Musing on a Monday {Christmas, coughs & chemo}

I sit writing this in my warm conservatory as the wind rattles at the door and the rain pummels the roof - it always sounds a hundred times worse in here - having waited in all morning for the final delivery of presents to come. The plan was to then head out for a walk around the fields but the children just want to cosy up. I'm feeling a little bit stir crazy having been inside since returning from a quick jaunt to Lacock on Saturday but the sounds of the girl sneezing and coughing has made me realise that I have to ride this one out. Hopefully I can sneak out later once the husband is home even if just for a quick run around the block.

Every Christmas, since being back at work, we have had illness in the house - coincidence? Last year I was out of it with no voice and a constant companion of paracetamol and hot honey and ginger instead of my usual festive tipples. The year before the husband was in bed for 48 hours meaning I had to step up and cook the Christmas dinner for the first time - I did a pretty mean job I must say. This year he is ill again and the girl is suffering, so much so we have had to cancel her filling appointment at the dentist tomorrow which I know she is gutted about!
Before this turns too much into a 'woe is me' type post I need to pause and take stock. I absolutely love Christmas and everything it means to us as a little family. We have always celebrated with either just ourselves and the in laws or the brother in law so never more than seven of us squeezed around the table. It is an event we always look forward to, and I'm learning to not look forward to things too much as they don't always turn out as planned. However, this Christmas will be a little different.
Other events put our coughs and sneezes into pale significance when we stop to think about Granddad; today Granddad is having his final round of chemo. The children know this but they really want Grandma and Granddad to be with us on Christmas Day tucking into the turkey and all the trimmings; at the wishing well in Lacock on Saturday the boy dropped in his coin and wished for Granddad to get better. We have warned them that Granddad may only be well enough to pop in and say hello, he might stay for dinner, we might even have to go to theirs to say hello on Christmas Day.
Christmas will feel a little bit different this year but there will be love, warmth, good food and obviously the presents to make it another special day for all of us.
Oh, and there will be a dog.

x x x

Project 365 #50 {Feeling Festive}

I'm finally feeling festive this week.
The first present appeared under the tree and the Christingle service made us feel all warm and Christmassy inside.

Project 365 #50

Day 341
Just me and my boy today - we enjoyed a walk from our doorstep followed by Arthur Christmas back home.
Day 342
A rare take away festive drink - a chai latte always puts me in the seasonal mood.
Day 343
A beautiful cold and frosty morning for the walk to school today.
Day 344
My first present under the tree - a perk of the job.
Day 345
The girl had her Christingle tonight - the church being plunged into darkness followed by the flickering candles always warms the heart.
Day 346
A Happy Christmas from Camp Bestival today with the first line up announcement - I'm kind of excited to see Kaiser Chiefs and Underworld!
Day 347
Making the most of the temporarily nearby in-laws I headed into Bath with the husband for the afternoon. Only a tiny bit of shopping needed to be done so we enjoyed just wandering around, looking at the decorations and partaking in a mulled cider - or two.

Linking up with The Boy and Me...

x x x

Festive Peppermint Chocolate Bark

Apologies for mentioning Christmas already but I am a big planner - it comes with the territory of my job - and I'm already looking ahead to this Christmas and thinking about festive gifts!
I'm a believer in the saying, "If it ain't broke don't fix it" and my Festive Peppermint Chocolate Bark was such a success last Christmas I have decided that I will definitely be making it again this year.
Last Christmas I made a big batch of the bark as gifts for teachers and teaching assistants for staff at my children's school and for my own colleagues.

Here's how to make it!

You will need:

• 200g bar of good quality dark chocolate
• 200g bar of good quality white chocolate
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp peppermint extract
• peppermint candy canes

Line a bun tray with festive paper cases - I like these ones here.
Put a few candy canes in a bag and bash away the day's stresses until they are broken up into small chunks.
Melt the dark chocolate, with 1 teaspoon of the oil, in a bowl over boiling water.
Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract and mix in.
Divide this mix between the festive paper cases and refrigerate, for about an hour, until set.

