On embracing rural life.

This coming week marks 5 years since I packed up my little car and set sail to new adventures in Northern Ireland. I know I've written many times about how much life has changed since that day, and about how some of my wildest dreams came true after I decided to take the leap. I have always dreamed of living by the sea, and at this point the novelty has not worn off. We felt the affects of our location this weekend after being hit with another storm, but for me it adds to the drama and the beauty of our place. 
Connection to place is really important to me, and I wrote about that in a previous post (if you'd like to read it - follow this link). One of the things I love about living in a small place is that it doesn't take long to feel known or to make connections. I was reminded of this a few times in the last few weeks...once when I bought something random from Facebook Marketplace and stayed chatting with the seller for about 30 mins because it turned out she worked at the nursery with Finn. Another when we went to a local market and had lovely chats with people we've been regular customers of, bought some cakes from a lovely friend at her stall, and was treated to a cup made by a wonderful artist who I'd met at a party. One thing I have really noticed about this area is how much small businesses or artisans try to support each other. There are regular markets or events where you can make purchases from local people with lots of different options. We have so many talented, creative people around these parts and I love being able to see, purchase and support those people where I can. 

One of the downsides of rural living is of course that it takes longer to travel anywhere. It is about a 50 minute round trip to the nearest supermarket for us, and I'm struggling to find a time to go that really suits us now. We have tried having deliveries, but I often find that the choice isn't as good, we get substitutions and then have to visit another shop anyway, or the meat/fresh produce has a very short date so it has to be frozen or gets wasted. I sat and thought about how we could shop in a different way that might take less travel time, could help us budget differently, could support local small businesses and would free up our weekends so we weren't dragging two children around busy shops when they hate it! 

The first thing we have done is made a big list of all the things we need both weekly and monthly to help us keep a track of everything. Our new plan is to have a weekly budget that will help us keep on top of fresh things; dairy, breads, meat, fruit & veg and then do one monthly shop to help us fill in the gaps. We are also trying to budget in cash so we have a set budget for the week and can see exactly what we're spending. I have no idea what other people or families spend on weekly or monthly basis for food & essentials, but what I'm trying to break the habit of is going to smaller shops several times during the week because we tend to easily spend £10+ a time with very little to show for it! 

For the last few weeks we have been visiting local butchers to get all our meat from there with a roughly £20 budget for two of us. I've got advice on which things to freeze and what to use first, and we've been cooking and experimenting with new ingredients which has kept things interesting! That budget would get us a mix of chicken, burgers, sausages, mince, pork chops or a small roasting joint and this covers us for around 5 or 6 meals. The other days we would have something easy from the pantry or freezer and I usually make a slow cooker soup or stew of some sort. We think we've landed on a couple of Butchers that we like and will revisit, and we hope they will get to know the kind of things we are after if we become regular customers. 

We have also found a way of getting fresh fruit, veg & eggs delivered weekly from a local farm. I was surprised about how affordable this would be for us as there is more than enough to serve several meals. Our latest order included leeks, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, eggs, peppers, onions, apples & oranges and it cost less than £11. The quality is great and the size of some of the vegetables is probably two or three times what it would be in the supermarket! I ordered some last minute a few days ago ahead of our Sunday Roast and was met by the farmer himself at their honesty box who had prepared everything in a crate for me to pick up. I thought this would also be a great way for us to buy what's in season rather than rely on lots of imported produce.

Our new way of shopping has also helped me try new recipes which I always enjoy, and I thought I'd share a few of our new regulars here...
Pork Chops
Slow cooker beef + homemade gravy

Tuna Pasta Bake (a good one to use pantry supplies)

Caramelised onions (great with sausages - we had these in brioche hotdog buns!)
Bolognese with Orzo (I use a similar recipe to this but can't link it as it was an Instagram reel, but Orzo is so handy!)

The main goal with all these changes is to have more quality time together, especially on a weekend. We want to make sure our budget allows us to give the boys some fun experiences and to free up what precious time we have together on a weekend instead of visiting supermarkets and busy places. The added benefit of shopping locally means we know exactly where our food is coming from and we can get to know the producers. I also really enjoy the process of making things from scratch and creating good quality meals for us. It's all part of the 'hygge' concept that I adore.
And who knew that by adapting some new habits, we'd bring such a fun object into the house that has now become part of the furniture....

     Much love xx

Read More

On being more organised.

