I Start Out Each Day As Mary Poppins...

Is this just me? I must admit when I saw this picture I had a little chuckle!

Recently my girls (especially the big one) have been driving me up the wall! Each day I wake up promising myself that I won't lose my temper, I will remain calm and patient, I will not shout at my children (possibly leading to later in life psychiatric problems - them not me)! But every day I end up the same way, angry, upset and guilty!

Why will they not get dressed after being asked 7 times, why will they not just brush their teeth properly, why does it take 40mins to eat their breakfast cereal and why does a cataclysmic argument break out every time it is time to don their shoes and coats in order to leave the house?  Quite honestly I am sick of the back chat, defiance and general moodiness coming from my 6 year old (yes 6 not 16 - 6)!  Thank you for listening to me moan and I must admit writing it down like this has been a little therapeutic! 

Is it just me or are others in the same boat?  Do let me know! 

Love Sophie...xxx

Mediterranean Casserole

Check out this really hearty dinner perfect for the whole family. I kind of threw these ingredients together to come up with this casserole but none the less it is really yummy and definitely worth trying! 

Ingredients:

12 x Meatballs
4 x Medium White Potatoes
1 x Onion
1 X Pepper
150g Chorizo Roughly Sliced/Cubed
2 x Garlic Cloves
1 x 400g Tin Chopped Tomatoes
1 x 400g Tin Cannellini Beans
1 x Tbsp Paprika

Method:

1) Fry the meatballs in a little oil until brown then remove from pan and set aside.

2) Add onion, pepper, chorizo and garlic to pan and gently fry until softened. Add the paprika and stir.

3) Add the tin of tomatoes and about 1/4 of the empty tomato tin of water.  Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for about 15mins.  Add the cannellini beans and stir through.

4) Meanwhile, while the sauce is simmering boil the potatoes until soft.

5) Add the potatoes and meatballs to the sauce and place in the oven to cook for a further 15mins.

Love Sophie...xxx

Roller Derby

Oh wow have you seen this amazing sport? It is really popular in the USA and it's now sweeping the UK! 

If you haven't seen Whip It yet then get yourself onto Netflix and get watching! A 2009 film directed by Drew Barrymore really gives you a good view of what Roller Derby is all about! With speed hotpants and a good old healthy dose of competition what more can you ask for? 

Click here to take a sneek peek of what this womens-only sport is all about in the UK. If you fancy trying it out for yourself there are teams popping up all over Britain and you can visit Roller Derby UK for loads of great information on Roller Derby including Player Profiles and their own Blog too!

I personally found myself getting very excited that I have a team local to me called Dorset Roller Girls and get this, they practice just down the road from me! Such an empowing sport with great outfits too (I'm thinking hotpants, fishnets & roller skates how can you resist?) really ignites an unkown desire to take up roller derby for myself!  The only thing that puts me off is the fact that I literally cannot skate to save my life plus I'm only 5'1" and not sure I could handle being pushed about lol! I'm totally loving the idea of it though and I'm really looking for an excuse to check this sport out for myself! I may have to be 'passing by' during training one evening or something? Ha! 

Love Sophie..xxx

Getting Creative With Felt

I was on Pinterest the other day and came across the idea of 'Adopt Your Own Monster' a fab alternative to party bags!  

The monsters in the photo are called Ugly Dolls but it got me thinking if you had a bit of time and creativity why not make your own?  

After doing some routing around on pinterest I also found these adorable patterns for other creratures which you can easily make yourself with some felt and a sewing needle!  Here are the photos and links to my top 5:

1) Create your own letters and make your childs name for their bedroom! (Made By Rae)

2) Here are some great Monster patterns to create your own 'Adopt A Monster' from Its Always Autumn.

3) Ooh I love these little Mushroom Houses from Red Brolly they are intended for use as pincushions but I think they would be loved by a little one just as a toy or decoration! Admittedly they look a little fiddley but the end result is definitely worth it and the instructions are pretty comprehensive!

4) These cute owls come from Pregnancy Baby & Child and are meant to be made into a baby's mobile - soo sweet!

5) Mmmm..feeling hungry - these look so tasty with really easy step by step instructions too.  These will be great for creative play time! Click Here.

