6 Years Old Today - Happy Birthday MC!

Another year goes by.

A year that has seen my blogging trail off. It's something I do want to get back - I keep saying it and I do mean it. It's just finding the time.

Time is so precious.

My little baby girl is 6 years old today.

She's growing into such a beautiful and confident little girl. She's already reading books that are designed for 10-11 year olds - she amazes me with her abilities everyday. I'm so proud of her and my heart just bursts when I think of how gorgeous she is.

It doesn't seem like a moment ago she came into the world.

Yes, time is so precious and I'm enjoying every second with my beautiful family.

11th March 2009

11th March 2010

11th March 2011

11th March 2012

11th March 2013

11th March 2014

11th March 2015

Happy Birthday Mini Cheddar. 

Daddy and I love you 

more than chocolate

xx

Mini Cheddar's Minnie Mouse Themed Party!

I've never thrown a big party for the kids at home. Although we had family (and a couple of close friends) over when she turned 1 she didn't have her first proper party until last March when she turned 4.

This year, what with the school issue, I wanted her to have a special party. I asked her if she would like a huge soft play party for all her school friends and some others like she had last year but she said she wanted family and some friends at home. Now we've moved house we have a lot more room and our kitchen is large and great for social gatherings so I figured why not?

"What sort of party would you like?" I asked her only a couple of weeks before her birthday (Last Minute Lucas!).

"Minnie Mouse!" she grinned.

I repeat….I've not thrown a big party for the kids at home… never mind a themed party!

I could do this I said to myself. After all, I'd been to two great themed parties at Susanne's house over the past few months.

I Googled some ideas and created some of my own too and within a couple of hours I had a plan of attack.

The Minnie Mouse themed party was on!

I simply invited family and friends in person, via text or Facebook rather than send invites out so that saved me a job straight away *wipes brow*

Next I decided that I wanted to make the cake. Not only had I not thrown a party for the kids before but I hadn't baked them a cake myself before. I know! I know! Mummy failure but, in my defence, I hadn't had the right tools. Matt bought me a KitchenAid mixer for my birthday last year and I adore it - and baking.

I set off Googling recipes and decided on adapting a recipe from Sweetapolita (if you haven't discovered Rosie before then go check out her amazing delicious recipes) which I liked the sound of. I did consider trying to construct some sort of Minnie Mouse decoration for the cake myself but having never worked with fondant icing or anything like that I was reluctant to let MC's birthday be the guinea pig. So, I admit it, I bought a bow and ears already made from eBay. BUT the cake itself was all homemade by my own fair hand and my awesome Sister as my sous-chef for the day.

The cake was delicious. Everyone commented on how lovely it was. It wasn't the best looking cake. I've never piped icing before and I have never frosted either - I actually had to borrow a cake palette knife from my neighbour - but I was impressed with our awesome work for beginners. I have since learnt that trying to frost a cake with your neighbours large old palette knife is seriously hard work. You'll be pleased to know I've now invested in a new small one and it will be having it's first outing on Thursday in readiness for TC's 2nd Birthday on this Friday.

The food for the party was easy. The Internet was awash with ideas and some I made up myself.

I'd bought some rice paper cupcake decorations that were personalised with MC's name and age but instead of using these on the cupcakes I baked, I cut them out and stuck them to some pink card I made into little tents. They were perfect for writing the food descriptions on and everyone thought they were fantastic. The food I prepared (with help from my sister again on the morning of the party) was really simple to do. A lot of it was just pre-bought things and the rest were simple things to make but the food cards made it all so much more special.


So here's the 'Minnie Mouse' theme menu (the ones I can remember!):

• Hot Diggity Dogs - mini frankfurters in finger rolls (cut in half)
• Donald's Cheese & Quackers - selection of BabyBel, Cheese Sticks etc, with cheese biscuits
• Minnie's Bow Pasta - farfalle tricolore pasta
• Mickey's Sandwiches - a selection of filled sandwiches cut with a Mickey cookie cutter
• Pete's Popcorn - Butterkist popcorn and salted popcorn
• Minnie's Mallows - heart-shaped pink and white marshmallows
• Clarabelle's Cheese Puffs - bowl of cheese puff crisps
• Daisy's Garden Veggie's - cut carrot, cucumber and mini breadsticks
• Chip's n Dale's Dips - Pringles with some dips
• Boo Boo Chicken Nuggets - breaded chicken nuggets

There were more adults than kids at the party so I also prepared an absolute huge pot of chilli con carne and rice and also made some barbecue pulled pork and hot rolls. These were wolfed down by everyone.  

