Italy calls

Today is mine and Nicks 5th Wedding Anniversary! It has been the best 5 years of my life! I love the man i married more than words can say! He's my prince charming and dream come true x

So today we are jetting off to Milan for a lovely romantic weekend away! They children are safely tucked up in bed with my mummy!

We both decided that we wanted a relaxing weekend but when your in milan how can you relax when there are so many sites to see and beautiful shops to visit!

Today's fashion post is about being comfy but not so comfy your in a tracksuit but not so dressed up your in louboutins tottering around!

Here are some of my favorite looks

So the small hand luggage case will most definitely have inside a pair of black heeled boots, a pair of jeans, a nice jacket, a pair of flats and a blazer! Oh and a snazzy black dress for a romantic dinner tonight!!!! 

I hope you all have lovely weekends! Tomorrows recipe is of course going to be something fantastically italian!!!! 

Nicolas Tsamplakos you have my whole heart for my whole life - I love you 

Alphabet Bags

You know when you look at some things and your like 'i need that' or 'i want that' but you don't really need it but you just really really want it? Well thats how i feel about Alphabet Bags

So i'm just going to show you pretty much everything i love on there and want!!

So i know there are 6 bags all the same just different things printed on them at the start of this and i know i don't need 6 bags all the same but i really want them all, like i can't decide and i'm really trying my best to think up what i could use them all for because i just love them!! They need to come live at my house ASAP!

I think their stuff is really cool and fun and i just love it.... did i mention that i love it already??

In short... I LOVE Alphabet bags, The End!

Communication ...

Our Wedding Days and what amazing days they were! The days we married our soul mates! 

However even soul mates need help with communication! 

Nick isn't great talking face to face - he just doesn't listen, don't get me wrong he tries but it just doesn't go in. 

yep just like that! 

My biggest piece advice is if you want something you have to ask for it! Its that simple!!!  Men just don't think like us! They don't have the same brain as us and therefore its impossible for them to understand why we get upset if they haven't read our minds and organised a date night at your favourite restaurant! 

Girls get it! Like if i was to say to Lee "I said on the phone to Nick i loved Pink Peonies and he didn't bring me Pink Peonies home" I know she would understand - however Nick will walk in sans peonies non the wiser to my disappointment and just be thinking wow she's crazy.

So as its the present buying season if there is something you are really wishing for from Santa then you have to tell him or if thats too forward get your friend to give him hints! Theres no point in leaving a magazine open on the exact bracelet you would love and then when no bracelet arrives on Christmas or Birthday morning you are upset and think he doesn't know you or doesn't love you enough to care!  The truth is he either last minute dashed and got anything or more truthful in Nicks case he would of put lots of thought and effort in and really thought i wanted a juicer! (which i do haha) 

This honesty of just telling your partner what you want done can work in a plethora of scenarios! Just ask - if he says no he says no at least your not sitting there wondering why he isn't working out your evil eyes mean can you have a cup of tea! 

So throughout the year really - Lee and I send things we love to each other! They vary from the dream kitchen to the dream shoes to the best lipstick! We do a monthly i love and send all the pictures we have saved to our phone that month! We don't just send expensive things we send pictures of stationary and food etc... 

Then come Birthday, Anniversary and Christmas i know i can let Chris know some of the things Lee loves and would really like! Its a win win! Lee still doesn't know what shes getting and Chris knows shes going to love it and doesn't have to put all the effort in to thinking of the perfect present! And Lee does the same for Nick! 

My mum does the same with all of the grandchilren and us - shes gives us a budget and asks what we would like and then we choose and we get some stocking fillers too!! Its so much easier for her and also we all know we are getting something we really want! 

Don't get us wrong theres something special about your husband picking your present and being excited to give it to you! And i love those presents that hes taken the time to think about - and i never want that to end.  We know we have good men who provide and love us and our wonderful babies - but sometimes we need to give them a helping hand too! 

Happy Magic Monday 

Remember in the words of the Beatles "All you need is love, love is all you need"

To blog or not to blog that is the question

I love Sundays! They are real family days in our house and we always have lots of visitors! We have a super busy house and I love the hustle and bustle!

You may of read in Thursdays blog that we have a new family member!

This is Buddy! Isnt he the cutest! he is 8 weeks old and a Golden Retriever

So if you know me you'll know i'm not really an animal person! So why get a dog i hear you ask! Well heres my little story......

We have had a few concerns about Rocco and his speech, interaction and development.  In September just after his 2nd birthday he was seen as The White Lodge by a team of paediatricians and therapist.  They assessed him and decided he was on the Autism Spectrum.  So my heart literally broke - theres no other way to explain the devastation i felt to hear this! Still now 7 weeks on i can't say it out loud without crying.  But enough about me and how i feel ...... back to the important stuff 

I took Rocco to my mums homeopathic doctor to let her see if she had any suggestions etc... We turned up early and she has two golden retrievers and one jack russell - as soon as we walked into the garden the jack russell jumped up at Rocco and was licking him - i was in ready mode to lift him up when i saw Rocco laughing and smiling and literally loving the attention! Rocco doesn't give alot of eye contact and doesn't initiate games or play so when i saw him chasing the dog and the dog chasing him back it was just magic!  It was like his face lit up and it was so nice to see him completely free and loving playing! 

I came home and told Leeanne about it and i had video'd him laughing and chasing and just watched it again and again!  I was trauling Pinterest for ideas when a picture of this book came up randomly 

 www.amazon.co.uk £7.99

Instantly intrigued and seeing how Rocco interacted with the dog i ordered it immediately!  So i started the book and whilst in absolute floods of tears at so many similarities - the boy in the book Dale had the same reaction to dogs that Rocco did so i decided we needed a dog! 

