AVID and WISE: This is the place where you can harp on about your new buys.

[FritziGreenEyes]

Sorry about thread title. Hope everyone is back from holidays soon and will find us here.

amber Which JBrands did you get?

bonsoir I tried on those two tops in Cos before Easter and was tempted too. Bought a simple navy dress in Cos and shoes, which are not on the website . Will return this top. Cos is great at the moment I think.

Hello, hello. Have walked DS to pre-school today and got home at the same time I would have done were I driving. Think I need to do this more often!

I have heeded advice and organised some nice things for the weekend - a friend is coming round for dinner tonight, meeting a group of friends in the park tomorrow afternoon and have been invited to take the kids to stay at a friends tomorrow night so as to enjoy wine and The Voice. TBH, I might give the last bit a miss; involves too much organising and highly doubtful it will be a restful night. Plus, I need to remind myself that control over the remote, sofa, meal and bed every now and then can actually be rather blissful.

NY I love all of your Outnet buys. Excellent.

Any thoughts on where Hopefully? How exciting for you all!

Apuski that is brilliant news about DS - how lovely that everyone here got the places they wanted with no angst involved.

Ollie That B&J looks wonderful. I think you've made my mind up - I'd only get annoyed by other people talking over Will.i.am.

Looby you're right about the financial implications of re-training. I'm hoping to enter something at entry-level and make the most of their in-house training and management programmes in order to be earning whilst training. That's my plan anyway!

Hope the rain holds of for this afternoon Decam and that DD has a wonderful time.

MiM I can understand why you might feel awful giving DD a bottle (not because it is awful, of course - you are feeding your daughter!) but anyone who would cast judgement based on this can piss off, I think. You are such a brilliant Mum who puts your children's health and needs above all else; this was the right decision for all three of you.

I still haven't kicked my sugar addiction picked up when pregnant with DD. Managed not to have any in SA as the chocolate is so crap, but have picked up where I left off now I'm back.

MiM - you have NOTHING to feel bad about. Sorry it makes you tearful but you do what you have to do. I was the same with DS2, it just didn't work out, I switched to bottles and moved on. Happy Mum, happy baby I say.

MiM I had to bottlefeed DD from the off for various complicated reasons and also felt very self conscious about it, but I second everything Red says. Ultimately you have to do what is right for you and your family. I think breastfeeding or not you need a sugar fix in the early weeks, but maybe try snacking on things like bananas, unsalted nuts and dark chocolate that don't cause such a spike/satisfy you for a bit longer.

Blue I have searched high and low for budget floral jeans but not much success. They do have some alright ones in Primark, but at the moment i am in danger of having all my clothes from there. I also popped into New Look earlier where there was nice pair in their "Parisian" collection, can't find online but might be worth looking in store. Very of your holiday. We aren't going anywhere til September.

So glad you got your weekend sorted Red. I love The Voice, did anyone else notice Wendy's Lookbook wore the same dress as one of the contestants last week.

Hopefully the dress looks incredible. I dye things all the time especially faded looking jeans and stained white tops.

Decameron good luck with the party. It must be the Irish spirit, we are doing one next weekend and DP is excited about breaking the mold and offering everyone a drink.

Reine I had a similar rambling experience with a telephone interview last night . Also v curious about your business.

MiM can I just echo the wise words of ollie and red what is important is your daughter is fed and you are ok. Nothing else matters. I gave up BF my DD for similar reasons to you. She did not grow two heads and she is a happy healthy 6 year old now!! Big kiss.

MiM DO NOT FEEL BAD! Sorry for shouting but I feel very strongly about people being made to feel bad when it comes to their feeding choices. As has been said you are doing what is best for your family. My DS was exclusively bf and has awful eczema, whereas I never had a drop and am made of titanium. I really do think there is a lot of luck involved. WRT sugar cravings I firmly believe exhaustion has a lot to answer for. On days where I have had minimal sleep (up from 2.30am today with DD, after getting to bed at midnight, hooray) I am reaching for biscuits before even considering anything else. I've sort of just accepted it for now - I just get on with my exercise and hope for the best, it will level out eventually. Appreciate CS limits that, but go easy on yourself, you've been through a hell of a lot.

ollie they were great thanks, and came home to both DC asleep by some miracle (my mother is amazing with them, I wish I knew her secret) but now DD has a cold and is teething horribly so it's payback time. Was so lovely to just put on a slutty dress and have a drink and a dance with DH though, reminded me I'm 27 not 57...

