This week has been full of highs and lows.  

My heart is struggling this week.

Heartache for family, heartache for friends, heartache for the not knowing. Heartache for worrying about the future, about taking risks and making them a success. A heavy heart that feels like it is failing at all the "normal things" - cue 45 minutes of ironing while the boys took the longest shower in the world (complete with an entire basket of Lego Duplo) and I felt much better!

It doesn't matter if your loved ones are 1 or 100, the heartache of worrying about the ones you love is the same. 

What I know, is that family is everything. And if you get the chance to be even a minute nearer to the ones you love you should go for it.  

We travelled miles this week, both individually and together as a family. 

I had a sneak peek at a wedding venue with a beautiful bride I will be photographing next week and we finally got around to making Sammy's bedroom his again.

So this week has some exciting trips, a time to show support, be a wife, be a mother, be a good friend and cousin.  

I will miss a school assembly this week (queue more failure torture) but I know my boys, even though small, realise that Mama doesn't have a "normal" job. In fact, Sammy, in front of a best friend who had brought her little boy over for an after school play date and tea, said "You get a sticker for doing good blogging this week!" Just like I was a pupil in his reception class. 

I feel very thankful this week, for my home, my family and my work, that most of the time doesn't feel like work. 

Today we are off for a walk in the woods with a fellow blogger and her family. For an extra special post this week. 

I do hope you check back in and see it. Happy Sunday all. Take a minute to think of something you are thankful for and smile. 

So who has got the baking bug?! 

I know it has come to me a little later than some of you, but now I am truly in love what what you can create from flour, butter and sugar! 

I've teamed up with organisers of Cake International – The Sugarcraft, Cake Decorating & Baking Show, to offer one lucky reader of this blog 2 VIP tickets to the baking extravaganza at the Birmingham NEC. 

There will be workshops, demonstrations, authors to meet and The Cake International Theatre. 

Its the biggest and most popular show of it's kind in the world! 

THE VIP TICKET PRIZE INCLUDES:

• Entry into the show for two people on Sunday 10 November 2013
• FAST TRACK ENTRY
• The chance of a front row seat at The Cake International Theatre
• VIP Lounge access with the opportunity to mingle with the celebrities of the cake world 

Ts and C’s

• Standard Ts and Cs apply
• The VIP Tickets are valid to admit two people on Sunday 10 November only 
• Travel and expenses costs to and from the venue are not included in the prize

All you have to do is either:

• leave a comment on this blog post letting me know who you would take with you or
• like the photo on the Capture by Lucy Facebook page and leave a comment with who you would take with you.

A winner will be picked at random on Monday 4th November at midday. Tickets will be sent out on Tuesday 5th November by special delivery.

I would take one of my oldest friends Emma who helped me make the Piñata Mini Cakes! 

Good luck everyone!

You can follow along with news on the show by following Cake International on Facebook or Twitter or in the website here.  

When I bought these pears I had no idea what I was going to make with them. In fact, I could have quite happily have had a mini photo shoot just with these pears.

Then I drove past the local cider press, Thatchers HQ, and an idea sprang to mind. 

I have never poached a fruit for fear of them ended up soggy and looking like a damp squib.

I stand corrected. 

Ingredients (makes one serving) : 

• 1 pear
• 2 peaches
• half a lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 250ml cider. I used Thatchers 2012 Vinatge Oak aged Somerset Cider. Sop local all! Well local to me anyway! 
• 2 handfuls of granola. I used Bendylegs because it's delicious.
• vanilla yoghurt to serve.

Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees/Gas Mark 4. Carefully peel your ripe but not mushy pear and cut a little off the bottom so it stands upright. I used a baking loaf tin as it was the perfect size. Slice your peaches in half and place in the tin. Add your lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg and pour over the cider.

Bake for 30 minutes and baste half way through until the fruit has absorbed almost all the cider sauce. 

Serve immediately with a scattering of granola and vanilla yogurt. 

A lazy Sunday brunch or replace the granola and yoghurt for ice cream and use for an entertaining dessert idea. 

If you wanted to make the recipe more child friendly poach in apple juice. 

I love Autumnal recipes. What are you making this week?

Linking up with Savouring the Season. 

and Michelle at Utterly Scrummy