CharlieBeth's "My Life As Mumma Walker"

Like loads of kids Jack is well into Minecraft, although we only have the Pocked Edition (you can't get in on Wii U!) And one of the best things about the simple graphics is the ability to recreate them in loads of crafts for kids (and me!!) With the holidays coming up I thought I would make the boys a little treat: I made them a Minecraft inspired Tic-Tac-Toe board with Steves and Creepers! It took the whole school day to do (between school runs, baby feedings, toddler potty training etc) and I have to admit I am really really proud of it! Preparing for the school holidays: @hamabeads #minecraft tic-tac-toe A photo posted by Charlie Walker (@mummawalker) on Mar 26, 2015 at 7:15am PDT The kids have really enjoyed it. In fact they were so impressed that they wanted to have a go at making some Minecraft Hama Bead stuff too! So this afternoon while the younger two were taking naps I got the stuff out, found some patterns on Pinterest (I have found loads, check out my

Aww! I love the school's Easter Egg Hunt! This is the third year we've done it, and this time it wasn't a total wash out. In fact this year it was a lovely bright sunny day. Jack and Tom got their sheets and ZOOOOOM! Off they went! Mark hurried after them to help them track down the eggs, and I went round with George and Freddie. Me, George and Freddie finished before they did! Hahaha! Mind you, I have the advantage to knowing that the laminated sheets with the eggs on are generally in the same places each year, and remembering where those places are! It's not as easy as it sounds though. Each egg has a letter attached and you have to pair the letter with the egg on your sheet and then crack the secret code. The message is always the same.... but the code (allegedly) changes. And that gets checked. Every one who finishes gets a little prize - this year it was little chocolate bunnies and eggs.  The new Headmaster was giving them out and Georgie loved claiming his

Oops! Last week I was supposed to be helping out at Beavers! I didn't remember which week it was that my name was down until after the event... so I pitched up this week instead with apologies and willingness to help out tonight instead. So glad I did! Beavers is LOADS of fun! This week they were making Easter Baskets and Chocolate Nests. I helped out with the chocolate nests (they clearly don't know me very well if they are leaving me in charge of chocolate), dishing out cereal for the kids to break up, helping melt the chocolate, and handing out the mini eggs and biscuits to go with the finished nests. It's lovely to see the kids getting stuck into a task. At drop off and pick up they all seem pretty wild! But once they have something to focus on they just get on with it. It's fab! Here's what Jack made! Facebook has changed it’s policy for posts to Facebook pages like mine. They are only showing posts to a few likers unless I pay to boost the

I love being able to drag out this image for each parents evening! Although I guess the report would have to be pretty rubbish for me NOT to feel proud of my boys. I was a bit worried about Jack's parents evening meeting on account of his behaviour before Christmas, but that thankfully seems to be all behind him now and his behaviour is back on track. He still has his giddy and silly, giggly moments (I think he always will do) but over all his behaviour is ok. As always his school work is brilliant. That's something I don't worry about too much. I know his work is good - so much better than mine ever was. His teacher (a supply teacher who has been with them for the last few months and seems very good) told me how he is still in the top group for his literacy and numeracy etc, how his reading is exceptional, and how his work is general is fantastic. So, thrilled as I was about Jack, imagine how please I am that Tom is also doing brilliantly. He is also in the top grou

Jack is now grading less often because he is that bit older and that bit further on, so this time it was Tom grading on his own without Jack. Tom was a bit nervous about this.... I guess with having always had a bigger brother to tag along with and then suddenly doing stuff on your own can be a bit daunting. Still.... he was brave! And he did it! I dropped him off at the dojo (and took a long walk to rack up some much needed weekend steps on my Fitbit) and came back at the end to see him proudly accept his yellow belt! He was grinning from ear to ear when I arrived, and I managed to get a good spot by the side of the mats to watch him get his belt and certificate. Afterwards we had our traditional post-grading lunch at Subway - which has always been Jack's choice but Tom wanted to stick with it. I am loving seeing these boys enjoy their activities so much and doing so well! Facebook has changed it’s policy for posts to Facebook pages like mine. They are only showing

Our Jack-Jack is SEVEN today! Happy Birthday Big Lad! This year he didn't want a party, asking instead for a day out at Lego Discovery with a friend (which he will have but we haven't set a date yet) and a family day to Greenlands Farm Village. Grandma Kate and Grandad Dave came to visit too so we all went up to the farm together. The weather was fine but it was cold! We got over a bit late so missed out on the lamb feeding and donkey rides but the boys weren't too bothered about this this time (it's not like we don't visit loads) they were more bothered about getting to scramble about on the hay bales and getting to see the animals in the paddocks, and then having a wild hour in the play barn. Jack said he had an awesome day. He got loads of stuff he's wanted for his birthday including Lego, Skylanders, Amazon vouchers for his Kindle, and the obligatory super hero themed onesies! He finished it up with his favourite take-away pizza an

