40 things to do before I am 40!

Well I turned 36 this week, where the hell did my life go?

There is so much I have already achieved but then again there is so much more that I want to do.
So I thought a slight kick up the backside might get me going and what better way than to tell the world what I want to do, I'm going to have to do it then, right?

So I thought I'd make a start on my bucket list, and jot down a few ideas of what I want to do with the rest of my life.
I thought it was going to be easy to start with but then I found I ran out of ideas, so I'll make a start with what I've thought of and just add to it if anything else takes my fancy.

1. Learn to play the guitar
2. Learn to sew properly
3. Learn to knit properly
4. Go on the Russian Vodka Train
5. Return to Mexico
6. Go to Disney World
7. Take my son to Disneyland Paris
8. Go to a Music Festival
9. Run an official 10km race
10. Run a half marathon
11. Run a marathon
12. See Phantom of The Opera
13. See Cats (again ) - completed September 2015
14. See Wicked
15. See Barnum
16. See the Northern Lights
17. Eat at a Michelin Star restaurant
18. Ride the Orient Express
19. Go skiing or snowboarding
20. Spend Christmas somewhere hot
21. Spend Christmas somewhere snowy
22. Spend the night in a haunted house
23. Go on a Zombie Run
24. Spend a weekend in London
25. Own a personalised car registration plate
26. Go to Las Vegas ( although I suspect this will be carried over in the future onto my 50 things to do before 50 list!)
27. Maybe have another baby!

Have you got a bucket list? 

What would you most like to do before your next milestone birthday?

Let me know in the comments

Another Year Older!

So here I am again -  another year older, and it's quite debatable if I am slightly wiser or not.

Where have the past few years gone? Well thanks to my Timehop app on my phone I know exactly what's been happening over the last 6 years!

6 years ago I turned 30, I stopped smoking and was concentrating on trying to start a family.

5 years ago I was 7 months pregnant with Squiggle, and feeling quite ill around the time of my birthday - who knew what was going to happen a week later!

4 years ago I was still recovering from Squiggle's traumatic birth and my acute pancreatitis, but at least I was back home and not still in the hospital.

3 years ago I had a day out shopping with Squiggle and my sister in law, I'd been driving again for just a few months, and although I was still tired and ill, I was now managing to get out of the house on my own and with friends.

2 years ago I was snowed in, and I mean it literally, I couldn't open my back door and there was nearly a 3 foot snow drift at the front. My friends helped cheer me up with their Birthday Mission.

1 year ago I spent the whole day arguing with the husband - enough said.

This year, I finally had a night out to celebrate, it's been a long time coming and I certainly celebrated it in style, with my best friend. ( and when I say style I mean slumming it in the local pubs, but it's still a style of some sorts! )

I had some lovely cards and gifts from my friends and family and I can definitely say without a shadow of a doubt it has been the best birthday in a very long time.

And to top it off, Andi Peters wished me a happy birthday again this year!

Meal Planning Monday - 23rd March 2015

Oh well that was short lived, last week didn't go to plan and I don't expect this week to be much on track either, but I am determined to get back into the swing of things.

I did manage to make my stew & dumplings on Monday and it was delicious, but that's as far as I got. So in fairness if I manage to stick to two meals this week then that's 100% improvement on last weeks effort - right?!?!?

So what's the plan for this week then....

Monday - It's my birthday - I'm going to have a carvery
Tuesday - Chicken & mushroom pasta
Wednesday - Spaghetti bolognaise
Thursday - possible leftovers or fish fingers, mash & beans
Friday - takeaway ( the curse of McD's monopoly promotion )
Saturday - lasagne & garlic bread
Sunday - will attempt a roast dinner this week

Until I get back into the swing of things I agree my choices are probably a bit predictable and boring. I am finding it hard cooking for just me and the little one because he never wants what I want and I don't always want what he wants.

I want to be cooking great food again but I always make too much, I always did when cooking for 3 and haven't learnt to reduce my portion sizes for 2 ( well one and a half, Squiggle is still only 4! ) Plus the enjoyment has gone, I honestly feel like I can't be bothered cooking some nights and only do it because I have another mouth in the house to feed.


