Easy School Holiday Meals with Birds Eye

When Birds Eye got in touch with me and asked me if I would like to try out some of their spring recipes I knew that the school holidays would be the ideal time to try one out. During the school holidays we all want to have meals that are quick and easy. When you have days out or have just had a busy day at home you want to be able to prepare a meal that is both nutritious and tasty.

Birds Eye do a great range of frozen fish, chicken, vegetables, potato products, pie, ready meals and even breakfast sweet treats. I decided to use some of their delicious fish products in a recipe. The Birds Eye Inspirations range allow you to feast on fish that is full of flavour and that has been paired with perfect extra ingredients. As you know I am following the Slimming World eating plan and will admit that it did play a part in what I decided to get. When I was looking at the syn value in the fish I was delighted to find that the Salmon in Lemon and Dill Sauce was syn free it went straight into my trolley!

I decided to make a meal based on the serving suggestion on the front of the box. The picture shows the salmon on a bed of pasta and peas.

This is what I did...

The Last Day Of Summer

Today is Joseph's last day of the summer holidays.
Tomorrow he moves up into class 4!
Today his job is to do some last minute homework. He has a holidays scrap book to complete so we have been looking through photographs to print out. There are some lovely pictures that I wanted to share.
When I look back at the beginning of the school holidays they seem like such a long time ago. So much has happened in the last 6 weeks.
I have to admit that I am looking forward to tomorrow and getting back into our daily school routine! It has been lovely having the three children at home but it has, at times, been a challenge! But, all in all, Joseph has been good and has spent the majority of the holidays playing with friends in the garden so I really cannot complain!
Here are Joseph's holiday pictures for his scrap book:

 

 

I think that these photographs show that Joseph has had a lovely summer holidays.

Now bring on the new school year, work hard, try your best and you will do great x

2 More Days Left at School

This is yet another early morning post. I have got to admit that I do actually like this time of day. Taylor is sat enjoying his milk and watching tv whilst I sit here with a coffee. It is a peaceful time of day, believe me with twins they are few and far between.
Joseph has only got 2 more days left at school, then that's another year done. Year 3 completed!
Today is the schools leavers service. I have never been to one as I've never really had a reason to go as he's not leaving yet. However, today, we are going. James is finishing work early so we can go as a family as this leavers does involve Joseph. But I am not saying any more, that's a post all of its own!!! (excited mummy!!!)
As of Wednesday I'll have an extra one to amuse. I am just hoping and praying that, this year, the weather stays nice. Last year we had a terrible summer and I heard the words "Im bored" way too much.
This summer the twins are bigger so I am hoping we'll be able to do more during the summer, weather permitting. Last year the twins were only 5 months at the beginning of the holidays. I was still breastfeeding/expressing. My days were filled with feeding them both and expressing milk so we were more tied to being at home. This year we have the freedom to do more. I need to sit and have a good think about days out with are not going to break the bank, trips to parks and getting a season ticket for our local house and gardens are at the top of the list. We have also got an annual pass for historic sites so I am going to see what is close by for days out when James has some time off.
During the school holidays, particularly the summer holiday, is when my juggling skills really are tested, we'll see if I am so calm in a few weeks or if I am pulling my hair out!

The Cost of Childcare

Well only 2 more school days left for Joseph and then it is the long summer holidays. This year I am so thankful that we do not need to worry about childcare.
When I was working, before I had the twins, I would spend weeks trying to organise childcare and annual leave.
During my pregnancy I had every intention of returning to work, however after the twins were born I felt very differently. The cost of childcare certainly had a lot to do with our decision for me to not return to work.
When we worked out what our daily costs for childcare would be we were gob smacked that it would be £75 per day for all 3 children and would rise to a massive £106 per day in the school holidays. I earned no where near this amount, so childcare alone would have taken all of my salary plus some of my hubbys. All in all it was a no brainer, being a stay at home mum and housewife would be more cost effective for us.
We will, no doubt, be faced with this problem again in the future if I decide that I would like to return to work.
I do still have aspirations and hopes in life however if they are still for a career is another matter entirely. I do have my little dreams that I hope to make a reality one day and have had ideas to start a business from home that I can work around my family once the twins are bigger. For now my mission in life is to be the best mummy I can be and to concentrate on raising our children and looking after our home.
After all home certainly is where the heart is.