Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Izzy

Today Iz and I visited Dad. He has just had a hip op and can't get out. So we went to entertain, though Iz entertained more than me. She charmed him with her "pleases" and impressed him with her count up to 6. She isn't overly chatty with other people but today she was top form.
However, she did let it slip in Pizza Hut by crying and running round, however a balloon soon sorted it out. She hasn't let go of the balloon until bedtime.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Per Chriatmas clear out.

Much to the childrens dismay, we are attempting a clear out before the Father Christmas arrives.
The though of getting rid of anything has already sent Penny into tears. James is asking how much we can sell stuff for and can he keep the money and can he sell his sisters stuff (at least he wasn't trying to sell his sisters). Izzy hasn't a clue. So you can bet it will be her stuff with get the chop.
I've already make a start by passing a few larger baby toys to a friend with year old twins. The wooden train set was going but when we brought it down this happened.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Izzy

Izzy is starting to play nicely and entertainer herself a bit more. Here she is looking after doll, she feeds it, pops it to bed with a blanket and teddy. When it crys she gives it a cuddle and a dummy. She just needs to stop carrying it round by the foot.

Friday, September 15, 2017

8 reason why I think my son is addicted to minecraft.



James over the holiday has become obsessed with the blocky world of minecraft.

1. It is the first thing he asks for in the morning and when he get out of school.

2. When he isn't minecrafting he is on You Tube watching Stampy's world.

3. If the conversation isn't minecraft related, then it isn't worth the effort to talk.

4. Stroppyness and moods happens if we take the tablet away.

5. Toy are beginning to feed to be neglected.

6. Minecraft birthday party is already planned, along with minecraft cake. He birthday is in February.

7. He laughs insanely and has an evil glint, when he kills poor little animals running around his world.

8. My lovely little boy is turning into a rather rude, unhelpful creature. Time to nip it in the bud.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Treacle Gingerbread Loaf Recipe

Dark, sweet, spicy cake. Delicious with a cup of tea.

Very quick and easy to do, it also ideal as I don't have to buy anything special and all the stuff is in the cupboard. I did make this with Izzy, but probably won't in future as it using masses of black treacle and everything including Iz got a bit sticky.

This is ideal for Penny, she is lactose intolerance, is has no butter in it and can use her special milk.


Treacle Gingerbread Loaf.

185g Plain flour
110g Self Rasing Flour
1 tbsp Ginger
3 tsp mixed spice
250g black treacle (or normal treacle/syrup)
185ml milk
80ml olive oil (I use sunflower)
2 eggs

Mixed all dry ingredient in a large bowl. Mix all the wet ingredient in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together. The mixture is quite a sloppy mix. Place into a well greesed and papered loaf tin.
Bake at 180 for 40 minutes, after 40 mintues stick a knife in the middle if it comes out sticky bake for another 10 mintues until the knife comes out clean.

Yummy.

Monday, September 11, 2017

Bargain Dress

Found this beautiful dress on a local bidding facebook page. I love it. Only cost me £3 and it still had the tags on.
Only problem is I sent a pic of it to my sister who then informs me she has exzctly the same one. Typical.

Saturday, September 09, 2017

70th birthday cake, part 2

This morning I iced the cake in fondant. I think the half marg, half butter worked. The buttercream crumb coat had harden nicely and the cake seemed much more stable than the last few I have made. The findant went on smoothly. I alway have a job transfering the iced cake to the board without leaving fingerprints and dents.

I was going to cut out some music notes but as time wasn't on my side, I painted some on. I was also hoping I could make the guitar stand up but it broke. Just a 70 to plonk on the top when I get to Dads and some candles and it will be done.

Friday, September 08, 2017

70th Birthday cake. Part 1.

Dad is 70 on Saturday so to celebrate I've made him a birthday cake. I alway find it tricky as to what to put on a mans cake, but this time I have an idea which hopefully will be quite simple to do.

Part 1 Make the cake.

Iz and I set to make a basic Victoria sponge.
It true bake off style the first one when wrong and we have to start over. With Iz helping chaos ensued and she caused more work tidying up, but she enjoyed mixing and licking.



2. Making decorations.

So I'm going with a music theme as Dad plays the guitar. I printed out a few outlines of guitars and cut it into parts to cut round. I'm doing this with the hope it will dry for tomorrow and I can assemble it. I have also done a few in case I break them. 


3. Crumb coating.

So once the cake is sandwiched with Strawberry jam and buttercream a layer of buttercream is spread on the top and sides. This is where I go wrong. As I tend to use Penny lactose free marg my buttercream often ends up to soft and sloppy and the cake slides under the fondant as it doesn't harden. This time I have made it half butter and half marg and will leave it to set over night before I icing it.

That's about all I can do today. 


Thursday, September 07, 2017

Allotment goodies


While the kids have been off school the allotment has been abandoned. However, the other day we when down and rooted through the weeds and found a huge haul of goodies. The freezer is now full of runner beans, which the kids don't like.

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

5 Things I'm going to do this school year.....


1. Empty their book bags out each evening and bin the rubbish and actually read the letters.

2. Organise school wear the night before, including schools, so the mad scramble to find missing items does not happen.

3. Sent consent forms back the next day and write the dates on the calender, rather than serching through the dump drawer.

4. Aim to leave 5 minutes early so arrive to school and a calm manner rather then running thought the gates and throwing them in to school,

5. To make use of the time qhile they are in school and now sit drinking coffee, while on facebook and watching This Morning.


Tuesday, September 05, 2017

Back to School

After 6 weeks of Summer fun, the kids are heading back to school. Penny is starting reception and James is heading into Year 2.
Penny has been excited about school all Summer, mostly because she gets to have her lunch there and to see Ruth. James, not so much. Penny went straight in holding hand with her friend without so much as a look back. James, however was teary and clingly, so was pushed in by me. It feels mean, but if I had fussed it would only have made him worse. He is normally fine within 5 mins but even though I know this it does stop me thinming about how he is getting on for most of the day.
Both Iz and I will miss them both. Roll on October Hols.

Monday, September 04, 2017

Bingley Music Live 2017

Fantastic weekend. Only just unloaded the car. Here are a few pics from the weekend. The theme was blue.