Wishes

These photos of Sol on our trip to the Wetlands deserved their own post. I just thought Sol was particularly cute today. She kept finding the dandelion clocks, and trying to blow them. Sol calls them 'Wishes'.

Here she is getting ready to wish.



One Two Three Blow!


Harder


Oh no, the blowing didn't work - try something else.



That's it done now.

Trip To The Wetlands

This is the first of two blog posts about today.

We visited the Balloo Wetlands Nature reserve today. This was it's official opening, its a new reserve where The Wildlife Trust have turned boggy waste ground into a haven for wildlife. Although its only been there about a year already there are birds and pond life establishing themselves. As you will see from the photographs the weather was very kind to us also.

The opening day was marked with various activities - here are the photos!

The Mayor, Leslie Cree, was visiting to help mark the day. There were a few photographers and a camera man filming, they wanted a child to sit beside the mayor for a photo shoot. So wouldn't you know, not one, but two of my children got in on the action! They ended up in the newspaper that week.

This was Seb pond dipping. He caught quite a few living things which we looked at closely before throwing them back.

Watching the pond dipping.

Two swans have already made themselves at home, along with a couple of different breeds of ducks.

~In the bird hide

Summer enjoying some tadpoles which were on display.

May Day Wetness!

Went out today to enjoy the May Day holiday in style. Of course it rained, but never mind we still had fun. We took a drive down the Newtownards Peninsula and stopped in Donaghadee for Ice Cream. Drove as far as Ballywalter then headed across to Greyabbey to head up the Mount Stewart Road.



We parked at the old Gas Works and took a walk along the shoreline of Strangford Loch. Our plan was to walk as far as the old outdoor swimming pool which belonged to Lady Mairi Bury of Mountstewart. I have fond memories of 'stealing' a swim in that pool as a teenager, the surroundings were exquisite. Sadly today the pool is filled in and the area is just a mess of briars and such like.

This is a memorial to some of the family who drowned in the loch over 100 years ago due to a tragic accident. I don't know the full history and I may be wrong here but I believe they were in a boat and it sank.






Heading back to the car!

If You Don't Ask, You Don't Get

Last night was Seb's last night at Boy's Brigade, this is his first year otherwise known as the Anchor Boys. It was his award night where all the proud mums and dads get to go see their little boys getting their awards.

Well as usual I went to watch Seb, Roy stayed at home with the other children. The boys came in looking as proud as anything and sat at the front. There are three main trophies given out to the Anchor Boys, and unfortunately Seb did not get one. He sat ever so patiently while the three boys who were getting those trophies received them. Thinking hard about this Seb stood up, marched to the front where the two leaders were doing the prize presentation and asked when he was getting his trophy. Everyone was laughing, not in a bad way just that he was so cute. Me, I had my face buried in my hands in embarrassment.

The minister who was sat immediately behind me bent over and whispered into my ear "If you don't ask, you don't get", that just summed it all up.

The next stage of the presentation was the badges so the leaders explained that they had a very special boy who was their youngest member and gave Seb his first year badge. He was happy then and he sat proudly showing his arm band off for the rest of the presentation.

This morning on leaving Sol off to playgroup I met the minister's daughter in law, she was laughing about the trophy incident. She informed me that the leaders had said that Seb deserved a trophy for what had happened.

Easter Egg Hunt

We had a little party with a few friends yesterday (Saturday night) and a good time was had by all. I managed to get through the evening without a singe drop of alcohol too - its good as I didn't have a sore head this morning with a hangover. However the night did not end when the party finished at 1am .... at 2.30 am we had an intruder ...
I was laying awake and I was aware of some noises from up the side of the house, I could here a grating sound and people walking up the driveway. I woke Roy up and he went to investigate - he could hear voices too we were worried. He went into Mag's room to switch on the security lights (there is a panel there) and we saw four people outside. I think they were from up the road, one of the houses has had parties the last few nights and they have been pretty noisy.
This morning we found one of our gates had been knocked on the ground and a bottle of buckfast, there was also something on the ground not sure if it was spilled drinks or urine.
We are going to go speak to the family involved.

After a long night the children were awake at daybreak, they were waiting for the Easter Bunny. My neighbour and I snuck out and hid eggs around the two gardens while the children were getting dressed.

Here are the photos ....
READY STEADY


GO..

.

Sol had to get changed half way through the egg hunt in case you noticed and wondered what was going on.

ALL DONE!

Belfast Wheel And Continental Market

With Roy going away in the morning for a few days (work related) we decided to have a family day out. We had failed to visit the continental market in Belfast a few weeks ago when we were in the city so we decided to have another go. The day was pleasant and there were no crowds to speak of, remembering last year's visit I am only too glad. We set off around lunch time, well after lunch by the time we got all the children in the car. You think we had 100 kids the length of time it takes us to get out the door. The melee caused by three mini children and one full size child is plenty for anyone, one of those children was the same child that managed to knock over a kitchen roll display in our local shop yesterday. I think we might be barred now - perhaps you might see us on one of those cop shows next month. Oh and my husband just happened to point out to us that we weren't going to Belfast to go into any shops DOH I thought that was the whole point, stupid!

I have a few photographs of the day, I wont apologise for the quality of the photos - it is me the photo taker who has failed today. I failed to operate my son's shirt pocket size mini point and shoot camera - it is so simple to use I couldn't work it DUH.

