The Liebster Awards

Lindsay over at Newcastle Family Life recently nominated me and my wee blog, Kid And Capers to take part in the Liebster Awards. Thank you! I had never heard of the Liebster Awards before even though it seems to be all over Twitter once you do a wee search! Basically it seems to be a really fun way to get to know other bloggers a bit more. I spend so much of my free time reading through other people's blogs that its nice to find out more about them on a more personal level.
I hope that Lindsay doesn't mind me stealing the rules from her post! :-)


The rule's to the Liebster award are as follows:

• Promote the person who has nominated you and link their blog in your post.
• Answer the question's giving to you by your nominee, then create a new list of 11 questions for your nominees to answer.
• Nominate your own 5-11 blog's that you feel deserve the award
• Inform them that they have been nominated for The Liebster Award and provide a link to your post so that they can learn about it.

Here are the questions that Lindsay put to me:-


1.) Why did you start to blog?
I had read a few blogs in the past and thought I might enjoy blogging, but I always felt like I never had anything to say that people would want to read. When I fell pregnant I thought about it again but I was going through quite a lot at the time and didn't think I was in the right place. When my baby was 5 months old I decided that I was going to give it a go. I liked the idea of having somewhere to log my parenting journey. I'm also a beauty products fiend so any opportunity to blabber about that and I'm there! ;-)

2.) what gives you the inspiration to write?
I just like having my own wee "space" to talk about whatever takes my fancy. One day it might be dating as a single parent, another day it might be about the latest beauty product that I've fallen in love with.

3.) what do you love about blogging?
I love that I get to meet new people that I would never ever get to know without the blogging community. Its been very slow (and I thought it was pointless a few times) but I'm finally beginning to feel like I have a place in this wee corner of the internet. I've got to know some lovely people and look forward to reading what they're up to every week.

4.) which one place would you love to visit?
I would love to do a safari in South Africa or I would love to go back to New York again. I've been a few times and I'm totally and utterly in love with that city. Any bloggers want to go on an adventure? ;-)

5.) what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
My absolute favourite thing in the whole world is spending time with my wee boy. He's growing way too fast for my liking but I'm so proud of him. I can't believe I created something so perfect! I also enjoying walking/hiking, cinema, comedy gigs, shopping, spending time with family/friends....not necessarily in that exact order.

6.) what is your greatest achievement in life so far?
It has to be my son. I don't think it matters what else I do in life, it will always pale in comparison.

7.) what has been your most memorable meal?
It was a meal I had in the Grand Central Oyster Bar in NYC. Everything from the location (beautiful old terminal) to the food was just divine and unforgettable.

8.) what is your favourite book?
I couldn't pick just one book. I'm firstly a bit of a Harry Potter fan but some of my other favourite are: The Help, One Day, The Colour Purple, PS I Love You, Pride And Prejudice, A Time To Kill.

9.) where do you see yourself in five years time?
I hope that I'll still be self employed and making enough out of it to save towards my little man's fortune.

10.) your most treasured possessions?
My son and anything to do with him, whether its photos, hospital bands, paintings he's done. He's only just turned one so I'm sure I'm going to pick up a lot more treasured possessions along the way.

11.) describe yourself in five words.
Happy, determined, caring, friendly, emotional (babies bloody break you and I was bad enough to begin with!)


Now its your turn! I nominate:
Amanda at Niescior's Notes
Leighanne at Bump and Beyond
Crystal at Crystal Says
Tanya at Polka Dots and Cups of Tea
Dani at Heavy In The Day
Carol at Flitty Chick
Katy at Modern Mummy
Gemma at Sunshine On A Cloudy Day
Debbie at Super Busy Mum

My 11 questions to you lovely lot are:
1. How long have you been blogging?
2. Do you have any pets?
3. Is there anything that you would like to have achieved by the end of 2014? Doesn't have to be a big thing!
4. If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
5. Are you passionate about anything in particular? It can be a topic or hobby, anything!
6. Any there any bloggers that you would love to meet?
7. Do you have a favourite TV show?
8. What is your pet peeve?
9. What do you enjoy most about blogging?
10. Do you have any advice for new bloggers?
11. What was the last book that you read?


