2012 - The year that was....

Despite starting 2013 with the worst hang over of my life (thanks to a debaucherous, vodka fuelled night at a little club called The Box) if it is anywhere near as good as 2012 I will be very happy indeed. 2012 was a crazy, tiring, emotional, fantastic year which went a little bit like this;

• I turned 30, eww, but spent it on a big red bus with all of my best friends driving round London
• I made and ate around a hundred cakes
• Honey bug took her first steps
• We visited the Lucien Freud exhibition at the National Portrait gallery
• My very clever husband won the Premiership Final (go Quins)
• We ate afternoon tea at The Goring Hotel
• We saw the ballet at the Royal Opera house, backstage tour included
• We staycayed in a log cabin in the Cotswolds
• We stood on the finish line at The Boat Race cheering Oxford and Cambridge on
• We dined at The Savoy
• We saw the Olympic torch being ran up Guildford's cobbled high street
• I made up for not being able to fly (preggers) or going on holiday by sunbathing at my aunt and uncles awesome new pool in our too short summer 
• We went to two beautiful weddings
• We had our second bambino, the little dude
• I lost about a months sleep to a newborn (and wouldn't have it any other way)
• We all went to the Olympics to see the rowing, and witnessed Team GB bagging 3 gold medals
• I finally realised I am a huge lightweight and hangovers are really not fun with two babies
• Honey bug turned two 
• She also started nursery
• We witnessed baby dude's first giggles and laughs, one of the best sounds in the world
• My hubby had too many stitches and rugby injuries to name, but luckily no major ones
• We met Santa and a reindeer
• A thousands coughs and colds nearly ruined Christmas

So a few snippets of our crazy year, I'm sure 2013 will be equally as hectic. This month alone I am attempting to potty train a toddler, wean the dude, get them sharing a room, start ballet lessons for Honey, and swimming lessons for dude and I'm going to learn to crochet, and read more books, phew, I'm off to bed to sleep while I can. Happy New Year!

The Whistles Peggy Twist Neck Linen Tee

I just had to write a post on this top as I'm uber excited about my new find - a non maternity top which fits me at 35 weeks preggo and from one of my fav stores no less.
So, you know when you discover a great wardrobe classic that you know will be in your wardrobe for ever and makes you feel fabulous in a casual, not trying too hard, this old thing way? Well this is it. Let me introduce you to the Whistles Peggy Twist Neck Linen tee. This little basic may look like any old t-shirt on the hanger and at £65 is not cheap, but believe me is so beautifully cut and drapes over you in all the right places, has three quarter length sleeves and is made from a gorgeous linen. The cut falls elegantly over a baby bump, and will hide all sorts of tummy issues post birth too, perfect. My mother even said it looked as if my bump had shrunk, result! This tee is also machine washable, a must when babies and toddlers are thrown in the mix, and comes in navy, white, black or neutral. Looks fab teamed with skinnies and heels.
LOVE.
You can buy them and lots of similar style tops from Whistles here.

Recipe of the week - Easy Peasy Baba Ganoush

 Homemade baba ganoush

 Served with sticky ribs, chargrilled curried chicken and salad

Super sunny blossom in our garden

This Sunday saw the passing of our first BBQ of the year, any sign of sun and Honey's daddy is marinading meats and soaking wooden skewers for any chance of a BBQ which we have now added a new accompaniment to.
This super easy baba ganoush not only looks like you've made a huge effort whilst entertaining but is super easy, delicious and healthy. Charring the aubergines over a direct flame gives the dip a lovely smokey flavour.
It is perfect for picnic food, scrummy as a starter to dip warm flatbread in and amazing with sweet, barbecued lamb.

Ingredients
3 large aubergines,
2 crushed garlic,
Juice of a small lemon,
2 large tbsps tahini
3 large glugs/tbsps olive oil
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Handful of chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Pierce the skins of the aubergines with a fork then grill for 10 minutes over a hot coal BBQ or place directly onto the flame of a gas hob, till the skin has charred and the flesh is very soft.
Let them cool for 5 minutes then peel the charred skin from the aubergines. Finely chop the flesh and mix with the rest of the ingredients, garlic, lemon juice, tahini paste, pinch of cayenne, chopped parsley and olive oil and a grinding of salt and pepper to taste.
Serve trickled with olive oil, a few parsley leaves and pomegranate seeds.

Recipe of the week - The best & easiest banana and chocolate cake

This is the easiest and most forgiving cake recipe I have ever used, and although the methodology may look a little odd to seasoned bakers (no liquid and mixing the flour in before the eggs), trust the recipe, it really does work, and produces the most delicious, moreish, dense loaf you could wish for. This ugly little cake is never going to win an award for the prettiest treat on the block, but for ease, speed and taste you just can't beat it.
Best enjoyed for breakfast with a cup of earl grey or straight out of the oven while the chocolate chunks are still liquid!

Ingredients
175g softened butter
175g soft brown sugar
175g self-raising flour
2 eggs
2 medium/3 large bananas, squished
400g chocolate chunks (I use dark chocolate)




Cream the butter and sugar



Mix in the flour



Add in the eggs



Stir in the banana and chocolate



Pour into a greased and lined loaf tin, put in a preheated oven on 175c, for 35mins. Take it out of the oven and let it cool in the tin, et voila!



This lasts a good week in the tin (if you can!), and gets moister and moister!

NOTD - Shellac/Gelish Natural French Manicure

It's one of those things boys just never get, like shopping and diamonds and handbags, but having your nails done (and ones that don't chip for 2 weeks at that) just makes me feel instantly polished, excuse the pun. Even when the rest of me is covered in yoghurt and I have only remembered to mascara one eye (cringe).
This week I have a natural French manicure using a Shellac and Gelish combo which has worked out better than I had hoped. My nails aren't that long, and the Strawberry Shortcake Shellac goes perfectly over the Clearly Pink to create an uber natural finish. One that goes with everything and will last for nearly 3 weeks (over a very busy birthday period).
Heaven!

First hair cut

It was a momentous week this week, not only has Honey's daddy had his bicep reattached after snapping it in a rugby game, but Honey had her first hair cut. I don't know why it made me emotional but seeing her sitting there all grown up in the hairdressers chair seemed to signalled the end of the baby era and the start of the toddler in a couple of snips of the scissors. And that is all it really was, a couple of snips as the hairdresser cut her a "side-sweeping fringe" (I didn't want too much off or she may have resembled a Lego man crossed with Susan Boyle, never a good look). So we left the Trotters, the baby hairdresser with a First Haircut certificate in hand and a toddler in the other; bring on the terrible twos.