While I’d love to buy a drink for each and every single of the one hundred bloggers heading to the Zoo this Sunday, I don’t think it’s fair on those of you that can’t make it.

How about I make you all some cake? Yes, that photo is me in the kitchen, rustling up something tasty, wonderful and celebratory – but oh, what rotten luck, with our low-tech social networking, you can’t even taste it!

Well fear not, I’ve managed to magic up with a bit of blagging and barefaced cheek blogging goodness some cracking goodies for everyone to have a shot at bagging.

And here they are and they could be yours, just drop me a comment on this post, or a tweet @nixdminx and I’ll pick the winners of these darling goodies by December 10. I’ll be adding a few more over the coming week too, so keep your eyes peeled lovelies x

Karaoke Golden Ticket

I’ve got a Lucky Voice Golden Ticket on offer. That means two hours free singing in this most glamorous of establishments with cocktails and microphones galore!  It’s so much fun, you’ll want to say longer…I ended up staying an extra three hours on my Birthday last year.

If you can work out what this song is below, will you let me know…the lyrics aren’t recognisable but I think we sang it more than once!

Super Lush Sweet and Dreamy Box

This gorgeous Sweet and Dreamy Lush briar box of rosy dreams and sugar candy baths (quite tempted to keep it actually) could be winging it’s way to you ahead of the Christmas Party Season and could help you get over all those dreadful hangovers feel fresh as a winter daisy.

Festive Fun: Peter Pan tickets

This is one hot show this Christmas – I have two tickets to see the Peter Pan show at the 02 from lastminute.com*.  It’s also a little known fact that my birthday falls on the same day that the original book was published (Peter Pan by J M Barrie)

Kitchen Goodies from Simple Human

Thanks to Simple Human for the Sinky Caddy & Drainer – I would hate for you all to be scrubbing pots and pan without some kind of stylish kit…

Tickets to SeaLife

Here’s one to fill the days after Christmas when you simply have to get out of the house, two tickets to Sea Life – take your pick which one you want to go to

Transformers DVDs

Blockbuster movies are always great for rainy days and I know this one is a goodie. I have four, yes four!, DVDs of Transformers 2 Revenge of The Fallen

I really enjoyed the first film, so please let me know what you think of it – but remember it has a 12 rating.

Thanks to Lush, lastminute.com, Simple Human, Lucky Voice and Paramount DVD for their generous offer of prizes – it always helps to keep the readers happy! x

*valid for performances Monday to Thursday before December 17 2009

Incredibly, this story I am writing is post number 149 which means over the last year I’ve probably written around 75,000 words here. That combined with the other writing on sites and blogs I do probably amounts to around 120,00 words – no mean feat when you look at it. But it’s my no means been a difficult challenge, it’s been a total blast and has helped me get to grips with more than just how to click ‘publish’.

So back to where it all began. Facing a particularly difficult situation; no job come January, a Christmas without my daughter and and the end of my work contract wind down, the months appeared before me like an abyss. It was hard not to feel alienated and a social outcast. Even if I wasn’t one, I felt it. It was no suprise I succumbed to an awful attack of the flu. That Friday, the fever was so bad that I was unable to leave the house for three days, and fortunately Miniminx was away for the weekend.

With no choice but to live online while snivelling and bedridden, I just about managed to survive on what was in the house, ordered some online supplies and kept writing. Just a blog post each day, but it was something.

At the end of day three with the tissue box empty and the lemsip packets crumpled, there was a knock on the door and a groaning ghostlike-heap greeted the delivery man. Yes, it was me, and it was at that point I had a revelation.

Nothing was going to be the same again – I’d found a new tool for survival and wasn’t going to give it up.

Blogging might be easy, but getting started is the hardest part. I determined to say anonymous. And by blog name summed up the sense of futility at that time. My high hopes had been nixed and my minxy life crushed. Clown that I am, I set about writing with humour not despair, it took me a while to get it right and it certainly lifted the dark clouds and put the light back behind my eyes.

