He's got The Look

His father used to do this to me when we first met as teenagers at school:  He'd give me a look. A warm, soft, caring look and I was a total and utter sucker for it.
It was a look that said 'I'm only thinking of you' and made it feel like the rest of the world was dissolving around me.

Daniel does it now. He's only 8 and he doesn't know his power just yet, but I'm guessing I'm going to be a TOTAL walkover when his teenage years hit!

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The Gallery: Week 57

Hello and welcome to week 57 of The Gallery.

I don't know about you, but April has been a strange old month here in the UK. What with people getting their knickers in a twist (for and against) over the Royal Wedding, children off school for pretty much all of the month and the most unseasonably gorgeous weather, well, it's just felt rather topsy turvy truth be told.

So there you have it. This week's theme is: April.
Can you capture this month in a photograph? Be it bunting, street parties, holidays, hot weather or none of the above.

Don't forget to come back on Wednesday to add your link when The Gallery post goes up. Then visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with.

Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

Appreciate the wonderful words and photos that are opening themselves up to you.

The link stays open until the following Tuesday, so don't worry if you don't manage to post your photo on Wednesday.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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The Gallery: Green

Sssssssspring in the UK. If the weather is good, you just can't beat it.
It's utterly gorgeous.
New life, new beginnings, and photographs like this.
I confess I also used this photo of Mia in our video round up of the Easter half term break because it perfectly sums up the amazing weather we enjoyed.
Long may it continue.

This post is for Week 56 of The Gallery: Green.
If you're new and want to know what The Gallery is, go and read here, and then come right back and join in!
You can also pick up The Gallery code if you want too.

Now go forth and show some big blog love.
I can't wait to see what you come up with.

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Half term in 2 minutes

During the month of April, my children will be at school for just 8 days.
EIGHT DAYS!
That a whole lot of entertaining/days outs/picnic lunches.
And as our two-week break finishes today, we did it; we made it through.
And we had the best time.

So here it is . . .

With special thanks to the PRs who helped make our April half term break a blast by kindly sending us:

• The Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader Blu-Ray DVD which my 5 year old ADORES (except for the sea serpent bit which she has to hide behind a sofa for). She now wants a giant lion as a pet. 
• The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Blu-Ray DVD, another film we loved and which my 8 year old called a 'horror'! (It's not). But we're eager beavers to see the final instalment at the cinema now.
• The yummy cheese and crackers hamper from Ryvita, which went down a storm at an evening BBQ at friends' where four slightly drunken men scoffed the lot and made 'mmmm' noises over their new Crackers for Cheese right before challenging each other to a push-up contest. Rolls eyes
• A gorgeous orange plant from Innocent. Just because.
• A VIP invite to Drayton Manor Theme Park to be one of the first to try out their new rollercoaster ride Ben 10: Ultimate Mission (and giving the children a Ben 10 sweat jacket in the hottest week of the year, which my 5 year old will not take off!)
• Tickets to Ragley Hall's Narnia-themed Easter weekend in which we lounged around and picnic'd like it was the height of summer (it isn't).

We had a real blast. But I'm glad they're back at school today. I'm worn out.

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Silent Sunday

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Trying to raise free spirited children

These are the sorts of adventures childhood memories are made of.
Grubbing in the dirt.
Losing one of your shoes in the mud.
Enlisting the help of a bunch of other kids to help in the search for said shoe.
Finding shoe and fishing it out of the mud with a big stick.
Going home so caked in mud that everyone looks at you and smiles as you walk past.
And finally, managing to leave an actual ring of dirt around the bath when you're finally dunked in there to scrub yourself clean.

It's so tempting to wrap our kids in cotton wool and protect them from the big bad dirty world, but look at her.
She ate a bag of crisps with the muddiest fingernails known to man, had dirt up her nose and in her hair and we even found a tiny caterpillar making home in her fringe when we brought her home to hose her down.

These are the sorts of adventures childhood memories are made of.

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The Gallery: Week 56

Hello and welcome to week 56 of The Gallery.

The past couple of weeks have been tough. Real tough.
But actually, for all your bitching and moaning about how you can't think of anything and you're totally stumped, I think your blog posts have been excellent.
It's like the harder I make it, the more you step up to the mark.
So clearly I need to keep making these themes really really tough . . .
What? Who was that groaning at the back?