Enjoy! Love Sophie..xxx

#spreadalittlehappiness

It's a FlashBlog!!!  

How exciting!!  Thank you to Jocelyn at The Reading Residence for organising this great idea to cheer everyone up this January Monday morning.

Here's my happy thoughts for the day in one picture! 

I hope you agree!  Love Sophie..xx

P.S. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest & Instagram too!

H&M Western Style

Yes it's H&M again! I know I feature a lot of posts about H&M but I love their clothing range and personally find them very affordable and purse friendly - what's not to love? Ha! 

So this week I am loving H&M's Western Style  For easy to wear, fashionable statement clothing check out a few of my favourite pieces!

Breakfast Tart

Check out this delightful Breakfast Tart taken from The Breakfast Book: Wonderful Recipes and Ideas for Eggs, Bacon, Muesli & More What a great way to change up the usual breakfast time monotony of toast and cereal - great for brunch too! 

 

Ingredients: 

(Serves 4)

500g Ready To Roll Block Pastry

4 x Large Free Range Eggs

8 x Rashers Streaky Bacon

75g Creme Fraiche

50g Gruyere Cheese (grated)

Fresh Chives Snipped To Decorate

 

Method:

1) Heat oven to 220C and lightly grease a baking tray.

2)  Lightly flour work surface and roll out paastry to 1/2cm thick and cut into 30cm x 20cm rectangle then place on to baking tray.

3) Using a knife score a border about 1cm from the edge of the pastry then pierce the centre of the pastry with a fork.  Brush the border with some beaten egg and put into the fridge for 15mins.

4) Lightly grease a frying pan and fry bacon until crisp then set aside.

5) In a bowl stir the creme fraiche and cheese and season with salt and pepper.  Spread the mixture on to the pastry keeping the border clean.  Lay the bacon on top slightly overlapping the slices.

6) Bake the tart for 15mins turning the baking tray halfway through.  Remove from the oven and using a fork prick any large air pockets in the pastry. Crack the eggs on to the tart spacing them 5cm apart.

7) Return to the oven for around 7-10mins until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still soft.  Decorate with chives and serve immediately.

Jillian Michaels Review - Ripped In 30

This is my favourite Go-To workout from Jillian Michaels I do it pretty much every Monday as it is a great all rounder and really gets your heart pumping!  You'll need an exercise mat and some hand weights for this workout.

The DVD is split into 4 different 20min workouts starting easy and getting harder.  The idea is to do one workout for an entire week moving to the next for four weeks.  Each workout is then divided into three circuits which you repeat twice.  Jillian has broken each circuit into the 3-2-1 which includes 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs.  This keeps the workout varied and interesting.

Personally I like to do two of the four workouts in a row - Workout 1 and Workout 4.  This means I can get almost an hour of exercise in ranging from easy(ish) to really hard. I really enjoy this DVD and would definitely recommend you give it a go at only £8.08 from Amazon you'd be mad to give it a miss!

Love Sophie...xxx

Top 5 Smoothie Recipes!

So I have seen a lot of smoothie recipes on the internet lately and think these top 5 are my absolute favourite! They are so easy to make and you can just throw all the ingredients in together and whizz up!  

So whether you are trying to be more healthy in 2014 or if you just want something yummy to try out for breakfast try these lovely recipes now!

Strawberry & Cucumber 

I found this smoothie on the Asda Recipe site and it is lush! 

300g strawberries 

green leaves removed

350ml Asda Natural Set Yogurt

1/4 cucumber, peeled and roughly diced

1-2 tbsp clear honey, to taste

Avocado Smoothie

This is from the Ocado magazine and although personally avocado isn't my favourite food, hidden in this smoothie you get all the health benefits and a great fruity taste.

100g strawberries
100g blueberries
1 1/2 tbsp natural yogurt 
1/2 small avocado
25g baby leaf spinach
150ml coconut water
1/4 lemon juiced
1cm piece of ginger roughly chopped

Blueberry & Orange

200ml blueberry & cranberry juice i.e Ocean Spray blueberry blend

1 fresh orange juiced

100g strawberries

3tbsp low fat natural yogurt

Honey to taste

Blueberry & Soya

This is a really healthy smoothie recipe perfect for breakfast.

