Xavier's first Christmas

 

Wakey wakey Elf Xavier!! 

Yesterday (25/12/13) was my boys first Christmas! We had a Christmas morning snooze until 09.30am!! 

After breakfast we opened our presents from Santa! Things got a bit boring for Elf Xavier!! 

In the early afternoon we went to dinner at nanny and grandad Noo Noo's (Craig's mom & dads) 

Things got a bit boring there too according to our little Elf!! 

We did more visiting off to nanny & grandad Daly's! 

My parents had brought Xavier so many old school toys! He was eggstaic (cheese joke) with his broken eggs!!! 

The elf disappeared and along came a sleepy Tigger. 

Merry Christmas to everyone!! 

Categories: First Christmas, Xavier

#silentsunday

Categories: #silentsunday

Our first home

December 7th 2013 cannot come quick enough for me!! We will be handed our keys for our first ever home! 

 

No house share, nobody telling us what's for dinner, nobody moaning at me for using the washing machine (how else am I meant to wash baby clothes) no mother or father in law hogging the TV remote, nobody interfering with Xavier's bedtime routine! 

Somewhere that I can call home!  (For the last 3 years I've called the house I live in Craig's mums and I call my family home my mums! 

December 7th I'll be saying our home! My home, my house! 

Good things come to those who wait, we will be saving as much as we can whilst living here and trying to find Craig some permanent work so hopefully we can fulfil our dream of buying our own home but for now we will rent this two bedroom house! 

Categories: Our first home

Sleep tight Joshua Ribera

Today we said goodbye to our Josh x

Categories: Ribera

Silent Sunday

Categories: Silent Sunday

Chicken sweet potato and apple baby food

I love seeing Xavier finish the food I feed him! Coming from a family that eats good hearty Irish meals I'm hoping to bring Xavier up the same! Although we will be having more than stew and potatoes!!

As Xavier is coming up to 6 months now I'm introducing more meaty dinners, in my local sainsburys I purchased Annabelle Karmels cook book 'introducing new flavours and textures. 

The first recipe I make is chicken sweet potatoe and apple. 

I added

1small onion 

2 small sweet potato'a

1 chicken breast

1 small apple

200mils in salted chicken stock

Cooked the onion 

Added the chicken

Added the potato and apple 

Poured over the chicken stock

Brought to the boil 

Simmered for 20mins

Blended 

Poured into the mould the put in the freezer!! 

Very easy to make and very tasty Xavier and his cousin Archie love it!! 

Categories: Baby food

Rest In Peace Josh Ribera

To our beautiful Josh!
We can't believe you have been taken away from us!
Xavier will never be able to look up to you as a big cousin, We will show him the brightest stars in the sky and tell him thats you and granddad Ribera! 

Craig Xavier and I love you with all our hearts!

Sleep Tight beautiful! See you at the crossroads.
Big loves to Anselm, Alison, Maria, Lee, Louis, Kat, Sherelle, Tiah, Laithan, Ken, your nan and grandad, your nieces and nephews, Re-an & Jaykay!

Thanks to P110 for helping Josh be heard!

Categories: #ripdepzman, Depzman, Josh Ribera

Go Sober

Today one of my best friends Megan posted a link to sponsor her for go sober! She is going sober through out october to raise money for McMillan.

Why I am posting about Go Sober is because I give to charity by sponsoring friends and family, I always donate now through websites but I have never in how many years received a thank you post card.

Well Done Go Sober!

I'm most definitively going to sponsor other friends and family next year!

Categories: charity, Go Sober, sponsorship

Banana Face!

I started weaning Xavier around 4 weeks ago, he's now 20 weeks old. Where has the time gone?
He didn't like banana or mango the first time he tried it but I thought this afternoon i thought i would try it again! And what a result he loves them both!

I fed him up stairs on our bed bad move i know as we do have him a routine of eating in his high chair. But I had such a busy day sorting out summer clothes and putting them away and bring out the winter clothes I wanted to juggle both. I'm not going to lie, I'm never doing it again!

With him being 20 weeks now and a little slow with moving up the teet stages in bottles I decided to see if he was ready for drinking out of a cup. I chose a light cup with two handles, I thought it would teach him how to grasp hold of the handles it did! But It will take more than an afternoon for him to hold it up towards his mouth! He liked to shake the cup like a rattle and watch his juice spill over him!
He smiled straight after this photo gutted I missed him! 