Make sure you send me a link so I can read your answers. Have fun, I certainly did!

Empties #2

This is my second Empties post. I keep forgetting and throwing things out! :-)

Palmer's Cocoa Body Scrub
Price: £4.99 in Superdrug
I love this stuff. Its a great wee exfoliator and smells gorgeous. Its tough enough to do the job without being harsh on my skin.

Andrew Barton - The Straight Answer Hot Iron Protection Spray

Price: Its £3.90 in Asda for the full size, though I have been using the travel size bottle.
I'm in two minds about this product. I loved the smell. It did give me very sleek, shiny hair. According to the instructions you can use it on wet or dry hair. I've always been told not to put a hot iron on wet hair so it felt very wrong doing it. That said, the result was great!

Herbal Essences - Hello Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner
Price: £1.87 each in Superdrug
You might have realised by now that I'm very much drawn to products based on their fragrance. This smelled fantastic with its coconut and orchid scents. My hair was easy to brush out afterwards which is sometimes a problem with other shampoos and conditioners but I won't be buying it again. Its such a small thing but I hate the bottles. I got about halfway down each bottle and had to shake and squeeze the life out of it to get any product. A faff! Someone tell me they feel the same!

Original Source - Orange and Cinnamon Shower Gel
Price: It was about £2 at Christmas but its one of their seasonal range so almost impossible to pick up now.
I bought a few bottles of this in December. I love that it smells exactly like Christmas. I've also been told by friends that it reminds them of Lush which can only ever be taken as a compliment.

Lush Lip Scrub - Mint Julips
Price: £5.50 in Lush
I wrote about the Lush lip scrubs in a previous post. Yes, I know that I could make up a lip scrub at home but would it smell and taste (I try not to eat it!) as good as this one does. I doubt it! :-) I use it every second night and my lips are always soft and smooth.

Sanctuary Sleep-In-A-Box kit
The set contains:
Comforting night butter

Smoothing silk polish 

Restoring body oil
Soothing bath float (missing from the photo because my mum pinched it)
Price: £12.50 in Boots
I was given this as a gift. I tend to not like Sanctuary products. There's nothing wrong with them as such, I'm just not a huge fan of how they smell. This scent smells lovely though with its Patchouli, Frankincense and my favourite...Ylang Ylang. I'll definitely be looking out for it again when I'm next in Boots.

Advance Techniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil Leave in Treatment
Price: £3.85 on the Avon website
I'm trying to be kinder to my hair at the moment. Just as with my skin, I haven't looked after it as well as I used to since having my wee boy but I am trying to take care of it now. I normally apply it to my hair after washing it just to nourish and protect it. Its also good to use as a means to control those wee fly away hairs after styling.


Have you tried any of these?
What did you think?

Huge kind gestures - eternally grateful or eternally indebted?

I don't know what this post is to be honest. It's certainly not a rant. I guess I just want to get it off my chest.


When I found out I was pregnant in 2012 I started house hunting with a view to buying. I wanted to put down roots for myself and the little baby that I was growing. :-)

I started looking at all the different options available to me but I seemed to always be stuck at the deposit. I strongly considered co-ownership, it seemed to be the only way I could make it all work. 

When I spoke to my dad about what I was doing he didn't say very much. He's the best man I know but he's the silent type so you never really know how your news has been met. :-)

He contacted me a few weeks later to say that he had the deposit for a house set aside for me and each of my siblings. He had never had any idea what each "pot" would be used for but as the market changed over the years he started to realise that the "pots" would more than likely be used for house deposits.

To cut a long story short I was able to get a wee dream house using the money as the deposit. Amazing! Fantastic! That incredible gesture changed my life. It gave me the life I wanted for myself and my baby. It gave me a new start after a very rough few years. It brought me closer to my family after living over two hours away from them for years. It just seemed to bring everything together.