In my recent post, I mentioned about how much a routine has been helping all of us but I thought I'd share a bit more about how being organised is a big part of that. I am by no means perfect at this, and some weeks I do it better than others, but there are several things that for me have become non-negotiable in terms of keeping up with family life, so I thought I'd share a few small things that have been helping us!
Weekly Reset A while ago, I bought a magnetic planner to stick on the side of the fridge which has space to show daily activity, shopping list, to-lists and boxes for notes/daily meals. Every Sunday, we clear the planner and look to the week ahead. It's so handy for when we run out of something mid-week because we can make a note straight away on the shopping list, and there's always a reminder of what we need to be cooking that day. Sometimes it changes - I don't stick to it ruthlessly - but for the most part it does stay as planned. It's also handy for adding reminders like appointments coming up, deadlines for things, birthdays etc. I use this instead of a calendar now and I suppose it's more sustainable because I'm not using paper - this should last us for years!
Meal Planning/Shopping Lists

As part of the reset, we plan our meals for the week/10 days ahead. We try and stretch our shopping beyond a week (as things are getting more expensive!) so I have become quite creative about how I do that. One of our favourite things at the moment is the ready made pizza bases from Lidl which are £1.99 for two - we add their pizza sauce which is about £1.60 and then whatever toppings we fancy. They have a long use-by date and it makes a really cheap and tasty meal for us. I can never finish mine so I have it for lunch the next day too! We don't eat ready meals as I prefer to cook things fresh, but we do have a 'freezer' night when our fresh food pile is lower. Plus sometimes it just hits the spot! Last weekend I set a bit of time aside to look for some new recipe inspiration, so this week we are trying some new dishes from Taming Twins which I am looking forward to! I try to mix it up a bit so we don't eat exactly the same thing every week and I try save the more time consuming dishes like lasagne (I make it all from scratch bar the actual pasta!) to days when I'm not working. I then write the shopping list based on our meal plan so I know exactly what we need for the week. We can then top it up in-between, usually from a local shop as we live about a 25 minute drive from the nearest supermarket. 
Slow Cooker

I recently went to a 4 week slow cooker course in my local area which was run by SureStart and it really re-inspired me to get the crockpot back out! They very generously provided us with a slow cooker, which we have used weekly ever since. I had a much smaller one previously which was never big enough for the amount I tried to throw in there!! For me, our slow cooker is one of the best things we own. It is so easy, so economical and saves so much time. I've found it's a great way to get more veg in our diet too, as that usually bulks the meals out and allows us to use less meat. I love being able to throw everything in there with minimal prep and then I know dinner is sorted. All of this saves precious time in a busy week. For example, I just prepared dinner (Honey Chilli Chicken) in exactly 7 minutes - I just need to cook the rice when we are ready to eat! Most people use them for soups and stews, but I also do jacket potatoes, curries, meat (our favourite is the worlds easiest pulled chicken) and I'm going to try out some other dishes this week. I've also seen people use it for cakes/desserts and even hot chocolate but I haven't tried that yet! I'm going to try this beef brisket recipe on Sunday. Fingers crossed! 
Overnight Oats 

I absolutely love breakfast, it is by far my favourite meal of the day. Mornings these days can be a bit more of a rush, so I have got back into the habit of making overnight oats. It's handy for when Finn's had his breakfast and is happily playing, so I can grab it out of the fridge and all the prep is done! It's also a good start to my day with plenty of fruit and fibre. I don't always use yogurt in there because I like it with the oat/soya milk and chia seeds on their own, but there are plenty of recipe ideas online if you wanted to try it. I do my first few with fresh berries and then switch to frozen berries once I've used those up. We have a strawberry plant which has done really well so it's been nice to use a few of those on my breakfast! I ordered the chia seeds in a bulk pack for £6.99 on Amazon last month and I think this should last at least 3 months, maybe more - so it is a lot cheaper than buying them in the supermarket. Plus porridge oats are usually less than £1 for a bulk bag.

 These are a few of the things that help us stay on top of things and make life a bit easier. With the cost of living as it is, I know we are all trying to find ways to reduce our waste and make things stretch a bit further. We have been shopping mainly at Lidl for the last few months and have found several things that we prefer from there and it is generally cheaper than if we go anywhere else. This week I actually came in UNDER budget which never happens and I was more excited than I should've been! I'd love to hear of any recipes you've been enjoying, or any slow cooker tips if you have any! 

Sarah x

P.s. my Honey Garlic Chicken was a huge success - so tasty and definitely going on the menu!

Read More

On finding our place.

I can't believe it's coming up to four years since I moved to NI. The amount that has happened in that time, both good & bad, is impossible to quantify! Having moved around a few times, I've learnt that there are certain things I need to have in place before somewhere truly feels like "home." I'm sure this list would be different for everyone, but it dawned on me this week that I do feel like I've finally found my feet here, particularly in the village we have lived in for almost a year. 

