and don’t want to be the old fuddy duddy who kicks up a stink about everything :-D.

My thoughts on homework

During the Autumn parents evening, I advised Miss NHM’s teacher that I understand that homework isn’t mandatory in primary school and that if we got to the homework we would do it, but if we didn’t, I don’t want Miss NHM being punished. They agreed and didn’t say much. I think there would have been a lot more fuss if Miss NHM was perceived as being “behind” in her work for Y1.

My “favourite” bit is when they “make” you sign a piece of paper at parents evening saying that you will “support” the school in their work to educate your child. So, does this mean that if you don’t do the homework with your child, they will wave it in your face at the end of term, telling you that’s why your child isn’t as advanced as they could be?

All in all I would say that Y1 homework for our family takes between 3-4 hours a week, if you include all of the time spent on reading library books, reading books, topic homework and maths activities that the school sends home. That’s for one child. Which sounds fine, but actually that’s nearly another half day of school! Time that could be spent playing or doing family stuff together.

Family time is sacred for us. We all miss each other enough during the week now that Miss NHM is at school that I don’t want her to miss anymore time with us as a family.

And oh boy is Miss NHM missing the playing. She gets home and is literally desperate to play with her toys. The other weekend she told me that she didn’t want to go to a birthday party and eat cake (I thought she was really ill!!!) because she never gets time to play with her toys and she’s really, really missed it!!!

I have also heard that several children in Y1 are being deprived of break time as they have to “stay in” and catch up. This is WRONG!!!!

Wrong, wrong, wrong!! Our children should be outside being children. Playing and learning. It’s been proven time and time again, that forcing young children to sit still for several hours on end affects their emotional wellbeing!!! So why are schools still doing it???

I don’t understand why the education system decides that they have to put our children under so much pressure?!!??? They are only tiny. Some of them have just turned 5 years old.

And yet, I’m part of the problem. I’m not doing anything about it. I’m not changing my child’s school (she’s been through enough trauma with school since she started!) and apart from saying that we will do her homework when we get to it, I’m not arguing further to change things.

To be fair, I wouldn’t know where to start. But something really needs to be done and soon. We cannot keep putting our young children through this level of stress and exhaustion and not expect there to be some fall out. It will be society, all of us, who will suffer in the long run…

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My Experience: Reception Year (YR)

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in My Experience, Reception Year 0 Comment
For those of you who have been following NHM for a while, you may have noticed that I haven’t posted ANYTHING about our experience of YR beyond December last year (December 2015).

There is a very valid reason for this. We had a DREADFUL experience of YR. I’m not going to go into details but needless to say it was an incredibly stressful school year and caused Mr NHM and I (and Miss NHM) an awful lot of anxiety and stress.

However, I am very pleased to report that Y1 is MUCH better than YR so far. Miss NHM has a lovely teacher, who at parents evening earlier this week said that she is a “happy, bright, chatty, confident little girl” and that they have “no issues with her whatsoever”. (this is quite a radical change from when we were told at parents evening in February that Miss NHM was likely to “fail” YR. How any child can fail ANYTHING at four years old is beyond me, but that’s a whole other post ;-)).

I’m of the general opinion that if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything, so apart from saying that we had an awful experience of YR, I’m not going to say anything else.

I’m just relieved that we can put that year behind us and that Y1 is going so well for Miss NHM so far! Long may that last!

Look out for my post on the first few weeks of Y1 soon!

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I need to be the best Mum that I can be for my daughter

Posted by webmaster on in Basingstoke, Events, General, My Experience, NHM Meet Up's and Expo's, Wellbeing 12 Comments

Which is why I am cancelling the NorthHantsMum 2016 Christmas Expo.

Some of you may remember that in August last year we moved from the old WordPress site to the new NorthHantsMum.co.uk site. In May of this year my technical “person” advised me that she couldn’t support the site anymore. She left me floundering. I literally had NO IDEA what to do with the back end of the site.

I’ve spent the past six months trying to sort things out in the back end and it’s been very, very, VERY frustrating and stressful. In April of this year I was advised to switch off the old wordpress site which means that I can’t reactive it, so I can’t even go back to that.

