Archives for August 2014
Saving Energy, Water and Time with Happier Homes
I’m on the final additional unpaid part of my maternity leave right now and it’s making me take a long hard look at my budget and where I can save pennies. It’s also making me address the fact that when I go back to work I am going to be quite time poor which means household jobs need to be quick and efficient if I’m going to get anytime at all to spend with my family.
I’ve been sent some info by Happier Homes with advice on how to save energy and also how to save water – handy if you are on a water meter or if you just want to be a bit more environmentally friendly.
Some of the tips were things I had heard before but a couple of things surprised me.
Did you know that it’s better for you and the environment if you use a dishwasher? We have only had a dishwasher for about two years but I wouldn’t be without it now. I always thought that using up electricity to wash dishes meant it was a rather luxurious way to do your dishes and I actually believed it was costing me more money to wash up this way.
But no.
* Intertek UK 2010 Washing up Study. For more details download the full findings here
** Comparison calculations assume:
One meal per person equates to one place setting washed up
Data from Intertek Study of washing up place settings by hand vs in a dishwasher
Average water and energy costs supplied by uSwitch.com
As a mum of four who cooks a LOT and uses a fair amount of dishes/pans for each meal I was astonished to find that I was saving myself nearly 700 hours a year just by not doing the washing up by hand.. And just think of the benefits to my sensitive hands too 🙂
Oh and it saves money too of course. Over £200 in fact. I easily cook a minimum of 50 meals a week. I normally cook at least two meals each day at home for four of us.
And of course there is the issue of water. Saving approximately 600litres per week. Wow.
Does that surprise you? I wonder how many people thought along the same lines as I did and I wonder how many more people would buy a dishwasher if they knew?
Onto the washing machine..
I always knew that washing clothes at a lower temp was cheaper and obviously a bit more ‘green’ but I didn’t think about the fact that washing machines have improved so much over the years and also a lot of the washing powders have built in stain removal now meaning you can wash at 30 or 40 now and have pretty much the same results as washing at 60 would have given you a few years ago. Good to know.
One washing machine tip is to run a very hot wash every now and again to avoid a musty smell from occurring when you wash frequently at lower temps. I tend to put in a load of towels for a hot wash once a month to combat this.
I hope this informations has been helpful. Do you have any extra tips for helping to save energy and water around the home?
Here are a final few bits of advice:
*When you go shopping, take a reusable bag with you.
*Don’t leave appliances on standby
*In the kitchen, when cooking, keep lids on pans as much as you can, to reduce heat loss.
*Don’t keep the fridge or freezer door open for longer than necessary.
*Cook meals in bulk.
*Only boil the amount of water you need.
*This post is in collaboration with Happier Homes.
Simply Sweet Cookies
Tonight knowing that it was biscuit week on The Great British Bake Off I made sure I had some cookies in the oven before I even thought about sitting down to watch. I had massive cake envy all through last weeks episode and I had NO cake to eat. Not making that mistake again.
I made a very simple cookie recipe which had just a few adaptations to my standard fail safe make in my sleep basic cookie recipe.
It turned out SO well that I wanted to share it with you tonight.
It’s simple. Takes less than 5 mins to prep and about 12 minutes to cook.
Not many photos I’m afraid as I didn’t think I wasn’t going to share it but it’s easy and tastes delicious.
Oat & Chocolate cookies
You will need:
100g softened butter
75g of soft brown sugar
175g of self raising flour
50 grams of porridge oats
45ml of golden syrup
75g of milk chocolate chunks
3tbsp of whole milk
Preheat oven to gas mark 3.
Cream your butter and sugar together before adding your remaining ingredients and stirring to combine. Dollop spoonfuls onto a greased baking tray. Bake until lightly golden ( about 12-14 minutes) Makes approximately 12 large (ish) cookies.
They taste to me exactly as cookies should. A combination of soft, chewy and chocolate with the added texture of oats.
I’m joining in with The Great Bloggers Bake Off 2014
And Tasty Tuesdays with Honest Mum
The Big Feastival 2014
In just 3 weeks Alex James will open up his beautiful farm in the Cotswolds to food and music family festival goers.
The weekend of music and food indulgence, which runs from 29-31st August is the brainchild of Alex James and Jamie Oliver with a heady mix of delicious foodie treats and a wide selection of music. There is also an array of children’s entertainment and delicious food stands, there will be something on offer for all of the family.
We first attended the festival in 2012 when Izzy was nearly 1year old. So much has changed for us as a family since then. We have a new addition in Chloe who is now 9 months old and Izzy will be nearly 3years old when we attend this years festival. You can read about our experience here
Izzy at The Big Feastival 2012:
Yes we are going again! Woo. We have been invited as special guests of AEG who are festival sponsors. AEG will be present throughout the festival offering a fantastic variety of features for all ages that will focus on food and cooking, with a particular emphasis on steam and healthy, flavoursome food.
