• Julia tapping http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Family

    How I tried ‘tapping’ out the trauma

    I like to think I have a pretty open mind when it comes to complementary therapies. I don’t have any regularly, but I have tried a few different methods at various stages in my life. I’ve had reflexology, massage therapy, reiki and acupuncture, but I’d…

  • Family portrait February 2015 http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Family, Me and Mine

    Me and Mine – A Portrait for January 2016

    January – you have been long! Doesn’t it seem so long since Christmas? I’ll be so glad to see the start of February and will be welcoming the lighter mornings, brighter evenings and that one step further towards spring. For the past maybe two weeks…

  • Do the things you think you can't do http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Family

    Why it’s good to challenge yourself

    ‘Do the thing you think you cannot do’ – sounds terrifying doesn’t it, but the more you think about it, the more it makes sense. Some of the biggest achievements of my life have been things I thought I couldn’t do – but I think…

  • Banana, milk, oats and honey smoothie
    Food

    Four favourite smoothie recipes for kids

    All this smoothie making is all well and good if you’re into making green juice, mixing up chia seeds and curly kale, but will that get your little ones asking for more? In my experience, probably not. My children both like helping to make drinks…

  • Punch and Judy Geronimo
    Outings

    Geronimo – our first kids’ festival

    I’ve been to a few festivals over the years – last time I went to Glastonbury I managed to twist my ankle dancing in a mud-stuck welly, less said about that the better – but I’ve never made it to one with the kids. I…

  • Notebook and flowers http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Loss

    Six months and looking for inspiration

    It’s funny how these little milestones don’t really mean anything but when you sit and think about them, they feel so major. It’s been six months now since Rog died. That’s six months without my best friend, the one who made me laugh every day,…

  • Balloons on Red Rocks http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Loss

    Christmas balloons for daddy

    On the day of Roger’s funeral, when the service was over and we were in the sunny garden of the hotel where we held his wake, Sam, Florence and their cousin Ava let go of a balloon each in his memory. Those balloons were a…

  • Five under £5 January http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Five under 5

    Five under £5 for January

    It’s the first of my Five under £5 posts of the year and the second time I’ve asked others to join in, so if it’s the first time you are here then welcome, and if you took part last month then thank you! I started…

  • Pottery painting http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Family

    The first week of the year…. check!

    The first week of the year is over and it seems to be going ok so far *touch wood*. I didn’t make any real resolutions – more like reminders to live a certain way and not be too hard on myself, to try to make…

  • Brighter in 2016 http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Family, Loss

    Why I’m not making any resolutions

    Rewind to New Year’s Eve last year, and I was sitting in my kitchen, waiting for my husband to come home from his late shift, having a glass of wine and trying to write a blog post reflecting on our year. After many failed attempts…

  • Sam and Flo with new bikes 2015 http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Family, Me and Mine

    Me and Mine – a Portrait for December

    Joining in with the Me and Mine family portrait project means the last week or so of every month is a kind of challenge to get a family photo which is passable and where all three of us are looking at the camera – or…

  • Christmas hats - http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Family

    Merry Christmas to you and yours

    Well hello, Christmas Day, I made it this far and actually this morning has been really nice if a little emotional at times! It is very hard to feel sad when you have two happy little faces around you – and your mum and dad…

  • Tea flatly http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Family

    Treats and distractions

    Of all the pieces of advice which have stuck in my head, this has been my favourite one – to get through you need treats and distractions. It came from a very kind lady who commented on one of my blog posts, I think not…

  • Festive flatlay http://rainbeaubelle.com
    Family

    When the school nativity makes you cry

    ‘Everyone cries at a nativity, don’t they? I mean most parents do, in normal situations, those with normal lives, they all cry don’t they?’ I put this to a friend last night, a question based mostly on my own experience, as this year was the…