Furby Boom 2013 personalities






We had a Furby Boom arrive this Christmas, and it has quickly become the third child of the house, Fun, full of energy, demanding, multiple personalities ???  Yes Furby Boom has 5 personality traits, and we have had a lot of fun coaxing them out of Furby.

The 5 Personalities of Furby Boom

Sweet
Hyper
Jolly  
Rockin
Feisty

Sweet Furby we at home call this one cute as Furby has a girls voice that sounds sweet and kind and she really loves hugs, tickles and giggles

How to change to Sweet Furby lots of tickles on the back around the tail and pats on the head this could take up to 4 or 5 mins

This is what Sweet Furby sounds like



Hyper Furby is another female voice Furby has a full on personality with fast hyper tones in her voice there are lots of "Like WHATTTTS" "Mind Blown" and "GO GO GO's"

How to change to Hyper Furby we found this best done when in Rockin mode and to poke Rockins tummy for 1 min

This is what Hyper Furby sounds like


Jolly Furby or fat Furby as we call it has a male English voice and he really seems to love eating and farting

How to change to Jolly Furby put your finger in Furbys mouth and wiggle it for a minuet or so and it will change to Jolly Furby

This is what Jolly Furby sounds like



Rockin Furby is a male voiced Furby and he will have lots of Rock out and slashing sayings who also like to fart.

How to change to Rocking Furby we found this best done when in Hyper mode by pulling on the  tail constantly for a minuet or so or place Furby next to some music

This is what Rocking Furby sounds like


Feisty Furby we actually call this one evil Furby because this furby is always insulting us and hates everything we try and do this Furby also has a male voice

How to change to Feisty Furby we found this best done when in Jolly mode by tilting to the side and shacking up and down small fast shakes and a few large ones there will be lots of vomit from jolly Furby and this can take up to 2 mins

This is what Feisty Furby sounds like


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Fizz for the New Year


Any excuse for a bottle of bubbles and New years is a very good excuse !!  This year we are supporting the British and have been looking for a bit of British Bling in our glass for a couple of years and now have found a couple of varieties to sip at the the ringing in of a New year.

However we do have a couple of Prosecco's we like to use for cocktails and warm ups to the real deals

Villa Sandi Prosecco Frizzante NV DOC RRP £8.99 Frizzante indicates that the wine is gently sparkling with small bubbles.  The taste is slightly dry but with lovely floral, honeydew melon and citrus fragrances, we really enjoyed this with a seafood platter.

The other Prosecco we got was Treviso Extra Dry NV, Pasqua RRP £13.49 this is given a special fermantation called Charmat which is fermentation in steel autoclaves which helps the wine gain spritz.  The nose has tropical fruit, peaches and pears and is very refreshing and a great drink to get people warmed up for a few drinks over an evening.

So now to our most welcome British invasion to our table.

Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 2003 RRP £35.99 which is from England's largest vineyard and shares many of the same characteristic as the Champagne region chalky bases, shelter from bowl shaped fields and plenty of sun exposure that are characteristics of west Sussex all of this gives the perfect growing conditions for classic varieties and style in a glass.

The grape is chardonnay as denoted by the Blanc de Blancs,with golden colour perfect delicate bubbles and aromas of peach and lemon with fabulous floral notes, to taste is like a wonderful almond croissant with a twist fresh lemon.  This is our indulgent New years day celebration bottle to go with out wonderful dinner where we are starting the meal with a huge prawn platter, this wine will be perfect.

now the final 2 both from the same vineyard

Chapel Down Rose Brute NV RRP £25.00 again from the south east Kent sharing the same geological aspect as Champagne, This region being most sort after especially now as we are now experiencing a 1 degree temperature change that bring warmer weather that Champagne celebrated in their wine production 10 years ago.   With the south facing slopes capturing more of the sunshine helping to ripen the grapes given a perfect sparkle to the wine with flavours of ripe red berries of raspberries strawberries and rhubarb.  The grape is a classic Pinot Noir with a wonderful pink colour and beautiful bubbles dancing gently through the glass.

Finally the last bottle from Chapel Down and Pinot Reserve 2006 RRP £25.00 the grapes are Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Auxerrois a grape grown in Germany or Luxembourg and is a sibling grape to Chardonnay.  Although this wine has a green apple nose to it to taste has citrus lime flavours with the warmth of soft warm buttery brioche.    

