The disasterous haircut...

Well, today we went to the barbers to get Daz and Jacks haircut.I came back home and cried for an hour solid....and why??!??! Because this is the haircut Jack came home with.

So not only do we come away with the haircut from hell, we had no apology from the barber that did it, but said barber then tried to blame both me and Jack....Yes thats right, he said the 1 year old that sat like a complete angel and didn't cry or wriggle once, should of sat still, and that I should of held him better. I didn't see him pick up the clippers or i would of told him not to use them, but I didn't realise until the clippers were at jacks head, with no "grade" on, as he was doing what they do with adults to do the very edges. Now at 1 years old Jack has never had clippers used on him, so what does a 1 year old with clippers buzzing and tickling the back of his neck....throws it back. To me it's obvious that would happen.
So I absolutely fuming, and also completely gutted.
My fantastic friend Selina is a hairdresser(note to self, never ever ever let anyone but Selina cut Jack's hair ever again) so we're paying her a visit tomorrow to see if she can limit the damage, but it doesn't look hopeful.
So it'll take a good few weeks before jacks hair grows back, and unfortunately i am wishing those weeks away, as everytime i looked at him this evening i wanted to start crying all over again. :-(

Not little for long

Over christmas Eva and Jack have both reached new milestones.

Eva has gone up into the next stage carseat, a high back booster with the normal 3 point car seatbelt.
She absolutely loves sitting in her "big girl's carseat", but to me, it was scary, as my baby is growing up, day by day she gets more and more grown up, turning into such a clever, independant, if somewhat stubborn little girl.

Jack now refuses to go in the pushchair on the school runs, which is fine by me, as I want to encourage walking, as i think exercise is paramount to children, and by walking to and from school everyday both Eva and Jack will be getting that bit more exercise that they wouldn't if we did the school run in the car(we're lucky enough to live close enough to the school to be able to walk). I also think by walking everyday that walking will become such a normal part of our lives, that hopefully we won't get moaning and whinging when we go on longer walks at the weekends/holidays.
The only problem is, after watching his big sister doing it, he now has to walk on EVERY wall on the way there and back, but kids will be kids, and they enjoy it, so I let them, even if it is a little bit naughty(I always have visions of the homeowners coming out and shouting at me).
So although it's lovely that Jack wants to walk everywhere, it is also another step towards being a big boy.

We all know they aren't babies for long, but to watch them grow and blossom is just so overwhelming and fills me with such a sense of pride. Even though Jack has discovered tantrums, but i'll save that story for another day.

I cherish every moment with my children, as it is time that I will never get back, and I want all of us to be able to look back on memories full of fun and laughter.

Loren xx

Growing our own.

Last year I decided that I would love to start growing something with Eva, fruit or veg as both her and Jack are huge fans of both, but living in a flat we only had a balcony. I spoke to a friend that works at a garden centre, and decided on cherry tomatoes, potatoes in a grow bag, and strawberries. Because we were new to it and lacking in space we bought plants instead of growing from seed.
This is where it all started.

Then on the 28th may 2011 we got the keys to our new house(that is still currently being renovated) with this...

...for our back garden.
Well having caught the growing bug i was just soooooooooo excited...I had a greenhouse that was left for us(aswel as gardening tools and a lawnmower) and what will be my amazing vegetable(and fruit) patch.
Just as we got the keys, Focus DIY went into liquidation and were selling everything off cheap, so we got some cabbages and some broad bean plants, that I could put in straight away.

The bottom shed will be the chicken shed and they will also have the space across to the right from the shed. The greenhouse will be moved to the right, just infront of where the chicken run will be, and the rest will be yummy food.

So this is where it all will be. It was much much worse then this, and now has had a bit more work done, but we still have a long way to go. This is where i had cleared space, just enough to get the cabages in(on the left behind the composter that we were lucky enough to also have left for us, although it was empty) and the broad beans at the front. We also got some broccoli in behind the broad beans, that my auntie kindly gave us that she had grown from seed.

In the greenhouse there was already a grape vine, although when the grapes were ready they were bitter and not very nice, and i soon got planting some things of my own.

We had peppers, chilli peppers, tomatoes that we grew from seed, and in the box was lettuce seeds.

We also did some herbs from seed, some sunflowers, more tomatoes from seed, and some courgettes.

