Our Meal Plan 14th June

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Today I am going to be sharing with you the meals which I have been consuming this week. This week I have actually been solo parenting which means that been making meals for one apart from the weekend of course when I have Jess. This does mean I have a lot of meals which has come out of freezer. I like to stock the freezer up so when times like this happen I do have meals which I can make. Of course, I do not want to be having ready meals and also I have meals which I would as if Joe was actually here which is always a bonus. I managed to do the two weeks which he is away this time.

Monday- Chicken Wrapped in Bacon with Soft Cheese in it and Salad. I wanted a super simple meal for the first night. It does mean that it easies me back into the swing of solo parenting life. This is a meal which I have made in the past a loved for sure. I may actually serve this with some new potatoes which we have become of the fact the weather is meant to be rubbish this week. I think it takes around 25 minutes to cook however, I do not have to stand over it while I am cooking.

Tuesday- Lasagna and Garlic Bread, this is a meal which I already in the freezer so this is going to be super simple for me. I think I may have to share the recipe which I used for this meal in the next couple of weeks. Due to the weather I think I am going to have it with garlic bread. I might actually end up sharing this with Jess. This is a meal which I have not had in a long time so I am actually looking forward to this.

Wednesday- Tomato Soup, this is a meal which I made a long time ago and froze.  For sure this is a meal which I loved I have some fresh bread which I am going to be able to have this with. I wanted to be able to use this up because it has been in the freezer for so long. This is a meal which is going to warm me up if it is still cold. I am going to be making this again should I have a lot of tomatoes left to use up. This is a portion of good comfort food for me to be honest.

Thursday- Chicken Kiev and salad, this is going to be a homemade kiev. Again I am going to be sharing the recipe for this in the next few weeks when I remember. I find this has a lot more flavour in it than the kievs which you purchase in the shops. This is so simple to make and for some reason. I managed to have all of the ingredients in so this is to be great. This may be served with a jacket potato it does depend on what I fancy however, I may actually have this with some salad.

Friday- Pesto Pasta, this is a meal which we did not end up having last week. Instead of having it with chicken I am just going to have it on its own. This is a simple meal because by the end of the week I never can be bothered to do too much so I think this is going to be perfect. This is a meal which I used to have at uni so this is going to bring back so many memories. I am unsure if I have had it since I left.

Saturday- Simple Cheesy Pasta, I am working on Saturday, this meal may not be something which I have. Depending on my mood I may change this however, I do want this to be something super simple. I think my Mum will be feeding Jess for me so she at least will be getting a good meal. No doubt this will be something pasta related because this is a meal which she adores so who am I to deny her this. I might even treat her to some garlic bread as well.

Sunday- Homemade Chicken Nuggets and Chips, of course, its father’s day, however, with Joe away this means nothing. So I am going to make a simple meal. Something which we may not have if Joe was actually home. I just want to make a meal which I know Jess is going to actually go to eat. I have some chicken breasts which I am going to use for this.  At least to make some room in the freezer which at the moment seems to be way too full.

Of course, like every meal plan this is linked up with the amazing Katy. I get a lot of the inspiration from her and the linky which she runs. If you are struggling and consuming the same meals I would recommend checking it out. You may find a meal which you love.

What meals are you planning on consuming this week?

Charlotte xxx

 

 

 

 

Potty Training – Our Experience

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Girl Reading Book

Jess is now 3 and half which may seem late to have finally potty trained her. I think potty training was something which we were semi putting her off.  We have tried a couple of times to actually get her trained. I think the first attempt was around two years ago however, she was too young to be fully done. She got the aspects it and this meant Jess was not scared of the toilet or the potty.

We gave up because there was several signs of her not been ready. For example she was not telling us when she had an accident. Of course, this was fine with me at least we had everything which we had the tools to allow us to potty train. We had a step, a toilet training seat along side a potty. Jess occasionally would be using the toilet or the potty.

Last summer I was going to really kick start the potty training with her. I wanted her to be trained really before her 3rd birthday. However, as many of you may know our house move ended up getting delayed and this meant we did not have the summer. Instead I was having to take her on a lot of trains and a lot of travelling. This did mean that it was very hard to start potty training.

There was a lot of changes even towards the end of last year which stopped us been able to do it. For example of course we moved which meant that we no longer lived with my parents. Jess had to get used to this as well. Joe also went away for a couple of months around the same time my brother moved to university. Jess is very close to my brother they claim they are best friends.

