Saturday Morning

Good morning! Ah, blue skies, how we have missed you! A bright and early start for the Little Man and I, we have enjoyed a few hours of peace and quiet, happy in each other’s company.

In honour of the imminent arrival guests, I decided to embark upon a spot of morning cleaning with my little helper in tow.

Dusting is a rare enough event in this house to be noteworthy. Although I do not often feel compelled to remove the layer of fluff from my ornaments (after a couple of weeks it doesn’t get any worse anyway, does it?!) I do enjoy the end results. It will make me smile everytime I look at these gleaming shelves full of prettiness over the next few days.

Sweet as it is, I am not wholly sure that the Little Man is of great help in these situations. Now he is mobile his reach is rather impressive. Indeed it is rather alarming to see those chubby hands reach out and grab a precious trinket but oh so adorable when I look at his face light up with pride. ‘I’ve got it, mommy!’ He loves the dresser (why would I not want him to play with a cupboard full of cut glass, china and booze?!) and we have to keep a chair in front of the door to deter his curiousity.

Once the household chores were over, we spent a bit of quiet time together.

The Little Man is obsessed with books. From a young age we shared at least one story a day. Before he was mobile, we used to read during nappy off time on his change mat, primarily to keep his hands out of the way, but now he will happily sit on my lap whilst we read together.

Books are also a favourite choice for the Little Man when he is playing alone and he will spend ages carefully working through the pages, staring at the pictures and jabbering away as he reads them.

It is now mid morning and I find myself now sitting on the sofa, looking around our home and feeling an overwhelming sense of contentment. How lucky I am.

Wishing you peace and happiness this weekend, x

Magic Moments 9/52

Greetings one and all. Okay, I know, this post is 3 weeks late but, as I said yesterday, I shall complete the 52 Weeks of Happy challenge, even if I do get a little behind occasionally. If you have forgotten where it all began, then check out my first Magic Moments post from January here.

 Do you remember the fancy meal that we enjoyed for my mom’s 60th birthday? (If not, see here for a reminder!) Well my dad’s birthday is in March so we decided to repeat the experience. As we had an offer for February the celebration was a little early but we didn’t let that bother us and it was all good fun! It was a doubly momentous evening as it was also the first time that we had left the Little Man with a ‘baby sitter’. My dear friend very kindly offered her services so, at 7 o’clock, I fed and placed him in his travel cot before slipping out. We had a wonderful evening, fabulous food and good company. When we got back the Little Man was still snoozing happily, bless him. Since a new born he has been used to being transported during the night so he had no problem resettling when we returned home. Such a special Friday evening but lovely to be back home with my baby!

Making the most of the weekend with another offer (we are saving the pennies at the moment!). We enjoyed a family outing, this time to the bowling alley. It was particularly memorable as I scored 100 in the first game which is a personal best. So proud! The Little Man also had a merry time with all the lights and noise, although he was desperate to take a trip down the alley himself.

Sometimes it’s the simple pleasures in life that are the best – a bowl juicy blackberries and natural yoghurt. Delicious. Okay, they’re not in season in Britain but these were reduced in the local shop and the Little Man does love his fruit.

Afternoon snack time with the Little Man. Our weekends together are so precious and I love sitting at the table with him as he chatters away merrily over his food. He is such wonderful company and is changing and developing all of the time. So precious.

Will be back with my next Magic Moments post soon. xxx

Spring Snow

Greetings - Happy Spring! How are you all? Oh I have missed being here. Since my return to work the weeks have passed by in a blur.

Rather like this photo, life appears to have become a little fuzzy as the days disappear at lightning speed and I am rushing hither and thither, not sure what to make of it all.

On top of all that the weather here is putting us all in a tizz – green shoots were appearing, daffodils are all around then this. Ridiculous!

However I am trying to make the best of it and not let the grey skies get us down. If there is one thing that I am sure of right now it is that every moment of family time is precious and I am determined to make the most of it.