But not this week. This week you have a simple task. The theme is: Green.
The UK has been quite simply stunning this month. The sun has shone, the fauna is flourishing and it looks and feels like summer.
Everywhere is so lush and lovely and, well, green!

So go find me green. Of course it absolutely doesn't have to be the outdoors; anything, as long as it's green.

Don't forget to come back on Wednesday to add your link when The Gallery post goes up. Then visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with.

Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

Appreciate the wonderful words and photos that are opening themselves up to you.

The link stays open until the following Tuesday, so don't worry if you don't manage to post your photo on Wednesday.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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The Gallery: My Blog

My blog.
My messy, random,  slightly off-centre blog.
(Actually it's not messy. I have slight OCD which means all labels must be facing front and centre in my kitchen cupboards, so ya'know, I don't actually do messy *ahem*).
But anyway.
My blog.
The place I hang out, share stories, ask questions, make friends, talk bunkum. The place where I chart my children's lives; the highs, the lows, the in-betweens, the times when they make me look like the worst person to every take on the mantle of motherhood.

I love my blog. I love the people who hang out there and make me feel part of something much bigger.
I love all those who come over and laugh with me, help me, hold my hand, advise, share.
And all those who lurk (yes you. You).

This is my blog. It's about me and my colourful family. And in years to come I want my children to be able to look back on it and say "shit we had a bloody great childhood". Or something similar.

This post is for Week 55 of The Gallery: My Blog.
If you're new and want to know what The Gallery is, go and read here, and then come right back and join in!
You can also pick up The Gallery code if you want too.

Now go forth and show some big blog love.
I can't wait to see what you come up with.

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Catalogue kids

I don't care what anyone says or who raises their eyebrows when they read this, but we are a Boden household.
There I said it. I know it can have middle class connotations and people muttering "la di dah" under their breath. But I don't care.
I love their kids clothes.
Yes they are expensive, but hello have you not discovered their sales (I was once out for lunch with a friend when an email pinged through on my phone that the sale had started and I cut our lunch short and raced home!)
Plus, when they outgrow them they have great resale value on Ebay . . . *ahem*

Anyway, Boden contacted me and said would you like £60 to spend on our site to see what you think of it?
Err, yes.
Granted £60 doesn't get you far. I bought Mia this white shift dress (which she has tried to pass off as a nightdress as well so she doesn't actually have to ever take it off), the T-shirt for Dan and a pair of funky swimming trunks and that's about your lot.

Also, for the record, putting a white dress on a tree-climbing tomboy who usually lives in jeans? Not such a good idea. She looked ruddy gorgeous though.

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Let the embarrassment commence

Today the sun shone and the birds sang and my 5 year old took that as a sign that she should turn feral.
Of course she waited until neither of her parents could reign her in.
Until she was round in next door's garden with them.
The first we know about it is when the neighbour quietly pulls me to one side over the fence at the bottom of the garden and asks: "Is it OK that Mia is running around without a top on? Only it's very sunny and well, just look at her . . . "

And there is my daughter in all her glory.
Jeans on, waistband slung under her little round belly, showing just the faintest hint of bum crack.
Hair like she was brought up by dogs.
Bare feet, dirt smeared across her left cheek and totally naked from the waist up.

I let out an involuntary noise that my neighbour must read as panic so she quickly retorts with: "It's OK, she's been helping Chris (her husband) with the gardening and walking the dog for us.
"We love having her here, she's so entertaining."

And then she gives me a look.
I look I know so well. It's a faraway, rather amused look. A look which means she's going to tell me something really embarrassing that my girl has said or done.
A look which means I'm going to have to apologise for something.
I steel myself for the worst.

"She did make us laugh though, Tara.
"She stood there with her hands on her hips, looked Chris up and down and then announced to him; 'You know if you breathe in that belly won't look quite so big, Chris'."

Classy.

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Win Lego. Lots and lots of Lego

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this house is a shrine to all things Lego.
We have divers from Atlantis in the conservatory, Indiana Jones on the bedside cabinet, various Star Wars craft all over the playroom and a whole village of firemen, policemen and train drivers going about their daily jobs in the spare room.
It's surprising there is any room for 'real' people in this house.

My 8 year old is currently obsessed with all things Ninjago.
Little ninja Lego figures lined up with their skeletal foe. They are Masters of Spinjitzu - what's not to love!

