Helping Alice make biscuits

Being the UK, as we all know, we get unpredictable weather pretty much all the time, even more so in Winter. With this in mind I was thinking what activities could Alice and I do and the first thing that always springs into my mind is baking. I had also found our favourite cookie cutters in the cupboard the other day, so no excuses.

I have learnt when baking with Alice to weigh out all the ingredients beforehand, that way it means that Alice isn't touching things she shouldn't be whilst she is waiting for me to get all the things we need etc.

Ingredients all weighed out and Alice ready to get going

First of all Alice tipped the butter and sugar into bowl and mixed it together (with a little bit of help with the mixing).

Adding the butter

Adding the sugar

"Mix!, Mix!"

When the butter and sugar were reasonably light and fluffy, Alice then added the flour to the mix and stirred until it formed a dough. 

Alice then got a handful of flour again and put it on the work surface to make sure the dough didn't stick. She rolled out (again with help) the dough until it was about 5mm thick and cut out the shapes.

Once cut out they went onto the baking sheets and into the oven for 25 mins. Most of this time Alice spent dashing in and out of the kitchen shouting "Look mummy! Biscuits!", this is usually a sign that she is excited and/or impressed.

Before putting in the oven (and Alice's 'cheese' face)

Finished biscuits, ready for eating.

I forgot how simple biscuits were to make and I'm glad that Alice and I made them together as it was a really fun activity to do together. I think we will have to make them fairly regularly.

Laura

Baking Fairy Cakes

Tomorrow we have got a joint 2nd birthday party for all the "babies" in the ante- natal group we were and are a part of. We have all agreed on taking a few bits of food each to have a picnic lunch at the venue of choice, and I thought seeing as I usually get good feedback on my cakes, I would make fairy cakes...also a perfect opportunity for a fun activity for Alice and I to do together.

We started by measuring all the ingredients into bowls, as it is generally easier to do that with a toddler, I have found this out the hard way... After measuring the ingredients out we prepped the bun trays and Alice put the paper cases into each of the holes, she then took them all out and stacked them together again. This is a great game to keep her busy whilst I turned the oven on.

After I had managed to put the cases back into the tray, Alice poured all the dry ingredients into the big bowl and then stirred them together.

Concentration face

 Next we put the wet ingredients in, I started off the mixing and then Alice mixed round after to make sure it was done properly. She loves mixing, whilst she mixes she sings to her self 'Mix, mix, mix'.

Alice had a go at putting the cake mixture into the cases but couldn't work out how to do it, so I filled the cases whilst she carried on mixing.

Posing for the picture, all ready for the oven.

Whilst the cakes were in the oven, Alice thought the best thing for her to do was to hide. I have no idea where she has gone in this picture... *winks*

'Mummy I hiding, MUMMY!!'

Cakes just out of the oven

We waited for the cakes to cool down before icing them. I managed to find my favourite sweets, from when I was young, to decorate the cakes as well as pink glimmer sugar.

Alice helped to put the chocolate 'Jazzies' and the glimmer sugar on top after I had put the icing on. She loved helping to decorate and I was very impressed that she didn't try to eat anything whilst helping.

Alice taking the glitter sugar from me

 Alice wanted to show off the finished product, and judging by the face she is pulling, she was working hard with her self control.

Laura

Enhancement to Alice's Collage

This morning, I showed Alice the collage we had made yesterday, now it was dry. She absolutely loved it, I think based on the reaction she had forgotten about making it. We decided that we would jazz it up more now the PVA had dried.

Alice spotted sparkles in her craft box, so it was decided that we were putting star shaped glitter onto the collage too.

Alice showing me the glitter

 I think you'll agree, she is looking pretty happy with herself, after adding the glitter.

The finished product ready for displaying in her room.

Lastly, the collage up in Alice's room, next to another collage she had made previously.

Laura

Autumn Walk at Bystock Pool

After a few days of rain and not being able to get out and go for a walk. We decided that enough was enough and seized the opportunity to get layered up for a walk around Bystock Pools, it was also a good opportunity to collect autumn things to make a collage at home.

All wrapped up and waiting to go walking

Collecting leaves

Leaf collecting temporarily stopped to watch the ducks

We collected a variety of leaves and twigs around the lake but we couldn't see any pine cones, so we carried on walking and ended up walking up onto the common. We managed to find hundreds of little pine cones but no big ones, however, I knew that they would stick on the collage better so Alice picked up a few handfuls.

On the way up to the common from the lake, Alice stopped for a photo.

I stupidly forgot to take a picture collecting the pine cones, must have been the rate of which Alice was chucking them into the bag.

On the way back to the car I had to capture this, a beautiful sight in autumn.

When we got home we laid out all the bits and pieces we had collected on our walk and Alice had another look.

Alice and I used a couple of the leaves to make rubbings, as she has never done this before and it would look good on her collage. She had also decided her favourite item she had collected was the piece of pine tree.

We used PVA glue to stick on all the bits Alice had selected. In the end there was no space for the rubbings that we did together, but we have enough things left over to make another autumn collage another day. The collage is now drying before it will be placed in Alice's bedroom for her to see.

Alice's finished collage.

Laura

Alice's visit to Paignton Zoo

Lucien had a week off, this week, and we thought it would be a nice idea to take Alice to the zoo. She has been previously but she was only 7 months old, she has since developed a love of animals and loves to watch them. Perfect opportunity to go to the zoo.

Alice and Lucien by the flamingos

Alice was not bothered to look at the flamingos, for one reason alone... the train was parked just below where we were stood, and trains (or woo woo trains, if you are Alice) are the most amazing thing ever. Grandad Sherwood will be proud ;)

Lucien and I saw a sign for Breakfast ciabattas in the cafe and decided to make tracks over that way, well it would be rude not to... however, we did go via the reptile house so Alice could see the turtles and crocodiles.