Some of what we planted wasn't successful, although that was more down to planting some things too later in the season(me and Eva were just so eager to grow we thought we would try and hope for the best). There is a whole row of rhubarb along the left hand side that we had some lovely crumbles from(I had never tried rhubarb before, and was planning on digging most of the plants out, oh how i'm glad i didn't), and also a pear tree.

Our tomatoes did fantastically, much to Evas delight, aswel as the strawberries, the broad beans did enough to go with one sunday dinner, the broccoli is still sprouting now, which the kids have been having regularly with their tea, we also planted some carrots, which were nice, even if they were small and only a few, the lettuce was delicious, along with the herbs which i used in cooking,

What didn't do so well was the cabbage, that got attacked by cabbage flies, the courgettes got eaten by slugs, snails and caterpillars, we had one chilli pepper and one pepper although we would have had more, but i was a bit slapdash with the watering.

This year being able to start growing things from the right times, and doing sucessional sewings, and having already done lots of planning, I'm really hoping we get some good crops, and I am just so looking forward to getting my hands dirty. I'm still toying with what to grow, but will definately be trying courgettes again (hoping to keep the creepy crawlies at bay), tomatoes and plenty of strawberry plants. Sprouts are a firm favourite in our house so we will also be growing those.

I will carry on blogging about our growing our own journey, and post pictures as we progress, along with what we are planting and when.

Loren xx

I'm back

Hello, a bit late i know, but i hope everyone's had a lovely christmas and new year.
I've been a bit awol lately, but I'm back, and will be trying to update as much as possible.

I'm currently trying to lose weight and get fit, so will be keeping you updated on how i'm getting on with that,
Also this year, I am working on getting my vegetable patch established, and also turning a shed into a chicken house with the bottom of the garden, behind the vegetable patch, fenced off for them.
Aswel as that, there will be more fun things to do with the little ones, what we've been up to, and lastly, we have a few reviews lined up, and hopefully will have more coming throughout the year.

Hopefully we will be a fun, informative, but also something you can relate to, as the blog grows.
If there is anything you would like to see, please feel free to email us at lorenslittlelovelys@hotmail.co.uk and we will what we can do.

Take care,
Loren and co xx

Belvita Breakfast Biscuits

Being a busy mum on the go, with 2 little ones to feed, It's rare i get 5 minutes to sit down and eat breakfast, so when asked if I would like to review Belvita breakfast biscuits I, obviously, said yes.

I was sent the new Belvita Breakfast Yogurt Crunch.
A new variant that has just been launched, consisting of two crunchy Breakfast Biscuits sandwiched together by a creamy live yogurt filling.  It provides a source of calcium and is the only biscuit in the UK to contain live yogurt cultures. The Belvita Breakfast Yogurt Crunch is made with five wholegrains, is rich in cereals, provides a source of fibre and calcium and contains a selection of vitamins and minerals including vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, calcium, magnesium and iron.

It is important to eat Belvita as part of a balanced breakfast and is recommended that it is eaten along with a portion of fruit, a plain yogurt and a hot drink (tea or coffee), or juice.

I like to enjoy my Belvita with a glass of cold apple juice, and a variety of fruits, including apple, orange, or grapes. If eating with orange or grapes i prepare the night before once my little lovely's are in bed and store in the fridge in a sealed container, ready to eat in the morning rush.


Well it wasn't just a big hit with me, but also Jack who would eat his own breakfast and them come over for a Belvita too. Now we walk down the biscuit isle and he spots them and gets excited trying to reach out for them out of the trolley. For those who aren't aware Jack is 18 months.

The biscuit is delicious, and I would liken it to a digestive, but nicer and the yogurt filling was really creamy and really compliments the biscuit.
This is a breakfast that now features regulary on my shopping list, as it's tasty, quick, and something I can even eat on the school run, or on our way to toddlers.

It retails for around £2.50 or less for 8 biscuits and is available from morrisons, sainsburys, asda and tesco.

Try them, you will be pleasantly surprised, Loren x

Have a very merry Schwartz christmas

If you're looking for some last minute, delicious recipes then here are a few from Schwartz. Our personal favourites are the tree biscuits, although only a few make it onto the tree as they are so delicious. We've also given them as gifts to Eva's class friends, and My best friend.

