Thank you teacher!

This academic year is coming to an end with some momentous changes for my three youngest children.  Ella has finished college and is awaiting her A'Level results.  University life beckons come September, bringing with it some big changes for us at home and for her as she begins her further education in Manchester.  It's an exciting time for us all and I think it will be a wonderful opportunity for my daughter to truly find herself and embark on the amazing life she deserves. We will of course miss her, but she'll only be an hour away so I predict lots of weekend visits!

Kizzy will be going up to the secondary school that her three older siblings attended.  She is more than ready for it and is excited about being in 'big school'.  Her SATs results were excellent and I'm sure she will do really well (if he doesn't get lost en route to lessons!)  Kizzy is so sociable and has lots of friends, so I hope she'll fit right in and enjoy all the opportunities that present themselves. She looks so lovely and so very grown up in her new school uniform with a blazer and house tie.

Kizzy in her new uniform

Little Freddy has completed his year in Reception and will be a Year 1 in September.  He is still not up to the 'expected' level in reading and writing, which may be down to the trouble he has with his eyes and his inability to distinguish individual letters within a group.  He has a hospital appointment in August to look at what is going on with his eyesight. In spite of his vision problems, Freddy is really sharp with a quick wit and a keen interest in everything he does, so if a particular issue with his learning is identified, he'll be ready for the challenge. I'm planning on doing some extra work with him over the summer holidays in hope of bridging the gap between what he can do and what he struggles with to build his confidence.  But, regardless of whatever level he is achieving, I have seen Freddy flourish in the school environment. He is so much more sociable, kind, friendly, outgoing and confident, and his manners are impeccable.  He volunteers to do things, loves sharing his knowledge and is an expert when it come to using technology. The reading and writing will come in time.

I have been fondly remembering my own school years.  There are some teachers who I will never forget and whose influence helped shape me as a child.  From my first teacher Mrs Gallie who was maternal, gentle and nurturing to the positively terrifying Mrs Phillips who taught us through our 12+ exams, each and every one of the people who taught me made a difference.  My Junior school maths teacher, Mr Webster was a formidable character with a tendency to throw chalk at pupils and who carried around a dummy to humiliate those children who insisted on sucking on their pen lids.  But I really liked him!  I was delighted to see a photo of him come up on Facebook the other day on the event of my old school's centenary celebrations.  Thirty five years on and he looks just the same as I remembered him...just a bit older.  It made me smile.

Me at Junior School in the 70s

I have such vivid memories of my school years.  I can still recite poems I learned, remember stories I wrote and recall actual lessons and what we did in class.  I hope my own children are making their own lifelong memories of their schooldays now, which will be stored away and looked back on with fondness in years to come.  

Teachers play such a big part when it comes to remembering this part of your life.  I still think back on Mr Goodchild the chemistry teacher who made us all hold hands and run around the science lab pretending to be molecules.  And my history teacher Mr Long's impression of  the hunchbacked King Richard III will never be forgotten.  A good teacher never leaves your thoughts. 

So as this term ends, I will encourage my kids to say 'Thank You' to their teachers. Many of their teachers will not be forgotten over the years.  Freddy's teacher is absolutely wonderful and I am so glad he has her for another year.  He needs a nurturing environment where he is valued for who he is.  Kizzy did not get along very well with her year 6 teacher some of the time, but that experience is a lesson in itself.  Knowing that not everyone is going love you in life and learning to deal with it and come up with strategies to get along is a very important skill.  

When it comes to gifts, you really can't go wrong with wine, flowers or chocolates to say thank you.  A lovely treat to start the summer holidays!  The Cadbury Thank You boxes are a great idea and at just £1.99 for a 48g box or £3.99 for a 180g box, they are a great value gift with a lovely sentiment.

Thank You gift from Cadbury

So, thank you to all the teachers out there, past and present...you have made a difference!

Raspberry Cidre Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Stella Artois's new Raspberry flavoured Cidre is a perfect drink for the summer. It is so fruity and refreshing.  I was sent some to try out and used some in a recipe for some deliciously light Raspberry Cidre Cupcakes topped with a cream cheese frosting.  I made them completely dairy free by using soya cream cheese and margarine. The cakes have a lovely hint of raspberry flavour and the carbonation makes the batter really light and airy.  The frosting contrasts really well with the fresh, juicy raspberry used to top the cupcakes.  

