A pocket of my life

September flew by in a blur, so much to do and back to the crazy routine of life made it dissappear.  We started off with back to work and school runs. The summer holidays honestly didnt feel long enough. My birthday came on the first weekend, and we took a trip to LZ World tour in Castle Combe. The morning started at 3.30am so we could get on the road for a 3 hour journey. The day was fantastic and I got some lovely presents too. Next was Lillys 14th birthday, her actually birthday fell on a week day so she had a friend round and we enjoyed a takeaway. For her birthday trip we surprised her with a day out in London to see Hamilton , an absolutely fantastic show and one we will definitely see again.  The rest of the month has been a lot quieter with slow weekends and busy weekdays. We've enjoyed watching the sunsets, eating more comfort food and enjoying family time. What's your favorite memory of September? Victoria 

I have done it! Book 10 is checked off of my list! The story is mainly set in the Ardeche area of France, in a quaint little village. Grace has fallen into a rut with work until her childhood crush, Jackson, phones with a offer she can't refuse. She travels to France and bumps into to another old friend Etienne, they start a fake  romance to make Jackson jealous. Will it work? Or will life take a different turn? This story fit in well as I am aware of the Ardeche area, I visited the area when I was younger so could picture part of the story from memory. Grace is a character that grew with me, she makes a few mistakes alone the way but its not alway come from her. Jackson is loveable and sexy and one that I was fully intrugued about from page one. Etienne was harder to understand, he has many layers which slowly unfold. I really love the story, the pace of which the story flowed and I feel it ended in a perfect way, making me smile and cry at the same time.  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Victoria x...

I can officially say that me and Lilly have been in the room where it happens, and wow did it happen! We took a trip up to the Victoria Palace theatre in London to see Hamilton, this was a birthday surprise for Lilly as she has been begging to go. We both laugh, cried and fell in love with the show. The theatre itself is stunning, inside and out, from the chandaliers to the main theatre area and everything inbetween. All the staff we encountered were freindly, helpful and all seemed to enjoy there job. Inside the theatre to the right of the main enternace is the area for merchendise, along with a bar too.  The show itself was incredible from start to finish, from the cast, set and orchestra. It has been a long time since I have been to a show that is a permenant fixture to the theatre, and you can tell the difference if you visit shows a lot. The set was so inpressive, with a revloving stage, multiple levels and many props during the show. The sound levels for everythin...

It felt like August went by in a blur and here are thr 'ber' months. We started our month with such a lovely afternoon, it was a unique event involving Lils and Olis favourite teddies, a teddy adventure where their teddies could experience zip lines, ski slope and other things.  Lilly started to practice her guitar more, learning the into to one of her favourite songs, whilst Olivia has enjoyed watching the trains from the bridge and waving at the driver's  We then visited Hastings carnival, my Dad and Angie had created a float for it and we went to support them whilst also enjoying all the other floats too, it was very warm though. Dad and Angie got first and came home with a trophy.  The partial eclipse was something that we all enjoyed together, I was actually organised and ordered some glasses the week before, it was a lovely experience and felt very privileged that we got to enjoy it with no cloud cover. One of our big days out was Legoland , I havent be...

We recently tried out a new recipe and it was one that I need to share.  To go with our homemade pizzas that we do we diceded to try out some cheesy garlic pin wheels, these are a take on our  pizza pin wheels  and ones that we will definitly be trying again. Recipe: 100g salted butter 1/2 cloves garlic grated (depending on how garlicy you like it) 2 tsp finely chopped parsley puff pastry (ready rolled) 100g cheddar 50g mozerella Method: - Preheat oven to 200c/180c fan/gas mark 6 - Melt butter and add both the garlic and parsley - Mix well - Spread the butter evenly across your pastry - Sprinkle both cheese across evenly - Roll the pastry lengthway all the way - Slice into 1cm wide pieces and place them on your tray - Cook for around 15-20 minutes until golden and pastry is flakey These would make a great side dish to a pasta meal instead of garlic bread.  Victoria x -

