The Friday Song Choice

It's Friday and it's sunny....and no it's not a Ska... Rocksteady... Reggae choice....I give you some Loretta Lynn. Her album "Van Lear Rose" has been gracing hubby's record player these past few days...I hope you enjoy like I do...

UP CLOSE

WITH MY BEAUTIFUL BROWN EYED BOY

Now go and get up close with other bloggers over at Sticky Finger's The Gallery: Extreme Close up

A box of raisins

So as you know my wee man has started to push the boundaries or the nicer way to say that exploring and being curious about his world. With curiosity and exploration comes lots and lots of frustration, tears and dear I say it proper tantrums. I don't often use the word no (unless it's daddy's records or the stereo) and try to use lots of distractions instead. My friend on Sunday asked me how I kept him so quiet during Church as her son (only a week older) can't resist making lots of noise....the answer my friends is a simple one....A box of raisins. I must admit I always have a box on hand as they are the best distraction ever (My hubby is going crazy about the amount of sugar he is probably now getting so I try not to give him the whole box at once!), whatever the problem is, no matter how much he is crying, a raisin seems to make it all better again. I love the simplicity of it. Recently my own world has been crumbling and I am kind of struggling to glue it all back together again. If only a raisin could all make it better again. When do life problems get so complicated that you need more and more to fix them? Maybe my son is actually teaching me something about the simplicity of life and the little things that can make it better. I am off to find my box of raisins.

Natural colours

When given the brief of colour to choose a picture it's hard to choose just one colour. Mother nature just has so much to offer. It's a feast for the eyes!

What colour would you choose. I seriously recommend you go check out some other forays into the world of colour over at Sticky Fingers: The Gallery.

I've been tagged and it's all about food

So this is a new one for me...actually being tagged to do a meme by the wonderful Life on the "j" train. So without further ado I'm just going to get down to it!

1 What or who inspired you to blog?

Ahmm seriously not very exciting really...I had just moved to Scotland with little do as yet so I thought I would fill up my time by writing randomly about my thoughts. I did get lots of encouragement from the hubby as well. My blog has changed its face over the years and has grown to be a bit more loved and nurtured by me maybe because a lot of it's focus now is about me and my son.

2 Who is your foodie inspiration?

Seriously I had no interest in cooking when growing up and was not really inspired until I had moved to Scotland with you guessed it...little to do....I think my first experiment was with home made pizza so my inspiration was hubby, Italy...the internet. Now though I want to be like Gordon Ramsay and tell you to get out of my kitchen. I am also influenced by my dad who is a great cook and tends to put bacon in everything for the flavour!

3 Your greasiest, batter-splattered food book is........

The silver spoon...if you have not got it get it...the greatest thing about Italian food is it's simplicity, few ingredients to make something lovely...seriously!!! honestly!!! get the book if you don't believe me!!!

4 Tell us all about the best thing you have ever eaten in another country, where was it…what was it? 

I could pick Jamaican food but as I grew up with it I thought that was kind of cheating. So the first time I really travelled was to Italy and the first time I had pizza in Verona, Italy it was AMAZING...trust me you will never see pizza the same way again. I love Italian food...gnocchi and fresh pasta....great in its simplicity.

5. What is the one kitchen gadget you would ask Santa for this year (money no object, of course)? 

The dualit looks pretty cool....but any mixer, beater would be good...I love baking and I'm tired of fighting with the butter and sugar!

6. Who taught you how to cook? 

I guess I have taught myself....hence you will find that I follow recipes religiously and don't have much of an imagination when it comes to cooking.

7. I’m coming to your house for dinner.  What’s your signature dish? 

I usually do a form of a Jamaican meal...jerk chicken, rice and peas, ackee and salt fish and johnny cakes. Hubby would probably choose my pizza and loves when it's pizza night which we tend to make at least once a week.

8. What is your guilty food pleasure? 


As long as it's sweet I will eat it. I have a soft spot for sticky toffee pudding and tend to always pick it when we are out at restaurants for my dessert. I also LOVE peanut butter...peanut butter and jam sandwiches...I think that is actually what I might just have for lunch now.....


9. Reveal something about yourself that others would be surprised to learn. 


I have a fear of heights even though I crazily still climb to the top of things. I hate scrambling if hill walking and if there are any narrow edges that is a definite no no.


