11.03.13 | SUNNY WEEK // PART ONE

We have just spent the past week in Cornwall and to say it was blissful to not be rushing about like a nutter for a whole week is obviously a massive understatement. As always, we tend to visit Cornwall out of season and this time we were so lucky with the weather - it was amazing & pretty much sunny every single day bar one. It's almost impossible to believe that the kids were on the beach in T-shirts just 3 days ago yet I look out of my window now and it's SNOWING! What the hell is that?! I thought Spring had sprung?! Will this winter ever end? Was last week our 'summer'? Are we in next winter already?! Waaaaaaah.

Anyway enough (again) of my moaning about the good old English winter (should i just change this to a weather blog and be done with it?) - here's what our awesome SUNNY Cornish week looked like...

We started off at a family wedding in North Devon where we all dressed awkwardly posh, smiled for some pics, drank some wine and clapped and laughed at some speeches. You don't need a breakdown of a wedding? Oh. 

Well, like all good weddings, it was a lovely day and the food was out of this world!

Even India did well sitting (kind of) listening to the speeches. She even laughed & clapped in all the right places which was super cute! (If i was doing that 52 project thingamabob then this would be India's for this week - awww)

Whilst we were in Hirstacombe, I begrudgingly went to see Verity. I'm still not convinced it's a good thing (I can hear my sister rolling her eyes at me from here). Anyway, I'm kind of glad i don't have to look at her every day.

I'd much rather glance in the other direction at this...

We then headed up to the cottage we regularly rent in Cornwall. We've been going since Flo was a toddler and this was our second time taking Indi. All three of them LOVE it, but then it is worthy of an amazeballs award.

This is part of our view. No biggie? Total biggie. I normally look out of my window and see my neighbours opposite.

Have you been to Crackington Haven? The beach is so good for kiddos.

We took a trip to Newquay Zoo. (The penguins are always my best bit) and then up to Polzeath on the way back to Crackington. Dexy & Flo did some rock climbing & it took everything in my being not to scream "be careful, get down" every 2 minutes. 

So I just did it every 5 instead. What? Falling down on rocks can hurt!!

It's fair to say that the colour of the rocks at Polzeath are amazing! Look purple & green rocks!

I'll be back later (more likely tomorrow) with part two! Can you wait? Can you?!? I understand this is the blog equivalent of sitting through someones family snaps, so feel free to come back in a couple of days when I'll be back to rattling on about how cold I am, or how hungry I am or how much I love tacos...

08.03.13 | FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE

> After the week i'm currently living, i need to be able to do this at home!
> Have you been to been to Croyde? We had a family wedding at the thatch this past weekend & my husband did declare it was the best roast dinner he has ever eaten!
> I finally decided on this dress!
> If you're ever in North Cornwall, you MUST eat at least one meal at elements.  I had the lobster spaghetti - bliss.
> I'm pretty smitten with The Lennings especially this cover.
> I love this etsy find.
> It was nice to virtually wander around here! I still heart The Selby...
> If i could I so so would. Probably a little too often!
> After seeing teasers on Instagram, i could not wait for this from Elsie.... AMAZING!
> I wonder...

Have a good weekend! Happy Mothers Day x

02.03.13 | FLO'S CRAFT PARTY

Last weekend saw Flo's craft party that we had been planning together for weeks! Since her birthday falls on Valentines day, she wanted a Valentines themed party - craft style! Now, I am by no means the crafting type. Don't get me wrong, I know my way around a sewing machine (because my mum forced me to take G.C.S.E textiles telling me enthusiastically that I could make all my own clothes when I grew up - yeah nice one mother!) but crafting on the whole is just not my thang. I tried to convince myself that I enjoyed it a couple of years back and i think i actually made a friend of mine a doorstop full of rice (pah! you know you want of those) and I also made Flo a bag but I'll admit that I ran out of steam fairly quickly when it comes to my whole crafting fad. 

Anyway, when a doe eyed Flo asks you for a craft party then a craft party she damn well gets, even if you know deep down that it could quite possibly finish you off! The way I got round having a complete mental flip out though was to try and be super organised and make all the kits before hand. So i did. All 48 of them. Oooo check me out...

from top to bottom:

hanging felt owls // whirlybirds // cupids arrows // bracelets // gingerbread // hair slides // party bags

All eight girls had a blast - one declaring "this is the best party i've EVER been to Flo" and another taking all her goodies in for show & tell on Tuesday morning. Now how cute is that?!