Around the turn of this year Jess basically told us she was ready. She made us purchase her some underwear because she wanted to be a big girl now. We allowed her to use the potty when we was at home and wear the underwear. We spoke to nursery as they were on board and they wanted her to go in pants as well.  I think this was because they could also see the signs that she was ready. Jess was getting angry when she needed a nappy change I believe this was something to do with been embarrassed.

Of course, we kept her in pull ups when we was on days out and overnight. We chose to do this because of course, you do not always know where the closet toilet is going to be. When you first start training children do not always tell you much before they need the toilet. I think we kept her doing this for around 3/4 months. Once Jess was no longer having accidents when we was at home or nursery we allowed her to go on short journeys in big girl pants. We have not actually taken her on a couple day out without pull ups.

We ask her before we go out to try on the toilet and this then means that she reduces the amount of accidents. I think we have managed to do around 3 hours out of the house in big girl pants. We have not actually had any accidents when we have been out. Of course, I make sure that I have some spare clothes in my bag should any accidents occur.  I try not to get upset if she has an accident because Jess gets very embarrassed about it. This does mean that I have to reassure her.  I know it is going to be a while before we have Jess dry on a night. This is something which I do not have a problem with at all.

A couple of tips which I would give anyone who is going through potty training are allow your child to choose some pants. If you managed to do this your child will be more likely to want to wear their underwear. Make sure that you have the potty accessible to your child. This may be having it in the front room or wherever you child likes to play. This does mean that they then do not have to run to the toilet as fast. Then this does reduce the chance of them having an accident.  Do not put that much pressure on them they will manage to potty train in their own time. This is something which I did because you do not want them to get stressed about a lot.

What age did you potty train your child?

Charlotte xx

 

Preloved Finds May 2019

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Trying to purchase less and if we need something can we get it preloved. Is what we are trying to do this year. Jess can grow out of clothes quickly. This means that I end up selling them on Ebay in order to make some money to reinvest in more for her. We have had toys and games for a fraction of their RRP.  EBay is somewhere where I get items which I think are going to be perfect for nursery. As we need clothes we do not mind getting a little bit ruined. Shopping preloved for us is to save items ending up in landfill and to save us some money.

If you have not seen what we have picked up in previous months you can see them here, February, March and April. This month we actually only made one trip to one charity shop.I did not purchase anything preloved from anywhere else.

This month Joe and I actually treated ourselves to a new book each. As you can see from the books which I have been reading this month. I have managed to finish 6 books so of course, I had to replace one seen am allowed one a month. This month I chose the one we fell in love with by Paige Toon. For sure I would recommend this book if you have not read it and you get the chance. To be honest I love any Paige Toon book.  In my local charity, all books are £1 which I do not think is that bad. Usually, I will either send them back for others to enjoy or I will put them on Bookmooch.

Joe purchased When The Eagles Hunt by Simon Scarrow. This is a book which took his fancy he does not read as many as me however, I am sure this is one which he will get finished when he is on an exercise. This seems to be the time when he manages to read the most. Again this was £1 like all books in our local charity shop.

Of course we could not leave Jess out when it comes to books so we picked her up this one. Which is a classic fairy story this has around 10 stories in it which means that we are not going to get bored for a long time. We tend to read a story every single night so we can get bored. These are quite long stories which means that this book may last her a long time. This is something we try to do so we are not having to replace her books all of the time. I seem to remember that this was either £1 or £2 for sure I did not think it was a bad price for what this book is.

Jigsaws, as you may remember, are something which Jess loves. Of course, they are not cheap so when we are able to pick her some new ones for a fraction of the price we do. This one is a 100 piece which is more pieces that she can currently do however, it will come in the future for sure. Winnie the Pooh is always a classic which is never going to age. We managed to get this one for the mere sum of 75p. I am going to keep this one back till some of the other ones which are currently is doing become to easy. I think this is something which Jess is going to have a lot of fun with.

For some reason this time we visited the charity shop there was a lot of jigsaws. This just meant we picked up a number of them because they will come in. Of course, when you are looking to get things preloved it can mean that you have to pick it up there and then rather than when you need them. Of course, they are not going to stay there forever. This Cinderella one is another one which we are going to keep for a little while. 100 pieces may still be too hard for her however, I know it will come in because after all, it is a classic Cinderella. This only cost us 75p which is a steal compared to the RRP of this jigsaws.

