As this Year Closes, Another Begins.

As another year comes to a close and with the New Year upon us, I can’t help but wonder where all the time has gone. The kids are growing fast and in many ways out-pacing the best of us. Our eldest daughter, Eden, who very recently turned five years old, began a new chapter of her life. School! She has been there for three months now and has settled so nicely that during these Christmas holidays, the one thing she is looking forward to most of all is to get back to school. You gotta love this kid – how many children do you know who spend their holidays waiting for school to start. I told her she has two weeks of fun to spend at home with Mummy, Daddy and her little sister and brother. And still, every morning she wakes up and asks me if there is school today. In fact this morning she rather frustratingly declared, “Mummy, this is taking too long. My school doors have been closed forever!”

She is an amazing kid. I cannot believe she is five already and so beautiful. She has become so mature in her mannerisms and talks to me in such a serious tone that it is hard to think of her as a Reception student. Sometimes, I can imagine myself having a real grown-up conversation with this young girl.

We bought her a little Kodak Digital Camera for her birthday, and for Christmas, a number of frames to fill once she masters her budding photography skills, which are coming along so very nicely. Another treat for her on her birthday is to put up the family tree and decorate it with her sister, Lydia. Although, this year it went up a little early as the girls were just so excited about the idea of getting the Yuletide celebrations moving.

Winter Tree: Whites, golds and silvers.

Our family tree has had a bit of a journey over the years. We first bought it back in 2009 as our very first family tree, which stood in a corner adorned with a few simple baubles (most of which have actually survived). I've always been an advocate of the artificial tree; I much prefer them over real ones, no needles and to be very honest it has more to do with my own personal choice and principles. As lovely as they look, I really don't see the point in destroying trees only to watch them slowly degrade and die.

Admiration: Little man loves his face.

Now, four years on it has grown with us as a little family of five with each year something new being placed on the once sparsely decorated tree. I think it looks rather beautiful and fitting in our small home. But I can’t take all the credit; my girls did a fantastic job and were very helpful in adding the finishing touches to our rather Pagan-centric tree.

Happy Yuletide: The Storm family's tree.

2013 has been a productive year – I couldn't have achieved half of the things I have this year if it weren't for my amazing husband, Kade. A remarkable man and an astounding father, who does the hard jobs and takes on the difficult tasks ahead so I don’t have to shoulder the burden all of the time. I've gotten some well earned rest and relaxation this winter... Thank you my love and life.

May 2014 be even better as our family evolves into an even greater version of itself. I love my family and I am grateful for them every single day!

Hope you've all had a perfect Christmas and have an even greater New Year!

And for those of you still hoping for snow before the year is out...

Currently, My Favourite Things!

I don't normally do posts like this, primarily because I do not consider this a fashion blog and yet I couldn't resist sharing these few things that have recently been my absolute go to wardrobe staple, plus they make me feel really good. So, without further introduction, I am throwing an OOTD (Outfit Of The Day) your way... Now.

Outfit of the Day: Adding a pop of colour to my otherwise classic all-black look.

Above we have my usual day-to-day look at the moment. I mix and match these gorgeous trousers with various styles by way of tops. The weather is still warm, but its cool enough to get away with wearing my beautiful Miss Sixty leatherette trousers - a wonderful gift from my amazing husband, who truly thrills and surprises me with these thoughtful little 'naughty-hottie' gifts. What can I say, they feel absolutely great to wear. I love the treble buckle detailed belt loops toward the back as well as the deep, hollowed out buttons and zips in the front, which give an altogether wild edge to any outfit. I have paired these with a simple black tank-style top, which I have had nearly a year now and, again, is one of those garments I can pair with almost anything, be it jeans or leggings; either way it looks good and feels comfortable. The secret to this top is that the back has a full mesh-lace backing made up of skulls. So edgy, so dark and lends a nod to my inner rebel.

Leopard Print: A favourite of mine.