Ingredients

250g SR Flour

1 teaspn baking powder

125g golden caster sugar

1 free range egg

6 tablespoons rice bran oil

150ml Stella Artois Raspberry Cidre

100g cream cheese 

25 g butter or marg

250g icing sugar

5 tblspns Stella Artois Raspberry Cidre (boiled down to 2 tblspns of liquid)

12 raspberries

Method

Mix flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl.

In a jug, whisk egg and oil and add cidre.

Add liquid to the dry ingredients.

Mix until just combined.

Put into 12 cupcake cases in a tin

Cook in a pre-heated oven at GM6 for approx 12-15 minutes.

Leave cakes to cool.

Put 5 tablespoons of cidre into a small pan and boil down until reduced to approx 2 tablespoons of liquid (to concentrate flavour and colour and boil off alcohol).

Beat marg and cream cheese.

Beat in icing sugar and concentrated cidre liquid.

Add more icing sugar to thicken to desired consistency.

(Add pink food colouring if you want a stronger colour.)

Spread frosting on cakes and top with a raspberry.

What Fred Said and his first School Report

A conversation that happened after Freddy lost one of his Nerf bullets.

Freddy:  Mum I can't find my bullet!  Do you know where it is?

Me: No, I can't see it. You'll have to search for it Fred.

Freddy:  Search?  You mean like on Google?

***

Freddy has a lovely little girlfriend- who I'll call X - at school.  At almost 5 years old he is already quite serious about her!  He had a precious conversation with his dad:

Freddy:  Daddy, I won't always be your little boy you know.

Ian:  You will always be my little boy, however old you are.

Freddy:  No daddy - one day I will leave you and I will be X's husband.

***

Freddy has had his first end of term report and I am so proud of him.  He may still struggle with the written word, which I think is down to his eyesight and him being unable to distinguish letters or numbers in groups. In eye tests he can identify letters singularly but cannot see them when written in a line. Hopefully this will improve and we'll get him reading and writing soon.  He is seeing a consultant for his vision problems in August, fingers crossed for some answers.  

I was delighted to see that his teacher recognised him as being a "little mover" in PE.  His dancing skills really are something special!!  I'm so happy that he has a teacher that sees him for the little quirky character that he is.

I remember how terrified I was for Freddy starting school so soon after turning four, and when he was still so shy and lacking in confidence and social skills.  One school year later he is a different child with lot of friends and such a confident personality.  I LOVE his school!  Getting him a place there was the best decision I could make.

Freddy's resounding "Fabulous" when asked to describe his school experience so far sums up just how great this year has been for him!

A Strawberry Picking Adventure with Barny

One of summer's greatest yet simplest of pleasures is to enjoy delicious, sun-ripened soft fruits picked straight from the plants.  I remember strawberry picking as a child and now I get to relive the fun with my own children. Nothing beats the taste of a sun warmed strawberry picked and popped straight into the mouth.

Mumnet sent us some strawberry flavoured Barny snacks, which are individually wrapped teddy bear shaped sponges with a tasty hidden centre!  They challenged us to have a little adventure with our family so a strawberry picking adventure with Barny seemed very apt!

It was really interesting for Freddy to learn all about how strawberries grow. We chatted about the things that plants need and he was very interested in how the berries turned from green to red.  Children love nature and it's a lovely way for some hands-on learning.

Our strawberry picking adventure wasn't just for Freddy's enjoyment. The older children loved being in the beautiful countryside enjoying the sunshine.  Picking berries is a very therapeutic pastime and we all made plans for recipe ideas using our fruity haul...Summer Berry Crumble anyone??

Freddy remembered one of his favourite stories, "The Little Mouse, the Red, Ripe Strawberry and the Big, Hungry Bear."  We had fun thinking of all the ways in which the mouse could keep the bear from eating his strawberry. We hoped that Barny wouldn't try and eat all of our strawberries!

