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Brilliant Blog Posts 15th June 2017

June 14, 2017
Welcome back to #BrilliantBlogPosts.

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Hi, I’m Vicki Broadbent, a lifestyle blogger, parenting expert and bestselling author of Mumboss (UK)/ The Working Mom (US and Canada). I’m a regular contributor on the site Bored Panda which has a monthly audience of 125 million.

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Rare selfie with my camera-shy husband, Peter as w Rare selfie with my camera-shy husband, Peter as we’ve had some precious time together this weekend now the children have started tennis and swimming lessons again. It’s been a year of very little childcare, zero date nights and a lot of quantity over quality time. So good to hang out and pretend we’re 22 again (when we met): a few more lines and grey hairs but in the right light ☀️ we almost look the same ❤️❤️❤️ #husbandandwife #couple #couplegoals #parents #honestmum #mom #dad
Sharing an extract of my latest blog post, ‘Has Sharing an extract of my latest blog post, ‘Has the pandemic changed my personality’ below. Let me know if you relate. Full disclosue: dear reader, please prepare yourself for some possibly nauseauting navel gazing Carrie Bradshaw style as I self-indugently muse over whether this pandemic has resulted in me undergoing a personality transplant which is really not important in the context of this devastating time but does feel rather odd to me as I ponder whether perhaps I was always an introverted extrovert and didn’t realise it, or maybe I’m in the midst of a premature midlife crisis rn since turning 40 in November (rn is the abbreviation of right now-see: MIDLIFE CRISIS). Having been informed since birth (basically) that I’m ‘loud’, ‘talkative’, ‘sociable’ and later, ‘the life and soul of the party’ to see a quieter, more guarged, less chatty version of myself emerge over the past twelve months have been a head f***. Has ‘the real me’ let loose or are these changes symptomatic of being somewhat institutionalised at home and less exposed to events/ taking on the role of the people-person I used to be. We all know that the more you push yourself out of your comfort zone, be it bungee jumping or appearing on the BBC, the easier it becomes. After giving something a real go (it’s easy to dispand after the first jump, literal or metaphorical) but if you give it a good go, you’re usually able to establish if it brings you joy so you pursue it and that’s where confidence grows. Inevitable nerves are there for good reason (you’re often scared because you care) but exercising those creative muscles repetitively and over time with the consistent rewards that is joy, often sees fear dissolve. But what comes first, the chicken or the egg? Do you need to be built a certain way in order to chase riskier, more adventorous pursuits in the first place or do chance encounters affect your personality?... (Read the rest at honestmum.com) #parenting #blogging #honestmum #blog #newpost #lifestyle #opinion #writersofinstagram #writingcommunity #writer
Little extract from my latest blog post, ‘The ye Little extract from my latest blog post, ‘The year that strengthened the bond between my boys’. You can read the full piece at honestmum.com or click the link in my bio☝️. ‘Oliver has naturally hit puberty and it’s not just me who has noticed-a tween girl literally danced around him in Tesco the other day trying to get his attention, not that he noticed (‘I’ll have a girlfriend when I’m 16 Mummy, I need to concentrate on my studies’ he replied when I questioned if he’s considered a girlfriend. I, on the other hand, dated twins at 4! I’ve relished in introducing him to the joy of comedy series such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Eating with my Ex and Modern Family, and in turn, he’s taught me everything he knows about physics (self-taught) with a special interest in space demonstrating excellent memory retention, problem-solving and enthusiam, and I hope he achieves his dream of working for NASA, one day. The sky’s not even the limit, son!... Xander, 8, is sensitive, spiritual and philosophical (my friends call him Angel Baby): a typical empath like me, and Oliver is more rational, firm in his manner and easily irritated (expecting every child to be like him: a 40 year old trapped in a tween boy’s body). Oliver’s tough love approach towards his deep-thinking brother has often been ill-received over the years, causing tension between them as they often clashed. With more time together and far less competition for their time and energy from friends has proved to be a blessing. They have slowly learnt to respect one another’s differences and accomodate each other more. Xander is far less triggered by Oliver’s criticsm and no-nonsense approach to life and in turn Oliver has stopped lecturing him regularly (he has a keen sense of justice but can be too hard on Xander, at times). So in the midst of this pandemic, they’ve met somewhere in the middle, connecting in a way they haven’t in years. More fun, fewer fights... #parenting #honestparenting #kids #honestmum #moms #momlife #siblings #brothers
