Ingredients:
150g spaghetti
2 egg yolks
50g bacon
2 tbsp grated cheddar
1 tbsp grated parmesan
Ground black pepper
Method:
Cook spaghetti as per packet instructions.
Cut bacon into strips and fry in a little olive oil until crispy. Set aside.
Beat egg yolks in a large bowl, with a splash of hot water (1tbsp taken from pasta cooking water is ideal). Add the cheese and stir until you have a creamy sauce.
Drain pasta and add to the bowl of sauce. Stir well before adding the cooked bacon.
Serve with a generous topping of black pepper.
Et voila.
Smiles and Trials: Remembering magical moments
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Monday, 12 March 2012
Stubby the Giraffe
Jasmine likes to be told stories, particularly in the car. Before the engine has even started up, a little voice pipes up from the back seat.
"Mummy/Daddy, can you tell me a story?"
To be honest, creating stories on the spot has never been my strong point. I need, at the very least, pens, paper and, most importantly, time.
Daddy, however, has proved very good at coming up with stories at a moment's notice. And, on one car journey a week or so ago, he told us the story of Stubby the Giraffe. This has since become one of Jasmine's favourite stories and I have been meaning to write it down ever since:
"Stubby the giraffe was the size of a cat. He had a short neck and even shorter legs. Stubby lived in Africa and ate berries and leaves from the smallest bushes. However, Stubby had to share the food on these bushes with other small animals - dogs, chickens, even mice. And even though Stubby was the size of a cat, he was not as fast. Indeed, Stubby could not run at all, and by the time he had plodded over to the bushes to eat, all of the fattest, juiciest berries and thickest, greenest leaves had been gobbled up by the dogs and chickens and mice. Stubby was always hungry and it made him sad that he was not as fast as the other small animals.
That evening, as the sun began to set, Stubby curled up alone and felt sorry for himself. Then, suddenly, he had an idea; a splendid idea that just might work.
Stubby jumped up, squeezed his eyes shut, gritted his teeth and then he
STREEEEEEEEEETCHED
with all his might.
There was a POP and Stubby opened his eyes to find that he was taller. His legs had grown so long that he was now more the size of a cow than a cat. Stubby smiled to himself, settled down for the night, and looked forward to breakfast.
The next day, Stubby woke up and was already smiling. He could not wait to taste the berries and leaves of the tall bushes; the bushes that he could never have reached the day before. Slowly, he made his way to some lovely green bushes and licked his lips. But, to Stubby's dismay, as he got closer, he heard the sound of hooves and, quick as a flash, three horses had raced to the bushes and now stood together, scoffing all of the huge red berries and thick green leaves.
Stubby's face fell and he stopped walking. He knew now that by the time he eventually reached the bushes, all of the best food would have already been eaten, just like before.
Stubby slumped down to the ground and curled up in a ball as best he could with his new, longer legs. Stubby was sad and spent the day sitting beneath the hot red sun, wondering how he would ever eat again now he had strong, fast wild horses to compete with. Then, as afternoon became evening, Stubby suddenly had another brilliant idea.
He jumped up, squeezed his eyes shut, gritted his teeth and then he
STREEEEEEEEEETCHED
with all his might.
There was a POP and Stubby opened his eyes to find that he was taller. But this time, it was not his legs that had grown, it was his neck. Stubby looked around him at the magnificent view and then looked down at his feet, which now seemed miles away. Stubby was amazed by what had happened and slowly lowered himself to the ground to rest before morning.
The next day, Stubby was up bright and early. He stood tall, and spotted a beautiful tree in the distance and decided that he would eat there for breakfast. Stubby began the long, slow walk to the tree. Around him, other animals began to wake and they looked up in amazement at this tall, elegant creature and whispered to each other; wondering who this animal might be and where it had come from.
Stubby felt proud. He was still as slow as ever, but he was now the tallest animal in the whole of Africa and this meant that, when he finally reached his chosen tree, he was able to eat as much of the fruit as he wanted to - the fattest, juiciest berries and thickest greenest leaves were now his.
Stubby the giraffe was never hungry or sad again.
The End."
"Mummy/Daddy, can you tell me a story?"
To be honest, creating stories on the spot has never been my strong point. I need, at the very least, pens, paper and, most importantly, time.
Daddy, however, has proved very good at coming up with stories at a moment's notice. And, on one car journey a week or so ago, he told us the story of Stubby the Giraffe. This has since become one of Jasmine's favourite stories and I have been meaning to write it down ever since:
"Stubby the giraffe was the size of a cat. He had a short neck and even shorter legs. Stubby lived in Africa and ate berries and leaves from the smallest bushes. However, Stubby had to share the food on these bushes with other small animals - dogs, chickens, even mice. And even though Stubby was the size of a cat, he was not as fast. Indeed, Stubby could not run at all, and by the time he had plodded over to the bushes to eat, all of the fattest, juiciest berries and thickest, greenest leaves had been gobbled up by the dogs and chickens and mice. Stubby was always hungry and it made him sad that he was not as fast as the other small animals.
That evening, as the sun began to set, Stubby curled up alone and felt sorry for himself. Then, suddenly, he had an idea; a splendid idea that just might work.