Jack with his bronze Willow Words award - and a typically mucky post-school-day face! Jack got his Bronze Award today for his "Willow Words" - which from what I can gather is like a spelling contest. I admit I don't know much about the Willow Words although I do see the winners photos on the board in the school entrance and I have wondered for a while if Jack was going to have a go at getting on there. He loves his words! There was talk last school year about him being "put in for Willow Words" because he was "more than ready" but it's not something they do in Year 1. So now in Year 2 is was a doddle for him! Quite a lot of his friends got their Bronze Award too, he seems to have settled in with a group of kids at the same ability level as him self. They are already talking about going for their Silver Award! So on the eve on your 7th birthday Jack.... WELL DONE! Wear your badge with pride! Facebook has changed it’s policy for po

I am going nuts.... For the last few weeks I have been up a pound, down a pound, up a couple and down another.... and at the end of it I am almost back to where I was before Christmas. It's the dreaded "plateau". (With a slight incline in my case!) Now, the reading that I have done suggests that natural weight loss plateaus do happen to people frequently, but when those people carry on with their healthy eating and exercise then it passes within around 3 weeks. I have been here for more like 6 weeks. So I think we can safely say that I am not suffering from a natural plateau. It must be something that I am not doing right. I have been on this leg of my diet since September, so I'm in my 6th month. And I think I'm just getting slack. My mood has been low and that has taken a toll. But it's more than that... I'm bored maybe. Less inspired as the weight loss slowed - even though I knew it would. I'm pretty sure that's how Hubby feels too. We're no

Another bloody gain! 2lb EACH this week. I need a good long sit down and look at what I am doing different / wrong. Hubby says it's because we've not been eating soups for lunch lately - only I have. But I have also been baking bread - and I eat home made bread a lot more than store bought. What I'm Doing Wrong: Not recording my Weight Watchers Pro Points as religiously as I used to be Nibbling between meals - including that home made bread Maybe having TOO MANY juices and smoothies? Natural sugars are still sugars after all. What I'm Doing Right: Continuing with my walking  Increased my step goal from 6000 ( to 7250 (3 miles) a day Not giving up!  What am I going to do differently this week? Make sure I point EVERYTHING! Restrict myself to ONE juice or smoothie a day Make sure I have some proper breakfast - I seem to be skimping on breakfast and overloading for lunch I am so cross with myself. I lost a pound last week and I was delighted! But now I have undone that goo

Pinterest is my friend!!!! I have found so many lovely juice and smoothie recipes over the weeks that I want to share some of my faves with you. Please feel free to pin these to your own boards, the original pinners will love you for it! And don't forget you can follow me too: CharlieBeth (Mumma) Walker Facebook has changed it’s policy for posts to Facebook pages like mine. They are only showing posts to a few likers unless I pay to boost the views. Since I don't earn money from my blog (or at least not much, not even enough to buy one posh a coffee a week) I wont be doing that. The best way to make sure you will see my blog posts is to subscribe by email up there on the right. I usually only email once a week and include an invitation to my blog hop so you can share your posts too.   You can also go to my page, hover over the “liked” button and select get notifications. Then you will see my posts and status updates in your notifications. Mumma Walker on Facebook

Image shamelessly pilfered from blog.pumpup.co I'm feeling pretty fed up. I wont bang on about it too long, I promise, but I need to get this off my chest. I am a comfort eater... Anything can trigger my binging: a row with the Hubby, the kids playing up, being over tired from being up in the night with baby, a bad day... the slightest thing goes askew and I'm reaching for the chocolate or sweets. Right now I have had a few things bothering me. Nothing major (thankfully), everyday irritations like the bill for the car repairs being hundreds more than I'd hoped, unexpected vets bills for the cat, my tax credits payments getting stuffed up because "they" got it into their heads that little Freddie was a figment of my imagination. All financial glitches that have put the pressure on me a bit. It hasn't taken much to send my scurrying off to the kitchen for a sugar fix! I'm trying SO HARD to fight it, but I am losing the battle this week. I am feeling utterly

At first I thought I had stayed the same this week. In fact I went on my Facebook group and said as much. But once I sat down with my chomebook and started to record my weight on all my little apps and stuff it turns out I did actually lose 1lb! So.. WHOOO! I'm finding it all too easy to think "just 1lb!" so I am dragging out this image from a previous post. It's probably not the last time you see this picture on my blog!  Sure, I wish it was more, but a loss is a loss, and after gains and no changes it's brilliant!  It's kick started my motivation to get moving again. I'm planning a good walk each day Mon-Fri this week, and to cram in as many steps as I can while the kids are swimming on Sat morning (I get 25 mins max!) I have ordered a smoothie maker to accompany my juicer. The blender I have been using is part of my ma-hoooo-sive food processor and not really ideal for the job. My smoothie maker looks awesome. It's by the same people as my juicer (