Baking, A Party, And Yellow Stickers

Hello readers wow what a busy weekend we have had here at Tilly Towers. It may have been busy but it has been thoroughly enjoyable here's what we have been up to.........

Saturday

I started my morning with the usual medications and housework. I then got Ben ready for his reward trip with young carers. He did archery and rifle shooting although he said he did not like the shooting (don't blame him I hate guns) he said he really enjoyed the archery and had a great day. Whilst Ben was off out for the day and Brad was at respite for the weekend Brandon and I decided to do some baking. We had no eggs and I needed some cat litter so we took a walk to Morrison's. On the way back we got a cone of chips to share for our lunch and ate them in the park (only £1 for a cone of chips). After our chips Brandon wanted to play for a little while so I gave him 10 minutes to have a play. There were 2 older boys playing football in the park and they could see Brandon wanted to join in so one of them kicked the ball to him and let him join in their game. I thought this was a lovely thing for them to do and it really warmed my heart watching him join in. When he had finished playing we went home to get on with the baking. I made 3 chocolate cakes and a triple batch of chewy cookies. 2 Of the chocolate cakes are just chocolate sponge with icing sugar sprinkled on top the other has chocolate butter cream icing and chocolate sprinkles on top. That should keep us going for the week.

Cheeky assistant check

Ingredients check

Brandon mixing the cookie dough

Cookies ready to go in the oven

Yummy chewy cookies

Slightly under cooked on the bottoms. No matter scrap that bit off no one will no the difference lol

Chocolate sponge with a sugar dusting

I love chocolate butter cream one of my guilty pleasures

For dinner we had a beef casserole with mashed potatoes yellow sticker beef, value mushrooms, value gravy, value mash. It was delicious cost £1.91 and made 4 servings so just under 50p a plate.

We were invited to a friend's 40th birthday party at a function hall not to far from us on Saturday evening. As I was feeling well we decided to go just for a few hours. The theme was come in the decade you were born. As I had nothing that remotely resembled 70`s clothing I decided to go for my favourite decade instead the 1950`s. Lee and the boys often joke that that is the year I should have been born the thing is I completely agree with them lol. We had a fab time lots of dancing on the boys parts, nibbles, and the chance to catch up with an old friend. The total cost of the evening was as follows.........

Transport..... free my friend K gave us a lift there and we walked the 30 minutes home

Food..... free nibbles were laid on

Drink..... £3.20 a glass of coke for me and Ben each and a glass of tap water for Brandon and we made this last us (I am tee total and Brandon does not like fizzy drinks)

Entertainment.... free there was a disco and a play area laid on (it was all very child friendly)

Card..... free I made it myself from supplies I already had

Present...... £2 for a fabulous 40 wine glass (charity shop), a spa toiletries set which was an unwanted gift so free

So in total our evening out cost me £ 5.20 for the 3 of us :)

What do you think did I look like a 50`s chick ?

A silly one of the munchkins

And a much nicer one

Sunday

Today I have been yellow sticker shopping and I got some fab deals. Here's what I got.....

6x one litre of chocolate soya milk 9p a litre

6x potatoes with herb butter 9p a box

4x tubs of potato slices 15p a box

1 pack of pork rind 5p

1 bag of fresh peas and carrots 9p

2x pineapple snack packs 9p each

4x medium cheese and tomato pizzas 9p each

1 small pack of topside roast beef 19p

8x all butter croissants 10p each

1 pack of cooked stuffing 9p

1 pack of cooked meatloaf 19p

1 cooked extra tasty chicken £1·99

1 bag of fresh spinach

This came to £5.47 as I got a few extra pennies off due to a fruit snack promotion. I gave the spinach, 1 pineapple snack pack, 2 potatoes with herb butter to my friend K. We are all finding it tough during this economic climate and as a carer for her 90 year old mum K does not have a great income. K helps me out from time to time dropping me off places, taking me to appointments, or watching the kids for a bit if an appointment is running late and I'm not going to be home in time for school and in return I get her a few yellow sticker items when I see something I think she may like. I put one bottle of the chocolate milk in the fridge for drinking now, I turned 2 bottles of the chocolate milk into 18 ice lollies and 4 small tubs of ice cream, I put the other 3 bottles in the freezer to defrost and drink at a later date. I shredded the chicken and got 5 good sized portions from it. I used 3 portions for tea tonight as it was just me and the 2 little ones and the other 2 portions have been bagged up and put in the fridge for mine and Lee's lunch tomorrow.

So like I said busy but good. What have you been up to over the weekend ? Was the weather good where you are ?

Much Love

Claire xx xx xx