Reasons to be Cheerful : Marching on #R2BC

Normally I would have handed the hosting reins back to Ojo's World but she is having a break this month so has left the linky with me! Hopefully I will continue to look after it well.. We need to share the love a bit more and get more folks joining in with this mood lifting linky. Please share and join in this week. My own reasons to be cheerful this week are:
1) Blast from the past
Inspired by my old Guide blanket I have started a macrame owl kit:

It is really satisfying to re-learn a forgotten skill and to see how it grows. Those half hitches are satisfying to conquer! When finished I will blog more about it...

2) Marshalling at Parkrun

I don't often get to volunteer at our Parkrun as I have to find another responsible adult to run with my son. Luckily the regulars are all very friendly and I know which ones run the course in a similar time to him! So on Saturday I was on of the team of marshals on a very cold day at Fell Foot. It is such a pleasure to be able to encourage people with a comment or a wave. I even had a chance to take plenty of photographs too. This is my son on his way to 16th male position in the event:

3) Winter Run

I have already blogged about my trip to Manchester for the race. There were so many reasons to smile about the day including: 

• meeting other mummy runners
• the atmosphere
• my finish time
• the support from my daughter

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Reasons to be cheerful.... plenty of smiles #R2BC

Only 12 hours later than usual to get my reasons to be cheerful post up! I enjoyed reading all your entries last week and hope more folks will join in again this week. Here are my reasons to be cheerful this week:
1) Thinking Day
I was official photographer for our district Thinking Day celebrations. Fabulous to be part of the worldwide Guiding celebrations alongside my daughter who is a Guide:

2) Time with my family

My son took this shot of my smile after our ramble last week. It shows how happy I was to be out and about with my family:

3) Proud Mummy

Reasons to be Cheerful Week 21- 2014 #R2BC

My last week a host as its back to the lovely Jo for June. Thanks everyone for joining in this month and I will see you back here in July! Here are the things that made me cheerful this week:

1) School Holidays

We are all off for the week, no alarms, school runs... bliss. It makes such a difference being able to do things at our own pace. Popping into town if we want to or just chilling at home. We haven't as yet even left Kendal its been so laid back:

2) Running with my son

It's hard for me to train for running when the children are at home. This week I took my son on a nearly 5 km run in preparation for our 5.7 km event in 2 weeks time. He did well once he had drunk all the water and got his energy levels up! I reckon he will complete the race and we should still be faster than I was last year:

3) Enjoying the garden

After all my work on Monday we have been making the most of the good weather to be in as much as possible. This was children enjoying a boogie to Steeleye Span on Monday night:

Hope that made you smile! Please join in and share your happy things with us:


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Reasons to be Cheerful Week 11 #R2BC

Doesn't time fly when you are having fun and its time to share our reasons to be cheerful again. Really hope that the lovely weather we have been having in the UK brings everyone out in a rash of smiles! Here are my reasons to be cheerful this week:

1) Friends

When I was expecting my daughter back in 2003 I joined an iVillage ante natal group and met a fabulous group of mums to be who were all due between October and December 2003. We supported each other through pregnancy and babies. I met a few southerly ones whilst our babies were tiny but as we were spread across the UK some where just too far away. A few of us have a group on Facebook where we can chat and get support or just let off steam. 

Last Friday I finally managed to meet up with 2 of the other mums when I travelled down to Wigan for a party. It was strange but it felt great to meet 2 women I have known for nearly 11 years but never seen in person. Our children clicked very quickly too so it made it a very enjoyable evening. Really hope to see more of them.

2) 40 Bags in 40 Days

Instead of giving things like chocolate up for Lent I'm giving up clutter! I signed up for the 40 bags in 40 days challenge. This means that every day I have to chuck out or give away the equivalent of one bag of stuff I don't need. It's quite therapeutic but manageable as its not vast. One area I did was my recipe book shelves:

What I will miss about working..

The lovely schools I visit

Making people happy by fixing their computers or answering their questions

Adult conversation

Variety of day with a rota of schools

Travelling to some of the nice village in East Sussex

Doing my bit to help kids