Favourite Things Friday

Happy Friday My Loves!!

It's yet another late night post for me here. We spent the day outside in the sunshine. There is just something about a little sunshine on your skin that make you feel good. We have a 4 day weekend around here so lots of fun if the rain stays away. I never posted my fitness post yesterday because the linkup I was taking part in is finishing up Monday. I'll post it then. I know it'll be hard to wait til then but you can do it! 

Anyway, on to this weeks favourites. Be sure to let me know your favourites in the comments or chat with me on Facebook {here} or Instagram {here}.

 I'd love to hear from you.

Favourite Kids Art Display

Favourite Craft

Favourite swing

Favourite Mini Grill

Favourite Look

Favourite Laugh

Favourite Quote

Have a great weekend guys!

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Life Lately : A Catch-up

I've been a little MIA this past week.

Let me explain.

I decided to take a time out from social media and the internet.

Every now and again I get kind of sick of the internet and trying to keep up with all the different accounts that I have. As much as i LOVE blogging and my social media and all the people that I've met through it, sometimes it gets a little overwhelming.

Do you know what I mean??

So I turned off the internet on my phone and shut the lap top. I did check in a little every now and again but it felt so refreshing to not be looking at my phone every 5 minutes.

Hubs was happier too. Ha!

So what has been happening...

We were attacked by the sickies. The two littles got a cough and cold and ended up on antibiotics. Not fun. Paddy woke up barking, that's right, barking at me a few nights and frightened me. Is there anything worse than having a sick child?  Oh and it also meant that we couldn't go and celebrate one of my best friends little girl getting christened. Really wish we could have gone but had to be a responsible parent.

Jasmin had her school tour. Off she went with the whole school. Not a bother in her. When I was her age I was such a baby. I used to cry at the thought of going on a school tour and not being 5 minutes from home. She came back exhausted, happy and with one pigtail still in-tacked. That girl just can't let her hair alone.

I had been working out everyday. Really started getting into it and started enjoying it. I've been drinking alot of smoothies and juices and I find they're making a huge difference to my health. I've suffered with pains in my stomach with quite awhile. Nothing major just certain foods not agreeing with me. But this time it was so bad that I was thrown down on the couch and couldn't function. I ended up going to the doctor and it turns out it could be a problem with my Gall bladder. I'm waiting for an ultra sound and might have to have an operation to get it removed. Oh and pineapple sets it off the most so no more of that for me. :(

We have a 4 day weekend again this weekend. I can't wait to just relax at home in the sun and watch the kids play while I catch up on blogs. And we have less than 20 days left at school. Can I get a woo hoo?? I have loads of activities planned for the kids and I hope to start sharing them here on the blog soon.

Jasmin has been getting on great at school. She finished her library reading list and she is so proud of herself. I listened to her reading 4 books this evening and I can't believe how much her reading has improved over the this school year. So proud of her!!

We're back to normal schedule here on the blog so tomorrow will be my fitness post and Friday will be Favourite Things Friday. It's proving very popular and I love sharing my pins with you all.

Until tomorrow!

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Favourite Things Friday

Happy Friday Guys!

It's been a great week here int he E household. The sun has been shining and we're loving being able to be outside. I've been working my ass off everyday and I've been sharing my workouts on Instagram and Facebook so if you're interested in seeing what I'm up to everyday be sure to follow along. Hope you enjoy this weeks favourites and let me know what your favourites are in the comments.

Favourite Kids Activity

Favourite Recipe

Favourite Link up

Favourite DIY

Favourite Pallet Bar

Favourite Quote

Have a great weekend.

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Darkness into Light 2014

Last weekend I headed out at 2.30am with my sister and her boyfriend and nearly 80,000 others all around Ireland to run the Darkness into light 5k. This has become an annual event for me and one of my favourite runs.

Over the past number of year this event has grown into one of the biggest charity run and I couldn't be for a better cause. Pieta House does great work for people who are affected by suicide.

I unfortunately have known too many people who have taking their own lives and the destruction it has left behind. The work these people at Pieta House do is so important ans I'm so glad that I can help in this small way.

The run turned out to be a great run for me. I walked for about 1/4 of a mile because I got a stitch AGAIN. These stitched really are starting to become a problem. I also had a little twinge in my lower calf. I hurt tendons there before and decided it wasn't worth hurting myself. I ended up with a time of 42.34 as the run was 3.5 miles and I didn't get running properly for the first 3 or 4 minutes. I'm so happy with this and I found the run a lot easier too.

3am selfies!!

I linking up with Jen over at JVKom Chronicles for her #20X31 May Fitness Challenge.

I've been getting in my 20 minutes nearly every day. I'm also doing leg, abs, butt and arm workouts everyday. I'm done with starting over.

If you want to see what I'm up to everyday with my workouts and everyday ramblings be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram.
XO Caroline
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Lessons in Motherhood: Ten random things I have learnt as a mother

To say that my kids have thought me things since they were born is an understatement. They have helped me grow as a person. They have thought me to be more patient, loving and understanding. They have thought me that I can live an very little sleep or food. They have thought me that I can deal with anything that life throws at me because there is nothing more determined or stubborn than a 2 year old that wants something.

I'm linking up with Learner Mama : Lessons in Motherhood Link up today and below are a some of the many thing I learned over the past 6 and a half crazy beautiful years of parenting.

