Tag Archives: family

#ShareAdvent

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The build up to Christmas is the best part of it for me. I love the preparation and in years gone by used to make my own cards, bake the Christmas cake and throw drinks parties. Now I can just about manage the drinks party and sadly what is my favourite time of year often passes in a whirlwind of stress, to-do lists and not enough time enjoying the season with the most important people to me, enjoying the preparation I love best. This year I have a plan to counteract the usual Christmas chaos.


Courtesy of Skin and Blister

Anna from Skin and Blister has concocted ‘Share advent’, something she will be doing with her family. The idea is to help you savour the season and make Advent an even more special time. Anna has invited other bloggers to take part too and I am IN!

For the last few years I have made an Advent calendar with envelopes and inside each one I have put something to do or enjoy that day. It’s really made Advent an even more special time of year for us.

This year, I wanted to invite you to join in with me.

~ Anna

So, I am posting this early because as you can see, some of the activities require a little preparation. Maybe you need to plan a trip out, gather together ingredients or stockpile craft supplies. Maybe you won’t be doing all of these activities, but even if you pick and choose a few, I don’t think you can fail to make more of the festive season and really relish this special time of year.

You can read more about the idea over on Anna’s brilliant blog - Skin and Blister, where I might add, she has some very sweet and genius ideas for DIY advent calendars that require no more than a little time, imagination and a whole lot of love. Which I love. Because that’s what Christmas is about right?

Do leave a comment if you love this idea, or if you’ll be taking part – give Anna shout @skinblisterblog and use #ShareAdvent if you’re a twitterer. Oh and look out for my Share Advent post coming soon in December :) I’m excited already!

Love,
Rebecca
xo

The Happy Birthday Hijack…

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Well, greetings and salutations readers.  Rebecca isn’t expecting this post, because it’s her birthday I asked her if she thought she could bear to step away from the blog last night and not look til this morning, so that she could have a rest.  I said I’d take care of an article for the morning.  This is it – interrupting the regularly scheduled programming for a very important HAPPY BIRTHDAY announcement.


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You see Findettes, as the editor of these multi-coloured pages, not only do I get the benefit of reading about Rebecca’s finds and adventures a wee bit ahead of time, I’m also in a very good position to see just how much of her heart and soul Rebecca pours into this blog.   She turns 30 today, and I know I’m not the only person who takes my metaphorical hat off to her.


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I could waffle about how Rebecca is, to me, a kind of Wonder Woman, made all the better because she doesn’t pretend to be perfect or to have all the answers.  I could also tell you how she’s coped magnificently with more than her fair share of heartache and drama over the past few months.  How she deserves to be utterly celebrated today for what she’s achieved and just, well, you know, how she rolls.  But then I thought, there are 3 people who are very important in Rebecca’s life outside of FF who aren’t often involved in this blog.  Who better to wish her a heart-felt Happy Birthday than those who have made her who she is? 

Rebecca's little sister, Francesca

“For my fabulous big sister, – Happy 30th Birthday! You have achieved so much in your 30 years so far, more than some achieve in a life time! Add to those achievements being a strong, ambitious, kind and generous person – I am very proud to be your sister. I’m excited to see what the next thirty years (and thirty after that!) bring! You deserve a wonderful birthday celebration, I hope this is a good start to it! Lots of Love Francesca xx”

Rebecca's Mum

“I have loved Rebecca (as only a Mum does), from the moment she was born and I first saw her tiny face. The day she walked down the aisle and I saw the love in Pete’s eyes, I realised she was not my little girl any more but a strong beautiful woman, ready to move forward into the next phase of her life. I am so very proud of her achievements, how she does it all I don’t know! She is always there to support me through laughter and tears, she is my heartbeat and I wish her all the joy and happiness in the world for her magnificent thirties” 

Rebecca's Husband, Pete

“Happy Birthday to my wonderful wife! I’m looking forward to all the wonderful things we have planned over the weekend, and can’t wait to give you your present later as think you might like it! ;)
Everyone told me that my 30′s would be more fun than my 20′s. I’ve loved the last decade with you, so roll on the next…
Love you xo” 


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So, happy thirtieth Rebecca.  Thank you for being precisely who you are.

Oh, and thanks to your family for replying to my stalkerish emails ;)

Love,

Gemma C-S xx

ps. everyone’s teary now, right?


