tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16322925131174947122024-03-05T06:06:25.997+00:00what katie wrote nextKatiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.comBlogger358125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-51243656095395249852020-01-01T21:49:00.000+00:002020-01-01T21:54:17.494+00:00first things firstThe first day of the first month of the first year of a new decade. Happy New Year!<br />
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The first moments of 2020 were spent at home with The Husband, toasting to the year that has passed, and the one that is to come, watching fireworks through the window, speaking to family and quietly wishing our two sleeping boys a Happy New Year. The next few hours were then spent ricocheting between their two bedrooms, providing cuddles, water, toilet trips, medicine and nose wipes! After they both had vaccinations in the morning, I had anticipated a restless night, and it wasn't too awful, although napping in the nursery chair and then curling up in a toddler bed made the clean bedding in our room all the more appealing when I finally made it there to sleep.<br />
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2019 was the first year as parents to two, and as I wandered to and fro across the landing in the small hours of the morning, it felt like a fitting tribute to the year just gone. It has been hard, a constant sense of being divided, worrying that neither is getting the best of me, often feeling like we are just about surviving the days, lurching from one miniature drama to another. I reflected as I sat rocking J, while he drifted off to sleep absentmindedly pinching me, and I snuggled up with T, contorted around him between the bed guard and the Gruffalo, drawn from one cry to another and increasingly desperate for sleep. Despite the tiredness, the discomfort, the sense again of just trying to hold things together as best as possible, it was still a privilege, however weary we felt this morning, to start this year being their comfort, soothing them, revelling in their beautiful sleepy faces and the incredible peace of their cuddles.<br />
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Today was the first family meal of the year, with my parents and Grandad. Good food, relaxed company, pulling crackers, telling jokes (or one joke over and over and over and over in the case of T!), sticker books and toys. It has been lovely, restful, calm. Just for a brief moment I closed my eyes and remembered this time last year, overwhelmed with a brand new baby and a toddler, wondering how life would ever feel manageable again. I realised that it is better than manageable, that despite an intense year, both for us and the wider family, life is good, the boys are a joy, we are not without challenges, hard days, tough moments, but we are happy, and oh so very lucky.<br />
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Wishing you all a happy, healthy year ahead, thank you, as always, for stopping by.<br />
<br />Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-65397600448534775342019-04-01T21:29:00.003+01:002019-04-01T21:29:43.474+01:00first things firstThe first of April.<br />
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The first day of a new week, a new month, and it feels like a new season as we start to adjust to the clocks going forward too!<br />
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The first time here as a mum of two boys, as our second son was born in December. There feels like too much to write to know where to start, so all I will say for now is that he is wonderful, happy and healthy, I found the pregnancy tough but the delivery went really well, and T has taken to being a big brother brilliantly. We are very lucky, if also a little exhausted.<br />
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The first trip to the library today in a few weeks, only to find that one of our favourite librarians is leaving. We first met him when I was on maternity leave with T, and the library became one of the first places I visited regularly, a haven to a new mum, and brimming with nostalgia as I attended story and song sessions in the same room that I had loved to visit with my own mum many years ago. T knows him by name and talks about him every time we pass the library, he encouraged me to attend the book group, where I made my first real "mum friends", and he will be sorely missed.<br />
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It has taken me far longer than it would seem to write the above, interspersed as it has been with multiple episodes of settling the baby back to sleep! I am going to leave it there, with a hope to be back again soon.<br />
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<br />Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-8186104235662295222018-09-17T21:25:00.003+01:002018-09-17T21:35:40.360+01:00Great British Bake Along: Gâteau VertAfter an initial week that was falsely reassuring suddenly we were back in classic technical challenge territory. A recipe for a dish that no-one has ever heard of? Check. At least one obscure and difficult to source ingredient? Check (pistachio essence I'm looking at you). A messy, multistage recipe that takes hours and assumes ownership of at least three stand mixers (or a washing up minion)? Check. Costs more to make than would ever be reasonable to spend on a cake and makes you realise what a ridiculous budget the programme must have, not least for pistachio nuts alone? Check. A weird flavour combination that makes you doubt if you will even want to eat the end result? Spinach icing, you say? Check.<br />
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And so it was, I found myself preparing to make a Gâteau Vert. Apparently it was Claude Monet's favourite birthday cake, though that didn't make me any more enthused. My mum spoke to me on Wednesday, and summed up the general mood when she asked "you're not going to make that cake with the spinach are you?". I urgently acquired pistachio essence (huge kudos here to a website I have never used before called <a href="https://www.stefchef.co.uk/products/perfect-pistachio-natural-pistachio-essence?variant=32231861889">StefChef</a> who shipped it quickly, were competitively priced and had lovely customer service, I recommend them completely for any sudden pistachio essence needs you may have). I armed myself with pistachios, edible flowers, a huge amount of spinach, a bottle of kirsch and a receipt for nearly £30 which The Husband has not been privy to.</div>
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Oh this cake, can you tell I wasn't a fan? Everything I owned was green, there was a persistent odour of pistachio and spinach, it took forever and the worst bit of all, I'm not really sure I even liked it. The Husband rejected it outright at the mere mention of spinach, my parents valiantly tried it and said what a lovely flavour it had, and T devoured it but he is not exactly a discerning audience when it comes to cake. I didn't mind it, the flavour was pleasant enough, and there wasn't actually any taste of spinach at all. While that felt like a success of sorts, it also begged the question of why I had bothered to use it at all. I know the point of it was to colour the whole cake naturally, but it did feel slightly excessive to wilt and blitz and puree and squeeze spinach, particularly as since Monet's time we have developed the technology to allow purchase of a wonderful range of purpose-made food colourings.</div>
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It wasn't overly difficult, it was just long-winded, and I found myself getting thoroughly disheartened when I kept realising I had to grind yet more pistachios, or start adding spinach water to yet another bowl. There was another episode, much like with the <a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.com/2018/09/great-british-bake-along-wagon-wheels.html">Wagon Wheels</a>, of making syrup while whisking an egg and then rapidly adding one mixture to the other, but that was about as complicated as it got. The marzipan was the nicest part, and overall it looked quite appealing but I fear my genoise was where the fault lay. It seems that I have not learnt from the <a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.com/2015/10/great-british-bake-along-mokatines.html">Mokatines</a> of 2015, and although it appeared entirely successful from the outside, as I sliced through the genoise, much of the middle was quite dense, and again I could see the occasional pocket of flour. I think I remain too tentative when combining the mixture, and I guess the stodgy central layer of genoise is what dried out the gateau and made it less palatable than it might otherwise have been.</div>
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The overall effect is quite pleasing visually, assuming you like the colour green on a cake, and I have learnt that edible flowers can make most things look appealing. I also managed to disguise the fact that despite buying a ridiculous amount of pistachio nuts I still managed to miscalculate and somehow ended up with barely any at the end with which to decorate the edge. However, I think it says it all when I admit that, even in a house with a cake-loving toddler and a permanently hungry pregnant woman, after a few days languishing on the counter, some of the leftovers ended up in the bin. And in a move that would make Monet despair, T and I spent an happy afternoon last week making packet mix fairy cakes and sticking edible Peppa Pig decorations on the top, a process which was both more enjoyable and more successful (and didn't result in any leftovers!). If, after all of that you are still keen to try, the recipe is <a href="https://thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk/le-gateau-vert/">here</a>, and meanwhile I will aim to be more positive for bread week! </div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-30911681776441314402018-09-07T21:36:00.000+01:002018-09-07T21:36:34.054+01:00Great British Bake Along: Wagon WheelsSo it is that time again when I, many might say foolishly, attempt to join in with Great British Bake Off and try my hand at the technical challenges from the series. Will I last beyond the first week? Will I ever find a love for baking bread? Will I manage to source the increasingly bizarre ingredients as the challenges progress? All will be revealed in the months ahead, but for now, wagon wheels.<div>
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Saturday morning came around, after a week of long shifts, a poorly child, and a general air of chaos and disorder hanging over the house, I obviously decided the best way to spend T's naptime would be making biscuits, jam, marshmallow and attempting to construct wagon wheels. Not my best idea in retrospect, or the atmosphere most conducive to some relaxed baking, but it wasn't a complete disaster.</div>
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It was a less than promising start. The Husband commented that he didn't really like wagon wheels, and I was inclined to agree with him. I also forgot lesson number of one Bake Off challenges, which is to be vaguely prepared, have a relatively tidy kitchen and to read the recipe. I didn't realise when I used the egg yolk that I would use the white later in the recipe so wasted it needlessly. I also had a distinct lack of clear work surfaces which made the whole process trickier.</div>
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However, the recipe was actually quite manageable. The biscuits were simple and tasted really good, and I was reminded of the simple joy of making jam too. The marshmallow was the most tense aspect, involving whisking egg white while also boiling sugar and adding gelatine. Having used a stand mixer to help I found that the whisks didn't reach deeply enough into the bowl to actually whisk the single egg white so I ended up dashing between the mixer and the pan trying to keep an eye on both. Despite the multi-tasking required the marshmallow, somewhat to my surprise, actually came together well.</div>
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With all the components made, next came the assembly, and this is where things went somewhat downhill. Firstly, a coughing fit meant that T needed a snuggle to settle him down back to sleep. Whilst the cuddle was a welcome break I returned back to the kitchen to find the marshmallow had morphed from a soft, glossy, swirl to a springy, solid mass. I then needed to enlist The Husband's help to locate my piping nozzles, which were apparently stored in the exact place that I swore adamantly I had looked at least three times already.</div>
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My slightly, ahem, informal approach to cutting the biscuits now became problematic, as they were not consistently round, which made pairing them up to be sandwiched together somewhat akin to a game of Tetris to find the ones that were most closely matched. Then the firmness of the marshmallow made it tricky to pipe, and it was so well set that as I tried to sandwich the biscuits together a few biscuits snapped as the marshmallow put up rather an excessive amount of resistance.</div>
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By this stage T was awake, well over two hours had passed, and my focus was on getting finished and trying to rescue the kitchen rather than delicately coating my biscuits. As you can tell from the pictures this part was particularly slapdash, and for some reason the chocolate marbled as it set. But, it did set, and they did look vaguely recognisable, so all in all I'm counting it as a success.</div>
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So what was the verdict for technical challenge number one? Well, the recipe was surprisingly easy to follow, with great results for all of the components. They were really tasty, although the dark chocolate made them very rich, and The Husband was not a fan as a result. T, however, adored them, and they got rave reviews from everyone else who tried one. We have now, also, taken to calling them wheelie wagons, after we repeated the phrase from the programme, T has adopted it as his own, and it was far too lovable to even think of correcting him. I did keep thinking how easy it would be to go and buy a packet if I really wanted the option of eating a wagon wheel, but actually the end result seemed to reflect the effort that had gone into it, and it felt like a special treat. I won't be writing out the recipes this time around but if you ever have a hankering to rustle up a homemade wagon wheel, you won't go far wrong giving <a href="https://thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk/wagon-wheels-biscuits/">this recipe</a> a try.</div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-231874198903045232018-09-01T22:33:00.001+01:002018-09-01T22:33:04.603+01:00first things first<br />
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The first of September.<br />
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The first week of Bake Off - did you watch it? I spent some of today valiantly attempting the Wagon Wheel technical challenge (post to follow), and reminded myself of the many reasons why it is better, in this instance, to watch than take part. They were not a complete disaster though, and I even managed to restore the kitchen to a relatively acceptable state, which I think The Husband felt was a particularly noteworthy first.<br />
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The first night in recent days where I actually had to sing to T at bedtime. After a few days of illness, including the gut-wrenching call from nursery to say he was not himself and had a temperature, and a trip to the doctor yesterday when he suddenly went downhill, he happily seems to be improving today. The last few evenings he has been asleep almost immediately after his bath, and as he requested one song after another tonight and then lay chatting to himself in the dark, it was nice to feel like he was getting back to his usual self.<br />
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The first quiet weekend in a while. We were actually due to be at a friend's daughter's birthday party tomorrow, but thought we should probably not turn up with a poorly, germ-ridden toddler. And so it is, after busy <a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.com/2018/08/two-years_27.html">birthday</a> celebrations, and then an intense stretch of shifts at work, including the Bank Holiday weekend, it is nice to have some slower-paced days ahead.<br />