In fact, all the food went down a treat! I'd got a small kiddies picnic table and set it up in the kitchen for the really small ones to eat at and it was perfect.

Better than the food and the cake was the 'Decorate Your Own Cookie Station'.

It wasn't much to look at but it was a high hit!

The kids all loved it. 

I made 12 large Mickey shaped cookies the day before the party with the largest Mickey cookie cutter I had. I wish I'd made more as I got asked later in the party if there were any more cookies. How bad did I feel?

I had put a small table in the corner of the dining room and bought some different decorations and put them in bowls along with icing writing tubes in different colours. The kids could then go and decorate a cookie (and make a big mess). It was brilliant and they all loved it.  

I'd highly recommend this for ANY kids party. If it's not themed you could just make simple round shaped cookies and do the same. It's a good alternative to your usual party game and keeps the kids very entertained.

I did organise one party game though... 

'Pin The Bow On Minnie'.

I had got some large black card and some pink card and made a Minnie silhouette. I used a large pizza tray to draw around for the head and a plate to draw around for two ears in black. I then cut out lots of bow shapes in the pink card and wrote all the kids names on them. The bows had a blob of Blu-Tack on them, the kids were blindfolded and turned then asked to 'pin the bow on Minnie'. The closest named bow won. Simple! The kids seemed to enjoy it. 

In addition to the usual balloons and banners which were shop bought, I also made up some simple Minnie decorations which I hung from the ceiling in the lounge and the dining room. I bought a couple of the round pink VISIONAR decorations from Ikea (I have since seen them cheaper in supermarkets) and cut out some smaller black circles from card and simply stuck them in. The result was perfect for a Minnie Mouse party!

So, that was it in a nutshell.

Would I host another themed party at the house?

You betcha! I loved it.

MC Is 5 Today - Happy Birthday Beautiful Girl

I can't believe my daughter is 5 years old today.

What an amazing 5 years it's been.

From korma poop pub embarrassments, hilarious baguette stealing incidents, the cutest voice ever, ultimate tantrums and difficult times of late (to name but a few) she never ceases to amaze me and amuse me.

Everyone she meets is taken with her infectious personality.

She is the most loving big sister ever. She's the most incredibly bright, independent and loving daughter Matt and I could ask for.

We're watching her grow into such a wonderful young girl. It only seems like yesterday she was just a babe in arms.

Every year, month, week, day, hour, minute and second we realise just how lucky we are.

11th March 2009

11th March 2010

11th March 2011

11th March 2012

11th March 2013

11th March 2014

Happy Birthday Mini Cheddar. 

Daddy and I love you 

'to the moon and back'

xx

#MeAndMine - A Family Portrait (February 2014)

Confession time!

You know what I'm going to say, right?

Yes. I took this photo yesterday.

On my phone.

A 'selfie'.

I know.

Epic fail!

Although I do have good reason. After the trouble we've been having with MC lately I had decided that this week (it's half term here) I was going to spoil her. I had each day planned out pretty much. Even including a day when I was just going to go out with her, have lunch, let her choose a new outfit and take her to the cinema to see the new Tinkerbell movie. A real girly day.

It all went out the window.

Matt and I were at a wedding on Saturday and MC became really poorly Saturday evening whilst staying with my parents. She didn't get any better and Monday she was even worse so her half term started with a trip to the doctors. A viral stomach bug coupled with a chest infection (needing antibiotics) which was seeing her cough uncontrollably and being so sick at the same time. I knew she was seriously poorly when she just wanted to stay in her bed in a darkened room. With the antibiotics and some TLC, I'm happy to report she's feeling much better (can't you just tell by the photo!) as of yesterday. But our half term plans have been snatched away from us and that makes me sad for my little girl.

She deserved a special time.

However, I've savoured the extra cuddles and downtime with her - I haven't savoured the sleepless nights but I've dealt with them as they are part and parcel of being a parent.

This week Matt has been working from home all week. It's been such a relief to have him here but I had planned for us all to have a couple of hours out together, as a family of four, one day. THAT was when I wanted to capture our Me and Mine photograph.

It wasn't meant to be.

As this post goes live I'll be preparing to travel to Kent with Susanne and Lisa where we'll be staying overnight. We are all attending Matilda Mae Remembers on Saturday morning.

As much as this week has been tough, I've stayed positive because I know just how lucky I am.

Christmas Day 2013

In my 3 years of blogging I've not actually written about Christmas.

How bad is that?

To be honest, by time we are through the holidays and we plunge straight into a new year I feel like it's too late to blog about it.

This year though, I'm making an effort, despite us already being halfway through January.