In the beginning I felt guilty. That was my parent's money. I have no doubt that they worked bloody hard for it. How could I take it off them?! I spoke to one of my friends at the time and she said "Even now, with that baby still in your tummy, is there anything that you wouldn't do for him/her?" When those words sunk in it sort of made sense and now that my little boy is here, they ring true all the more. I accept now that thank you isn't enough. I accept that I'll never be able to repay them but I also realise that's not why they did it - seeing their daughter and grandchild settled and happy is all they wanted out of it.

All of that aside, I feel eternally grateful, of course I do, but I also feel eternally indebted. I don't know that feeling this indebted is a such a great feeling though...

I'm trying to pick my words carefully here because as I said at the beginning of my post, this is not a rant. I don't want to sound ungrateful. I just don't know how to separate the two things - grateful and indebted. They're vastly different when you're living with them daily.

I've always been close to my parents and helped out whenever I could on the farm. Though, since the deposit, I now feel like I should be at their every beck and call. This isn't something that they've put on me. It's something I have put on myself. When they've mentioned needing a "wee helping hand, just whenever you have time" I've changed my plans immediately just so I could go and help out straight away.

I don't know how to move forward and feel eternally grateful rather than eternally indebted.
 

Has anyone else been in a similar position?
Any advice?

Silent Sunday No.9

May Lust List

I have a wedding to go to at the end of November. I know its ages away but I can't stop thinking about outfits, hair etc. Call me organised! ;-) So, basically this lust list is geared towards that.


1. Rene Caovilla beaded lace kitten heels - a steal at £795. ;-)
I can't walk in high heels. Its not a good look on me and I always end up in agony, going over on my ankle and embarrassing myself or both! Kitten heels are the best option for me but I'm really torn about what would suit?


2. Vera Moda blazer - £37
As said, the wedding is in November so I'm thinking I will need a wee blazer.


3. River Island jumpsuit - £45
This one is maybe a bit too casual for a wedding? Though, while making this list I was really struggling to find a smart one. I have a wee boy, a very active wee boy so for some reason I've got it into my head that a jumpsuit would be most comfy while I'm entertaining him in between the different stages of the day.


4. Selected.com Statement necklace - £33
I love a statement necklace and I'm particularly in love with this one at the moment.


5. Lauren's Way bronzing lotion - £11 in Debenham's
Time to perfect the old fake tan application again! I could go for a spray tan but it will be very close to Christmas and I'm Santa Claus so if I can do it myself then the money would be better spent elsewhere.


6. Up do for the wedding.
I love my hair off my face for weddings. Once its back its one less thing I need to worry about going wrong. One drop of rain and hours of straightening/curling is wasted!


This list is by no means the done deal and I know there's so much more to think about - bag, earrings, make up etc. I would love reader's input and suggestions. It will be the first time I will have seen some people since having my wee boy so the vain person in me wants to look the business!

Loreal Paris Studio Line Salt Spray

It's not a very positive review this time folks I'm afraid.

Last week I was in Boots and purchased a bottle of L'oreal Paris Studio Line Matt and Messy Shine-Free Salt Spray. What a mouthful! :-) 

I'm currently bored of using my curling wand. My hair is so thick that curling sections takes forever! And it's not pleasant during the warmer weather. 

I've heard a lot about these salt sprays, how they give a beachy, tousled look with minimum effort. Exactly what I want!

Unfortunately this wee 150ml bottle of salt spray doesn't do that...not on any level. Luckily I only paid £3.75 or I'd be pretty ticked off right now. 

Below is L'oreal's style advice:

Style Advice

1. Spray on dry or damp hair and ruffle for instant texturising effect.

2. For tousled waves, define sections and twist them with your fingers.

Tip: to give a more wild and voluminous feel to your tousled look, crumple your hair into your hands while spraying.

I tried all of these suggestions on different days and not one worked. My hair looked no different. The only difference was that it didn't feel particularly pleasant. 

Massive disappointment.

Did any of you have any luck with salt sprays?

Silent Sunday No.8