Thursday 31 March 2011

I'd like one of these please, in purple :)

What a strange country we live in

How Awesome is this?! Actually saw the book of patterns in Smiths on Saturday, me and Rusty had a chuckle!

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Mothers Day Specials

I've decided to give my mum a menu this weekend and on sunday I will cook her the three courses of her choice. I've picked some family favourites and some new recipes that I want to try (all of which I know she will like). So I'm excited to see the results.
My mum's on holiday at the moment so I know that she won't read this post and ruin the surprise, and even if she did she would have more time to choose! Also, Please comment and let me know what you would choose.


Mothers Day Specials
Starters-
Rocket and Olive Salad (served with/without feta)
Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese parcels
Bruschetta with Ratatouille
Roasted  Whole Garlic with Baked Camembert and Bread
Baked Camembert with garlic bread
Selection of Breads, Oils and Olives
Nachos with Refried Beans and Cheese

Mains-
Mushroom Risotto
Spinach, Feta and Sun Dried Tomato Strudel  I found this on 
Veggie Mama's Blog and really want to try and make it.
I hope you don't mind me using the picture Veggie Mama.

 Spaghetti Bolognaise with Garlic Bread
Quorn Vegetable Fajitas
Vegetable Lasagne
Toad in the Hole with Vegetarian Sausages and Broccoli
Homemade Pizza with a choice of toppings

Dessert-
Cheese Board with Crackers
A selection of Brownies available on request including Cheesecake and Peanut Butter I hope mum picks these!
Chocolate Cheesecake
Norwegian Apple Cake
Sticky Toffee Pudding and Custard
Cupcakes of any variety! I've just bought a piping bag for icing cakes and I want to try it out but unfortunately my mum isn't the biggest fan of icing.
Chocolates served with Coffee


Tuesday 29 March 2011

Boast

Just because I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself I thought I'd let you know that I got observed teaching on placement today for the last time then had a 3 way meeting to decide my grade. Observation went brilliantly and I got the highest possible grade for every single 'characteristic of performance'.
All the hard work has paid off and I can't stop smiling!


Boast over.

My Top 5 Time Travel Destinations.

The age of the Dinosaurs (The Jurassic period preferably)- Like Kate Takes 5 I would want to be in a hiding place to watch the dinosaurs from a safe distance with a panic button, just to be safe!

2032- I would love to see what i'm up to when i'm 40. Do I have children? Am I married? What do I do? Am I happy? Also, what will the world be like and would new inventions will people depend on?

1969, England- I want to dress up as a hippy and go to Glastonbury, minus the drugs. Also my mum would have been 6 so I could check up on her, my auntie and grandma and grandad.

3000- I want to know whether Busted were right, are there triple breasted women and flying cars?


Last Friday- To tell myself the winning lottery numbers!

Friday 25 March 2011

Reasons to be Cheerful

Sunshine! It makes everything better.



The Boyfriend is back from Scotland today so my 12 week wait is over and I get to see him again, this makes me very happy.


Loving Placement at the mo. I only have a week left and I actually don't want to leave, if only I could not be observed or graded because that is the stressful part.


Free Time is Approaching I can see the light! A couple of sparse weeks of lectures then two weeks off at Easter brings exciting ideas into my head of things to do.


Short and sweet today. 




Reasons to be Cheerful at Mummy with a Heart

Tuesday 22 March 2011

The Gallery- Education

My first idea for this gallery was related to a huge amount of lesson plans that result in the massive file that I carry everywhere. Instead I thought I'd highlight the creativity and originality of children that I love.



Last week we made a timeline of ourselves and talked about how we'd changed since we were born.



We stuck pictures on of the toys we used to play with and drew the things that we liked to do. My favourites were the children who drew themselves playing with spoons and eating baby food!

Monday 21 March 2011

5 things I'd like to be when I grow up

This weeks listography is 5 things I'd like to be when I grow up.


1. Cupcakery owner- Recently I can't stop thinking about how awesome it would be to own a cute little English teashop with a selection of cakes made by me that people find delicious! I love visiting little teashops and also love baking so I'd love to be successful at doing it myself, I'd like to think I could be with practice. Second best would be running a cake business from home, someone I went to school with does that now and I'm so jealous, If only I had the time...




2. Primary School Teacher- It's probably a good job due to the degree I'm doing! I'm not sure how much I actually like my course sometimes but I definitely cannot wait to graduate and have my own little class to experiment with. I'm determined to make the curriculum fun!


