Avid & Wise, Eyes on the Prize, Our Gorgeous Spring Summer Buys!

[blossoming]

New thread here!

OWW, scallops with pancetta? Prawns piri piri? Or do you want do do a meat or vegetarian starter? Parma ham with melon?

Tempted to buy maternity cargos, what do you think? I am melting in my jeans and think I will most likely get swollen ankles soon as I did last time so dresses/skirts no good!

Oh yes OWW, will happily let a fellow passenger take the DCs off my hands. My Mum suggested we put DS in a solo seat (we've been allocated 2 seats with the skycot and one in a row behind) as 'he'll probably behave better for a stranger' ... What's the weather like your end? Has been pretty hot here and I might be inclined to go for something like Gazpacho for a starter. Could make a soda bread to go with if you want to bulk it out a little.

Right, have a lovely couple of weeks ladies.

OWW - do you want 'proper' starter or canape starter? I ask because I discovered the worlds easiest 'finger food' thing for our NYE get together. Baby new pot, parboiled and then put on baking tray crush each one so it is slightly flattened. Salt and pepper and olive oil drizzed over and bake until slightly crispy. Put on dish and put a dollop of low fat creme fraiche on. Put either smoked salmon or pancetta on each one.

But very quickly. I love the cargos Carciofi - I found that skirts were increasingly uncomfortable in the later stages of both pregnancies as water-retention gave me some rather horrible chafing. They would also be great for the after-baby and not quite ready for normal clothes bit as they don't look at all like maternity wear iykwim. Go for it.

carciofi I lived in this dress in the later stages of my pregnancy last year. The great thing was, when It became too small for my boobs I wore it as a skirt with the boob-tube bit rolled down under the bump. Those cargoes are lovely though.

Carcofi, those maternity cargos look great. If your ankles get too swollen you could always unzip them (in the comfort of your own home only, obviously). What colour will you go for in the LKB short trench? The red really does look magnificent. I love that the double breasted buttons aren't too far apart IYKWIM - v. flattering I'm sure.

Roary, I love that dress you chose for the photo. I'm sure you all looked lovely.

How to keep a one year old amused on long haul flights?

Red, hope you have a great trip. Here's some tips for the flight - lots of snacks, some sort of mobile device for watching Charlie Bear x100, lift the flap books and be prepared to read them x100. I vaguely remember that they like to 'post' things at that age . Did I mention that my youngest is 4 now, arrrgh!

I'm having a bit of a wobble about what to do when he starts school.

Everyspring, I'm following your lead and chatting to friends about how I feel. I'm surprised to feel a mounting resentment towards DH. Possibly because he just hasn't realised/thought about how much my life will change.

OWW, I love starters and like the sound of all those suggested so far. DS1 made some beetroot and feta filo parcels recently (on the cooking bus) that tasted delish.

Bloss, you need some sunshine. All your great fashion sense and recent purchases will miraculously work in Rome I'm sure.

NY, enjoy Geneva!

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Oh, MrsJ, the duck scarf came from TS a few months ago.

Bouncing, that dress looks good thanks. I have a couple of jersey dresses (non-maternity) that I am wearing now but need an alternative to jeans so have ordered cargos!

Pickled, what did you do before having children? I was a technical author. I'll have to go back to work when the new baby starts school. I need to try to get the odd bit of work from home to keep up my CV. I've been offered the odd contract but full time and so I can't do it. I really like the LKB in red but probably will get stone as I have a red trench. Although I could always sell the red trench.

Bon voyage, Red!

everyspring glad you're feeling better. Your post definitely sounds more upbeat than before.

carciofi those cargos are excellent! blueberries that dress is really nice, it's always nice when you can wear something that isn't specifically maternity clothing when pregnant. I always found maternity shoppinf very depressing, especially in the later months. There was so much I wanted to buy, but kept telling myself that I could use the money to buy beautiful dresses once the baby was born. As a result I ended up wearing the same 7 tops and 2 skirts over and over I was so sick of the sight of those clothes that I charity-shopped them when dd2 was 2 weeks old - I just didn't want to see them again!