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September also brings with it the first days of my third trimester. Time appears to be flying by at an alarming rate, and so I find myself without that usual nostalgic new beginnings feeling (usually accompanied by new stationery) that I usually associate with this time of year. Instead I feel more on a slow countdown to December, enjoying life as we are, and anticipating instead the new beginnings that for now, are just around the corner.<br />
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We had a visit from a plasterer this week too, the first forays in to moving T to a "big boy" bedroom. While the co-ordinating of the different jobs, and the clearing out of the room do not fill me with immediate joy, especially as the latter has developed into a clear out of two or three other rooms as well, I am very excited for him to have his first proper childhood room. I can't wait to get on with picking colours, and fabrics, finding homes for his favourite things and creating a space for the lovely little boy he has grown into.<br />
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And so September is here, bringing with it the first days of Autumn, the promise of cooler days, cosy evenings, and my favourite part of the year.<br />
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<br />Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-28300019802646280692018-08-27T20:37:00.002+01:002018-08-27T20:37:40.775+01:00two years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvS8mKOx-K1E7D1TjCpVQ2MiNVUNGswsLdpiEJA8K07iIci3RVtQ1LvfbBkM98jSCHPOtWGpPxLQS-NhKYOaoh_Mr-qzr4FzNgCpkRsv9QCYeX6hZo-rMwaLJhFeeIlZj5ke-DUIQH5c/s1600/IMG-20180820-WA0001+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="986" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvS8mKOx-K1E7D1TjCpVQ2MiNVUNGswsLdpiEJA8K07iIci3RVtQ1LvfbBkM98jSCHPOtWGpPxLQS-NhKYOaoh_Mr-qzr4FzNgCpkRsv9QCYeX6hZo-rMwaLJhFeeIlZj5ke-DUIQH5c/s640/IMG-20180820-WA0001+%25283%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Somehow, in what feels like an instant, we are talking in years, rather than months, and I have a little</div>
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boy, not a baby. And what a little boy he is! He is such a character now, in the most delightful way, and loves to make others laugh. He can be a great mimic, and loves doing different voices. It is lovely to hear him, entirely lacking in any sense of being self-conscious, singing at the top of his voice, purely for his own amusement. The rainbow song and 1,2,3,4,5 are some highlights of his repertoire, but my favourite is still hearing him call Humpty Dumpty "Hoppy Doppy", one of those childhood variations we have now all adopted.</div>
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However, despite his brilliant sense of humour, and his easy, beautifully affectionate nature with those he is close to, he also remains studiously inquisitive. We have taken him to a few children's theatre productions, and he watches intensely, taking in every detail, which he then animatedly recounts later. Given a new toy or in a new place he still likes to get to grips with how everything works, and with new books he listens intently and then likes to go back through pointing everything out. Books are a real shared love of us all, we go to the library each week, and I adore cuddling up with him reading stories, increasingly amazed by how many books he can recite off by heart. Favourites at the moment are the "What the Ladybird Heard" series, an "Alfie" book by Shirley Hughes which gave me all sorts of childhood nostalgia when he got it, and anything by Rachel Bright.</div>
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Given the chance he would be engrossed in a screen, and while it is nice to see him enjoying favourite programmes like In The Night Garden and Hey Duggee, I find it fascinating and worrying in equal measure how completely absorbed he becomes when they come on! Whilst I don't doubt the screen will be a useful diversion at times, particularly when the second baby comes along, I try to make sure it isn't how we spend the majority of our time, and also try to talk about things when we watch them. For his birthday, though, he got some toys with his favourite characters on, like a Peppa Pig tea set, and trains and books from In The Night Garden, and it has been lovely to watch him play with those. Diggers, blocks and tools are also popular, and he got out his own hammer and screwdriver to help his daddy put together some of his birthday toys! We also really noticed on holiday how much he loves exploring new places, be it a national trust garden, the seaside, or a playground, so we are trying to make it a more regular weekend activity to go out on "adventures" even if it just for a trip to a new park.</div>
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Our days have lots of little routines, which I love sharing with him. From a bath and a book before bedtime, saying goodbye to Millie when we leave, to going shopping, for breakfast and then swimming on our Wednesdays off together, I take joy in the tiny traditions we are creating. He chatters away, and I adore how we have got to the point of having proper conversations, and how well he communicates. We have, in recent months, entered the realms of pretend play, and his birthday gifts included a playhouse and kitchen, resulting in endless tea parties in the last few days. </div>
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I won't pretend he is perfect, he can be cheeky, and gets giddy when he is tired. He has also developed an incredible skill for selective hearing, especially when tidying up or stopping doing something is involved. Tantrums are not unheard of, but currently aren't too frequent, and he can more often than not be quite quickly distracted. Bedtime and mealtimes can be a source of immense frustration, but not consistently so, and the vast majority of the time he makes parenting feel very easy. We haven't had too much experience of the irrational, illogical part of toddler personality yet (except one notable occasion when he cried because he wanted a yoghurt, while eating his yoghurt), though I am sure there is plenty to come.</div>
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He continues to be incredibly adaptable, having moved up to a new room at nursery this month with seemingly minimal fuss. It was incredible to watch through the door as he quickly joined straight in with new people in a new environment, and to hear how well he has settled in. On most days he eats really well, loves all sorts of fruit and quite a variety of vegetables, though at nursery he can be a bit hit and miss. He loves a "cappuccino" made of frothy milk, and is gradually trying more meat, though his favourite is definitely sausage. He absolutely has a sweet tooth, though for him the best part of his birthday cake has been blowing out the candles! He likes to help in the kitchen and will stir, pour, and join in as much as possible given the chance. He also loves to play in the sink, and can amuse himself for ages given a basin of water and lots of containers to splash about with.</div>
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My favourite picture from his birthday is the one above, because to me it represents so well what he has brought to our lives. He went around the whole of the zoo like this, arms flung wide as he dashed from one place to the next, the epitome of joy and excitement. It is such a daily revelation to see life through the eyes of a child, especially one who is so happy, and so open to the amazement of the world around him. He reminds me so frequently to giggle at the silliest things, to find awe and wonder in the simplest moments, to always be overjoyed to see those that you love and to not take anything too seriously, or for granted. I can't believe he has been part of our worlds for two years already, and I am so incredibly grateful for every single day we have had, and all that is to come.</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-79527461863079566312018-08-05T22:01:00.003+01:002018-08-05T22:01:56.769+01:00sunday sense check<div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
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<b><u>Seeing</u></b></div>
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<b></b>The Husband got an email advertising free tickets to a local CBBC event this weekend, so we spent a lovely few hours there today. We had fun enjoying the sunshine, and the general festival atmosphere, and T was excited to recognise one or two characters from television. He loved running through the walled garden and seeing the animals in the farm too. It was great to have time as a family experiencing new things, something which we realised on holiday we wanted to try and do more of at weekends. We may have enjoyed some family nap time when we got home though!</div>
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<b><u>Hearing</u></b><br />
<b><br /></b>The incredible sound of our baby's heartbeat. We went this week for the 20 week scan, and all seemed well other than a baby rather like its mum who clearly felt that 8.30 in the morning was not a polite time to be bothered and so refused to cooperate with all of the efforts (mostly mine - examination couch yoga anyone?) to coax it into a more favourable position. Everything looked fine but we have to pop back in the next few weeks to try and finish off, and hopefully a late afternoon appointment will mean it is more amenable to a bit of activity. From there we popped to the antenatal unit at the hospital for some paperwork and caused a bit of panic when they realised I had been discharged from consultant care and that my community midwife appointment hadn't happened yet. It is all fine and sorted but the midwife there did a review and we got to hear the heart beating away which was a great end to the morning's appointments.</div>
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<b><u>Smelling</u></b><br />
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Nothing that I can particularly remember, although the farmyard animals in the warm sunshine had a particularly pungent aroma today, as I'm sure you might imagine.</div>
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<b><u>Tasting</u></b></div>
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Some hearty home cooking has been on the menu this weekend, toad in the hole last night and shepherd's pie this evening, after a few hours in the kitchen yesterday during nap time. It had been cooler earlier in the week when I did the shopping, and I can't claim that the idea of either meal particularly appealed in the hot weather but they turned out well and it was good to spend some time pottering in the kitchen with the radio on.</div>
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<b><u>Feeling</u></b></div>
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A little overwhelmed that the weekend is over already. It has been a good balance, with a productive day yesterday and then a trip out doing something a little different today. It does seem to have gone really quickly though, and being out and about both days has meant that home feels a little unloved and I don't feel quite as prepared for the week ahead as I might like. However, there is always tomorrow for getting sorted, and right now I definitely feel ready for bed! </div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-10326072664876445512018-08-01T22:57:00.000+01:002018-08-01T22:57:35.810+01:00first things first<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The first of August.<br />
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The first time I've been here in quite a while. In some ways it is lovely to find this place unchanged, in other ways I'm desperate to give it an overhaul; but not tonight, not for now, just writing something feels maverick enough.<br />
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The first time actually pressing the publish button in many, many months, but not through neglect. Well, maybe a little bit of neglect, but I haven't forgotten this space. I have missed being here very much, I even have a few half written paragraphs all about trying and failing to post something, anything. Life has been busy, no more than anyone else's, but I have found myself just about making it through the days for such a long time that days became weeks became months, and the longer I was gone the harder it was to pop back. And now I am here and hopefully it will be easier to come back again soon.<br />
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The first post in a while on Instagram too, as I have joined in with the first day of the August Break prompts over on Instagram. A version of my first effort is above, but even trying to copy that picture onto here in a format that looked of vaguely decent quality felt a little beyond me tonight, operating on multiple devices as I am. I won't aim to post my attempts here each day but I do hope to join in on instagram this month, so you are welcome to go and view future efforts <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl8oOOIBi9t/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">there</a> if you like!<br />
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The first day today where I felt fully recovered from my decidedly middle aged injury last week in which I pulled a muscle in my back while looking at packets of herb seeds in a garden centre (having gone there for Sunday lunch and a spot of plant shopping). I have clearly not become any more rock and roll in my absence. Unfortunately I have immediately today managed to twinge my wrist picking up T and so I remain afflicted with minor aches and pains in a manner that is not quite fitting for a thirty two year old, let alone one who still thinks she is about nineteen.<br />
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The first week where I have been properly back at work after a lovely long break. We have been lucky to have numerous holidays since I last wrote, visiting Berlin, Madeira and just recently two weeks around South Wales and Hereford. I shall not delude myself that I am going to share some lovely posts about our adventures, much as I would like to it doesn't feel particularly realistic based on my current form, but we have had some wonderful family trips and it has been great to start exploring places further afield as a family.<br />
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The first month in which I will officially be the parent of a two year old. I'm not sure how that happened, and I will hopefully do a post around his birthday, but he remains equal parts cheekiness and loveliness despite growing up far too fast.<br />
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The first year in which I might officially be the parent of a two year old and a newborn. If all goes well we have a new arrival due in late December. If T sets an example for his new sibling, it could mean that we are actually into 2019 before it makes its appearance, but hopefully we have incredibly exciting times ahead.<br />
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And just like that the first post is done. I will try not to leave it so long next time, it is good to be back.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-90757960307049458162018-02-28T12:25:00.001+00:002018-02-28T12:25:33.320+00:00eighteen months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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He turned eighteen months old this week. If anyone has any suggestions as to where exactly that time has gone I'd love to know!<br />
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He can walk, run and climb. The latter is a relatively new development, but he is using it constantly, making parenting a test of nerve and reflexes. He hasn't quite mastered jumping and the focus on his face when he sees someone else manage it is beautiful, as he tries to work out what he needs to do to make it happen.<br />
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He can eat and drink by himself, probably one his favourite past-times, and has become increasingly adventurous with food in recent weeks. He has a sweet tooth like his mummy, but will happily eat curries, soups and stews, as well as lots of fruit and veg.<br />
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He has mastered scribbling with a pen, as well as taking off pen lids, which is another test for those parenting reflexes, and his ability to open cupboards and drawers and reach ever-higher heights means that our "safe" places are becoming increasingly limited.<br />
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He has made huge progress with his language in recent weeks, which seems to have exploded out of nowhere. After months of wondering when he'd start to talk beyond lots of babbling, suddenly a whole vocabulary seems to have developed almost overnight. Mummy has finally made an appearance, along with the names of lots of his relatives, his nursery mates, lots of food (pineapple was the first word I remember him saying clearly and suddenly realising he had definitely and deliberately copied me), as well as please, thank you, hello, goodbye, and get down, which is a particular favourite at the moment and makes shopping trips with him riding in the trolley slightly less relaxing than they used to be!<br />
