Simply take, a tired and slightly worn out person - a mother of small children is best
Sprinkle with sunshine...
Remind said person that it isn't actually winter anymore.
Exercise. I find a bike ride is best. This encourages wakefulness, and also feelings of post-exercising virtuous-ness.
Plunge in shower.
Rinse off dirt, snot, grime, and any other debris.
Complete ablutions until satisfactorily clean and smooth.
Dry.
Moisturise.
Steer towards wardrobe.
Remind subject that clothes other than jeans exist.
Dress according to taste.
Provide cup of tea to get over the shock of wearing skirt.
Consider painting toe-nails.
Decide not to get carried away. It is only April after all.
Straighten hair.
Add necessary accompaniment to face; in this case - a smile.
And now you're done.
You're not just a mummy. You're a nearly ready for summer, even if it's gone a bit cloudy mummy.
Showing posts with label Lady. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lady. Show all posts
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Monday, 28 February 2011
"I feel pretty..."
Don't ask me why I'm wandering around singing songs from 'West Side Story'... Heaven only knows. I am (completely unreasonably) blaming my friend Sarah - who I recently went to see perform spectacularly in a local production of Iolanthe (no - not even close to West Side Story - I know)... Just seems to have made me remember every musical theatre production I have ever been in, or even seen...
Still, any excuse for a good sing...
Today I am extra pleased having bought a couple of items of new clothes from the local fashion house (Sainsbury's), that not only fit, but were in the sale, and look nice. Marvellous.
Brilliant timing too actually, as I have recently killed yet another pair of jeans... I don't know what it is about me and jeans - but generally speaking - the relationship never lasts long, and they always end up dead! Ah well, just as well my relationship with jeans has no correlation with my relationship with people...
Anyway, moving on...
Last week when it was raining (again), and we were stuck in the house (again) I decided to calculate my BMI. BMI (or Body Mass Index) is a guide which uses your weight and your height to calculate whether you are a healthy weight - or not. There are other ways to do this, and it's by no means a cast iron rule, but it gives you an idea.
I guess writing about my Dad losing weight in my last post made me think about it. Since having my children I've lost a little bit of the weight I gained through having them, but not all of it... I guess that's not unfamiliar territory to a lot of mothers. In my experience, looking after small children is very tiring - but not actually very good exercise... It seems a bit unfair really.
So anyway, my BMI actually worked out at 26.2, which really isn't bad at all considering the healthy range for BMI is 20-25. It made me think; actually my perception of my figure and how I look is probably not very accurate. I think (or thought) of myself as an overweight person, when really - I'm a 'slightly-less-fit- than-I-could-be' person...
So - what to do... Hmmm... Time for some action points I think:
"See that pretty girl in that mirror there!...."
Still, any excuse for a good sing...
Today I am extra pleased having bought a couple of items of new clothes from the local fashion house (Sainsbury's), that not only fit, but were in the sale, and look nice. Marvellous.
Brilliant timing too actually, as I have recently killed yet another pair of jeans... I don't know what it is about me and jeans - but generally speaking - the relationship never lasts long, and they always end up dead! Ah well, just as well my relationship with jeans has no correlation with my relationship with people...
Anyway, moving on...
Last week when it was raining (again), and we were stuck in the house (again) I decided to calculate my BMI. BMI (or Body Mass Index) is a guide which uses your weight and your height to calculate whether you are a healthy weight - or not. There are other ways to do this, and it's by no means a cast iron rule, but it gives you an idea.
I guess writing about my Dad losing weight in my last post made me think about it. Since having my children I've lost a little bit of the weight I gained through having them, but not all of it... I guess that's not unfamiliar territory to a lot of mothers. In my experience, looking after small children is very tiring - but not actually very good exercise... It seems a bit unfair really.
So anyway, my BMI actually worked out at 26.2, which really isn't bad at all considering the healthy range for BMI is 20-25. It made me think; actually my perception of my figure and how I look is probably not very accurate. I think (or thought) of myself as an overweight person, when really - I'm a 'slightly-less-fit- than-I-could-be' person...
So - what to do... Hmmm... Time for some action points I think:
- Stop worrying about it - the more I worry about this sort of thing, the more I want to eat cake anyway...
