Is The Grooving Mums Challenge For You?

Are you looking for something to brighten these cold and wintry days? Fancy having some fun prior to getting involved in all the work associated with Christmas? Just got a sense that you have lost a bit of sparkle and would like to regain it? Then the #GroovingMums blog hop is for you.

All you have to do is post about how you are making time for yourself, taking risks, learning new things or generally attempting to find your va-va-voom. Let me know on mums-the-word@live.com and I will promote your blog on here and via Twitter. You will also be joining the #GroovingMums pioneers from the last couple of months who are a diverse and very supportive community of cyberfriends.

Every week, I set little prompts that might give you some ideas but I can’t empahsis strongly enough that this is about the woman you are. You have your own journey and we would love to hear about it. There is no right or wrong way of taking part and you don’t have to post every week or more than once. It is entirely your choice.

Here are this week’s prompts or challenges if you will.

1. How is your health? Is there a niggling problem that you are avoiding bringing to the attention of your GP? Are you up to date with your smear test and other matters? How can you ensure that you are in tip-top form before the stress of Christmas hits?

2. What does the concept of freedom mean to you? Do you have enough or do you sometimes feel hemmed in with your various responsiblities? When are you cut a bit of slack by your family, friends and colleagues?

3. Laughter Therapy – Can you do something this week that will make you laugh out loud? Perhaps see a funny film, write an amusing blog post or visit a comedy show? Maybe just share a joke with us.

4. Blog Hopping – One good way to make new blogger contacts is via blog hopping. How about taking part in one of the Britmums prompts this week? One is related to the festive season and one is about blogging in the New Year. Visit the Britmums site for more details. http://www.britmumsblog.com/2011/11/britmums-blog-prompt-christmas-wishes/

Now, how about me?

1. Today I am really struggling with a horrendous tummy bug. If I say both ends, I don’t have to go into any colourful language. One child has got over it and the other has started with it. I am hoping tomorrow’s enforced day off school due to strike action will allow us all time to recuperate.

2. This time last week, I was getting all tarted up, well dressed up for me. I went to the Queen inspired musical “We Will Rock You” in Leeds. It was superb and I have already blogged about it. Queen is very much me so I am taking this early birthday treat as proof that I really am taking up opportunities for fun in my world.

3. How surprised was I to see a photography that I was so daunted in posting on this little blog with few followers appearing on the Netmums website as Blog Post Of The Week? http://netmumsblog.com/ If I had known, I might have thrown caution to the wind and shared my quadruple chin. You can’t predict the future. Not that many years ago, Netmums was key to helping me get up every morning for its online support when really struggling with depression and parenting. Can you imagine what I would have said if you had told me one day I would be featured photograph and all on the website? The lesson, dear reader, is that we really should not write ourselves or each other off.

4. One of the funny things in the musical was when the male character said something to the effect of he had a feeling he was destined for glory. The female lead known as Scaramouche or Scary Bush said something to the effect of he was talking crap and had an over-inflated sense of self. Part of the reason I get so down I think sometimes is that I really would like to see my name in lights one day. How very shallow but as you know I reveal the best and worst of myself on here. I imagine I am not alone in these feelings either, right? Naming no names. Meanwhile, as a girl who used to be nicknamed Kate Bush at school (due to wild hair I think) I am thinking of adopting a new user name of Scary Bush. What do you think?

5. Following the Winter Warmth challenge from last week, I invested in a new duvet, one of those two in one types. I like duvets a lot and especially when ill like now.

6. I also bought a pair of mad sparkly slipper/shoe things. They are sort of olive green with sparkles. I could not leave them as I am always saying we should inject some more sparkle into our lives.

7. Finally, my healthy eating plan is back on track after a troublesome couple of weeks. If you want to know more about that https://kateonthinice.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/how-many-inches/

If you want to check some #groovingmums stories check out the post from yesterday.
https://kateonthinice.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/so-who-are-the-grooving-mums-and-what-are-they-up-to/

We look forward to meeting some newbies this week and if you want to find us on Twitter, just use hashtag #groovingmums

Look at my week. At the start it was buzzing to the max as my stepdaughter used to say and by the end it was the complete opposite. That is life you know and I think I am only just starting to accept that. We all have good times and bad. We just need to work out how to look after ourselves when external shit hits or we are attacked by the blues.

If we manage to do that more often, we really will be “the champions my friends.”