The race is on to (finally) wear our summer clothes. It's the Wise and Avid Olympics - off we go!

[Russianred]

Athletic leap on To new thread.

Morning All. Hope that you didn't have too bad a night Amber.

Love the blue Gigis Bloss.

Rufus we did the cliff walk on Sunday, I find that a small picnic with biscuits and drinks works wonders with the little ones.

We have done a lot of travelling with our DDs, I think that children are a lot more resilient than we think. Preperation is key, extra nappies as they seem to wee much more when sky high, lots of stickers and books etc, and a couple of older kids sitting behind to amuse them!

I love resort/ luxury holidays, DH is a born adventurer, so we've done everything from the Cipriani to 3 of the highest peaks in the world! We always ski together in winter, this is great for families with children of varied ages, all my famy ski and the DDs ski with my parents, sisters etc.

Yesterday was really warm here, so I wore my White jeans! Yeah! Today looks promising so will wear my stone houlis with a purple vest and denim short sleeved fitted blouse.

Morning everyone. I feel so full after that porridge. I struggled with it tbh. I normally just make it with water with just blueberries added. I struggle with protein in the morning (unless it's bacon!), but I shall perservere. Anything that keeps me off the pain au chocolat will be a good thing.

dona, I need to ask you about the sock and hairdryer thing. I have a pair of JC mary janes that are gorgeous and the first pair DH bought for me. They are a 40 and I'm a 41, and don't fit since I had the DCs. So I'm excited to give it a go!

Dressing for the day. Dark dyed bootcuts, white vest, white tuxedo shirt, pretty ballerinas. So simple, comfy and pretty!

Hope the sunshine stays put for a few days for you all in Ireland!
Pea soup here. It will rise I'm sure.

Currently pea soup here too Bloss. Am hopeful it will lift.
Yes Dona, do tell us about the sock and hair dryer thing.

Go Gigis go!!!

Thank you all so much for the holiday ideas. I knew there would be fab ideas here. Not just style and beauty. Euro camp looked fab for next summer. Loved the fact you can go for any no of days and the different age kids clubs.

Am determined to enjoy the last few days of the school holidays as have been hopeless at doing things with all the children together this holiday. Thankfully I have the most amazing mother who has taken my younger 2 on many days to beaches etc this summer. However I promised my DD a trip to see "the queens jewels" at the start of the holiday and she has not forgotten so Edinburgh castle here we come. Am not sure what jewels are there....but there are definitely some. Dressing expecting sunshine. Wise....maybe not!

Sock & hairdryer thing here. Leather will get stretch marks so don't overdo it! Took only a few seconds plus 1 hr to dry, used tennis socks, stretched the shoes just enough!

Overnight oatmeal (greek yogurt+milk+rolled oats+honey+raisins) was too sweet and filling - but DD2 might live it. I prefer mine plain, lower in calories too.

Argh like not live. Too ADHD plus on phone...

Oh and pointy toed flats + bootcuts = fresh & polished high fashion look.

Will dye a pale gray jumper dress cobalt as soon as am back in Italy.

Hoping everyone gets a sunny day!

Am eagerly awaiting Gigi travel updates Bloss Meant to say, saw lots of short jumpsuits worn in France. Your's would be perfect esp with your lovely figure.

Lovely sunny day here so need to get out of the house. Bike ride and picnic I think.

Pickled sorry I misread your post. Thought you were talking about whether to replace appliances - not what to do with them! Love the thought of you in a pink house.
Amber UTI's are grim. Hope you get abs asap.

I brought some new Nike trainers this week - white with neon pink trims and laces. Love them. Will start Shred once school starts. Just dont have the energy at the moment.

Have lovely days everyone.

Gorgeously sunny here. Am in Kew denim mini, grey marl tee and Boden leopard ponyskin gladiators. Green Gracie as per.

DH of old back this morning, grumbling about how he doesn't think his salary expectations will be met. I'm pretty sure they will as he is constantly headhunted, and work know this. We shall see.

Thanks portia, it wasn't too bad, still feel a bit dodgy today, but I am trying to stave it off with lots of water as getting an appointment round here is a pain, plus I don't really have time.

Hope the Gigis make it bloss!

I saw your trainers on pinterest ollie, they are lush!

Rufus, your iPhone needs coffee! I used to gallop along narrow part of the cliff walk on a mad half-Arabian pony, I don't know how we didn't plunge to our deaths.

No idea if it works, Amber, give it a lash! Hope you feel better soon. Hope your DH comes home happy. Mine is hard at work again and will be until some time in September so no going away.

Must get dressed, it's sunny so good old Me and Em dress, I think.

I like the trainers, Ollie. Do you use the Zara mini shopper much? It's very cute.

Love the travel chat. Ds1 is a seasoned traveller, Australia soon to be five times, New York, Tokyo, Paris, Berlin, Crete, Turkey and others. He is good at it by now. Also very lucky. One of the good things about living here.

