Top Ender Giggles - Sign of the times.

Daddy was sitting on the sofa next to Top Ender when he asked if I had heard a news story about a group of teenagers who had been told accidentally they wouldn't do well in their GCSE's with some ranking thrown in about them for good measure.

"Some of the students had been quite upset about the news and a few of them fled home in tears" said Daddy
"Where they all went straight on to Twitter and tweeted about it" said Top Ender.

They probably did too.

Wordless Wednesday - I must go down to the Sea again, to the lonely Sea and the Sky

Top Ender Giggles - What were you expecting?!

Top Ender, Daddy and I had Chinese for Dinner on our Family Night. Top Ender had been very brave and had tried a few new dishes. She must of got bitten by the trying something new bug because she saw Daddy's bottle of Fanta and asked him if she could try some.

"Of course Top Ender, here have a little taste" said a disbelieving Daddy (as Top Ender doesn't like us to even look at a fizzy drink)
"It tastes like Fizzy Orange Juice!" said a surprised Top Ender
"What did you expect?!" laughed Daddy

Top Ender Giggles - They look good enough to eat...

Daddy spent some time in the kitchen baking some cheese scones over the weekend as he found a new recipe using his wheat free flour. Once they had come out of the oven, Top Ender came through to the kitchen following her nose.

"Look Top Ender these are my new Wheat Free Scones! What do you think?" said Daddy proudly
"They're great!" Top Ender enthused "You're going to love them!"

What did we do over Easter Half Term?

At the start of April I posted about What we want to do over Easter Half Term.

I posted a list of things and it is repeated here with what we managed to do in the bolder font!

•Create a time capsule (to be opened in the Summer)
•Go on a treasure hunt
•Go for a walk in the woods
•Go to a farm
•Go to an indoor play centre
•Go for a picnic
•Go to the local Manor House to walk round the gardens
•Go to see our local Shopping centres indoor display (its a Village Green this Easter)
•Stay over at Granny's (well Top Ender will)
•Have Granny over for Easter Sunday Lunch
•Lay the flooring in the clubhouse and make it bug proof (Top Enders request!)
•Make some net curtains for the windows of the clubhouse
•Make an Easter collage
•Sort out our toys and books to give to charity or the local women's shelter

I don't think we did too bad!

The Little Dish Review

I was contacted by Little Dish on Twitter and they asked if Top Ender and Baby Boy might be interested in trying some Little Dish meals. I managed to convince them that they wanted to send me lots of dishes so that I could get the playgroup Mums and children round for a taste test session after playgroup.

I don't think they thought me greedy as they sent me a cooler pack filled with meals (and crayons and balloons and little activity books) and so when the Mums came round after playgroup I threw the meals into the oven (and a cake) and carried on the chat where we found out a lot about each other.

All I am going to say about the chit chat is that its always the quiet ones, that I am proud to know these women and my list is now longer. I might talk about my list in a blog post one day... then again this is a family blog!

Back to the food.

We had several meals to try and there was enough that each of the children had a little bit of each meal and us Mum's could try some too. We had;

Salmon and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Chicken with Vegetables and Giant Couscous

Pasta Bolognese
Cottage Pie and
Chicken and Butternut Squash Pie

Luckily I have two ovens and so everything fitted in nicely. The smells coming from the oven whilst the food was cooking (for 15 minutes) were very tempting and even when the dishes were taken out of the oven I had to say I was impressed, the food didn't look like it was shop brought but looked like something that I would make in a fit of domesticity.

The Mums spooned some of each dish on to a plate for their child and then the fun began.

It was a mixed bag of reactions to the dishes with the Salmon and Broccoli Pasta Bake being identified by most of the children as the one they didn't want to eat (by spitting it out) and to be honest it did smell well fishy... yeah I know its a fish dish and it should be fishy but it was just too fishy! (although after everyone had gone home I ate the rest and found it to be really nice once the flavours had settled)

The Chicken with Vegetable and Giant Couscous was a success with one little one using it to decorate a drawing he had done whilst waiting for the food to be cooked! I have to say that Baby Boy did like this (which pleased me a lot as I was the only one in the house who liked couscous before this taste test!) and this is the one that we will be buying again for a treat for him!

The Pasta Bolognese was very nice and with Angus Beef Mince and five pureed vegetable it almost resembled one I would make (I hide more vegetables in mine!)  as was the Cottage Pie although the topping of sweet potato and parsnip was a little strange for a few of the little ones (I liked it!).

The last dish was the Chicken and Butternut Squash Pie which everyone liked Mums and children alike! I almost didn't get to taste this one as after the initial taste tests from the Children and Mums there was a queue to get seconds. Luckily I managed to nibble a little from Baby Boys plate and could agree that it was very scrummy!