Yes, the ground is wet and slushy, the wind is biting and the sky is grey when it should be turning blue but there is always beauty to be found and fun to be had.

Yesterday we braved the unseasonal chill to take a short stroll in a local park. The Little Man is feeling a little delicate at the moment (snotty nose and teething, again!) and fresh air and a change of scene was just what the doctor ordered.

The landscape was rather monochrome but there was a brief splash of colour to be found on this moss covered tree. We ambled gently, enjoying the quiet stillness of the area whilst the Little Man looked out excitedly for dogs bounding about the place (dog walkers seemed to be the only other people battling the weather).

It was only a short excursion but fun was had by all. I took the handy excuse of carrying the Little Man to abstain from the snowball fights but we watched happily as the others hurled icy lumps through the air.

We ended with a trip to the play area. The Little Man was not quite sure what to make of being dumped unceremoniously in a pile of snow but he did enjoy a go on the swings and a bounce on the see-saw. Very simple but precious memories to be treasured as we dive back into another hectic week.

I am so sorry to have gotten behind on my Magic Moments. Determined as I am to keep it going throughout the year I know that I have to take things as they come at the moment and not let everything get on top of me. The photos are sitting waiting for me and I shall get around to compiling the posts as soon as possible.

I hope to be back very soon. Wishing you all a Merry Monday!

A Sunny Saturday

 

Evening all! I hope you have had a lovely weekend. We’ve been enjoying a bout of beautiful weather, bright sun and blue skies, giving hope that Spring is just around the corner. Above is the rather lovely view that I came home to this evening – soft, hazy light causing the surface of the water to shimmer and shine.

Saturday was a particularly spectacular day – dazzlingly blue skies with a sun that gave off real heat. Now I am back at work, it is even more important to make the most of our valuable family time. I have decreed that we must have at least one proper outing at a weekend. This week we chose a trip to the park to soak up the rays and get a healthy dose of Vitamin D.

We set up camp and brought out a quick picnic.

My Picnic Scone is becoming a firm favourite for such outings – quick, easy and transportable and the Little Man loves it! This time I decided to make a courgette version:

In a bowl put 200g self raising flour, 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda, and 1 heaped tsp each of paprika, rosemary and Dijon Mustard.

Add a small courgette, grated, and snip in 10 black olives.

Stir in 100g natural yoghurt and stir to combine.

Form into a ball and place on a lightly greased baking tray.

Flatten slightly, cut into wedges/chunks and sprinkle liberally with rosemary and grated cheese.

Bake at 200 °C for 20 – 25 mins. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

I even splashed out and made pudding – Microwaved Rhubarb Steam Sponge.

The method was based on this Pineapple Upside Down Cake that can be found on the rather  sweet Old Fashioned Values cookery site. Instead of pineapple I chopped 200g of rhubarb and a cooking apple, added 50g of sugar and microwaved it until soft. Placing this in the bottom of a buttered Pyrex bowl, I then made the sponge mixture (with the addition of a good tsp of mixed spice) and poured it over. It was a marvellous recipe – 10 minutes and you have a delicious dessert.

After lunch we spent a while enjoying the weather, lounging on the grass and being entertained by the Little Man who was chattering away merrily, whizzing about the place and demonstrating his walking prowess (he needs still needs to hold your fingers but can move his legs confidently on his own ).

We finally managed to drag ourselves up and enjoyed a stroll through the park.

I loved light filtering through the trees.

The afternoon ended with a cheeky (and probably unnecessary!) ice-cream. Afterall, what’s a picnic in the park without a Mr Whippy?!

Magic Moments – 8/52

This week seems to have been full of light and colour, probably helped by plenty blue skies. As the germs were banished we grabbed the opportunity to get out there and make the most of the February sun. So here’s what I was enjoying last week:

Ah, the sight of freshly laundered towels blowing on the line. Makes my heart sing! I told you before about my new toy, my tumble drier (here), but nothing beats hanging things outside to dry.

