Thursday, 15 June 2017

34 Months #TBCSmiles

The last few weeks have been full of heartbreaking events that have left the entire country stunned. In 4 weeks we've had 2 terrorist attacks and the horrific fire in London. We also had a General Election and have been left with the fallout from a minority government scrambling to maintain power. It's like the plagues descended and the UK is a bit of a mess.

I have had my own moments of despair over the last month, mainly wondering when it was we stopped caring for other people? When did humanity fail? Why would humans treat other humans so badly?

It's easy to become despondent and fearful for the future when things like this happen, but take the advice you will give your children. Most people are good, look for the helpers.

As events have unfolded it became astoundingly evident that people have realised we have the power to help. Using only our brains and what we had to hand, the most amazing things have happened.

The emergency services, pushed to their limits, are being given food and drinks by neighbours and thanked in the millions on social media for everything they do. Every time they risk their lives to help.

The people local to disasters and hospitals offering tea, phone charging, food and a bed. The taxi drivers offering free rides to get people home to their loved ones.

The donations that people will find so helpful as they try to pull their lives back together into some sort of order, to make sense of things that make no sense.

Everyone on social media passing on messages, numbers, photos, names.

The helpers number not even in thousands, but in millions. We do have a social conscience, we still care.

A post shared by Emma Murphy (@notsuchayummymummy) on

To anyone who has helped anyone else in the last month - even when it was only because someone else needed a hug or a smile - thank you from me. You are making this world a better place.

However awful this month has been, we still had over 300 #TBCSmiles shared on Instagram. Thank you for every one. I try and catch them as they appear, and I always go through them all once a month. If I miss yours please tag me as it's not intentional!

I left it to my young boys and my 17 year old daughter to choose the brightest this month. It's a very hard task and our shortlist was 42 - because it's impossible to not like a smile.

I particularly liked the bunch of happy cyclists before the start of the Timberland King Of The Mountain race....

 These smiles belong to:
susankmann : mummyandmooseblog : kidskicksandcloth

Anyone is welcome to join in, just use the hashtag #TBCSmiles on any photo with a smile! 

I collected my own smiles from my family too. We don't have so many as last month, but we have plenty and each one makes it worth it. Most of our smiles thanks to a LEGO Batman birthday, a garden Bear Hunt and a trip into Manchester to see Gangsta Granny.

If you've used the hashtag accidentally and don't want me to share your photo please let me know and I'll remove them! Some of the brightest smiles are shared here and on Instagram every 15th of the month...



  1. Gorgeous as ever. It's so nice to see some smiles, it's been a tough month for the UK. Xxx

    1. It really is lovely to see some smiles. There haven't been enough recently :)

  2. The past few weeks have been a really hard slog. Thanks for being there to chew it all over with me. Love you missus. Gorgeous smiles as always.I especially like the one where boy 4 looks like he's got a massive mane.

    1. Thank you for being there to read my rambling! Love you too xx
      Neither of them will let me cut even a centimetre off and their Dad thinks it's funny - he has got a massive mane! :D

  3. Thanks so much for including us xxx

    1. Thank you for always taking part - your family have such great adventures, even in your own garden. I love seeing your kids. I adore your blog name and you really do live up to it :)

  4. The smiles have really cheered me up - some lovely images this month :) xxx

  5. This is the best post ever. Such wonderful smiles after such a harrowing month. Although I did get to see your lovely self and give you a hug too, so this post may come in a close second. It has brought a huge smile to my face. Thanks for including us xx