 

The final item which we picked up this month was another jigsaw. They tend to be something which we pick up a lot of preloved. I think this is due to the speed which Jess can get through them. This is one which she may be able to do in the next couple of weeks. I am unsure how long this one is going to last her because it is actually a giant floor puzzle. It does have 60 pieces which are currently about 18 more than the ones which is doing at the moment. Jess has not seen the incredibles however, for her this does not matter she just loves doing jigsaws. Again this is one which I did not think was a bad price it was 75p.

Have you picked anything good up preloved in the past month? Let me know in the comments below

Charlotte xxx

 

 

 

 

Meal Plan 7th June

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I am back with another meal plan there was not one last week due to me been poorly.  Basically I was struggling to eat anything I barely ate for a week I think I was living on toast. I just let Joe fend for himself because for sure I did not have the strength to do this. However, this week I am feeling a lot better so I am back sharing the meals which we have been consuming this week.  This hopefully will allow you to get some inspiration should you be struggling to know what meals to add to your meal plan.

Monday- Nan Bread Pizza, we have some nan breads which need using up. We also have some topping from when we made pizza a couple of weeks ago. I have decided that we are going to use them up and have this as one meal. I have never made a pizza using a nan bread base so it will be interesting to see how this works.

Tuesday-  Spaghetti Carbanara, this is a meal which we have not had for one of the longest times. We need meals which are quick to prepare this week as Joe is working long hours.  We had a few of the ingredients in already from meals we had not made so this is the reason we are having this. There is a chance will throw the boat out and get a garlic bread as well.

Wednesday- Chicken Pesto Pasta, I know we had a jar and a bit of pesto in the cupboard which needs using. Again I though this would be a super simple meal which is what I am all about at the moment. Chicken Pesto Pasta is a meal which I used to consume all the time when I was at uni so it is like a throwback for me.

Thursday- Thai Chicken Noodles, this is a meal which I saw on someone who linked up last week. I am sorry I can not remember who it actually was. Noodles are something which are a firm favourite in this house so of course adding it with Thai is going to make it a winner. For sure this is something which I am looking forward to because we have not had a noodle dish in a long time.

Friday- Tex Mex Burger, of course, it is Friday which means fakeaway. This week we have decided that we are going to opt for a burger. This is not something which we have had in a while. I think I will be serving this with home made chips. By the end of the week I have a feeling I am going to need it. This may be a meal which I make Joe cook as well because it always taste better if someone else cooks.

Saturday- Chorizo and Haddock One Pot. We had some new potatoes which need using up. I actually was searching for a recipe to use them up and this is where I came across this meal. I am hopeful that it is going to be one which taste amazing. I love Chorizo anyway so I am sure I am on for a winner with this meal.

Sunday- Prawn Curry, Curry is something which Jess loves recently. I think it is because it is a meal which she does not get a nursery. We have some prawns in the freezer which we could do with using up. I think this Sunday I am just going to do a simple prawn curry with rice. After all some of the most simple meals are the best ones.

Of course, like every meal plan this is linked up with the amazing Katy. I get a lot of the inspiration from her and the linky which she runs. If you are struggling and consuming the same meals I would recommend checking it out. You may find a meal which you love.

What meals are you planning on consuming this week?

Charlotte xxx

 

 

 

 

Books I Have Read in May 2019

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I have decided that I am going to make a review of the books which I have finished in the month. I have done some book reviews recently however, I have been finished more books than ever. This means that I am unable to single reviews because I would be having them up constantly. Instead I am going to be doing a review of the books which I have finished in the month. Of course, some months I may not have as many books as others it does depends what I am doing. On to the books which I have been reading this month.

Breakfast at Darcy’s- Ali McNamara

Plot- Darcy inherits a small island! Located off the west coast of Ireland, Tara hasn’t been lived on for years, but according to Molly’s will, Darcy must stay there for twelve months in order to fully inherit.

My thoughts- This is a plot which I have never seen in a book. This is a fresh story line for me which I found very refreshing. I feel like I really connect and enjoy Darcy the main character in the book. We also actually meet and build a relationship with the other characters who live on the island. I would have liked there to be a bit more build up to ending. I did not see the twist coming. However it did see a bit rushed, for sure I was not ready to say goodbye to the characters. I would love a follow up book I want to know what the characters are up to.

