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Guest Blogging

Posted by cafebebemama on Sep 17, 2009 in Uncategorized | 1 comment

As I’ve gotten to know some lovely people through blogging, British Mummy Bloggers and Twitter, I’ve had the chance to guest blog on a few sites which is quite an honour.  I wrote my Baby Love series for OMG, We’re Pregnant who also has another site for all you expectant mums out there called The Bump Wear Project.  My latest guest blogging “gig” is at DaisychainBaby.  I met Lins of DaisychainBaby through Twitter and feature her as an AMAZING MUMPRENEUR on my main site, Cafe Bebe.  She runs a brilliant business promoting organic clothes and products for babies.  She’s a determined and energetic woman who’s seeing a lot of success coming her way.  She also has a new and improved blog where yours truly is guest blogging with a post called “What a Difference a Year Makes“.  Please go visit  and after reading my post, have a browse.  Lins has some brilliant products that every baby and mum need!  Thanks for spreading the love.

Little Miss Wednesday 2

Posted by cafebebemama on Sep 16, 2009 in Uncategorized | 6 comments

Another homage to my gorgeous girl.  Forgive me- I’m smitten.

We start 'em young in this household!

Peeka!

Little Miss in her Little Miss apron

Wishing this was our garden! (Cliveden House)

Britain's Next Top Model

LOVE

Thank you for indulging me in my love of my daughter.  Hoping all my American family and friends like the weekly dose of Little Miss and my English/British family and friends don’t mind.

Feel free to submit your own captions for any of the photos…

Goodnight Gorilla

Posted by cafebebemama on Sep 15, 2009 in Uncategorized | 5 comments

One of Little Miss’ favourite books is “Goodnight Gorilla” by Peggy Rathmann.  We were gifted it from my sister-in-law as she passed down her children’s board books.  It’s a tricky book for parents as there is very little text so you have to fill in the gaps on your own.  It’s quite a funny book though, as the gorilla is really a cheeky monkey who nicks the Zookeepers keys and lets out all of the animals.  They then follow the Zookeeper into his house and snuggle up for bed.  We’ve read this book a MILLION and ONE times but my Husband has made it quite the interesting book.  Want to know why?  Well, do YOU know what an armadillo says?  My husband does!

You see, as the gorilla lets out all of the animals, Little Miss chimes along with the sounds that they make.  The last animal to be let out of it’s cage is the armadillo.  So when my clever and creative husband got to that one, he said to Little Miss, “What does an armadillo say?” and then he said “Hmmm”.  My hubby decided that an armadillo says “Hmmm” in kind of a high-pitched, questioning sound.  That’s what an armadillo says!  “Hmmm!”  So now every time we read “Goodnight Gorilla”, Little Miss chimes along with all of the animal sounds and when we get to the armadillo, “Hmmm!”  We’ve even bought another book called “Just Like Me” where an armadillo tries to find other armadillos.  He says “Hmmm!” too!

Thank you Peggy Rathmann, for writing a book that has given us so much pleasure and taught us things we never knew.  Do you have a book that you read with your child that is particularly special?  Do let me know, I’d love to build our growing library with other fun stories.  Until then, “Hmmm!”- next time you see an armadillo (and that happens all the time in England) you’ll know what to say!  You’re welcome.

Remote Workers Awards Day

Posted by cafebebemama on Sep 11, 2009 in Uncategorized | 10 comments

Yesterday (10 September) was a goregous autumn day!  Blue skies, crisp air and a phenominal location in which to enjoy it- Cliveden House.  Why, on a weekday, were we all there?  Well, you see, I was nominated for an award!  An award, you say!  Yes, an award!  Do tell!

I applied for the Netmums Work from Home award, sponsored by BT & Remote Employment, as a whim really.  They were offering lucky winners the opportunity to win a start up kit for the home business of their choice.  There were some brilliant home businesses on offer and I was particularly drawn to Truly Madly Baby because of their brilliant selection of baby/toddler and child products.  Those of you who know me know that I’m goo-goo for baby and toddler products and have turned that passion into a non-paying passion with my website, Cafe Bebe.  I have always wanted to run my own business and now, with a 1-year-old to care for, a house to manage, a husband to keep happy and all of this on one income, I’m quite keen to provide a bit more for my family.  The endless hours that I have put into Cafe Bebe have been very rewarding and I will continue to forge on with it but it doesn’t top up the bank balance!  I need a financial boost and I was hoping that winning my own home business might be just the boost we need.

