Little Wins This Week #12

Little Wins This Week is about remembering that little things add up to make a big difference. It is about counting small blessings, however insignificant they may seem. Little Wins is about being mindful, staying positive and making each day count.

Little Wins took a break last week because we were away enjoying a well-deserved break at Center Parcs. We went to the one in Sherwood Forest this time and no, I will not be blogging about ways to save money on your Center Parcs break.

Win Tickets to The Jungle Book Live!

The Jungle Book Live is on tour and will be visiting The Lowry, Salford Quays, Manchester from 2^nd to 6^th May. Rudyard Kipling’s endearing tale about the human child brought up by a pack of wolves, reared as one of their own, and his journey of discovery, has been a firm family favourite through the ages.

Children’s Touring Partnership and Royal & Derngate, Northampton bring us a brand new adaptation, complete with a new score and script. The show is suitable for ages 6 years and above.

Fun Science - Chromatography for Kids

It pains me to say that I learned science the tedious way – by sitting in a classroom and learning by rote. Science is best learned by doing – simple, everyday items can be put together to explain a concept. Science experiments can be messy but importantly, they make science interesting and a lot of fun.

Most kids enjoy mixing colours. Have you ever wondered about separating colours? Well now you can.

Here is a simple experiment kids can do to get a hands-on experience of chromatography - the science of separating colours.

Little Wins This Week #11

Little Wins This Week is about remembering that little things add up to make a big difference. It is about counting small blessings, however insignificant they may seem. Little Wins is about being mindful, staying positive and making each day count.

5 Habits Guaranteed to Save You Money

Saving money does not have to be about penny pinching. There are bargains to be had once you know where to look. That, and a few smart changes in the way you do everyday things can make a big difference to your budget in the long run.

Here are 5 habits that are guaranteed to save you money.

Ways to Make your Garden Child Friendly

As we finally say goodbye to the snow, our attention turns to summer and the most important area of the home in this glorious season, the garden. Making the area child friendly is really important especially when our little ones are very inquisitive and tend to pick up every little thing. Here are my top tips for creating a child friendly garden.

How to Crochet Squeek the Mouse - Free Pattern included

Amigurumi is the art of crocheting cute, small animals. If this is your first time crocheting little animals, or your first time doing crochet, here is a fun and easy free pattern to crochet Squeek the Mouse.

Bridget Jones and The Handmaid's Tale - A Comparative Book Review

Two books, two female protagonists in two vastly different settings. Yet, with more similarities than differences.

I read a couple of books over the last few days which have really stayed with me. The first one was The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Some of you may remember this from a recent Channel 4 drama adaptation by the same name. The second book was Helen Fielding‘s last Bridget Jones offering. Mad AboutThe Boy saw Bridget in the role of a mother.

Little Wins This Week #10

Little Wins This Week is about remembering that little things add up to make a big difference. It is about counting small blessings, however insignificant they may seem. Little Wins is about being mindful, staying positive and making each day count.

Please feel free to write about your Little Wins and tag me so I can come along and have a read.

Travelling Abroad When Pregnant: How to Make it Special

Although travelling abroad on holiday when pregnant may seem like a bad idea, it can actually be really good and relaxing – so long as you do it properly. Be sure to keep these tips in mind in order to make your pregnant travels extra special.

4 Steps to a Successful Blog in the Face of Changing Social Media Algorithms

So who else has had enough of changing algorithms across social media?

It started with Instagram getting rid of the chronological feed a while ago. Rumour has it they are all set to bring it back. YouTube ruffled a lot of feathers, mine included, when they announced their demonetisation ploy earlier this year. Facebook has left me befuddled on more than one occasion, and any attempt to decode its mystery has been thwarted by frequent algorithm changes. Twitter have now followed suit with restrictions on recurring tweets, links and photos.

I think I speak for a lot of bloggers when I say I have had enough of living by the vagaries of social networks. 