Lucy in the sky- Paige Toon

Plot- Settling down for a 24-hour flight to Australia, Lucy finds a text message on her phone from a woman claiming to have slept with her boyfriend, James, four times in the past month. She finds herself having doubts and is keeping an eye Nathan. Nathan is a happy-go-lucky surfer boy with no prospects, no place to live, and an almost-girlfriend in tow. Suddenly, Lucy finds herself caught between two distant continents and two very different men.

My Thoughts- Paige Toon is an another who I love I think I have read 4 of her books this year now. I actually managed to finish this book in a couple of days. Lucy is an amazing character however, sometimes I do want to smack her and tell her to pick of one of the men. I feel like we get a good feel for Nathan and James rather than just one of them. I love the stupid jokes between Lucy and Nathan it did make me giggle. For sure this is a page turner I did not want to end. However, I did predict the ending of this book before I finished it. For sure this is one which I would recommend.

Queen Mum- Kate Long

Plot- Ally has everything she ever wanted: a husband, a child, a lovely house in a pretty neighbourhood. Her glamorous, dynamic next-door neighbour, Juno her best friend. But Juno has made a surprising decision; she has signed up for Queen Mum, a reality-TV show. For two weeks, she will live with another family in another town, while her opposite number will be moving in next door to Ally. Juno is excited about the prospect of seeing life from a different perspective. Ally is nervous. She doesn’t like change, and knows from bitter experience how something precious can be lost in a moment.

My Thoughts–  Looking at the cover the book I would not have thought it was going to be like it is. The book is more about Ally than Juno who takes part in wife swap. She is struggling with her own identity and with where her life is. She compared herself to her neighbour and best friend, whom she sees as perfect. This book was not that interesting for me I wouldn’t recommend. The characters to me could have done with a little bit more work. I feel like they needed more building. To be honest I struggled to finish this book I was not bothered what happened to the characters.

Petite Anglaise – Catherine Sanderson

Plot– Living in Paris with her partner, the workaholic Mr Frog, and their adorable toddler, Tadpole.  Catherine decides to alleviate the boredom of her routine by starting a blog under the name of Petite Anglaise. As she lays herself bare about the confines of her stagnant relationship with Mr Frog, about Paris life and about the wonder and pain that comes with being a mother, she finds a new purpose to her day. As Petite Anglaise, Catherine regains her confidence and makes internet friends.

My Thoughts-  A someone who has their own blog this book interested me. This is a non fiction book which I did not realise until I started reading. Catherine came across selfish and very self-absorbed something which I really did not like. Her treatment of Mr Frog and Tadpole really wasn’t great. I couldn’t have cared less if her relationship was failing she could have handled the situation a little bit better. For me it was very unrealistic what actually happened to Catherine as a result of her blog. This was a book I was not bothered if I actually finished or not because I was not gripped. I am glad I found out the ending though however, I will not be running to read another Catherine Sanderson book.

The Doll’s House- M.J. Arlidge

Plot– A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. So begins her terrible nightmare.Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing – her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive from beyond the grave.

My Thoughts- This is a book which I read for the book group. I will be the first to admit this would not have been a book which I would have chosen. However, I am wiling to read more M.J. Arlidge books because it had me gripped.  I had not read the others I would not says you have to however, you might actually want to read the ones before this. The Doll’s House is the third book in the series. I found this a book which I could not put down.  The story being told by different perspectives which makes it easier to understand and get to know the characters. I enjoyed the chapters told from the serial killer’s perspective. Usually we do not get to see what the killer is thinking and what their deep dark thoughts are. For sure I would recommend picking this book up I will be reading more of crime stories.

What have you been reading this month? I am always looking for more books to read.

Charlotte xx

 

Spice Up Your Life {AD}

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It’s hard to deny the fact the 90’s seem to be coming in at the moment. Whether it is the neon trends which all are over the highstreet, the films which are coming out scream 90’s with Aladdin,Lion King and Toy Story all been released this summer. I have heard there is even retro tamagotchi are mean. t to be coming back this year. Of course,currently their is one of the most popular girl bands of the 90’s on tour in the UK. The Spice Girls I know a number of people my age who have been to see them.

