Fashion Friday: Bright White!


Happy Friday, lovelies! 
We've been lucky enough to get some good weather here lately so I've been breaking out the white jeans to celebrate the sunshine! These are my Hello! Skinny Jeans from The White Door, almost 3 years ago. My top is from Guess (I bought it on the Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas cruise ship last October!) and I am wearing a turquoise nursing singlet from Boob. I got my ballet flats from TK Maxx (I don't remember the brand - sorry!). My accessories are all the same as usual - bracelets from Alex & Ani, gold Scorpio necklace from my dad and earrings from Orelia. On my lips is Lancome Rouge in Love lipstick in 200B Rose Thé.


Emilia (or "Biba" as she now calls herself!) is wearing a mint green cupcake t-shirt from Carters and pastel pink jeans from Next. Her mint bow-bow from Layniebug Designs & lace headband from Heather's Bonny Bows. She is also wearing her canvas cupcake shoes from Start Rite (very similar style here). She insisted on taking this dolly everywhere with her today...ahh the joys of toddlerhood!  

Have a great weekend, folks! We'll be back with another summer cupcake recipe on Sunday ;)

xoxo
Anna

What I Ate Wednesday {27.5.14}


Breakfast
I started my day the usual way! With a bowl of porridge - made with Flahavans Organic Quick Oats, light soy milk (as we were out of almond), cinnamon, organic banana (1/2) and blueberries. I also had a pint of water with apple flavoured Spatone & a Lemsip to help me get over my cold! 


After my Lemsip I had a sneaky Nespresso coffee...how cool are our new cups?! I love them! 


Snack
At around 11 o'clock I was hungry again (we eat breakfast about 8am) so I grabbed a quick snack and a coffee. I had a Pink Lady apple and organic low sugar vanilla yoghurt. The Nespresso capsules I'm loving right now are the Santander ones from their Colombian range.


Lunch
Can you spot Albi in my lunch picture?! Ha ha ha! He wanted some ham & cheese :) Lunch was the norm...ham & cheese toasted panino on multiseed Panelto bread with a few San Marzano tomatoes & some cucumber slices.


Dinner
I invited my family round for dinner & whipped up this bad boy! Jamie Oliver's Chicken & Mushroom Spaghetti Bake. I've been really loving cooking for the family lately...this recipe was a total winner! It's not the healthiest though, sorry about that. But it tastes soooo good! Here's what it looked like straight out of the oven:


I definitely think I'll be cooking this again - Jonathan was in heaven! And this is the man who never liked pasta... ;)


Dessert
For dessert I had a bowl of Haagen Dazs praline & cream ice-cream (my favourite flavour!) and another Santander Nespresso coffee. It had actually been a long time since I'd had ice-cream so I really enjoyed this! Hopefully the weather heats up a bit so I can have more :)

To drink I had 2L+ water. And that's it! Hope you guys liked this week's WIAW. I'm finding them to be even more fun now that I'm getting more into cooking & trying new recipes! 

xoxo
Anna

Beauty Tuesday: May Favourites 2014!


Sorry this blog post is a tad late, but with sick babies and all that we've been having a hard time getting them down at night! :( Anyway, I have a few new favourites this month that I've been dying to share!  Here they are:



As you guys know, I recently got my hair cut & the colour re-done. This is the shampoo & conditioner they use at my salon so I decided to pick some up! So far I love it. My hair type is dry & very thick so the Wella System Professional Hydrate range works well. I also love their LuxeOil which I featured in my favourites last month! The products smell amazing & I love how they make my hair feel. Soft & shiny!


May was also the month that I finally got to put my new Clarisonic Luxe Cashmere brush head to the test! I change my brush head every 3 months and was due to change it at the beginning of May. Prior to that I had been using the standard one that came with my Clarisonic. The cashmere head is soooo soft & feels incredible on your skin! It's like a little bunny rabbit or Maltese puppy...ha ha ha! I also love how gentle this is - so you can use it around the delicate eye area too. I don't know if I can ever go back to the other brush heads after this...it's just so luxurious!

(Sorry about the weird lighting in these swatches pictures...my hands are not orange I promise!)

While in the airport last week I picked up some new lip products from Lancome! I got their Lip Lover lipgloss in the shade Beige Adage. I love the packaging of this - it opens with a clicky button which is quite cool! This shade is definitely named wrong though...it's much more of a pink than a beige and I find it matches perfectly with my Estée Lauder Crystal Baby lipstick. A lovely neutral pink shade.


