This week.....

• I literally cannot believe I am still listening to this song on repeat. I'm all about the words. Ava's more about the melody. Either way we have been dancing about the kitchen. Every. Single. Morning.
• My Lush bath addiction shows no signs of slowing down. I'm using up all the Christmas stock I got cheap and looking forward to their blogger event at the end of February. Not that I need any more of an excuse to spend all of my money in that shop.
• Speaking of spending money, most of mine is still being spent in Whole Foods. You?
• A & I had the loveliest of lovelies, Miss Smidge come stay with us and it was fun let me tell you. Duplo, Gin & Tonics and Puttanesca. What more does a weekend need? Apart from the sore heads the next morning...
• I am oh so over garlic dip (my fave) and have a new found relationship with a pot of salsa, a pot of sour cream and those really cheap tortilla chips you get in the supermarket for about 50p a bag. Yes, I'm a double dipper. Deal with it.
• I had Ava pretty much full time for about the first 4 weeks of 2014 and oh my goodness, having to hand her back to her Daddy for a couple of days a week has damn near killed me. Luckily I have the bestest of friends who organise spa days, wine drinking and basically 'let's eat chips with cocktails' situations to keep me from going too spare.
• As a result of these girlfriend dates I have had one too many sofa days. That to do list won't get any smaller. Nor will my ass if I keep up this double dippage. Making resolution to become much more productive on said Ava free days. We'll see....
• Speaking of lists, I have decided I am sick to near death of scribbling ideas and shopping lists onto old bits of paper and random receipts. And as nice stationary does it for me almost as much as list making does, I completely adore this notebook I found on Pinterest. However I can't source it anywhere {insert sad face}
• I wrote my first real proper grown up food review. You can find it here if you are at all interested. I must be growing up. Seems tweeting about my dinner & posting excessive amounts of food pictures on Instagram is just not cutting it anymore.
• Speaking of food, my current addiction is this Mexican smoked chilli paste. And it is going in everything. Chilli con Carne, eggs, spag bol, the lot. Try it. Thank me later.
• Ava has started doing the cutest thing that is going to get me into so much debt I may be in trouble. Sweet kid that she is thinks every damn letter that drops through that letter box is hers. Only hers. Everything is addressed to Ava apparently. By the time I get to my post it is pretty much shredded and illegible. So sorry in advance to all those bill companies that aren't getting paid. I will try and get to those ones with the red on them before Ava does ;)
• Speaking of Ava, my poor girl got sick a couple of weeks ago and I got the call right as I was crossing the thresh line into the Rainbow Rooms International event in Royal Exchange Square. I did have time for a quick half glass of fizz (you know me) but unfortunately missed out on getting my hair styled or a cheeky manicure. Luckily the lovely Laura from the PR company hit me up with a few photos of the night to share with you anyway and they can be found below.

This week.....

• I finally got round to putting my favourite print onto canvas and hanging it over Ava's bed. I'm convinced that because I hung it myself (hello single motherhood), it is going to fall off in the middle of the night and land on her head. Neurotic mum much?
• I am still devouring this chilli oil by the spoonful and drizzling it all over anything I can get my hands on
• I am TRYING to keep my new L'occitane handcream for special and make it last. Which is difficult with a 2 year old who insists on copying every single move Mummy makes. Which means when I use hand cream, she uses hand cream. When I put on my lip gloss, she gets some lip gloss. You catch my drift...
• I'm still loving Sangletangle's blog. With amazing pictures and such beautifully put together words, it is a delight to read
• I'm also still obsessed with the Wunderlist app for my iPhone. I love lists. Without lists I would be lost. Lists do it for me
• I'm also dealing with the TiVo going on the blink AGAIN. It's fixed now but I lost all of my recordings as they had to give me a new box. I tried to act nonchalant in front of the engineer. I mean, it's just telly right? I have a life so doesn't matter does it? I cried when he left.
• I finally got round to ordering In Cold Blood by Truman Capote & the Tom O'Dell album. Late to the party but excited for both
• I am wondering what happened to all the Christmas telly? I always look forward to the back to back Christmas TV viewing every year but was it me or was there absolutely nothing on this year? What? I DO have a life....
• I'm concentrating on making my new word for 2014 'moderation'. Sick of setting myself unrealistic resolutions I never keep, I am trying to just enjoy all the good things in life without going overboard. Example in point: trying to drink less wine during the week and realising I don't actually have to eat the whole pizza. However, I am an all or nothing kinda gal. So we will see how it goes
• we've been eating Froyo at Cheer Me Up on Pollokshaws Road. Glasgow has been needing a frozen yogurt outlet for quite some time. Original yogurt with pistachios and caramel sauce all the way.
• we also finally got round to having brunch at The Glad Cafe. Although I love the ethics of this place and the food was good, I left feeling underwhelmed. This could have been down to disjointed service and a rubbish table so I will definitely be giving it another bash at some point

This week......

• we've been singing Jingle Bells all over the flat. Every single day. She sings 'Jingle Balls' and I don't have the heart to correct her.
• we've been getting ridiculously organised for Christmas. I mean ridiculously organised. We have every single non-perishable foodstuff you need to make a feast on Christmas day. And we're hoping this means we can just do a quick whizz around Sainsbury's to get the fruit, veg & dairy on the 23rd and miss out on all the crazy batshit Christmas food shoppers this year. We can dream.
• we've also been trying real hard not to eat any of it. And there is some seriously good cheese and snack food in our cupboards at the moment.
• I am still listening to this song on repeat. That's about 4 weeks of non-stop playing now. Also listening to this song a lot. Just for old times sake.
• banging into everything and anything. And falling over. Ava, not me. She is currently sporting a serious shiner and has more bruises on her knees than a javelin thrower. I am having to shower her with even more kisses and cuddles when we are out in public than ever just in case anyone thinks that I did it.
• we have been eating out way more than is ok. An impromptu dinner at Church on the Hill, a pre-theatre at my new local curry house, afternoon tea, a visit to the Street Food Cartel & then burgers at Burger Meats Bun. All in one week. This is where all my money goes. And why I have pairs of jeans in my wardrobe that haven't seen the light of day in quite some time.
• I am loving the fact that little A is starting to 'get' the whole Christmas thing. Not only is she ridiculously excited about Santa but mild threats of not getting any presents if she is bad mean she has been going to bed at 7pm relatively easily of late.
• and when she does I have been loving being all cosy in my Chrimbo PJ's and sipping a mulled wine while wrapping stocking fillers in the glow of the Christmas tree lights. Can't it stay this time of year forever?
• I dyed my hair a much darker shade of brown than I'm used to. And subsequently got brown dye all over the tiles in the bathroom. The hair looks good. The bathroom not so much.
• we have been working on getting Ava to sleep in her own bed. It's not going well. She goes to her own bed like a dream. But you can be pretty damn sure that she will be waking up in mine. Every single morning.
• I had an amazing day being spoilt at the The Blythwood before being whisked off to the Theatre Royal for an afternoon matinee showing of Hansel & Gretel by the Scottish Ballet (proper blog post to follow).
• I've also been rediscovering my love of Mac Face & Body foundation. Not quite a tinted moisturiser. Not as heavy as a foundation. Perfect for my skin and for a lovely glowy sheer coverage.
• dealing with the TiVo going on the blink. Again. I rue the day I ever got TiVo. It's fixed now but Ava made the most of it with back to back Christmas DVD's. If you haven't seen the Santa's Grotto Peppa Pig DVD 254163 times, you haven't lived.
• I've been planning a big Christmas dinner at Soho Miller Street on the 22nd. My favourite bar. My favourite people. And my favourite Martinis. Bring it on.