- Try to keep up the exercise - I find this is good for the mental health as much as anything, but I'm sure it would help with the toning up a bit too. So God, if you could stop the rain - and make it nice and sunny - I'll do some more cycling...
- Try to dress with a bit more thought... After all, the kids are big enough to not cover everything I wear in snot now... I know there are things I wear that look nice, and things that make me look like a slob. It's not rocket science... That said, we all need to slob sometimes; everything in moderation!
- Pray. After all, God promises He can renew my mind (see Romans 12), and I'm sure most of my issues with my body are actually in my head.
"See that pretty girl in that mirror there!...."
Monday, 29 November 2010
The Generation Game
I've just got back from a weekend break with my family in Centerparcs. Overall, we had a lovely time: we even had a chance to play in the snow, although we've come back pretty tired actually - what with all the swimming, walking, fresh air etc.
There were six of us in our merry band of adventurers: Me, Paul, Joel, Nathan, and Paul's parent's (aka Chris and Jenifer / Mum and Dad / Grandma and Grandpa - it's a wonder that they ever know their own names actually, given that they have so many options...)
It's nice going away on holiday with extra adults; especially if those adults are fond of your children. We've been away previously (yes, Centerparcs again - I know, very cliched) with Becca, my friend from school who is also Nathan's Godmother, and with my parents too. It is good having some other people to play with the children; and to spend some adult time with too. If you play your cards right - you can even end up with some free babysitting. Marvellous.
There is something a bit stressful about mixing up the generations though; it seems to muddle up the roles some how. When I'm with my children, I know what my job is. I am Mummy; source of food, cuddles, medicine (only when clinically indicated obviously...), stories etc. etc. When I am with my in-laws, I am daughter-in-law; who will listen to stories regaled at great length, laugh (OK, not cringe too much) at pun related jokes, and generally try to formulate coherent sentences.
These roles are sometimes hard to complete at the same time; for example - trying to listen to a story about an incident from a recent holiday, whilst smallest boy announces in a loud voice that he needs a wee.
Thinking about how to juggle the roles I have was one of the main motivations behind starting blogging in the first place. It's why I'm called 'MummyLadyMe'. I'm know I'm not the first woman to feel this way. I've just realised that in this post I haven't even really mentioned trying to fulfill my 'lady' role (although Paul and I did make use of some free babysitting this weekend - Hoorah!), or just trying to be me. Crumbs. There's so much to do!
I guess all you can do is prioritise the role that seems most important at the time, and trust that everyone involved loves you enough to forgive you if they don't always rank at number one on the priority list. I am so thankful to have relatives who I know feel that way about me.
There were six of us in our merry band of adventurers: Me, Paul, Joel, Nathan, and Paul's parent's (aka Chris and Jenifer / Mum and Dad / Grandma and Grandpa - it's a wonder that they ever know their own names actually, given that they have so many options...)
It's nice going away on holiday with extra adults; especially if those adults are fond of your children. We've been away previously (yes, Centerparcs again - I know, very cliched) with Becca, my friend from school who is also Nathan's Godmother, and with my parents too. It is good having some other people to play with the children; and to spend some adult time with too. If you play your cards right - you can even end up with some free babysitting. Marvellous.
There is something a bit stressful about mixing up the generations though; it seems to muddle up the roles some how. When I'm with my children, I know what my job is. I am Mummy; source of food, cuddles, medicine (only when clinically indicated obviously...), stories etc. etc. When I am with my in-laws, I am daughter-in-law; who will listen to stories regaled at great length, laugh (OK, not cringe too much) at pun related jokes, and generally try to formulate coherent sentences.
These roles are sometimes hard to complete at the same time; for example - trying to listen to a story about an incident from a recent holiday, whilst smallest boy announces in a loud voice that he needs a wee.
Thinking about how to juggle the roles I have was one of the main motivations behind starting blogging in the first place. It's why I'm called 'MummyLadyMe'. I'm know I'm not the first woman to feel this way. I've just realised that in this post I haven't even really mentioned trying to fulfill my 'lady' role (although Paul and I did make use of some free babysitting this weekend - Hoorah!), or just trying to be me. Crumbs. There's so much to do!
I guess all you can do is prioritise the role that seems most important at the time, and trust that everyone involved loves you enough to forgive you if they don't always rank at number one on the priority list. I am so thankful to have relatives who I know feel that way about me.
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