Where did the time go? I've read back over previous posts and WOW so much time has passed, so many memories I would have forgotten had I not documented them here. I always say it doesn't feel likea long time has passed, but reading all these stories definitely makes it feel longer. I now have eight year old triplets, and a wealth of funny stories that I hope to upload here as time allows. That said time with a sporting dog, four kids and a full time business is perhaps why I've not written as frequently in the past few years as I did before! I think I've actually missed it. I'm hoping to remedy the quiet years with a handful of updates from this year of 2020 and what covid-19 has done for our family, both for the better and worse.
Monday, 19 October 2020
Friday, 22 May 2020
The Adventures of Calliope
Hello 🐾My name is: Calliope
My nicknames : Cali, Scallywag, SuperCalifragalistic, pupper, pup tart, pu-ppee (high pitched), pup pup boogie, cali-lally, butthead.
Whose a good girl, whose a good boy (I'm not sure she means me but I likes the praise), 'what's this' - she's usually looking at the kitteh but this is the bestest nickname as it has foods in it and if I use my super stare powers I can gets some. My hooman only says Calliope when I'm in troubles.
Whose a good girl, whose a good boy (I'm not sure she means me but I likes the praise), 'what's this' - she's usually looking at the kitteh but this is the bestest nickname as it has foods in it and if I use my super stare powers I can gets some. My hooman only says Calliope when I'm in troubles.
My age is: I'm 4 next week, and I wants beef cake and a new squeaky.
My favourite human food is: pizza, duck, prawns and roast beef, I also LOVES chocolate and jaffa cakes, but everyone gets really mads when I sneak them so they hide them from me 
My biggest fear is: Bangs, bangs are the owies for ears and make my body do wobbles.
My favourite things to do: When my hooman says "agility?" we have the best fun's, taking toys on walks, digging up molehills until my hooman says enuff and squeaky disc jumpy game in the garden. Other hooman's too, they give loves, play with me in my house and agility hooman's give me foodies.
What I hate the most: Dogs - they are scary, I used to have friends but my hooman says I "can't be trusted" and am "a pain in the butt" whatever that means. Most dogs are worry monsters and need to go away from me so my body doesn't do wobbles. I try to be scary to frighten them away. When we play agility I always want it to be my turn to go play, and all these other dogs keep taking my turns so I have to woof to tell them to stop it's my turn! It makes my woofer hurt and my hooman sad. I'm scared when my hooman leaves me she won't come back. I knows she comes back to the hause so I'm not scared theres, but I think she might forget me if I don't shout HOOMAN HOOMAN at her, that hurts my woofer too.
Where do I sleep: On the floor near my hoo-man, except bedtimes when I sleep on the sofa in my bedroom because the bed is not for doggies and the man-servant says I'm not allowed upstairs in case I give him too many kisses when it's morning or try sleeps on the bed, I thinks he knows I will push him off to sleep next to my hooman. He says the kitteh can sleep on the bed though which is no fair, so I push her off my sofa.
Do I love car rides? No, except Mel's car mel's car means AGILITY and I have to dance around in the back whining to remind the hooman's we are going to agility - in case they forgets.
Do I snore? My hooman says the only time I snore is when I'm having bad dreams so she wakes me up.
Monday, 9 September 2019
Kid Lyrics!
I just had the BEST conversation I've ever had with Ayla. She was singing me a song for bedtime.
Ayla: "Away in a manger no crib for a bed, the little lord Jesus, asleep on his head...."
Me: Sorry, did you just say asleep on his head?
Ayla: Yes
Me: That's not how it goes!
Ayla: It has to be, it can't be asleep in his bed as the sentence before said he doesn't have one so that's why hes sleeping on his head with his legs in the air.
Me: (this is funnier than anything ever) Yes, you are right, always, ALWAYS sing it that way.
#kidlogic
Friday, 24 August 2018
It’s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye… too late
An uneventful chat with nhsdirect tonight when Gaius challenged Zarek to pop the bubbles he was blowing, out of the air with his rubber band plane. Zarek enthusiastically took up this challenge and managed to hit a bubble - and his soap covered, propelled glider straight into Gaius' eye. Queue lots of screaming about being blinded, flushing with water, and some concern over the discolouration of his eyeball 🙈- Gaius should be fine, but in fairness to Zarek, he nailed the shot 😂 #brothers #horseplay #doubledare #parentingmishaps #itsallfunandgamesuntilsomeonelosesaneye #toolate
Monday, 20 March 2017
Methinks Tesco has got it wrong…
That of course, the kids will refuse to eat, since it contains green things; throwing it across the floor and making Ella wonder why she even bothers, before throwing quavers and choccy biscuits at Rupert, Archibald and Petunia, (the triplets), since it's the only thing they will eat, and then opening the wine and ordering herself a takeaway while the dog 'helps' her clean the kitchen floor.
