Fairies in the Garden By Claire

I came across these photos taken last summer in the garden.

My 7year old has a wonderful imagination.
However, while she is great at many things, I cannot credit her with taking the photographs.

The photographs were taken by my husband, and honestly if you saw him you would be forgiven for thinking ..'No way, he did not !!

Physically, my Husband is 6ft something, works in construction and built like a rugby player, (and of course .. extremely handsome!).       He does not look like the type of person who would follow his7yearold daughter around the garden, taking pictures of fairies!
But, that's what he did.

They were gone for ages strategically placing the fairies and looking for the best spots to take pictures and when they came back the two of them were trying to convince me that they were real!!

I did not pay too much attention to the pictures at the time but coming across them again brought back a lovely memory and my 7year old, remembered taking them with her Dad, who is, lets face it, a big softie at heart and 'putty' in his little daughters hand!! xx

First Holy Communion By Claire

First holy communion. My eldest daughter will be making her communion in May. First Communion is now made in second class. Somewhere between when I made my communion, and now, it changed from first class to second.I don't know the exact reason for the change but wouldn't be surprised if it was people complaining about gap toothed photos!  For those of you not involved in this process, consider yourselves lucky from a financial perspective! We did not go overboard on spending but how easy it would have been to do so! Luckily my daughter did not pick the most expensive dress or accessories, nor did she go for a highly flamboyant style (phew)! She has picked a beautiful simple style dress with a few sequins and there is a bit of bling on the shoes and a tiny little 'high heel' (well, she wouldn't be related to me if there wasn't a thing for shoes!). 
Going around different stores really opened my eyes, though.While the historic importance and style of the day is still a strong cornerstone, it is the extravagance and the extras that seem to have taken over! Speaking to different shop assistants really shocked me as to the lengths some parents go to especially for girls. 'It's like a mini wedding' was a quote I heard more than once, and it drove me ballistic! 'No, its nothing like a wedding nor should it be' I wanted to scream at some parents! However, for my own safety I thought better of it and just eavesdropped & tried to conceal  my shock at some things I heard. Communion dresses costing over €250, fake tan, hair extensions, nails, for both mother and daughter! I even heard talk about limo's! Honestly, I would hate to see their weddings if this is a communion! Things have changed a lot, the whole 'no veil' thing got me, I thought it was an unspoken rule that girls had to have a veil but apparently not anymore. My daughter picked her own headwear and it's beautiful. Giving nothing away until the day!! We live in a rural area and there  are only 3 children making communion which will be incorporated with mass on Sunday so I am not expecting anything too 'OTT' ..in fact the flamboyance may be up to me!!

Multi use household products By Claire

I found an old 'household hint' book. What a revelation; loads of natural hints on first aid, beauty, and loads of cleaning. All using normal household products.  I have tried some of the tips and was surprised at the results.
Lemon juice: most people have lemon juice in the fridge, mine is always left over from pancake tuesday and rarely used again. It is a really handy product with many of different uses for around the home.

It is useful for cleaning and has a lovely fresh smell (make sure you rinse it though!). It is apparently also good as a beauty product..lightens blonde hair, helps tightens pores. Mixed with egg yolk and olive-oil it makes a good face mask! I have tried the face mask found it ok; there was no major beauty transformation, didn't have allergic reaction (and I still have a face...always a good sign!!). My skin did feel softer. Must rinse properly or else you will be smelling raw egg all day! Verdict lemon juice is definitely a useful and versatile household product and is very underestimated in my opinion.

Vinegar is another handy product. It is excellent for cleaning, the brown vinegar smells more than clear but if you rinse, that deals with the smell. It is apparently great for cleaning windows and mirrors, haven't used myself though, windows are my husbands job. Vinegar is also great for cleaning hairbrushes. It is also meant to be great to give hair a lovely shine; apply after shampoo, rinse and use conditioner if you have dry hair. (Don't know about coloured hair). I do intend to try it, so I will let you know.
But the best product with most uses has to be Bicarbonate of Soda or Baking Soda. This has so many uses that every home should have a few boxes. Cleaning- put a bit on a damp cloth to wipe surfaces, then rinse off with a damp cloth. As it removes tough grime you can use it on garden furniture etc after winter storage. Similarly for cleaning the floor make sure to rinse, I googled this and it's is suitable on all types of floors.. but you might want to check that yourself. You can also make up a solution of bicarbonate of soda and water for cleaning silver, burnt on food in pots (steeping required) and greasy spills. Stubborn bathroom stains come off with a strong solution.. and a bit of elbow grease..and not a 'cillit bang' in sight!

