Author: Lisa

11 Easter Activities in the South West

Lisa 1 Comment

11 Easter Activities in the South West

It’s Easter Holiday time and definitely time to get out and about with the kids. The weather should be a lot better, although Saturday was definitely a cinema day with torrential rain. Here are 11 Easter Activities in the South West that I’ve found.

Easter Activities in the South West

We have a half work, half time off Easter Holiday’s this year but here are some great ideas to get out and about with the kids in the South West.

Easter Activities in the South West

Egg-citing Easter Dinosaur Egg Hunt 1st – 16th April – Seaton Jurassic.

£1 for a clue sheet – Just complete the trail and claim your prize!

Easter Activities in the South West
Easter Egg Hunt – The Miniature Pony Centre 14th, 16th and 17th April

As well as all the usual fun stuff to do at the pony centre including pony rides, indoor and outdoor play they are holding an Easter Egg Hunt with a fancy dress theme and entertainment from Dan the Hat and Jack’s Zoo.

Easter Activities in the SouthWest

Easter Activities at World of Country Life – 1st – 17th April

There’s loads of stuff going on at the World of Country Life including Easter themed arts and crafts, meet the Easter Bunny, Ferret racing, an Easter Egg Hunt and The Chicken Run (which is a surprise event).

Easter Activities in the South West

Crealy Mega Easter Egg Hunt – 14th – 17th April

Once you’re in, collect you map and go and find the stamps. Find all the stamps and receive 1 of 10000 eggs that they’re giving away!

Easter Activities in the South West

Exeter Racecourse Family Day 11th April

Lots of family fun including meeting Sid and Scrat from Ice Age, Dartmoor Ponies, Children’s races, facepainting, meet the jockeys and lots more.

Easter Activities in the South West

Easter Fun at Pennywell Farm – 15th – 17th April

Join in the Giant Easter Egg Hunt, Egg Rolling, Egg Tossing and guess the weight of the Easter Egg as well as meeting and feeding the animals. If you go on Good Friday before 11am you may be lucky enough to get a free hot cross bun with your cuppa.

Easter Activities in the South West

Easter Egg Trail at Powderham Castle – 14th – 17th April

Join in the Easter Egg trail and receive a chocolaty treat from Chococo!

Various Kids Activities in Exeter City Centre 11th – 14th April 

Join in with Easter Crafts, street food, face painting and balloons at various places including Sidwell Street, McCoys Arcade and Harlequins Shopping Centre. Many of these are FREE as well.

Easter Egg Hunt at Poltimore House – 9th April

Enjoy walking round the grounds, hot cross buns and let the children go and look for the chicken’s and eggs.

Easter Activities in the South WEst

Cadbury’s Easter Egg Hunt at Killerton House – 1st – 20th April

Search the grounds for the eggs and collect your Cadbury treat at the end. Don’t forget to visit the cool bear house!

Easter inspired crafts at Bunyipbeads – 4th – 13th April

Enjoy some Easter inspired decoupage, cross stitch and bracelet making. Booking is required and recommended age group is 6 – 16 years.

Whatever you do make sure that it’s Egg-citing!

Lisa x

Devon Days Out – Killerton National Trust

Lisa 1 Comment

Devon Days Out – Killerton National Trust

Living in the South West we have beautiful surroundings and loads of things to do with the kids.

Since getting our lovely Labradoodle (now 3) a lot of our days out are places that the kids can have fun and the dog gets walked at the same time. We pack the car up with food, drinks, wellies, dog treats and plenty of pooh bags and off we go.

Friends of ours recommended Killerton ages ago but it was only on Bank Holiday Monday that we went for the first time, and it definitely won’t be the last.

Killerton is a National Trust Property with lots to offer.

Killerton National Trust

It was a nice surprise when we arrived that they were hosting the Cadbury’s Easter Egg Hunt. So off we set looking for clues…..

You had to collect letters to make a word at the end to claim your Chocolate prize.

