'You've got your hands full'

Gorgeous singing from twin boys - they're going to be big some day!

WHEN this blog was all about twins, triplets and more, I used to regularly post cute videos from YouTube. I thought I'd do it again for a change. These boys are just wonderful!

Twenty-one twice over

Back then I wore a red skirt
With white polka dots

Friends came from across the ocean
To laugh and dance with me

I remember I'd volunteered that day
Before my surprise party

Who knew that 21 years later
I'd still be volunteering

But dancing
no more
 

Media request: New book on family holidays

HERE's a message from Catherine Cooper:

I'm writing a book about travelling with children and looking for brief quotes about what type of family holiday you enjoy and why it works for you. Also interested to hear about any which didn't work and why.

Also do you holiday alone or with friends/grandparents? Is this great or hellish? Happy to change names – please email mail[at]catherinecooper.net - would really appreciate any input. Thanks!

This post is from Have a Lovely Time.

Sentimental Songs by Freddie 'Parrot Face' Davies

THANKS to Steve for making me laugh with this yesterday. Just thought I'd share. Bye.

Working like I don't need to

I'VE always said that if I could afford not to work, I would do two things.

One would be to write a novel.

The other would be to set up a blog as a voluntary project to try and help people who have suffered mental illness to tell their stories.

Okay so the kids are away...now what?

I HAD big plans.

Perhaps a meal out, a trip to the cinema, or a night enjoying the theatre. Neil joked we should go clubbing. Perhaps we could even do any of these things more than once.

The prospect of more enthusiastic romance reared its head.

Our girls are away with school until the end of the week. They've gone to an outward bound centre with the rest of the year.

New blog for Judith's Room - hope you like it

WHEN Josie launched Judith's Room for women writers, I got a bit excited.

We've been working on a new blog for members, with advice, features, giveaways and more, which we hope will be of interest.

It kicks off with a wonderful piece by Janine Crowley Haynes about her experience of mental illness and how writing a book that has gone down a storm has helped her. I'm sure such courage will help plenty more people. I hope you can read Janine's extraordinary account and let her know how much her words are valued.   

I've lined up various competitions, interviews and other opportunities so hope you will pay us a visit over at Judith's Blog.

There's also an online shop showcasing works from members and featured authors as well as a wealth of resources for aspiring and established authors of fiction and non-fiction.

I hope you can consider buying books online through Judith's Room to help this warm community that's already empowering women and helping boost confidence.

Thanks a million.

Book reviewers for Judith's Room wanted

HAVE you visited Judith's Room yet?

This is a welcoming online community for women writers founded by Josie from Sleep is for the Weak.

I'm working behind the scenes with Josie and Liz from LivingwithKids on a few things and now need some book reviewers.

I have three books in need of reviewing.

Please leave a comment under this post if you would like to review one of them.

It's not a paid opportunity.

Because families come in all shapes and sizes...

I'VE just posted about this at Have a Lovely Time, but it's something that I also wanted to add here in case anyone who just so happens not to have a family that fits into a neat 'two by two' box is reading. I know families with triplets or one child then twins can feel the pinch so I hope this can help!

Plus I absolutely love Quentin Blake so I wanted to use the picture again!

DOES your family fit the shape of a standard family ticket?

Or perhaps it's Mum plus her four kids, Dad plus his only child, and the young cousin who lives with them.

Maybe it's grandparents and their grandchildren, for whom they care or big sister and very little sister, whom she looks after. Mum, Dad, Auntie and her daughter.

Yet what’s the shape of a typical family ticket to a museum or gallery? Two plus two.

Time to change: Helping people with mental distress tell their story

DID you see the Time to Change TV ad?

I'm working with Lyn Jenkins, a co-ordinator for Mind in the Midlands to help people share their story of how they've been affected by mental illness to reduce the stigma.

One in four people in the UK are said to have suffered from a mental illness, with depression being up there as the most common.

I wrote about my experience of depression here.

It's a privilege to be involved in such a campaign and I look forward to helping make a difference, however small.