The summer is fading and September is going to be a busy month. Before I pull up my socks and face it head-on, I'd like to indulge in a little summer nostalgia. This was the summer... ...I went punting for the first time. How did it take me 31 years to get round to this? It was the ...
Pembrokeshire Promise
We're just back from another week at our favourite spot in north Pembrokeshire. As ever, it was a great week. Staying by such a dramatic coastline is such a change for us - it's invigorating, exciting and refreshing. I've missed my blog, but it's been wonderful to have a break from technology. A ...
It’s time for the playroom to grow up a bit…
With the arrival of a new piano, we're currently making some changes in our playroom. It's always been a second sitting room, with a big squashy sofa and lots of room for playing. Just lately though, it's been becoming a bit unloved and unused. And the more unloved it becomes, the messier it gets. ...
A few of my kitchen essentials
Aside from the obvious things like tea spoons, kettles and knives – here's some of the things I can't live without in the kitchen... Cast Iron casserole dish This gets used at least once a week. It's great for soups, casseroles, mince - anything really. I've even used it for jam! It's so ...
My favourite chicken casserole recipe
This is my absolute favourite chicken casserole. It's really simple to make. Here's how... Ingredients: 400g chicken breast, cut into pieces 2 leeks, chopped into thick rings about 4 carrots, chopped into chunky pieces 400g can of butter beans 1 pint of hot chicken stock (I use ...
My Week
This week has been all about ticking things off lists, with a little bit of musical excitement thrown in too... On Monday both boys had their feet measured for new school shoes. Gabriel also needed new casual shoes, so it was an expensive outing! I was relieved, though, to be able to buy ...
How to cope on a long car journey with kids
We love our annual trips to Wales, but it does involve an eye-watering six and a bit hours in the car with my two boys. It's always, always, worth it when we get there, but here are a few things I've learnt along the way... 1. Plan where to stop Planning is key. We like to make a list of good ...
A Mark Hearld-inspired mantelpiece
Today I'd like to show you how I've been using Mark Hearld's clever art cards to add character to a mantelpiece or shelf... I absolutely love Mark Hearld's work, and though I'm yet to afford any large artworks, I love to collect his 3D cards which are available for under £5. I have several of ...
A mini camping adventure…
Last year I finally got over my fear of camping and we invested in a family tent. We went on a few trips and the boys loved it. This year we've been really busy and the timings just haven't worked out as well for camping. Whenever the weather's been good, we've been busy. Maybe there's also ...
When you have black bananas…
We often end up with lots of black, over-ripe bananas. They sit looking at me reproachfully until I do something with them. My favourite way to use them up is to make banana muffins, which the boys love for breakfast or snacks. My best-ever recipe for banana muffins comes from Susan ...
My Week
This week has flown by in a flash. Suddenly we're more than halfway through the summer holidays. How did that happen? We haven't even bought new school shoes yet! On Saturday we had a really fun day buying a new kitchen table from our local auction. It was a bit of a spur of the moment decision. ...
Talk to me about dogs, please
I'm inching ever closer to making a decision on getting a puppy. I've been mulling it over for some time now, and the positives are finally beginning to outweigh the negatives. I've always been a dog lover and I'd like my children to grow up around animals. Although I like to moan about the ...