Walking is truly one of my favourite pastimes, not only is it the best way to get to know a place, but I find it helps you notice the seasons more as you watch the colours changing. And now I have a buddy with me! I take Finn on walks as often as I can because it is so good for us both to get out for some fresh air. It's the best time for me to clear my mind & he usually falls asleep as he loves the white noise & being cosy in his pram. We went down the road one day this week & that is what inspired this post. As we set off, we saw our neighbour coming back from a dog walk & he warned me it was a bit wild by the seafront. We also waved at a fellow regular baby-walker (I think he's a grandad) who always wears a flourescent yellow jacket whilst speed-walking with his pram & goes out at a similar time to me. We saw Tom's Nana's knitting friend who likes to look out for Finn as we walk past her house most days & she regularly hears about him & we waved at one of two delivery drivers who love to chat to us when they drop parcels off. The one who I know a bit better asked me this week if & when Finn would be getting a sibling!! Once we got home, I sat & thought about how nice it is to walk around & feel like you know people in your area. For this reason, a regular walking spot is definitely something I need in "my place." 

I have a few different walks that I used to do most weekends by myself as Tom is usually working but I'm only just starting to feel brave enough to do those by myself with Finn. It's a lot to get used to all the extra things you need to take with you & I like to go out as soon as he's finished a feed because that gives me maximum time to relax & enjoy the walk & usually a coffee. Funnily enough, most of my favourite walks end up in a good coffee shop, which I'll talk about more below. But, if you're ever in the area, these are my favourites: 

Bridewell Coffee - Donaghadee // Firebox - Ballywalter // Haptik - Newtownards // Copeland Distillery - Donaghadee // Joxer - Bangor // Lekker - Greyabbey

It will be unsurprising for many who know me, but finding the right 'regular' coffee shop is an absolute must. I was recently thinking about the coffee shop back home that we spent half of our teenage years in - it was always our meeting point & we spent every Saturday in there for years, plus at some point nearly all my friends worked there, including myself. They did such a good chicken & pesto mayo sandwich that I need to recreate! Since then, I've not really had my regular spot. But I stumbled upon one recently (pictured above & below) that I went to with a visiting friend & just knew it was the one. It's pretty tiny but it has a gorgeous view, lovely coffee & locally made treats plus a nice little walk around the grounds that we can enjoy afterwards. We had a visit there yesterday & it was such a sweet little trip where Finn fell asleep so I enjoyed a hot coffee in peace.

There are lots of other things that I think make a place feel like home. I am not really one for getting 'pampered,' but I do love getting my nails done & had my favourite spot in Yorkshire that I loved going to for different treatments. I've been looking for the right place for a while & have finally found someone who is local & does my nails how I like them. She is very reasonably priced & getting my nails done is one of the only times I go out in an evening these days so it's something I want to keep up with when I can a few times a year. I just went recently & decided to go super girly with pink & a glitter top! 

I mentioned in the last post that we are busy making changes in our home to make it more functional. A few different things arrived this week so we are almost ready to start the re-arranging. We need to choose a paint colour for the only room we are painting & then we can start building the furniture. I was able to shift a lot of our other things through Marketplace which has freed up some space & then this week I plan on going to a couple of my favourite charity shops to drop off some donations. I've never used Vinted but I want to sit & put some baby clothes on there & see how that goes! We've just put down the classic foam tiles so Finn can test out tummy-time & laying on his back on there. I bought them before he was born because they were on offer (!) but the health visitor came this week & said he is definitely ready to roll (at 3 months!) so we want to give him a comfortable space to test that out. I ordered one new print with a quote that I have loved for many years & found the cutest design from Violet & Alfie via Etsy (they were all discounted!) so I am excited to find a frame for that & add it to the corner of the living room that I'm imagining will be a bit of a reading nook. 

This week has been a much better pace for me than the weeks that preceeded & I am definitely starting to feel more on top of things. I've enjoyed being back in the kitchen because I've hardly cooked lately so this week I wrote a big list & went out to do the food shop whilst Tom was at home with Finn. It feels like forever since I had a meal plan but this week I made Tom's favourite 'fruity curry,' a beef hotpot & I've put our favourite BBQ pulled chicken in the slow cooker for tonight. We've had some lovely walks but taken it easy after Finn had his 2nd vaccinations this week. I started taking vitamins again & feel like I have more energy, plus it helped me finally kick my sore throat post-Covid! Everything just feels a lot more peaceful, something which I hope will continue for as long as possible. 

Much love xx 

Read More