Some of what AEG will have on offer at The Big Feastival:
The AEG Family Kitchen will host family foodpairing cookery classes using the latest AEG induction hobs for parents and children (8 years +) . This will take place on the AEG mobile academy, which is fully equipped with the latest AEG steam and induction appliances.
The AEG Family Kitchen Garden: making raw food dishes. This feature is perfect for younger children and accompanying parents. Daylesford vegetable & fruit boxes will be available on benches in the garden area where families can create their own food pairing recipes together by following a simple AEG family food pairing guide. This workshop will combine fun and education allowing parents and children to learn about nutrition, natural ingredients and food pairing. Social media will be integral to sharing this with our online community
The Big Feastival is a fantastic combination of music and food with a big dollop of family fun thrown in.
What we are looking forward to:
AEG are joining up with Dayleford Organics to hold steam and induction classes cooking simple, family suppers such as chargrilled chicken with bulgar wheat.
AEG Big Kitchen: I’m looking to watching demos from Jamie Oliver, Gennaro Contaldo, Gizzi Erskine and more live on the main AEG cooking stage.
Music: music from the likes of Jamie Cullum, Levi Roots, Fatboy Slim and The Cuban Brothers plus lots more.
Family Fun: From the Little Dudes Den to Justin Fletcher and Mr Bloom as well as the Disney Roadshow, Roald Dahl museum and much much more. It’s going to be so much fun – I can’t wait to see Izzys face when she realises we are at a festival again.
Are you going to this years festival? Would be lovely to see some of you.
It’s Snuggle Weather
The last few days when the rain has been torrential and the days have been a lot greyer it’s been perfect snuggle up in soft blankets weather.
I quite like the arrival of Autumn. Don’t get me wrong by April I am yearning for Summer but Autumn with its log fires, mugs of hot chocolate and bowls of comforting casseroles. I like it. Also maybe it’s because I’m not 100% comfortable with my post baby shape but I’m more of a jeans and jumper girl than a short shorts and cropped top one.
I’ve got a super soft fleecy dressing gown which just envelopes me in warmth and I love to just wrap myself up in it and watch the rain against the window. When the weather isn’t great it doesn’t feel as lazy to still be in your pyjamas at 3pm does it.. Not to me anyway.
What if your every day clothes were as soft and comfy as your pjs? Wouldn’t that be nice? I’ve been taking a look at the cashmere jumpers over on the Woolover site. It’s the 25th birthday of Woolover this year – HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Woolover was founded in 1989 and now 25 years later has over 750,000 customers all over the world who they have supplied with their classic and contemporary knitwear. With over 160 styles available you are sure to find something to suit your taste.
I liked this style the most:
Soft, slouchy and unisex too. Plus a bit of a steal at just £30.00. There are lots more to choose from and some lovely lambswool cardigans too:
Go and have a look for yourself!
*This post is in collaboration with Woolover.
Siblings – August
Another month of my girls together. Growing up, growing closer and becoming friends. It’s been a very hard month of parenting – I won’t deny that but somehow looking at back at these photos lifts my spirits.
Izzy and Chloe have two sets of matching outfits – this is one of them. Well a matching patten anyway and they looked so cute together.
Sometimes with all that is going on in her toddler world, Izzy doesn’t have as much time for Chloe but one time she is always excited to see her is in the morning. Sometimes I let her have Chloe in her bed for a quick cuddle before we get up:
Sometimes if I’m lucky I will catch a moment like this when Izzy can’t stop herself from going in for a quick impromptu squeeze:
I love the way Chloe looks at her sister in adoration.
And here are one or two quick pics from our recent trip to Camp Bestival:
Dad snuck into this one too..
I’m loving joining in on the Siblings linky each month and keeping an online photo diary of my girls growing up together. Why don’t you join in? Just click the badge below:
Testing Times
Everything’s not always rosy.
Having just returned from a family break to a fantastic festival with a hundred smiling photos of us all you would be forgiven for thinking all is happy and well with my world.
For the most part it is I guess when you look at the big picture. We are all in reasonably good health, we have a home, a loving family and food on the table every day. But all is certainly not rosy. We seem to have totally lost all semblance of any bedtime routine with both girls of late and it means we never get an evening to ourselves anymore.
Actually never.
Each evening is tiring and stressful and I dread it.
Izzy is pushing boundaries every day. She knows what buttons to push and is not afraid to push them.
Add to this I think my anxiety levels are rising again and nearly 9 months on I’m still having birth trauma issues. Some days are just not fun.
In fact some days are awful.
At least once a day for the past week I have been on the verge of tears for one reason or another. Sometime it’s just tiredness. Sometimes it’s because my darling toddler has told me she doesn’t love me anymore..just Daddy. Sometimes it’s because Chloe is so incredibly frustrated that she can’t do everything she wants to yet and so instead just whines and whines.
