I would love to say this weekend was a lovely one
and we done lovely things to celebrate the run up to Christmas
but we didn't it seems this weekend in November is the time we
get sick, last year it was the same weekend different illness a winter bug
this year Oisín came down with a horrible cough and cold
the cough is so bad it has been making him vomit poor thing
I am in the middle of my second c9 detox
but by Saturday I could feel the tingle in my throat and my nose was blocked!
So far Paul hasn't got it and he has been a diamond looking after his two patients!
I haven't broke from the C9 still doing
it and on day six today but finding it
hard as I have no appetite and
just want to sleep!
Spent alot of time in bed reading
festive books to cheer myself up!
Oisín and I wrapped ourselves up in blankets
had jammie days and watched lots of Disney
We have alot on next weekend so are hoping
to all better for then, so lots of snuggles
are happening today!
One of our favourite things about Christmas
is of course the Christmas ads!
This year has been even nicer as Oisín has started to notice
the different ads.
Here are our top five for this year:
5: Aldi
Favourite Things
This take on the Sound of Music classic is really festive
Oisín loves this ad every time it comes on he gets really excited
sings along and claps at the end!
I like it because we mostly shop at Aldi and I liked seeing
our favourites done up for Christmas!
4: Lidl
School of Christmas
I really enjoyed this School of Christmas idea
With classes in how to make the best leftover sandwich, how to appear
grateful for an unwanted gift and a masterclass in wrapping!
I found this ad very funny and clever
3:Sky Movies
Brussel Sprout
Hubby say this is not as good as last years
but Oisín and I really like it
After a little girl has been told to eat the rest of
her Christmas brussel sprouts she finds a different
way of getting rid of them as she is transported into
her favourite movies which just happen to playing on
Sky over the Christmas!
2:John Lewis
Man on the Moon
For me last years John Lewis ad has a special place
in my heart as the song reminded me of my love for
my little boy
This year's ad is another beautiful piece which people
are mixed about it, but I think it highlighted loneliness
at Christmas beautifully
It tell the story of the man on the moon how a little
girl sees him and sends him a gift for Christmas
1:Sainsbury's
Mog The Cat
We don't have Sainsbury's here in Ireland
so I can't buy a Mog for Oisín
But this is our favourite ad this Christmas
The three of us love it and Oisín thinks its so funny
and keeps saying Mog Meow when the ad comes on
the telly!
It tells of calamity prone Mog
who after a number of accidents sets her family's home on fire!
The neighbours all help and remind us Christmas is a time for sharing!
Noticeable Mentions:
We also like a few other ads but didn't make our top five
They are:
Mars Celebrations: Christmas Tree
Oisín really likes this one too think it reminds him of his favourite Pixar movies!
The Christmas tree decorations can't resist the yummy sweets and try there very
best to get one!
Spanish Christmas Lottery
Paul and I watched this online after it with viral
The animation reminded me of the movie UP so did the tears
There is no talking in the ad so you don't have to know Spanish
It's a beautiful story if you haven't watched it please do
Tells us of a lonely security guard who misses out when
his job win the lotto but his work friends have other ideas!
Waitrose Make It Christmas
I really like this ad we don't have Waitrose here in Ireland
doesn't mean I can't get excited over the ad!
Classic Christmas Ads:
Here are a few of our favourite classic Christmas Ads the ones that are shown
over and over every Christmas
Guinness Dreaming Of A White One
I have to admit this might be my favourite Christmas ad ever
Our country might not be equipped for a white Christmas
but we all hope it will stick at Christmas
so we will get a white one at Christmas
For me I know it's Christmas when I see this ad
Dennys At Home For Christmas
This is such a cute Christmas ad
show a little family of three at Christmas
From the moment the little girl comes into her living room
to see what Santa has left her...the magic of Christmas through
her eyes..."he's a very good Santy"
Coca Cola Holidays are Coming
Of course the classic holidays are coming jingle ad
This is the Hubby's favourite when he see it he knows
Christmas is on it's way!
So that's our favourites for this year and our classics what's yours?
This fly on the wall documentary is back
Set in the beautiful Georgian historical hotel The Shelbourne
The staff seem to love there job and why wouldn't you the place is stunning.
I would love to sip champagne cocktails and eat afternoon tea
but on my wages that might happen on the 12th of never!
