Ooo Baby, Baby

Well, a big THANK YOU to all those people who’ve contacted us with their ‘congrats’ on Sweetkid#3. We really do appreciate it. And to answer all who’ve asked, we’re due mid December (I’m about 17 weeks). Our initial due date was Christmas Day, which was extra weird as I found out I was pregnant on [...]

Tales of Tiredness and a Big Apology

I can’t believe it’s been so long since I’ve blogged on my beloved Playpen – this has been the longest hiatus since I started and I really have no excuse for it… Except that I’ve been so flippin’ tired of late – my Sweetkids are utterly adorable but they don’t ‘alf demand a whole heap [...]

Mind-Boggling with Mary

I’m speaking at the Sweetchurch this Sunday on Mary, Jesus’ mother. I have loved learning more about this truly amazing woman and can’t wait to do m’sermon! Anyhoo, in my ‘research’ (how grand), I came across this poem which has inspired me to think more deeply about how mind-bogglingly-awesome this ‘Good News’ is! I hope you enjoy [...]

Pat on the Back

I thought maybe I should start this post with an apology for being a lax and disorganised blogger… …but then I remembered that I do parent two under-5′s (one of whom is cheerfully embracing every aspect of the ‘terrible twos’ cliché); and I can’t remember when I last had a full night’s sleep; and I have spent the [...]

A (slightly stressed) Mother’s Prayer

This week, motherhood has been HARD GRAFT! Toddler tantrums, sleepless nights, non-stop-noise, Mummy tantrums, bad moods all round… and repeat…and repeat. You get the picture!  When I read this prayer, then, I knew I needed to pray it: O God, how easily I make them happy! Give me strength to be always the light of [...]

In The Words of That Great Theologian…

One of my all time favourite ‘Heroes of the Faith’ stories is of the eminent (some have even said ‘Greatest ’) 20th Century theologian, Karl Barth. And it goes a little something like this: When asked if he could sum up his life’s work and his own theology in just a few words Barth thought [...]

A Sucky day Saved by Santas

Sweetmumma has not had a good day. Here, in no particular order, is a list of today’s woes… Sweetiepie ripping the pages from my shiny, hardback library book – “That’ll be £19.99, please, Madam” Pushing Sweetie/pulling Peanut up a steep hill covered in a layer of ice – “Peanut, will you stop grabbing my legs [...]

Let it snow, let it snow, love the snow…

 On Sunday at our Sweetchurch we sang my most-favouritest-ever hymn: Great is Thy Faithfulness. An oldy but a goody!   Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest, Sun, moon and stars in their courses above, Join with all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. I don’t know what it is about the [...]

Shoutymumma

Look out world, Sweetmumma has an Evil Twin… Shoutymumma!   Today, weakened by her own personal kryptonite, Lack-Of-Sleep, Sweetmumma couldn’t keep her nemesis at bay and Shoutymumma took control of the Sweethouse.  The Sweetkids couldn’t believe their eyes as this new Mutant Mumma rampaged through the living room, snapping at anyone who ‘made-a-mess’ or couldn’t ‘sort-it-out-yourself’, spreading [...]

Smashing Pumpkins!

I just love this time of year – the autumnal colours, rediscovering the joy of a favourite cosy jumper, hot&spicy soup for lunch, endless mugs of hot chocolate… …and The Sweetfamily Pumpkin Ceremony which is centred around the fantastically fantastic ‘Pumpkin Patch Parable’ by Liz Curtis Higgs. The Pumpkin Patch Parable [Disclaimer: I in no [...]