Advent Calendar Day 4 - Happy Birthday Ben!

I had to save the 4th door for my eldest son, Benjamin.

He turned 11 today!

I have absolutely no idea where all the years have gone. And I still remember his birth as if it was yesterday (well, almost - there are bits I have chosen to forget).

Ben does make me proud! As all mums wish, I hope he turns into a loving, handsome, young man. I am trying my best. Having two sons, I tell myself I'm bringing up future husbands! I want my future daughter-in-laws to thank me.

Ben is my quietly confident son, who is quite sensible but has no fear - except of some vegetables. He is becoming a bit annoying at times... as he's verging on turning into a teenager and tends knows it all. This is when he frustrates me. However, he shares my great sense of humour and even my sarcasm.



We never used to put the Christmas decorations up until the middle of December in our family, usually because we had a real tree. However, since Ben came along, I've always let him celebrate his birthday first, allowing his cards to stay up for a week (which is how long I tend to allow birthday cards to stay up!) Once they come down, then the Christmas cards can go up and the tree and decorations.

I do feel for him, as he has to wait a whole year for presents to open on his birthday, and then a few weeks later it's Christmas. It's a bit of a nightmare when it comes to present hunting!  And the expense. I made sure I planned Kieran better ;-)

Do you have a family birthday in December? How do you make sure they get to celebrate their birthday, and not get it lost in the excitement of Christmas?

My favourite photo of us! Taken this summer in Bristol. 

Happy Birthday!

Among a lot of other people, today I share my birthday with Hugh Jackman! (I've started to appreciate this man more and more after devouring the box set of the X-Men.)

Happy birthday, Hugh!

All the coolest people have their birthday on the 12th October!

Today is the 20th anniversary of my 21st birthday! Whoop! (So much better looking at it that way!)

If you have kids, I think your birthdays are just as much for them. I've bought a huge cupcake of a birthday cake out of Sainsburys. I will adorn it with candles - not all 41, that's just asking for trouble - and let the kids blow out the candles for me.

I'm planning on a lazy day, with hopefully a few presents to open, because even at my age, I still like presents. Then we will be off to a Hungry Horse for tea - because I certainly am not cooking.

I'm sure there will be wine consumed in the evening, too.

Busy Day ...

... but sadly no writing - yet. 

I did actually manage to sit down and read some of my Writing Magazine (April issue) and a little bit of my coursework.  (And while hubby was bathing the boys I read my book).  That's all classed as WRA (Writing Related Activities). But otherwise, I've been a busy bee making a birthday cake and doing the chores.  I really haven't stopped today.  After I've posted this blog, my aim is to finish reading my module and crack on with my ghost story.

If you want a giggle, my sister has updated her blog too. There is a funny Vlog of the weekend they spent with us - the boys are the stars of the show, obviously.  Just ignore me and mum in the background gassing away!

Typical, the boys were ill over the weekend.  It didn't stop us having fun, yet, I did worry with them being around Katie.  She's not supposed to be around sick people! Kieran even spent today off preschool, and a good job too, because he was crashed out on the sofa asleep by 1pm.  Hoping he's going to be well enough for his big day on Thursday! And especially Saturday, as he's got a party to host.

Kieran really wants Jesse, and wanted her on his cake. Unfortunately I couldn't find a miniature one, only Buzz and Woody.  But I have bought a 'shop' cake, which has all of the Toy Story 3 gang on it, including Jesse - that's for Saturday to be cut and put into the goodie bags.

Just realised, got some presents to wrap ... so maybe the writing will be on hold.  There is always something to do!

Butterflies For Nanny

The end result... da daa!

Friday, Kieran didn't want to go to preschool, which is totally out of character for him.  We went, but he clung to me, and I just didn't want to leave him distressed.  It's not like he does it all the time, so thought something must be up.  Even his favourite key workers (who he talks about all the time) couldn't prise him away from me, so I decided to take him home.  Tomorrow, I'll be leaving him whatever tantrum he pulls.  I don't want him thinking he can cry it off whenever he wants - I'm not that much of a pushover... and I want to go for a run, besides it's good training for school.

The best bit of making cakes - licking the spoon/spatula!

When we got home, coats and shoes off, I told him no TV, not until after lunch, because he would usually be at preschool.  He had to play with his toys.  It meant I couldn't go for a run, or do much in writing related activities (WRA as I call it) so instead, once I'd had a cup of coffee, we baked cakes.  The boys have a few cake mixes in the cupboard from Nanny Sylvie, so Kieran chose the mini butterfly cakes, and that's what me made.

'Can I lick it?' is a constant phrase while cooking and he loved turning the Kenwood on.  'I do it.' 