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He is sleeping well, and just in the last few nights has taken to being put down in his cot awake and drifting off himself, when we realised he did this every day at nursery without any issue. He has taken to it with no problem at all, though I am feeling slightly bereft at no longer snuggling him to sleep each evening.<br />
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He is so much more than a list of milestones and achievements. It is easy, particularly as a first-time parent, to get caught up in each new skill; they come so quickly in these first years, and it is so exciting to witness each new stage of development. However, it can distract from the fact that a whole person is growing up in front of you. And what a person he is turning out to be.<br />
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He has a laugh that fills me with joy, and is incredibly happy. He usually wakes up smiling, chatting and pleased to see you, and loves to make others laugh too, watching you with a cheeky, expectant grin. Hide and seek, peek-a-boo and chase are all favourites.<br />
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He adores books, and will quite happily sit chatting to himself as he turns the pages. More often though he brings it to the nearest adult and reaches for cuddles and a story. He knows his favourites off-by-heart, and can join in with them even if we don't have the book, which has been particularly beneficial when stuck in long queues or in need of a distraction. Peepo, Goodnight Room, Each Peach Pear Plum and The Detective Dog are his top requests at the moment.<br />
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He loves to dance to music, and loves playing with water - even at mealtimes he gets caught up in pouring water between his cup and his bowl and splashing the resulting puddles everywhere. He has also started to join in with action songs which is lovely to see, though my fitness levels are being tested with repeated bouts of standing up, sitting down and running on the spot. I find Wind the Bobbin Up and Two Little Dickie Birds to be a little less involving!<br />
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He is quiet in new places, and when there are lots of people. I took him into my workplace when I was off recently, he didn't say a thing then promptly launched into lots of chatter the moment we left. He likes to take a situation in and get used to it rather than launch straight in. He also loves knowing how things work, pushing buttons, pressing switches, taking things apart and putting them back together. A little girl showed him a picture of teddy on the wall at the library, and gave it a hug and a kiss, which he dutifully copied. A little while later he wandered back over and gave the teddy another kiss, but then also started prodding the drawing pins trying to work out how they were keeping the picture on the wall.<br />
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He is becoming increasingly independent and determined, more sure of what he wants and keen to find ways to achieve it. He can be known to throw the occasional tantrum but is usually relatively easily diverted, though he definitely prefers to be on his own feet and exploring these days which can make trips out a test of physical endurance, and any opportunity for adult conversation tends to come in a few short bursts between following him into nooks and crannies and trying to avert disaster.<br />
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He is making the most of his new found voice, I doubt I will ever tire of hearing the word mummy and his smile as he says it, and every day at the moment seems to bring new words and new discoveries. He has settled wonderfully into nursery, which makes going to work much easier, and is reported to be a fan of messy play, eating and song time.<br />
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He is beautifully affectionate, gives incredible hugs, kisses and cuddles, and really loves his family. He is incredibly close to his grandparents, especially his great-grandad who is definitely his partner in crime, and its is wonderful to see. There is no better feeling than those few occasions when he has spontaneously reached up and given me a kiss without being asked, the love is indescribable. Millie is also the source of much of his energy, whether he is affectionately patting her, chasing her round, or feeding her contraband from his highchair. He seems to love all animals, gleefully pointing out doggies, dirbies (birds) and squirrels from the window, or on our walks, and likes to find, name and impersonate the animals in the pages of his favourite books (he does a particularly formidable Gruffalo growl at the moment).<br />
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He is amazingly laid-back. For all he is a bundle of energy, constantly on the go, I am repeatedly astounded by how easily he seems to adapt. Even big changes like stopping breast-feeding, or starting to go to sleep in his cot seem to be met with limited fuss. Starting nursery was a struggle, but that seemed more to do with being poorly, and as soon as he was on the mend, he took it to brilliantly. New routines and experiences don't seem to faze him and he remains constantly curious about the world around him.<br />
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He brings us absolute joy, and we feel very lucky to have such a loving, giggly, beautiful son. He is spirited, approaching life with gusto, and a confidence that has already taught me to be braver, more open to other people, more ready to see the good in the world, however simple all small. Life with him can be exhausting, and I am definitely not immune to the headache induced by an over-tired child, it is lovely to see his personality grow and to have the privilege to support him as he starts to navigate his way through life. He couldn't have made parenting any easier or more enjoyable and his cheeky charm makes every day brighter. We are utterly besotted, and can't wait to see what his future brings, and everything he is becoming.<br />
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<br />Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-7610184316038099332018-01-15T22:04:00.000+00:002018-01-15T22:08:50.160+00:00sunday sense check #2<div style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
(I know it's actually Monday, but I had a spare 5 minutes to write this today, and I like my alliterative title too much to change it so forgive me the slight artistic licence!)</div>
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<b><u>Seeing</u></b></div>
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This weekend we watched Concussion with Will Smith, curled up in bed on Saturday night (just re-read that sentence and should clarify Will Smith was in the film, not curled up in bed with us). It was a film I had seen the trailer for a good year or so ago and I really enjoyed it. It was the true story of an immigrant pathologist who identified the disease process that caused long-term health problems in American Football players due to their numerous head injuries, and the difficulties he faced trying to get the findings taken seriously by the profession. It was involving without being too dark, and I thought it was brilliantly acted. On the subject of dark, The Husband has been watching the latest series of Black Mirror. He tends to filter the episodes for me, as it is often over the edge of what I find entertaining, as thought-provoking as they are. I thought the ones I did watch were as clever as always, and am intrigued to see where it goes next.</div>
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<b><u>Hearing</u></b></div>
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Still coughing. T is mostly better but still is prone to coughing until he vomits each night so we are getting through a lot of washing. The Husband is still going with it too, especially at night, so not much sleep is being had round here one way or another. I'm feeling much better now though, which is something positive! On a chirpier note, I can't get <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBkHHoOIIn8">this song</a> out of my head, and there have been lots of dances around the kitchen with T when it comes on the radio. I'm usually a stickler for lyrics, if you've ever seen the film I Give It A Year, there is a running joke about misheard lyrics that is very true to life. The Husband's inability to ever sing the right words to a song is hilarious or frustrating depending on my mood! I was guilty of it myself with this song though, singing quite enthusiastically about being a "rebel with a kickstand" for rather longer than I care to admit.</div>
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Candles again, I have a "Relax" candle lit as I type, and it is lovely. It is also helping disguise the pervading smell of the fish we had for dinner. I always wonder why I don't cook more fish and then the aroma clings afterwards and I remember!</div>
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We went out for breakfast on Sunday to our local garden centre. I had been up since 5 with T, and we had our first breakfast around 6, so when The Husband suggested a trip out at 10 I was more than happy to let someone else cook a proper breakfast. I did do dinner for us and Grandad later on, so I got some time in the kitchen, having reflected on Instagram this week that I miss it when I don't make time to cook in a more relaxed way.</div>
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<b><u>Feeling</u></b></div>
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I'm feeling a little done with January already. I try very hard not to wish time away, ever conscious of how precious it is, but I am ready for us all to be feeling back to full health and getting a bit more sleep. I've got an exam in a week that I haven't started revising for and I've also got a hospital procedure due at the end of the month which I'm keen to get over and done with just so that I can stop worrying that something might go wrong. It feels like there is a lot to "get through" in the next few weeks, and as though we are just trying to survive the days rather than being the shining examples of ourselves we hope to start the year as. However, it is good to be here, taking a little time to light a candle, snuggle with the dog, and write a few words. The house feels like home, we have a gentle week ahead and I am headed for a reasonably early night after a lovely day spent with T. </div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="color: #999999;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-56096979732813206222018-01-07T13:23:00.002+00:002018-01-07T13:23:43.083+00:00sunday sense check<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday The Husband and I went to watch the latest Star Wars film at the cinema while my parents kindly had T for the day. The Husband despairs at how many classic films I have not seen, so over the Christmas break he brought me up to date will all 7 Star Wars films so that I could go with him to see number 8 and fully appreciate it! I really enjoyed it, and it was lovely to have some time just the two of us, even managing to go for breakfast before it started.</div>
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Coughing, mostly! Mine has gradually settled after a few sleepless nights, but as I write this T is napping and his coughing is punctuating the silence. I'm hoping it won't be long until we have all beaten the bug once and for all, I don't know many people who haven't had it and it seems to be lingering a little.</div>
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Freshly made coffee, courtesy of The Husband. This week I've also been making more of an effort to use some of the beautiful candles I have in almost every room of the house. I'm terrible at actually getting round to lighting them, but it makes such a difference to the mood.</div>
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We seem to have eaten a lot of pizza this week, and we are rapidly discovering that what used to serve two of us comfortably is now having to be portioned out for three, as T has decided he takes after his daddy in his love of pizza. After lots of treats over Christmas I am having another period off <a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/word-of-week.html">sugar</a>, just to break some of the habits I had returned to.</div>
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I've been a little out of sorts these past few days, and it's been hard to put my finger on why. On a very superficial level I got a new phone and I always find the few days of transferring my number and getting re-set up can be a little tricky, especially at the moment while some of my accounts seem to be struggling to migrate across. I think more than that is the self-imposed pressure to start the year off on a positive, which for me means productive, note. I've devised a carefully drawn up plan of how and when I'm going to achieve all the different things I want to each week, be that calligraphy, photography, blogging, running or a host of other things. While I think it's good for me to recognise what things matter to me, and make time for them, I can start the year feeling under pressure to fill every minute. Particularly as we recover from our bugs, and get back into the swing of daily life after the break, I've gradually this week realised that it's just as good for me to have some earlier nights, later starts, and some moments of quiet that don't need to be filled with achievements. On that note I might make the most of what is left of nap time and sit peacefully with my book!</div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-27413366763401411172018-01-01T22:19:00.001+00:002018-01-01T22:19:17.769+00:00first things first<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The first of January, the first day of a new week, month and year.</div>
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The first post for some time. It is strange to be back, I don't think I've ever had such a lengthy absence from blogging since I started, and I'm not altogether sure what happened. I suppose it was the realities of returning to work, balancing being a professional and a parent and the myriad of minutiae inbetween that insidiously absorb time until suddenly whole months have passed. In another way, though, I never really stopped. I have taken so many pictures, captured so many moments, written so many words in recent months, but all in my head. My commute to work is a particular source of creativity, as I have drafted whole posts, walked across a city playing with words and phrases that never made it beyond my imagination. I have stopped, for a fraction of moment, to notice a skyline, a shadow, a sunrise and taken a mental image, having neither the time nor the confidence to stop amongst the rush hour crowds and capture it properly.</div>
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I have often reflected that in some ways that is enough; to have developed the reflex of noticing, and appreciating, the tiny moments of the world around me, is positive in itself without actually needing to record it. In some ways it feels more genuine to acknowledge such sights, indulge in some internal wordplay, for the enjoyment alone, and not out of a need to share it, or in the hope of some form of feedback. Yet, despite that, here I am, because I missed the act of making some of those words and pictures more permanent, and in a time of promising to start new habits, I felt strongly that it was time to revisit one that has brought me joy.</div>
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This is the first post written on my new tablet-laptop hybrid that The Husband kindly got me for Christmas, having listened to me lament that if I was ever going to manage to blog again I needed to work out a way of doing it more efficiently. It is not the writing that I have issue with (ok, sometimes I dither and fret about whether the whole thing is cringingly self-indulgent as I hover over the publish button), but it is more what I believe is technically called workflow. I'm hoping this new set up might well make things more straightforward, but we shall see. I'm still wondering whether to move from blogger, and whether to scrap the whole thing and begin again, as there is so much I would change if I was starting from scratch now, but we shall see.</div>