Anyway enough with the self pity, if you want some inspiration and great recipe ideas then head on over to At Home With Mrs M .

Solar Eclipse 2015

In case you missed it, there was an eclipse of the sun this morning, not a total eclipse, well at least not here in Britain but it was a fairly good partial eclipse, certainly noticeable.

First I must explain how the eclipse worked from Squiggle's point of view. He proudly told his friend on his way into school this morning that there was going to an ecliff* and basically a giant alien spaceship was going to cover the sun and it was going to be the end of the world, but at 10 o'clock it would all be over and they could go outside and play!

I think he summed it up perfectly and I don't need to elaborate or correct him on anything he said!

His school was good, they gathered all the children in the school hall and let them watch the events unfold on a giant screen. I was half expecting to hear how Squiggle jumped up and shouted "it's the end of the world" but he behaved himself ( unless they're going to tell me otherwise on Monday! )

I myself watched the eclipse up at my local reservoir with a couple of friends. The water was perfectly still and there was a great reflection to watch it happen in.

Eclipse - on reflection!

It was quite eerie up there, it's nice and peaceful on the best of days but today there was a strange quietness about it. We did have a raised eyebrow experience when the eclipse peaked, the light dimmed ever so slightly, the temperature dropped, and a freezing cold gust of air came across the reservoir. Being fully grown sensible adults that we are, we did start to panic a little!

It's certainly something we'll remember in years to come, none of us had forgotten where we were for the last eclipse back in 1999.

Did you manage to get a glimpse of it?

*Squiggle did call it an ecliff, this is not a typo!

Happy Mother's Day

I had such a lovely Mother's Day yesterday, Squiggle spoilt me, and all by himself.

The last 3 Mother's Day have been ok, my mum had to buy me my first Mother's Day present because Mr H "forgot!" and then the last 2 years he has remembered but bought the first thing his eyes have seen in the supermarket without any thought whatsoever.

This year was different, Squiggle chose all the things himself. Firstly he was very apologetic as he couldn't find what I had asked for which was a cute snail plant holder in Asda, but bless him, he did make his dad drive round all the local stores trying to find one!

Instead he chose

a lovely pink tea rose

and a balloon

and a bag of Maltesers

He picked and wrote my card all by himself and couldn't stop wishing me a Happy Mother's Day. He told me he loved me countless times and even asked if I would marry him.

I am so glad I have brought my son up to be someone who actually thinks about presents he is going to buy, let's hope this carries on and one day he will make someone a very fine husband.

Meal Planning Monday - 16th March 2015

Well this is a novelty post - how long has it been since I decided to plan out my meals? far too long if you ask me, ( or 7 months if you want to be precise!) In fact I think the only meal that was planned in the last 7 months was Christmas dinner!

My son has started school since my last meal planning post and as he gets a free school dinner he rarely wants a full cooked tea when he gets home. I have since started dating again so there have been many takeaways and trips to the pub and sadly my poor waistline ( and bank balance ) has started to suffer from it all so I've decided enough is enough, I am jumping back on the meal planning and weight loss bandwagon.

I did make a conscious start last week and managed to plan a few meals in amongst parents evening and the weekend, but this week I am officially starting again.

So what's for tea?

Monday  - Stew & Dumplings
Tuesday - Grilled pepper beefsteaks
Wednesday - Spaghetti bolognaise
Thursday - night out
Friday - Stir Fry
Saturday - night out
Sunday - Roast dinner(??)

My Szechaun beef stir fry that I made last week

I am out on Thursday to the theatre with my grandma to watch Oklahoma and am contemplating a night out on Saturday to celebrate my upcoming birthday so Saturday tea and Sunday dinner is up in the air at the moment subject to alcohol consumption levels!

If you want some really good meal planning ideas then over to At Home With Mrs M and see what everyone else is planning.

I shall let you know how I get on with my plan next week.
Ta ta for now!

Silent Sunday - 15th March 2015