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Nina A Spencer – Motherhood Mentor – Simplifying the every day for busy overwhelmed mums -Mum Of Twins Twice! Placenta Accreta Survivor, Mental Health Champion, On my own simple living Journey filled with adventure and travel . Embracing The Imperfectly, Chaotic moments of motherhood.
Oh gosh we are here already! I almost forgot to post this as I hurtled along November oblivious to what the date is!
So Decembers word of the month
The last one – Im not going to continue his in 2019 as Im not really sure anyone even reads it Ha!
My word this month is Gratitude.
December is all about coming together and feeling all the festiveness that it brings. getting caught in the magic the sparkle and the fun!
If we are not careful we can forget to show how grateful we are. we can overwhelm ourselves with sending gifts that are meaningless.
This Month I want to let everyone around me know just how grateful I am for them!
I’m grateful for having family close by that will have the kids when an opportunity arrises for me to attend an event.
Grateful to my friends who support my anxious moments and keep me grounded with good advise or to the point wit!
Grateful to online friends who get me and have been through similar experiences It really is good to know your not alone!
Grateful that my christmases are now so full and exciting because we are a family and have kids to share the magic with! Christmas is all about the kids isn’t it?
and
Grateful to my husband who puts up with me. put up with my wrong kind of OCD, my whims, my moans, my low moods and everything else!
So thanks everyone for being in my life and I hope you have an amazing December.
Well I hope you’ve all had an amazing Christmas and are ready to head into 2019! Can you believe we are the end of the year already?
Health
So much has happened this year I started the Year poorly with Gallstones since then Ive had my entire Gallbladder removed.
All of the children came down with chicken pox! At least its all over and done with. You can only catch it once right?
I rejoined the spa that I was a member at so that I could start swimming again only to lapse after my gallbladder op!
I also vowed to become healthier and eat better! Again after my gallbladder came out I fell back into old ways.
As soon as the dark nights hit my mental Health deteriorated again and I’m currently working on reducing my stress and actively trying to do things to cut my anxiety!
Travel
This year I was adamant that I was going to make the most of life, give our family amazing memories and explore new places.
We also headed to the Norfolk coast to the amazing Mill Farm Eco Barn It was such an amazing holiday for all of our family we spent time at the beach, evenings at the arcades playing the slot machines, We ate fish n chips and in true Spencer style took mystery road trips by looking at a map and just driving!
Before the Summer Holidays hit We hopped on a plane to our favorite destination for the littlest twins first holiday abroad. Lanzarote is like our second home!
Towards the end of the summer Holidays we surprised the kids with a train ride to France and more importantly to Disneyland! I think me and Chris were as excited if not more than the kids. Its just so magical.
Homeschool
We took the kids out of school to try our hand at home schooling. there just wasn’t enough hours in the day to get everything done.
I really admire everyone who is on the home school journey but at the moment it’s not for me. I barely have any time while they are at school to get everything done that I want to.
Work, money, Blogging
Ive learnt this year that I’m shit at money. I posted through the year about our family hitting crisis point. In life and in money. Unfortunately barely anything has changed
I really need to get a grip of our finances this new year. It a big source of stress for us all.
I haven’t been consistent enough online to hit those magic “influencer” numbers. I have to realise I have a family and home that come before you all. I remembered through the year though I share our life because I like doing it. I like being creative. I have lost a little of my creativity on my insta grid lately in favour of just getting the post up for consistency. I want to use my creativity more and set up photos yes I know people see this as fake sometimes but I like the creative aspect of it. My dad when I was younger was always playing around with setting up photographs of wine and cheese boards etc.
I think that’s about it for my 2018 round up.
Thanks for joining us this year and being part of our family.
I hope you’ll stick around in 2019 for more chaos, adventures, and creativity.
When my husband “Chris” started a conversation the other week with “I know there are 14 for Christmas dinner…” I stopped him in his tracks and said I’ve already thought about it.
