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Stack of books with title - Deborah and Jael by Lucy Rycroft - Book Review

Deborah and Jael by Lucy Rycroft || Book Review

Lucy Rycroft sent me a copy of her new book Deborah and Jael, to read and review. *As always, even though I was gifted the book, I’ll only share my honest opinion in my review.* If you’ve followed me for a while you may be aware of my bugbear with Read more…

By Annie, 3 yearsJuly 13, 2020 ago

How to Own the Room by Viv Groskop || Book Review

If you follow me on Instagram then you have probably already seen me talk about this book. How to Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking by Viv Groskop – I absolutely loved it. It was really easy to read yet still challenging. The kind of book Read more…

By Annie, 4 yearsOctober 11, 2019 ago
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Day 1 of the holidays done ✅ Handing over to hol Day 1 of the holidays done ✅
Handing over to holiday clubs for the next few days as we need to work but also because our kids thrive on the structure 😅 
Reflecting today on behaviours we deem to be neurodiverse/not appropriate in public but actually which I’d really like to do if I hadn’t learned how I have to be to be an adult in our society. Sometimes I also find being in the supermarket so overwhelming that I think curling up in a ball on the floor could help! 
Grateful to the wonderful @camp.mohawk for hot tea in the sunshine this afternoon ☀️ 
Well done to you (if half term means something in your world) whether day one of the holidays has been horrendous or heavenly, hope you get to enjoy a hot cup of tea (or wine🍷) this evening!
Church with a neurodiverse kid. What many might Church with a neurodiverse kid. 
What many might see: a kid not listening or engaging, perhaps a kid they find distracting. And a mum you think can’t ‘control’ her kid or get them to sit still*. 
What’s actually happening: whilst he’s playing, fidgeting and struggling to use an indoor voice, we’re also passing back and forth a list of things we’re grateful for. We’re finding different ways to connect with God and one another because the expected ways of worship don’t work for our family. We have a kid who can’t physically keep his body still, no matter how hard I try. And, to be honest, I’m no longer willing to try because I do not want his experience of church to be one where I say he’s expected to be uncomfortable and to control his body in a way he doesn’t feel actually feel able. 
*this one isn’t assumed but one I’ve heard multiple times. 
#neurodiversity #accessiblechurch #inclusion #neurodiverseparenting
This kid walked into the room earlier and announce This kid walked into the room earlier and announced (very loudly), 
“I like girls.”
I replied, “me too. Why do you like girls?”
His reply? “Because they are good at cooking.” 
“Right, ok, no….”, settles myself in for a discussion about feminism. 
He later went on to talk about how mums do all the cooking, which certainly isn’t true in our house. 
It’s amazing how, in spite of everything we’re doing and saying at home, what our kids hear out in the world (particularly at school!) has such an impact. And, how they quote it at home like it’s fact even though we’ve spent the last 4 years saying something very different!
Earlier today this kid said, “Mummy, you’re li Earlier today this kid said, “Mummy, you’re like sunshine.” ☀️ 
I said thank you and assumed he was probably meaning I was happy or warm. Then he said, “because you’re powerful.” 💥 
Those are the kind of compliments I like! And such a good reminder for me not to assume why my kids are saying something or what they’re thinking. 
I am powerful like sunshine 💪 ☀️ 
#ThingsMyKidsSay #Compliment #Sunshine
Forever following the boys down muddy paths and in Forever following the boys down muddy paths and into the woods 🥰
”There is always an adventure waiting in the woo ”There is always an adventure waiting in the woods.”
- Katelyn S. Bolds
🌲 🌳 
#NatureLover #DogWalking #BlackLabrador #HappyDays
A 7 page gin menu ✅ Delicious gluten free lunch A 7 page gin menu ✅ 
Delicious gluten free lunch ✅ 
Dog friendly pub with lots of dogs for the boys to say hello to and a lovely garden to play in ✅ 
A very happy birthday indeed. Highly recommend @thepackhorse if you’re looking for a lovely, welcoming country pub 🥰
We ♥️ @amberley_museum! I used to love coming We ♥️ @amberley_museum! I used to love coming as a kid so it’s such a joy to take my kids now when we’re back visiting West Sussex. Trains, buses, interactive museum exhibits, wonderfully friendly staff and volunteers who chat happily and answer all the boys questions, a nature trail, a playground… the ideal day out! 
#FamilyDaysOut #WestSussexLife #AmberleyMuseum
A lovely day out to @aldingbournetrust to visit th A lovely day out to @aldingbournetrust to visit the farm, maze, play areas and woodland. The wonderful Aldingbourne Trust support people with learning disabilities and / or autism to reach their potential across Sussex & in Portsmouth and visiting the country centre is a lovely way to support the work they do. I hardly got any photos/videos because mostly I was trying to keep up with the boys! They particularly loved guinea pig snuggling, making friends and the slide in the cafe. Totally recommend it if you're nearby and looking for a great day out!
Big bro has these little bears he calls his ‘wor Big bro has these little bears he calls his ‘worry bears’ which he keeps in his locker at school and in his bag when he goes out somewhere without us. 
One of them lost an eye and then got a rip today. Rather than be upset he asked me whether animals can ever have one eye and we spent a long time looking at photos lovely dogs with one eye. I sewed the bear back together and actually managed to almost fix the eye but then Big bro asked me not to as he’d rather he only had one. 
Whilst some kids would be upset about something looking different or ‘broken’ his ability to love his toys somehow even more with imperfections is truly wonderful - particularly when he is prone to naturally be quite anxious. 
