I realised, last weekend, that I have thrown 15 children’s parties, making me experienced, if far from expert. Since it’s a proposition that seems to throw a number of my friends into the pits of despair, I have written a post with some different types of celebrations that have been tried and tested.
The venues and services listed are local to me, in Cheshire and thereabouts, but there will be equivalents, whereever you are.
Category: Family
Yorkshire Dales delight
My childhood holidays were numerous and wholesome, filled with blustery mountainsides and cycle paths and campsites, and now I find myself repeating the pattern with my own little badgers. This last weekend we had the most lovely stay in the Yorkshire Dales, where many a childhood half term was spent – I was reminded of…
The quest for calm.
With a nocturnal 7 year old and a naughty cat, the quest for calm is very real.
Pretty healthy cookie bake.
Super-speedy-pretty-healthy-actually-really-delicious cookie bake; ideal for a bit of weekend confecting.
I, Cosmo – a new bedtime favourite.
A lovely book for bedtime that’s proving a hit with the little badgers.
Chocolate energy bites
I’m always on the lookout for a healthy snack for my ever-hungry children.
These chocolate-y snacks, full of fibre, protein and good fats have proved pretty popular. At least one of them would still prefer a bag of Haribo, but it’s a work in progress…
10 top tips for beginner bakers.
Baking’s pretty easy really, but a few tips can make things easier still. If you’re new to baking, I hope these ten pointers will give you a headstart on your recipe.
Crafting fun… without the mess.
I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting my children to busy themselves with wholesome creative pursuits … just with as little mess as possible.
After many years of trial and error, here are my best bets.
5 hard lessons learned about sourdough bread.
After a recent foray into the world of sourdough bread production, I’d like to share the lessons I learned the hard way.
10 minute oat and banana muffins
Currently mad for oat-based baked goods, these healthy muffins are going down a storm in our house. Super easy, you can mix them in minutes and have them ready to eat in half an hour. Give them a try!
The Museum of Liverpool and May Day hypothermia.
The weather was abysmal but our trip to the new Museum of Liverpool was a highlight of our Bank Hols daytrip.
Manic mornings. Perfect porridge.
Mornings are a bit wild here. This is my favourite breakfast recipe, bar none – healthy, filling and super-tasty.
Chocolate and salted caramel layer cake.
I’m in the middle of working on some healthy baking options. This chocolate and salted caramel confection absolutely doesn’t fall into that category, but it really is rather nice…
Lemon flapjacks and Saturday mornings.
Working on the premise that anything containing oats MUST do you an awful lot of good, here is a recipe for lemon flapjacks that is so easy they could be on the cooling rack within half an hour. Bon appetit!
Black Forest cupcakes and birthday merriment.
These Black Forest cupcakes went down a treat at my party recently and were easy to make – here’s the recipe if you fancy giving them a whirl.
Spelling SOS
Learning spellings can be a drag. Here are a few ways that might help.
raising badgers 