So it seems it was a success in the end and who knows, I may even let India have one of these when she's bigger (but you can't hold me to that as I wrote that last line with my fingers crossed behind my back...)!

*thanks to my lovely cousin Jasmine for helping out and for being on hand with the camera when the birthday cake came out!!

01.03.13 | FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE

1. The pic above is from some party popcorn I made - recipe to follow...
2. I met up with some lovely peeps this week and you can read about it here, here, here and here!
3. I made my own version of this chimichurri last night! It was gooooooood.
4. Do you blaze? I've just started blazin'
5. Woah, who remembers these?!!
6. I'm desperate to try this place out next week. Nom.
7. She had me at spinach...
8. This! Somewhere! Please!
9. Coconut oil cookies? You may.
10. Well, of course ;)

Have a good one! Eat a taco! x

28.02.13 | A DAY FOR NEW FRIENDS

On Monday of this week, I was lucky enough to join the very lovely Fritha, Abi and Nell for a day out at the Thermae Spa. I've lived in Bath since Florence was 8 weeks old and in all those 6 years I've never once visited (I know, crazy). So after a frantic school run and one huge buzerko tantrum from India, I was more than ready to chill out and have some child free time amongst new friends.

The spa was / is just beautiful and as soon as I stepped into those hot mineral waters i knew i wanted to stay there for well, days actually! Again, why have i not been before?! 

Within minutes of our guided tour ending, we were relaxing in the indoor pool area chatting about everything and anything from embarrassing waxes (me) Bath rugby team (Abi) and having more babies (er, definitely not me). I'd not actually met Fritha or Nell previously, yet it was instantly as comfortable a vibe as if i was there half naked with my closest and oldest girl friends (it's a funny experience meeting someone for the first time in just your cozzie)...

After we had taken a dip on the rooftop pool we headed to the most amazing steam rooms i have ever been in. Each was infused with a different aromatic essence which I'd never experienced before. It was exhilarating and I can now say I'm a big fan of the eucalyptus mint room - heaven!

Believe it or not, all that time spent doing little more than floating and sitting is in fact hungry work (no, really!) so the three course meal we were treated to did not disappoint. The red snapper I ordered as a starter was so so good and it was a nice treat to have a little glass of wine too. Ladies who lunch eh?  How decadent!

So, all in all an amazing day in this beautiful city with some lovely ladies is just the sort of day I needed and I can tell that the spa is going to be my new favourite thing to do!

This is a sponsored post but as always all opinions honest and my own (I'm clever like that).

This place really is that awesome!

24.02.13 | PANZANELLA

Panzanella is my new favourite thing. It's a salad (no, really?!) so of course I'm going to love it for that reason alone, but what's extra great about this salad is that it is so versatile. 

Panzanella is a classic Italian salad made using stale bread and although the recipe combinations vary from region to region, this one has to be my fave at the moment because of its simplicity & its ability to sit happily along side anything... 

You want some grilled chicken with it? Go for it! 

What about a nice piece of pan fried sea bass or some salt & pepper prawns? Now you're talking! 

Hey, you could even go all kinds of crazy and have grilled chicken AND some spiced up couscous like I did three times this week. Yes, count them - THREE! 

You could do all of those things, but this bold and punchy salad will make you just as happy eating it on it's own because it is that good.

Go on, get some PanZan in your life!

22.02.13 | FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE

1. With Flo's craft party this weekend, this from design sponge was worth it's weight in GOLD!
2. Wow. Just WOW!
3. I've always wanted to be able to and find the time to do this and now I can (but probably won't).
4. We fancy making some bath bombs. I like the look of these in particular.
5. If there was a chance in hell I could walk in these I'd never take them off my feet.
6. Next week I'm going to try & breathe some life into my limp hair with this!
7. Do you know Steph? Turns out not only does she write a fab blog which you should pop by but i used to work with her mum! Small world eh?
8. How's this for a cute free printable? Consider it printed!
9. This salad is how I want to be living.
10. Every. Single. Week.

