family photos shared

I'm an avid photographer and never without a camera in my possession. My iphone is really an icamera, I don't think i've made more than 10 calls on it in 2 years (texting, now that's a different story altogether, I can text in my sleep) and it fits so neatly into my tiny handbag.

For Father's day this year Jacob and I stored a collection of photo's from our trip to Center Parcs on a usb stick and shot over to Asda to print off a quickee photo book. A friend gave me the idea after we went camping in April and she got one made up for herself and her children.

And yes, I did spell Centre incorrectly but hey, it won't hurt anyone.

Well, it reduced this households Father to tears, I'd taken stacks and stacks of Father and Son photos at Center Parcs and it was lovely to see the two of them looking through it together, laughing at all the capers they'd got up to and smiling from front to back cover.

Look out for the photo book machine at Asda when you need a quick present for family.

There are quite a few sites selling very similar and possibly better quality photo books but this was quick and easy and great for a last minute present.

Another present which turned out to be a lovely present was this book that Jacob bought for his Dad, well really it was a present for himself which he should have returned in a year or so, however long it takes Dad to fill it in.

I also gave one to my Dad and I really can't wait to get it back again. Dad loves writing, he writes poetry and I think he's enjoying filling this book in. Honestly, I really can't wait to read it. I know lots about my Dad and his capers over his lifetime but I've never, ever spoken to him about the things that this book asks i.e. What did you think of me when you saw me for the first time?  We don't talk personal stuff, we're all a bit shy and embarrassed when it comes to expressing our emotions in our family so this will indeed be a most interesting book to read.

kids recipes

I'm looking for recipes for meals for kids. I'd like to try out meals that others feed their offspring.

Do you have a good tried and tested recipe, something your child loves and eats until the last morsel has gone?

I'd love to know what it is, care to share it with me?

guest chef - The Hub

Twice in one week The Hub made biscuits, once for us to eat here at home and once again for the club that I help to run every six weeks or so for the kids in Jacob's class to meet up and play together, trade some cards, sell some old toys etc.

The Hub made these:-

Chocolate chip cookies, courtesy of http://laureneasmith.blogspot.co.uk/2008/05/millies-cookie-recipe.html#!/2008/05/millies-cookie-recipe.html

Ingredients

125g softened butter
100g light brown sugar
125g caster sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla extract
200g chocolate chips (but Hub broke up an unwanted dark chocolate bar for this batch)
225g self-raising flour
half tsp salt

Oven pre-heated to 180 degrees centigrade


Method

Cream the sugars and butter together
Mix in a beaten egg along with the vanilla extract
Sift the flour and salt mixing well (gets a little tough to do but go for it)
Add the choc chips or broken choc bar and combine
Roll into walnut size balls and place on a baking tray with a good distance apart as they melt and spread
Cook in oven for around 7-10 mins depending on how gooey you like your bikkies!

Cool on a tray or eat straight away, they are soooooooooooooooooo delicious

Thanks to Lauren Smith for this lovely recipe and thanks to The Hub for making them

guest chef - Jacob

For the school summer fayre Jacob made a cake and a fantastic cake it was too! In fact it was many cakes, not just one. He didn't win the competition but we all thought his cake was great!!!!!

Jacob's Hungry Caterpillar Cake

Each cake could be sold seperately to make a little more money for the school PTA Fund

And he even made one for us to eat a home which was devoured as quickly as you could say 'anyone for cake?'   And that is why I have my own bouyancy aid attached permenantly to my middle area!

And the cake master at work

Good for his mathematic skills too!

rain, rain go away

Our weather system seems to have changed over the years, we now have wet and miserable summers but we wait in anticipation from Christmas to June in the hope of a lovely summer. The last 4 years haven't seen a lovely summer here in Manchester, England. They have all been very wet, very miserable.

What's it like where you live?

I know from my younger brother that Vancouver, Canada is quite similar to here. Although when he skyped yesterday morning (in Canada, evening here in UK) it was looking rather sunny as he sat on his veranda and I sat here in my kitchen, lashing rain hitting the windows.

But.... cake making was the order of the day and as the school fair is next Saturday and is holding a cake making competition, my son decided to try his hand at making some cakes and trying out the new nozzles on the icing bag.

He has an idea in mind which means cooking lots of little iced fairy cakes along with a fully iced victoria sponge. He will put the two together to make a special cake but he won't let me put it on the blog until next week.  He did all the measuring, mixing and baking by himself. I did lend a hand when it came to putting on a big sheet of icing sugar over the lovely victoria sponge with almond butter cream and jam (I can't wait to get my gnashers into it, it looks gorgeous). He was very professional in the way he was smoothing the icing down to hug the shape of the sponge. Perhaps I have a little Eric Lanlard on my hands!
                                                                  

                                                                       Hard at work



Experiments with the new icing nozzles

And that is all I can show you for now

I'll post his competition entry next week