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I also had my first ever attempt at a bullet journal today (blogger cliché bingo anyone?!). Rather than a whole new journal I have used the neglected squared paper in the back of my Filofax, yes I am still old-school when it comes to stationery, and have drawn up a few rudimentary pages. I will see how it goes, I can see it being a wonderful source of procrastination as I face an imminent exam in January.</div>
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And so the first awkward attempt at ending a blog post for 2018, hopefully I will be back again soon. Hopefully I will also revisit some much-loved and much-missed blogs in the coming weeks too. There is much to catch up on, but for now, Happy New Year.</div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-81212614961991542262017-08-09T22:47:00.001+01:002017-08-09T22:47:45.097+01:00Cookery Calendar Challenge: July<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hopefully I'll manage to sneak in this entry just before the link-up closes for this month's Cookery Calendar Challenge. I am somewhat short on pictures, not because I didn't take some, but because I could not find a way to make the dishes appear photogenic and I was wary that my photography might do a disservice to the recipes!</div>
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This month I used a new recipe book that The Husband bought for me. It is the<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eat-Well-Less-Family-Feasts/dp/1785942468"> recipe book</a> that goes with Eat Well For Less, a television programme that we sometimes watch. I commented that it would be interesting to see some of the recipes they use, and The Husband proved himself to be a better listener than I sometimes give him credit for and got it for me.</div>
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Overall, I found this book really impressive. It is a very different style of book to the beautiful <a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/cookery-calendar-challenge-may.html">Rick Stein</a> one I loved a few months ago, far more functional and practical, but a lot of thought has gone into how it is written. There is a lot of basic information at the start, and then some of the recipes have clever adaptations, such as making three different meals out of one base recipe. Additionally, it has a full meal planner for two weeks at the back, which includes plans for using leftovers of certain dishes, and a full shopping list to go along side them. I feel like it's a genuinely useful book, really accessible, and would be great for anyone who wants to improve their confidence with cooking in a structured way.</div>
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As a result, some of the recipes are incredibly basic, so much as I liked the sound of the chicken and pesto pasta, I didn't follow the recipe for this challenge as it was as simple as it sounds. The recipes I did choose though were all really successful, though as with other books, I was surprised that the curry dishes didn't include more vegetables, particularly for recipes that are supposed to be healthier where possible.</div>
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First up was Chicken Tikka Masala. Other than the lack of vegetables, it was a really simple, tasty dish.There was a little bit of marinating involved, but all of the ingredients were ones I already had in, and it made for a really enjoyable meal.</div>
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The Husband picked Chickpea and Sweetcorn Burgers, which were an amazing success. I didn't have bread rolls when I made them, so used wraps instead, and served them with some sweet potato fries, and they were brilliant. I was surprised that The Husband had picked them to begin with, but even more surprised by how much he raved about them, though I was inclined to agree with him. The flavour was great, and they were reminiscent of falafel, though far more successful than <a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/cookery-calendar-challenge-february.html">last time</a> I tried to make it. The recipe also included a lovely salsa which was a nice addition, and I would like to try these again very soon!</div>
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Finally I made the Chicken Dhansak, which was a good dish for using the lentils sitting in the cupboard, and was also a really enjoyable way to cook chicken thighs, which I don't usually enjoy. Having made rather a huge amount as an attempt at batch cooking, I didn't end up eating it that night. However (and this gives you an insight into the lack of organisation in my freezer), I lifted out what I thought was chilli for tonight's dinner, only to find upon defrosting that it was in fact this dish. So I am able to report back and let you know that it was another really lovely meal, the honey adding a hint of sweetness and the chicken having become really tender.</div>
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Overall I was really pleased with the recipes I made from this book, and there are plenty more that I would like to try. Do head over to Penny's page to see what else people have been cooking this month, meanwhile I will go and pick out a book for August!</div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-77209130435399286842017-08-01T23:51:00.001+01:002017-08-01T23:51:29.468+01:00first things first<p dir="ltr">The first of August.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The first year of parenthood is almost complete. I can't even fathom how we are here already! I am officially already back at work, although I'm actually using up annual leave before I return in September. So this is my final full month at home with T, and in these next few weeks he will have his Christening, his first birthday and his first taster sessions at nursery.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So many firsts ahead, but there were also plenty to be had in July. We had our first night away without T, who was beautifully behaved for his grandparents and barely noticed our absence. We, of course, spent the majority of our trip talking about him and looking at pictures of him and generally being the stereotypical parents away from their baby for the first night.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This last few weeks have also included our first real experience of a poorly baby. Nothing major, thankfully, but there have been high temperatures, and rashes, and copious amounts of coughing and snottiness. It has been more than a little worrying but he is absolutely back to full fitness now and as he gets over closer to taking his first steps he clambers about the house at increasing speed wreaking havoc at all times.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This weekend also brought another first for that beautiful dog in the picture. After eight weeks of training my lovely Millie passed her Kennel Club Bronze Award on Sunday. The examiner even commented on how exceptional her recall was for a beagle and I practically exploded with pride. She has definitely had her life turned upside down since T has arrived and has taken to it all with her typical good nature and so it was such a lovely moment for the two of us to have achieved something together and to be able to make such a huge fuss of her, putting her centre of attention for a little while.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I don't know how this blog will go in the coming months, I feel like each time I come to these posts it is the first time I have written in weeks, but the fact that I am still here tapping away means that I still plan to keep trying to stick with it in some guise or another.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm looking forward to August, even if it holds a few lasts as well as lots of firsts. I think back to this time last year and the waiting, and am so grateful for where we are today. Hoping you all have some lovely summer plans for the month ahead.<br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczmAweZXQCz5nlBZALV8of6aFpjg0XlZyirpONcgThH-1ZjIL8klJXuRGgRQm_FD1xYA2_fg4rlQg9J5hOLgONW6qiSRFYv35V8aeT7p72HEB7ILDDJlnJ764kts95eJ22UAtBhAyVRo/s1600/20170801_232020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczmAweZXQCz5nlBZALV8of6aFpjg0XlZyirpONcgThH-1ZjIL8klJXuRGgRQm_FD1xYA2_fg4rlQg9J5hOLgONW6qiSRFYv35V8aeT7p72HEB7ILDDJlnJ764kts95eJ22UAtBhAyVRo/s640/20170801_232020.jpg"> </a> </div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-67659524998302329792017-07-04T22:00:00.005+01:002017-07-04T22:01:18.533+01:00Cookery Calendar Challenge: June<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Based on how well used the other books in the series are, I bought the latest book in the Hairy Bikers' healthy eating series as soon as I realised it had been released. The latest one is <a href="http://www.hairybikers.com/shop/view/the-hairy-dieters-go-veggie#igLOG2LciHJGELRP.97">The Hairy Dieters Go Veggie</a> and, as the title might give away, it is a vegetarian cookbook. I was excited to try this, especially as I've been gradually increasing the amount of meat-free cooking I do, but I really struggled to find two recipes I actually wanted to make.</div>
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Firstly, it is one of those irritating books where the list of ingredients include a "sub-recipe". For example, I was going to make a chestnut and mushroom pie until I realised that the already long list of ingredients included a portion of potato pastry. This is one of their healthy adaptations which involves making pastry from potatoes to reduce the calories, but it also added more steps and ingredients, as did the inclusion of mushroom stock, which was another sub-recipe listed at the back of the book. More than in other books, I also found that this one included some unusual ingredients that weren't readily available. Mushroom ketchup, for example, and Kashmiri chilli powder, both of which proved elusive when I did an online shop. </div>
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So I wasn't particularly hopeful about the recipes I picked, as they felt like the best of a very limited bunch, and The Husband's face looked less than enthralled at the idea of a veggie tea when he got home from work. However, the <a href="http://www.hairybikers.com/recipes/view/sweet-potato-saag-aloo#2F6MTp8c4Zg1PU0a.97">Sweet Potato Saag Aloo</a> was absolutely delicious. It even prompted The Husband to admit that he had enjoyed it more than he was expecting to, and I found it really simple to make. The sauce felt a little thin as I served it up but it was fine, and this was well-flavoured, hearty dish that we would have again.</div>
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The next dish was curried pumpkin fritters with coriander dipping sauce. I substituted the pumpkin for butternut squash, which was suggested in the recipe, and doubled up on the ingredient quantities. I expected The Husband would want something else after, but they were nice enough to be considered a meal in themselves. Again the flavours were really impressive, and the recipe was really simple and a definite success. T also enjoyed trying these, and the leftovers stored in the fridge and were handy for his meals, and my lunch over the following few days. I'm glad I doubled the quantity up, both because there was more than enough squash, and because it made a lovely meal.</div>
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So, overall, I don't know where I am at with this book. I've been really impressed by the recipes I tried but I'm still struggling to find many dishes that don't require obsscure ingredients or sneaky additional recipes, which means I don't feel particularly tempted to try many of the others. It's been a real contrast to <a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/cookery-calendar-challenge-may.html">last month's book</a> when I couldn't stop making dishes from it, and still have some I want to try.</div>
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I'm not sure what book I shall delve in to next, but I shall definitely be joining in again next month. In the meantime, do check out the challenge on Penny's page, and see what other people have been making too.</div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-58133704271244344162017-07-01T20:58:00.000+01:002017-07-01T20:58:13.401+01:00first things first<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The first of July.</div>
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I'm feeling good about July. June was not a great month, there were plenty of great moments, but overall it was, what I believe is formally known as a bit of a flop. Right at the start of the month we met a friend for breakfast, and the waitress put the teapot down right in front of T, who promptly grabbed it before we could and scalded his hand. I'm only grateful that he only managed to slosh a little out of the spout rather than tip the whole thing over himself, and that autopilot kicked in and I got him to the toilets and under cold water almost as soon as I registered it was happening. He is absolutely fine now, and the blister has disappeared entirely, with no scarring, but much of the month was filled with bandages, dressings, appointments, worry, and a huge cloud of parental guilt. Add in my first visit back to work, which went brilliantly, but was hanging over me until it happened, lots of other niggles, including the most obnoxious cold-caller I have ever spoken to, and it made for a tense month over all.</div>
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However, today is a new month, and things are feeling much brighter already. This morning our beginners' running club did their first 5k of non-stop running, and as we rounded the corner to the finish, the rest of the club who had set off on their usual run ahead of us, were stood applauding us home. It was such a lovely, happy moment, and having for so long thought of running as a solo activity, I am thoroughly enjoying seeing it as a social sport.</div>
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July is my mum's birthday, and our wedding anniversary, and this will be our first as parents, and her first as a gran. We have a week away with T planned for our anniversary, followed by a night away just the two of us, our first time away from T overnight! </div>
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July is also, officially, my first weeks back at work, as my 12 months of maternity leave comes to an end (how time has flown!). I am very lucky because I accrue my annual leave and bank holiday entitlement, and so I now take that in one block, which means although I will happily start to get paid again, I won't be going back to work physically until September, which I can still pretend is ages away yet.</div>
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This week will bring with it a trip out with a new friend, the first time we will have made the jump from chatting at various baby groups to actually socialising just the two of us (and babies too!), and also my first trip to the second of two book groups I have joined at the library. After a visit from a friend from work on Friday, catching up for the first time in months, I'll also be seeing another old work friend for her birthday tomorrow, and so its the first time in a while I've been feeling rather sociable.</div>
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So yes, July is feeling good, today there was ice-cream, and the park, and The Husband tidied while I was running so the spare bedrooms suddenly look like bedrooms rather than storage rooms for the first time since T was born. Tonight there has been Dr Who, and now a movie night, with our furry girl snuggled between us.</div>
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Wishing you all a very happy July.</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-38890080603848523052017-05-31T22:17:00.003+01:002017-05-31T22:20:37.888+01:00Cookery Calendar Challenge: May<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">For this month's Cookery Calendar Challenge I browsed the library for a recipe book, and the prospect of the Bank Holiday Weekend ahead drew my eye to Rick Stein's </span><a href="https://www.rickstein.com/product/rick-stein-long-weekend/" style="text-align: left;">Long Weekends</a><span style="text-align: left;">. It wasn't until I saw it while out shopping this week that I realised it was a new release, and though I don't own any Rick Stein books, I absolutely loved this book, both in terms of style and content. I found so many delicious recipes that I extended the loan just so that I could get chance to try a few more, and I loved the fact that it was almost part travel journal, based, as it is, around different trips to Europe. There is even a section at the back recommending places to visit in different cities, and the photography is beautiful.</span></div>
