Last updated on November 19th, 2023 at 12:37 am
Weekend, oh, how I have longed for you to get here. How I have begged the hours and days to pass where I can once again sleep in and not have to go out into the windy, dark, rainy school drops offs. The dark days didn’t help any of us get back on UK time last week at all and so it’s finally been a week and we have slowly got our routine back. However, our mojo still seems to be lacking. I can’t wait for spring and the lighter days to help with this. I even caught myself begging for snow which is rare people.
Many of you would have read last week’s #littleloves was full of Fresh Starts and new year’s goals/resolutions whatever it is you want to call the. While most people hate January, I love have an empty diary (for a moment) and to begin with a new page in the year. Plan out where we want the year to go and what we want to get out of it too as a family. I am ready to put more time aside for myself as the kids get older I think this is fair and necessary too. Not to do anything major but maybe read a bit more than I have in previous years and chill out. I was far to high strung in 2016. Bye, bye 2016. I won’t miss you.
In the midst of all the chaos of last year and horrific sadness it ended on I like to think I can pull myself off the floor and that positivity that’s in me can still shine. Especially when the house if full of fresh flowers… anything to make it feel like Spring sooner.
THIS WEEK I AM LOVING…
I have been reading nonstop this past few weeks. I started Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult that everyone is raving about. My mother-in-law let me borrow it. It is captivating from the start. I have always loved her books. I like diving into different genres of books from thrillers to family to adventure to sci-fantasy. It’s probably why I want to write a few books of my own one day in various genres. For those that don’t know, a few years ago I wrote a book called When Love & Culture Collide. It’s a chic-lit type novel for the beach or a good holiday read but my second book I have been working on is more sci-fantasy. I also have a second in the series after this one below. It’s hard to just pick one genre when I want to write so many different things. It’s also hard to find time to finish them all too with this blog/work/family/vlog etc.
I have been hearing a lot of, “I want to go back to America” from the kids. I hate when we first get back to UK and I hear them begging to go back to the US. It’s more to do with how much fun we have and it’s always nice weather for them and more to do with family for me but man, it pulls on the heart strings. It’s hard enough moving away, being away and visiting and leaving my family but to have the kids now at an age where they love being there too, it makes it even harder to come back each and every time. If we were in a position to move, we would but we won’t be for at least another good 5 years if not longer which is longer than we planned to stay in the UK. That’s hard to swallow but fine as we have a life here. But you ever hear of vacation blues I get those ten fold when I return, for about a week it last and then I get on with it. Suffering this week badly from them with this dark, cold snap too.
Have you watched my Christmas 2016 in America. We had such lovely weather and you can even see all the adventures we got up to including going to the largest Aquarium in the US for my birthday. I loved the dolphin show, it was amazing.
I have been living in my new crochet snood and suede pink jacket and silk top. I love pastels. No, I don’t care that it’s still winter out and everyone is still in their black attire. This is me, pink, white and grey are my wardrobe staples. I have paired these with grey skinny jeans too. (Need longer arms for a full selfie). I have been wearing my hair straight alot lately which someone commented the other day on. I find I go through moods where I have it wavy/curly everyday for months and then straight for months. It really throws people off, I love it. I keep thinking I need to change it but I have done the short bob hair and the dying it brown hair too. None of it works for me. Any suggestions?
It’s been all about crafts and painting in my house lately despite the fact that I am absolutely crap at it and doing it with the kids even worse. I can’t stand messy play or mess period so then I go into control freak mode while they are painting, crafting, gluing, cutting etc. But MM has this new passion for painting so much that’s all she wants to do. She puts her apron and gets her paints out and wants canvas instead of paper. I know, a painting diva has been born. But I am also loving watching her make things and be creative in her own way. She is very different from me in that perspective and it’s amazing to see. Although anyone know anywhere I can get cheap canvas for her to paint these get spendy and not many about?
I also made a birthday cake this past week. It’s not pretty but hey, it turned out delicious. I made it from sweet potatoes and flaxseed. Very healthy minus the sugar, I added which is what the hubby ordered for his celebrations. We had a great time celebrating. 
My hashtag community has been growing nonstop this past few months. I am absolutely loving everyone joining in with their zoomed in captures of life. It can be of your home, kids, food, fashion, beauty, landscape and travels. You name it, we share it. I also showcase my favorite #lifecloseup instagrammers here each week as well as a grid on my instagram tagging them in so others can find them and follow too. It’s such a lovely community to engage in and find support too for your feed. Come join us!
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Love that snood. Definitely keep rocking the pastels – I wish I could but they do not suit me whatsoever! It must be very hard indeed to hear the kids wishing to go back to the US…I hope things sort out for you sooner rather than later so that you can go back. Have you tried looking on eBay for canvases? I’m not sure if they will be any cheaper but you may be able to buy in bulk – I’ve done that for a lot of craft-type stuff. Hope you have a great weekend x #LittleLoves
Thanks lovely. Can’t beat a good snood. It’s the hardest to hear them begging for it or constantly asking when we are going next and can we go now. I wish! Ebay what a great idea for canvases. I try giving her thick card to paint but she likes to do canvases better. She is a true painter already at heart. lol Thanks for the idea to buy in bulk.