Ella should stick to chicken nuggets, or pasta in sauce... as long as it's not tomato...Archibald hates tomatoes... #truestory #realmumoftriplets #thisblessednest
Saturday, 4 March 2017
You're doing it right
Last night the kids were being little demons - fighting, screaming, shouting at each other, us, themselves, it was noisy, so, so, noisy and stressful.
The bedtime run up - where even more stress can be made by the tiny one procrastinating getting dressed into pajamas for up to forty minutes, I had enough.
Ever the devious mother, casually I mention that the first person to get their pajamas on, gets first pick of the colour of bowl in which supper is contained.
They were massively underwhelmed by this and continued to argue about paw patrol and whose house is whose and which figure they are playing with, and will be buried with, so no, you can't ever, ever have a turn.
I sat watching them, wondering how they had forgotten to share, how sick of each other they seem to be, and what a rotten job we seem to have done at times.
I quietly pointed out that the FIRST child to get their pajamas on, could also sit on my knee while we watch my little pony on the tv.
I have never seen four kids get dressed so quickly, around 90 seconds, - a world record.
Ayla was first, sparking tears from the other three.
Quinn had forgotten how she loves to draw-out getting dressed for as long as possible until mummy turns a special shade of purple and starts screaming "get dressed" like some kind of banshee. Quinn's favourite place to sit is on me and she panicked she might be relegated to, the horrors "daddys knee". However, being the only kid who has to get a nappy on for bedtime she was slowed down more than the others.
Zarek who had dressed himself a mere fraction of a second behind Ayla, was very upset until I pointed out I had two knees and they could each have one.
Gaius who accidentally put two feet down the same trouser leg, which slowed him down, was screaming and crying, Quinn is sobbing on the floor at not being quite fast enough to win, when Ayla said "it's okay, I'm going to give my place to Gaius". Gaius stopped crying and Zarek piped up "Quinn, you can have my knee", and Quinn stopped sobbing.
I looked at my two generous children, who despite being cross earlier, had done something so altruistically kind and thoughtful to help someone else they could see is hurting, I realise we've not done such a bad job after all.
The look on Zarek and Ayla's faces said they were both sad to not get to sit on my knee but had decided their sadness was less than the two who were crying on the floor.
We went into the kitchen where the fastest dresser could now choose the snack bowl colour and again tears broke out from the two who got the colours least matching their favourites. (It's friday, everyone is tired and easy to cry).
Ayla and Zarek negotiated with each other to swap bowls around until Quinn had the green one, (her favourite), Zarek the blue (his favourite), Gaius the orange and Ayla the purple (the smallest unwanted bowl) as a compromise to make the most people happy.
I gathered all four up in my arms, smothering them with kisses and telling them how kind they are and how proud I am before we all snuggled together on the sofa to watch the tv.
These precious moments, often discovered, or greater appreciated an afternoon of fighting and arguing just further demonstrate that while they might bicker over toys from time to time, when it really matters they always choose kindness.
The bedtime run up - where even more stress can be made by the tiny one procrastinating getting dressed into pajamas for up to forty minutes, I had enough.
Ever the devious mother, casually I mention that the first person to get their pajamas on, gets first pick of the colour of bowl in which supper is contained.
They were massively underwhelmed by this and continued to argue about paw patrol and whose house is whose and which figure they are playing with, and will be buried with, so no, you can't ever, ever have a turn.
I sat watching them, wondering how they had forgotten to share, how sick of each other they seem to be, and what a rotten job we seem to have done at times.
I quietly pointed out that the FIRST child to get their pajamas on, could also sit on my knee while we watch my little pony on the tv.
I have never seen four kids get dressed so quickly, around 90 seconds, - a world record.
Ayla was first, sparking tears from the other three.
