Sorry Wendy (sorry my mummy tummy)! I’ve got a throat and chest infection and it’s all I can do to walk the dog and entertain the boy.

In the meantime, have you all seen the free videos on the MuTu website? I particularly like the Tabata workout, and it shows you a link where you can download the workout music to an effective four minute workout. I’ve been doing the full eight minutes because, well, you might as well finish what you’ve started.

There’s also some cracking tummy exercises  on YouTube.  I bought an exercise ball from an ebayer (always a bargain hunter, me) and it has brought me a new found respect for Wendys abdominals.  She must be made of steel to do ab exercises with a ball – I was struggling to keep my feet from flying off in the opposite direction to the ball.  Incredibly hard.

Week 11 to follow when I have my energy back….TTNT….

Firstly, apologies for taking a week off but I’ve had a very tiring virus and they do say that if you’re ill above the neck, carry on exercising but below the neck, rest.  So that is what I’ve been trying to do, as much as the mother of a toddler and owner of a dog can rest!

Finally I am down to 10 stone 10 which brings my BMI to a nice healthy 25.  I will switch the Thinking Slimmer pod this week to the ‘keeping the weight off’ one.  I seem to have curbed my enormous appetite and now eat noticeably smaller meals, compared to the plates-piled-high portions that I allowed myself previously.

Week 9′s breathing has come in handy during my fluey week, but last night I got on with the programme and fair wore myself out watching the new and more intensive core exercises and some of the free videos available on the MuTu site.   Today, finding myself short of time, I decided to do the five minute workout that had arrived recently in my inbox.  I warmed up with the new core exercises, which looked evil but I must be getting stronger because they actually weren’t too bad.  The five minute workout definitely set my body alight though – if I had thought a five minute wonder was going to be a walk in the park then I was very much mistaken, I was panting by the third repetition.  Tomorrow I will attempt the Tabata workout with the pumping bootcamp music which I have downloaded.

I love how Wendy recognises that we have restraints on our time as Mums, and she shows us how to achieve maximum results with what little time we have to spare.  I was in the swimming pool today with my little water baby (boy? he’s too big to be baby now) and from the pool you can see part of the gym.  I actually felt sorry for those poor souls beating the treadmill laboriously up there.  When you think of the effort that it takes to go to the gym: get kit bag together (10 mins), drive to gym (15 minutes), sign in and get changed (5 mins), work out (1 hour), get showered and changed (15 minutes), drive home (15 minutes), unpack bag (5 minutes)….that’s over two hours just wasted, when you could be at home, nobody judging your wobbly bits, workout over and done with in about fifteen minutes and sat down with a brew….it’s a no-brainer, to me.

Big up the MuTu – it will save me a lifetime’s gym memberships.  All I need now is a nice steam room & jacuzzi in the back garden and bob’s your uncle.

Previous weeks – the Thinking Slimmer and MuTu story:

Diet 2011 – the story so far

MuTu and Thinking Slimmer – What’s that?

Entering Week 2 with Thinking Slimmer and MuTu

Week 3 – @ThinkingSlimmer and @MuTuSystem

Week 4 – a new workout

Week 5 – in the wars

Week 6 – and breathe ……

Week 7 – The food bit

Week 8 – a look at my goals

Week 9 – A little lie down

I have kindly been tagged by White Lily Green and Not My Year Off to continue the challenge set by Gemma and Michelle  of writing 100 words about health worker who have made a difference to our lives.  Health workers in poorer countried are in really short supply and it is hard to imagine what could have happened to my little boy if there had been nobody there to help us when we needed it.  At best, he could have been brain damaged.

Quoted from Save the Children:

“No Child Born to Die

Children are dying from causes we know how to prevent or treat.

That’s why lots more doctors, nurses, midwives and community health workers are needed in the poorest countries. We can stop millions of children dying.

Our No Child Born to Die campaign has helped secure a massive increase in funding for life-saving vaccines. Now we must take the next step to ensure children don’t die simply because they are too poor to see a doctor or nurse.”

On Tuesday, Chris at Thinly spread will be at the United Nations speaking on behalf of the thousands of people denied basic healthcare.

You can help by signing the petition here.  The target is 60,000 signatures by tomorrow.

Here are my 100 words:

After six frightening days of labour and numerous trips to the hospital and back, I was finally admitted to the labour ward because my baby was getting distressed inside me. After the frantic pain of labour, the epidural was a welcome relief but I could only lie on my left side or his heart would stop beating. The monitors kept beeping and teams of doctors would rush in and out of the room. He finally decided it was time to say hello but got stuck on the way out with the cord round his neck and had to be ventouse’d.

I am tagging:  @susankmann @bubbaloves and @therealsupermum to join in and add their link to the growing list here.

Following an immensely popular first series and a chart breaking CD, The Bopps have returned for a second series. On the 27th June, The Bopps began showing the second series of their wonderfully lively sing along show for preschoolers. It’s on every day at 7.35am as part of ‘Wake up world’ on Nick Jr and includes both catchy tunes and hilarious slapstick comedy.