When I am having a cleaning session or gym session where I need some motivational uplifting music. The spice girls usually can be found on my playlist. There is something about that music for sure it brings back memories of when I was growing up. There actually on tour until the 15th June however, I know most tickets are sold out you may be able to get our hands on a couple if you really want some 90’s nostalgia. Alongside this tour the Spice Girls are setting out to reward their Best Ever Fan with Walkers. You can see the brand new advert – HERE.

This competition is now closed

The spice girls to me are one of the original girl bands there music just knows how to get everyone going. Whether it is at a party or whether it is simple as a way to keep your motivation up. If you are having a bad day there is nothing better than been able to stick on Wannabe and it instantly makes your mood a lot better. For sure this is something which I have done so much recently. Nostalgia music is for sure something which always seems to brighten up my way. There is nothing better than been able to have a sing along.

I feel like they are going to be even more inspirational and be able to gain more fans as a result of the comeback tour. For sure their is a generation who do not know about the spice girls and girl power. This is a movement which they played a huge part in. This is something which we are still seeing girls supporting girls and been proud of been female.

I remember having a number of their CD’s back in the day before everything was on spotify. There was a time when I was able to sing so many of their songs of by heart. This is something which I am unsure if I can do still.  I seem to remember I also had a number of tshirts back in the day because there were a band I loved. Of course, I wanted to be sporty spice because I was sporty even back then. As you can tell not a lot has changed since then.

Are you loving the nostalgia? Will you be going to see the spice girls this tour?

Charlotte xxx

This is a sponsored post however all words are my own

Father’s Day Gift Guide 2019

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Today I am going to be sharing with you some ideas on what to purchase your Dad, Stepdad, Grandad or whoever you purchase gifts for this Father’s Day. Father’s Day this year is Sunday 16th June so do not forget, you still have some time when this post goes live to be able to pick up an amazing gift.

Card’s

You may not purchase gifts for your Dad when it comes to Father’s Day. However, I know the majority of people do actually purchase cards. I have noticed in the past few years they have not always been that amazing. However, for sure there is some amazing fun cards available from Danilo!. I was lucky to be sent these ones for me they are perfect because my Dad loves Only Fools and Horses. Of course, they feature Del Boy and some of his best-known catchphrases.

The other ones which I got sent was the Ladybird books Father’s Day Cards. Each card has quirky quotes to make your father chuckle. This would be amazing for a Dad who used to read the Ladybird books to you may be as a child. For sure these are going be an amazing card this Father’s Day. I would recommend checking out Danilo! and their cards. You can order from their website or Clintons, ASDA Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s and independent card shops.

Phone Cases

If your Dad is anything like my Dad and Joe they always are carrying their phones. Of course this does mean that often batter them. Whether this is in your pocket or if you drop it this is why you need a strong case on your phone. Hopefully, he reduces the chance of their phone become broken. Speck does some amazing cases you can get the designed for the ct which is drop tested for 2.4 meters which for me is enough. Then they do a sports impact range which is a 6-metre drop test. For sure this is amazing because who wants to break their phone. Saving your Dad from doing this I am sure you’re going to be his favourite child.

They also sell the grab tabs which allow you to hold the back of the phone between your fingers. This gives you a firmer grip meaning that you have less chance of dropping it. You can ever make your phone stand up so you do not need a holder when you have it on the desk. If you have a phone which allows you to wireless charge this is another element which you can do through the grab tab. For sure this is going to help me not drop my phone because this is something which I do often. They come in a range of designs so I am sure that you are going to be able to find one for your Dad this Father’s Day. Do not worry if your Dad does not have an iPhone they do a range of different brands.

Skincare

Men’s skincare is something which has boomed in the last few years. For sure Joe is now taking more care of his skin than he has been in the past as well. There is a new brand which has launched in the UK called Black Leopard it is designed for men by men. These products are designed to hydrate, soothe and revitalise skin. Great for Dad’s who may shave a lot I know this is something which Joe has to do for work.  The moisturiser is very thick which is great for men. A small amount goes a long so this does mean it is going to last for a long time.

The eye cream Joe has only just started to use it however, he is lucky and does not suffer from wrinkles but he can have dark circles. The eye cream is supposed to help reducing puffiness and dark circles. Increasing elasticity locks in moisturiser and plumps the skin to reduce wrinkles. For sure if your Dad likes looking after his skin Black Leopard could be a company to try out.