We picked some lovely fresh fruit which everyone enjoyed!  Fruit that has been freshly picked is just so superior to supermarket fruit that has been picked before it is fully ripened.  It's lovely for little ones to taste fruit how it should be enjoyed - sun-warmed and sweet.

Freddy enjoyed a delicious snack of a strawberry Barny and some lovely red, ripe strawberries to accompany it!  Barny sponges are free from artificial preservatives and colours and are made from real ingredients such as wheatflour, eggs, milk and sugar.  In addition to the strawberry flavour, there are apple, chocolate and milk varieties.  They make great little snacks for children, and as they are individually packaged they are perfect for lunchboxes or when out and about on adventures.

Summery Treats from Hotel Chocolat

Hotel Chocolat has a range of deliciously summery chocolates to compliment the season, featuring some vibrant, fresh, fruity flavours and wonderful colours.  We received an H-Box Summer Fusion Selection to sample, so we could enjoy the taste of summer for ourselves.

The chocolates look fantastic with shades of lavender, strawberry red, yellow and pink contrasting with the dark, milk and white chocolate.  The designs are so pretty and inviting and everyone is different.

Everyone dived in to pick a favourite flavour from the selection of 14 chocolates.  Freddy had his eye on the Shortbread Bite, a milk chocolate and praline square topped with clotted cream shortbread balls.

I was impressed with the range of flavours in the selection, which included coffee, nutty pralines, rich caramels and fruity cremes.  Each individual chocolate has been lovingly crafted making them a treat for the eyes as well as for the taste buds.

The menu gives a brief description of the chocolate next to an illustration.  With chocolates such as Key Lime Pie, Kiwi Smoothie, Strawberry Cheesecake, Summer Pudding, Blackcurrant Bombe, Summer Latte and Choc Fudge Sundae, there really is something for all tastes.  As they are all alcohol free, the kids can enjoy them too...if you let them!!

I really liked the Peanut and Banana chocolate with its salted peanut praline, banana ganache and caramel cap all encased in a chocolate cup.  It looked as good as it tasted.  The fruity fillings that include lime, kiwi, blackcurrant, pineapple, peach and strawberry are all really flavoursome, intense and fresh. A burst of pure fruitiness and a real taste of the summer enrobed in Hotel Chocolat's quality chocolate.  But I liked also having the delicate coffee flavoured Summer Latte, the fragrant Lavender Caramel and deep flavours of the Burnt Caramel as a contrast to all the fruitiness.  It's a really good selection.

The most unusual combination is the Summer Cooler, a delicate cucumber and apple ganache enrobed in smooth white chocolate flavoured with zingy mint leaves. It's a very bold idea and I have to admit that I gave that one to Ian.  I wasn't quite brave enough!

The H-Box of 14 chocolates costs £13.00 and would make a luxurious gift for someone special or an indulgent treat for yourself to celebrate the summer.

You can find the Summer Fusions H-Box online or in store now.

Freddy is 5 Today!

It was 5.56pm on July 9th 2009 that I gave birth to my son Freddy.  Weighing in at 9lb 10oz, this little boy was destined to bring a whole new dimension of love and joy into our hearts.  With three doting big sisters and a big brother, he has been surrounded by affection and attention from the very start.  We have seen him develop into a beautiful, confident, outgoing little lad, overcoming every hurdle with his determined spirit.  He makes us laugh with his cheeky sense of humour, entertains us with his singing and dancing and fills our days with laughter, pride and fun.  

He loves watching videos on YouTube (he knows the words to Dumb Ways to Die in both English and Italian).  He likes Nerf Guns, wooden swords and water pistols.  He enjoys Wii Sport boxing and playing Plants vs Zombies on my phone.  He likes his sandpit, swing and slide and playing out doors. His love of strawberries, grapes, egg whites, cheese pizza, tomato soup and porridge stops me worrying about how fussy he is when it comes to eating a hot meal at dinnertime  His reading, writing and drawing skills have just taken off after a very slow start (my age and experience has taught me not to worry - he'll get there in his own time!) Freddy loves to join in with things and makes friends with other children wherever we go. He loves to snuggle with me in my bed in the mornings and the feel of his soft hair against my cheek, as he nestles close to me, remains one of my favourite moments of the day.

