I’ve been tagged by some lovely bloggers, Kate from What Katies kids did next, Something Blue, and T-J from Bras4Mums. The meme is to reveal seven things you wouldn’t know about me & tag 15 bloggers – I am going to struggle with the 15 but I’ll have a go. So here you are seven things about me…

1. I wanted to be a pilot & was accepted to BA’s pilot cadet scheme only for it to be scrapped. So I went to Uni.

2. My AMEX card for years had the name Princess Claire on it, I travelled well, enjoyed many upgrades & a few American gentlemen *may* believe they have kissed a real princess.

3. I lived in California, Santa Cruz to be exact, for a while back in 1994. I worked as a fun fair ride operator in California, learnt to surf & hung out with rad surfer dudes.

4. I hate honey, the taste, the texture, I hate honey! Not a big fan of bees either but if they don’t bother me I don’t bother them. Wasps on the other hand – zero tolerance!

5. I’m a bit of a cosmetic & make up Queen – love trying all things new & make up / skin care related. Bobbi Brown, Mac, YSL, Dr Hauska & many more I *heart* you!

6. I love skiing. I learnt to ski & skied for years in Colorado. Winter & snow holidays & can’t wait to take H & G. For the record I don’t like snow outside of ski resorts. That’s where snow belongs. End. Of.

7. I am sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, but always frightened of horses.

Lots of bloggers have done this meme so if you need some writing inspiration & want a go consider yourself tagged! I would love to read seven things about:

Bec
Julesey
Polly
Jay
Amy

I was chuffed at the beginning of this week to be tagged by the lovely Sian over at MummyTips in the Naughty Step meme.  The idea is that you get to stick the person causing you the most grief at the moment on the big bad naughty step to consider their behaviour.  You can read who Sian chose to sit on her naughty step here

I have been at a bit of a blank thinking about it, I even asked my Mr “who really annoys me?” his answer to which very nearly landed him on my naughty step.  But today my naughty step nomination raised their hand – in fact what this person did caused me to do a series of tuts and lots of fierce-angry-eyed-stares and me to stamp on my way … in to the road. 

Yes indeed blogging buddies I am talking about people who park on the pavement forcing pedestrians especially those with prams into the road.  OK I confess pre-children I was guilty of this on occassions, I really now that having my hazzard lights on does not make all pedestrians wafer thin and able to pass my illegally mounted vehicle that would the pre-kids one minus child seats, sun shades, baby wipes, sing-a-long CD’s etc.

So if you’re reading this and you’re parking behaviour isn’t pedestrian friendly then off you go to the naughty step.  I want you to sit there, think about what you’ve done and don’t come off until you’re ready to say sorry.  PAVEMENTS ARE FOR PEOPLE.  Do you understand?

• If there are double yellows there, mounting the pavement and putting your hazard lights on does not make it ok. 
• Just because people can squeeze into the soaking wet hedge to get past to avoid almost certain death on the road does not make it ok. 
• Just because you are dashing in/dropping something off/will only be five minutes does not make it ok. 
• Just because you didn’t know it was going to be bin collection day leaving the pavement user to move everyone elses bin to navigate on their way does not make it ok. 
• ITS NOT OK! OK?

It’s a meme so I’m going to tag … Amy, Sandy, Katie and Emma so girlies who’s going on your naughty step?

My blogging birth club matey Claire over at The Good The Bad and The Ugly has tagged me to with this rather fabulous posting so here’s what I had to do: Pop over to the My Heritage site and create your own celeb collage, post it on your blog and then pop back here to add your addition to the Linky….

I got tagged because my blogging mojo is missing but I’ll come to that in my next post as I’m going to vent how I lost it and get it back! 

So without further ado here for your screen pleasure are my celebrity look-a-likes with my profile pic … there’s some good looking girls in there so I’m pretty chuffed, although I did score 68% with Jack Lemmon which was a worry! 

Now then who to pass this one on to?  Mmmm, I shall tag Young Mummy over at Young & Younger we were tweeting early today and my Vlog about sterilizing in a hotel room that I wobbled about and very nearly didn’t post, I think was helpful so I’m pleased I did post it.  Happy Holidays to her!  Next up, Bec over at Beetroot & Gherkins as she’s the Southern version of me, more than just a bit beautiful and bound to have some fabulous look-a-likeys.  My next choice is Emma at Me The Man & The Baby as we are “tweeting up” at The Baby Show at the NEC in Birmingham later this month & it would be good to know which glamour puss look-a-like I’m looking out for!

