Thursday 31 May 2012

I have moved

I have now moved this blog to my own self hosted word-press site. Please pop over and say hello, I am missing you all. www.thirtymummy.com

Thirty Mummy x

Monday 28 May 2012

31 day blog challenge...... Day 28




Day 28 (What are you looking forward to)






This is an easy one, I am looking forward to our Charity drive with Roadhog around Europe in August with my husband, Just us two of us in a banger dressed up as something (yet undecided but the husband has suggested we dress up as Oompa Loompas, I am still to be convinced on that!) we will be traveling 3000k to unknown destinations, its been described as Europe's greatest treasure hunt, A magical Mystery Tour mixed with National Lampoons Europe Vacation and a pinch of Cannonball.

I'm sure you have heard me talk about this before, we are doing it for Dreams Come True its a children's Charity that grant wishes to Terminally ill and Seriously ill kids in the UK and Northern Ireland. We have a just giving page if anyone would like to donate to this very worthy cause can do so  here we have set a target of £800 and we are currently sitting at £550.

There are still places left if anyone would like to sign up to this amazing trip just go Here


Thirty Mummy x




Sunday 27 May 2012

Fish is definitely the dish!


Last Wednesday I was fortunate enough to be Invited by Fish is the dish to the amazing Belfast Cookery School to learn more about cooking fish especially as it was geared towards families. This was their first ever class and it was held in Belfast. 

Our brilliant teacher for the day (who was also very entertaining) was Wayne Carville the head chef at Mourne Seafood.

The day started with Oysters! I have only ever had a oyster once and I just swallowed it. I wasn't looking forward to having to try one at half ten in the morning but, try it I did and I must say they were gorgeous if you chew them and the splash of Tabasco and lemon juice made all the difference. I am thankful that I didn't have to open one, I am really accident prone and probably would have chopped a finger off. Heather from Fish is the dish said she had never eaten an oyster so she was challenged and she reluctantly accepted.  


Our breakfast continued with mussels Wayne cooked one batch with just lemon and the other batch was supposed to be cream and white wine but ended up as just a cream sauce as Waynes assistant Chris brought up a bottle of sherry instead. We were told it was a popular dish at the restaurant for kids, I have never thought of giving S mussels but I certainly will now and they are super quick to cook, they were ready in just a few minutes.

Mussels in a cream sauce




Next Wayne showed us how to fillet (was handy to know but I would probably not do this at home) and prepare a few different types of fish ranging in price, from 50p to £30/£40 for the monkfish. I was surprised at how little difference there was taste wise between the cheaper and more expensive bits.


The last dish Wayne prepared was the one we were going to cook. Hake with Germolata, sautéed potatoes and a side salad.  

My work Station

This was such an easy dish to make, the Germolata made with, Chilli, Lemon zest, parsley, garlic and breadcrumbs which I forgot to add to mine! was prepared while the pan was heating up. Next a little oil was added to the pan and in goes the fish skin side down along with the potatoes. During this time I was distracted by Paula McIntyre from Radio Ulster for an Interview for her Saturday morning magazine show which I managed to ramble through. When the fish skin was golden brown in colour it was turned over, we added a knob of butter and turned off the heat and left to rest for a few minutes before plating up, It was that easy.

The finished product, I am surprised at how quick and easy the dish was.



I really enjoyed my day and I learnt a lot and I will be definitely be adding more fish to my family's menu. The night after the course I re-created the dish for my husband and S it went down really well.  I also made homemade fish fingers thanks to the folder in the goody bag we all got going home, I don't think I will ever buy frozen fish fingers again they were so easy to make and S had so much fun helping to make them. 
  






Thirty Mummy x


31 day blog challenge...... Day 27





Day 27  (Your favourite recipe)

I have a lot of recipe books and I don't really have one favorite. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a fish class at the amazing Belfast Cookery School last Wednesday. I'll be posting all about my day there later. This is the recipe we made, I recreated it the next day for the husband and mini me, both who really enjoyed it.