Amazing Outdoor Space

There are parts where the dog wasn’t allowed so Daddy did a bit of walking whilst we carried on the hunt and came across the Bear Hut where a real bear was kept by the family in the 19th century. The picture on the right was the walls and the ceiling inside the hut.

The whole place was beautiful with lots of places for Isabelle to stretch her legs and climb on.

We didn’t venture inside the house as we had Charlie, so we’ll have to make a trip back without him so we can have a look around and stay for tea and cake.

After hiding under a tree during a huge downpour with hailstone we found this low rainbow in font of the chapel.

All in all it was a great day and we’ll be going back again soon.

 

 

5 Ways to Make Some Extra Money in 2017

Lisa

5 Ways to Make Some Extra Money in 2017

Whether you spent way too much at Christmas or your New Year’s resolution is to be more sensible with your finances, making some extra money wherever possible will be extremely beneficial. 5 Ways to Makes Some Extra Money in 2017 is a sponsored post. 

Not everyone is lucky enough to bring in a monthly salary that allows them to live a care-free life, so saving and finding ways to profit by other means is an ideal way to stay financially afloat in 2017.

5 Ways To Make Money in 2017

 

You may be surprised to find that there are many ways of making some extra cash here and there — some of which are already right under your nose. From renting rooms and parking spaces to selling jewellery for cash, let’s take a look at five ways for you to earn some extra money this year.

  1. Sell Your Junk via Online Marketplaces

If you’re someone who tends to be a little bit rubbish at throwing things away — which, let’s face it, most of us are — you could be making a decent profit from old things you have no use for. Online marketplaces like eBay and Gumtree are an absolute goldmine to find some cheap deals, and therefore as a seller, items you have in good enough condition to sell will be worth something to someone.

While you may not make a fortune from each item individually, you’ll soon accumulate a tidy sum if you manage to sell enough of your old stuff. Anything that you own and no longer have a use for is worth putting up for sale online. You never know who’s out there looking for some cheap furniture for their new flat, or for some reason have taken a shine to the cuckoo clock that you received from a barmy relative.

  1. Recycle Old Mobile Phones

A new model of iPhone and various Androids are released every year, and many people feel the need to have the new model as soon as it comes out, leaving behind a large number of relatively new phones that become unused. If you are one of these people and you’ve struggled to sell your old phone or haven’t bothered to sell it at all, you should think about recycling it.

There are a bunch of sites that offer cash for old mobiles, and if you have a fairly recent model to trade in, you could come away with £200-£300. That type of money would go a long way to paying off monthly bills or be a nice little addition to your savings.

  1. Sell Old Jewellery

Jewellery is one of those belongings that people seem to hoard, often without even realising how big their stash has become. Selling jewellery can be a tricky task, as without a proper appraisal, you’ll be unsure whether you’re getting a good deal or not. This could well be the reason why your pile of treasures has continued to grow.

If you’re selling jewellery and are looking for a way to get them appraised before money changes hands, seeking out a cash for gold company is a good way to have a precious metals expert take a look at what you’ve got and give you a quote. It’s worth doing a bit of homework, because the higher-quality companies have a price match scheme and will match any company that offers you more.

Postal gold services are a really great way of selling jewellery for cash, especially if you don’t have much time on your hands and want a quick and easy process. They’ll send you an insured, first-class envelope, so all you have to do is put your items in and send it off. You’ll usually get a quote within 24 hours. Simple!

  1. Rent Out Your Parking Space

A lot of houses and flats these days will come with an assigned parking space, but many of these spaces remain unused by people who don’t drive or do not own a car. If this is the case and you live in a city where parking is expensive or scarce, renting out your parking space could prove to be a straightforward and efficient way of making money.

If you live in a big city like London, people will be coming far and wide for all different reasons. One prime example is football fans heading to the city to watch a game. They will have already spent a hefty amount on tickets, fuel and potentially overnight accommodation, so a cheap parking space in the city would be an ideal way to save money.

  1. Rent Out a Spare Room/Airbnb

If you have a spare bedroom that currently has the purpose of being a dumping ground for old junk, a walk-in wardrobe, or makeshift man cave, you’re wasting an opportunity to gain a bit of extra income.