Having recently spent time going through the thousands of photo’s I have for the recent favourite photo meme, I dusted off (literally) my wedding album.  Without a doubt THE most expensive photos I own containing photos of  THE most expensive things I have ever bought – flowers, shoes, cake etc.  Mr L and I got married on the August Bank Holiday weekend in 2003, the weather was sunny and warm, it was a FAB day.  I loved my wedding.  I loved the preparations, the day itself, the honeymoon, actually especially the honeymoon, oh and the champagne and cake how could I forget they were bloody gorgeous too!  Oh yes and that whole marriage thing with Mr L isn’t bad either   

Fast forward six and a bit years and that day is all memories and memorabilia.  Being truly honest its not often recalled and very rarely looked at.  I have my memory box with all the stationery, the cards, our place settings, a few leftover favours, the speeches, a few pressed flowers and some bits of confetti.  I also still have my wedding outfit – my dress, shoes (Gina’s if you were wondering!), veil, tiara (but of course!) – all cleaned and boxed up.  In the immediate post wedding days I’d had this thought that if I ever had a daughter, which of course I now do, she’d like to see my wedding dress.  I never thought I’d pass it on for her to wear it more maybe to play dressing up in it. 

Now here we are in 2010.  I sit in my home, which is no longer home to two but four, my home which is filling up with bright plastic shit toys and “stuff”, at a rate faster than I can ever see the declutter process making any significant impact on.  Now here in 2010 when I look at my wedding outfit I see space and cash!  I see space potential using my “maximise your property” hat, trained by home improvement and makeover TV shows and through my eBay eyes I can see some significant £’s!  It got me wondering have I lost touch with the romance of my wedding, of creating modern family heirlooms and heritage?  Or are they unrealistic ideas in modern times anyway?  Would either me or Baby G when she becomes Girlie G get anything special from her playing with it, would she ever really want to and would I ever really let her?  Hmmm.  Is there a middle ground to keep the shoes, veil & tiara and flog the frock?  Hmmm, I wonder. 

So me and my dress.  Together on show for just one day only over 6 years ago.  It feels like an airing is long overdue!  So here it is, me in my wedding dress with my Dad in those few last single minutes.

My wedding dress – should it stay or should it go!  Experience?  Thoughts?  What do you vote – keep it or sell it? 

My wedding all came long before I started blogging and the same for many others but you know what I’d love to see some “Blogger Brides” so I’m going to create this post into a meme and this is the first of the “Here comes my frock” meme!  Made up by me for me, because I love a good wedding! 

To start the ball rolling I am going to ask the following beautiful brides to share their wedding frocks and any story you choose to share about your dress and or day, where is now and in the spirit of all good meme’s to pass it on, if you tweet tag it #herecomesmyfrock so we can see get a stream of them all! 

As with every meme I do, play if you can and if you too want to be tagged consider it so!

Karin over at Cafe Bebe because she encouraged me to get my finger out and write this post!

Bec at Beetroot and Gherkins and Bumbling for being intrigued on Twitter!

Laura at Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy

Andy’s wife over at The life of Wendy Wife! 

And Snaffles Mummy

As with every meme I do, play if you can and if you too want to be tagged consider it so!

I have been tagged and give that one of my resolutions for 2010 is to think less about and write more for my blog I am going to respond to the tag almost immediately (the following day, at any rate least).  It’s a New Year meme so appropriate to start as we mean to go on!  The rules are to thank the person who tagged you (thank you Tasha), and list your five high points for 2009 and tag five other people to do the same.  Simple!

1. In January my post Lil’ H weight loss totalled three stone, in February I was pregnant & the scales started to move in the opposite direction, also thoroughly enjoyable!  But in January I was the three stone lighter than my pre-pregnancy weight and that felt good & will do again (that’s this years mission!)
2. In April a legal matter was successfully concluded bringing closure and great relief.
3. In May we went to our holiday cottage in Port Isaac in Cornwall and was joined by our friends & my gorgeous god-daughter.  We had a fabulous time and a brilliant friendship continued to blossom between my god daughter and my H.  We hit lucky with the weather and has some serious beach time!
4. In October my daughter, Baby G arrived safe, sound and perfect.  My family is complete & beautiful.
5. This Christmas has been very special for me.  Having Baby G and also this year has been the first year Lil’ H has been old enough to have an understanding and some, or should I say a lot of excitement!  December has brought some great moments and memories.

If you read this and you’d like to be tagged – well then consider yourself tagged!  Please do leave me a comment so I can come to your place and read your highlights!