After lots of research and searching the internet and kennel club - we found a puppy!!!! So last Saturday we drove past Sheffield (over 200 miles away) to collect Buddy Tsamplakos! 

He is lovely! Its like having a 3rd child with all the toilet training and feeding etc but he is a little bit of magic and the 5th member of our family! 

I'm not putting any hopes on Buddy bringing Rocco on i'm just hoping it they can be great friends and Rocco feels safe with him! 

I am normally a really private person when it comes to health issues with my family - but i was hoping if any of our lovely readers have any stories about Autism or special games that are good etc.. anything at all i would love to hear! So please email me at alittlemummymagic@gmail.com

I hope you all have wonderful Sundays 

Paper Heart Garland

Happy Tuesday!

And most importantly i wish my mummy a very very happy 70th birthday! She is my hero x

So Its half term!!! Hooray!!! If you are anything like me you are nearly finished your main Christmas shopping but still need those personal touches!

Whilst reading a Christmas magazine i came across these DIY Garlands!

This is so effective and so easy for our little people to make too!

Prepare:
1. Cut out 8 strips of card, each the length of the paper and 3.5cm wide.

Create:
2. Fold each strip so that the short edges are together, and crease the lower edge.  If using patterned card ensure its print faces out.
3. For each strip, curve the short edges inwards and match up to one another, then use a stapler (or glue dot) to fasten about 0.5cm in from the edge. Repeat to form 8 hearts.
4. Take 2 hearts and line up their folded bottoms.  Staple about 4.5cm up from the creased edges.  Repeat this to connect all the shapes in a line, then join the outer 2 in the same manner to produce a circle of hearts.

Finish
5. Cut 2 lengths of ribbon and staple an end of each to the curve of a heart, on two neighbouring ones.  Tie the free ends of ribbon into a bow, then hang to display.

I think i will sit with Honey, Nick and Rocco and each write a wish and put in our kitchen as a decoration! These also make nice grandparents gifts from the children.

I also love this type of Garland too

I love this garland for a little girl's bedroom or even like a ribbon when wrapping presents! 

Statement furniture piece!

I do love an Ikea shop - as in a full wander around browsing and thinking how i can change my kitchen, lounge, lighting etc! It always seems affordable and cool all in one!

So when i saw this amazing piece i instantly knew i need it in my home!

How cool is this!!!!

Its like a dream come true for me! I have so many bits i like to display but literally nowhere "safe" enough from the children's reach!

I truly feel like this cabinet could go in any room in my whole house!!!

In Honey's room with her first ballet shoes, Christening gifts, first photo etc all those keepsakes that get hidden away!

In my lounge with our framed wedding photos, my heirloom family china, our engagement Swarovski champagne flutes, our Tiffany crystal bowls (all those things i hide from the children)


In my kitchen with glasses, cook books, my mums special tea cups and saucers, my nan's tea set which takes pride of place above the aga but i'm terrified of it falling!

In my bedroom with my wedding tiara, photos, jewellery box, things my mum has passed down to me.

I just love the idea of everything being displayed in such a lovely unique way!

So the bad news is when i looked at the price i was a bit shocked! I mean i'm sure its the most expensive thing in Ikea at £395! i know its expensive!!! But to justify i think its a piece that would last a lifetime and somewhere when i'm old and still brunette (hair dye) that i will still treasure all my favourite things in!

www.ikea.com you can see it here on the Ikea website!

If any of you have seen anything similar for maybe half the price please please please let me know!!!

Tomorrows Friday!!!

Organisation is Key!

Good Morning Campers!

How many of you have bought at least 1 christmas present already?

I start collecting all year - which means i'm organised but also means i always go over budget as i forget what i've already bought! Especially when i'm out and i buy another present for someone i've already bought one for! I'm so bad when it comes to my children - i buy them bits then feel guilty they haven't got enough so impulse buy without actually realising what they already have!

I have 36 people to buy for - the woes of having a big family! And i'm a present perfectionist in the fact that i love people getting gifts i know they are going to love!!!

So this year i downloaded 2 christmas list apps and i've been testing them out against each other to see which one i prefer! This way if i'm out and haven't taken my list i know that its on my phone!

App 1 = Gift It - A Christmas Shopping List App £0

This wasn't for me! It's got some good reviews but its not user friendly and its a bit messy looking and when i'm organised i like things to be neat and precise! Its good but its not great!

App 2 - No More Socks £0

WOW this app is simply the best!!! Its sooooooo good!!! You can add people from your contacts, add pictures, set budgets! Add their birthdays and you get reminded 4 weeks before hand! Its very very clever!!!

I love it - love filling it up with what i've bought and ideas i have rather than trying to remember them! Its so user friendly and easy!

You can add retailers to the gifts you buy so you can remember where you bought it from incase you need to return it! You can also browse shared ideas! Its sooo good! You can lock the app with a passcode so no one can snoop like i would haha!

I'm addicted!!! And its an all year round list and its free!!!!

Start adding your contacts and their birthdays now - go go go

Happy Sunday
Love
J xxx

Wish upon winning

I know i know its only the 2nd October and i'm going to talk about a fantastic Christmas Present already but this is something that takes a lot of thought and time to order!

For guaranteed Christmas delivery you must order by 18th November!

We love board games in our house!! I love winning and everyone else likes taking part haha!

So a few years ago i saw this .........

Yes you are seeing right its a personalised Monopoly board!!!!! 

I absolutely love this idea!! Think its a gift that will be used lots and its really sentimental! Its a great family present! Something for your mum and dad a bit like a this is your life! 

You can change the board theme from wedding to new house to the original! 

You can order direct from www.mymonopoly.com they cost £79.99 

Happy Playing!! 

Love

J x