Now term time is back, Lil H is now full time in reception so obviously I have spare time to invest in myself, right?  Wrong!  For starters Baby G is with me, I have a business to run, work to do and a house with a bottomless laundry basket to run.  Should I ever get through that lot I’m sure I’ll be asleep rather than making a plan to do something I want to do for myself!

I’ve been very focused on Lil H with him starting school, but on him first full day in school I seized the moment, dropped Baby G off for some quality grandparent time and said yes to an invitation to experience a Day Spa package at the Radisson Edwardian Manchester’s Sienna Spa.  The last two years has seen time with no children at all granted due to extreme sleep deprivation with it spent dedicated to some deep sleep or I have been head down, focused, power working for a client or developing my marketing & social services business.  Today was different.  Today was all about me.

The Radisson Edwardian is located in Central Manchester, near the Town Hall and the shopping delights of Spinningfields.  So in the middle of the noisy hustle and bustle of Manchester City Centre is there really an oasis of serenity and calm?  Climb the steps of the Radisson Edwardian, into the five star luxury foyer and head downstairs.  The volume drops with each step, soothing aromas rise, peace surrounds you and its time to slow down and rest.  A relax room with fabulous magazines, a white fluffy robe and slippers, I was set and it wasn’t difficult to succumb.

But first there was a treatment room with my name on it.  First a facial.  A flashback to days gone by for my face, this child free lady used to have monthly facials and treatments.  I’ve had a facial since I had children.  Haven’t I?  I’m sure I have *wracks brain* I must have, surely?  But I can’t recall when or where – so maybe not.  I loved the treatment room itself, yes it was candle lit, aroma filled with soothing music but they all are but the low curved ceiling gave it a unique and cossetting atmosphere, I was very quickly “in the zone”.

Skin glowing I headed back to the changing rooms donned my swim suit and headed out to the pool with jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms.  What first?  Having walked past the gym and fitness area twice already and so far my morning had consisted of reading magazines and lying down, the invitation to ripple the still waters of the empty pool was too good to turn down.  30 minutes of lengths later and it back to relaxing a spell in the steam room and the jacuzzi.  Almost 1pm and lunch felt like a good idea.  I’d taken the recommendation of the Club Sandwich from the team and my goodness I know why – check this out for a sandwich!

So having undone all the benefit of my 30 minutes of lengths and then some (but it was oh so worth it!) I was glowing, up to speed on the latest trends thanks to Wallpaper magazine, I was no longer wearing my shoulders like earrings they were back where they were supposed to be.  I floated out of the Radisson Edwardian, back to the school gate and back to my life but an improved glowy me.  I liked it.  A lot.  It was great, thank you very much to the team at the Radisson Edwardian Manchester’s Sienna Spa for looking after me so well.  I thoroughly enjoyed my day and I spied this really great value for money offer on their website if you too fancy a bit of a pamper.  I’m so going for another visit!

October Mix & Match Spa Special.

During the month of October take advantage of our Fabulous Spa Special. Your Spa Day up to 5 hours in our Health Club Facilities, plus a light lunch.

You also get to choose a combination of three of the following treatments:-
20 Minute Back, Neck & Shoulder Massage
20 Minute Express Facial
20 Minute Foot and Ankle Massage
File and Polish on the Hands
File and Polish on the Feet

This offer is available Monday-Wednesday only. Mix and Match Package only £60.00 per person

0161 835 8964

Offer ends October 30th  2011. Must quote “Mix and Match Spa Special” when booking

Sienna Spa & Health Club located at the Radisson Edwardian Manchester, Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5GP
Tel: +44 (0)161 835 8964
http://www.radissonedwardian.com/sienna

A Nick?  Yes!  A Nick-My-Daddy-Cooks-Coffer that’s where my delicious recipe is from.  He’s a friend of mine actually!

This conversation has happened on more than one occassion since I received the new My Daddy Cooks book.  The fact this book exists is testimony to Nicks talent and social media, I was very chuffed for Nick that he has now been published, so deservedly and to receive a signed copy well I blushed.  The blushing is my own fault as I’d explicitly requested kisses on my copy!

As “back in the days” as it sounds I remember when Nick first arrived on Twitter @MyDaddyCooks we chatted, his video blog http://www.mydaddycooks.com/ remains a regular haunt for me for inspiration for our family meals.  Nick’s ham, cheese and spinach

pancakes are a Lil H favourite both as an activity and a meal and Nick was my baby led weaning mentor with Baby G – a decision I stand by as being my best parenting decision so far.

