Abracadabra

Kiki making a wish

In this house we love all things 'magical' and 'mystical' .  My daughter is a huge Harry Potter fan and this is a post I wrote previously on what I found when I went into her bedroom ......

After venturing into my daughter's bedroom the other day I came across her spellbook. Yes, you've read that correctly- her Spellbook.  She has recently become a fan of Harry Potter which is great because she has been engrossed in the book at bedtime (which means quiet time for me).  She has also acquired a stick or should I say a wand.

Spells include a spell to bring turn herself into Ginny, a spell to bring rain and lightening and a spell to make it snow.  Unfortunately she has yet to come up with a spell to clean the house, wash the floors or do the ironing with a click of the fingers.  If she does come up with one, I'll let you know and all Mammy Dolittle followers can buy it at a discount.

The Stick or the wand does not have a name but she can be frequently heard chanting

'Expelliarmus'.

I'm used to it now but at first I was a little alarmed to hear her chanting 'Expelliarmus' at the top of her voice.

I have started to compile a list of spells I would like her to write:

A spell to make everyone happy - wouldn't the world be a better place

A spell to make me a size ten no matter what I eat

A spell to make my hair grow long and curly but NOT frizzy (I'm thinking Cheryl Cole)

A Mary Poppins type spell that would ensure the kids bedrooms were clean and tidy at all times

As above but including the rest of the house- living room, kitchen, bathrooms etc

It's moments like this I treasure as I know she is growing fast. Although I do hope she always remembers the magic! 

What spells would you like to my 8 year old to write? I'll see what I can do ;)

Todai I linked up with Jamie from Olivers Madhouse 

A letter to the Easter Bunny

There are many magic moments between child and parent..pregnancy,birth,first tooth, first step, first word..the list is endless.  In this house every christmas is magical, the visit by the tooth fairy is magical and then of course there is the Easter Bunny amongst other events and happenings.

Some magic moments are exactly that moments whilst others have developed into family traditions.  At the ages of 8 and 10 my children are growing up fast..everyday I can see changes be it the extra attention my daughter gives applying her lip gloss when playing dress up, or the fact my son now blushes when teased by his sister about girls.

On Saturday we left out carrots for the Easter Bunny and some water.  Later I popped out to the kitchen to make a cuppa (ok to refill my wine glass) and I found a letter from my daughter to the Easter Bunny asking him a number of questions....

Question 1

How do you deliver the Easter eggs to all the boys and girls in one night?

Question 2

If a boy or girl lost a tooth at Easter, would the tooth fairy come with you?

Question 3

If a boy or girl lost a tooth at Christmas, would Santa come with the tooth fairy?

The next day was fun filled but I have to admit there was a little sadness because it made me realise that perhaps this is one magic moment that will be coming to an end soon.I'm really not ready for the "talk" and where does it end- Easter, Christmas, a trip to the dentist?

Today I'm linking up with the lovely Jamie from The Olivers Madhouse Magic Moments linky.

Never under estimate coffee

This Monday I'm linking up with the lovely Jamie from The Olivers Madhouse Magic Moments linky.

My magic moment this week is very simple...it is the moment when all through the house
nothing stirs, not even a mouse, there is no TV or radio on, no hustle and bustle of children or husband, no whinging. no whining, no tantrums, no demands.......just me and my cup of coffee first thing in the morning before the madness begins!

This is a sponsored post

Shake it up -I <3 Dance album is out in the UK today, 25th March.  

About Shake It Up…

'Shake it up' is a hit series on the Disney channel.

Best friends CeCe Jones (Bella Thorne) and Rocky Blue (Zendaya) have dreamed about becoming professional dancers ever since they were little girls. Their big break finally comes when the girls get jobs as dancers on a local TV dance show called “Shake It Up, Chicago.”  Now, in the third season, Rocky and CeCe must re-audition for their spots on the show and balance their dance lives with school, boys, and family. Through it all, these two best friends always stick together.

My 8 Year old daughter is a big fan of the hit show .Last weekend  she reviewed the Shake it up- I <3 Dance album.    There are 17 songs on the album which features a mixture of disco, rap, R&B and up tempo tunes. There is no sexual innuendo or foul language which makes a refreshing change from some of the songs nowadays.  The album is full of energy and fun and I found myself humming and bopping along at times (not a pretty sight lol).

This is what Ciara has to say about the album:

According to Ciara if you like 'Shake it up', you will love this album.   When asked to sum up in one word what she thought of the album she replied "Great!".

You can purchase the album here

Will the real Stepford Wives please stand up!

Today is one of those days.....the laundry is piled high or rather quite low as its overflowing, the dishwasher is on the blink, therefore the breakfast dishes are unwashed and the floors need a good scrub but instead of getting stuck in I'm tapping away on my computer.  On days like this I remember back to an article I read in the Daily Mail that one in three women secretly love cleaning the house.  Researchers discovered women find it relaxing, satisfying and even therapeutic. Some  women even admitted that they love cleaning because they feel it gives them a sense of ‘pleasure’ and ‘achievement’.