The sun is out again today and I'm going to make the most of it. Out for baby music class and then shop stroll in town The weather forecast for next week is good too. It'll be just my luck if the weather here is positively Mediterranean for the week that I'm in Spain...I'm sure it will piss it down once i'm back

annie, it sounds tough but agree, things could be much worse. We all have such different work situations but our motivations are the same I'm sure. I hope you won't mind me discussing mine.

Carcofi, I was a HOD, secondary school science before kids. I've been doing exam marking/resource writing/consultancy in an effort to 'keep my hand in' but only on a very part time basis. I've recently set up my own tutoring business and whilst I do enjoy it, I tend to do most of my work in the evenings and at the w/e. I guess I would like some more 'status' outside the home/away from my home environment (a bit more inside the home wouldn't go amiss either).

I would love some work from 10am-2pm a few days a week and term time only that also confers status. It ain't gonna happen . Maybe the status thing is my hang up and is related to the pending feeling of doom redundancy around DS2 starting school.

Good idea to keep things ticking over on the old CV Carcofi. I cannot imagine ever working full time again though, can you?

Bloss, how did you manage to get your head around it all? I suppose having family near helps.

On the day that I have lots of fun in the sun planned, dd2 will go and have the longest sleep she's ever had. 2 hours and counting

Morning all! IT'S SUNNY AND WARM!

Dd's been playing outside all morning with her cousin, or running rings round him as we like to call it! So lovely. I'm wearing my default warm weather day outfit from last September, which is the best I'm getting so far this year. It is cropped indigo jeggings, cobalt lace top vest (jigsaw) and a slate swing vest, which covers crotch and arse over it (jigsaw again.) I have a warm navy pashmina that works well over it for school run.

I am so annoyed though with the stuff I've been buying. It is all useless. I really need to do some RL stuff. The longline vests I've been looking at for months from Poetry arrived, in cobalt and glacier, lovely colours but too long and A line.
I'm keeping the blouse and scarf from yesterday's Kew order though.

What's working for you lot these days?

carciofi, great maternity cargos. I've decided I hate my Gap cargos and regret buying them. Should have saved for houlihans. Let that be a lesson to me. No point buying imitations.

Oh, and I'm almost tempted to buy the Splendid t-shirt again!

nanastley, have a good time in Valencia. I lived there for 6 months and totally love it! Such great memories of the place.

redllama, hope the flight goes well.

notyummy, hope security doesn't open your bags and your Dh finds your stash of shoes! Have a great time.

pickled, I've not started anything yet. We'll see what hits the fan come September. I will not ask my mum to look after dd though as she is getting on now. She'll be there if I need her though, which is reassuring. Haven't decided what to do with DD yet. I think she'd like the creche, she's very sociable.

Glad you have some sunshine Bloss.

Hope the flight goes ok Red.

Have lovely weekends everyone - 'see' you all soon!

Where's fritzi?

Just back from shopping! bought this long skirt for wafting around on hot days

tried these on but too baggy round bum and too tight over calves

Also bought a lovely vest in a butterfly print but can't find it online.

No, it's no good. I've changed again. Now in loose fit Breton and kew scarf over cropped jeggings. Aware I need to go shave my legs before school run. And fake tan possibly.

Have just bought this skirt and this top from Kew

www.kew-online.com/fcp/product/womens-clothing/skirts/Cotton-Pencil-Skirt/99902467

www.kew-online.com/fcp/product/womens-clothing/t-shirts-&-tops/Cotton-Short-Sleeve-T-shirt/99902672

Am also pondering whether to get this dress.

www.kew-online.com/fcp/product/womens-clothing/dresses/Jersey-Tie-Back-Dress/99902812

It's rather plain but I think it might work with wedges.

Oh and have pedi booked for tomorrow. My feet are horrid!!!!

bloss both outfits sounded lovely to me. Enjoy the sunshine!!!

carciofi I think trousers are a wise buy. No need for you to swelter during those last few weeks!

Running in to say I have found a Dutch sweet shop that stocks Cadburys Crunchie bars - was thrilled (even thos they cost a whoping 1.50c each - I brought 3! Its the little things.....