Plaster Paris Bump!

This was one of the most fun things I did during my pregnancy! At about 38 weeks (my bump was nice and big!) I decided to make a plaster of Paris mould of my big bump! I had my sister and some friends over to give a helping hand!
What you need:

• Plaster of Paris (I got it in my local chemist)
• Vaseline
• Cling film
• Towels (it can get messy!) 
• Bowls of water
• Newspaper 

I put newspaper on the floor under the chair. I wore an old bikini top and pair of shorts. I decided to do a mould from my shoulders down to under my bump, some people just do the bump. 

How to do it: 

• Rub Vaseline all over belly and shoulders
• Cover in cling film, it can feel tight if you wrap around your tummy and back
• Next, wet the plaster of Paris and smooth over
• Over lap the layers-no gaps
• Do at least 2 layers 
• Leave to dry/set for about 15 mins.
• Carefully remove and leave to dry

I just left mine as it was but if you like you could paint and decorate it! 

If I'm having a 'fat day' I can just pop on my 'bump' and suddenly I don't feel as fat as I thought I was!! :) 

10 things about me

1. I have 2 sons
2. I'm very superstitious
3. I have 3 sisters and 2 brothers
4. I am a primary school teacher
5. I haven't drank alcohol in 2 years
6. I can't swim
7. I lived in Perth for a year
8. My birthday is on the longest day of the year (June 21st)
9. I believe in karma
10. I love reality tv

Could anything else break on me....seriously...

This week I feel like I've had a terrible run of bad luck! My car broke down, I dropped my iPhone and cracked the screen and our new stove broke!! The only consolation is, superstitious me believes everything happens in threes so there are the three things broken! Hopefully there will be no more!
I hate moaning and moaners! But I know every now and then a good old moan and whine and even cry (which I was very close to!) is needed! I try to snap out of it as quick as I can and try see the positives! The brakes could have given up when I was doing 120km on the motorway but thankfully I got to stop before I hit anyone or anything! While the screen broke on my iPhone it is still usable and the crack could have been a lot worse and the stove, well I don't know too much about it, Enda is going to hopefully sort that one out! All I know is the fire can still be lit and keep us warm in this crazy weather!
So moan over, hopefully my luck will improve, think positive because what you think about you bring about!!

Feng shui

I've read information online about Feng Shui, originating in China thousands of years ago to do with the flow of energy. It is so complex and I feel like I could read about it forever! But I really like the sound of it and I'd love to know more about Feng Shui however for the moment these are 3 ways I incorporated it into my life and house so far.

The first is a small statue my aunt gave us, it's ment to generate prosperity.
The second tip was always keep the toilet seat down and door closed to prevent energy from flowing out.
And the third is paint the front door red as red is considered to be lucky in Feng Shui and the front door is the entry point for abundance and opportunities to enter. If you don't want a red door they suggest other colours depending on what direction your house faces.

I'm hoping to keep making small changes around my house to make it more Feng Shui friendly!

I also looked at good Feng Shui layouts for babies bedrooms when I was organising TJ's room, I'll have a post showing his finished room at some stage!

Casual and Comfy Style

When I was browsing online I came across picture number 1 (really sorry I can't remember whose page I saw it on, so if it was yours let me know!) Anyhow it got me thinking I could create a similar look with some bits and pieces I have in my wardrobe.
In picture 2, I teamed the ivory wooly jumper with a denim shirt over it and denim shorts, brown ribbed tights, legs warmers and uggs. I wasn't happy with this though because I thought the denim shorts and denim shirt together were too much so I swapped them for black jeggings and brown boots and I was happy with the final look! (no.3) Like I say,casual but comfy :)

Denim shirt & brown boots & leopard print scarf: Penneys
Black stretchy jeans: River Island
Ivory wooly jumper & brown tshirt: H&M

Brown Thomas Fashion Show

Last Sunday I had such an enjoyable afternoon in The Shelbourne Hotel at the Brown Thomas Fashion Show in aid of IYF Charity.
We were greeted with some tasty, fruity cocktails and jazz music creating a lovely atmosphere.
Perched up at the bar the afternoons entertainment began with Oliver Callans very witty impressions of well known politicians and public figure. He even did an impression of Brent Pope who was in the crowd!
Brunch was promptly served, gorgeous blueberry pancakes with maple syrup followed by a mousse with strawberries and pomegranate topping.
Next up was the fashion show. Lots of style from Victoria Beckham creations to Stella McCartney and much more. There was a wide variety of clothes, shoes, handbags and accessories modelled. On the catwalk were some very unique designs, but truth be told I couldn't see myself wearing too many of the outfits modelled.
After the fashion show some fantastic prizes were raffled, raising funds for a worthy cause. Unfortunately I didn't win any! 😔
Overall it was such a nice afternoon, we met some lovely new people and enjoyed the fashion and food!

