I love poeople who love shoes.

I love Little Stomper

Little Stomper is a new online shoe store like no other.  Little Stomper stocks the types of childrens footwear which you only ever see enviously on the feet of other peoples children.  Adding some serious funk to your little feet.  These are shoes that other people enquire “where did you get those?”

Little Stomper was started by my lovely pal Claire who’s daughter is just 48 hours older than Diva G, we’ve shared lots and I am so chuffed about this new venture for her I wanted to make sure you knew about it too.   Why are you still here?  Go funk those kids feet up at http://www.littlestomper.co.uk/ Like them on Facebook  and Follow @Little_Stomper

Now we he has a reading book coming home from school and we are practising “sight words” words that you can’t phonetically sound out and he has to recognise by sight – I, is, the, you, of, no, said, have etc.

We support all his school work at home daily and we are using flash cards are part of our daily routine.  Its hard finding the right time leaving the house at 8:30am, getting home from school at 3:45pm and bathtime around 6pm there’s not much time alone let alone trying do things when Lil H isn’t just too tired / not in the mood.  We read Lil H’s reading book after tea but do most work in the morning around breakfast.  Whilst I’m getting breakfast ready.  I run through the flash cards and we have a “word of the day” which I stick on the kitchen door at Lil H’s eye line and he has to look at it and say the word everytime he goes past it, once he knows the word it goes on the fridge.  As I am making the packed lunches Lil H writes some basic sentences or practices writing numbers and then its time to get dressed and get out the door.

I’m not a teacher, so I’m interested in what other parents do, what works or has worked in your family?  Its always great to try new and different ways to make learning fun.  Please share your experience, tips and if you’ve written a post I’d love to read it please share the link.  How do you roll with reading and homework at reception and foundation level?

So here’s me …

Name: Claire Lancaster aka Cheshire Claire or Cheshire Mum or Clara
Blogs: cheshiremum.co.uk
Twitter ID: @Cheshire_Claire @SocialBoutique_
Height: 5’6″
Hair: mid length & brown with blonde highlights

Five things you should know about me…
1. I have two children, by the time its CybHer my son will be 5 years old and daughter 2.5 years old
2. I like chilli / spicy sauce on my pasta but would prefer pizza
3. I will never say no to a glass of Champagne or a G&T (unless driving!)
4. I am very s l o w l y transforming the house we bought in July 2011
5. I have no patience & want everything yesterday … Why have you not already commented?!

So that’s me! Will I see you there? See me, say Hi, I’ll be pleased to meet you, let’s hang out & have fun!

To meet more of the CybHer faces head over to the linky on Geek Is The New Chic

Flowers make me happy. Very rarely are there no flowers in my home. Flowers make me even happier when I am given them rather than picking them up myself in the supermarket! Receiving flowers makes me feel special, appreciated, loved, cared for, how does it make you feel? With Valentine flowers and then Mother’s day flowers on the shopping list for many in just a matter of weeks time.

Getting flowers to loved ones across the miles is all about the right supplier, Serenata Flowers aren’t new they’ve been delivering uk flowers since 2003 so when they asked if I’d like to review one of their bouquets of course I said “yes please”!

I send flowers but don’t often get to see the delivered flowers so I’m never too sure of the quality of flowers that are actually received. How long they last is also very important. Serenata Flowers arrived very well protected in a clearly marked “which way up” box fully nourished with a reserve of water & feed on their stems. The stems are beautiful and long, plenty to give them a good 3cm cut and them still be lovely, long & elegant. I really loved how they had been sent mindful of the fact they were being sent, the roses had some of the outer guard petals left on keeping their blooms safe. The instructions made me smile speaking about my roses as my new house guests – allow them to put their bags down and get ride of any excess baggage – I peeled off the few outer guard petals that were a little rugged and had the benefit of the blooms for the last 10 days and counting.

Thank you Serenata Flowers for the beautiful bouquet of white roses I have been thoroughly enjoying them – gorgeous aren’t they?

Flower colours all relate to emotions and moods and have meanings. I chose white flowers because my wedding bouquet was white roses officially it is a symbol of peace and purity, perfect for a wedding and they have certainly brought some peace to my living room.

What are your favourite flowers and which will you be sending or hoping to receive from Serenata Flowers in 2012?

