I’ve actually been excited ever since it was first announced last year! Cybher is the first all inclusive female blogger event of its kind in the UK and is taking place on the 12th May 2012 in the heart of London. This event is set to bring together the most influential bloggers and speakers from all corners of the blogosphere to network, inspire, share and learn. And of course it means a weekend off from mummy duties and a rare chance to meet up with my much loved blogging chums! Hurrah!

I must admit that I had no intention of seeking out a sponsor to attend the event. I went to Cybermummy under my own steam last year and fully intended to do the same again. But when I was approached quite out of the blue by the lovely people over at Villa Parade who wanted to sponsor me to travel in style – well I couldn’t resist! They are a company that I have really got to know over the last few months and I am very proud to be sponsored by them.

I have followed and chatted to VillaParade on Twitter for quite some time now and I love their approach to villa holidays as they seem to truly cater for families. They have lots of properties to choose from and there are always lots of special offers on the go so they can accommodate budgets of all sizes. I must admit that villa holidays are just up my street. I love being able to do what I want, when I want and of course the luxury of being able to lounge by my very own pool. They have a fab website here if you want to take a look for yourself or request a brochure or, you can join them over on their very own blog here. They are holding an amazing competition at the moment for you to win your very own villa holiday! How fabulous!

So, now that I have bagged myself the perfect sponsor, all I need to work out next is what am I going to wear…..?!

Twitter. I bloody love Twitter. It’s no secret. But just lately I seem to be inundated (okay, it happens about five or six times a day so maybe not inundated but you get the drift) with people demanding that I retweet this, retweet that. And do you know what? It really hacks me off.

If I want to retweet something, then I will. And I often do. Call me old fashioned but you know, something that makes me smile, something that I want to share, that kind of thing.

But when people (who normally aren’t even following me by the way) send messages along the lines of “MY PET DONKEY ONLY HAS ONE EAR. PLEASE RT THIS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THIS TERRIBLE DISEASE” it really gets on my wick. And I’m sure I can’t be on my own on this one.

This morning I woke up to one such message. (Yes, I do check Twitter before I even get out of bed. Addicted, much?) The message was sent in BIG SHOUTY CAPITALS which annoys the hell out me anyway so they had already got my goat but when I checked their timeline, they had sent the same shouty demanding tweet to dozens of other people too. I won’t name them because to be fair, if it hadn’t have been them then it would have been somebody else, such is the trend for bombarding me with these things at the moment. It went along the lines of their child has an illness and they demanded that I retweet to raise awareness of it. The profile of the Twitter account didn’t link to any sort of charity or even a site explaining the illness. Am I missing something here? How does retweeting a shouty message to my 5000 and odd followers actually help their reportedly sick child? Baffling. There is in fact only one word to describe this and it is spam. And of course I reported and blocked them as I always do.

Call me cynical but I don’t think the kind of messages and tweets that I am moaning about here are anything to do with charity or raising awareness. Or if they are, they are going the wrong way about things. When did social media get so, well, anti-social? When did it become acceptable to SHOUT at somebody and demand that they retweet something?

Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge huge huge believer that social media can be used for social good. Just look at the campaigns that I have been involved with for UNICEF and Save The Children to name but two. In fact, anybody that follows me will know that I am more than happy to help charities spread the word when it is a cause that I truly support and can believe in. But blind retweets that actually have no real meaning? No. Just no.

Rant over. For today at least.

And I was completely fascinated.

This blog post isn’t meant as a review of the show. I think there was enough judgement flying around the interwebz as the show aired and I certainly don’t feel the need to add to it. But it definitely made me think. You see, as bonkers as it all might seem, I sort of kind of get it. I’m not sure I would ever go on to have another eleven children but I completely get the whole thing of maybe  j u s t  o n e  m o r e.

I have four wonderful children and I count my blessings every single day. It isn’t that I am not happy with the family that I have. I honestly and truly couldn’t be happier. And I think it is in fact because I love my big family so much, that I would never say no to having more children. It’s the whole never say never thing. If I am like that after four children, then I can totally hand on heart understand why another mother would feel just the same even after fourteen children.

I am sometimes quite envious of people who say that they are ‘done’ at one, two, three, four or more children. But I just don’t think that I ever will feel that my family is complete. But that doesn’t take away from the fact of just how happy I am. It’s really very hard to explain. And I don’t think I am doing a very good job of it. No doubt some people will read this and dismiss me as being completely mad. You see, it’s not that I can’t be happy and be grateful for the family that I have – I am! Very happy and very very grateful!