I need to blog about our family life more. I need to spend more time detailing our life and treasuring memories. It's probably not a post that will interest many people but it's one that I can look back on and that's what matters to me most.

For the past 7 years I've cooked Christmas dinner. The least amount was for just Matt and myself (the Christmas before MC was born) and the most was for 10 people.

That was this Christmas. 10 people.

Each year I've stressed about Christmas. I've got worked up about cooking for everyone and making sure the meal is perfect.

It always has been.

I'd spend the few days before working out all my timings of what needed to go in the oven on what setting, at what time and for how long. It would be timed to the minute and written out neatly in order.

This year was different though. I didn't prepare timings in advance and stress about dinner being perfect. Over the last 11 months or so, since Tilda passed away, I've realised more than ever what's important in life. Just being together as a family is what matters. Christmas dinner and everything else are just the extras. I had plenty of stars around the house to remind me of Tilda and what was important - not that I need reminding.

We were looking forward to Christmas as it was the first in our lovely new home. We were to be joined for dinner by my parents, Matt's parents and his brother and fiancée.

Christmas day was lovely.

The kids woke about 8am and that was only because I started making noise as I'd been wide awake from 6.30am excited to see the kids open their presents. Mini Cheddar was so excited when she saw the stocking filled at the end of her bed.

"SANTA'S BEEN" came the cries and running along the landing.

I when to Tiny Ched's room, plucked him from his cot and carried him into our room. MC carried his stocking in and we all sat on our bed to open presents. TC loved every second of it. He opened every present, although it took him a while as when he discovered Percy the engine in there he was beside himself and just wanted to play with that.

We went downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast and then we entered the lounge to discover more presents - the kids had definitely been good this year!

Again, TC opened every single present excitedly and when he discovered Thomas the Tank Engine, that was it! He shrieked.

Last Christmas I would have been champing at the bit to get through the present opening and so I could start dinner. This year though, I soaked it all in. I took lots of photos and watched the kids excitement unfold on their faces. It was lovely and leisurely.

We all got dressed and the kids played happily with their new toys whilst Matt and I started the dinner prep. Matt is the perfect Christmas dinner sous chef! He preps the mountains of vegetables (I hate prepping sprouts) and cleans all the pots up as we go and is just generally my 'kitchen biatch' for the day. It's very rare we both cook together and I love it.

Matt's parents arrived just after 11am, after driving up from Nottingham, and his brother and fiancée arrived shortly after from Oxford. My parents (who only live 10 minutes away) arrived too and we were all set. I'd told everyone that I'd serve dinner at 1pm and, for the first time ever, it was slightly late by about 15 minutes - probably due to my more relaxed attitude!

We sat down (at a table with 3 extra non-matching chairs - isn't that what Christmas is all about?) to eat a feast of roast beef (we aren't huge fans of turkey), a mountain of roast potatoes, stuffing (who says you can't have it with beef?), pigs in blankets, roasted parsnips, sprouts and pancetta, carrots, broccoli and gravy. It was delicious and my stomach is growling just thinking about it.

For dessert I'd made a chocolate hazelnut meringue roulade the day before (thanks Delia!). If you've not tried one, do it - simple to make and it's a bit like eating Fererro Rocher. We had Christmas pudding and homemade mince pies too.

After dinner began the present opening again! The kids were spoilt so much and, despite having a big house now, we were wondering where we were going to put it all.

The only time the TV was on all day was for the Queen's Speech. Usually we will watch a film or something but this year I wanted proper family time with no distractions. We talked, we played games and we were just happy in each others company. There was lots of laughter and just being together as a family.

TC did so well through the day. He had a couple of small naps and went to bed a little later than usual without a peep from him. MC stayed up late and was a little tearful at bedtime due to such a busy and exciting day.

The inlaws all stayed overnight and it was lovely to be able to put everyone up for the night now we have the extra bedrooms.

Everyone went home mid-morning on Boxing Day so we could enjoy the rest of Christmas as a family of four and we did just that.

I have so many lovely memories.

TC opening up his stocking presents on our bed

MC thrilled to have Harry Styles!

This Disney Hedbanz game provided
much entertainment Christmas Day 

Full steam opening presents

"What's that you've got bro?"

The kids playing happily while we cooked dinner

My kitchen biatch hard at work

Note the Matilda Mae star at the end

Enjoying roulade and ice cream

Christmas Dinner face

A helping hand with presents from Grandma and Grandad

So good at opening presents

They played beautifully together with toys

Or just playing horses

Disney Hedbandz is awesome

My favourite photo from Christmas

#MeAndMine - A Family Portrait (August)

August has passed by in a blur. I really can't believe how quick the summer holidays have gone.