And once they'd cooled and I'd made the butter icing, I cut the tops off, iced them, and Kieran added the sprinkles.  It was a nice morning, actually.  Not too stressful.  I can manage one child while trying to bake.  With two, I run out of room as I feel overcrowded - two heads trying to peer into the bowl, rather than one, plus fights over the spatula!

The mixture made twelve mini cakes... but both chefs had to try one each, so we were quickly down to ten.   They were so small, mummy could pop one in whole!  Yum yum!

Day 22 - Bake Me A Cake

(Sorry this is a bit late - last night I was so engrossed in writing a chapter - over 2,000 words written -  I didn't realise the time!)

Before baking!

Yesterday I was very busy indeed.  I made 24 mince pies (not sure where Nigella got 36 from, unless my pastry is a bit thick and my stars are bigger), 12 cupcakes and iced a Yule log.

I had all good intentions of making the mince pies with the kids, but I'm not the best with my patience and I've been considerably worse lately - and it's not even PMT time!  Nigella said to split the pastry, so I did one batch without the kids (as they'd sloped off), cling filming the other and sticking it in the fridge.  Then, once ready to roll the next lot of pastry I called the boys.

Luckily, Ben had decided to be engrossed in whatever he was doing and only Kieran came.  Yet, that was still stressful because he just wanted to dump the cutter in the middle of the pastry.  He did let me position it, then he cut - eventually.  But he soon got bored and went off to play.  (I'm such a terrible mummy).

Afterwards! 24 made in total, though a few had to be tested!

My dad - the Godsend - turned up at twelve thirty to take them out.  I hadn't even given them lunch.  So after a quick lunch, they wrapped up warm and headed out with Grandad for the bus into town.  They apparently walked the seafront to see the beach covered in snow and caught a double decker home!

I was able to bake and ice the cakes, and start on the Yule log before the return of the monsters.

I only had half a box of royal icing left, thanks to Mr Tesco's not allowing me to order any more.  I couldn't find it on their website for love nor money, and kept forgetting to buy some when out.  Anyway, I had some left over fondant icing from Ben's cake so after some manipulation, it got back to it's pliable form, adding a bit of colour, and I was able to roll it out and cut it.  Did the same to decorate the Yule Log.  

Ran out of royal icing, so coloured some fondant icing

Yule Log for the boys!

Gosh, looking at this blog, you'd think I was a baker, not a writer.  I enjoy baking, when I have the time and can get on with it (on my own).  I'm not very good at trying to bake with the boys sometimes.  For some reason then, my kitchen feels very small.  It's alright if I only have the one, but when two of them crowd over me, I don't have room to swing a cat.  And then they want to lick everything, even if I've not finished with it yet, including the knife I've cut the butter with! 

But this time of year, I'm particularly in the mood to cook.

Baking does get me away from my PC, which is sometimes a good thing.  I do suffer with RSI, and I'm feeling it this morning, having sat at my PC all night last night, bashing away a chapter.  But it was getting exciting!

So far I have failed with any more reading.  But I have made my target of forty books this year!

I now have so much food made that I'm not going to make my Rocky Road yet.  Decided we have loads of stuff here to eat - and depending on the weather no one may turn up to eat it!  If my mum does come to me Tuesday, rather than us go to them, then Monday I might make it.  Otherwise I'll make some for New Years or something.  I am thinking I'll send Dad home on Christmas day with some home made mince pies.  In fact, I might go and see if I can dig out a box...

Day 16 - Iced The Cake!

Okay - the moment we've all been waiting for!  Yes, today, I iced my Christmas cake.

The End Product

I haven't really stopped today, and the cake took longer than anticipated, so I didn't get to wrap any presents.  The icing was a bit runny when I put it onto the cake (newbie error, I'll know for next time!).  I should have added more icing sugar.  Anyway, what felt like an hour (probably was an hour) I was forking it, or using my palette knife, or even the back of a teaspoon to accomplish the masterpiece you now see before you.

It started out like this...

I had some royal icing left over, so I made some more cupcakes (Nigella Christmas style) and iced them, decorating them with silver balls or mini smarties.  I have managed, with the help of my dad, to get some decorations up today, too.  I've been so busy.  Hubby is out on a works do, so I've just had to get on with it, taking Ben swimming.  Dad looked after Kieran for me (and pumped up some more balloons for the Christmas decorations).  He's even offered to take them out next week on the bus (they love a bus ride - cheap to entertain my two!) so that I can get some more 'work' done.  Or at least get another run in before the Christmas festivities commence.

Last day at school tomorrow.  Bring on the snow!  I've got nowhere to go in the car.  I don't mind the snow if all I need do is walk somewhere and leave the car behind.  Actually it's rather nice.  Apparently we're going to get some this time - I'll believe it when it happens though.