What a fantastic family day out! We recently took a trip to Legoland in Windsor and had an amazing time from rides to water fun and all in between. We didnt go with a game plan but just took the day as it came which I think was a mistake, I wish I had done more research into the park but we still had fun no matter what. Pros of Legoland The variety of rides, attractions and food outlets was great, all the rides were themed perfectly and it really did make it easier to navigate. The legoland app was brilliant, it kept us up to date with queue times on the rides and also had a handy map with directions to rides when needed. The park was clean and tidy, the staff were friendly. The summer holiday event was great and there seemed to be lots to do and it was free to join. The photo pass was great, we paid £30 for all the photos/videos taken whilst on rides. Cons of Legoland The cost of parking is crazy, £15 for normal or £18 for priority parking is just mad. The lack of seating areas for ea...

I am still buzzing from last night! Yesterday was a very sky orintated day for us with the patrial eclipse happening in the UK. We took a trip down to out local seafront to watch, I was organised enough to buy the speical glasses a week ago so we could all enjoy it. The amount of people out and about last night was crazy and the stmosphere was lovely. The girls played on the beach and came up every so often to have a look at how much of the sun was covered.  We watched from about 6.45pm to around 7.30pm and got a great viewof it going over. It is such a weird feeling as you can feel the temperature drop and the day light went very sepia like, it was like watching someone turn the contrast down. When we got home it was betime for Oli so we read a space story to keep on theme.  Later that night there was a meteor shower happening and every other time I have missed them or its been cloudy, but this time it was clear and I was awake. I first started by looking out of t...

  Book number 9 complete! The closesst thing to flying is based for a younger audience but I had been recomended it a few times at work so thought that I would give it a go and wow! It is such a beautiful story. The story starts with a girl names Semira, she lives with her Mum, who can't speak English and a man named Robel who is controlling and not nice. She develops an unusual freidnship which makes her strong and helps her become brave. The story also brings about how the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) came about and slightly introduces the idea of the suffragettes. The feelings that this book made me feel when reading were all over the place, I felt the happiness and the sadness of the story, it is beautifully written and I am intrigued what others book Gill Lewis has written, For a quick filler book or for something a little different I would recommend this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Victoria x

 Are you a summer person - No way! I am more of an Autumn lover, I find heat really hard to deal with and much prefer the weather in the 'ber' months. What is your favorite thing about the summer? - The time with the children, I know some parents don't enjoy but I really try to take the time to be with the children and make memories with them. Do you stay indoors or outdoors more in the summer? I am more of an indoor/home girly, just because I don't so heat. We love the garden in the shade and taking trips to the park/beach in the evenings. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? I love a mint choc chip with a flake in the top. What is your favorite summer clothing? a nice flowy dress, normally below the knees or my short pjs for home.  What do you like most about the beach? We love to go rockpooling and paddling in the sea too. Favorite summer time movie? Mama Mia is perfect for a summers evening or maybe Grease along with High school musical 2. What is you...

July was a busy one for us, from theatre trips, days out and even a little trip away for me and Liam. July started with our first trip to the theatre, this was a pretty inpromptu trip as a friend offered a ticker for me to see 2:22 A ghost story  and wow what a show it was. The next weekend was our second, and last show of the month was one mainly for Olivia but enjoyed by all of us, Bluey's big show .  The next week was the lasy week of school, it been a hot tem and I was/am so ready for the rest. It was an emotional one leaving the children and moving to another year group but I am excited for the experience. Lilly took part in her sports day in the last week of term too and came home with 4 medals, a 1st in the 100m sprint and 2nd in three other events, she honestly smashed it. The first week of the summer holidays brought mine and Liam's minimoon to life, a night away in a shepards hut not too far from where we live. We took a walk together, had a tasty milksh...