It's gone that fast that even though we've had so many opportunities on days out to capture a special family photograph, sadly we haven't.

Big mummy fail.

Anyway, I've been taking a bit of a blogging/Twitter/Facebook break lately and today I realised it was the end of the month and I didn't have a photograph for Me and Mine. I thought I may skip this month but that's just crazy. Why let a whole month pass without a family photo when it's something I could get easily if I wanted to? So, armed with my iPhone and its reverse camera I took the photo below at 5.30pm.

We are all absolutely knackered but it was the first and only photo I took and it sums up the day for us.

You see, today was a special day.

Matt and I took Mini Cheddar to the cinema for her first time, out to lunch afterwards and then treated her to some Lego Friends. Yes, the day was just under £100 but it was totally worth it. MC starts full-time school on Wednesday and I will miss her terribly. It was lovely to get out and spoil her on her own as we don't get to do that. In fact, although I've been out with MC and Matt has separately, we've never been out with her on our own together since before the end of last March when Tiny Ched was born.

It did feel so strange being without TC though and the day has left me feeling somewhat emotionally exhausted. I kept thinking of others who have lost their children and it filled me with even more sadness than it usually does. The thought of not having TC in our lives just doesn't bear thinking about and I began to miss him so much. Judging by how clingy he's being with me this evening, I think he missed me too.

So this evening is a mix of emotions for me but I think you can tell from this photo that MC has had the best day ever.

And that's what matters most.

Blogging Confessions And Tiny Ched

My name is Heather and it's been two weeks since I last blogged.

Yes, this feels very much like I need to join some sort of blogging confessions therapy group. I don't know what's wrong with me but I'm not feeling the love right now.

I don't know if it's to do with the summer holidays, the house move, my new life in a new home and neighbourhood, lack of time, lack of motivation or what but I can't seem to get my head into blogging much right now. I've stepped back from Twitter too. That's generally a lovely place to be but, quite frankly, I've heard about some bad stuff on there of late.

I'm also trying to decide where I should go with my blog. I need more time. It is desperately due an overhaul. I haven't got time in the evening as Matt works hard all day so we like to spend time together at night.

Perhaps the blogging mojo will come back after September when Mini Cheddar starts full time school. Who knows?

At the moment we are middle of the school holidays. MC has made lots of little friends in our new neighbourhood and so, when we are at home, she's playing out most of the day. I could be throwing myself into my blog a bit during the day but I'm trying to spend time enjoying my little man (and when he's napping I'm just enjoying time on my own - or cleaning the house!).

Tiny Ched is growing up so fast it's scary. Doesn't seem like a minute since he was born (although it also feels like he's always been here in a strange way) and yet, here he is, almost 17 months old.

TC is my last baby. I said I'd like either 2 or 4 children and, although our new house could more than easily accommodate 2 more, Matt and I feel like we should quit while we are ahead in a way. We have been truly blessed with two very bright, very happy and, thankfully, very healthy children. Plus, I turn 40 next year *screams and runs for the wrinkle cream*

So 2 it is.

2 is more than enough though.

TC is a spirited little man. He's full of smiles and cuddles, has THE cutest waddle and grin but at the same time he is the biggest drama queen when he can't get what he wants. If you tell him no or even just look at him and shake your head he'll act like it's the end of the world.

He's also a climber.

Sir Edmund Hillary scales another chair mountain

I don't remember MC being this bad. Perhaps it's a girl / boy difference or perhaps it comes from the fact the second one always wants to do more to be like their older sibling. It can be exhausting.

Seriously exhausting.

Some days I feel like I'm constantly telling him not to do something. I seem to spend my time plucking him down from cabinets he's trying to scale like Edmund Hillary. Or I'll be trying to grab something from him that he shouldn't have and he knows it. He'll look at me with a cheeky expression, show me what's in his hand and then run off at full speed laughing as he knows I'll take chase. I swear he's going to be a serious contender to Usain Bolt's records soon. The boy is fast.

But I'm enjoying it.

I'm enjoying watching him explore his new and exciting world. I'm enjoying the fun he brings to our lives. I'm enjoying the fact he absolutely loves his sleep. I'm enjoying his cuddles when he's tired. I'm enjoying his loving and incredible bond with his big sister - we will both miss her on a daily basis in September - the kids generally play so lovely together.

Yes, I'm enjoying my kids and I'm enjoying my life.

Each and every day (even when it's not a particularly good day) I am so thankful that both my children are here with us and happy and healthy.

I feel truly blessed.