Stan Cullimore (former Housemartin) and Keith Littler (kids TV producer) form a terrific team on the telly and in their new series bring a more polished performance with even more laughs for the whole family. Their eye-catching costumes and bum wiggling tunes are enough to make my lively little boy sit glued to the screen, and there is not much on the telly that can do that! You can’t help but smile at their crazy antics and they are accompanied by hoards of little people helping them sing and dance and everyone seems to be having such fun. The set is a dazzling white that sets off their colourful costumes and props and focuses the attention upon the jokes and the music.

They also appeared at Lollibop, and are currently touring.

I was curious to find out more, and so I sent the Bopps some questions by email and got back some answers that made me laugh out loud. I hope that they will amuse you, too:

(KB) is Keith Bopp and (SB) is Stan Bopp:

1) Where did you first meet and what gave you the idea to create the Bopps?

(KB) We first met 11/12 years ago at my animation studio. Stan came along to consult on some music. We sat on the banks of a lake in the grounds with a mug of coffee and over the course of an hour or so became friends. The Bopps were originally going to be the band on a web based channel we were working on and was to be Stan, Mike, Jo and myself as we all played together anyway. Stan then accidentally did a deal with Nickelodeon over an enthusiastic lunch and we were on TV. You know the rest.

(SB) I can’t think of anything to add. Next question…

2) Your on screen chemistry is fantastic, you look like great friends. Do you hang out with each other off screen and go round each others houses for dinner and stuff? (If yes, bonus points for answering: who is the best cook?)

(KB) Yes we are friends off screen and we do hang out. We live 40 miles apart so it’s not like popping in for a cuppa but I guess we meet 3 or 4 times a month. Stan Bopp is the better cook by a million miles whereas I provide the matinee idol good looks and ensure that I personally eat all of the food.

(SB) I’m not sure KB knows what cooking is. He did make me go to a Macdonalds once though …

3) Are there any plans to release a dvd or mp4′s for download for people that can’t get Nick Jr?

(KB) We’re on it as I write so the answer is yes. There are one or two othersurprises planned which we’ll tip you off about shortly.

(SB) Oooh, ooh, I like surprises – what are they? Do they involve more fun stuff?

4) I always imagine childrens tv presenters turning into crusty the clown type characters once the cameras are off, lighting a fag and pouring a large whiskey. is this what happens or do you skip off happily to eat yummy cakes with the kiddies?

(KB) Ha ha. Good question but the answer is quite dull. We’re both dads (Stan Bopp is also a granddad) and we both have jobs in kid’s TV. So the boring answer is that we’re pretty vocational about entertaining kids. That’s not to say we don’t enjoy our time off!!! I gave up smoking a few years ago.

(SB) Yeah – I don’t think we change that much when we leave the studio really. And I can’t say I drink very much whisky. I do like a nice cup of tea though. Mmmmm. Might have to put the kettle on now.

5) Have you got any plans to tour the midlands?

(KB) We love performing live and discussions about how best to do that are going on right now. Promoters and theatre owners are happy enough to support tours so long as we can get bums onto seats – we’re putting some effort into doing that and hopefully 2012 will see us in the Midlands. Mum and her family are from Birmingham and Villa is my team so I shall make sure we get there

(SB) And my parents live in Birmingham – so we’d have to go somewhere near there!

hey – pop in for a cuppa!

6) Will you be appearing again at Lollibop next year? Was it tremendous fun?

(KB) Lollibop was fabulous in every way. Loved the gigs, loved meeting the kids and their families, two excellent days of sunshine and the view of the London skyline from the stage was awe inspiring. The other performers were lovely and we soon had a village atmosphere going back stage. I noticed a piece in the Guardian knocking the event which I felt was harsh – it was only the second one and these things take time to get established. We’ll be back if they’ll have us.

(SB) Even if we have to beg them?

(KB) Thanks for excellent questions – loved no. 4!

(SB) My favourite question was no.2 .. Cheers

This competition is now closed and was won by Kim.

So, if the Bopps make you laugh as much as they make us laugh, I have a competition to win a signed picture and a wonderful Nick Jr. goody bag containing art materials, dvds, toys, and much more – my son loves his. All you have to do is leave me a comment below and tell me your best joke, or a description of prank that you have played or had played on you. Remember to include your email address or twitter name so that I can contact you if you win.

For extra entries, you can:

• Follow me on networked blogs (left)
• Like Mummy Lion on facebook.

Please leave a separate comment for each method of entry with a way of contacting you if you win.

The Competition will end on the 25th September at midnight, and will be drawn using randomiser.  If I have not had a response withing three days, I will re-draw.  Entries are UK only, sorry. CLOSED

Disclosure:  I have recieved a Nick Jr goody bag too.

MuTu Wendy reckons we cant do 50 burpees. Shall we show her? Here’s my attempt. She will probably tell me off for technique, and it is quite clear at some points towards the end that I am not engaging my core (ew, wobbly tummy moments).  Have I mentioned I *hate* burpees?

Accompanied by the in the night garden tune – please do not sue me, cbeebies, it was on the telly at the same time by accident.