Stubby jumped up, squeezed his eyes shut, gritted his teeth and then he
STREEEEEEEEEETCHED
with all his might.
There was a POP and Stubby opened his eyes to find that he was taller. His legs had grown so long that he was now more the size of a cow than a cat. Stubby smiled to himself, settled down for the night, and looked forward to breakfast.
The next day, Stubby woke up and was already smiling. He could not wait to taste the berries and leaves of the tall bushes; the bushes that he could never have reached the day before. Slowly, he made his way to some lovely green bushes and licked his lips. But, to Stubby's dismay, as he got closer, he heard the sound of hooves and, quick as a flash, three horses had raced to the bushes and now stood together, scoffing all of the huge red berries and thick green leaves.
Stubby's face fell and he stopped walking. He knew now that by the time he eventually reached the bushes, all of the best food would have already been eaten, just like before.
Stubby slumped down to the ground and curled up in a ball as best he could with his new, longer legs. Stubby was sad and spent the day sitting beneath the hot red sun, wondering how he would ever eat again now he had strong, fast wild horses to compete with. Then, as afternoon became evening, Stubby suddenly had another brilliant idea.
He jumped up, squeezed his eyes shut, gritted his teeth and then he
STREEEEEEEEEETCHED
with all his might.
There was a POP and Stubby opened his eyes to find that he was taller. But this time, it was not his legs that had grown, it was his neck. Stubby looked around him at the magnificent view and then looked down at his feet, which now seemed miles away. Stubby was amazed by what had happened and slowly lowered himself to the ground to rest before morning.
The next day, Stubby was up bright and early. He stood tall, and spotted a beautiful tree in the distance and decided that he would eat there for breakfast. Stubby began the long, slow walk to the tree. Around him, other animals began to wake and they looked up in amazement at this tall, elegant creature and whispered to each other; wondering who this animal might be and where it had come from.
Stubby felt proud. He was still as slow as ever, but he was now the tallest animal in the whole of Africa and this meant that, when he finally reached his chosen tree, he was able to eat as much of the fruit as he wanted to - the fattest, juiciest berries and thickest greenest leaves were now his.
Stubby the giraffe was never hungry or sad again.
The End."
Sunday, 4 March 2012
To My Children
To the smallest people in my life; the funniest and the blondest. My children. You give me so much to live for and I hope you never feel short-changed. I'm sorry I can't always keep the bad people away from us, but know they will have to get through me before they can touch you.
Love you both to the moon and back!
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
The Potty List
Published recently by Cow and Gate as part of their Little Oneders campaign, The Potty List is a collection of 36 activities for toddlers to crayon off before their third birthday. When I first heard that the list had been compiled, I must admit I assumed it was just another way of comparing children against one another. However, upon closer inspection, I'm happy to say that it is simply a lighthearted collection of activities that most children can do, and probably will have already done by the time they reach three years old.
So here it is, The Potty List,:
1. Make a mud pie
2. Bake a cake (and taste the mix to make sure it's a good one, of course)
3. Finger paint
4. Sing loudly in public
5. Climb a big hill
6. Pick fruit
9. Be chased by a monster
10. Jump in a puddle
19. Feed an animal
22. Ride the tea cups at the fairground
23. Fly a paper aeroplane
24. Poo in the bath (!)
25. Stay the night away from home
26. Ride on Daddy's shoulders
27. Scribble somewhere they shouldn't
28. Clean their own teeth
29. Answer the phone
30. Master a party piece
31. Have a first love
32. Buy something in a shop
33. Set their sights on a future career...
34. Tell a fib (the more OTT, the better!)
35. Make up an inappropriate nickname for somebody
36. Break something valuable
So here it is, The Potty List,:
1. Make a mud pie
2. Bake a cake (and taste the mix to make sure it's a good one, of course)
3. Finger paint
4. Sing loudly in public
5. Climb a big hill
6. Pick fruit
7. Dance with no inhibitions
8. Make sandcastles on the beach (or a sand boat)
9. Be chased by a monster
10. Jump in a puddle
11. Belly-flop
12. Feed the ducks
13. Blow bubbles
14. Have a teddy bear's picnic/tea party
15. Choose a favourite book
16. Ride on the top of a double-decker bus
17. Visit a museum
17. Visit a museum
18. Ride on a train
19. Feed an animal
20. Grow cress in the shape of their name
21. Wear pants on their head22. Ride the tea cups at the fairground
23. Fly a paper aeroplane
24. Poo in the bath (!)
25. Stay the night away from home
26. Ride on Daddy's shoulders
27. Scribble somewhere they shouldn't
28. Clean their own teeth
29. Answer the phone
30. Master a party piece
31. Have a first love
32. Buy something in a shop
33. Set their sights on a future career...
34. Tell a fib (the more OTT, the better!)
35. Make up an inappropriate nickname for somebody
36. Break something valuable
Sunday, 8 January 2012
My children: 2011 in Pictures
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2011 was a busy year for the Ellis children; Sonny learnt to walk, talk, climb and feed himself and Jasmine learnt how to crack eggs, plant seeds, trace letters and be the best big sister in the world. Here's to another year full of love, laughter and learning. I love you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)