A pocket of my life

My third book of 2026 has got me hooked, theatre and ghosts all in one story. As you know I am a huge theatre fan so this one really sits well with me. The book in question is ' When the curtain falls ' by Carrie Hope Fletcher, this is a story which tells two tales in one that intertwine. The first is of a stage hand, Walter, and an actress, Fawn, who fall in love but must not show it, their story ends in heartache and sorrow, the second is off two actors 70 years later falling in love whilst performing the same show as Fawn, the first time it has been shown since she played the part. Oscar and Olive grow close whilst performing but strange things start to happen around them. The book pulls you in, makes you feel there emotions and the atmosphere of the setting and makes you want to know more and feel so intwined in the story. This really has had me hooked from chapter one and I have been loving the build up to it all. The chapters will bounce from present day to 19...

Over the Christmas holidays from school I love to keep Lils entertained with a lot of baking,  we usually share our makes with family and friends. This time we have added a very yummy recipe to the list which is Peppermint creams, these were one of my Mums favourite sweets so will now be a tradition to make them in memory of her. This recipe only has 4 ingredients and is so easy to make and requires no baking.  Recipe 400g Icing sugar 1 egg White Juice of half a lemon 1/2 tsp Peppermint extract  Method 1. Beat egg until a foam appears on top.  2. Add a small amount of lemon and mix.  3. Add the icing sugar and stir to form a dough.  4. Add the peppermint extract and stir into the dough 5. Roll the dough out on an icing sugared surface to about the thickness of £1 6. Cut out shapes and place on a tray.  7. Put in the fridge to set.  These are so good and go down a treat after dinner but just a warning that they are though very sweet. I hope you enj...

So today is the wave of light for all the babies that have left us.  This is a very sensitive subject for us, my Mum lost two beautiful children, my sister, Joanne was just 3 days old and my brother, John was a stillborn. My story starts in the summer of 2011, I found out that I was expecting our first baby early in the July. Both me and Liam were made up with the idea of having a little boy or girl running around. We told my parents and Liams Mum that we were expecting and I also had an appointment with a midwife at around 5 weeks, it was all so exciting and it felt perfect until 5 weeks and 5 days hit. It was that day that I knew something had changed, I started to spot and my nausea that I had been experiencing had become non existent. I did the Google my symptoms thing and saw the word miscarriage, I was heartbroken but obviously nothing was confirmed at this point.  We phoned the EPU (Early Pregnancy unit) and they gave me an appointment for a scan and blood t...

A recipe that we have been using for many years now is our pizza sauce, this certain sauce has distinct similarities to one that is used by a major pizza take away and tastes amazing. The recipe below makes 3-4 portions of sauce depending on how much you use and how much you simmer the sauce down too.  Ingredients 450g Passata 235ml Water 1/4 tsp Basil 1/4 tsp Oregano 1/4 tsp Marjoram 1/4 Sage 1/4 Garlic Powder 1/4 tsp Black Pepper 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper 1 tbsp Oil Method Add the passata and water into a saucepan on a low heat. Add all the hebs and spices in and mix well Add the oil, mix and bring to the boil Once boiling, lower the heat, then cover and leave to simmer, mixing every 5 minutes Reduce the sauce down for around 20 - 30 minuites This is now ready to use Any left over, freeze in pizza size portions and enjoy when needed. We really enjoy this sauce and will contiue to use this for many years to come.  Victoria x

This post contains an affiliate link Since moving from a flat to a house we have been slowly introducing Jack to the outside world, this is not something that we have taken lightly and are trying to keep him safe whilst learning how to be confident and happy outside. We have been trying out this new harness from  Stimulicat  and are impress so far. The harness itself comes in many different colours and sizes suiting all cats, we went for orange with it being a contast to his fur colour. the sizing is easy to work out, Jack in around 5kg which means that we use a size small harness. The harness itself has a velcro farstening, a safety lock and the lead links through two loops on each side of the fastenings, this to me feels safe and secure yet comfy for Jack. The harness fits nicely around him and doesn't feel like it restricts him at all, and he moves freely with it on around the garden. All in all I am very happy with the harness and will contiue to use this for m...