Experiences

Experiences or Days out are always something amazing to create memories. It could be a family trip out the Zoo or a Farm which is both something which Joe loves to. This is because they create memories and Jess loves wildlife. If maybe you a little bit too old to go on a day out why not treat them to a trip to the cinema. This is something which we do not get to do enough however, whenever we do it we always state we need to do it more. Of course, this means having to find a film which you want to watch which can be harder to do. If this is the case why not buy a movie and have a cinema night at home for the fraction of the price.

If you really want to splash out you could purchase concert tickets or experience that way. You could even purchase indoor fly diving experience I know they have some offers on at the moment. I have done a post all about our experience when we have been. For sure this is something which you and your Dad would remember for a while

Sweets

Sweets are something which most Dad’s like to consume.I know for sure this is the case with Joe and my own Dad. Jelly Belly’s are something which I have purchased a number of times for my own Dad. He even has one of the machines to hold them and you pay it every time you want a handful. For Father’s Day this year they have teamed up with DC Comics to launch a superhero collection, featuring designs of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman – the perfect gift for superhero dads this Father’s Day. Of course, these bags include the classic flavours which we have all come to love from Jelly Belly. These include Berry Blue, Blueberry, Cream Soda, Sour Lemon, Very Cherry and Wild Blackberry.  They are so cheap at £2.85 for 3 bags you could always get them out of your own pocket money.

Of course, you do not have to purchase Jelly Belly. You can always purchase your Dad’s, favourite sweets. This does mean that you can purchase a gift with a low budget. After all Father’s Day is about showing your Dad that you care however, you do not have to break the bank to do this.

Coffee

If your Dad is like me and loves Coffee then I may have the perfect gift for you to purchase.  This Father’s Day Midnight Blue Coffee is releasing a limited edition coffee. For sure something you will not want to miss out on if you have a coffee addict in your life. Midnight Blue, is releasing just 250 luxury gift boxes of exquisite hand batch-roasted Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee. Each gift box contains a numbered, limited edition, signed roasting certificate, a personalised Father’s Day message, a presentation booklet and 250g of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, with a choice of whole bean, coarse, medium and fine grounds to suit your father’s preferred way of preparing his coffee. For sure this is one which would be amazing if your Dad drinks coffee this would be great however, this is not something which I could do for the men in my life’s as neither do drink coffee.

Phone Away Box

Does your Dad spend a lot of time on his phone and you wish he did not do this. I might just have the product which you need so you can enjoy more family time together. By putting your phone away it does mean that you can have more time to create memories because, after all, we do not know how long we are going to get to spend with our Dad’s. I know I am guilty of spending a lot of time on my phone and this can be a problem. I know Jess does not have a phone, however, even if Joe and I put our phones away for a least one hour a night this means that we have more one on one time with Jess which is going to be a huge bonus.  They hold up to 4 phones which means that should be enough for the whole household. It even fits the larger phone should you have one of those. This is an amazing idea because of course we can have memories and they are priceless.  You can purchase the phone away box for £13 from Amazon which I feel is cheap to create the memories which you can cherish forever.

A Meal

You could cook a meal for your Dad if you have the skills. Or you do not want to foot bill or on the other hand, you could take him out for a meal. Beware some places may make you actually book in advance if you want Sunday. Depending on what kind of food your family like there are a range of places you could go to eat. I would recommend Wildwood. They do some amazing Italian food as well as burgers this is a place that you could easily have just a main meal or have a three-course meal. I seem to remember when I have been previously a 3 course meal for 2 people came to around the £50 mark. You could take your Dad to his favourite restaurant it could even be somewhere that does a nice carvery.

Shaving Products

Shaving is something which a lot of men have to do. Whether like Joe it is for work or whether it is because they choose to for whatever reason. Of course, there are some amazing products which have come as a result of the this trend. Joe which Joe has been using for a number of months now is the milkman clear shaving gel. This allows 200 shaves I seem to remember for around £20. This would be an amazing present if your Dad does a lot of shaving for sure it will save him money and last him a long time.

Of course, if you do not want to get your Dad a shaving gel but still want to get him something shaving related. As you know this is going to be something which he will end up using. Wilkinson Sword have some products which could be what you are looking for. There is the Hydro 5 Sense  which is a razor which is customised for how you shave. It has 5 blades with skin guards to help reduce irritation it also has a flip trimmer which means you can get a precise shave.