🌺 Friends reunited 🌸. Nothing sweeter than f 🌺 Friends reunited 🌸. Nothing sweeter than fun in the sun with my mates and our kids (who were too busy playing for a photo op). Have you guys been enjoying quality time with your pals again, too? I’ll never take this for granted again☀️ #friends #ruleof6 #windsor #mums #berkshire
Really enjoyed being interviewed by @vernonkay and Really enjoyed being interviewed by @vernonkay and @hollyamackay in @avivauk’s 5th podcast episode where I discussed how to talk to your children about life’s big issues. Here’s a clip. Check out the full episode @avivauk (link in my bio). #parenting #honestparenting #motherhood
<Extract from my latest blog post-read the full pi <Extract from my latest blog post-read the full piece at honestmum.com as the word count is too long for here>. I’ve been meaning to blog about what life has been like lately but I’ve frustratingly not had the time or headspace to be honest as moving house with two kids in tow has been pretty intense to say the least (one, I was still homeschooling due to school renovations), but today, the sun is out and I feel calmer than I have in weeks so I thought I’d fill you in a little. So, we sold our house in Collingham as well as a flat we owned in Horsforth, Leeds too (which all went surprisingly smoothly despite the current crisis) and we finally bought our first home in Windsor, Berkshire. Peter and I have taken this Berkshire move far more slowly than we have historically, after switching cities fairly frequently over the past decade from London to Bristol to Leeds and then back down South to Windsor, so we decided to rent at first here, enabling us to get a real feel for the area: the schools and community, new friends and the commute into London, really taking our time to question whether a permanent move to this Royal Borough in Berkshire was what we wanted long-term, before selling up in Yorkshire, where my family and many of my close friends live. Peter and I are pretty spontaneous people (we’d move abroad in an instant if it was right for us all) so I’m proud of the time we’ve spent carefully considering this final move and settling here, and feel grateful for the perfect storm that arose in us buying our dream home in Windsor, after the original house we plumped for, fell through at Christmas. There are several changes we want to do with the place and the builders start soon (all being well) but it’s a beautiful South-facing house full of sunlight, space and warmth. Rather like our first day living in Windsor, we felt instantly happy and settled, here. It was meant to be. My Mum always says, ‘When you know, you know’ and rather like finding the right person to settle with, ‘You only need one partner, and one house that’s right’. Mum’s one wise owl! <Read the rest of the post at honestmum.com>.
I baked this vanilla and raspberry beaut of a cake I baked this vanilla and raspberry beaut of a cake with the kids (obvs the control freak in me, didn’t let them decorate it, though)! Why not make it over the Easter holidays ❤️ Ingredients: For the sponge cake: 175g softened unsalted butter 175g caster sugar 3 large free range eggs 175g self-raising flour, sifted 1tsp baking powder 1tsp vanilla extract pinch of salt 1 punnet of fresh raspberries (you can use frozen if you like) handful of flour. For the buttercream icing: 600g icing sugar, sifted 300g unsalted softened drop of vanilla extract freeze dried chopped raspberries for decoration. Method: Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease an 18cm (7in) round cake tin with some of the butter/and add parchment paper. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients bar the raspberries which I like to add in last. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon or add into a mixer until it’s completely smooth. Next, place the raspberries in a bowl and add a handful of flour so they are covered. This will protect them once in the batter. Add the floury raspberries into the mixture. Then, carefully pour the mixture into the tin, smoothing the top with a palette knife so it’s even. Bake for 45 minutes until golden. To check it has baked all the way through, insert a skewer and if it’s clean, it’s ready! While it cools, make the buttercream icing. This must only be added once the cake is completely cool, though. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sifted icing sugar together or whip in a mixer until smooth. There shouldn’t be any lumps. Add a few drops of boiling water if the mixture looks too thick. I sometimes place the butter into the microwave until it’s softened, not boiling before beating into the icing sugar if I’m in a rush. Next, fill the icing into a piping bag and spread onto the cake with a palette knife until smooth, working on the edges gently, too. Use a star nozzle if you want to create a cupcake style piping design or detailing on top of the cake. This one is smooth with freeze dried raspberries scattered over it and a small tower of fresh raspberries in its centre.