My aim is to post every week day. You may have noticed that I have randomly stop posting every so often, in the past six months. It’s not because I don’t want too, it’s because I literally can’t post anything because something has happened in the back end site. Again.

I’ve “wasted” a lot of energy in the past six months trying to sort stuff out behind the scenes. My stress levels have rocketed. It’s affecting the most important relationships to me and it’s knocked my confidence in NHM. I want to have the energy and head space to write some more personal posts which I just don’t have the time for anymore.

When Mr NHM came up with the idea that I raise money for a bench, a safe place for Mum’s to meet in a local popular park, I was totally up for running another Expo to raise funds to this. I put out a plea asking for help and am so very grateful to all those who have volunteered.

Even with all of this help, I just can’t run the Expo this year. My sanity will not remain if I go ahead. Last year, when the electric was off until 2 minutes into the start of the Expo (1.5 hours setting up in the dark!?!?!?!), I was practically catatonic. It takes me three weeks to get over an Expo, the planning, the stress and all of the table moving and cleaning up after, when things go “well”, let alone when they don’t. My hips have never been quite the same after having to move 48 tables for the 2015 Spring Expo.

In March I did the 2016 Spring Expo whilst suffering from flu. 100 people booked tickets and 15 people turned up. I worked so hard to make it a successful event, whilst feeling dreadful, and it was so frustrating when it didn’t come together.

So, for the sake of my sanity and my family I am cancelling the Expo this Christmas.

I’m very sorry to all of those people I am disappointing but hopefully you understand why I have to do this.

Hopefully I will get the technical issues sorted out in the background and then I will be able to focus my attention on the bit I love, providing quality content and support to local Mum’s.

Thank you for your understanding. x

(I am posting this from my phone, which I’ve never done before, so not even sure if this post will work!)

Updated on Monday 17th October: Fundraising for the NorthHantsMum Bench:  gofundme.com/northhantsmums-bench-2uncp5w.

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My experience: Alternative Swear Words for parents!

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in My Experience, New Parents, Parents 2 Comments

It’s no secret that I had a bit of a “potty mouth” before Miss NHM was born.

I know.  It’s not clever and it’s not smart and people who use swear words are supposed to be of lower intelligence.

But you can’t beat using a swear word to reinforce your point. Like when you stub your toe on the end of the bed and it REALLY hurts.

And it’s always the first words you learn when learning another language. At least, it was for me!

However, since Miss NHM has been born, I’ve had to be a bit creative with my swear words.

I’m very proud of the fact that at 5.5 years old, Miss NHM thinks the worst word in the world is “stupid”.

To the point where she will happily “tell off” complete strangers if she hears them use the word “stupid”, which can be a tad embarrassing (Yes for those of you who have known me all my life, she’s my daughter and I am well aware that the chickens are coming home to roost :-D).

Anyway, after a discussion that was had on Tuesday night at the monthly “Prosecco and chat evenings for non-cliquey Mum’s” evening (all Mum’s are welcome. Email me for more details), I thought I would share my pearls of wisdom for those of you who are parents and also need to change your vocabulary so your little cherubs don’t get into trouble when they start copying you!!!??!!!

Alternative Swear Words for parents

“Mother hubbard”

“Oh bother” – Miss NHM uses this after we’ve read a lot of Enid Blyton recently. I’m sure people think I’m trying to bring her up “posh” but she does it even more when she knows I’m cringing! Sigh.

“Balderdash”

“Chuffing”

“Fudge, fudge, fudge!!!!”

“Fiddlesticks”

“Rock and Roll” – yes, bit of a strange one but VERY useful at times

“Bu………tter!”

These are the ones that I may have possibly used at some point in time.

Although Mr NHM did tell me that he knew that the cat had been sick on the stairs the other day because he heard Miss NHM walk down the stairs, sigh, then tut and say “bloody cat!”.

Oh well, I’m not perfect! :-D.

Do you have any other “alternative” swear words that you can recommend as I’m always on the look out for some good ones!

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NorthHantsMum’s 5th Birthday is today!!!!!!!!