And so, when looking for a company to partner with at this year's Cybermummy blogging conference there was only one I was going to ask.
And they said yes.
And I whooped.
And when I told Dan his eyes went the size of saucers and he mouthed: "What, THE Lego?"
Yes my boy. THE Lego.

As part of my role as Lego Ambassador they have sent me Lego. Lots of lots of Lego.
And as it's becoming almost impossible to shoehorn any more into this house without shifting the furniture around, I'm going to share the love.
I have lots and lots of Lego to give away.

Here is what is up for grabs:

• First prize:
  Pharaoh's Quest: Rise of the Sphinx (£40.99)
• Second prize:
  Hero Factory: Fire Lord (£17.99)
  Hero Factory: Stormer 2.0 (£7.99)
• Third prize:
  Harry Potter: Quidditch Match (£20.99)
• 3 x fourth prizes:
  The new Lego games: Frog Rush, Sunblock, Banana Balance (£9.99 and £7.99 each)

To enter all you have to do is tell me: If you were a superhero what would your power be and why. You're allowed one power.
Leave your answer in the comments below.
There is no right or wrong answer, I'm just curious.

The judge will be my superhero expert Daniel who has spent his short life so far mulling over important questions such as who would win in a fight between The Thing and Hulk and is Batman actually a superhero when he doesn't have any powers to speak of?
And what is the point of Catwoman. Like I said, he's only 8.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.
List of winners here. 

Rules n stuff:
The competition is open to residents of the UK only (sorry rest of the world).
No cash alternative offered.
To enter, leave a comment on this blog.
Make sure your contact details are available.
The winner will be drawn at random from all entries after the closing date.
The competition closes at 23:59 on Tuesday, April 26, 2011.
The winner will be asked to provide a full UK postal address with postcode. Please allow 14 days for delivery as I'm posting them out myself.
If a prizewinner does not provide a full UK postal address within a week of being contacted, the prize will be re-drawn and a new winner will be contacted.

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The Gallery: Week 55

Hello and welcome to week 54 of The Gallery.

Yes yes, I know last week's theme was tough. I may or may not have cackled to myself thinking it would stump so many people and they'd struggle to come up with something for 'tomorrow'.
But blow me down, no. You jumped at the challenge, grabbed it with both hands and ran with it.

Go you!

So then I promised I'd follow it up with a nice easy one; give you a week off; ease off with the brain power required.
Well I lied.

This week's theme is: My Blog.
A photograph which sums up your blog. Simple as that (bwaha ha ha ha ha).

And in case I don't say it enough, I thank each and every one of you who joins in with The Gallery, be it every week or when they see a theme they fancy or even if you've only ever done it once.
I really do appreciate all your support.

Don't forget to come back on Wednesday to add your link when The Gallery post goes up. Then visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with.

Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

Appreciate the wonderful words and photos that are opening themselves up to you.

The link stays open until the following Tuesday, so don't worry if you don't manage to post your photo on Wednesday.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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The best thing about being a parent is . . .

Before Children I would often hear people talk about the utter craziness of parenting.
The chaos, the tough stuff, the lows.
But then, with an almost beatific smile on their face, they would say, 'but it's all worth it'.

Well HOW is it worth it? Are you just saying that to make me feel better? You've just told me you're up all night cleaning vomit out of the cot slats, have barely slept and are tearing your hair out because your 5 year old has the attitude of a stereotypical teenager.
How how how can it possibly be worth it?

Then you become a parent and you kind of do that 'ahh' as you realise what everyone was blathering on about.
Then you go and do the same thing again to someone else and so the confusion goes on!

So. I asked the question of Twitter: What is the best thing about being a parent?
I was deluged!
See what you think; and are there any you would add? . . .

