AVID, WISE and keen to debut our Spring buys

[Russianred]

Inspired, eh?!

Red glad DD is getting treated and responding. Its heartbreaking to see them so vunerable like that but also amazing at how quickly they bounce back.

Hopefully Sounds like big decisions are needed. Am v intrigued too!

MiM I loved your list of things to wear with the MD top and loved it even more when you said they were still 'to buy' !

Its Carnival time here and DSs have to go to school in fancy dress tomorrow. DS1 has got himself all worked up and says he's not going dress up or take part in any Carnival games. We've got a pirate, knight, secret agent, Tin Tin, Steve Backshall (Deadly 60), could have even scraped together a Where's Wally. Will just go with whatever mood he is in tomorrow morning and pack a couple of outfits for him to take to school. He is so stubborn tho........

scarfi, 912s are my favourite jeans of all time. Haven't seen them in olive before, but after my distastrous foray into coloured jeans territory with the paige black cherries, I am steering clear!

Did anyone else see The Frugality's neon bag?
Loved it here

Hello all. I'm baaack!
Was away last week, and of course the run up to going away was crazy, just to be able to go away. We went sking for the first time. To be honest, I was dreading it as I went once with DH when we first started going out and HATED it. Apparently it was a very difficult resort for beginners (so he keep reassuring me). Anyway, twas a different kettle of fish this week, and I absolutely LOVED it. The children had a ball, and they really loved it. Best of all, they were in ski school from 10 in the morning till half 3 in the afternoon, so we got a break as well! I was in ski school,and bizarrely was in the class all on my own, so I had a 1:1 for 3 whole days. DD said to me "I saw you a few times today mum, when you were sking, but you didn't see me". I said merrily "Oh! Did I look good?" and she replied "well, sometimes you looked very professional, and other times you looked like this"(waving her arms wildly) That would be an accurate picture then! One thing I couldn't get over was how much the gear has improved, just a few light layers, and you're so toasty.
Hope you had a great weekend at home Scarfi, I want to hear all about it. PM me! Your sickness reminds me of that line from The Devil Wears Prada "I'm just one stomach flu away from my target weight" (!) Hope you are on the road to recovery. I have those J Brands BTW, or what looks like them. Can never keep the names straight. I really like them.
Red how scarey. Hope DD recovers soon. Hospital is always yuck with DC.
Welcome to the world baby Blue, what a great name. I know someone called that, and I love the name.
Verity great blouse, I am that your mum could whip it up.
I'm very impressed with your MBing Bloss. I think those pounds you are talking about must be imaginary.

Like the sheep I am, I downloaded MFP on Saturday. I can't believe how much I eat. It's just too depressing. To loose 2 kg, I'd have to stick to 1200 calories per day, and not get it off till March 24th or something. What? No way. I can't believe it. And I can't believe how little 1200 calories is. God, I have practically eaten that by lunch time, and I eat porridge for breakfast, with a boiled egg sometimes. Stunned, just stunned. I just don't think I can do it. I will just hope I catch a stomach flu! (Apologies Scarfi, It's no joke I know, when you have it) I made your shortbread yesterday Ollie, but I didnt enter that.
Very of you all going to the MU. So lucky.
Has anyone heard from Everything? Hope she is doing ok, and just taking a quiet sabattical.

I have been very good this month, and have just bought clothing wise this electric blue COS jumper And I only paid 24 euro for it, as I had points on my store card. I love the puff sleeves as it adds essential width for my pear shape, and the colour is one of my best colours. People always comment when I wear it. Presume, it would be a winter colour and look good on you Bloss. I'm not counting the sunglasses, that I bought in the airport, as they were essential, as I had forgotten my old ones.

Does anyone else find that spending money is a bit like calorie counting? Only if you are really, really careful can you keep it in rein. Although sometimes I find that if I don't spend money on clothes, I just "break out" in other spending areas, like house stuff. It's as if I have some internal target that i have to reach every month. I often heard MIM's DH's voice in my head now "How much?" in his (as she described) NW accent! Hope you are feeling a little better MIM, and that baby arrives as soon as is safe!
Big wave to anybody I've left out!

You never knowrufus, I may have a rock hard six pack beneath my excess pounds .

You're right, 1200 cals is nothing at all. I've been reading Jillian and trying to ensure that everything I eat (apart from the half a freddo I stole earlier) is nourishing.
Your holiday sounds amazing. I think I've persuaded DH that we should go one Christmas, but probably when DD is old enough for ski school. I need action at the moment, and am slightly dreading my summer holiday of sun sea and white carbs.
That colour is great for me, puffed shoulders not so much.

Hope things settle this evening for you red. It is hard to be in hospital, hope you get out soon.

red That must have been so frightening. Hope DD recovers soon and you can leave hospital tomorrow!

I had 24 calories left by mid-afternoon according the MFP, but a good go at BFBM has left me only 138 calories over for the day. Did lots of zip wire/climbing frame/sliding at the park with DS1 today which hopefully makes up for that . I'm finding it useful in that if I didn't know for certain that I was already over for the day I would be tucking into a biscuit or two right now, but I am being restrained. My big weakness is snacking - my meals are very low calorie, but on an average day my snacks add up to 800-1000 calories . I try to swap the calories from snacks to meals a bit,, but find that I snack just as much, but with bigger meals too!

Rufus sounds like a fabulous holiday! Did you have lots of nice après ski outfits? I've never been, but am quite outdoorsy, would love to go. DH has been lots and I suspect would die of boredom skiing with me,

Business is not remotely exciting, honest! And is very un-glamorous. New opportunity is actually related to something else though, which I've been hoping to get into. Nice to be thinking about the prospect of an actual career of sorts again.