There is something really unnerving about putting a story out there in this new cyber world they call ‘the cloud’. I imagined my blog posts would be like raindrops falling from this cloud and evaporate before even hitting the ground and, in reality, no one would ever read it.

But they did and hey ho, I got a visitor or two, and thought

‘Oh my god, I wrote a blog post and someone bloody ready it – shit!’

….and then I got a comment, and thought

‘Um, so what happens next? This is quite scary. Who are these people, they have funny bloggy names.’

I had a look around and found other bloggers. Mummies. With beautiful blogs, stickered with awards. I had discovered the Mumosphere, or rather, it has discovered me.

‘Ahem.’ I thought. ‘Well goodness me. I see I’m not alone here.’

I replied to comments, it was like making invisible friends with lovely people. It was a miracle. I was no longer alone at my laptop.

‘Wow. Wahaaay.’

I had a new job.

I had become the accidental Mummy blogger.

Simply put, it’s been an incredulous and fabulous year.

November 29 2008 was the day I clicked ‘publish’ on my first wordpress post. I was amazed I’d even managed to work out how to set up a blog, but compared to what was going on in the world, it was really easy.

I knew from the start of the credit crunch I was heading for a sh*tstorm – working as a contractor for one of the biggest companies in the world, and with a job offer on the table, nothing was set in stone and I became more nervous day by day as the stock markets crashed…an invisible fall out dust was settling across desks, it was suffocating, it was paralysing people, it was as if we were under attack. People mouthed frantically to each other behind the glassed vacuums of ‘private’ offices in a vastly open plan glass space. I took cab rides through the City and the cabbies drove at the suits as if they wanted to mow them down.

This was really shit.

I knew I should look elsewhere and so did everyone else but to no avail. Jobs I went for evaporated, people I knew were sacked by email or text.

I had a ‘war effort’ breakfast with a colleague and by the time we had eaten our scrambled eggs and half drunk our fancy coffee – 40 people were out the door leaving laptops, mobiles, blackberries and thwarted ambition behind.

My Christmas present for 2008 was my P45.

So what?

It’s the frailty of corporate life that makes you question your personal values – who am I without this junk, without this stuff? Who am I without a job, a career, a profession, a hope? Ego no longer plays a part, it’s a great lesson.

So this…

Against all odds, and the backdrop of possibly the worst financial meltdown I’ve seen in my lifetime, I’ve been lucky enough to find a new and exciting way of life that’s helped me to overcome what was initially a hugely daunting prospect.

More to follow…

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but actually, to be honest, I’d imagined the usual spa set up. My preconceptions were blown out of the water during the tour.

The reception area is in the hotel and has a full range of products to buy and we were given lots of samples in our goodie bags. There is also a great range of treatments for just about the whole family, including a MarshMallow facial for teenagers who get a hot chocolate topped with, yes you guessed it, marshmallows at the end of the treatment.

We were greeted by a Polar Bear and had a walk around the jaccuzzi – it had bright disco lights in the water and Miniminx was very keen to jump straight in – she wasn’t alone. The decor is bright and funky which suits the whole new Butlins vibe and probably its clientele who are up for the brand experience.

The most unusual thing we encountered was a snow room – I’ve never seen one, let alone been in one and it immediately became a mid Summer snow fight. There were more things to see on the trip round and the treatment rooms were great.

I booked into have a pedicure as my feet were suffering from 10 days on the beach and like most Mums, I no longer have time to pamper and preen ahead of holiday and have to cram it all in while I am away. So needless to say, I was looking forward to it and PartMummyPartMe was an absolute star and whisked Miniminx away for another swim – our daughters get along really well.

I paid £35 for a pedicure which is pretty good going pricewise and I got a full hour – including some heated feet booties which help soften skin. The treatment lady was lovely so we had a nice chat throughout the pedi – she told me that some of the staff live on site and even hold there wedding receptions in the resort. Over a week later I still have my lovely pink toenails and I’d definitely recommend going there.

One thing that caught my eye on the way round was the Premier League massage – it’s a great one for blokes who usually wouldn’t go near a spa but secretly like a pamper.

You can choose your favourite football team and watch top matches from the comfort of the massage table.