I have a wonderful life and feel so lucky to have my big family (although my four make me look like an amateur compared to the sizes of the families in this show of course!) When I look at every one of my babies, I am amazed that they are mine. They still bowl me over every single day. I remember when I was in the latter stages of my pregnancy with my second baby, I became consumed with worry that I would never be able to love another child as much as I loved my firstborn. I didn’t know how it could be possible. But of course I quickly learnt that the more children I have, the more love I have. It’s not a case of sharing my love between my children, it’s more a case of multiplying it with every single child that I’ve had. And that’s an amazing thing for a soppy daydreamer like me.

I have talked before about how I found the step from two children to three the most difficult of all. There was quite a large age gap which meant going back to the baby stage after almost seven years often left me feeling like I was a first time mummy all over again. Plus my third baby was a particularly awful sleeper nursing almost hourly for the first few months of her life which is such hard going at the best of times never mind when you have other children to look after too. There is no sleeping when they sleep, you have the school run to do and everything else that comes with having older children! But for me at least, once I mastered three, having four didn’t actually feel any more difficult. Our fourth baby actually came along as a very happy but very unexpected surprise and I think that reinforced my never say never philosophy. The more children I have had, the more confident I have become as a parent and so in turn, I have enjoyed my children more and more.

I think once you have ventured into the larger family territory yourself, your perceptions of having lots of children is totally altered. And it actually doesn’t sound altogether crazy to have so many children. It actually sounds pretty amazing. Is it really that strange that I would want to carry on having babies..?

So, here I am ……

Black cashmere cardigan – Ralph Lauren

Rabbit print dress – H&M

Black leggings – TopShop

Darla black patent boots – LK Bennett 

Sweetie bracelet – Links of London 

Watch – Michael Kors 

Babydoll pink nail varnish - Leighton Denny

(with sparkly glitter topcoat from Claire’s)

I spotted this dress in H&M on Saturday and I just fell in love with the bunny rabbit print so I just couldn’t resist it. The dress is skin-tight and has a low scoop neck so there was no way on earth that I could get away with wearing it just as it is. I am quite aware that my days of wearing tiny Lycra dresses are over. In fact, I’m not sure I can ever remember being able to get away with that look to be honest! But I loved the print so much that I knew I would be able to do something with it, I had to have it!

So to par down the dress, I put it with a black fitted cardigan. This helped to camouflage the boobage area and also hide the bit that comes below the boobage of course. I’ve had four children and there is no hiding my mummy tummy I’m afraid but the cardigan definitely distracts from my wobbly bits. Plus my favourite (and ancient) cashmere cardigan is my comfort blanket. It never fails to make anything look and feel better. I also went with black leggings rather than tights, as I wanted to keep the whole look very casual.

My gorgeous watch was a Christmas present from my Other Half. He was naughty really as we were supposed to be doing small and thoughtful this year but he went and did small and sparkly. I’m not complaining though as I’ve been coveting this watch for as long as I can remember! I love it to bits.

My manicure was courtesy of my lovely twelve year old daughter. The Leighton Denny in Babydoll pink is one of my favourites and I often wear it on my toes. I got it a couple of months ago in my Glossybox and the sparkle is thanks to my daughter’s stash of glittery nail varnish from Claire’s. Classy, huh? Maybe not! But we had great fun doing it and it made me smile while it lasted. (I have since switched to a much more muted mushroom colour from BarryM to counteract the sparkly overdose at the weekend!)

Don’t forget to click on the badge below to take a look at the other entries over at Transatlantic Blonde this week!

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I’ve had a bit of an extended break over Christmas and New Year. I planned on taking a bit of a breather but then life just sort of got in the way and the break ended up being much longer than I planned. But a very very good friend of mine pointed out just how much work and love that I had put into my blog to make it what it is today. And they were right of course. They normally are. You know who you are… But anyway, it was in fact just the kick up the backside that I needed. So thank you! I have other really exciting writing projects lined up this year which I am sure I will share with you at some point, but it really is time to blow the dust off my lovely old blog. So here I am. Back again. And it feels rather fitting that today is the second anniversary of when it all began.

Before writing this post, I found myself looking through the archives of my last year in blogging and it was a good reminder of just what a fabulous year I have had. This last year has been a bit of a rollercoaster for us as a family, with absolute highs that have come crashing down to absolute lows then all the way back up again. But through everything, my blog has been my constant. My happy place in fact. And coming into the New Year, things for now at least seem much calmer on so many fronts and long may this continue.

After enjoying following my lovely friend Mummy Limited’s 365 Project last year, I’ve decided to join in. So I’m going to be doing a photo a day for the whole of this year over on Instagram and Posterous. (This year is actually a leap year, so it is in fact a 366 Project) I decided to keep this project separate to my main blog as I really didn’t want to bore you all to death with pictures of my cats I wanted to keep it all together as one project. I’m already looking forward to looking back at all my pictures at the end of the year!