Oh how I laughed, yes a right old belly laugh... I know women have many secret 'loves' but cleaning the house? I agree a house should be kept clean and tidy for hygienic reasons because after all no one wants unwanted guests of the vermin variety - but do I love to clean ...NO? 

The study goes on to say that  one in ten of the women love cleaning so much they go as far as to clean other people’s homes because it makes them feel good. You can read more on the survey here.  Below is a top ten list of 'their' favourite chores..

                               TOP TEN FAVOURITE CHORES

1. Vacuuming
2. Tidying
3. Wiping surfaces clean
4. Putting the washing on
5. Hanging things on the line
6. Changing the sheets
7. Dusting
8. Washing up
9. Ironing
10. Mopping the floors

         Daily Mail 6th June 2012

At this stage I was speechless (this does not happen very often) so I have decided to compile my own list of secret LOVES. Please note housework is not one of them.

                    MY SECRET LOVES (the censored version)

                 

                   1.   reading my book and drinking tea without interruption

                   2.   watching a good film on TV without interruption

                   3.   going clothes shopping particularly for shoes

                   4.   tapping away on my computer and having a good old nosy on facebook

                   5.   going back to bed when the kids are at school, watching morning TV whilst      

                         eating toast and drinking coffee in bed 

                   6.   meeting  friends  without children in tow

                   7.  relaxing in a candlelit bubble bath with rose petals  (and on occassion drinking     

                        red wine)

                   8.  going out for dinner or preparing a nice home cooked meal (but not the  washing 

                        up I hasten to add)

                   9. Having an uninterrupted lazy lie in

                  10. girls nights out ..

I could go on and on but basically what I'm trying to say is that there are a multitude of things I secretly LOVE to do instead of housework...some of which I will leave to your imagination.  Please note that as my Fairy Godmother has not waved her wand all of the above do not happen very often.

So who are these 1 in 3 women? Is there a secret elite society for housewives that I have not been invited to join? Will the real Stepford Wives please stand up!

This post is linked to the Post Comment Love linky hosted at Verily, Victoria Vocalises.

To Mammy with love ....

Today I'm linking up to Jamie at the Oliver's Madhouse Magic Moments linky. There have been so many magic moments but I think one that sticks out most is the note I got from my 10 year old son yesterday on Mother's Day. 

 You see at the grand old age of 10 my son considers himself a big boy who a lot of the time doesn't need his Mammy's help. In fact Mammy is banished from the room when his friends come over to play.  Whilst he still thinks I'm 'beast' at scrabble, I can no longer woo him with my football skills  and singing talents.  Hugs at the school gate are non existent in case his friends tease him.  Basically he is growing up fast.

However, yesterday he presented me with a homemade card and inside is a note that  I will treasure forever.

A Note to My Mum
I just want to let you know...

I will always love you.
You are the best Mam in the world.
You are the kindest Mam ever.
You make the best dinners.
You will protect me no matter what.
I love you Mam.

Happy Mothers Day


......and in that magic moment ...the the tears flowed.

Top Secret Weapon- MAM V's Kids

Last night my 8 year old daughter pushed a note under the sitting room door as she does on occassion.  Usually it's way past her bedtime, there have been hijinks, she has tormented her brother and the note contains 'I love you messages', 'I'm sorry' messages, 'Your the best Mam in the world' messages.  Last night it simply read ' Your a star Mam...p.s. p don't sing.

There are many things I like to do one of which is singing.  I like to sing in the shower, doing the housework, I've even been known to break into song in the supermarket.  I first realised I was  no Celine Dion or Whitney Houston when my children were small.  I taught them all the nursey rhymes I knew, sang along with Barney, Balamory and all their other favourite shows.  It was only when my little angels started to mimic my singing I realised how out of tune they were.  At first I thought perhaps they weren't blessed with their mother's singing genes but as they grow older  I realise they have lovely singing voices and clearly take after Daddy.

I never wanted to enter the XFACTOR, The Voice or any of the other singing shows on TV.  I never dreamt of smiling from ear to ear with a plantinum album in my hand.  I never watched Susan Boyle on 'Britain's got Talent' and thought it could be me.  However, I have been know to use my hairbrush as a microphone and sing Abba whilst dancing around the bedroom or sung the latest chart music whilst dancing aroung the sitting room with the vacuum cleaner (We've all done that, haven't we?)

Out of the mouth of babes.  My singing career is over  but I have now found a new secret weapon!!! the threat of singing.....in front of my childrens' friends, at bedtime when children won't stay in bed, in the car when they start bickering in the back seat...