Ok that is it from me. Now I get to tag someone else. As I am not great on this whole networking thing I will safely try and tag those gals Jen and Elanor over at Upper Cut Cakes! As great bakers (trust me I have tasted some!) this food meme should suit them perfectly.

The Friday Song Choice

Oh dear a bit late I know!!! Something a really bit different tonight (poor hubby hangs his head in shame)........

Arbitrary Conversation

So I am useless when it comes to just arbitrary conversation. If I get in touch with people it is usually for a reason...I don't just phone someone to say "Hi"...I mean then what do you say next? Life for me recently though has been about analysing me, not just the mum me but the wife me and the working woman me and the just being me. A lot about me needs to change but it all takes small steps. So here is a small step right here on my blog...a bit of arbitrary conversation...

Albert Einstein

Baby Einstein

So my son is possibly going to be a child genius! Yes I hear you say, that is rather arbitrary.

Setting the boundaries

No mummy I'm not going to be happy all the time

So I guess it will be no surprise to most mummies and daddies out there that now my wee man has turned 1 things in the behaviour department are starting to change rather drastically. My cousin over at Counys in France captures it rather brilliantly! The thing is it is only starting for me, hubby and The boss. Yes that is what we refer to him as now because my son is trying his best to rule the roost and he is doing a very good job of it! Technically we have always been setting the boundaries I guess but rather subconsciously, now I am consciously thinking, "How do I handle this?" I guess the most difficult thing is figuring out what is okay cute baby stuff and what is just not acceptable...or as hubby says it's all unacceptable because most of it he knows he should not be doing. You know he tries to be cute about it, he looks at you first, checking that you are watching, then smiles, I say no and he does it anyway. 

On a serious note I honestly believe it is important to start setting the boundaries now as I am terribly afraid of what I will end up with as he grows older. It's not just about what boundaries to set either but how to set them! He has quickly learnt now to cry whenever he does not get something he wants or even if he does not get it quick enough. He is slowly starting to reach out for things as we are out and about and I am envisioning future supermarket shopping days and they don't look pleasant. Yesterday we were out for lunch and he was one of those children I used to look at before I was a mum when I used to say to myself I will make sure my child never behaves like "that" and there he was...behaving like "that". 

I am starting slowly with patience as the first step towards setting boundaries. BUT seriously I don't want to have to read a book about this SO....When do you say no? and How do you say no?

The Friday Song Choice

Morning Light

Tongabezi Lodge, Zambia

If someone gave you a theme of light and photography, what picture would you choose? Go and check out some other choices at this weeks Gallery at Sticky Fingers.

Sunday Afternoon

sun, fresh air and family. perfect ingredients for a perfect sunday afternoon.

Tonguetastic

Lots of people have their own "thing" right, you know? That thing you do when you are concentrating, when you are worried about something, or just simply day dreaming lost in thought. My son has his thing. It's impossible to take a picture of my son these days without him having his tongue sticking out. Whether he is smiling with you or trying to figure something out. It's just tonguetastic.

The Friday Song Choice

So we have been listening to Bob Marley this morning. So I say to hubby guess one of these songs has to be the Friday Song Choice. He says no way...too cheesy. Well I'm stubborn....

World Book Day 2012: We love books

I have spoken so much before about how much my son loves books and how we have encouraged it since he was the bean in my tummy. As it's World Book Day today I thought I would join in the fun and share my son's love of books at the minute. It's interesting how his love of books have developed and it's not just about mummy favourites any more but actually about what he likes to read! He loves to crawl over to his make shift bookshelf in the lounge at the minute and drag pretty much all his books out at the same time. Sometimes its amazing to watch as he sits there looking through some of them like he is actually reading to himself. Since he hit the 10 month mark I would say the favourites now include books that make noise or that have flaps that you can lift and peek under and sometimes the touch feely ones and definitely ones that have mirrors in them. That makes Dear Zoo a clear favourite swiftly followed by Baby Boo so he can admire himself in the mirror at the end! There is one story though without any of these bits that he has always enjoyed having read to him and that would be Ten Little Fingers and Ten little toes. I like to think that's because he likes the three kisses he gets on his nose at the end! We are not just reading in English but in Italian as well.

Do your children love books? What are they reading?