All in all, this is a unique experience and I wouldn’t expect anything less from this great British tradition.

We were entertained by a magician and a couple of red coats and the atmosphere was pretty buzzy. I’ve yet to write my full report but we’re all having a great time so far and the launch event was pretty cool.

Now back to the business of the BMB carnival, I’ve promised to update from last week as I missed a few of you so here we go.

Here’s a great one from Liz at KidStart’s Livingwithkids on Cleaning Power with a touch of bagel mould.

And one here from a Daddy Blogger – Views from the Bike Shed – on the Perfect Family Car? – which has a touch of the Jetsons about it (if you look sideways).

Sandy Calico of Baby Baby is a self confessed blogaholic and sheds light on this cyberdelic existence with some questions which some of you may be able to answer too so please visit and respond.

MTFF has a poignant and thought provoking story here when she finds everywhere she goes, she meets herself. A great story and one to also tap you toes too, or if you’re a real punk have a pogo and a sly spit.

This story puts me in mind of ever decreasing circles and how life really is in all it’s complicated silliness so thanks to Being a Mummy for a good snicker or two and a couple of whinces.

And now, after a long and fun filled day, I’m going to sleep well in a brand new bed in the new Butlins Hotel complex. Miniminx is sound asleep in her groovy bedroom after a few pages of 101 Dalmations and a very hectic day. And I look forward to a very noisy, chaotic and messy breakfast with all the other bloggers and their lovely kids followed by a visit to the spa.

A full review of the trip will follow soon but for now, thank you and good night.

In fact, even more true to style, everything fell through at the last minute dont’ even ask and we’ve resorted to Plan C.

We’re having a great time and I was keeping everything crossed that there would be wireless where we are staying – and phew there is….

I’ve been inundated with scintillating, titillating (in more than one way) and just plain old good reads for the carnival, so I hope you all have time to get some good reading in and enjoy the visit.

Since I’ve burnt my bum and I’m putting my laptop at risk of sand damage, I’m posting as much as I can and hope I haven’t missed any of you lovely ladies out. If so, please poke me in the comments section and I’ll update.

I’ve had a lot of people who’ve had more than one post to send me – marvellous I say! Keep up the writing, the wit, the humour and they mayhem, I love it all….

It’s been a hard day sun bathing, fishing with nets and spending time on a quiet island in the Balearics without a Brit in sight (what a relief) so now for a bit of blogging about Blighty…

This is pure and utter madness – The Fab Five Go to Bestival – thanks to Debbie at Parentdish and her merry throng of bambinos, she also writes for a few other blogs – busy lady!!

OMG has sent a fab story in for the carnival about her pregnancy milestone…or should I say smilestone with that piccie???

And one here from Most Least about how not to do reviews on your blog….she will not be the first and certainly not the last blogger to bring up this point and I say keep it up too, that’s what blogs are for – airing, sharing, caring.

Really Rachel has a bit of a moment when the Heffalumps pop up on Skype.

The lovely AMM has sent me a Thames Valley Mums rant rave post ‘and another thing’ she is also on the look out for new stories so if you live in the area and have some good stories, click here on how to get involved.

Maternal Tales from the sunny south coast has a lovely story about her daughter Renee – we’re looking forward to seeing you next week in Bognor too!

Amy of And One More Means Four – has sent in this story about life lessons. It makes me snicker with a fabulous quote ‘When more than two of them are ill, I’m f***ked.’ Being one of six children, I still have vivid memories of group throwing up and running out of buckets – I kid you not!

Here’s one from the lovely Noble Savage on Not Best, Just Normal – or as I’d say, how the media have gone tits up then down about breastfeeding.

Cafe Bebe has also brought this media boob into the spotlight with a round up of what people are saying in our small but perfectly formed blog world.

And another expose but of a rather different kind from Rookie Mum who lets it all hang out in the shower.

WAHM-BAHM has a birth story to share with us.

Have a Lovely Time is stirring up controversy by asking if you should let your kids go naked on the beach….join the conversation if you will.

