Reasons to be Cheerful XXVII ( #R2BC )

I am pleased to be hosting this fabulous linky this week as Michelle continues her well earned break! It has really helped me to emphasise the positives in my life over the last few months. If you want to join in then please fill out the linky at the bottom.

Here are mine:

1) My car

It's back! There are still problems with it and looks like it will be goodbye to it soon but I am now independently mobile again. I have to thank so many people especially my parents for making lots of sacrifices to get the children and I to where we have needed to be for the last 2 weeks. My neighbour and a mum from school have also been so helpful. I was amazed at the number of people who offered me lifts and/or a loan car to get me through. Budget Tyres tried to work miracles for me and did things at cost/trade price to keep the final bill down. Just a shame the final fix would have been way too expensive...


this isn't a cheerful thing now as the intermittent fault happened way too often...

2) My daughter

On Saturday my daughter showed her business sense and made money for herself and charity painting nails at our church Advent fair. Not bad for an 8 year old and even the adults who had it done said she did a great job. Then we went on to help at a bridge tournament in memory of my granny and several people complimented myself and my mum on my daughter's behaviour and manners (so she can do it!).

3) My son

He is really coming on with his writing and reading at school which is great news. He is also very excited about being a sheep in the nativity! He may have a few wobbly moments but growing up fast.

4) Me

I have had quite a few unsolicited comments about how much slimmer I'm looking! Even my Job Centre adviser said I was looking like I'd lost weight ;-) So even if the scales aren't always going in the right direction I'm obviously doing something right!

5) Work

I have had some really good sales of books in the run up to Christmas and its always such a pleasure to see how many parents, grandparents and other relatives love to give Usborne books as presents. My final big event in the pre-Christmas push is the Staveley Winter Festival tomorrow. Here's hoping that I'll have even more reason to be cheerful after that!

Reasons to be Cheerful XXVII ( #R2BC )

One of my new Kendal mummy friends asked me this week why I always came across as optimistic which is a great compliment. I think this linky has really helped me to focus on the positive whatever else is going on in my life. Another guest host this week over at Bod for Tea to let Michelle have a well earned break! Back to my own reasons and here we go:


1) My Parents


I am so lucky that my parents live close by and are able to help me out in times of need. I have now had a week with no car (it is in the garage being mended) and my parents have very nobly stepped in to drive the children to all their activities (school, swimming etc.). This has caused them lots of disruption and I am oh so grateful.


2) Proud Mummy


Both my children have now brought home certificates from school for their good behaviour recently. My daughter for her enthusiasm in class and my son for being kind and helpful:

3) Amused Mummy


I've always told my children to say thank you to bus drivers etc when you get off their vehicles. As we got off the 555 from Staveley on Wednesday my 5 year old piped up:

Thank you driver. I like you. I love you

Needless to say the male driver's face was a picture at this and I couldn't help creasing up with laughter.

Then today my son was telling Gramps about what he has been doing at school. They have a dark tent in their classroom at the minute that they use torches in. Apparently my son chose a little girl from his class to play with on his turn in the tent.

Me: what did you play?

Son: Mummies and Daddies

Oh the joys of sweet and innocent 4 & 5 year olds!

4) Spoilt Mummy

Tonight my mum took me to Fellinis in Ambleside to see an encore performance of Phantom of the Opera 25th anniversary show. This was originally broadcast live from the Albert Hall to places like Fellinis and they have repeated it because it was so popular.

I'd never seen the show before and was completely blown away by the music and the singing. Current cast are fantastic and Sarah Brightman did an encore at the end accompanied by 4 very talented musical stars.

Reasons to be Cheerful XXIV (#R2BC)

Always a good way to spend my Thursday counting my blessings so thanks once again Michelle. Now its going to be an easy place to start this week:
1) Summer's finally here
OK well its strictly Autumn but we didn't get much of a summer up here in Cumbria. We were teased by a fabulous Easter and then some hot weather in May but the main summer holidays weren't fantastic! I am so glad I hadn't got around to packing away my summer clothes and I'm making the most of the sun whilst it lasts (though remembering to apply sun tan cream is a good idea!).

Sunflowers still going strong

2) The house
It may seem like a silly thing but the fact that the laundry isn't hanging around for days drying is making the house a lot less crowded. By doing a load a day (or even 3 yesterday!) and getting them on the line and getting them away the same day it seems a lot more manageable. The space now in the kitchen means that I've been able to get to the under stairs cupboard enough to sort out and can now shut the door!
3) My children
They both still seem happy in their new classes at school. My son is still keen on getting in to class in the morning. I had a lovely afternoon volunteering in his class when they go to Forest School. They go up to the top of the school grounds and have lots of fun in the little woodland and the open spaces. I'm looking forward to doing this every week. My daughter seems to be doing especially well in science and history (her favourite subjects!) and is looking forward to her first overnight school trip next week. She has planned her birthday sleep over for the following week down to the finest detail!
4) Kendal Passion Play
Last night I went with the children to the launch of A Passion For Kendal by Kendal Community Theatre. This is an exciting project that I am running the social media campaign for. My daughter was impressed on meeting his Worship the Mayor of Kendal:

Reasons to be Cheerful XXI (#R2BC)

The skies are grey and the rain may be falling much of the day but I still have plenty to smile about!
1) Holiday
I came back from a lovely relaxing time away with my parents and children in Sussex this Sunday. Whilst we were away my children often selected my parents for doing things with so I could take it easy. It was great to re-visit some of the places we loved when we lived in Sussex and to catch up with old friends too.

