Last of the Summer Berries

A couple of weeks ago we thought we'd make the most of some late afternoon sun and decided to go and get our Halloween pumpkin (which is still sitting waiting to be carved in the kitchen) and the last of the Summer's berries. So off we toddled to a local Pick Your Own and gorged ourselves on strawberries and raspberries, gathered fistfuls of fresh green runner beans and clambered our way through rows of plump pumpkins. Honey had the best afternoon ever stuffing her little mouth full of berries and trying to carry pumpkins bigger than her, not to mention waving at giant tractors and splashing in muddy puddles. We came home laden with punnets of raspberries and what better way than prolonging their juicy little lives than folded into a fluffy sweet ice cream?! Recipe here.

Mummy & Baby Multitasking Products

I love a product, and believe me I have boxes stashed full of wonder products I have got bored of all too quickly before replacing (which the new frugal me is now slowly using up, surprisingly satisfying!) I also love a bargain and hate clutter. These three things combined have lead me to discover some new favourite multitasking mummy/baby/pregnancy products. I use these products all the time and are definitely not just for baby!

So....
*Drumroll please*

Sudocrem - a lifesaver for spots, which were all too common before glorious preggo skin appeared again. Now it is just used at nappy time again (Honey's not mine!)
Bio-oil - anti ageing? Yes please! I smoother it around my eyes every night, if it's kept away stretch marks through two pregnancies I'm hoping it'll erase/prevent lines too.
Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter - I have written a whole post dedicated to this gorgeous stuff here. When it's not sold out, I use it on my face in really tough winter or a/c climates. It smells delicious.
Oilatum Junior cream - one of the best hand creams you can find. Also used for any dry skin patches Honey may have.
Baby wipes - I'm actually a little embarrassed about this one.... I use them to take my makeup off when I'm too lazy to use my normal cleanser. Eeek! Terrible I know but if they're good enough for a baby's bottom?!? They are also good for cleaning up leather bags and shoes.

ps. Sharing Honey's products definitely makes me feel less guilty about the odd splurge in SpaceNK!

What are your favourite multitasking products??

Week in Pictures - A weekend away....

For hubby's birthday I treated him to a cheeky weekend spa break in the glorious Bailiffscourt, West Sussex. We love having a night off every now and again to remind you who you are and get away from the everyday stresses and routines. Plus we didn't have mobile phone reception so we really were totally left in peace, heaven. Both grannies babysat a very wilful Honey, so we could chillax knowing she was in good hands.
Bailiffscourt is a medieval manor house 5 minutes from my mummy's house in beautiful Arundel, right on the South coast and a short walk to the beach. There is a rose-clad courtyard in the Summer, and crackling open fires to snuggle up to in the Winter. The spa too is just heavenly, indoor and outdoor pool, plus outdoor hot tub we wallowed in for a good hour, and a great array of treatments, including pregnancy massages. The food was completely indulgent, modern English, and we had an incredible breakfast (my favourite meal if the day). The only thing we found was that time just went way too quickly!

www.hshotels.co.uk

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!

Cakespiration

I am currently deciding what type of cake to make for hubby's birthday and really can't decide. Simple but glorious Victoria sponge? Or a gooey and indulgent chocolate fudge? How about a light and airy lemon curd cake? Hmmm actually maybe a banana and toffee sticky sponge? Then shall I bake cupcakes, or a tiered cake? You see the problem I'm having?!
Anyway here are a few of my past creations to try and make my mind up...





Honey's christening cake decorated with fresh white roses




A few of my prettier cakes

Marylebone Christmas lights

This year is Honeys 2nd Christmas and I'm hoping it might mean a bit more to her this year than last, when she was still only interested in milk and sleep time. So to kick it off we went along to see the Marylebone Christmas lights being turned on, have a sausage from the Jolly Hog and a warm mince pie. I love London at Christmas time!

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.