The Incredible Courage of a Seven Year Old

This week was 'Fairtrade' week at my daughters school. The parents donate healthy snacks for the children to sell in a tuck shop. This time everything had to be 'fairtrade'.

 

Over dinner, we had a discussion about what 'fairtrade' means and how it works. My husband & I explained that, as with most things set up to do good, they usually end up doing more harm and usually too, the only winners are not the people intended to benefit the cause but the company who runs it. This, sadly, is the case with Fairtrade too. My daughter was pretty disbelieving, she is only 7 & still lives, quite rightly, in a world full of good conquering evil & happily ever afters. But she is very curious. And determined. Once a few questions had been raised in her mind, she set off, armed with her iPad to discover the facts for herself.

 

The next day at school, her teacher started talking about Fairtrade & my daughter put up her hand & bravely exclaimed to the whole class and her teacher exactly why Fairtrade was 'bad' and how it was detrimental to the very farmers it claimed to be helping. She also raised the point of the EU imposed tariffs on non EU farmers selling their produce to EU members.

 

Her teacher replied "I think your parents have been telling you porkie pies".

You would think that would mute my daughter. It certainly stunned her, but instead of sitting in silence, she bid her time and at break, went to the school iPads & googled again, 'Fairtrade', and politely, but determinedly, presented this to her teacher.

 

I am so, so proud of the tenacity of my seven year old. To have the courage to stand by her convictions & not be bowed by authority is something most adults could never do. She is seven. Not once was she rude, or disruptive. She kept calm and presented her facts and stood by her principals. But most impressively, she thought. And she questioned. And she failed to accept something on face value. And she refused to be swayed or shamed into silence.

 

What a truly awesome person. I honestly hope I have just one tenth of her courage.

 

 

Next month term her topic is 'Space'. She is already planning her project; 'Why the Moon Landing was Fake'.

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This Weeks Food War

I joined in with the rather brilliant 'Meal Planning Monday' a couple of weeks ago, but very unfortunately, I didn't have much luck with my plan. Two days into the week & my youngest was hospitalised with pneumonia. I stayed with her, of course, so all meals went out of the window whilst Daddy held the fort at home with the elder two.

 

So as we are all back to full health (almost), I thought I'd try again.

 

This weeks food war with my middle child will be;

 

Pasta with tomato & mascarpone sauce, garlic bread

Chilli marinated salmon, rice & salad (LOL!!! He will be going very hungry this day!)

Veal meatballs, 'German style' potatoes, red wine sauce & peas

Pasta with slow cooked beef ragu & 7 veg hidden in it!

'Fried' chicken, sweet corn pudding & baked sweet potatoes

Spiced lamb with ratatouille

Roast beef & all the trimmings! Rare!

Once more I plan all this food which every member of my family will happily eat- even my two year old- except my very fussy son.

 

Wish me luck!

 

 

Love Kitty x

 

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Nice, not slutty, winter style for my daughter, aged 7

My seven year old daughter is very beautiful. I am biased. But she is. She has long straight blonde hair with just a hint of a curl at the ends, big beautiful eyes- just the right shade of blue for her complexion and the most perfect skin. She is very pretty. And kind. And clever. And funny and all the incredible things a seven year old girl should be.

 

What she is not, is a trashy slut. Or a teenager. Or frankly a lap dancer.

What am I talking about? Well, Grace, is very tall for her age. At 135cm she is the average height of a 10 year old. She wears size 10-11 years. And much to my considerable horror and complete frustration, generally, all the clothes aimed at this age group seem far, far too old for a ten year old, let alone a seven year old! Of course Grace is not the only tall girl out there. I cannot be the only parent who faces this battle every shopping trip.

 

I am not going to terrorise anyone with the abominations I find offered, instead, I'm going to show something of my solution.

 

My daughters wear lots of Boden. Lots of Boden. But it does get expensive and as it happens in the last few weeks all my three have had growth spurts & suddenly everyone needed a new wardrobe! So, I found myself looking for alternatives that would be pretty & girly, but practical, not too fussy, at a reasonable price and most importantly, age appropriate.

