Stay Safe this Halloween and Bonfire Night


I adore Halloween. Ask anyone and they'll tell you it's up there with Christmas for me, I'm not so keen on bonfire night but since I've had the children I do let them watch the fire works from our skylight as this is less noisy for me and A who have very sensitive ears and is still good fun. We stand outside with our sparklers too which is great fun.

As fun as these special events may be they can also be dangerous. There are naked flames, frilly clothing, pumpkins with candles lit inside both out and in the home. There are Battery or switch operated lights which can cause fire if faulty or if plugs are overloaded and of course there are fireworks, bonfires, sparklers and in the case of Halloween and trick or treating, there's stranger danger. I'm not here to scare the heck out of everyone, I love this time of year but I want everyone to enjoy it and after last year where several children were badly burned by their fancy dress clothing setting alight and the accidents involving sparklers and fire works a yearly problem, I wanted to share these tips and great infographics from Eacapade.

My Tips
Make sure any costumes meet the European Standards and Regulations. This should be on the label of the clothing and all companies must have this on them.

Try these fantastic lights from Escapade to place in your home and in your pumpkins to completely avoid the dangers of fire. These are great and still look fab giving off enough light that you won't be disappointed by them not being real candles. They are much better than my pound store lights which ran out quickly and these even change colour.


Watch my video!


These are my tips but please visit the safety guide which has been written in collaboration with
St Johns AmbulanceLondon Fire Brigade, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue: Kevin Ronan, Head of Community Safety and Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service: Oliver Franklin, Community Safety Officer. Please share and download the below info graphics so everyone can stay safe over this very fun and enjoyable few months.


Cupcake Mumma

Our Week That Was ~ Weeks 32, 33 & 34

Hey everybody! I've been a bit slack on the blogging front but it's okay. I have missed my weekly catch ups so here is 3 weeks worth of catching up in 1 post- yey! 

Week 32 started with me changing Midges room around. She wasn't sleeping well at all and it was becoming very stressful for all of us. I moved her room around and totally de-cluttered so now she has a more free flowing space and plenty more room. I can confirm that now she is sleeping tonnes better which is great. I have been to my Aunts a few times recently to help with her de-cluttering and moving. This week we were joined by a lovely little kitten who hindered more than helped the cleaning up process! I made a video of his antics here.

We also got all wrapped up for the school run this week because finally the weather took a turn and gave us some chills and a little drizzle too (it's now full on pelting it down!) I also baked a rather delicious vanilla cake which I shared with a friend who visited for coffee. We haven't seen each other in years, it was so, so lovely to catch up. I hope I can re create this cake for my birthday!

Room change// Cute kitten distracting us from working// Midge all wrapped up// Vanilla cake for pudding!
I ran a swap recently called A Taste of Home. I had a nice little number of people sign up and received my parcel this week from tattooed Mummy. I loved her gifts of recipe books, cider, sweets and plenty more as you can see. Little A was most impressed with the chocolate buttons. I finally got my prize from Goodfellas this week. Lots of vouchers for free pizza and a gift card which I promptly spent on 3 gifts for Christmas for my mini cupcakes.

Double rainbow// Happy with some chocolate buttons//Swap gift// I won a prize!// Yummy wraps for lunch
Week 33
When it wasn't raining we enjoyed some sunshine although it was still pretty cold. I took some lovely photos of the trees and green we pass everyday on the school run; I'm loving how quick the leaves are falling from the trees. We also had Little A's ENT appointment which went really well. He has a slight pressure build up which they'll check again next year, no blocking and he was ace at the hearing test which he passed with flying colours. Great news.

Our green// Happy babies on the wheels// Little A having his hearing test

I visited my Aunt again this week and we really got some stuff sorted. She moved in at the end of the week I'm told and is very happy to be home after staying with my Gran for so long after her operation. I took this lovely photo from the skylight in her bedroom, isn't it a great view to wake up to? I enjoyed a few hot chocolates, some at home and one or two in a local coffee chain *wink wink.* I went to a baby shower on Saturday which was a big deal for me! I didn't get all dressed up which felt so much better. The mum to be is due in a couple of weeks and has plenty of lovely things to pamper herself and the little one when he arrives. 

View in Penzance// Hot chocolate at home// Mummy and A// Baby shower gifts
Week 34
Autumn has really arrived! I loved pulling on my warm boots and crunching in the leaves with the children. We made the most of the leaf crunching as they get tidied up around here!? I spent Tuesday with my sister in law, I met her new kittens and we went shopping, saw my little niece and I had a nice day overall. I didn't have my phone with me so no cute kitten photos this week! It's been so, so dark at 7am which is the time we get up and get ready for school. To end the half term, Midge and Little A had a Halloween disco at school. Little A was a power ranger and Midge was a witch.

Warm boots// Witch for the disco// Dark at 7am// Mr Magpie on the wall// Broken post box!
I had super junk cravings this week! I made a great free from mug cake (thoroughly enjoyable and not for sharing) I had some pizza from Dominoes which definitely hit the spot! We enjoyed our last school run this week before halt term with crazy fast biking and scooting and more leaf jumping. I went to the GP and I'm now back on my original dose for my anxiety *boo* but it's all good. I'm also getting some more tests done to check on my lungs. 

