Category: Kids

Best birthday parties in Cheshire and beyond!

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.

Not the day for yoga.

I never imagined I’d be capable of unflinchingly wrestling a live mouth from a terrier’s jaws before 6am but Peggy has shown me I am more accomplished than I had previously realised. Luna, the terrible tortoiseshell provided the victim and Peggy needed no encouragement to take this opportunity and run with it. Quite literally. Eventually…

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Lemon curd breakfast muffins

These lemon muffins are handy to have in, to pop in my littlest badger’s piehole at 6am, when she springs into action and I am still far from being functional. They’re also a good breaktime snack and madly easy to make.
Give them a whirl!

The quest for calm.

With a nocturnal 7 year old and a naughty cat, the quest for calm is very real.

My best tips for new mums.

I’ve been a mum for ten years now and demonstrate regularly that I have much left to learn. Here are a few things I picked up during the baby years, that I hope may be of use to someone earlier in the journey.

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.

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!