Having a clear-out and putting together a basic spare bedroom won’t cost you much at all, and the potential it will then have to bring in a hefty sum while charging rent is too good to pass up.

Another option is Airbnb, a site that allows you to rent out your living space to people who are planning a visit to your town or city. This can be especially profitable if you happen to live in an area that’s more popular with tourists — and you can even rent out your garden or nearby land for campers to pitch their tents.

Although money isn’t the be all and end all of life, if you ask a room full of people who would like to be earning more money, you would get a room full of raised hands. Finding ways to make some extra cash, whether it’s through selling jewellery and old belongings or renting out a living space, will prove to be extremely useful for relieving some of the stress of bills or other future endeavours.

Lisa

www.babynotincluded.co.uk 

Mila & Pheebs Stationery and Activity Kids Subscription Box

Lisa 2 Comments

Mila & Pheebs Stationery and Activity Kids Subscription Box

One of the things that Isabelle and I like to do together is arts and crafts. There isn’t a day that goes by without Isabelle drawing a picture, colouring, or making something.

Arts and crafts is our go-to thing to do when we haven’t got anything planned or it’s pouring down with rain.

Mila & Pheebs Stationery & Activity Box Review

Mila & Pheebs Stationery and Activity Kids Box

Isabelle has inherited my love of stationery, and like me loves pens, notebooks, folders, clipboards and little pots of paperclips that we may never use.

When we were asked to review a Mila & Pheebs Stationery and Activity box we were very excited.

You can subscribe to Mila & Pheebs so that each month your child gets a surprise themed box through the post addressed to themselves with lots of lovely goodies inside. Even better, the box fits through the letterbox so there’s no chance of missing the postie and having to collect it from somewhere.

One of the other things that Isabelle is obsessed with at the moment is kids Youtube videos. She usually watches surprise boxes being opened which are mostly American Girls opening ‘blind bags’ which contain all kinds of Disney Princesses, Shopkins, or other such things.

Recently she’s started to talk in an American accent, and I’ve caught her loads of times pretending to make her own videos so I thought I’d give her a chance to have her 15 minutes of fave and let her introduce what came in the Mila & Pheebs box so over to Belle!

I’m a huge fan of kits like this which can easily be packed away to do on a journey, taken to Grandparent’s house or brought out for rainy days.

Each box is packed full of all you would need to complete the task and has several different things in the box to do.

We got:

  • A pencil with a donkey rubber topper
  • A really cute cow rubber which comes apart (including detachable nose)
  • Colouring-in sheets
  • A horse hand puppet kit
  • Animal shaped crayons (Isabelle called these rubbers in the video)
  • Farm Animal foam stickers
  • A maze and wordsearch sheet
  • A piggy notepad with pigs to colour in
  • Plain cards and envelopes
  • Sheep decoration kit
  • A felt chicken paperclip (might have pinched that)
  • Glittery farm animal stickers

So as you can see, you get a lot for your money.

Mila and Pheebs Review

You can subscribe to the boxes which you will receive each month, and each month has a different theme. You can also unsubscribe at any time for times when you may be away. There is also an option to buy a one off which would make a lovely gift.

We had great fun making the horse which we did on a day after school when the weather was a bit pants and Isabelle fancied something fun to do. I was quite intrigued watching her with her concentration face on, determined to do the sewing part from beginning to end.

Mila and Pheebs Review

 

Mila and Pheebs Review

The Mila & Pheebs Stationery and Activity Box gets the thumbs up from us!

Lisa x

*We were sent a Mila & Pheebs Stationery and Activity box free of charge for the purpose of review. All thoughts and opinions are 80% Isabelle’s and 20% mine.

Breakfast Mash-up

Lisa

Breakfast Mash-up

It’s that time of the month when the big shop is due so all you’ve got left is odds and ends. This is the time when having a kitchen know-it-all comes in handy and makes a Breakfast Mash-up.

I look in the fridge and see nothing.

Chris looks in the fridge and then hey presto we’re eating something scrummy and he’s basking in his culinary expertise.