My step Sons mum has been quite poorly and she would normally be out on a Christmas Eve while we are having our big family Christmas dinner I thought how she might be home alone on Christmas Eve I thought about what if she came to us?
At one point we didn’t really get on You could say we hated each other. I mean she got together with my childhood crush when I was in full on crush mode. She knew that I had a thing about him and used to avoid us coming into contact with each other if at all possible.
When their marriage ended and I ended up with Chris we were like arch enemies however now we are a few years down the line we have become quite the modern blended family.
We often message each other with things about the boy, When I had my 2014 breakdown she understood and when she’s been poorly I’ve messaged to see how she is.
Ok were not best friends but like it or not we are family!
So I’ve invited her to come for Christmas Lunch – 1 more isn’t going to make much of a difference. Is it?
Some people may see our set up and think that its a little odd but if we can be friends then why not. As I’ve said we are family and we share the boy even if he is 18.
My parents are divorced and I tell you Its so much better now they speak and get on than it ever was when they would relay messages through me. Or when they would slag one another off all the time!
I just think there is enough sadness, and animosity in the world already why not have part of your family over for Christmas lunch even if that family is blended!
When I was at school I had my fair share of name calling and bitchy comments directed at me.
I can’t say it was full blown bullying even though the names did make me really really sad.
However Bullying is something we are hearing more and more about.
40% of Children experience bullying each year.
Now I have children at school of my own I want to do as much as I can to keep them safe and happy and most importantly teach them to treat people as they want to be treated.
Bullying can affect mental health and can impact children right through their lives.
On Monday 12th November its Odd Socks Day
Its a chance to raise awareness of individuality, Show that being individual is a good thing!
Wear odd socks and donate to the anti Bullying alliance.
Of course you dont have to donate simply wearing your odd socks to stamp out the stigma of individuality is enough
Is your child
The Anti Bullying Alliance has some top tips for Parents.
If your child is being bullied you should reassure them that you can work though this together and that its not their fault.
We should teach our Children that whatever the circumstances Bullying is never acceptable.
Being bullied doesn’t mean you should retaliate .
Taking part in activities that can build your child’s self esteem could be a great way to build confidence and make friends away from the place they are being bullied.
If you need any more information or advise head on over to The Anti Bulling Alliance
So the kids have gone back to school this morning and I’m starting on my bucket list for this term.
There is 7 school weeks left of 2018 I know I can’t believe it. Where exactly did 2018 go?
There are lots of things I’d like to accomplish before the end of the year most of which are easier when the kids are at school.
So what better way to feel productive than make a list.
Home
Move kids rooms. – I’m trying to move the little twins into what is now the big twins rooms and the big twins into bigger rooms that feel more separate in the hope they may not invade each other’s space as much.
Finish all the Christmas gifts and get them wrapped. – I always seem to be wrapping on Christmas Eve when I’m trying to also cook dinner.
Sort out the kids clothing. – During the last couple of months they seem to have grown a little fast. All four of them and are growing out of clothes.
Minimise – I don’t want to be so cluttered and unorganised in 2019 the most important thing I need to decluttering is the kids toys. Especially as I know they will be bombarded with stuff again at Christmas.
Work
Hit vlogmas. – For the past few years I’ve been doing vlogmas it’s where I started my YouTube channel even if I was very nervous and a little bit quiet. This year I’d like to make my December Vlogs feel super cosy and festive and and feel like I’m as good as some of those other mummy bloggers out there.
Create a better schedule for myself. I want to stick a little better to a work/ life schedule. I think I’m getting there I just need some little tweaks.
Reach out. – Send out some emails to potential companies that I’d love to work with in 2019. Fingers crossed someone would love to work with me.
That’s my bucket list for the winter term.
I’ve not put down any family related things as I don’t really have anything I really want to do. It’s not like the summer is it where you plan trips to the seaside or days out as you never can quite predict the weather.
Wish me luck. I’ll check back at the end of term.
Do you find it helpful to write a bucket list like this or do you prefer to go with the flow?