Baby TJ is 7months old today! How he's doing...

Where have the last 7months gone!! I will admit I wished the first 3 months away! All I wanted was 6 hours of unbroken sleep! So at 7 months here's how he's doing:

His routine:
TJ usually wakes at about 6.30am, I give him a bottle and at 7am he gets a spoon feed. He stays up playing with his toys and wandering around in his walker until about 9am. I get him dreased during this time also. He's wearing 9-12 month clothes, although they are starting to get tight, I find dungarees the comfiest for TJ as the trousers can be a bit tight on his belly.
At 9am he goes down for a nap in his cot. He normally sleeps until about 11 although this can be a longer/shorter nap depending on the day. I try never to wake him up. He is quite a light sleeper and wakes easily if there is a lot of noise in the house.
He has a bottle and spoon feed at 11am. Stays awake playing until about 1pm, then goes down to his cot until approx 2.30pm. I can tell now he's getting tired because he starts rubbing his eyes and whingeing a bit.
He gets his next feed at 3pm, again a bottle and spoon feed. He's awake for the evening then. At 6pm he gets his bottle and last spoon feed. He's changed into his sleep suit and goes down to bed by 7.15pm. He can get narky at this hour of the evening and seems to get excited been brought down to bed! We always say 'Night night, TJ go sleepies'. We even get babysitters to say this! (a tip I got from Alison Scott-Wright's book 'The Sensational Baby Sleep Plan')
When we're going to bed we give him a bottle, he stays lying in his cot (a bit like Nina Fords 'dream feed'). Some nights he takes 4ozs, other nights he might only take 1oz! Many nights he wakes looking for his soother to be put in his mouth, although last night he didn't wake at all!!

Feeds and food:
7am: 6oz's of aptimal hungrier baby formula.
Millupa creamy porridge.
11am: 6oz formula
homemade puréed fruit
3pm: 6oz formula
Millupa/Cow & Gate boxes of food: I try all the different flavours, pear and rice etc.
6pm: 6oz formula
Home made dinner puréed, veg and meat eg. Sweet potatoe and turkey, carrots and chicken, potatoes and fish etc.
10pm: between 1 and 4 oz's of formula.
Snacks/Finger Food: Liga and rusks, squares of cheese, fruit
TJ has definitely cut down on the amount of formula he drinks, he generally isn't as interested in his bottles but loves his food! If he doesn't drink all his formula it gets mixed up with his solids.
He does seem to eat quite a lot of food for a 7month old but I also think he's bigger than the average 7month old, and my mantra is 'Every baby is different!'

What he can do/milestones:

• He can now sit up by himself!
• He can put is soother in his mouth. (and anything else he can get his hands on!)
• He rolled over once so far! Waiting for him to do it again!
• He is not a fan of tummy time!
• He can kind of hold his bottle in his mouth, wouldn't be able to feed himself the whole bottle!
• He can whizz about in his walker.
• He is starting to babble and shout.
• He has no teeth yet!
• Noticing everything that's going on around him.
• Plays well with his toys and rattlers, they can now hold his attention.

Baby Fashion-Chinos

I love baby TJ in this outfit! I have to say I'm a sucker for a knit jumper and chinos! It's one I my favourite outfits to put on the boys!
The navy and white stripy jumper is from Next and the chinos are from Heatons. Navy and grey socks are Baby Gap.

What I wore...

On Sunday I went to The Brown Fashion Show in The Shelbourne Hotel in aid of Irish Youth Foundation. I'll have a blog shortly telling you all about my fun day but for now here's what I wore. The pictures were taken at the end of the day so I don't think it looks quite as well as it did at beginning of the day!

My dress is from Villa. My jacket is H&M and my black heels are from Dunnes Stores. I'm wearing a Tiffanys necklace and pearl earings and necklace.

It's not a diet, it's being healthier...

My motto normally is 'If I exercise I can eat whatever I want!' and to be honest that has worked pretty ok for me so far.

However since I've finished training for the half-marathon the running has definitely decreased so I need to focus on my diet more. That said, I'm going to start by making a few small changes which will hopefully make a big difference!
Firstly, I never say 'I'm on a diet', personally that never works for me, what I tell myself is 'I'm on a healthy eating kick'. I know you might wonder what's the difference but to me a diet makes me think I've to sacrifice a lot of food whereas healthy eating makes me think it's something I should be doing anyway.