Every year for as long as I can remember I have created what is now known as a boo Basket and I wanted to share what I put in to make my girls smile.  I wanted to point out that this is normally just a few crafts for Halloween, nothing special but something that will keep the girls entertained.  I have started this year's Basket with a couple of Halloween colouring books with stickers, they are always fun for the girls to use. We have some spooky glowsticks for them to wear during treat of treating. We then have some Slime kits, I don't know whether that was the best thing but I know the girls will love to make it from scratch. I have also added a spooky bead kit with Halloween coloured beads and string. I have finished the basket off with some chocolate mice from aldi as a little sweet treat. I love creating these and will continue to do so for years to come, it's something that I know my girls will enjoy and get use out of.  Victoria x  

Yesterday we took a trip to Lime tree farm in Brookland, this is around a half an hour drive from us but it was well worth the trip.  This is a small family farm which has created a beautiful area to pick some pumpkins with the family and get some cure photos too. They have set up some lovely displays to get some cute pics and have so many pumpkins around for you to pick from. The field is quite small but they have managed to fit a lot not making it too cramped. The display that made us laugh was the tractor with the skeleton as a driver.  The farm had a wide array of pumpkin from blue pumpkins to odd shaped double coloured ones and all so reasonably priced too. We decided to pick some odd pumpkins at just £1 each, Lils got one that looked like a mushroom and Olivias one is covered it little bobbles. The prices started at £1 for the small up to £4 for large pumpkins.  Lime tree farm create this display to raise money for charity by accepting donations to Pilgrims Hospices...

I know its late but I am finally getting around to writing my September recap. This last month has been the busiest I have been in years and I have loved mostly all of it.  September has brought a lot of change for us as a family, both me and Lilly celebrated our birthdays, I turned 33 and Lilly turned 12. I didn't do a lot for mine as I have just have a night out for my birthday but that will be in next month's recap. Lilly requested a family meal with a friend aswell.  I also started my new job as a teaching assistant, I am loving it but it's hard and full on. I never fully realised how much a TA does behind the scenes of a school. But I love that I am able to help in so many ways. The next new change is that Lilly has started secondary school, a huge step and one that I really have struggled with mentally. It seems inly yesterday she was starting primary and now she is in full swing of Secondary life, she os of course smashing it and making us proud. And also Olivia star...

We are well into the swing of autumn and the weather is definitely flying along with that too, the wind and rain is just been causing havock so what better to do than the Autumn tag. I have taken these questions from my old blog post but the answers are for me know and not 5 years ago. Let's see how things have changed. 1. What signifies the start of Autumn for you? It would have to be the middle of September, when the kids are fully in school and the leaves start to fall. The weather is still a little confused but there is just a different vibe 2. What is your favourite Autumn scent? This would have to be a really cosy scent, one of our favourite wax melts is autumn leaves and I also loved a sweet pumpkin scent. Just something that makes the house smell cosy. 3. What is your favourite Autumn colour? This would have to be dark green and dark red! These both scream Autumn/Winter to me.  4. What is your favourite Autumn drink? Anything hot, a hot chocolate or a warm latte...

With the summer holidays fast approaching I am trying to think of ways to keep the kids entertained that don't break the bank. Its so hard to find different things to do but I have managed to come up with some activities that are either free or cheap that I have put into an envelope for the kids to pull out, I wanted to share these ideas with you in hope that they will help you too. If any other items are required for the activity I have written in below or linked it.  Painting secret stones and hiding them  Baking some tasty treats Slime baff or gelli baff  from zimpli kids Film night with popcorn and sweets Beach day if you have one close LEGO afternoon Park and ice creams Go to the penny arcades (£5 each) Make a den. A penny hike (tales left and heads right) the penny chooses where you go. Sign up to the summer reading challenge (local library) Find free local activities/events Find a new play park Indoor scavenger hunt Geocaching  Create and ...