Hake topped with Chilli Gremolata




Ingredients

Hake Fillet
Pre cooked potatoes sliced into 1cm disks

Gremolata
Lemon Zest
Chopped Parsley
Chilli
Garlic
Salt and Pepper

Put all the Gremolata ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Season the fish, in a hot pan with a little oil, begin to cook the potatoes and the fish skin side down until golden. Turn over and add a knob of butter. Remove from the heat and rest in the pan for a few minutes.

Plate up and add the Gemolata on top.



Thirty Mummy x







Saturday 26 May 2012

31 day blog challenge...... Day 26




(26) An old photo of you..

This is the one I want to share with you this is my before and after picture so to speak, the one on the left is me is the weight i was just before I got pregnant and the one one the left about a month ago.






Thirty Mummy x

Sunny days...

Here in Belfast the weather is awful most of the time! Its been lovely here since monday I'm sure this is unheard of. Today I went to the beach not once but twice, It was lovely although a bit too warm our car was telling us that it was 29 degrees at one stage. We are actually getting better weather than my littlest sis who's on holiday in America, she's jealous.



My sister called to say that she'd packed a picnic and she was coming to pick me up (much more exciting than I originally planned to do with my day) she told me that she was dodging the housework at home. I did think twice about going as mini me has been sick since Tuesday she's still not great but seemed to enjoy herself building sandcastle with her Sidekick RyRy.

As I type this I can hear my husband sniffing upstairs, he's not been too well either!

You may have noticed my address has changed above, last friday slightly intoxicated with too much wine I bought thirtymummy.com. I have been messing around with word-press since buying my domain so I can possibly move away from blogger, the only thing stopping me is losing all my lovely followers.

Thats all the late night ramblings for now, I'm off to bed.

Thirty Mummy x






Friday 25 May 2012

31 day blog challenge..... Day 25




Day 25  (Your 5 favourite blogs)

I will find it hard to pick just 5 there are so many brilliantly written and funny blogs out there.

1. Adventures of an unfit mother

2. Mummy_anonymous

3. Knackered housewife

4. Ministry of mum

5. Motherventing


I also want to include my other lovely NI blogger friends as well.

Belfast Mummy,  School gate style,  Mum of all trades,  Belfast Dad,  OutMUMbered,  Aly Mcloughlin Harte,  Two point four children,  The Agoraphobic fashionista




Thirty Mummy x

Thursday 24 May 2012

31 day blog challenge..... Day 24




Day 24 (Your favourite childhood book)




I loved reading as a child my favourite was The Famous five series by Enid Blyton.



I still love reading now even though I dont get to do too much of it. We have a second hand bookshop 10 minutes walk from our house I could spend all day there if I could, I could spend all day in any bookshop but I think I would end up outstaying my welcome. They even know me and Mini me by name in our little shop in Ballyhackamore, Mini me shares my love of reading, we buy and this is no joke at least 2 books a week her bookcase is so full that its starting to fall apart she must have around 100. I must take a photo of her bookcase and update this post.


Thirty Mummy x





Wednesday 23 May 2012

31 day blog challenge...... Day 23




Your dream job.......

Growing up I never knew what I wanted to be, I went through phases of wanting to do this or that like the times when I wanted to be -: a Pediatric Surgeon, Choreographer, Nurse, Police woman, forensic scientist, Accountant,  There are probably tons more professions I thought I like to do over the years.


I do know that I don't want to go back to doing payroll. I never chose that career path I just sort of fell into it. I needed a job to pay the rent and applied for an admin job in what happened to be a payroll outsourcing company, I worked my way up and 8 years later I was a payroll manager. I was then made redundant just weeks before I found out I was Pregnant.

As silly as some people might think this is at 30 I'm still no closer to figuring out what I want to do, I think I want to go into something I.T related.


Thirty Mummy x

Tuesday 22 May 2012

31 day blog challenge....... Day 22




The best thing to happen this year......

Nothing major has happened so far this year a couple of little things :-

I managed to potty train Mini me at the start of the year relatively quickly , I am really enjoying no more nappies.

We had a gorgeous few days in Fermanagh, It was lovely to relax beside the lakes well, maybe relax is a strong word with a toddler in toe.

Then there was starting this blog In January I love writing and It has led me to some very lovely new friends.

