Avidly gazing at spring/summer looks, while Wisely purchasing caghouls......

[notyummy]

Hi all!

Sorry about the rain/hairdo situation Hopefully.

I am eating G and Bs Mint dark choc as I write Verity.

Bloody cold here. And wet.

Ah, pistols - my favourite bargain ever!

Am wearing my DIY white to lilac ombré t-shirt today with grey TS jersey blazer and skinny navy chinos rolled up over navy Supergas. I am defiant in the face of bad weather.

annie hope your trip away goes better than you expect.

blue did you order a pink bag? Which one?

Do we think KG will be doing Sweeps again this A/W?

Would love some grey ones. These are the closest I've found H by Hudson boots

Sorry for ignoring lots of posts, am not in the best of moods this week and no idea why. DS1 has a concert a school later which Im sure will do me the world of good, especially as he told me this morning with a frown, he has to wear a hat that is shaped like a frog. Back later.

Ollie I would use how spray stuff. No idea if this is the right move though.

Am still in pyjamas, having a slow day, although lots to get done. Ho hum.

ollie I just use the spray-on stuff too but maybe some of our bag-experts can advise? Hope your day improves.

karbea Wearing my linen T-shirt today and think it is very slouchy indeed. Maybe it is going to shrink a bit in the washing machine, you never know. IVF must be gruelling. Hope you have lots of RL support.

Argh, so many discount codes flying around. MUST.RESIST.TEMPTATION! Although I might just need a big white scarf to wear with my new jacket. It is lovely and wearing it put me into such a good mood this morning despite the torrential rain.

annie Try not to worry about being away. You never know, maybe DDs will enjoy having a special time just with their Dad.

Here you all are!

Looby, you are doing a great job of juggling career and DC, nothing lacklustre about that at all. There have to be times of 'treading water' career wise as priorites and work patterns change and new work/SAH routines need to be established. Throw the prospect of a fourth baby into the mix and I'm surprised you didn't duff DH over the head with a frying pan .

Annie, would you like to borrow said frying pan for your DH? Try and use your night away to relax, just think, a whole big bed all to yourself. If you are anywhere near me I'll happily meet up for a nightcap.

Ollie, don't like to think of you as not feeling your normal cheery self. Would a grey lineny scarf with big white stars cheer you up? Is all the career chat getting to you perhaps? I can't imagine how difficult it must be to throw living as an expat into the mix of hurdles that must be overcome before getting to the Zen-like state that Annie has wrt work/life balance (I mean that in the best possible way Annie, you know how much I admire you ).

Amber, you really made me chortle with your 'feeling sorry for clothes that don't get worn enough' comment. I suspect Blue may harbour the same types of feelings.

Bloss and the greasy kerastase experience also made me chortle .

Fritzi yes i'm hoping it shrinks a bit. Yes it was gruelling, especially when you wne up with nothing... we are back at the clinic on Tuesday for a review meeting...

Karbea, good luck for the meeting.

karbea Good luck with the meeting. We have friends who had been through many cycles of IVF. Then along came the twins. A year later to their surprise another boy and then, oops, another girl. They now have a wonderful family with four under five . And can you believe it, my friend still gets a lot of grief from her parents because she is not working and is wasting her talents, tsk...

Morning all. Have skimmed and enjoyed career chat. I found when going back to work (pt) after dd my heart wasn't in it at all partly to do with a change in role, partly because priorities changed. Wasnt helped by the fact that dd was still waking up for hours in the night so was knackered too.

I'm lucky to be able to go back part time and earn a reasonable salary. Dh is ridiculously ambitious and dedicated hence the outstanding lesson obs.

Keep an eye on cocosa and secret sales for ash red. I also view them as essential but do get quite annoyed at how quickly the soles wear through for the price.

Struggling to keep up so v sorry to those I have ignored.

I'm on go slow today hopefully even though masses to do. A complete style fail in neon pink track suit bottoms, white tee and lime green John smedley cashmere cardi but the colours are so cheery! Will get changed after this feed as friend is coming over.

Sorry you're a bit out of sorts ollie; hope the frog hat helps. In a fraught moment this morning when DD was caterwauling DS made me smile by saying very sternly 'Shame on you, Estella, there is nothing to cry about'! I promise he's not got that expression from me!

Yy to meet up ny. Would love to hear about Oz and show off DD.

pickled you're so right about me attributing sadness to my unworn clothes. Sometimes when I try something on then discard it I imagine they're disappointed and feel guilty! Oh dear...

amber great outfit. I've ordered the neon pink satchel from zatchels in the larger size but it's taking an age to arrive.