Glad you had fun Amber, although annoying that the fun has to come at a price!

I rather like this parka as a layer for the coming months.

MIM - wont repeat what the others have said, but completely agree. Just been reading Zest which has a plan to gradually reduce sugar - will post the headlines later when i have more time.

Hello...have been rather caught up with events in RL...Easter hols (to get over as we were massively busy - did @Bristol, Stourhead, Dunster Castle, Bath Museums, Westonbirt and the piece de resistance - Thomas the Tank Engine at the Forest Steam Railway -not one to bother with again I feel. DH and I could not get out of there quickly enough); house stuff (bites mails, indeed stuffs hand in mouth whilst waiting with bated breath), and poor DF been poorly with some awful news...but onwards, and upwards......we are all being madly positive...and resolutely cheerful; he, particularly, bless him.

Anyway, moving on....
Have become obsessed (like mrscb and others) with DMBL40 blog. Quite a chuckle: feel a sense of recognition in the parallels of our lives, (3 kids etc., propensity to shop, and general wafting around dreamily), and like her general style which fits the skinnies, scarves, cool bag and shoes premise.

Decam - party sounds lovely, PP is good source - we usually use them. Hope she has a lovely time....
mrscb - ooh, spooky: I too have been itching to get out and do something. DH and I were discussing this the other night......basically how can I earn maximum amount of money (all for me, of course!!!), with the minimum of effort. Thinking of investing in a business. Quite interesting but we shall see.

Have loads of things on list for summer hols including the necessary purchase of - x2 White co dresses; Sam Edelman flat sandals; Pure Co linen dress and silk crinkle skirt in grey, and new lush handbag....I also need a lightweight rainproof jacket....hat for beach, and swimsuits.

It's amazing how wet you can get in a drought.

And how many times you can duck on the street due to a huge clap of thunder. (and clasp your hands to your own ears rather than your toddler's )

I actually am feeling annoyed with various sites, I am ready to buy something and can't find anything I like.

Also that blog is ok but prefer WIT, Wendy and Sartorialist. Not sure why I don't have same reaction. Probably due to the amount of different styles I see on sr and everyday.

And suburban's of course.

NY love the dresses from theoutnet, I have a Ce Me in black I really like (and seems to be well-complimented!). I hope you like it.

Children running amok, still not in school. MiM agree with everyone, don't feel bad.

mim echoing what the others have said. I always feel very defensive about FF but am gradually losing the guilt and enjoying being the best mum I can be. Your DD will still grow up to be a gorgeous happy healthy girl.

pickled I like those miss selfridge florals. Unfortunately I can't get into town to look at Primark suburban, strictly online shopping here. Also like these Topshop ones

Hmm wondering about getting the IO dress but which colour?? I love the pink but the black could be styled in lots of different ways.

I like The Voice too, loved that last guy last week.

red your Saturday night sounds very appealing, especially as I am so tired. We're going out to dinner with BiL and SIL for her birthday. Undecided about what to wear; would like to go for a dress but SiL is very casual.

Have settled on this as potentially our next big trip. Potentially might extend for a longer bit at the beach. Just got to let DH know .

I like that Ceeme dress too ny. It will look stunning on you.

I bought the Kenneth Jay lane turquoise earrings on impulse, hope I like them.

Oh and decide to go to Australia!

Just need to decide on the dh

decided.

Mim can only echo everyone else on the BFing. You hardly had the easiest start! And no real tips on the sugar craving thing - I have tried cold turkey and my cravings don't go away at all. I think when it comes right down to it I really like cake and biscuits, and not eating them doesn't change that. I have managed to cut down a lot, but it's a rare day that cake doesn't enter my world. Like Amber I attempt to offset with exercise rather than dieting strictly.

I don't mind DMBL40, but it's a bit samey for me to check back every day - the writing's great though.

I loathe The Voice, and DH loves it. He has taken to watching it on iplayer while doing the washing up so as not to have to listen to me whinge

Ollie aim is to move July, although we might go a bit earlier if the perfect house comes up. We'll rent for the foreseeable, and think about buying when we know the area/our income has levelled out a bit.

