Double Trouble Delight

It is so hard to get photos of both the children at the same time. I usually don't bother, but was in the mood to perservere yesterday and I had a lot of success.

The other two photos are just nice.





This is where I am going for the weekend, http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/ and my friends from the crew days will be the welcome recipients of my muffins! I have worked at the festival for several years now, and this will be my first year in ages as a punter. It is going to be strange, but lovely to actually enjoy the festival for once.

We missed last year as Jas was so young, and hard work at the time. It was awful not being there, really, really awful. So, I am glad to be back, the weather looks good, and there will be lots to do. Woohoo for the August Bank Holiday. I wouldn't be anywhere else.

More Blackberry fun

I used my friend Lindyloo's Muffin and Cupcake book to make Blackberry Muffins.

They look superb. Unfortunately I haven't eaten them yet, as I am going away tomorrow, and I am taking them with me, for all my friends, so I'll update on that then!

Here are a couple of pics

Lindyloo, the recipe is on page 161 and 179! I didn't put lemon zest in. Let us hope it doesn't ruin them!

Blackberry and Apple Mess!

The children enjoyed their puddings the other day! They made such a mess. My dad has a picture of me at about Oscar's age, covered in it from head to foot. I shall try and scan it when I can to compare the mess!

The last pic is a token pic of Oscar, since he didn't get as messy as his sister!

Scavenging, Free food, and no food miles

I decided to go and pick some blackberries before the weekend. It was very therapeutic and it was free, picked by me and only from across the road.

Sadly, our apples aren't quite ready yet so I used two from our veg box and stewed them together for about 20 mins, with some sugar. It is DELICIOUS. I gave some Jas and the mess was superb. I have pics, and I will upload them when I am on the other PC.

My other little success was picking up some plums from a tree that hangs over the alleyway next to our house. I literally picked some off the floor. Cleaned them, stoned them and then did as above with a teeny bit of water and sugar. It was surprisingly good. I did try picking some off the trees, but they were just too high. I'm so pleased it worked though. I just need to find some interesting things to cook with all the fruit I'm going to pick over the next few weeks!

There are so many blackberries that go to waste, and yet you can buy them in the supermarket for £2. Now, maybe that is a business opportunity missed!!

Fruit, Veg and Principles

Today I planned to go to an Allotment Fruit and Veg Sale. Sadly, it was a little bit too popular so there was hardly anything left by the the time got there! We did buy a marrow, some apples and then some hastily picked shallots! And all the money went to charity.

I'm getting really into ethical, and enviromental eating, if that is a term! I am trying to buy local produce, avoid the supermarkets, and eat "happy" food. It does work out a tiny bit expensive, but the quality we get these days is great. I'm debating whether to try an avoid supermarkets for a whole month. It will be a little difficult, and will take a bit of effort, but I know it is possible. My first thing is to avoid Tesco. I disapprove of the monopoly they have over the UK. So, we'll see how I go. The veg sale today was supposed to be start! Back to the drawing board on that one, then!!

My dream is to have fruit and veg growing in our great garden. I just don't know if I can manage it, as my life is so busy with children, house, study etc. Perhaps I need to prioritise it, and get some ground ready to plant things in the autumn.

I want to get a good blackberry bush established and perhaps some raspberries. Then some tomatoes, and a good pear tree once we have finished our extension. (next year sometime)

Vegwise I want easy stuff to start with. Perhaps some carrots, and some purple sprouting broccoli, or perpetual spinach. We'll see if I get the time. A couple of years ago I tried some radishes. I saw them sprout and then I checked them the next day some damned slugs had got the lot. Buggers.

I did manage to make some things for free with very few food miles... see next post!

Watch this space

Lovely weekend

We went to a wedding in Bishops Stortford last Friday. It was wonderful. Once we got there.

The traffic was dreadful, which must be normal for Friday afternoons in the summer, but was even worse because of people going to the V Festival in Stafford. Nice.

