What I like Autumn to look like

It is coming towards the end of October and I am glad that like today it is not raining and the sun is out. 

Inside Wimbledon Theatre watching the musical Hairspray 

I like the colours of Autumn, warm orange colours, browns and yellow leaves. I like to go for walks through our local commons and parks with a coffee and a pastry. 

On Sunday's have a roast, a coffee with my husband and son. I wrote a blog on my parenting blog about the Little Things that I enjoy as a parent: https://theparentingadventurestipsandtricks.wordpress.com/2024/10/23/building-memories-enjoying-the-little-moments-of-being-a-parent/

We went to see Hairspray and I like going to shows this time of year and already booked to see a panto and doing Autumn adventures, like having a seasonal drink. We are going to have Hot Chocolates and to the park tomorrow, local as I am done with travelling this week, as getting back from Wimbledon, after seeing Hairspray, we got stuck as the first train that stopped at Epsom was packed and no way were we going to get on it. 

I love going to markets and buying myself some new knitwear and a scarf, along with good shoes or boots and wrapping myself up so snuggled and ready for the cold crisp mornings and days and adjusting to the time changing and snuggle at home watching a film or a TV series, read a book or watch a bit of Youtube and other drinks, like herbal teas and different coffees. 

Not all days are plain sailing as Henry can be demanding as he want to there and everywhere and go a certain route and if not can have a meltdown. He has ADHD and Development Delay. 

The other thing I love is having lunch with my son and having a cooked breakfast and as a kid every Sunday my dad would make me a Bacon or Sausage Sandwich. I would get told off for not eating much of it as found it too big and hard to finish, but just nice to wake up not get dressed straight away and having a nice hot bath whilst listening to a podcast, audio book or music. 

I like having PJs and creating my own by using a t-shirt, vest top and bottoms. I love wearing fleece and cosy socks and shoes with fur (fake) inside them. 

What does Autumn look like for you? You can leave a comment below. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Getting Ready For The Autumn

It is almost time for when the days get dark early and the weather changes, which means leaves falling off the trees and buying autumn food and back to wearing jumpers, tights or think trousers/leggins and be back in coats. 

My Printable for my Autumn Reset that will begin on the 10th September through to October 
Check out my blog site Everyone can build a castle

However it does not mean staying in but going for walks in the crispy mornings and going back to making cozy food and drink.

I like to have a hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream. 

Not that I am not a fan of the summer, not at all, in fact it has been the best ever and was nervous like I often am, but was melted away and it worked out well and it was good to go the places we visited, but I do like cozy evenings where it is warm, whilst outside it is cold. 

So I will be using some of my candles that people have given to me as gifts, in Epsom, I would in Wimbledon but a little fearful because the space, as it is my step dad's and mums house, plus I did asked Glen, my husband, if he wanted them and he does so will be using them and will decorate my room in Wimbledon with some autumn reefs, and will be doing yearly reset programme, I created two years ago, my Autumn Reset to get things sorted out and completed before we head towards the winter and then it is birthday season for me and of course Christmas which I have started to think about. 

It also means the football season is back and going to take my son to a few matches in Wimbledon and wants to see a match at Craven Cottage in London, where Fulham FC play and so will be sorting this out and going to see a rugby match in September with my brother, mum and step dad and planning my sons birthday, and mine. 

Then there is TV, with Strictly Come Dancing, even though there have been some negative press about the show and have been in two minds, then the apprentice if there is a new series and I have started to watch The Crown and been watching the new series of Celebrity Race Across the world and will be running into September and changing the clocks. 

So what do you like to do in Autumn, please leave a comment below.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Life doesn't have to be too much

Wasn't sure if I was going to post this on my other site everyone can build a castle as I am doing a yearly Life Coaching Programme Summer Project 2024. 

I think I will share it on there. 

The inspiration for this post came about watching a video on Youtube of BGT those that auditioned and where they are now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-gFvSuo10A 

There was a dancing group, where one of the dancers had a spinal condition where she feared she'd never get to dance again, and that must be so hard to face, knowing what you have dreamed of could be over but shows her afterwards and she still got to dance, and helped my Simon Cowell and I know he may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I like the guy and he is putting Variety Performers back out there and that your dreams can come true, you just should never stop believing. 

