10 Favourite Foods!

I'm super tired writing today's post so it is going to be a quick one. I have just got home from work and I am sitting down with a mug of Caramel Latte and a wagon wheel and planning on relaxing and finishing my book for the rest of the weekend.

As you all know I love my foods! So this post is SUPER easy. In no particular order here are my ten favourite foods:

#1 - Sunday Roast
Ok so roast on any day is pretty damn amazing but there is something about cooking and eating a roast on a Sunday that is just magical. I am planning on making it a tradition in my house this year to have as many Sunday roasts as I can with family surrounding me a glass of wine. My favourite roast would have to be Roast Lamb with of course a dollop of mint jelly and gravy and no roast is complete without yorkshire puddings!!

#2 - Cupcakes
They look cute, they're little and they come in so many damn varieties! What's not to like about a cupcake?? (lemon curd cupcakes are my ultimate heaven moment)

#3 - Quality Street Chocolates
Aggghhhh!! If my Husband wants to cheer me up or is in trouble with me he just buys me Quality Streets.......and then he is my favourite person in the world all over again. I can be won over by these babies! Living in Australia now means they are not as easily available so you usually only see them around Christmas time or Easter so I get even more excited when I am able to get my hands on them!



#4 - Mr Kipling Cakes - basically any of them!
Battenbergs - Mince Pies - Cherry Bakewells - French Fancies - Angel Slice - Bramley Apple Pies
You name it and Mr Kipling made it I probably love it!! and once again you can't get them easily in Australia :( I haven't had a french fancy or battenberg in years! I'm pretty sure when I go to the UK on holiday soon I will just eat Mr Kipling's cakes the whole trip.

Mr Kipling's French Fancies

#5 - Baby Spinach
I used to hate spinach....even the thought of it made me run away but as I got older and started cooking so much I have grown to love the stuff. I love spinach quiches and pasties and I always have spinach with my scrambled or poached eggs on toast! YUM! I even love adding it to my homemade juices.

#6 - Brown and Wild Rice
Another one I used to run away from as a child. Now I always prefer brown rice over white rice anyday! I love taking it in as a salad for lunch at work with some tuna, capsicum, lebanese cucumber and corn.....yum yum yum!

#7 - Caramel Crumble Yoghurt
from 'The Yoghurt Shop' I think it is called. I always buy it from the fruit and veg store next to my work because I know they always have it. It is a more expensive way to eat yoghurt I must admit so I don't get it very often but I love the stuff! yum yum yum!!

Caramel Crumble Yoghurt!

#8 - Pumpkin
One of my favourite vegies. Love it roasted in toasted sandwiches, soup, salads and especially with a roast dinner!



#9 - Garlic Bread
I'm a sucker for a good garlic bread and I am yet to perfect my own :( I can never seem to get it right. I am determined to perfect it one day.

#10 - Pancakes
Love them! and love my kids happiness when I randomly get up in the morning and decide to make pancakes.....the other day I suprised my family with choc chip pancakes, icecream, strawberries and chocolate syrup.....YUM! but normally we just love to have them with lemon juice and sugar or my own fave way is pancakes with sultanas and honey!

So there you have it. My top ten foods! Are any of my top ten in your top ten?? Let me know if they are :D Stay tuned tomorrow for - 'An Old Photo of Me'

Ciao
Liane xx

3 personality traits I am proud of!

For today's post I thought about all my personality traits and I was trying to pick just three that I am proud of. It was hard because I am quite proud of who I am in general. Now if the question was "what 3 personality traits are you not proud of" that would be much easier to think up.
I'm impulsive which I hate because I wish I could think properly before I made decisions, it would make my life so much easier and I probably wouldn't buy silly crap just because it looked good at the time.
I'm also sarcastic when I'm in a bad mood which as everyone knows can be amusing at times but can also hurt someone's feelings at other times and the other one I hate is my trust in people. I trust too easily. I befriend everyone as quickly as you can click your fingers and I always expect that you feel the exact same way about me and then I get burned. I let people in easily and they seem to just walk all over me. It's a crazy situation sometimes but I can't help it I love people and I love to be around people and take them into my world.

After I ran these through my mind I found this picture which pretty much sums up my best personality traits and also I believe compliments my bad ones:

My 3 personality traits that I am proud of:

Silliness:
As you already know from previous posts I do not consider myself a grown up! I'm just a big kid at heart and being silly is the best! It means I can muck around with my kids and have fun, it means I can make other people smile when they are sad and it means that I can have fun with my Husband and make him laugh too. Sure there are times when being silly isn't appropriate and you have to be serious but the fact that I can just be silly and have fun is what life is all about.