Categories: My Little Newt

Silent Sunday

#SILENTSUNDAY

Categories: Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday

Categories: Silent Sunday

Angel Card

A while back I joined the group 'Eternal Light' on facebook as I was interested in maybe posting a photo of my late father and seeing if someone could take a reading off it or if he would come through to someone who could relay a message to me. However I have not got round to posting a picture of him, nor have I requested card readings from anyone. 

Today I noticed a post from a lady called Nica Dee, she said that she is offering an 'Angel Reading' all you can to do was choose the number of shuffle you wanted between 1-10 and then choose a card from 1-21. Number 2 and 9 was my numbers. 

Around an hour later Nica tagged me in a post and and said I had the 'Angle of Manifesting' Read below.

Aimée Vaughan Your card lovey xxx
Angel of Manifesting 

Full Meaning: 

This angel comes to us to remind us that nothing is impossible that we have put our minds to! Right now you are being given added extra energy and support to help your own manifesting dreams become a reality.

Sometimes this angel appears when we have been working very hard to manifest something and yet nothing seems to be happening. We may have done all the rational things we think we "should" be doing in order to make our dreams come true and yet we may have forgotten a few key elements. If we are focused on creating something for a few moments and then thinking (and not always consciously!) "oh, whets the use, this will never happen for me!" we have effectively blocked the energy of its manifesting from occurring in our lives. We may have numerous doubts and fears that we have been stuffing down instead of acknowledging that is making it difficult for us to manifest the things we truly desire. By bringing those doubts and fears into the open, we can tackle them one by one with this Angel's help and support. As each one surfaces, we can ask that this Angel help us find a solution that will resolve and heal each one. Perhaps feelings of unworthiness block our way. This Angel may suggest flower essences, crystals, affirmations or other tools that will help us to feel worthy in abundance! Or perhaps it is that we fear we won't be able to handle something if we do manifest it. This Angel can help us acquire what ever skills and tools we may need so that we can easily handle what ever arises in connection with our manifesting if that is indeed needed. Or, this Angel may help us look at what skills we already have that can be put to good use should the need arise.

Another key element is letting go. Once we have chosen to manifest something we need to remember that it is not only up to us to create it but that the entire Universe stands ready to lend a helping hand! The only way this can happen though is if we are willing to give it over to the Universe, to ask for help and pay close attention to what our inner guidance suggests we take as the next step. Otherwise we may spend more time trying to sort out what we need to be doing (and not seeing the whole picture, we may end up taking the longest, hardest path to get there rather than allowing the Universe to take us straight to it!) which deflects energy away from the manifestation as this process can also lead us straight back into doubting that we can accomplish what we are seeking to create. Instead, we find a balance by asking each day what steps we need to take, listening closely for this Angel's reply and then we take immediate action on those steps. Once those are completed, new steps and ideas will be handed to us and as long as we continue in this manner, soon we shall find we are living out what we have requested!

The Angel of Manifesting may also ask us to release some other things that we thought we wanted but actually interfere with what we truly want from a heart and soul level. It may be that we are spending so much time chasing after things that really have no true meaning for us or serve us in our lives, but is instead siphoning our energy from those things that we really desire. Projects may suddenly shut down or be lost, we may find that we need to change jobs or living environments. Friends that we once felt close to may fall away or we find we have to distance ourselves from family members that are not supportive or are draining us in some way. This can be a very frightening time to say the least! It may see we have asked for this Angel's help only to watch the foundations of our lives crumble and turn to dust, not what we expected at all! And yet, this is also a liberating energy that allows us to begin anew, to focus on what is truly fulfilling and joyful for us. These things that we believed formed the basis of our lives may actually be supporting us only in the sense that it allows us to continue living a "false life", there is no true passion or vitality that is coming through to us from these things or people because they do not represent who we truly are! We need to clear away the rubble from time to time so that we may flow our energies where they will truly do us and others the most good. And every step of the way, we shall find this Angel walking right beside us or carrying us as we move through this process.