The social networks are within their rights to implement any changes they deem necessary. But as a blogger, I find it annoying, irrational and increasingly irreverent. It is one thing to adapt to changing algorithms, quite another to change your entire blogging etiquette in the pursuit of social media prowess and expanding readership.

If this resonates with you, read on. 

I am about to reveal a 4 step strategy to successful blogging that circumvents the problem of changing algorithms and increasing reliance on social channels. 

This is even more imperative, given the recent privacy scandal dogging Facebook.

Little Wins This Week #9

Little Wins This Week took a break last week. There were lots of little moments that I could have written about but couldn’t be bothered to. This is something that I am going to have to work on diligently. Procrastination is getting me nowhere. I think of lots of things that I want to write about but when it actually comes down to putting those ideas into words, I seem to lose the plot.

Regular readers of the blog may have noticed (if indeed I have any regularly readers) that I have not posted anything lately. My son was poorly and I was feeling stressed. He is much better now, as am I. So here we go again.

Click the photo for the Chocolate Cake recipe

New! Dinosaurs by Schleich

Schleich have added a fantastic new range to their collection of animal figurines. We now have a brand new lot of Schleich dinosaurs as part of their ‘Conquering The Earth’ range.

Fine Green Beans in a Dry Curry

I said I would share easy and delicious Indian curry recipes, and that’s precisely what I am here to do. This recipe uses fine green beans and transforms them into a dry curry while still retaining their bite, crunch and flavour. Serve this as a classic curry or spice up a more traditional meat dish with these curried beans on the side. No matter what you serve these with, one thing is certain. Once you have tried and tasted this beans curry, you will never want to eat green beans any other way!

New! Cheatwell Squeeze Poppers Review and Giveaway

If you are new to the Cheatwell Squeeze Poppers, they are, in effect, foam ball firers. They are available in an assortment of shapes, colours and sizes. The basic principle however, remains unchanged. Each Squeeze Popper is a fun, attractive, hollow ball holder. Pop a foam ball into their hollows, give their middles a firm squeeze and watch as the ball is propelled several feet into the air. A bit of science underlies the Squeeze Popper craze. Increasing air pressure in a small enclosed space launches the foam ball projectiles.

Extra Bright Name A Star - Review and Giveaway

The Star Name Registry is a commercial star naming registry where you can name a star for that special someone. They offer lots of different packages to suit different budgets and styles.

Little Wins This Week #8

Little Wins This Week is about remembering that little things add up to make a big difference. It is about counting small blessings, however insignificant they may seem. Little Wins is about being mindful, staying positive and making each day count.

The ‘Beast from the East’ brought a lot of snow and freezing temperatures. All that cold seems to have given me brain freeze and a whole week has gone by with me doing next to nothing. I have not blogged, exercised or cooked. And yet, this week saw a real breakthrough that means more than any of these and counts as a big win.

Little Wins This Week #7

Little Wins This Week is about remembering that little things add up to make a big difference. It is about counting small blessings, however insignificant they may seem. Little Wins is about being mindful, staying positive and making each day count.

I need to recount my little wins this week more than any other as it has been a week of few ups and many downs. So it is imperative that I focus on the few ups, the little wins I had this week.

Green Activities To Fit Into Your Every Day

We are nearly at breaking point when it comes to overt consumerism causing irreversible damage to our environment. Our planet can only take so much before it collapses under the weight of our materialistic needs.

All is not lost, yet. We can make a real difference and all it will take is for each one of us to make little changes to the way we live. Here are a few green ideas to fit into your everyday.

Methi Mutter Malai - Fenugreek Peas Curry in a Cream Sauce

Here is a recipe that is ubiquitous on the menus of most restaurants around the Indian subcontinent but nay impossible to find in your average ‘Indian’ takeaway here in the UK. It combines the fragrant bitterness of fenugreek (methi) leaves with the sweetness of green peas (mutter) and serves them up in a rich, creamy (malai) explosion of green and white.