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Blogging, My Experience, NHM Readers, North Hampshire, NorthHantsMum, NorthHantsMum Community 1 Comment

Today is the fifth year anniversary of NHM. Yup, that’s right, I started NHM five years ago today. So I’m afraid you will need to allow me a post of reflection and self-indulgence (there’s a surprise! Lol) :-D.

Five years is a long time. Five years feels like a significant milestones. After five years I still haven’t gotten used to having an alter-ego! Lol.

A lot of time and passion has been poured into NHM in five years. A lot of love and tears also. NHM is so much more than a hobby for me now, it’s a part of me, a key part of my life. When I think back to the time in my life when I started NHM, when Miss NHM was three months old, it is literally a lifetime away. I am a different person to the one who started NHM. So are my husband and our daughter.

I cannot express to you how amazing my family are. Mr NHM has ALWAYS been hugely supportive of NHM and this has been incredibly important. Miss NHM is now five years old (obviously) and I still can’t believe it. She’s five years old ALREADY??!?!!! I love them both more than you can imagine.

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NHM has been SUCH a positive influence on my life. I’m a much better person because of it. I have met SO many wonderful Mum’s (and Dad’s!) through NHM. I am INCREDIBLY grateful for the many amazing friendships and opportunities NHM has created for myself and my family.

There has also been a lot of heartbreak and stress during these past five years, with NHM and also with everything that has happened in my life beyond NHM, but it’s been my “rock” for so long. Even when it feels like everything else is falling apart around me I know that I have this AMAZING network of parents supporting me, encouraging me and telling me to keep going. Having something bigger than myself, this network of people who rely on and support me, is pretty AWESOME!

They say we leave fingerprints on the lives we touch. I wonder how many lives I’ve touched with NHM in the past five years and how many more lives NHM will touch. It’s a pretty awesome thought! Having all this positive influence on so many people has got to be a good thing, right?

Thank you!

I would also like to say thank you to my amazing team of supporters who have helped to keep NHM going during the past five years.
  • Abi – for your passion and drive with all things technical and your faith in NHM. I literally couldn’t be where I am with NHM were it not for your belief in me. I’m going to miss your techie support TONNES.
  • Sophie for all of your marketing support and for designing the latest NHM logo.
  • All of the lovely NHM secret writers who step in at a moments notice to attend and write up events and who have taken the pressure off me on a number of occasions.
  • To the fabulous NHM Marketing team (Shona, Hayley, Gemma, Chloe and Yvette) who are made up of a key number of extremely talented ladies who are giving up their time so willingly to help others.
  • Everyone who has ever been involved in a NHM event. The meet up’s (should I start these again?) and the Expo’s. Between us we have raised over £2500 for charity, which is phenomenal! Especially, Lynne, Sophie and Lowri my willing volunteers who gave up their precious time to help out.
  • To all of the local Mum’s who run their own businesses and have supported and encouraged me with my networking endeavours.
  • Everyone who contributed to my “birthday blogging tree”. I love it!
  • Mr NHM for his constant love and support and for learning how to load the dishwasher PROPERLY in the past five years :-D.
  • Finally Miss NHM for being my daily inspiration. I love her more than anything, even NorthHantsMum :-D.
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My “blogging tree” which is one of my most treasured possessions. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed.

What happens next?

I’d like to say I have big plans for what happens next on NHM but, truth be told, I have an awful lot going on in my life outside of NHM at the moment and I feel the need to focus on the basics. Time to focus on the bits I love, like the sharing of information and knowledge and supporting my fantastic readers (that’s YOU!). The big plans are going to have to wait for a bit longer.

I would also like to say that I’m going to celebrate tonight but life goes on and today I will be attending the funeral of a much loved man who was a significant figure in my life.  So today I’m going to think of how grateful and blessed I was to have known him and for him to have been in my life. Then on Friday I’m going to focus on how grateful and blessed I am to have NorthHantsMum and all of the friendships and opportunities it’s created for me in the past five years and celebrate with a cheeky glass of Prosecco.

Yay to “Proseco Friday’s” 😀

As always THANK YOU. Thank you for reading, for commenting, for your support, feedback and love during the past five years. I literally couldn’t do it without you.

Here’s to the next five years on NorthHantsMum! Cheers x

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Google+,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

NorthHantsMum Summer Break 2016

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in NorthHantsMum, Summer 0 Comment

Ever since I started NorthHantsMum I’ve taken break during the summer holidays.

