Sunshine, family time and some secret surprises!

And just like that, it’s May already! Honestly, where is this year going? How was your April? I couldn’t let it pass without giving you an update.

We had Easter holidays here, which meant the kids were home for two whole weeks. Now tell me, are you the kind of parent who loves having the kids home, or are you counting down the days until school starts again?

I always loved having mine at home all the time but at the same time I was also quietly celebrating when school started again because when they were little, they needed me for everything - there was never a moment to sit down!

But now? Wow, things have changed. The older they get, the more independent they become and I miss them when they go back to school. These days I’m basically attached to them like Velcro!

Being a parent is such an emotional rollercoaster, isn’t it? One side of my heart says, “Let them grow, let them spread their wings,” while the other side is screaming, “Please don’t leave me!”

I already find it emotional and mine are only 12 and 9, so I have no idea how parents survive when they become adults! How do you let go?! Someone please tell me the secret.

Anyway… enough of my emotional parenting rambling. Let me tell you what I got up to in April!

First things first… food. We started the holidays with a visit to our favourite fish and chip shop ever - Chez Fred in Bournemouth. If you ever visit England, especially Dorset, you absolutely have to go there. In my opinion, it’s the best fish and chips in the UK! It’s become our little family tradition at the start of the holidays and the kids love it.

The rest of the holidays were actually really chilled. We spent loads of time walking around town, through the forest and along the beach with our gorgeous little Dachshund, Louis. But as always, the holidays went too fast and before I knew it, the kids were back at school. I’m not even joking when I say I think I had separation anxiety - right alongside our sausage dog!

Once school started again, life slowly went back to normal. But my hubby and I did steal a little day for ourselves. He took me on a lunch date and then to see the premiere of the Michael movie.

Are you a Michael Jackson fan? Because if you are, you’ll love it. I genuinely really enjoyed it. The only annoying thing was that it ends without a real ending because these days they have to split everything into two movies! And I know this about myself – I am definitely not patient enough to wait for part two.

This month I’ve also been secretly planning a surprise holiday for my younger son’s 9th birthday at the end of May and I am so excited about it. I can’t wait to share more with you soon! But the biggest surprise I’m planning is actually for my hubby’s 40th birthday in June. I wish I could tell you all about it here but I can’t risk him seeing this! I think I genuinely need some IT help to block him from my Instagram and TikTok for the next few weeks!

Luckily, I can safely spill all the secrets inside my private membership community. So, if you want all the behind-the-scenes gossip first, come and join us there because I cannot wait to share it with you all! Join here.

I also want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has ordered books through my website recently. Honestly, your support means the world to me and it’s so lovely knowing my book is finding its way into your homes. The messages I’ve received telling me you’ve loved reading my book are simply amazing! If you haven’t ordered yet but would love a signed copy for yourself or someone special, they’re still available on my website. Get your copy here.

There are also some very exciting new projects happening behind the scenes right now with lots of planning and preparation. Something special is definitely cooking in Nelly’s kitchen! So keep an eye on my Instagram, TikTok and YouTube because I’ll be sharing more very soon. (Although members will hear everything first, of course.)

And finally… May. I know people always say February is the month of love, but for me, May feels the most magical. It’s the warm sunshine on your face after a long winter. The grass suddenly looks greener. The trees are blooming. The air smells fresh again. You start smelling BBQs in gardens and seeing people enjoying life again. There’s just something so beautiful about sitting by the beach with an iced coffee or an ice cream and feeling truly alive again.

That’s why I love May so much and I’m excited for this month ahead.

And as always, thank you for being here with me.

Love Nelly

My membership:

If you're looking for a warm, supportive online space to bake, laugh and feel inspired, you're in the right place. Join here.