14 Months....

The last month has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride that has exhausted all of us. I mentioned last month that one of our children wasn't coping so well, and that's affecting their physical health. With one of our children ill the stress levels increase and you end up with tetchy remorseful adults, and tearful children who feel they have done something wrong. The whole household is constantly apologising to each other. It's terribly British.


Each hour spent focussing on something else means an hour off from the 24 hour a day thoughts that fill your head (hence the frequency of my posts lately probably!), so keeping busy and making yourself do stuff is vital. My trip to London with only 1 child (first ever time) for the Talk To Mums Family Playtime was a really lovely day out for both of us and allowed my partner special time with 2 of the other children, and Disney On Ice last night was actually magical and gave the 5 of us who went a chance to properly relax and immerse ourselves for 2 hours.

The darker nights are unsettling our youngest who is now insisting he sleeps with his Halloween tealight - as well as the 2 sets of twinkly battery operated lights suspended across the top of the wardrobe, so we rival Blackpool Illuminations. It might just be me, but I actually think it looks gorgeous.

I met another blogger for the first time this month, I recognised her blog name but I've not been a regular reader. She was really awkward and embarrassed and I didn't know if it was because she felt she should say something and didn't know what to say, or if she was one of the many people who had emailed or messaged me over the past year to say that they understand, or that they have experienced loss by suicide, or that they themselves have felt at rock bottom. My mind is fried, thoughts run round and round all the time and there's no more room. My short-term memory is broken. I have no hope of  recognising you or your name, but I will recognise your words and your story, so unless you choose  to let me know who you are, you are anonymous.

Now to the smiles. I don't usually double up posts on the 15th, but today I am going to make an exception. I didn't take loads of photographs at Disney On Ice last night because I wanted to enjoy it live, not through a lens, but I witnessed a lot of smiles and plenty of Disney magic from a household who would never consider themselves Disney fans. I am going to write up my post and share it today because it seems right, and it'll make me smile some more to write it.

Here are the smiles I did catch with my camera this month....and there are tons! Games, yogurt, LEGO creations and a first big age 6+ build, Superhero acting and the trips to London and Disney On Ice all helped make us smile this month.....but most smiles came from a 7th birthday and a little brother who was determined to make it great.

 I hope that you can always find your smiles... x