My favourite use for bicarbonate of soda is de-odourising, I use it in the fridge or sprinkling it in the bin to keep away any nasty smells (really handy if you have baby nappies). If there is a smell of stale smoke or if you just want to freshen a room..try sprinkle some on a carpet or rug leave 20 mins and then hoover. I also add a little to the powder tray in washing machine, to ensure a really good clean. It can help unclog drains as well and better for the environment than other products.
Bicarbonate of Soda is a good beauty product.
 Helps whiten teeth and eliminates bad breath, makes an excellent face scrub, mix with shampoo to stop build up of hair products, use as a Foot soak or Bathing. I sprinkled a bit in the bath when my 7yrold had chicken pox. It cooled down her skin and eased the itching. Baking soda is apparently also great to quench grease and electrical fires. Thank god I can't comment on that one and don't want to ever find out! That is just a brief overview of some multi purpose products, all safe, non toxic and very reasonably priced! I have not tried all their uses yet...but I will.

Mid Term break:Dara

I havent been blogging recently for a number of reasons, but am not going to make excuses.  Lets just say 2 kids on mid term from preschool with energy to burn burns your energy!!!  However, we have had a ball.  We have been to Galway - check out the Aquarium in Salthill - well worth a visit, the guides will let the kids touch star fish and crabs.  We bought paint to paint our house.  Unfortunately the only paint currently on the walls was put there by a 2 yr old and a 4 yr old with mini paint brushes and narrowly escaping the windows!  We have visited friends and relations, and made loads of new friends over the Easter.  However, I think today was the highlight of their break.  We visited a friend who has 2 daughters, who we havent visited in a while.  Between wanting to change into pyjamas to have a pyjama party (including my little boy almost being put into princess pjs) and packing their backpacks to go on an adventure around the house like 3 Doras and 1 Boots, there was a silence, which first we thought meant they were getting tired and chilling in the playroom.  NEVER TRUST QUIET CHILDREN!   The 3 youngest had stripped off all their clothes and hopped into the bath together running the freezing cold tap having the time of their lives.  All we could do was laugh as we tried to distinguish whose clothes were whose as they were strewn all over the hall, bathroom, bedroom etc.  My kids didnt want to go home, and the 2 girls wanted to come home with us.  I wish it was that easy normally to get them into the bath and pjs!!!

Well done Claire

Well done Claire on your nomination.  You so deserve it.  You have been keeping this blog going.  In all fairness, I havent been contributing as I should have, and Claire, who is raising 2 wonderful daughters while her husband works abroad, has been doing an amazing job keeping us entertained, informed and smiling.  Keep it up Babe!!!

The Crown Jewels By Claire

My grandparents used to live near an old castle, and when I was little and visited, I would make up stories about the castle, a King, Queen and Princess etc. I would play dress-up with my grandmothers clothes and shoes and she would let me play with her jewellery, and that was the best part. I always believed she was given the jewellery by the queen who lived in the castle, and my grandmother never said anything to the contrary, so from then on my grandmothers jewellery was called 'The Crown Jewels'. I was a very imaginative child! (My imagination wasn't helped by my uncle telling me he would take me to visit the queen in the castle someday..Still waiting uncle (you know who you are!!)).
Anyway, I digress, when I was about 8 or 9 my grandmother gave me some of 'The Crown Jewels'. And I, Knowing their worth, hid them for safe keeping from my sisters. They stayed hidden over the years, through various house moves and I had completely forgotten about them,until today.

I was looking, in an old loom box, for my old first holy communion chain to give to my daughter for her communion ..... when I found a dusty old box. The box itself, in my mind, reeks treasure..my dad gave it to me when I  was very young, it was filled with sweets at the time and had its own tiny padlock and key.. it was the perfect place to put my valuables.

 I opened it the little box and inside were 'The Crown Jewels' over 25 years later and just as I had left them!!!
 I am going to get them cleaned up and then I will pass them on to my 7yrold daughter.. I can't wait to see her face ...she will love them.

But
What story should I tell? Should I go with '....'The Crown Jewels' given to a great grandmother by the queen '.. Or.. do I go with .....the truth?

The Versatile Blogger Award By Claire

I have only been blogging for 3 weeks and not am even sure if I'm doing it right, So it is Fantastic to be nominated for this award, actually any award at all!!! I have to mention that this is a joint blog with my friend Dara, and I probably would not be blogging if she wasnt involved..

Now to for the official business ..the rules state that one must firstly 'thank the blogger who has awarded you and link back to them' ....

Well Elisabeth, @lizzie_loodles, I sincerely thank you for the nomination.. in other words I am dead chuffed. This is a testimant that #Followfriday on twitter works because I followed Elisabeth on the recommendation of another great blogger (@FabulousMoms) and I have to say I have really enjoyed reading Elisabeths blog   ie http://40somethingundomesticateddevil.blogspot.com/ (what a cool name BTW).

Next Rule : 'Share 7 things about myself ' ....Uh Oh .. here is where it could get messy ..