And You’ve Got Your Hands Full has a pop at Mums and White Powder – that’s washing powder – just checking you’re all still here!

Here’s Brits in Bosnia’s tale of bright lights big city – I suggest a regular drop in to this blog, it’s a goodie and really interesting – much more than just the ex-pat lifestyle on offer here.

Ooh – here’s a new one on me – Mum’s the Blog – it’s very swish and chic – which means I like it ) Especially chocolate buttons on toast…for breakfast!

More than Just a Mother has sent in her story of the 18th Century Cupboard - it’s a bloody corker this one – it made me cry laughing.

Another fave of mine Sticky Fingers has been kind enough to send in a little posty here. She’s off on holiday to the US of A.

New Mummy has a two parter – but seeing as I’m paying 3 euros per hour for internet access, you’ll have to drop by her blog for part deux about her train ride (sorry NM!).

Time Management Mum has a great entry about the capsule collection – since I’ve just opened my suitcase on day three of my holiday and found items I packed for another trip still in the case, I must pay more attention..

TwentysomethingMum has a bit of a mare when her two year old sings Lily Allen lyrics…

Here’s another one of my faves – the Rubbish Diet – and her post on there’s more to life than pants - well we’d all like to hope so wouldn’t we?

Tatty Weasle has sent me this story about prep school – and I’m glad to say it has a very wry and dry side to it – good girl you!

And Best 10 Ten Toys has some bright green dietary advice – a kind of pick your own if you will. In fact, someone has gone to the trouble of writing a book about it, I just hope the pages don’t come stuck together.

So there you have you wonderful bloggers and I’m hoping you can all link back to my blog when you publicise your posts appearing here – so signing off for now until we return from our sun drenched sands and meet a few of you in the beautiful Bognor Regis for another great experience.

Ciao for now lovelies xx

So when the lovely Tara asked me for a photo for her profile on me, I thought, hang on a minute, I’m really happy to talk about my blog and parenting, so I sent her my mugshot.

And she has run a lovely article this month on mychild.co.uk.

Here it is and here I am too…

Thanks to mychild.co.uk for being such a great web site too, we need more of these please.

I’m am so chuffed – in fact gobsmacked to be a new entry in the Top of the Pops (well Moms and Pops) – it’s brought back memories of me and my brothers and sisters (six of us, a veritable bratpack) dragging out the dressing up box on a Sunday night, sticking polystyrene cups wrapped in foil on the end of bamboo sticks and glamming up to sing the Top 40 to an audience of two screeching, coughing, choking and (looking back, I hope) laughing parents.

This is obviously a sign of my age – whatever happened to Top of the Pops, 45s (flexi-discs????), chart show run downs and seeing my brother (then 11) drag up in a shiny gold and orange number over his Leeds footie kit? Who knows.

I digress darlings, caught up in the flow of nostalgia, I’m neglecting to mention what has brought this all on. It’s the Tots 100.…

Thank you lovely ladies for this lovely present! I was advised to post this gift in the sidebar, but I don’t know what one is, well I do really, but you lucky buggers bloggers on typepad can do this I can’t on WordPress right now…and I’m a little bit confused too, because looking at the code I can’t enlarge it (if you saw my last post you know I’m not one to undersize my images).

So that’s a drat and double drat from me but I don’t care! I’m gobsmacked-blown-away-cheshire-cat-like-and-have-a-warm-fuzzy-feeling-all-over. And it’s made me think a bit more about my months of blogging.

So what’s the big deal? It’s a huge deal because blogging has become a true essential in my life, it’s an extra pair of hands in parenting.

I began at the very tail end of last year because I’d hit a big wall and been quite seriously credit crunched – a new job had sadly evaporated almost as the world economy crashed and burned and I was left facing January 2009 with apparently no hope. So there I was wondering where to go, what to do and how to keep busy and out of trouble.

Hmmm, oh well, I thought. Perhaps a blog would help keep me sane. So I started to write, a bit gingerly at first, a real scaredy cat, but then I got hooked. I had no expectations, I didn’t think anyone would even read it.

But guess what – it has kept me out of trouble, sane at times and even better, some lovely people have even taken the time to read it and speak to me. Wow!