Comfort is always the number one factor for me and with three kids under the age of five, I'm pretty sure you can understand why this would be the case. Nothing gets the day started better than securing your own comfort first thing in the morning. Throw on a scarf to avoid any chill in the air as accessories can be key to setting off a look. I also love a beautiful pair of earrings - mine are by Matthew Williamson's Butterfly range.

Nine West: A very useful little bag that fits more than expected.

When I am out running errands and I don't have my brood in tow, just a small cross body bag suits me fine as I like to keep my hands free, just in case I remember that I need to stock up on diapers. Recently, I picked up such a bag from Nine West to accommodate such trips.

My Current Can't-Do-Without List:

Miss Sixty Leatherette Trousers

River Island Black Skull Mesh Back Tank Top

Atmosphere Leopard Print Scarf

Nine West Small Yellow Cross Body Bag

Golunski Red Leather Wallet

Butterfly by Matthew Williamson Silver Drop Disc Earrings

I do enjoy beautiful things, as I find true aesthetic quality to be a rare thing sometimes, especially in today's fashion industry, what with its ever changing and experimental nature. Now that I think about it, perhaps there might be some future fashion posts in the pipeline after all.

Eden Graduates from Nursery School.

I cannot believe that it has been almost five years since Eden was born. I look back on her first few days with us at home and I think to myself, where has all of this time gone. It has passed way too quickly. But, having said that, and looking at her now; seeing how beautifully she has grown, I must say, that I could not be prouder.

We have come so very far together, as a family. Soon we will be walking her through the doors of a new chapter of her life and a very significant and important milestone in all of our lives. Enrolling her on her first day at primary school will mark her transition into the very real and big, wide world. I won't see her for a rather large portion of the day. For five days out of the week, she will be gone; entrusted to the absolute care of somebody else. It is a little difficult to get your head around.

I know she will be okay because my little whirlwind of a daughter is so happy and excited about being 'a really big girl,' who gets to go to 'the big-school' and do new and different things that distinguish her from her younger siblings. It is so awesome to see in her, her own sense of self-achievement.

I cannot help but be filled with excitement at the prospect of my amazing girl making even bigger achievements in life. I am one very proud mama.

My Beauty: Our nursery graduate.

Bye-Bye, Summer!

As summer comes to a close and the unstable and rather horrendously schizophrenic weather starts to settle into a more consistent pattern, the beginning of fall brings with it a newly appreciated delight by way of warming hearty meals, like broths and soups to get us through the cooler days. Hopefully, there will be future posts where I get to show off some of my main autumnal into winter dishes, but first, let’s look at some of the beautifully light summer dishes I have served up this year for the family.

Possibly one of my favourite summer lunches, ever, is a decent serving of filleted salmon on a plate of tomatoes and leafy green salad leaves.

Salmon with Rocket Salad, Red Onions, Sliced Red Peppers. Dressed with Black Pepper and Balsamic Vinegar

Red Chilli: Adding a little spice. So many variations to creating awesome salmon dishes.

Halloumi: Light Lunch kinda salad day.

We enjoyed grilled halloumi and sliced pepper salads for light lunches when the weather was just too hot and nobody wanted to slave over the stove.

Filling & Vegan: Delicious brown lentil, spinach and chilli salad.

This year I really rediscovered my love for lentils of all varieties; we have especially been enjoying the brown ones. They have this wonderfully meaty texture and could be a good substitute for those trying to give up or reduce their meat consumption. The above salad makes a great vegan dish.

We also had a few treats along the way! I tend to cook gluten free, as it has been the best health choice for my daughter, who is rather sensitive to wheat.

Buckwheat Pancakes

Strawberries & Cream

A friend recommended using buckwheat flour and the result was an absolutely delicious pancake. Wonderfully nutty in flavour; it is an absolute upgrade from the gluten free flours out there, which are generally made from either potato starch or ground rice.

