Well that's the first week of school over and done with.  I am just starting to get back into the swing of it all.  The school runs, the arguing children, the "mum I can't find my jumper!" just as we are about to leave the house.  And then there's the afterschool clubs starting up again along with the expense that goes with them.  I mean, £65 for 13 sessions of gymnastics! Forget it, ballet is cheaper I tell my 6 year old.  I think Thursdays are the only day we're not clubbing it.  If we had an endless supply of money, they could go to all the clubs they wanted, but life being what it is we have to choose carefully what suits our family and our budget. Although I love my four little bears, it doesn't make life cheap.  Having said that, the more clubs, the more chauffeuring I have to do, just one more job to add to the list.  And then there's the hanging around with the other 3 children whilst one finishes their club.  Have been trying to co-ordinate clubs so that they run concurrently on same days but do you think "chicken club" runs on the same day as ballet or creative club? NO!   Although now that they are back at school I am getting a kind of a break as the summer holiday was definitely no holiday for me.  It's true what they say, you can't pick your family.  Less said the better.  Anyway apart from that it was hot and sunny and only rained once in the month we were away.  Bliss you might say, well yes it would be under the right circumstances.  Anyway, this has evolved into a rant so time to call a halt for today.  Hope everyone else had a cracking summer holiday, lol!

Recipes

Apple & Pecan Croissant Pudding

Ingredients

4 large or 6 medium croissants (about 280-350g total weight)  

1 large red-skinned eating apple (about 175g whole/unprepared weight), such as Royal Gala or Braeburn

2 tsp lemon juice

6 Eggs

125g caster sugar divided

250ml milk

250ml single cream

1 orange

40g pecan nuts

175ml luxury thick toffee or butterscotch sauce  

½ teaspoon vanilla extract 

55g sultanas 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4. Slice croissants from top to bottom into 1 cm slices. Set aside 16 of the largest slices. Cube remaining slices and place in bottom of a suitable deep dish baker. Arrange reserved croissant slices over cubes in an overlapping circular pattern around edge of dish. Halve, core and thinly slice apple, leaving peel on. Toss apple slices in lemon juice to lightly coat all over (to prevent discolouration); tuck apple slices in between croissant slices. 
2. In a bowl whisk together eggs and 85g of the sugar.  Heat the milk and cream in a pan until hot. While continually whisking, slowly add milk mixture to egg mixture until well blended. Carefully pour egg mixture evenly over croissants and apple slices. If necessary, lightly press croissants down to coat.
3. Finely zest an orange to measure 2 teaspoons of zest. Using a citrus press or juicer, juice the orange to measure 60ml; set juice aside. Chop pecans. Combine remaining sugar, orange zest and pecans, sprinkle evenly over croissants. Bake 30-35 minutes or until top is golden brown and egg mixture is set in centre. Remove from oven to a cooling rack; let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
4. Meanwhile, combine toffee sauce, vanilla extract, sultanas and reserved orange juice and heat in a small pan until hot, stirring after every 30-second interval; pour into serving jug or bowl. Serve sauce over pudding.

I love this recipe which I got from Pampered Chef when I used to work for them.  It's very easy and super delicious, give it a try, you'll love it too.

The New Quinny Senzz

Here it is folks, the new Quinny Senzz.

Back in June I noticed a link on my facebook page for Quinny Casters so clicked over to see what the latest news was.  I had previously applied to review the Quinny Zapp but was unlucky that time.  I thought I would give it another go so I put myself forward to review the Quinny Senzz as it seemed to be everything I am looking for in a buggy.  Lightweight, manoeuvrable, compact when folded and stylish.

Anyway, I didn't think any more of it until lo and behold I checked my email this morning and saw that I had an email from QuinnyCasters to say congratulations!  I read the attachment which said our first test was to not tell anyone that we had been picked until they announced it formally at midday.  I have to say the email was sent yesterday but I didn't open my email until about 11am this morning, so waiting an hour wasn't so hard.  Although I was biting my lip because I wanted to tell my hubby.

Myself and 19 other lucky people were chosen from the hordes of hopeful Casters to be the latest "Quinny Casters" to test drive this beauty and write regular reviews about how we use the buggy and what we discover about it.  We are all very excited about it and can't wait for it to arrive on the doorstep.

Quinny are being mysteriously quiet about when they are going to come though.  And at the risk of sounding like a 2 year old throwing a tantrum, "I want my Quinny!!!!"  I hope it's soon.  Baby Bear and I are really looking forward to our first test drive together.

July

Phew, thank goodness July is over and done with!  No more school runs for a while.  Baby bear had his first birthday and Princess Bear and Girly Bear had their 5th and 6th birthdays.  Expensive month, but worth it to see the looks on my girls faces when I brought out their homemade fairy castle cake.  Started making the cake at 3.15pm and finished icing the blooming thing at 10.45pm.  I was exhausted, but for my first attempt at that kind of cake I have to say it looked pretty darn good and the girls loved it.  Looking forward to August when we go to Tunisia, but poor old Daddy Bear has to stay home and work.  I feel really sorry for him as he is fasting for Ramadan and with the heat we've had lately it's not easy.  However, it would be a heck of a lot harder in Tunisia with the heat over there lol!

Family Life

Spurs Buddy

My beautiful Baby Bear is 1 year old!  I can't believe it, it seems like only yesterday I brought him home from the hospital and now he suddenly got big and started walking.  I won't be able to call him Baby Bear much longer, I shall have to call him Little Bear instead.  A part of me is quite sad in a way because I love that baby stage when they are totally dependent on you.  On the positive side though, there are all those exciting games of hide and seek to play now that he can toddle about and then of course there will be the first game of football with Daddy Bear (if I can get him off the couch that is) lol!

Childminding

Yay!!! I got a call from Family Services today to invite me to the first Briefing Session to become a childminder.   I was told that the session was full but they would put me on the waiting list, that was 2 weeks ago and I hadn't thought anymore about it until today.  Not bad really I didn't think I would hear from them again until January!  I have to say though I'm really looking foward to it.  I got my Paediatric First Aid certificate through the post last week, albeit a bit rumpled!  You'd think after spending nearly £100 for the course they could send the certificate in a "DO NOT BEND" photo envelope instead of an ordinary envelope!  I had to iron it and then laminate it to keep it "nice".  Oh well  that's the first step down the line anyway, can't wait for whatever comes next. Bring it on!