Reuben Vs The Holiday Season.

A small selection of the my favorite pictures of Reuben over the holiday season.

I know we are a bit late because we are into January now but we've ended up having quite a few different Christmases over the past while and I didn't want to have loads of different posts to upload.

Changes to Life By ZXSquecktrum.

There is not much to be honest so I am not sure why I decided this needed it's own post but here we are.
I basically want to just make this about parenting and household and health. I've posted about make up and clothing hauls and what not and I just don't feel like it's something I want to do with the blog just now. I want it to be on family life and what that means to me.

Just two more posting in my '31 Day Blog Challenge' to find out more about me than that's out the way.

So keep your eyes peeled for more posts on Reuben, tonnes of pictures, Eco Friendly household things and fun kids activities.
Which I hope will be more frequent as I plan on making a little schedule to make sure I am posting regularly.

love from

ZXSquecktrum

New Years Resolutions.

Where have you travelled? - Day 29 of 31 Day Blog Challenge.

Not many places really. I've travelled all over the Scotland and England when I was younger with my family then when I was a teenager I woke up in those same random places with a hangover and no recollection of how I got there.

Only been out of the UK twice.

Once when I was a teenager I visited Italy with a youth group. We sang for the Pope and what not but I really wish I could remember more of it. I feel like the sights such as the Vatican City and the Colosseum where a bit lost on me when I was in my early teens. I remember how beautiful they were but I feel to go back and see them ten years later would be so much better. Such beauty. Also, remember one women outside the Vatican with one eye begging for money, could be the first and last time I have seen an infected empty eye socket.

Also went to Tenerife with my grandparents when I was a teenager. I didn't enjoy it much, that's not a reflection on my grandparents, it was great of them to take me. But sitting in a hot country by the pool in a bikini is not my idea of a holiday. We did do some mountain walking, which is right up my holiday street, but by then I had a tan and my feet were so sunburned they'd swollen up really badly that I was just miserable.

Yes, boring post was boring, sorry guys.

love from

ZXSquecktrum

Why do 'modified parent' and 'metal head parent' pages, posts and blogs annoy me?

Most always say along the lines of how we are amazing parents. Their whole premise is based on how I am a better parent because I like metal and ink.
Yes, a lot of modified and 'metal head' parents strive to be the best parents we can possibly be but there is so much more to me that tattoos, piercings and  music taste. The girls involved in that Ian Watkins case, I bet they have tattoos and listen to 'alternative' music, are they brilliant parents just for the fact they do? No.
Nothing about appearance makes a parent. I do not, in away way shape or form want to be judged on mine with even positive light, when it comes to my parenting.

I want you to judge me on the things that matter when it comes to raising a child.

I want you to see that my son is incredibly smart and is functioning two years ahead of himself and see how I try to keep up with his intellect and encourage him without pushing him to far.
I want that to be something I am judged on with my parenting, not my music taste.

I want you to see how happy my child is and see how we play and laugh and hug and read. I want you to see how healthy my child is and look in my cupboard and fridge and see I am trying to give him the best and healthiest starts to life I possibly can.
I want that to be something I am judged on with my parenting, not my hair colour.

I want you to see how I am trying to raise my child to use his words to communicate. I want you to see how I try to keep a liberal mind and plan to teach him about every aspect of everything I possibly can, be it different races and religions and sexualities and Marvel VS DC.
I want that to be something I am judged on with my parenting, not my tattoos.

love from

ZXSquecktrum

Two weeks to go...

So most people who know me know I am not a Christmas person. I don't like the music, I don't like the movies and I am allergic to half the decorations and the other half are far too tacky to even think about buying(coming for the women who bought a foot tall magenta stag covered in glitter last year).
I am no longer a Christian so that takes a bit of excitement away from the whole holiday season too.

But, this year seems different and I think it's down to having a toddler.

The Ian Watkins case is stuck in my mind.

I read an article yesterday about the case and it's breaking my heart. I think it's the fact the article was so graphic, and maybe one of the worst cases I have read in a while, combined with the fact the man was quite prominent through my teen years. I personally was never a fan of The Lostprophets but a few people I knew did, so they were just always there.

