My Time
Autumn 2017
Fast-Track Beauty
Double-duty makeup essentials for busy mums
Cystic Fibrosis
An Insider’s Guide to a Family Living with CF
Win
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Read our practical tips to make real changes
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Do Your In-Laws Cause You Stress?
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PLUS Family-Friendly Recipes, Book Club Picks, and more!
Welcome
to the first issue of My Time! TO CELEBRATE 10 YEARS OF MYKIDSTIME we want to give you a treat. We know that mums often sacrifice time for themselves in favour of their family, so we have put together a smart, stylish, bite-size magazine just for Mykidstime mums. In this issue you’ll find top tips for dealing with difficult in-laws, insight into life with Cystic Fibrosis, double-duty essentials for your makeup bag, and a divine lavender cocktail you won’t want to miss. There’s also a Sunday roast makeover, jeans style solutions, book club picks, and more! My Time is perfect to read on the go, and it’s ideal for enjoying over a well-deserved cuppa. And if a sneaky slice of cake just happens to jump on to your plate, we promise we won’t tell… We also have an amazing VOYA Tranquil Range luxury hamper to give away – to be in with a chance of winning this fantastic (and indulgent) prize, just click here to enter!
Emily
Editor, Mykidstime.com
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Contents 4
New and Notable
5 Ways to Dress Up Your Jeans
From the school run to date night, we’ve styled your jeans for every occasion.
14
10
Our pick of some of the latest (and most enticing!) cookbooks and kitchen goodies
Do Your In-Laws Cause You Stress?
If you dread family occasions and get-togethers, or avoid answering the phone when you see it’s the in-laws, use our practical tips to help overcome the stress and make some real changes.
6
Pitcher Perfect
The comforting and enticing scent of lavender is an intriguing way to add something special to your cocktails, and these recipes for lavender lemon gin cocktail and lavender lemonade are not to be missed.
Fast Track Beauty
We love these double-duty makeup essentials that make looking good quick, easy and perfect for busy mums.
8
Cystic Fibrosis: An Insider’s Guide to a Family Living with CF
Ireland has the highest incidence of Cystic Fibrosis in the world. In her own candid words, Bernie Martin shares what living as a CF family really means.
15
12
A Roast with Flair
Give your roast dinner a flavourful boost with this delicious chorizo-stuffed version – it will definitely get the family seal of approval!
16
Book Club Picks
If you’re on the hunt for some literary delights to while away the autumn evenings, look no further!
MyKidsTime.com - 3
s s e r D o t s y a 5W s n a e J Up Your
From the school run
to date night,
we ve styled your jeans ,
for every occasion.
School Run
Serafima jumper, €47, River Island; Jeans, €15, Penneys; Fur hood jacket, €89.99, New Look; Sterling Silver mop oval ring, €20, Accessorize; Benefit Dandelion lip gloss, €7, Boots; Nails Inc NailKale polish in Montpelier Walk, €16, Debenhams; Rosa ring saddle bag, €49, Monsoon; Nine by Savannah Miller studded trainers, €62, Debenhams; No7 Stay Perfect eye shadow in Beach Shine, €10, Boots
Office Chic
Linea tie-neck blouse, €49, House of Fraser; Skye midrise straight jean, €75, Monsoon; Red ribbed blazer jacket, €59, Wallis; Silhouette ring, €59, Pandora; Metal ring tote bag, €54, Accessorize; Harper leopard point shoes, €45, Accessorize; MAC Cosmetics lipstick in Ruby Woo; Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish Adventure Land Collection in Red Y Set Run, €13.49, Boots; Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner, €17.50, Boots
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Wrap Up Warm
Fashion
Knitted peplum jumper, €52, Topshop; Bird earrings, €30, Hobbs; Yellow wrap puffer jacket, €80, Topshop; F&F black pom hat, €12, Tesco; NYX Professional Makeup nude matte shadow in leather and lace, €6, Boots; Clinique chubby stick shadow tint in ample amber, €20; Poppy buckle detail ankle boot, €125, Dune; Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish Adventure Land Collection in wild for violet, €13.49, Boots; Nine by Savannah Miller jeans, €60, Debenhams
Dress to Impress
Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss in The Berry Thing, €11.99; Hammered links statement earrings, €13, Accessorize; Rene lace top, €75, Monsoon; Benefit Bad Gal waterproof eyeliner pencil, €21.50; Essie Nail Colour in Knee High Life, €9.99, Boots; Faith black suedette ‘Bless’ stiletto ankle boot, €103.50, Debenhams; black jeans, €18, Penneys; Star by Julien Macdonald military jacket, €103.50, Debenhams
Date Night
Rocha.John Rocha sequin top, €68, Debenhams; V by Very quilted shoulder bag, €38, Littlewoods Ireland; NYX Professional Makeup face and body glitter in gunmetal, €7; NYX Professional Makeup nude matte shadow in skinny dip, €6; Miss KG Tiana ankle boot, €115, Littlewoods Ireland; Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish Adventure Land Collection in swim upstream, €13.49, Boots; Topaz babyboot cut jeans, €80, Monsoon; L’Oreal Paris Infallible Mega Gloss in Smoke Me Up, €10.79, Boots MyKidsTime.com - 5
y t u a e b k c a r t t s Fa
Beauty
orning? m e h t in or time f d e s routine s e p r u p e u k o a Are y r a full m o f ool run? y h s c u s b e o h t To asier, haos of e c e e f i h l t e g n befor ut maki o akeup b m a l l y t a u d e r le , We a se doub e h d quick t o e o v g o l g e n i and w ke look s. a m t a h t sy mum s u l b a i t r n o f e ess perfect d n a y s ea
Sleek Make Up Eye & Cheek Palette, €13.49
Estee Lauder The Essential Face Palette, €60 Rimmel London Magnif’eyes Double-Ended Shadow & Liner, €8.99 Soap & Glory Arch De Triumph Eyebrow Shaper & Highlighter, €12.50 Bourjois Colorband 2-in-1 Eyeshadow & Liner, €7.99 Stila Crush Lip & Cheek Stain, €8.99 NYX Professional Makeup Sculpt & Highlight Brow Contour, €12.
Clinique Beyond Perfecting 2-in-1 Foundation and Concealer, €34 Benefit Benetint lip and cheek colour, €35 No7 Pop & Glow Duo Blush & Shimmer, €14 Maybelline Master Contour V-Shape, €9.99. 6 - My Time Autumn 2017
MyKidsTime.com - 7
Family
Cystic Fibrosis:
An Insider’s Guide to a Family Living with CF I
reland has the highest incidence of Cystic Fibrosis in the world, with approximately 1 in 19 Irish people said to ‘carry’ one copy of the altered gene which causes CF. In her own candid words, Bernie Martin shares what living as a CF family really means. While Cystic Fibrosis doesn’t define our family, it’s certainly an extra (uninvited) member of the household, and we have no choice but to learn to live with it. And for an ‘invisible’ illness, it certainly knows how to make its presence felt sometimes.
Constantly Famished
In our house, there just can’t be enough food! Why have one slice of lasagne when you can have two? Why leave any chicken on the carcass? Yes, I’d like fries with that! People with Cystic Fibrosis need to take in up to 50% more calories than their peers to allow both for malabsorption and for the extra energy they need to breathe. Even with enzymes to help absorb protein and fat, it’s not an exact science, so “more please” is music to a CF parent’s ears. Even with all the extra 8 - My Time Autumn 2017
food, some people with Cystic Fibrosis still struggle to gain sufficient weight. We are blessed that our daughter has a great appetite and is a really good weight. But I’m acutely aware that most parents deal with one of two extremes – ‘constantly famished’ or ‘can’t feed’. For some kids, the appetite just isn’t there (or weight gain is just not adequate) and peg feeds directly into the tummy are needed to bulk up intake.
Crippling Fear
Of course, you try and cover this one up, as you don’t want your child to feel different or frightened of the world. But often, while you’re acting normally on the outside, you’re screaming on the inside. The world is a scary place when your young child is susceptible to illness. If you allow yourself to think about it – other people, supermarket trolley handles, soil, hay, snotty noses, coughs, mould, dust – it feels like everything is a risk factor. Yet sometimes your own fear is the biggest risk factor of all when it gets in the way of living any kind of a normal life. I try to deep breathe and hand gel my way through the most anxiety-ridden days!
Crazy Faeces
There ain’t no stool like a CF stool. Not for the faint-hearted, parents get over themselves pretty quickly when they have a baby with Cystic Fibrosis. From luminous green to orange oil, you see it all. What’s really important, though, is to pay close attention to that rainbow waste, as it gives you huge insight into the health of your child’s digestive system and how well their enzymes are working for them.
