My Unedited Life

Last night (at about 2.30am whilst on an early morning play date with one of my children) I made the decision to tell the truth.

For me, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter et al have become the doyennes of a sanitised and edited version of everyday life. Perfect pictures of perfect bodies, perfect families, perfect homes and perfect holidays fill up our news feeds and I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling the constant pressure to make sure that my life emulates these idyllic lives lived by my 'friends.'

Well it doesn't.

Don't get me wrong, I'm guilty too. I weed out the best pictures, crop them, tint them and post them. Look at me and mine - aren't we great? Well we are, to me, but we're also normal.

I spend most of my time these days unbelievably tired with bags under my eyes so big and so dark you can barely see my eyes. I have a child that doesn't sleep and one that wakes up at the merest hint of a cry from her baby brother. By the time they are both tucked back up into bed, fast asleep at 5.30am, it's almost time to get up and go to work.

I work to live. The kids are packed off to nursery so that I can spend the day taking care of other people's children, making slightly more than I pay in childcare. I definitely enjoy the stimulation that comes with working alongside my peers - and school holidays are awesome, but it's a good job I look so scarily tired most days, as no pupil wants to tangle with a grumpy, unpredictable and tired teacher.

 At home, the domestic treadmill is relentless and I frequently fall off. The washing lies in unconquerable mountains in the spare room waiting to be ironed or, more likely, folded without ironing if I can get away with it. Cooking is an effort and I'm more Little chef than Master chef these days; if it's quick, vaguely edible - then who cares about nutritional content! Sometimes... and I say this in a whisper...I let my kids watch TV. It's a simple formula: TV+kids= quietforatleast10minutes= Imightgetthehooveringdone. This is life for most people. But we don't post pictures of that do we?

Well, I've had enough of feeling sub-standard and in an attempt to reclaim the beauty of normalcy I'm just going to post the truth. So here's my life - the unedited one.

Let's see how long I can keep it up!

My beautiful (normal) home and the never ending pile of ironing.

9am - curtains still drawn and dog has snuck upstairs for a nap, sometimes I think I'm fighting a losing battle!

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Devilishly Deliciously Deceitful

I'm a Mummy in a hurry these days. There is, quite simply, never enough time and I feel myself hurtling from one job to another in between looking after Bubs. The prospect of then entertaining fills me with dread, for I have realised that I am no longer the competent cook I once thought I was.

Some of my latest triumphs have included a roast dinner without roast potatoes (I forgot to cook them), a cremated Christmas turkey and a cake that didn't rise because I had forgotten to shut the oven door. In fact things have gotten so bad that when I last invited my in-laws over for Sunday lunch, they offered to take us out instead! They were clearly wiser than to rely on me to provide them with something edible and I was more than grateful to let someone else do the cooking.

The problem is that I'm always trying to hurry things and this is a recipe (pardon the pun) for disaster. A good meal takes time, attention, careful planning... well that's what I thought until I was sent a selection of Devilishly Delicious desserts to try.

The marvellous people at Devilishly Delicious (www.devilishlydelicious.co.uk) have come up with a superb range of restaurant quality desserts which give people, like me, the confidence to whip up a delicious and professional looking dessert in minutes (and by minutes, I mean minutes!). You simply heat up the dessert mixture until boiling, pour into moulds, ramekins or other suitable dessert dishes, chill for an hour and hey presto!

The other beaty about this range of desserts is that they are also incredibly versatile. If you have a couple of extra minutes (and by a couple of extra minutes, I mean a couple of extra minutes) you can 'pimp' your dessert by adding a shot of liquor, some toasted nuts, freshly whipped cream etc etc. So it's almost like not cheating at all...

And therein lies my devilish deceit. At the last dinner party I threw, although the meal itself was rather mediocre, 'my' little chocolate espresso pots with a shot of Tia Maria, and toasted hazelnuts was a complete success. I didn't let on I'd had a helping hand, although I rather guess I might have been rumbled now.

There are four desserts in the range: Sicilian Lemon Pot, Pot au Chocolate, Creme Brulee and Panna Cotta and not only are they genuinely really tasty (I've tried them all!), they are gluten free, free from artificial flavourings and colourings and they're suitable for vegetarians. There is also a range of fruit coulis available too - so that saves on the mess in the kitchen.