Above all, this angel wishes for us to understand that we do have the power within us to manifest anything we desire! This Angel may come to you in dreams giving you guidance or teaching you new techniques that will help you become a more empowered manifestor. This Angel may also offer you feelings of joy and hope which in turn will help you to manifest what you are seeking in greater abundance and with ease. This Angel may lead you to books, websites, people or other sources through which you can learn even more about manifesting and how the process works so that you may share what you have learned with others. The more people that are tuned into their own ability to manifest, the less conflict and strife we shall see in the world. This Angel's goal is to help each person become empowered through manifesting from within, knowing that each of us has the ability to create lives that are abundant, joyful and rich in the fulfilment of our dreams!

What to watch for with this Angel's presence:

You may have the urge to study manifesting through using a number of techniques and tools. One such tool is suddenly coming across a Manifesting Crystal which has a smaller crystal contained within it or someone may gift you with one which is what happened for me.

Someone may mention some channelled works they have been working with that have been very helpful for them. When you read or listen to the material, you find that much of it has to do with manifesting.

You begin to notice with increasing frequency that "thoughts are things". You think about something and shortly after, you experience it in your life.

The phrase "be careful what you wish for, you may get it" comes up with greater and greater frequency from others.

You suddenly find yourself disagreeing strongly with the mass consciousness about how to manifest or create anything. You find yourself knowing deep inside that there "has to be another way" and you feel determined to find out what that way may be!

You find that you start hearing about more and more people that have manifested something you desire. Really listen to their stories and take them to heart, for you can learn much from them about how to manifest what you are seeking as well!

You may find a need to keep quiet about what you are seeking to manifest. This is a well known technique that has been handed down through the ages. Speaking of what you are seeking can attract energy from others for a variety of reasons that are not helpful for your manifestation. People may mean well but in seeking to keep you from feeling pain or disappointment, they may discourage your attempts in subtle or not so subtle ways so keep quiet unless you know in your heart the other person will be truly supportive of you.

When you think of manifesting something you may feel your energy lift as though you were flying to the moon! This is a gift from this Angel, hold on to this feeling for as long as you can and each time you think of your desire, see if you can bring your energy back up to this level, asking for this Angel's help if needed.

Other ways to work with the energy of this Angel is to keep a manifesting journal. Each time you notice something you have thought about manifesting in your life, jot it down in your journal. Now, think back to that moment. What were you feeling emotionally? Did you notice any sensations in your body at that time that were different from what you normally feel from your body? How long did you hold onto the thought before you let it go and what did you do immediately after? Did you speak of what you were thinking to any one else and if so, what was their reaction? Notice too what clothing you were wearing, the colours, what time of day, what the weather was like. All of these things are clues to help you piece together your own unique way of manifesting in the world. Be as detailed as you can!

Now this card means so much to me. I really need a house to call a home. I currently call the house I live in Craig's mums (because basically it is!) and I refer to my mums house as my mums. But I don't call the house I live in mine, because it isnt. 

If my card is true then I'll be getting my home pretty soon! 

Categories: Card Reading, Eternal Light

Empire Parent & Baby

Look what I found today pretty excited to know that on the dreaded Monday Mornings when Craig goes to work I can go to the cinema with my boy!!

I have no idea how long Empire have been showing films for parents and babies but this has to be one of my best finds!

Craig and I usually go to Great Park cinema on a Tuesday at it works out a lot cheaper that 'Orange Wednesdays' as the park offer's free parking too! Over the road is a pub that does deals on food, Tuesday night date night. 

Categories: Birmingham, Cinema, Empire Cinema, Great Park, Maternity leave, My Little Newt, Things To Do With Baby

Mum's Lilly's

Our mum love's her flowers, infact she loves Lilly's! So a few years ago she started to grow her own. This year her Lilly's opened whilst she was away on holiday!

I thought I'd share them as i think they look beautiful x 

Categories:

Who needs photoshop when you have GIMP!

Whilst browsing on my facebook newsfeed, I seen this:

However the day before he asked on facebook if anybody could do his logo for him, I seen it three hours later and ask him if he wanted me to have a go. He then told me someone had a 'macbook' and they was doing it for him. I did make sure he knew that I printed tshirts so if he needed them come to me!

 So when he uploaded the above picture I kindly asked him if he mined me having a go for him. Please understand I'm no expert at GIMP but I had a go and this is my end result.

