Alexis' 11th birthday

Eleven.  Easy-going, intelligent, sensitive, loyal, shy, competitive, business boy, and owner of many odd socks, as well as being a Harry Potter specialist.  

He is now in his last year of primary school, next year he will join Gabrielle who will then be in 3eme (last year of college).  Time really does fly and my children are growing up so fast.
Alexis had three different cakes for his birthday, this one was his favourite, A no bake Rocky Road cake (Hairy Biker's recipe)  and it was so good.

 Here are a couple of the presents Alexis received this year from us.  Above a water colour bought in Brittany, painted by an Irish painter who lived in Brittany.  Gaby had another of his works for her birthday...If I can make my way through her mess, I'll take a photo.

We found, probably the best present ever, for Alexis' 11th birthday, an ice hockey table, the problem is that Alexis has perfected his game since he received it and no-one is able to beat him...  His friends all want one for their birthdays now...Looks like we've started a new trend.

Breakfast chez nous

 Breakfast most days starts around 5:30, I wake up first and without an alarm, it's been like this for ages. Alain wakes a little later. We enjoy this time of the day, the house is quiet, we can talk without being interrupted in mid-sentence by one of the children. 
If I'm lucky, Alain will happily prepare a soft boiled egg with soldiers (very Proustian moment for me). He did just that. After, I thought I'd make some Welsh Griddle Cakes that I'd been dreaming about trying for some time (Hairy Bikers cook book...I like these guys)

 Really easy to make and light in texture. Alexis was first up (he always is), he never speaks before he has eaten something, he isn't difficult at breakfast...no, the problem starts after, because Alexis wants to go to school so he spends his time checking the time and that means a lot of checking as he's up about two hours before school starts, it's quite an obsession. 
After it's Gaby, pancake crazy girl, who also liked these little cakes and had three in the end. Gaby is by far the easiest child to please.
Charlotte's next (7:15..bus leaves here at 7;40), sixteen, can't prepare her breakfast herself, eat lots, but not these, not today, after eating her cereal, banana, and bread, she had to have (otherwise she'd throw a hissy fit) a protein chocolate bar (bought my me for me for after a run).
Last but one, nearly always Oliver, never down before he has spent time combing his hair perfectly, sometimes down with minutes to spare, but today he graced me with his company at 7:25, here's another one who's crazy for my protein bars that I actually don't like. He doesn't like breakfast, well he didn't,  not before these bars that is, and won't once they're all gone, but for this week at least, he'll eat some bread just to get one of these...he preferred to eat a bar than eat a yummy Welsh Griddle cake...I won't forget that next time I make some more, which I reckon will be very soon.

Welsh Griddle Cakes with raisons and cranberries

Marie-Kate, the youngest, is always up the last*, she can't live without her daily bowl of cereal and rarely eats anything that's new to her, i.e these cakes, in the morning, so today wasn't any exception, she had a banana instead.  

If she's good, she can have one at lunchtime, there's four left...if not, tomorrow at 5:30, I know what I'll be eating...yummy, can't wait.


*apart from at weekends and during school breaks, now there, Mr 17.5 and Miss 16 can stay under their covers till their stomachs scream out with hunger, so lets say Oliver holds the record, getting up at 12:30!