The children in the car


The wheel from afar



and close (yes I did this shot before, and yes I do like the wheel)



Belfast from the top of the wheel - it was raining and the photos were took from inside the pod obviously so the views are through glass





The Continental market was quite expensive, well it was not the usual stuff you get in Tesco I guess. We bought a pick and mix with 12 sweets in it and that came to £3.65!




Oh yes ..... I almost forgot

Us up high!



Sol is the cutest little girl I know ( I am biased I know but find me a cuter girl?)

Seasonal Photos

Another busy week gone by. I have spent most of the week just getting things prepared for the big day. I pre made a lot of the food that we will need over the Christmas week so that I wont have to miss out on the children enjoying their gifts.

There is a fair bit to update on so I will start with the photos from last Friday evening (5th Dec). The village where I live had the ceremonial tree light switching on. The children from the playgroup had the honour of doing the switch on, they were really sweet and sang a few carols beforehand.
Afterwards everyone headed over to the church hall where there was a visit from Santa! Sadly I didn't get any decent photos of Santa as I had handed my camera over to Mag to look after and he vanished at the crucial moment.

We did get a snowman photo!



Or two!

DOWN TO THREE

I took an unexpected drive to Carrickfergus today. Mag got a birthday party invite to go to the cinema followed by dinner in Pizza Hut with friends. I had no problem letting him go and staying at their house over night so we only had to make the journey once today. We need to go to Belfast tomorrow so it will work out well for collecting him.


The afternoon ended up a bit rushed though, we headed off at 1.45 to leave Mag off at chess club. The plan was to use the hour he is in chess club to go pick up a thing I had got off Freecylce then pop in the back door of the Flagship Centre and pick up a little present for the birthday boy. Well best laid plans and all that ... Bangor town was a nightmare, it took me ages in the shops and by the time Mag had finished chess club at 3 o'clock I was only just getting my way out of the town. Anyways - long story short we made it to Carrickfergus just in time for the party.

Seb and I stopped off at a parking area by the shore on the way back - we were able to see right across Belfast lough as it was so clear, we walked for a little while and watched the world go by until the light dropped.

I had to laugh, when I arrived home the strong smell of paint hit me as I walked in the front door. Roy had only gone and done the kitchen ceiling with gloss paint.

Christmas Dinner!

What do you do for Christmas dinner? We don't have a Christmas day dinner as such, come lunch time the children are done in. You know how it is they just cant sleep with excitement then up early to peek and see if Santa has been. Earlier years half asleep children and frazzled parents do not compliment the Christmas menu. The last couple of years we have cooked our main Christmas dinner on boxing day and I have to say it is so much better that way, everyone has enjoyed their meal and it was far more relaxed.

Last year I decided to try something different - Nigella Lawson Christmas! I have always enjoyed baking and cooking over Christmas, and have always enjoyed the main meal, but I was suitably impressed with Nigella's recipe I shall be making it again this year. The beauty about her recipe there is no exactness - just adapt it to what you like. Oh and the turkey was juicy just like she said!

SPICED AND SUPER JUICY ROAST TURKEY

You need to start two days before the big day - it is so easy too.

Ingredients
6 litres of water (approx)
1 large orange quartered
250g Maldon sea salt or 125g of table salt
3 X 15ml tablespoons of black peppercorns
1 bouquet garni
1 Cinnamon stick
15ml spoon of caraway seeds
2 x 15ml tablespoons allspice berries
4star anise
2 x 15ml spoons of mustard seeds
200g caster sugar
2 onions unpeeled and quartered (which I missed out and suggest you do too)
1 6cm piece of ginger unpeeled and sliced
4 x 15ml tablespoons of maple syrup
4 x 15ml tablespoon runny honey
stalks of parsley if you have any
and of course 1 turkey 5.5kg/12lb (ish)

for the glaze
75g goose fat
3 x 15ml spoons maple syrup


put the water into the largest lidded pot you can find - or a clean bucket with a sealing lid. Squeeze the juice from the oranges then throw the skins in too. Stir in all the other ingredients and make sure the salt and sugar is dissolved. Put your turkey in minus the giblets and allow it to sit in the spiced water for up to two days - store it outside in the cold.

an hour before cooking lift it out the water and allow it to warm.

Preheat the oven at 200degrees

melt the goosefat and male syrup together gently in a pan - this is your glaze. Paint it on the turkey with the glaze and baste it now and again.

For a 12lb bird you need to cook for about 2 1/2 hours - this is shorter than what you would expect because you allowed the turkey to rest for an hour before you put it in the oven.

Add an extra half hour if you do stuff your turkey. Why don't you wrap your stuffing in bacon and cook it in foil separately - I do this and it is so much nicer.

I also made my own cranberry sauce which I will try to post the recipe for later.

Under the table!

Yesterday, the 11th November 2008 was a 'funny' day.

I had to do a few errands early on in the day, off to the chemist, newsagent for birthday cards and wrapping paper, and the like. I called in at the Co-Op for the usual food supplies with Seb our 5yo, he was looking at everything as usual. I left him playing at one of the promotional baskets, he was happy and occupied and I continued to stroll along that aisle. I heard him crying and turned to see him talking to a lady. She asked him what the matter was, Seb replied "I have lost my mummy", Well dear what does she look like?", much to my amazement he said "You will recognise her because she has hair extensions".

The woman came up to me and said "ARE you his mummy?" while she scrutinised my hair.

Later in the day we went off to a friend's house for a birthday party. Her son just turned 12, we did the usual birthday greetings, presents, food etc.

Afterwards Seb was rather quiet, this is where I found him...

Oh and he was eating Sol's piece of birthday cake.