Weekend Recap

This past weekend was one of my favourite weekends ever.

I spent it with my 3 favourite people doing nothing too important.

Just having fun.

It was Mother's day and my little family spoiled me rotten.

We didn't do anything fancy.

That's not our style.

I like the simple things.

 My kids are young so they can't go buy me things themselves. So, it falls to hubs to go shopping. He listened to me complaining for the longest time about my weighting scales and how annoying they were. I can't find the type of battery that they take and it drives me mad when they run out.

Woke up Sunday morning to a battery free weighing scales and the most beautiful mini daffodils. And my little girl had the cutest card made at school with a teabag attached in case I needed a break.

We went for a walk, visited some family and had the yummiest lunch.

Simple and perfect.

This morning I got the best delivery in a long time.

These beautiful mugs came from Colorines Wonderful.

Aren't they just wonderful.

They are hand painted and individually designed for each person.

And the best news for all of my lovely readers is...

I will have one of these beauties to giveaway on the blog tomorrow.

Check back tomorrow for the details on how to win and a peek at some other mugs.

So, How was your weekend.

Did you spend it doing what you love, with who you love?

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Favourite Things Friday

It that time of the week again people!

I'm so glad it's Friday and we don';t have to do school in the morning. Trying to get me girl up and out the door in time is starting to break me. Not sure why she is soooo slow with getting dressed. I can only imagine it the invisible butterflies or something. Any tips or advice? Please Shout.

But enough about that. Here are my favorite things from this week. Hope you like them Be sure to let me know your favourite in the comments below of find me on Facebook or chat to me on Instagram.

Favourite DIY

Favourite Outdoor Space

Favourite Craft

Favourite Photo Frame

Favourite Recipe

Favourite Quote

Have a Great weekend!!

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Banana Bread {recipe}

I hate wasting food. 

Most of our left overs go to the dog, so it not that bad.

But, my dog can't eat bananas.

They are the one food that gets thrown out all the time.

You see, I like my bananas slightly green. I hate it when there is the smallest spot on them. 

I WON'T eat them!!

So they get thrown out.

Hubs was at our friends house doing a job one day and came home raving about this banana bread/cake thing that he had there. 

Couldn't stop talking about it.

So I tracked down the recipe and this is my version of it.

It's more of a cake but I'm calling it bread so it sounds healthier.

*******

Banana Bread

100g butter

100g sugar

2 eggs

150g flour

2 small bananas

180*C

1h 10mins

Makes one loaf

Cream the sugar and butter until soft and creamy

Add the eggs and flour a bit at a time.

Blitz/mash the bananas and add to the mixture.

Put the mixture in a lined loaf tin.

Smooth the top and sprinkle with a little sugar.

Cover the top of the tin with brown paper to stop it browning too soon and burning.

(Learned my lesson there)

Bake.

*******

I'm going to try adding raisins or maybe chocolate chips to the next batch.

I might even make muffins for the kids to take to school.

Everything seems more appetizing when you think it's a treat.

I love mine warm but it's just as nice cold with a little butter.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

No more wasting spotty bananas.

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Favourite Things Friday

Happy Friday People! I'm so gald we had a short week this week but Friday still seemed to take forever to come. My house has been overtaken by the sickies so I've had plenty of time to spend on Pinterest to find new things for today's post. So, here you go.

This weeks favourites.

Favourite Kitchen

Favourite Recipe

Favourite Party Idea

Favourite DIY

Favourite Living Room

Favourite Quote

And there you have it. My week of favourites. So what do you think? Did you like them?

It seems Spring forgot to come and visit my part of the world. We have been having sleet and rain all day long and it feels a hell of a lot like winter. So my weekend is going to spent inside by the fire with my kiddos.

What have you planned for the weekend? Anything Exciting?

Whatever it is, have FUN!!

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Get fit, Stay Fab link up

Where do I begin?

Last Thursday was the worst day ever.

I soent the day at the funeral of one of the happiest 14 year old boy I have ever met. Someone who always had a smile on his face and was always causing trouble.

The good kind though.

The stories that his friends told me about him were hilarious.