Pickled John Lewis do disposal of old ones.

Bloss dmbl40 looked good in a bandeau suit thing. Good to have one.

Absolutely cracking day here. Espresso alone. Luxury.

rufus Don't worry about your DCs. My sister and I used to fight every single day as children and we are now really close. Met her and her DCs at an amusement park yesterday and we had a really lovely and honest chat about life/our parents/ etc. Love my sister and her three DCs and DH are fab!

pickled I spent the last two days with my seven month old nephew and he is adorable. Seeing DH with him yesterday made me a bit sad because DH would be a great with more than just one child but I know it would be really hard for me to cope . I'm grateful that we get on well with my sister's family and seeing DD having fun with her cousins was wonderful.

marsha Hope your washing machine saga has come to a happy end and you can put on your first load soon!

All the travel talk has made me desperate to plan future holidays!

always So glad your DS is ok!

amber No Botox for you. You are young and look lovely!

ollie If your DSs are bored, just pack a bag: We are only a three and half hour car-ride away! Lots of children their age in our neighborhood to keep them busy and from bickering with each other .

Hmm, I rather stupidly signed up for text updates from DHL, so am constantly and obsessively checking my phone (no change there then). They are being 'held' in Liverpool. They'll be here by tomorrow won't they??? DHL tend to arrive by lunchtime here, but not sure they do more than one collection towards the wild west a day.
I am happy with the 'love' my breton bandeau swimsuit is getting! You know it was £12 from M&S?? Counteracts the rest of it.
Such a gorgeous day. We have walked into town, dd wearing her new clarks shiny pink, sequin, flashing pumps, which she also took to bed with her. Now they say they want to stay indoors! I'll get them out soon, to look out for playsuit, which should be here today, and DHL (optimistic)

Hope you catch the DHL man Bloss.
Decam, I feel green after reading that post. ( with fear as opposed to envy) How did you not plunge to your death? You know someone fell last week (by accident rather than death wish) and had to be rescued? Down around the Bailey. ( shudders)
Even with promises of all kinds of treats, mine are resistant to the joys of the cliff walk Portia. Don't know where we got them from.
Hope your DH gets good news Amber, and you should NOT get Botox. Should be reserved for late 30's and preferably 40's. Eventually you can develop antibodies to it and you get resistant to the effect, so can end up with muscle weakness and droop where you don't want it.
Was over with with Dsis last night and we spent hours in hysterics Fritzi. We enjoy each others company very much. We're both obsessed with clothes and fashion, but at one point she did say " do you have a fashion degree or something?" as I appeared so knowledgable about specific brands etc!

I did mean to join in the 'step away from the botox' advice yesterday Amber . I am not one of the people who is rabidly against it at all. I just think you really, honestly don't need it. You are so young and pretty and fresh faced. Give yourself quite a few years yet before bringing out 'the bigger guns' of anti ageing! Really hope you get the UTI sorted. I have managed to get to 40 without every having one but plenty of my friends have described the discomfort to me.

Bloss - def worth giving the porridge thing another try. I do mine with skimmed milk and it really fills me up without a massive calorie count. I love protein in the form of eggs for breakfast, but can't be bothered with actually prep time needed for soft boiled/poached eggs. (And people at work might wonder about poached eggs at the desk at 0730, whereas there are a few of us early starters who have porridge whilst we do the first email cull of the day .

Weather is gorgeous here today and I have taken the day off. DD and I are having a very lazy day around the house. Some tidying and jigsaws done so far. Insanity workout and ginger biscuits to bake before lunch. Once out of my sports gear I will stick on the H and M leopard maxi to waft around the garden in.

I am lying down with a cold flannel after the horrors that was me in a playsuit.

Oh, forgot, wanted to link to this fridge Wowzer indeed.

That is massive! Slightly......footballer wives, though..?!

Hope you catch the DHL man Bloss.
Decam, I feel green after reading that post. ( with fear as opposed to envy) How did you not plunge to your death? You know someone fell last week (by accident rather than death wish) and had to be rescued? Down around the Bailey. ( shudders)
Even with promises of all kinds of treats, mine are resistant to the joys of the cliff walk Portia. Don't know where we got them from.
Hope your DH gets good news Amber, and you should NOT get Botox. Should be reserved for late 30's and preferably 40's. Eventually you can develop antibodies to it and you get resistant to the effect, so can end up with muscle weakness and droop where you don't want it.
Was over with with Dsis last night and we spent hours in hysterics Fritzi. We enjoy each others company very much. We're both obsessed with clothes and fashion, but at one point she did say " do you have a fashion degree or something?" as I appeared so knowledgable about specific brands etc! She had bought a pair of Hudson skinnies and Goldsign skinnies, both of which I am impressed with.

bloss It's not you, it's the playsuit! Back it goes and the Gigis will be here soon to make you feel better

Ebay is an odd place. I have now 27 people watching my used Boden swimsuit