Goodbye June and hello July, it has been a crazy month with so much going on and so many highs! We started off last month with a job interview for me and I am pleased to say that i got the job, I start in September which is so exciting and hopefully a new chapter for us. Liam has been enjoying his job and has a tan that many people would envy. The girls have had transition days and meetings for there new school and have done amazing! This certainly was the month of change. Me and Lils took part in the  race for life  this month which I am so proud of, we raised £150 for cancer research, a charity very close to our heart and are so grateful for everyone that sponsored us. Liam was sadly working on Fathers day so we celebrated on the Saturday, on the Sunday we spent time with my Dad at Bodiam castle, a beautiful national trust location with lots to explore. We had lunch and watched the steam train on the local track from the tower. Lils has been on her year 6 residen...

Book 3 of 2024 |  Wilde like me  by Louise Pentland Now I have read this before but I now have the sequel which means that I need to refresh my memory of what happens. This is a beautiful story which starts with a Mum, Robin and her daughter, Lyla and how single parenting life isn't always easy but she makes it work whilst being an aspiring make up artist. The book is written in a diary style staring from January to December and follows her through a year of her life. The story is so well written with you being able to feel the emotions of the characters and always wanting to know more. With it being diary style it feels a little like you are part of the story and is so relatable to every day life. Wilde like me really is a great pick up story and is an easy light hearted read with a few heart string moments, it one that you find hard to stop reading. I am excited to finish this one and get on to the next story. Victoria x Book 1 of 2024 Book 2 of 2024

I have recently been thinking about things that I would love to do in the next chapter of my life, from the little things to huge travel plans, I really do want to make memories and do things that I know my Mum would have loved to do too.  Go to a big festival See Harry Potter and the cursed child in London  Do an escape room climb Snowdonia Scuba dive with the fish Ride in a helicopter Travel along the Glenfinnan Viaduct on a stream train Hug a sloth Visit the Eiffel tower Do a 5k run for charity  (Raced  9/6/2024) See Heather's the musical Drove through a safari Go to a sky dive tunnel See the Northern lights Participate in a colour run Hold a tarantula Go to a film premiere See dear evan Hansen See Wicked the musical See Mcfly in concert  (Seen 9/10/2024) Go to Disney land Go to London pride See Everybodys talking about Jamie  ( Seen 4/5/24) Visit America Get married Drive a racing car Go on a Norwegian cruise Go on the London eye...

Sunday just gone me and Lilly took part in the annual race for life in our local park for the first time. If you know our story just then you know just over 2 years ago we lost Liam's dad to a very short battle and wanted to help prevent what our daily had gone through by raising some money. We signed up back in January so have been waiting a long time for this day, when we arrived there was lots set up including photo opportunities, the start and finish lines, sponsor stands and they also had placed extra toilets for the participants.          Our race started at 11am and we were asked to get into categories for either walkers, joggers and runners to help keep the course clear. Me and Lils joined the Wales part but did jog round part of the course too. The course is well marked out with volunteers to cheer you on too and each kilometre is marked off with a sign to know how far you've gone. It was slightly longer than though but me and Lils crossed the finish li...