 


Warped Willie shoot



Oh my days this is just the best shooter to warm up the night before drinks start and Ali is a wizz at shaking these up over lots of ice 1 gets your warmed up and 2 gets you warped for sure !!!  Just to be a little weird my husband has mixed this cocktail up in an old unused kettle we had laying about so you can imagine the quantities were very pleasing.

3/4 Vodka
3/4 Amaretto
1/4 Lime cordial

Christmas round up

Christmas round up for 2013 and what a lovely time we had being all together with lots of much needed time with daddy being all together was fantastic.  Even though the fairies have left us to do their important job for Santa the magic has not left us. Christmas eve kicked off with the mulling of the wine and Sophie was excellent at stirring up the Christmasy brew. 

Christmas Eve means the girls got a survival pack each with new jimmy jammies, slippers, toothbrush, paste, flannels one small gift. Everything a girl would need for getting ready for bed with a nice bath to help bring on a good sleep to make sure that Christmas day comes swiftly.   Sophie is now the perfect age for totally getting the magic of Christmas so this year she was the Christmas Elf a very important job as the role come with all sorts of jobs one being the person that gives out the Christmas presents and to show how important she is she gets a very special hat.  Sorry the video below is sideways 


So much for the survival packs easing the girls off to sleep Sophie was so excited she didn't go to sleep until 11pm it didn't help that daddy kept her up making her more excited and in turn she made Ella excited who didn't go to sleep until midnight ! just in time for Santa's arrival.  Morning came and Sophie opened a never ending stocking and even little Ella got one of daddies socks with a few gifts from the big man.  Before Daddy encourage Sophie to go down stairs where she squealed with excitement at the sight of the tree and the gifts beneath it.







The number one present this year was all about Furby. Sophie has been wanting one of these for ages, and they have been inseparable ever since she has got it.  Ella got Furby's friend Willa which she also finds very captivating and they both got Yippit for good measure a friend and pet and when they are all together they interact with each other.  Above is Sophie in her Christmas day dress and sparkly shoe's.  Below in her Grufflo suit it was such a shame i couldn't get a tiny one for Ella.  After the mammoth present unwrapping where the Christmas elf got most of the gifts we all sat down to dinner of Christmas goose yum!




The golden acorn

 Today we only found the Fairy Queen and she was holding a little golden acorn as a goodbye gift for Sophie.

They have gone back through little door as they have to go and help Santa tonight they need to put the magic dust on the reindeer hooves to help the reindeer fly.  We really hope that next year when we put the Christmas tree up that it releases the magic so Little door appears again, the fairies gave Sophie the golden acorn to spread the magic of Christmas and help guide Santa in tonight.

Christmas goose

The Fairies have found the Christmas goose and are trying to liberate our dinner!!

Hanging out the stockings

Today the fairies climbed the fire place to hang out their stockings

Campari Twist



With Clementines being in season this month how about this pre dinner drink to wet your whistle while you baste the goose.

Good handful of ice
Campari
Clementine juice
1/2 juice of a lime
Twist of lime

Our favourite wines for Christmas


Here is some of our selection of wine for Christmas 

We are having goose for Christmas so wanted a white Burgundy to go with it, and have chosen this Macon Villages Blanc 'Les Pierres Blanches' 2012 Cave de Lugny Retails £8.99 this is a Chardonnay grape wine so expect lots of apple, citrus and butter notes 

The Panamericana Merlot 2012 retails £7.49 is another good option to go for if your looking for a red to go with your roast goose for Christmas, another new world wine from Chili this wine is from the Curico valley and its noted to come from a cooler climate and also cool fermented this gives the wine a fresher fruity flavour however a small portion of wine has sat in oak barrels then blended in to finish of the flavours of this ample red berried ripe and warm wine   

We had a had a light and spicy curry a few days before Christmas and enjoyed a bottle of Porcupine ridge Viognier Grenache Blanc 2012 retails £8.99 with dinner the grape is a Viognier, Grenache Blanc so there were lots of spicy floral aromas and apricots as a first hit to the nose from the Viognier followed by a crisp clean taste from the Grenache Blanc

Luis Felipe Edwards signature series Syrah Reserva 2012 from the central valley of Chile, Retails at £7.99 was a wonderful wine the Syrah grape gave deep flavoured tones with intense dark fruit flavours and a peppery finish yet fresh and juice leading to a soft finish and we thought this went really nicely with some posh pizza.

I do enjoy a good Rioja and this lively red fruited wine had hits of vanilla and cherry in smacks the Rioja Crianza 2010, CVNE retails at £9.99 and wasnt out of place at our table as we enjoy cured meats and olives and hunks of fresh bread over lunch.