So if you too are pushed for time but looking for that wow factor when hosting a dinner party, I wouldn't fail to recommend Devilishly Delicious Desserts which are available at selected Waitrose stores, Lakeland, Ocado online, Booths, Dobbies Garden Centres and various other independent retailers.

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My Top 5 Free Money Saving Apps

I love a few treats and it's even better if you can get them at a discount. These days there seems to be an app to help you save money for all kinds of things and these are a few of my favourites:

App gratis
App Gratis is for anyone that loves getting the latest and best apps for free. Just download the App Gratis app to find out which app is being given away free for the day.








Groupon

Great for bargain getaways both in the UK and abroad plus huge savings on a range of different goods available locally to you.






O2 Moments
Fancy some free prosecco and dough sticks at Prezzo or a free packet of Percy Pigs at M&S? Well if you are on the O2 network, download their priority moments app and enjoy the rewards of being a loyal customer.






Top Cash Back
Use the Top Cash Back app to click through to the store you wish to buy from and start earning cash back on your purchases. Receive payment either in Amazon vouchers or in cold hard cash straight into your bank account. Works well but can take time to accumulate funds and get paid, so requires you to be quite disciplined about using the app when shopping online.

Skyscanner
Want to find the cheapest flights available to your destination? Use this site to input the relevant information and then let the computer do all the hard work. Saves time and money, what could be better?!

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Quick, Easy and Delicious Easter Biscuits

250g salted butter
100g caster sugar
250g plain flour
125g rice flour

Makes about 30 biscuits

1. Cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy
2. Sift in the flour bit by bit and mix until the mixture starts to come together
3. With lightly floured hands bring the mixture together and very lightly kneed until smooth
4. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until about 5mm thick and cut out
5. Place on a greased or lined baking tray and cook in the oven on gas mark 3 for about 15 minutes
6. When removed from the oven, dust with caster sugar
7. Leave to cool in the tray for 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool

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My Top 5 Free Fitness Apps

Well I've been trying hard to get out there and shape up. Obviously there are the visual body benefits of a healthy lifestyle but I also love the revitalising and energising feeling that exercise gives you too.

Sadly these days, I don't have quite the same amount of spare time (or cash) that I once had and consequently the gym and I are now virtual strangers.

Luckily though, for every time poor, cash strapped, slightly wobbly mum, there's a fitness app to help you tone up at home.

Here are my favourite free fitness apps:

                                                       Map My Run and Run Keeper

These are two of my favourite companions for any run/walk/cycle etc that I do. They help you keep track of distance covered and pace. I set mine to give me five minute updates so I know if I'm not quite up to scratch. They are easy to use and keep a log of all of the activities that you've done.

 Workouts
This is great if you have limited time but still want to feel like you've accomplished something. The easy to use menu bar at the top of the main screen allows you to select what area of your body you'd like to focus on, the time you have to do the workout as well as the intensity. Once selected, the app will find you a selection of workouts that match your criteria. Clear pictures and instructions of the exercises are given as you complete the workout. I particularly like the fact that most of these workouts don't rely on any additional equipment.

Nike Training Centre
This is similar to Workouts but some of the activities require additional equipment. The exercises are clearly explained and you certainly feel like you've done a good workout when you've finished.

My Fitness Pal
This app allows you to keep track of the amount of food you are eating and the amount of exercise you are doing. The app is good for keeping you focused on reaching specific goals and thinking twice before reaching for that extra piece of cake.

What fitness apps do you use?

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Hair Heaven

You might remember a couple of posts ago that I was on a mission to rediscover myself. Well phase one is complete and, thanks to my wonderful hairdresser at  Flhair in Romsey , my hair is looking lovely again.

It's amazing what a difference a good hair cut and colour can make to your mood and sense of confidence and with the added luxury of a couple of hours to yourself, a good natter, some magazines and a cup of tea I almost feel like new.

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Motherhood

Another funny video I like by fiat. They've also done one called Fatherhood too, but I still think this one is the best.

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