Last updated on May 6th, 2024 at 10:22 am
It’s been a lovely week this week. Not too fast or slow and not too busy or boring. The garden renovations I have long talked about have finally started. The nice weather is here to visit too. While I am excited for our renovations, I don’t think it will be finished before we go to America, unfortunately. It also means all this nice weather we have forecasted, we can’t get the paddling pool or bouncy castle out for the kids after school nor will I be able to sit outside and enjoy it. But I am staying optimistic.
I have been talking a lot about feeling like me again and feeling like I have a handle on things in my life both work and family. It seems like a big cloud has been lifted for us and everything is just running smoothly. The news that my dad is off chemo now too has helped huge. Now he can focus on just getting stronger. I always get a bit giddy in the lead up to our trip back home too. I feel like I had been moaning constantly on here and everywhere for months now and I hated it. I have also been working on personal challenges of a healthier and more confident lifestyle for myself. That has helped me feel so much better too without even realizing it was getting me down. I am back in the gym too! I have a bunch of things I am working on for this space that I finally feel like I have direction and I can’t wait to share it with all of you over the summer.
THIS WEEK I AM LOVING…
I am half way through last week’s book The Couple Next Door. It’s a good one to keep you on your toes and guessing in suspense. I also have been reading as many blogs as I can. I really was awful about supporting my fellow bloggers last year so I am trying to make up for it.
Here’s a post for each passion of mine for you to lust, drool and read over:
Family:
Sparkles and Stretchmarks – 20 things to do with Kids this Summer. Loving these ideas Hayley has inspired me to write my own bucket list for this summer. Keeps us doing different things throughout our trip.
Interiors:
Cate St Hill – Amazing kitchen makeover with Ikea has me wanting to rip my kitchen out and start over. It’s lust worthy check it out. I love her simple and elegant home style. Can I redecorate yet?
Food:
Lavender & Lovage – a vegetarian soup that is drool worthy. In my search for more vegetarian inspiration for my parents new diet, I came across this blog.
Travel:
Hey Nadine – Came across this beauty on instagram. I have always wanted to bike around Cali, this makes me want to put it on my must-do list.
Fashion:
Fashion Jackson – How to wear white on white is amazing. I found her on instagram and love her styles. I feel like this is how I would want my wardrobe.
Have you heard of the new blog conference in Manchester called NOW Blog Conference. In true me fashion, I was clueless until your lovely ‘hostess with the mostess’, Morgana told me all about it. I have jumped at the opportunity to grab a early bird ticket. I was absolutely gutted that I missed this year’s blogtacular and this one sounds like it’s very similar in the creativity focus. Who else has heard of it and is thinking of going? Give me a shout out on social media @letstalkmommy. I can’t wait to go with Morgana like the good old days, she was my partner in crime at all blog conferences when I first started as we had been friends for years before we attempted on night that we both blogged. You know those bloggers that don’t really tell their friends offline what they do… we were them. hahaha
The kids have been watching me get back to my workout dvds and a bit of the gym as well again. I lost my way with my workout routines. Summer is just around the corner and I don’t want to start it feeling bad about myself and being lazy. I noticed right away I have more energy if that’s even possible. I have missed how good it makes me feel both inside and outside. Sometimes it’s so hard to get motivated but once I am in the zone I am really good. Let’s just hope I stay in the zone until we reach America. Every summer my mom and I help each other change our bad eating habits and motivate each other to be healthier together. It’s always easier when you have someone to smack your hand in the fridge and say no for you when you can’t. We did a 30 day “no junk food” challenge one summer that quickly became our tradition. 
It’s been a wardrobe confusing few weeks in a row for me. The weather has gone hot then rainy, then cold, then hot again. I am constantly coming home after the school drop off changing and then changing back again later in the evening. It’s been a mix of jeans, skirts, and off the shoulder tops which I am so in love with all the sudden. Partly because I got new medicine that is really helping my skin so I am not as nervous showing it off at the moment. If only I had a brighter bedroom with a bigger mirror to show you these more in details. 
I am making an effort to share my garden renovations on my ig stories, each day as it progresses. I hope you will all join me and see how it’s coming along. I am using this not only to have more practice at ig stories but to get in the habit more of doing it on a regular basis.
I also will be making a lot of vegan and free from recipes moving forward. In the aid to help my parents learn that food can still taste good even though they have been forced to eat a special vegan diet. I am sure my parents aren’t the only ones in this boat so I will be blogging and sharing while I test out recipes for them too. I am working in the free from recipes in aid to help B eat more of a variety of foods and still trying new things all the time even though he is limited with his severe food allergies. My parents and B got me thinking why am I creating all these recipes and ideas and not sharing them as surely others will want to try them out too.