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There were lots of pasta dishes that I wanted to try, and there were two that I still have bookmarked. I opted for Farfalle with Peas and Pancetta, as farfalle is The Husband's favourite type of pasta, and though I loved getting out the pasta machine and was reminded how simple homemade pasta is to make, I soon regretted not opting for dish with a simpler pasta shape! The bows were very fiddly to make, and I was close to giving up and just doing a few for show. Instead, The Husband made the sauce, while I carried on shaping, and T sat in his highchair watching with what I can only assume was bemusement. The final result was lovely, and I was glad to have had a go, in future though I think my home-made pasta will likely be tagliatelle!</div>
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If arancini is ever on the menu, The Husband will order it, so I had to make Arancini Salsiccia when I saw it in the book. I found myself making saffron risotto at half eight in the morning while T had his breakfast, and then the rest came together in various stages over the day. I served them with some garlic greens, and they were absolutely delicious. The sausagemeat with fennel was a beautiful flavour, and they made a brilliant, filling meal. They initially seemed quite labour intensive from reading the recipe, but each component was relatively simple and they were well worth the effort.</div>
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I also made a Kima Bougasta, described as a Crisp Pork and Beef Pie with Onions, Red Peppers and Oregano. It was pretty much that simple, and I must admit when I saw the minimal ingredients I thought it might possibly be a little bland but it was a rich, flavoursome, filo-topped pie. All of the ingredients were ones I usually have in, so this is definitely one I will be trying again. Not the most picturesque dish, admittedly, but it didn't last very long!</div>
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I branched out into a dessert this month, too, and made Filo Pastries with Vanilla Cream, almost like a baklava with a creme patissiere filling. Making the filo triangles was another labour intensive process, and although the flavours were great, I wouldn't be tempted to make these again any time soon as they took a long time. It was good to work with filo, and to see how the triangles puffed up in the oven and then expanded as they were piped with the filling, and they were a lot more successful than I expected. They also got rave reviews from my parents who received some to serve when they had friends round for dinner, so it felt like the effort was well appreciated!</div>
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I'm sure I've used some online recipes at some point this month, but I can't remember any at all after running through all of those! I was really impressed with this book, a great mixture of simple and more complex dishes, from a range of countries, and every single one of them a complete success. I have just purchased the Hairy Bikers' latest book, which is a vegetarian one, so I may well use that for next month, unless another library book catches my eye. To see what other people have been making, visit Penny's blog using the button below, where she hosts the monthly link up.</div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-75511945810948831232017-05-29T16:44:00.000+01:002017-05-31T22:20:55.365+01:00homeWe are back from a lovely week away with family. A large group of us rented a cottage in Wales, for birthday celebrations. After any trip I always find myself looking forward to travelling home, to returning to my own bed, a kitchen where I know where to find everything, unpacking the suitcase and getting back to normality. This time, though, there was not the same anticipation. While we were away the sense of escapism was heightened by there being limited internet access. Which meant that when I went to bed last Monday night and saw the alert on The Husband's phone about an explosion at a concert in Manchester I couldn't get online to find more information, so I drifted off to sleep assuming, hoping really, that it was a malfunction with the lighting, or pyrotechnics. Waking to the news on Tuesday was devastating, made all the more surreal by the fact that we were shut off from the world, both physically and electronically, tucked away in the Welsh countryside.<br />
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We watched the news, watched the vigils, the days had an undercurrent that had not been there before, but with young children to entertain there was not much time to sit and absorb what was happening. And so it was only on our journey home that I felt myself becoming increasingly reflective, as we drew ever closer to a part of the country that was reeling, the reality seemed to intensify, particularly as we were overtaken by a bomb disposal vehicle, sirens blaring, on the motorway. Arriving to the free local paper on the doormat, filled with news of those that were there, those that helped, those that were injured, rather than the usual, more mundane stories of everyday life. Arrests being made in towns that I know, towns that are very near, fear and shock filling social media feeds. There was no normality to return to.<br />
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Manchester is my home city. I was born there, forever grateful to a hospital and the team within it that saved two lives during my mum's pregnancy. I lived there when I was first born, and again as a student, moving into halls just moments away from that very same hospital. I graduated in Manchester, twice, and on the second occasion it was also where The Husband proposed. My love of theatre was cultivated there, some of my closest friendships started in those streets, I have memories, such fond memories, round so many corners. I have worked in both the inner city and its suburbs, and it is the place I probably know my way around most confidently, having walked so many of its roads over so many years. Which makes it all the more gut-wrenching to see those familiar streets of home filled with sirens, with screaming, and then with silence, on the continuous footage that filled the screens on Tuesday. I always find coverage of these atrocities unbearable, it isn't worse this time because it is nearer, but it is somehow all the more vivid when the horrendous events take place on streets where your own memories overlap with the images being shown.<br />
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My first concert was in that arena, I have been picked up outside that building after countless gigs, emerging into the night with giddiness, on a wave of excitement, making memories with friends, running to a parent waiting exactly where they said they would be, ready to hear about songs and spectacles, and safely deliver us home. I have rushed with The Husband down those very steps, through that same foyer, to catch the last train home, singing favourite choruses with hoarse voices. That station has punctuated my commute, that cathedral a favourite spot, those shops the place I have wandered on lazy Saturdays, or dashed through in a lunch-hour. It isn't that I didn't ever think it would happen here, I think I always worried that it would, indeed it has before. It's more that now it has, again, I don't know how to reconcile the imagery from this week with that which went before.<br />
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I don't usually write about these things, I usually to some degree close my eyes to it until the initial overwhelm has passed, mostly I think because I feel helpless, and to try and not let that turn into panic and fear. But somehow, seeing those streets, my streets, I find that I have words I want to say. I love that city, and the horror of the news was tempered with the sense of civic pride in the place and the people that make it what it is. Seeing the crowds, at vigils, at walks, at services, and then yesterday at the run, a run where my best friend, and her sister and brother-in-law, a family that is practically my own, took part, adds more images, so many life-affirming moments filling those same streets, reclaiming them, turning them back into a place where the best kinds of memories are made.</div>
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It can feel crass to focus on positives when there are families who have lost loved ones so senselessly, inappropriately optimistic to talk about not giving in to fear or to division when people have been killed. There is grief and shock, and a sudden, deep rooted unease too. The city may speak of unbreakable spirit but, for some, hearts and homes have been irreparably splintered by what has taken place. In the face of such terror, though, as well as a sense of mass defiance, there was kindness. In the wake of one act of evil, were an immeasurable number of acts borne out of love, out of the best of humanity. It doesn't take away from the significance of what has taken place, or the devastation, yet at the same time it manages to outweigh it. </div>
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I cannot claim that I will remain steadfast, I know I will be more fearful when I next visit the city. Tonight we go to watch a comedy gig at a venue in Manchester, although not in the city centre. Tomorrow my husband leaves for work, taking the train, for the first time since our holiday. I am scared. When my friends were running yesterday I tracked their every step on an app, willing them around that course, making sure I knew exactly where they were, cheering them on, yes, but also because watching the little markers move gave a reassurance that I needed.<br />
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This is not an isolated incident, and it is not the only place to suffer in this way. The news is filled daily with such atrocities all over the world. It is no worse because it happened here, and I know that it shouldn't be the case that we are more shocked, more outraged, more moved, when the lives lost are closer to home. Undeniably though, seeing a bomb disposal van on a local motorway, seeing the headlines in a local newspaper, seeing the streets of home cordoned off, and patrolled with armed police, brings it to the forefront, makes it seem more real than pictures on a screen. I see my darling boy sleeping, laughing, exploring life with such gusto, such fearlessness, and would do anything to protect him. I hate the idea of him going out into this world, where things like this can happen. Yet I know the idea of him not seeing the world is worse, because then he would never see the incredible sights or meet the amazing people it has to offer.<br />
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And that is what I have to remember, the overwhelming wave of good, the endless kindness of strangers, the quiet determination of people who walked into their city the next morning when trains were not running, the chorus of voices that chose to sing together rather than shout at one another. It has always, to me, been an iconic city, with a mood, a culture, an identity all of its own. The response to the events has been incredible, but also, somehow, completely normal for such a special place, and for the special people who call it home. I love Manchester.</div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-28542451777583028902017-05-20T23:25:00.002+01:002017-05-20T23:25:58.587+01:00nine months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today T turned nine months old. He has
been in this world for almost as long as I carried him, though not quite,
staying put, as he did, for as long as possible. Now he is here though, he has
made himself just as at home, and just as comfortable in our world, becoming
our world in the process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As you can see from the photo above, he is
now the proud owner of six teeth, with another two just about making their
appearance. His eyes are a mystery, varying from a deep blue to a slate
grey depending on the light. We thought he had lots of hair when he was born,
but looking back at pictures now we realise how much it has grown. He has a
floppy fringe, and a little curl at the nape of his neck, almost a pony tail,
that could probably do with a trim but we can't quite bring ourselves to cut
it. His hair lies very straight, and neat, often looking like it has been
brushed to one side, except for when he has been cuddled up with me and I can't
resist the urge to stroke it into spikes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is so interesting to me to read how he
was just<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/first-things-first.html">three months ago</a>, and realise how far he has come. He is now eating
everything in sight, and after those few weeks where he seemed to be showing no
interest at all, the joy of him enjoying food still hasn't worn off. He is far
more adventurous than his dad, enjoying a whole variety of fruit, vegetables
and fish that The Husband doesn't touch, loves to drink water, and has a
slightly frustrating habit of dropping (or flinging with great glee) something
that he has tired of onto the floor. I am trying to curb this by saying a
vaguely firm "No" when it happens, which he responds to with a
bright-eyed giggle that is rather infectious, making my attempts at
admonishment someone ineffective as I laugh right back in return.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps an even greater change is that
fact that we have gone from having no pattern to our days to having a very
definite structure that seems to be suiting us well. When sleep seemed to be
particularly elusive, something that seemed to keep coming up whenever I read
anything was about a consistent routine and regular naps. I decided it had to
be worth a try and it has occurred to me since that perhaps my little boy is
more like me than I had realised, and relishes a structure and predictability
to his days just as I do. After a few days of settling him to sleep at around
the same time each day, he suddenly started to do it without any input from me,
and now I find that each morning and afternoon, given the opportunity, he
drifts off himself quite contentedly, seemingly very much his mother's son. He
won't go to sleep easily in his cot, but in his pram, the car, or my arms he
can drop off almost immediately, like clockwork. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He now sleeps better at night too, whether
because of the routine, or because he is eating better, or because his teething
and general snottiness have abated a little, I'm not sure, but I love that he
has settled into his own rhythm and seems so content with it. His interest in
the world around him still takes precedence though, and he will fight sleep
with every inch of his being if there is fun to be had, often dropping straight
off after a sing at the library, or a splash in the swimming pool, but only
when he knows all the interesting stuff has finished. I also must admit that I
still take pleasure in sitting each evening, for much longer than I need to,
holding him before I put him to bed. I will never tire of the feeling of his
head against my shoulder, his palms splayed across my skin, occasionally
gripping gently as though checking I am still there, as he drifts into a deep
sleep. It is complete bliss to hold him, fresh from his bath, slightly damp
hair and the gentlest of snores, watching the occasional smile play across his
face and hoping he is having happy dreams, knowing he is safe in my arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He is a happy boy, gloriously happy. He
usually wakes with a smile, and quite often of a morning will sit chatting to
himself until we go in to see him. His noise of choice is babababa, but he also
hums, squeals and blows raspberries as the mood takes him. Mama and Dada have
not yet made an appearance, but he has quite animated conversations at times,
and I can't wait to able to understand him and listen to what he has to say. He
can now crawl at a lightning pace, and in the past week or so has been able to
pull himself up onto his feet if there is something particularly tempting on
the sofa that he would like to help himself to. His favourite things are phones
and remote controls, though I am increasingly trying to keep those out of view,
the dvd player, fireplace and oven, which are proving more difficult to hide! I
find myself seeking out more play sessions out of the house, where I know we
can go and spend a few hours in a relatively baby-proofed environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He doesn't really have a favourite toy.
