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Raisie Bay

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My Sunday Snapshot and Ordinary Moments – Happy Birthday

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Our Summers are all about birthdays, and this week we had birthday number 4! We also had car trouble, did some knitting and some baking.

image shows a row of birthday cards with a pink happy birthday banner in the background

Eldest daughter was born June 30th, Boo on July 27th, The Little Man August 9th and Star August 24th. That’s four birthdays in eight weeks weeks!! Three of them fall between four weeks!

Thankfully the kids are older so birthday parties have not been missed this year. It was a shame we couldn’t have done something special for Boo’s 13th, or celebrated Star’s birthday at Pizza Hut like we usually do. But we have been very strict with outside contact.

The birthdays are all over now, the kids all a year older.

Ordinary Moments, Cars, Knitting and Baking.

The car broke down. We had it serviced last week, and this week the gear box goes on us. I’m glad I wasn’t in the car. We have the car booked into the garage but they can’t pick it up until Tuesday because of the bank holiday. We did get a courtesy car sorted pretty quick though. Or should I say Van! It’s Ford Tourneo with 8 seats.

image shows a black Ford Tourneo car behind a hedge.
image from the door cam!

I’ve not been in it yet but I do have a hospital appointment in the morning.

In other news this week, apart from Star’s birthday, I have been learning to knit with Boo. I can vaguely remember my Mum trying to teach me but I never really caught on so it’s just as hard for me as it is her. She was so excited to manage to cast on and knit her first row. Then she put it down and hasn’t picked it up again yet. 🙁

I also did some cooking with the Little Man. I subscribed him to a cooking kit and the box arrived this week. There is just something about receiving a box that makes you want to get stuck in and make the stuff. Well, it’s always worked before, it was a bit more difficult this time to drag him away from his computer games. But we ha a go and made some key lime pies. The recipe was quite involved with lots of blending and mixing. The results were not quite as I expected but they taste okay, and they are gluten free. We will attempt the fish cakes next.

image shows a hand holding a key lime pie which is cut in half
Key Lime Pies
The Ordinary Moments

My Sunday Snapshot and Ordinary Moments – Granny Squares

This is Halloween 2019

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two little witches
My girls dressed up as witches when they were younger

I’m not a fan of Halloween if I’m honest. I get spooked pretty quickly and I definitely don’t like monsters, and spiders and anything creepy. It’s not always been the way though. When I was 13 yrs old I discovered James Herbert, my neighbour gave me his copy of The Rats to read and I ended up getting a whole pile of books from the library. I did buy copies later on and as a hoarder, I still have a few of his books. Rest in Peace Mr Herbert, please don’t come back and haunt me.

Horror

I still read the occasional horror story now but I don’t like watching films, unless they are zombie films. There is something about zombies that fascinate me. I’d be no use in a zombie apocalypse. I have no survival instincts, I’d just be meat. (Unless they were the zombies from World War Z that avoided sick people.) Maybe Brad Pitt would come and rescue me. (I can dream can’t I…if not Brad Pitt then it has to be Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead.)

I like horror games so long as someone else is playing. I like to watch. I remember the infamous P.T. which was meant to be a playable teaser for an up and coming Silent Hill Game. (I loved the Silent Hill Games, although not the film.) The game never materialised but apparently we are to be treated with Death Stranding soon (with Norman Reedus.) (I silently scream with fear and excitement.)

What About the Kids?

Well, the girls have lost interest in Trick or Treating, and the Little Man has always refused to dress up. So each year we try to do something just to mark the day. We have had Halloween food and treats including these rather nice Toe Nail dusted cakes.

We do love to pimp up a pumpkin for Halloween though. Here’s some we made earlier. We do tend to go for Pokemon themes, or cats, cats are nice!

two pumpkin lanterns
two pumpkin lanterns

We used to carve our pumpkins at home but for the last couple of years we have been going to a local farm where they hold Pumpkin carving sessions. We buy our pumpkins and carve them in a huge marque while surrounded by witches and demons and spooky music. We are doing this again on Wednesday but here’s a photo from a couple of years ago.

three children and a purple witch holding pumpkins inf ront of a spooky background.
Pumpkin Parlour at Beckett’s Farm

Way back in 2014 (Was it really so long ago?) We visited local Hatton Adventure World where we picked our own pumpkins from the pumpkin patch and had a fun day out as well. Unfortunately, pumpkin patches are not that wheelchair friendly so we haven’t been for a while.

