DAY OUT: Conker hunting, playing in leaves and tree top walking at Salcey Forest

When it comes to autumn I am more than happy to completely immerse myself in all things autumnal as soon as I can. I love the cooler days, wrapping up warm and the changing scenery. So when it comes to family days out where better to experience all of these but in a forest? We searched around for a forest that had some facilities (a day out without a toilet is no fun for anyone) and we came across Salcey Forest in Northamptonshire. It's owned by the Forestry Commission, with parking, toilets, café, tree top walk and trials to discover. Parking is £4 a day, so very reasonable for a full day of fun!

BLOGGING: The positive impact it has had on my life...

Blogging has been a big part of my life for a few years now and at points it has taken over. Some may think that's a bad thing, but I see it as a positive. It's a hobby I enjoy and one that has taught me so much over the years. I've learnt new skills, about a loving online community and a lot about myself. It's been both enriching and exhausting at times, but a journey that never ends and continuously develops.

RECIPE: Sweet potato and Pumpkin Seed Muffins

This is a warming, hearty muffin recipe ideal for this time of year. They are relatively filling, full of vegetables and seeds and freeze really well too. I make a batch of these for Isabella every now and again because they aren't too messy, so perfect for meals out or snacks on the go. You could always make bigger versions for yourself and I think the addition of some maple syrup would go beautifully!

TODDLER ACTIVITY: Apple and Blackberry Picking (plus a delicious recipe for your finds)

Picking blackberries reminds me of my Brownie days where we'd spend many evenings collecting blackberries from around the village. There's something so magical about being able to pick fruit yourself, for free and then cook up something delicious. As soon as autumn comes around I love to go on country walks and pick blackberries from the hedgerows. This year we also have a few large apple trees in our garden, as well as a blackberry bush. So Isabella and I spent an afternoon picking, collecting and cooking with them, the perfect autumnal activity.

TODDLER HAUL: 7 Outfits for Autumn

Changing Isabella's wardrobe around when she goes up to the next size or if a season changes is one of my favourite things to do. I do a lot of toddler clothes shopping in the sale the previous year, so at the end of this summer I was picking up summer clothes in 2-3 years ready for next summer. Forward planning saves money! However when I got out all of the 18-24 month clothes I'd bought her last year I realised I hadn't picked that much up. We therefore went shopping and picked up most of the pieces below. Instead of just doing a normal haul I thought I'd put together 7 autumnal outfits including the new pieces...

DAY OUT: Running free, watching meerkats and collecting pebbles at Castle Ashby

A few weekends ago we ventured over to Castle Ashby, the ancestral home of the 7th Marquess of Northampton. The beautiful house is set in the heart of a 10,000 acre estate, with 35 acres of stunning gardens so as you can imagine there's lot of space to explore. There are romantic Italian gardens, a unique Orangery and impressive Arboretum to discover, with plenty of sensory experiences a long the way. The gardens are open 365 days a year, which I feel is pretty rare with older houses. During the winter time you only have to pay £4 for parking because the toilets, gift shop and café are all closed. However you could always take your own picnic and enjoy a vast amount of beautiful space for a very affordable price.

RECIPE: Mixed Tomato, Mozzarella and Ricotta Tart

If you're after a family friendly meal that takes minimum effort and time, but is full of flavour then this is the one for you. Ready rolled puff pastry is such a versatile base and is easy to make vegetarian/meat options for my husband and I. This recipe is inspired by the home grown tomatoes my mother-in-law kindly gave to us. We had a bag full of delicious, fresh mixed tomatoes, so I wanted to create a delicious meal with minimum effort. The combination of mozzarella, tomato, ricotta and basil is classic Italian - any leftovers also make for a tasty lunch.

TODDLER STYLE: A week of outfits #59

Gosh the stress this week has been slightly overwhelming at times. I just seem to have so much to do. I get up at 5.50am and don't go to sleep until 10..30pm, which is really late for me. In that time I'm either working, commuting, putting Isabella to bed or blogging. It has been constantly and I'm starting to burn out. So next week I plan to try and take it all a bit slower, stop stressing about the mountain of work I have to do and try to just enjoy the moment. The problem is I'm one of those people that usually only relaxes once my to-do list has been ticked off!

