April 2020 #TBCSmiles (3 1/2 weeks under lockdown).

It is the 15th and it's time for this month's #TBCSmiles. We all need smiles more than ever right now, and even under lockdown, it's still possible to find joy - and definitely encouraged.

Spring is here and nature is flourishing without so many cars and people to get in the way. The birds are literally having a field day, we have never had so many fledglings in our trees. The sun has been shining, and I think most of us are beginning to really appreciate our time outdoors.

It isn't only loved ones that COVID-19 is taking from us, and a lot of people are feeling a great deal of hurt right now. It might only be temporary, but it's happening now, and it can be overwhelming. You are allowed to be sad that your plans aren't going to happen, that you can't see your friends, can't just go out. You are allowed to grieve your losses.


We need our own space, and time to think and reflect. When that isn't built into your day, create it. Take a bath or bake something by yourself. Do some gardening or just sit and watch the sky. Indulge yourself in being you and doing 'nothing' but thinking for a while. It can help sort out your head, and put those worries into a sensible order. This is a big thing. It's a pandemic and it's unlike anything we are likely to ever experience in our lifetimes again. (I bloody hope not anyway!)

We might not be doing what we were intending, but we are still making memories. We are telling stories, playing games and getting to know our families in ways we never would otherwise. People are discovering new hobbies, learning new skills and home baking more than ever.

This time will pass, and when our Grandchildren sit on our laps, they'll ask what it was like, and we'll know it was so much better than the alternative, and actually, it wasn't so bad.

You guys have shared plenty of your lockdown smiles over the last month, and I have to apologise yet again that I have no time to comment on them all because I'm spending most of my day writing daily reports. When all of this is over I'm taking 2 months off to read books, take up new hobbies, bake, do aerobics with Joe someone etc...

Here are just 9 of your smiles, and I could have chosen 3 or 4 collages full easily. You can see all of the photos by checking the #TBCSmiles hashtag on Instagram, and please feel free to join in! Smiles are what it's all about in the end, if you have them, you know you are winning...

These gorgeous beauties were shared by the following Instagrammers:

BeautiesAndTheBibs / MrsAmyFoxBlog / TippyTupps

MemeAndHarri / MrsShilts / SuburbanMum

LiveLaughGo / MyHappyEverAfter / Gemzka182_MummyBio

I hope you managed to create some big smiles yourself., if you haven't, then make some tomorrow. If you can't find your smiles straight away, they are always there.

We made some smiles too, and said 'goodbye' to most of the big kids until after the lockdown. I don't have that many smiles to share here - I was a bit useless with my camera this month. But I've stored the rest in my head, so I can look at them whenever I want...

We can do this. 

You've already proven you are stronger than you think. 

In the interests of transparency the photo at the top of the page shows sweets we were given as part of a job with HARIBO. The collage also has toys we were given in it. And the letter was from Boris.