So now he has a book and I’ve been cooking from it, let me tell you my favourites so far – our first recipe was one of the lighter bites section with Welsh Rarebit for a weekend brunch.  Deliciously nostalgic.  On the table start to finish in 25 minutes and since been requested and eaten for lunch too.

The Throw It All In (literally) is my kind of section.  Here I found possibly my favourite recipe of all time, ever, really, EVER!  Since making Oven-baked risotto it has been pretty much a weekly feature at Villa Lancaster ever since, so quick and easy to make, loaded with vegetable goodness, everybody eats it, yummy, warming comfortable food.  Love it!

I didn’t know there was an alternative to standing stirring til your hand nearly drops off so I my risotto eating days have deminished to eating out opportunities – Nick, page 110 has shown me the light!

The Creamy pork stroganoff has been another tried and repeated recipe, also consumed by even Lil H aka. Mr Picky of Picky-town in Picky-shire!  And on the wish list is the Muddy Flourless Chocolate Cake and the No-bake Chocolate Tiffin Cakes.  I love my My Daddy Cooks cook book – get your signed copy from Nick here, if you’ve already got it – which My Daddy Cooks recipes are your favourites?

Our plans to wander into Wilmslow for the community Market were washed away as the rain didn’t really stop all day. It wasn’t a major plan anyway so we’ve just mooched here.

We never reached a “bouncing off the walls” point. H rediscovered some toys and played happily by himself or alongside G. G had an afternoon nap which is rare these days. H and I snuggled on the sofa and watched, for the third time, the new Winnie The Pooh movie Disney sent us a few weeks ago. I’ve always loved Winnie the Pooh, the big dudes we see here with Baby G have been with me a l o n g time. The all-new movie is lovely, it has all the heartwarming nostalgia of the original tales. Like these it’s set “within the book” a paragraph or page helps the familiar and original faces, not the newly cartooned faces, on their search for the mysterious Backson. H loves the Backson, you’ll have to watch right to the end, past all the credits to see H’s favourite part though.

To top our day of nothing off we enjoyed our first roast dinner in our new house which was yum and the whole day was very good for my soul right now. Our Bank Holiday Monday was lovely for doing not very much but being together. How was yours?

Related links
Official website: http://www.disney.co.uk/pooh
Winnie the Pooh on Facebook
Winnie the Pooh Puzzle book – Available on iPhone and iPad for £.069

The first year of any new baby is always the hardest, my friend helpfully told me the other day it was only the first 18 years that were the hardest – thanks for that!  I wouldn’t change it and however hard it gets moments when I find my two playing together, laughing, together make all the tough stuff worth it.  We bought Baby G this rolling ‘click clack’ Giraffe toy by “I’m Toy” for her first birthday and it has been a hit with both my two and all our playdating buddies. 

We love Wooden Toys at Lancaster Towers, this is available for £21.95 from WoodenToyShop.co.uk who have also sent Baby G some fab wooden toys which we’ll be reviewing soon.

It isn’t just Fireman Sam who’s has a CGI makeover, the prancing dancing mouse Angelina Ballerina has too!

With Lil H’s Fireman Sam DVD Hit Entertainment included Angelina Ballerina’s latest new release Pop Star Girls.  This is new territory for me Baby G is only 17 months old and Lil H calls the viewing shots at Lancaster Towers so I recruited some of H’s BFF’s to let me know what they thought of the 60 minutes of poptastic viewing.

What can I say?  Girls are born to twirl and there was a lot of twirling and whirling around the room going on.  A lot of toe-pointing and toe-tapping throughout the five episodes.

Set in the Camembert Academy (LOL!  This was news to me too!) Angelina and her friends dance and learn to work together as a team and Angelina realises there there is more to life than just ballet when she falls in love with Hip Hop, Rock Bands, Fiddles and more! 

The room of girlie viewers from 17 months to 5 year olds were on the move and groove and I was surprised Baby G enjoyed it.  Lil H retired to his bedroom declaring “let me know when its finished” – definately one for the girls! 

Pop Star Girls DVD is released on Monday 21st March 2011, certificate U, contains 5 episodes runs for 60 minutes and is available from http://www.hitstoreuk.com where it is available for just £8.99 (RRP £12.99)