Beautiful fabrics brightening my day. These were purchased to cover the cupboards in my new classroom and are now bringing a bit of colour into the room and making it feel more my own.

A touch of decadence with a box of Indian sweets. I limited myself to two days in school over half-term to try and get my new classroom straight and my lovely mother came in to help. Afterwards we went to purchase the fabric above. Whilst there we popped into the shop next door and she treated us to a selection of barfi. Made from sugar and condensed milk these are pure indulgence!

Finally, a chilly picnic on a family day out to Wightwick Manor. Choc full of exquisite Pre-Raphaelite and Arts and Craft pieces this mock Tudor house was a fascinating place to visit. We shall definitely have to go again when the gardens are in full bloom and the light does the facade justice. Relaxing and enjoying each other’s company, we had a wonderful time.

Magic Moments – 7/52

Hello! How are you? Health seems to have returned to the household and I am glad to report that we are all back in good spirits. Unfortunately the sickiness meant that I just wanted to curl up and hide away so this post is obviously rather late – I am only just squeezing it in before next week’s magic moments are due! – but I am determined to keep up the challenge all year. So here are my happy moments for week 7:

Ah, blue skies, how happy have I been to see the return of the sun this week. My lovely sister, Isobel, came to visit the Little Man so we all took a turn around the lakes to blow the cobwebs away. The break in the clouds gives hope that Spring is around the corner but, do not be deceived, it is cold out there!

Breakfast in bed and a lie in thanks to my wonderful husband. I always wake up at 7 to feed the Little Man and it is such a luxury to be able to hand him over to my hubby and snuggle back down occasionally. It’s the little things that make me feel so lucky to have him and our lovely family.

New bath toys! I spied these when out shopping and could not resist. The Little Man loves bath time and it is well established in our nighttime routine – dinner, bath, feed then bed. Even when we are out and about we try to still give him a little splash about.

This photograph is to signify home and the comfort it brings. It represents every time I’ve looked down at my precious Little Man this week and felt overwhelming love and happiness. So many magic moments when he is around.

Enjoy your magic moments this weekend. x

Popping In

Evening all, I am just popping in to say hello and apologise for the lack of action round here at the moment. The Little Man is much better now and back to his usual, cheeky self. We barely had time to recover, however, until I found myself rather incapacitated. Whether I have been ill or whether I am finding it difficult to manage my stress related to returning to work has not yet been established but, oh my, have I been knocked for six! Needless to say, Friday went smoothly in the end (with the exception of my wanting to curl up under a rock). Little Man enjoyed his day at nursery and, within five minutes of entering the building, it was as if I had never left.

I’m sorry, I cannot write more now as my mind is mush but I hope to be back tomorrow, fighting fit, with last week’s Magic Moments.

Shrove Tuesday

Hello, hello, hello! So, Shrove Tuesday is here again so pancakes are once again on the menu (not quite on the scale of my Pancake Party, but still). We enjoyed Summer Fruit Scotch Pancakes as the Little Man prefers them to crêpes. He had them with fruit and yoghurt but we couldn’t resist a bit of ice-cream and toffee sauce. Yum.

Just a quick post today as illness has struck the household so I am tired! The poor Little Man is suffering somewhat with a cold so is rather off-kilter, even going off his food (shock horror!). A late night, regular wake ups and a final wake-up call of 6 means we’re both in need of a few more zzzzs tonight.

I hope to be back soon with an update of hooky happenings around here.

Magic Moments – 6/52

Greetings one and all, I hope this post finds you well and happy. As you can see, the snow returned again last night. This is not the thick covering we had a few weeks ago (see here) but rather English snow – grey and slushy, the sort that just makes you cold and damp.

Things have not been dull in our little lives, however, so there have been no shortage of simple pleasures that have made my week a happy one. Before I begin though, I noticed when scrolling though my previous ‘Magic Moments‘ posts that, at the beginning, I credited where I got the idea from but not where it originated.