 

I found many odd pieces but I live in a very rural area, so resort to online shopping almost exclusively and paying a £4 delivery charge for a single item, at say, £10 is far beyond what I am willing to do!

So I found, or should I say, rediscovered, Vertbaudet..

And I managed to find them just as the sale began! These are some of the pieces I bought;

 

 

 

Dress, £11.50

 

Dress, £11.50

 

I also bought a 3 pack of coordinating polo necks that were £8.80! And both dresses happily go with all the blue/tealish greys in the pack. The genius of these dresses is that they are a fairly thick cotton. Therefore they are perfect with long sleeve tops & thick tights in winter but equally, with a chunky cardigan on cooler spring days & even alone in high summer!

 

 

I spent £30 approximately, including delivery(after lots of lovely discounts) and in the parcel was a voucher for £10 off a £30 spend! So of course I went shopping again! This time I bought some tights, a gilet & a couple of tops! All for £35 delivered!

Top,£5.50

Gilet, £18

 

 

So I am happy I've managed to find some pretty, yet practical clothes that don't project some sort of pseudo teenage image on to my daughter!

 

 

 

 

Love Kitty X

 

 

 

 

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What my son will be refusing to eat this week.

I have the fussiest eater in the world. Fussyeater Supreme. Won't eat anything unless it is dry and crispy.

For the better part of his eating life (3.5 years) I have fought a constant, daily war. Here is this weeks battle;

 

Pinwheel Pizza made with fresh, homemade tomato sauce, fresh peppers & organic cheese. Served with 'Cajun' sweet potato wedges.

Butterbean & chorizo stew. This is my take on a Tana Ramsay original.

Prawns with chilli and cheese.

Fish pie - always fall back to Jamie Oliver's 'Fantastic Fish Pie'

Garlic Bread topped Ratatouille. This is a mix up of an old 'BBC vegetarian magazine' recipe for a sort of Mediterranean bean casserole, topped with herb bread. But my children are not massive bean fans so I am trying it with a simple ratatouille. Not that they like that much either!

'Scooby Pasta'. The one dish my son will eat more than 4 forkfuls of, without threats of bed/no pudding/no Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles etc. providing I take his portion, sprinkle with cheese & put under the grill til nearly burnt & nicely crispy. I should point out this is not that disgusting Heinz tinned crap. No, this is a lovingly made beef ragu, slow braised for 6 hours then served with regular pasta for us, scooby shaped pasta for the fussy one.

Roast lamb.

 

I have to say, I am not expecting him to eat any of this, with the exception of the 'scooby pasta'. But honestly, I have been bending over backwards to make individual, special meals for the little sod & he still never eats it, so my new technique is to give him the exact same as everyone else, and not break a sweat if he refuses to try it, or makes himself sick when it's placed in front of him (he will).

 

 

Wish me luck!

 

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Christmas List -Item Number 3

I started my Christmas List a couple of weeks ago, you can read about it here

I was browsing the Marks and Spencer Christmas gift guide when I came across this little beauty;

 

Collection Pure Cashmere Embellished Jumper £129

I am always wary of high street cashmere, the quality does tend to be very patchy, but I bought a bargain cashmere cardigan from M&S in he sale a few years back & it was brilliant! I am hoping this one will be just as good. Now, £129 is not cheap for a jumper, but it is pure cashmere & as I said before, I feel Christmas is a time for luxury & indulgence. That is why this gorgeous item is number 3 on my Christmas List.

 

Have you made your list yet?

 

 

Love Kitty x

 

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#NYNYStyleProject

The other day I came across a brilliant idea on the rather lovely Modern Mummy blog. The October New Year, New You Style Project. Always up for a bit of style fun & inspiration, it thought I'd give it a go!

The concept is simple; find the days prompt, take a pic, Instagram & Tweet it! All using the #NYNYStyleProject tag. I had a little problem that I lost the card reader attachment for my iPad & so couldn't post the photos til today, but I did do the prompt on the actual day.