Courageous Fighters
Our kids put up with interventions that most adults would struggle to deal with. Frequent cough swabs, IVs for weeks at a time, bloods, X-rays and hospital admissions. Some have ports. Some have feeding tubes. Most have a heavy load of daily medication and nebulisers. And yet all the kids with CF that I know are insanely agreeable, happy and inspiring. They could teach the rest of us a thing or two, that’s for certain.
Can’t Function
Clean Freak
While us parents aren’t the ones whose bodies are physically fighting Cystic Fibrosis on a daily basis, our hearts and minds fight it every second of every day.
This one lessens over time as you learn that no matter how much disinfecting you do, there’s still bacteria practically everywhere.
Sometimes we can’t sleep because we’re afraid our kids are breathing funny. When our children are coughing, our hearts are breaking. When our kids are poorly in hospital, our mental health goes under with them. And Dr Google is a terrifying temptation. We’d give anything to trade places with our innocent children and take the pain away. I’d end my life today if I thought for one second it would guarantee my daughter a full one. We probably appear as people who flip-flop between ‘we’ve totally got this’ and total mess. Bear with us; our ability to function is generally linked to our child’s lung function.
Cautious First
We will ask you if you’re sick before you come over for dinner. We’ll ask you if anyone in your house is sick before we call over to visit you. Please, please don’t be offended. We’ve seen two-week hospital admissions come off the back of what’s a runny nose to someone else. We can’t control the rest of the world, but in our inner circle, we can at least ask sensible questions and avoid unnecessary risk. Remember that when you’re well, you are ALWAYS welcome. So, visit us on the double then.
When our daughter was a baby though, all toys got disinfected every night and people practically got sprayed coming in the door! Now we apply more workable rules, like shoes off in our house and wash your hands when you come in. Clean hands are a bit easier to achieve than a clean world! But it takes time to learn to relax.
Candid and Frank
The injection of perspective you get when your child is born with a health challenge is like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. You lose your ability to tolerate bullshit, time wasting and insincerity. CF parents will tend to tell it like it is and be super-efficient with their time. We’re extremely compassionate people, but also extremely straight-talking. Embrace the honesty – the world could use more of it.
Cancelling Frequently
Please don’t stop asking – we love you and want to see you (you do our mental health the world of good), but sometimes CF has other ideas. Let’s overdose on playdates, coffees and dinners when all is well, knowing that sometimes it won’t be.
Completed Family
The first thing I need to say is that this is absolutely not the case for everyone who has a child with Cystic Fibrosis, but it is the case for us. Plenty of parents go on to have more children who may be born with or without CF. I admire their bravery so much. But after several years of debating this issue with ourselves, we’ve decided that CF has put a full stop to the number of bodies in our household. (Perhaps we’ll add a four-legged friend!) Decisions like this are mostly about recognising your own personal, emotional limitations. You have to know where your strength begins and ends. Our children need functioning, loving parents, and that’s where our future energy will be channelled. Of course, such a decision comes with a heavy heart, so be gentle when talking to us about your plans to procreate a football team.
We make plans but, sometimes, CF has other plans. We might show up to 10 things in a row and then back out of five in a row.
What is Cystic
If you need help or support as a family living with Cystic Fibrosis, or wish to donate to help CF families, visit www.cfireland.ie
Fibrosis?
Cystic Fibrosis is a genetically inherited disease that primarily affects the lungs and the digestive system. A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that: clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.
Approximately 1 in 19 Irish people are said to ‘carry’ one copy of the altered gene which causes CF, and about 1,200 children and adults are living with CF in Ireland (70,000 worldwide). Ireland also has some of the most severe strains of CF and has the highest incidence (per head of population) of CF in the world, with three times the rate of the US and EU.
The impact of CF can vary from person to person. Some people may live with CF until their teens, and others until their 50s. Around 55% of people with CF in Ireland are aged 18 or older.
For more information on Cystic Fibrosis, visit www.cfireland.ie
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Relationships
Do your in-laws cause you
STRESS?
The tension caused by some family dynamics can put a strain on even the soundest partnership. If you dread family occasions and get-togethers, or avoid answering the phone when you see it’s the in-laws, it’s time to make some changes using our practical tips to help deal with stress caused by difficult in-laws. When looking for our ideal partner, we may have a list of criteria about their personality, appearance or character traits to fall in love with – but we don’t choose a partner for their extended family. For many, this family we now belong to isn’t as warm and inclusive as we may like. Mother-in-laws traditionally have a bad rap, and while the old adage of the interfering and overbearing mother-in-law may not always be true, for many women this can indeed be a trying relationship. 10 - My Time Autumn 2017
Remember too that in-laws extend beyond your parents-inlaw. Your partner could have sisters and brothers who may also cause stress in your life. Or perhaps you have a difficult relationship with your daughter- or son in-law. In-law issues can range from feeling judged, criticized and excluded to those you feel are too involved in your family life or incredibly demanding. There are ways of coping with this stress and freeing yourself from the emotional burden caused by it.
