Hearts, oils and yoga.

As Dave has pointed out, hearts have become become more prominent around the house and are seeping into my wardrobe! I couldn't resist this cropped sweat top at just £4.50 in Primark! Perfect for comfortable evenings in the house!

It may subconsciously have something to do with me trying to calm our home and lives a bit right now. Our home can sometimes be a stressful place to be what with Megan's ASD outbursts due to the many changes that are happening at present, I'm working towards all possible ways of changing that.

Last nights sleep was one of the best that I have had in such a long time. I soaked in a Radox bath to which I had added six drops of lavender oil. I  am in need of a new oil burner so instead, I put five drops of lavender onto some cotton wool next to my bed. After reading for fifteen minutes (that's all I could manage!), I switched off the light and almost instantly fell asleep. I cannot remember the last time that I slept until the alarm went off.

Before I got out of bed this morning, I swapped the lavender with five drops of sweet orange oil, for it's uplifting scent. My mood has been very low this last couple of weeks and I am doing all that I can to start the day in the best possible way. 

I also used the same routine on my daughter last night. She gets very anxious, finds mornings difficult and can be very confrontational.  As she starts high school in September (eleven seems so young) and she will have a lot more to cope with in a day, I am hoping that starting this routine now will be of some help.

I have also ordered a new yoga mat and am looking forward to starting some restorative yoga as soon as it arrives.  At a wedding the other weekend, I was talking to a friend of Dave's who is a yoga instructor.  She suggested that I use restorative yoga as a time to actually stop in the day, help with my fibromyalgia symptoms and body image problems. Before the fibro really kicked in, I was a regular at Pilates and had used yoga to help get back in shape after the birth of my daughter.  I have been frustrated at my inability to work out at the level that I am used to and the effect it has had on my body. I have never tried restorative yoga, but am looking forward to using it as a starting point to accept my situation, become more at peace with myself, help repair my body and move forward.

Have you made any changes to make your family life calmer or to improve you health and thoughts? I'd be interested to hear from you.

Amy-Louise

xx

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy, Styled Like A Rockstar, Because Shanna Said So, The Tiny Heart, Penniless Socialite, Happy kids inc, Her and Nicole. 

Weekend round up

This weekend was about spending as much time on the sofa as possible! This doesn't often happen as our weekends are usually spent rushing around trying to fit as much as possible in or away. 

We weren't completely lazy, just as much as possible!  Megan was off school Friday as her hay-fever was really affecting her eyes and throat plus my legs and arms were painful, so it was a day spent in the house doing nothing apart from a visit from my sister and niece...well three visit as my nephews had to pop in on their way home from school. They just love their Auntie Amy so much!

 Saturday, we lazed around a bit, then Dave took Megan to dance so that I could have a late shower and watch the kick off of the British & Irish Lions V Australia rugby match. After a Lions won ( just) and a spot of lunch, we dropped Megan to watch the preview screening of Despicable Me 2 (so jealous) and we watched Man of Steel - so good! 

The rest of the day was spent on the sofa watching TV apart from making spaghetti  bolognese. After Megan had gone to bed we decided to watch The Americans, after hearing great reviews. We are now going to try and catch up with three more episodes so that we are up to date by Saturday!

Sunday morning was lazy as I was still in pain especially with my legs. We had a Sunday roast with my grandad but then spent most of the afternoon on the sofa watching athletics, rugby and see kids TV. Megan made us a Spanish fritatta for dinner (that she had learnt how to make in school cooking classes), which was delicious and once she was in bed we watched The White Queen which I  loving!

I especially, never watch this much television but this weekend I thoroughly enjoyed and needed it. The weather hasn't exactly been great, wet and very windy, therefore it was the perfect excuse! I was happy to see the first of my  newly planted bulbs flowering andy ever faithful rose :) Now if the sun will only be as kind! 

Amy-Louise

  xx

Linking up with Sami and LeAnn

High Five For Friday

1. This is the perfect tee for how I've felt a lot of this week! 

2. I've cooked up some lazy dinners this week. They've turned out pretty tasty though and on the whole I've manage to keep it relatively clean.  Dave also made us a lovely anniversary meal, steak with peppercorn and brandy sauce, which I devoured before I took a picture!

3. We've been looking after my parents cats this week whilst they are on holiday. They only live around the corner which means that I've been able to chill at theirs for a bit on my days off. 

4. Catching the British Lions rugby tour in Australia at every opportunity :) I'm Welsh, it's in my blood and I can't help it!! ;) 

5. Planning / buying birthday presents for all the girls in my family which are all during the next month! Started with my Aunt on Monday, my sister this Sunday, then my Mum, Megan and my niece!! 