Millie will always capture his attention, and she is coping very well with the
frequent ear grabbing and hair pulling that his new found mobility is bringing.
He likes to bang things, and play with whatever toy I have just started putting
away. A tower of any sort will be rapidly knocked down, and throwing anything
up and down with sound effects is guaranteed to elicit raucous laughter for as
long as the game continues. He is drawn to noise and screens, but also enjoys
twanging the doorstop in our bedroom, and is definitely a fan of books, playing
with them at length. I've quickly learnt that babies have board books for a
reason, with one or two paper pages becoming the casualty of his
over-enthusiastic scrunching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He loves to watch the light when the car
door opens, and still loves songs, now joining in with clapping his hands
against mine with surprisingly accurate timing. Whenever he gets excited he
waves his arms and kicks his legs, especially each morning as we head to the
kitchen to see Millie for the first time that day, and he is a big fan of
waving hello and goodbye, loving to be held up at the window so he can bang on
the glass as anyone leaves. He has just recently started to interact more
confidently with other babies, rather than just watching intently whenever we
are in a group. His preferred method of introduction seems to be to nuzzle his
forehead against someone else's, and I sit trying not to interfere in his first
forays into making friends, whilst also trying to gently stop him grabbing
hair, cheeks, and eyes, once his head rub has been accepted! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">His close family are the lucky recipients
of his biggest smiles, he lights up when someone he knows walks into a room,
particularly his daddy or his great-grandad, and though he has occasionally
started to wobble his bottom lip when I try to stop him doing something he is
determined to do, he is easily distracted from his imminent tears, and in
general is incredibly good-natured. I feel like he makes motherhood incredibly
easy, he is such wonderful company, and makes me feel like he thinks the same
of me. I have laughed more in these last nine months than I can ever remember,
and although his mobility brings an increasing fear of danger (for me,
definitely not for him!) I am also in awe as I watch him grow and
develop. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He has even more of a personality now, and
he seems to be a fun-loving, determined, adventure-seeking, happy boy who loves
his family so whole-heartedly, and with such joy. I hope he knows we love him
just the same way, and have felt so unbelievably lucky to share our lives with
him, every single day of the last nine months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-65878787478400192292017-05-17T11:41:00.001+01:002017-05-17T11:41:52.434+01:00wonderful wednesday #11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello, I hope you are having a good week. Thank you for popping by for another round of Wonderful Wednesday-ness. There are lots of happy little moments to reflect on this week, and yet again, I am frantically typing this during nap time, so I will crack straight on!</div>
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<b><u>Join the Club</u>:</b> After doing the muddy 5k with me recently, my mum's neighbour's daughter, who also happens to be a good friend that I have grown up with over the years, invited me to join a running club with her. It is a beginners' club, doing a couch to 5k programme, and we went along for our first session on Saturday morning, with another one due tonight. It was great to go and be part of a group, and nice to feel like we have gone from friends through our parents, to being friends who socialise together (or exercise together!) of our own accord. It was also good to feel like the starting weeks of the couch to 5k are actually quite comfortable now, and realise that I have progressed from my first forays into running all those years ago.</div>
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<b><u>Watermelon</u>:</b> I bought watermelon fingers for T to try, and as with any food he eats, most of it ends up on the floor. Millie tends to do a good job of hoovering it up after meal times, but if there is ever a new food I always check to make sure it's dog friendly, especially something like watermelon that might have hidden pips in. I googled "dog watermelon" and got rather more than I expected, when the images appeared under the search bar. See <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dog+watermelon&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwilj7SI2_bTAhXnJMAKHejBAjAQ_AUICygC&biw=1600&bih=794">here</a>, you won't be disappointed. </div>
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<b><u>Camera Time</u>: </b>Slowly but surely I am catching back up with the year with my camera project, after falling quite far behind. Once I got over the shame of posting homework that was two months late, I've really enjoyed getting back into playing with pictures, and have been gradually getting a bit more efficient with my editing/uploading process to, which always helps.</div>
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<b><u>30 Second Mess</u>: </b>I am that unfortunate mix of someone who likes tidiness and organisation, but who also finds it easy to make a mess just by walking into a room. Often I would call or msn (remember those days) The Husband when we were both at our different universities, bemoaning the chaos that was my bedroom, and he would always describe it as a 30 second mess. It was always much, much worse than that, but he took the approach of spend 30 seconds and one bit will be tidied up, and then another 30 seconds, and so on. It has always stuck with me, and last night after a busy few days, the house was feeling a bit cluttered and so after T went to sleep we did a dash around the house. He did the hoovering with his headphones on while I sorted the bins and the recycling (I shall resist the urge to make satirical comments about boy and girl jobs), we got the dishes done, the washing sorted, and did a quick tidy round. It was so good to wake up this morning to a cleaner house, and has started today off in a positive way.</div>
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<b><u>Calligraphy</u>: </b>Having splashed out on lots of new stationery with my earnings from my <a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/word-of-week.html">sugar challenge</a> I have been enjoying doodling with my calligraphy pens. I even got a calligraphy book from the library and have been having a play with some of the projects in that, mostly though I'm just relishing the fact that I can spend 10 minutes being creative without having to make a huge mess (see above!) and that I can dip in and out easily without it feeling like a huge endeavour. </div>
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<b><u>Celebrations</u>:</b> It has been my stepdad's birthday this week, so we have had a few gatherings to celebrate, and we have big family celebrations planned later this week for my auntie's birthday too. It is lovely to spend time with my family, and now we have T, it adds extra joy too. </div>
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So that is all from me this week, but if you would like to read some of the other wonderful posts:</div>
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<i><a href="http://sallytangle.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/wonderful-wednesday-151.html?m=1">Sally</a> is the originator of the idea, you can search for #wonderfulwednesday and these lovely folks all post too: </i><i><a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/perfect-hiding-place-3630689">Jo</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/roast-chicken-a-country-walk-13703863">Helen</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/life-outside-london-12711827">Michelle</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/daydreams-summertime-12428213?referrer_context=blog_search_autocomplete">Sarah</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/appreciate-day-7022283">Kate</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/happy-go-lucky-cat-11702159">Cat</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/toms-house-18403499">Sam</a>, <a href="http://www.bloomingel.co.uk/?m=1">El</a> , <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/life-as-unusuals-14620481">Kerri</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/muted-mornings-13883825?referrer_context=blog_search_autocomplete">Mimmi</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/sweetietulip-11305065">Martina</a>, <a href="https://loveisabelleblog.wordpress.com/">Isabelle</a>.</i> </div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-64850333222227606302017-05-12T06:34:00.000+01:002017-05-12T07:32:56.323+01:00word of the week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You might have seen this recent <a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/first-things-first_30.html">post</a> where I casually dropped in about having not eaten sugar for 60 days. As anyone who visits this blog regularly, or follows my instagram feed, will know, that isn't quite as casual as I made it sound, having a penchant, as I do, for all things sweet. This is quite a lengthy post, as I wanted to write this out so that I could reflect on my experience, now that I'm just over a week since I finished, so apologies for all of the words (particularly if you're visiting from word of the week, as I realise this is much longer than usual!)<br />
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I consider myself well-informed about nutrition, I usually cook meals from scratch, enjoy a varied diet, and understand how to read food labels. I know that most sauces, cereals, and yoghurts will have added sugar (particularly those labelled low-fat) and so I deliberately buy the least processed versions, or just make my own. I also disgaree with the idea that adding honey, or maple syrup is better than adding sugar and have been disappointed in the past by sugar-free cookbooks (Davina I'm looking at you) where every recipe seems to include a boatload of syrup instead. I even limit how much fruit juice I drink because it provides more sugar, and much less nutritional benefit, than eating the whole fruit.<br />
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So what was the problem? I was great at looking for hidden sugars, great at trying to avoid things that had been unexpectedly sweetened. Unfortunately, my issue is when it comes to the not-so-hidden sugars, the things that are quite obviously supposed to have sugar in, the chocolates, cakes, biscuits, sweets, and yes even those syrups and honey. While I would be sure not to be caught out by surreptitious sugar, I didn't have the same reservations for food that I knew was packed full of the stuff, and whether I was baking my own or buying it off the shelves, I couldn't leave it alone.<br />
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I've always had a sweet tooth, and food, particularly sweet food has always had an emotional element. Bad day, have a biscuit, good day, have some chocolate, celebration, eat cake, trip out, not a treat without an ice cream. Food has been so ingrained into every aspect of life, for me it is an incredibly social thing, and I tended to experience most events and emotions with a side order of sugar. I have long-joked that I have a pudding-shelf, by which I meant that however full I was, I always had room for dessert. Not only that, but I would very often say, at the end of a meal, that I "needed" something sweet. This has always been fascinating to The Husband, who enjoys chocolate and biscuits too, but with a completely different attitude to me. While he loves eating out, and going for celebratory meals, he eats when he is hungry, he doesn't crave sweetness for its own sake, and though he can chomp through a packet of biscuits while watching a film, he can also leave well alone for weeks at a time.<br />
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For me, I've never had the willpower. If I know there is something sweet in the house, I didn't need much excuse to raid the cupboard. Being home on maternity leave had brought it to a head somewhat, a couple of biscuits with each cup of tea (having to eat everything one-handed was an added justification), a few more if he went down for a sleep, a few more if it had been a tough hour. Even though I have been doing more walking than I have in years, often five or six miles a day, as well as regular runs, I knew my snacking was incredibly unhealthy. Additionally, now T was starting to eat meals with us, it was feeling particularly hypocritical to be tucking into to sugar-laden snacks while knowing I wouldn't dream of serving him the foods that I was relying on to get through the day.<br />
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I always tend to have an all-or-nothing approach to things, and this was no different. I initially thought about giving up chocolate for lent, until I realised we had got my Grandad an afternoon tea and a chocolate making workshop which was on Ash Wednesday, so that scuppered my plans a little! Instead I started on the Thursday and decided to extend it to 60 days. I ruled out everything sweet, with the exception of whole fruit, but even then I ruled out having it as dessert, as I wanted to be sure I was addressing the habit of needing something sweet after a meal. I accepted that naturally occurring sugars such as fruit sugars and milk sugars were fine as long as I didn't start cooking or pureeing the fruit, to make some kind of dessert or sweet smoothie. Honeys and syrups were a no go, and I also ruled out crisps and popcorn so that I wouldn't turn to a different snack, as well as alcohol, fruit juice, and flavoured coffees and hot chocolate.<br />