The greatest part about my relationship with my Husband is that when we met he was much more responsible than me. He was grown up and mature and I was immature and silly and not very responsible but he saw the big heart behind that. It didn't take long for our opposites to actually fit together perfectly. We didn't change each other we just complimented each other. His traits rubbed off on me and showed me that I can be responsible while still being me and I brought laughter and a little silliness into his world without changing the person he is. We are like a jigsaw puzzle that was just missing that final piece to make everything whole.

Honesty:
I like that I am an honest person. I always try to be honest with everyone and I try and teach my kids to be honest. If you break something you tell someone so they can fix it as quickly as possible, you don't leave it and pretend it will go away. If someone you know has something sticking in their hair, you tell them so they don't walk around looking ridiculous. So many relationships are destroyed because people just can't be honest with each other. Friendships are destroyed because people can't talk to each other but talk behind closed doors. It's a crazy world and I am very proud that I work hard to try and be as honest as I can. Obviously there are times where honesty can be hard but we really do have to try our very best.

Kindness:

My Mum always taught me to be kind to others and it is the greatest thing she ever taught me. If someone was alone in the playground I would invite them to play, if someone looked sad I would give them a smile. It doesn't take much to be kind to others but it is something people just forget to do while they are busy running around in their day to day lives. We should never forget to give out kindness. It was just a few months ago that I saw an old lady really struggling trying to get her groceries into the back of her car at the supermarket so I placed my own bags on the ground near my car and ran over to assist. It only took 30 seconds of my time but the lady looked at me with such happiness and told me that she had been through the worst day that day and that nothing had gone right and my kindness had really cheered her up as she didn't think there were any kind people left in the world. She walked away with a smile and so did I. Just 30 seconds of my day! rebooted somebody's entire day. Can you believe that?
At Christmas time I was in a mad rush to get my shopping done and in the rush I had forgotten my bank card. So when I got to the registers and I couldn't find it my heart filled with dread and I knew I would have to go back home and come back out again. I had cash on me but I was $5 short. In the end I decided to put my milk and kids chocolates back and come back later but a woman behind me said "don't be silly" she pulled out her credit card and turned to the cashier and said "just put them through on mine and let her have them, it's Christmas". That time I walked away with a smile as she had completely restored my faith in people and when I thanked her about a hundred times she simply shook it off and said "just pass the kindness on"
Kindness is the best thing in the world that you can do for others. This personality trait is by far my favourite and I am so proud that my Mum showed me how to care for others and I hope that I can do as good a job and pass the trait onto my children.


Stay tuned tomorrow for - 'my 10 favourite foods'

Ciao
Liane xx

My Guilty Pleasure

I'm weird, most people who know me would know that already. I am turning 29 years old this year but really deep down I swear my real age is about 13. I have never properly grown up because to me grown ups are boring. When I actually was a child and I saw all the grown ups around me most of them looked bored out of their minds. Maybe it was just the adults that my friends had or that my Mum decided to befriend. I don't know. Surely not all grown ups are like that? But to me all grwon ups were boring and there was no way in hell that I was ever going to grow up.

Now I am a grown up and I have two kids and a husband and to most people I probably look boring. I go to work, I food shop for my family, I drive the kids to school, I wash and fold the clothes and on my days off from work if i'm not doing housework i'm usually just chilling around the house. I didn't expect to be like this. When my 12 year old self thought of my adult years I expected road trips, wine drinking in Italy, driving a fancy car, learning to ride a motorbike, travelling the world and spending every day with a group of friends who would always want to be around me because I was cool.

Let's fast track to today. I don't have all that stuff (just yet.....there is still time and hope) but I do have me and truth is I never really did grow up because behind all that Mummy and Wife duties i'm a big kid and being a big kid is what keeps me going. I still love fairy-tales and I still believe that jumping in puddles when it is raining outside is the best remedy for any occasion and I still get super excited and gooey when I watch 'High School Musical'.......

Yes you heard right my guilty pleasure is to put on my High School Musical DVD's , crush on Zac Efron's cuteness and sing my heart out. I know all the words and I even have all the soundtracks so that even when i'm driving my kids to school or driving to work I can still get my HSM fix and sing my heart out. Is it weird that an almost 29 year old loves High School Musical? yeah probably but hey! I'm a big kid and i'm weird so who cares? I probably wouldn't shout it from the rooftops and I definitely didn't bring it up on my first date with my now Husband but he did work it out when I moved into his house with a High School Musical coffee mug and a HSM wash basket. But he still loves me and those items are now gone because let's face it, I had to grow up a little bit. But those DVD's will always remain and I will always get excited when they get played.