Present a United Front Talk to your partner about the stress, anxiety or tension that you are experiencing as a result of your in-laws. Remember to be sensitive around the subject, as this is their family you are expressing frustration about – that could cause more stress between you, which is the last thing you want. Explain what the problem is and ask for their advice and help in how to overcome it. Depending on the issue, your partner could try talking to their family member to rectify the situation, or at least support you when an issue arises.
Ask Yourself Why? Perhaps your mother-in-law is too critical or your brother- or sister-in-law expect you to deal with issues on their behalf. Maybe your son or daughter’s partner excludes you from their life. Whatever the scenario ask yourself the tough questions: • Are you being too sensitive? • Why are you reacting as you are? • Do they have a valid point, and does it just hurt to hear that said aloud? • Why does their opinion matter so much?
way towards everyone getting along better together. If you know your in-law has a big meeting try wishing them well, or send a quick snap of something you think they would like while you’re out shopping. Similarly, try extending the olive branch and be the first to apologise, even if you feel you are not entirely in the wrong. Holding on to each and every tiny grievance is exhausting, and this can be a great way to diffuse a potentially stressful situation.
Keep Everything in Perspective We can not control other people’s behaviour. If you obsess about the tension and attitude of your in-laws, it will eat away at you and could grow beyond your control. Try and see situations from your in-laws’ point of view, and choose your battles carefully. Sometimes we can be too sensitive. When this happens, we can be hurt by the smallest issue or perceived grievance. Try to state your point clearly, stand your ground and be resilient when it comes to dealing with difficult in-laws. Having a united front with your partner will really help you here.
• Why are you holding on to the stress after the fact? • How can you work better together to keep the peace in the family? • Is this battle really important? • Can you do anything different to ease the situation? • Can you walk away?
Answering these questions can help you understand yourself better, give you insights into your relationship with your inlaw, and could possibly lead to you overcoming and letting go of the stress in the relationship.
Take the Pressure Off If visits between you and your in-laws always take place in one of your homes, it can lead to one person feeling at a disadvantage. Instead, offer to meet for coffee, to go for a walk, to watch your kids at the playground, or something similar. Being in a neutral venue can often help both parties feel more relaxed – and it also helps by naturally enforcing a time limit on your visit. This is especially useful if the conversation is awkward and stilted, or if the problem with your in-law is an overbearing nature.
Make an Effort Try to send a card or a text for birthdays, anniversaries and important dates. This shows that you care enough to have remembered and have acknowledged their special day. Pick up the phone or send a text when they are not expecting it. Surprising and delighting people can go a long
“Being in a neutral venue can often help both parties feel more relaxed – and naturally enforces a time limit”. What is Best for Your Children? Even if your relationship with your in-laws is less than ideal, think beyond this to give your children the chance to have a good relationship with them. Extended family, particularly grandparents, can be wonderful sources of additional security, inspiration, information and love for your children. If you need to, agree some ground rules to set expectations for the relationship between your in-laws and your children. Remember we are all individuals with different opinions, hang-ups and values. A tense relationship is not beneficial for anyone, so unless your in-laws are being deceitful or destructive, try to rise above it and be the bigger person. MyKidsTime.com - 11
Food
A Roast with Flair
There is nothing as delicious as a Sunday roast, and a roast chicken is comfort food at it’s very finest. Give your roast dinner a flavourful boost with this delicious chorizo-stuffed version – it will definitely get the family seal of approval! Chorizo-Stuffed Roast Chicken Ingredients: Olive oil, for frying 1 chorizo sausage, sliced 40g (1½ oz) butter 1 small onion, finely chopped 125g (4oz) breadcrumbs 1 tbsp fresh sage or 1½ tsp mixed dried herbs 1 x 3½ lb/ 2.3 kg free-range or organic chicken Butter, for basting Salt and pepper Method: 1. Preheat your oven to 220°C/420°F. 2. Heat the oil over a medium heat and cook the chorizo until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside. 3. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a moderate heat, and saute the onion for several minutes until soft, but not browned. 4. Add the breadcrumbs, herbs and chorizo, season and cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring. 5. Allow to cool before stuffing the chicken.
