Card games

We've recently discovered a love of traditional card games.
My boys are at the age where we can play more challenging games together now - and we've had a real game playing Summer this year.

I found this book in the library which has some great ideas for all sorts of games. There is a whole section on card games - some I've never heard of and others I remember well from my childhood.

Here are some of our favourites:

Snap - always a favourite, although someone inevitably ends up stomping off (or is that just my kids!)

War - new one for me, nice and simple

Beggar my neighbour - we knew it as Strip Jack Naked as kids, much better name - great game!

Cheat - what kid wouldn't love a game where they are allowed to cheat

Go Fish - we liked this one too, but they do struggle to hold their cards without everyone else being able to see them, which is essential for this game. Might have to invest in some of these. !!

Do you have any favourite card games to share? We'd love to know about them if you do.

Folksy treasury #2 - Playroom prints

We've decided to convert our cellar into a playroom with sofa-bed for guests.
It was partially converted by the previous owners but we've only ever used it for storage. We got a very pleasing quote from a local company - and I'm very excited. I've already started furnishing, decorating and accesorising in my head, and have been browsing Folksy on the look-out for cute prints.
It will mainly be an extra space for the boys, so I had them in mind when searching.
Here's what I found so far:






Click each image for more details.

Which one do you like best?

Iced blobs

Since I treated myself to a this a few weeks back I've been baking almost every day, which is unusual for me. But the Kmix just makes everything so much quicker and easier - I love it. I was quite excited when I saw the contestants using them on The Great British Bake-Off last night.
I decided to give Iced buns a go today - never made them before, but I remember my Mum making them for us when we were little, along with Chelsea Buns (have to give those a go too).

They came out okay - not fantastic, but still distinctly Iced-bunish. I overcooked them and they were not as soft and squishy as I was hoping.
I also struggled to get the shape right, so they are more blob-shaped than anything else.
But these guys liked them - and got thoroughly sticky in the eating process.

Sausage and mash monsters

We usually eat together as a family in the evenings, but occasionally the boys will have something different to us, a little earlier.
Sausage and mash is one of their favourites and a no-brainer for me. Its one of the meals I know they both love and will eat without complaint.

They only thing they do request are monsters....................and gravy of course.

Stand and deliver

We are a bit Horrible Histories obsessed in our house.
We've only discovered it recently - as we gradually moved over from Cbeebies to CBBC, and its clear why it has won so any awards.
This is our favourite song at the moment - the boys know this one off by heart, and it still hasn't become annoying (yet!).



And you can't have the Highwayman without the song it was clearly inspired by. I played this recently to my eldest and he loved it immediately.

Raisin Bread

I made raisin bread yesterday - and I have to say it was pretty delicious.
I love anything cinamony and doughy and this fit the bill exactly.

The recipe was from The River Cottage Family Cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Fizz Carr.
This has to be our most used cookbook - it has lots of simple homely recipes like pancake batter, scones, banana bread, lentil soup - with an emphasis on the kids helping out. So, the instructions are very detailed and clear. I actually learnt how to make an omelette from this book - only last year, never quite been able to master it before.

Anyway, back to the raisin bread. In the book Hugh describes it as a giant currant bun and thats exactly what it was.
Perfect with an afternoon cuppa.

5

This little boy was five on Monday.

At five, you:

• Have a 'sense of fun and enthusiasm that is infectious' as your teacher wrote in your first school report
• Love to draw and paint - and have a definite talent for it and a confident, quirky style
• Have recently outgrown your hoover obsession! (thankfully)
• Are loving, caring and so affectionate
• Still have the occasional afternoon nap on the sofa
• Still cry when you get properly told off and it breaks my heart (especially when your bottom lip wobbles)
• Have a swagger about you that is going to get you noticed one day (in a good way!)
• Love to 'pretend', to the point where you can spend all day in character, and we're not allowed to call you by your real name
• Love to help me bake, especially when you get to lick the spoon at the end!
• Don't eat many vegetables but your favourite fruits are peaches and strawberries
• Love jacket potatoes, beans and cheese
• Still fight and argue with your big brother, but you also think he's the greatest.
• Have a soft spot for all your aunties and can charm the socks off them!
• Are the most adorable little boy in the world - and I'm so glad you are my little boy. You make me happy every single day xx