Healthy eating to me means:
* Everything in moderation
* Drink more water
* Swap some of my coffees for grean tea
* Eat smaller portions
* Eat slower and chew more
* Eat healthy snacks-fruit, veg, nuts
* Eat just one treat a day, and sit down and enjoy it.
* Take my iron tablet and multi vitamin everyday.
* A huge advantage I think is that I don't drink alcohol (can be hard to do in moderation! 😁)

I am hoping if I can do all this I will lose a few pounds. I don't own a weighing scales so this can be difficult to keep track of! What I really want is to be able to fit into my size 8 penneys skinny jeans, at the moment I'm at the annoying stage where size 8 is too tight (it does close though!) and size 10 is a bit loose and baggy.

I'm going to look up a yoga class too.

Senans communion is May 18th which is fantastic motivation to stick to my healthy eating. (I still need to go dress shopping for me!)

Wish me luck, I'll keep you updated on how it's going. :)

Keeping the kids busy- Idea #2

I know this isn't a very original idea but baking is always a winner with kids! Here's just a few tips:

1. Keep it simple!!! You don't need to try out a new recipe, rice krispie buns/cake always work well, or simple fairy cakes, scones are also an easy one too.
2. Let the kids get creative. Have sprinkles, food colouring, extra sweets for toppings. Kids feel more pride in the finished product if they have put their own personal touch on it rather than having it look perfect or exactly as it looks in the picture!
3. Use this as a great opportunity for developing oral language: mix, measure, how much, stir, ingredients, temperature,,, just keep talking about what you are doing and the utensils you are using.
4. I know there are lots of fancy cookie cutters out there and if you have some fantastic! But, if not, encourage your kid to get creative and use different size glasses, lids of tubs, egg cups, have a root in the drawers you'll be amazed at what you find!
5. Take time to enjoy the fruits of your labour! If it's a nice day go outside for a picnic with your freshly baked treats or if its wet and cold, how about setting up a tent or hut wit cushions and blankets and have an indoor feast!

A website I find lovely simple recipes on is www.odlums.ie
They have a specific 'Baking with Children' category. One of our favourite recipes are the Oaty Cookies.

Neon nails

Neon colours seem to be all over the shops this season, but if like me you don't want to jump straight in, one simple way to ease ourselves in is with nail polish! This is a nice bright colour (109 Off To Miami!!) I picked up in Penneys recently, at only €1.49 you can't go wrong! And it adds a great pop of colour to any outfit! Have fun experimenting!

Keeping the kids busy- Idea #1

With children all over the country getting 2 weeks Easter holidays today I thought I'd share some ways I've found to keep Senan occupied during school holidays!
With all the rain outside today I thought the first one I'd share is very apt!! Senan loved making a toy boat to test out in some of the many puddles and ponds left in the fields beside us! We just used plastic containers left over from fruit and veg, Senan made a sail out of paper and stuck it to a wooden skewer (old colouring pencil would do too) we used blue tack/mala to help it stand up in the boat. Then we wrapped up well and went outside to test it out! Senan had great fun, we just used things we already had in the house and if you want it to take longer encourage your child to put lots of effort into designing and colouring the sail! I hope you have fun trying it out!

Baby food blitz

I like to bulk cook TJ's food. This morning I had a busy morning, cutting, cooking and puréeing!
TJ is almost 7months old so i can't wait to start experimenting with different fruit, veg and meat! I'm very lucky he LOVES his food!
I prepared apple and pear, plum, and apple and plum, TJ loves these fruit purées for lunch.
For dinner I cooked potatoes, carrot and parsnip, chicken and a small bit of onion (it's very tasty!) I also cooked sweet potatoe and chicken, sweet potatoes is one of Tj's favourites!
I would love to know any nice recipes your baby likes to eat!

Boys fashion

I love how boys fashion can be so trendy now a days, I got this entire outfit for Senan in Penneys. I'm lucky Senan has always been happy to wear different shades of pink.

Weekend away in Monaco

I just want to share my experience of my weekend away in Monaco recently, just for anyone planning or hoping to get to Monaco! I would highly recommend it as a couples mini break.

So, we flew with Ryanair into Nice airport. From there we got a bus to Monaco (€20), our driver was lovely and told us the stop nearest our hotel. We stayed in Hotel de Paris on Rue de Turbie. It was a 2 star hotel and rates were very reasonable, especially because it was off peak season. We were very happy with the location of the hotel, it was near the train station and 10 minutes walk from most the attractions. The hotel was very basic but nice and clean, with friendly, helpful staff.

