Listography - April Goals

This week the Listography theme at Kate Takes 5 is April Goals. So here are my goals for this month:

1 - Up the exercise. Our gym membership expires at the end of the month because we weren't using it enough to justify the cost. I'm attempting to make a Monday run with the pushchair part of my routine until I go back to work, but that's not enough in a week. Now that the evenings are getting lighter I need to be getting out for a run more often.

2 - Spend lots of time outdoors. Easy to say when we've had a run of gorgeous weather, so hopefully it won't get too cold over the next few weeks.

3 - Not kill all the things that I have lovingly planted in the house and garden. Keeping up with the watering would be a really good start. 

4 - Take Harry on a day out somewhere just the two of us. Nothing fancy, I'm thinking a train journey to Brighton and ice cream on the pier.

5 - Lose a little bit of weight. I'm not overweight, but I have a bit of excess around the middle that I'd like to get rid of or at least reduce. I know exactly how to do this (stop eating junk food), it's just making the effort!

I'll check back in at the end of the month with my progress!

Meanwhile, be sure to pop by and see what everyone else is hoping to achieve.

Listography - Top 5 Cookbooks

I've been reading this week's Listography at Kate Takes 5, and must admit to feeling a little intimidated when faced with the Delias, the Nigellas and the Jamie Olivers. These are not the type of books that reside in my kitchen. In fact, when I looked I only actually have five cookbooks, so this should really be titled '5 Cookbooks'. They are:

New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner - Annabel Karmel
I would have been a wonderful Annabel Karmel mother. I've got the blender, the ice cube trays and the little pots. I have the organisational tendencies to batch cook and meal plan. Unfortunately my babies are not Annabel Karmel babies, and scream when a loaded spoon is thrust towards them. Therefore, instead of the spotless, rosy cheeked cherubs that adorn the pages of this cookbook, after every mealtime I am faced with cleaning up a baby that looks like this.

The Marmite Cookbook - Paul Hartley
This isn't really for cooking from, more to celebrate my love of Marmite. As well as the recipes it has lots of vintage Marmite advertising which I love as well as a little history of Marmite.

The Survival Guide to Cooking in the Student Kitchen - Susan Crook
This was an 'off to university' present from my parents and is probably my most thumbed cookbook. It has easy recipes for lots of basics, like boiling eggs and pancakes, as well as general cooking and shopping tips.

30 Things to Cook and Eat for Christmas - Rebecca Gilpin and Catherine Atkinson
This is a lovely little book, full of sweets and biscuits with really simple instructions. I bought this pre-children with the intention of making gifts for grandparents. Not sure that I actually have yet, but the intention is still there!

Blue Notebook
Do not be fooled by the inscription 'French Words' written in a childish hand, this is where I keep the handwritten recipes passed down from my Mum, and includes the favourites 'Sponge Pudding' and 'Ginger Shortbread'.

See everyone else's cookbooks here!

Listography - Top 5 things that make me happy

The subject for the Listography at Kate Takes 5 this week is Top 5 things that make me happy. It goes without saying that my family and friends are top of my list, but here are five other things that make me happy:

1 - Buttons. I love buttons. I love storing them in a tin, sorting them out, examining them and letting them slip through my fingers.

2 - The feeling you get when you have just finished exercising. You made the effort, you got through it, you are experiencing a natural high, and now you can relax for a day or two and eat something calorific.

3 - Putting the last piece into a jigsaw, especially a large complicated one. I don't have as much time for jigsaws as I used to, and if I were to attempt one it wouldn't last long before being trodden on/dribbled on/pieces going missing, but putting that last piece in is so incredibly satisfying.

4 - Ticking things off a to-do list, especially things which I've been putting off for a while.

5 - Receiving a comment on my blog. No, I didn't write that just to get comments, it really does make my day!

Buttons!

That's my list, head over to Kate Takes 5 to see what makes other people happy.

Listography - Mugs

The Listography subject this week at Kate Takes 5 is Mugs. Now neither I nor my husband actually drink from mugs, as we prefer cold drinks, so we don't have that many. I just counted eight in the cupboard and two with pens in. This seems too many most of the time, except when we have visitors and we have to keep washing them up. Because we don't tend to use them, with the exception of one they are all mugs that we have been given, and they all have a story behind them. So in rough chronological order of acquisition, here are my five favourite mugs:

Natural History Museum mug - I received this mug as a prize in Secondary School after a trip to the Natural History Museum. I can't remember what I did to win it, but I do remember that I received Second Prize and was a little miffed not to come first. I save this for guests to whom I wish to appear cultured.