The thing that I am most looking forward too this year is going on a charity road trip with my husband around Europe, its a 3000k treasure hunt in a banger we don't know where we'll be going or where we end up. Its for children's charity Dreams Come True they provide Dreams to Children across the Uk with both life threatening and long term illness. If you would like to donate you can find our Just Giving page Here we have already raised £550 but would love to get to our target of £800.



Thirty Mummy x



Monday 21 May 2012

31 day blog challenge...... Day 21




Your 10 favorite foods.....

Where do I begin,

Pizza, we often go to Goodfella's pizza its on the other side of town but their pizzas and pasta are yummy S loves their spag bol

Salted chilli king prawns

Sushi, This is one I dont get too often as The husband doesn't like it

Curry either indian or chinese

Chocolate fudge cake (It has to be hot)

Goats cheese

Eggs

Pesto

Steak it has to be medium

Scallops


Thirty Mummy x





31 day blog challenge...... Day 20





Sorry this is a day late, been suffering with a cold and couldn't be bothered doing anything yesterday!

Day 20  A difficult time in your life.....

I don't really want to elaborate on this too much, Its hard to think about it If I'm honest.

I suffered with depression from around October of 2007 to maybe May 2008. I was on quite strong anti-depressants I was seeing a Phycologist and at one point my GP was so concerned that he sent the rapid response team from the local mental hospital assess me, I had them calling me everyday for 2 weeks to check I was ok and I hadn't harmed myself. Through all my sessions with people no one ever figured out including myself why I felt the way I did. I eventually got through it and i was weaned of my medication.

I put my family especially my husband through a lot during that period of time.

I haven't suffered with it that bad since, I get the odd days like we all do where I'm feeling a bit down.


Thirty Mummy x




Saturday 19 May 2012

Men, Hangovers and Excerise

Today hasn't been great, I was woken by mini me at 7am which is early for her! I was suffering with the hangover from hell (I am really too old or my body just doesn't do well with alcohol anymore) and a cold I had to drag myself out of bed even though I was feeling that I was going to throw up any minute to make mini me her breakfast.

The day progressed we went to Tesco to get something for lunch, went to my mums to eat lunch and she offered to take S for the rest of the day YAY! I thought me and DH could go home and do nothing well, so I thought, he suggested that we take the dog for a walk this walk turned out to be around 5 miles long, We got stuck in the middle of a thousand people and a band parade. Said dog was scared of the drums and was busy shaking with fear. I am glad I went on the walk even though It was last thing I wanted to do today. It made my hangover at least a little better.

We stopped for a well deserved coffee On way to my mums (the long way!) I had this converation with DH

DH "oh balls"
Me "what"
DH "I forgot I had a text from my uncle to invite us to E's communion"
Me "Please dont tell me its tomorrow?"
DH "Its tomorrow"

This conversation was at half five all the shops were closed and I don't have anything to wear!!!

Now I am in bed with this rotten cold and I'm feeling like poo!


Thirty Mummy x

31 day blog challenge......Day 19





 What do you collect.....




I don't really collect anything, I have this huge tin of buttons that belonged to my Granny, then my mum and now me. I add buttons to it. 

Today's post was terribly long wasn't it :-) 


Thirty Mummy x

Friday 18 May 2012

Paranoia is a very female thing!





"Paranoia apparently is the new depression among women"

I am paranoid that my every action will result in some cataclysmic event wether its painting my nails or sending a tweet. I am paranoid about being stupid, clumsy, boring.

I tell myself Do you really think anyone has time to notice?

Paranoia is just another way of bigging yourself up that you feel your every move is being monitored by someone who thinks you worth noticing.

Women beat themselves up over daft and tiny things, they hold such a critical mirror up to themselves.

Perhaps It's because we are more sociable and more emotionally switched on than men.


Thirty Mummy x

31 day blog challenge..... Day 18





 The meaning of your blog name....

Well this is going to be a very short post Indeed :-)

I turned 30 last December and I'm a mummy. I am really not that creative when trying to come up with names, any ones I did have on my list where taken so I settled on Thirty Mummy original enough that no one else had it.  My husband by the way thinks its a crap name.