Repeat the above process with the white chocolate, oil and peppermint extract and spread this mixture over the set dark chocolate.
Then sprinkle crushed candy canes on top and refrigerate again until set.

Once set bag up a few chocolates in a cellophane bag and tie with festive ribbons.

The above will make about a dozen chocolates depending on the size of paper cases and thickness of chocolate that you make.

My advice would be to buy extra chocolate bars and just go for it!

If you don't want to make individual chocolates in cases you can always spread the mix on a flat baking paper lined tray then once set just smash it into random pieces - it will taste just as nice!

x x x

 

Disclaimer: This post is an entry for a blogger competition with dotcomgiftshop. 



Another favourite alternative Christmas song...

The girl has become a dab hand at using YouTube lately to locate her favourite songs with her most recent search landing on The Killers Christmas collection - that's my girl.

You may know I'm a big fan of The Killers' Christmas songs and I posted my favourite one here just five days ago.

However, I do listen to other music and once I had managed to get my hands back on my iPad today I had a little hunt around and found this forgotten gem.

Something about it just brings a lump to my throat.

Badly Drawn Boy Donner & Blitzen.

Enjoy...

 

What hidden favourites have you rediscovered this year?

x x x

 

My favourite alternative Christmas song...

The classic Christmas tracks have begun to be shoved down our ears everywhere we go now.
Shopping at the supermarkets is now a rush to get round as quick as I can before I have to endure another round of Christmas cheese.
Don't get me wrong I love some Christmas tracks and get all nostalgic whilst baking my mince pies with Nat King Cole's chestnuts roasting on his open fire in the background.
Some Christmas tracks go a little bit unnoticed every year though.
Like this one from 2009...

 

The Killers have released a charity Christmas track each year since 2006 supporting Red, so all for a great cause - as well as giving me some Christmas cheer each year!

You can see more of them here.

Now, what's your favourite alternative song at Christmas?
Please tell me below so I can check it out.

Happy Christmas!

x x x

Things that I'm liking... {myhigh.st wishlist}

We are marching headlong towards December and Christmas is peeking it's Santa bearded face around the corner.
I'm in the process of dropping hints.
I've thought loads about the children's gifts and building up the Christmas memories for them.
Now I'm thinking about me.
I was recently introduced to http://myhigh.st/ and it's 'feel good shopping' experience.
Just perusing all their offerings definitely made me feel good.
Here's just a snippet of what I'm liking...

1. The Gallery Norfolk - Cargo Ship Salthouse Print £180:00 Cromer, Norfolk

2. Lunartique - Elementals Bracelet £19:50 Bristol

3. Trowbridge Gallery - White Mug £6:00 Castle Cary, Somerset

4. Chi Chi Moi - Dorothy Tea Cosy £25:00 Wells, Somerset

5. The Place Coffee Shop - liquorice & peppermint Teapigs £4:49 Castle Cary, Somerset

 

The idea behind myhigh.st is recognising the fact that people like to support independent shops and help local economies. The website brings a range of localities and businesses together so we can buy direct from these traders whether they are locally on our doorstep or further afield. 

My idea of 'local' spreads it's wings far.

Back to my home county of Norfolk.

Hence no.1.

The image of Salthouse reminds me of my late dad who always had paintings of churches hanging at home - this one has a modern twist though, not sure he would approve of it but I love it.

Numbers 3, 4 and 5 sit perfectly together and number 2 completes the image in my head of me enjoying a warming cup of tea, with a beautiful bracelet adorning my wrist whilst admiring some modern art hanging on the wall.

Maybe.

One day.

 

What's on your wishlist?

 

x x x

 

Disclaimer: this is NOT a sponsored post but I am entering a competition with myhigh.st. I have to say though the products across their site are rather lovely.