All the Mums had a good look at the packaging and loved that it was so clear to read, there was no added Salt or Sugar, they are nutritionally balanced and have clear allergy information. When Top Ender came home she also loved that inside the sleeves were pictures to colour in and she loves the illustrations on the front especially the unicycling cow!

The range can be brought at Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's and on Ocado.com and if you are looking for a healthy ready meal for your kids I would recommend these!

Top Ender Giggles - Its like a Muffin!

Auntie popped by the other morning and the first thing I noticed was that her bump has changed shape. She confirmed that the Baby has dropped and lifted up her top to show the new basket ball shaped Belly.

It wasn't until later that evening that Top Ender brought up what she had seen.

"You know Aunties Tummy?" she asked
"Yes." I answered
"Well her belly button has popped out instead of being inside!" she exclaimed
"Yes it has" I confirmed
"It looks like a Muffin you know" she stated "All big on top and sticking out!"

I really don't want to eat any Muffins anymore. Maybe if I don't I could look like Auntie did before she was pregnant!

Wordless Wednesday - A Day out with Daddy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top Ender Giggles - Different languages

Top Ender was walking next to me in town, both of us enjoying the sunshine.

"Mummy?" she asked pausing before taking a breath and then spilling out "If the language that we spoke wasn't this language and then I made up a word in the language that we don't speak now but did speak then do you think that the word I made up might be from this language that we speak now, but wouldn't speak then?"

I wanted to answer in just one word in contrast to her sudden pouring out of words but instead I said;

"Well Top Ender, you are really smart so I think that you would be able to make up the entire language that we speak now but wouldn't speak then."

She seemed happy with that.

Top Ender Giggles - A, B, C, D, E, F, G...

"Quick, Top Ender give me a letter!" I said
"Err, erm, err, Nanny B!" said Top Ender
"Top Ender I said a letter!" I giggled
"Oh. Erm C then!"

Top Ender Giggles - Memory of a Goldfish

During the Easter Holidays Daddy took a day off so that we could have a family fun day. We had a few ideas of what it was that we would like to do, but didn't have anything definite planned. Top Ender and I were sitting on the sofa and we asked her what she would like to do.

"Go to 360?" she asked
"No, it will be busy and it isn't something we can do as a family!" Daddy answered
"Well then we might as well just stay at home and watch TV all day!" she snorted back

Top Ender flopped back into the sofa and after a quarter of a second sat back up

"Right, well I am bored now, so lets go out!" she brightly breezed

I love this photo of Top Ender, she is always pulling funny faces... she's not like me at all!

The End of Mummy Daughter Date Night

It's not just Daddy and I that make silly videos, I even get Top Ender in on the action!

(or you can watch it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9ExwBP2ZB0)

Top Ender Giggles - She's going to be a cheap date

Top Ender and I were at home alone and so when she asked if she could have a drink and something to eat I went to get it for her.

I brought through some Fresh Orange juice and some snacks. Top Ender had a mouthful of the orange juice and exclaimed;

"Its like a party in my mouth!"

Baby Boy Giggles - Copy Cat

Top Ender had the hiccups and after a few attempts of me trying to help her to lose them I gave up. I was a little tired and so lay back on the sofa and closed my eyes for a second, whilst Top Ender cuddled in.

A moment later and Daddy jumped beside me and screamed "BOO!" at Top Ender to try to get her to lose her hiccups. Of course she wasn't frightened but it did make me yell a rude word;

"Shit!" I screamed in fright suddenly waking up from a rather pleasant dream about certain TV Characters
"Did I frighten you?!" laughed Daddy
"Yes! I was asleep!" I answered, looking round to check if the children might of magically missed my swearing.

A few minutes passed.

"Daddy?" asked Baby Boy
"Yes Baby Boy?" answered Daddy
"Boo Baby Boy Daddy?" he asked
"Okay Baby Boy" answered Daddy going on to call out "Boo!"
"Shit Daddy!" giggled Baby Boy looking at me

Wordless Wednesday - Just one scoop!

Top Ender Giggles - Well they all live upside down you know!

Top Ender and I were watching Spirited Away as our Friday night film (if you haven't seen it then rent it, buy it, borrow it from a friend its a great film). The film hadn't been on for long when Top Ender asked about the Spirits and if they come out at our night in the film.

"If they come out at night then now must be the time they have breakfast" she stated

"I guess so Top Ender" I answered

"Maybe all the Spirits are Australian..." she muttered to herself

I thought it was a Japanese film.

Cousin Giggles - Well I imagine it would

Top Ender and Baby Boys newest cousin is due in just over a month. Big Cousin and her Mummy (Auntie) were talking about various things when Big Cousin came out with;

"Do you know that babies come out of your bumbie? That's why you cry when they come out."

Bumbie is Big Cousins word for bottom.

Auntie was in no hurry to explain that she was a little south of where the baby is going to come out and has decided that she will really make sure that Big Cousin is fast asleep before watching another TV programme about labour and delivery!

