Toddler moments, party food, and one hell of a book #littleloves

Last updated on November 19th, 2023 at 12:31 am

Hello Spring Time indeed! The sun has been shining. The weather has bucked up for the year for the most part and I have been gardening yesterday. I planted over 12 new shrubs and trees yesterday in the garden and it’s looking so much better. I can’t wait to add some flower pots and bring the garden back to life. It was looking like a swamp from winter. I feel like I have been so busy but so relaxed at the same time. It’s a very weird feeling as normally I am one or the other. It just seems like I have long ‘to do’ lists every morning and by evening I have accomplished it all which makes me relaxed about it all. I am loving this weird mix between busy and relaxed, long may it continue. I think it’s all about mind set and doing what the planner on my desk below says, “get sh*t done” attitude.

 THIS WEEK I AM LOVING…

We were in Ireland last week, and sadly I haven’t had a chance to even write about it yet for the Easter holidays but we did get a big egg hunt in and visiting family always makes me happy. I got to sit upon this rusty old bench that holds more than just rusty spots but memories of generations in Mr P’s family. It’s sat out front of his Granny’s house in Ireland forever. I made a coffee on a sunny  morning and went and read The Kind Worth Killing in this very spot. While Granny probably read more appropriate books it was a lovely moment feeling connected to her in her house, in her garden, reading where she once sat. The book was AMAZING by the way too.

I have been listening to my amazing new radio and all my old favorite stations from back home every chance I get. It’s almost become a ritual to walk in the door and click the power button on. It seconds I have my accent shouting back at me and it’s now always on in the background during the day. Somehow this makes the house feel so much more like home than it ever has before. Thank you internet radio. No paying for membership just live streaming from my wifi from any country for any station in the world. I love it. My mother-in-law even turns on Irish radio while she irons it’s perfect for our international family. Hubby likes keeping up with his Spanish by tuning in to Spain stations.

Have you seen the latest on my vlogging challenge? I missed last week’s #littleloves roundup so you can catch my March Little Loves video here or check out my kid’s Spring / Summer shopping haul below. Let me know what you think of my vlogs or if there is something you really want to see me or the kids doing, experience, sharing shout it out on social media to me @letstalkmommy.

I have been slacking on getting captures of my weekly outfits so I stole a few of ones of me while we were out and about. It’s that fine line between warm and cold still so it’s been the fur coat on with knee high boots and the very next day neutral spring outfits with my new black MK flats. I absolutely love my new grey coat from Zara and my black and white with gold dots top from Boden. If you peak at the bottom right hand corner I scored this lovely lounge sweater in a boutique in Trim, Ireland. I have a wish list a mile long from that store.

I have been back in the kitchen a lot this week. I am back making homemade soups and spring salads but also whipping up these gorgeous Lemon Marshmallow Cupcakes for friends. Excuse the grainy photo, I snapped it two seconds before they got devoured by friends visiting.

Or you may have caught a glimpse at my Ham & Cheese Party Nibbles this week too. I told you, it’s all a go in the kitchen. I have a few Free From recipes coming your way. Testing them out on my allergy son to see if he likes them and what he thinks of them first before I recommend. Also have more party food coming so stay tuned.

It’s no secret I was struggling recently on the discipline side of parenting and teaching side of parenting. It all came about from parents evening both at my son’s school and then at my daughter’s nursery, leaving me feeling inadequate and frustrated. It took me a few weeks to wrap my head around what they actually expect of such small people but also what I was expecting from my small people myself. I think society’s expectations get higher and younger every single year. Why? What happened to being a baby, a toddler, and a kid first before the responsibilities, pressures, and life was handed to you? It’s almost frightful what they told me my 2 1/2 year old should already be doing, knowing, showing, expressing, managing and even moreso for my son who is only 4 1/2 years old. To think, I didn’t even start school until age 7 years old (kindergarden is only half a day of play time I don’t count it). I did just find academically. It really blows my mind. Yet, I let parents evening get to me. I let it second guess how I was handling their behavior, how I was furthering their education at home and more. I finally stopped myself or more had a chat to myself I was being ridiculous and took it all with a pinch of salt. I am not saying we shouldn’t help further their education at home but driving things down their throat every day at 2 and 4 is a bit much.

So this Easter holiday when I should be doing math and reading with Buba I took him to the park and went for a long walk in the woods with him, exploring. While I should have been working with shapes, and how to correctly hold a pen with MM I snuggled up on the sofa with her and had a heart to heart chat and some laughter instead.

Linking up to #LittleLoves at CoffeeWorkSleepRepeat