Yes I am blonde - Travel trauma's part 2

If the truth be told when I wrote the last post on my travel trauma's I truly didn't intend for there to actually be a part 2 but here I am writing once again of my total inadequacy as a lone traveller.

So on Wednesday I was flying to Cologne to go to the large nursery trade show there. I've been a specialist nursery PR for the last nine years but I have always managed to get out of going over to the show as the flights are rubbish.

My quip to my clients is totally true... I work for myself so that I can be at home for my children and not away for days at trade events.

OK, so things haven't really worked out like that this year and I've been away more than I have ever before. This Cologne, however - there was no getting out of it. So I booked my flights, one of my clients sorted out my hotel (thanks G, you are a star and looking mighty fine with that big baby bump too..).

Tuesday night came and Yan dutifully booked my meet and greet parking at the airport. I was packed and ready to go.

Wednesday morning arrived. I took the kids to school and drove straight to the airport giving myself plenty of time to before they flight.

On arrival at the airport I handed my car over to the nice man and went into the terminal. I had a good look at the board but there were not flights to Cologne - or even Germany for that matter listed at all.

I took out my paper work and guess what????

I was at the wrong airport! My flight was leaving from East Mids and here I was car less and about 35 miles away in Birmingham...

I called the parking people back, who were by the way totally fantastic (NCP if you are interested). They brought my car straight back to me, without so much as a snigger from the driver. They also issued a full refund to my card and they were total stars!

I jumped into the car and they opened the car park barriers without me having to ask - thought I can only imagine how they were laughing in their office.

Luckily its was just a case of me jumping onto the M42 and getting to Easy Mids as quickly as I could.

As I arrived a check in a guy joined the queue behind me.

He asked me if I was going to the show in Cologne and I told him that I was. He then asked me if I would check in one of his bags for him as he was going to be over the weight limit.

Was he serious? With the morning that I was having! I could almost hear the tick tock coming from inside his case!! Which with all probability was my own heart that was still threatening to stop at any minute from my self inflicted blonde adrenalin surge!

I only have baby clothes in there he assured me. Ummm, well with all honesty I would say that too if I was about to blow up a plane but for once the timing was perfect and I jumped forward to check in leaving the crazy man behind.

Adventure behind me, I am now back at the airport with out any problems waiting for my flight home.

I'll report back to let you all know that I make it in one piece!

And the winner of the Baby Show giveaway is......

First of all thanks for entering. After looking at all of the deserving causes I thought that the only fair way was to pull the winner from a hat.

Then I got caught up in Sky box issues and had to make dinner but we finally have a winner.....

Draw master ModelGirl did the honors....

You have to look closely.... Can you tell?

Now for a close up...

Yes, the winner of the fab Baby Show First prize is the lovely Mrs OMG Pregnant!

Second prize goes to tulip2uk2000 and the Third and final prize goes to Karin from CafeBebe! Congrats to you all. Please email me to claim your prizes!

The Saturday Review - Annabel Karmel Family Cookbook

We are as you know big Annabel Karmel fans over here at MummyTips. She does have a firm association with weaning and first food recipe's but her books don't stop there. If you are stuck in a rut for family mealtimes then look no further than the Annabel Karmel Family Bookazine.

Packed full of ideas for the whole family, the bookazine is a fab cross between a regular cookbook and a magazine at a great price.

The eagled eyed among you will already have spotted FunnyGirl making her carrot chopping debut on the cover, as you can see, she was taking the whole thing very seriously using all the carrots in record time!

There are four bookazines through the year, each one with seasonal recipes that are really tasty and easy to cook.

Look out for the Autumn issue out at the end of this month. Back issues are available from Amazon and yes that is ModelGirl on the Spring 09 cover.

£5.99 from Amazon, supermarkets and leading newsagents.

New Mummy's Tips: Review Rodeo

Don't forget to stop by the new Review Round up over on New Mummy's blog. Her new monthly event is the perfect place to see lots of varied reviews in one place!

New Mummy's Tips: Review Rodeo

My Perfect Partner

I know that it isn't really the done thing to gloat about the good times but as I was interviewed by a journalist today for a feature called "My Perfect Partner", I thought that if there was ever a time to come out loud and proud - then it's now.

I had a troubled past, lots of people do. But the day that I walked into my hubby's office to pitch my pr services to him I knew that he was the man for me. My saviour if you like. Luckily for me he felt the same way - thought he has since admitted (on camera to a lady filming from the BBC, thanks), that he thought I was a bit weird. You see I wasn't dressed in usual business attire but lets just call that PR license.

I won the pitch and the rest as they say is history. In January we will have been married for ten whole years. I find that quite difficult to get my head around if the truth be told, when you are young ten years sounds like a lifetime but the reality is that those years have simply flown by.

Three beautiful babies and a number of business ventures have kept us busy whilst allowing us both to work from home, together.

Whilst we have had our issues they are few and far between and resolving them has just made us stronger.

He came to a crossroads work wise at the end of last year and with the kids and my support we gave him that push to strike out and take a chance on a career move that would fulfill him.

So from ad man to designer. His first collection produced, photographed and ready to go. It's an exciting time for us all. His collection is stunning and I am so proud of what he has achieved.

Due to the normalities of everyday life (and school holidays) I couldn't be with him at his shoot last week and I know that he could have done with my support but I also had the confidence that he could do it alone. I was right, his pics are amazing. His styling spot on and his choice of models perfect.

This morning after I dropped the bambino's off for their first day back at school we had a full on full collection styling session. Dresses, shoes, jewellery, dresses, jackets, more dresses....

How many women are lucky enough to get to properly styled by their hubby?

The result of this mornings styling was a new dress for me. Just me - a one off and I am excited beyond words. The dress is the business and I will be flaunting it for the world to see in the shoot for the Express article.

So, the journalist asked... "Why is your partner perfect?"

"Simple" I replied. "He is my best friend in the whole wide world."

Collection information coming soon...