I became a whole lot less selfish and a whole lot more tolerant of others. Being responsible for another human being does that to you.
Tara (err, that's me)

Listening to your kids come out with the craziest things. And when they throw themselves at you because they just want a cuddle
CosmicGirlie

Seeing the world through their eyes. It's like every thing's brand new.
Liz Jarvis UK

The joy on Dimples' face when she realised she could walk; the smile on PD's face as she told me she loved me.
DomesticGoddesque

Your children saying the most unexpected cute things which make you smile with pride!
WelshMumWales

It's that smell when they are in your arms all warm and cuddly and you breathe them in...and they giggle.
ChristineMosler

My 6yo can't lie next to me without some part (or all) of him being in contact with me. Doesn't even realise he's doing it.
Iamwitwitwoo

Love
Rob Ellis

It stops you becoming one of those people that talk about their cats all day!
SuzOL

The eye contact between you and them. The way they look you square in the eye and you feel so connected.
ThePixiesPocket

Giving them a sneaky snuggle and kiss when the are fast sleep! And making memories that will last forever
MichelleTwinMum

Being able to stop their tears if they are sad, tired or hurt by a simple cuddle.
Pampered Mummy

Best thing about being a parent is that you keep the title forever, even if your children are lost or grown.
MTJAM

When they go to sleep and when they wake 1st thing in the morning (not during the night).
DavidCraig

Morning kisses and cuddles!
JillElamEB

Them thinking that you know the answer to everything, can kiss anything better and trusting you to not let them fall :)
2Starrsandaswirl

Tickling fights and laughing and rolling about on the floor - just finding the fun in the most mundane things
Seeing a little person grow and change every single day.
Fenngirl

Unconditional love
Fab in your 40s

When they tell you "I love you THIS much" with their little arms spread as WIDE as they can stretch them...
BrightonTeenMum

The feeling that he is genuinely my best friend and someone I am proud to share a life with, even though he's only two.
Porridgebrain

The love, the mess, the chaos, the wonder, the awe, the fact that one moment has made a lifetime.
LittleBum

All our kids think we are the "bestest" mum in the world.
ScottishMum

The cuddles, and being told by a toddler that you are the best mummy in the world... But really it's the cuddles.
TheKitchenMechanic

One of mine is the HUGE love that is impossible to describe and which gets into every fibre of your being”. Yes. That.
InceyWinceyMum

Best thing is that every day is different, you're totally unprepared and you're on The Journey together.
Nickie72

Them finally conking out and knowing it will be 10 hours before you see them again. Or 12 if you're lucky.
Reluctanthousedad

Having unconditional love in something you created and knowing there is pretty much nothing you wouldn't do to get a loving smile!
LJBarton

My lo is only 15 weeks and the best thing for me is seeing her change and become more aware everyday- and her baby smiles.
Mummydaddyme

Being given an excuse to be a child again.
Clairey_W

One of the best things about being a parent is that I have a much greater appreciation of my own parents now.
KellyFairy

The feeling of excitement of seeing them after being in work all day, having a great big squeezey hug and hearing about their day.
MummyWalker

My mum says the best thing about being a parent is patience and forgiveness.
LindaSJones

That sense of heart-thumping joy as I watch her grow every day. And the hugs are the best.
JenLucy

Looking down and seeing a big beaming smile and knowing that you caused it by just being you.
LauraAWNTYM

Watching them sleep but not wanting to shut your own eyes to sleep because you will miss them.
Grumpinator

Reliving your own childhood again.
HappyHomebird

Hearing my boy at 11 saying 1 line in a play after being told he would never speak properly.
Chib_ibi

Apart from getting to be a child again, seeing magic everywhere, new toys, getting told secrets, kisses and hugs.
PippaD

Knowing that no matter how hard it is, you'd do it all again for them.
IfICouldEscape

It is the most important job I'll ever have and the one that gives me the most pride.
BigBlueCuddle

Read more...

The Gallery: Tomorrow

Yesterday
I believed I had a duty as a parent to raise the next generation of adults.
A generation to be proud of; to celebrate.
Adults who will one day become the thinkers, the workers, the entrepreneurs of our future.
Who will shape the world we live in, move it forward, make new laws, bring new thinking, reach new heights.

Today
I teach my children how to make friends, how to empathise, how to help, how to listen.
How to be a friend.
I believe in making that next generation a compassionate one. That despite the rampant advance of technology, we can still connect and reach out and 'feel'.
And that by engaging with people and seeing the world through their eyes, it can make us more powerful.

Maybe I'm a ridiculous optimist, but tomorrow I want a world I'm happy for my children to grow up in, and it's photos like this head-together moment of two girls connecting, sharing, teaching, learning, that gives me hope we could just do it.

This post is for Week 54 of The Gallery: Tomorrow.
If you're new and want to know what The Gallery is, go and read here, and then come right back and join in!
You can also pick up The Gallery code if you want too.