April meme: All About Springtime

I was tagged in a meme about Springtime over at Ready for Ten... well actually Top Ender was as the meme is about asking children six questions about how the world changes in spring, and the things they can do outside in Spring.

The questions are;

1. How does the world change in the spring?

2. Lots of babies are born in the spring. Where do you think baby animals are born?
3. What did mummy do before you were born?
4. Spring is a good time to play outside. If you and mummy could spend a whole day playing outside, doing anything you want, what would it be?
5. Did you know we moved the clocks forward onto British Summer Time? Why do you think we do this?
6. How long is it until summer?

So Top Ender and I decided to make a video...

(Or you can go see it here at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1M30QKj73k)

And now I am going to tag the following two children (who I know are a similar age to Top Ender because I met their Mummys when we were pregnant!)

E who belongs to Single Mummy - I promise to do your Memes!!!

Daniel who belongs to Wee Wifie because if I remember rightly he is a great little character

And the lovely Flea who belongs to Who's the Mummy? because she is just fantastic!

Girls don't forget to go and add your link to the McLinky linky link at the Ready for Ten website and you don't have to do a video, you can type your answers!

Wordless Wednesday - Ugly

If only it had been a Starbucks I could of used my favourite Simpson's Quote.

Top Ender Giggles - Well we *could* do that...

Top Ender and Daddy were talking about what they could do on a Daddy Daughter Date Night as they had missed their Saturday Night Date.

"I want to go to the cinema!" said Top Ender
"We could watch a film at home Top Ender; We have lots of films." said Daddy

"Well we could do that Daddy, or we could read from our Bibles!" answered Top Ender

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is almost over. Frost is on the TV and the leftovers from the Roast Lamb that we enjoyed today are calling to me.

We have Easter Eggs coming out of ears and I have more bunches of flowers than I have vases for. In fact I have had to rescue a glass jar from the recycling box to put a beautiful bunch of Roses from my Mum in.

All the Grandparents have seen the Grandchildren today and have watched delighted as they have eaten some of the chocolate they have pressed upon them (because the children were oh so reluctant to eat yet another piece of chocolate) and the children are now in bed, dreaming happily of Bunnies and Grandparents who bring more chocolate than they have ever seen.

So please excuse me, but I am off to snuggle on the sofa (Yes in my slanket) with my beloved Husband and to be thankful that we got to share this together.

Happy Easter Everyone!

In honour of Nanna's Chocolate Bunny who is missing its bottom.

What we want to do over Easter Half Term

Top Ender and I have been planning our Easter holiday schedule. We have decided that we want to do something different everyday, which is hard because with the British weather there is only so much that we can do!

We have decided however that we will;

• Create a time capsule (to be opened in the Summer)
• Go on a treasure hunt
• Go for a walk in the woods
• Go to a farm
• Go to an indoor play centre
• Go for a picnic
• Go to the local Manor House to walk round the gardens
• Go to see our local Shopping centres indoor display (its a Village Green this Easter)
• Stay over at Granny's (well Top Ender will)
• Have Granny over for Easter Sunday Lunch
• Lay the flooring in the clubhouse and make it bug proof (Top Enders request!)
• Make some net curtains for the windows of the clubhouse
• Make an Easter collage
• Sort out our toys and books to give to charity or the local women's shelter

We think that's enough to be going on with, but who knows what we will get up to!

I'm Magic and know Everything!

"Mum you know that Easter festival that lasts eight days for Jewish people?" asked Top Ender

"Top Ender do you mean Passover?" I answered hoping that I was right
"Yeah that one!" she answered
"Jewish people don't celebrate Easter. Passover is a different thing altogether." I answered
"Oh. Well there is a book about it you know." she said
"Well the only book I know that is about it is the Bible. Its in Leviticus." I answered
"Yeah that's the one." she answered
"Well we could read it together if you like..." I said
"Mummy? Are you Jewish?" she asked
"No, Top Ender I am LDS, a Christian." I said
"Well then how come you know so much about it all then?" she asked
I didn't answer her seriously, I just laughed that "I'm magic and know Everything!"
 
I should of told her that before she was born I went to University (for one year, but it still counts, I couldn't afford to stay for the other two) and studied Religious Studies, Theology and English.
 
I should of told her that in order to understand my own faith and to know that my faith was right for me that I should understand other peoples faiths.
 
I should of told her that with all the books that I have read in the past I have picked up a fair bit of knowledge about lots of things.
 
I should of told her that one day she would know lots of things too, but I didn't. 
 
I wanted her to believe that I know everything, that I am the sun and the moon, that I know the Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny, Jack Frost, Father Christmas (and his wife), The Chief Elf, the answer to the hardest math problem she can think of, that I have read every book and I know every song ever written.
 

I didn't tell her because I wanted Top Ender to still believe that I am Magic.