🍋 Weekend bake 🍋. Lemon drizzle cake is a ta 🍋 Weekend bake 🍋. Lemon drizzle cake is a tangy classic that I personally prefer as zesty as possible and is why I also include lemon juice in the sponge as well as the icing whereas most recipes add the citrus to the topping. We made this cake for Mother’s Day this year and while you can have a more transparent icing (hence the name drizzle) added when the cake is warm, my children prefer the thicker icing you can see here dripped over the cake once it’s cooled (it also photographs better to be honest). I’ve included how to create both toppings however below so you can choose which you prefer for your lemon drizzle cake. Ingredients: 225g unsalted butter, softened 225g caster sugar 4 eggs 1 lemon for the juice and zesting 225g self raising flour Icing ingredients (added once the cake is cooled): 1½ lemons, washed and juiced 3 tbsp water 250 icing sugar Drizzle topping (added once the cake is warm): 1½ lemons, washed and juiced 85g caster sugar Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together or add to an electric mixer and pulse. Add in the egg and beat. Next, add the juice of one lemon and the self raising flour (I like to add mine via a seive) and stir until smooth. Pour into a greased 8 x 21cm tin and bake for 40 minutes. I like to check mine around the 30 minute mark. Add a skewer as a test and if it comes out clean, your cake is ready. If you are opting for the drizzle topping, while it is baking, mixing the lemon juice and caster sugar until the sugar has dissolved and pour over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. You can grate lemon rind over it too for decoration. If you are opting for the icing topping you see here, mix the lemon juice with the water and icing until it thickens a little. Once the cake is cooled, carefully drip it over ensuring it is smooth on top. Add the grated lemon rind for decor. Enjoy! #bakersofinstagram #bakers #cake #cakesofinstagram #recipes #recipeoftheday #cakedecorating #cakes #lemondrizzle
Yay, the copy of Run Well I bought by my close fri Yay, the copy of Run Well I bought by my close friend, award winning author, and doctor @drjulietmcgrattan arrived today. Happy publication day, Juliet! This is a truly unmissable myth-busting, expertly researched running guide for new and experienced runners alike that answers every conceivable question you might have about running. Love you Juliet ❤️. Go buy her second book on Amazon, folks! 🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♀️ 📖
Cookie break 🍪. My kids adore these. Recipe bel Cookie break 🍪. My kids adore these. Recipe below! Makes 10 cookies depending on the size of the cookie dough balls you create (larger will result in fewer) Ingredients 170g softened unsalted butter 200g brown sugar 100g caster sugar 1 large free range egg and 1 yolk 2 tbsp vanilla extract 250g plain flour, sifted 1/2 tsp baking powder pinch of salt 1 pinch of cinnamon. Method Preheat the oven to 170. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter together or add to an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and stir. Next add the flour, baking powder, salt and cinammon and stir thorough. You can add chocolate chips if you like. Create balls from the cookie dough and shape (approx 4 tbsps of mixture per cookie). Next, place each cookie onto a greased baking tray or over parchment paper approx 9 cm apart to allow space for them to spread when baking. Bake for 15 minutes until golden. #recipes #recipeoftheday #cookies #baking #biscuits #easycooking #easyrecipes #honestmum #familybaking #bake #bakersofinstagram
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