Fast, Fast, Slow

I would say I have a pretty fast paced life.  Actually I think anyone with a young family does.  Although some moments of  'The Toddler - Hood' can feel like it is dragging - namely; spontaneous tantrums in public; sick days; back to back episodes of Peppa Pig; potty training - overall time flies.

Particularly, I feel, when nursery / school get brought into the mix.  Time is broken down into terms; half terms; school week; school day; drop off and pick up times.  Then there are the after school activities to fit into the schedule.  Everything else in life gets chucked into a big pot of 'needs to be done' and in between the fixed schedule times (usually 09:00-15:00) they get randomly plucked from never decreasing mountainous pile of things to do.

I think it is safe to say that the things to be done never really get completed either.  They get worked on for the week and then sent to the bottom of the pile - I mean do you ever see the bottom of your laundry basket or ironing pile?

Then there is dinner.  I heard recently a survey had been carried out whereby parents sited between 17:00-18:00 (noted as 'Dinner Time') as the most stressful time of day.  I would have to agree.  I used to enjoy cooking 'proper' dinner and experimenting with new recipe ideas.  Now it is generally carried out amongst tired and hungry whining of two children, which does not a relaxing ambiance make.  Usually by the time I sit down to eat my own food I am stressed out, hot, flustered and thus not particularly hungry.  All I can say is thank God for a dishwasher.

So, in a world of fast chaos I have heard of a thing called a 'Slow Cooker'.  How have I missed the notion of one of these beauties in the past?  Friends tell me they chuck all the ingredients in at the beginning of the day and by 'Dinner Time' that evening it smells delicious and has cooked itself.  They also tell me that it is virtually impossible to mess up a 'Slow Cooker' recipe.

So my current mission in life.  Purchase a Slow Cooker.  I do not want an expensive one to start with, in case I do not love it as much I think I am going to  Also, given we have almost every other conceivable gadget in our kitchen I do not really have the space to purchase something I won't use.  If I do take to it however, I will look at the potential 'Bad Boys' out there.

Does anyone else use a Slow Cooker?  Would you recommend one?  What are your favourite recipes?

The Very Busy Bank Holiday

Phew, just got five minutes to sit down with a cuppa by the lap-top so going to type until my little fingers fall off while J1 is having a stretch out / chill out / lazy five on his bed watching Peppa Pig and J2 is taking a nap!

I think both children are currently in re-coup mode after a very busy bank holiday weekend.  Well ours started a little early and was somewhat extended actually, as we had a full day out on Thursday at Marsh Farm for the Essex Police 4 x 4 Fun Day.  This is a fantastic day that is laid on very generously by the various forces that make up Essex Police in conjunction with Marsh Farm and is offered to children with disabilities in Essex schools.  We were lucky enough to go in 2009, on a scorcher of a day so was very pleased when we were allocated a place again this year.

Although the days weather forecast did not bode well we decided to give it a whirl anyway, on the basis that if we got rained on that much we would just come home, however, after the initial drenching (please see blog on The Great British Day Out for my thoughts and ramblings on this!) the sun peeped it's head through and graced us with it's presence for most of the day.  The beauty of this day out, is that along with great things for the children to see and do at the farm (as well as the animals, it has the best play area's indoor and out) the police have a whole extra field of stuff going on, from dress up tents, to being able to clamber around in the police vehicles and running 4x4 car trips all day, the kids truly were tuckered out, as was I actually.  It was one of those days out, where you come home and feel so grubby you are happy to shower no matter how tired you are and then feel all lovely when your clean PJ's go on.

Friday we were aiming for another full day out down the seaside whilst watching the Clacton Airshow.  However the weather was not so kind and with it being dreadful all around the country many of the scheduled flights couldn't even take off from whatever base they were at.  Alongside this was the very sad news that of course, the Red Arrows would not be displaying this year.  However I think that the organisers of the Airshow deserve great applause for the rescheduling and reorganising to get the 5 or 6 aircraft out that they did!  They really were up against it this year and I hope that people come back again next year, when surely it has to be a more successful day for them.  This was the day out however that we got absolutely drenched to the core and yes, much wheelchair and buggy dismantling and drying was required once we got home.

Saturday saw J1 very excitedly go to this first ever football match at Colchester United and I must express much appreciation to all of those involved at Col Utd in making his day such a special one.  After his grand tour, signed shirt presentation and meeting the players he enjoyed watching Colchester win 4-1 (I was warned however that if Jacob came home chanting a very naughty word that was shouted at the referee after a dubious decision that didn't go in Col U's favour, Grandad and Daddy could not be blamed!).

Sunday was painting day for me and some boy time for, well my boys!  Once that chore was done (as an aside here I have to say anti-splatter rollers are rubbish and a con, I could have passed for Smurfette had I donned a dress and white hat by the time I had finished - now back to the actual blog) a nice family late afternoon stroll to the Pier was had where I had to be mean mummy and say 'No we don't want to win a gold fish, and I mean NO' repeatedly.

Bank Holiday Monday was again another fun day out, at the Orsett Hall Family Fun Day.  We were in that neck of the woods visiting family and I am glad they suggested it, as I have to say fun it was!  For anyone with children between the ages of 4 and 12 it was absolutely jammed packed with entertainment.  The biggest entertainment of the day for me personally was watching Hubby and my oldest nephew attempting the 'surfing machine' and lasting for ohhh, all of 0.2 seconds!  It also had good food being cooked fresh, live music, beer stalls, craft stalls.  I think next year I may try and make it a big extended family day out and would highly recommend it.

Having looked back at all that activity it is little wonder that today the children are a little crabby, they must be exhausted!  However I hope that this bank holiday gave them as many happy memories to keep as it has me.  After all isn't that what bank holidays are for?