Looks pretty good, doesn’t it!

Breakfast Mash-up

 

This is what he used:

  • Chorizo cut into small pieces
  • 4 New potatoes cut into small pieces
  • A pack of bacon lardons
  • 1 Tin of Baked Beans
  • 1 Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
  • 1 Clove of Garlic, chopped
  • 4 Spring Onions (sliced, separating the white from the green)
  • 5 Eggs
  • 2 Teaspoons Smoked Paprika
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Oregano
  • Thyme
  • Barbeque Sauce

Cook the bacon lardons in a frying pan (no oil needed) and set to one side.

In the same pan cook the chorizo and then put to the side with the bacon lardons.

Add to the pan the cubed new potatoes, garlic with a sprinkle of thyme and salt and pepper. Once fried off remove from the pan with the rest of the cooked bits.

Breakfast Mash-up

Put the white spring onion, tomatoes, and the baked beans into the pan and heat through. Season to taste.

Breakfast Mash-up

Add in the paprika, a squirt of barbeque sauce, and a sprinkle of oregano.

Add in all the cooked items and keep on the hob for a few minutes, mixing through.

Put in a large ovenproof dish and make some wells where you will crack in the eggs and add the green of the spring onion.

Crack the eggs and season again (I know).

Bake in the oven for about 15 – 20 minutes or until the eggs are cooked.

Breakfast Mash-up

We served ours with hash browns and mushrooms.

It was totally scrummy!

Lisa x

If you like what you see then check out our other Family Recipes.

*This post may contain affiliate links which means that I receive a small payment should you click the link and make a purchase at no extra cost to yourself.

It’s the End of the Road!

Lisa 6 Comments

It’s the End of the Road!

Many of you will know that alongside the blog I run an online shop selling Funky Baby Clothes and now it’s the End of the Road.

My journey started in May 2007 so very nearly ten years ago.

I started with £250 in my business account, set up my very first make yourself website, and secured my first wholesaler.

And waited for the magic to happen.

www.babynotincluded.co.uk

 

Waited for the millions of customers to come flooding my way to buy my carefully selected items.

Haha, how green was I thinking that it was that simple.

I joined my first forum www.mumsclub.co.uk and virtually mingled with like-minded people and gained much insight into the online buying/selling world.

It’s far from being an easy option, but the online community and the support that came with it kept my passion alive.

Each customer that bought from me and sent messages about the items that they bought from me gave me ever growing confidence.

I’m far from being a natural saleswoman but I loved the items that I sold and carefully selected items that I would buy and dress my own children in, making sure that it was good quality and practical for dressing a new baby in.

Over the years I’ve attended shows and local markets to which Chris has chauffeured me to. I would say ungrumbling but there was lots of grumbling.

I’ve made mistakes aplenty but I enjoyed what I did.

It never felt like work.

After lots of thinking time I’ve decided to close the doors on the online shop, but it’s not goodbye.

This blog which was originally started to complement and boost traffic to my website has become the thing that I love.

Sharing the crafts and cooking that I do at home as well as the days out in the South West is what I like to do.

I knew it was the right decision to close the shop when it started to get in the way of my blogging and the traffic started to plummet as I wasn’t really paying attention anymore.

To all of you that have bought from me over the years, I would like to say a mahoosive Thank You and hope that you stick with me on my blogging journey.

Keep an eye on the Facebook Page as I will be starting a Closing Down Sale so there will be lots of bargains to be had.

I feel sad but excited about what will come next.

Lisa x

www.babynotincluded.co.uk

 

#whatwedidthisweek 06.03.17

Lisa

#whatwedidthisweek 06.03.17

#whatwedidthisweek – Monday we went for a haircut and Isabelle was really annoyed that they wouldn’t wash her hair as she was too small for them to use the basin. It wasn’t particularly relaxing as Isabelle took off her shoes and gave us her best dance routine. Thankfully we were the only ones in the salon so she didn’t spoil anybody but my relaxing experience.

I’ll skip past Tuesday as there was nothing to report.