3. Successful food blog writer/ cookery book writer/ television chef-
I'd love to be famous for cooking. I think my meals are an 'acquired taste' and not particularly difficult. I certainly don't know much about the 'science' of cooking and have no particular skill but I think it's the sort of thing I could persevere with.


4. Photographer- I love obscure photography, I'd be the wedding photographer taking pictures of the food, people's expressions and interesting items of clothing and ignoring all the posed pictures! Let me loose with a snazzy SLR and I think creativity would strike.


smile. by ~cucumber-love. 45 Gorgeous Smiley Fingers Photographs photography


5. Gadget Show presenter- It looks so much fun! I'd get to travel all around the world, do lots of silly things and hopefully get lots of free gadgets.


Saturday 19 March 2011

Look What I Did!


I dyed my hair dark red! It was an impulse decision today (not for Red Nose Day). Excuse the blanked out face but I feel a bit insecure posting my face all over the internet.

This is what I used
I was a little worried because the woman on the front looks like she's wearing a wig...but it worked well. However,  I do think I'll go to the hairdressers next time because last time I ruined a toilet seat and today a ruined a bath mat. Oops.

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Busy Busy Busy

I apologies for the lack of blogs, I've literally been at placement or asleep, yes I have been going to bed at 8.30!
I'm very much forward to this weekend and my housemate is going away so I'm going to do my own thing. 


Apart from writing 9 lesson plans I would like to...
Go to Rosy Lee's again but this time I intend to have a cheesecake!
Go swimming
Go shopping for Mothers Day presents, Grandma's present and Boyfriend's present.
Maybe buy a piping bag and make some cupcakes and have an icing piping experiment.
Sounds Cake filled, just a shame about the lesson plans :/


This is literally how good the cheesecake looked, If my memory serves me correctly!

Sunday 13 March 2011

Change is Exciting

So, the blog has a new look. I apologise for messing with it once again, I like to move things around a lot because I get bored easily. This is proved by the annoyance that I cause everyone whenever I play music because I hardly ever listen to a whole song.
My mood changes quite a lot, If I could redecorate my bedroom every month I would! I hardly ever by the same foods when I go shopping, I go through phases of making certain meals then overdo it and don't fancy it for a while.
My 'cravings' and inspirations change a lot and indulging in them makes me very happy.


Current Obsessions-
Celebrating- any excuse to reward myself, a good lesson, the weekend .etc.
Mexican Food- Curly Fries, Nachos and Fajitas. All mild of course.
Baking- I want to get back into making cakes but I change my mind on what flavour every day so I may have to save my excitement for Birthdays, Mothers Day .etc. coming up to share my creations. I may experiment and make a cheesecake.
Friends- Re-watching my favourite episodes really makes me giggle, I got very excited about the reveal of Monica and Chandlers relationship when they were replaying them on E4 this week. I need to remember to bring my box set from home for when I feel like indulging.
Travelling- Having booked my flights to Italy for five weeks in the summer I'm very excited about the idea of exploring the landmarks on my own, also excited about my first night alone in Nice, not sure why. I've printed a map off and highlighted where I might like to go! This also makes me want to plan weekends in Wales or a week in Spain or France.
Home- I'm exciting about going home for a few weeks, visiting coffee shops, going for walks, having family meals, I miss it.
Photography- Shame my camera's broken...

Friday 11 March 2011

If I won the lottery...

Since I enjoyed reading my friends responses to the food meme I decided to create, I've decided to make another one!


This one was inspired by a radio advert I heard for the new National Lottery 5 chances thing. Anyway, it made me think about what I would spend a quarter of a million pounds on. I realised I think pretty small and didn't really think to spend much more than £200 but here's my attempt....

Get a new phone contract with unlimited minutes and a nice snazzy android.
Get an Ipad- just because I take my laptop to placement for PPA and it really hurts, sooo heavy!
Fix my car- I would get the bumper fixed without worrying about the fact that I'm paying and I shouldn't be.
Treat myself with a hair cut and dye at the hairdressers- red I think.
Book a spa day for me and my mum (and maybe grandma)- I need a shoulder massage desperately and maybe an eyebrow shape because I'm That lazy.
Maybe a romantic weekend away with the boyf.
A few sets of plane tickets to Aberdeen would sort me out too :)




That's pretty much all, I don't really want anything like a new car or anything...well maybe a private jet!
I realise these aren't particularly interesting or massively extravagant, maybe you guys can put me to shame? I look forward to reading.