We arrived there after 5.5 hours, which is frankly a ridiculous length of time, considering it took us only 3.5 hours to get back the next day! The wedding reception was great. It was so nice to spend some time with old friends without the continual distraction of the children. Needless to say we got very drunk. I had a hangover (as usual) and probably blew my diet 3 times over, but it was definitely worth it.

The children stayed at their Nanny and Grandad's and they had a great time. All four of them!

Span's mum cooked a well-needed roast dinner for us. It was SO good.

Recent photos

Just a few pics of the children. The two of them with the car... I wonder if I can snip them together. Trying to get the two of them to look at the camera at the same time is impossible! Raaaah!

We went to London, as I have said, for the weekend, but since we were so busy with PTing and visiting friends, we took zero photos.

We went to some friends' new house for a BBQ which was great, despite a slight hangover. Oscar had a great time on the trains. We didn't, as it took FOREVER, and we didn't realise that the new house was only one station away from the Northern Line, until we got there. The tube is SO much easier than British Rail (or whatever it is called these days!) Not to mention cheaper, as we couldn't use our Oyster Cards on BR... My sister has explained it to me, but I still think its a fecking pain.

It was really hot, which was lovely, but now it is not. It's raining, and it doesn't look like it will stop for a while....

Potty time tales

Well, what a week. After a few diabolical attempts at potty training, I tried last week.

Tuesday I went to Teddy's and took the potty, and Oscar in pants... and he did wee after wee after wee, all on the potty. He was covered in stickers.

Then we tried tentatively on Wednesday, and again, plenty of wees. He even did a wee on the potty at the park. Now, that was a smidge embarrassing, but WHO CARES!!

On Thursday, I sent him to nursery in pants, but as expected, he only lasted an hour. He is so so busy and entertained at nursery that it is very hard for them.

Friday, we came to London, so he was in a nappy for the journey, but he did do a big wee when we stopped. And so it goes on. He has had NO wee accidents while not in nappies, since nursery. I am AMAZED. My little boy is growing up so fast! He even managed plops on the potty yesterday, which was more than a surprise! YAY.

I never thought poos would make me SO happy. :) Long may it continue.

She Walks!!

Jas took some steps yesterday evening, at about 5.30!

I just turned of the PC and took the children into the garden, and tried her walking again, and she just let go.

She then did it several times over the next hour! I am so happy.

She is more in a hurry than her brother as he didn't do it until he was 15 months! She's already into everything so I suppose its not going to make my life any more busy than it already is!!

I have a video, but I have to wait for Span to upload it for me!

Doll's House - Change of Ownership!

My parents are moving in the next few weeks, and as they are downsizing, they are getting rid of lots of stuff.

This means we get the Doll's House on permanent loan. To say I am happy is an understament! This house is one that Rebecca and I played with for years.

Oscar already loves it, Span is already doing the wiring, and it has pride of place in our living room, which really isn't big enough... but who cares! All tiny pieces have ben temporarily been removed away from hungry mouths so both children can play with it.

My friend thinks I should have Doll's housewarming party..... he he

Birthday cakes

I made two cakes for Jasmine. The chocolate one on her birthday was a last minute idea. I found a great Ganache recipe on Hannah's Country Kitchen blog (see Blogs I Read) and it worked really really well.
The second was a butterfly, for Jas's party. I loved it, but I was a bit unhappy with the buttercream icing as it was a bit too thick to spread properly. Next time I do it, I'll add water or milk to make it a bit easier to put on.
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I also thought I'd add Oz's last two cakes to show what I can do....




As I have said many times though, these cakes are made with love, and not skill. I have great ideas, but not quite the skill (or patience) to make them professionally! And my ability to actually make a non-wonky, unburnt sponge is bad at the moment. I blame the oven.... (I wish)

Jas's first birthday

We had a lovely time for her birthday. We had friends over on her actual birthday and then had a party last Saturday. We were SOOOOO lucky with the weather and we managed to actually have a barbeque with NO rain! Yay. We took several photos, needless to say, so here are some of my favourites!














Blue dress is her birthday
Light pink dress is the day after her birthday when her present arrived.. whoops
Dark pink dress is on her birthday, eating her cake.