When I got home, I was drained.

Physically. Emotionally. Every way.

I couldn't find it in me to write.

So I didn't.

I should have posted week 6 of the workouts.

Here it is.

I'll be doing this week starting today.

The other thing that I've start doing is juicing.

I don't eat enough fruit at all and I eat the same vegetables day in day out. I've been wanting to get the kids to eat different thing too but there kids and picky. But juicing makes things like spinach and celery and cucumber taste fantastic. I've found a few lovely recipes on pinterest. Go check out my Juices and Smoothies board. They're amazing.

There is a new Juice and Smoothie bar open in town and Pia has some of the most amazing recipes in there. Be sure to go call in and try one. You won't be sorry. I bought a juicer of one of those Facebook selling pages for €15. A steal, right? 

Here are a few of my favourite combinations at the moment.

apple

orange

kiwi

banana

***

apple

spinach

pineapple

avocado

***

strawberry

banana

blueberry

I'm a month into my sugar detox. I have gone a whole month without adding sugar to my tea and anything else I used to add it to. I'm finding it a whole lot easier now than at the start. The headaches were horrible and I was like a demon for a few days. But I

the less sugar I have to less I crave chocolate and other sugary things. I'm tasting things differently too. I'm tasting the natural sweetness in things that never seemed sweet before.

So that's it for this week. What are your favourite juices? Let me know. I need your go to recipes. If you have a fitness post that you want to link up, then join in below.

Thanks for stopping by.

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Happy Birthday to Me!! {recipe}

So today is my 29th birthday.

And if your a Mom you probably know what I'm doing this evening...

Baking my birthday cake.

I didn't want a cake but Jasmin said it's not a birthday unless you have a cake.

I love to bake and I love this recipe so I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's light and fluffy and just the right amount of sweetness.

I love filling mine with freshly whipped cream and strawberry jam.

You could also put fresh fruit and cream in the layers.

You just can't go wrong with this.

RECIPE

5ozs of sugar

3 eggs, separated

3 floz of water

5ozs of flour

butter for greasing

180*C

15- 20 minutes

Separate the eggs.

Mix the sugar, egg yolks and water together in a mixer until thick and creamy.

When ready add the flour and mix well.

Beat the egg whites until white and fluffy.

Gently fold the egg whites into the mixture.

Grease and flour 2, 8 inch sponge tins.

Divide the mixture and put in a preheated over.

Once cooked, cool and fill with cream and jam.

Sprinkle with icing sugar and enjoy with a big cup of tea.

I use this recipe for all my cakes. 

Every birthday cake has been made using this, I just double or triple the quantity depending in the size of the tins.

Now I'm off to devour the whole cake.

It's my birthday after all.

Happy Hump Day!!

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St. Patricks Day Blessing. {Free Printable}

I had a great plan to post this on Saturday night. I schulded it or so I thought but it never went out. So I'm very sorry to have kept you waiting.

Here is the Free Printable I made last week.

It's an Irish home blessing.

Hope you like it.

Have an amazing St. Patricks Day and make sure you wear some green. You don't what to get pinched now.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

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St. Patrick's Day Craft Round up & 2 Free Printables

I've been so busy playing outside in the sunshine today that I'm late with the sharing tonight.

But as promised, here is my St. Patricks Day Craft round up. 

I'm also sharing two FREE Printables at the end of the post.

(Make sure you head over to my facebook page and give it a like if you use to printables. Please!!)

This is the easiest craft that I have ever found. I am the worst person in the world when it comes to drawing shamrocks. It's going to be easy from now on.

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

The kids and I are going to have a great time doing some of these over the weekend.

What's your favourite thing to do for St. Patrick's Day?

And here you go people...

Two FREE Printables.

Cupcake flags and Animal Bar Wrappers.

My kids love Animal Bars and it's so easy to print off these little wraps to make them even more special.

Once again make sure your printer settings are set to print PORTRAIT not landscape.

Did you see yesterdays post? I had another FREE printable. Click here to see the free gift tag/ treat tag.

Happy Printing!