The inspiration for the 52 weeks challenge came from Jen over at Little Birdie, so go and visit her lovely blog to see where it all began.

Without further ado, let’s see what has been making me happy this week…

On Thursday we enjoyed a wonderful visit to Birmingham Sealife Centre. The Little Man and his friend put their new found mobility to good use, inspecting the tanks eagerly and playing merrily in the soft play area whilst my friend and I marvelled at the rich array of sea creatures on display. The soft light and water made the whole experience incredibly relaxing whilst the vibrant colours of the fish and coral were a feast for the eyes.

Ah, the simple things are often the most important. My mother has become the proud owner of a new washing machine and tumble drier and kindly gifted the old models to me and my sister. My general standard of housekeeping is pretty low but one job I do enjoy is the laundry (this does not include ironing – life is too short). Since losing my second bedroom to the Little Man, however, I have been struggling to keep on top of it over Winter. I am therefore incredibly grateful to my lovely parents for their generosity.

Enjoying a Tequila Sunrise with friends. This weekend was so special as we travelled to Southport to enjoy a ‘Come Dine’ experience (a Tex Mex feast) with former colleagues. Even though people have moved away and we all teach at different schools it is amazing that we can still meet up regularly and it’s like we’ve never been apart.

Was it wet? Yes.
Was it cold? Yes.
Is it the middle of Winter? Yes but we were at the beach and it just has to be done! (Incidently, the beach in question was Crosby Beach where we went to see Antony Gormley’s ‘Another Place‘ – a series of lifesize metal men running along 2 km of the coastline and out to sea. It was a wonderful opportunity to see this piece of artwork in the flesh, emerging dramatically from the water as the tide receded, although it has to be said that the Little Man did not enjoy the experience!)

A Pancake Party

Greetings all. After an extremely grey day I was excited to see the clouds part as evening fell. Grabbing my camera, I ran across the road to capture the golden light.

Unfortunately, by the time I arrived, the sun had already disappeared but the sky was beautiful nonetheless.

May I begin by thanking you for your kind coments on my last post. I am feeling better today, though still enjoying the odd slice of cake for comfort.

This was the end of Saturday’s Chocolate Cola Cake. Always a crowd pleaser I love this recipe – cheap and easy but the results are superb. As I don’t drink fizzy pop I keep a bottle of flat cola in the pantry just for this cake! The topping is fantastic but, sticking to my resolution to try new recipes, I chose to make a toffee frosting for a change. This turned out to be a stroke of inspiration as it was not quite so rich as the usual icing.

Saturday’s baking was not just for fun. The cake was to be the final course at my ‘Pancake Party’. The idea was simple – food would all revolve around the theme of pancakes. ‘So what did we have?’ I hear you cry.

There were:

Blinis covered with soured cream and topped with a basil leaf and Parma ham.

Mini Yorkshire puddings (baked in a fairy cake tray) filled with horseradish mash and finished with chipolatas.

Crêpes stuffed with salmon and spinach. In fact, these were so good that I feel I must share the recipe:

Mix flaked salmon with a white sauce flavoured with Dijon mustard and dill.
Place spinach leaves and the fish mixture down the centre of a crêpe, roll up then sprinkle with Parmesan or any other grated cheese).
Bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes. (They can be made in advance then heated before serving).

Incidently, if you substitute fried mushrooms for the fish and flavour with paprika rather than dill these make a tasty vegetarian dish.

Anyway, back to the party. As well as savoury pancakes we had piles of blueberry scotch pancakes and crêpes. Over these we drizzled sugar, lemon, toffee sauce, sugar sprinkles, chocolate curls and ice-cream.

Delicious!

It was a marvellous evening and great fun was had by all. I am quite taken with the idea of cooking around a theme and feel that I shall have to organise another gathering soon. Any ideas for a theme?

Abigail x