On Thursday evening Little A and I went to The Works after hours. It was so good to see the reception children having so much fun. I got to browse with no one else there but a few fellow parents. I took advantage of our 20% discount for the evening and I even made a video of our trip which you can see here! the children had story time, made up hampers to win prizes, got to see some toys and even had a mini disco with food and drink while all the parents were in the shop mooching and catching up. It was a great evening!

Mug cake!// pizza// More pills and an x-ray due from doctors// Little A before our school trip//Midge and A on the school run// I got my Halloween decorations up!
Hope you're all having a good half term and if you're back to school already then I hope it was a good break for you all. Let me know what you've been up to or are planning in the comments below!

Cupcake Mumma

Just Waffling...

I've been a little quiet lately. A part from catching up every week with our goings on I've not really put much else out there. It's okay, I'm not worried about the lack of blog posts going up, I stopped being one of *those* bloggers a long time ago. I have missed blogging though. The truth is I haven't been feeling myself. I haven't wanted to do much at all, especially the things that I enjoy.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not depressed, I've been depressed and this, at least for me, isn't that. Nothing bad has happened, we are all well. Well, I'm a little unwell but I have to wait 2 weeks to see my doctor and even then it's probably nothing. I'm not even unwell actually, just a niggling thing that is worrying me so I want to have my mind put at rest which is no bad thing.

I'm just a little low. I've adjusted to A being in school now and he's idoing well. Midge hasn't changed at all, she hasn't suddenly become miss independent, she still very much needs me. I'm used to being on my own a lot more and it's okay. The days go really fast still though, I find that weird. What I'm actually doing is not facing my problems. For whatever reason I am shutting myself away and not dealing with anything.

I'm not dealing with my weight gain despite feeling like a big pile of yuck. Sure you look at me in the street and you'd say "you're tiny you've got nothing to worry about!" (Don't say that to me, I really won't like you very much) but underneath I just feel yuck. I don't feel attractive, yet here I am in the afternoon writing this, thinking this and not exercising, not doing anything remotely good in the direction of helping myself. I'm unfit, I'm not particularly healthy and really need to sort myself out.

Secondly I've come to that point that I know people wonder what the heck I do all day. The answer? Not a lot. I get to keep on top of the housework like every other parent, I get to de clutter, then I sit on my bum or run a few errands. Am I bored? Sometimes. Sometimes I feel like I should take advantage of this time, I'll be working one day and I won't have all this free time. The house will be hard to keep with, the out going mail will be piled up, the day will fly by and I just won't be so free, so why not be a bit lazy! Why not enjoy this luxury for a little while? Sod what everyone else thinks.

I do want to do *something* though. I've decided I need to see if some form of therapy, such as CBT will help me overcome my blushing fears and anxiety. Anxiety wise I am not the same person I was a few years ago. I am more confident but when it comes to meeting up with people, or even the thought of volunteering, being interviewed, having to work it's too much. It's overwhelming and hard to explain and I need to deal with it because I can't keep up anymore. I have missed so much because of blushing and you can't avoid work forever, I wouldn't want to. I am hard working, loyal, a good person, I have strengths and weaknesses. I may have no experiences other than personal ones but that's okay. It's why I need to volunteer though, I want to get confident and I want to learn. I want to have a routine and be appreciated. May be that last one is a bit far fetched, I wonder how many people actually feel appreciated in their job!?

Anyway, that's why I've been quiet. Things 'upstairs' have been busy, pre occupied and lost. I know I have the answers, I know I need to fix things myself and it's my job to do that. I'll let you know how I get on (when I eventually get out from my sons Thomas duvet on the sofa)

Cupcake Mumma

*this post has been added to my mental health page here*

A Cornish Mum

October Bucket List

It's time for me to write up my October bucket list and to see if I managed my September list! I know a few things need to be carried over and I know that because i've made a real dent in the Christmas gift list the whole no spend September wasn't a success but here goes. Septembers list:

ME

-Write to my pen pals. I have written but have not managed to post all my letters as a few need to go abroad and I didn't have the extra pennies for them after shopping!.

-Celebrate national chocolate day on September 13th (by eating some tasty chocolate of course!)
can you believe I forgot! But I did eat some tasty chocolate the next day to make up for it!

-Clear out the cupboard to locate our Halloween stuff- This is done!

-Take part in no spend September- I have taken part in the respect of not wasting my money and going here there and everywhere. I can't call it a no spend month though because I bought a lot of gifts ready for Christmas!

-Continue to take part in The Great Bloggers Bake Off- I haven't done every bake, it's just been too pricey for me. I did make a chicken pie for pie week which was lovely.

-Start writing up gift lists for Christmas- All done and a lot bought too.

-Work out 3 times a week...Yeah this was a non starter! I worked out once the whole month!

-Celebrate my 4th blogging birthday- Done and celebrated with cake!

FAMILY

-Take first day back to school photos in our traditional way (this will mean getting up a bit earlier!)
Done!