Related links
http://www.serenataflowers.com
http://www.facebook.com/serenataflowers
@serenataflowers
Valentine flowers
Mother’s day flowers
UK flowers

So you can imagine how my heart sunk when Lil H asked in mid-December for a pet for Christmas. Absolutely not felt harsh, so I blamed the bearded one and said that he hadn’t asked Father Christmas for a pet so he’ll probably have arranged Star Wars goodies like Lil H had asked him. I kept thinking about the pet thing, feels selfish, but my life has involved a lot of other peoples pooh for almost five years that I can’t face another poohing thing in my world. I think that’s fair enough to be honest!

Lil H did get a pet for Christmas though, he got a My Pet Firefly it’s really a rather sweet bug in a jar – he makes a light tapping when he’s flying about when you tap the jar and waken him, I video’d him for you here:

My Pet Firefly makes no mess, I dust him from time to time and H thinks he has a pet. Big. Fat. Tick.  On Friday Lil H’s My Pet Firefly is going to school for show and tell, I hope he has a great day, I am sure he will be a big hit!

 Thank you to www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk for sending us My Pet Firefly to review he’s a hassle free addition to the Lancaster family!

Join the Find Me A Gift gang on Facebook here http://www.facebook.com/findmeagift

And chat to them on Twitter @findmeagift

That right there is all I am going to be eating from Monday 23rd January as I’m starting the New You Plan which is a total meal replacement diet. This is not something that is sponsored I have paid my money, bought my shakes, soups and bars and am giving it a go.

I’m fed up of the yo yo. My head is beyond full with family, work, life commitments. I need to not have to think about what I’m going to shop, cook, eat. I need to be slim, slimmer, less fat. So here I am. Embarking on what I expect to be a tough first seven days where I leave behind eating as I know it and replace all my meals with shakes, soups and bars.

Wish me luck! If you’ve done the plan, are doing the plan or are on your own weight loss journey I’d love to hear from you to share the roller coaster search for slim.

When I was a little girl I had a nightlight. It was china, a woodland scene with little mice who’d set up life at the bottom of a tree. I don’t know what happened to it, neither does my mum, it would have been lovely to still have it but we don’t.

Night lights. We’ve had a few! Some stopped recharging, some don’t stay lit all night, others didn’t give off enough light or too much light or the chosen character was grown out of as new favourites become flavour of the month. I’ve struggled to find the right thing for my daughter because I’ve hankered after something like I remembered. We’re at the stage where Diva G mostly sleeps well but needs some comfort going off and sometimes waking early she needs “mummy”. So I was beyond excited when White Rabbit England sent me Rabbit Cottage nightlight. The low level light the cottage emits doesn’t light her room but it makes her room not dark. That seems to be reassuring and whilst she still sometimes wakes early it soothes her, stops her being unsure or disorientated and she sings, talks, plays with her toys and then nods back off to sleep.

White Rabbit England is a local business to me in Wilmslow, Cheshire. When the nightlight arrived in December I have to confess I claimed it! It felt too pretty not to all enjoy it in the living room over Christmas. We had so many comments about it too, so many people with memories of their own night light. Next Christmas my daughter will not be willing to relocate her nightlight so we might just have to invest in the Christmas Tree from White Rabbit England.

Rabbit Cottage nightlight is just devine, made of bone china and hand painted it is the epitome of pretty. It casts a beautiful glow from its little heart windows and even the light on the wall is heart shaped from a certain angle. The Rabbit Cottage nightlight is available for £49 from White Rabbit England delivered free in UK and is extremely well packaged to ensure it arrives perfectly pretty. It’s an heirloom purchase, a light of a lifetime and no question this would make a beautiful Christening, Naming Day or new baby gift.

Associated links
http://www.whiterabbitengland.com
@White_RabbitUK
http://www.facebook.com/WhiterabbitEngland

The Potty List – a tongue in cheek guide to 36 things toddlers should have crayoned off a must-do list….by the time they are toilet trained forms part of the Little One-ders’ Toddler Census, commissioned by Growingupmilkinfo.com, and has been designed to celebrate the extraordinary growth and development Little One-ders go through from one to three years.   Here’s what Diva G has done and still has to do:

1. Made a mud pie
2. Baked a cake – done lots, love baking!
3. Finger painted – we will be doing this for Valentines
4. Sung loudly in public – Happy Birthday mostly & We wish you a Merry Christmas!
5. Climbed a big hill – Yes, mostly in Cornwall
6. Picked fruit
7. Danced with no inhibitions – Tick!  “Got to Dance” is her favourite show
8. Made sandcastles on the beach – Yes, although not the biggest sand fan
9. Been chased by a monster – She has a big brother so a big YES!
10. Jumped in a puddle so hard the water went in mummy’s shoe too – Oh Yes!
11. Belly-flopped
12. Fed the ducks – everytime we go to the park
13. Blown bubbles – G is better at popping them
14. Had a teddy bear’s picnic
15. Chosen a favourite book – Bear Hunt and Peace at Last
16. Ridden on the top of double-decker bus
17. Visited a museum – Manchester Museum, Imperial War Museum
18. Been on a train ride – all the way to London Town, and back!
19. Fed an animal – ducks, dogs, lambs, cows – tick!
20. Grown cress in the shape of your name
21. Worn pants on your head – oh yes and other family members pants too!
22. Ridden the tea-cups at the fair
23. Flown a paper aeroplane
24. Poo’ed in the bath – done, more than once!
25. Stayed the night away from home -
26. Ridden on daddy’s shoulders – yes but prefer piggy backs
27. Scribbled somewhere you shouldn’t – done this more than on paper!
28. Cleaned your own teeth – G loves cleaning her teeth
29. Answered the phone
30. Mastered a party piece
31. Had a ‘first love’
32. Bought something in a shop
33. Set your sights on a future career (pirate, fairy or builder, perhaps?)
34. Told a fib – almost exclusively pointing the finger at Lil H (even if he’s at school!)
35. Made up an inappropriate nickname for someone – Poo Poo Head counts I think!
36. Broken something valuable

I love this list, I shall be making sure Diva G drinks her milk and has all the evergy she needs to make sure we have all 36 boxed off before 14th October 2012!  Anyone else ticking the Potty List off too? 

Related Links
http://www.growingupmilkinfo.com/

Not only does it look great, keep him warm and dry but Lil H can do it up all by himself.  I have always liked Ladybird clothes and was gutted when they disappeared with the demise of Woolworths but they are back at Littlewoods.  I can’t believe how “like new” this coat still looks as it is has been subjected to the very best, and worst, a 4year old boy can give it including:

1. Rolling around on the floor – for fun, for effect, for a reaction!
2. Wind, Rain, Sleet, Puddles and Mud
3. Being worn just by the hood as a cape
4. Being used as goal posts
5. Being thrown on the floor
6. Being used as a lasso
7. Being scooted and/or  ridden over
8. Having its pockets filled with stones, sticks, conkers, leaves etc.
9. Being worn low slung & slouched down to elbows, accompanied by “Muuum, I’m hot” (in the snow!)
10. Being swung by the arms usually accompanied by “Muuum can you carry it”

This coat fits great, is waterproof, windproof, warm, wipes down, washes and tumble dries like new – I hope to goodness they keep making it as I would have this coat again, and again and again.  So mummy friends don’t forget Ladybird is back and stocked at Littlewoods!

Oh and its not just boys stuff that’s great, Diva G’s uber stylish and owner of over 100 pairs of shoes I kid you not, Guide Mother, sent her this beautiful  knitted dress outfit from Ladybird, which has again washed a dream and withstood the stresses of a 2yo toddler.

Lil H’s Ladybird Parka is available from Littlewoods from £34.00 or could pay just £1.70per week
Diva G’s knitted dress is available from Littlewoods from £10.00 or could pay just £0.50 per week
Diva G’s knitted cardi is available from Littlewoods from £8.00 or could pay just £0.40 per week

Thank you to Littlewoods who sent us Lil H’s school coat to review – we love it – 11/10 … and no that isn’t a typo, that is eleven out of ten!

Thank you notes have been drummed into me literally from birth – I know my mum sent them on my behalf until I was old enough to write my name and then the notes myself. I send many more gifts to children than I receive thank you notes for, the thank you’s I do receive I am delighted by. Writing them is a tradition I’m passing on to my children. In my book it’s courteous to thank those who’ve sent you gifts, especially if you haven’t seen the giver to thank them in person.

I struggled this year to stay on top of what was from who this year as the wrapping paper flew I have to be honest! This year I have used a great photo of Lil H and Diva G meeting Father Christmas to make postcards to say thank you to family and friends. Am I alone in my love of the traditional thank you note? Is snail mail out of date in 2012? What do you think?