New! Wild Animals by Schleich

What Lego is to brick building, Schleich is to play figurines. The name is synonymous with excellent quality and attention to detail. You can keep adding to your collection one figure at a time till you have an entire set to play with. And no matter how many you have, there is always room for another Schleich animal in the toy box.

How We Fared at the Young Driver Firefly Session

“That’s beautiful!” enthused my then 3 year old son, looking at the machinery under our car’s bonnet. M was checking the oil level and J just happened to be there.

J is nearly seven and is just as fascinated by cars now as he was four years ago. He is morphing into a somewhat capable backseat driver, much to the chagrin of his parents.

You can imagine his delight when I told him about Young Driver – a system of driving lessons for 10 to 17 year olds. Now J is not old enough or tall enough to qualify for these, but Young Driver also offer car driving sessions for 5 to 10 year olds where children get to drive what are called ‘Firefly’ cars.

Little Wins This Week #6

Laughter, chaos and a house full of happy children. I wish I could bottle the joy that pervaded the house and treasure it for posterity. The least I can do is document these delightful days in words and cherish their memory for eternity.

Dove Stone Reservoir (Oldham, UK) - Winter Ramble

We live in a part of the country where snow invariably falls as rain. So imagine our surprise when we woke up to more than a light dusting of snow. A quick look at the weather forecast revealed a day of glorious sunshine. So we decided to wrap warm and head out on a winter ramble.

The idea was to go somewhere that promised lots of snow and spectacular vistas. M decided that the Dove Stone Reservoir in Saddleworth, on the northern fringes of the Peak District National Park, was a good location for our first family winter ramble.

Win! Rubik's 2x2 Cube

Following on from the Rubik’s Pet Puzzles for little ones and the more traditional Rubik’s 3x3 cube, I now bring you the brilliant Rubik’s 2x2 cube. It has got fewer rows and columns, well, 1 less all around as compared to the 3x3. It has a sleek and smooth design. The new mechanics make it easy and fast to manoeuvre. Gone are the old sticky labels. Instead, you have sonic plastic coloured tiles, meaning there is no scope for cheating!

Little Wins This Week #5

I started blogging about my Little Wins This Week in the hope that it will help me shift focus from the misery and dissatisfaction to the things that really matter. I hoped it would help realign my thoughts when I am emotionally labile, stressed, upset and unable to focus on the happy.

And you know what. It is working.

How to Win at Housekeeping

It’s never easy managing a household on a budget, no matter what size. There are always new challenges that keep cropping up as well as the usual old nuisances like leaky pipes and draughty windows that are a source of bother.

Not everything about housekeeping needs to be stressful and a drain on your finances.

Here are simple things you can do and changes you can make to win at housekeeping.

Mid-Week Meal Plan #4

My mid-week meal plans seem to work best on weekdays. Take last week, for instance. I resolutely stuck to the meal plan through the week leading up to Saturday. The weekend was another story. We went out, met up with friends and ended up eating delicious pizza on Saturday and dosas on Sunday.

Eccentric and Crazy Ways to Heat Your Home

Most of us worry about the expense of keeping our homes warm especially over winter. The days are getting longer and the sunshine is a bit warmer, but we’re not out of the woods just yet.

How I Hacked the BritMums Rustlers Burger Hacking Challenge

I have said it before and I will say it again. I am all about eating delicious food without the trauma associated with intensive cooking. Shortcuts are absolutely allowed if it means I can serve a healthy, balanced but scrumptious family meal in minutes. So when BritMums challenged us to the Rustlers Burger Hacking Challenge, it sounded just the sort of thing for me. If I can serve the perfect weekend family meal without spending all day in the kitchen, it has to count as a win.

Little Wins This Week #4

Little Wins This Week is about remembering that little things add up to make a big difference. It is about counting small blessings, however insignificant they may seem. Little Wins is about being mindful, staying positive and making each day count.