Alice looking for the crocs

Bacon ciabatta and a cuppa

The only way Alice will drink water, in a proper water bottle

Those bacon ciabattas were awesome, I think we had a pack of bacon in each of the rolls.

After having something to eat and drink, we went for a walk and ended up at 'Monkey Heights', after looking around 'Crocodile Swamp' and 'Baboon Rock'. We saw the little monkeys which were apparently scary, according to Alice, who had kept shouting to us to go and see. We carried on round and found the Mangabey monkeys and stood to watch them for a while. The baby in the enclosure spotted Alice and came over to the glass to see her and show her what he was eating.We took Alice out of the pushchair so she could get closer, the monkey then decided to show off to her and jump around, Alice copied him and he then copied her back. It was so funny to watch them interacting.

Alice and her monkey friend

Next, Alice wanted to see 'Topsy' or as we know them, giraffes. We walked via the zebras and the camels and Alice really enjoyed looking at them as well.

The camels have a brilliant view of the bay.

We got to the giraffes and Alice was fascinated by them, she kept shouting to me that she could see them, just to make sure I could too. It was lovely to see that there were a few giraffes there, the last time I saw them there was only a couple in there.

After the giraffes was the elephant, Duchess is the only elephant that Paignton Zoo have as they don't want to cause any problems to her. She is a poorly elephant that has had one eye removed and the other one is deteriorating. We walked inside to see her and Alice loved looking at Duchess, I think she was the most excited to see the elephant.

Duchess having something to eat

 We promised Alice a train ride before we left the zoo, so we did this next. She loved riding on it and waving at everyone. We also let her sit by herself on there, which we haven't done before for safety reasons, however she behaved very well.

Last but not least, we went to see the lions. Alice loved watching them, they were quite close by and so it made it more exciting for her to see them.

After looking at the lions at the top we walked down towards the birds and the exit. we got to the viewing area at the bottom and the male lion came charging towards us, mainly Alice as she was stood right by the glass. He starting roaring at her and protecting his pride, her response wasn't to be scared or worried (which Lucien and I were a little bit), she roared back which aggravated him more and he then roared louder and came closer. They had a stand off and he then turned his back and walked away.

Alice loved her visit to the zoo. The thing she keeps telling me about though is the fact the elephant did a poo... Its funny what children remember, she saw all the animals at the zoo and that is what she got from it.

Laura 

Legoland Windsor!

Recently we went to Surrey for a family birthday party, so we figured we may as well combine a trip to Legoland Windsor too. We did what most do and changed clubcard vouchers into tickets for both Lucien and I, Alice is free as she is under 3.

Another reason for doing the trip to Legoland was to see how Alice would be at a theme park, it also introduced her to the concept of queuing, albeit the queues were minuscule compared to summer or a weekend. The longest queue we had was 15 minutes and she coped pretty well.

Alice excited on her way to Legoland

Legoland Hotel

I'm guessing I was more excited when we first walked through the gates

The view from the top part of the park

 We ended up going to the 'Lego Friends' area, after riding 'Laser Raiders' twice, Alice loved posing with all the figures.. (I cant remember which character was which though, please forgive me)

Alice found a friend

Thought I would join in and have a selfie with Mia

Alice found a Lego Scrappy

After the 'Friends' area we walked around the lake and past the hotel at the bottom of the park, we then found the 'Atlantis' submarine ride.

 I was apprehensive about it at first as I suffer with claustrophobia and was worried about being shut inside a small dark submarine, it was absolutely fine and bigger than I was expecting, it was dark but you get distracted by the fish and sharks swimming around the submarine.

Alice watching the fish, sharks and rays.

Lucien and Alice outside the ride

We rode 'Atlantis' twice, there was no queue, the only wait we had was the walking around the queue system. After 'Atlantis' we made our way to 'Duplo Valley' and 'Fairy Tale Brook', Alice absolutely loved this ride, which we also did twice due to no queues.

Waving at everyone

With Daddy the second time round

The next ride was the Duplo train, Alice was a bit too short to be able to ride by herself so Lucien and I had to go on it too...

We also rode 'Balloon School' which Alice was also very excited to do, that was until she actually got up high on it and then she started shouting "Careful! careful Mummy! careful Daddy!". When we got off she then started to shout at everybody that got on the ride to be careful too. Needless to say, we only did this ride once.

We then went to ride the 'Heartlake City Express', Alice had been seeing this train go around at various locations and kept expressing how much she wanted to go on it. It was something that had a huge potential,but for me, it was a bit disappointing. It could have done with more Lego figures and just generally more to see. Alice seemed to enjoy it though.

Alice and I (Lucien was stood next to Alice) went on the carousel after the train, she was having fun until her bum slipped slightly and she then wanted off.

The ride we waited longest for was 'Coastguard HQ' which was a 15 minutes queue, however Alice did amazingly well waiting, she was watching the boats coming and going. We all really enjoyed this ride and made the most of the freedom of powering the boat ourselves by going slower than others so we took longer. Alice had a go at steering the boat, and ended up steering us towards another boat, so Lucien took over again.

Overall, our trip to Legoland was brilliant. Alice loved every minute of it. We were both impressed with Alice, she walked the entire way around the park, said "Thank you" to the ride attendants when leaving each and every ride and was having fun interacting with everyone. I'm going to say that it was a very successful trip and we are now looking forward to visiting Legoland Florida next year!

As well as this blog, there is a video here, Alice's Adventures in Legoland.

Laura