Booked number 2 of 2024! I am a terribly slow reader but do love a good book to emerse myself with and this one is definitely one that I am enjoying. Promise me by Jill Mansell has had me hooked from page 1, it's a story of romance, loss and a cantankerous old man who you can't help but have a soft spot for. Lou is trying to cope with the loss of her husband and job finds a fresh start in the Cotswolds. Jill Mansell manages to captivate me with every book that I have read of her and I am intrigued to see how this story falls together. I love the fact that 'Promise me' is unpredictable and I have no real insight on how this story is going to end.  If you like a good romance that holds the heart then I would certainly check out anything by Jill Mansell. Victoria

A quick little outfit post as I am in love with this dress and it doesn't break the bank either. I have recently been looking into dresses more, I have always been a jeans gal and pretty much live in them so felt it was time for a change. This dress is an absolute bargain and one that was definitely a keeper the moment I tried it on, I found this on Temu when looking for some summer ideas that I liked, I purchased size 14-16 which fits like a glove for me and fits perfect for the sizing, the middle has an elasticated area which makes it super comfy to wear. The material is light and floaty and perfect for the warmer weather. I have paired this with my 'V' necklace that the girls got me for my birthday and a simple set of white sliders from primark but would love to get a nice pair of sandals to finish it off.  If you wish to check this dress out then I leave the link  here Victoria

What a month, April was a good one and one that I won't forget. We started off with half term, two weeks of fun but the weather wasn't on our side for some of the time. The girls spent most of the time in a tent that I put together for them, something I love to do during half terms.  At the end of the holidays we took a trip to  Wingham wildlife park  for Olivias birthday treat day, this place is honestly amazing and we will definitely be taking a trip again. A few days later we celebrated her actual birthday, she is officially 4 which is crazy. She had nursery and then we took her to the park for some fun on her new scooter, we then visited Granny and grandad for presents and cake and finished the night with McDonald's. She was so thankful throughout the day which was so sweet. After that is was back to the crazy school runs and getting everything caught up on. We have had a day out looking at some military vehicles, enjoyed the scattered sunshine at the park...

Wingham wildlife park, Kent's fastest growing zoo and one we will definitely be visiting again. We decided to take a day out for Olivia's birthday and had been recommended this park by a few people. The entry prices were very reasonable, it wasn't too far to drive and looked great so took our chances. For a family ticket it is £76 on gate or £72 if you book online, which is what we did as it made it easier and that little bit cheaper. We arrived at around 10.15am to a busy car park and was a little worried at how busy it would be but to our surprise it wasn't as crazy as we thought.  On entering the park you are greeted with the first of many animals to see, the arctic wolves, these were one that Lils was excited to see and they did not disappoint. Everywhere you turn there was animal enclosure with an array of animals, some of which me and Liam had never seen let alone the kids. The enclosure sizes were good and the land in and around the enclosure was well maintained ...

And just like that we are recaping another month, March went by in a flash but was a lot better than the previous two, we are all finally feeling more human and have certainly taken the opportunity to make memories and enjoy the fresh air more. we started off with a trip to the town for doughnuts and ice cream, I love exploring the beach and also forget how much it clears the cobwebs away. We have also celebrated world book day, Olivia dress as Alice in wonderland and Lils was Matilda, this was Lils last one in primary which means it was probably the last one that she'll dress up. We have taken some time exploring our local beach and found some dinosaur footprints, this was so exciting to find and we are so glad that we have found them before they disappear.  We also took a trip to our local banger racing track, its was freezing but we enjoyed it and have had a lot of fun watching the racing and drama on track.  Mothers day was lovely and I got thoroughly spoilt fr...

With Easter fast approaching I thought I would share what bits the girls have in there Easter basket this year. I have created one of these every year and is full of bits and bobs to keep the girls entertained over the 2 week holiday from school/nursery. This year I actually purchased a new basket for them to have as I really couldn't resist, it's a little bunny cloth basket which was from primark and cost £4. The crafty contents are either from Morrions or The works and the sweet treats included are from Aldi. Firstly we have so Easter paper chains, something a little different and new, these were just £1 from Morrisons and whilst there I noticed little hopping animals for £1.25 each, I picked up a bunny and a chick which the girls can share. From The Works I picked up some paint your own characters which come with paint and brushes, these were £1.50 each, I also picked up a snap game for £2 and an Easter card set for £2 as well, these will definitely keep the girls happy.  La...