5 Random Facts About Yourself

So clearly I've not blogged for a while. I guess I just ran out of time what with starting a seriously intensive course at collage, the kids being back at school and all the other random things life throws at you just when you think its safe to feel happy and settled. 

So when Alice over at Mums Make Lists tagged me in this 5 Random Facts About Yourself Meme I took the opportunity to sit down and just write something short in an attempt to get my mojo flowing again. 

What you have to do... 

• Post 5 random facts about yourself 
• Choose 5 other deserving blogs with less than 200 subscribers to nominate and link their blogs in your post - but no tag backs to whoever nominated you 
• Tell your nominees you have chosen them for this award by leaving a comment on their blogs and if you like on Twitter. 

Heres my 5... 

1. I love all things American 
2. In softball I'm what's known as a 'switch hitter' meaning that I can hit the ball with the bat both right and left handed 
3. I'm slightly obsessed with Twilight 
4. I'm possibly the worlds biggest Foo Fighters fan
5. I love 80's pop music

These are the 5 lovely bloggers who I have decided to tag...

Pants With Names

The American Resident

Mum On The Brink

From Fun To Mum

and Stressy Mummy

Also just because I can ;) ...

and finally because who wouldn't want to look 18 forever?

MEDIA: Ben Folds Five and .... The FRAGGLES! New Video

What a blast from the past! Anyone who, like me, was a child of the 80s will appreciate the Fraggles contribution to Ben Folds Five's new music video for their single 'Do it anyway'. 

Eagle eyed readers will also notice that girl off of twilight (Anna Kendrick) and also that bald guy off of Harold and Kumar Go To Whitecastle/Get The Munchies, depending on which side of the Atlantic you are! I do hope this means The Fraggles will be rebooted onto the silver screen sometime soon!  Hope you enjoy this little blast from the past!

MUMS FASHION: Boutique Babylon, Wilmslow

It's happened to all of us at some point hasn't it? You've been invited to an event but your 'go to' LBD is looking a bit disheveled since its last outing and you need a dress or top that is stylish but doesn't break the bank. You could try M&S or the local Dorothy Perkins for a quick fix but really? Who wants to turn up at an event where at least one other lady will be wearing the same outfit? Not me that's for sure!

This is why I am so glad that Boutique Babylon opened its fabulous fashion boutique on Bank Square, Wilmslow in November last year.

Store owner, Jason Lyons who is a Wilmslow resident with 20+ years experience in the fashion retail industry told me "We know at Boutique Babylon that not everyone has an endless budget for fashion which is why we have a fabulous range of clothing for you to choose from." He certainly wasn't kidding - the choice is an eclectic mix of modern and vintage style pieces that range from Top Shop prices to designer buys to lust for.

Jason also stocks UK based designers such as Pussycat and Jasime London. Its great to see young British design talent available at such affordable prices.

The staff are attentive and knowledgeable about the current seasons key pieces without being pushy or rude. The customer service here is a very high standard which is so hard to find.

My own wardrobe is quickly filling up with key fashion pieces from Boutique Babylon, problem is I can never decide which outfit to wear when I want to go out!

Here are my latest acquisitions from the shop:

Yumi Aztec dress £49

Stars & Strips USA Shiffon Tee £25.00

Next time you're in Wilmslow call into Boutique Babylon and be tempted by their beautiful and stylish ladieswear range.

Enjoy, Angie x

Oblivious couple flaunts foul ball in front of enraged toddler

Oblivious couple flaunts foul ball in front of enraged toddler

I saw the above clip posted to a friends wall on Facebook by someone I've met once or twice and to the best of my knowledge does not have kids. She also posted it with a comment of 'Very good. Teach children that whenever they cry they get what they want.' 

Now normally I'm completely with her on that comment, any sane grown up giving into a child's temper tantrum may work in the short term but in the long term its only going to create more problems than it solves. Perhaps the poster was trolling for comment or maybe she had not actually watched the video in full otherwise I think she would have commented differently. 