German Diddle mug - The German text reads "Habe meine Sachen gepackt und komme Dich jetzt bald besuchen!" which I translate roughly as "I've packed my things and now I'm coming to visit!". Diddle is a little cartoon mouse who is very popular in Germany, and the mug was given to me by my German penfriend when she visited on the school German exchange. I always expect guests to ask me to translate it, but no-one ever does.

Tübingen Christmas Market mug - I spent a year in Germany as part of my degree. I loved being there around Christmas time, it was fascinating to spend the build up to Christmas in a different country. The Tübingen Christmas Market wasn't one of the biggest, but it was a lovely town to live in and the mug has scenes from the town painted on it. They sell the mugs with Glühwein in at the Christmas Market, and you pay a small deposit which you get back when you return the mug, or you can keep the mug as a souvenir.

Best Brother on the Planet mug - this is my husband's mug, as a rough guess I would say that it was a gift from his sister. It is very useful because we use it to measure out pasta, it's just the right size.

PMT mug - It reads "PMT. Be afraid! Be very afraid!" This was a gift from my Mum. I can't think why she chose this one?

So there we have it, a tour of my mug cabinet! Make sure to stop by to see everyone else's mugs!

Listography - Top 5 Phrases that Drive Me Crazy

The theme for the Listography at Kate Takes 5 this week is the top 5 phrases that drive me crazy.

1 - "Can I play a game on the computer, Mummy? Please, please, please?" We have recently introduced Harry to the games on the CBeebies website. It's great because it entertains him for ages. But normally when he is happily occupied with something I sneak off to use the computer. What am I supposed to do now, housework?

2 - "Oh no!", when spoken by a three year old, this means that something's up, and it's not good.

3 - "I don't mean to be rude, but...." Yes you do.

4 - "It's not rocket science". Always sounds sarcastic.

5 - "All of our operators are busy at the moment". You've managed to find a quiet five minutes to make a phone call, but by the time someone gets around to answering someone needs attention and you have to hang up!

Now grit your teeth and pop over to see what drives everyone else crazy!

Listography - Top 5 Websites

This week the theme for the Listography hosted by Kate Takes 5 is Top 5 Websites - the websites that you click into daily without even thinking about it. Here's my (startlingly unoriginal!) list:

1  - BBC News. I have this set as the homepage on the PC and I check it pretty regularly on my phone too. As well as keeping up with the headlines I also like the Magazine and Features sections. It moves so fast that there is always something new to read.

2 - Google Reader. This is where I keep up with the blogs that I read regularly. If I find a new blog and enjoy a few of the posts I'll subscribe to it here. I access it mostly through my mobile phone, which is great because I can keep up to date with it around the house, but it does mean that I can't comment on my favourite blogs, so I try to keep up with it on the main PC too.

3 - Mumsnet Bloggers Network. This is where I go to find posts by bloggers that I dip into and posts from new bloggers. I also like to pop into the discussion forums. I usually stick to the Bloggers forum but occasionally I venture into the rest of the forums. Sometimes it's reassuring to see that you're not alone in facing certain issues and worries.

4 - Blogger. I post most days so I'm here most days too. Sometimes I'm on a roll and write a few posts at once, other days I dig out a post that I've already written to read through and publish. I'm a bit OCD with my blog posts and I do read them over and over in preview mode before I post them. Hopefully this means that I catch most spelling and grammar mistakes! I also tend to waffle a bit so it helps to have a fresh view on a post, particularly a longer one, and go back and be a bit more ruthless with the editing.

5 - Twitter. I don't use Twitter as much as I would like, but I do follow a fair number of people and I like to check in to read if not to tweet. I enjoy finding interesting links to follow and nosing at what people are chatting about. I don't really have many people that I chat to regularly, but I spot someone asking a question that I can help with I try to answer or share an experience. Sometimes there is loads going on, other times nothing inspires me. I tweet some of my blog posts but by no means all of them, only the ones that I think might be more interesting to others. I also like the challenge of trying to write something entertaining or interesting in 140 characters!

Be sure to pop over and see the websites that other people frequent!

Listography - Top 5 Biscuits

This week the theme for the Listography at Kate Takes 5 is Top 5 Biscuits. Now this is a list that I won't have a problem compiling.

