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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.
I was going to just post this to Instagram. Then when I started rambling found it was just too long.
Right I’m going to just say it. I’m suffering with depression of late. Im struggling.
When my mood is low I reach for the crap food. My nemesis is cake! I could if left probably demolish all of these in one day. I know that eating crap makes you feel crap and then yo feel crap so reach for the cakes. It’s a vicious circle and I’m quite deep into it.
Since having my gallbladder out I’ve put 2 stone on! I’m not proud. I’m disgusted to be honest.
Why am I feeling like this?
Well I blame the kids constantly But truth is is my fault.
The house is a mess and I don’t give enough time for things so am constantly running behind.
The kids behaviour is probably like it is due to me feeling like I do. Due to me not giving them enough time.
I tried to homeschool but I’m not cut out for it.
I get shouty when they don’t grasp something and it’s no good for anyone.
Right now I’m secretly waiting for September to come so I can get into a better routine with everyone.
I also know this isn’t good waiting for tomorrow. And all that. But it’s the only light I feel I have at the moment.
This morning we should be making you breakfast in bed ok well at least a cup of coffee.
But instead you are on day 7 of working away!
I know I moan and am not the best house wife in the world!
Truth is when we first met and I became aware of you, I was a child. I crushed on you so much. Cried over the fact you didn’t even know I was alive!
Years later when you sent the letter to my childhood home I was sure you had sent it to the wrong person!
Then we got together and soon became a family you me and your son (his mum, her other son and all the rest of the blended family)
I was always adamant as a teen that I didn’t want children!
Then I became a step-mum! I gave up who I was and had to think about another human being and he wasn’t even mine!
Then my cousin had her son – I was there outside the delivery room and one of the first people to see him! I couldn’t believe how amazing this little human was! Then when you came later in the year and met him I saw you holding him and knew I wanted to become a proper family!
I wanted a tiny human!
Fast forward 13 years and what a family we have! 4 children together (two at a time) and one teen who is now as much mine as he is yours and his mums!
I have watched you with our children! Watched you feed, change, snuggle with, play with, talk to and cuddle our children!
Now I know that the children need to work on some things like picking up their toys and stopping screaming at each other and I know that these things can stress you out.
I know that you have struggled over the past year as have I with everything that has happened but I also know how much you love our children. our family, our adventures.
We are so proud of you and how much you have achieved we just all wish you didn’t have to be away as much especially on fathers day!
I think what I’m trying to say in this rambling post is We love you, and miss you and think you are the best daddy in the world!
Sat inside with the rain pouring it doesn’t feel much like summer.
However during May we have been so lucky with the weather.
May 2018 was the hottest for decades
Inspired by the good weather and the Little Tikes recent findings that Brits have named the first week in June * as the start of summer I thought I would write about what summer means to our family.
*despite the summer solstice being June 21st
63% of Brits state that Summer is their Favorite Season!
Summer for us means
Late nights with friends
Alfresco dinning
Beer Gardens
Mini Adventures to new places
Garden Days
One in ten Brits think that for them summer starts at the first smell of cut grass.
Every Year for at least the last 8 years we have thrown a BBQ party at the start of the kids 6 week summer holiday.
Its my birthday but we call it our summer BBQ party. we invite our friends and family, we chat, play music, dance, some have even to be known to do the conga around the garden out the gate and around the Coop shop next door! (You know who you are.)
The Majority of the UK class the first week in June as the start of summer
This BBQ party is one of the big highlights of our year. Its where our little group of friends really first started to form a bond!
So although Summer for us starts at the first cut of the grass or our first BBQ. Our Summer Party is the day we look forward to the most.
Summer coming also means I get to spend 3 days in a field (which can play havoc with my hay-fever) with 500 other women from Women’s Institutes all around the country.
3% of brits know summer has arrived when hayfever symptoms kicks in!
This 3 day break with 3 of my friends from our WI is our time no kids no husbands just us girls and a bottle of wine or two. (or 3)
What signals the start of summer for you?
Let me know any traditions you have over the summer period and how you know its summer!
Nina x
Statistics are from the Little Tikes survey of over 2000 people.
Little Tikes has an amazing range of toys for a range of ages from the simple things to do over summer like sand boxes and water tables, Swings and slides and dont forget the iconic cozy coupe .
Our travels last week took us to the Norfolk Broads countryside. A little Village on the coast called Winterton-On-Sea.
Horsey Wind Pump
Eco Barn Garden
Living Area
Living Area
Bedroom Balcony
Eco Barn
Allotment
Welcome Sign
Fields Arond
Horsey WindPump
SunSet
Our home for the week was a beautiful barn conversion called Mill Farm Eco Barn.
The barn does what it says, its very eco friendly, with rainwater running the washing machine, a biomass under floor heating system, its very own allotment that unfortunately due to the time of year didn’t have anything ready for us to use.
The barn inside is large yet cosy, with a log burner Not that we needed it (It was the hottest bank holiday on record I believe.) As you walk into the main living area you are greeted by a wooden staircase that winds up to the gantry style landing.
The landing looks over the living area and leads to the master bedroom with balcony, twin room with ensuite and the main family bathroom with huge bath and shower.
Downstairs is another 2 bedrooms and one with ensuite and another shower room.
The open plan living area hosts the kitchen area with range cooker, built in fridge and dishwasher. with a breakfast bar separating it from the dinning area that seats 8.
We were so lucky with the weather that during our stay we took the opportunity to have a couple of BBQ’s in the courtyard garden.
We laid the table inside with salad and bread and condiments and opened the trifold doors bringing the outside in!
The area around the barn felt safe enough to let the kids go and explore more or less on their own!
There is a paddock that used to be home to two ponies but unfortunately they had become poorly just before our stay so are no longer there.
Now the paddock is empty the kids could happily run around and burn off any energy they had left after exploring the nearby attractions.
As we needed a cot for the babies we chose the main bedroom with balcony each morning I would open the curtains and the door that overlook the fields around letting in the fresh morning air.
The host are lovely people and always leave a welcome basket with home made bread and cake as well as local eggs and jam.
The Eco Barn is such a lovely space for an extended family break. There are high chairs, cots, bikes toys and more.
We were talking over breakfast one morning about home nice it would be to rent out all three properties over the Christmas period for our family and celebrate all together in the eco barn!
Having looked up availability its actually already been booked so someone else must have seen its Festive potential too!
We explored loads during our stay however there is so much we haven’t yet seen so are planning our next trip to the Eco Barn.