The video clearly shows, and the commentators do note this, that the child's dad reached to get the ball which landed right at his feet but the older gentleman on his right picked up the ball - practically out of the toddlers hands, and presented it like a trophy to his girlfriend who holds the ball and poses for photos. The players in the dug out toss a new ball up to the toddler - the whole thing is played out over the giant TV screens and everything. 

If the kid was a few rows away then fair play but they were right next to them. The dad and child were reaching for the ball then it was snatched away by the man. We teach our kids not to snatch right? 

So do you agree or do you think that the child should have been given the ball? I'm interested to see if my reasoning is biased as I am a parent or maybe not?

Oh yes and be sure to listen out for the commentators joke at the end of the clip. Classic ;)

Angie x

FUSSY FOOD: Honey and Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken & Triple Choc Cherry Brownies

Rowse Honey are saying thank you to bees by planting thousands of 'bee friendly' plants. 

If you follow them on Facebook you can submit your own thank you note for the bees. Then the lovely people at Rowse will transfer the note onto a plant marker, plant it in a field with all the other thank you noted plants and send you a photo of your plant on facebook. Heres my plant.

I chose my favourite Victor Hugo quote for my thank you. The plant marker reads 'Thanks #BusyBees for life if the flower for which love is the honey ~ Victor Hugo. Love Angie x'

So with a jar of Rowse Honey in the cupboard and a roast chicken in the fridge I decided to have a look at their recipes to find some inspiration for Sunday lunch.

Wow lots of lovely recipes and I finally settled on this one for Honey and Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken. 

I was quite pleased with what turned out to be a very quick easy roast chicken recipe. It would be delicious cooked over chicken breasts for a midweek tea or as a marinade in the summer for BBQs. This is how it turned out. I was surprised how out of this world the chicken tasted given that the recipe and preparation takes all of 10 minutes!

For pudding I made the girls their favourite triple choc cherry brownies - sorry the recipe I can't part with all I will say its from a website but I'm not telling which one. Yes, it's very selfish but I've never tasted a better brownie and it even gets a 'just like mom bakes' thumbs up from my Californian boss! 

The only thing I will tell you is the pan is a proper double walled brownie pan from Lakeland (where else?).

Enjoy, Angie x

Fussy Food: Swedish Meatballs and New Potatoes with Fizzy Raspberry Trifle

No Visit to IKEA is complete without a visit to their Swedish Food Market. They stock lots of delicious Swedish delicacies and drinks. With this in mind I went to IKEA at Ashton-Under-Lyne on Friday after school to pick up a few bits from IKEA and some Swedish food. 

When we got home we tucked into a very Swedish meal of meatballs, boiled baby new potatoes and peas with lashings of Gräddsås and Sylt Lingon!

You can buy frozen meatballs, Gräddsås in packets that you just add water and cream, and also Sylt Lingon. 

Gräddsås is not only delicious with meatballs but it also works with beef and pork. We had it at Christmas with our Turkey and it was a very nice change from the normal Bisto blend. 

Sylt Lingon is actually a jam made from Lingonberries. These berries grow wild throughout the forests of Sweden and taste scrummy with meatballs or crispbread with cheese. The girls like it on pancakes with vanilla ice cream. 

Unfortunately the food market is not available to purchase online so you would have to visit your nearest store to buy these. 

For pudding I made some cute and healthy mini trifles. I made 'fizzy' raspberry jelly in the little pots then just before serving I spooned on fat free natural yoghurt then topped with slices of strawberry and banana. 

Tonight's dinner was a big hit! DD3 and DD5 both said they could eat it all again :) 

Enjoy, Angie x

The Smiths Not To Reform :'(

I don't know about you but a few weeks ago I got all excited that there might be a chance, albeit slim to none, that The Smiths would reform. Their only caveat in March at the NME Awards being that Johnny Marr would reform the Smiths if David Cameron's coalition government steps down. 

Fast forward to today, when I logged onto my Facebook account after work and saw this:  

Source: Johnny Marr's official Facebook account

Urgh. Got my hopes up and everything! So very disappointed :'(

If this is the first time you've heard that the rumours have been denied then I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but for all my fellow Smiths fans out there heres a clip off of the wonderful Youtube to enjoy while you're crying for your loss...

Enjoy, Angie x