Dover Castle

2) Back to School
After what seemed like a lot longer than 6.5 weeks my children went to school yesterday. As much as I love them dearly having them at home all day together is not good for my blood pressure! For my son this is a new school and after one afternoon he seems very happy and excited about getting his first reading book today. My daughter has had more mixed feelings but I'm hoping things will settle down soon. With only a couple of hours of me time so far this week I've already made progress at sorting out the kitchen - wonder how long it will be before my new term resolutions are all completed?
3) Freebies!
Way back in March I did a sponsored post for Disney about Minnie's Bowtique (one of my most visited posts!). Yesterday I went to the post office to pick up a mystery parcel and it turned out to be some lovely back to school Disney goodies from the PR company. My children were dead chuffed with their surprise present and its definitely one of the pluses of doing sponsored blogposts! There is currently a sale on the products on the website if you want to treat your children.

Reasons to be Cheerful X (#R2BC)

Despite the fact I have a stinking cold I'm still feeling pretty up beat this week so here are the reasons why I am cheerful:
1) Mummy Pride
My daughter for the first time managed to swim a width non-stop using front crawl not once but twice during her lesson on Tuesday! Not sure if it was the incentive of a packet of Malteasers from her teacher for managing a non-stop swim or making sure she stays well ahead of her baby brother who is only one group below her. Whichever it was both she and I were very pleased with her achievement.

So keen she wore her hat and goggles to watch TV!

2) Mummy Love
My 4 year old son has declared that he will always be my baby and that he will live with me for the rest of his life. Can someone please remind him when he is a stroppy teenager what he has said now? 

My son the day he was born

3) Blogging
After the lack of decent posts in April and then the blogger issues last week my blog is back on form. I've obviously been writing more attractive posts or discussing the right issues as my viewing figures have rocketed. I had over 160 page hits yesterday alone!
4) Me
I'm beginning to really feel slimmer and healthier now and its not just the numbers on the scales each week. A month or so ago I was pleased with the fact that I could squeeze myself into a pair of size 14 jeans once again. Now those jeans are feeling much looser and some the belts could do with an extra tighter hole in them. 

Think I'll stop there and let you go and see what other people are happy about this week:

Reasons to be Cheerful VI

Not sure if the signs of Spring and all the new life and blue skies but it's certainly easier to find 3 reasons to be cheerful for Michelle's blog hop! For her post click on the logo, for everyone else check out the blog hop at the end.

1) People are starting to comment more and more about how much slimmer I look! So I not only have the proof of the scales and the looser clothes but out of the mouths of other people. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how I did this week ;-)


2) Today I had confirmation of the dates I am going with my kids and mum for our prize 3 night break in Mallorca! We will be flying off in a couple of months time - I am going to gloss over the fact that we have to be at Leeds-Bradford airport in time to catch a 7 AM flight... Can't wait to have my children experience their first ever flight and first trip out of the country (I haven't done either since my honeymoon in 2002!)


3) As I said in my intro it really does feel like Spring is on its way which makes me feel all positive and full of beans! The snow drops and croci are almost being replaced by daffodils as you can see the plants getting ready to flower. Around us in Kendal there are increasing numbers of little lambs enjoying the sunshine. This week it has even been good enough to take the kids to the playground after school. It may not last but it really has given me a boost...


What is making you feel cheerful this week? Write a post then join in the blog hop:

Reasons to be Cheerful III

I love Michelle's Reasons to be Cheerful prompt! It means that you are forced to find at least 3 things that have made you happy whatever else has happened during the week. Here are mine:

1. My blog has finally made it into the top 100 of the tots100 index. I have only just squeezed in at 94 but its a leap of 155 places and means the hard work is paying off!
   
2. I was able to catch up with lots of family and friends I haven't seen for up to 8 years this week as we gathered to say goodbye to my grandmother.
   
3. I am fitting back into my size 14 jeans without feeling squished!
   

For more reasons to be cheerful please check out the links below or click on the logo above: 

Reasons to be Cheerful II

This is a trickier post to do this time as lots of bad things have happened this last week so I guess I need to dig deep and find some positive things to say!

1. The amount of support I have been getting from family and friends over the last week has shown what a wonderful bunch of people they are.
   
2. More and more people keep telling me I have lovely, well behaved children - so I must be doing a great job as a mum
   
3. I have been getting lots of positive comments in real life about my new professional blogs Lakes' Mum's Tips and Kendal Family History Services