I thought I would share my progress ;

 

Day 1. At The Back Of The Wardrobe.

 

 

Dreadfully unflattering photo, taken in my sons bedroom, as my youngest was napping in mine, but still, cannot detract from the fabulous Matthew Williamson top. I love Williamson, even his questionable stint at Pucci bought some magnificent pieces out. I have had this mainline piece for many years. It is one of the last vestiges of my 'Pre-Children Wardrobe' and one I will never part with. Hand dyed silk it literally is a work of art. It is also from one of his very earliest collections so who knows, maybe in the V&A one day... I can't honestly tell you the last time I wore it, definitely pre motherhood! I wore it out this time, for a friends birthday & felt terribly fun & not at all my age! Success!

 

Day 2. Favourite Florals.

 

 

 

Having lived through both the 80's (Laura Ashley) & 90's (grunge floral) I really don't do floral. But I do love cherry blossom! This is an old H&M scarf that's a little too thin & short to wear as a scarf so I like to accessorise my bags with it. Here it is on my favourite bag, D Bag, by Tods. The bedspread is my daughters & is by Cath Kidston.

 

 

Day 3. Wooden.

 

 

On the Friday school run, I wore my beautiful, rich mahogany coloured patent peep toed heels by Nine West. Elegant, comfortable, chic & oh so high! Perfect in these autumn days!

 

Day 4. Bright and Bold.

What else but Dior? The only red for me (since they discontinued 'Griote' back in the 1990's) Tres, Tres Dior. Just the right amount of blue, although in this pictures lighting it appears more tomato. It is not. It is perfect. But I didn't leave the house today. So husband was left wondering why I was making all the effort!

Tomorrow is 'Supermarket Chic' & I cannot wait!

 

Are you joining in?

 

 

Love Kitty x

 

 

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Christmas List - Item Number 2

I know I only posted the first item on my Christmas List yesterday, but I have already added 'Item number 2'. I did warn you it was going to be a long list

 

 

I need a new cross body bag. Whilst I don't particularly like them, I do find them very practical, especially when taking my three list 'Houdinis' out! This is the one I have picked;

Louis Vuitton Sologne £760

 

 

Chic, petite, classic.just perfect. I wonder what the next thing to make it to my list will be..... I'll be sure to let you know!

 

What's your your Christmas List?

 

 

Love Kitty x

 

 

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Santa Baby

You know that song, Santa Baby, by Eartha Kitt? When I was little, I grew up dreaming & hoping that one day, I too would be 'Santa, Baby-ed'. The idea of a grown man lavishing me with expensive, wonderful gifts was too exciting & so, every year I become slightly obsessed with Christmas, presents & that song. I mean, who wouldn't want a their Christmas tree trimmed with "decorations bought at Tiffany"? And whilst even I recognise that part of the song are ridiculous, (chances of me getting the deeds to a diamond mine-zero) some elements are just incredible & tantalising("slip a sable under the tree, for me."-Yes Please!)

I love Christmas. I've been planning it since before the last one! All the shopping for my children was finished by the end of September & all the gifts for family & friends have been planned & in most cases, ordered. All my menus have been planned & food ordered. My decorations are safely boxed ready for my huge annual clean on November 29th & my decoration day on November 30th so that when everyone wakes up on December 1st, they can open their advent calendars in a Christmassy wonderland!

So really, the only thing left to do is to make my Christmas List. I believe that Christmas is a time for luxury & a little indulgence, so with that in mind, this beautiful scarf is first on my list!

 

 

Louis Vuitton Monogram Shawl, in Dune £355

Ok, it's not cheap, but as I said, luxury & indulgence. I will get lots of use from it, as with all my Vuitton pieces, they will be loved, looked after & passed to my children. And whilst not quite a sable, it is still immeasurably beautiful & elegant.

 

I'll share some more items from my list in the coming weeks & days- yes, it will take that long!