What about these floral skinnies?

Good luck karbea.

blue thank you!

I think the flowers are too small on those jeans.

A quick trip to Zara and purchase of slouchy linen t shirt has proved a nice mood enhancer! Also got a slouchy linen cardi but it looks terrible on website so reluctant to link (i like it tho!)

no more shopping for both of us both until the Style Day! (knitwear sample sale excluded of course)

I LOVED WITS blog entry today. Sums up the influence of this terrible weather perfectly.

Off to the concert.

ollie sure it has nothing to do with coinciding with the point at which she can reveal her pregnancy...

I realised that I have raging PMT hence the outrageous chocolate consumption and purchase of another Zara blazer. I need Zara blazer addiction counselling Can't link but it's like Fritzi's but blue and cream.

Annie enjoy an uninterrupted nights sleep, your girls will be fine

Ollie hope the concert does the trick for you

karbea so sorry for all that you are going through, my friend has been through similar and it is so gruelling physically and emotionally. She had really given up after several unsuccesful rounds but now has a beautiful 6mth old dd. Look after yourself x

Ants you sound like you are having a great break, so well deserved

I won't bore you with a weather update, but there was no flood!

I keep waiting for the announcement too amber!

verity I think chocolate and blazer purchase are well justified. Was thinking of you today when it was pouring down with rain today here.

I really hope WIT is pregnant and has not just put on a few pounds. I imagine her lurking here and getting all insecure about putting up pictures of herself on her blog .

Bloss, lovely sweater, did you order it?

My cardigan arrived from New Zealand. Poor possum but it is so warm and snuggly.

Karbea, best of luck.

Ollie, glad a bit of retail therapy helped.

Looby, I'm impressed at your restraint!

Annie, hope your work trip goes well.

NSG, good news about the job. I dream of being back at work sometimes! :o

Had a good night out and just a little bit tired. DD1 has a friend over, I thought it would be nice to take them for ice cream as the sun is out. The baby ate a bit of tissue and threw up over me, DD1's friend was shouting as she kept trying to clean his face, DD1 banged her hand and cried and her friend spilled his juice. I am sure there were sighs of relief when we left. They are now flinging water at each other outside but I don't care!

Have just browsed the new JB catalogue.

This white skirt could work on the very slim. What kind of style are you looking for marsha?

Another white skirt but maybe too impractical for running after toddlers.

Also like this skirt in pewter and white

I like this top too

ollie Of course you are right. Shouldn't be shopping and think I might even pass on the sample sale this afternoon. I can always go back after the style day if there is anything I "need". Might clear my wardrobe instead and iron my summer clothes in preparation for the heat wave.

ollie Which colour did you get?

Pistol-a-likes anyone?

Verity, thank goodness!

Ollie, hurrah for mood enhancing properties of Zara linen slouchy t .

Red, would love to see you in VW.

Great jacket Fritzi, I never wear things until at least a week after I've bought them, love looking at their newness.

Curses just lost my post.

Recap...

ollie sorry your day got off to a bad start. Hope it continues to improve.

karbea good luck with appointment. I was moving towards IVF with my second when I unexpectedly became pregnant with my DS so I can understand what a rollercoaster it is.

verity keep up the good work in Zara!!

So today is my birthday. I am always very low key about birthdays. I prefer Christmas when everyone gets involved as I don't really like the focus on me...anyway have just had a lovely morning. Met my mum for lunch. We don't always have the easiest of relationships but this morning was really nice.

I went shopping and my mum very kindly went halfs on this DVF dress which is absolutely gorgeous. I swear when I tried it on I got butterflies and was wondering which child I could sell to buy it!!

www.matchesfashion.com/product/114929

The base is a cream, not white as it looks on the website. It's just lovely.

My mum had also bought me the most amazing fushia pink bag which I will try and find a link too for any springs out there! I had had my eye on the fushia Peony and Moore bag but had missed the boat as I had been uming and aring about the spend so thrilled!

Hope everyone is having a good day!

The bag...www.reddirect.co.uk/p/Bags_Tote/BE2-12.htm it's just lovely in real life!

Happy birthday Ants! Lovely dress and bag. Glad you are having a nice day.

Ants, what happened to no navy ? Happy b'day, great dress and nice bag too, lovely treat. Enjoy the rest of your day.

ants Happy birthday! Glad you had a nice morning with your Mum. Your presents are wonderful