 

The Plan…

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Quite often, it’s the women around me that inspire the posts I write here, particularly when it relates to issues we all face day to day and thoughts we may have. Back in January I had dinner with a good friend and the conversation turned to our plans for the year, both practical and aspirational. Both at a significant crossroads in our lives, we covered everything from moving home to moving careers, financial decisions to starting a family, holidays and quality of life. The conclusion was that my friend had a plan and it made me think, I never really had a plan.


Image: Creature Comforts blog

The magazines always tell us women have a ‘plan’ and I know that studies have shown that women with a plan are more likely to achieve it, but it left me wondering, what was your plan and how does life compare now? I’ve lost count of the times I’ve heard friends say they ‘want a baby before they’re thirty’ (the majority now have,) to be married by X age or to move house in three years… The majority of my friends are also doctors, so I don’t hear as much as perhaps some of you do about career progression – with us it relies on the completion of a training program that is fixed in time. But now many of them are GP’s I hear maternity benefits and the pros and cons of partnerships being discussed and planned.

And me? Well, apart from never really having a plan, I still don’t. My friends would probably be surprised at that but apart from single-mindedly knowing I wanted to marry Pete, otherwise I live very much in the moment. Looking back, many of the plans, perhaps better termed ‘ideas’ I’ve had in recent years have been blindly pushed ever backwards. Moving house postponed as we don’t really need to until we have a baby, and that baby remains 2 or three years in the future, much as it was 2 or 3 years ago! Career wise, I’m treading water, and enjoying it. I’m not progressing on the career ladder, but I’m looking around me all the time and learning about what I do want in the future. Not needing maternity benefits means I also don’t need the benefits of a steady job.


Image: Portillon

Reading all that might make me sound relatively relaxed about it, which I mostly am, but every now and then, I freak out and wonder what on earth I’m doing. If I don’t get a job, when I do want a baby I’ll have to wait until I accrue maternity leave. If I wait much longer I’ll be competing with all the newly qualified GP’s that start work in August. If we don’t move soon, house prices might change, we might lose money on the house or end up buying a house that needs loads of work with a small baby. It’s easy to spiral into panic. I need a list, we need a plan!

But I don’t, I have to remind myself it’s ok, I’m almost thirty with so much ahead of me, there’s no rush. I’m kind of glad I never made a plan, as I don’t have anything to compare myself to, to make me feel bad, to feel like I haven’t achieved what I always thought would happen naturally. And you know what they say, the best laid plans…

All that leads me to thinking about you readers. What was your plan and how does where you’re at now in life compare to where you thought you would be? I love hearing your perspectives on things and think a problem shared is a problem halved, so lighten the load a little and let’s hear your story.

Love, a plan-less-but-happy
Rebecca
xo

My Month…

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It’s nearing the end of January (and it hasn’t been that bad after all with Florence to help you through now has it?) So it’s time I shared a bit of ‘behind the scenes’ info in the shape of my Instagram snaps for January.

  • Wardrobe rehab – watch out for more on this coming soon, Florence’s tips on how to clean up, clear out and get ready for the new fashion .
  • Healthy Eating with English Apples
  • My Friday Frock with animal print Topshop tights.
  • Red and orange nails – (my sister wearing Leighton Denny and Me wearing Nails inc.)
  • Shopping for boots, J.Crew and leather at The Outnet.
  • Bertie shoes for work and play, in the sales.
  • Walking in the Elan valley, Wales.
  • Michelle (the mastermind behind these party ideas) and her friend Jayne at Pete’s party.
  • Healthy (fat free) frozen yogurt with blind eye brownie bits ;) for a desperate chocolate treat.
  • Tabby… posing for you all with her spotty tummy.
  • And lastly a sneak peek of Pete’s party, more to come soon!

So, what were the highlights of your January? Have we made it more bearable?

Love,
Rebecca
xo

PS Pop back this afternoon for a Real Room makeover!

Festive Food: Rachel’s Spiced Apple Muffins

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This afternoon, we have a slight break from the usual schedule and we’re bringing what is normally Friday Food to you a little early, (under the cunning guise of festive food – clever no?!) There are a few reasons for this, firstly, I have something to fit in tomorrow, but secondly, I was so excited to receive this from my lovely sister-in-law that I just had to post it! Despite her protestations, Rachel has been amazingly supportive of me starting Florence Finds and I’m so thrilled to include her on these pages. Please give Rachel a big Florence Finds welcome… :)

I’d like to introduce myself to all you lovely readers out there! I’m Rachel, Rebecca’s sister-in-law (Pete’s sister) and I have a confession to make. I’ve not been very supportive of Rebecca in her new venture. Being a big of a blog-reading-virgin, it has taken me a while to become used to checking out FF every day, so I am writing this by way of an apology to Rebecca (and because these buns are so damned delicious, I couldn’t not share!)

Every week, my daughter and I attend a toddler group, where one of the activities is baking. We made these not long before Christmas and I can honestly say they are the most baked thing in my kitchen at the moment.


Image credit: Eat Make Read.

Now, I’m no master baker – so for me to be able to share something with you that’s successful is really saying something! I remember (and probably so does Pete) in my younger days, trying to bake at home and it often (always) going wrong – whether I’d left out the sugar, forgotten to line the tin or just not read the instructions properly! For me, being on the Great British Bake Off will only ever be a dream – but I really do enjoy baking!
So, here we go……

Apple Spiced Muffins!
(makes 12 large muffins or 24 small buns)
125g butter, diced
75g caster sugar
50g soft brown sugar
2 eggs
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp cinnamon or mixed spice
75ml milk
3 eating apples of choice tossed in a little lemon juice to stop them browning (I used cooking apples once and they were great!)
30g sultanas

Method
1. Pre-heat an oven to 190°c. Place butter and sugars in a bowl and beat together until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time mixing until well combined.
2. Sift the flour and cinnamon/spice together. Gradually beat in the flour and milk, alternating between the two until well combined with the butter mixture.
3. Fold in the grated apple and sultanas and combine well with the batter (I use a whisk for this part!).
4. Spoon the batter into greased muffin tins so they are just below ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes.

TOP TIP: Don’t be tempted to do what I did once and put in extra apple (because I was feeling healthy). The extra weight made the batter too heavy and they didn’t rise. Saying that, a visiting friend enjoyed them so much, she left with half the batch I’d made that day, so they couldn’t have been too bad!

Seriously, these are so easy to make! If I can do it… and all that! Happy baking! Now I must go and check that carrot cake that’s in the oven. Whoop Whoop!

Rachel xx

PS: My New Year’s Resolution: To read Florence Finds EVERY day. Oh – and to be more organised with the food shopping (but don’t tell my husband!)

PPS: I’m making a spinach and chick pea curry on Saturday night for friends – if it’s any good, Rebecca may let me post it! Watch this space!

The Great Christmas Debate…

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So, you’ve hung the decorations, are slowly ticking presents off your list, the cards are written and you’re planning the food. But come Christmas Eve where will you be this year?

When I first met Pete I was so lucky and after only a year or two he joined my family for a couple of Christmases, interrupted by a stint in Australia. Eventually he wanted to go home but I wasn’t ready to try a Christmas away and I missed him so much. I think there’s something about Christmas… for me it’s all about being with the people and that someone that you love. But what do you do when they have people they love too and it’s crunch time?


Image Credit: Green Wedding Shoes

My problem was as much not wanting to be anywhere else at Christmas other than home, as my Mum not wanting me anywhere else. We’re not a big family and apart from my Mum being possibly Christmas’s number one fan, that left just the three of them, including my sister which makes for a pretty sorry Christmas celebration. So I felt guilty.

But I couldn’t feel guilty forever because every Christmas I made Pete spend with me I know he missed his family too. It wasn’t fair and it was selfish. Eventually my Mum nobly conceded that we would have to take it in turns and I had my first Norris Christmas.


Image Credit: Kirtsy

Part of the thing about Christmas I think, is that you build traditions as you grow up. Whether it’s midnight mass or the pub before Christmas lunch, a Boxing day party or carols on the village green, the perfect Christmas is often what you’re used to. In my case that involved a lot of socialising, parties, dressing up. The Norris Christmas was so different with carols in the freezing cold around the village Christmas tree and games in front of the fire. It took a bit of adjusting but it’s now right up there for me on an equal footing with a Christmas at home.

This year, it’s my turn. Christmas in Southport with my family and I will miss the Norris Christmas. But it’s made me think what the perfect Christmas would be. I long for the year we will hold a family Christmas in our house. I’d love to meld together the festive celebrations at my house with the yuletide cheer of Pete’s. Masses of people, pets, children and food. Chaos and music and laughter and joy, everyone we love together.

So share with me your Christmas dilemmas – Where are you having Christmas this year? Has it caused arguments between you and your beloved or family, and what are your solutions to making it fun but fair for everyone?

Love,
Rebecca
xo