Friends

Friend (n.) - a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard

I have spent the afternoon relaxing at home with two lovely friends, S and J and their 5 month old son Little M. Little K just loves him and even learned how to give him a peck on the lips today! Have to watch that one when she's older!

I've been so stressed out recently with everything that's been going on around me that I've never taken time to step back and look at the bigger picture. Well, today I did just that and I realised that yes, its a pretty shitty situation at the moment but I have lovely friends, a fantastic husband and a daughter I love the bones of <3 ...not forgetting the bratface of a dog who I do love deep down...somewhere!

This afternoon was spent catching up, sharing the latest gossip, talking about movies, music, cake, drugs and pregnancy amongst other things and sharing my latest business ideas (which I have 2 of). I won't share these with you just yet, it's something for the future, possibly branching from this blog but we'll see.

Little K had a lovely time playing with Little M, even teaching him how to play with her toys and trying to give him his bottle when he got a little grouchy. I love watching Little K play with babies and children, she's just fascinated and that fascinates me.

Business wise...I've just drawn the winner for a competition I've been running all month for free wedding planning. Yes, I understand it is a lot to give away and it will seem like a lot of hard work for no financial gain but I'm hoping to gain in other ways - pictures for my portfolio, experience, contacts and promotion. In life it's not all about what you can do to gain money, sometimes some great things have come from giving something away. Market it properly and you could be onto a winner. Thankfully, marketing is my strong point.

Feelings with mum are very strained at the moment although she gives the impression she is oblivious to it all....hmm....thats a post for another day. Lets end this post on a positive as I've had a super happy day with those I love the most.

Love and kisses,
TM <3

Poor busines planning

Today I seemed to catch up on everything...since I got up at 7am I have been in three different modes...mummy...wife/mummy...business lady.

Little K was at playgroup this morning so I rushed into town to get a start on Christmas shopping - yes I did just swear, I said the C word! Apologies, I should've warned you first! The only reason I decided to get a head start is because everything is so manic at the moment and there is a lot happening over the next few months, if I can be organised in one aspect of my life I'll be happy.

I noticed on facebook late last night that a local lady who bakes cakes was selling off some leftovers from a charity event she was at. She stays a good 10 miles from where I stay but I fancied surprising Mr L and dropping off some yummy treats at his work so I responded to the post. I met the lady after I dropped Little K off at playgroup, purchased 2 cakes and 3 tray bakes at 50p each then headed to Mr L's work. The lady then drove the 6 or so miles back to her house. I never really thought much about it at the time but surely this was poor business planning...the cost of making the cakes and tray bakes, petrol for 12 miles (at least), the packaging of the cakes in a cardboard display box and her time...for £2.50?

Once I got Little K home from playgroup (where she had what seemed like a 5 second nap in the car and that was her for the day - oh dear!) I have been super busy tidying, cleaning, washing, dusting, hoovering, sweeping, scrubbing, cooking, feeding, playing, emailing, brainstorming, more tidying, nappy changing, dog walking, more cooking, reading, bathing, dressing, feeding, cuddling, more tidying, more washing and finally I am SITTING! I may still be typing, working and studying but at least I can put my feet up.

Mr L is working on a friends car tonight so I have the house to myself until he wanders in around midnight. Time to blast through everything I still have to do then do my favourite 'ing' of all....sleeping!

Night everyone,
Love and kisses,
TM <3

The Little Lost Mouse

Lessons were learned today...it truly has been a day of learning for me.

Firstly I had an appointment at my solicitors this morning to hand over the keys and tie up the sale of my old flat. I used to love staying there but someone managed to ruin all the happiness connected with that home.
When Mr L and I were looking into buying a property, a 'family member' said not to bother about getting a mortgage, he would lend us the money with the agreement that we would pay it back in full, with no interest. An agreement was drawn up by the solicitor and we all signed it. Over the next three years Mr L and I made a monthly payment to said 'family member' to bring down the balance - as if we were paying for a mortgage. When we came to sell the flat and made a formal acceptance, this disgusting 'family member' said the money we were paying him each month was interest - even though the contract stated no interest was due. After many heated discussions and arguments, this so called 'family member' said he would not accept anything less than the initial amount he loaned us and if we didn't pay it to him we would lose out on the sale of the property. It's a super long story but we had to end up cutting our losses and agreeing to pay him £6k more than he was legally intited to otherwise my mum would be stuck in the middle and it could've potentially damaged our relationship. It makes me sick to think he could rip of his own family but he later called me a 'business deal and investment, not family'. Ugh! To think I let this nasty piece of work walk me down the aisle on my wedding day two years ago makes me sick to my stomach.
Lesson 1 of today was to cut your losses, hold your head up high and be proud instead of fighting in the gutter. Mr L and I have £6k less in our pocket than we should have but at least we know we didn't stoop to the level that man did...we're honest, loving, hard working people. We're a real family.