Now go forth and show some big blog love.
I can't wait to see what you come up with.
(And PS I'm really sorry it was such a tough one!)

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I only bring him out on weekends and bank holidays . . .

On Sunday my very gorgeous and very competitive 8 year old son stood on a sporting stadium stand in the glaring heat of a fabulous April day, and accepted a trophy as his team were crowned winners of an under 8s tag rugby festival.
It was one of those heart stirring Mummy Moments when you literally put your hand to your chest and catch your breath as that little boy you always think of as your baby, stands shoulder to shoulder with his team mates and reminds you just how much he's growing up.

I love that my boy loves rugby.
I love the fun it gives him, the outdoor life, the discipline and the fist pumping joy.

Of course, not all the boys behave this well.
My husband for example.

My husband is a TAG rugby coach and spends hours of his free time training these boys together with his good friend Andy.
They are very keen for the boys to enjoy the sport in a safe and nurturing environment, where they want to achieve and they have a passion to play but know respect and, just as importantly, how to lose gracefully.

A directive comes from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for coaches to be mindful of bad behaviour amongst parents on the touchline as well as other coaches (they can get very competitive even with charges of just 7 and 8 years old).
I'm guessing the RFU want to nip anything in the bud before it gains the rather black reputation football in the UK has these days (my son also plays football, so we have experience of both).

So at Sunday's match hubby overhears some parents shouting "cheaters" from the touchline for all the players to hear, when the referee stops the game right in front of them.
So donning his RFU directive cap, hubby wanders over to the group of parents when the game finishes and says: "Hey guys, I don't think that's very sportsmanlike behaviour is it? Shouting 'cheaters' at young boys?"
He's met with blank looks. Then the realisation obviously creeps across the parents' faces and one of them says: "But it's the name of our team! We are the Cheetahs!"

And as my husband stands there cringing with embarrassment, he's also chuckling along with them all and the hilariousness of it all and I am reminded of exactly why I love that my boy loves rugby.

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Q&A

I have to confess I have a bit of a girl crush on Kerry Jean Lister.
I met her on a bloggy holiday to Orlando and she was loud and lairy and so bloody full of life that you couldn't help but bask in her glow.
Plus she has a great name.

So then she poached these Q and As from The Guardian Weekend magazine which are used to quiz a random celebrity/policitician/author/whatever.
She says the answers break you down into the ‘yeah you seem like a nice person, I’d go for a pint with youers’and the ‘Christ what a KNOB! LISTEN TO YOURSELFers!'
I'm aiming for the former . . .

Which living person do you most admire, and why?
How awful. I seriously can't pin it down to one. Let's say there's just too many.

When were you happiest
When my son was born and I realised that actually motherhood was right up my street.

What was your most embarrassing moment?
I have many. All of them involve being in the supermarket with my daughter.
Like the time she pointed at a very large woman while we were in the dairy aisle and said 'look at that fat cow'. And while I'm apologising profusely to said woman, Mia says 'not her, that fat cow over there' as she points to a large image of a cow hanging near the butter section.

Aside from property, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought?
A brown leather sofa and armchair from Italy. It was worth it.

What is your most treasured possession?
My photographs.

Where would you like to live?
I love where I am now.

What’s your favourite smell?
Clothes dried on the washing line.

Who would play you in the film of your life?
Susan Sarandon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Katharine Hepburn, Cate Blanchett or Miranda Richardson. I'm not fussy.

What is your favourite book?
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

What is your most unappealing habit?
Tutting.

What would be your fancy dress costume of choice?
An arabian princess. I have photos to prove it.

What is your earliest memory?
Going to the hospital holding my grandma's hand to see my new baby brother at the age of 2.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Heat magazine. I know it's full of shite, but I just can't help myself.

What do you owe your parents?
I am very independent and have a strong sense of self. I owe all this to my mum.

To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?
To my nan for procrastinating and delaying motherhood for so long, she never got to meet her fabulous great grandchildren.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My husband. Met as teenagers and still fighting/loving as strong as ever.

What does love feel like?
A warm blanket.

What was the best kiss of your life?
After my husband proposed on the Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence, Italy, 10 years ago.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Holy moly.

What is the worst job you’ve done?
Working behind the counter at Spud U Like. I mean spuds?