1 - Bourbon biscuits. When I was pregnant for the second time, if I had a craving this was it. On my working days I would go out at lunchtime, buy a packet and quietly scoff the lot at my desk. Occasionally I would reluctantly offer them around to my colleagues, silently hoping that they were all on diets and would refuse. I also find that they are a very economical snack, as even the cheap value ones are just as tasty.

2 - Chocolate digestives, in particular the dark chocolate ones.

3 - Fox's Shortcake Rounds. These are only purchased when on special offer as they are quite pricy and you don't get many in a pack. They have a very generous chocolate to biscuit ratio, and are absolutely delicious.

4 - Rich Tea Biscuits. Because they are quite plain, I tend to view these as a somewhat healthier alternative to a chocolate biscuit. I don't tend to check calories on things, so I can't confirm if this is indeed the case (I suspect not).

5 - Cadbury's Chocolate Fingers. Once a treat found only at birthday parties, these seem to make their way regularly in to our household by way of special offers. It is very surprising that there seem to be so many in a pack, yet they don't last long at all.

Now this was not a good Listography for those New Year's Resolutions! To make those tastebuds tingle even more, be sure to stop by and check out the other posts!

Listography - Top 5 Tips for Bloggers

This week, Kate Takes 5 is asking for our top 5 tips for bloggers. I do still feel like a new blogger, but hopefully I've got some tips to pass on!

1 - Read and interact with other blogs. I found the blogging world extremely daunting at first, because there are so many out there. But you quickly get to know the sort of blogs that you enjoy reading, and find bloggers that adopt a similar style to your own. I read most of my blogs through Google Reader, which is a really easy way to keep up to date with new posts, and I can easily read most blogs on my phone this way. Also leave plenty of comments, and not just in the hope of receiving comments in return. I love getting comments, even just a quick note to say that you enjoyed the post!

2 - Join blogging networks. It's a great way to find new blogs to read and for readers to find you. I've joined a few but it becomes exhausting trying to keep up with lots of different communities so find out where you feel most comfortable and focus your efforts there. I enjoy being a part of the Mumsnet Bloggers Network and I've recently joined Love All Blogs, which is a very new blogging social network that has got off to a flying start.

3 - Don't obsess about stats. I use StatCounter to check my stats, and when I first installed it I would check it constantly. Now I find it much more satisfying to check less often, as there is (hopefully!) more likely to be a bigger change!

4 - Think very carefully about who may be reading your blog. It is very easy for people to track you down online, especially if you are as open about sharing names and photographs as I am. If you want to write about personal issues, consider remaining anonymous, otherwise you will find that you are always reading back what you write through the eyes of the people that you know are reading it. Also remember that once you have hit publish, what you have written can never really be deleted. There is a very good chance that your children will read your blog one day. Personally, I don't write anything that I wouldn't want my children to read when they are older, but they are still tiny and I accept that if I continue to blog as they grow older there may be things that they don't want me to share with the world.

5 - I love taking part in memes, blog hops, photo challenges and other ways to link up with other bloggers like the Listography. They are a great way to both get some inspiration and to read different interpretations on a theme. But don't rely on them too much, remember to make sure that you still have plenty of original content of your own. Also, unless you are writing a review blog, be sure to intersperse with more interesting content to keep readers that will just skip the review or sponsored posts.

I hope that these tips are helpful, make sure to stop by and read some of the other fantastic tips!

Listography - Top 5 Christmas Songs

This is the first time that I've taken part in the Listography, created by Kate Takes 5 and this week hosted by These Precious Things. The list to put together this week is your top five Christmas songs. I've picked five songs that really put me in the mood for Christmas.

Walking in the Air - The Snowman

I think that this song probably reminds many people of the excitement of waiting for Christmas, as they remember watching The Snowman on Christmas Eve!

Jingle Bells

A classic and cheerful Christmas song, performed here by The Wiggles. Probably one of the first Christmas songs that you recognise and sing as a child.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

This one always feels a bit sad. But Christmas is also a time when you reflect on Christmas past and future, which can leave you in a reflective mood.

All I Want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey

Bright and cheerful with lots of merry sleigh bells ringing, definitely one to make you feel Christmassy.

Fairytale of New York - The Pogues

Finally, predictable maybe, but how can you have a list of favourite Christmas songs without this one?