Time to Share

We all lead busy, hectic lives these days.  Time is short.  I have often felt helpless in the past that I could not make more of a difference to the lives of  people who are suffering or in need.  Well now thanks to yet another inspired idea by Sally Whittle.  We all can.  I am thrilled to be involved in this amazing campaign. 

Do you love the idea of supporting a charity through your blogging ?  Have an hour or so to spare ?  Then read on :



Time to Share: Bloggers sharing their time with good causes



Bloggers represent a powerful and influential online community, and the British parent blogging community is one of the most active around.



The Tots100 ( http://www.tots100.co.uk/ )  is a network of 2,500 UK parent blogs, which have a combined audience of more than 2m readers. These blogs write about everything from pregnancy and raising children to careers and crafts. The blogging community is also enormously supportive of charities and good causes, with high-profile campaigns by the likes of Unicef and Save the Children being written about and shared on social networks by hundreds of parent blogs.



This year, the Tots100 is inviting its members to share their time with good causes. The Time to Share programme will match UK parent blogs with charities in need of volunteers. During March 2012, we’ll be providing our members to share their time with local charities, lending a hand with everything from planting trees to walking dogs and visiting schools.



The project aims to:

- Give bloggers, and their audience, a real insight into the work being done by charities across the UK, and the vital role played by volunteers. We hope that the programme will inspire more people to get involved in volunteering in their communities

- Give charities the opportunity to raise awareness of their work by connecting with influential bloggers – research suggests that content on blogs is much more influential than magazines or television, and Tots100 bloggers are highly active on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook

- Provide blogs and charities with a platform to promote volunteering on the Tots100 website, with all posts and projects promoted across our network

The Tots100 is keen to hear from charities across the UK who would be interested in connecting with bloggers, and providing volunteering opportunities to bloggers during March 2012. Interested charities can register their interest online at:

https://blogcamp.wufoo.eu/forms/time-to-share/


Parent bloggers who would like to volunteer an hour or more of their time can register their interest in the programme online at:

https://blogcamp.wufoo.eu/forms/time-to-share-for-bloggers/

Sneak Peek

Coming soon to All About The Boys New Spring/Summer 2012

and

All About The Boys Final Clearance sale

I knew it wasn't a good idea to leave my tax return until after Christmas !  Having finally got on top of all the figures, invoices, receipts etc I can now turn my attention back to the money maker.  My All About The Boys website has sat unloved for a few months and urgently needs to be updated with all the lovely new stock I have sitting in boxes.

I have decided to run a final clearance sale.  I know there are many other great independent sellers out there running similar sales.  Please feel free to add your link below so we can easily find your sale.

Ralph Lauren Duel Match big pony polo shirt available from All About The Boys  available in several sizes incl babies and big boys   £24.50 - £28.50 ! Massive savings off the UK RRP.

Ralph Lauren Navy Blue half zip sweater size 4t (suit uk 3/4 yrs) only 2 left Massive saving on UK RRP of £69  now just £19.50 !

Ralph Lauren Classic Pink and navy stripe polo available in several sizes.  UK RRP £48  Now only £19.50 !

Support Independent Retailers

LIFE CHANGES FAST

A Guest Post by Laura Buckley

As I get older, it’s dawning on me just how quickly life can change. As a kid, waiting for my birthday or for the end of the school term seemed to take forever.

Now, as a grown-up, the years seem to be racing by – and life really can change overnight. One minute you’re happily married, up nights with your new baby and planning your summer holiday, but the next it could all be over and you’re left as a single parent in a house you can’t afford anymore.   You never know when the three dreaded D’s – death, divorce and disaster – might be lurking.

But if any of them happen to cross your path, you need to think fast. A morbid situation to consider I know, but what would you need to do if you lost the love of your life through death or divorce? On a practical level, at the very least you would most likely need to change your bank accounts and update your mortgage agreement.

As with so many other things in life, preparation for a rainy day can make life easier when it comes to dealing with difficult times. That’s why it is so important to think about writing a will. And another way for a couple to protect each other and their family is life insurance, which can provide a lump sum to help protect your family financially when you're gone, pay for funeral expenses and help pay off any debts – depending on your circumstances and the type of policy you choose. Doing so can also give you tremendous peace of mind, knowing that in the event of your death, your family will be taken care of.

We can all take life for granted sometimes, never more so than when everything seems to be going smoothly. But, in fact, just when you are least thinking about going through your finances to make sure you can cope with life’s unexpected situations is exactly the time you should be doing it - in other words, when you have time on your side to think about all the ‘what ifs’ coldly and calmly.

