Welcome to Happy Days! Katy and I host this linky with the purpose of inspiring you to make the most of each day, no matter what you've been up to, and to find happiness in every day. It's where I share the little moments that have brought me joy.
I have to apologise for going AWOL on Happy Days recently. I have had a tough couple of weeks with the boys and we weren't managing to get out anywhere so I felt like the world's worst mum. Why are the holidays so tough! I was feeling totally down about everything but friends have picked me up, dusted me off and made me get my butt in gear. And it has been a much better week as a result.
So here's what has made me happy
• Friends. Thank goodness for friends. And the internet. And Facebook. Sometimes social media just pees me off as I hate the way everything is so instant. But other times I just love it. I'm never alone and there is always someone there to listen.
• The zoo. I took the boys (and Essie, but she slept so it doesn't really count) to Paradise Wildlife Park as we haven't been since before Essie was born! They have a jaguar cub who was born in April so I was really excited to see her. I'll share more about our trip in the next few days.
• Lego. We heard about a cool Lego exhibition called Brick Wonders in a nearby town so a friend and I headed over with our children. Noah said it was a bit boring, but Emma and I were impressed with the models!
• Sunshine. Hoo-flipping-ray! Finally! I actually put the heating on on Wednesday night as I was so cold, so waking up on Thursday to blazing sunshine was a very, very welcome sight!
• National Trust. This is probably the most grown-up thing I have ever done in my life, more grown-up than getting married or having babies even: I have joined the National Trust! For just over a fiver a month we can visit our local National Trust sites as often as we want and we get free parking. It's a total bargain I tell you, and I am so fricking excited about the car sticker arriving!
• Feeling proud. I've had some really lovely feedback about my blog recently, particularly the photography on this post about our Graco pushchair. And people have been overwhelmingly kind about the story behind Essie's name. If you missed it you can catch up here.
• Wimpole Estate. So with my new National Trust membership we headed to Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire for the day with Katy (who cracked under peer pressure and joined the NT too!) and Emma, the same friend that came to Brick Wonders. It was a great day out, albeit exhausting. The boys were running rings around me and I was close to tears at one point (whyyyy is parenting so hard?) but Noah told me he had the best day which more than made up for it.
• Feeling appreciated. Bearing in mind that I just about cope with my three children on my own, one day this week I also had my two stepchildren. Five kids. One of them a baby. All by myself. I took them to get measured up for new school shoes, then swimming then a cheeky Happy Meal for their dinner. The next day my stepdaughter had made me a card telling me what a nice time she had. It made my day!
• Feeling proud. I've had some really lovely feedback about my blog recently, particularly the photography on this post about our Graco pushchair. And people have been overwhelmingly kind about the story behind Essie's name. If you missed it you can catch up here.
• Wimpole Estate. So with my new National Trust membership we headed to Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire for the day with Katy (who cracked under peer pressure and joined the NT too!) and Emma, the same friend that came to Brick Wonders. It was a great day out, albeit exhausting. The boys were running rings around me and I was close to tears at one point (whyyyy is parenting so hard?) but Noah told me he had the best day which more than made up for it.
• Feeling appreciated. Bearing in mind that I just about cope with my three children on my own, one day this week I also had my two stepchildren. Five kids. One of them a baby. All by myself. I took them to get measured up for new school shoes, then swimming then a cheeky Happy Meal for their dinner. The next day my stepdaughter had made me a card telling me what a nice time she had. It made my day!
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After a super busy week I haven't made any plans for the weekend, just a birthday cards and gifts to get but otherwise a chilled one I hope!
What are you up to this weekend?
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I'm a National Trust member and absolutely love it. Glad you're enjoying it.
ReplyDeletehttps://lizziedailyblog.blogspot.co.uk/
Essie is such a beautiful name. I love the story behind it. We love being national trust members, it's great value. Sunshine just makes everything seem better. Sounds like a good week x
ReplyDeleteI know that overwhelmed feeling all too well, and I only have two kids to contend with. Sometimes parenting really is hard and it's great that you can jump on some form of social media and realise that you are not alone. How on earth you managed five of them in your own, especially going to the dreaded shoe shop I don't know, I took my two to get measured a couple of weeks ago and the youngest had a massive meltdown, it nearly broke me! The card from your step-daughter sounds so sweet though x
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National Trust really is proper grown up isn't it? And now you've made me join too haha! Wrinkly together x
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