The Gallery!

Fitness!

Walking is one of the best forms of fitness. You could go for miles and not even realise it! Walking can be so peaceful and when you do walking like this, you're going to have a laugh!

I'm linking up this week with Tara and her lovely blog for The Gallery.

CupcakeMumma

The Gallery: 8pm

I haven't joined in The Gallery for ages but I thought I'd start joining in again as I do like to blog more but given the recent weather I haven't been doing very much to write about!

Here is a photo from my wedding night with Little Man and his cousin. They're not too far apart age wise and seemed to really bond which was lovely. They both just love their dummies and were pinching each others, his cousin more so than  him! They were also playing with bubbles and joining the dance floor once Little Man grasped the fact this was a party and usual bedtime was out the window. 

Why not see what others have been up to at 8pm with their Little Ones over at Tara's blog Sticky Fingers

CupcakeMumma

The Gallery: Easter

I spent Easter with other Halves' family. My sister in law (to be) cooked an amazing roast. It totally defeated me but it was delicious! 

Link up here with Tara from StickyFingers for this Gallery theme.

Cupcake Mumma

The Gallery: At Peace

I struggled with this to be honest but after taking some photos last night for an upcoming blog post I thought to myself, 'This would be a really good photo for The Gallery.'
Photographically speaking it's not amazing, it's the thought behind it.

I'll be the first one to say something I dislike about my myself much like most women out there. Like a few other fellow bloggers I am putting a post together later on about being at at peace with myself. I think I finally am. I'm not the prettiest but I'm not the worst looking thing on this planet either.
In this photo I could still point out a couple of things I am unhappy with but couldn't we all? I think I quite like me..I think I am finally at peace with myself.

Cupcake Mumma

Please link up your post with Tara at Sticky Fingers and view more lovely photos for this weeks theme. x

The Gallery Extreme Close Up

Sat in Wetherspoons someone's finished beverage caught my photo taking eye. I quite like it.

What have you snapped this week for The Gallery?

The Gallery

This weeks prompt for The Gallery was to dig deep (or possibly not so) for a photo that will tell a 'family story'.
It didn't take me too long to think of this and wasn't as hard as I thought after one night going through some photos. So here is my Gallery offering:

Here is my Dad with Little Miss and my Little Man on their Christening day. It was a wonderful day and I do love this photo (wish he shaved though! Sorry Pops) but what I really want you to focus on is the beautiful Christening gown Little Man is wearing as that is where the story lies.

This gown was first worn by me when I was christened. I was born in 1989. My brother was born in 1991 and was also christened in the gown. Finally my sister, who was born in 1994 wore yes, this very same gown and nothing has changed on it. Nothing.

Not so long ago one of my 2nd cousins was christened in this gown up in London. We wore it when we lived in Gloucestershire, Tetbury. My son had his big day Cornwall, so it has traveled a fair bit too!

But what is even more wonderful is that this gown is made from the very same material as that of my mothers wedding dress. My mother made her own wedding dress and kept material back. When we were born she made this gown adding only a few new extras that were needed. How wonderful is that?

So for me, that's a little part of our history that stays firmly within our family.

To read more stories and see some more wonderful photos please click the link below to see Tara's fab blog Sticky Fingers

Hannah X

The Gallery..

Eyes...

Just stare at that photo..I always wonder what animals have going on in their brains. I'm not sure but I think my dear Dippy looks a bit sad there..? Or perhaps she's concentrating!

Link up with Tara at Sticky Fingers for this weeks Gallery post

Hannah

X

The Gallery

Christmas 2009

This was when myself, Little Miss and the Other Half were still living with my parents. A few months after this we moved into our first flat. 

The snow had fallen quite marvelously that year but as you can see this photo was taken on a chilly day out when the snow was just about gone. I don't have many old photos from Christmas about, well not on my laptop anyway, as if I'm truly honest this Christmas will probably be the best I've had in a long, long time. 