As a little bit of stress relief, Little K and I decided to go to Dundee shopping (well, I decided....she didn't have much of an option seen as shes only 1 year old). I packed Little K into the car with lots of her toys to keep her amused, including her favourite minnie mouse cuddly toy. She is never without this...ever. When we finally got there, I parked up, got her into the pram with her minnie mouse and set off to find some high waisted jeans.
I was completely in a world of my own for a few minutes...turned round to realise there was no minnie mouse in the pram! Little K had dropped it and I had no idea where. Gutted was an understatement! I searched the shop I was in, re-traced my steps back to the car searching the whole way...I tried everything but I still couldn't find minnie mouse. I was frantic. I decided to get on my phone and trace down a local Disney Store. After running round I managed to find a cuddly toy minnie mouse in the shop...it was massive but it was the only one so I had to get it. It didn't help by the fact Little K kept saying 'Yes!' every time she looked at it. After purchasing it and heading back to the car I decided to go via the shopping centre I was in before and find the customer service desk. I couldn't find it and decided to give up and head home...if someone had found it they would maybe have kept it (it was a damn cute minnie mouse!) or maybe no-one had found it at all. Just by chance, I found the customer service desk, went over and made an enquiry about the lost mouse. I couldn't believe it but I was greeted by a man HOLDING LITTLE K's MINNIE MOUSE!!!!! I could've cried! I was over the moon - even if it did mean we were now going home with an extra minnie mouse - much to Little K's delight!
Lesson 2 of today is to make sure you explore every avenue when trying to accomplish something and even when you feel like you're about to give up...try a little harder. It paid off for me and I'm sure it will pay off for you too.

Love and kisses,
TM <3

Time to celebrate

That time has rolled around again....today is my birthday. On my last birthday, my 24th, I woke up feeling old and tired and that things were just plodding along - that I was just getting on with life. This could either be due to the fact I was indeed another year older and having a mini-crisis about it or the fact I had a 9day old baby who wasn't a great sleeper at all.

This year, I woke up feeling refreshed, young, inspired and motivated. Now I'm usually a very motivated person but something seemed to 'click' recently and everything seemed to make sense. I finally (after years of being unsure) knew where I wanted to go in life and had a rough idea of how to get there. I've always wanted to 'make it' and take myself and my family to areas of the unknown - to give us what we've always worked so hard to achieve - to give us success.

So raise your glasses as today I feel young (although in reality I'm another year older) and finally know where I want to go, how to get there and who is going to join me. I don't feel anxious about turning 25, I feel super excited as to what the future holds for my family and I.

My gorgeous Mr L has worked his (rather yummy) behind off for the last few years to provide for us while I left my beauty salon business and carried Little K in my tummy for 9 very long months - now it's my turn to work my (bootylicious) behind off and help make things happen.

Wishing you an inspiring day,
Love and kisses,
TM <3

Raindrops and mountains

The weather here is just awful just now...we're in the middle of some tropical storm which means tons of rain, very strong winds and cold days and nights. It's days like this that make me so glad I work from home. As I'm sitting on the couch in the jogging bottoms and jumper answering emails, Little K is in her walker munching on some rice cakes, Cody is sound asleep and the rain is battering off the window.

My good deed for the day is done too...I invited two workmen in for a cup of coffee as they were soaking and freezing working in our back garden taking a wall down.

Little K is also fully mobile on her feet now! It doesn't feel that long ago she had started to crawl but now she walks everywhere...including into our glass door in the hall! Oops!

Watching Little K walking reminded me about the early stages of starting my business and a little thought came into my head. Trying to walk must seem like such a challenge, like standing at the foot of a mountain and wanting to reach the top - much like starting a business.
The only way to start is by getting on your feet and taking tiny baby steps. You might have done this before by holding onto someones hand but this time its your chance to do it yourself. There will be the odd wobble (both in walking and in starting a business) but stay strong and keep going, you're going in the right direction. Sure, you will fall down - sometimes you will fall down and laugh about it, other times you will fall down and want to cry - it's going to be a bumpy ride. The only way to succeed is struggle to find your feet and carry on - practice does make perfect.
Soon you will build up your confidence and manage to take bigger steps towards your preferred destination. It is only when you're fully able to walk you realise you couldn't have done it without taking those tiny wobbly baby steps at the beginning.

Seeing Little K have the determination to go from crawling to walking has given me extra motivation (as if I needed any!) to get on my feet and get this business booming.

Love and kisses,
TM <3

First Post

Hi Everyone...I'm aware I'm actually talking to no-one as this blog has just been created but I hope to have a few followers in the future.

My name is That Mummy (not my real name obviously!) I am a first time mummy to a beautiful little 1 year old daughter called Little K (again, not her real name...) I'm married to my gorgeous husband, Mr L and have a crazy, hyper, puts-marley-from-marley-and-me-to-shame border collie called Cody (his actual name).

I've decided to start this blog as I'm a little different to the other mummies I know. I couldn't join in the conversations about the dreaded first day back at the office and the little ones first day of nursery because I didn't have a 'job' to go back to. I'm a mumpreneur. I'm a mum who is an entrepreneur. I have a wedding and event planning business which I have just recently started. I have big plans for the future and want to bring mums and business together to show everyone you don't have to have the career vs family debate...you can actually have both. Yes..it's going to be bloody hard but you know what...I'm going to do it and I'm going to share the journey with you. So this blog is not just about being a mum, a wife, a daughter, a sister or a daughter-in-law...it's about doing all that while trying to launch a business and set off in the world of success at the same time.

I'm not an ordinary mummy...I'm That Mummy

Love and kisses,
TM <3