-Go on a walk together- The children and I had a nice walk together and have been enjoying the school walks too

-Have date night with Mr B- Hmm well we didn't have any time in the evening to do anything, or the children didn't allow it but we did go for breakfast together once this month. I'm going to carry this over.

-Watch Mr B play football- Didn't get round to this one.

-Sort a day for Midge to have her friend over- Midge had a party to go to instead this month so that kept her happy. A planned play date fell through but we did try.

-Book myself and Midges tickets for Hogwarts in the Snow- All done and super excited to say we're going next month!


For October:

ME

Have a go at baking the chocolate tart I've wanted to bake for ages.

Get some exercise in at least 3 times a week no matter what it is

Check off 2 tasks from my Project Kindness and 3/4 from project zero

Catch up on all my happy mail

FAMILY

Do some Autumn crafts with the children

Have a date night/day with Mr B

Have a great family holiday in half term and a good birthday

Do something for Halloween with the children

Have a meal with my parents

Do you have any plans or lists (other than the boring 'to do in the house' lists? Let me know!

Cupcake Mumma

Our Week That Was ~ Week 31

Last week we had some lovely walks to school which was a surprise because I was expecting some really awful weather (that came in mid week so it wasn't clear skies for long!) on our walks we have been bumping into a cat who likes to 'meet up' as it were with the Mini Cupcakes for a short burst of exercise before running into its house for more breakfast (I reckon anyway!) the children have become very fond of their little white, fluffy friend. I've enjoyed putting my warm boots on and crunching through the beautiful crisp autumn leaves that are slowly covering our walkways and lawns. It's a shame they're not waterproof though, I have soaking wet feet when I return home!

On Tuesday I had to take A out of school for a dentist appointment. We waited for some time because we were really early but he was very well behaved, enjoyed the books on offer and then saw the dentist with no trouble at all much to my relief. We went and had a late lunch of mash potato, sausage and beans then picked Midge up from school. We all walked to my mother in laws house to see their aunt who was celebrating turning 17. There was food and a pug cake and the children loved playing with their cousins and Nanny's' new dog.



I went over to Penzance on Wednesday to help my Aunt move some things around in her house and to go through a lot of old items that had built up over the years. We found a lot of her old midwifery bits and in particular I was fascinated with the old weighing device as demonstrated by Cornish Bear in the photo. I had lunch with my Grandma too which was lovely. I also came home to my much awaited prize on Wednesday, my new Harry Potter book collection from The Book People! I was so happy but I still haven't taken the warp off the books, I kind of don't want to open it!



I baked some cakes this week, my favourite was a chocolate cake which I decorated so simply but  it looks so pretty I thought. I still lick the bowl out at 25 and I don't think that'll ever stop! We went to stay with my Mum for the night on Saturday, sadly A was unwell but he was much brighter Sunday morning and Midge had a good weekend. I baked a tart before I left for mums and we ate it for pudding which was very tasty if I do say so myself. Midge loved it but A thought it was a bit too much! We all enjoyed having a nice bath at Grandmas and going to the garden center where we saw lots of Christmas bits and chose some flowers for both Grandmas and our own garden. It was a lovely end to the week, especially with the fry up I cooked everyone; that was a really nice treat!




Cupcake Mumma

Reasons to Smile September

Can you believe it's that time already? Time to write what has made me happy and thankful over the month.

Winning a Harry Potter book set by dressing up as Luna Lovegood was a definite highlight! Granted there was no competition in the end but I guess that just proves what a fan I am! My books arrived yesterday and I am so, so, so happy!

The children started school and are loving it (thankfully.) It makes me so happy that I can kiss them goodbye and wave them off into their classroom. I find that it's me hanging around outside Roo Bear's class rather than him!

I have made some delicious homemade puddings this month. My favourites have been a chocolate pastry roll and a chocolate cake.


I had a wisdom tooth removed that was causing me grief. It's fair to say the whole process isn't fun but I am glad it's over with and I'm now pain free!

I have two new pen pals! One is from Germany and one is from America! I now have two in America which is great! I love writing my letters.

I have made real headway with Christmas planning. It may be too soon for some but with no savings due to financial hiccups before summer I have had to start planning and purchasing early this year. Luckily I love Christmas so this is not a chore for me and just something to feel pleased about!

My blog turned 4! I told everyone it was 5, I've never been very good at math! I can't believe I've been at this for 4 years now, if anyone knows me they know I don't stick to any idea for long so I am very surprised at myself! I love writing on Cupcake Mumma and am grateful to all my readers and for all the opportunities I've had so far.


The beginning of Autumn arrived this month and I'm so pleased as it's easily my favourite season. I'm enjoying the crunch of the leaves under my boots as I do the school run and the intake of warm drinks has also increased; yey for warm drinks! Although this week has actually been quite hot in Cornwall, what's that about? Or am I just wearing too many layers too soon? Answers on a postcard please!


I'd love to know what's made you smile this month and if you feel like sharing with more than just my comment box,hop over to A Cornish Mum and join her linky by clicking the badge below.

A Cornish Mum
Cupcake Mumma