100g blueberries

100g blackberries

600ml soya milk

Pinch of ground cinnamon

1tsp honey

White Smoothie

If you are trying to lose a bit of weight or following a healthy eating plan try this recipe out for size. I found this recipe at Women's Fitness.

5 raw almonds (whole or chopped)
1 red apple, unpeeled, cored and chopped
1 small banana, frozen and cut into chunks
125ml fat-free natural Greek yogurt
185g skimmed milk
1/2tsp ground cinnamon

If you're looking for absolute convenience try this new Breville VBL062 smoothie maker which means you are able to blitz the ingredients twist off the cup/bottle and go - hardly any washing up either - bonus! 

Ham & Cheese Sliders

Wow these look amazing don't they?! (Now if I only knew what Hawaiian Rolls are!)  I will be trying these at the weekend and I really cant wait they look fabulous!

Check out See Aimee Cook for this very tasty looking recipe and if you want a quick look at the recipe see below:

Ham & Cheese Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
12 Hawaiian sweet bread dinner rolls, split in half
1/2 lb thinly sliced deli ham
1/2 lb thinly sliced Swiss cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp poppy seeds, optional

Preheat oven to 350. 

Evenly distribute the ham and cheese among the rolls and make sandwiches with each. Arrange them all in a 9x13 pan.

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, and poppy seeds. Bring to a boil and then pour over top of the sandwiches. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the tops are browned and the cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Do You Ever Think About Emigrating?

Do you ever think about emigrating?...I do...a lot!

It would be somewhere where the weather is mostly warm and somewhere where they speak English too.  I have never been very good at foreign languages (excuse my ignorance).  

I like to think maybe Australia or America would be a good place for us.  Although reports that Australia is slightly behind the times when it comes to TV puts me off slightly as I am a self confessed telly addict! This may be too big a deal!  Ok so it's settled, somewhere warm in America it is lol!

I must admit to being a dreamer (maybe it's the Pisces in me?) but it is a rather exciting prospect, the idea of upping sticks and starting a new adventure really appeals to me and always has.

You maybe reading this and asking "Why don't you do it then?"  Well the answer is simple really...my family!

I am incredibly close to my mum, in fact we are best friends and I couldn't bare to be so far away from her.  I am also very close to my Husband's parents and we see each other often.  Both of my children's Grandmothers are very close to my girls and the thought of taking their grandchildren hundreds of miles away is a very hard thought indeed!

So for the time being we will be staying in grey, wet England and soon it will be the summer months and the depressing January and February where I dream of lands afar will be laid to rest..until next winter of course!

Love Sophie...x

You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest - I'd love to see you there!

Workout Wear By H&M

In all honesty there is nothing like wearing some new workout gear to give you a little extra inspiration in the gym!  This week I have been checking out the latest workout clothing range from H&M and have succombed to ordering some new items! Their latest offerings are fab with great colour ways and clothes suitable for running, yoga, outdoors and general athletics.  With most items costing under £15 you can't go wrong, there is also a range for men too!  

Check out my best picks below:

1. Sports Tights £14.99 & Sports Top £12.99
2. Yoga Trousers £12.99 & Sports Bra £12.99
3. Sports Bra £12.99
4. Base Layer Tights £12.99 & Base layer Top £12.99
5. Waist bag £7.99
6. Sports Trousers £19.99 & Sports Top £7.99
7. Yoga Trousers £7.99 & Sports Bra £12.99
8. Lightweight Jacket £24.99
9. Sports Top £7.99

Are You Looking To Earn Some Extra Cash In 2014?

