Frugal Family fun 2 - the park

Going to the park is always fun and my kids love it.

And the great thing about going to the park is that its free. There is always parks for kids to play at- wherever you are. My kids love going to the park and the one near my old workplace (by the sea) is always a favourite - especailly as the park has had a renovation and has now a pirate ship as part of the play area.

When we are on holiday, we always have to find the nearby park - anything to get rid of energy levels.

Sometimes, we meet friends at the park and have a picnic, always fun and a cheap day out too.

BNM

I'm STAARVING

My kids drive me mad

As soon as I get into the car when Neb picks me up from work there is a line that I am bound to hear. "I'm hungry" one says and then the other will start with "I'm starving".

This got on my nerves so much on Sunday that I showed them the ad with proper starving children in. The one that shows children with arms so thin and ribs showing. Yes, I shocked them - I made them watch a Save the Children Ad. I scared them into shutting up. For about 30 minutes, then it started again!

I don't know what to do.

They are clearly not starving. They get fed nutritious food with snacks thrown in! So what the hell is wrong with them!

Please tell me its not just my kids, otherwise I will be sending all my food to the children who deserve it from now on!

BNM

Meal Planning Monday - 14th May

Well, its actually a Monday and I've kinda got this done (am sat at work looking for an important piece of paper!)

Last weeks meals went great, Bel loved the stir fry on Monday and the sticky sausages also went down a treat (with everyone giving a score of 7-9/10 apart from Car (I think the marmalade may be a bit strong - a friend does hers with mango chutney so may have to change to that next time). The Roast we ended up having yesterday was roast pork tenderloin (in herbs, lemon juice and breadcrumbs) and it was so tasty that I have no leftovers tonight!

So onto this week's

Monday - a no idea day (it was meant to be leftovers -ooops!)
Tuesday - Chicken wrapped in bacon, Carrots and Cheesy Mash
Wednesday - Fish, Chips and Mushy Peas (freezer job!)
Thursday - Pasta and something
Friday - Bacon,Sausage, Egg, Beans or Frinner as I've heard it call (fry up for dinner)
Saturday - Meatballs and Spaghetti
Sunday - may be pork again, I have some chops in the freezer!

Simple week this week with no surprises, going to try something else from the cook book soon.

We also have coconut rock cakes ( a different recipe to this one and it works!), scones (which were a bit soggy bottomed ) and fairy cakes as treats this week. I had a mad baking session last night and am happy with them all apart from the scones!

Linking up as ever with Mrs M's meal planners

BNM

Digital Disaster

Remember back when the millennium was threatening to be the day that all computers died. (that may have just been a weird dream).

Well, now 12 years later it seems that the millennium bug has hit the BNM household.

Firstly our digital alarm clock (which is plugged in to the wall) seems to have devils working its innermost noncogs. It decided that it would randomly change the time and after waking up 4 hours early thanks to its imps we have banned the alarm from our bedroom and now rely on mobiles instead.

The other digital clocks in the house, also seem to be joining in - we have the video clock (yes we still have a video player in the house)  gains time and is currently about 8-10 minutes fast. Not only that but it seems that the microwave has joined in!

Now, another one of our daily devices seems to have the gremlins in it! Our SKY remote, the one thing that keeps us sane on a weeknight (after kids have gone to bed) is also playing it up. We think that a new one may be needed because if we have to reset it one more time then I'm going to throw it out of the window!

The laptop needs a new battery, and it seems that we're just waiting for the next imp to strike!

BNM

Do you poo in public?

Obviously, I don't mean on the streets - that would be wrong and you'd possibly get arrested!

No, what I mean is when out and about, or in work do you use the loo and poo? (ooh that rhymed)

Image: aopsan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


It seems (in my experience of talking to Neb and M (our old next door neighbour) that some people can't faceate (I think its a word) in a public place. Neb has been known not even to poo in the houses of friends but will wait until home and do it then! M told me of a time when she had to drive home because the need was so bad when she was out and about!

I on the other hand am not fussed where I go, as long as there is a toilet I am there.

So, are you a private pooer or a public pooer?

BNM

(Yes, I know random post but sometimes the conversation that happen in my brain with myself need to escape- very busy in work so apologies for random blogging !)

 

Mealplanning Tuesday

So its not a Monday because the bank holiday has confused us all! Everyone cept Car who has decided that school, is no longer great. She is very happy that there isn't a Monday because it means there is less days in school.

Anyway, last weeks meal planner went well with Saturday becoming takeaway as we all deserved it after walking a circular route of 3 miles (including some uphill bits!). Sunday was a freezer day as we went out for the day so yesterday we had our Roast.

This week, we have old favourites sprinkled with some new stuff. I bough a cook book last week so am testing out some of the family meals on the kids. (last week was Italian chicken bake which was delicious and enjoyed by all)

Tuesday - Leftover Chicken, either as Stir Fry/ Mash and Chicken
Wednesday - Sticky Sausages ( a new recipe), Rice and Sweetcorn
Thursday - Fish Bites and Chips ( trying a new fish that I bought for 75p in the supermarket- its Pouting, which after checking up on it is a cousin to cod!)
Friday -Pasta with some kind of sauce
Saturday - Burgers and Wedges
Sunday - Roast

The new cook book I have bought is this one:

and so far all of the meals have been a hit. There are some dishes which I know we will not be trying but we are having a go at new things.

Hope to buy maybe another cook book next month (don't tell Neb) so if you have any favourite family cook books please let me know.

Linking up as ever with Mrs M

BNM

Stampede

(honestly my blog titles are getting worse!)

If your based in the UK you will have known that on Monday the price of a first class stamp went up to 60p. Outrage ensued. But I've decided that actually that is not a bad thing. I think well done them. And my reasons:

Well see this:

This the penny black came out in 1840. It cost 1p to send your post.

And now 172 years later it will cost you 60p to send a letter. Not bad really, seeing as we now have better transport networks etc.

But what has stood out for me today (and really the whole point of this post) is that it cost £1.25 to send a letter to America. I am shocked - I thought it would be loads more!*

So cut the Royal Mail some slack, they are still doing a good job

BNM

* I've no idea how long it will take to actually get there - its for Neb's cousins wedding which is tomorrow (its not going to get there for that!)