I started Small Great Things this week too!
Oh that cake looks amazing Jenny!!! Yummy.. The video of you Christmas is wonderful. Looks like you had an amazing time. Love the crochet snood. After todays weather I am so looking forward to spring! Have a wonderful weekend xx
I’m reading Small Great Things this week too! If you’re about, it’d be great to have you join in with my twitter book club chat about it on the 29th. It must be so hard on your return from America, getting back into routine etc. That cake actually looks yummy, and healthy too! Enjoy your weekend xx
I’ve read a lot about that book so hopefully I’ll read it one day. Glad you enjoyed America but it must be so hard coming back. Love the little diva artist! Could you reuse the canvases once she gets bored of old ones? Paint over them? Sorry I have no idea!
I love Jodi Picoult and can’t believe I hadn’t heard she had a new book out, so thanks for sharing! I didn’t realise you’d written a book, how exciting. I’d love to read it. The cake looks great and such an interesting recipe. Oh it must be so hard hearing them ask to go back when that’s where you want to be do, you do an amazing job and remaining positive. Have a great week x #LittleLoves
Oh honey I bet that is hard to hear from the littles, are you going back in the summer? That’s something nice to look forward to. That cake does look delicious. I hope you have a lovely weekend x
I’ve got that book on my list to download on my kindle. Got about a billion others to read first but might have to bypass them and make it top of my list, it sounds really good. I’ve been meaning to read yours for ages too, I do love an expat story.
It’s hard when the kids don’t stop saying they want to go back to see their family isn’t it, makes you feel even worse when you’re already missing home. Mine have been doing it since we got back, luckily my mum will be here next week so they don’t have to wait as long as they usually do to see her.
That cake looks so good! I don’t like sweet potatoes when they’re just cooked so I’ve never braved them in cake before. Need to start making some healthier recipes though so am thinking something like this might be a good place to start. Have a great weekend x
A sweet potato cake?! Wow Jenny, you’re amazing! It does look good, I would never have guessed. Sorry to hear that you’re suffering from post holiday blues. I can’t imagine what it’s like for you having to do that such a lot during the year, it must be a wrench to come back to the UK 🙁 We didn’t really get any snow to speak of, did you? Have a lovely weekend. xx
I have never heard of a sweet potato cake but it looks absolutely delicious. Hope your husband had a good birthday. My daughter is exactly the same as MM. She loves being creative and I have zero creativity so I have no idea where she gets it from. Have you tried Poundland for cheap canvas. Hope you have a nice weekend, and get some lie ins x
The weather we’ve had of late I can imagine it’s been a bit of a shock to the system to come back from all that sunshine! As for canvases, The Works is good, but also try Cass Art for some of their multipacks – the quality is nicer and the prices tend to be very good – that and Jacksons online are where John gets all his art materials
Oh hon it must be so hard having to adjust to coming back to a different country again and this weather certainly doesn’t help with the post-holiday blues, roll on spring that’s what I say! Hair-wise I’m not sure what to suggest if you’re not keen on dark or bobbed, although it does look lovely as it is. I feel your pain though as I have long blonde hair and have tried other colours/going shorter and it just doesn’t seem to suit me! Maybe splash out if you can on a consultation at a really good salon and see if they have any suggestions? I must admit I’m toying with ombre but I’m not sure if that will suit the blonde me! #LittleLoves
It’s sad that you miss home so much, coming back to a dark, wet and dismal UK must make it even harder. It will soon be Spring, I think I will take a leaf out of your book and get some flowers to cheer the house up this week. Places like The Works and poundland sell canvases cheap. That cake looks absolutely delicious I’ve never heard of sweet potato being used in cakes before. Hope you had a lovely weekend. #LittleLoves
I think the cake does look very pretty and very yummy for no sugar! It must be so hard coming home from America each time, when are you going again? xx
Every time you have a trip to the US I always think it must be so hard coming back. It’s wonderful that you have lives across two continents but so sad at the same time. That cake still looks amazing to me and I love your pastel style – you brighten up the dullest January day x
Oh thank you so much lovely. I love pastel for sure only on me I love the kids in vibrant bright colors. lol Definitely brightens the January blues away. It is hard but I try to hold on to how grateful I am to have two lives and the kids to be apart of them both. It’s still sad leaving home though.
What a great cake! I bet it tasted yummy too.
I love your pale pastel clothes, they suit you so much. I wish I could wear some things you do but they look rubbish on me, haha!
Hope you’re having a good week lovely xx
I’ve heard good things about Small Great Things. Finding time to read is on my ‘must do’ list this year, and this will be one of the first books I read hopefully.
I can imagine coming back after spending time with your family is super hard, I hope things have perked up for you now.
The birthday cake looks delicious! xxx #LittleLoves