I want to give a huge shout out to all my followers that continually join in my hashtag community. I have got into a great routine each night of scrolling through it and trying to like them all and comment on as many as possible showing my support right back. The #lifecloseup community is just that so supportive. We are getting more and more new instagrammers joining in every day. I am loving all the new feeds I am getting lost in on a daily basis with their stunning captures. This week I even featured not nine but eighteen favorite features because there just was too much choice and even then I struggled to pick only eighteen. Thank you all so much! Keep tagging those photos using #lifecloseup to get your chance to be featured on my instagram and on my blog! Do check these feeds out below so amazing!
“AND A BONUS NINE BECAUSE THIS WEEK I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH NEW IG FEEDS”
Linking up with Coffee Work Sleep Repeat #littleloves
I’ve seen your garden renovations on Ig stories. Im trying to make more of an effort with it too. I love that you and Morgan were friends and didn’t know about each other’s blogs! No one knows about mine. You’ve got me wondering if any of my friends blog! The now conference sounds great. Despite not cooking vegan or free from recipes myself, I think you will find they do really well on your blog and pinterest.
God, your wardrobe is to die for! That skirt in the second picture is beautiful.
My husband has totally overhauled our garden recently, but it seems like we’ve missed the good weather. Now it’s finished the sun hasn’t shown its face, so I feel your frustration!
#littleloves
Oh you are so sweet thank you so much. Yes, we are the same garden not done and now we are gone. lol Typical ways of british weather.
Love the pic of you in that pretty conservatory and with MM. So glad your dad’s chemo has come to an end and he can focus on getting his strength back, you must be so relieved. Can’t believe you and your mum do your health kick every summer, I’d be making the most of all those American goodies if I were you (this is why I’ll never be skinny). Hope you’re having a lovely weekend x
It’s tough but helps that we motivate each other to be healthier. I think the hot heat helps motivate us too because we literally wear nothing but bikinis all summer and nothing else definitely helps eat good. Winter time I let myself go and eat comfort food and wear baggy sweaters. It’s a nice balance.
Oooh I’ve just had a look at that conference and it looks amazing! I’m keen to try one of the more creative ones, so will definitely consider getting a ticket! I love all of your outfits, your wardrobe is so gorgeous! I hope you’ve been having a lovely weekend xx
I know me too I can’t wait to see what creative things they share and teach. It’s going to be fab I think. Ahh you are so sweet just getting back into my wardrobe and fashion after kids now. Took me long enough. lol
Glad to hear you’ve found your Mojo Jenny-gives me hope that mine might spring back at some point. I had a look at the conference too and it looks pretty good though quite a way from me and I’ve not been to one before so eek i dunno! Love seeing your recipes so any new ones sound great! x
Oh thank you so much. I try to share one recipe, one fashion, and one home post each month in between all our family and parenting ones. Keep everyone entertained and happy too. 😉 There will be more to come in September when I have no more kiddos at home eeek
So pleased to read that you’re feeling more like yourself and ‘in the zone’ again. I think with any big change or personal upheaval it’s hard to stay on track and focus on ourselves.
Had a little look at the fashion blog you linked and I can so see you in that outfit, it’s so very ‘Jenny’!
Looking forward to those vegan and free from recipes! xx
You know me so well. hahaha I love it. It’s great to feel like me again especially right before I go home too. Bouncing with excitement to see my dad too. Yes I need to get my butt in gear and start photographing some of those soon.
I can’t wait to see your finished garden Jenny as it sounds like you have some pretty serious renovations going on. I am so glad to hear your dad has finished his chemo, I bet you can’t wait to get over for the summer and spend time with your parents x
Can’t wait to get home to them so excited. Yes thanks hunny. it’s major renovations going on been waiting to do it for years so I am so happy it’s finally going but it won’t be finished until I am away sadly. I have been sharing on ig stories each day. But September will be great to come home to it.
I’ve been watching your garden renovations on Instagram Stories, you must be so excited for it to be done now. It’s going to look great! I’m so glad you’re feeling more yourself again now. I’m excited to see what things you have planned for this little space this year too. Your blog is one of my absolute favourites! Exercise really does give you more energy doesn’t it? It’s just so hard to begin doing it. My workout dvds have come back out too and I feel so much better for it. I hope you have a lovely week. xx
Oh thank you so much Chloe. That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. I always think does anyone even come back to read or do they like my ig stories and follow along. lol hahaha It’s nice to feel love so thank you for that shout out babes. Yes working out is tough to get on track but amazing feeling afterwards. Good for you I have to do classes at the gym so I have motivation and pressure to workout harder couldn’t do it at home I wouldn’t push myself that’s amazing you can do that. Have a lovely weekend ahead.
Renovations are always such a hassle whilst they are happening but so worth it in the long run. I adore the photo of you in the doorway, so beautiful.
Ahh thanks so so much darling. That’s compliments to my son he is great with the camera these days. My little PA in the making. 😉
Thanks so much for sharing my blog! Hope you have a great weekend! xx
Of course my lovely. Hope you had a great week?
God! Your wardrobe is to die for! It sounds awesome. Thanks:)