For me, witnessing his reaction, as a person who has probably always struggled with imperfection but has been teaching my kids about mending and caring for our belongings to try and make them last, I love watching him learn. Both my kids constantly teach me how to be a better, more loving, human (and always a better sewer because there’s always a lot to mend!)
Thank goodness for garden centres with aquatic sho Thank goodness for garden centres with aquatic shops and vampire crabs during the summer holidays! Yesterday I had the boys and we spent ages looking at these fascinating little crabs. 
Today, @petewillmot has them and they’ve gone back to the shop for another look! 🦀 
Thought I’d share because I genuinely found the vampire crabs pretty fascinating too!
Today the boys were playing pirates. Little bro sa Today the boys were playing pirates. Little bro said, “captains are not girls so you can’t be one Mummy…”
Me: “excuse me but why not? I think captains can definitely be girls.” 
Little bro: “well I am the captain because I am more stronger than you.” 
Me: “I’m not sure about that. I am very strong. Shall we have arm wrestle?” 
Little bro: “No. We are going to do penis wrestling.” 
Me: “oh right, well you have managed to pick an activity I can’t do as a girl… but also, please can we just not do any penis wrestling…?” 
(Photo of Little bro with his painted nails from yesterday. He will tell anyone who asks how nail varnish is for anyone! Today’s convo goes to prove how ongoing all our conversations about gender are!)
#GenderEquality #ThisGirlCan #AnythingYouCanDo #MumLife #Parenthood #MumOfBoys #Brothers
Forever keeping me on my toes. Can’t believe h Forever keeping me on my toes. 
Can’t believe how much bigger he is than this now. No less cheeky though. 
#toddlerlife #toddler #toddlermom #toddlermomlife #parenthood #mumlife #momlife #whatchadoin
The boys have reached an age where the results of, The boys have reached an age where the results of, “can I take a photo on your phone?” are actually decent! 🥰
#NationalTrust #MumAndSons #MumLife #MumOfBoys #Parenthood #MumsOfInstagram
Little bro’a childminder has taken him to McDona Little bro’a childminder has taken him to McDonalds a few times recently and Big bro has been devastated that he didn’t also go. So, we planned days ago that today he and I would do a trip just us. 
On the way I had a nosebleed. No tissues so we hard to dart into the nearest coffee shop and use up all their napkins. After 10 minutes he said, “this wouldn’t have happened on [little bro’s] trip.” 
In the end we popped into a charity shop and bought him that excellent T-shirt and we had a lovely time sat chatting. But, no matter how hard we try to plan the perfect thing, life often doesn’t go that way. That’s always difficult, especially when you’re a kid who feels stuff so deeply and struggles with things not going to plan.  I love a good plan so I get it! 
#MumSon #QualityTime #MumsofInstagram #CharityShopWin  #McDonalds #McDonaldsUK
Are you a networking lover or hater? I love peop Are you a networking lover or hater? 
I love people and I love conversation, but I am not a natural networker. Or at least, I didn’t think I was… 
I’ve shared 5 tips for how to improve your our approach to networking on @iridescentwomen. 
What would be your top tip? 
#networking #networkingtips #readingberkshire #iridescent #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity
Our boys have learned numbers and colours mostly t Our boys have learned numbers and colours mostly through pointing at Reading buses. In fact, Little bro feels so attached to the two colours of bus we regularly catch that given the option of 20+ different colour buses to sit on today he chose to get on only the colours we regularly catch! 
@readingbusesofficial’s open day raising money for @newbeginningsreading today was absolutely brilliant. Little bro’s highlights were the bus wash and getting to ‘drive’ a bus. Would totally recommend looking out for their next one if you’re a local and have a kid who loves buses!
Messy, exhausting, puzzling AND brilliant! 🥰 
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#mumlife #mumofboys #mumoftwo #parenthood #brothers #bromance #momofboys #letthembelittle #letthemplay
Today’s theme is being fed lovely food. Just bee Today’s theme is being fed lovely food. Just been to a brilliant leadership lunch hosted by @and.digital. Had some great conversations, listened to some really insightful talks and have gone away reflecting on all sorts of things to do with leadership. It was great to be in a room full of people also focused on driving digital in all sorts of different ways. Thank you so much to the AND Digital team for hosting, and inviting me. 
Tonight I’m heading to a BBQ at the University of Reading hosted by the Vice Chancellor where we hear a farewell from our current officers and welcome our incoming officers alongside the University team. Another fab opportunity to see leadership in action as this week is all about the leadership of the Students'​ Union being handed over to the new team. 
And - in the spirit of authentic and vulnerable leadership - the main thing I’m currently reflecting on as I sit at the bus stop waiting to head back to campus… being a mum has given me many valuable life skills. I honestly don’t go many meals without spilling some food down me (much like my kids) so this morning I packed a spare top and, given that the top I’m wearing now has gravy on it, I am feeling very smug about how prepared I was 😂 
 #team #leadership #digital
Felt very appropriate given tomorrow’s plan is ‘an adventure in the forest’. I am happiest in the woods and my kids certainly feel at home there too 🌲 
Poem by Jeanne Willis from the book wild child. Thank you @wildflower.dwelling for the template 🥰 
#letthembelittle #kidsmentalhealth #getoutside #mumlife #parenthood #outdoorskids
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