Back again

I've not posted for a while but to be fair, I've had a bit of a rough ride. I've now had tonsillitis so many times I've been referred to the hospital to possible have a tonsillectomy, which is good, but scary. As a result the excessive has been lacking and I've been eating more to try and build up my strength/ immunity. So here's where I'm upto on my targets...

Healthy eating is still a goer, I've slipped a bit recently due to illness but still a lot healthier than I was.

Except size has been lacking of late, but I've committed myself to do bootcamp with a friend so we're back on the ball... Wish me luck!

I won't hit my weight loss target by July, however I have now lost 32 pounds in total this year and about a stone since January so we're still doing good. I can now fit into the majority of my clothes! :-)

The cooking and baking ate going well. The baking has taken off and I've had 3 commissions to date. This weekend I made lamb mince pie and nectarine and blueberry tarts - yum!

I've had a bath tonight, probably for the first time since my last post, but hey, I've been busy!!

So all is still going well and on track. And I have new hair..



Have a good week xxx

Back in the game!!

...and I'm back!! Not posted for 1 month due to illness, tiredness and holidays, but I'm back on form this week and all is well.

Well, I can now wear a number of my clothes and can even just about fasten my sparkly hot pants. Feeling so much like myself again having lost so much weight - total 32lbs at last weigh-in - and I'm on track for my target in July. I was even brave enough to sport a bikini on holiday!!

I'm still eating healthier than I was, however I've spent the last 2 weeks trying to balance this with ensuring I'm eating enough to cope with all the running about after Evan I'm doing - I've had tonsillitis twice in the last 3 months so I'm trying to take it easy.

We had a BBQ today in the sunshine so no home-cooked meal - just good old bangers and burgers, and we seem to have had a full freezer and a large supply of cake for the past 3 weeks - I'm desperate to make some cupcakes for my new cake stand but  I'll have to wait.

I've had a lovely bath tonight and my nails are painted red with white spots;

I've also had a haircut since my last post;

It's awesome and I love it.

For next week I'll be baking a German Friendship cake - and sharing the love with the dough. Not sure what I'll be cooking - I'll have to have a think.

Anyway - have a lovely week all!!!

Back in the game!!

Well I didn't post last week - party because my laptop was broken :-( and partly because I didn't feel like I'd done much. But, hey ho, here I am again and I've done pretty well this week :-).

I haven't eaten particularly healthily this week - I've been nibbling on lots of chocolate, but I have managed to get to 1 Zumba and 1 yoga class and I'm still losing inches!! I went for the old classic Jamie Oliver fish pie this Sunday - it was a big one, I used extra fish, cheese and potato. Enough for the three of us + 2 adult portions and 3 baby portions - win!!

I also managed to make multiple cakes - yes, multiple cakes!! My first attempt was a peach and walnut cake with ginger icing. It tastes amazing but looks a massive mess!!! Firstly the cake failed to come out of the pan in one piece, so I patched it together and decided to cover the cracks as best I could with he icing. I made the icing according to the recipe - it looked a bit thin so I added more icing sugar, it still looked a bit this but against my better judgement I thought I'd just go with it. My cake now looks like a disaster! Ah well, it still tastes good. I also made some rainbow coconut cupcakes with rainbow marzipan inside and rainbow coconut on top. I have yet to taste these delicacies.

I had such a wonderful weekend that I didn't feel the need to pamper tonight. My baby has learnt to crawl and say Mama - all in one weekend - such a clever boy!! I am, however taking time to write this blog, which is good.

My other major achievement this week is a 78 for my last university assignment!!! Hurrah! - can't believe I managed such a high score!! 2 weeks till my holiday - can't wait!!

Working Mummy

It's hard being a working mum. I've really struggled this week - I've spent most of it either feeling sick, being sick or cleaning up sick!! Mummy, Daddy and baby have all been ill this week and it's all been a bit much to cope with.

The upshot is, this blog post will be a little different to the others. This week there are no cakes, there was no Sunday lunch, there was no exercise and when I was hungry I treated myself to lots of naughty goodies. So everything has slipped this week - but that's ok because it was a hard week, but I got through it and I managed to complete and submit a Uni assignment in the process. So today's post is about understanding and accepting that sometimes just finishing the week smiling and with rainbow nails;

is more than enough of an achievement! Here's hoping for a better week this week :-)

Coq au Vin

Well I've done my second week and I'm knackered. I still have a cold - not sure if I'm on no. 2 or 3 at the moment - and now Evan is ill. Things have been tough this week but I'm still smiling.

On the up-side all this exercise - going to work and walking up and down the rotunda ramp - must be doing me good and I have no time to indulge in chocolaty treats in the week - that helps with the healthy eating plans!!

