Last updated on November 19th, 2023 at 12:37 am
Happy FriYay!
I am SO relieved it’s the weekend. We have been finally on the mend after two weeks full of rare rashes which we still have no answers for and swollen eyes shut another mystery that has plagued us. I also have some friends coming around the house for dinner tonight and somehow I offered to make a three course meal. I love having people over at the house playing hostess and yet it makes me nervous to burn the food or make it inedible.
The kids are ready for the weekend as well. They are so tired this week and definitely ready for half term the following week. We always keep February half term empty. It’s time for us to chill out and just relax. We need this time to recharge our batteries. I can’t wait for the lie ins and movie days. I can’t wait for the family walks through the park. I am praying it’s going to be nice weather for a change too.
THIS WEEK I AM LOVING:
I finished the first of the Grisha Trilogy and half way through the second. I have to say if it’s your type of genre, it’s a really good read. I also have been pouring over my recipe books and I love this one below, Eat & Make. As I mentioned I have a three course meal to make tonight so I needed all the inspiration I could get. I have settled on homemade leek & potato soup with mediterranean bread for a starter, Spanish Chicken Casserole with rocket salad and a lovely homemade version of Millionaire Cheesecake with fresh fruit on top and shortbread cookie crumb. Now while that sounds so amazing and delicious, I just hope I don’t burn anything, over or undercook the chicken and everyone has a lovely time. As much as I love hostessing, I do always get so nervous it won’t go smoothly. It’s like a catch 22. Either way, I highly recommend this recipe book.
I heard Let’s Talk Mommy has another giveaway for you all. Cheating, I know! But this time it’s for Valentine’s Day. I am a huge fan of DotComGiftShop which has featured on here numerous times before. They have unique and fun gifts for every occasion. Of course, being a huge baking fan it’s a lovely bakeware hamper to WIN for love’s special day. Enter below.
Red Heart Shaped Cake Tin Large
Red Heart Shaped Cake Tin Small
I have been getting through Gilmore Girls while cleaning and organizing the house. By night we have been catching Dexter here and there, hubby loves it. I am still on a teeter totter about it. I am desperately waiting for Suits to come back on. It seems like forever since it was last on. We loved the first five seasons.
It was our anniversary and we have planned a special night out for it. We had to plan six months in advanced to get into a restaurant that was highly recommended to us. We went to Manchester House for a 14 course meal. I know, I didn’t even know they existed. Each course was better than the last and it was all mouth watering. While it was dampened badly by my one eyed swollen shut, I refused to let that keep me at home after waiting so long to go out. We even stayed over at the Gotham Hotel. Usually we come home after a meal out but we thought it was a special occasion so we would check out the hotel everyone is raving about in Manchester. It was worth it. What a hotel! The bar is just as amazing too. The decor is themed perfectly. I only wish we could have stayed for breakfast and a little shopping as planned but we ended up in A&E with my eye worsening overnight. While that sounds horrendous and was horrendous I can’t rave over the food and hotel. It was out of this world.
Oh yes, this is “wore” section…. hahahha I got to wear my fuchsia pink dress and new fuchsia clutch. While you can’t see in these photos I had on my birthday heels that were suede black boots with studs all over. For half of dinner, I also wore dry ice steaming over my table and lap as you can see happening to my hubby below too. 🙂
Well, it’s slightly cheating here too because tonight I will have made a ton of new recipes and hoping to share a few of them from my dinner party here soon. Other than my three course meal, I tried another attempt at my ganache and failed again. 🙁 On the plus craftier side of things, the kids made some lovely new paintings this week. They are still obsessed with getting creative with their new paint sets. I must start taking photos of them to share here.
It’s been a beautiful week of happy kids, lovely decor and delicious food on #LIFECLOSEUP my instagram hashtag community. Here are some of my favorite features this week. I am so in love with instagram. It’s by far my favorite social media and the one I spend most of my day dipping in and out of. I like to find new accounts to follow and get inspired whether it’s recipes to make or home decor for the house or the latest fashion to try. Instagram has so much to offer and so many to engage with too. I would love you to come join us, if you haven’t already for all your zoomed in captures of life whatever they may be.