On the other hand their is the Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5 Groomer which is designed to protect from irritation. Due to a gel reservoir which reduces friction by 40% compared to a lube strip. It includes the shaving, trimming, edging and hydrating. All within one razor which means that you do not need multiple devices. The bonus of this groomer is it is battery powered which means no need to charge it up. For sure this is going to be a huge bonus when Joe has to go on exercises.

What are you going to be purchasing this Father’s Day for your Dad?

 

Charlotte xx

This post contains PR samples however words are my own.

 

 

 

Days Out- Ifly Indoor Sky Diving

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Indoor Skydiving

Now this is a post which has been a long time coming. I have actually been indoor skydiving a couple of times now. The reason we started going was because my parents purchased an experience day for two for Joe. Of course, he took me and it is something which I enjoyed. I been back once since, however we do live an hour away from Manchester. Which is one reason I have not been back more.

If you have not heard of iFly let me tell you a little bit about them. They are an indoor skydiving company in the UK with three locations.  They have Baskingstoke, Milton Keynes and Manchester. Indoor skydiving is the simulation of true free-fall conditions in a vertical wind tunnel. It’s where the dream of flight becomes a reality. For sure indoor skydiving is not something which I would have thought about doing however, I loved it. Anyone from the age of 3 can go in the wind tunnel and indoor skydive. They just change the windspeed for younger people. I have seen as young as 4/5 years old do it. I know Jess would love it but at the moment she is a bit scared of the noise.

Of course, there are rules which may mean that you can not undertake indoor skydiving. This includes been over 18 stone, having a previous shoulder dislocation and if you are pregnant.. This does mean a lot of people can take part I would highly recommend indoor skydiving it is such a thrill which I never have had in the past. The only thing which you really need to know is that if you want to go on a weekend you may have to book 8 to 10 weeks in advance. You book your flight online. Another thing to take into consideration is you do have to be at the location an hour before your flight.

Before you get into the tunnel you watch a pre-flight video which explains what is going to happen. Also the signals which they are going to use in the tunnel of course, you are not going to be able to speak normally within the tunnel. After this you are going to be asked if you have any questions as well as practice the position which you need to be in the tunnel. Of course, if you are nervous you have the opportunity to speak to the instructor. After this of course, you get kitted up as you can see the outfit is very sexy. It is actually more comfortable than you think it is going to be. You have ear plugs because of course been in a 100mph wind tunnel is very noisy. There is also eye protection and helmets which these two have taken off.

You are in a class and you all go around the edge of the tunnel when waiting for your flight at iFly. They will not judge you and it is very unlikely that you are going to be the only first time flyer in your group. Each time I have been there has been more first time flyers than anything else. Depending on your package depends how long you will have in the tunnel. I have done it where I have had 2 x 1 minute flights.  On my second visit I did a 2 x 2 minutes flight.  It sounds like not a long time however, it is actually longer than a normal skydive would be.  You fly on average to 6ft which is amazing. There is always an instructor in with you who will give you instructions on how to change you body position to allow you to fly better. They will also move you so you do not get too close to the edges or also so you do not get too high.

On my second visit I got to fly on the net which mean that I should learn techniques even quicker. I have always found the instructors to be very good and always professional they do not judge you because you are unable to do something. They go at your pace and you can always exit the tunnel at any stage using a signal you do get taught. I have now managed to fly for longer periods without the instructor having to hold me. For sure it is not going to take you many sessions to get like this.

There is a moment where you do get your photo taken you get warned when it is going to be so you can have the best picture possible. Of course, there is the chance to purchase the picture after which is how I got mine. You also have the opportunity to purchase the video of your skydive and more lessons. You do get the lessons or next flight at a reduced rate if you do purchase them there and then.

I know that this is pricey to actually go indoor skydiving. At the moment they have an offer on for two people for 2 x 1 minute flights for £60. They often have deals like this on there own site and of course, it is worth using companies like virgin experience days. They sometimes have even better offers on. This would make an amazing Father’s Day gift this year. I know it is one which Joe would appreciate.

For sure I would recommend a visit to iFly. I really want to go back and maybe it is somewhere which I will manage a visit to before the end of the year.

Have you ever been indoor skydiving if so let me know how you found it.