Schwartz Christmas Tree Biscuits

·         450g (1lb) plain flour

·         2 tsp baking powder

·         4 tsp Schwartz Ginger Ground

·         2 tsp Schwartz Cinnamon Ground

·         Schwartz Sea Salt Mill

·         200g (7oz) caster sugar

·         250g (9oz) unsalted butter, diced

·         4 tbs golden syrup

·         1 large egg, beaten

Hang these tasty Ginger and Cinnamon flavoured biscuits from the Christmas tree.

How to:

1.       Sift the flour, baking powder, Schwartz Ginger and Cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Season with a little Schwartz Sea Salt.

2.       Add the sugar and butter and rub in with your fingers until the butter is absorbed and the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

3.       Mix the golden syrup and egg together and then stir into the mixture with a wooden spoon. Bring together with your hands and knead very gently to form a smooth, stiff dough. Shape into a ball and cover in clingfilm. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm up.

4.       Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4.

5.       Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut into quarters, allowing you to work with each quarter at a time. Keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll it.

6.       Roll out the dough to a thickness of approx. 3mm and cut into festive shapes.

7.       Place the biscuits onto baking sheets lined with greaseproof paper.

8.       Bake the biscuits for 12-14 minutes until golden brown, remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

9.       Using a wooden skewer, make a small hole in each biscuit whilst they are still warm.

10.   Once completely cooled, decorate as desired, tie a ribbon through the hole and hang on the tree.

Cook's Notes

These biscuits can be kept in an airtight container for up to 1 week. This recipe makes approx. 75-80 biscuits, which may seem a lot but there will be plenty to hang on the tree, for the children to nibble on, and even more to wrap up in lovely Christmas film and give to friends and family.

We have made this a couple of times using half the quantities of the ingredients, and there has still been plenty to go around. Definitely worth a try as a truly yummy treat.

Schwartz Christmas Pomanders

·         Oranges, lemons or limes

·         Masking tape

·         Toothpicks or wooden skewers

·         1 jar Schwartz Whole Cloves (will cover approx. 2-3 pieces of fruit)

·         2 Schwartz Cinnamon Sticks

·         2 Schwartz Star Anise Whole

·         2 Schwartz Nutmeg Whole

·         Ribbon

Pomanders make excellent fragrant festive decorations and are great for Christmas gifts.

How to:

1.       Use masking tape to mark out where you want to tie the ribbon on the fruit - oranges look great with a criss-cross formation, lemons and limes work well with ribbon tied around the middle of the fruit.

2.       Then, using the toothpick or wooden skewer, pierce evenly spaced holes into the surface of the fruit around the masking tape and insert the Schwartz Cloves. Leave a small gap between each one as the fruit will shrink when dried.

3.       When the surface of the fruit is covered with Schwartz Cloves, remove the masking tape and place onto a wire rack.

4.       Put Schwartz Cinnamon Sticks, Star Anise and Whole Nutmeg onto a baking tray and place the wire rack on top. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 130°C, 275°F, Gas Mark 1 for about 4-5 hours, or until the fruit has darkened and dried out.

5.       Alternatively, place the fruit in a paper bag and pop in a warm airing cupboard for 3-4 weeks to dry out.

6.       Allow the pomander to cool, then wrap the ribbon around the gap left by the masking tape. Tie in a bow or loop for hanging.

Cook's Notes

Your pomanders will look great in a coloured bowl, decorated with the Schwartz Cinnamon Sticks, Whole Nutmeg and Star Anise. Why not try brushing them with some gold dust for a beautiful sparkle.

This is a fun activity to do with little ones that will leave your house smelling beautiful and festive. Also make great handmade gifts for family and friends.

Schwartz Boozy Christmas Pudding

·         100g (4oz) self-raising flour

·         50g (2oz) fresh white breadcrumbs

·         50g (2oz) ground almonds

·         275g (10oz) soft dark brown sugar

·         75g (3oz) suet

·         225g (8oz) raisins

·         225g (8oz) currants

·         225g (8oz) sultanas

·        

·         50g (2oz) flaked almonds

·         1 tsp Schwartz Cinnamon Ground

·         ½ tsp Schwartz Nutmeg Ground

·         ½ tsp Schwartz Coriander Ground

·         ½ tsp Schwartz Allspice Ground

·         ½ tsp salt

·         3 medium eggs

·         3 tbs brandy

·         150ml (¼ pint) brown ale

·         3 x 0.5 litre pudding bowls

This deliciously spiced, moist and fruity, home-made Christmas pudding is really simple to make. The recipe is enough for 3 puddings and, if you can resist eating them all over the festive season, they do freeze really well.

