My life in My Alexa

Ok so just go with this post.
I LOVE posts about "what is in your handbag"
Always have. Always will. Particularly love fashion editor versions. LOVE.
Anyway. Bit bored tonight and avoiding doing my business plan for January-April. Yes I know. So decided to do my very own What Is In Your Bag. This is the god honest truth here. No additions of nice stuff. If that was the case, you would see my gold Prada coin purse and my YSL lippie.
The rundown.
Bag: Mulberry Alexa. LOVE LOVE LOVE this bag.
Book: self explanatory.
Ligloss: Benefit
Chocolate bar and mango slices c/o work lunch
Wallet: Paul Smith
Make Up Bag: Whistles
Prada key chain
Prada sunnies
Dr Haushka lip balm (next best to Creme de la Mer which I can't really justify the cost of)

So. What's in your bag? Tell!
xo
PS My bag also has a spare nappy and wipes. But I admit I left those out.

Maudlin Monday

So it's Monday and not much to report today, unless you wanna hear about all the gazillion spreadsheets I filled in today? Thought not.
But we had a pretty awesome weekend starting on Friday night DATE with my husband! We went to see this and laughed a lot. It seriously could have been our story up there. Just goes to show how we all fight about the same ol' stuff....and big props to our wonderful babysitters, who watched 5 hours straight up of Peppa Pig. Those girls deserve the world!

Saturday included a DAY OFF! At a SPA! With my BF! SHUT UP! Felt bad for just a minute as Meadow wanted to go swimming and had looked out her tiny swimsuit. Sorry baby girl!

It's true and it was so amaze I can't tell you! A massage here might just be the best thing in the world...

We also dived in to Liberty and I bought....toothpaste. Not just any old toothpaste. Oh no. Jasmin Mint toothpast which might just be the best toothpaste I ever tasted......

The rest of the weekend was spent hanging out with Miss M's bf Harry and his adorbs baby brother. Yes,that's right Meadow, run off and chase random dogs around the park. Go on. And while you are at it, in -1degree weather, take off your boots, coat AND hat. Go on. Yip. Trip to park abandoned approx 2 seconds after this photo was snapped.

And meet my new scarf from my fave whistles i LOVE you (ignore the messy desk) and our newest family member. Penelope the Dashund (picture)

Hope you all had an exciting weekend filled of massages and err jasmin toothpaste. Seriously- go buy some now. Go on. Right now.

Seeing Stars

We love stars. Especially on our tights!
Actually Meadow just loves tights. End of.
And tries really hard to wear just tights.
Nothing else.
Isn't it just the best, being 2?
Where you would happily leave the god damn house in nowt but tights, messy hair and a smile :)

xo

Tuesday-Saturday

Hold up!
Tuesday! But posting Saturday's events? It is the way forward. Re live the weekend!
This Saturday was quite monumental because...The Daddy accompanied us on our Saturday jaunt to Chichester! Woop de woop! And he was ill (yep he is looking a tad under the weather in the pic now I see it) and still he made it round the shops, and did not complain even when I stood for ten minutes straight debating if I should get this (I didn't)

I straight up did a happy dance in Chichester town centre when I saw "Bills" has set up shop! I LOVE BILLS! Bill does the best ever brunch! Eggs Benedict? Waffles? Pancakes? Get in my tummy.

Stood outside my fave antique store....and no didn't go in as a) I felt stupid having stood outside for 20 minutes instructing Rich how to take my photo. Not up! Shoot DOWN dude! No double chin!!) and b) I am broke broke broke!

No moaning today my sweet readers, no moaning. And believe me I could but today am taking the high road, looking after my husband who has Novo virus, and off to tell my sweet child, yes it IS bed time, and of course I will read Mr Men The Christmas Special again! Duh!

XO

Spring

This weekend has felt like Spring. Snowdrops are out, sun was shining and I can just feel the lift in the air. Look at Miss M! Spring-tastic! Demonstrating my point oh-so-well. I do indeed have a catalogue of pics from this weekend but unfortunately my card reader has once and for all died. So you will have to see them tomorrow! I promise....

When I was out running yesterday (with Beagle Boy who tripped me up zero times YAY) I was thinking about blogging and how personal it is. Depending on how far you take it. A few of the well knowns, Rockstar, Cup of Jo etc, kind of blog about life but then when you dissect it, they really don't at all. Know what I mean? And there is a reason for that. Who wants to hear people whining about the shittier aspects of their life? Bake a cake instead! But when I chat with my real friends, we all have the same relationship/work/child problems (ish) maybe a few variations on a theme, but the one thing we agree on is life is HARD! And also that it is what you make it. And I am caught between blogging about real life or blogging about the best bits????? 

How do you decide?

I read once that you should never complain about your partner to anyone, that it's one of the routes to a successful marriage. But where is the FUN in not sharing with your girlfriends the fact that your husband had a major meltdown at 7am about why he always empties out the bin, on the day where you had a HUGELY important work meeting, and was also smack bam in the middle of debating why you must wear a skirt with tights to your 2 year old, and brushing your teeth and packing your bag??