First I done the 'MR':

I then decided that the red on the grey was a bit too much on the eyes so I changed the grey back ground to a nice crisp white:

Before

After

Failing that I thought his potential customers should see him in action. So I added a background image of him:

Matty's had a bit of a hard time the past few years, I thought I'd give him a bit of a hand to hopefully get a few more people to work with.+
So if your from Birmingham/Solihull contact Matty if you need a personal trainer. Tell him Tilda sent you. 


@mattSGrobo

Follow me on twitter: @turtlenewts @printmycover1 @tildskie 

Categories: Birmingham, Gimp, Personal Trainer

My Fluffy Parcel

Today I received my second parcel from 'yellowbloom' inside consists of 6 nappies and 12 Micro Fiber (MF) inserts. After I spend a while looking at how pretty they are, I have to get them in the washing to pre-wash them.

New fluffy nappies

All new cloth nappies have to be pre-washed before using them. I put the nappies on a few 30 degree washes I don't bother using washing powder at this point. I also don't dry them in between washes when the machine has stopped I just press start again. Once I have done a few (2 maybe 3) I then hang them all out to dry on my washing line (if its a nice day) If not I hang them on my clothes horse/Airer. 

Nappies on the washing line

Once dry X will have them on his little bottom! Xavier does get some nice little comments on his nappies! Hoping I can get more people into using cloth as their more eco friendly and a whole lot prettier than 'sposies'.

Categories: ebay, real nappy's

Look After The Pennies And The Pounds Will Look After Themselves

This coming Sunday (21-07-13) Xavier (X) will will 12weeks old. We are both now in a small routine, and feel as if I am now ready to use cloth nappies full time. So with in the next new few weeks X will be wearing a mixture of 'sposies' (disposable nappies) & cloth nappies. Until We have a good 'stash' of cloth. 

Ebay cheapie Nappy

I posted this photo on to my facebook and a few people sent me messages asking about his nappy cover and why I was using a nappy cover. I explained to them that X's is actually wearing a reusable nappy and it works out cheaper for us, so the extra pennies we save can be put straight into our savings accounts. 

"Look After The Pennies And The Pounds Will Look After Themselves"

On Ebay I brought a random stash of nappies to find out which was best for us. We have tried Bambino Mio I brought these from ebay preloved for £20 all in. I received around 30 nappies and 15 wraps from size one to potty. These didnt work for us. The covers left nasty indents on X's legs. I tried size two but the same happened. When i loosened up the velcro the nappy leaked. 

I also brought a few little lambs, X has now out grown these. I honestly prefer the Birth To Potty (BTP) nappy. I have a little stash at the moment the 'ebay cheapies' are working wonders for us! I have just placed another order with the ebay seller 'yellowbloom'. 

Daddy's Little Carpet Commando 

Categories: bambino mio, ebay, My Little Newt, real nappy's

Busy few weeks!

After the arrival of Little Newt, the days have merged all into one! Its all a big blur!

Not only having a baby we have also had many new customers, ranging from Army Cadet units to the Birmingham Bullring Market Police wanting customised tshirts polo shirts and other goods!

With Craig being at work now too, its all getting a bit too much to blog, not that I did blog much anyway!

Baby Newt is nearly in a routine! Our 4 week old boy is doing really well! Words cannot explain how much love I have for him. 

Categories:

Little Newts Is Born!

On the 28th April 2013 I gave birth to my Little Newt.

Xavier Jae Newton

Categories: My Little Newt

Silent Sunday

Categories: Silent Sunday

This week at Newts Den.. EBAY

My first week off on maternity leave and all I do is bid on items on ebay!
Item one:
Rain cover for our travel system. £18.99 (including P&P)

Our baby's wheels are currently residing at my grandparents house as they said they have the room to store it, if not it would be in our car boot. We went during the week to have a go at putting the thing up and and down, and realised we didn't have a rain cover.
Item two:
Lonely Planet Great Britain. £2.89 (including P&P)


As we have itchy feet, and have spent more time travelling the world we have thought about seeing our own country. We would love our little Newt to see this country as well as the rest of the world! 









Item three: 
Bambio Mio two piece Nappy's! £20 (including P&P) 

The ebay seller was selling these for £10 buy it now but you have to collect. She lives in Barnsley. We live in Birmingham so we was looking at at least £30 in petrol to collect them. So after a nice email and talking about couriers said that I'd send one to collect them she looked into posting them and said that she would post them to us. Next day delivery for £10 extra.
So if we get on with reusable nappy's then we have spent £20 on nappy's which our baby will use until he or she can use the loo! 