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St. Patrick's Day : Free Printable Gift Tag

Being Irish and St. Patrick's Day go hand in hand.

I love Ireland and being Irish.

I'm proud of it.

We are a giving nation and we should be proud of it.

I wanted to make up a little gift tag to use for some goodies I plan in giving to our friends when we call over the weekend.

I used these with chocolate but you could use them on a bunch of hand picked Daffodils or a box of homemade cupcakes.

All you have to do is right click and save the file to your computer.

When your printing them off make sure you ave the printer settings to print the tags PORTRAIT not landscape.

I used a Supervalu sandwich bag (small size) to put the Rainbow Gold in. I cut off the zip lock part and tied it off with some green ribbon I had to hand. Then I added the tag and curled the ribbon with a knife.

I love how they turned out and they're ink friendly too.

I'll have a few more tomorrow so make sure to check bake and see what I have then.

I'll also be sharing my favourite Paddy's Day crafts and pins.

I make my printables for the people that read and follow my little blog. So if you use these please head on over to my Facebook page and give us a like. It's nice to be nice after all.

Have a great evening.

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Favourite Things Friday

Happy Friday Everybody!

How was your week? Did you make it count?

I've spent the last week trying to get used to not having sugar and boy it's been hard.

I've falling in love with the new smoothie and juice bar in my town.

They have the most amazing drinks there.

I've tried a few now and I just can't wait to go back for another.

They're helping me fight my sweet tooth.

Anywho, enough chat. Here are my favourite things from this week.

Hope you enjoy them.

Favourite Craft 

I love these little guys. They will be great for the kids Easter candies.

Favourite Recipe

The quickest and easiest pancake recipe ever.

Favourite Quote

I will be doing alot more of this from now on.

Favourite House

If I could just manage to win the lotto, I would build this house in a lovely quite place.

Favourite Little Girls Room

My little girl needs her room updated. These colours would be beautiful.

Favourite Look

That's it for this week. I hope you enjoyed this weeks picks. Have you any nice plans for the weekend? I'm planning to spend every minute outside with my little family.

Have a great weekend folks.

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Get Fit, Stay Fab : A Weekly Fitness Linkup

Welcome back Everyone!

This week has been bad.

Full stop!!

I didn't work out at all.

I had zero energy and no motivation to go work out.

I was still active though.

I have plenty of stables that needed cleaning out and that was everyday.

The lack of energy could be because I have given up sugar.

For a while now I've wanted to try give up sugar. I add it to everything. Tea, cereal, desserts, everything. I know it's disgusting but it wasn't always like that. I started out having one sugar in my tea and when I got used to that and the sweetness wasn't as strong, I added another and then another. In the end I was adding 4, yes 4 spoons of sugar to my big travel mug of tea. and I was having that a few time of day. That is a lot of sugar but I needed it. I craved it. 

And then I had enough. I was sick of feeling like a prisoner in a crazy cycle of the more I got used to it the more I needed. So last Thursday, I stopped adding sugar to everything. I'm using a sugar replacement called Splenda. Instead of having 20 calories per spoon of sugar, I'm having 2 calories. That's a huge amount of calories that I was wasting everyday.

But the side effects are not nice. I'm having cravings, headaches, mood swings and lack of energy. I'm hoping that it gets better and that I'll be able to give up more sugary things in time. I'm still having the odd piece of chocolate when thing get too bad. I'll never give it up all together. I love cake and cupcakes and chocolate and I could never do without them in my life. Just a little less often.

I have noticed that my taste buds have changed in just one week. I can taste the natural sweetness in things and food tastes different but in a good way.

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Here is week 5 of Sadie's CrossFit workout plan.

I'll be starting back on week 4 because messed up last week.

I really did miss the workouts but just couldn't find it in myself to do them.

I starting this week with a new strenght.

I'm going to workout more, eat better, sleep more and be better to myself.

How was your week in fitness?

Did you push through and work it?

Let me know in the comments or chat to me on Facebook or Instagram.  All the links are below. Don't forget to link up your fitness posts below and use the hashtags #getfitstayfab4life and #6weekstofab so we can follow along in your progress too.

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