Stir Up Sunday

Today is Stir Up Sunday - the last Sunday before Advent.
I only recently learnt of this traditional day of Christmas pudding making from the lovely people at Yeo Valley who sent some ingredients, and that lovely Cornishware pudding bowl, so I could have a go at my first ever Christmas Pudding.

I followed their traditional recipe and as I type the pudding is happily steaming away.
Fingers are crossed.

Adding to the Christmas preparations, yesterday we headed into town for the Christmas lights switch on.
Manned by an amazing team of volunteers they did the town proud.

And a final message from my little helpers...

Have you been making Christmas Pudding today?!

 

x x x

 

Disclaimer: Yeo Valley sent me some ingredients and the Cornishware pudding bowl so I could take part in Stir Up Sunday. 

Ginger Cupcakes with Chocolate Gingerbread Stars {Recipe & Review}



 

The time of year is getting closer when I begin to think about mulling some cider and filling the air with the aroma of Christmas spices, like ginger and cinnamon. Today I made some simple ginger cupcakes to kick start that feeling.



___

 

Makes 12

 

120g SR Flour

120g light brown sugar

90g Greek vanilla yogurt

30g butter

2 eggs

half a tsp ginger

 

Mix all of the above until smooth.

Spoon equally into 12 bun cases.

Bake at 170c - 180c for 18 minutes.

Leave to cool.

Spread buttercream on top - I added some ginger to this too - and place your chocolate star on top.

 

Enjoy!

___





The milk chocolate gingerbread star tops the cupcakes off perfectly and makes me feel just a little bit Christmassy. The star is one of eight that come in a box, neatly wrapped and presented, from Tesco's latest seasonal range. The chocolate is thick and chunky and topped with caramelised biscuit and ginger crumble and a white chocolate swirl.

I also sampled the above Chokablok Santastic Cinnamon chocolate tree. I think they knew my love of these flavours but don't think the delivery man appreciated his package - spot the jigsaw effect. The tree is good quality chocolate decorated with a white chocolate swirl and topped with cinnamon and gold dusted malt balls and caramelised biscuit and ginger crumble. I couldn't resist topping it with a star. Both of the products taste of a high quality chocolate - which hints at the fact they have been created by master chocolatiers behind Hotel Chocolat and Harrods - but retail at a more affordable price: £4 for the stars and £5 for the tree. A perfect stocking filler.

x x x



Disclaimer: I received the chocolates for review purposes from Tesco. As always views and opinions are honest and are on my own.

Things that I'm liking...

As we march into November my thoughts turn to Christmas.
I love to make a list of those things I would love to receive but more enjoyably those things that I would love to give.
Keeping a sensible price in mind I have come across these lovely things in the past few weeks whilst browsing online...

1. Vintage Ivy Cake Tins dotcomgiftshop £12.95
2. Papar iPad Cover  Beatrix New York £29.95
3. 'Eat, Drink & Be Hairy' Mug  Bread & Jam £8.50
4. 'Stuff I'm Likely to Forget' Notebook Bread & Jam £6.50
5. 'Today is the Day' Print Bread & Jam £18.00

The notebook would be perfect for home or work - and being a stationery obsessive I believe you can never have enough notebooks.
The mug would suit the hubs perfectly.
The print would hang just nicely in the hallway giving me a positive push out of the door every morning.
The iPad cover is already keeping my precious tablet safe from the prying hands of the children
and the Vintage Ivy tins are full of cakes and sweets sitting in the kitchen as I type.

So, what's on your lists this year?

x x x

 

Disclaimer: I came across Bread & Jam online and simply love their products. I received the Beatrix New York iPad cover and dotcomgiftshop tins for review purposes on this blog. As always my thoughts and opinions are honest and are my own.

Don't mention the 'C' word

The 'C' word?!