Wednesday Isabelle lost one of her bottom teeth so she neatly folded it inside a piece of tissue and put it under the pillow for the Tooth Fairy.

An Evening with the Unmumsy Mum

That evening I went to the Unmumsy Mum book launch at the Puerto Lounge in Exeter. On the way there I had to dash to the cashpoint so Chris pulled up outside Tesco’s and I jumped out to get some money. The cashpoint was broken so I quickly dashed back to the car, only to find that there was a tray of biscuits on my seat and a woman staring at me looking completely horrified. Chris honking the horn of our car, the car behind brought me back to reality. I apologised to the woman profusely who looked at me as though I was attempting to carjack her and sheepishly made my way back to OUR car. Oops.

The book launch – It was held at the Puerto Lounge which has only just recently opened and was packed with women all waiting to chat to Sarah, the Unmumsy Mum. Sarah sat and chatted about her book unphased by the many questions that were asked of her. She’s refreshingly down to earth and in her own words has no ‘filter’ when it comes to talking about the reality of being a parent. It was a fab night. I even got my book signed!

Looking at Colleges with the Eldest

Ryan and I went to a college open event to look at apprenticeship options. He wants to do a carpentry apprenticeship and the information and the feedback from the people that we spoke to were really positive, so it looks like I’m going to have a Carpenter for a son. At last, there’ll be a man about the house that will be able to put up a shelf or other DIY-type jobs.

I feel like a proper grown-up when I do mothery things like college visits.

A Visit from the Tooth Fairy

Unfortunately, the naughty Tooth Fairy forgot to visit and so Thursday morning I found a tearful Isabelle clutching her tissue with her tooth still inside so I had to promise to help her make a Tooth Fairy sign when I got home from work so that she wouldn’t forget again.

We put up this lovely glitter picture for the Tooth Fairy so that she would not forget to visit.

The Tooth Fairy came! Phew, that was a close one.

It was my nephew’s birthday on Friday so we went for the usual family gathering at their house. I won’t post a picture as he’s 17 so it would be totally not cool to do that.

Saturday Isabelle went to a birthday party in the afternoon. I usually have to stay for all of this kind of things including classes and play dates, but this time around she didn’t want me to stay and in fact told me to get off the dance floor as I was embarrassing her. Hmph!

Saturday night we went out to surprise my sister on her 40th birthday. It was a lovely night with family and friends. Here are my mum and stepdad attempting a dab!

Sunday was spent at The Range buying housie stuff to sort and tidy Isabelle’s room. It’s amazing how much crap stuff you can fit in one room!

#whatwedidthisweek – That was our week. What did you get up to?

Lisa x

*This post may contain affiliate links which means that I receive a small payment should you click the link and make a purchase at no extra cost to yourself.

#whatwedidthisweek 27.02.17

Lisa

#whatwedidthisweek 27.02.17

#whatwedidthisweek – This week has been a really tough week.

This week has been one of those weeks where I’ve regretted my decision to work full-time. It’s only a temporary measure and ends in the middle of July, but at the moment I’m so tired that I wish I could fast-forward to July.

It’s also frustrating as I’d much rather be here blogging my butt off but hey we all have bills to pay.

So Pancake Day we had normal pancakes with sugar and lemon (the kids had fruit as well).

We seem to be ending our days at the moment by putting on music and having a bit of a boogey before winding down with a game of some sort. We have a version of headbands, but the one we have has glasses that you attach the cards to and each person has to guess what animal or person they have. It’s my least favourite game of Isabelle’s as she cheats something chronic. We have coloured glass doors on one of our units so she either looks in glass on the unit or looks at her reflection in the TV and then pretends (badly) that she doesn’t know who her character is and strings it out for ages. I’ve hidden this game away for the time being as one day it will be quite fun.

Rubbish Weather

The weather has been pretty pants this week with lots of rain and wind.

My biggest is going to turn eighteen next month.

Eighteen years old!

I thought looking after a baby was difficult, but sorry to say it but having a teenager is way harder. All those hormones and teenage mood swings.

