Last updated on November 19th, 2023 at 12:21 am
Welcome to the weekend everyone! I hope all of you have survived the school holidays and being back into a routine of normal life again. We have been battling illnesses again here but only because we were off traveling, typical isn’t it? I swear, B catches something on every plane ride we go on.
This week has been getting the holiday washing and house back together after our trip to France to see some good friends of ours new villa. It was lovely and made me want to move there so badly. I would love to live abroad someday, yes, I realize I am already living “abroad” but somewhere where it’s a whole new language to learn, not forever but just for the experience. I think it’s amazing that my friend’s kids are completely bilingual. Other than that we are finishing off everyone’s rounds of antibiotics. I can’t believe (knock on wood) that for weeks Mr P has been ill and both children and all three are on antibiotics and yet I have remained untouched. That never happens and I am so grateful for it.
Let’s look into what I have been loving this week and ignore the boring illnesses, laundry that has been going on.
Read
My two bookworms love a new book. As B is starting school soon we have been reading more than ever before. He loves reading to MM and teaching all that he knows. This week he is teaching her about stars and counting with “Round like a ball” from Parragon books. We love being a part of the #bookbuddies program and the great books we are sent. 
Heard
This week, I have heard some amazing news from my beautiful friend Lucy. You can read her lovely announcements, here and here. I am so happy for her and her beautiful family on their new adventure together. Glad it’s out now so I don’t have to keep worrying about slipping up on twitter on the baby talk.
Watched
I have been watching all my usual shows. We gave up on Fortune, it just got way too weird for us. We have been looking for new shows as we have caught up on all the Suits seasons. We still love Forever whenever there isn’t anything else on tv. We still haven’t caught up on Grey’s Anatomy because we need to find the first four episodes as we didn’t have it on record when it started. Sky catch up only keeps the recent ones. Boo.
Wore
I was so excited this week to find that MM is now in big girl clothes which means we can now can match our wardrobes in just about everything. Kids clothes sizes go up to age 16 years and when you are barely five foot you have one advantage: wearing kids clothes. So this week we scooped up a few outfits that matched together. *excuse the grainy photo
MM’s wardrobe is growing lately for summer. We are finding lovely dresses for our upcoming two months in America. These two dresses are from Little Chickie an online baby boutique. I love their dresses on her. They wash amazing and are made of light fabric so in the hot USA summers she will stay cool and comfortable. These two are my absolute favorites and from the look on MM ‘s face you can see she loves them too. Girls clothes are easier to buy and pick out because dresses can be paired with cardigans and tights on colder days. I love that she can wear these for any weather. She also loves to button her cardigan all the way up and make it look like a sweater and skirt too. I posted a photo of her on my instagram of it. She is turning into a clothes diva, and lucky for me she is good at matching and coordinating her outfits. 
I love playing dress up whether it’s new outfits for MM or when we are playing dress up and matching both of our outfits together. I love that we are at that stage where it is still ok to match me and be a mini me. I am taking in every second of it as I know it won’t last long.
Made
I am back in the kitchen. I have been taking a little break from my baking, mostly because I was gaining entirely too much weight. I was feeling sluggish and tired a lot and I think that was due to my diet and lack of exercise. So I am back in the kitchen but it’s going to be healthy and better options that I am sharing for awhile. I will have the odd goody in there too but I am on a “eating cleaner” path for myself and my family. I don’t want my kids to eat unhealthy so why was I? I am trying to do better by leading by example. Here is a new favorite of ours for outside dining, Cumin Grilled Chicken & Chickpea Salsa we loved it this week. I was surprised how much the kids did too.
And lastly…
It’s no secret we have had a few vacations this year already. It’s been a special year as we normally don’t travel this much. We are lucky to have good friends that live in France and Spain so while it sounds like we are spending a fortune on holidays we are staying with friends so really it’s just watching for cheap flight deals. We are traveling more than usual this year because MM will soon be 2 years old and need her own seat and B will be in school so we will be restricted to school holiday times.
Traveling with children isn’t as hard as you think. I have traveled across to the west coast of America with both my toddlers in tow a few times to recommend just be prepared and its easy. Last week, we were in the South of France. We stayed with friends so had to think about how the kids were going to sleep as they have never slept in a bed with us. MM is still in a cot at home so we had our friends borrow a travel cot for her to sleep in. For B, he got to have this super cool travel ready bed. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first heard about these ready beds but we were soon impressed. This one came in a small backpack that B just wore on the plane ride over. It was so light even MM could carry it on her back. It came with it’s own little pump inside and has an attached quilt so you don’t have anything extra to pack when traveling.
Keeping your luggage light and packing less is always a bonus to traveling with children. Having this Worlds Apart ReadyBed really made our sleeping arrangements easy and not having to pack extra blankets was a bonus. I love that it was easy to pump up and easy to roll up and put back in it’s backpack case. The kids loved packing their bed around. It was longer than I expected it to be. I thought it would only fit MM in it but Buba fit comfortably. We only realized there was a side pocket for the kids ipad, the second day. Overall, I won’t be traveling without our readybed. No more worrying about sleeping arrangements and when MM gets into a big girl bed she will have one too.
It’s been a busy week and we are preparing for our lives to stay busy until the end of the summer. I can’t wait to share all of it with you from state side.
Linking up to Butwhymummywhy for #littleloves
I hope you avoid the illnesses Jenny! Poor Buba and MM! 🙁 You look so gorgeous matched to your little lady – i bet she loves it too! 🙂 Have a brilliant weekend xxx
Thanks Emma. It was so fun going out for the day in our matching outfits. I loved it. And she kept pointing at my dress and hers, I think she loved it too.
