is it really December already?

I can't believe it's December already... where did the year go?!
I have had a very busy few weeks.. run off my feet with the kids, baking, doing some extra work at the Raven and fighting off the cold that seems to sneak its way into my system as soon as it gets a little chilly outside.

fighting off my cold with a high consumption of alcohol seems to be my tactic this year... I wouldn't recommend it... although saying that, there is nothing like getting comfy in a pub with a pint and some great mates when it's freezing outside :)
I have recently started working in the kitchen at the Raven (above) on saturday's. The chef there Luca is brilliant and is letting me come in for 5 or so hours to pick his brain and to help him out with some baking.
I finished my recent cooking course last week... I finished off with a cheesecake and brandy snaps (which i forgot to take photos of) and the Raven has been a nice follow on from it. I'm really enjoying it :) Last week I made quince jelly... don't want to toot my own horn too much but it was lovely :)
Have had a few big nights out too with the gang... love those guys!
London's weather has been freakishly warm for November/December. I think this time last year it was almost starting to snow, whereas at the moment we're sitting on a nice 7 degrees. It's almost tropical ;) We have had a few very chilly days though, and some very foggy mornings...
All on the Nanny front is calm...almost! Effie and Elliot are hitting their terrible two's and I have to say it has been a real test on my patience. Deep breath! BUT they are also still SO cute and really starting to chat loads which is cool :)
This is Olive... Elliot's new little sister. She is beautiful.
and Effie and her new baby brother Charlie...
Both babies are healthy and keeping Mum's up all night!

I expect my next post will be just after Xmas and I will be in sunny Moe for it. 2 and a half weeks and I'll be jet setting off to spend a month at home. It will be my first Christmas home in 3 years... I can't wait :)
stay tuned...

Fishing!

Last weekend Sam's mate Charles organised for 14 of us to go fishing at a Trout farm out near the new forest.
We were so lucky with the amazing weather... not so lucky when it came to catching the actual fish!.... Rach caught a tree....
after totally failing in the morning we hit a local for a pub lunch... which was lovely :)
Phil's spirits were still high despite the lack of fish!
And then in the afternoon we caught four!! (we were expected to go home with MUCH more...but never mind!)
I caught the biggest ;)
then we took them back to Saskia's house in the New Forest and barbecued them... they were delish!

the longest birthday EVER!!

The first and MASSIVE birthday surprise was the arrival of Mel all the way from Australia. It was the start of a very big two weeks! we spent a solid 5 nights in our local (the Raven).. this was night one, my birthday, and I THINK from what I remember i drank about 10 jagerbombs, at least 6 tequila shots, a few glasses of wine, and then some.
...we had a good boogie!
By some amazing stroke of luck (or something) I was fine the next day! (I'm putting it down to the two pints of water I downed before going to bed at 4am)
And back to the pub...
The week after, after a few more drunken evenings in the raven, we wandered on down to Brighton for the weekend. We had amazing weather so spent the day on the 'beach'
and then decked ourselves out in 80's gear to head out for the night...
we had an absolute ball!
and then Mel jumped on a plane back home and I skipped across to Italy for the weekend (courtesy of Sam).
I think the photo says it all ;)
We were in Umbria, just near Todi and Sam took me for a stroll in an olive grove, eventually stopping and getting down on one knee.
After him making a bit of a speech about how wonderful I am, I accepted his proposal and I couldn't be happier.
It was just perfect.

:)

a little more baking!...

The pastry course is going really well! I have signed up for the follow up course which runs for another 5 weeks. Woop! Above is my super tasty Victoria sponge (tooting my own a bit i know!)
and this was a bakewell tart...
and my scones... that were a little odd shaped!

Birthday post!

Baking last night again.... bread rolls and a swiss roll!
The Swiss roll doesn't look amazing... but it tasted pretty damn good! (tooting my own horn a little here!)
22.... man I'm gettin old!

I can cook.... can't I?!

So I have enrolled in a pastry course at the local college and I'm loving it!
There are about 10 people in the class, a mix of ages and Kevin our teacher... who is great!
Class one we started our puff pastry (and popped it in the freezer for next week) and made orange and fennel shortbread...Then last night we defrosted our puff pastry and made a Fruit Bande with Creme Patissiere...
aaaand Eccles cakes...
next week we are making a swiss roll and bread rolls...
I may end up the side of a house :)

it doesn't look like much...

...but its home!
Here are the new digs... room comes with a bed, desk, bookcase and wardrobe...it does the job.

Summer fun?