Happy Weekend folks! Keep warm, it's going to be a cold one!

THE MINI KIDS // PART THREE

FOOD: PURPLE SKINNY SLAW

It happened. I found myself in a food rut. 

Yup, I'm in a big fat food rut & i hate it.

I just don't know what to make at the moment and all I seem to hear myself saying is "who fancies tacos tonight?!"

I blame the weather or the Winter more specifically. There is no love lost between me and this season and I get so tired of its cold and selfish demands for gravy based stodge. I don't want a plate of mash. I don't want a stew and I really don't want a roast dinner...

I need some sun.

I need some Spring! 

I need some inspiration.

I need to once again go crazy eating fresh, zingy salads or hot & spicy grilled foods. I want to stand around in other peoples gardens with a Corona in my hand and a big plate full of veggie burgers, salads and a good old slaw...

So, I went searching and I found me a brand spanking new slaw. Hurrah! It's similar to the one Sir J of O makes to go with his Happy Cow burgers, but I fancied a little green in mine so I added some coriander and a little seasoning into the mix. 

I really love this slaw as it's simple stuff, it's healthy and it was a big hit with the kiddos during half term. That's a lot of boxes it managed to tick and as an added bonus, it makes you feel like Spring is just around the corner and that is exactly how I want to be feeling right now...

Go on, get a spring in your step!

1. I LOVED seeing behind the scenes of this cook book.
2. By the time you read this, I will have eaten 20 of these. Don't judge.
3. This snowball cookies recipe film is the sweetest :)
4. I found this article on skincare & switched my routine up. I'm 100% converted!
5. I'd love this above my bed.
6. I adapted this fish taco recipe last night. Awesome is an understatement!
7. Need reminding about being green? This lovely post will do it.
8. I missed part one so i'm off to check it out, but part two is good...
9. Not just for Valentines, this kids craft is super cute!
10. Pahahaha!


Have a good weekend x

CATCH UP

I thought i'd use this wet and windy Wednesday to do a little catch up. Not that there's that much to talk of, January and February are pretty rubbish. These are my least favourite months of the whole year actually and it always feels like such an enormous battle to get through them. Every time I look out of the window it's the same: rain, white sky, blowing trees and just general grim. If I could sum up these two months in just one word it would be 'meh'

Meh meh meh meh meh.

January was also a bit shit for other reasons too though, like ending up at A&E at 4am on a hefty dose of Morphine.  I had an another attack and whilst they tried to fob me off with gas & air in the ambulance (i was about as happy about that as when they give it you in labour), once my heart rate went crazy-mental & I hyperventilated, Morphine it was. I have never been so poorly and it was something I hope to never ever experience again. The docs are still un-sure whether it was an attack which triggered something else or vice versa but whatever it was, it was terrifying. I'm even considering going back on the waiting list to have a cholecystectomy  but i just don't know yet, i've many things to consider before I make that decision. One things for sure though this didn't help according to my doc. Because of my condition, I have to follow a super strict low-fat diet (which I manage) and being vegan didn't work too well for me. I've re-introduced chicken and fish back into my diet and that seems to be OK and i feel back on track. I guess you could say i'm a vegan that eats chicken and fish (that's a polo-pescitarian if you want to get a bit twatty about it) i'm just to go easy on the avocados, oils, seeds & nuts. Those are the things that really piss my gallbladder off. 

So, i tried it (loved it for the most part) but at this point in my life (with my bitchy gallbladder in tact) Veganism can't be for me. 

No biggie though, it's all good!

FOOD: TURKEY BOLOGNESE

When I stopped eating red meat back in 2011 I knew that as a mum of three, i was going to need some sort of spag bol substitute at some stage. I gave soya mince (in a few different recipes) a whirl but if i'm brutally honest it was never that great. I needed, or rather my kiddos demanded, a spaghetti bolognese that tasted like spaghetti bolognese (tsk, the cheek of it) and thankfully the one I found in my trusty bashed up old copy of Leon Book Two did just that! Boom!
This spag bol is perfect, it's much MUCH lower in fat than the traditional beef version, it's super rich and there are never any leftovers when I serve it up. It also freezes well, and it's a recipe every meat eating mama needs. I promise you that you that if you love spag bol, you will love this. It's simple, honest family grub at its best...