We're fast approaching the August bank holiday and already my thoughts are turning to Autumn. The harvest has started round here, and everything is taking on that warm, golden hue of late summer. Although we're still out in the garden, my imagination is turning itself back towards the house. The ...
Ruth’s honey flapjack
A while ago my mother-in-law, Ruth, gave me her recipe for honey flapjack. It's a really nice recipe that's relatively low in sugar and has a deliciously mild, subtle taste. I do love a sticky, golden-syrup laden flapjack, but sometimes you want something a little less cloying - and these fit the ...
A Children’s Playhouse
Today I'm delighted to tell you more about a lovely project I've been working on with Wayfair. My idea was to take an off-the-peg, flat-pack playhouse and turn it into something really special that the boys will treasure, year after year. You can read my full tutorial here, but I'd like to share ...
Magic Potions
The boys both enjoy playing with coloured water at school, so we thought we'd have some summer-holiday fun making magic potions. It's really fun and not too messy if you do it outside in the garden! You will need plastic bottles of various sizes. Jam jars look wonderful, but glass plus children ...
My Week
After last week's wet weather, we had a wonderful sunny weekend and we were determined to make the most of it. Remember that mystery blue paint last week? Saturday was spent finishing off a very special project I have been working on – a customised children's playhouse in collaboration ...
What we really eat #7
Welcome to another week of Monday-Friday family meals. Each week, I like to share what we really eat as a busy family with young children... Monday: Salami, pickle and swiss cheese Today was a slightly unusual dinner. I was doing a Hungry Caterpillar day with the boys and we ate this as a ...
If I could…
Last week Jocelyn, from the Reading Residence shared her 'If I could' list. I really enjoyed reading her answers and was thrilled to be tagged to have a go myself! Here goes... If I could live anywhere... It would be north Pembrokeshire, where we have enjoyed lots of happy family holidays. ...
Sun, sand and steam!
On Sunday we had a nostalgic trip to the north Norfolk coast - the perfect tonic after a rainy week. Our adventure started in Holt, on the Poppy Line railway. This is the North Norfolk steam railway which runs between Holt and Sheringham on the coast. We normally only go to Holt for the lovely ...
My favourite scone recipe
Scones are my idea of afternoon tea heaven. So much lighter and altogether yummier than a sticky cake. And if it comes with jam and cream too, then even better! I think everyone has their favourite kind of scone, don't they? I've tried lots of different recipes over the years - plain ones, tiny ...
My Week
I know it's really boring to moan about the weather but, it has been SERIOUSLY miserable this week. Torrential rain every day since Saturday - just what we all want for the first full week of the summer holidays! The jolly deckchairs have been shut indoors, and it's been so chilly that not even a ...
Very Hungry Caterpillar smoothies
Here's a fun idea for a rainy day... Gather all of the Hungry Caterpillar's favourite fruits - oranges, plums, strawberries, apples and pears - and blitz them up into a smoothie... I don't have a fancy blender, but this would be a doddle for those of you who do! Because we were using ...
What we really eat #6
Monday: Pizza and chips As you may have noticed from previous posts, Mondays are never a very inspiring day for us food-wise. The one concession to healthy eating were the lovely green beans, bought from a little honesty stall near our house. Even Tom managed to eat a few! Tuesday: Pasta ...