No matter how much food they have on their plate, yours always looks better and they want yours.

I have to share pretty much everything with my kids. But sometimes this mom just needs to hide in the bathroom and have a cream egg on her own. 

My son can sleep through anything but if Daddy so much as coughs quietly in the morning when he gets up, he'll hear it and there is no more going back to bed 

Sometimes, the couch with a crappy little blanket and a lumpy cushion are better than fighting over 6 inches of space on the bed.

Putting clean clothes on my kids means that with out fail they will get juice/food/dirt all over themselves in about 10 seconds flat.

That my kids poop, puke and buggers are not disgusting. Other kids poop, puke and buggers are the MOST disgusting thing ever and will make you want to vomit. Go figure.

That you will protect your kids with every fiber of your being and God help the people that try and hurt them. Think Mama Bear mode.

That when you open your mouth sometimes your mother comes out. It doesn't matter how much you said that it would never happen. It does. 

That we all need a break from our kids. That sleep overs at Nanas house every now and again are lifesaving. And even though you can't wait for some alone time you will more then likely miss the kids for every second and can't wait to get them back.

That my kids are amazing. They can go from demons to angels in the blink of an eye. They can make me crazy and make me want to lock myself away in the bathroom. But they can make me feel like Supermom and the most loved person in the world. That they are the greatest things I have ever made and I will love them unconditionally forever.

If you want to see some of the other amazing bloggers that linked up head on over to Learner Mama and have a look around.

Happy Monday!!

ox Caroline

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Favourite Things Friday

Happy Friday Guys!!

Right now I'm sitting in a very quite house. Just me and the dog. I dropped the kids of at my Mom's house so I can get up at 2.30am tonight and go run a 5k. Yes, you heard me right. No, I haven't lost my mind or what's left of it. I'm taking part in the Darkness into Light 5k for the second year and I can't wait. It is one of my favourite events to go to. The atmosphere is amazing and it holds a special place in my heart. I know far to many people who have taken their own lives and I want to do my bit to try and help. You can see how I got on last year {here}. Also can I just say that I forgot how much you can get done when you don't have kids with you. I was like a mad woman. House is almost spotless. Don't want to set the bar too high. 
Anyway, enough rambling, here are this weeks favourites.

Favourite Flowers

Favourite Office

Favourite Cookie

Favourite Campfire

Favourite Drink

Favourite Quote

Have a great weekend!
ox Caroline

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Easter 5k Recap.

I'm finally sitting down to the laptop and writing about this 5k.

I hadn't a whole lot of training done for this 5k but I wasn't worried about it. I still had some of my fitness and I had ran a few time before the race. It was my first 5k of the year and my sister did it too. She just finished her couch to 5k program and did so well. She used to hate running but has come full circle and rocked the run.

The first mile of the run was mostly up hill. We set out and we were going at a pretty fast pace. I could feel it. I was running at the steady pace that I wanted. I always do this. I get dragged on by the pack and end up killing myself over the first mile. My pace foe the first mile was 10.13. That is an amazing pace for me but I wasn't ready for that. 

By the time we got the the down hill part, I had a huge stitch. I thought I could just jog it off and use the down hill to my advantage but no. The fucker crept up under my rid and was poking my lung. That really doesn't help when your trying to run. I ended up having to walk for a little while and tried to stretch it out. At this point my sister was steaming ahead and I didn't want to hold her back. She worked so hard for this race and I wanted her to get a good time.

I finally got back running but my stitch kept coming back. I decided to "wog" the shit out the the rest of the race. For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about. To wog is to walk and jog until you finish the race. Ha! Just go with it.

I finish the race with my little girl. She ran up the last hill with me and loved that she got to cross the finish line with her out of breath Mama. We finished the race in about 35 minutes. I all the excitement I forgot to stop the app on my phone to see my time. Typical.

Was it a great run? No.  Was it completely horrible? No.

Did I learn from the run?

YES!

It gave me a mark to work from. I know what I can do now. I know that I need to set my own pace ans stick with it. I know that I need to get more runs in during the week. And I know I need to get better music too.

I linking up with Jen over at JVKom Chronicles for her #20X31  May Fitness Challenge.

I've been getting in my 20 minutes nearly every day. Some days are better workouts and some days are just a walk. But it exercise and I'm keeping active. I hitting the gym next week to do more weights. I know my body reacts well to weight lifting from the last time I did it. Having a baby between then and now means I'm back to square one but I don't care. At least I starting.

Get out and get active guys!

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Favourite Things Friday

Happy Friday People. Can you believe it's May already. I can't wait for long hot summer days and cool summer evenings. We've been busy around these parts this last week. I've been saving up and getting bits for a while now to get our flower beds and the kids play area done. I so happy with the way they turned out. They're not completely finished. The kids playhouse need decorating and I've got more planting to do but it just make the yard look finished. I'm hoping for more fine weather so I can get it all done. What have you been doing in the lovely weather we've been getting? Anyway, enough chat, here are this weeks favourites. Which are your favourites> Let me know in the comments  or chat with me on Facebook {here} or Instagram {here}. I'd love to connect with you.

Favourite Life Hack

Favourite Dessert

Favourite Porch

Favourite Flowers

Favourite Kitchen

Favourite Craft Closet

Favourite Look

Favourite Garden Tags

Favourite Quote

Have an great weekend you lovely people.

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