Charlotte xxx

 

 

 

Baking- Lemon Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Recently I did some baking for a local rabbit rescue charity as part of their fundraiser. I decided that I was going to use a recipe which was in one of the baking books which I have and this was for mini lemon chocolate chip cookies however, I decided to make them large. Today I decided that I am going share the recipe for these lemon chocolate chip cookies they would be perfect to make this half term. For sure they went down a treat at this event.

Ingredients- Makes 40 mini cookies I got 16 large

1 Large Lemon

75g softened butter or magarine

75g caster sugar

1 medium egg

75g soft light brown sugar

175g plain flour

1/2 tea spoon baking powder

150g white chocolate chips 

Method
  1. Heat the oven to 180c or gas mark 4 and grease two baking trays. 
  2. Grate the zest from the outside of the lemon using the smallest holes of the grater. Then squeeze the juice from half of a lemon. 
  3. Put the lemon zest, butter, caster sugar and soft light brown sugar in a big bowl then beat until the mixture is smooth. 
  4. Break the medium egg in to a small bowl. Beat with a fork. Then add it to the big bowl a little at a time beating well each time. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and mix. 
  5. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl. Stir in the mixture until it is smooth. Add the white chocolate chips and stir them in. 
  6. Make a ball with the dough. Enough that will be for a cookie then flatten slightly 
  7. Bake more cookies using the rest of the mixture. Bake for 10 minutes until they are golden this may take longer.I think I did mine for closer to 15.
  8. Put them on a cooling rack before you consume your lemon chocolate cookies. 

Have you ever made lemon chocolate cookies or ever purchased them? For sure there not something I think I have ever heard.  There not a flavour I think I have even see together. 

Charlotte xxx

 

Meal Plan 24th May 2019

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Today I am going to share with you the meals which we have being consuming this week or the ones which we had planned. I have not being feeling that well and this does mean we have not always had them for the meals which I said we would do. This does mean that next week I am likely to do some of the same meals which I said I was going to do this week.  Hopefully you do get some inspirations from the meals which I set out to consume this week .

Meals

Monday-  Chinese Takeaway, Monday is actually my birthday. So I thought we would have a treat and have a Chinese takeaway this is not something which we have done in a long time and I am really looking forward to been able to consume salt and pepper chicken.

Tuesday-   Coconut and Lime Crusted Chicken. Served with rice and mango chutney. I have a number of limes which I need to use up so I though this would be a nice easy meal to use them up with. I do not think I have ever had coconut and lime crusted chicken. For sure this is a meal which I am looking forward to consuming. Of course, we will be reporting how we find this meal.

Wednesday- Quesadillas and Mexican Rice served with tomato and corn salsa. I think this is a recipe which we actually got from the Hello Fresh book. Mexican food is something which in this house we adore and something we do not make enough. This sounds like something different to what we have been having in the last few months so I can not wait for this. I know Joe will enjoy this as well for sure this is a meal which I may make for Jess in the future.

Thursday-  Tomato and Mozzarella basil tart with Salad. Again this is another meal which has come around because I have some tomatoes which need to be used up. Since the weather has become very warm this is why we choose to make this meal. I am hoping this is going to be as nice as the pie which I made recently. I may end up having enough for a lunch as well.

Friday-  Herb Crushed Haddock, I still have some haddock left in the freezer from where I have purchased it reduced. I thought I would turn this in to a meal again this may end up been served with some salad depending on the weather. If not it will have baby potatoes with it. For sure I will share the recipe if this is one which we end up loving in the future.

Saturday-  Homemade Pizza, I am actually at work on Saturday which means that we will be eating separate I think. We have the pizza bases which we picked up in Aldi because they were so cheap.  We have some pizza sauce already which I want to use. I have purchased some pepperoni and chorizo then of course we can put some left over veg on the pizza as well. I know this is a meal which Jess loves it may be served with chips as well.

Sunday-  Poppy seed crusted chicken rigatoni and peas. This is a recipe which I found online.  I fancied a pasta dish because of course this is rare because we usually have at least one of them in. I thought I would do something a bit different as this is not something which we would normally make.  Of course, I will let you know how this works out.

Of course, like every meal plan this is linked up with the amazing Katy. I get a lot of the inspiration from her and the linky which she runs. If you are struggling and consuming the same meals I would recommend checking it out. You may find a meal which you love.

What meals are you planning on consuming this week?

Charlotte xxx