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My only exceptions were pre-bought savoury foods, such as breads, pizzas or curries, and my cereal, which is low in sugar but not without added sugar. As I said, I try and pick better options of these kind of items anyway, and I knew that for me, this wasn't the problem I was trying to address. After a discussion with The Husband we also agreed to an incentive, of a small amount of money for each day I succeeded. to treat myself with at the end. However The Husband also cleverly suggested that if I were to lapse, he would receive any of my earnings to that point!! I did a chart, resplendent with clip-art, stuck it up in the kitchen, and diligently set about marking off each day.<br />
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And do you know what, I did it. And I really didn't struggle. I think once I knew it was off the cards it just flicked a switch, and I could happily open the cupboards that had anything off-limits in without so much as a craving. What I found hardest was when I was poorly and I wanted builders tea with sugar, and mugs of honey and lemon. Otherwise, I went on quite happily. I did find that I became less hungry during the day, running round with T meant that if I couldn't raid the biscuit cupboard I'd quite often just grab toast or oatcakes. I also felt like I ate well, there were still trips out for fish and chips, cheese scones at the garden centre, cooked breakfasts at Ikea with my mum and T, pizza nights, the cookery calendar challenge. I still enjoyed food, and cooking, and even baked a cake for a friend without licking the spoon! I could also enjoy the pleasure of sitting and getting to drink a hot cup of coffee in it's own right rather than just using the drink as a receptacle for biscuit dunking.<br />
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The thing that has stuck with me most, is that we had a lot of celebrations during the 60 days. Easter, Mother's Day, our family holiday, a night out with The Husband for dinner and a film, trips out with my parents and countless movie nights at home. None of them felt any less special, or any less enjoyable through lack of sweet treats, and it was so refreshing to realise that having a good time isn't contingent on having a "treat" to eat. Similarly, there were plenty of sleepness nights, rough days, and low moments, and with the exception of missing my cold remedies, it was liberating to find that these moments passed just as quickly without inhaling a handful, or three, of hobnobs (the chocolate variety), I actually felt generally better because I didn't have the sugar induced highs and lows to go along with them.<br />
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So it has now been just over a week since I finished the challenge, and what has happened since? I have treated myself to some beautiful new calligraphy equipment, pens, watercolours, ink, and a light box, and also a nutribullet with my earnings! I have also started a new challenge, having enjoyed the sense of achievement and the positive changes it brought. But the big question is about the sugar. Health wise, I didn't notice much difference. I lost weight over the 60 days, which wasn't the reason I did it, but wasn't a surprise when I knew how many snacks I would be cutting out, and it finally took me to my pre-pregnancy weight which felt like a good goal to reach. Interestingly, although I wouldn't have said I noticed any changes during the 60 days, since I've reintroduced sugar, my skin and stomach seem to be flaring up, but only a little. I haven't continued to exclude it entirely, for all I don't think too much sugar is good, I also think that ruling anything out completely (unless for health reasons) is not the route to a happy life. I genuinely feel though, that I have changed my relationship with it. We have a cupboard full of Easter eggs, and I have been able to have a taste, and wrap the rest up and put it back, which is a completely new for me. I have also avoided having anything during the day, unless I've been out for a trip somewhere.<br />
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In the last day or so I became aware that I was tempted to reach for the chocolate because I was tired, or the pile of washing up looked daunting, or just because I felt like a pick-me-up. I was able to reign it in though, and when I do have something sweet I feel like I able to savour it in small amounts, even the biscuit served with a coffee in a cafe tastes much sweeter and I enjoy it all the more for that. Do I consider it a success? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Without hesitation. However, I hope that I don't get to the point where I need to. I hope I can continue to eat sweet foods occasionally, like today where I went out and enjoyed a meringue with my Grandad, without suddenly needing to raid the cupboard mindlessly. I wouldn't ever want to live completely without a pudding now and then, I love my food too much to never be able to sample a dessert menu! But I also feel like I have dissociated sugar from being a reward, and an emotional crutch. Food will always be part of celebrations for me, I love cooking, baking and sharing food with those I love, or eating out as part of a special occasion. It will always bring me joy, but now I look forward to making memories that don't all centre around eating, and look forward to knowing I can handle bad days and low moments in a healthier way.<br />
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Thank you for reading all of that, if you made it to the end! I'll be back soon to tell you about my next challenge, as I've realised it might be more reader-friendly to do it smaller chunks! Do let me know what your thoughts are, are you the proud owner of a pudding-shelf? Here's to good food, happy celebrations, and a sweet life, with and without added sugar!<br />
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<a href="http://www.thereadingresidence.com/" title="The Reading Residence"><img alt="The Reading Residence" src="http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r754/joloreading/wordoftheweek_zpsa1d16a5e.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-29175133353454128612017-05-10T16:35:00.001+01:002017-05-10T16:36:59.250+01:00wonderful wednesday #10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's time for another look at some loveliness from the past week, and it's been a great one.</div>
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<b><u>Marvellous Millie</u>:</b> That gorgeous little hound turns 4 years old today. We have celebrated with sunbathing in the garden and a trip to the park for a meet up with my friends, their children, and most crucially their dog who is Millie's playmate of old. They had a happy reunion, and I'm sure there will be treats for tea later too. She's such a wonderful companion, and has coped so well with the turmoil of a baby brother in the house. All she ever wants is company and cuddles (food obviously goes without saying), and I do enjoy the fact that now T has a more predictable bed time, we can have a couple of hours curled up with her just like the good old days.</div>
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<b><u>Sunshine</u>: </b>It has been glorious here, although that has made me realise that I urgently need to purchase some suncream in order to be a responsible parent. The weather makes such a difference though, I've been walking T everywhere, and it feels so good to get out and about.</div>
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<b><u>Cooking</u>:</b> The book I chose for this month's Cookery Calendar Challenge is proving to be a real success, I've already made three recipes from it and am planning a few more before I have to return it to the library! Everything I've made has turned out really well, and it has felt really good to be in the kitchen and making some more unusual dishes.</div>
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<b><u>Getting Muddy</u>:</b> I took part in a Race for Life Pretty Muddy event over the weekend. I signed up on a whim, and then completely forgot about it. I was chatting with my mum's neighbour about starting going running with her daughter, we have grown up together over the years, and our two families are incredibly close. I suddenly realised the race was this weekend, got in touch to see if she fancied joining me, and three days later we found ourselves scrambling through cargo nets, bouncing on space hoppers, sliding down inflatables, and crawling through mud, mud and more mud, in the glorious sunshine. It was brilliant fun, all the better for having company, and felt like a real achievement. My family all came along to cheer us round (and take some brilliant pictures), and we are already thinking about doing a 10k one in June. My legs have been aching, and I've bruises everywhere, but I still get a huge grin whenever I think about it.</div>
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<b><u>Impromptu Visits</u>:</b> The Husband's best friend from uni got in touch out of the blue to see if we were around. He lives a long distance away but happened to be in the area this weekend, so once I had managed to de-mud myself, we went for Sunday dinner followed by milkshakes, then had good chats over coffee at home. It was lovely to see him, really good for him to spend time with T, and it was also one of those occasions where we realised how happy we are where we live. It was so nice to be able to walk two minutes and have lots of options for things to do, yet also to be able to retreat back to home after and sit in the peaceful sunshine. A lovely weekend all round.</div>
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I think that's plenty of wonderfulness for this Wednesday, I feel like I could go on and on, I haven't mentioned photography, or stationery, or free gifts from fabulous companies, but instead, go and read some of the other wonderful posts:</div>
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<i><a href="http://sallytangle.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/wonderful-wednesday-151.html?m=1">Sally</a> is the originator of the idea, you can search for #wonderfulwednesday and these lovely folks all post too: </i><i><a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/perfect-hiding-place-3630689">Jo</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/roast-chicken-a-country-walk-13703863">Helen</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/life-outside-london-12711827">Michelle</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/daydreams-summertime-12428213?referrer_context=blog_search_autocomplete">Sarah</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/appreciate-day-7022283">Kate</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/happy-go-lucky-cat-11702159">Cat</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/toms-house-18403499">Sam</a>, <a href="http://www.bloomingel.co.uk/?m=1">El</a> , <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/life-as-unusuals-14620481">Kerri</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/muted-mornings-13883825?referrer_context=blog_search_autocomplete">Mimmi</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/sweetietulip-11305065">Martina</a>, <a href="https://loveisabelleblog.wordpress.com/">Isabelle</a>.</i> </div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-38182115575627968102017-05-03T06:27:00.002+01:002017-05-07T20:35:08.075+01:00wonderful wednesday #9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DSOLXm_fitquJ-dTg1ehZPdr1IRBm7D-AIFjZj2EIqTQrPnbrE8OkBG1pvAZHrtG2j331o0aO1zzANt0AufY2ZMKmZfZ0rmg-ay3TIEeEvxuooD_GKIUlMCySn0bQvox7uMxafPQg7M/s1600/20170502_211728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DSOLXm_fitquJ-dTg1ehZPdr1IRBm7D-AIFjZj2EIqTQrPnbrE8OkBG1pvAZHrtG2j331o0aO1zzANt0AufY2ZMKmZfZ0rmg-ay3TIEeEvxuooD_GKIUlMCySn0bQvox7uMxafPQg7M/s640/20170502_211728.jpg" width="640" /> </a> </div>
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I hope May is treating you well so far, it's time for another round up of some of the loveliness that's been going on round here:</div>
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<b><u>The Breakfast Club</u>:</b> I met up with some close friends for breakfast in Manchester and it was lovely to see them and put the world to rights. As with last week, I'm finding that the early starts that come with parenthood are finally suiting me, and I was home just after 12 feeling like I still had most of the day left, while already having spent a good few hours in good company.</div>
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<b><u>Impending Middle Age</u>:</b> My friends and I were reflecting on how life has changed since we were at university together, over 12 years ago. One friend was off to look at bathrooms that afternoon, while I was relishing in having no weekend plans. I did then manage to outdo her in the grown-up Saturday afternoon activity stakes by visiting a garden centre, and as I told them, taking an active interest in a rack of fleeces and waterproof jackets. There then ensued a conversation about the necessity of a good fleece and the joys of potential national trust membership. At least I am in good company!</div>
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<b><u>Gardening</u>: </b>Just to further fit the stereotype, we returned from the garden centre and spent a happy hour in the garden. The Husband did some weeding, and I planted up our hanging baskets with plug plants we had ordered online. I also added some basil to my much-adored new herb pot, but this is my second attempt at planting a basil plant in amongst all of the other herbs, and it is looking like it may have failed again. </div>
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<b><u>Running</u>:</b> After a month's absence I have finally been back out on a few runs. The longer it goes the less inclined I am to start again, convinced that I will have lost any progress made, but actually, my pace has remained quite consistent with where I was at previously, and it has been rather enjoyable to get out for a quick burst of activity in the sunshine.</div>