 

So what's on your Christmas List? Have you been good all year? With the promise on heavenly treats like these in my stocking I've been an angel all year....

 

Love Kitty x

 

 

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Lunchbox Banana & Apple Loaf Cake

I am really not a fan of processed food. I try give my family lovely homemade food where possible. Lunch boxes are no exception! Every week I make what I call a 'dry cake' what I mean is, something that I can store in an airtight container & dish out whenever my lovelies need a nice, substantial snack. Yes, i know we have been taught by media & so called health professionals not to mention government campaigns to stop children eating sugar but quite frankly, I am much happier feeding my children someone that is natural & chemical/additive free, even if it is high in sugar(which again is natural! No nasties!).

This one has proven to be one of the most popular I make. It is very moist because of the bananas so it keeps really well. Also you can mix it up but throwing in a few 'extras'. This week I chopped a small bar of Green & Blacks dark chocolate & added that. I often add some chopped dates too, which give it a lovely caramely, toffee like hint & a chewy texture! Feel free to experiment, it really is a easy cake to make & you'll feel all warm & cosy inside knowing you've sent your kiddies off to school with a healthy, natural, energy boosting lunch!

This is what you'll need;

 

150g light muscavado sugar (granulated will do- you just won't get a slight caramel twang)

85g soft, unsalted butter

2 large free range eggs

4 medium sized ripe bananas, mashed

1 apple, peeled & grated

250g self raising flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Cooking 40-45 mins, 10-15 prep. 10 good, thick slices, more if you like though!

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 180c/GM4 ( adjust for fans)

Grease a 2lb loaf tin

Cream together butter, sugar & eggs. This will look all split & repulsive, but stay with it.

Stir in mashed bananas & apple & sieve in the flour, cinnamon & salt.

Mix well, then tip into your tin, bake for 40-45 mins

Remove once cooked & allow to cool in the tin for 30mins or so, then remove & cool completely before slicing.

 

If you are adding any ' extras' as I have here, you would just stir them in with the flour, bananas & apple.

 

 

This is the last bit, the children demolished it hot from the oven. This is why I normally only bake in the evenings or during school!

 

Love Kitty x

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A Heartbreaking Conversation with my Daughter

A few days ago, my eldest daughter, Grace was sitting on my bed, watching me get dressed. She had been considering me in a serious way, clearly something was puzzling her.

 

"Why are you so fat Mummy? Why is your tummy so big? "

And then, much to my absolute horror & heartbreak;

"Why have you let yourself go?"

 

I was so shocked & utterly upset, that I was speechless. I wanted to say so, so much, but nothing came out. No words. This was not a conversation I had ever considered I would be having with my 7 year old daughter.

Yes, the truth in her words stung bitterly, but as I gathered my thoughts & emotions, it became apparent that what horrified me more was the realisation that my 7 year old daughter was becoming aware of body image & more importantly, getting a very skewed view of what is 'good' & what is 'bad'.

We do not watch regular TV in our house, but the children all have access to watch blu- rays & catch up on the internet. We don't read print newspapers or magazines, everything is online. Grace is an avid reader. Enid Blyton being one of her favourites. As far as we were concerned, the children were pretty much protected from mainstream media. I have absolutely no idea where she was introduced to these thoughts & phrases.

 

How can it be, that a beautiful, intelligent 7 year old girl has become aware of fat or thin? Not to mention the mindnumbingly idiotic sentiment of 'letting yourself go'. I don't want her spending her time worrying about how she looks. Instead of worrying 'Is my dress pretty?' Now it will be 'Does this dress make me look fat ?'

What a very sad state of things when a 7 year old is concerned with such unimportant things as being fat. Her head should be full of fairies, pixies, wonder & an insatiable zest for knowledge. Her head should be filled with questions of worth, not fickle nonsense about someone's appearance.

Where did I go wrong?

What can I do about it?