Red somewhere in E Devon is as far as we've got so far! I'm going down there for a day next week to have a drive round Exeter/teignmouth/totnes (which I know a bit), dartmouth etc, and then we'll narrow it down a bit more.

Apuski great news about the school!

NY your Outnet order looks good, all very you.

Am wearing two of my new Stella and Dot necklaces, am really very pleased with them, nice and weighty and not flimsy feeling. Want some earrings though, and can't find any nice ones anywhere. V hard to find ones that strike the balance between classic studs and Pat Butcher.

Thank you all for your kind words. I know you are all right, such an emotive subject that pre-DC's I would have never even considered.

Blue those J brand pink florals are at Revolve for £125 if that helps?

That blue dress is beautiful NY, you will look amazing in it. Thanks, I will read the Zest tips with interest. As Amber points out, it probably is linked to feeling tired, but I need to try find some more healthy snacks as Suburban suggests.

Am very of all the holiday talk. I have not been abroad since our honeymoon - 3 years ago. We had a week in Cornwall 2 years ago, which was nice but was blighted by trying to wean a very allergic 6 month old. Annoyingly funds for a holiday for this year have been taken up with extra surveyor's fees because of our totally unreasonable complete tosser neighbour and his precious, bloody party wall.

Bitter, moi?

Quite like this white scarf to go with the Whistles navy dress, although not sure how big it is.

I am taken by the DMBL40 blog and have shamelessly copied her by ordering the FC Renior top she wears quite a bit. Ordered from FC outlet on Ebay, massive saving. here

Oh god, tiredness and sugar cravings, I'd forgotten! I assume it's your body trying to get energy from something other than sleep.

Dauphin very sorry to read about your Dad becoming ill. He sounds like he has adopted a wonderful attitude to cope though.

Lovely scarf MiM
Kew 159 have got the grey linen stud scarf that Bloss put me onto last year. Am tempted to get another one as mine is looking v shabby after over-use last summer.
Hopefully thats a lovely area to live in.

I quite like this printed cami from Mint Velvet here but one pic has single grey straps and the other has double white straps. Would be nice with one of numerous grey cardis over it for when on holiday.

I quite like this bag too neutral body bag

Love your Ce Me dress NY just had another look at thei website, Blue they have similar dresses to the IO one in a range of colours. Also, have you seen the Oasis printed jeans in various prints and colours? A good budget buy perhaps?

Thanks Ollie...DH very sweet has brought home a wonderful bunch Parrot Tulips.

On a lighter note, ell, all the stress has been good for weight loss. Amazingly, I am about 7 stone 10... (Think the running helps)...

Am off to Bicester village shopping where I intend to pop into Anya H specifically. Hmmmmmmmm....

Also, have holidays to look forward to- dead excited. Have booked fab house near La Rochelle for fortnight.....

Yes, Suburban's blog is good too, and do enjoy WIT.

Off appliance shopping tomorrow to stroke the Fisher and Paykel stuff......

Also off out tonight...dinner with a bunch of friends; wearing White co sheer batwing sweater, Gap always skinny sand jeans, black heeled Edelman boots, and black /tan scarf.

Hello all. Have had a lovely day. Met friend at town hall this morning for French Connection discount sale. TBH was not expecting to get anything. Was really only going to keep my friend company. However walked awa with armloads of stuff. For £95 I got, snakeskin (pleather) envelope clutch, bright blue lace pencil skirt, bretton (of course!!!) grey waterfall (which I will belt in) and skinny pink (fushia) belt. Thrilled. Not sure how to style skirt. Will try and find a link.

Like MiM am loving the does my bum...have bookmarked loads of her recomendations to ponder at leisure....am particularly taken with Etsy. A revelation.

NY love the outlet purchases. Particularly the blue dress. Va va voom.

Dauphin sorry your dad is unwell.

ollie love the mint bag, very you.

Some quick links for hopefully while DC eating. Not sure exactly what you are looking for.

hall
Lovely quality. My wedding ring was from here.

dowerandhall
Lots of choice here and again, lovely quality pieces.

www.etsy.com/listing/91651581/peridot-stunning-bright-peridot-sterlinghere cheaper but quite like some of this seller's bits.

Will try to pop back later.