My new obsession!

Beautiful swirly icing!

Recently I have developed an obsession with making cupcakes (the kids love them, they are really easy to make and they enjoy making them). Although I have always feel slightly envious when I see beautifully decorated cupcakes with swirly icing. When I attempt to put icing on mine, it usually rolls off the sides and never tastes as delicious as it should.

Using my amazing new decorator pump

Until recently I thought I would never create cupcakes that looked too good to eat. Mine have always tasted yummy but need to improve their appearance! So you can imagine how excited I was when I discovered that I could indeed aspire to make perfect cupcakes ...

A few weeks ago I went to a Pampered Chef party and one of the activities was decorating cupcakes using a special decorator pump. We got to try a range of nozzles but my favourite, of course, was the one that created swirls. As soon as I used it, I knew I had to buy it.

Today I used it for the first time and it was fantastic! It's so simple to use, even my one year old had a go. My cupcakes aren't perfect yet but I intend to practice as much as I can. I have just over a month until my daughter's fifth birthday and I am determined to bake the most delicious cake, decorated with swirls. I am going to enjoy all the practicing and I think the kids may do too!

Yummy cupcakes that taste as good as they look!

Am I expecting too much?

This evening I have tried several times to reply to all the lovely and much appreciated comments on my blog posts. But my I-phone is refusing to co-operate. I can post comments from other people but not my own, which I'm beginning to find rather frustrating.

Most of the time I love my I-phone and would far rather use it to browse the Internet and use facebook and Twitter. I take photos and videos with it, use it as my diary and record my shopping list on it. Even my children love watching the videos on YouTube. (There is a fantastic version of Twinkle, twinkle, which my girls love).

But it seems my favourite piece of technology has its restrictions. Recently some of my apps have been a little tempermental. Occasionally they'll work but quite often they will refuse to open. When I started running I relied on IMapMyRun to track my distance and speed and I found the voice feedback was great. But after downloading the updated version, I could no longer access it.

Maybe it's because my phone is almost two years old. Although I think a decent phone should maintain it's quality. Or maybe I just expect too much from a little piece of technology!

This is my first blog post that I've written on my I-phone so I've decided not to attempt to add any photos, maybe next time! I've no computer access for a couple of weeks. So if I don't reply to your comment, I'm not ignoring you or being rude! I really appreciate the comments and advice and love that so many people are reading my blog! :)

Sunshine = happiness!

The park this morning

As I woke up this morning, I realised something was different ... it wasn't raining, the sun was shining and the sky was blue! After leaving my four-year to pre-school, I set off on a run. It's amazing how much better everything looks in the sunshine. When I reached the park I realised that I had forgotten something very important in my last blog post (I hate the rain!). Sunshine and warm weather makes me feel extremely happy!! 

Life is just so much better in the sun ... the children and I can play in the garden, we don't need to wear layers of clothing and bring coats when we go out, just in case it starts raining, and the washing dries!! We can relax, have a barbecue, sit outside and enjoy a glass of wine after the children have gone to bed.

Even though it's now evening and dark outside, I am still in a positive, happy mood. Long may the sunshine continue ...











I hate the rain!

When is summer going to start?! Recently we have had the occasional day of beautiful weather followed by what seems like endless and constant rain. I am so fed up and bored of the rain! Not only does it cost more to entertain the children but my diet seems to deteriorate drastically during the miserable weather.

The girls and me relaxing in the garden and having fun!

During April and early May this year, I enjoyed a number of barbecues and days in the sun with friends and the children. We thought summer had started early and that it was going to get better! But just as I thought it was going to last, it got cold, wet and overcast.

Every so often I wake up to a blue sky and the sun. After leaving my elder daughter at pre-school, I walk to the park with my toddler where she loves climbing and running about. When the sun is shining, I love walking and so does Abigail. Who doesn't love that feeling of the warmth of the sun wrapping round you like a cosy blanket?