This episode saw the end of Summer and the hotel getting a face lift to the front of the hotel
The Irish rugby team where back to get ready for the World Cup. Meanwhile a mother and daughter from the US book into the Princess Grace Kelly suite for 6 nights a costing a cool €20,000
I wouldn't be a big fan of reality shows
I don't watch X Factor, Strictly, Big Brother or Britain's Got Talent
but there is something about I'm A Celebrity!
I think it's something about watching so called Celebs slumming it!
I love the trials and watching how they do!
My favourites so far are Jorgie Porter, Lady C, and Tony Hadley
we have already had the big parachute jump, an eating trial and a under ground trial
Can't wait to see what happens next!
Last week's episode of The Muppets was very funny
with Miss Piggy getting The Muppets drunk after a crazy night out!
I am still missing the old format of The Muppets and for me a little of the spark has
gone in this new format
While last week's episode was funny and fresh this week rehashed the fact
that Miss Piggy has a feud with another high profile actress
besides, Christina Applegate and Elizabeth Banks she also hates Reese Witherspoon.
I feels like the same storyline different actress hoping to see a different type of storyline soon for Piggy. I do like some of the new Muppets like the IT guy very funny, it's little gems like this that will make me keep watching. Can't give up on the Muppets!
This week focused on Daryl, Sasha and Abe and there quest to lead the herd
of walkers away from Alexandria they where almost done when unexpectedly they
got shot at by a group of people.
Who we know are not the wolves as the wolves do not carry guns.
Daryl got split from the other two and ends up in some burn out woods with three people who believe he is part of a different group. I love the character of Daryl and Norman Reedus is a big crush of mine but I found this episode a felt a little flat. Daryl barely said two sentences in the whole episode!!
I didn't really care about the three others back story which tbh wasn't explained very well
but I have a feeling will come back to later in the season
Sasha and Abe seems to think that Daryl will find them so they wait in an empty building.
This episode for these two characters was basically setting up some sexual tension between them, so I think these two might be hooking up in the future.
Of course Daryl does get away...without his bike and cross bow but he does find
the other two and on the way back to Alexandria they hear a strangle male voice pleading for help over the walkie talkie
Glen maybe? I don't think so and I also think the prediction I made last week
when I said we will not know
about Glenn's fate until the mid-season finale will be right!!
After a few weeks maintain in Slimming World
I finally had a 2lb loss last week
but this weekend has been awful and I was off plan for all of it!
Going to be really strict for the rest of the week and next weekend too!
Here is our meal plan for the week ahead:
Monday: Chilli Con Carne and Boiled Rice
Tuesday: Gammon Steaks, Beans, Eggs and SW Chips
Wednesday: Slimming World Salmon Parcels with Boiled Potatoes
Thursday: Chicken Curry with Boiled Rice
Friday: Breakfast for Dinner Slimming World Big Grill
SW Chips, Beans, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Eggs and Bacon
I was instilled a love of reading from a young age
my parents are big readers
and from a very young age I was always read a bedtime story
(something that I have always done with Oisín)
I picked up there love of reading and asked for presents of books for birthdays and Christmas.
I joined the local mobile library and remember going every week
with my two green tickets to take out two books!
When I had almost read everything in that little mobile library
my Mam brought me on a bus ride to our local library where I still go today!
Where Oisín now has his own library card and we take out two books
each month for him. He is already showing signs of enjoy books
one of the child care workers in his day care commented only yesterday how he loves
to be read too! He will also pick out a book and sitting on his own look at the pictures!
Hopefully my love of reading will be passed down to him!
Here are the books that I remember reading and re-reading through out my childhood
The Magic Far Away Tree - Enid Blyton
This is one of the first books I read along and was able to get through it alone!
Enid Blyton was my Mam's favourite author's as a child, so she read allot of her to me when I was little. The Magic Faraway Tree series was my favourite I loved the idea of an enchanted tree with secret doors and the magical creatures that live in it! Moonface, Silky and Saucepan Man to name but a few! I do think it's funny that new reprints names of some of the children have been changed to less saucy names! A live action movie is in the works!
The Famous Five - Enid Blyton
Another Enid Blyton series I read allot in childhood was The Famous Five
I remember always asking for one of these books for a treat luckily for me there was
a local book show on the way to do our weekly shop
so every second week I would get a new famous five book.
The book features a group of children and their dog who get into all sorts of scraps
The children must of came from well to do families as they adventures where set on holidays from board school! I really enjoyed these although I didn't read all 21 books I did get through 13 of them!