Day 1

TODDLER: Yesterdays unexpected slight heartbreak

Something happened yesterday that completely took me aback, something I wasn't expecting and something that upset me more than I thought it would. Isabella fell asleep by herself. Now to some this won't seem a big deal, to others it will be their normal sleep routine, but to me it isn't and I didn't like it.

TODDLER CRAFT: Egg Carton Flowers

Now that we're into winter flowers are depleted in numbers, that is until we all get our toddlers to make egg carton ones! This craft activity is a fun one for a rainy day - I've got into the habit of saving all toilet/kitchen roll tubes, egg boxes etc. so no rainy day is left without resources. You could make a few of these to create a bunch of flowers or use them to collect natural objects outside when the sun shines again. Isabella loved filled the sections with little pebbles, but then again that girl loves little pebbles.

RECIPE: Quinoa and Root Vegetable Soup with Crème Fraîche

Quinoa is a fantastic complete protein and wheat free alternative - it's packed with goodness and so easy to cook. Just add one part quinoa to two parts water and boil for 15 minutes, it's that quick! Though we aren't bringing up Isabella as a vegetarian she does eat a lot of vegetarian meals, probably as I do all her cooking and I'm a vegetarian. So, it's important that we include a wide range of vegetairan protein-rich foods in her diet. This was actually the first time Isabella had tried Quinoa and it was a real success, she loved the soup and dipping in the bread slices - so grown up!

TODDLER STYLE: A week of outfits #58

This week has been crazily busy with so much to do, a toddler to entertain and guests over. This has meant that the week has passed in a flash, with not a moment to relax. I've also been having car issues, long story short my car is old and I need a new one. However, the worrier in me is really scared about driving another car so I'm putting it off. Resulting in a trip to the garage and a loss of £50. I need to be brave and go and buy a new car, but which one? Do you know of any good small/medium (but big enough for a car seat in the back and pram in the boot) family cars?

Day 1

GIFT INSPIRATION: 80 Memories for 80th Birthday

This year sees my husband's Grandparents turn 80, what an achievement! I can only imagine all of the changes they've seen, witnessed and memories they've created over the years. For their birthdays we wanted to give them something really special that could bring them happiness for week's to come. They have everything they could ever want, so we wanted to avoid material objects for their 80th. This is when we came up with the idea of giving them 80 envelopes filled with an array of special things...one for each year of their life.

TODDLER CRAFT: Masking Tape Painting

As Isabella grows older I am really enjoying doing more craft activities with her, though they aren't completely stress free. In fact if I don't prepare correctly they can be one of the most stressful activities to do...yet I like doing them. Why? As long as there is a messy mat down, plenty of space and protective clothing we are good to go with a painting activity. One that has been a success recently was masking tape painting - so simple yet effective. The paintings would make lovely gifts or sent with a special message to a Grandparent/friend/family member.

RECIPE: Sweet potato, Leek and Lentil Pancakes

 

These came about because a while ago Isabella decided that she didn't want to be spoon fed at lunch time. She was fine with it at breakfast and dinner but would not eat anything I tried to feed her at lunch time. She only ate finger food, so we did more baby led weaning at lunch time - no more throwing away meals she refused to eat! I was having to think how I can try and create 'meals' as finger food, hence the creation of these savoury pancakes. They're cheesy, creamy and full of goodness!

TODDLER STYLE: A week of outfits #57

Happy September everyone! That's summer over with for another year and we're into my favourite season, autumn. I can't wait for hot chocolates, playing in leaves, crisp mornings and chunky knits. I also need to get a new coat this year, so if you have any recommendations or places that are good for coats let me know :) I can't wait to dig out Isabella's autumn clothes, but she needs to do some growing because 18-24 months is far too big on her still!

Day 1

TODDLER: Fisher-Price Bright Beats Learnin Lights Dance Mat

Don't most babies and toddlers like to dance? I know that Isabella and her little friends have always loved dancing whenever there is a song on, whether that be on an advert, radio, tv programme or simply sung (out of tune if you're anything like me) by a willing adult. There just seems to be an inbuilt desire to boogie away at any opportunity. They're having fun and Isabella's dancing often has me crying with laughter...it's too cute!