Summer has always been the season of exotic fruits and vegetables. I like to buy seasonal produce where I can and summer time means mangoes, mangoes and more mangoes! As a family, we cannot get enough of this all too easily enjoyed fruit.

Mango Crazy: The sweetest mangoes imported from Pakistan.

So, here you have a little breakdown of just a few dishes on our summer menu. I'll be posting a few tasty and interesting recipes in the coming (lets be optimistic) months. On that note and with a smile on my face, bye-bye summer heat-waves... Until we meet again next year, where perhaps you might be a little less severe.

Shepherd’s Pie - A Great British Classic & All-Time Children's Favourite

I have been away for a really long time! I mean we've seen birthdays come and go, milestones reached and surpassed. My husband and I have even converged ranks and started up our own family business, but more about all of that another time, perhaps. The thing is, we have been super busy as a family these last eight months while soldiering on through the thick of some serious family illnesses. My dear mother recently underwent major surgery and while, at present, she is recovering well, her journey back to full health will be a long and arduous one.

So, in the spirit of getting back in the saddle of this whole blogging thing, I wanted to share with you an awesome recipe, which I often make for my kids. Eden is at the age where she really loves to help out with the cooking, so getting her to smooth out the mashed potato topping is real fun.

Every once in a while I just love to cook up a great British classic of Shepherd's Pie; a dish that will likely always be a national favourite. Not only do my girls love it, but it makes for a good wholesome staple meal for a family dinner.

This is probably one of the simplest recipes of all time, as it only requires a few ingredients. The base consists of the wonderfully aromatic minced lamb and depending on your preferences, feel free to substitute with beef. Both variations turn out beautifully.

Great British Classic: Shepherd's Pie; a national favourite.

You will need:

• Minced lamb
• 1 Red onion, skin removed and finely diced
• 2 Cloves of garlic, skins removed and minced
• 1 Celery stalk, grated
• 2 Medium sized carrots, grated
• 1 Sprig each of rosemary and thyme, leaves reomoved from stems and chopped
• Black pepper and salt to taste
• 1 Tablespoon of worcester sauce
• Stock of choice

• 4-5 Medium sized potatoes (with the skins on), chopped, boiled and mashed
• 2 Free range eggs, beaten
• 1 Handful of grated mature cheddar cheese
• Parmigiano Reggiano for topping

*There are no strict measurements here, as I say go with the flow and taste the food along the way. That way you are not adding in excess of anything. Let taste be the best judge.

The How To

1. Get started by lightly browning the minced lamb in a pan to cook off some of the excess fat. If you want really tender meat, the trick is the less browning, the better. I learnt this neat little method from all the years of practice I have had cooking for my three little ones. When you are constantly trying out new ways to get your kids onto solids and eating more grown up foods, you make new discoveries. Sometimes, I even skip the browning and put all of the ingredients into one pot and let it cook on a low heat for about 40 minutes. This results in such a juicy and tender dish, which the kids love.

2. Add in the red onion, garlic, celery, carrots, rosemary, thyme and season with black pepper. Add in the Worcester sauce and stock. If, at this point, you'd like to add some red wine this would be the moment but it's strictly optional. Some people think it adds depth to the flavour of this dish but in my honest opinion, it doesn't need wine and I prefer it without. Just be sure to cook off the alcohol, then add salt if needed and then transfer to an oven proof dish. If you want more of a chunky texture, you should chop your vegetables as opposed to going for the grater. I just like to keep it friendly for the little ones.

3. Boil your potatoes as per your usual method and prepare the mash, keeping a nice smooth consistency, combine with the cheddar cheese, salt and two eggs. Add a little black pepper to the mash as this gives it a nice kick.

4. Spread the mashed potato over the mince and top with some grated parmigiano and a little more black pepper. Place in the oven for around 20 minutes.

Serve with two types of steamed vegetables of your choice and dinner is ready.

Enjoy!