If you could edit your past, what would you change?
I would have started having babies sooner. But then again, I don't think I'd be the mum I am now, so maybe not. Learn from your mistakes and all that.

What is the closest you’ve come to death?
The Tower of Terror ride at Disney Studios in Orlando in 1996. Horrifying. I may be exaggerating.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My children.

When did you last cry, and why?
Watching Tangled at the cinema with Mia. She turned to me and rolled her eyes.

How do you relax?
Walking in the countryside with the sun on my back.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Less time working, more time with the kids.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Treat others as you wish to be treated.

And so I pass this huge task on to:

Mocha Beanie Mummy because I'm genuinely intrigued to see what her answers will be
Battling On because she's not blogging half enough lately
Muddy No Sugar just because
Mummy Tips because she has a heartwrenching 'closest you've come to death' story
Mumra because she's ace
Northern Mum because she's northern (sorry, couldn't resist!)

Reveal all ladies . . .

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The Gallery: Week 54

Hello and welcome to week 54 of The Gallery.

As you know, I like to keep things challenging here on The Gallery. Sometimes I'll throw you a nice easy theme just to give you a week off and to make you feel all comfortable.
But then that's not what this feature is all about.
The Gallery is supposed to make you think. Stretch you. Challenge you. Make you look at your photos (and indeed the words you use with them) in a different way. Make you yell at the screen: "WHAT in the holy hell am I supposed to do with THAT theme?"

And so this week you are indeed going to have to do some head-scratching, for the theme is: Tomorrow.
Nope. I've no idea what photo to use either, but I'm going to have great fun thinking of one.

And many thanks to @clare_anderson for suggesting the theme: I loved it as soon as it popped into my Twitter stream!

Don't forget to come back on Wednesday to add your link when The Gallery post goes up. Then visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with.

Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

Appreciate the wonderful words and photos that are opening themselves up to you.

The link stays open until the following Tuesday, so don't worry if you don't manage to post your photo on Wednesday.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

Read more...

The Best Chocolate Cupcakes ever

I know. Pretty wild claim eh?
Well I've cooked many a cupcake in my day as it's the children's very favourite thing to do in the kitchen. Right after covering everything in a thick layer of flour and chocolate sprinkles.

So, Nigella's cupcake recipe was our favourite for a looong time, but then I stumbled on this recipe. And I don't know if it's because it uses actual chocolate in the recipe rather than cocoa powder or that it's more 'cakey', but let me tell you, they are the bees knees.

Also you will need a hand-held electric mixer for this recipe.
I bought a really cheap one from the supermarket and quite like the strange burning smell it emits as the motor is asked to go into overdrive. But that's just me.

So here you go. Enjoy (it makes 24).

Ingredients
4oz/115g plain chocolate (although I use milk chocolate as I prefer it. I don't care if it's wrong), broken into chunks
1tbsp water
10oz/275g/2.5  cups plain flour
1tsp baking powder
Half tsp bicarb of soda
pinch of salt
11oz/300g/scant 1.5 cups of caster sugar
6oz/175g/three quarters cup butter or margarine (softened)
Quarter pint/150ml/two thirds cup milk
1tsp vanilla essence
3 eggs


For the icing
1.5oz/40g butter or marg
4oz/115g/1 cup icing sugar
Half tsp vanilla essence
1-2 tbsp milk

How to make them
Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Put muffin (EVERY time that makes me giggle. Child) cases into two muffin (tee hee) trays.
Measure flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt and sugar into a large bowl.
Melt the chocolate. The recipe tells you do to in a heatproof bowl with the water added and to set it over a simmering pan. Or you can stick it in the microwave for 30 seconds like me and stir when it comes out to ensure totally melted.

Add chocolate, butter, milk and vanilla essence to the flour mixture.
Mix.
Get the electric mixer in there and beat until smooth. Increase speed to high and beat again for 2 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time and after each one beat for another minute.

Divide the mixture into the muffin (snigger) cases. Lick the bowl. And the spoon. And the beater blades.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in to the centre comes out clean.
Cool in the tins then turn out onto a wire rack.

To make the icing
Soften butter in microwave (ahem) for 20 seconds. Mix in the vanilla essence and then the icing sugar a little at a time. Add milk a drop at a time to make a creamy, spreadable mixture.
Decorate at leisure.
Scoff.
And if you want to make something a little more adventurous and with rather more calories, try English Mum's divine looking Salted Caramel Double Chocolate Cupcakes.
Look at that, I put on weight just looking at them . . .