Last Friday we had a fun family barbecue, the girls played in the garden and we relaxed in the warm weather. But the following day, it was as if autumn had started. It rained, and rained, and rained ...

Entertaining the children in the sunshine is easy and cheap. It doesn't cost anything to go to the park and run about. But it costs a small fortune to bring three children to a softplay centre and you need a second mortgage to go to the cinema! It's not just the cost of the tickets, it's the overpriced but too appealing treats as well. 

I am convinced that if I lived in a hot climate, I would be very slim! When it's warm, I eat sensibly and find it relatively easy to eat healthily ... salads and fruit are in, while chocolate, scones and croissants are out. Unfortunately, I became a different person as regards my diet in the cold, wet weather. I constantly crave fattening, comforting foods. This is all very well in the winter but not in the "summer" when the weather occasionally improves and I have to wear shorts! 

So not only does this miserable weather cost more money to entertain the children but it also turns me into a comfort-food craving lunatic! Is there anything I can do to change this? Well, I can't control the weather. Emigration is an option but as we are settled where we are, it is very unlikely. And to emigrate just for a warmer climate, is a little extreme. Regarding my diet, I think I just to exercise more self-control, although easier said than done! Unfortunately I think indoor entertainment for the children will always be expensive and therefore an occasional treat.

I am still holding out hope that summer will properly arrive and remain, until at least September ... it's good to be an optimist!

I can't eat potatoes!!

Recently I took a food intolerence test and was shocked at the findings. My main intolerence is potatoes ... I'm Irish, I should be able to eat potatoes in huge quantities! In a normal week, at least three of my meals will contain potatoes - baked potatoes smothered in beans and cheese; sweet potato, tuna and sweetcorn and chips with either fish or sausages. So it has been quite a challenge trying to think of alternatives. Oh, and I'm also completely addicted to crisps so have had to abstain from them too!

The first week was quite easy, I just ate more vegetables. Unsurprisingly I have started to eat more healthily, replacing chips with salad. But it's amazing how tempting something becomes when you can't have it. After resisting the temptation to eat chips when out for dinner on Father's Day, I gave in a few days later at Nando's. They tasted gorgeous! However, a few hours later I was in complete agony. Proof that potatoes just don't 'agree' with me.

Amazingly, I have completely resisted the temptation to eat crisps. Though I have missed them. Instead I have found myself snacking on raisins, grapes and strawberries - again, much healthier options.

So I should be feeling better, after all I've stopped eating potatoes. If only it was that easy. Unfortunately, potatoes were not the only food that I had to either avoid or reduce. Milk, eggs, wheat, nuts ... I could go on. It seemed simple at first but when you consider how many recipes and sauces have these ingredients, it's virtually impossible! I don't drink milk anyway but I love chocolate and ice cream. Unfortunately these are treats that I don't think I could give up. But my main issue has been with wheat ... it seems to be in everything - cereals, bread, flour, wraps. Is it possible to have a wheat-free diet? Well, if you have the money to spend on wheat-free products and the time to cook separate meals, then it might be possible. Any suggestions regarding this are very welcome!

So at the moment, I think the best possible solution for me is to eat as healthily as possible. No potatoes, limited dairy products, very little bread and plenty of fruit and vegetables. I'm hoping that I'll eventually feel less bloated and be full of energy, no longer craving the foods that make me feel so ill. Simple!? Any advice and tips are most welcome!

Can woman have it all?

As I sit cuddling my beautiful baby daughter, I feel so happy to have three wonderful children. I always knew I wanted children and didn't want to be too old starting a family. My mum was 28 when she had me, which I thought was positively ancient!

But I also wanted a career. When I returned to work after my first child I was convinced a woman could have both. Even after my second child I was still keen to pursue my career. Now I'm not so sure. Can a woman with 3 or more children succeed in work as well as maintaining a happy family life?