The camera adds half a stone, right? Not to be viewed by the feint hearted:

I liked the title of this weeks workout – I am not the kind of person who will say no to horizontally positioned activities (put that dirty mind away, I was thinking sleeping, reading or watching the telly).  I do find a good yoga breath very cleansing and uplifting but it is another one of those things that I forget to do, as life rushes by in it’s usual whirlwind fashion.

This week Wendy taught me a yoga breath to perform a few times a week that sot only makes you feel as though your body is full of fresh mountain air, but also has the added benefit of toning the pelvic floor area.It really is a lovely thing to do.

I’ve been a reasonably bad girl this week with exercise and food so it comes as no surprise that I’ve not lost any weight but I am still very happy to have a whole load of old jeans that ft me – I’ve still no worn every pair yet. Heaven!  I’ve also discovered that dancing to The Swinging Blue Jeans live in Switzerland album is a cracking alternative to skipping and jogging on the spot and can actually be better, because I lose track of time and go over the one/two minutes that I am supposed to be sweating it for.  Lovely.  Cub is not at all embarassed to have an un-coordinated Mummy lurching all over the living room to a swinging sixties vibe – he looks on with and expression of mild bemusement and wiggles his nappy-clad bum in support.

Previous weeks – the Thinking Slimmer and MuTu story:

Diet 2011 – the story so far

MuTu and Thinking Slimmer – What’s that?

Entering Week 2 with Thinking Slimmer and MuTu

Week 3 – @ThinkingSlimmer and @MuTuSystem

Week 4 – a new workout

Week 5 – in the wars

Week 6 – and breathe ……

Week 7 – The food bit

Week 8 – a look at my goals

Britmums have just started a ‘what’s in your handbag‘ meme, so I thought I’d take the opportunity totell you all about my beautiful new bag-friend

Recently I have heard a lot of people singing the praises of the Mia Tui handbag. As a Mum you are expected to carry lots and lots of things around with you and I had been using a very nice, but not very well organised and not very grown up cross body messenger bag. I didn’t buy a proper changing bag because they all seemed either really plain, overly girly or really babyish, so I went for a sporty number instead. I do like the cross-body style because I like to have both hands free, one for my toddler, and one for the dog/shopping/giving the v’s to people with (well, if I wasn’t so sensible these days, I would). Mia Tui make some incredible and beautiful bags but they have just brought out the Grace in addition their other beautiful bags, and I have been eagerly awaiting its release.

It came very well packaged in a nice big cardboard box and wrapped in delicious fuchsia crispy tissue paper like a very special birthday present, which it kind of was, my half-birthday to myself. I could hardly contain myself but carefully unwrapped its decadent purple snakeskin skin and gazed adoringly at its azure blue lining. At one end there is an insulated cup holder, a clip for your keys so that you are never scrabbling around for them again, at the other, a mobile phone pocket and pen holders. On the outside is a zip pocket that is the space that I actually put my mobile in, for security, and two lovely silver rings that *could* actually be used to clip even more stuff to. On each side of the bag there are generous pockets but the beauty of the Mia Tui is that as well as all this well thought out organisation, it comes with a matching clutch. Also available, and tucked inside was a larger clutch that fitted nicely in the middle pocket and two clear plastic cases for the further organisation of your essentials. After a few weeks of use, I do actually feel that it has made my life a little more organised.

The large clutch I use for my purse, hand cream, eye drops and headache tablets that I carry everywhere with me. The large plastic bag I put the nappies and wipes in. This means that if my parents are babysitting for me I can whip out the clutch to take with me and leave the rest of the equipment for them. Having the nappies separate means I could also just leave them with the nappies and take the rest of the bag with me, or, if we are going out walking, I can whip the nappies out and put them in the baby backpack really easily. Lesser used but still essential stuff is separated into the remaining pockets and bags and I can genuinely say that I have not ‘lost’ one single item in my handbag since we were united a month ago.

The only downside is that the bag is fastened by a magnet and I have stuffed the bag so full that the magnet doesn’t close, so I am walking round with the bag open. This is not really a problem for me because I drive and live in the country where pickpockets are rare, and I have attached the clutch to the key clip for extra measure, and the inside is such a gorgeous colour anyway. I think I’d prefer to see maybe a buckle or a velcro fastner rather than a magnet, so that I can close the top a bit.

But it’s gorgeous, it fits everything in and I feel all grown-up and glamorous wearing it, not to mention highly organised.

So, what IS in my Mia Tui?

A first aid kit, purse, headache pills, tampons, my car service manual, eye drops, handcream, a koo-di seat harness, a spare t-shirt and trousers for Cub, savlon antiseptic spray, 4 bear snacks, tissues, soap leaves, cotton buds, map of local beauty spot, child reins, a dongle, a bib, an emergency rain poncho, nappy bags, nappies, wipes, childs drink, sunglasses, tea bags, salt sachets, 3 pens and a sharpie, a torch, some sparklers, a lip stain, safety pins, a notepad, and of course my mobile phone.

And better still, if you want one of these gorgeous bags, you can get 10% of if you use the code in the advert to the left!!

I paid for my Mia Tui.