I want to carry on breastfeeding, I want to stop breastfeeding. I love the closeness, the feeling of giving Chloe the very best I can but I need the freedom to be able to leave the house for more than an hour or two to clear my head. I don’t know what to do.
I worry so much. About how I will cope when I return to work. How I can possibly fit my job around my family and home life. I can’t work full time anymore as how will I get to know my children the way I want to and be there for them when I am only home for two of their wakeful hours each day. If I work part time how will we afford to bring them up the way we want to. Arrggh. All day questions, stress.. Over tired ..over active mind.
I need to bake. Baking soothes my soul.
A Bargain Summer Drinks Special
I drink more in the summertime. Both non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. A glass of prosecco tastes so much better in the sun. I don’t drink to excess ..in fact I typically only drink one as I’m breastfeeding but I REALLY enjoy that one drink and when you are limiting the amount that you drink well you want it to taste good.
We have recently started to do a lot of our food shopping at Aldi as one has opened very close by and it’s so reasonably priced for most of the products we use. This is not a review.. Although I guess it is but I want to make it clear that I paid for all of these products myself. We have been so impressed by the drinks in particular that I wanted to tell you about our favourites.
Starting with the Prosecco. I’ve tried quite a few proseccos over the years and this is by far my favourite. It’s light, crispy and goes perfectly with some strawberry syrup. Delicous. Plus it’s only £5.99 which is a bit of a bargain.
Next the Alska Strawberry and Lime cider which I LOVE! I really like the rekorderlig version of this drink but it’s a lot pricier and this at just £1.59 is just as good in my opinion.
The Orchard Premium Original Cider is a favourite of my OH and is a steal at 99p.
The Cosmopolitan cocktail is priced at £4.99 and is delicous, although I prefer it in a tall glass filled with ice and wedges of lime as it tastes quite strong when it’s neat.
L’esprit D’Orange is the Aldi version of Cointreau and is perfect for mixing with cocktails or even just added to chilled lemonade and crushed ice. It’s priced at £5.99 which when compared to a price of around £13.00 plus for holes of Cointreau is a bit of a steal.
We have also been really enjoying the Mexican Lime and Raspberry and Mint Vive soft drinks. Priced at 49p for a litre they are an ideal budget mixer.
If you are planning a party or BBQ you may just find it worth popping along to your local store.
*All items were paid for in full by myself.
The Weaning Diet
Chloe has been eating solid food for just over two months and wow she loves it. So far we are yet to offer her anything that she has turned down.
We started off with the typical sweet potato purees but it really wasn’t long at all before it was clear she wanted more. A lot more in fact.
Finger Foods/Snacks:
Sticks of Cucumber/Carrot and Peppers
Wedges of cheese
Oven baked sweet potato chips
Melon
Breadsticks
Rice cakes
White toast
Brioche
Favourite Meals:
Spaghetti bolognese
Roast chicken dinner
Beef stew
Macaroni cheese
Gnocchi tomato bake
Homemade fish fingers
Lasagne
Mild chicken curry with rice
Scrambled eggs
She seems to have taken after her sister with her try anything attitude which makes life a bit easier. I know that if we go out for the day and I forget to pack a pouch ( yes we do use pouches as well as homemade meals) then I can nearly always find her something to eat or she will steal my ice cream..
A typical day of food for Chloe looks a bit like this:
Breakfast:
Yoghurt and fruit or toast and fruit
Mid morning:
Rice cake or a breadstick
Lunch:
Scrambled eggs and some veggies or fruit.
Afternoon snack:
Cheese or a baby biscotti
Dinner:
Whatver we eat, perhaps a roast dinner or pasta dish – if we eat something she can’t then she will happily devour a food pouch.
Supper:
A small bowl of porridge
She is also still exclusively breastfed and has small amounts of water throughout the day. Her breastfeeds are not regular or scheduled although I’m trying to set up more of a routine for us.
Spaghetti or pasta is definitely her favourite and I love the way she manages to suck the strands into her mouth – it’s so cute!
She would probably eat more if I offered it! She’s a starver and often sneaks bits of my meals.
Most foods she will try to feed herself using her fingers although I spoon feed her the messy things like yoghurt or stew and let her play with the spoon afterwards.
What does your baby eat? Any meal suggestions?
One last pic .. Chloe biting off more than she can chew:
Our Camp Bestival Photo Diary 2014
We took lots of photos at Camp Bestival this year. Lots of blurry, hastily taken photos. To be honest we spent far too much time having fun to take proper, beautiful pics but some of them just about look ok 🙂
I thought I would share some of the pics which show you how much we enjoyed and then in my next post which will be a full review of the festival I will also include some of the really amazing photos taken by the festival photographers.
So here is our photo diary of this years festival:
Moving in…
Food…
Fun..
Creating..
Sleeping..
Nighttime..
Early bird tickets for Camp Bestival 2015 go on sale on Friday 8th August, click here for more details.