Day 8 & 9 - Sprinkle On Some Sugar

Yesterday, I went with Kieran and his preschool to watch the children in Reception of Castlebatch School do their Christmas performance.  The difference between St Marks and Castlebatch is obvious.  St Marks is a church run school and so we saw a proper nativity.  Joseph, Mary and even the donkey.  With Castlebatch, they sung about Jesus being born in Bethlehem, but it also covered songs celebrating Christmas and what it's about.  It was just as wonderful to watch, amazing that children of four and five years of age can remember so many songs.  The preschoolers sat there, good as gold, mesmerised too.  So cute all of it.

Kieran will be doing a Christmas "concert" next Friday, just before his Christmas party.  I have a slight feeling one of the songs is Christmas Pudding.  I just love how he sings, "sprinkle on the sugar, sprinkle on the sugar." 

Apricot jammed up!

Today, I managed to marzipan my Christmas cake!  Firstly, I met my dad in the morning for a coffee in Druckers, a café in the Sovereign Centre, in town.  He goes there so regularly, when they see him coming, they make his cappuccino!  He chooses the same table, too, which gives us a great view of the new pier.

I finished off a bit of Christmas shopping I needed to do, and by the time I'd filled the car up with petrol and put it through the car wash, (the car was so dirty my lights came on with the auto sensors!) I needed to collect Kieran.

So after we'd had lunch, I rolled up my sleeves, put on my pinnie (apron) and started rolling out the marzipan.  There was no way one block of 500g was going to cover my 23cm Christmas cake.  Dashed around to Tesco's, dragging poor old Kieran along (why is it illegal to leave kids home alone, I mean! He would have been fine watching 'Show Me Show Me' - I am joking!), grabbed another block of marzipan and dashed back home.  Hurrah! Rolled it all out together and it covered my cake nicely.  Panic over. Phew!

Marzipanned up!  Wait till you see me iced.

Now I need to find the time to write my Christmas cards... which I haven't decided how many I'm going to write, or not, yet, but I did buy 50 Christmassy second class stamps yesterday.  Hmmm....  Last year I cut down how many I sent, spreading good will wishes over the internet - much more environmentally friendly and cheaper!

I also need to find time to wrap the presents I've got for family, ideally before the boys break up from school/preschool.  It will be just easier if I don't have 'helpers' and I worry it takes away the magic of Christmas, and wonder if they'll start to question Santa. (Hubby and I usually wrap all of the boys presents one night, while they stay over at Nanny's.  Then we have no fear of them coming down stairs and catching us wrapping their toys!  Not that they usually come down stairs, but it would be Sod's Law...)

Yeah, I've got one week.  Oh joy!

Blog Up To Christmas - Day 1

First Christmas cake (Xmas 2008)

I've been following Mila's Daydreams and although she has taken her photos down (because unfortunately people were using them without her permission) she is still blogging.  She's decided to do a photo - countdown calendar.


I try to include photo's in my blogs, (because that keeps blogs interesting and not a block of text!) however, because I want to be a writer, rather than a photographer, I thought I would still do this, but more by writing. (Though will try to take the odd photo!  Or find something Christmassy to post).

So this is my Christmas Countdown Calendar equivalent.

Day 1:  Today, Nanny provided the boys with their chocolate advent calendars.  Thankfully, I have convinced my mother that she does not have to do the same, because 1) I was running out of where to put them, 2) that would be FOUR calendars to open a day, plus the one we have, which is a reusable one I fill with chocolatey treats and 3) my kids would be eating way too much chocolate!

Anyway, my mother-in-law still does it (even through my grumbling) and I was at least very pleased to see that they were Thortons chocolate advent calendars.  1) because it's better chocolate than some of the crap that is in those other ones, and 2) if the boys don't eat all their tea, (when they will get to open this calendar) - Mummy's going to have it!  I particularly like this second point!

So they'll get to do my one in the morning - as it's quicker.  (I can't add opening calendars into the tight school run schedule - I'm already stressed enough as it is).  And then Nanny's one after tea/dinner for their after tea treat.

My son's birthday is the 4th December - this weekend will be busy.  But next week my aim is to marzipan my Christmas cake!  Oh, the photos I can share with you there!

The photo provided was my first ever Christmas cake... however it was one of those boxes, where you just add the eggs.  I marzepanned and iced it though!  And decorated it!  This year I've properly made one from Nigella's Christmas. And I want to use royal icing!

I was looking through this recipe book today... looking for all the nice things I'd like to make.

So day 1 - calendars started.  Only 24 sleeps till Christmas!

Mum's Birthday Cake...

That I made! Coffee, Chocolate and Walnut from my Green and Blacks recipe book.  Coffee icing is from another chocolate book.

Oh and Kieran helped... with the washing up!