Fair Maids of February

Snowdrops @ Welford Park

Friday I went out with a friend for a child free visit to our local snowdrops.  They we're amazing.  It was a very misty day, so unfortunately my photo doesn't do them justice.  I have to say I did feel a little guilty as usually I take the children, who have great fun running around & we always end the day in the Old Laundry Room for tea & cake! We must have looked like we were lacking 'something' as instead of our children we adopted a lovely old man who walked around with us sharing all of his knowledge about the park & the snowdrops, which he informed us had been growing there for 600 years!

We still managed to end our visit with a good gossip over tea & a lovely slice of victoria sponge in the Old Laundry Room.

I'm now looking forward to the Bluebells which grow around us in abundance but they are not for a while.  Does anyone know of any good daffodil displays in the Wiltshire/Gloucestershire area to keep me going?

Love is ........

Loving Ellie to pieces!

Cooking dinner for old friends

Hearing your kids squeal with delight when they find their favourite sweets on Valentine's Day - Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans!!!!

Snuggling up with your bestest friend - even if you don't quite fit!

Muddy Boys & Yorkshire Puddings

Today we watched the kids sliding around in rugby, their little hands red raw from the rain & freezing wind.  They had to strip down in the car to their underpants, with the heating on full blast for the journey home.

We lit the fire & ran hot baths so everyone could warm up.  The plan for the rest of the day - hot chocolate, comfort foods & the Ireland v France game.

Daddy did us all proud & made the most delicious roast dinner - with his giant yorkshire pudding.

Daddy's Yorkshire Pudding Recipe

For 6:
4 large eggs
Equal quantity of milk to eggs
Equal quantity of plain flour to eggs
Pinch of salt

Heat oven to 225 degrees (C).
Pour eggs and milk into large mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt.
Whisk thoroughly (electric whisk works best).
Gradually add flour, while whisking, until you get a cream consistency. Not too runny, but not as thick as double cream, say. Make sure there's no lumps.
Leave to stand for a good 30 minutes or more.
Pour some rapeseed oil (or whatever takes your fancy) in a good sized bread tin - that one was something like 35 cm by 20 cm - you can use individual yorkshire trays or a couple of smaller cake tins, but we like a giant pudding! Slap it in the oven to get the oil/fat really hot.
(Some people now add a little water to the mix just before pouring in, but we don't).
Pour batter in tin and stick it in the oven for 20 minutes as quick as you can - that was filled to around half an inch depth. Don't open the oven to check half way!

Simple.

And don't forget the gravy....

Little Love with Sprinkles On

Today my eldest son was home alone with me after school, the other two were on a play date.  We don't get one to one time very often so I asked him what he'd like to do when he got home - BAKE he said.

Bless his little heart, he baked fairy cakes for his brother's & sister's lunchboxes.

It's also just dawned on me that Valentine's Day is just around the corner & I think my children would really appreciate it if we celebrated the day in some way.  I completely failed with Chinese New Year which is such a shame as there are so many cute things we could've done with 'Year of the Bunny' much better than 'Year of the Rat'!

So, I'm now frantically planning something for Valentine's.  I think I might make them all fudge & wrap it in cellophane with ribbon. Maybe a Valentine Treasure Hunt....... what will you do?

Save Our Forests & Libraries!!!

Please read this article on Emma Bradshaw's site & sign the petition here if you haven't already.

O's Turned 7

Today my middle child turned 7!  He has been so excited.  He's been counting down the days since before Christmas.

Last year we decided to put birthday parties on hold for a while in favour of special family days. So far it's working really well.  O gets to choose his favourite things to do as it's his birthday, so for O's birthday weekend:

• O took a basket of chocolate mice to school for his class friends to enjoy.
• O blew out his candles on his cake (thank you Little Green Shed for the inspiration to make this cake from Nigella!)

• O opened his presents - his favourite present was his magic wand from here.

• O went with his family to Jamie's restaurant for his favourite meal - pasta!!!!

Image - Jamie's

• O went bowling with his Daddy.

A Place for Thoughts, Lists & Ramblings

image - Dottie Angel

No sooner do I finish tapping away my last entry & up pops a lovely new entry from Dottie Angel.  Notebooks!!!! How perfect for me 'the lover of lists'.  So as a treat I have just ordered a little trio of these charming, or as Dottie would say 'handy dandy notebooks'.  Now the joy of deciding what lists to put in them.  Any suggestions?