If the answer is yes why not join the Body Shop team and become a home consultant? After speaking to my local rep Trudy Mcknight Email her here and she will be happy to answer any questions or if you prefer click here to go straight to The Body Shop web page.  To get you started Trudy has provided me with the following information:

THE JOB

• Book your first parties with your friends, relatives, colleagues, etc
• Provide your hosts with invitations, catalogues, etc
• The Party -

          Brief introduction and game

          Demonstration of products

          Everyone joins in

          Guest place orders, pay on the evening

          You book more parties

• Collate the customer orders and place order at Head Office (via web) 
• Products delivered to your host, all packed in lovely bags, within 5 working days
•  Minimum of one party a week

TRAINING AND SUPPORT 

• Flexible training
• Simple, easy-to-use ‘all you need to know to get started’ three step self-teach capsule, which can be   read on-screen or downloaded
• Optional hands on launch party or party observation, plus paperwork training
• On going monthly meetings to swop tips and hints, training on new products, lots of prizes, fun and  encouragement
• Optional Advanced Product Training
• Facebook trainings
• An area manager to mentor and support you through your career

THE KIT 

• Join with a Pamper Kit for just £45
• Best selling, fun, sensorial products in a Bag for Life
• Easiest range to learn and demo
• Gain confidence on selection of products
• Option to then purchase another kit...
• Great opportunity to offer hosts another party theme
• Three main kits available in total, plus seasonal kit

THE REWARDS 

• 25% commission on all sales (including products you buy for your self!)

Average party = £230

1 x party @ £230

x 25% = £57.50 earnings

(minus expenses)

… Approximately 3 hours work!

• Sales Bonus of up to 5% in a month
• Recruiting bonus if you recommend people who join our team
• Excellent career opportunities

With plenty of incentives and flexible working times why not find out about any opportunities in your area?

The New Granny's Survival Guide

If you are expecting a baby and would like to buy something for the grandmother-to-be or if you are the grandmother-to-be you have to buy this book! Currently available on Amazon.

I was given this book to review by Mumsnet and although not a Grandmother myself I thoroughly enjoyed all the book had to offer and can't wait to pass it on to my mum and mother-in-law who I am sure will really enjoy and appreciate the witty tales and advice.

With some really great extracts from real 'Grannys' I found it hard to choose my favourite but if I was pushed I would have to say this is one of my favourites:

"How much advice should you give to the new parents? Somewhere between none and none, in my experience.  My favoured way to listen to what she wants to do and say what a good idea that is" (gracesmum)

There is so much advice in this book ranging from 'Becoming A Gran' to 'Discipline' and 'Bigger Grandchildren' the list is endless and you really can't go wrong.

Take it from me, this book is a very enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it. Thank you Netmums and Gransnet for publishing such a fab book!

Really Easy Coconut Ice

I originally found this recipe in Good Housekeeping magazine and I have tried it out a few times now.  It is really easy to do and looks really effective, great for presents!  

This recipe involves no baking and only four ingredients what more can you ask for?  If you can pick up some pretty jars and ribbon you can present these as perfect homemade presents which look gorgeous but won't cost you the earth.

Ingredients: 

405g Tin Light Condensed Milk

300g Icing Sugar Sifted

300g Desiccated Coconut

Red/Pink Food Colouring

Method: 

1) Line a 15cm x 20cm tin with baking parchment.

2) Mix the condensed milk and icing sugar together then add the coconut (the mixture will be stiff).

3) Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin and flatten until level.

4) Add the food colouring to the remaining mixture and stir well.  Press on top of the white coconut ice until even.

5) Wrap in clingfilm and leave to set in fridge overnight.  Once set cut into bitesize cubes.

Love Sophie..xxx

Mummy Bloggers - How Do You Do It?

Seriously...if you are a Mummy Blogger or even a Daddy Blogger for that matter, please tell me how you manage it!

Obviously I am in the 'Mummy Blogger' category myself but sometimes I find it really hard to find the time.  I know I am new to blogging and I am really trying to get my blog out there using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram but I'm finding it a real challenge to keeping up with the rest of you!

Take Twitter for instance, I try to post any new additions on my Blog to Twitter once a day but some bloggers are posting every hour - where do you find the time? What with taking care of the kids, doing the house work, going to my actual work, socialising, keeping fit, actually having a conversation with my Husband and just sitting down for an hour a day (if I'm lucky) I really don't understand how these great Parent Bloggers manage to put so much energy into promoting their blogs (and actually make them good)?

Most of the Parent Bloggers I follow are actually posting new material at least once a day and some 'Super Bloggers' are even posting twice a day - you are truly amazing and I take my hat off to you!  