 

Honestly, I don't know. Perhaps the single most depressing thing about it all is that it cannot be undone. She has become aware, someone has turned on a little light in her clever little head that I cannot switch off. It's like Christmas. Once you know, you can never be innocent & believe again. You simply can't 'unknow' something.

 

 

Love Kitty x

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The Perfect Mac for an Hourglass

Every spring & autumn I have the same dilemma; too warm for a coat, too rainy for a cardigan.

I need a mac. And so my quest has begun. Here are a few I'm considering;

 

Sara Mac by Hobbs £159.99

 

Rainy Day Mac by boden £119

 

Classic Trench by Gap, £60

 

 

I love the classic trench shape, but I am a short hourglass shape so it have to be mindful that something doesn't, a) hang below my knees -at 5ft3 I really don't need to look like I've shrunk. And b) make me look like I'm wearing a tent. As little extra fabric as humanly possible! After literally years of searching I have finally admitted to myself that with my height & shape, I'm never going to look like the Parisien chic walking elegance I so dearly want to emulate. Instead I've accepted that I should look in a slightly different direction, which has bought me to these;

 

Pure Cotton Cropped Mac, M&S £50

 

 

And then there is this fantastic little number! From 'The Collection', by Debenhams. It's actually the cheapest at only £30 in their sale but for me, it is almost perfect. A chic, neutral colour, fits just above the top of the thigh (even for me as it comes in petite!) no, too fancy detailing or pattern to date it. And even though it is double breasted, it is low cut so that should be sympathic to my cleaveage, not suffocating.

 

I love it. This really could be 'the one'. My years long quest could really be over. I'm going to buy it tomorrow & see!

 

I'll do a post so you can see what you think.

 

 

Love Kitty x

 

 

 

 

 

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Sundown Adventureland

A couple of weeks ago we went to what has become my children's favourite place on Earth- Sundown Adventure Land, near Retford, in Lincolnshire.

 

It is a small, independent theme park specifically for the under tens. Perfect! We recently took them to Alton Towers & there was literally nothing for them to do & the sheer number of loud, noisy, pushy teens running around ruined the day. Not here. Not at Sundown! Their website even goes so far to say it is unsuitable for teens. Not terribly 'PC' in this day but frankly I love it! It is a theme park for tiny tots, after all.

The park is a little worn & could do with a lick of paint or two but honestly, I think this just adds to the charm. It reminds me of childhood days at Blackgang Chine on the Isle of Wight, or Paultons Park ( it's a hoot hoot, at Paultons Park!), before they built Peppa Pig World there. It's the sort of place you will only find in England & for me, that makes it very wonderful indeed.

There are different themed areas including a Wild West high street, a pirate galleon, a miniature toy town, a delightful sweeties themed castle & two indoor play areas.

We started our day, as always, on our favorite ride- the barrel river!

 

Grace is very proud to always be the very first rider every time we visit the park!

Then on to the pirate galleon & fanastic village!

Each 'shop' here is full of an activity, eg ball pit, slide, climbing rope, firemans pole, maze! And they are all interconnected by walkways & tunnels. We could spend the whole day in this bit alone!

In the middle of this village are some lovely climbing frames, a seesaw & cute rocking sharks & dolpins!

 

 

Next we took a ride on the 'Rocky Mountain Railroad' in the Wild West area.

Again, the theming here is brilliant, lots to look at & a lovely 'story' to the ride.

Another ride is the "Tractor Ride"

Again, really lovely theming- lots for little ones to look out for!

There is an amazing 'Angry Birds' play park for the older ones but for the younger ones, there is a jungle themed play park. It has the best swings in the whole world. Ever.

And some really awesome rides;

If you just want to explore, there is a cute little nursery rhyme/children's story world with little house from some well loved story's, like, Goldilocks, Snow White, Rumplestiltskin& the Three Little Pigs. All telling their own story & with little activities to occupy little fingers!

It really is a wonderful day out I could go on about it for hours but, if you live within an hour & a halts drive of it, I would most definitely recommend a trip there!

 

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