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6. Once cooled, stuff your chicken. Rub small knobs of softened butter all over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. 7. Place you chicken into the preheated oven for 20 minutes, before reducing the temperature to 180°C/350°F and roast for a further 90 minutes, basting occasionally. (The timings for roast chicken are 20 minutes per 1lb/450g and 20 minutes extra.
8. In order to check whether or not your chicken is cooked, get a skewer and pierce the thickest part of the thigh, if the juices run clear your chicken is cooked. Allow to rest, covered in foil, for at least 15 minutes before carving.
Top Roasting Tips • If you can, opt for free range as you’ll get a tastier chicken. • Try roasting your chicken upside down – it may seem silly, but it makes for juicier breast meat, as the juices run into the breast while cooking. Add a little water to your roasting tin before you start, and it will generate extra steam to moisten as well.
Editor’s pick
I have a real weakness for kitchenware, and these beauties have really caught my eye…
The Alice in Wonderland range from Mrs Moore’s Vintage Store, priced from €22/£18, Amara
• For crispy skin, rub the breast and legs with soft butter and sprinkle with sea salt just before roasting. • I love Jamie Oliver’s tip to put butter between the skin and the breast meat so that the butter melts into the breast meat under the skin. • To make sure your chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer pierced into the thickest part of the breast. It should reach a temperature of 75°C (165° F) to ensure thorough cooking. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, pierce between the leg and the body of the chicken at the plumpest part, the juices should run clear when the chicken is cooked fully. • Leave your chicken to rest for at least 15 minutes when you take it out of the oven. Cover with some tin foil – this resting time ensures the chicken will be moist and tender. • Roasting a chicken is a cheaper, quicker and more convenient way of cooking than you may think. Aim to get three meals out of your chicken – your roast dinner, a leftover chicken dinner (e.g. a stir-fry or risotto), and then use the carcass to make chicken stock for a hearty soup. • Great news – roast chicken isn’t confined to Sundays. A small chicken only takes a little over an hour to roast, so it’s totally doable on a weeknight too.
Monster mug with a cookie shelf, €2/£2, Flying Tiger
Dickins & Jones apple measuring cups, €18/£15, House of Fraser
LSA Bangle tumblers in rose, €26/£22, Amara ‘Made with Love’ cookie stamp, €2.95/£2.95, Dotcomgiftshop
MyKidsTime.com - 13
New & Notable 5 Ingredients Jamie Oliver Jamie’s latest cookbook features over 130 simple, delicious recipes to coincide with his Channel 4 show Quick and Easy Food. Using just (you guessed it!) five ingredients, Jamie conjures up magical dishes like roast tikka chicken, tahini carrot slaw, seared sesame tuna, apple crumble cookies and plum tarte tatin. Kirstie’s Real Kitchen: Simple Recipes for Modern Families Kirstie Allsop Kirstie’s first cookbook is packed with family favourites. “I came late to cooking, but I firmly believe that you can find the cook in yourself at any age. This book charts my cooking journey from passionate traveller through nervous girlfriend, terrified stepmother, new mother and busy TV presenter. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but now there’s nothing I enjoy more than pottering in the kitchen, putting meals together for family and friends.” Truly Scrumptious Baby: My Complete Feeding and Weaning Plan for 6 Months and Beyond Holly Willoughby If you’re looking for some weaning inspiration, that ties in with meals for the rest of the family, then Truly Scrumptious Baby is definitely a great choice. Yes, you’ll find purée suggestions, but you’ll also find recipes for easy chicken tagine, salmon tacos and slow-roast piri-piri pork. 14 - My Time Autumn 2017
Discover a new favourite dish, learn a skill, or just indulge in some delicious meals with some of the best and brightest family cookbooks. Nadiya’s British Food Adventure Nadiya Hussain Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya is back with a new BBC2 show where she combines British classics with her own unique flavour combinations. Recipes include cardamom banana drop scones, lamb bhuna with garlic naan, Eton mess cheesecake, cheese scones with herb butter, and an indulgent chocolate and salted peanut tart. At My Table: A Celebration of Home Cooking Nigella Lawson At My Table is Nigella’s latest offering, full of homecooking favourites that are sure to inspire. As Nigella writes, “happiness is best shared”, and these recipes are perfect for entertaining friends and family. We are loving the sound of chilli mint lamb cutlets, Indian-spiced chicken traybake and particurly the emergency brownies! Sweet Yotam Ottolenghi In his stunning new cookbook, Yotam Ottolenghi delves into exotic, fresh and glamourous ingredients, including fig, rose petal, saffron, aniseed, orange blossom, pistachio and cardamom. The book, a work of art in itself, is full of over 110 indulgent sweets and desserts, including Persian love cakes, blackberry and star anise friands, Middle Easter millionaire’s shortbread, and flourless chocolate layer cake with coffee, walnut and rosewater.