*whispers* C*******s

It's already starting to be pinned all over the internet and I've heard rumours of it appearing in supermarkets already and it's only October. Why are people already thinking about it?
I shouldn't pass comment really as we are already looking ahead here as we have decided we need to plan a whole lot better this year. We need to think more carefully about the £s and the ps as recent life changes have impacted the amount of those we have floating around.

So, for the first time in probably forever I have started to sell stuff. Much to the bemusement of the children, baby and toddler toys have slowly been leaving the house as stranger after stranger rings my doorbell with money in their hands in exchange for much loved toys from the past. Each and every pound that has been handed over has carefully been put away in readiness for the festive period. Good planning hey? And the children don't mind, too much.

There were a few, "But we still play with the Happyland", which they don't but it still made me feel guilty and brought back memories of them eagerly unwrapping all these toys over Christmas pasts. Then I did that silly thing of trawling through photo albums and getting weepy over their past Christmases..

 

Not a good move.

But, with my new positive head on my strong shoulders I am looking forward and making plans. And writing Christmas lists. I'm still going to be dropping hints about what I'd like Santa to stuff down my chimney. Top of my wishlist is some pretties for my garden shack like the Vintage Ivy range from dotcomgiftshop...

 

 

 

So with a bit of care and forward thinking we can save some pennies, begin to grab those Christmas bargains off the supermarket shelves - and not eat the tins of chocolates by mid November, buy new toys to replace the old and most importantly create a fresh set of loving and happy memories.

 

Have you started to think about the 'C' word yet and what's on your wishlist?

 

x x x





To the moon and back

It's coming up to 'that' time of year. I've mulled pans of cider and have treated myself to the odd mince pie - I must watch the amount of those passing my lips this year.

I haven't started my Christmas shopping though. I have never felt so unorganised. That's what working five days a week does to you. Life goes a bit chaotic.

The children have however planned out their lists. I'm just wishfully pinning the things I like including this....

 

...and one of these....

 

That quote is one of my favourites and my heart melts a little when Alban whispers it to me at bedtime.

As the dark winter evenings cut the days shorter we have been snuggling up on the sofa and Edith and Alban are currently enjoying watching Little Nutbrown Hare in the first DVD of one of our favourite books, Guess How Much I Love You?

by Sam McBratney.

"I like it because the field mice gets lots of blossom" - Edith aged 6

"I loved it" - Alban aged 4

The DVD has eight short episodes spreading the message of love and affection, so all good stuff, and would make the perfect stocking filler for youngsters.

 

The DVD is available now from all major retailers.

Disclaimer: I was sent the DVD for review purposes. All opinions are mine - and my children's.

 

Christmas Music - What's your favourite song?

Ah, Christmas music. It divides us all. So many genres to choose from; carols, nostalgia, pop, re-hashed classics, modern stuff.... the list goes on. Back in November it began with Wizzard and Boney M et al being piped through the speakers in the local Asda. Last night Justin Beiber was damaging my ears on X-Factor singing some tripe and completely ruining my Christmassy day - I put the tree up don't you know? Look!

I like the Christmas nostalgia of Big Crosby and Nat King Cole but cannot stand it when the likes of Mariah Carey covers some great classics and drives us insane with her incessant warbling - jeez,take a breath woman.

I'm not particularly religious but Christmas time for me is a time to go to church - somewhat hypocritically maybe - but I love a good nativity and have yet to complete Away in a Manger without choking up. My favourite Christmas song though is one I rarely hear but I think it is the best. So moving and just beautiful. You may recognise it from Home Alone when Kevin is all sad and, well, alone.

O Holy Night.

I've also found the lovely Christmassy music Somewhere in my Memory from the same film - take a listen it's really rather nice.

I tag the following ... @thelovebump @mum2babyinsomni @NotSoSlummy @Piglet33 @CatParrott

A huge thanks to SAHDandproud for tagging me.

So, what Christmas song do you love? x x x