I wish I could say that we've had an amazing summer but true to London's reputation for bad weather all we've had are a few sunny days!
Weather aside, it has been a cracker... my wallet is definitely suffering! (but totally worth it of course!)
At the start of the month I was invited to the BBC Proms in London. I had never heard of the Proms before but as soon as I found out the venue was Royal Albert Hall I was in!
The Proms runs every summer and showcases a range of music, mostly classical I think.
We trooped out at 9:30 am to sit in the line and wait 9 hours to get in, as we hadn't purchased our tickets beforehand. But eventually getting in there, sore feel and achy joints aside (I seem to be feeling like a bit of a grandma lately with my achy joints!) the wait was rewarded with some brilliant music! I have to say I have never seen SO many Brits shouting at the top of their voices, waving their red white and blue... bleeding the flag!.... I think they could give us Aussies a run for our money!

Then.... last night Rachel invited me along to a roller disco in Vauxhall.
I am clumsy at the best of times... skating just isn't my thing!
Although... with a little help I managed to stay upright...

...most of the time!! No surprises Rachel was a pro....
maybe with a little more practice I will pick it up... but have to say, my hopes and dreams of becoming pro were sadly crushed!

a bit of an update...

Its been a while (sorry!)... so just a general update. I was sick for like 3 weeks shortly after I got back from Italy and was in bed for 2 weeks. It sucked!
BUT I recovered and have been a bit non-stop since.

Over the summer Somerset House hold movie nights... they only really play the classics and as soon as I saw that Die Hard was playing I got on the tickets!
Rachel and I packed up a very tasty picnic and planted ourselves in the middle of the square. We then waited 3 hours until the movie started!! Just before the film there was a special appearance from Alan Rickman who plays Hans Gruber. VERY exciting! (especially after seeing him play Professor Snape for so long in Harry Potter!)

In other news... The kids are great! Growing up fast and both about to have a new brother and sister over the next month!
In more other new... I met some mates (Charlie, Ali and Ed) in Edinburgh on the weekend for the Fringe festival! Unfortunately my normal snap happy attitude was hiding and I didn't get too many photos...

but it was brilliant! Very busy, lots of shows and loads of fun!
That's about it for now...
I am moving house next month so will definitely have some pics of that!

Italy Italy Italy!

Last week of June I took a week off work and ventured over to my favorite place.... Italy :)
I spent my time busy busy busy doing lots of things and had an amazing time!
First I went to Venice and had a catch up with Manuela and her family. The last time I stayed with them I was 14 years old and it was my first trip overseas! I met them at the airport and it was like I had never been away!
The top photo is of the beautiful Manuela and I in St Marks square and the below, of her fabulous family...
and this is why I love Venice... small streets, beautiful colorful houses, little old ladies lazing around outside their houses... if she was holding a pizza it would be perfect!
and of course the beautiful canals...
After staying with Manuela's family for 4 nights I jumped on a train and traveled to Bologna and met Sam (who had arrived the day before). We hired possibly the coolest car we could find.. Pablo and hit the road bound for Camerino, Umbria. Sam... getting his Italian on... :)
we traveled many many km's (1600 in 5 days to be exact!)
and arrived in beautiful Camerino to meet Sam's family. This is Sam's nephew Tam. Very sweet!
The next day we went to Sam's mates wedding... it was in a little church on top of a hill in a tiny tiny little town. There were about 30 people at the wedding and it was just perfect!
They made a beautiful couple.... Seymour and Enrica, and they fed us until we could eat no more! In the end, there was two massive tables of appetisers (which looked so good you wanted to try everything, and then realised you had a full plate of food!) and then were moved in side to sit down for two starters, 3 mains, desserts, cake, coffee and fruit. Fair to say we all felt too fat for our dresses come 6 o'clock!
Then the next day Sam and I jumped in the car again, this time with an extra, Rachel, who is aupairing for Saskia (she is from Sydney!) and set off for Roma!
We arrived, checked into our hotel and made our way to the Colosseum
Last time I was there (when I was 14) it was closed! So I was very pleased to be able to go inside this time! Rachel thought it was pretty cool as well :)
We also visited the Patheon...
soaked our feet in a fountain...
went to the Vatican and the Vatican museum to see the Sistine Chapel...
and stopped to throw a coin into the Trevi fountain!
After two days discovering Rome we made our way back to Todi to meet up with Sam's family again and drop Rachel off. Sam and I spent a few hours soaking up the sun and then jumped back in the car and drove to Ancona where we were flying back from London from.
All in all I took about 300 snaps, have fond memories and can't wait to go back!
Hopefully it won't be too long ;)