I filled in endless fields on the Netmums Work from Home application and sent it away, not thinking much about it.  I found out 2 weeks ago that I managed to get short-listed for the Remote Employment Awards and was going to have to go to Cliveden House to find out if I was a winner.  Gee, how horrible!  Please do check out the Cliveden House site as the place is truly magnificent and I was honoured just to be able to visit it.  Hubby and Little Miss enjoyed it a bit more than I did as they ran around the grounds while I was in the awards ceremony but we’ll definitely go back sometime in the near future to enjoy it properly as a family.

The BT Remote Employment Awards ceremony was very nice.  The setting was gorgeous and I was in the company of some amazing people who have started up their own businesses and are making a massive difference in the big wide world.  To tell you the truth, I felt a bit of a fraud!  I don’t have my own business!  I have a pretty great website that I spend a lot of time on writing reviews, running competitions and promoting amazing mumpreneurs but it’s not a BUSINESS in terms of money or spreadsheets.  I didn’t even have business cards to hand out (must do this soon, note to self) as I didn’t think ahead properly!  Ding!  But I got to be inspired by some wonderful speakers, I got to meet the amazing Amanda of Ella Announcements who is a wonderwoman and I got to win a little something!

That’s right, I won something.  Well, won…actually, it was 3rd place in the Netmums Work from Home category.  And, cheeky, there were more than 3 contenders…there were 9 actually!  I have to admit, though, when they announced my name in 3rd place, I was just a wee bit disappointed.  This is my competitive nature, I suppose.  But still, I got mentioned and got a prize as well.  And guess what that prize was?  I unrolled my little scroll to find out that I had won a) a book by Antonia Chitty called “A Guide to Promoting Your Business” (she’s brilliant, by the way) and b) A starter kit from Truly Madly Baby worth over £160!  That’s right folks!  I am now the proud owner of a home business!  Very soon, I’ll be selling baby products and making a difference AND making some money for our shriveled little bank account.  I’ve already been in contact with the powers that be at Truly Madly Baby and will be attending a Training Session on 26 September to get the ball rolling.  How great is this?

So, little old me has won!  I’ll continue to forge on with Cafe Bebe and one day that may bring in a bit of income as well but in the meantime, I will be selling some amazing baby products, making families happy and contributing to our family in the process.  Woo hoo!  Just tooting my own horn a little bit.  Hey- guess what else?  I managed to win a Samsung Tap and Take camera the other day as well!  All I did was Tweet about it on Twitter (I think once or twice) and boom…I’m now the proud owner of a new, state of the art camera!  How the heck did that happen?  When did my ship come in?  I missed the fog horn sounding its arrival.  Well, until it pulls out of port, I’ll sit back and enjoy a bit of the glory!  Thanks for listening.  I’ll post some great snaps that hubby took of Cliveden House while I was being awarded.  They weren’t taken on the new camera as we haven’t received it yet but they’re still very nice!  Cheers!

Little Miss Wednesday

Posted by cafebebemama on Sep 10, 2009 in Uncategorized | 2 comments

I am chosing to make Wednesdays no longer Wordless, but Little Miss Wednesdays.  Enjoy my lovely Little Miss and feel free to add a caption to any of the photos!

Newspaper Kudos

Posted by cafebebemama on Sep 7, 2009 in Uncategorized | 10 comments

As some of you know, I’m traveling to Cliveden House this Thursday for the Remote Workers awards as I am up for a Netmums Work from Home award.  Who knows if I’ll get it but it should be really fun being at Cliveden House and attending a semi-posh awards afternoon.  I’m going to get to meet the wonderful Amanda of Ella Announcements as well which I am also looking forward to.

But here’s the great bit!  I’m in the local paper today!  The Evening Telegraph for the Peterborough area!  Here’s the link:

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/business/Homework-pays-off-for-mum.5621847.jp

I’m going down to the shop in Northborough to pick up a copy or six.  Let me know if you’d like one.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a Cafe Bebe plug in there but that’s alright!  Maybe if I win the bloomin’ award, they’ll interview me and I can get one in then.  Stay tuned later this week for a report and photos from the event itself.  Thanks for sharing in my little fifteen minutes over here.