A-Z Challenge: H

H is for How to make Dairy Free Cream!

If you are intolerant/allergic to dairy like I am or a vegan then you may know how gutting it is to say goodbye to whipped cream. To purchase online costs a fair whack including delivery and many ways of making your own can turn out to be pretty vile. I almost gave up on my quest to be able to eat thick cream ever again when I came across an idea online. Problem was, there wasn't exactly a recipe it was just a list of a few ingredients. After that you were on your own!

Now I've done some experimenting I am happy to share my Dairy Free thick cream recipe  I've had it in cakes, on top of cupcakes and just 'because I like it so I made it and now I can dip anything sweet into it.'

You will Need:

Us Time!


Well it was long overdue! We have finally had some us time after a long while.

My Sunday Photo ~ Boats and Blue Skies


We had a lovely walk this week at a place called Riverside, one of Mr K's favourite spots. It was wonderful for me to smell some salt and seaweed in the air. I loved the abandoned boat and the clouds so thought I'd take a snap to share.

Letting Midge Fly


Sometimes you have to let children fly.

When Midge was born I have to admit that I didn’t bond with her like I did years later with A. I saw lots of people connect with their new born and yet I struggled. When A came along the connection was there and it felt completely different; that didn’t mean that I didn’t try to give her every opportunity that I could!
As A grew up, and was later diagnosed with SPD, Midge took a slight backseat because his behaviour and difficulties were quite demanding on both my time and attention.

Of course, over the years, things have balanced out and I manage to get to spend time with them both equally but I do have some lingering mum guilt when it concerns Midge.

Our Growing Garden!

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram then you would know that our garden is something I have been very pleased about this year!

I've always done some kind of home grown thing in every place I've lived in but living with Mr K is the first time I have grown this much at the same time. I usually had a trough of strawberries and a box growing potatoes and nothing more but it's so different now and I really have loved sharing my photos of our growing veg! 

The first veggies we planted were tomatoes, cucucumbers, potatoes, courgettes and runner beans.


When our tomatoes were small they looked fairly spaced...


Now they are crazy wonderful but a little too close together maybe!


Potato flowers are so pretty 

We have some very different plans for our vegetable garden next summer. We had no idea courgettes needed so much room and because they have been planted so close together I'm sure that's why we have seen less crop. I'm still over the moon with what we have had! 

Cucumbers also go completely over the top but we haven't done bad in controlling them. The most hilariously wonderful vegetable to go bonkers has been our runner beans which as you can see below have taken over my washing line and are also invading our neighbours garden (he's totally okay with this and finds it quite funny) 


We've had 3 of these big courgettes! 


Crazy runner beans!

We've picked so much from our garden. Nearly 100 runner beans, handfuls of strawberries, lavender, 3 large courgettes and 3 cucumbers. We cannot wait to pick more of these veggies and grow more strawberry plants from their new shoots. 

Now we have some idea of what these plants do we can plan better for next year. We built 3 raised beds but ran out of money to fill them and couldn't find any free soil so these will be better used from autumn. 

I wish I could have a bigger space to plant a lovely apple tree (picture below is my father in laws tree, he has 3!) I'd also like to do something outside the front of our house.

 We have a nice little area outside our bedroom where we could take up the horrible stones and use artificial grass which the children would love to sit on and play on out there. We could use pots under the windows which I think we'd plant some sort of pea in, that's our current must grow (I also want to try corn and Mr K wants to try carrots!) 


Have you had any success with your garden this year? Perhaps you've given it an overhaul or dipped your toes in like us with growing your own? I'd love to see your posts or photos because I really have got the green fingers bug! 



*This post was written entirely by me but has 1 paid link inserted 

GeekFest 4.0 and First Time Cosplaying!



I've finally recovered from the awesome event that was Geekfest 4.0. This is Cornwalls very own answer to comicon and it is getting bigger and better every single year. I went last year with Mr K and we went as ourselves to really get a feel of the event, enjoy the stalls and cosplay on show. We were going to do the same again when Mr K suggested WE go in cosplay!

Reasons to be Cheerful

Flowers


There have been so many lovely flowers popping up here there and everywhere. In our garden the cucumber, courgette and runner beans have started to flower, the roses and poppies in Martyns dads garden are blooming and I'm seeing so many wild flowers and weeds it is so nice to see them not strimmed down.

 

The English Heritage Festival Kent 2018




We recently went to The English Heritage Festival in Kent and were blessed with lovely sunshine and 4 happy children to spend the day with. The festival is hosted every year and features stalls, homemade food, crafts, activities for all ages, singing, music, characters and so much more.

Goodbye Cornwall


Today I leave Cornwall.

If you had said to me several years ago that I would be leaving this part of the world, I would've laughed in your face and shook my head (and probably apologise for being rude because you know, it's me). The point is, I would never have believed anyone. I always believed I would grow old here and I certainly didn't think I could leave my parents, my aunt and my Gran down here without me.

Our Easter


The Easter holidays are now over and whilst we have been away in Kent we have been doing some home school bits as well as taking advantage of a more lax routine.

From 2 to 4...

Children. 


It's never going to be easy raising children. Just when I think with my 2 that I've sussed a load of stuff out they chuck something new at me.

Our Plans to Home School

On the 29th March it's the last day of school for many children up and down the country as they all break up for the Easter holidays. For L and A it's also the last day but with a bit of a difference: they won't be going back...

A Turns 7 and a Sketchers Shoes Review!


It's hard enough to believe that just 2 months ago I wrote that my Midge had turned 10. Now I am writing a post all about A's birthday which was last month; he turned 7! It's madness.

Rare Disease Day 2018 with The FSH Society

Today is Rare Disease Day.

A day to raise more awareness and hopefully more money to fund research into finding cures for all those who are affected by rare diseases. The European union has so far recorded that there are approximately 7,000 rare diseases.

Adidas Sport Performance trainers from Footway ~ Review

Like most parents, I like to get my children to write me a list of gift ideas for their birthdays so I have some idea of what I can buy them and a few ideas to float around to family who ask me "Please tell me what I can get them I have no idea!"

Turning 10 (Both Mother and Daughter!)

My beautiful girl turned 10 on the 17th January and as far as birthdays go this was indeed a milestone. Not only did Midge turn 10 but it marked 10 years for me as a mother to this gorgeous girl. As she was born into this world as was I, as a mother. What a journey it has been. 

Our Year: 2017 A Look Back

Hello! Happy New Year to all my lovely readers, I hope January is treating you well. It's well known for being the toughest month in the year so if you're having a rough time; I do hope the future is looking brighter.

I wanted to share a little re-cap of my families year.