Blessed with a beautiful family, supportive parents and Sister, amazing friends (both near and far) and a wonderful home.

What more could a girl (I can still call myself a girl at almost 40, can't I?) possibly want?

I guess I want my blogging mojo to return for the sake of these two as I love having somewhere to look back on a record of their lives and I want them to have it to read when they're older.

I am hopeful it will return in full force but, for now, I'm sure they will understand mummy has taken a little break.

Letting Go

My little girl is growing up.

She only turned 4 in March and I'm now facing a real emotional struggle.

A struggle of happiness and proudness but also a struggle of sadness at letting go.

We moved house just 3 weeks ago and it seemed this weekend, after the children finished school for the summer on Friday, that they all took to the outdoors. There are a lot of children of all ages living here and our next door neighbours little boy, who is 7, seems to really like MC.

They first met briefly on Saturday morning as I was popping out to the shops with her quickly. We hadn't been home long before there was a knock at the door.

"Can MC come out to play?"

Before long there were 4 kids in an out of our house and garden. Cries of "We are just going to so and so's house to play on the trampoline", "We are just going to the park","Can we have buckets and spades to collect some rocks?","Can we have ice lollies?".

It was exhausting but it was also lovely.

I know that this is now our life.

The children were 6, 7 and 8 so all older than MC but they were brilliant with her. I watched her play from the window. So grown up but also so small.

We are lucky that we live in a really safe community and we live right in the centre of a quiet cul-de-sac drive with a park opposite.

It doesn't stop me worrying though.

It all feels very alien to me. I don't know if I'm quite ready to be letting her go just yet.

She's my baby. I know she'll always be my baby girl but she's growing up so so fast.

Even tonight, at 7.30pm they called for her. Today I had the boy from next door here for lunch and then the boy down the road walking in the French doors later in the afternoon to come play.

I know that the summer holidays are only just beginning and she'll be making even more friends with the other children who are closer to her own age. I know she's got her head screwed on for a 4 year old but she's also easily led and distracted as any child her age can be.

She starts full-time school in September and I was going to struggle a bit letting her go then, but it seems I've lost her already.

I'm letting her go but tonight I'm holding her tight.

As I sit here typing this she's in my bed, still awake, as we've stayed up to watch Toy Story and the Royal Baby coverage whilst Daddy is away.

I don't think I'm really ready to let go just yet.

#SilentSunday 101

In A Stew About School

Those of you who follow my blog will know we moved house just over a week ago.

It's gone great, even better than we expected in fact (blog post to follow when I come out from under boxes!). We are totally in love with the house - it's perfect. It's one we have coveted since before TC was born. It's right next to where we used to live before our last house so we know the area very well and it's lovely to be living back here. We have everything we need and more. I'm happier than I've been in a long time.

Apart from one thing.

I'm in turmoil over Mini Cheddar's school.

We have only moved a couple of miles or so away. It takes a few minutes to drive down the road to our old house. The school that MC has her reception place at is near our old house. It's a really lovely school and she's been very happy there of a morning in her nursery class.

I thought when we moved I'd be happy for her to continue at this school. It means a short car journey - it's a bit too far to walk now - but it's been no bother.

The thing is, there is a school right around the corner from our new house. It's a smaller school. A lot smaller than her current one. Is smaller better?

The official reports say that her current school has the edge but people seem to rate the local school very highly and argue that this isn't the case.

I'm having sleepless nights at the moment trying to decide what to do for the best. The decision may be taken out of my hands - it could be that there aren't any places at the local school. I haven't checked but I'm going to investigate on Monday. In a way I'm hoping the decision is out of my hands, as selfish as that sounds.

I know MC wants to stay at her current school but she's only 4 years old and the reason she gave me (when she heard Matt and I discussing it last week) was that "the local school doesn't have a slide outside". The slide is in the nursery section anyway so she wouldn't have access to it in September - I've not broken that one to her yet!

Anyway, I'm worried that if she stays at her current school that neighbours children will be going to the local school so she'll have difficulty fitting in. I worry that in bad weather we won't be able to get into school. In the snow in March it was great to be able to sledge to school! I worry that when TC is old enough he won't get into the school as we live outside the catchment area and I would like them both to go to the same school. I worry that she may be missing out on more one-on-one education from a smaller school. Her recent school report said she's shy in school (anyone who knows my daughter in real life knows she's far from shy!) and I don't know if a smaller class would be better for this.

However, I'm worried that if I move her - she won't like it. I'm worried I'll regret it and then we are stuck.

What would you do?

Do you have any experience or advice?

I just can't seem to concentrate on anything else right now.

#SilentSunday 96