Having a child in my forties, I worried about whether I'd be able to keep up with him, but this boy keeps me young at heart and on my toes. He has reminded me of what is important in my life, has taught me so much about myself and has consequently given me a more relaxed outlook on things.  He is an absolute blessing and I am eternally grateful that I get to be his mummy!

Happy 5th birthday to my little man!

Fun days out for the whole family

With the school holidays almost upon us, thoughts are turning to ways of keeping the kids entertained during the summer months. From organised activities to adventures and outings, whatever your budget, make the most of your time together with fun-filled family days out.  

Here's some suggestions for things to do with the family.

Get out and about in the great outdoors

In glorious weather, what better way to spend the day than enjoying a sunny day at the seaside? While teenagers lounge on their towels reading the latest John Green book, curious toddlers can get creative with sandcastles. You are never to old to paddle in the sea, jumping over the waves and feeling the sand beneath your feet. Enjoy some candy floss, a cone of chips or an ice cream on the promenade and relive those sunny days from your own childhood holidays.

You could check out nearby nature trails, beauty spots or picturesque parks. You could enjoy a relaxing day with kite flying and a family picnic or get more energetic with a cycle ride followed by a play in an adventure playground. Kids love feeding the ducks, climbing trees, building dens or searching for mini-beasts.  If you are on a budget, days out in the great outdoors can be practically cost free yet so much fun. Fresh air and exercise is great for tiring out the little ones!

Discover cultural delights on your doorstep

When the British weather is at its best, the UK offers a wealth of outdoor entertainment. From heritage events at historical hotspots to treetop adventures to festivals, you can enjoy family fun in the sun. If the weather fails to deliver you can still have fun by heading off to enjoy an indoor activity. From museums with interactive activities to stately homes and spectacular castles, children of all ages can explore the culture and history of the UK while avoiding the rain!

Great value days out

Look for discounts and promotions that can allow you and the family to visit places for less – there are plenty of these advertised over the summer months.  Don't forget to check the offers available from Tesco Clubcard for some bargain days.

Investing in annual membership for certain attractions or organisations can be a great investment if you intend to visit numerous locations throughout the year. Merlin Entertainments – who own Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures, Legoland and Alton Towers as well as Warwick Castle, the Dungeons and the SeaLife Centres – offer great value season passes giving you year round entry to all their attractions plus discounts on food, gifts and hotel stays. 

You can also get membership for places like the National Trust to enjoy access to over 500 special places of interest such as historic houses, castles, forests, woodland, beaches and nature reserves. You get to experience history firsthand, which children love!

Enjoy high octane entertainment

For thrill seeking families, there is an abundance of family fun venues across the length and breadth of the country for big days out.  From theme parks to safari parks and zoos, there is so much choice. We recently visited Chester Zoo and can highly recommend it as a great family day out for animal enthusiasts.

Alton Towers remains our favourite theme park. Older children can enjoy the excitement of the rollercoasters and the big rides, while little ones play in the new CBeebies Land with mum or dad!  There are also acres of beautiful gardens to explore if you want a quiet moment away from the crowds.  The SeaLife Centre and the Ice Age 4D cinema are all-weather attractions you can visit while you are there too. The all day dining plan is a great value idea allowing families to eat and drink all day for one inclusive price.  It's a great treat for a special occasion.

Film lovers can head to the Leavesden film studios and enjoy the magic of the epic story of J K Rowling’s Harry Potter, which has become the most successful film series of all time and the Harry Potter tour takes you behind the scenes to discover its secrets.

From the Great Hall to the shop front of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, this unique walking tour takes in the remarkable sets that helped to recreate the magic on the silver screen. The extraordinary animatronics, special effects and power of the green screen uncover how some of the most spectacular scenes evolved. Visitors can also view an amazing, hand-crafted replica of Hogwarts Castle, alongside many models, renowned artefacts and much-loved characters and creatures. Families who are potty about Potter will love this magical, fun-filled family day out. It's on our list of places to go this summer!

Whatever you choose to do this summer, I hope you have a fantastic time making lots of special memories with the family.