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<b><u>Library Love</u>: </b>I have always had a thing about libraries, my mum used to take me regularly when I was younger, at at University, I always felt most studious if I took myself over the library and holed up there. I love libraries, the peace, the sense of endless books to be read, and in the case of the university libraries I have visited the history within the walls. Having dropped out of using the library since starting work, yet reading more than ever in recent years, I have now rediscovered my love for them through T. I started by taking him to a session of songs and a story, which is twice a week at our local library. It is a brilliant activity, free, half an hour, and is one of the things we have done most consistently since he has been born. It was first attempt at any kind of baby group, and helped me build my confidence as a new parent venturing into the terrifying world of interacting with other parents! Since then, I have started to realise what a wealth of things I have been missing out on, and last weekend came home with a new recipe book and a DVD on loan. My favourite thing, though, is that it is the same library my mum used to take me to, and although it has changed in many ways, the layout, and the bright, welcoming children's room where we got to the class is the same one I used to spend hours in as a little girl. I love the fact that history is repeating in the nicest way.</div>
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<i>f you would like to visit some of the others (highly recommended) then <a href="http://sallytangle.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/wonderful-wednesday-151.html?m=1">Sally</a> is the originator of the idea, you can search for #wonderfulwednesday and these lovely folks all post too: </i><i><a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/perfect-hiding-place-3630689">Jo</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/roast-chicken-a-country-walk-13703863">Helen</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/life-outside-london-12711827">Michelle</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/daydreams-summertime-12428213?referrer_context=blog_search_autocomplete">Sarah</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/appreciate-day-7022283">Kate</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/happy-go-lucky-cat-11702159">Cat</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/toms-house-18403499">Sam</a>, <a href="http://www.bloomingel.co.uk/?m=1">El</a> , <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/life-as-unusuals-14620481">Kerri</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/muted-mornings-13883825?referrer_context=blog_search_autocomplete">Mimmi</a>, <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/sweetietulip-11305065">Martina</a>, <a href="https://loveisabelleblog.wordpress.com/">Isabelle</a>.</i> </div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-81689348602255576332017-05-01T15:15:00.000+01:002017-05-02T20:50:58.127+01:00first things first<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkG9HxVGiV3F-pzR9UOiZFakCGnqmhzJS9TTqKpDxOqIbZiSAgFHtVhts4FJZGhqf9BwMvAY0vOR2ssCbVfzdtm5_AURWLHdxXMJkSFDzZ9K0Hb4hQuNouqGaZJBBNp_VBXmKKPohtKg/s1600/20170430_144211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkG9HxVGiV3F-pzR9UOiZFakCGnqmhzJS9TTqKpDxOqIbZiSAgFHtVhts4FJZGhqf9BwMvAY0vOR2ssCbVfzdtm5_AURWLHdxXMJkSFDzZ9K0Hb4hQuNouqGaZJBBNp_VBXmKKPohtKg/s640/20170430_144211.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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The first of May.</div>
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I love it when the first day of a month is a Monday, it just feels like everything is nicely lined up, but when the first day of the month is a Bank Holiday Monday, well hurrah, that's an added bonus, with the promise of an extra day as a family, and a shorter countdown until the weekend.</div>
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The first morning waking up after a sleep in fresh bedding, with a day stretching ahead, and no real plans.</div>
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The first day today, when I can indulge my sweet tooth, after sixty days without sugar (or crisps, or alcohol). More on that in another post, but I'm intrigued to see whether chocolate will hold the same appeal now, I feel like perhaps I have beaten the craving, but I'll see how the next few days go!</div>
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Unfortunately, while my diet has improved drastically, I haven't kept up with the running. Having taken a week off when I got poorly, it stretched on into two, and then three weeks, and now it is over a month since I have had the trainers on. Last night I ventured out on my first run, just a mini one, determined to get fit for the 10k I have planned in a few months time. It wasn't horrendous, and I've been walking 3-4 miles regularly taking T out and about to the park and the library, so I'm hoping that has helped. After my sister-in-law ran the London Marathon this year, I casually suggested to The Husband that we could look at doing one together, maybe in October. I might be mad, I don't think there is anything casual about a marathon, but we have both wanted to do one for a while, and I wonder if signing up might be the prompt we need. The Husband has started looking at running watches today, so I'm wondering if I may have tempted him. Watch this space!</div>
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This month also brings with it our first family holiday with our extended family. My cousin and his family, and my aunt and uncle are joining us, my parents and my grandad for a week in a holiday rental property. It seems to have come around quite quickly, and I am very excited, especially as the property has a swimming pool, games room, and cinema room. T might be a little young for table tennis or movie nights, but he loves swimming and I can't wait to be able to take him for a splash each day!</div>
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Saturday was the first time I had a girly meet up with my close uni friends since T has been born. Once they got over the shock of me, queen of the all-nighter and steadfast night owl suggesting meeting at 9am (oh motherhood, thou hast changed me), we arranged to have breakfast in Manchester. It was a beautifully sunny day, I made it to the train in plenty of time, had a glorious few hours catching up, and was home before T woke from his nap ready for his next feed. It felt like everything went to plan, and it is still a revelation for me to be able to go out for a few hours and not worry that he might be hungry, particularly as he was never great a taking a bottle. It was a long leisurely breakfast (much to the chagrin of the staff I think, as the place was packed!) and a brilliant catch up. </div>
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Finally, on the train home, I started the first few pages of Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic. I haven't read her previous books though I had obviously heard of Eat Pray Love, but had read about this one a few times. It kept appearing in magazines, and I kept thinking it sounded interesting, and then I read a blog which referenced it, that I now can't for the life of me find (if it was you please tell me as I have hunted for it, and would love to link it back). I decided on a whim to buy it, and I'm glad I did. I did rather too many embarrassing snorts of laughter on the train, and the words have been popping up in my head, making me itch to pick it up and carry it on. It reminded me that the joy of being creative, in whatever guise that takes, is enough reason to carry on writing here, to carry on dusting off the calligraphy pens, to carry on trying to catch up with my camera projects. Not through a desire for comments, or approval, or popularity, but just through the joy that it brings me, the small pleasure I find, and so here I am.</div>
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Wishing you all a wonderful May, whether it be full of firsts, or enjoyable familiarity. </div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632292513117494712.post-85973090798999084872017-04-30T14:39:00.000+01:002017-04-30T14:39:50.410+01:00Cookery Calendar Challenge: April<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I gave The Husband the choice for this month's book, and he went for the other James Martin book I have "borrowed" from my mum, <a href="http://www.jamesmartinchef.co.uk/books/my-kitchen/">My Kitchen</a>. Although I was a little reluctant at first, having used a James Martin book for the challenge <a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/cookery-calendar-challenge-march.html">last month</a> too, I remembered cooking some recipes from this book when I took part <a href="http://whatkatiewrotenext.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/cookery-calendar-challenge-june.html">last year</a>, and finding lots in there that appealed, so I let the choice stand! I like that this book is arranged seasonally, so I went with summer recipes again, and having realised, thanks to <a href="https://christinascolourfullive.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/cookery%20book%20challenge">Christina</a>, that it was perfectly acceptable to cook more than two recipes (it would never have occurred to me otherwise, being such a stickler for following rules resolutely!), I actually made three this month, as so many were tempting.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauANd-PBkuBDJn1clA_pmhzA7tsxc6HXHTevHxxlruCslsjz0BonIK3eFbl-gOh89wT5uKFcYpGVQoVCgHGJNk7gI6vTTmd2ZkW8b1kiEr3iqaaPnROe25-CD_l9jfJ2bzqCxrx80sQI/s1600/20170430_140813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauANd-PBkuBDJn1clA_pmhzA7tsxc6HXHTevHxxlruCslsjz0BonIK3eFbl-gOh89wT5uKFcYpGVQoVCgHGJNk7gI6vTTmd2ZkW8b1kiEr3iqaaPnROe25-CD_l9jfJ2bzqCxrx80sQI/s640/20170430_140813.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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The first dish is the one I cooked most recently, and although I did make it, and did take pictures, I have alas not found a way to make koftas look in anyway photogenic or appetising on the plate, so I thought I would give you a glimpse of the book, and the much more successful photography within. These were simple to make, and were a nice alternative use for mince, that I would definitely try again. I did find this recipe a bit bland, but that may be because I used chopped fresh fennel rather than ground fennel, and some subsequent internet searching suggests that this may have resulted in a much milder flavour. I found they took a lot longer to cook through than the recipe suggested, though perhaps I made them thicker as I didn't mould them around skewers, just into small sausage shapes. I served them with pitta, homemade tzatziki, and the corn. I think the recipe is quite small in terms of portion sizes, it definitely needed the additional accompaniments to make a meal, but as one dish for a barbecue, which I guess was the intention, it would be a definite success.</div>
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The next dish was lemon and rosemary lamb with tahini aubergines, Again, I think it was designed as a barbeque dish, and so I added some garlic crushed potatoes to make it into a full meal. We don't usually eat lamb, I find it quite a fatty meat, and it can be expensive for small cuts, but I do enjoy the flavour and will often order it when eating out. The flavour of the lamb was beautiful, though again, it required longer cooking times than the book suggested, but this was likely due to our cutlets being quite thickly cut, as I bought a rack of lamb and carved them from that. The aubergines were a little overpowered by the lemon I thought, and the specially bought tahini paste got a little lost (any tahini suggestions welcome!). I will forever love this dish though, as it was the first time The Husband had tried aubergine, one of my favourite vegetables, that he has resisted up until now. T also tucked into a piece with gusto! Alas, I wouldn't say it was aubergine at its best, but I have bought another one, in the hope that an aubergine parmigiana might be an acceptable offering!</div>
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The first dish I made from the book was by far the most successful, despite inauspicious beginnings. Having bought all of the ingredients, the night when I had planned to make the tomato, basil and mozzarella pizza came round, and I was absolutely not feeling in the mood for making dough. I persisted though, and am so glad I did, it was declared an outright success by my pizza fiend of a husband, and I know for a fact we will be making this regularly. We eat pizza pretty often, it is such a quick meal, and with salad and sweet potato wedges it is a staple of our weekly meal plans, but I know shop bought pizza is not the healthiest option usually. This was so much better, and tasted so much more flavoursome, that I shall be rustling them up again very soon.</div>
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Next month, I will be using Rick Stein's Long Weekend, which I took out from the library on Friday as it sounded particularly apt as I browsed the shelves with T. I expect this might be another month where I make more than two recipes as just a quick flick through has revealed loads I want to try! I have made a few dishes from the internet this month too, and a particular success was the <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/baked-cauliflower-pizzaiola">cauliflower pizzaiola</a>, which used up a few ingredients that were languishing in the fridge, and provided a hearty meat free meal too.</div>
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The Cookery Calendar Challenge is the wonderful creation of Penny at The Homemade Heart, do use the button below to check out the other bloggers taking part and see what recipe books people have been dusting off this month.</div>
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<a href="http://thehomemadeheart.typepad.com/thehomemadeheart/the-cookery-calendar-challenge.html"><img src="http://thehomemadeheart.typepad.com/179x149CCCbadge%20with%20text.jpg" title="http://thehomemadeheart.typepad.com/thehomemadeheart/the-cookery-calendar-challenge.html" /></a>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440970933962473191noreply@blogger.com3