We just went from Monday to Thursday Bloss and it was just long enough. As we got out for a little run on the Monday afternoon, and skied until 3 on Thursday. The hotel was just across the road from the ski lift/ski school so it was just a 5 minute clunk (walk). I paid for the hotel last summer a good chunk of a deposit and the flights in October, so it was a bit like paying for it in installments which eased the pain somewhat. My youngest has just turned 4, and he had no bother. There were toddlers in ski school though! Unbelievable. Not a bother on them. So of them to have your centre of gravity that close to the ground. Not fair.

Twas a very capsule wardrobe Hopfully, skinny j brands and biker boots! I was in bed by 10 every night. Didn't even get time to read until I was on the plane home.I didn't ski with DH till the last day, and even then I was rubbish. He was very encouraging though, bless him.
Am reading Girl Reading by Katie Ward on my Kindle BTW. It's very good. Real page turner or presser (if you're on the kindle!)

bloss DD was 3 when we took her first skiing. She went to the "ski kindergarten" in the mornings and absolutely loved it!

Welcome back rufus

Thanks for that link Scarf I must see if I can try them.

Re weight, I am loathe to start counting calories as I am likely to become obsessed! I feel at my very best if I stick to a very simple rule of eating 75% raw food. A lovely friend put me onto it and it really transformed my eating and I feel so full of energy when I stick to it. Much easier when the weather is warmer though!

I had a bit of a diet revelation when we were living in the hotel. I always tend to be a bit of a grazer, nibbling at stuff rather than eating full meals but in the hotel, with no access to a kitchen I had to change my ways. And the breakfasts were amazing! So I was eating HUGE breakfasts - large bowl of fruit(melon, pineapple, oranges, berries) then scrambled eggs which must have been made with cream they were so scrummy, grilled tomatoes, 2 sausages, all followed by at least 4 mini pain au raisins . Every morning for 5 weeks But, I was so full I didn't eat again until about 2 when I had an apple and then when the dc were having dinner about 4.30/5 I had a salad. And that was it for the day really. Imagine the calorie intake there! But I didn't put on any weight, my clothes all fitted the same as before. I can only assume that because I was eating so much early in the day, I was working it off as the day went on. When we moved into the rented house we made an attempt to recreate 'hotel breakfasts' but it didn't last as I had to get up half an hour earlier to cook it all. I still cook for dc, porridge, pancakes and the like but not for me. I pass the hotel every morning when I drop ds1 to the bus, and can almost taste the pain au raisins

Ollie- your much awaited HL dress is in the ST Style mag! Apparently it is what a 'frower' might wear...

Sounds like a great holiday Rufus!

Marni lovers, have you seen the H&M range

Annie I was thinking of trying a 'no spend' month, but I think I would loose my mind! Even if I'm on a really tight budget, I have to buy something. I sometimes wonder if I should get therapy for that

I was supposed to have an early night, so better get going. Hope everyone is better tomorrow, esp Reds dd.

Red - hope your DD is doing better and you're home soon.

Bloss top for you

red what an ordeal..hope things are rosier this morning and DD is not too uncomfortable.x

have had the mother of all virus's passed on from the DDs,completely washed out,DH a total champion but feeling a bit perkier now ready for half term!

I can definitely see bloss in that top mrscb

Verity I adore hotel breakfasts too. Dont get to have them very often but such a treat when I do.

Notyummy whats a frower???? HL dress No2 is on its way back, nice bit not nice enough. I will own one one day!

DS1 woke up in a grump about Carnival but after seeing DS2 dressed up as a pirate asked in a little voice if he could be one too. So Im off to the shops in search of a pirate top (back up plan involves a stripey t shirt, bandana and a waistcoat). Will pop back to school at lunchtime as DS2s class dont get changed until then. The things I do....but secretly pleased to have an excuse to have a proper browse in MD and Zara!

After seeing all the pics of people attending LFW with blazers and bags, I saw this bag and thought it was great value for a little extraTherapy bag

Lovely top mrscb, and a great colour. Thanks for linking. It will go on my list!
Also keen to know meaning of 'frower' notyummy!
I am hoping the hotel diet works for me today. I have just eaten half my daily allowance in blueberry pancakes. I am working late today, so won't be able to make pancakes at teatime, so promised them for breakfast. So full I can barely doupmyskirt move.

Frower= Grazia contraction of Front Rower (i.e fashion king pins who sit on the front row for the big catwalk shows.) Get with the beat baggy .

(Last bit was a Jungle Book reference btw, not Grazia!)

Hello all. I've just called in sick with stomach bug, feeling rotten. I still feel terribly guilty even though it should be obvious that I'm proper poorly as if I don't work I don't get paid. Don't think I'll be hitting my MFP target for today somehow. So I may be around today looking for distraction!

Hope you had a better night red, and that dd continues to be on the mend.

Cute bag Ollie.

I do the majority of my eating early in the day, and often just have toast for dinner. I think this is a big factor in my ability to remain comparably trim in spite of doing precisely no exercise. Being unable to drive and breastfeeding probably contributes too.

Wearing my new lilac skinnies today with green and navy striped jumper and whistles pineapple scarf. I'm often aware of how mad my colour combos look written down, but they do work, honest!

Baby going through that tedious phase where she howls when I'm out of sight. Hope it passes quickly!

red glad to hear DD improving, how utterly terrifying for you. Hope she is home and well in a jif.

Get well wishes to reine and apuski.