Glad I could get that off my chest......I know you are probably all shaking your head at my complete insaneness but oh well! I did tell you I was weird :P
I am and always will be a big kid and if I ever do grow up I will be sure to let you know, but for now i'm happy and loving life! Now sing it out....you know you want to:

Ciao
Liane xx

Earliest Childhood Memory

Well today's post I really had to think hard about. Every time I thought of a childhood memory I managed to think of one that was even earlier than that so I have thought all morning and finally I have found one and so far I can't think of anything earlier.

Whenever I think of my childhood it always makes me happy because before I was 6 years old it was just me and my Mummy living in England and I was so lucky to be able to spend 6 amazing years alone with her. I have 5 siblings as well and I love them to pieces but just being able to remember those first 6 years is amazing and it means so much to me especially now that I no longer get to have my Mum around as most of you know that she passed away in 2013 from cancer.

The earliest childhood memory I can remember is actually one full day that I spent with my Mum. I remember walking around town with her and she had to pop into her work (she worked in a toy factory place) and she let me look around the factory and gave me a toy turtle that moved it's legs in the bath and swam around. Best toy ever! After that I remember us both walking some more (my mum couldn't drive at that time so we caught lots of buses or walked a lot) to go and visit my grandma and on the way we passed the big post office and as always I walked along the big wall holding my Mum's hand. After that I remember visiting Grandma, baking cupcakes and looking at her collection of bells.

And that is the first childhood memory I can remember. I have no idea how old I was at the time, I just remember the day.

What is your earliest childhood memory??

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post - "My Guilty Pleasure"

Ciao
Liane xx

Meaning of my Business Name!

Today's post comes straight from my bed as I'm curled up with the worst migraine :( I've been in bed for the whole day and it is now 4.32pm and I have finally woken up with some small relief but still blah and I'm watching Midsomer Murders on TV......seriously it's a cool show! I can't get enough of it :p

Back to my blog post.
Today's challenge is to share with you the meaning of my Business Name.

I don't really have a proper "business" but I have two Facebook pages, one that I share my food love from and I am hoping one day to turn into a business and the other is where I sell my sewing items from. I used to sell at markets which I used to love and I made lots of friends but I didn't earn enough to keep going and now just sell bits and pieces here and there.

My foodie page is called 'Little Leelee's Kitchen and the meaning behind that is pretty straight forward. My nickname with friends is Leelee and one of my friends calls me Little Leelee because I'm the little one haha and so it just made sense to give it that name. If I ever get to buy my own little cafe that will most likely be the name for it as well.

My sewing page is called 'Polkadot Bitz and Pieces'
I came up with that name at random.  I love Polkadots so that was always in my head when choosing a name and then at the time I was just making bits and pieces so the name just came up at random and stuck!

If you want to check out my pages the links will be at the side of my blog asap!

Now back to curling up for me.

Ciao
Liane xx

20 Facts About Me!

I'm super excited about today's post as I can get to share with you twenty things all about me! I love to share who I am with others. I believe that everyone is unique and special and the internet has given us the tools to share with a wider audience and this is where new friendships are formed and people can be themselves. Obviously there are people out there who prey on those who are just trying to be themselves but I don't think that should stop anyone from sharing, I believe that for every one bully there are twenty beautiful people who you can make smile or even help just by sharing who you are. So don't be scared of being you! Because YOU are beautiful and the world needs to know who you are!


My 20 Facts:

Fact #1
I work in a cafe with the coolest people and love my job! (Yep not only do I love food I also get to work with food and make people happy with coffee)

Fact #2
I am the oldest of 10 siblings! My parents split after they had me and both decided it would be fun to have many more kids......which means I get to remember lots of birthdays and luckily I have plenty of love to give to all of them :P

Fact #3
I have a very bad but very cool obsession with collecting things......I have many collections and just can't stop! So far my cool collections include:
- Pez
- Golliwog Dolls
- Johnny Depp Films and merchandise
- Robbie Williams merchandise
- Enid Blyton Classics
and much more! once I like something i'm hooked!

Fact #4
Speaking of collections......I am obsessed with anything Disney! I have a nice collection of Disney DVD's as well as the full set of seven dwarves plush (including Snow White herself) and my favourite Disney movie EVER is Beauty and the Beast.

Fact #5
I love to sing when I am alone but will never sing in front of people. I sing WHAM! songs really loudly in the shower when nobody is home.