1. I am married to a Scottish man.

2. My sisters are my best friends.

3. My Co-Blogger Dara and I have have won a local band competition!!

4. The Infamous Louis Walsh heard us (my sisters and I) singing and said he liked us and we had great potential...(nope still no recording contract)..

5. I backpacked around Australia by myself.. just me, my rucksack and my guitar!(I did discover a mouse in my rucksack in Alice Springs so technically I wasnt really alone all the way!!)

6. I have a BA Degree specialising in Social Research and a Graduate Diploma in Business and have used neither and probably never will : (

7. I bite my nails...Yuck... Really intend to stop soon though!

Rule No: 3  'Pass the award onto 5 other newly discoverd bloggers'

Well,  I really want to nominate my co-blogger Dara .. but is that cheating? Probably..I dunno..

I am going to nominate blogs that I have enjoyed reading and they are all newly discovered to me.. they may have already been nominated .. but I think thats ok? isnt it.. if not let me know and I will amend..Hope ye dont mind but here's my nominations

1. http://miniandmum.blogspot.com

2. @SAHDandproud  - https://sahdandproud.wordpress.com

3. @farfromhomemama - http://threeyearsandonestonethenhome.com

4. @Helenamoloney  - http://thymeonyourhands.blogspot.com/

5.@IrishAllergyMum - http://allergybab.blogspot.com

So thats it done and dusted.. Hope all nominees are ok with nominations.. Looking forward to seeing what comes of this.. I hope its someone I know...

Bye a while  Cheers Claire xx

Silent Reflux By Claire

When my now 2yrold was born, she was perfectly healthy at 6lb8oz. I was feeding her myself, she was putting on weight. When she was 6 weeks old, I sat her up to wind her and I saw that she was not breathing, and her eyes were not registering anything.I grabbed her,and with my 7yrold in tow,I ran next door to get help. On the way way I looked down at her again and she was fine! I went to doctor, was sent to hospital. Unfortunately, they thought I was an over protective new mum and sent me home,doubting myself! There were a few more instances and one particularly bad one .. Which eventually led to her being hospitalised. They couldn't find anything wrong.Eventually they decided she had silent reflux;She was shutting down her own airways to stop the reflux acid going into her lungs. I was prescribed tablets.. for an 8 week old baby of all things!! After that I followed all the relevant reflux guidelines and eventually when she was approximately 7months old she came off medication and was fine....
I didn't get too heavy on this, on purpose, blog mainly because it still scares me to death and I still have nightmares over 'what ifs'.
But the point I want to make is  ..'always go with your gut and don't stop until you are sure and satisfied that your child is getting the best treatment'  
Feel free to add or comment etc

The Tooth Fairy By Claire

Most of us know the story of the Tooth Fairy; The Tooth Fairy comes to a child who has lost a tooth...the tooth is wrapped in tissue and placed under the child's pillow, then during the night the tooth fairy comes, takes the tooth and leaves a piece of ‘silver’ in its place.

However, is the whole Tooth Fairy thing gone a little over the top?

The piece of ‘silver’ is no longer sufficient payment for a tooth, now it seems ‘paper’ money is more popular!! Why is that?; Does the Tooth Fairy have a basic knowledge of economics, for example inflation?

In the 1970’s, the common payment for a tooth was between 10p to 50p. In the 1980's between 50p and £1.00. In the 1990’s it increased to £1.00. The amount steadily, increasing through the naughties (2000’s), to the present day amount of €5.00/£5.00;an astronomical increase of 500%. During the mid-2000s, we see the introduction of ‘paper’ monetary payment for a tooth, becoming more and more commonplace.

So, has the tooth fairy has taken inflation into account in appraising the value of a tooth over the years? If so, it should be pointed out that we are in the middle of a recession and thus deflationary measures should really kick in now.

Or, perhaps the increase is not due to economics at all; perhaps it is something much more simplistic like old age. Is the Tooth Fairy, getting older and paper money is easier to carry? (I can’t imagine it being too easy carrying those big coins around when you are so small and may have many children to visit in a night and therefore have many heavy coins to carry)!!!!!!

Perhaps the increase is due to neither of the above, but to the inherent value of the commodity i.e. the actual condition of the teeth. Nowadays, with improvements in the care of teeth, better toothpaste etc, teeth are in much better condition, therefore, their value increases.

Either way, in my research I have ‘interviewed’ a number of children and parents, I am lead to believe that the current value of a tooth is approximately €5.00!

Sometimes, I wonder if Tooth Fairy and children are in cahoots!

Written with little prying eyes in mind!!

Maybe I have too much time on my hands, but sometimes it is easier to ponder these things than to watch the news!

Tooth Fairy Picture By: My (toothless) 7 year old.