I have decided to blog about my Little Wins as I believe putting it down in words will consolidate the good. I will do this every week on a Sunday, recounting all the little things that mattered to me that week. The focus will be on staying upbeat and looking for that silver lining even to the darkest of clouds.

Please feel free to write about your Little Wins and tag me so I can come along and have a read.

Indian Cooking Made Easy - Simple Recipes to Make at Home

Who here loves eating a good Indian curry but is filled with dread at the prospect of cooking one from scratch? Me. And I am of Indian origin!

Some people are born to cook delicious food. Others develop the skill out of passion. And then there are those like me who learn to cook out of necessity than for the love of the process.

Mid-Week Meal Plan #3

It has been a crazy old week, with ill-health and leftovers being the order of the day.

The mid-week plan started off well. As expected, the stir-fried curly kale went down a treat with everyone going back for seconds. There were no leftovers.

In Search of the Winter Sun in Belize

With the February half-term holidays looming and Manchester still firmly in the grip of winter, can you blame me for dreaming of a luxury holiday in the winter sun? It would be marvellous to pack my bags and jet off to somewhere warm for some much needed rest and recreation. The sunny beaches of the Caribbean look particularly inviting at this time of year. Beautiful Belize, with its rich cultural heritage, abundant variety of flora and fauna and alluring azure waters would make the ideal getaway.

Stir-fried Curly Kale Tempered with Ivory White Lentils (Urad Dal)

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of curly kale? It’s probably something along the lines of insipid and unappetizing. Think again.

Curly kale is packed full of fibre, vitamins and nutrients. It is low in calories and has zero salt. Once cooked, it is a powerhouse of iron. It deserves more respect than it is generally accorded.

Still not convinced? How about if I say healthy does not have to be tasteless. And that curly kale can be made into a delicious curry.

Little Wins This Week #3

Little Wins This Week is about remembering that little things add up to make a big difference. It is about counting small blessings, however insignificant they may seem. Little Wins is about being mindful, staying positive and making each day count.

Love or Lust - Can Valentine's Day Rekindle That Spark?

Valentine’s Day – Bah! Humbug

So who else has had enough of all that lovey-dovey sweetness that goes with Valentine’s Day? I most certainly am past all the saccharine sugariness.

Why you need a specially designated day to celebrate love is simply beyond me. It is okay when you are younger and have stars in your eyes and dreams of romance. Come the thirties, reality bites and love becomes more about working on your relationship, whether as a partner, fiancé or spouse.

Mid-Week Meal Plan #2

So how did my first week of meal planning go? Not too bad, if I am being completely honest.

It all started off well with me making paneer parathas and stir-fried chicken noodles as per my mid-week schedule. I swapped the weekend menu around a bit, making the mushroom peas masala on Saturday and the veg chilli on Sunday. I overestimated my chilli ingredients, meaning we had left-overs on Monday.

Fantastic Beasts by J.K.Rowling (Book Review)

It is a bit late in the day to be writing this review, given that the book was published over a decade ago. But seen as writing regular book reviews on my blog is one of the things I plan to do in 2018, I am going ahead with this anyway.

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them is written by J.K.Rowling, an author who needs no introduction unless you have been living in an alternate universe for the last 20 odd years. In that case, she is the author of the Harry Potter books and is single-handedly responsible for making reading fashionable again. Fantastic Beasts was written in aid of charity and is a spin-off from the Harry Potter series.

Little Wins This Week #2

Little Wins This Week is about remembering that little things add up to make a big difference. It is about counting small blessings, however insignificant they may seem. Little Wins is about being mindful, staying positive and making each day count.

I have decided to blog about my Little Wins as I believe putting it down in words will consolidate the good. I will do this every week on a Sunday, recounting all the little things that mattered to me that week. The focus will be on staying upbeat and looking for that silver lining even to the darkest of clouds.