So I went to Yoga and Zumba this week and after Zumba my feet were killing - all that walking at work on top of a workout nearly killed me!!

With regards baking, I made some classic fairy cake/cupcakes this week;

I also made some mini cakes;

which are awesome!!! and Evan sized!

I also made a coq au vin this week - a classic. I used a recipe from the dairy book of home cookery and it turned out awesome. We didn't try a buy a new food to try this week but we did finally eat the Spicy Okra - it was nice but the Okra was a bit pointy for my liking!!

I've made arrangements for 2 of my dearest friends to come and stay in 2 weeks - I'm so excited, it's so nice to get back in touch with everybody.

I've also managed my pamper night tonight even though Evan has been ill - he actually threw up in his bed - poor little mite :-(

Well here's to better health this week :-)

I did it!!

I have completed my first week back i work and I'm still in one piece - miraculous!!  It's been a hard week with work days starting at 5.45 and not winding down till 11 pm ish, and catching the college cold on my second day back didn't help - but I'm really pleased Evan and I are still smiling!!

I've not managed any exercise this week because I've just been so knackered and full of a cold, but walking up and down the ramp in the rotunda a work is keeping me fit enough - I had aching legs at the end of each day - and I'm so busy I'm snacking a lot less. In addition I weighed myself this week and am now down to 168lbs (12 stone) - hurrah!! - that's pretty much my pre-pregnancy weight!!!

With regards food, I cooked up the finger root in a Thai red curry - I'm not sure what it added as Thai red curry already has strong flavour - but it smelt lovely before I added it - perhaps a more sophisticated palate would be able to tell the difference. I also made a lamb Rogan Josh for Sunday lunch - it was delicious but lacked a little heat - I'll add more chillies next time. That's definitely the most spices I've ever cooked with tough and I'm pleased with how it went. I also used fresh ginger root in the recipe which is a new veg for me.

This weeks cake was a lime and coconut cake; coconut and lime sponge with a lime filling and icing topped with dessicated coconut - yum! This was also a success, in fact there's very litte left. It's a real change to the cakes I've made in previous weeks as it's so light and refreshing.

I also had a play with some melted chocolate today and made hubbie a chocolate robot.

I must say  had a lovely night out with some ladies of Tilstock and surrounding areas last night - a lovely curry and lots of wine.  Best night I've had in ages - although I was rather drunk and then kept hubbie awake all night with my snoring so it wasn't so great for him! 


I finally, I have again gone trough the Sunday pamper routine including the pain of epilation - and I must say after a hard weeks work I do appreciate this more (except the epilation). Anyway, over and out for this week - bring on week 2!!! :-)

pamper

Back to work

So I'm back to work tomorrow after 7 months of glorious maternity leave. I am excited but nervous - fingers crossed it'll all go well.

As for the resolutions I'm still on track. managed to excercise 4 nights this week; Yoga Monday, Zumba Tues and Thurs and post pregnancy DVD Sunday. I do feel a lot fitter than I used to be, and I can touch my toes - something I've not been able to do for a long time! Still eating well. although I must drink more water.

As for the baking, today I made a fruit cake for Easter using my Christmas cake recipe - and I have truly outdone myself. This recipe is always divine, however every time I make it there's a burnt bit - no matter how much I wrap it up - or there's a bit that comes off with the greaseproof paper, but this time the cake was PERFECT!! A beautiful golden brown colour all over with an almost flat top perfect for decorating!! It took 6 hours to bake but was worth the wait. It's wrapped up in foil and doused in brandy ready for Easter - I can't wait to try it!!

With regards cooking, I made a lamb and red wine stew with dumplings today. It went down really well with hubby and baby (who couldn't get enough of it - must be the wine), and I think it turned out well all in all. I have to admit it wasn't my favorite, but I think that's to do with recipe rather than execution.

I didn't get round to cooking the Okra we bought last week until last night. I made spicy Okra to freeze and have with curry at a later date. It smells nice so fingers crossed it should taste nice. This week we've bought fingerroot to try in perhaps a Thai red curry.

I'm not sure what cake I'll be making next week but I fancy doing some icing so maybe some cupcakes so I can play with fancy icing - although a rainbow cake is also tempting...

Managed to have my bath and pamper evening this evening and  have fancy nails;

I have to say epilating gets easier every week. I've even straightened my hair tonight in preparation for work tomorrow.

Finally, I've written letters to some of my friends this week and am in the process of making arrangements to see them which is good - some of my closest friends I haven't seen in over a year.

Well, mine and Evan's bags are packed and by the door. I'm washed, Evan's washed and asleep, the house is tidy and I'm ready to go back to work - wish me luck!!! :-)