Anyway, I'm showing this one as I came across it, saw Little Miss all bundled up in warm clothes having a little woodland adventure with myself and her Daddy, all dinky like there is nothing on her (she would've been 2 1/2 years old, she's nearly 4 now!) We were actually just around the corner from saying 'Merry Christmas' to two ponies which Little Miss had befriended long before. 

This wasn't the best Christmas, little did I know 2010 was going to be ten times worse (thanks to pregnancy and not much else) it was these times walking with my family in the beautiful countryside that got me through any time. And you cannot beat a wonderful walk in the fresh air to make you feel better again.

Hannah

x

To see more from The Gallery, please click the badge below :-)

The Gallery

This week of The gallery is 'My Awesome Photo'. I have tonnes of awesome photos (in my opinion) of my lovely little family. My beautiful girl, my gowing boy and my wonderful fiance and I have a few photos we have taken together. But in all honesty I am happiest when I am capturing nature...Flowers, birds, animals simply anything that catches my eye in the place it belongs hence why this photo of a beautiful swan is my personal Awesome Picture. Swans are such lovely birds, they come so close to you in the park where I took this and they are so peaceful to watch. I really love this photo.

The Gallery

'Your Kitchen.' That's the prompt for this weeks The Gallery. I snapped this one quickly while I was baking last night (my cake was a disaster, not that you asked). My kitchen is sometimes baked in but since becoming a Mum I find cooking a real chore, I hope I find love for it again soon.

As you can see I love pink, I love cupcakes, I love anything quirky I find in my favourite shops (charity shops, not that you needed to know) It's a shame this house comes with a kitchen stuck in a time warp but it could be worse! I think I'll paint the walls pink one night, see if the Other Half likes that when he comes home next week at midnight *insert big grin*

This post is for The Gallery, click the badge to add your own and look at some other fab takes on 'My Kitchen.'

The Gallery- Something I am Proud Of

There are many things in life I could be proud of. The obvious being my children and my partner, various family members fighting through difficult times But I'd like to be a little self indulgent tonight, so for The Gallery this week which Tara has asked us to think of 'something we're proud of' I am going to say 'myself'.

I'm proud of finding out I was pregnant at 17 and deciding to have my baby even though it wasn't what everyone thought I should do. I didn't care what anyone else thought. I didn't care that some people rolled their eyes when I announced I was engaged to my partner. I accept I was young but still I am proud I stood my ground and the first time in my life I didn't allow people to make me feel bad about my choices.

I am proud that I gave birth at 18 and I got through it okay. I brought my daughter to a loving home and got through some tough times. I'm proud to say my partner and I are still together although we faced a lot of problems in the first few years of our daughters life. I'm proud that I got through post natal depression with the love and support of my partner. I'm proud that I later gave birth to my son after a pretty grizzly pregnancy and afterwards got support for my mild depression and anxiety which I still work on to this day and feel like I've come an awful long way.

So there you are, just a few things I'm proud of myself for! I'm surprised I've pulled that out tonight as I'm feeling particularly blue this evening but never mind! Things like this always give you a good nudge in the right direction.

So, what are you proud of?

The Gallery 11/11/11

The lovely Tara over at Stickyfingers made the prompt for 'The Gallery' 11/11/11. Basically we had to capture what we were doing on this date to put it all together in to one big 11.11.11 moment, fabulous! So, wasting no more time here is my offering for this weeks Gallery:

I couldn't just post one picture for this special day. Me and my Little Miss went down to our local church where the services,town mayors and town band were marching. We came to a halt outside of the church and watched the band play a wonderful tune before the local Vicar made a quick speech before the silence. It was simply wonderful seeing the whole community come together, very emotional watching loved ones mourn their loss and the rest of us simply remembering each and every serviceman and woman both then and now.

Beneath is a picture I took of the memorial after the wreaths had just been laid.

What a wonderful day.

The Gallery~ T is for:

TIME TO SLEEP!!