How to:

1.       To prepare the pudding basins, grease them really well and line the bottom of each one with a small square of greased greaseproof paper.

2.       Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the brandy and brown ale.

3.       Combine the fruit mixture with the egg mixture and stir well. Spoon equally into the prepared basins and cover each with a circle of greaseproof paper. Top each basin with a large square of pleated greaseproof paper and secure well with string. Make a handle with a double length piece of string and tie securely through both ends.

4.       Place each pudding in a separate steamer or large saucepan with an upturned saucer inside, and pour in enough boiling water to come half-way up the sides of the basins.

5.       Steam for 2-2½ hours, topping up with more boiling water when necessary. Remove and set aside to cool. Replace the greaseproof paper with fresh, ready for re-steaming, and store in a cool dry place.

6.       On the day of serving, re-steam the pudding, as above, for 1-2 hours. Alternatively, pierce the greaseproof paper and re-heat in the microwave on full power for 2-2½ minutes, or until piping hot throughout.

7.       Remove the greaseproof paper, place a plate on top of the basin and turn upside down. Shake the pudding gently to release onto the plate.

8.       To flame, simply heat 2 tbs brandy in a small saucepan and light before pouring over the pudding immediately.

Cook's Notes

You can make your pudding anywhere up to 6 months in advance of Christmas. This recipe makes 3 puddings, each serving 4-6 people - that's one for Christmas Day, one to wrap up as a gift and one for unexpected visitors over the Christmas season, or you can keep it for Easter if you can resist it that long!

Schwartz Classic Mulled Wine

·         75cl bottle red wine

·         200ml (7fl oz) orange juice

·         3 tbs brown sugar

·         2 sachets Schwartz Mulled Wine Spice

·         150ml (¼ pint) brandy(optional)

·         1 orange, sliced

1.       Place the wine, orange juice, sugar and Schwartz Mulled Wine Spice sachets in a large saucepan.

2.       Heat to just below boiling point and hold this temperature for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.       Remove sachets.  Stir in brandy and orange slices then serve.

I will be making this Christmas eve to truly get into the Christmas spirit, but must remember not to drink too much so that I don't spend Christmas day hungover.

Have a very merry Christmas, from all at Schwartz x

Tefal Sensorielle Range

I was sent the fantastic new Tefal Sensorielle non-stick frying pan to review, and must say I am so impressed. I've had various non stick pans before, and well, none have lived up to my expectations.
The Senorielle range boasts of a new patented non-scratch coating, a new anti-warp base, copper particles that distribute heat evenly across the pan, and Tefals Ultimium non-stick coating allowing oil free cooking.

Upon opening the pan, at first glances i was impressed, but from looking I couldn't tell what it was going to be like when it came to cooking. On the packaging it says to wash in warm soapy water and give it a light coating of oil before the first use. So after doing this i decided i'd cook a cheese omlette. Whenever I cook and omlette, no matter how much oil i use, i am always left with some of it stuck to the pan, so with only using this thin coating of oil I was dubious, and was expecting it to stick.
Well i am still shocked at the fact that nothing I cook has yet stuck to the pan, even when not washed straight away, food that i would usually have to scrub to get off, just came off with a gentle rub.
I know need to purchase all of the pans in the sensorielle range, as i am that impressed.

The Sensorielle range is the first cookware to use Tefal’snew Intensium coating. Intensium is an extra hard mineral base layer which is fused to the other layers, including a visibleholographic layer. Intensium provides the ultimate scratch-resistant surface, designed to withstand the most rigorous use and even resistant when using metal utensils.
The range also features Tefal’s high quality,lifetime guaranteed (for the lifetime of the pan) Ultimium non-stick coating, which enables you to cook without oil – perfect for a low-fat kitchen. The range isdishwasher safe, easy to clean and compatible with electric and gas hobs.

I would highly recommend this to anyone in need of any new pans, the rrp starts from £19, and increases with pan size, but this is a product that I really think will last and will be well worth the money.
They can be bought from a range of online retailers including www.homeandcook.co.uk/.

A huge 5/5 from us :-D
Loren x