Categories: bambino mio, books, ebay, lonely planet, Maternity leave, real nappy's

And Maternity Leave Begins

Today is a day that I have been looking forward to for such a long time! My last day at work for a while!!

Maternity leave started today at 12 noon!

I'm looking forward to not setting my alarm on Monday evening to wake me up to go to work on Tuesday! I plan on doing as little as possible! Papa Newts works nights so he wont wake up on Tuesday until after noon so waking him up by getting ready will be rude!
So it looks like a lazy Tuesday Morning for me!

Heaven!

Today is the start of a new chapter in my life.

We really can't wait to meet our little Newt!

<3

Categories: Maternity leave, Pregnancy

Dangerous Groupon Deals

Everyone who has an email address and who loves a good 'deal' will be signed up to a special deal website right?

All the girls and some fella's I know are signed up to 'Groupon' 'My City Deals' ect I however am signed up to all of them, at the time of signing up it was the 'in' thing to do see what deals they have going around your city... 

I read them for the first few weeks, then the emails started to bore me as I'd be looking at some great deals but it was near the end of the month and was skint! So I marked all the emails as spam like i do with all annoying emails that I get! (Why do I sign up to them?!?!)

So whilst looking though my spam file yesterday, I seen this Groupon email with goods on. Having a baby on the way I thought I'd see if there was any blenders or hand held blenders  I could buy to blend our food when weaning our little newt. 

Funny enough there was a blender and a cooks set which I will find helpful as me and guestimating (a word Newt says to guess measurements) don't mix. 

So the blender should of been around £60 I brought it for £20! yay!!! go me! And the cooks set I brought for £12 apparently it should of been around £34. I still haven't told Newts that I've brought it. oops!!
 

Categories: Food, Preparation, Tilda In The Kitchen

Busy turtle!

Since I have owned an embroidery machine, I've always wanted to make some baby gifts and sell them.

As soon as I made my first one as a gift, I had a few order's. These baby comforters have been a big seller, I thought I'd share a photo of one that I have done today.

With the little bit of money I made from selling these I am looking into buying more, and selling them on ebay. I'm also looking into setting up a small website sell these gifts.

Really hope I can sell some!

<3
Turts  

Categories: baby comforter, baby gifts, embroidery, selling

Turtle In The Kitchen Week One [Roast Carrot & Parsnip]

Here goes week 1 of 'Tilda In The Kitchen' ..

Today I attempted to make Roast Carrot and Parsnip Soup.

Ingredients 

• 4 large carrots
• 2 large parsnips
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 good size onion
• 1lt of veg stock
• salt 
• peper
• Thyme (I used dried thyme)
• Olive Oil 

How I did it.. 

1. Heated the oven to 200 degrees
2. Peeled and diced the carrots and parsnips
3. Put into a roasting tin added salt and pepper and put in the oven for 25mins
4. Meanwhile I chopped up the onion [TEARS]
5. heated a little oil in a saucepan added the onions and thyme to brown off
6. After the 25mins I took out the roast carrots and parsnips mixed them in with the onions and thyme
7. added the stock brought to the boil
8. reduced heat and simmered for 30mins 
9. Once reduced I blended the soup

EASY.......

Must be easy for me to of made a soup by myself! Papa Newt was proud! 

It past the taste test Papa newts mum like it. Done well I'd say!

Categories: Food, soup, Tilda In The Kitchen

Tilda In The Kitchen

I am not really great in the kitchen, but I do give it a good go!

After joining BritMums and having a nose through some of the bloggers blogs, I notice many like to cook and share their recipes. So I thought I'd give it ago..

I'm planning on making a soup once a week or so... 

Categories: Food

Week 26

13 weeks and 5 days until our due date. April is coming around way too fast!

Me and papa newt are excited but nervous at the same time! Baby Newt is our first, so mixed emotions is normal at this point right?

Over the past few weeks I have started to look into what we really need to get for our bambino. Some items will be handed down to us. Which we are very grateful for! Bedding, travel system and other bits and bobs we will be purchasing new, most other items we have been given. Thank You!!

Categories: Pregnancy