Aw look at MM up hair! super cute! And the matching outfits…you guys are adorable.
Well done for escaping the illness this time round, although sorry that B suffered when you guys were away.
Hope you have a great weekend xx
I know I can’t believe how grown up and cute it is up now. It was so fun matching her and I can’t wait to get a few more together. I am making sure that I stay away as best I can from the kisses and germs. lol Have a great weekend too lovely.
How cute are you two in your matching dresses?! i must admit, I tend to wear the same colour of really bright jeans as my boys 🙂 Love the Readybed too. We travel a fair amount an that would be a perfect solution for my four year old who doesn’t really like a big single bed yet.
Thank you Rachel. That’s awesome matching your boys. I did that with B too. The Readybed was a savor for sure. So light and easy to throw in the carryon or put it on their back.
Those matching dresses are absolutely adorable – you both look so cute!!
I’m looking in to clean eating at the moment as well – just need to get motivated to prepare myself better with the food shopping etc
Hope you have a fantastic weekend lovely x
Thank you so much. We loved playing dress up. It’s hard but once you jump in not as hard as it looks. Thanks you too lovely.
Aww, thanks for mentioning my posts lovely… and for keeping my secret the last couple of months. So excited to be a five….!
And I absolutely LOVE you and MM in your matching dresses; so so cute! x
I am so excited for you too! Oh yes secret safe here if it were my own I am awful. Oh thank you so much. It was so fun dressing up together.
I absolutely adore that photo of you and MM in matching clothes!! Too cute.. On another note, how big has MM got? all of a sudden she looks like a little girl and not a baby?! How did that happen!!!
Hope you avoid the illness! So much of it going round lately! Have a lovely weekend xx
Thanks Anna Marie!!! I know I really can’t believe it. I feel like I went to France with a baby and came home with a little girl. Blows my mind away. Lol we had a great day of matching.
Aw love the picture of you both in matching clothes. Believe me having a 9 year old daughter this would never happen in our house. You sound like you had a wonderful trip to France despite the illness. Fingers crossed everyone is back to normal now xx
Yes on the mend. I know her day will come where she doesn’t want to match me either so I am making the most of it. Lol thanks hunny.
Oh those matching dresses!!! That is just the cutest thing ever!! Love MMs other little dresses too. She is really growing up, isn’t she? A lovely round up! #littleloves
Thank you Claire. She loves her dresses for sure. Girlie girl at heart. I know it’s making me sad how much she is changing lately.
:Oh your matching clothes are so cute.
I’m loving that ready bed. I’ve not seen a pump up/back pack version. Great idea, and could be useful for our camping trip rather than a massive sleeping bag.
Oh yes it would be amazing for camping!!!! Thank you so much we had fun dressing up together.
Oh my goodness, that you and your daughter can wear matching outfits is just the cutest thing EVER!!!! I adore putting my girls in matching party dresses, but if I could join in too that would be genius! (Although my poor son might feel a tad left out lol!) xx
Hahah it was great I loved it. Thank you. Yes my son did ask where was his? I couldn’t stop laughing. Hahaha
I adore that you and MM can get matching clothes! What a bonus that you aren’t tall. I secretly would love to match my kids! Those dresses are fabulous too! A few Little Lovers have mentioned ‘Suits’ so I think I may have to check it out. That warm chicken salad looks AHHH-MAZING!!!! xx
It was delicious. Thank you. Well it’s one advantage to be short and small. There are not many. Hahhaa oh yes Suits is great.
Seeing your little ones read is so exciting, I love it when kids love books. It sounds like you still made the most of your holiday but I hope those bugs go away asap. Have a lovely week xx
Thanks Alice. Yes I am glad my two love reading. Bugs are finally taking a hike.
MM is so blooming gorgeous – especially as a little Mommy – you two in your matching clothes!! Cuteness overload. Have a lovely weekend xx
Thank you. We absolutely loved matching she was squealing. It was so funny. She is a cutie pie with her pigtails makes her look older.
The matching dresses are amazing Jenny- you both look beautiful. And Missy Moo looks gorgeous in her pigtails and really suits blue too. I hope everyone is better in your house now. xx
Thanks Katie. We loved the dresses. It was great to be matching for the day. We are loving her pigtails too. Makes her look so grown up.
How cute do you two look in your matching outfits, so sweet. I love the ready bed, it looks fab. What a great idea!
Don’t blame you for getting the holidays in before being tied to the school breaks. It drives me crazy how the price of flights can differ by almost £500 within the space of a few days because of when the school holidays are xx
I know I couldn’t believe it when I heard that. Schools up here are starting to stagger holidays so they are not all at the same time. Harder for travel companies then to know when to up it. Hope all schools follow suit. Hahaha
Matching dresses are cute! I got a lovely skirt in the kids section the other week! Your food posts are just fab, very appetising! MM’s bunches are adorable!! xxx
Thanks Natalie. I love that the English call them bunches. hahaha I am loving our matching wardrobe. Can’t wait to get a few more.
You and MM look adorable in your matching outfits! I fit into the older kids range at H&M,, though I don;t think my N would be too impressed if I wore the same outfits as her! haha xx
Oh you should do it for a laugh. She might love it you never know. hahaha At least being short has one advantage there are not many!!! lol Thanks hunny.
I can’t believe you get to wear 16-year-old clothes! Must save you a fortune and no chance you’ll ever look old! That photo of you and your mini-me is fabulous! Keeping working the matching outfits! #littleloves x
The outfits are gorgeous.
Thank you so much.
Great info. Lucky me I recently found your blog by accident (stumbleupon).
I’ve book-marked it for later!