World Book Day

It was World Book Day on Thursday and having just watched Alice Through the Looking Glass we thought Isabelle would like to dress up as Alice. However, she opted for the Queen of Hearts so she could say ‘Awf with her head!!’.

Whatwedidthisweek

Saturday was Rainbows morning which wasn’t as fun as she thought it was going to be.  Her friend wasn’t there so she was a bit reluctant to stay. We should have made the most of having daddy home with us this weekend, but as I’ve been so tired and achy I’ve been a bit of a hermit this weekend.

Getting Outdoors

We did get out with the dog today and Isabelle had a really good time jumping in all of the puddles. Charlie (the dog) didn’t look too thrilled as he’s a bit of a wuss when it comes to water.

#whatwedidthisweek

Isabelle was soaked inside her wellies and everything but she had a good time, and they will dry.

#whatwedidthisweek – What did you do this week?

Lisa x

Bespoke Children’s Illustrations from Scarlett, Tulip & Co

Lisa 3 Comments

Bespoke Children’s Illustrations from Scarlett, Tulip & Co.

Bespoke Children’s Illustrations from Scarlett, Tulip & Co. It was only the other day whilst attempting a bit of decluttering that I wondered what I could or would do with the ever-growing masses of drawings and artwork that Isabelle produces. She draws every single day, and I’m completely loathed to throw them away, especially now that she puts so much detail into them.

Scarlett Tulip and Co

Mermaids are the thing that she’s drawing at the moment, with lovely long tails with amazingly detailed scales and big booby shells!

Anyway, the purpose of the post is to highlight this amazing new business that was featured in our local paper where local Artist, Sim Dagger inspired by daughter Scarlett recreates your child’s drawings into a bespoke watercolour painting or pen and ink drawing which can be treasured forever. I think you’ll agree that these are pretty special.

bespoke_children's_illustrations

Over to Sim, Helen, and Scarlett……

Who are you and where can we find you? 

Hello, We are Scarlett, Tulip & Co, a small family business based in Exeter run by Sim Dagger, an Illustrator and Graphic Designer, and his partner Helen Kidney. They are joined on board by Scarlett-Ivy their 5-year-old daughter and Tulip the family cat.  You can find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/scarletttulipandco/  and on Instagram @scarlett_and_co  or by emailing us at scarlett@simdagger.co.uk

bespoke_children's_illustrations

What gave you the inspiration to start your business? 

Sim came up with the idea one day when he found a monster drawing that Scarlett had created in one of his sketchbooks,  he decided to draw his version of her monster next to it.  He didn’t think too much about it but when he showed it to Scarlett she was so excited by it, he decided to share it on his FB and IG accounts.  People loved the idea and asked if he could do some for their children.  He offered a few to Scarlett’s friends and shared these on FB again the children and parents were so excited by this we decided to set up a business offering this service.  

We called it Scarlett, Tulip & Co as a thanks to Scarlett for inspiring us, and she thought it would be a great idea to include her pet cat Tulip in the name too.  Sim and I are the Co J.

bespoke_children's_illustrations

 When did you start the business? 

We are a very young business, We started the business on the 12th January this year, Sim has been an illustrator and a designer for over 10 years and has a particular interest in children’s illustration and design.

Bespoke Children's Illustrations

What do you offer?

We offer families a chance to turn a favourite piece of their children’s artwork into a treasured piece of art that can be kept forever.  

We create gorgeous bespoke artwork for families to keep forever based on their children’s drawings.  We create “one-off” watercolour paintings and pen and ink drawings that are supplied professionally mounted and framed in a choice of wooden frames.  We also offer an unframed option for those who wish to frame the artwork themselves.  

We take a child’s picture and Sim reimagines them using watercolour paints or simple pen and inks to give them his own twist, whilst ensuring that the artwork still retains the childlike essence of the original picture.  We explain it as not being an attempt to improve the already talented artwork a child has created; it’s a collaboration between the unfiltered creativity of the child’s mind and then reimagined in the equally childlike mind of the illustrator. Sim begins by sketching his imaginations, and sends photographs of the process at each stage to ensure people are happy with the direction of the artwork, when he has approval from the family, he adds the paints and inks to complete the painting or drawing. 

