When Pets Become Family

I was never really keen on dogs, or pets in general, until we got Spartan. I was always worried the house would smell, that there would be piles of fur like tumbleweed and little puddles of drool awaiting my fresh bare feet, but that's far from the case. Most of the time. 

The Mr was raised with dogs. Not literally like Jacob in Twilight but with plenty of the four legged friends running around in his home, so to him it was natural to have his own when he moved in with me. I had my worries but love really does make you do crazy things and we ended up purchasing our ball of fluff on New Years Day 2012. It was hard work to begin and there were puddles of a different kind to mop up but our new companion made the Mr, the Mini Mes and even me happy so it was definitely worth it. 

It also stopped me being broody for a while which was a bonus!

November

November comes

And November goes,

With the last red berries

And the first white snows.

With night coming early,

And dawn coming late,

And ice in the bucket

And frost by the gate.

The fires burn

And the kettles sing,

And earth sinks to rest

Until next spring.

― Clyde Watson

The theme this week is November

Sunday Mornings

I am much more of a night owl than an early bird.

I'll happily stay up until the early hours but when it comes to getting out of bed in the morning I do struggle quite a bit... especially at the weekends when there isn't a school run to complete.

Sunday mornings are made for breakfast in bed, duvets and a movie. Basically doing very little.

A chance to relax together as a family in your pyjamas before cooking a delicious roast for dinner!

Dragon Hunters DVD in my TV bed

What do you love best about Sundays?

I'm linking this with...

Magical Moments - Play

A look of anticipation and another of deep concentration.

They can fight like cat and dog yet play nicely together, so naturally. 

Effortlessly.

Each grits their teeth for the challenge then eagerly awaits their next turn.

Being patient and providing encouraging words.

Offering support.

Playing happily together, yet against the other, as brother and sister.

We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything, than when we are at play.

― Charles Schaefer

Which games do your children enjoy?

Faces

As the children have grown up they have turned away from the camera and snapping a picture of them is near impossible without some form of bribery! Considering I love photography, even if I'm far from perfect at it, it makes my life a little difficult when I want a nice pose from them.

It usually results in photos like these...

The Fake Grin

Mum asked me to smile so I'll give her a smile. OTT style.

This could also be mistaken for a constipated giraffe impression.

The Look of Disgust

She hasn't just ridden through something foul on her scooter but her expression would say otherwise.

The Photo Bomb

They don't like photos being taken of them unless it involves ruining a photo of someone else.

The Sigh Face

You can just tell how happy she is to have her picture taken here to the extent you can almost hear her sigh and constant tutting.

There is one little fella who will always sit nicely when the camera comes out though...

The Posing Pooch

How hard do you find it to get photos of the kids?

Selfie

Little old me on the way to Liverpool on Saturday.
The only photos I really allow are ones that I take myself... or when I'm a tad tipsy and don't care!


We had a lovely time 'up north' celebrating my brother and his fiancee's wedding over the weekend at West Tower. A beautiful venue for a beautiful couple.

I didn't catch the bouquet but there is another wedding later in the year to attend so I'm hoping my luck is in then.

The Mr has has no choice but to ask me then, right?!



I'm linking this with...

The theme this week is Selfie

How Does Your Garden Grow?

To celebrate World Photography Day on Monday I decided to head out into the garden to attempt to capture some of the natural beauty (among the weeds) that lingers.

I don't have a digital camera. It was broken some time ago in a night out involving a few too many cocktails *cough* so this was taken on my iPhone...

My garden is filled with buddleia and butterflies at the moment and I was pleasantly surprised by not only the quality of my picture, especially as I'm quite a novice, but by the fact that the butterfly sat still long enough for me to take a photo of it.... even though the Mini Mes were screeching around on their scooters in the background.


How does your garden grow?



I'm linking this with...

The theme this week is World Photography Day

Family Fun - Camping

Until I met the Mr I had never been camping. The thought of bugs and mud never really appealed but back in 2010 he convinced me to give it a go and I've never looked back; we have had many breaks as a couple and as an entire family too, and we now have a wide selection of tents and equipment!

My first time camping 2010

We went to Derbyshire last week for a few nights, and stayed at a lovely campsite named Pack Horse Farm, not far from Matlock. I tend to go for smaller, quieter sites and avoid those with evening entertainment and swimming pools as I like to enjoy nature and the peaceful environment, so this was perfect.

We arrived on Tuesday afternoon and set up our tent before heading off to the local supermarket for some food and drink. I was pleasantly surprised by just how quiet the site was, especially being the summer holiday, and by how much space there was to play!

Our Vango Kasari 800.

Camping is the perfect opportunity to leave technology behind and enjoy the simple things in life. It also makes you appreciate what you do have when you return home! 

Apart from our trips to Chatsworth House, Gulliver's Kingdom and Spy Zone plus a day at Conkers we had plenty of time for family fun on the camp site.

Water fights...

Talking, being silly and playing charades...

Playing cards...

If you are thinking about camping as a family this summer here are a few tips that should help to make your experience enjoyable and as stress-free as possible:

Erecting your tent - Read through the instructions and ensure everything is in the bag before you leave home. Attempting to set up a tent when you don't know what you are doing or with pegs missing isn't going to be fun! Also try to get to the site while it's still light so you can see well to assemble it and don't forget a mallet.

Comfort - Sleeping bags will keep you warm but it's not particularly comfortable laying on the ground. Inflatable beds are a great base for your sleeping bags to go on.... don't forget the pump!

Weather - The weather can be unpredictable and being outdoors you can get cold or hot very easily. Pack a variety of clothing and include both sun lotion and waterproofs/coats so you are prepared. Pack pillows and blankets too if there is space in the car to do so.

Hygiene - Although you may have access to toilets and showers, taking anti bacterial hand spray and wipes is always useful. 

A lot of people I've spoken to that haven't been camping before say they are concerned by the cleanliness of facilities and lack of privacy but there are some great sites available. I would recommend reading reviews of where you are travelling to to in advance. 

Shower cubicles at Pack Horse Farm - lockable doors and lots of hot water!



Have you been camping?

White Chocolate Cheesecake Slices

When I think of summer desserts, cheesecakes are always the first to spring to mind, and this is a delicious one that I've made a few times that my family adore. It goes perfectly with some fresh summer berries too!

Ingredients

Base

9oz butter, softened

15oz caster sugar

2 eggs

14oz plain flour

2oz cocoa powder 

Pinch of salt

Topping

90g white chocolate

300g cream cheese

2oz icing sugar

1 egg

Method

• Cream together the butter and caster sugar in a bowl then gradually add in the 2 eggs followed by the flour, cocoa and salt, combining it well.
• Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.
• Spread the mixture out evenly into a lined baking tray (9" x 12" approx) and place it into the fridge for 40 minutes to set.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes then allow to cool (do not remove from the tray).
• To make the topping, melt the chocolate in a bowl above boiling water and then allow to cool slightly.
• Mix the cream cheese with the icing sugar and egg then pour in the melted chocolate, combining well.
• Spread the topping over the base and bake for 25 minutes/until set.
• Remove from the oven, allow to cool completely then chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
• Slice the cheesecake into 12 equal rectangles and store in the fridge.
• Scoff!

To create a spotted look, save a small amount of the base mixture in the fridge and then crumble it on top of the topping before it is baked.