Food
Pitcher perfect
The comforting and enticing scent of lavender is an intriguing way to add something special to your cocktails. You won’t want to miss this recipe for lavender lemon gin cocktail and a family-friendly lavender lemonade.
We took inspiration from Naomi Lavelle’s recipe for lavender syrup for these recipes. You can check out her lavender ideas here.
Lavender Syrup
Lavender Lemonade
Lavender Lemon Gin Cocktail
Ingredients: 500ml (16 fl. oz) water 3 tbsp fresh lavender flowers (you can use dried if you don’t have fresh) 350g (12oz) caster sugar (granulated sugar would work too)
Ingredients: Juice of 3-4 lemons 125ml (4 fl oz) lavender syrup 1½ litre (50 fl oz) sparkling water (or soda water)
Ingredients: 2 parts gin 1 part fresh lemon juice 1 part lavender syrup Prosecco (or tonic water if preferred)
Method: 1. Mix the lemon juice with the syrup and sparkling water to taste. 2. Serve with ice and garnish with a lavender stem. 3. You might also enjoy our recipe for Summer Picnic Lemonade, available here.
Method: 1. Combine the gin, lavender syrup and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake well and then strain into a glass. 2. Top up with prosecco (or tonic water) and garnish with a sprig of lavender. 3. Thanks to Naomi for the inspiration. Slainte!
Method: 1. Place the water and lavender in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and leave for five minutes. 2. Add the sugar and stir continuously until all the sugar has dissolved. 3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then strain through a sieve into a container. Cover and refrigerate (the syrup can be stored for up to 3 weeks).
“I decided to give this glamourous sounding cocktail and lemonade recipe a go – and the results are truly delicious! I thought the lavender would be quite strong, but it’s surprisingly subtle and my daughters loved the lemonade recipe.” – Jill, co-founder of Mykidstime
15
Books
If you’re on the hunt for some literary delights to while away these autumn evenings, we can highly recommend these top picks.
Book
Club
Picks
I Am, I Am, I Am Maggie O’Farrell I Am, I Am, I Am is Sunday Times bestseller and Costa Novel award winner Maggie O’Farrell’s electric and shocking memoir of the near death experiences that have punctuated her life. Tales include her childhood battle with encephalitis which she was not expected to survive, severe haemorrhaging during birth, and a terrifying encounter with a murderer. This book is one to devour in a single sitting, and will appeal to readers who enjoyed Cheryl Strayed’s Wild or Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking.
What I’m reading… Emily, editor of Mykidstime I’m currently engrossed in The Girl Before, a psychological thriller with twist after twist to keep me on my toes. The story revolves around Jane, who has discovered the rental opportunity of a lifetime – live in an amazing house designed by an enigmatic architect, and in return just live by a long list of detailed rules. What could go wrong…? Next up is Black Water Lillies, which my parents, my husband and my sister all raved about this summer, so I feel like I’m missing out…! 16
The Scandal Fredrik Backman A New York Times Bestseller, The Scandal (published as Beartown in the US) tells of a terrible crime that fractures a town and all of the people in it. When the worst happens, who will have the courage to stand against everyone else? “Late one evening towards the end of March, a teenager picked up a double-barrelled shotgun, walked into the forest, put the gun to someone else’s forehead and pulled the trigger. This is the story of how we got there.” My Absolute Darling Gabriel Tallent “You think you’re invincible. You think you won’t ever miss. We need to put the fear on you. You need to surrender yourself to death before you ever begin, and accept your life as a state of grace, and then and only then will you be good enough.” At 14, Turtle Alveston knows the use of every gun on her wall. She knows that chaos is coming and only the strong will survive it. My Absolute Darling has been described as “the most talked about debut of 2017”. The Keeper of Lost Things Ruth Hogan In The Keeper of Lost Things (another accomplished debut novel), Anthony Peardew, once a celebrated author of short stories now in his twilight years, has spent half his life collecting lost objects, trying to atone for a promise broken many years before. Realising he is running out of time, he leaves his house and all its lost treasures to his assistant Laura, the one person he can trust to fulfil his legacy and reunite the thousands of objects with their rightful owners.
Create Magical Memories
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