  We recently took a romantic getaway to celebrate our minimoon in a beautiful shepards hut just outside of Rye, East Sussex. We wanted somewhere not too far from home but far enough to experience the peace and quiet.  The hut that we stayed in is part of  extraordinary huts , a group of huts at the edge of a farm, each with its own character and view to enjoy. We picked 'The Hive', a little hut with everything that you need, it has a living area and kitchen, with sink, fridge and gas hob, a shower and toilet down stairs. Upstairs has a seating area with a table and a bedroom, you do have to crawl around upstairs but that definitly added to the character of the place and gave us a giggle. The bed was comfy and clean and the view from the bed was stunning.  The centrepiece of the hut was the beautiful green spiral staircase to take you to your bedroom, it gave the whole thing a rustic feel and made it feel all the more cosy. Outside you have a decked area looking out ...

I have loved anything to do with theatre for as long as I can remember, being part of an amauter dramatic group from the age of 4.  I have also seen a fair few shows over my years and I certainly intend to add many more to this list over time. This will be a blog post that will change with every future show that we watch. I find theatre such a world away from the worries for a while, you delve into someone elses story. So here is my list of show and when and where I saw them, enjoy.  Chicago - 29th June 2007 - The Cambridge theatre, London  Blood brothers - 10th May 2008 - Phoenix theatre, London Oedipus - 18th November 2008 - National theatre, London Three sisters - 3 February 2010 - The lyrics theatre, London Blood brothers - 24th July 2010 - White rock theatre, Hastings  Our house - 14th August 2010 - White Rock theatre, Hastings  Snow White - 23rd December 2011 - White Rock theatre, Hastings  Beauty and the beast - 21st December 2022 - White...

Book 8 of 2026 is in full swing, this book has really been the change that I had needed.  As a reader I am very good at sticking to a certain author for a very long time and I do feel like I really needed to venture out a little more, Debbie Johnson's book, Summer at the comfort food cafe, has really shown me this.  The story starts with Laura, a widowed Mum of two from Manchester who makes a life changing decision to apply for a summer job the other end of the country to try and find herself again. This story delivers sweet treats with its characters and the stories that follow them who help he to rebuild her world, including someone sweet in her eyes too. You certainly join a rollercoaster of emotions with this one, from laughter to crying and all that comes inbetweeen. This is the start of an 8 book series which follows the seasons and much more, I am certainly intrigued where this story will take me and what adventures there will be in the future.  I am ve...

We saw Bluey and Bingo, for real life. On Saturday we took a trip over to The Brighton Centre to go an watch Bluey's big play. This is the first ever theatrical version on the show and is brilliant to introduce theatre to children. The show consists of the 4 main characters, plus an extra brought to life in puppet from, these are operated by 2-3 people depending on what the character is actually doing. Each character really does get brought to life with everything moving from eye brows to feet.  The set changed through the show with the garden, bedroom and living room being the main part. These are slid into place using cast behind, these were attached to a sloped rig with gaps for people to move between too. The shows running time was around 50 minutes with a bit of play at the end,  there us also an opportunity to join in some dancing too. We truly enjoyed the show and even Lilly was laughing along with the show. If you get a chance to watch this with you...

Want a simple recipe that with satisfy your appertite then look no further, this no bake biscoff cornflake bar really hits the spot, its crunchy base and sweet topping is perfect for a dessert or a nice treat to take to a picnic. And don't worry if your not too keen on the biscoff taste as my biscoff hating husband loves them and has gone back for seconds already. Its enough that you can taste it but not too much that the others flavours are overpowered.  Ingredients   60g Unsalted butter 30ml Golden syrup 160g Biscoff spread 190g White chocolate 120g Conflakes For topping 200g White chocolate 50g Biscoff spread melted Method Melt together the butter, golden syrup and biscoff spread together. Add the white chocolate and stir until completely melted. Mixed togther the biscoff mixture in with your cornflakes and mix until fully coated. Place mix into a lined 8x8 baking tin and flatten until the bottom if fully covered. Melt the white chocolate and pour over the base,...