For instance, what would happen if you lost your job and couldn’t afford your mortgage repayments or rent for a few months? What would happen to your business if you were taken ill? What would happen to the family home should you or your partner die suddenly? These are difficult questions to answer. But they’re even harder when you’re dealing with a worst-case scenario in reality.

Life can be cruel and your personal and financial situation can change overnight. If you do experience a sudden change in your circumstances and don’t have any preparation in place, help and support is available. The Citizen’s Advice Bureau can be a good first port of call in a storm and can point you in the direction of professional help should you find yourself going through a divorce, for example, or being made redundant, or if your partner has died. The CAB is unable to give you financial advice - but don’t forget, assistance can also be found at the local branch of your bank. You’ll be able to talk to someone who can help you go through your everyday finances and insurance needs.

This is a sponsored post.

2012 - My 50th Birthday Year Bucket List

I don't quiet know how it happened but I have arrived at the year I turn 50! 

I've decided regardless of all the pressures we are under I am going to make this a year of celebration and positive thought.  I've written a bucket list (not things to do before I die, but things to do in this year of being 50). 

50th Year Bucket List

Have a wonderful, happy, bring anybody you want, 50th Birthday Party 

Visit Paris or New York (I have been to neither)

lie on my back and look up at the stars

Have just one day where my twins don't fight

smile at a stranger (it might make their day)   I did this A LOT I just wish I had had the courage to ask people if I could also take their picture

Have just one day where my eldest son doesn't moan   ACHIEVED .  
 Can't believe we achieved this one so quickly.  Have to say he has been a poppet lately.  Maybe something to do with my HRT Tabs giving me horrific mood swings.  He has been keeping a low profile and helping me out lots. Yay for 16 yr old sons.

play barefoot in mud

lie on my back and make cloud shapes

stop waiting for other people to make it right and sort it myself  ACHIEVED ! Feels good, I am finally a grown up.

laugh until my sides and jaw aches  ACHIEVED !
(Mr Poppy from the film Nativity does it every time, cried with laughter watching him in this wonderful film.  Even made all my boys laugh by laughing at mummy crying with laughter ! )

spend a whole day on the sofa watching and crying over soppy films

cook a meal from scratch, I know I can do it, I just hate cooking

accept a compliment with grace and not a negative about myself  ACHIEVED!  This was a major step for me, but I have done it several times and especially remembered to do it once or twice at Cybher this year.

not tell people the price of EVERYTHING I buy to show what an amazing bargain I got.   Managed this most of the time.

dance with my husband like this again

have a week without using the washing machine

just one month where we can afford all our outgoings & still have some money left over

catch up with the special family and friends I've neglected    Achieved this at my Birthday Party, reminded me of some of the wonderful friends I have had in the past. Promises to stay in touch from now on.  Life is too short.

hear my husband tell me he loves me

look in the mirror and be happy with what I see

splash in puddles with my boys and not care about the mess we make of our clothes

visit Ireland

have a dirty weekend away with my husband (who else ! George Clooney is now spoken for)  Sort of achieved (combined with Cybher *cough*

have perfect white teeth

realise that this has gone for good and to learn to live with my baby scarred tummy

stop biting my nails

get my hair dyed white blonde

go camping

open my own vintage homewares shop or just have a corner in someone else's  Haven't quiet achieved the shop, but I do have a cabinet in the wonderful Vintage shop "What Katy did" IN Budleigh!

make some money out of my social media skills (I am always being asked but don't have the confidence)

be happy with my lot

get 50 comments on a blog post *winks*   ACHIEVED !
(This was the first one Woop! would have been the jumping in puddles but I forgot to take the camera to show the proof.  Thank you so much to all the amazing, supportive community of people on twitter, facebook and blogging world, you will never know how much your conversation has cheered, supported and inspired me)

realise I am never going to win the lottery and be a secret Millionaire (and get over it).

Wear a dress when its not a special occasion.

Wear high heels on the school run

Learn how to "do" my makeup

Swim in the sea (in Devon) brrrrr .

Make at least 5 more new twitter friends who I actually meet in the real world

So there we go !

Things to do before I'm 51. 

most not earth shattering, most achievable.  Baby steps.

Love you to join me with your own 2012 Bucket list, let me know and we can link up.

 Would love your support and encouragement on this one. 

Life really is too short. I look around and in a blink of an eye I have more life behind me than I have in front of me.  A very sobering though.

Here's to an amazing, happy and positive 50th Year.