Fact #6
I would love to have tattoos but I am way to scared to get started. I have been researching which tattoos I would like and i'm hoping to get my very first on my 30th birthday but knowing me I will wimp out.

Fact #7
I have been in love with Robbie Williams since I was 8 years old and nobody has ever taken his place as my number 1 pop star EVER and I doubt they ever will. Take That is my number 1 band EVER! (which is where my love for Rob all began)

Fact #8
This one most of you know already. I love love love cooking and cooking shows and recipe books and masterchef and everything else based around cooking. I also love love love Jamie Oliver, Ainsley Harriot, Nadia Giosia and Marco Pierre White.

Fact #9
I love watching scary movies but I get so scared that I have to have a blanket to hide under when I watch them and my Husband says that I don't actually end up watching half the movie.

Fact #10
I don't know how to swim.

Fact #11
I'm afraid of spiders, reptiles, birds and basically anything that crawls. I wish I wasn't but I am.

Fact #12
My friends call me LeeLee and my Husband calls me Little Miss Sunshine or Baby :P


Fact #13
I'm secretly obsessed with Zoe Sugg. If she was my best friend I would be the happiest girl in the world and considering i'm almost 30 that just makes me really weird but I just don't care. I watch all her videos on YouTube and keep up to date on all her social media and for Christmas my Husband gave me a copy of her book which I loved!

Fact #14
When I was younger I wanted to play the violin but my Mum decided that I should start with the recorder. Then when I was in year 7 my music teacher told me that I would be good at Keyboard with my long fingers so my Mum thought that was a good idea. I gave up on playing music in year 10 but I still really really really want to learn to play the violin so that is on my bucket list!

Fact #15
I have a really really long bucket list that I turned into a poster and I am trying very hard to tick things off. This year one of the things I will be ticking off is a girls road trip with my bestie and my sister woot! - more on that later :D

Fact #16
I hate cream - whipped, thickened, whatever! Yuck! I can't stand it. But I love Icecream.

Fact #17
I get super obsessed with Pinterest and I actually scared my Husband the other day when he looked over my shoulder and saw how many things I have actually pinned........he just doesn't get Pinterest at all.

Fact #18
I was born in the UK but have lived in Australia for 19 years now. But I really want to go back to the UK at some point even just for one year to live in a cottage and then travel Europe.

Fact #19
My dream is to live on a vineyard in Italy at some stage in my life.

Fact #20
Another dream and bucket list item i have is to spend one Christmas in New York.

Fact #21
I love Zelda video games! I get quite obsessed and over the top!

Ok so I cheated and managed to do 21 facts but you now know a few little facts about me! :D Hope you enjoyed and stay tuned tomorrow for - "Meaning of my Business Name"

Ciao
Liane xx

31 day blogging challenge

I have been finding it really hard this year to write regularly on my blog and it has made me really sad. I planned on making a huge effort this year and things just haven't gone to plan.
I think I just needed some motivation and so I sat down today and managed to get some research sorted.

I browsed Google for ideas and eventually found myself on Pinterest! Doesn't matter what I am doing I ALWAYS end up on Pinterest.....it is my life and I refuse to stay away. I managed to find a very cool way of blogging with a 31 day blog challenge so I am getting started today.
My blog is very much intended for sharing my love of food, books and life but I thought why not try out this little challenge and see if it gets me into the habit of writing everyday and helping me make my blog more fun and maybe inspire me to create even more ideas for myself.

So here goes!
Day 1 is an introduction to my 31 days, which is basically what I have just written about. I would also like to let you all in on a few special events that are coming up for me that I am SUPER excited about.

1. We are planning a holiday to BALI.......again! We leave on the plane in just 16 days (yep I have a countdown app on my phone), it will be for our first wedding anniversary and we will be taking the munchkins with us YAY!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited!! - and I will definitely be blogging about that adventure for sure :D

2. My sister, who lives in the UK has booked her flights to come over and visit us in July!!! (insert excited squeal here) I have missed her SO much and I just can not WAIT for her to arrive.

3. Now that it is officially 2015 it means that NEXT year will be my (gulp!) 30th birthday! With my love of everything fairy-tales and also my love of Beauty and the Beast I have decided to throw a "Disney" themed birthday party with the help of my basically adopted Mum :D So if anyone has any ideas for that let me know in the comments! I have never had a big party so I am hoping that this one works out.

That's all the news for now. I will be back again tomorrow with....'20 Facts About Me" so stay tuned.

Ciao
Liane xxx