We get so stressed each day that we forget to enjoy ourselves and spend time just being free from errands and things that we have to do otherwise other things don't get done and so make time for you to enjoy life and listen to an audiobook whilst having a coffee in a local park. Do a bit of dancing whilst doing the housework and call your friend you haven't heard from for a long time. 

I today went to Marks and Spencers hoping I would bump into a woman I know from when our sons were born and were both in the Special Care unit, but didn't see her as we chatted about having a playdate. 

So good to have a girly and a men's chat, and with a coffee and on Sunday which I hadn't done in a while gone for a Sunday morning walk. One of my most favourite things and did my steps for the day and today finishing this blog went on a morning walk and it feels so good and mix my walking with the treadmill I can use, its my husbands and walking outdoors. 

Doing a walk in the morning gets the day going and feels me with such good energy. 

So life doesn't need to be hard work, but be a joy doing the things that bring you joy and a better wellbeing.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Managing my life as a mum

I love being a mum, as my son is a real character but he loves it when I play sports with him and when I make his dinner, and feel in some way sad as he is growing, but it is important to me to also have time for myself, so I can give him my full attention. 

When he was a lot younger it would be full on and when they become toddlers they will want to put their hand down the toilet, flood the bathroom playing with the taps and chucking his pooh across the room.

The one thing that I do like to manage is meal times. There was a time that my son would eat his dinner first and then we'd, my husband and I would then have ours, but for me I like to have a meal together. This helped with him moving from his table during meal time. This helped with planning meals that were healthy and what we could have, as his appetite grew. 

I like also to have lunch when he is at school on my own at times and catch up on Youtube or watching TV. I like to spend time reading and writing. I now get up early whilst my sons in bed to get things done, and at one time was using the evenings, but felt it would take a lot to switch off so like to do it in the morning then it is done and can then concentrate on getting my son ready for school. 

Once he has gone to school I will go for a walk or start my day going through what I need to do for the week or day and ticking off and finish for around 2pm, so I am not on my laptop all day and make dinner and watch a bit of TV or read and spend time with my son, who will do some reading and then it is bed time. 

I always plan the night before and journal. I will make sure I have gotten myself washed and cleaned, aswell as my son and have a good nights sleep. 

He has always been an early bird, well from about when he was a month old and never sleeps in, further than 6am. It means managing my time constructively and wisely. 

It means having clothes out that I can grab and has made me more organised, even though I can still be untidy and that my son puts his stuff away and items like clothes are in a place he can grab and put on with little fuss. 

I avoid buttons at the moment, as he finds using bottoms tricky, but make sure it is a poppers or zips that easy to use, or have him have a t-shirt on and a jumper that he can just put over his head. The same with bottoms. 

When it comes to tidying up, make sure we all are responsible for this and keep the home tidy. He will tidy away his plates and cups, and if you want them to do this naturally, to start them early in teaching them this habit and they will just do it without being prompted, and be like drinking water or breathing, so they know to take all plates, bowls and cutlery in the kitchen near the sink. 

The more they can look after themselves the better. I need to take a further step back, but learning and often he will say he will do it himself, so I need to just allow him the space to do that, and chill. 

So it is a juggling act but would not change it for the world, being a mum and watching my son grow gives me so much pleasure. 

If you'd like to be kept up to date when I post a blog on this site then click subscribe and you be alerted everytime I write and publish on this site. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Getting my life together

I have had time to really look at myself and look at my life as a mum and generally to really work on different areas of my life. 

Building relationships, like money and my self image. I no longer am self critical and thankful for who I am and want to be. It has taken a long time. I write a blog called Building Self Confidents The Ugly Duckling, and how my happiness with my self image has taken a lot of work, and not alone in having such feelings. 

With money, not spending a lot and now check my bank account everyday and give myself a £100 allowance each month and budget on where my money goes and cancelling Debits and subscriptions I no longer use and have a spreadsheet to monitor where my moneys gone each week. I use Excel, may bank app and my Filofax to monitor my expenses and save. 

I also write a blog called Organize4thebetter and have written about getting my life together on that platform and was one of my first blogs I wrote, because I never used to be organized and something I have had to work on as I can live in a mess and I have hoarded and now changing that habit. I want to use what I have already got and do a regular declutter, as it really helps my wellbeing and to be able to enjoy what I own and life isn't having lots of stuff. 