On Saturday we collected our bibs for running at Stad Louis II and had dinner in a small cafe beside the hotel.
The next day was the 'Monaco Riviera Classic Run', we travelled by train to Ventimiglia in Italy for our race. We started in Italy, ran into France and finished in Monaco! The views the whole way along the coast were amazing, although it was a pity there wasn't a blue sky that morning :( After our race we rested, showered and got ready to go out. We went to the Monte Carlo Casino, soaked in the atmosphere and ate dinner in the restaurant 'Le Salon Rose', our food was very tasty and prices quite reasonable.
On Monday we were very sore and stiff but still managed to get the Monaco bus tour (€18). We got of at the Palace and walked to the Cathedral where Princess Grace is buried. We didn't get off at any other stops but the Jardin Japonais was highly recommended. The commentary gave us an nice insight into the history of Monaco.
That night we in ate in a lovely restaurant 'Huit et Demi' (just off Rue Princess Caroline) and then went to 'Stars and Bars' and 'La Rascasse' down by Port Hercule for some tasty cocktails!

The weather was ok at this time of year (March 16th-19th). Saturday was nice and sunny, Sunday was wet and cold, Monday was cold but dry and Tuesday morning the sun was shining but there was a chill in the air.

Overall it was a hugely enjoyable holiday, so relaxing, lovely that everything was so close by, all within walking distance (in flats, not heels!) Friendly, helpful locals. Disappointing that there coffees are so small!! I would definitely like to visit again during peak season, I'd say there would be a fantastic atmosphere!! Here's hoping!!

Feel free to ask for any more info! Have any of you ever been to Monaco, any recommendations you would like to share??

Dinner and drinks style

This is what a wore for dinner and drinks on our last night in Monaco. It was a Monday night so I wanted something simple but classy. Black and white are always a reliable option! Black skinny jeans Penneys, black and white sleeveless owl print top Zara and black jacket H&M, black heels New Look.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 🍀

I love any excuse to match the boys! So what better excuse than St.Patricks Day! Baby TJ is in a Dunnes Stores green and white striped jumper and beige chinos from Heatons. Senans green jumper is Penneys and his jeans are Levi's. Do you like putting your children in co-ordinated outfits?

I completed the race!!!

I am so happy, relieved, proud, exhausted, sore,,,,the range of emotions after completing the 15 mile run is just crazy! I completed the race in 2:34:45. I was very happy with the time and the hills while tough weren't as bad as I had expected. My legs ache and I'm having difficulty walking up and down steps but my medal makes it all worth it! Honestly if someone had told me 6months ago after having baby TJ by emergency c-section that I'd be doing a 15 mile run I would have laughed at them! But here I am feeling very proud of my accomplishment-if you put your mind to something and work hard, it is possible!

No more training!!!

Just finished my last run before the race in Monaco on Sunday!! Did a 3mile run. Had a bad chest infection last week, I really feel its going to have a negative impact on race day. I'm still coughing a lot! I got very stressed last week, and went to the doctor twice hoping she could give me some magic medicine or injection to cure me but she couldn't! I just had to take my antibiotics and wait for my body to recover! So I figure all I can do is go and try my best and hope my lungs get me through the 15miles!!
Now to start packing...

Skulls and stripes!

I love this striped navy and white blazer I got in Penneys recently, I think it's gorgeous for the spring/summer and can be easily mixed and matched with tons of different outfits! This is one outfit I've teamed it with, a nice casual outfit, perfect for coffee with friends or out shopping maybe. The skull sleeveless top, navy skinny jeans and flat navy pumps with bow are all Penneys! The white watch is DKNY.

Happy Mothers Day

Definitely one of the toughest jobs is being a Mammy but without doubt one of the most rewarding jobs! Happy Mothers Day to all the Mammys out there ❤

Running App

This is the app I used to help me train for my 15 mile run. It's Asics Run. I typed in the distance I hoped to run, how many days I hoped to run each week and it generated a training plan for me. It emailed everyday I was due to run to ask how was my run which I liked as it was a gentle reminder to get d trainers on and head out the door!! Also a feature on the app was it could measure what distance I covered on a run, I found this very helpful. I didn't stick rigidly to the plan but it was a great guide for me to follow. If you're trying to get started I strongly recommend this app, happy running!

Lunch tip!

This is just one thing I do to try speed up getting ready in the mornings! I pack lunch for the entire week, I try always have some fruit, calcium (frubes are handy), a cereal bar and carbs of some sort, maybe a croissant or crackers. They are in the same press an Senan can get them and put them in his school bag himself!