I kid you not, if I was a psychologist, I would recommend it as therapy.

Blogging has been really given the thumbs down by a lot of people ‘in the know’ in the media, such as Janet Street Porter here slagging off all us child-laden saddoes who have a reason to live,  but they don’t understand the real reasons why people blog. It’s rather like the time when paste up designers refused to learn DTP. Failure to embrace the future means it will reject you. I’ve always loved Janet Street Porter’s work but I think this time she is wrong. I can’t wait for Janet Street Porter to start twittering and feel the noise – come on rise to the challenge!

Anway, back to those of us back at the ranch who put the kids off to bed and sound off in the 2.0-scope. Why oh why do we venture into this new and unknown territory? Perhaps it’s very much like parenting and we are all curious and want to hear about other people’s experiences. Well if you don’t, I certainly do, and I hear these reasons from blogging parentsall the time about why they do ;

1. Catharsis
What a great place to indulge that need to let out niggles, worries, wants, whatever it is in our lives, it’s better out than in!

2. A diary
I believe bloggers are journal writers. The most beautiful thing I ever read on a blog was that these blogs are ‘love letters to our children’ – so whoever wrote that, I’m sorry I can’t remember where I read it, but it is the most poignant and touching belief and a beautiful thing to define, so thank you…

3. A discipline
Blogging is a way of keeping addled minds on the straight and narrow – be it sleepless nights, unemployment, separation, forthcoming nuptials, long haul flights, ex-pat living, we all need to verbalise it, albeit online. Apparently, poetry helps to fend off depression, I truly believe that blogging has the same effect.

4. Connecting
I never in my wildest dreams ever thought that blogging would enrich my life the way it has. I’ve met interesting people, read great stories, had amazing conversations and feel that the other bloggers I connect with are interested people with a common goal – it’s not about business or self aggrandisement, we’re raising the next generation and all of us in very different circumstances but it’s a great new playing field we’re on and so much fun to boot. But that aside, it’s affirmed my Motherhood, flippant as I may be, being a single parent is no easy road but through blogging it seems easier.

So, while I’m still agog, and possibly sounding a little twee, I have to raise a toast (be it sliced brown Hovis or champagne) to all those others who have created this extraordinary new cultural phenomen. Here’s my shout out here (or rather post-bedtime whisper) and a big thank you to all of you who in the first instance reached out to me and gave me that little nudge, that kind comment and more than occasionally a huge laugh and also left me reaching for the tissues to either stem the eye watering laughter or the honesty of a bad experience that made me cry. I may not know you all so well but I just want to thank you for being there, that’s all

Violetposy
A Modern Mother
Rosie Scribble
Potty Diaries
Jo Beaufoix
Dulwich Divorcee
MTFF
Alpha Mummy
I promise That I will Do My Best
Single Parent Dad

PS: I don’t take saccharine. I’m giving you all a cup of builders’ tea with two heaped spoons of Tate & Lyle, enjoy! Btw, tagging maybe a bit scraggy, sorry all x

Take the time Miniminx had a school trip to the beach. With bucket and spade, wearing her very cute stetsun sunhat, carrying a bag with a swimming costume and all the associated beach paraphernalia, we walked to school. She actually skipped and sang ‘The sun had got his hat on.’ all the way. Lovely.

We arrived a bit early and bumped into the head master.

‘Good morning’ big cheesey grins all round.
‘Hello’
‘Do you know where the coach is?’
‘Ummmm, coach? What coach…?’
‘For the trip today, the one for year 3.’
‘Ooooh, the trip.’ at this point I knew something was up
‘It’s next week’ Shit, shit, shit, what an idiot.

I covered my mouth with my hand and feigned coughing as a foil to the hysterical laughter I needed to quell. Two big blue eyes look up at me, one very cute mouth pouts and trembles. Cue big blobby sobs from Miniminx. Cue me cringeing all day at work. Two years later we can laugh about it together (I still laugh about it alone…what a meannie).