Then there is food. I can easily eat a lot of biscuits but this is changing. I have gotten fed up of snacking and gain control of my eating habits. Today I made sure I had a good breakfast and didn't snack, but when my son was home, he had some cheeselets and I caved, but had a good lunch with a baguette and apple and so going to make fuller lunches, and plan my meals again. 

Every good habit I add to my life, can help be the person I wish to be and not for anyone else, but for me and putting my needs first because I want to make sure I have energy to play sports with my son and take him to different places and build his hobbies and being thankful that I have a good supportive family and many don't and stop my begrudging feelings are put to rest and feel proud of my family and friends doing well and that I show up and be me. 

So I hope this blog helps you to Getting your life together and lower the expectation and give yourself credit and build on your habits, to be the person you want to be and have a life you can love.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X  

Getting tasks out of the way to free up time to relax

I today went for my morning walk, and got a phone call regarding a job I may be doing, and felt inner fear like  "Will this be good or bad?" but it was okay just had to do a few more tasks and going to get these done by tomorrow if it is truly possible. 

Check out new Vlog for 2024: 

There are times I want to avoid certain tasks, and I know once it is done I will feel better, example I like doing vlogs but find it a challenge to edit them to appeal to my audience, and that they are real and raw, but would take a whole day.

Now I have got a new laptop, thanks to my mum, it has made the process better, but because it took all day, it would fill me with dread. So I break tasks up, and be realistic of how long it will take, and if there other tasks that are more important, like in the mornings I will get my son ready for school, get myself dressed and have breakfast. 

Breaking tasks up, helps stop you from being overwhelmed and if know you need help, then ask someone all they can say is no, and if they do, don't be discouraged, but keep looking. I am going to find a good editor, and a front cover artist, as I write books, check out my current book, which you can buy from amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mum-Me-Gucci-Tits-Virtue-ebook/dp/B0BGSS7H9K/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11Y2WQ18Z9OG8&keywords=mum+%26+me+carrie+holmes&qid=1703597598&s=books&sprefix=Mum%26Me+Carrie%2Cstripbooks%2C54&sr=1-1  

I today needed a bit of advice as my son has a Residential trip coming and had to apply but was worried about it, because he still has accidents at night time, but hoping as we are trying all we can to nip that in the bud, and so, it is good to have someone you can speak to help worry over things. 

It now is the time to plan our year and I did a printable on my blog site, everyone can build a castle, where you can download my Kick start your life in 2024 printable: https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com/2023/12/28/who-are-you-and-what-do-you-want-to-become-in-2024/

I each week doing a cheat sheet on that blog too check out my first one in this blog: https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com/2023/12/28/who-are-you-and-what-do-you-want-to-become-in-2024/

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

How I like to spend my Christmas

Yes we are in December, and bought another Christmas present and is getting nearer, and its going to be a quiet one, and really looking forward to it. First of all I like to have a day decorating and gradually gettting things together, and this includes, preseents, food, drink and decor.

I like to check out Charity shops, and look online as Amazon can be a great place to find goodies, and gifts and budgeting, so I don't over spend but have what I need. I budget per person and per presents, along with food and drink. I am lucky in that I do have others who contribute so I don't have to spend too much, and if you children, set them a budget to buy gifts and then remember they have to be given to Santa and make sure they have been good and not naughty. 

I keep my Christmas wrapping paper, for the next year and depending on the gift use tissue paper and gift bags. It depends on the gift, and the size of the present. 

I like to spending with family and go to a Pantomime, have Advocat and Lemonade. I have to have mince pies, and would like to make my own, and making cakes and have things that I don't have everyday. Like Turkey and Pigs n Blankets. 

Watching Christmas specials, and films. My favourite film is Polar express, and is my son's faovourite along with the Grinch. I like the old ones like, A Christmas Carole, The Snowman, and listening to festivef music. 

I love going for a walk on Christmas day and wearing a Christmas jumper or outfit, to celebrate and just having a relaxing day. 

It should be about spending it with people you lovem and who don't get to see any other time of the year and going away too. One year I booked a holday to Florida and it was so good to do something different and it was so nice being flip flops on boxing day and went to Universal Studios and was so magical and would do that again.

So, I hope that you have a good Chritstmas and check out monthly newsletter that I post on my blog site: http://everyonecanbuildacastle.com

This I use to share my content, and check out my Pinterest where you can find some of my posts, and follow me if you'd like to be notified of my content and the many things I share, from being a mum. auther, blog writer and I also have 3 Youtube channels.

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X