Please feel free to write about your Little Wins and tag me so I can come along and have a read.

Mid-Week Meal Plan #1

Following on from my last post where I listed 50+ family meal ideas, I have decided to blog about my meal planning on a weekly basis. As I tend to do my grocery shop in the middle of the week, I think Wednesday is a good time to post my mid-week meal plan.

Why does the Universe need to know what we eat as a family?

50+ Family Meal Ideas to Help You Meal Plan

I have learnt to cook from scratch only in the last decade or so. My cooking stems from a variety of influences. There are certain types of food I grew up eating as a child. There are some traditional dishes from India. And then there is cuisine from the rest of the world that M and I have loved, experimented with and can now cook in our kitchen.

J is only nearly seven, but loves to help his parents with the meal prep whenever possible. He will try most things at least once, and eats pretty much everything that is served at our dinner table. 

We are non-vegetarians, but restrict the fish and meat to one, maybe two meals a week. It’s vegetarian fare most other days.

Little Wins This Week #1

Little Wins This Week is about remembering that little things add up to make a big difference. It is about counting small blessings, however insignificant they may seem. Little Wins is about being mindful, staying positive and making each day count.

I have decided to blog about my Little Wins as I believe putting it down in words will consolidate the good. I will do this every week on a Sunday, recounting all the little things that mattered to me that week. The focus will be on staying upbeat and looking for that silver lining even to the darkest cloud.

Please feel free to write about your Little Wins and tag me so I can come along and have a read.

How To Save Money On Your Fuel Bills

For most families, winter is a particularly expensive time of year. Good quality warm clothes don’t come cheap. Celebrating special days like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year and El Día de Los Reyes is great fun, but cost a lot of money.

Plus, you have to spend a lot more money on heating your home. Fortunately, there are several easy ways to keep those fuel bills down.

Quick and Easy Ways to Update Your Child's Room

One of the joys of having kids is watching them grow. It feels wonderful to see your child´s personality develop and their tastes change as they grow up and discover new things.

Perhaps the only problem with this is that their interests change quite quickly. As a result, you usually end up having to redecorate their room at least once every couple of years. A child who loved all things Star Wars can easily end up wanting to scrap all that memorabilia and move on to something entirely unrelated. This is usually followed by a request to update their room decor.

So, being able to redecorate and update a child´s room quickly and easily is an important tool in the parenting arsenal. 

Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.

6 Ways To Make Your New Year Resolutions Stick

Do you know why most New Year Resolutions fail? It’s because we start them on a day when we’re exhausted from the excesses of the night before. You can’t expect to eat healthy, exercise and bullet journal your entire life when all you would rather do is eat a fry-up, guzzle coffee and nurse that hangover in bed.

So do New (Year) Resolutions never stick? Sure they do, if you know the right way of going about making them.

Here are 6 ways to make sure your New Year Resolutions stick.

Know Before You Go: Legoland Discovery Centre (LDC), Manchester

If you like Lego and are in or near Manchester, the Legoland Discovery Centre is a good place to visit. It is indoor, easily accessible and has plenty of free parking, making it a great rainy-day solution to keeping the kids entertained.

Here are things you need to know before you go to theLegoland Discovery Centre (LDC), Manchester.

Introducing Snowflake, the Magic Pengikin

Meet Snowflake, the little magic Pengikin. He is called Snowflake because his eyes look like brilliant snowflakes. He is a Pengikin - a magical creature from the South Pole that is part penguin and part animal with big, round ears. He travels from the south to the north pole in search of adventure. He loves to eat muffins, especially ones with chocolate chips.

Gruffalo Live! at The Lowry, Manchester

The Gruffalo was playing at The Lowry in Manchester over the holidays. We were invited to a press performance but were unable to attend due to other commitments. That wasn’t about to stop us watching The Gruffalo Live. I went and bought tickets for the show as a Christmas treat.