What at show! Last night I got the privilage to go an see the closing night of 2:22 A ghost story in Eastbourne at the Congress Theatre. I have never been more intrigued in a show as I was for this, I had heard some raving reviews.  The cast consisted of four main characters, Sam, played by James Bye who is a vry sceptital person. James is great in this role bringing the right amount of frustation to answers and concern when needed. Shvorne Marks who plays Jenny, She plays this character so well, her performance is so believable with the fear in her voice and the way she uses the stage.  Sam's friend, Lauren is played by Natalie Casey, her character seems to have a mixture or believing but not wanting to upset Sam too much, she plays it well. Lastly we introduced Ben, laurens boyfriend who is played by Grant Kilburn, he seems to be a bit of a person who knows a bit of everything, Grant plays this so well with the right amount of cockiness making his character mildl...

June has been busy and hot!! Our month started with a surprise birthday party, new glasses for Lils and back to school fun. The party was for a family member who had no idea luckily, it was so lovely to see all the family again. We then took a trip to watch banger racing, we travelled to Arlington raceway and spent the night with friends watching some very fun racing. This is when the weather changed a bit and started creeping up, we took the kids to the travelling funfair which was a blast, Lils went on all the rides but one, shes crazy haha, and even Olivia was brave and went on the bigger chair-o-planes. It was a great fair and it was suprisingly quiet when we went. The weekend continued with the heat and we decided to enjoy a day at the beach, it was one of those days that I feel like we really needed, swimming in the sea, making sandcastles and trying to move our stuff whilst the tide tried to race us.  The heat really ramped up last week, we felt temperatures of 3...

We did it! Today me and Lilly took part in the Pretty Muddy 5k event for cancer research, this is a super important chairty for our family as Liam lost his Dad back in 2021 to lung cancer. This is the third year that we have taken part in the race for lfe but the first muddy one that we have done. I was honestly a little nervous for this, its the unknown that make me other think but I would do this again in a heartbeat and Lils has said the same. The obstacles are fun, some are harder than others but if you don't want to do one then you don't have too.  There are a variety of obstacles from army style nets to crawl under, walls to climb over and even a chance to use space hoppers, the last one was the best by far, it was an inflatable slide which finished in a pool of very muddy water. At each obstacle there are marshalls with buckets, hoses and water guns ready to get you wet and muddy but also there to egg you on if you need it.  If you ever get a chance to do on...

With the summer holidays fast approaching its that time of year where I create an activities envelope to keep the kids (and me) entertained with some fun things to do. This year we have a different location to explore with the move late last year. I am going to share 15 free / budget friendly ideas with you that can help keep the boredom at bay. Rock painting, then go and hide them Park days / beach days Den building using sheets and pegs Baking Lego challenges The arcades (£5 budget) An indoor scavenger hunt The summer reading challenge with your local library Icecream sundae station with movie Slime play, make your own ( Cloud dough recipe ) Look out for free local events Go swimming Natural tie dye Go on a nature walk Make and decorate paper airplanes to fly somewhere. And finally make a memory jar filled with treasures from your adventures such as shells so you can look back together. We really enjoy the summer holidays and I always make a little montage of our summer u...

 Me and Liam recently tied the knot and we didn't want to break the bank but didn't want to comprimise on the day itself. We have been waiting for a very long time to get married and I wanted it to be a day I will never forget. Firstly my Dad did help with the cost of the main venue and reception, he randomly messaged me one day after me making a silly remark that its mine and Liams turn. Liams Mum also helped with the cost of the catering in the way of a wedding gift to us.  Registry office - £570  Reception venue - £350 Catering - £675 (£15 pp) Notice of servie - £84 Dress and shoes - £35 (temu) Suit, tie and shoes - £90 Cake - £110 two tier cake Photography - £28 Gather and group QR code, £13.50 for QR cards (etsy) No photographer DJ - Free, a family member did the music as a gift Bridesmaid dresses and shoes - £35 (dresses shein, shoes asda) Flowers - £15 (temu) Invites - £33.50 (vistaprints) Wedding favours - £20.50 (Ebay) Rings - £58 (Warren James) Hotel - £140 (Tra...