Now if I only I knew your secret I may be able to match your amazing commitment! Go Mummy Parent Bloggers Go! 

Love Sophie..xxx

P.S. You can find me on Instagram now too!

Double Side Braids

If like me you have a little girls (or big ones) you might get a little bored of creating the same old hairstyles everyday so here is a good one for you to try.  Once you have the hang of French braiding you will find this comes as second nature!

1) Part the hair down the middle and take a small section of hair from near the face.

2) Divide the small section of hair into three pieces and cross over into the beginnings of a plait/braid.

3) When you have crossed over all three sections once take a new section of hair from the parting and add it to the braid as if you are making a french plait.  Do not add another section from the other side.

4) Continue to braid this way adding a small section of hair from the parting until you reach the back of the head.

5) Once you have braided as far as you want to go, finish off by braiding the section of hair you have left to the bottom and tie off.

6) Repeat these steps on the other side.

If you like this hairstyle please check out my other tutorials here...Love Sophie..xxx

1st Day Of School HaHa!

This is me today (except I'm wearing a winter coat and welly boots)! Thank goodness the girls have gone back to school after the Christmas break.  This may sound mean, and although we had some good times and made some great memories I just can't help being happy that my kids have gone back to school!  

The weather has been absolutely atrocious here in Dorset over the Christmas period and has led to Cabin Fever taking hold in the Prescott residence.  We have tried to get out when we can but when it is cold and pouring down with rain it doesn't leave you with many options does it!?

Well I can honestly say I breathed a sigh of relief when I sent my oldest off to school today, normality has resumed and the routine has begun.  Is it just me or do your children behave better when they have some focus i.e. school and after-school activities?  Of course the routine comes with the daily grind of lunch boxes, taxiing around and work but all in all I like to know where I am, and although it is nice to have the occassional rest, getting back to routine feels good!

Love Sophie..xxx

Christmas Day & We Almost Flooded!

So it was Christmas Eve and in the early hours of Christmas day (2am!) we had a flood warning call from the Environment Agency! My husband was pacing around and taking short trips to the river by our house to check out the situaton at crazy o'clock and we were both slightly panicking by the time the girls woke up at 7am.  We carried on as usual determined to keep Christmas Day the special and magical day it should be! 

 

Once all the presents were opened instead of just playing and getting ready for Christmas Day we decided to lift our furniture onto breeze blocks (just in case) in order to prevent any damage to our posessions before we went to my parent-in-laws for the day!  

Stressed is not the word to be honest, the river levels had never been so high and the water was literally a couple of feet from reaching the top of the flood barrier at the end of our road! 

The mobile home site on the other side of the river had been evacuated in the middle of the night and I felt so sorry for them it was truly awful, at least we hadn't actually been flooded!

Let's hope this once in a hundred year occurence stays away for another 100 years...

 

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies - No Eggs!

So there are only a few more days left of the school holidays and if you're looking for something to do with the kids why not try baking these really easy and delicious Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies made with only five ingredients!

I found this recipe when looking for a way to use up some left over condensed milk at the Carnation website.  You can bake the entire mix in one go or you can freeze the dough in small balls and bake the cookies on demand it's completely up to you!

Ingredients: 

 350g Self Raising Flour
100g Chocolate Chips
170g Condensed Milk
225g Softened Unsalted Butter
225g Caster Sugar

 

 

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180C and cream butter sugar and milk until light and fluffy.

2) Mix in flour to create a soft dough then add the chocolate chips.

3) Roll the dough into walnut size balls and pace on tray flattening them slightly.  Make sure you leave enough room between the balls as they will spread.  Bake for around 20mins and cool on a wire rack.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of you! 

So do you have any New Year resolutions?  To be honest I don't this year - I'm not actually sure how to beat last year's resolution 'To have the greatest year ever'! Mmmm...if you have any ideas let me know lol! 

Maybe you're looking to make some extra cash or get fit? I have some great ideas for these and I will post them in the next few days!

Right we're off for our traditional New Years Day walk! Here's hoping we all have a great New Year...speak soon..Sophie...xxx