Thirty Mummy x

Thursday 17 May 2012

Handsfree Revoultion

hands_free_mama_logo


I came across Hands free Mama a couple of days ago while searching the internet for something else.

I read her post on How to miss a childhood  She talks about how technology distracts us so much that we end up missing things. I am guilty of some of these

Carry my phone around so much that when you happen to leave it in one room your child will come running with it proudly in hand—treating it more like a much needed breathing apparatus than a communication device.

Decide the app you’re playing is more important than throwing the ball in the yard with your kids. Even better, yell at them to leave you alone while you play your game.

Check your phone first thing in the morning … even before you kiss, hug, or greet the people in your family.

Don’t look up from your phone when your child speaks to you or just reply with an “uh huh” so she thinks you were listening.

Lose your temper with your child when he “bothers” you while you are interacting with your hand-held electronic device.

After reading it I felt sad! I am going to try and stop checking Twitter, Emails, Facebook,Pinterest so much during her waking hours.

Grasp a Childhood It requires only one thing: You must put down your phone. Whether it is for ten minutes, two hours, or an entire Saturday, beautiful human connection, memory making, and parent-child bonding can occur every single time you let go of distraction to grasp what really matters.

The beautiful, life-changing results of your “Hands Free” action can start today … right now … the moment you put down the phone.

I don't want mini me looking back and thinking every time I looked at my mum she had her phone attached to her hand and she ignored me because her phone and laptop were more important than playing or talking to me.

Thirty Mummy x


31 day blog challenge..... Day 17





What is your most proud moment......

It has to be bringing Sophie into the World. I had a really tough pregnancy from 6 months onwards, I had a really bad kidney infection (I actually thought I was in labour the pain was horrific) then I developed pre-eclampsia, I was hospitalised a few times usually for days because they couldn't get my blood pressure under control, They put me on tablets which weren't helping and making me really woozy and unable to do anything. At 38 weeks they decided it wasn't safe to continue with the pregnancy so a C-Section was scheduled for that week. (That consultant appointment when my name was put in the diary for 4 days later freaked my DH out that it was actually happening, That we were actually having a baby lol men!)  So here is mini me an hour or so old, I am smiling because she is safely here with us at last, and that I'm feeling strangely numb from the boobs down and doped up with dia-morphine :-)





Thirty Mummy x

Wednesday 16 May 2012

31 Day blog challenge...... Day 16




Whats top of your Bucket list.....



This is probably going to be similar to the post I did last week Here

So in no particular order:


  • I'd like to be completely debt free
  • I'd love to live somewhere else If even for a while, The world is a huge place and I've only lived in this tiny corner of it. I feel its time for an adventure.
  • I'd love to see the northern lights
  • To learn French fluently
  • To learn to play the piano
  • Go on Safari
  • Go on the Trans-Siberian Railway 
  • Go on a road trip (we're going 3000k around Europe in August for Charity, I am excited but a little sad mini me can't come along)
  • Write a book or start a Magazine
  • Buy a pair of Louboutins These ones!



“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela”



  • Get some Qualifications in IT
  • Go on a professional dressmaking course
  • Go on a photography course

I sure there is probably more that I have forgotten, My brain isn't working too well today as I'm feeling sick.


Thirty Mummy x

















Tuesday 15 May 2012

31 day blog Challenge...... Day 15



Timeline of my day....

7.00am woken by my husband who had been awake since 6.

7.30am tried to get back to sleep as mini me was still in bed.

8.00am just got over to sleep when mini me appeared at our bed! S played with her IPhone while I checked emails and twitter and my husband checked his troops on Travian.

9.00am We get up, I go let the dog out, have a tidy up and make breakfast for S and coffee for me and him.

9.45am Off to pick my friend up to go to mums and tots for 2 hours of kids screaming but they do provide lovely sandwiches,warm apple pie and lots of different types of cheese.

12.00pm Drop my friend home

12.20 Do some food shopping on the way home

1.00pm Lunch for whoever is hungry either my husband  (he works from home when not away) or S I eat too many bits of cheese at mums and tots so I am rarely hungry.

1.30pm Do some more tidying and brush up/hoover dog hairs, put another wash on. Start writing my blog post for today, have a quick look at twitter.