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Reasons to be cheerful!

1. I went into a year 5 class today and actually felt confident that I do want to teach that age range, I could have a proper conversation with them (about yoghurt, willy wonka and a birthday party which they invited me to!). Can't wait to have my own class, only two years to go....


2. 16 days until the 12 weeks are over and I get to see my boyfriend again, finally!


3. I get to go home soon for a few weekends then for two weeks at Easter, fun times with my parents.


4. Cadbury World soon for my Grandma's birthday :)


5. My birthday soon, Toy Story night out planned! Anyone got any ideas of how to dress up as Rex?

Sunday 6 March 2011

I love Weekends!

I've made a decision...instead of making excuses every time I mention food in my blog, I've decided this might as well be a food blog. No more excuses, I love food! I will obviously talk about other things but cooking, baking and eating excites me so why not?

So this weekend involved another rather un-necessary but exciting trip to ASDA for lunchbox fillers. My next mission was then to buy a lunchbox. When searching for pretty ones online I came across some cute Bento boxes.
This got me searching Bento and I'm amazed at the effort that people put in to their food, for example....


That really is art! I was tempted to buy a little cupcake Bento box from paperchase but I know that I really don't have the time or the patience to do anything fancy. I found this blog too which is brilliant http://bentoanarchy.blogspot.com/ .

I ended up just buying a clear lunchbox and decorating it with stickers but I did make the effort of making a little fruit salad to go with my sandwich tomorrow.
I also made some banana bread/ muffins yesterday because the loaf tin I used was only tiny and i had some left over, it turned out pretty well (not quite as well as at home because the oven is rubbish) and was eaten very quickly. So I have a muffin in my lunchbox too, I may also experiment with cold quorn (chicken style) nuggets later in the week.

Last night's tea was one of epic proportions. My housemate had a couple of friends over and they were going to get a takeaway but I suggested we had a mexican night and we did, two lots of Nachos and Fajitas all round (quorn for me) and it was delicious, best idea i've had in a while! Shame no-one wanted to draw moustaches on themselves though, my other suggestion.

Then, as a treat and a break from planning today, me and V had strawberries and dipped them in melted chocolate, heaven.

Wednesday 2 March 2011

My Top Ten Favourite Foods

After enjoying doing other bloggers Listography's I wanted to create one myself to see the responses. So, of course, I picked food! Have a go please Ivylol and Ashwaa


My Favourite Foods-


1. Chocolate- most definitely my ultimate favourite, but not without tea. I have expensive taste, truffles are my favourite. If not, Galaxy.


2. Pasta- all kinds, tomato sauce and veg or cheesy- s'all good! It's very comforting.


3. Mushrooms- a recent favourite, lovely with Philidelphia.


4. Jacket Potatoes- again, very comforting but they must be crispy! With cheese And tuna mayo.


5.Veggie Haggis with neaps and tatties- something I only have at home as a treat


6.Quorn savoury eggs- (like scotch eggs) Something I could snack on for ever if they weren't so expensive


7.Chips- from the chippy, with mayo if i'm drunk, ketchup if i'm not :)


8.Cheesy Dorritos- sometimes nothing else fulfills the craving.


9. Biscuits- again, not without tea.


10. Cake- currently carrot cake

My Top 5 Pet Hates- Listography

1. Head Scratching- the noise goes through me! Both my parents have a head scratching/fluffing habit and the noise has always made me crawl. However, as someone who is currently allergic to her shampoo and doing lets of unavoidable scratching, I'm a hypocrite.


2. Feet- walking in barefoot, seeing other people walk in barefoot, dirty soles, hairy toes, people picking their feet, dirty toenails .etc. Urgh!


3. Picking nails and nail biting- one of my friends has a habit of picking her already short nails, worse, she picks the skin around the nail.


4. People not doing things until ages after they've been asked then saying i'm 'like their mother' for asking- When I want someone else to do something, for example, move something of theirs, then I cannot settle until It's done, most of the time I end up doing it myself. But when I don't, I nag 'can you do it now please? I don't see why you're putting it off!'. I know this is mean, but I can't help it, and I'm sure that's why their mum does it!


5. Slow movers in the supermarket/ shops- I'm not talking about frail old people, I'm talking about people who purposely move at the slowest pace possible when other people are trying to get around them. I realise this is because I could definitely be more laid back but, never mind.


Oops that was far too easy!