I can’t write this post without getting soppy for just a moment and thanking you all for reading of course. This last year (well, two years in fact!) just wouldn’t have been the same without you all. I have been truly astounded by the support I’ve received and the amazing friendships that I have formed. And of course, here’s hoping that you will stick around for another year!

I’m going to be taking a bit of a blogging break over the holidays. No drama, it just feels like a natural time to have a bit of a breather for a week or two.

It has been quite a year for me for so very many reasons and all you lovely readers and commenters have been a huge part of that. I have made some amazing friends, who will without question be friends for life.

I have also been privileged to work with some fabulous brands and completely awe-inspiring charities like Save The Children. I have been given some amazing opportunities that I never even dreamed of when I started this blog way back when. And best of all? 2012 is set to be a great year. There are exciting times ahead. I just know it.

I will still be lurking on Twitter, Instagram and Path of course, so no doubt I’ll see you over there but for now, I wish you all a very merry Christmas and I’ll see you back here in the new year!

Happy Christmas you lovely lot x

And without further ado, the winner is……

……Alice Langley!

CONGRATULATIONS!

This little piece of festive cheer is winging its way to you hopefully right in time for a cosy new year for the lucky little person in your life!

Happy holidays folks!

So here I am…

Cream blouse – H&M

Cream vest (underneath) – Marks & Spencer

Dark indigo skinny jeans – Gap

Classic Short Chestnut boots – Ugg 

Watch – Emporio Armani 

Leather cuff with apple charm – Mulberry 

This week I bring to you What I Wore Wednesday the-staying-at-home-with-my-babies-watching-Elf-and-cracking-open-the-Christmas-biscuits-edition!

This blouse was a bargain from H&M but I absolutely loved the oatmeal colour and it has really lovely pleating detail around the neck, pretty brass buttons and cute three quarter length bell sleeves. It has an A-line cut and falls around just around the hip making it really flattering with jeans. Although it is really see-through – hence the vest underneath!

I love my skinny jeans and yes, I love my Uggs. There I said it. They are the nearest thing that I own that come close to being slippers and my word they are toasty. I swore I would never ever buy any on account of them being so ugly but then I tried some on. And never ever wanted to take the things off. These sheepskin monstrosities are a hug in a boot and are my slummy weakness. What can I say. They may have even sneaked on a school run before now when I haven’t been able to face taking them off. I know I know! *hangs head in shame*

So that was me, what about you? Don’t forget to click on the badge below to take a look at the other entries over at Transatlantic Blonde. I’m sure there will be much nicer outfits than my slummy confessional to see!

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Now to get my mitts on one of The Blogger Calendars apparently no amount of bribery will work and I have to come up with my blogging CV of sorts. What inspires my blog. And as ever I am last minute dot com but here it is at long last! 

I’m a thirty-something *cough* stay at home mummy to four children. I started writing my blog almost two years ago now and especially in the last year or so, it has become such a huge part of my life. My blog is my happy place. Somewhere to share my family life, scrummy food and my love of all things shiny and pretty.

It has brought me some fabulous opportunities along the way and the chance to meet some truly amazing and inspirational people. CyberMummy11 was such a highlight to my blogging year and I would absolutely love a calendar as a fantastic memento of such a crazy day.

I tried and tried to choose one picture to sum up my blog but there are so many sides to me (and my blog!) that I couldn’t just choose one. I’m greedy like that. So here is what inspires me the most:

There is nothing nicer than wrapping up warm and heading out on a crisp Winter’s day. Long walks with frosty leaves underfoot, walking off that extra mince pie or three and then coming home for hot chocolate and snuggles on the sofa. But what nicer way to wrap up than in this gorgeous Reindeer Scarf? It is in a chunky knit and the design features the most beautiful snowflake and heart motif with fringe detail along the ends to conjure up a little festive love this Winter. It is in the softest knit and so cosy that I only wish that I could steal it for myself!

Ralph Lauren have some beautiful gift ideas this holiday season and I have particularly got my eye on a very cute dress from the same range as the scarf. There is a great round-up of some favourites right here and all items are available at ralphlauren.co.uk and if you order by 20th December, it should be with you in time for Christmas. You might also want to sign up for the newsletter here to be the first to hear about all the latest styles, offers and sales.

The lovely people over at Ralph Lauren have not only sent us this beautiful gift but want to spread the festive cheer to one lucky blog reader too. How fabulous is that? If you would like a chance of winning a Reindeer Scarf just like mine for a little person in your life, all you have to do is leave me a comment here on my blog. Simple. I’ll then pick a winner at random later in the week.*

Good luck and happy holidays you lovely lot!