I’m planning to do the same this summer too (21st July to 5th September 2016), especially as this is Miss NHM’s first summer holiday.

I will still be working and Miss NHM will be going to “holiday club” for a couple of days a week but I still want to spend as much time as I can with her, so that she gets a proper break too.

I also have a number of administrative tasks for NHM that need to be done in the back ground and rather than have to panic about whether a post is scheduled for the following day, I need to use that energy to focus on these tasks.

Therefore, if you have ANY events or classes that are still running during the summer or if you have any posts you would like me to publish during the summer holidays, please let me know ASAP so that I can get them scheduled early.

Please email me at NorthHantsMum@gmail.com with the details and ensure that any pictures are in .jpeg format.

Thank you for your understanding and support!

Roll on Summer 😀

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Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Google+,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

My Experience: My “uniform”

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Clothes, My Experience 0 Comment

I picked up this idea from one of my favourite websites, Modern Mrs Darcy. She wrote a lengthy post about her “summer uniform” and it really hit a note with me. (Try this free Myers Briggs test if you want to understand what she means by INFP).

I then realised that I have a “uniform”. Most days I wear jeans with a short sleeved T-shirt and a long sleeved T-shirt over the top, both from uniqlo (their T-shirts wash really well and don’t shrink!).

As someone who is allergic to polyester, this can make clothes shopping rather challenging. This isn’t helped by me being someone who doesn’t enjoy clothes shopping!

Perks of having a “uniform”

I don’t have to make ANOTHER decision in the morning!

Morning’s are frantic enough in our house as it is. Getting Mr NHM ready for work (although he’s fairly self sufficient these days :-D), Miss NHM ready for school and myself ready for work means that I have enough to think about without having to worry about what I’m wearing.

I don’t even have to bother about sorting out what clothes I’m going to wear the night before.

You could argue that my wardrobe is part of a capsule wardrobe, but I’d go so far as saying it’s not even that. I have five of the same T-shirts in the same colour!!

Whilst writing this, I’ve realised this could be deemed as being a bit sad, but it’s actually a huge weight off my mind. For example, I can tell instantly when I’m running out of clothes and need to do more washing.

I realise that I’m incredibly lucky being able to work from home most of the time and wear what I like and I totally appreciate that having a “uniform” won’t work for everyone but it really works for me.

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New Year Resolutions: My word for 2016…

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in My Experience 2 Comments

Happy New Year!!!!!

Hope you had a great night last night and your little ones did too ;-).

New Years Resolutions 2016

I realised a long time ago that New Year’s Resolutions don’t work for me. Instead I set myself a word for the year and try to refer back to this as much as possible.

My word for 2015 was “Inspiring” and the year really lived up to this!

As I said at the beginning of 2015 “2015 is going to be the year that I take it to the next level…”. And I did.

I’m not completely there yet, but I still have LOTS of plans for NHM and for my family and I and I am hoping to have lots of these things come to fruition in 2016.

I’ve spent a lot of time over the past month thinking about what my “word” is going to be for 2016. It’s been a choice of three: Simplify, Abundance or Health.

I’ve decided that my word for 2016 is going to be “Health”. If I could have two words it would be “Positive Health!”

I’ve neglected my health for so long and it’s time I started to look after myself, from a health and fitness perspective.

I am really overweight and I feel that this extra weight is holding me back from doing all of the awesome things that I want to achieve over the next few years.

I re-joined my gym in the middle of 2015 and I’ve loved getting back to swimming and doing the odd cycle ride. I want to focus on being more active in 2016 and I really want to do a “big” cycle ride in the middle of this year.

I trained for the London to Brighton Bike ride in 2006 and although I didn’t actually ride it in the end (bit complicated to explain ;-)), I loved doing the training and I want to do some more fundraising so this seems like a good combination.

I also really want to learn to meditate. It’s something I’ve dabbled with over the past few years so I’m setting myself the goal of downloading some meditation tracks and using them a couple of times a week.

I want to really focus on my health because generally I have brilliant health and I want to keep it that way!

What’s your word for 2016?

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