I wish I could un-read it.

'Did you enjoy pregnancy?' 'Was being pregnant the best feeling ever?' 'Do you ever miss being pregnant?'

NOPE!

NOPE!
 
NOPE!

love from

ZXSquecktrum

Mini Make Up Madness: Bruise Edition.

So, Hello, remember me?

I'm Jen and I ran this blog before I was distracted with such things in life as college, video games, books, Christmas shopping and dog sitting. I believe I have not posted on this blog since late September which is terrible and I want to jump back into the swing of things with a fun little blog post.

October Wishlist.

I've been absent for over a week so here's a quick little post on what I'm lusting after for the month of October.

for more details on products,

£1 MUA Lipsticks.

So after getting and posting about the £1 MUA Blushes, I was intrigued to see what else MUA have to offer. The quality was just unbelievable so I had to try out some more of the range. I popped into Superdrug today to see what they had in. Unfortunately they were not putting up stock until tonight so I missed out on a few things I wanted to try but I ended up with these two lipsticks.
I got Shade 2 and Shade 3.

Inglot Freedom System Haul.

So, due to the internet and the existence of Inglot store in Stirling I am officially poor but at least my eyes will be pretty. That's me half joking, I'd happily pay twice the price for these shadows hence why I'm going to buy all 160 shadows before Inglot put the prices up! Maybe not, but I'll sure as hell try!

Basically the freedom system is a build your own palette. They have many different types of pallets from pressed powders and blusher but I will be blethering on about the eyeshadow system today. The palettes range in size from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20 and 40. I jumped in mid range and went straight for the ten palette.
I just got one palette with a selection of mattes both bright and neutral, mama loves her mattes, but plan on expanding to get two palettes and have a bright colours and neutrals. Then one day I plan on expanding once more to colour co-ordinated palettes such as all blues and all pinks/reds. I just need the funds.
So, lets talk pricing; The palette itself is £10 and for a ten pan palette, that's a blinkin' steal! The refil pans themself are £4.50 for 2.3g(matte weight) which again, a steal! Which means a full 10 pallete would cost you £55!! Like, what, how is that possible?
And considering I already favour these over my MAC shadows(1.5g) which would cost around the £170 mark, you can see why I am in love.

Here is what I have bought this past week. I will be doing an update because I have another order in the post being shipped to me right now, opps! I am restraining myself from ordering more but typing up about them is making me want more.




The packaging itself is really nice, I like the sleek minimalistic look they have going on. It's really super sturdy and a good weight. The magnets are really strong and you know your shadows and lid aren't going anywhere.
Another cool little feature is you can stack two pallets together due to the magnets which will be super handy in my make up kit.

I haven't really had time to do any swatches but  I will at some point before the end of the month but the colour play off is great. Really pigmented and I can see these lasting a long time. I would recommend you try out Inglot if you are looking for some professional grade make up, I know I will be using nothing but these eyeshadows from now on.

love from

ZXSquecktrum

Two years and six months.

So today, Reuben is officially two and a half years old and I don't know where the time as went. All of a sudden I have this really intelligent and independent child walking about my house. I look forward to our next six months until he is three and I can really start getting emotional about it.

How did we get from this little eleven day old...

to this two and a half year old...

in what feels like a blink of the eye?

I cherish every day with my son and know that every new day is a new chance to learn and grow but I do miss my 'tiny little sausage' I once had and got to hug for more than 0.3 of a second.

Why can't you be a little baby forever?

love from

ZXSquecktrum

Quitting Smoking: Two Weeks On.

So as many of you know because I blogged about it here; Thursday 29th August was the day I decided to kick my smoking for good.
So I am not here, two weeks later, to brag about how well I personally think I've been doing.

MUA £1 Blush!

There seems to be a content buzz of excitement about MUA products on Blogger and YouTube so I thought I'd break my MUA virginity and get myself a new blusher to try. Then because I'm a big spender, I picked up another one.
I got Candyfloss and Bubble Gum and I think I love them both equally.