2.30pm Drive over to my mums, the whole family gathers at my mums on a tuesday for dinner its madness, She lives in a small 3 bed house and usually has 12 to 13 people in her living room for dinner, Its hard to find a place to sit. S loves going over to play with all her cousins and having dinner with them.

5.00pm Leave S at my mums to have her dinner and drive home to get the other half (If I didn't go and get the husband she would fall asleep on the drive home and we would never get her to sleep later)

5.45pm Leave the house again for mums.

6.00pm Have a cup of coffee and a chat we then get mini me's pjs on and drive home.

7.00pm BEDTIME!!!!!!

7.30pm We don't have dinner at my mums so I'll either start to cook something or order a take away. we then usually go on our laptops or Pc's for a bit to do whatever then watch a film or an episode of a tv series, (currently watching Game of thrones, season 5 of Chuck, and Once Upon a time)

Bedtime for us varies between 11.00 to sometimes nearly 1am

Thirty Mummy x





Monday 14 May 2012

31 day blog challenge..... Day 14




If I won the Lottery.....








Me and the other half never really play it but If we did win I'd firstly pay of our debts.

I would probably buy a house thats a little bigger than what we have now, though I'm kind of attached to this one but I would however love more space.

Hmmm what else....

I'd love to travel more and would maybe buy an around the world ticket for the 3 of us. I'd make my husband leave work to come traveling.

Put some money in a bank account for mini me

I'd buy an Audi Q7

I would give my parents and my husbands mum a little to help them out

I would fill my wardrobe up with new clothes,shoes and handbags.

I would buy a really good camera so I could take lots of good quality photos

and I'd use some money for my studies and to self publish a book or magazine.


I'm happy and content with my life without millions in the bank, as someone said money doesn't buy happiness.


Thirty Mummy x


















Sunday 13 May 2012

31 day blog challenge...... Day 13



This post is later than usual, I've been at my parents most of the day having a farewell dinner for my baby sister Rebecca (she's 18) she's off to America for 3 months (lucky cow!) we're all used to her leaving as she goes away maybe twice a year to the US, to see her Girlfriend Rachael. This will be the longest that she's ever been away! I will miss her but I do get to request things to her to bring home for me. Anyway I'm starting to ramble so on with todays challenge.....

What is your earliest memory.....

The first real memory I have isn't a nice one!

I was playing in the toy room/spare room in the house I grew up in, I had just tucked my dolls up in a little bed I had made on the floor. Off I went to find my favorite yellow blanket so I could pretend to sleep beside my dolls, there was a dying bee caught in it and it stung me :-( I still remember the pain to this day!


Smelling the flowers at 18 months


Me aged 3 and my little sister Elaine around 6 months old



Flower girl for the people who lived next door also known as Auntie Whinne and Uncle Robert even though we weren't related, I think I was 4 or 5


Me and my little Sister Elaine meeting Santa

Thirty Mummy x

Saturday 12 May 2012

31 day blog challenge..... Day 12






Inside my fridge.......


I am thinking as I type this why anyone would be interested in the contents of my fridge, anyway as its today's prompt here you go and it's not that interesting!







  • Bottles of water
  • Eggs
  • Stork for baking cakes
  • Lurpak
  • Broccoli
  • Cheese we love cheese in our house
  • Totmato and mozzarella tortellini
  • Yoghurts
  • 4 baking potatoes
  • Spinach
  • A bottle of diet coke that's been there since Christmas no ones drinking it.
  • Small bottle of 7up
  • 2 cartons of juiced up Ribena raspberry 
  • A bottle of Chilean Sauvignon blanc with one glass left in it
  • A jar of Marmalade
  • Tin of sweetcorn
In the drawers
  • Carrots 
  • Onions 
  • Parsnips 
  • Peppers
  • Scallions 

In the door
  • One tin of guinness
  • Milk
  • Apple of grape juicy water
  • Topicana orange





On my fridge is....

A daily cleaning list 
A weekly cleaning check list
A weekly planner
and a To Do list along with some Toy Story magnets a lovely pic by mini me and some magnetic numbers. 