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The Gallery: Mother Love

Me, my mum and her mum.
My nan.
Three very different mothers (although I was six years off being a mother in this photo).
The year is 1995 and it's my nan's 75th birthday.
She didn't live long enough to meet my own children and that remains one of my life's great regrets.
I like to think she would have approved of the mum I've become.

I look back on this photo and hope that one day there will be a similar one featuring my grown up girl, together with me and my mum.
Another three generations of mothers. All smiles, radiating love.
And she will look back on it and smile and think to herself: 'I really do have a great mum'.

This post is for Week 53 of The Gallery: Mother Love.

If you're new and want to know what The Gallery is, go and read here, and then come right back and join in!
You can also pick up The Gallery code if you want too.

Now go forth and show some big blog love.
I can't wait to see what you come up with.

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Role models

It's a Saturday afternoon and Daniel has insisted he wants to watch X-Factor.
We're not an X-Factor house AT ALL so there is a degree of eye rolling and head shaking and muttering under my breath, but we switch it on and Dan sits down to watch.
I go out to make drinks and when I come back in Dan announces: "Cheryl Cole mum. Look at her. She looks a bit weird and is too orange."
And then he switches it off.

I do an inward cheer and a lap of the living room with my arms in the air, then watch as he switches over to watch the Discovery Channel.
And then I woop. WOOP I tell you.

There are so so many inappropriate role models these days for children.
So bloody many.
Footballers who spend more time falling out of nightclubs than training and earning their overinflated pay packets, TV and movie 'stars' wrapped up in their fake public profiles. People who are famous for being famous.

My 5 year old wants to be the female version of Steve Backshall, the British children's TV presenter and animal adventurer.
Sure she knows who Hannah Montana is but only because she's heard her friends talk about her. She has no real interest in her at all.
To her Steve Backshall isn't a celebrity, he's just someone she greatly admires.
I know she's only five and things could change in a heartbeat when she's a pre-teen and everyone is giggling themselves into a frenzy over the latest non-sleb to grace whatever girls' magazine is 'in'.
But I'm hoping, really really hoping, that she bucks the trend and continues to have a mind of her own - which she is doing in SPADES at the moment!

As for my 8 year old son? He currently looks to England rugby players as his heroes. And Doctor Who.
And the people who are influencing him are the dads who give up their free time to coach his football and rugby teams - men who believe in playing sport because it teaches teamwork, respect, discipline, sportsmanship - and enjoyment.
I remember reading somewhere that 'to become a good man, a boy needs to know good men' and I wholeheartedly believe this to be true.

So I am hopeful, really hopeful that my two will look beyond the 'role models' being shoved in young people's faces by whatever form of media you care to pick, and look for people who are truly inspiring.

Who do you hope will be role models for your children?

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Children have a language of their very own

I rarely post videos of children on here that aren't my own kids because, well, obviously my two are the most adorable in the whole wide world.
But I stumbled on this video and it just had me mesmerised.
We all know kids have their own language and that they get hugely frustrated when no one else can understand it.
However, if you have a twin brother . . .
Enjoy x

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The Gallery: Week 53

Hello and welcome to week 53 of The Gallery.

As it's Mother's Day here in the UK on Sunday and I aim to be basking in the glory of hugs and kisses and showers of affection from my darling children on said day  (*ahem*), so I'll keep this week's Gallery very simple.

Mother Love.
(And for the theme police out there - I'm looking directly at your Rosie and Jay - yes I KNOW we've done 'motherhood' and 'love' before. This is different.)

Interpret it any way you choose; You as a mum, your mum, someone who you look on as a mother.
Let's not restrict appreciating mothers to one day; let's make a whole week of it!

I'm also dedicating this Gallery to World Vision's Mother's Day campaign; which is inviting everyone to share a childhood memory, special mum moment on their website. They are also running a petition asking governments to put mothers and children’s health first to ensure they ALL get their own mum-moments.

Don't forget to come back on Wednesday to add your link when The Gallery post goes up. Then visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with.

Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

Appreciate the wonderful words and photos that are opening themselves up to you.

The link stays open until the following Tuesday, so don't worry if you don't manage to post your photo on Wednesday.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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