We really loved the Bellingham Mocha Java Merlot 2012,  retails £8.99 famed for its aromas of coffee and black cherry characteristics to taste it is extremely smooth with oak tones and a lovely long taste in the mouth We drank this with a dark chocolate torte and it was a party for the mouth. 

Finally the Yellow tail Shiraz retailing at £7.49 is one of my favourite wines that does not disappoint From Australia the grapes Shiraz and Syrah are drenched in that famous ozzy sunshine bringing out the best from the fruit,  lots of lovely vanilla, ripe sweet red berries soft yet earth and lingers lovingly on the tongue  

Ella update


 Well it seems as if these last 6 months have flown past in a blink of an eye and where i was cuddling a tiny prem scrap of a baby i now have a bouncing chunk wriggling off my lap wanting to get around and explore her new world.

The first few months were interesting as the first 4 weeks brought sleep for both of us and after devil child Sophie and the ensues of sleep torture i suffered i praised my lucky stars for a sleeping baby.  But all that ended very fast as the word got out from big sister to little sister this wasn't what was supposed to happen and mummy was subjected to only 2 hours sleep in a 24 hour period and they were in 2 separate 1 hour slots no luxury of having them together, boy it really did take its toll on me.  Sleep is still one of those luxuries i am not allowed to have as at 6 months she wakes every hour still and im feeling terribly run down and have caught an infection and was bearly holding myself together.
However this baby seems to ninja sleep all the time so she was getting plenty of sleep her tricks were to sleep on the school run, waiting outside the school gates at the supermarket, anywhere apart from in bed !!!!    

After a month we also got colic and which just added to the misery of sleepless nights and Ella was an incredibly hungry baby always feeding, we think she was trying to catch up with herself for being prem.  The house was full of tears as the pain of tummy aches upset Ella and mummy from shear frustration. After going through this horrendous experience with Sophie getting not a scrap of support i knew what a bumpy ride i was in for and battened down to try and make it through with out going to crazy.  This time though i had added pressure from Sophie needing to go to school gymnastic and needing attention as well as Ella and doing all this on 2 hours sleep too.  I definitely wore my underpants on the outside of my clothes but that was a total mistake and not because i though i was a super hero!!


12 weeks came and i weaned Ella and a few days later goodbye Colic this was the same situation with Sophie when we weaned her too, there must be a link here!! however we still suffered from a few farty moments.  From weaning Ella this just made Ellas appetite even more veracious as her world opened up to new tastes and she wanted it all right now!! and only after 4 weeks of being on baby food she was grabbing the food off of our plates and eating it and she was gobbling up chicken and steak by 5 months as well as cake, i wonder have i finally found my cake buddy !

Ella is all inquisitive just loves chatting mostly to herself in a mirror maybe that baby understands her, i dont know but she is very entertained but that other baby.

Her other best buddy is her big sister, who she has big eyes for and adores no end, trying to copy her, and she watches and listens with huge interest as Sophie plots and plans explaining to her ideas to lead her astray in some mischief hair brained scheme she has. I can see i will have my hands full with some double trouble, and of course they both look like little angels protesting innocents or negotiating their way out of trouble with showers of kisses and cuddles they really are a pair of little buggers when they team up.

Ella is also as we have discovered another technology baby there in something in the genes from mummy and daddy who love their gadgets. Sophie was given an Ipad at 8 months or rather she stole it from daddy who never got it back.  Ella has had exposure to one from 5 months and has stolen that same Ipad and now Sophie in turned has stolen daddies 2nd Ipad he got as a replacement poor daddy.  Ella adores the memory games where she can slap the screen to turn cards till by mistake she finds pairs that make fun noises and she is a budding artist on the drawing apps. we have even caught her surfing for Christmas presents ! Shame it was not another Ipad for daddy.

At 6 months we had a weekend of firsts as her first tooth was cut in and she crawled right across the living room. She can sit by herself for a short while as well as stand for a brief while hanging off furniture, she loves a good conversation and we have a lot of nom noms at dinner time and blow and bow and an almost hello.  before i know it she will be having babies of her own, it sure has gone fast.



My Sunday Photo: Drinks in Ice glasses


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Fairies in the Christmas sweets

Those darn fairies have found the Christmas sweets

Christmas Cookies

 Just love being in the kitchen with my girls especially over Christmas where we can get creative making some lovely spiced ginger cookies and then go crazy with the icing and glitter to decorate them with lots of lovely bright colours they look good as decorations on the tree, that is as long as they are able to stay there with out being munched.