We can work with any image, from any age, our youngest artist so far was 2 years old, and we have created a vast range of paintings and drawings so far, including a dinosaur world, fairyland, a maniacal princess, family portraits, and even a zombie with fire coming out of his head.  One painting had a more poignant reason behind it such as a drawing a boy did of his granny who had just passed away.  

We can also create bespoke artworks as presents for children based on their interests. For example, we created an illustration of a car for a little boy who loved cars, Sim was able to add a picture of the little boy driving the car, personalising it by adding his initials to the number plate.  If you have an idea get in touch and we can chat about what we could create for you!

Bespoke Children's Illustrations

As you can see, they are pretty amazing.

I may have to choose one of Isabelle’s mermaids to be painted for our Family Wall.

If you would like to find out more or book to create your own Bespoke Children’s Illustrations you can visit Scarlett, Tulip & Co through their Facebook Page and follow them on Instagram.

Lisa x

#whatwedidthisweek 20.02.17

Lisa

#whatwedidthisweek – 20.02.17

#whatwedidthisweek – Monday was my first day back at work having had the half-term holiday off with the kids. It was a bit of a shock when the alarm went off as I always sleep really badly the night before I go back to work. The day just went downhill from there as my computer didn’t work (a bit of swapsies went down in my absence) so a few cups of tea later and a bit of a catch-up and it was time to leave. Phew!

See you on Wednesday (impromptu day off on Tuesday).

Tuesday was my birthday and I was hoping to keep quiet but my not-best mate, Facebook blabbed about it to everyone! Anyway, I had the day off and did some work in the morning (my choice) and then Chris took me for a lovely lunch at Five Guys.

A table with Burgers from five guys and a beer

The burgers were enormous and the cajun fries were moreish. There was no attractive way to eat the burgers as they were so big that you could hardly get your chops around it to take a bite. I would definitely never recommend it for a first date situation. We even had a weekday daytime beer to wash it down.

The rest of the day was a flurry of people and lovely presents including The Unmumsy Mum Diary which I’ve just started reading and I’ve bought a ticket to a Night Out with the Unmumsy Mum at the Puerto Lounge, Exeter. We then might have popped into the local pub for a couple of drinks (on a school night).

It was a lovely day even though I would have loved to have stuck my head under the pillow with a giant bag of Monster Munch.

I took part in a Twitter chat and won some beauty goodies which came in the post. I love getting things in the post even when I’ve ordered them and I know what’s inside. I like to shake it and prod it to guess what’s inside!!

On Saturday Isabelle went to Rainbows and got a badge for World Thinking Day. Apparently, this means that she’s good at thinking. Haha!

Isabelle’s friend came back with us afterward so it was a great opportunity to try out Pancake Kebab Recipe. These were really easy to make and you can just give the pancakes and a selection of fruit to the kids to construct. They both really enjoyed them, and even better you can batch make them and freeze them for future yummy breakfasts.

A picture of a pancake kebab with kiwi, strawberry and banana topped with maple syrup

Saturday night was watched Bad Neighbours 2 which wasn’t as good as the first one, but still worth a watch.

Sunday we started off the day with American Pancakes with Crispy Bacon and Maple syrup. I’ve never tried it before and it was a bit strange with the sweet and salty mix, but I kinda liked it. The afternoon was a trip to the pitch to watch Ryan in all his glory. It’s been a while since I watched one of his games as now that he’s nearly eighteen, it’s just not the same. It’s way more aggressive and the language and there are only so many times that I can put my hands over Isabelle’s ears to block out the F’s and C words being flung around.

A plate with American Pancakes topped with bacon and maple syrup

We finished off the day with a roastie. It’s been a while since we had a roast and it was absolutely delish.

#whatwedidthisweek – How was your week?

*This post may contain affiliate links which means that I receive a small payment should you click the link and make a purchase at no extra cost to yourself.