Quinn had forgotten how she loves to draw-out getting dressed for as long as possible until mummy turns a special shade of purple and starts screaming "get dressed" like some kind of banshee. Quinn's favourite place to sit is on me and she panicked she might be relegated to, the horrors "daddys knee". However, being the only kid who has to get a nappy on for bedtime she was slowed down more than the others.
Zarek who had dressed himself a mere fraction of a second behind Ayla, was very upset until I pointed out I had two knees and they could each have one.
Gaius who accidentally put two feet down the same trouser leg, which slowed him down, was screaming and crying, Quinn is sobbing on the floor at not being quite fast enough to win, when Ayla said "it's okay, I'm going to give my place to Gaius". Gaius stopped crying and Zarek piped up "Quinn, you can have my knee", and Quinn stopped sobbing.
I looked at my two generous children, who despite being cross earlier, had done something so altruistically kind and thoughtful to help someone else they could see is hurting, I realise we've not done such a bad job after all.
The look on Zarek and Ayla's faces said they were both sad to not get to sit on my knee but had decided their sadness was less than the two who were crying on the floor.
We went into the kitchen where the fastest dresser could now choose the snack bowl colour and again tears broke out from the two who got the colours least matching their favourites. (It's friday, everyone is tired and easy to cry).
Ayla and Zarek negotiated with each other to swap bowls around until Quinn had the green one, (her favourite), Zarek the blue (his favourite), Gaius the orange and Ayla the purple (the smallest unwanted bowl) as a compromise to make the most people happy.
I gathered all four up in my arms, smothering them with kisses and telling them how kind they are and how proud I am before we all snuggled together on the sofa to watch the tv.
These precious moments, often discovered, or greater appreciated an afternoon of fighting and arguing just further demonstrate that while they might bicker over toys from time to time, when it really matters they always choose kindness.
Saturday, 14 January 2017
Chunky Minestrone Soup
It's meaty, rich and chunky. The perfect indulgent winter warmer.
Freezes well and defrosts well too without becoming watery.
(I have made both a more watery version, and a thicker version to trial it, and I prefer it thicker and chunky. If you prefer it more liquidy, add more water to the pot when cooking.
Ingredients:
3 Small cloves of garlic
1-2 Carrots (I use two)
1 Potato (any size)
2 Balls of frozen Spinach
1 Vegetable Stock Cube
2 Tins of Chopped Tomatoes
Tomato Puree (roughly 2 tbsp, a little more is fine)
4 Rashers of unsmoked Streaky Bacon
30-60g of Dried Spaghetti snapped into pieces (I probably use whats left in the tail end of a spaghetti pack) and I definitely don't weigh it. Just grab a small handful ;)
(Pinto Beans can be added for the last few minutes before serving if desired or instead of bacon - one of my kids hates them so I exclude them if he is eating this too)
Recipe:
Put a tiny splash of oil (or a few sprays) into the bottom of a deep(ish) pan.
Finely Dice the garlic and add to the pan, setting onto a med-low heat (don't let it burn!)
Peel and finely chop the potato and carrot(s) then add to the pan with the garlic until the garlic has softened or browned. Give it a stir and let the flavours permeate through the veg.
Boil the kettle and add 300ml of boiling water in a jug to the stock cube. Mix until dissolved and then pour into the pan and turn up to a medium heat.
Pour in two tins of chopped tomatoes and your tomato puree - mix well.
Pop your spinach into the microwave for 1 minute to fully defrost - chop it roughly and then toss it into the pan (otherwise i find it all clumps together in one sodden yucky heap and the kids can spot it!)
Add the mixed herbs.
Snap up your spaghetti (4 times per length) and throw it in, turn the heat up to boil and let the pasta cook and the liquid reduce slightly.
Cook your bacon however you like (for this recipe I put them on a sheet of foil in the oven for about 10 minutes to get them dried and crispy) but you can fry it in a pan.
Once your spaghetti is cooked (6-8 minutes ish) turn the heat back down to low and stir.
When the bacon is cooked to your liking, remove from the oil and snip it up with scissors into little chunks and chuck into the pan.
(add beans if using)
Stir through for a couple of minutes and serve. If you are making it in advance, this soup actually gets better if you let it cool down, thicken and reheat it later on to eat.
Serving Suggestion:
I like to toast some pitta breads, cut them up with a pizza cutter and let the kids dip the warm dough in the soup.
Bon appetite!
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