Off to the Seaside.

We are off to the seaside tomorrow. Hooray! It's been a while since we took the Monkey-Moos to see their Great Grandparents, and what better time to take the trip than a long weekend.

With any trip and our Two Monkey-Moos: Preparation is key.

1. Prepare: Explain where we are going and why if necessary, preferably we have to start talking about it a few days before the event.
2. Set expectations: what behaviour is acceptable, how to speak clearly (essential when Great Grandparents are a little hard of hearing), being polite and manners in general.
3. Distractions: this is really just quiet time activities, colouring books, stickers and reading books usually do the trick, and any quiet toys (the ones that have no electronic bits)
4. Rewards: arguably the most important rule! Good manners and behaviour will result in:- a picnic on the beach, a trip to the playground, or any other fun thing that will get them to behave a little less like monkeys for day!

With preparation well under way, the Monkeys happy with the prospect of visiting the beach and distractions packed, this post turns into a baking one again.

Rather last minute, I whipped up two batches of cupcake batter. One chocolate and one caramel.

Taking advantage of being left on my own in the kitchen, and working quickly to keep it Monkey free (for a while at least.) I swiftly spooned dollops of each mixture into cupcake cases, swirling them together for a lovely marbled effect.  What a super tasty treat to enjoy with the Great Grandparents. A dozen large cupcakes headed for the oven. (key preparation point 4- Rewards, if needed.)

The smell of freshly baked goods led a little Monkey-Moo to the kitchen. Thankful that I got some time alone in the kitchen for a change,  I set out all the decorating essentials and under Monkey-Moos watchful eye, smothered the cupcakes in rich chocolate icing.

I left Monkey-Moo to add all the final decorating touches with chocolate sprinkles and balls. (most of which didn't end up on the cakes but all over the counter and a little on the floor!)

He was very pleased with himself, but truth be told I think it was sneaking bits of chocolate sprinkles into his mouth when he thought I wasn't looking, that he found the most enjoyable!

 

 

See that cheeky little face? And the chocolate evidence around the mouth? ha ha!

He emptied out the remaining sprinkles directly into his mouth shortly after I snapped this shot!

I packaged up the cupcakes into pretty little boxes ready for the trip to seaside in the morning. One box to enjoy with the Great Grandparents and one to leave for them to enjoy throughout the week.

Now the only thing left to do, was get the picnic things packed for the boys lunchtime treat on the beach!

Gingerbread and Monkeys

School holidays can be very trying when you have two little Monkeys that need some structured entertaining and Mommy has a heap of work (lets not even mention the housework) to get on with.
Short of time, as working mom's often are, these little treasures were a godsend, Thank-you healthy baking mixes and the fabulous Sweetpea Pantry!

Setting aside some time to get two Monkey-Moos organised, hands washed, ingredients out, and everything measured, we made up the mix as per pack instructions. Leaving the mix to cool. (I grabbed this time to quickly shoot through some more work, the Monkey-Moos grabbed the time to drive some cars and argue about who gets to drive at the front of the traffic!)

Mixture cooled (a bulk load of work done) and once we had all gone through the whole washing hands, sorting through cookie cutters, (arguments over who gets what) and digging out the rolling pins, we are finally set for the FUN bit!

Roll and cut, lift and place on baking tray, repeat. Laughter filled the kitchen as we had amputated teddy bears, earless Easter bunnies and the joy of sharing cookie cutters finally sunk in!
So much fun! Into the oven they go, heavenly gingerbread smell wafting through the house (getting back to work is going to be tough) and two very apparently hungry Monkeys wait as patiently as possible for a taste test!

End result, Healthy, Yummy, Tasty ginger bread treats and Two very happily entertained Monkey-Moos! Success!

Pantry Staples.

Without a doubt these fabulous goodies from Sweetpea Pantry are going to be firm staples in my pantry cupboard. I found these little gems on Yumbles, and since Monkey-Moo had just been diagnosed with the Chicken pox, I swiftly placed an order!

Lets face facts, what was I going to do to keep him entertained for as many days as it would take before he was cleared to get back to school! There are only so many games, toys and movies before the Monkeys start to work on each others nerves!

I must have been putting out some seriously good karma, as the goodies arrived within 48 hours, and were greeted with great enthusiasm by both Monkey-Moos!

The bubble wrap was game number one (yay, that's one less game I had to think up to keep them busy) and on the menu for lunch, without a doubt were Grainy Brainy Pancakes! 

Once I had manged to get some work done for the morning, we all headed into the kitchen and got ready to have a go with our lovely Sweetpea Pantry mix! 

In one, two, three easy steps we had pancake production on the go!

 

These pancakes were so scrummy delicious,packed full of good stuff, the Monkey-Moos simply loved them! They were gobbled up before I could snap a photo of them looking all lovely and ready to be eaten! Here's the best I could do! 

Simply can't wait to try out the Sweetpea Pantry Ginger Giggles!