The Worst Witch - Jill Murphy
I was a little older when I started The Worst Witch series I asked for it for a birthday present after one of my friends told me about it in school. A young witch called Mildred who goes to a boarding school of magic, gets her own broom and pet (sound familiar?!) Her best friends Maud a small sensible bright and brain girl (sound familiar?!) and Enid a practical joker (sound familiar?!) Each book is one term at school and it follows Mildred through her school life as she tries not to be the worst witch. If I remember there was also a TV series which I think I might have watched a few times.
The BFG - Roald Dahl
There are a few Roald Dahl books I loved as a child, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Twits, Matilda but the one I went back to again and again was The BFG
My Dad loved this book and I remember asking him to read it to me again and again, this story just got to my nine year old imagination The Big Friendly Giant is discovered by a little girl named Sophie. He tells her that every night he blows dreams into peoples houses so that everyone will have sweet dreams. The BFG is not liked by the other Giants as he will not eat people and so it's up the Sophie to help save him from the others. An live action movie of this is also in the works!
Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
I remember reading this when I was about 11 and
it was the start of me leaving children's books behind and starting young adult books
I read this because at the time a TV show version was airing
and I went out to the library and found this book
I loved the story of strong willed red haired orphan Anne with an e!
Who is mistakenly sent to brother and sister Matthew and Marilla who need a boy to help on there farm. We follow Anne as she gets settled in her new life in Green Gables, makes friends, and starts school. Anne is very strong willed but also sensitive of the fact she is an orphan. My 11 year old self loved Anne and I read the follow ups Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of the Windy Willows, Anne's House of Dreams and Anne of Ingleside.
I would actually like to go back and read them all again!
Little Women - Lousica May Alcott
This book reminds me of my Summer holiday off school sitting
in my parents back garden under a tree reading. I read this on school holidays and loved it!
The story of four sisters while there Father is off fighting in the America Civil war.
The four sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy find ways to keep themselves busy and to help as there Mother doesn't have much money. The book follows the sisters from little women into wives.
I have watched the two movies my favourite is the one with Clare Daines as Beth my favourite character of the book. I have also read the sequels Little Men and Jo's Boys
but it was Little Women that brought me from childhood reading into young adult reading and
ensured that I would be reading all my adult life.
Do you have an childhood favourite books that you re-read or read to your children now?
Sometimes this time of the year can be a little depressing for some people. I can be one of those people especially when colds, germs and winter bugs creep in! I find when the clocks go back that it takes me a few weeks to get into the groove of Autumn/Winter, when the clocks went back a few weeks ago it threw me a bit. The dark mornings the early nights I wasn't ready for it! Then last weekend I went a little stir crazy with the windy rainy days and hubby in work so we where stuck inside. We got cosy and watched Disney so it was okay in the end! I keep to these tips when I feel a little down over the Winter time and I manage to cheer up!
Go Outside -
It might not be possible every day but I try to get out on a walk with Oisín every second day
even if it's just a walk to the shops! I do like getting to the park, it clears my head and blows the cobwebs away! We bundle up with hats, scarfs and gloves and head outside I aways feel better after a walk! If we can't get out we even try to play out our back garden for a while, Oisín just loves to be out and getting some fresh air is good for us all!
Treat Yourself -
For me this could be anything from some retail therapy to a glass of wine on a Sunday evening to an early night with a book. What ever way you like to treat yourself do it! I like to give myself extra treats in the Winter time. Even if it's just a bubble bath and a magazine I try to treat myself once a week to something I like!
Eat Well -
Since I started to detox in the Summer and then join Slimming World I have found that I am eating much better than before and I am feeling great for it. I will be doing another aloe vera detox again next week and I found that it helped build up my immune system along with good eating. Recently hubby and son got a cough and cold which lasted a few weeks, normally I would be the first one to get it and last one to have it. Since taking the aloe vera and eating on slimming world plan this time I got the cough for two days and it was gone! So putting the right things into your body does help and also I find getting proper sleep helps too
Put a Bit of Lippy On -
I always feel a bit better if I put a little effort in my hair and make up but even the days I feel like crap I put a bit of lippy on and it can make all the difference.
Light Some Candles -
Sometimes the hubby laughs at how much candles I have lighting everywhere
For me they can cheer me up on a grey morning and help me unwind in the evening
I light them when I'm in the bath, when I find a corner of the living room to read, when I'm having an early night or just getting cosy watching TV
That's my tips for feeling good in the days of dark mornings and early nights
Oisín and I wrapped ourselves up in blankets