Christmas movies with the fairies

Late night Christmas movies with popcorn lucky fairies 5 point if you guess the movie

What to wear on the school run: My 5 key pieces

If, like me, the school run involves pressing snooze on the alarm clock one too many times then rushing around trying to do all of those things that should have been done the night before – ironing the school uniform, packing lunch, finding the PE kit – then what you wear to get the kids to school is probably last on your priority list.

But, not wanting to completely embarrass my fashion-conscious tween, I’ve decided there are five key pieces that can safely take me to the school gates in style. Here is my pick of this season’s trends which are perfect for the school run:

The sleeveless jacket
Victoria Beckham, Berardi and Chloé were among the designers to showcase sleeveless jackets. While you’ll need a warmer cover-up in the depths of winter, for layering over knitwear as winter turns to spring, they’re stylish and insulating. This one by Rick Owens at Browns Fashion could be worn with the neck folded down to reveal the orange lining or up to keep your neck warm.

The cosy knit
Cable knits have been all over the autumn/winter catwalks, marrying up-to-the-minute styling with warmth. How many times does that happen in the fashion world? Isabel Marant created covetable pink cropped cable knit jumpers while Ralph Lauren is renowned for classic cable knit styles which transcend seasons. I love this ivory long-line cable knit cardigan by Soft Grey at La Redoute, with its curved asymmetric hem. I’m going to wear it layered over a roll neck, with knee-high boots and skinny jeans for winter, and with a printed dress and suede ankle boots when the weather warms up.

The riding boot
Equestrian styling comes round time and time again. And, a classic riding boot will never date so you can afford to spend a little more on a pair, safe in the knowledge that you’ll wear them every winter. I love the sleek look of Saint Laurent’s version, with their sleek shape and buckle detailing. They’d work with smart and casual outfits – whether I was working from my kitchen table that day or heading into the office. They are though, a little out of my price range, but there are plenty of similar versions available on the high street at the moment. I like these ones from Linzi as a budget alternative.

The over-sized scarf
I’m a huge scarf fan. Not only do they keep you warm, but they add instant style kudos to any outfit. You can throw a scarf on over pretty much anything and immediately look more put together. The neck cosie from Wear Alpaca has captured my imagination because it’s slightly unusual with its button detailing, it’s manufactured in Britain and it’s made from alpaca yarn. It’s sure to prove a talking point with the other mums.

The cross-body bag
As a mum, your bag has to double as a pharmacy, with plasters, medicine and baby wipes, a mini-market, with after-school snacks, and a bank, with that extra change you always need to pay for school trips and activities. So, you need a bag that’s roomy and that keeps your hands free. I love the classic styling of this Italian leather satchel bag by Roma Leather at fishpond. Although, I think my daughter might try to claim it as her own.
Celebrities like Claudia Schiffer, Gwyneth Paltrow and Elle MacPherson have got school-run style all sewn up, opting for a mix of casual pieces that have just the right amount of edge but aren’t too high-fashion. And, while I can’t promise these separates will make you look like a supermodel or an A-list actress, they will at least ensure you exude an air of casual cool.

Katie is the baking, travel and window-shopping addicted blogger behind delightso.me. You can follow Katie and her adventures on Twitter @delightsomeblog.

Candy window cookies


Sophie and i are finally in the kitchen after a long time so excuse the raggle taggle look as she has been a bit poorly and this is my attempt to cheer her up and get her back on track again.  We decided to make some Christmas cookies but a little different as i have always wanted to try melting boiled sweets in cookies to give the stain glass window effect.  Sophie made a basic cookie recipe bringing the cookie dough together in a bowl then rolling it out in between two bits of cling film, then we rested the dough in the fridge.



While the dough was chilling and relaxing we had a smashing good time with a rolling pin, some different coloured boiled sweets and a ziplock making sugary bits from the sweets.  Once the dough was chilled Sophie choose the star cutter as it is Christmasy and then we cut a smaller star inside before we sprinkled the centers with the boiled sugary bits we smashed up then popped them in the oven for 10 mins.  After the cookies have come out and cooled the sugar centers set hard and add a lovely flavour to the cookies, we decorated the edges of the cookies with icing sugar covered in lots of edible glitter to make them sparkle






Sophie offered to help clean up after but i will think twice next time 

Fairy cookies


Today the Fairies are busy making Christmas cookies for Sophie's school lunch box 




Pull a cracker



The fairies are pulling a few festive crackers !

My Sunday Photo Snow building





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