The Gallery: Faces

Faces. I have this habit of 'people watching' and very interesting it is too watching the thinkers, the talkers, the throwing a tantrum children, teenagers, people completely lost in what is their inner world.
The faces I really love looking at are my families...As most people would also say. A warm smile from my daughter, a cheeky one from my son, a loving one from my partner....I could look at them all day. 


Below are the photos I am using for this weeks The Gallery. 

L's dreamy look, I always feel her eyes are telling me how much she loves me

This photo needs no words. It's not a nice look I admit, but capturing anger is  fascinating.

And is there a more peaceful thing than staring at the face of your beautiful, sleeping child?

 Finally a photo of myself and the Better Half of me. Two faces in pure love and happiness.... Almost exactly 3 years later, we still have the same loving, expression filled faces for one another.

Can't Wait To Try Out My New Recipe Book!

My Mother In Law To Be came up trumps today by turning up with this great Gluten Free cookbook, another great find from The Works store, I knew there was a reason I loved them so much! Now, if only they accepted Love 2 Shop Vouchers....

I'm pleased to say I have finally got back my baking bug! It scuttled off some while ago but since I started blogging and seeing all these fab meal plans, photos and how so many people are so adventurous with their cooking I finally feel like I want to cook and bake again. I find it very hard being on a restricted diet. Everyone has a nightmare remembering what you can and cannot eat, you have to always read the labels on your food which always makes uncomfortable in the store, not to mention  it's harder to get the knack of cooking without certain ingredients. I can't wait to get stuck in to this book and look forward to sharing the results!

Also today I managed some great finds in my local charity stores. I got a new fruit bowl, slightly smaller than my very 'out there' pink mixing bowl which will hold a nice big Christmas Truffle! Yummy. I picked up some baby vests as Little Man is growing fast and I hope to pick some more clothes up from a mum on my local Netmums site so another bargain there I would think. I got myself a light up door decoration for our Halloween party next week for 75p and a teddy for £1 which is in really good condition still with tags on so I plan to wrap this up for Little Man for Christmas- Never underestimate what people donate to charity, you can find some great items these days which are indeed perfect for an occasion of any kind. I have no care that people may find my 'odd' or 'stingy' they can go and buy the same or similar object for twice the amount if they so wish!

I also used some of my long awaited Love 2 Shop vouchers today that I had been saving up for since the beginning of the year with Park catalogue. I didn't like parting with them much but at least I can cross a fair few people off my list and I looked out for offers and bargains whilst trying not to compromise too much on quality for the person in mind!

Anyway, will upload my finds tomorrow, for now I look forward to planning my write up to Life Circle Part 3, Writing Workshop and also planning my post for The Gallery whilst struggling with The Scavenger Hunt!
Ta Ta!

The Gallery: Inspiring People

I racked my brains for the subject this week to be honest. I have many people in my life who have done great things, been through such hard times and yet come out of the other side. This more strengthens me then inspires me though to be honest so i didn't feel I could add them to The Gallery this week,

Eventually I took a little time to reflect on the person I used to be. Very shy, very withdrawn. I suffered anxiety and confidence issues for many years and it was only when I had my daughter that I had to actually do the things that terrified me. Simple things such as using a telephone would honest to God scare the hell out of me...but how were Child Tax Credits to know I had a child? How would I book an appointment to register my daughters birth? How would I arrange doctors appointments and all her injections she would need?

She is Happy honest, just wasn't too excited about that hat this morning!

I then faced Post Natal Depression which is crippling and effected our relationship a lot when she was a baby also leaving me panicking about the birth of my son 3 years later. But now all is well and I am a happy and healthy Mummy who loves her children lots. If I never had my daughter, I wouldn't have conquered a lot of my fears, no matter how silly to some.

And he was happy too, in Mummy's very overflowing laundry basket!

So here's to my children. My inspiration to face the things in life that scare me, to do well for them and myself and to have a good, rich life full of happiness. I love you both.

 I should also add that I would not be anywhere without my wonderful partner who is always reminding me of who I am :)

xCupcake Mummax

Head on over to The Gallery on Tara's' blog by clicking the Badge below to check out this weeks fab offerings x