Thirty Mummy x




Friday 11 May 2012

31 day blog challenge..... Day 11





List 15 things of you favourite things.....


  1. Anything apple I love my IPhone and Macbook, I'd be lost without them.
  2. My Sewing Machine it hasn't been used much recently but it will be coming out today so I can make a cardigan.
  3. My Kindle I love it because I can just put it in my handbag and read where ever. (still love my real books too)
  4. Blogging, although I only started properly in January this year and still new to it all I love it and I'm striving to become a better writer. 
  5. Chocolate fudge cake, It has to be warm though
  6. Being fortunate to have an amazing husband who lets me be a SAHM
  7. My two favourite people The husband and Mini me.
  8. Hiding under the duvet when it's raining outside
  9. Mojitos we first had these a few years ago in turkey
  10. Coffee 
  11. Twitter, I've made some lovely new friends recently
  12. Pinterest, I always think I'll go on for a quick look and I'm still there 2 hours later and usually hungry after looking at all the yummy recipes.
  13. Scarves, I love them and may have too many
  14. Music I love lots of different types and music
  15. Taking Photos, I think my husband is getting annoyed at me always ticking pictures of things.  




Thirty Mummy x

Thursday 10 May 2012

10 Things to do before I'm 31




Tonight I realise that I need a good kick to get by motivation back. There are so many things I want to do but I procrastinate too much. So here are a list of things I'd like to do before I turn 31 on December 15th 2012.



  1. Grow my Blog
  2. Learn how to use all the functions on my camera and not use the auto setting
  3. Learn to Program (I have started this with some Java and CSS) and get some qualifications in I.T
  4. Lose 1 stone in weight
  5. Write a book or start a magazine (This ones a bit ambitious) I'd settle for improving my writing skills
  6. Make a start on the craft tutorials on my Pinterest board, my sewing machine is huffing because it hasn't been used recently.
  7. Go on a road trip (this one is happening in August its for Charity, If you'd like to sponsor us heres the just giving page - Just Giving)
  8. Learn to do some up-styles with my hair
  9. Learn to sing
  10. Get little things around the house finished, like the tiling in the kitchen thats only taken 4 years so far to get around to. 



Thirty Mummy x

31 day blog challenge...... Day 10




What is your best physical feature....


Hmmm do I really have to answer this can't I just skip this one and say nothing :-)

I never really been happy with anything, I'm a little bit happier with my weight now I'm a whole 3.5 stone lighter. I'm sure some people would love my boobs, I hate having big boobs I would love smaller ones!

I suppose I like my nose it's small and someone once said cute? or my eyes.





Now that that ordeal is over, I'll see you all tomorrow.

Thirty Mummy x




Wednesday 9 May 2012

31 day blog challenge..... Day 9




What are your worst habits......


I bite my nails when stressed, They were growing for a few weeks and are now non existent again!

I procrastinate way too much, I make a list each week for housework and I never seem get it finished.

I get distracted way too easily, I am teaching myself Java at the minute as a possible route into IT but I am getting distracted by twitter, MSN , Facebook and Pinterest, then I realise its 11pm and I haven't done that much. The book I am learning from is teach yourself Java in 21 days, at my rate of going It might take me a year.

I hate ironing so therefore I don't do it until Its unavoidable

I over think, stress and worry over silly things, this is probably my worst habit.

Thirty Mummy x










Tuesday 8 May 2012

31 day blog challenge..... Day 8






What's in your handbag.....







A lot!

Umbrella
3 lip balms
Purse
I Phone
Kindle
Receipts
A packet of Lemon and raspberry Smint
A freddo bar belonging to mini me
Mini me's I Phone (heaven forbid we left the house with out it!)
Sunglasses although I don't know why because theres never any sun
A notebook and pen for writing things for my blog while I'm out and about
Neals Yard Rose moisturiser
Tape measure well you never know :-)
Nivea pocket size kids sun cream again for all this sun that we have here
Camera
Wooden bead necklace belonging to mini me
10 Free business cards from Moo.com
3 tickets to Disney live (we went last week)
A scarf
and an IPhone sticker

Dear god thats a lot of stuff, I didn't even think that much was in there.


Thirty Mummy x