And then last month, we got back from Ibiza at midnight with Elizabethan Dress up Day at school in the morning. I got up early and made a paper ruff and dressed Miniminx in her garb. We got to school a few minutes late and had a peek into her classroom.
28 kids in white shirts and grey skirts sat on the carpet looking at the teacher.
Oh bugger….Miniminx gave me a silent howl and cue big blobby sobs.
Double bugger.

‘Ssssssh, they’ll hear you, let’s sneak out and get you home and changed.’

We ran home, I rang the school.

‘There’s no dress up day today, nothing in the diary sorry’

Confounded, I got her back into her uniform and then we hightailed it back to school. We got to the classroom and discovered that it actually was dress up day and the kids were getting changed after lunch. We had that instant Mother-daughter telepathy, locked eyes and shook our heads – the uniform was staying on for the rest of the day! I walked home for a medicinal coffee or four after two hours of behaving like a headless chicken – at least I didn’t have a job to go to.

And now, I’m back in the world of work. It’s a change and days are much more regimented. I woke up this morning to the alarm and got up after another cheeky few minutes sleep. I woke up little sleepyhead Miniminx and started the usual prework pick and pack malarky – lunch box, healthy snack, drinks, swim kit etc. Then I checked the time on my phone – surely it was nearing 8am. It was 6.20am. An extra 100 minutes were a bonus, so I decided (yes, very Doris Day of me) to do some baking. Raspberry and blackberry wheatfree muffins for breakfast and some flapjack for the lunchbox.
I even took a packed lunch to work for myself.
I even managed to get Miniminx in the bath and hairwashed BEFORE school.
With everything shipshape and ahoy, I booked a cab and we were out the door heading to school and Miniminx was ready to rock and roll at breakfast club.

We walked across the sunny playground, we smiled, we chatted. Miniminx waved at her friend. She stopped walking and looked at her friend again who was looking over at us curiously. Then she looked down. And so did I.

The horror.
FLIP FLOPS!!!
FOUR FLIPPING FLIP FLOPS!!!!

We had both forgotten to put shoes on.

Miniminx became hysterical. I mean big sobbing blobs of tears all over my new dress, she was mortified.

‘I’m – wear – ing – flip -flops ! MUMMMMMMMMMMMM’
‘Whoopsy daisy, how did that happen?’
‘I CAN’T GO IN TO SCHOOL LIKE THIS!!!’
‘Darling, it’s too late to go home and change,’
‘I have to go home now’
‘Can’t you wear your PE shoes’
‘I don’t have them at schooooooooooooool’
‘Darling, it’s a genuine mistake, no one will tell you off.’

Into breakfast club we went – it’s like Ministry of Sound in the good old days, but for under 10s – but the poor little thing was inconsolable. We chatted, she calmed down and we said good bye.

I left the playground under a cloud and sporting a tear-stain pattern on my new dress. Shit.

When I picked her up, I asked how she’d got on with the flip flops and she told me she had borrowed someone else’s shoes and a pair of socks and it was all fine in the end.

There were lots of ladies wearing flip flops in the office today. I sat down at my new desk, I looked down at my feet, without a trace of smugness, thinking flip flip, flop flop…where’s the coffee, I’ve done a day’s work already.

A few months back, I posted a recipe which I love to use, Grandma’s Groovy Flapjack. It has proved very popular, not least because it’s simple, cheap and nutritious.

This week, while browsing my mumsnet weekly email, I jumped out of my seat. I reached the bottom of the newsletter and discovered Recipe of the Week is mine – what a great thing to happen.

So much as I’d like to say the pleasure is all mine, I can’t take the credit, I’m not the originator of this recipe, although I have tweaked it a little and will continue to fine tune it, the honour goes to Miniminx’s Grandma, so well done you!

Now, I’m foraging around the kitchen to get cracking on a new version with pumpkin seeds and Red Leicester, with touch of smoked paprika. Miniminx loves hers with pine nuts, and hold the carrot and Worcestershire sauce…

In fact, I reckon we’ve got more choices than Starbucks here…

If you’ve tried this at home, please send me your tweaks and tips, and I’ll be sure to try them out!