Megan has also taken a fancy to this Despicable Me birthday cake made by my sisters friend!! I have to admit I would love it for my birthday also!

How's your week been? I'm looking forward to a nice, quiet weekend and hopefully a bit more oomph about me next week!!

Amy-Louise

xx

linking up with Lauren Elizabeth

Friday Favourites

It's a very wet, cold and windy Friday here in Cardiff today. Summer feels as though it's long gone although I hope it perks up a bit as we have a wedding to go to tomorrow and it doesn't look as though I'll be wearing my outfit of choice! 

In a bid to brighten things up a bit though here are my five highlights of the week!

1. Dear Harley and Megan, I love you both dearly but why every time that I get in the bath for a soak do you decide that it's time for a chat or some attention! You're both incredibly cute but you ignored me all evening as you were too busy or sleeping, yet me closing the bathroom door is a magnet for cries of "mummy" or meowing!! 

Similarly Harley, when I call you in at bedtime it means that I want to sleep, not spend the next 45 minutes chasing the field mouse that you've caught me as a 'present' around the living room and under the sofas! I am glad that you are feeling better though after your trip p the vets this week. 

2. Dear Rheumatologist, thank you for giving us some good news amongst the not so good this week.  It is good to know that we now have a choice about somethings now.

3. Dear Tyler, thank you for taking me for a midweek lunch to Las Iguanas on Wednesday.  Who doesn't love a cocktail with lunch aswell!?! It was a welcome distraction during this week.

4. Dear Terra Nova figurehead, you've fed the history geek in me this week. I was so excited to see your arrival at work.  You are beautiful and the perfect way to mark the centenary today of your ship returning to Cardiff.

 For the non-history geeks here, the Terra Nova was Captain Scott's ship on his expedition to the Antarctic, which left Cardiff in June 1910.  It saw Scott and his crew perish in February 1913 and on the 14th June 1913, the ship was returned here. You can read more here.

5. Dear Dave, what can I say, this Sunday we have made it a year! It has been a life changing twelve months and I am so glad that we found each other. Thank you for supporting me again through this difficult week and loving me more than I thought you possibly could. 

I hope you've all had a good week and the weather allows you a great weekend! See you next week.

Amy-Louise

xx

linking up with Lauren Elizabeth, The Sweet Season

Photo dressing

As I mentioned Monday, on Saturday we went to have some family photographs professionally taken. I didn't want to wear anything too high fashion as I don't want the photos to age too much in years to come. I decided to shop my wardrobe and actually got around to unpacking a box which has been in my spare room since I moved in a year and a half ago!  I was surprised to find that this Oli dress still fitted as I have had it for a few years.  I don't think that navy will ever age and the polka dots, ruffle and bow and the top just add something to it.  As the look was smart / casual, I opted for these gold sandals from Next, teamed with my Michael Kors watch, Peacocks earrings and my favourite Jackdaw ring.  Jackdaw is the creation of my school friend, Christina and you can find the exact ring on her Etsy shop here.  Whilst you are there take a look at the rest of her range, I am sure you will love it as much as I do!

These photos weren't take until early evening on Saturday.  I had planned to take them in the afternoon, but the vino, chat and bbq took over and the sun was getting low by the time we got around to sneaking off to take them! Megan got suspicious however and managed to find us on Dave's parent's porch.  She decided to join in and that we should have some silly photos aswell!

Amy-Louise

xx

linking up with Shanna, The Pleated Poppy, Style Elixir, Whatever Works Wednesday,Watcha Wearing Wednesday, Happy Kids, Inc., Favorite Fashion Friday

Blissful, sunny weekends

This weekend we headed to Ashton Court Estate in Bristol for a photo shoot with Dave's family. I've been here once before with Megan, a friend and his girls and we enjoyed a walk in the grounds on New Year's Day. The girls love the deer that inhabit the vast grounds but on that occasion it was very cold.  Saturday however was a beautifully sunny day, if a little breezy, which in actual fact made taking the photos a bit more tricky. I'm hoping I'm not looking too windswept when we are able to view them but my hair was blowing all over the place! Megan of course was the star of the show and I'm looking forward to seeing the final result.  I will be sharing the outfit I wore on Wednesday :)

We then decided to stay at Dave's parents house. They had friends visiting and lit up the BBQ, so we enjoyed a lovely evening talking, eating and enjoying a few lovely glasses of wine. I didn't want to leave as they live in the countryside where it is blissfully quiet. Alas, leave we must...until next weekend.

I hope you all enjoyed the sun this weekend.

Amy- Louise

xx

Linking up with LeAnn and Sami

The sun has got it's hat on & it's Friday!!

Hello lovelies, what a beautiful day! What's more, it's a beautiful Friday and I am off work! resulting in lots of smiles (not for Megan however who is most miffed at being sent through the door to school!).  

