• Waking up with a teeny tiny hangover. It was my 29th birthday on Friday and Mr. LA treated me to dinner out at Al Farid, a local Moroccan restaurant. We had an incredible evening, the food was delicious and the wine, well, let’s just say it flowed!
• Madly tidying the house ahead of guests arriving. Ashamed to admit I did more housework in the hour before our friends turned up than I do in an average month. I am such a slummy mummy.
• Enjoying the beautiful bouquet of flowers Annabel from Love My Dress sent me earlier in the week.
• Baking flourless chocolate lime cake ready for dessert on Saturday night.
• Playing with my new toy. Mr. LA and some of my family clubbed together to buy me a Canon 1100D for my birthday, which means I have finally entered the world of DSLR photography! You’ll all have to bear with me while I get to grips with my new piece of kit….
• Catching up with our much missed friends. Sam and Emily moved to Bath with their two children, Jack and Anna, just over two years ago. Emily and I met at University when the eldest two kids were at nursery together. Our second pregnancies overlapped a little and Emily was the first non-family member to hold Jesse after he was born. They’re very special people, the like of which you don’t meet often in a lifetime.
• Loving the sound of all the children playing together. It’s amazing how little ones can just pick up where they left off, becoming instant best friends again despite months apart.
• Enjoying the playground in the last of the day’s sun.
• Cooking and eating Mexican lasagna.
• Eventually getting four very excited children into bed.
• Sipping wine and chatting until we were too tired to talk anymore.
• Craving a little more sleep.
• Preparing breakfast for the masses. Our house really isn’t designed to hold eight people, but short bursts of chaos are always kind of fun, especially if giggling children are involved.
• Packing a picnic.
• Popping supper in the slow cooker so it would be ready upon our return. I successfully adapted a recipe for Asian Braised Beef.
• Braving Crealy Adventure Park. This has to be one of the more overpriced attractions in Britain, but the children adore it.
• Riding roller coasters, a carousel and two little chugging trains.
• Relishing the children’s excitement.
• Eating our picnic in the sun.
• Heading home wearily.
• Devouring dinner.
• Wishing our friends didn’t have to leave.
• Clearing up.
• Collapsing on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolate and my husband.
• Feeling exhausted, but content.
• Climbing into bed and falling straight to sleep.

Loveaudrey xxx