Can that be shared on a blog? Maybe the blog entitled "my husband is like a four year old who dropped his ice cream" blog, or "I am better than this!!!"blog . Maybe it's riskier, as family read it, or ex boyfriends or crazy ex girlfriends but then at least I am achieving what I set out to do, which is record life! Share! And actually this whole post has made me realise I want to do both. So be prepared :)

xo

What they don't tell you

OK so it's Valentine's Day! Woot woot.
But if you want V Day pics then go to my instagram - karenrmogford
If you want polka dots and whinging about child rearing.
Stay here.
Still obsessing over dots and bought a new sweater which goes mightily fine with all of my polka tights :)
Anyway. What they don't tell you.
Raising a child is the hardest goddamn thing ever.
Which you so wouldn't pick up from most of The Mummy Blogs.They visit the cutest coffee shops all day eating cupcakes, discussing fashion, and taking pictures of themselves (seriously who would do that:)Well.  A child is a blessing and the most wonderful thing that can happen to you and don't get me wrong. I know it.
But here is a short list (which may turn in to a long list) of the Not So Great Things You Don't Hear About On The Mummy Blogs.

1. Toddlers. They like to climb. And not just on sofas/tables/kitchen work surfaces/stairs. On No. They like to climb, best of all, on YOU. Elbow in the eye. Tiny finger in your eyelid/ear/nose with razor sharp nails no matter how often you cut the damn things. Pull your hair. Whack your nose. Pinch your arms. And the worst - PULL at your clothes. Ughh.
2. They want what you have. Every time. Share that cake Mama, share that cake.
3. They demand your attention in a super NOW NOW NOW way the minute you answer the phone/door/go for a wee
4. They grab the single most dangerous item on the table they can. Chopping carrots and need to get some more from the fridge? BAM. Knife gonzo.
5. They always always catch on that one opportunity when you leave your brand new Nars lipstick out. Hello red!
6. They lie on the floor and scream for another chocolate button. Seriously. GET UP
7. Another story Mummy. 12 million is not enough
8. Another story Mummy
9. No. Won't. No. Don't want to. No. No. Mummy I Said No.
10. They have more energy at 8pm than I have all day. GO TO SLEEP YOU LITTLE....

They are the biggest blessing ever. Just in case you hadn't heard :)

xo

Weekend Wonderings

So this weekend has been sort of nondescript really, and on thinking back I am struggling to tell you anything fun or insightful! (Except for taking Meadow to see Dr Seuss 3D at the cinema, and she broke her glasses within like the first 10 minutes and for the rest of the film, clambered over seats and ate god-knows-how-old popcorn off the floor)
So instead I have a random assortment of my thoughts on film...

First of all, how much my babies are growing! Miss M on the swings in the summer is just such a baba and now is looking so much more like a little girl (ok except for her dummy but hell, she looks sweet as sugar)
 The Beagle too has tripled in size or more and is entering a dog teenage phase and tries his best to wreck our house...but is such a sweet boy. He has started coming running with me and so far only tripped me up once which I think is pretty decent going....
A pick of me and Rich on our first holiday together HOW YOUNG do we look? And it was only 4 years ago!!!! What the what? Kids, they AGE you!
Snoopy, my very bestest childhood toy, was sent down by my Dad from Scotland as he was having a clear out...and Snoopy the tiny bugger has not aged one bit since the day we became friends in 1981. Bah!
One of my oldest friends was reminding me of our clubbing days and it seems like a lifetime ago! Out meeting random boys? Oh My God that is just so so far out of my perspective now it makes my head spin thinking about it!
I am just starting to really think about aging and time and how there is so much I need to pack in. It would be so good to be free of the 9-5 and to travel and see the world while we are young. I just need to figure out the how.
Any good entrepreneurial ideas??

 XO

Bakehouse Beauty

So I am all about listening to my readers!
You ask for beauty? I give you beauty! My beauty shots, however, were somewhat hindered by a tiny person "helping" (See tiny foot shot above)
But I digress.
First up!
My exfoliator. Decleor Aroma Cleanse (get similar on Amazon)
My moisturiser by Green People (LOVE)
My go-to for being a tired Mama, Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (and yes it has puncture holes in the £29 bottle as The Beagle got his sharp little baby teeth all over it and so leaks)
My most favourite new product Bright Here Bright Now instant radiance energy balm. I slap it all over and look 22 (!). Seriously love this stuff.
My self tan is the gorgeous Xen-Tan which is worth every penny as it smells like vanilla.

Next up is my daily make-up fave's.
I adore anything Nars you seriously cannot go wrong with this line.
Chanel brushes and bronzer.
Now. Mascara. I am such a mascara whore. But I seriously cannot find one to beat YSL Shocking. Thick lashes, tick, no clumping, tick, glossy black, tick...you get the picture. I did read a blog recently proclaiming Loreal Million Lashes to be da bomb. It's not.

Well I think I have kinda covered the basics! Any amazeballs mascara finds, girls, let me know!!

I am off to bed as it has been a long day, that started with me ripping my ankle to shreds on my morning run (bramble tangle. bramble won) The Beagle ripping my tights, Meadow wiping her yoghurt covered hands on my dress, and a bill for £1800 from the electrician.....

Come on the weekend xo

Small Sunday

So it's a little view of our Sunday. Naps (not me of course) Crying. Playing. Lots of playing! Meadow is really imaginative and has been making up stories, and hosting tea parties in her teepee!

But today I have generally had a feeling that my life is good, and sometimes it's great, but it is a small life, and seems just oh so repetitive sometimes...always?

Maybe it's just having a small child, and yes,  I read too many blogs where the women don't work, but still seem to enjoy 'dates' with their husbands that look and sound SO romantic and their men seem SO nice and thoughtful and loving....(Yes you Rockstar Diaries :) I sure have not hit the jackpot on that one...although maybe someone who is more closed off and practical in the way that they show they care, than demonstratively loving and emotionally supportive is just as important in its own special way. My husband would never dream of hiring a babysitter and organising a special evening. But he would paint the bedroom wall (that I have been whinging about) when I am out and he would tidy up the house before I came in from work ....all little ways to show he cares.
What do you think?
XO