Here are my resolutions for 2016...


I really need to lose weight and generally improve my fitness levels. We (I say we because Anthony has no choice in the matter!) have been making plans for a much healthier 2016. Eating better, being more active, and setting a good example for Marianna.


So much to do, so little time... I've got some planners for the various aspects of my life, and we've drawn up some household rotas to help stay on top of the cleaning and stuff like that. Calendars have been filled out, and my email inboxes cleared. It all links in to the healthier living, and reducing the stress levels.

 Level Up My Blog 
2015 was a good year for the blog, don't get me wrong, but it was all about finding my feet. In 2016 I want to build on these foundations and really make something of this little corner of cyberspace. I'm aiming to post everyday again, and have already written up dozens of general and magazine scan posts to make life easier. Hopefully this will free up time to guest blog, promote, and get my name out there.


My nightmares all came true in terms of finance last year, and I surprised myself by my ability to juggle everything. The problem is that every month I'm down to the very last penny of my overdraft by the time payday rolls around. Hopefully Anthony will find a new job in 2016, but I can't rely on that so I really want to get into couponing and cashback, up my comping game, and work on my thriftiness.


Way too much of 2015 has been given over to illness, stressing, worrying, and otherwise skirting the edges of blind panic. I want to focus more on doing things in 2016 - getting out and about, having fun, and just enjoying life. It's too short, after all!

It was Christmas! My family all came round for dinner (bar my brother who had drunk himself into too much of a stupor the night before!) and we had a really good time. Marianna didn't understand what it was all about, but she liked being the centre of attention and getting new toys all the same. Today we went to see Anthony's family and Marianna was doing very well until she violently threw up all over Anthony's cousin... Not really the way to make friends, is it?

I saw this challenge over at Something Crunchy Mummy and just had to give it a go...


A. Age – 27.

B. Biggest fear – Spiders.

C. Car – I don't drive.

D. Drink You Last Had – Tea.

E. Every Day Starts With – Marianna pulling my hair.

F. Favourite Song – Silver Moon - Donkeyboy.

G. Ghosts, Are They Real? – Possibly.

H. Hometown – Cwmbran.

I. I Am Most Proud Of – Marianna. I'm already living vicariously through her achievements.

J. Jewel of choice – Emerald.

K. Kardashians, Love Them or Hate Them? – Totally indifferent.

L. Last Time You Cried – I re-watched the 2012 Titanic miniseries last week and I cried when Jim and Theresa realise they have no choice but to sit on the stairs and wait to die. :(

M. Middle Name – Claire.

N. Number of Siblings – 1.

O. Orange or Satsuma – Satsuma.

P. Person You Last Called – My Mum.

Q. Question You're Always Asked – How's the baby?

R. Reason To Smile – Marianna.

S. Song Last Sang – You'd Be Surprised.

T. Time You Woke Up – 9am.

U. Underwear Colour – Black.

V. Vacation Destination – We haven't gone anywhere in years...

W. Worst Habit – Picking at the skin of my finger.

X. X-Rays You’ve Had – I've had a few dental x-rays but that's it.

Y. Your Favourite Food – Crisps.

Z. Zodiac Sign – Leo

Mostly work stuff this week. We had a police and community meeting on Monday, followed by Labour group. Then Tuesday was full council (the webcast is HERE) followed by planning committee. Wednesday saw some quality eBaying and Marianna time, and Thursday was resources scrutiny committee and a grants meeting. I don't normally watch the webcasts (living it is enough!) but catching a glimpse then to link up makes me realise how uninterested I look half the time because of my phone - I agreed to go completely paperless so I get all my agendas and papers through on my Blackberry. So now whenever I'm reading I look like I'm texting or something! Ah, well. Think of the environment, eh?

I'm off now until January 2nd so Friday I got a whole bunch of blog posts written up for future use, and Saturday I took Marianna to my mum's for the day. We watched Rainbow for hours (as usual) and encouraged Marianna in her weird one knee / one foot crawl-shuffle.

This is probably going to be the last wear of this dress - she's growing so fast now!

Almost a whole year of blogging is now behind me, read on for my review of blog life so far...

This year has flown by, and my little blog has gone from a blank white page to an online hub of my life. I've learned so much, interacted with so many great people, and have just really enjoyed the challenge of putting out a new post (almost) every day.

Fave Pic #1.

Five Things I've Learned

✫ The blog as online diary is far from dead. I love looking back at my weekly round up posts.
✫ Content is King and all that, but publicity is life blood. You need to get yourself out there!
✫ The awesome stats building power of the giveaway.
✫ I really really love doing blog memes and challenges.
✫ How to make a blog media kit.

Fave pic #2.

My Top Five Posts

✫ 9 to 5: Guide to Barbie's Careers.
✫ Midnight Tragedy: The Murder of "Poor Kitty" Ronan.
✫ The Willful Murder of Eliza Roberts.
✫ Titanic Switch Conspiracy.
✫ Dolls Without Hair.

These are my personal favourites from the last year. They all took lots of hard work and research, so that probably accounts for why I'm so fond of them. :)

Fave Pic #3.

My Five Most Read Posts (excluding giveaways) 

✫ eBay Tips - how to block annoying users.
✫ #hearthomebettaliving - my approach to interior design.
✫ 10 Tips for Tackling Christmas on a Shoestring.
✫ My Mobile Phone History.
✫ 'Fat' Playscale Dolls.

As you can see, there's not much crossover between the two categories! I'm particularly impressed with the eBay one as I didn't even promote it in any way.

Fave Pic #4.

Some Favourite Linkys

✫ KCACOLS - Keep Calm and Carry on Linking Sundays.
✫ #SoMe2 - Social Media Tuesdays.
✫ The List - Fridays.
✫ #LIML - Look In My Letterbox Saturdays.
✫ Share Withe Me - Wednesdays.

Linkys are great for finding cool posts to read, and promoting your own work. You can find my full linky guide over here.

Fave pic #5.

I saw this tag over at Budget Beauty and Babies, and just had to give it a go...

Back when I believed... I'm the one fiddling with my halo.

There's way too much shiny going on to take a good picture, but you get the idea!

I've been ill again this week which has really sucked. Marianna chose this week to finally learn to crawl so is in need of constant vigilance. Constant. Vigilance. 

Anthony says: "she's driving me insane" ;)

Life As Mum has a great linky looking at the meanings behind people's blog names. Here's my contribution...


I read lots of mummy blogs during my pregnancy, and I decided that once Marianna was born I would set up my own. I'm too superstitious about counting my eggs before they hatch to have been able to blog during the pregnancy itself and, then, I had to wait until she was discharged from hospital at three weeks old for the same reason. Finally, I had my baby at home and I was ready to begin blogging with the name I had already decided on: Baby and Me.

Except I knew that would be a nightmare to get as a username, so I followed the advice my dad gave me many years ago, back when I was setting up my very first email address... I used the Welsh language version instead: Babi a Fi. I googled to check what came up and, aside from a couple of baby and toddler groups, I was in the clear.


This old sketch helped me settle on the blog name.
I do have wobbles about it, mainly because the lack of English in it is probably off-putting to people if they just see it in a list or something. But, overall, I'm really pleased with the name because it can cover all the weird and wonderful things I want to write about. It's a blog about our lives, and all the random interests which make them worth living. And it's definitely an improvement on some of my previous online monikers -

My top twelve Christmas songs - song names are linked to YouTube vids, while artist names take you to Wikipedia for ease of extra trivia gathering...










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