As a woman there are so many decisions to be made, questions to be addressed. Do I want children? When is the right age to have children? Who will look after them if I go back to work? Can I afford to pay childcare? Will I ever get my figure back?! I could go on ...

For me the first two questions were easy - yes, I did want children and I didn't want to be too old when I started a family. Fortunately I met my husband when I was young. But I know many woman who haven't met 'Mr Right' and are starting to question whether they'll ever have children or if they really want children. There are many woman in their 30s and 40s who have spent the last 10-15 years building a successful career who are questioning if they really do want children at all. They have got used to a certain level of earnings and for many their lives have revolved around their careers and that next promotion. I don't envy them.

As I mentioned, I spent a few years fooling myself that I really could have it all. I juggled working full-time with tennis and swimming lessons, gym, social life and housework (as little as possible!). But after a while I was exhausted. I was trying to fit too much in to my week. I was getting up early for work, dropping the children to childcare and zooming around in the evenings to bring them to a variety of activities. It was when I became pregnant with baby number three that I realised that I could no longer maintain this lifestyle. It wasn't healthy for the kids or for me.

During the past year we have all slowed down. There is no mad morning rush out of the house before the sun is up and our after-school activities have reduced, slightly. Consequently we have a happier family.

Many woman, like me, feel that we are not succeeding in life unless we are attempting to do it all. But eventually something has to give - it is virtually impossible to work full-time while trying to bring up a young family. So to return to my original question, for me the answer is no. My children are the most important thing in my life and have to come first. Childhood is so short and I don't want to regret missing them grow up.

My best year ever!!



Spot the baby!



My beautiful baby girl has just turned one, her first big milestone. So recently I have found myself reminiscing and reflecting over the last year. Our lives have changed so much – we moved to a new area; I became a stay-at-home mum and most importantly, we became a family of five!

I love the energy, enthusiasm and interest Abigail has in everything. Once a helpless baby, she is now a fearless, adventurous little monkey! Her confidence is developing and she is beginning to master walking.

Like her brother and sister, Abigail is very sociable and loves meeting new people. Fortunately both Sophie and Luke settled well into pre-school and school and have made lots of new friends. I love meeting new people too and hope that the friendships I have made will last a long time.

I have adapted well to becoming a stay-at-home-mum, which I love. It is fantastic to spend time with my children, meet other mums, arrange play-dates and have the freedom to decide how we will spend the day. But of course, it is difficult when you are trying to survive on a reduced family income. So my days as a stay-at-home-mum are numbered as I will start working again in September.

Since I was four and dreamed of playing tennis at Wimbledon, I have been very sporty. I used to be extremely passionate about athletics and have recently reignited my passion for running. It’s fantastic for losing baby weight (all four stone of it!) and I often got up at 6am to fit in a run before my husband left for work. I’m finally back into my size 8 dresses and in July I’m doing the Race for Life 10k. A few months ago, I joined a gym and love trying out new classes – Zumba, Body Jam, Body Combat and Body Pump are all fantastic ways to exercise.


As an ex-professional rugby player, my husband is also very active. He’s still playing 1^st team rugby and my son has inherited his love of the game. Luke settled very quickly into our local rugby club and I was very proud when he was awarded the Player's Player last month.



Abigail enjoying a dance with her brother



A talented all-rounder, Luke too expressed a desire to play at Wimbledon at the tender age of three. After spending a small fortune on lessons, he has become a good player but unfortunately doesn’t still aspire to be a professional tennis player. Last year Sophie seemed very keen to start playing tennis, although we later found out that she really only wanted a pink tennis racquet! After a brief spell at tennis lessons, we decided that dance might be a better option, partly as she expressed an interest in it and also because she added dances and twirls into her tennis! After finding a dance school, Sophie started pre-school ballet and loves performing her moves for us. Abigail also loves to dance with a big smile on her face!

I’m sure I have missed out lots of important things which have happened over the last year. But without a doubt, it has been the best year of my life so far!