CHARLI B

A British Beauty, Lifestyle & Family Blog

The Secondary Countdown

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Tapanga and I

In 9 short weeks Tapanga will say goodbye to her primary school.

She has been there since the tender age of three as she attended their nursery and now finally after all her hard work the time has come to transfer into secondary school. She has been so nervous about the change because she is going from the top of the school over to the bottom all over again, she’s also worried as the secondary school that she is going to attend isn’t her first choice and after missing the dates to be able to visit it properly we knew next to nothing about it. However after much consideration we think that it quite possibly could be a great choice after all after attending her introduction meeting, the school was really welcoming and answered all of our questions. They made Tapanga feel at ease and also told us that they have a weekend away before school starts for their new students to be able to bond with their new teachers and classmates so it’s not so daunting on the first day of term, this was something I really liked and after receiving the parent handbook I knew the school was going to be a place Tapanga is going to thrive.

The schools motto is ‘Attitude Determines Altitude’ which I particularly love, I have always said to Tapanga and my younger sisters that your attitude depends how far you will go in life and I am glad that the school is an advocate for that. They also have a lot of extracurricular activities that suit Tapangas creative side and encourage the children to take them up.

Tapanga had a little something to say on how she feels moving from primary to secondary school

I feel kind of scared because I’m going from oldest to youngest. There was so many tall year 7s when we visited other schools and I’m only small. I think I might find the work hard, but it will start to get easier with time. I can’t wait for the bonding exercises on the weekend away before we start school and to get to know all my teachers and classmates. I didn’t want to go to my secondary school because I missed the visiting dates, but when it came to the day of the test I had to take and my one on one talk I discovered it was a really nice and big school. The teachers are welcoming and I found out there were many activities I would like. The school is very coordinated as it has different houses that you stay in from year 7 but get a different head of year every year, you also get a lunch card that you have to top up and a planner. I am looking forward to starting all the different lessons and seeing how they will vary from primary school.

So in just a little over 15 weeks Tapanga will have finally transitioned into secondary school. I actually can’t believe that she has grown up so fast, I never thought that the day would come when I would say I am a parent of a secondary school child…. Eeek!.

I just hope it all goes smoothly.

What It’s Like To Have A Parent With Arthritis

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Mother and Daughter

One of the things I never go too much into detail about on here is my family, I think half the time you must all think I come from wolves. Well, I have an older sister who lives in Australia, two younger sisters who live here and my mum, sadly my dad passed away almost 14 years ago. My life has always been a bit up and down due to the fact that my mum has always been unwell, she has suffered awfully her entire life and I can’t remember a day when she has been well.

She has a rare blood disorder called I.T.P and she also suffers terribly from arthritis, I know you’re probably thinking that arthritis is something that your gran or granddad should suffer from but my mum is only in her mid forties and has had it for many years.

Little things that you and I take for granted could be such a struggle for her like brushing her hair or walking, sometimes she can’t walk more than 50 yards without having to stop and use me, someone or something as a leaning post because her knees have seemingly ‘given up’ on her as she likes to put it. Sometimes the pain gets too much for her and can cause her to cry she is in so much pain, it can cause her to be bed bound and be so helpless which is awful.

Throughout growing up and before moving out I was my mums main caregiver so I would always make sure that I would make life easier for us both, I would do the shopping because she found it hard to hike around the shops and hold the bags. We had things easy to hand like scissors for opening things as they stopped her using her hands for opening things like packages and packets, an electric can opener was an essential kit in the kitchen as it helped when making dinner and helped my mum with being able to keep her independence.

It was obviously very frustrating for a teenager to not know whether one day was going to be a good day from the next, not being able to make plans with your friends just in case you needed to help or making plans and then having to cancel them. Even now I am constantly checking in on my mum or when we are together I am making sure I am doing everything because it’s instinct.

Advice For Anyone Living With Someone With Arthritis

  • Be understanding – Anyone who has an illness probably feels like a burden, I know I do when I am unwell so just try to be as understanding as possible that they might not be up for getting out of the house today for an activity you had planned or you may have to cut short your shopping trip because of a bout of pain.
  • Encourage them to do daily activities like mild exercises to help ease joint stiffness – Swimming is a great activity for this!
  • Make sure they get enough sleep – A regular sleeping pattern is something that can really help as it means their body is well rested.
  • Understand what medication they taking especially if you have to help them get it ready.
  • Most of all be supportive.

I wrote this post in conjunction with Adjustamatic who do wonderful adjustable beds and chairs which are perfect for people with arthritis and conditions alike.

*This is a collaborative post

8 Photos of Happiness Tag

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I was tagged by Rebecca over at Futures to do the 8 Photos of Happiness tag and I thought seeing as I don’t really do many tag posts it was a great one to do, especially as I can share a few photos to let you guys be a little nosey into my life a little.

Rules and explanation of this tag

Thank your nominator/s and link them in your post.

Link the creator (Ariel’s little corner of the internet)

Post your 8 photos of happiness;

The photos can be anything that represents a moment, object, place or feeling that makes you happy

Pop in a brief description of the photo, why you chose it or let the photos do the talking!

Spread the happiness and tag up to ten other bloggers!