Linking up with Coffee Work Sleep Repeat
Oh Jenny! You’ve really had it with illness this month! Hoping your all on the mend! Sounds awful! The restaurant sounds amazing, what a way to spend an anniversary! Have a wonderful time playing hostess, I’m sure it will all go to plan! Have a lovely weekend xx
Oh bless you it has been a tough few weeks of illness for you and its so frustrating when you don’t have answers. Your anniversary sounds fabulous apart from the a & e trip obviously. A lazy Half Term sounds perfect, I’ve got a few days of work to do but there will be some lazy days in there too. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity and I am all abut the pretty flowers for valentines day-i don’t get flowers very often and they make me very happy! Have a lovely weekend and hope all goes well tonight x
A bunch of flowers though I have to buy them myself because I’m single 🙂 x
Oh wow, your meal sounds incredible! So many courses! And you look beautiful. Happy Anniversary lovely, have a great weekend x
happy anniversary! my treat on special occasions is a fillet steak mmmmmm
Sorry to hear about your eye but glad that you got to enjoy a fun night out in Manchester anyway! That hotel looks AMAZING. What a fab way to enjoy your anniversary #littleloves
Flowers for me, I think they can be enjoyed for a lot longer than chocolate
I love a nice family meal to celebrate
Sounds like a had a lovely anniversary, minus the swollen eye. January hasn’t treated you well on the illness / ailments front – I hope February proves to be better. I’m also hoping for some sunshine this coming half term also. I have a few plans with toddler, and whilst I’m looking forward to a movie days as well as some baking, I’m hoping we’re able to get out and enjoy some fresh air. We’ve had incessant rain all week and I’m so over it now. I hope you all have a lovely weekend, and enjoy being hostess – I’m sure your three courses will be delicious!
So sorry to hear how your eye spoilt your plans but that meal sounds amazing. I’m glad LL’s rash is getting better even if you didn’t get to the bottom of it. I hope tonight goes well for you. I really want to watch suits when we get netflix.
I love a little glass of red & some chocolates! I’m due in April though so I’ll be holding off on the red wine this year
my hubby always cooks me a nice meal
Wow you’ve had a hard time of it lately with the rashes and your eye too! You looked gorgeous in your dress and that 14 course menu sounds amazing, just a shame you ended up in A&E! Your menu for your friends sounds amazing and I bet it tasted just as good as it sounds. Hope you’re having a lovely weekend x
Oh goodness, and there were we hoping that February would give you an easier ride than January did! I’m glad your eye is on the mend and that it didn’t spoil your dinner too much – the dry ice and the decor and everything just look amazing!
Oh I know honestly, I think I am really cursed at the moment. Maybe March at least I keep attempting to be positive. lol
Your dinner party menu sounds lovely. I hope it went well. Have a lovely week x #LittleLoves
What a lovely round up, so much celebration. I love the pink dress. I used to work near to the Gotham Hotel and always wondered what it was like inside. I’ve just entered the competition so fingers crossed! #LittleLoves x x
Your night away in Manchester sounds fantastic (apart from the poorly eye part, obviously!). I love the look of the hotel and it’s going on my list for sure.
I hope the three course meal went well! xx
I love your Life Close Up pics Jenny, must be so hard to choose each week! I see someone is reading Present Over Perfect – will have to go and follow them. Who is it?? So sorry about all the illness going on in your house at the mo. What a shame. I hope you’re getting past it now. The hotel looks absolutely incredible! And of course I’m loving the fuchsia pink on you. xx
champagne and strawberries
I really must remember to join in with your #lifecloseup hashtag! Your anniversary dress is absolutely gorgeous and I hope the three course meal went to plan. x
Oh yes it was a little nerve racking but it all came out lovely. Thanks. Yes, please do we loving having more snaps join in. It’s a fab community.
My favourite thing on valentines day is a nice bottle of Champaign
I love to go out for a meal, makes it special and I dont have to do the washing up!!!!
My husband cooking me dinner is my favourite Valentines treat – it’s the only day of the year he actually does it so it’s a real treat for me 🙂
Oh now I like that tradition. I might have to hint to my hubby he can’t make toast but I would love to see what he would attempt to cook me. Enjoy!
A nice Italian meal and luxury praline chocolates 🙂