So here are my High Fives For Friday...

1. Coffee & cake with friends is definitely the best!  Back to 'the village' for tea and gluten free cake with my Whitchurch pal :)

2. Family catch ups and motorsport is most definitely a winning combination. See my post from Wednesday here.

3. New hair.

please try to ignore how ridiculously huge my hands look and that I have no makeup on apart from lippy!

4. My sister getting out of hospital in time for the weekend. The poor thing has been in with pneumonia. Yes. In June. 

5. Only 10 weeks until our holiday to Portugal. Not that I'm counting but today marks 9 weeks, 6 days!

source 

I hope that you've all had a lovely week and are able to enjoy Friday and the weekend.  I have a couple of articles to write for publication next week, but will be doing so sat in the sun I think :)

Amy-Louise

xx

linking up with Lauren Elizabeth

Mundane Midweek

I love Charlotte's new link up, Mundane Midweek.  I now no longer have to worry about how average my weekdays can sound in a post as they will have a purpose!  Soo...

source

Yesterday I should have been in work, however late Tuesday night as I was soaking in a hot bubble bath, Megan uttered those dreaded words..."Muummmm, I've been sick in my bed". So there went the night's sleep I'd been longing for and preceded a day at home (cue early morning text to boss saying I can't come in), on the sofa whilst the sun was gloriously shining outside.  Thankfully the little missy wasn't sick again yesterday but in between forcing fluids down her I washed load after load of washing.  To be fair, I was glad of the opportunity that hanging said washing on the line gave me to step out into the sun - desperate times I tell you!  Ironing the line-dried washing was just a step too far though, it now sits in the spare room awaiting a rainy day.

After being forced to listen / watch more Little Mix interviews and videos, I escaped to the bathroom to clean it and then the kitchen.  My friend popped in after the school pick up and I can always rely on her to tell me how rubbish / tired I look haha! Best get that makeup on before Dave gets home then!  Dave phoned on his way home from work and sounded stressed, so like any good girlfriend I checked there was a cold beer in the fridge for him.  He arrived home to me, hair not done (although I had managed to put some primer on my face - that was it though), house like a Chinese laundry and me wearing rubber gloves!  It wasn't my sexiest of days.  

After dinner, ironing work clothes for today and watching a bit of television bed called me.  Exciting day huh??

Link up with Charlotte's Web and share your Mundane Midweek, as much as I love the fun stuff, we all have them!

Amy-Louise

xx

Random happenings

Our weekend kicked off early last week as Dave and I went to Cardiff Bay for dinner on Thursday night. Megan was sleeping over her friends as it was half term so we made the most of the sunny evening and headed to the Bayside Brasserie. 

This outfit was so comfortable and the jersey maxi was perfectly stretchy for over indulging on the amazing food! The chambray shirt was my bargain from New Look at only £5 in the sale! My whole outfit was from New Look apart from the beads and belt, which are from Dorothy Perkins. 

I loved our views across the bay from the restaurant. 

                    

So this weekend my cousin was in town filming the British Speedway GP for Eurosport. This is a big weekend in our family!  My grandparents met at speedway, my mother and aunt were brought up with it, resulting in my sister and I being brought up with it! One of my closest friends races and I even went into labour with Megan at the Millennium Stadium watching a GP. (Megan loves it that my parents told me I had hours to go yet, so they'd drop me to the stadium once the racing had finished!) My cousin then got a job presenting it for Sky Sports where he met her husband Scott. 

This year was the first that Scott wasn't racing in the British round of the World Championship Series and instead they were both at the stadium presenting live for Eurosport. 

I missed the live draw on Friday as it was half hour before I finished work, but managed to catch up with them in Starbucks for an hour before I headed home and they headed back to the stadium for filming duties.  The plan Saturday had been to watch the GP at home (a rare occurrence!) so that Megan could watch Sophie and Scott presenting on TV. That evening though, a friend of mine emailed to say that there were four tickets on the gate for me if I wanted to go! Bonus! Plans changed and happy daughter and nephew.

source

Saturday, we headed into town and to the fanzone. It is still strange to see family sat signing autographs for fans! 

source

We headed to the pub for a drink and to meet up with family.

And then to the stadium for the racing and indoor fireworks at the end.

If you have never watched a speedway meeting, I'd seriously recommend it. These guys are tough. There are no brakes on their bikes and their bodies take a hammering. One rider was even racing with a broken hand!! It is so much fun though and the kids especially had an amazing time. 

Sorry for the long mid-week post but I wanted to get it all down today! Hope that you have a wonderful Wednesday.

Amy-Louise

xx 

linking up with Shanna, The Pleated Poppy, Sharon