053I love this photo as its of me and my dad when I was only a couple of days old, it makes me so happy to see it as there isn’t that many pictures of me as a baby let alone pictures of us together. Its such a special moment and I’m so glad that I get to treasure it.
PANGA4

I remember this day like it was yesterday, Tapanga was exactly 6 days old and she was the most amazing littlest thing that just loved sleeping on me. I think what I love most about this is the fact that its just a completely natural shot, its not posed or anything as I didn’t know it was being taken.PANGA2

There is a funny story behind this picture. I had just moved into a new flat and you had to put the recycling bags outside on a Wednesday, it was a Wednesday so I quickly popped the bag outside my door as a gust of wind slammed the door behind me locking Tapanga inside! The fire brigade had to come to break in and let me inside while she had just slept through this whole ordeal while hugging her toy, she looked so peaceful and it always makes me so happy to think she never once knew I was gone for what felt like an eternity for me. Tapanga Bridesmaid

Tapanga was a bridesmaid at one of my friends weddings and it was such an amazing, magical day! Everyone looked wonderful and Tapanga looked like a little princess.
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I love this photo for just how pure and angel like Tapanga looks, I caught her at the right moment when we were in the flower gardens at the park and I just love it. 11406883_1081635585186925_1515225128382219860_n

I love this photo just simply for it showing how far I have come on my journey, it makes me so happy to finally be able to look at myself and see a difference.vix and char

I love both these pictures for simply showing a friendship that has lasted so long! We have known each other over 25 years and still act like kids whenever we are together. The photo on the left is us looking at my little sister in disgust because we hated the fact that we both had babies enter the house at the same time and the picture on the right is us celebrating her 21st birthday when we threw her a surprise party as she thought she wouldn’t have one because she had just had a baby of her own.11202578_1077077055642778_7088247234887672762_nLastly this has to be my favourite picture of the moment as it just oozes pure happiness and embraces such a beautiful friendship! This was taken on a drunken night in Panamas when we got a little bit mirror photo happy when Tanya and I went on holiday to Magaluf this year, the amount of laughter that nearly bought us to tears this night was hilarious. Tanya ended up convincing some man that I was an avid fisherman, my tattoo on my collarbone was the date I started fishing and my Ed Sheeran lyrics on my arm are in fact a very famous fisherman quote… It was beautiful!

So there you have my 8 photos of happiness! Thank you Rebecca for tagging me. If you want to go and show her post some love you can do by popping over to it.

I am not sure who I want to tag so if you want to do it please feel free to and leave your links below if you do, if you’ve already done it please leave them too because I am super nosey and would love to have a look.

 

Things You Wished People Told You Before Having Children

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tapangaAs many of you know I am mum to a miniature human, she is nearly 10 and she is the most funniest, independent, creative, and messy creature to have ever graced my life. She makes me smile on a daily occurrence with her little Pangaisms and her love of life. Although she is my little ray of sunshine she can sometimes be a very dark cloud but even then I wouldn’t change her for the world. I just wish someone would have told me…

Trust your instincts – Everyone has opinions and tons of advice on how to look after children but when it comes to looking after this small human who has been placed in your possession, there is no rule book.  Trust your instincts because you will know exactly what to do when the time comes to it.

Buying 500 baby grows, 10 prams and enough booties to go around a whole baby army is not needed – Yes, babies do need to be changed and driven around in comfort but excessiveness is not really needed, as for booties they pull them off, they get lost and you end up wasting hours of your life looking for them. Save your money.

Your home shall never be clean again – Children are like mini toy exploding bombs, they also like to touch and pour everything out. They are also magicians. They. Get. Into. EVERYTHING.

You shall never have a light coloured home – Goodbye dreams of a nice bright home with cream sofas, white walls and light coloured rugs. Hello dark colours and your ability to hide stains. As for the drawings on the walls, have some spare paint for touch ups or the magic eraser sponge is your friend.

You will never go to the toilet or have a bath in peace ever again – Tapanga is nearly 10 and this is still a factor, as soon as that door closes I am needed and NOW! Whether its because she needs a sandwich, to tell me she loves me, to ask how to do something or what the answer to 2536 x 2693 is (6,829,448 just in case you were wondering).

You will know the theme tune to the most annoying shows – Dora the Explora I am looking at you! That song has been embedded in my head for years. Now its along the lines of Liv & Maddie and Girl Meets World, I find myself humming them on the bus far too often.

You will never be on time, ever! Even when you’re going somewhere by yourself – Even if you are running three hours ahead of schedule I can tell you now, you will be late. You will end up screaming at everyone to get out of the house and that you are late multiple times. You will have to put shoes on while running down the path. You will forget something almost every time and have to go back for it. If you are going somewhere by yourself you’re still late because you’ve tried to do everything before leaving or worse you’re by yourself and relished in the fact you could sit in quiet for five minutes giving you no time to get ready.

Bedtime lasts for hours – All of a sudden your child has a sudden urge to use the toilet 16 times, the chorus of ‘there must be something wrong with you if you’re on that toilet again’ echo through the hallways, they need a drink, light, cuddle, kiss, teddy and many other things. Finally all is settled and calm. They are up again. you remember that time two years ago when they fell over in the playground? No, I don’t either. They do. The post traumatic stress from it has just kicked in. Anything to be awake.

Apart from all of that these little angels are a joy to have in your life and will make you smile daily.

What would you tell someone before they have children?

Christmas

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Christmas-2014 Christmas Christmas-Presents

I was fortunate enough to have been surrounded by my family and my best friend on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, receiving many gorgeous presents off all of them.

Christmas Eve was spent quickly running to the shops to grab a few last minute things and then we spent the rest of the day watching movies, singing Christmas songs and baking cakes for Christmas desserts. Christmas Eve evening was spent eating scallops and drinking prosecco with Tanya who then stayed the night and did presents with us in the morning before being picked up to go to her dad’s house.

Christmas Day we did presents and ate egg sandwiches, something which has become quite a tradition among us. My sisters then arrived and we did more presents, watched Frozen and then had dinner, by then I was so pooped I just wanted to go to bed and sleep the night away.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and got to spend some quality time with your families.

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