Reasons to be Cheerful: Appreciation, Lake District and gardening #R2BC

Is it Thursday already? Doesn't seem like 2 minutes since the last link up! I will have to be more organised next week when I am back in charge.... Here are my reasons to be cheerful this week:
1) Feeling appreciated
Whilst its sad my contract came to an end at the lovely school I have been at since December it was lovely to be shown how much the children and staff appreciated me:

2) A still and sunny Fell Foot

After the previous week's wind and snow it was heavenly running at our parkrun this week:

3) Gardening

#CountryKids Fell Running Association Junior Championships Todd Cragg

This Sunday saw the opening race for this year's Fell Running Association Junior Championships at Ambleside. My son hadn't taken part in previous years so he decided to give it a go this year. All the races had to cross the historic Miller Bridge from Rothay Park:

There were 6 different age categories and each route was well marked and marshalled. My son and I walked his route so he knew where he was going and I could choose from filming locations.  The under 9 race (for 6 years and over) was just for 1 km and they went up the tarmac hill and back down again:

I captured their race from a few 100 metres below their turn. There were some scary speeds as they raced back down past me:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Proud Mum, Geekiness and Simple Things #R2BC

Its hard to believe how quickly March is disappearing! Here in Cumbria we only have one week left of term before the Easter break. I have to say I am looking forward to relaxing a bit with no school rush or juggling all my work commitments. That said there has been plenty to smile about this week:
1) Drama Queen
My daughter was in her school's drama showcase. First of all she was the Mad Hatter in a scene performed by the year 7-9 students. Then she was part of the GCSE drama group who put on Teechers in which they all played multiple roles:

2) Geek Heaven

Someone in parenting group shared a link to The Institution of Engineering and Technology where you could order engineering posters for secondary or primary level. Having a son who loves this kind of thing I ordered both packs... He is in heaven having his bed surrounded by the posters with complex mathematical equations above his pillow:

3) The Simple Things

A rare sight occurred this week (something to do with not much work!) as I discovered that my laundry basket does indeed have a bottom:

So short and sweet this week but its kept us all smiling! I will be joining in the Michelle and linking up.

Kendal Fun Day #HappyKendal

Our local leisure centre and community groups laid on a free Family Fun Day this Sunday. There were all sorts of activities for both body and mind. Coincidentally there were some martial arts experts visiting from Switzerland so we got a nunchuck demonstration before my son had a go at table tennis:

He was at his happiest practising his football skills with some friends from school:

Then for a different challenge they tried some basketball (but using the football):

There were also crafting and music making activities but these didn't appeal to him... He nearly went on the bouncy slide but in the end decided against it.

Hopefully the event was such a success that it will be repeated next year. Then we hope that there won't be snow and there will be more taking place on the field outside too...

#CountryKids Sledging in Kendal

Kendal was right on the edge of the Beast from the East part 2 and we just about got some snow on Saturday night:

On Sunday morning the fell race he should have been running in was cancelled as there was too much snow and very strong winds in the hills. So he decided he wanted to go sledging instead. As his had died during the last snow:

Oops this is now an ex sledge!

A post shared by Becky Willoughby (@lakessinglemum) on Mar 1, 2018 at 10:37am PST

I had to rummage in the shed for the unused inflatable sledge we had been sent as a back up to a review 6 years ago:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Body Confidence and Makeover #R2BC

My latest win was a Burlesque photo shoot at Andrew Wood Photography in Manchester. This was a chance to be primped and pampered and get some body confidence. Regular readers will know that this is my normal look:

At the studio I was asked what sort of make up I would like and then she set to work (a big job in my case!). This was a half way stage bathroom selfie:

The final look with curled hair and what seemed like half a tonne of foundation and a selfie using the make up mirror:

#CountryKids More Parkour in Kendal

My son has been desperate to film more parkour videos but fell racing had taken over! So this week on two occasions that we out and about in Kendal he got some more practice in whilst I filmed in. I have to say he has improved a lot since his first sessions and is getting a lot braver (he has asked for elbow and knee pads for protection!). 

His first session was outside Kendal's County Hall after a dentist appointment. Here he is mid leap:

Then after a Mother's Day lunch out he found loads of places to leap off his 3 course dinner:

I am glad that he chooses to do the parkour in safe enough spots and always checks out whether the height and distance are feasible! I am sure that as he becomes a more confident free runner there will be some bumps and scrapes though... Here is the final video:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Time to Talk about Mental Health #TimeToTalk #R2BC

This is a very special Reasons to be Cheerful from an extremely proud mum! Very happy to be joining in with Michelle this week. I have one very big reason and all its about my daughter and her campaigning for adequate mental health provision for young people in our area. She had approached our MP Tim Farron about the fact that provision was only 9-5 Monday to Friday and he had campaigned to get this improved. 
As part of the campaign my daughter agreed to be interviewed by BBC North West and they sent a reporter and cameraman to talk to her:

A post shared by Becky Willoughby (@lakessinglemum) on Mar 7, 2018 at 11:15am PST

The Westmorland Gazette had interviewed me before the news broke of improvements being implemented increasing the hours of services for young people. It is still not enough as it will only be 9-1 at the weekend! They spoke to and photographed my daughter to get her reaction too:

I am so proud of my girl for standing up and talking about something that is often kept behind closed doors. If more people spoke about it then maybe more would be done? I am also pleased that the campaign has had some success but it is still a work in progress to improve mental health provision for young people (and adults) not only in South Lakeland but across the country!

Kendal Winter League Cunswick Fell Race

After all the snow and chaos it was a relief that the latest fell race went ahead at Cunswick just outside Kendal. My son and I arrived in plenty of time to walk the course:

The run has some interesting obstacles with a squeeze stile:

And a very icy stone stile:

The under 13 route was the only one that went up on the public footpaths across Kendal Golf Club:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Proud mum, parkrun, hair cut and snow #R2BC

A new month means a new host so its back to Michelle! Please pop over to her blog and say hello. I am writing this as the snow is gently falling as Kendal seems to have (so far) avoided the full impact of the Beast from the East or Storm Emma. Here are my reasons to be cheerful for this week:
1) Proud Mum
My son went to the last Sportshall competition in Blackpool with gramps this Sunday. He finally achieved his first place in the chest push by equalling his PB of 6.75 m! He had to return his club under 11 trophy this week and if he got his maths right then he may have won it again thanks to that 1st place (we have to wait to see!):

2) Sunny parkrun

It was just beautiful down at Fell Foot on Saturday. Although it was so cold my legs were still not warm after 5 km! I took a head cam video of the route which hopefully shows you how beautiful it is:

After running I took this shot from the end of the jetty:

3) Hair cut

I hadn't had my hair cut since September (shock horror!) so I finally got round to booking myself in to get tidied up. I was advised that I might have an iron deficiency which is making my hair thinner so I am trying to take my vitamins to give me a boost: