I’ll be the first to admit that during the week my breakfast routine is ‘get in town your neck’. My breakfast is usually high in protein (boiled eggs with zataar for example). I also keep it low carb and low sugar.
The same applies to my children; except they have low sugar cereals, Porridge (made in the microwave) or wholemeal toast.
However we do like the idea of a longer, more lazy breakfast with more variety. So we have developed a bit of a family tradition on Saturdays.
We all get up around the same time as weekdays (an extra 30 minutes to an hour is a good way of catching up on some extra sleep) however we all have a cooked breakfast. It doesn’t have to be the full monty (eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, hash browns, beans etc) but it’s usually cooked.
It doesn’t take me ages to cook breakfast because I do the following:
I use frozen hash browns that I air fry
I use frozen sausages that again I air fry
Fried eggs take no time at all; if the girls want omelettes we stick to omelettes and hash browns and beans.
I don’t make fresh juice; I leave my desire for fresh juice for when I am on holiday
I take items out of the freezer the night before and defrost them in the fridge overnight-then pop them in the air fryer in the morning.
We all like bit of bacon (which we do fry) and that takes a matter of minutes to cook. Any leftovers get added to mac and cheese.
If you do like mushrooms you can actually buy sliced mushrooms frozen.
The girls rarely like smoothies on Saturdays but if they do want one it’s simple to create as I have frozen fruit, frozen yogurt cubes etc at hand.
I have a menu that I have on display in the kitchen for Saturdays. We like to make things special. I keep all the ingredients on hand for all the menu options.
My menu includes:
The full monty
Mini monty
Omelettes
Cloud Eggs
Egg Muffin
Eggy bread
Fluffy pancakes (optional: serve with bacon & syrup)
Egg, cheese and bacon muffin
Spinach, egg and hash brown tortilla wraps (prepared, cooked and frozen. All I do is defrost, warm and go).
Sausage sandwich
Sausage muffin
Smoothies
Smoothie Bowls
Sugary cereals (frosties/cocopops etc).
Nutella Porridge (it’s a treat due to high sugar content).
Parathas and eggs (the best of desi breakfasts!)
Breakfast specials (on Eids etc such as Breakfast quesadillas, breakfast casseroles, sheer khurma).
Drink wise:
OJ
Tea
Green tea
Desi Chai
I make breakfast whilst the girls usually watch a bit of morning TV however they do try to help with certain options.
We then enjoy breakfast together. In Summer we usually have breakfast in the garden and make the most of the season. The girls then play in the garden whilst I clear up and do any washing required.
We all eat which makes this tradition of ours easy to keep up.
If we have to be somewhere early I narrow down the options for the girls the night before and prepare as much as possible in advance. Very rarely have we had to have cereal and run out of the door. I’m a planner; so try to keep on top of things.
And as someone that meal plans my freezer is always stocked with essentials; which makes life so much more easier.
My aim with lazy Saturday breakfasts is to create memories for the girls plus I hope they’ll find the time in their busy lives when they have their own families to sit down and eat together at the end of the week and reflect on things. It’s like date night, but at breakfast and all the family are invited. It also helps set the tone of our weekends (Which I try to focus on family friendly activities which both girls can take part in). I believe it’s important to lead by example and putting in an effort so we all sit together and eat together is setting an example of the importance of family and appreciation (gratitude) of what we do have.
I would love to keep this tradition going when the girls are teenagers; but who knows what the future will bring.
In the meantime though I’ll carrying on waiting for the girls to decide on what they want to eat (only to pick what they had the past 9 Saturdays on the row).
There’s a few hidden gems across the West Midlands and one of them is in my opinion Victoria Park in Stafford. This beautiful award winning Park can be found in the heart of Stafford (opposite the Train Station) on the banks of the River Sow. The Park has received lottery Heritage funding and is currently undergoing some magnificent restoration to a bygone era.
And as the weather warms up I want to encourage you all to get out more, get more fresh air and reap the benefits of exercise. Not to mention children need sunshine, fresh air and a space to let off steam. What better place than a Park?
We are currently located in Stoke-on-Trent which is a short drive to the Park but to make this into an adventure we go by Train…because the Park is literally opposite the Park and the girls think we’re travelling far and wide (When it’s like 15 minutes away). Plus when you use the Train there’s no need to find Parking; which is awesome.
I love Parks; they are the perfect venue for play dates or inviting the whole group to have a Picnic, play some games and generally accommodate a large brood without worrying about space.
Victoria Park has a lot to offer. It’s easy to spend hours in this Park. We travelled by Train (all a part of the adventure). The Park first opened it’s gates in 1908 making it one of the oldest around (that is still in full use).
The Park boasts some great floral displays around the Park making it very picturesque The River Sow snakes through the Park providing many banks to sit down and relax on. As with any water you do need to watch little ones; and ensure they understand the dangers. The well maintained grounds provide many places to have a picnic around the park (we sat next to the River and nope it did not stink even in the height of summer).
If you forget to pack a picnic or snacks there’s plenty of shops nearby (including coffee shops) so you won’t struggle too much to find reasonable priced food or drinks.
There’s a huge play area for children of various ages to enjoy. There’s swings, group swings, trampolines, toddler play area, roundabouts, huge climbing frames….everything is well kept and in pristine condition. Both girls loved it.
And there’s a huge sand play area that the youngest in particular loves (just remember to pack some buckets and spades!).
The Park has toilets on site too which is a blessing especially for anyone with youngest children. There’s also an ice-cream van on site which helps in the heat.
For the hotter months there’s a brilliant Splash Pad for children to enjoy (it’s worth packing swimming costumes for this or at least a spare t-shirt to change little ones into if they get too wet).
The Park can get busy but that adds to the atmosphere. We ran into a Grandparent that used to visit with her Granddad. She’d moved away when she got married but her son relocated due to work and she was reliving her childhood through her grand babies.
We spent approximately 4 hours at the Park which is unbelievable as my youngest gets bored very quickly. It’s a stunning Park and I recommend it for families, couples, elderly….everyone! This is such a beautiful Park it would be nice to visit in each season to view the changes.
My top tips:
Pack a picnic and picnic blankets as it would be a shame to miss the opportunity to not eat in this glorious Park
Pack SPF and swimming costumes (or spare clothes) for the Splash Pad.
Don’t forget a towel to dry off!
Don’t forget some food for the ducks.
Talcum powder will help get sand off children’s skin so it’s worth taking a small bottle if you have one.
Buckets and spades (labeled with your little ones name) would be useful if your little one like playing with sand.
Don’t forget wet wipes. Always useful especially where there’s ice-cream…
And lastly, take a stroll along the River…whilst eating an ice-cream.
Versatile decorations for Eid, Ramadan and beyond.
Don’t you just love it when Christmas decorations land in shops in July. No really. I’m being sincere. But why would a Muslim be excited about the decorations that spill out of every single shop on the High Street?
Because we’re living in an era where most decorations can be used across religions, cultures and beyond.
How is that possible I hear you cry. Well firstly the decorations market is becoming more and more competetive as social media sites such as Instagram show us how ‘the other half lives’ and well we all want to buy decorations that truly are awesome, unique and non standard in the traditional sense.
When I was a kid I remember tinsel, tinsel, more tinsel and red and white decorations. Gold was also a feature colour. But that was the colour palettes the general consumer worked with unless they became creative and produced their own decorations (in an era before Pinterest trust me this was very very difficult).
I love decorating my home for Eid, Ramadan and Birthdays. I just love bringing in magical vibes for the girls to get lost in. So I’ve created a list of my top 10 decorations that are fit for a variety of celebrations.
Make a list of what you need and when the decoration season hits fill that basket with a bargain or three of versatility.
NOTE: shops have already started slashing prices guys! So see you all on Boxing Day to get our decoration fix.
1) Beaded garlands.
Without a shadow of a doubt this is my top decoration. You can pick up beaded garland in an array of colours. We currently own a bucket of gold beaded garlands plus pink and purple. We also have some white ones (for Frozen themed parties). Now I use them: hang them up, wrap them around things, use them to hang up lanterns…get creative. Why I love them: they are so versatile. Plus they are cheap and durable. Poundland bring in a range of colours every year. That’s a quid for 8 metres. And if you are looking at topping up your collection you can pick up garlands for as cheap as 25 pence in the post Christmas sales. That’s right. How do you think I ended up with a bucket of gold beaded garlands?
2) Paper lanterns Oh my goodness. This is where my Pinterest obsession creeps in. Years ago I came across an image of a Tangled themed wedding and they used various paper lanterns to decorate the gazebo. It looked magical. The next thing you know I was ordering various lanterns in various colours and sizes. So as these lanterns are made from paper you cannot use them with candles (just thought I would point out the obvious) and due to the material they can be delicate to handle so you need to bare that in mind. However since I first started using lanterns 4 years ago I haven’t damaged a single one beyond a bit of TLC. Now to use them: assemble them (straight forward procedure so don’t panic) and hang them up. If you want to create a magical airy look use transparent thread. Why I love them: the instant pop of colour! If you need to decorate a large area you can get some pretty big lanterns and hang them in clusters (in a mixture of sizes) to create a bit of a feature. The combinations are endless if you mix them up with honeycomb balls and paper fans. Plus if you look after them you can REUSE them! My top tip: want a bit of extra bling for an outdoor event? Spray the lanterns with glitter spray. The glitter will glisten in the sunlight. I usually order mine 6/8 weeks before I need them so I can order them cheaper from China.
3) Honeycomb balls When my oldest turned one I ordered pink honeycomb balls and at the time places like Poundland didn’t stock them so I paid a silly price per ball. Anyhow 7 years in and those honeycomb balls are still being used. The honeycomb balls get their name from their pretty shape. You can buy honeycomb balls (made out of tissue paper) in a wide range of colours and sizes so there’s something to fit every budget. Why I love them: the range of colours and sizes available readily makes these babies a must for me. Plus if you fold them back up and store them carefully they WILL last (like I said I’ve had some for 7 years…). Tip: if you require larger sized honeycomb balls and want to grab some at a bargain try eBayers in China.
4) Glitter covered branches.
So if you cannot take glitter avoid these guys. But if like my family you need a bit of bling these are worth their weight in gold. Basically dried branches are painted and covered in glitter. You then take these beauties home and place them in a vase and great a centre point for your table, mantle etc. I bought a range of colours in the post Christmas sales. I drape beaded garlands on the branches to add some extra bling. You can mix and match to make a statement. Why I love them: its a big statement piece at an affordable price. I paid £1.25 for a bunch of branches from Asda post Christmas. They can be reused too. Tips: planning a mendhi? Why not get green branches and drape over gold beaded garlands as the centre piece for tables.
5) pre cut foil letter banners I love a good DIY project but I find some things are cheaper to purchase readymade and in the case of Foil/glitter card signs. If you calculate the price of card, plus the time it takes to cut the letters out etc buying pre-made is a bargain. I use Eid Mubarak glitter letter signs to create statements at Eid. I got 3 signs from eBay for £4.68 (the seller was based in China and I placed my order 2 months in advance). Why I love them: simple statement really. Affordable and reusable. Plus I like to have signs in photos incase I suffer from memory problems when I’m older.
6) Fairy lights Oh dear lord. Fairy lights! I don’t think these need much of an introduction but with such a variety there’s so much scope with them. Drape them around the home, hang them up, use outdoor ones draped over plants…the possibilities are endless. There’s colourful lights, twinkling ones, solar powered outdoor lights, flashing ones…ones you can connect up to speakers. What a time to be alive if you love fairy lights. Why I love them: just re-read the above. Tips: Superstores often have offers on around Christmas and you can actually pick up bargains before the post Christmas sales.
7) Paper mache pre-made letters If you have lots of shelves or a mantle that needs a bit of festive love this could be a cost effective option for you. I bought my letters off eBay and paid £1.20 per letter (with an additional 15% off for buying 10+ letters). I then painted the letters using metallic paint (purchased from Poundland-I can recommend their metallic acrylic ‘poster paints’ as I’ve used purple, gold and turquoise from the range). The project took a total of less than 2 hours and I now have a set of awesome freestanding letters than look awesome on my shelves. Why I love them: you can spell whatever you want to. And you can use any colour, use a bit of glitter…and let your imagination run free. Tip: a great crafting idea for little ones to get them in the festive mood and let them participate in the decoration of the home for any special event/festivity.
8)Painted upcycled jars (as candle holders) I love a good DIY project so this was right up my street. I collected a range of glass jars and painted them in a range of jewel coloured glass paints. I use these holders with battery powered ‘tealight’ candles so I don’t have any major fire hazards to worry about whilst celebrating. Plus I don’t have to scrape wax out of the holders (less work!). Why I love them: I can use the jars outdoors and indoors and the glistening lights look magical. Plus the colour range of paints is amazing. Tips: keep the jars in your shed/outhouse during colder months as frost will damage them. Get children involved in painting jars. If you have a steady hand try using glass outline pens to draw on patterns. The possibilities are endless.
9) Baubles The old fashioned bauble has withstood the test of time. You can pick up baubles in all colours, textures, shapes and sizes too. You can hang them up, place them in vases, stick them to a hula hoop and create a large wreath….get creative with these babies. You can also create personalised bauble countdown garlands by writing on the baubles too (e.g. 6 sleeps til Eid…. etc). Hang some baubles with ribbon and hang them in your window. Why I love them: baubles are a cheap and effective away to add colour and texture to your home and decor collection. You can get creative with them too. Pick up boxes of baubles from Superstores and DIY stores such as B&Q in the post Christmas sales.
10) Wire decorations Again I love DIY and garden wire based decorations are one of my favourite things ever. Firstly you can get really creative and let children join in. Secondly wire is really affordable (especially if you use garden wire) and thirdly you can create decorations for the garden that will last a while. My favourite things to create are cressant moons and also letters too. I wrap them with hessian string (again super affordable) and then paint them (our favourite: gold paint). Intertwine with fairy lights and create something magical.
That concludes my list of decorations I recommend for your decoration box. I delibrately left off balloons as yes they are super cheap but cannot be reused.
What is your favourite decoration? And what would you rather be without? Leave a comment below.
This summer I had an increase of energy and love of the great outdoors. Not just because of the awesome weather we had in the United Kingdom (a proper summer!) but also because I have been building up my health and fitness which means I no longer dread a day of being outdoors walking around. I didn’t feel drained just at the mention of being outdoors which believe me I haven’t felt for years.
And now that I feel more comfortable as a Mama I feel more confident in general including going out to places that are unchartered territory and being outdoors during summer holidays? Hugely unchartered.
Now for those of you who don’t know The National Trust is a conservation organisation (Charity) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; and boasts the largest membership of an organisation in the UK. That’s bloody huge! It started out in 1895 and in 2017 the membership count was 5.1 MILLION. They have around 6,000 staff members and over 60,000 volunteers. That’s huge.
The Trust has a mission which is to preserve and protect historic places and spaces FOR EVER FOR EVERYONE.
This organisation is huge. The numbers say it all. They own over 350 heritage properties which include many historic houses, gardens, industrial monuments and social history site (according to their Annual report dated 2015). The Trust is one of the largest landowners in the United Kingdom.
How the Trust works is most of these venues are open to the public who are charged to access them. The costs are reasonable for what you are accessing however if like me you are looking for places to visit around the year to get your children outdoors then an Annual membership for the family (£120.00 per annum) would be more useful for you.
I did some initial research into what was available near me in regards to venues and I was blown away. A quick search within an hour and 15 minute travel brought up 14 venues! 14. A bit further a field and there’s no much more. I looked at what facilities available at the venues and felt the annual membership cost was justified. If you work on an average of spending £25.00 (approx) on admission into a venue and we visit five during the year we break even. That’s how simple it is.
However I know my girls are growing up and exploring is something they want to do so returning to a venue wouldn’t be something I would out rule. Plus the Trust hold events at their venues throughout the year.
If we visited 12 venues throughout the year (say we visited a few in summer, and then visited in half term etc) that would cost £300.00! We will be paying £120.00 so that’s a huge saving.
So as you can tell it’s worth the membership if you know you want to be outside to enjoy the great outdoors (and indoors).
Since joining in August 2018 we have visited:
Biddulph Grange Gardens (twice!)
Sudbury Hall and Museum
Shugborough Hall
So that’s three venues and four actual trips. We would spend around £100.00 on admissions. And that’s just the start of our adventures as I write this we are planning on visiting Dunham Massey and Little Moreton Hall over the next few weeks.
What can I expect at National Trust venues?
Well maintained, stunningly beautiful buildings and gardens. Sudbury Hall also had events on during the summer holiday and my girls attended a wool doll workshop which was delivered by staff. The girls learnt how to make retro style dolls from wool for £1.50 each (this was an extra cost and not part of the membership due to material costs).
We also attended the Victorian themed Weekend at Biddulph Grange Garden where the girls got to watch a Punch and Judy show and play in a sandpit. The Grange also held an annual event where children can do things that will ‘make their childhood memories’ so to speak such as make mud pies, make things out of twigs and touch a slug and snails.
You can take a picnic or buy from their on site eateries. Places like Shugborough have huge gardens from which the kitchens in the cafe prepare awesome food.
The buildings are kept in pristine condition and volunteers are usually on hand to explain the history which is mesmerizing. There’s also quizzes/trails for children to do around the venues too.
There’s so much to learn about history from the venues and the gardens provide a tranquil place to get back to nature, enjoy the great outdoors and be ‘at one’ with nature. That’s how awesome these gardens are.
A lot of the venues have outdoor play areas too which is a bonus for parents/grandparents too.
We’ve enjoyed our time outdoors and I have taken more pictures of the great outdoors in 4 trips than I think I have in years. That’s how beautiful these venues are.
Do I recommend the Annual Membership?
I did my research and knew the membership was what we needed as a family so I took it out. You cannot cancel your membership (you’ll still need to pay the yearly cost). If you are not sure about taking out a yearly membership you could visit one venue and see how you guys like it. I personally recommend membership.
I can see the venues being perfect for romantic picnics too; so if there are any couples who’ve got children at School and want to enjoy some down time together these venues provide that too.
This world. It’s great isn’t it. We have all the mod cons. All the stuff our ancestors could never have imagined. All these opportunities we receive, all the love, the recoveries from illnesses….the blessings we have. We often forget them. It’s human nature (unless you actively rewire your brain) to concentrate on negatives rather than positives. Call it society. Call it normal. Whatever you want to class it as it’s an active block in your life.
My personal journey with GRATITUDE is I keep a gratitude diary. I fill out the diary with three things I am thankful for everyday. I’ve been doing this for a while now. It’s been a part of my own personal developmental journey. You see until you can see what the good stuff in your life is you cannot dispel the negative. Your thought process needs to move to positives. You need to concentrate on the good. The light. And then multiply them.
It’s Laws of Attraction. Like attracts like. You think about the good, you concentrate on the good. You focus on the good.
You then manifest MORE of the same/similar.
We’ve all had negative experiences where we’ve got out of bed and the day has started rough. We’ve muttered ‘flippin’ great’ and the next thing you know you’ve poured coffee down your white shirt, your toast is burnt, your car engine has overheated and you are late for your annual review. You then have to combat the rush hour traffic on public transport. You open your post and there’s an invite to your exes Wedding. Because at the start of a less than happy day things started a rough and we were like “what else can go WRONG” and the universe answers your vibes that you are sending out in the way you are manifesting via your attitude.
So to increase goodness we concentrate on GOOD VIBES ONLY.
As a Muslim gratitude is attitude. We’re taught to be thankful for the blessings and also count the lessons. And what doesn’t kill is it teaching something to us and we need to grow from it.
Rather than allow my daughters to get into the habit of concentrating on the negative I’ve introduced a Gratitude Jar into the weekly family activities. The idea is to get everyone in the family to think of at least one thing they are grateful for over the week and write it down. We then place it in the jar. Then when the year is done we will read our slips and put them in an envelop for future reference.
The idea is to get into the habits of expressing gratitude and acknowledging the good in life. It’s also a way of reflecting on our lives (I’m a firm believer in reflection to improve ourselves). And the more we thankful the more we attract of the same good stuff.
It’s a great activity to do as a family and it costs next to nothing to do.
Materials needed:
Paper (we use coloured craft paper. We’ve got A4 size mixed colours. The pack cost £4.00 and will last us more than a year.
A jar-I upcycled a jar by writing on it a verse from the Holy Quran
(If you are grateful I will give you more 14:7).
We use various pens to write out our slips.
And apart from that you don’t need anything else.
So go on; increase your gratitude as a family and see how the positive attitude brings in more positive vibes for you all.
