Of Briyani rice, Cheesecakes and a getaway plan...

I've found a gem from Tesco that can bring authentic homemade Briyani to our table at home. It's Shan's Special Bombay Briyani mix (recipe here). I just followed the recipe at the back of the box (quite alot if work, as the box are only the spices) and voila, here it is.
Spring is here, so is the baking spirit. A week or two back, I baked a Japanese Cotton Cheesecake, but the hubby said not enough cheese! Tried out another recipe that require's 3 times the amount of cheese used in the previous one. Pass! SK said it's like his favourite Secret Recipe's New York Baked Cheesecake. It's from Tina Bester.

And here's my boys again :))

got him a bumbo chair from a car boot sale (like a flea market back in Malaysia) for £8

As the weather is warming up, SK took Tobey to the barber for a trim. He always looks all grown-up with a shorter haircut. Here's the big brother insisting on carrying little Euan.

So proud that he succeeded :)

I am quite productive today for some reason, After all the cooking, I went on to scout a Legoland weekend break.We'll be going for a 2 days and 1 night trip. The package includes 2 days park tickets for all of us. We'll be staying at the Brooklands Hotel. After scouting the net high and low, I am so happy to have found this hotel. Good and reasonably priced hotel in this country is like gold dust. I am the type that don't mind staying back in the hotel if I have to, rather than going out sightseeing. Bonus is that it's right next to the Mercedes-Benz world, where we can watch racing on it's track right from the window of most rooms. Tobey and SK will definitely enjoy that. It's like watching Top Gear live :P. Not forgetting, there's also the Brooklands Museum a few minutes walk away, where Tobey can sit on an actual Concorde! This will be Euan's 2nd getaway with us. First being the visit to my brother-in-law for CNY last month. Looking forward to it.

Pics update

I am sure you guys are here just for the goods, here you gaw......

He semi-seats now

Smiles/chuckles at his brother's jokes every day

He explores through his mouth, rather than fingers. Those golden fingers are reserved for the mouth too.

Big brother Tobey is fine too...a few weeks back he can swim by himself on the back...It's more like floating to me. He's very proud of himself nevertheless. He's into stickers now. Daddy indulged his new hobby by getting him Star Wars sticker book. I've been spending ages with him completing the pages with the correct stickers. Now I know about Anakin, The Imprerial Trooper,Chewbacca and Padme Amidala as if I grew up with them. He's been trying to read more too. SK attended another meeting with his key worker yesterday. Quoting Mrs. Garrick: "It's such a change to see a boy that is happy and independent all the time".

Also, (just so that I remember this episode, as this is not the usual virus) during the end of his half-term holidays, he was down with Hand, Foot and Mouth (not to be confused with Foot and Mouth from the Pigs. This is a common childhood illness according to the medics here). Mild fever for the first night and then ulcers in his mouth. (He's been having a very bad habit of putting things in his mouth again, for some strange unknown reason. Maybe he's trying to copy Euan. Probably got the germs from there). This is a very contagious illness, hence I kept him home from school and also away from Euan as much as possible. Eating and drinking brought him to tears for two days. All he could take in was yogurt drinks. He even said NO to ICE-CREAM. Sometimes he would ask for his favourite food, only to cry after the first bite, as he had forgotten about the ulcers. He lost so much of weight. No more rosy cheeks (that is like his 'health-o-meter'). On Day 3 I forced SK to get something from the GP to relieve the pain so that he can eat, else I'll die of heartbreak. GP gave us this spray to numb the ulcers before meals. Also an anti-viral for the thrush on his tongue. Those medication were God sent. Tobey could eat and hence got much better. He completely recovered on day 5. After a good talk with him about germs and how it got to him, he now know not to put his fingers or toys in his mouth. Also to not KISS his school friends!!! ( I caught him doing that one day and was gobsmacked). Only kiss your parents and Euan!