My Kitchen and My Need for a "Fairy" Godmother

My kitchen's the place where I spend the most time.

Being a stay at home Mum, if I'm at home (which sometimes isn't that often) you'll find me in the kitchen. Either making or drinking a hot drink, or preparing breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

Even with just one child it always feels like meal time, or clear up from meal time. It's never ending. If you're a working Mum, count yourself lucky that you don't have that constant waitress service running your day.

I can honestly say that sometimes eating out is cheaper, easier and more fun! Let someone else do the preparation and cleaning; just focusing on the eating.

Ultimately in a kitchen: I love a bit of coordination. 

There's a silver theme running in my kitchen:

I've also turned into my Mum and like to have a tea towel hanging from my oven door. Double oven darling *coughs*. I draw attention to my beautiful Belling cooker as it is the second of two new ones. Luckily I am now happy with this one. I'd highly recommend double ovens and glass lids! Having had NEITHER of them before I am now a convert!

The other thing that would strike you upon entering my kitchen is that I am messy love tins. I haven't purposefully collected them, but acquired them I have and I like to have them on display.

It's taken me a long time to realise that minimal is best, but I only do it in certain spots.

So, for example, window sill is relatively CLEAR as it looks best and is calming that way. My tins however are out, not hidden in cupboards, as is the case for my neglected never used cookery books.

I have learned how to put appliances away, (where previously they'd traditionally taken up counter space) so although my juicer is out, my skillet, and my Vitamix are tucked away in the cupboard but very accessible.

Here are some of my tins:

How timely that the above frame is red, as that brings me onto more coordination. I have a matching red kettle and toaster.

Here's the kettle:

Right now as I write this I am on the breakfast bar, but it's too messy to photograph, but only because I am writing two reviews in one day, and kind of let it pile up around me.

So what's Aaron doing? Well being that it is not a nursery day, he is playing at my feet so this post has been in the making for about 5 hours, as every 5 minutes I hear the word "Mummy..." followed by a request:

You see that stool in the pics above, well that is what I am sitting on to write this post - I can't recommend it enough. It means Aaron can reach whatever he needs to without "climbing" and it is definitely the safest way for him to navigate the kitchen. You know what toddlers are like! If you don't provide a safe route to things, they'll make their own way!

And.... my favourite item in the kitchen?

Now here's the thing. Despite me signing up for some Fairy Platinum I had no idea it was for DISHWASHERS, and if I did, that's me right?!?!? 

No?

I currently have 2 bottles of Fairy on the go, so when someone said Fairy I said yes please! It's the only washing up liquid I will ever use. I got a shock when the Fairy Platinum arrived in the post, but it only makes my mission to get a dishwasher more heightened...

Anyone know a good *Fairy* Godmother? ;-)

This post is an entry for the My Kitchen Story Linky Challenge, sponsored by Fairy Platinum.

A Garden Swing Suddenly Brings Your Garden to Life

Aaron's favourite part of the garden has to be his swing. Being that he is an only child, he finds very inventive things to do with it, often making me laugh with him imagination.

We got it back on Saturday 10th May so have had plenty of time to review it.

We had friends over that weekend, so we were able to put it to the test immediately:

One wet (as you can see by the jacket below) day, he decided that the swings were curtains, and had great fun running through them. It did amuse me... lots!

Then he discovered the ladder and there was no looking back. At first it was a big effort to clamber onto the bottom rung, make it swing AND hang on. 

It's funny to watch this back, when I now know he can scamper to the top rung, and swing and sit there effortlessly like he's had it for years. Children progress SO fast don't they?

Sometimes it's just fun to "wind it up" - the possibilities with the imagination of a young mind are endless! Literally!

I love how he uses the swing's ladder to get a better view. I know a piece of furniture can't be a "friend" but Aaron's certainly made one out of his swing!

If you are considering getting a swing for your garden you won't regret it.

Let me give you some information on this one:

• It's from Little Tikes and can be bought via Asda Direct for 100 pounds: Little Tikes Riga Swing
• It doesn't take overly long to assemble but with some of the pieces there is not a hole. If you hammer to create one, do so very gentle, as you can cause the wood to crack.
• If you assemble it upside down (i.e. with its legs in the air), you may find that those two side pieces (that secure the triangular legs) are in completely the wrong place, so get it standing in situ prior to adding those. Having to move them, means marks on your lovely wood where the old holes were... *sad face*
• A wooden swing is SO much nicer than a metal framed one. We've had lots of compliments on it. It looks at home in the garden.
• The instructions do say to set the feet in concrete - we are yet to do this so it does squeak and rock a tad when we're on it.
• I say we, as it seems to take an adult's weight. Both me and Daddy have had a swing on it. It does hurt the top of my thighs as I am a size 18 currently, but I CAN swing. So if you are smaller than that, you can swing with your child. I doubt that it's designed with adults in mind so I wouldn't make a habit of it :-)
• I love the metal harnesses that attach the swing rope to the frame. They feel very secure.
• Having a swing in the garden IS great as it means you can do other things, BUT he often wants me to "push him on the swing"... so it hasn't freed me up completely, but when he knows I am really busy, he finds other imaginative ways of playing with it.
• Daddy is actually a lot more patient at pushing Aaron on the swing. Means I can cook dinner when they're both out there. Great addition to the garden!
• Don't take my word for it: read these reviews!

I will make a you tube video of all of my clips when I get a spare moment.

Do you have garden furniture? We are yet to join the trampoline craze that has spread the country but we long ago joined the scooter craze! I know we will probably end up with a trampoline one day but for now, I enjoy being able to see as much of the grass as possible, and the swing doesn't interfere with that - it's a very welcome addition to the family.

Disclosure: we were sent this swing in exchange for an  honest review and are very happy with it too (apart from the rocking and squeaking, which one day we'll address by setting the feet in concrete).

Liska xxx

Everyone in our house has been busy! Lots of days out lately, along with BritMums Live, and Aaron's birthday meant we got the hedge cut by a gardener - Aaron was fascinated watching him. It was powered by petrol, so it's great not to have a cable trailing all over the place!