Foodie penpals

Foodie penpals!! I joined in with this idea last year and then took some time out - but decided I needed to get my head back in the foodie game and got myself signed back up with Carol Anne at this is rock salt.
This month I was the lucky recipient of a parcel from Amanda of yammieeats.blogspot.co.uk
- she went to loads of effort for me, even drawing my recipe cards and I was THRILLED! Thank you Amanda xxx

Amanda had wrapped everything up for me with ribbon and it made the whole package very festive.

These PB&J bars lasted all of 2 seconds - we all ate and enjoyed these!!

 

 Thanks again Amanda, really appreciate your thought and care!!

I sent a parcel to Elyse, at www.sweetelyseblog.com and I hope she enjoyed her parcel - the kidlets helped me pick treats for her boys!

Foodie penpals - October reveal!

This month I was the lucky recipient of a parcel from Cynni, who lives in the Netherlands. She went to such a lot of effort for me and I have been so excited to share her thoughtfulness!

Before I had even opened the parcel, I was already delighted with just the cellotape sticking my address to the box!

The contents were beautifully wrapped in tissue paper

Cynni had taken the time to hand write me a card and explain all of her choices. I was absolutely thrilled!

 These little gingerbread style biscuits were lovely - an absolute hit with the children.

 These nuts may well be the best tasting nut selection I have ever had - and that's saying something!! I loved LOVED these and they didn't last long...!

I love trying new herbal teas, the first thing I did when I opened the parcel was make a cup of my new tea and eat some nuts. Ideal!

The B'tween bars were lovely, nutty cereal bars - perfect after a workout.

We managed to eat all of the toffee wafer biscuits without me taking a picture, but take my word for it, they were amazing. And the little salad picks are soo cute, I am thinking to use these for some cheese and pineapple snacks!

Thanks so much Cynni.  You prepped me a parcel full of my foodie faves and I loved it.

Here is a sneak peak of the box I sent out to my foodie penpal, the also amazingly named Sarah. For her review of the box I sent, go and check out her blog here.

 

Thanks for arranging us into ship shape order Carol Ann! Clanettes, go and take a look at her website 'Rock Salt' to see all the other parcels that were swapped this month!

One of those days..

I knew how today was going to go before I even got up this morning. Paul was running late, I had one of my silly headaches, the Biglets were squabbling and Niamh was intent in being in the thick of it.

But actually, I've had one of those days.. Not one of those days, but one of those days when you're glad and grateful for everything.

I volunteer at a breastfeeding clinic and pretty much rain or shine, you will find me at 'Busom Pals' on a Thursday morning. After one unsuccessful bash at breastfeeding and two long term and hugely rewarding breastfeeding experiences, I am quite certain that support is the key to a mothers experience. I have had peer supporter training and coupled with the training I had whilst I was enrolled with NCT, means that I have seen a thing or two.
Sometimes I roll up to the clinic feeling jaded and sorry for myself. I have been helping down there for over 4 years and I sometimes feel like a piece of the furniture - over used and under appreciated! Recently we have had to campaign to get the outside play area cleaned and sorted so that our growing toddlers are amused and happy whilst we meet and talk with mothers and their new babies.
Then you get a day like today.
Today I met a third time mother with a disabled newborn. Downs syndrome to be precise, and one of the difficulties with a Downs baby is that they don't have a natural sucking reflex. Added to this they tire quickly, so breastfeeding is not always a natural choice. This mother blew me away with her determination. I came away from clinic today with a re-newed vigour. It seems silly really, but today I felt like I was able to make a difference.  That's why I go and continue to volunteer, and its easy for me to forget that sometimes.

I pretty much skipped home from clinic and Vikki had Niamh for me this afternoon. I was lucky enough to be able to go out for a bike ride and clear the cobwebs away. I cycled over to say a quick hello to Lucy before doing my short lap as quickly as I could. I managed to avoid all the rain and had cleared my headache by the time I was back.

After collecting Niamh and picking up the Biglets from school, I got home to find my foodie penpal parcel had been delivered. I can't go into too much detail until global reveal day, but I was so thrilled.
This month I have found making my own parcel up for my recipient quite tough, because I learnt a lot of lessons last month, and I want it to be perfect. When actually, receiving food that someone else has thought about and prepared especially for you is always perfect.

I quickly made a cup of something or other, and had a little nibble on something else and was able to take stock of my day.

One of those days - one of those great days.
Thanks for reading x x

Foodie Penpals #1 - September reveal!

Clanettes! Finally its reveal day! I have been soooooo excited to share this post with you!  Through my trails across the land of blog and my devotion to the idea of 'What I Ate Wednesday', I came across 'Foodie Penpals' and just had to have a go. 

The original idea was by Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean, but she is in the US and the idea has gone global, so us English types can have a go by joining in at This is Rock Salt.  Anyway. You sign up, you get assigned a partner, you email them to see what kind of food they do or don't like and can or can't eat and then you send them a parcel full of their faves.  Simples.

I have been treat like a queen this month by the lovely Anna Weatherhead.  Once I have a blog link for her, I will insert it here so I can send you over to have a look at her.  I can still gush about her in the mean time! When asked about my faves, I pretty much told Anna that I am nuts about nuts!  She went nuts.. ha ha..  She got it so spot on!

This is what greeted me upon opening my box.

Anna had taken the time to hand write me a note, bake me some AMAZING peanut and cranberry cookies, prepare me some chilli nuts and some salt and vingegar chickpeas. She had also thought to include some fruit snacks for cycling, vanilla pods for baking and some kitchen labels.  I can't tell you how delighted I was with my parcel.

The cookies were just perfect on every level.  The balance of sweet, salt and nut.  I have since emailed Anna for the recipe and these will appear in my house again - I might have to pay them forward to my next Foodie Penpal.

I loved that Anna had taken the time to send me food ideas I hadn't tried before.  I had never thought of trying chickpeas like that, and I really enjoyed them!

 These chilli nuts were super hot!

These lables ticked all of my home-maker boxes. I will stuggle to use them because then I won't have any left!

This is the box I sent to my Foodie Penpal, Christine.

If you're interested in seeing what she thought about my food box, go and take a peek at what Christine has to say about the parcel I sent her, over at Diary of a Dashing Fashionista.

If you're even vaguely intrigued - go and sign up!!  Getting a food parcel through the post is the most exciting thing EVER!