March Round-Up: Beware the Ide's of March

March has been one crazy month. I went home to America for nearly all of it. It was my mom’s diagnosis of a rare form of lung cancer that made me take such an impromptu trip. I wasn’t even sure I was going to mention it here on my site, as it’s a very personal thing.  I am not 100% sure I’m ready to talk about it in too much depth on such a public forum. However, I didn’t want to not say anything. If that makes any sense…

Anyway, while I was away I managed to read 4 of the books listed on my Spring Reading List … recently I won a stack of new books from a twitter giveaway so my list just got a lot longer! I can highly recommend the Lunar Series by Marissa Meyer’s. Also Life after Life by Kate Atkinson is definitely interesting…

Before I went away I managed to get several posts up. I reviewed two books: thehummingbird bakery: Life is Sweet & Love, Tanya!

I made a Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake from the first and themost expensive brownies I have ever made from the latter.

There was a giveaway in association with OXO Good Grips, now closed, a winner was chosen! They won three silicone spatulas in different colors.

With a new Five on Friday every Friday except last Friday, it looks like it might last longer then it did the last time I tried to get it going. The first one I wrote Tips on Traveling Abroad with Children, it was fitting as I would have just flown with my two to America. Then it was Five Things My Mother Taught Me, also fitting for mother's day and all the stuff going on with my mom. And lastly my Five Favorite Baking Ingredients; we all have tastes that are superior to others.

Before the month closed I managed to get these Nectarine & Almond Tarts made to enter into the new blogger challenge called The Pastry Challenge. Hosted by my good friend Jen over on Jen’s Food and myself! To see all the other lovely entries we had in March visit Jen's Food!

Happenings and Going-ons in April:

Continuing from above I will be hosting this month’s Pasty Challenge! I will be your host this month and the theme is chocolate! 

There will be a new #storybookbakes this month and a few posts associated with one of my favorite cake mix brands.

Talking of books April 23^rd is World Book Night and this will be my fourth year as a giver! Watch this space for more information! In the meantime check out my past World Book Night experiences: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith - Judge Dredd (first ever graphic novel to be included) - The Recruit by Robert Muchamore 

Besides that it will be more of the same with some new Five on Fridays, pastries, and other tasty bakes!