Here's the finished cake. Yes, it's my first. I feel like I should christen her, she weighs nearly the same as a newborn. Thanks Delia, you've allowed me to find a new level of Englishness.
PS - I took this photo and posted using my iPhone!
PSS - You can download the star templates
A big thanks to Waitrose and Delia! I used her Classic Christmas Cake prepared ingredient pack. Had long Twitter discussions with @englishmum and @homemademum regarding cooking times. Yes, my first one really did take four hours!
My first visit to Disneyland was when I was two. We drove seven hours on Interstate 5 from the Bay Area to Anaheim in a Ford station waggon (that's an estate for you Brits). Being only two, I don't remember much about that trip, but it left its mark. Mention Disney to me, and from the back of my psyche images of Tinker Bell casting her wand upon Sleeping Beauty Castle magically appear. During my childhood, we made several more trips to Disneyland as a family, and as teen, I looked forward to grad night, when graduating seniors were granted exclusive use of the park. I went to “Cal State Disneyland,” the nickname given to CSUF because of it's proximity to the park. Disney has always been part of my life, and I've always associated it with wholesome fun.
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Summer is always a challenge with kids. Lack of routine, changeable weather and lots of free time can take its toll. Sure there are lots of places to go, but many are expensive and it can be hit and miss finding a winner. Recommendations are always appreciated. When supersavvyme.com first contacted me about their idea of creating a summer guide where mums would contribute their most economical and fun tips to keep kids entertained during the summer, I knew it would be a huge success.
Continue reading "Kids bored this summer? Try these tried and tested recommendations" »
I'm thoroughly ensconced in California now. We've been here nearly two weeks and the girls are officially "tired" of Mexican food. One can never tire of the beach though, and here are some pics from a recent trip to Santa Cruz...
We spent halfterm in France, in the Calvados region in Normandy, near the D-Day landing beaches. This is Gold beach at Arromanches, one of the British landing beaches. The structures you see in the distance are the remains of a Mulberry Harbour, which was a temporary harbour constructed during the allied invasions.
Our girls will keep tabs on Santa's journey tonight on NORAD's Santa Tracker. This organisation has tracked Santa's Christmas Eve movements since 1955. The site is perfect for children that are not quite sure Santa exists -- it contains "official" news reports and videos. Also fun for believers to watch Santa and his sleigh move across the globe (shhh -- don't tell them it's really a geography lesson).
Check it out for yourself (it's in seven languages).
Merry Christmas!
Photo credit: Weasel McFee
It's taken me seven and a half years to get to this point: I'm going to Paris with my friends. For three whole days and two nights. Without kids. And I don't feel one ounce of guilt!
I'm leaving our girls (7 and 1/2,5 and 4) with hubby. He's perfectly willing and capable.
However, the girls are a bit concerned.
"Mummy, what are we going to eat? Daddy only knows how to make sandwiches."
"I'm going to miss you. Who's going to do my hair for Emily's disco party?"
"Mummy, please take a picture of the eye-full tower for me."
The last comment was from our middle one, she could care less about food or the way she looks and is aware that being with daddy will mean she'll get to go to bed without washing her hair and lots of trips to Tesco for those horrible magazines with cheap plastic toys.
Meanwhile, we (six mums) have planned fancy dinners in Michelin-stared restaurants, leisurely afternoons watching Parisians from the end of a coffee cup, markets, museums, and lots of things that are hard to do with squirming kids in tow.
We leave Friday on the Eurostar and I'm not leaving any instructions. The girls know where their clothes are kept (even if daddy doesn't) and I don't care if they go McDonalds three times a day.
God only knows what I'll come home to.
Photo credit: sepblog
We are thoroughly enjoying our holiday in California. Well, me and the girls are. Hubby is holed up most of the time with his laptop working away (and we thank him for it). We did manage to take a family canoe trip down the Russian River. It was also a trip into my past.
My family didn't have lots of extra money when I was growing up -- there were five of us pesky kids and my parents did their best on school teacher salaries. The only holidays I remember was staying at a friend's house that overlooked the Russian River. The two-story house on stilts had a huge deck that was shaded by the 300-foot Redwoods that populated the river banks and we got to sleep outside in sleeping bags. We would play in the river by day (earning the term "river rat") and at night we would have developed such an appetite we would devour everything in site; one of the favourites was pie made from the slightly tart local Gravenstein apples.
So, back to the canoe trip: four canoes, one kayak, six adults, three teenagers, three little girls, two dozen bottles of water, salami and swiss cheese sandwiches, and loads of sunscreen.
Me and hubby had a few teething problems at the start of the trip with the rowing (quite a compatibility test) but we were soon on our merry way...
We are spending the summer holidays in California, I just couldn't look another English one squarely in the eye. It's great being here because in addition to sunshine on tap, we have lots of family to help entertain three small girls AND it gives me loads of time to visit old friends.
Two of my favourites are Ramona and Deepak, who just happen to own the Nicholson Ranch Winery in Sonoma. Ramona (pictured above in her "put-put" all terrain vehicle) grew up on the ranch with a herd of roaming cattle, horses, chickens and a lama. She had the foresight to plant grapes in the early 90s and when she fell pregnant with her first child, she gave up her job at a risk analysis software company to embark on the winery project full-time. When her first son was born 1995, she'd juggle taking care of grapes with taking care of baby.
When I was dating future Scottish hubby, he took me on this walk.
I was in the UK on a quick weekend stop over between Boston and San Francisco.
I'm sure we must have slept late, then gone out for the papers to read with our frothed coffees and buttered toast. I had already half moved in and purchased a Krupp's cappuccino maker, and future hubby was just starting to realize how important the black drug was to me.
That was more than 10 years ago, and I remember taking a photo of the manor home of Lord and Lady Camoys, and later, when I was back in my office in Marin Country, I shared it with my colleagues.
I opened my email this week and got a wee surprise. Hubby's cousin sent over some incriminating photos from Christmas past.
In fact, he sent over a whole load of photos taken by my husband's Aunt at every holiday. My husband is no spring chicken, so this is a lot of photos.
We had a good laugh going through them. Hubby is the one on the right, with the wide grin and the banjo.
We all asked Scottish Grandma (who is here for four weeks) why daddy was wearing shorts. In Scotland. In December. Even hubby wanted to know.
She replied that was the attire for "boys of a certain age".
I asked him if he remembers being cold. He said he didn't, but maybe it explains why he has an aversion to wearing shorts.
Happy New Year everyone! Hope you have a warm one. It's -4C outside. Brrrrrrrrrr.
Now that the silly season is in full swing, here's ten things you should not say to your local mummy blogger at the neighborhood Christmas bash...
1. "I didn't know you were into archeology."
2. "What do you do in your spare time?"
3. "Why don't you just keep a journal?"
4. "Aren't you busy enough with the children?"
5. "I wanted to be a journalist too!"
6. "My nephew works at Tesco, I'll see if he can get you a contact there."
7. "Here's a tissue darling, Jane said you had a booger."
Continue reading "Ten things not to say to a mummy blogger at the Christmas party…" »
It's December 1st which means that on the way home from school today Emily asked why she didn't have an Advent calendar.
But you do honey, I said. California Grandma sent us a nice one with Baby Jesus, Joseph and Mary, the three wise men, the whole cast from the nativity play. You opened it this morning.
No, I mean a CHOCOLATE one.
Oh, good question, as chocolate Advent calendars are as ubiquitous in December as a runny nose. I meant to pick onethree up over the weekend, but all they had at Tesco was High School Musical, Hannah Montana and Barbie.
Continue reading "Advent calendars and the real meaning of Christmas" »