My kids don’t seem to get scared easily, I mean my Little Man even picks up spiders eek. I’ve decided that this year I’m going to do a bit of a spooky Halloween Scavenger Hunt which I downloaded for free from Justins Juggles. I don’t know if I can get all the little items but I can subsitute some of them for pictures and a little sweet treat. It will make up for not going Trick or Treating. I will try and get the girls involved so they can work together, and I’m turning the lights off and giving them a torch.

More Ideas

If you are still a bit unsure of what to do for Halloween here are a few more ideas.

Kim has made some Halloween Spiders to munch on…oh yummy!

Ashley shares her favourite Halloween Movies to Binge Watch

Amanda shares some spooky stories to read

How about some cute dogs dressed up for Halloween from Jo

Joanna shares a photo of an old fashioned Halloween dressing up costume

How to make a pumpkin spiced creamer from Cheryl

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a spooky Halloween whatever you do.

“3

BLOGTOBER 2019 POSTS

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My Sunday Photo – 17th June 2017

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When the kids met the chefs!
Yesterday we went to the BBC Good Food Show and had a fun but tiring day. We didn’t get to see many chefs out of these we only saw Michel Roux Jnr and that was only on the big screen while we were outside the theatre he was in. But..we did get to see Joe Wicks in action in the theatre.

It was a real good show and we saw Joe cook two very easy and tasty looking meals in just 15 minutes each. There was also some Q&A sessions and some audience participation. The kids loved the show and Boo insisted we go and buy one of Joe’s Books afterwards. It’s actually a pretty good book with over 100 healthy recipes, Boo really wants to try some out.

I’ll be writing more about our day at the show later in the week.

Photalife

Sunday Snap

Banana, Honey and Walnut Tea Loaf Recipe

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Banana, honey and walnut tea loaf with a cup of tea

You know when you get some over ripe bananas left in your fruit bowl and you don’t want them to go to waste? They would be perfect for this recipe, the riper the bananas the better.

I love a nice tea loaf that is packed with flavour, but the added chopped walnuts also add nice crunch to this loaf, giving it that little bit extra.

Enjoy it on a Sunday evening with a nice cup of tea!

Banana, Honey and Walnut Tea Loaf

banana, honey and walnut tea loaf

Ingredients:

  • 115g butter, softened
  • 115g soft brown sugar
  • 115g thick set honey
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 2 large bananas
  • squeeze of lemon juice
  • 60g crushed walnuts

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 180C/gas mark 4
  • Grease and line a 900g loaf tin
  • In a large bowl place the butter, sugar and honey and beat together until light and fluffy
  • Gradually beat in the eggs
  • fold in the flour
  • mash the bananas with the lemon juice
  • fold them into the batter along with the crushed walnuts
  • spoon mixture into tin and level the surface
  • Bake the loaf for 1 hour until risen, golden brown and firm to the touch.
  • Serve warm or cold.
Pin for Later!
banana, honey and walnut tea loaf with a cup of tea
My Random Musings

Black Friday Super Deals

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It’s Black Friday and love it or hate it there are always some great deals to be had.

I’ve been asked to share a few really good deals with you today.

Printerpix

PrinterPix Have some fantastic deals on site with up to 75% off, just think of the lovely Christmas gifts you can create! You can also purchase now and add your photos and create your products later, so it’s a great time to take part in this promotion.

Lakeland

Lakeland is one of my favourite shops so I’m thrilled that they have some lovely offers with 50% off! A big shout out to my future hubby or anyone wishing to buy me a wedding present tomorrow hehehe.



My Geek Box

My Geek Box have some fabulous offers for you.

Shop:

·         2 for £35 on Christmas Sweatshirts, or £19.99
·         10% off full price lego (selected lines)
·         3 for £20 construction kits
·         3 for £18 gifts
·         Up to 80% off Tech
·         3 for £22 on Pop Vinyl

Subscriptions:

·         £3 1st Lite Geek Box –  Code: LITE3
·         £10 1st Geek Box –  Code: GEEK10
·         £10 1st Kids Geek Box – Code: KIDS10



Claire’s

Claire’s are offering a fabulous 40% off so lots of lovely gifts to be had there, and don’t forget all those accessories for the Christmas parties.


Create and Craft

Maybe you like to make your own gifts? Create and Craft is a brilliant craft supplies shop and they too have some fabulous Black Friday Offers.


I really hope you enjoy these offers that I have shared with you, it would be great if you let me know of your fab buys in the comments.
The links provided in this post are all affiliate links and will bring me a little bit of profit if you use them. Feel free to check out the site separately if you don’t wish to use affiliate links. If you do, then thank you.