I also picked up one of their new Rouge in Love lipsticks - this is 200B Rose Thé. I'm so glad I tried these out because I love this colour! It's a beautiful brown-ish/peachy nude with warm undertones. Creamy and not too matte, this gives my lips enough of a sheen to be worn without any gloss at all. I originally had bought the lipgloss to go with it but the colours are totally different. Here's what the lipstick looks like on. I've been wearing it pretty much non-stop since I got it!


Lastly, we have the Real Techniques Modern Natural Palette. At first I thought this would be too matte/not enough shimmer for me but I was wrong! The eyeshadows are actually very pretty on, quite subtle and not overpowering but highly pigmented at the same time. I'm very impressed with the colour pay-off and have been wearing them on my eyes almost everyday since I got this in the post. I admit I haven't used the blush, highlight or lipglosses yet...so this review is just based on the eye shadows & liner. Here's a better look at how they appear once applied:


Those were my beauty favourites for the month of May! Hopefully you will find this helpful next time you're shopping :) I recommend all of these products very highly!

Now it's good night from me...I'm off to bed!

xoxo
Anna

Mommy Monday: My Daily Routine!

A lot of people have asked me to do a post on my daily routine as well as how I manage anything done during the day...well here is how I do it! Working from home with two kids under two can be hard & stressful at times but I find with a good routine in place, anything is possible! This is how I maximise whatever time I have and make the most out of my day. I know this will change as the kids grow & get older but here is our little family's routine as it stands right now.


7am: I get up & start my day. Eduardo currently wakes for his "first" feed at about 6/6:30am so I'm usually already awake by this time. Since he's fed & happy I am free to leave him in bed with Jonathan while I get the chance to shower, put on makeup, get dressed, fix my hair, etc. I make a conscious effort to do this every single day as I think it makes me feel more awake & refreshed, no matter how tired I am! I also think taking a little "me-time" out of my day to look after myself is important!


7.30am: Emilia usually wakes up when she hears me getting ready and gets into bed with her daddy & Eduardo for some morning snuggles :)

8am: Breakfast! I eat breakfast with Emilia while Jonathan gets to work (he usually works all morning on editing/rendering/uploading). Eduardo is normally happy to go in his bouncer after being fed earlier that morning. I try to eat all my meals at the table with Emilia as I think it's an important bonding time!


9am: After I clean the kitchen and put away the breakfast things, I get the kids dressed for the day. I also don't feel like I've fully started my day until all the beds are made! I then put on a load of laundry (which is normally everyday in this house!), and we come back downstairs where I feed Eduardo again.

10am-12pm: I try to schedule any doctor's appointments, playdates, errands or anything else like that for this time. It's when Emilia needs the most activity to ensure she goes down well for her nap and Eduardo is usually quite happy to sleep in the car/his stroller. Otherwise we try to organise something else for Emilia to do like go to her Oma's house or play with a friend.


12pm: Lunch time! Normally we eat at home but sometimes we do go out :) Again I always try to eat with Emilia & then feed Eduardo after. I clear up the lunch things while she finishes up/plays with her toys. Then her daddy puts her down for her nap!

1:30pm-3:30pm: Nap time! Emilia still sleeps for about 2 hours which is amazing. If I'm lucky, I have fed Eduardo by this time and he will go down for a nap too. This is my "free time" to film, edit videos, write blog posts, catch up on emails, walk the dogs and basically try to get everything done while the babies are sleeping!


3/4pm: Snack time! We try not to let Emilia sleep past 4pm at the latest so that she goes to bed that night. After her nap she drinks her milk, eats a small snack & watches Peppa Pig or Ben & Holly while I'm feeding Eduardo or catching up on some editing. 


4/5pm: The late afternoon is when we try to organise some sort of outside playtime for Emilia (and eventually I'll do this with Eduardo!). I think fresh air helps kids sleep better! Obviously this is weather permitting but if it is nice outside, Jonathan will bring Emilia out for some playtime with her friends on our road while I get started on dinner.


6pm: Dinner time! Recently I've been doing more of the cooking, whereas in the past it was Jonathan who prepared most of our meals. So far I'm really enjoying cooking for the family! Once again, I try to get Eduardo fed right before-hand so that he is happy to sit in his bouncer while we eat dinner together.


7pm: Bath time! Jonathan will usually start bath-time while I clean up the kitchen. Eduardo goes first, then I take him and put on his lotion & pj's. Emilia goes after him and I start the bedtime feed in her room so I can say goodnight after her shower. When she comes in for her lotion & pj's I give her a goodnight kiss & move into our room where I finish off the rest of Eduardo's feed.


8pm: Bedtime. Usually both babies are in bed (and hopefully asleep!) by 8, all going according to plan! Emilia sleeps in her room and Eduardo in the co-sleeper in ours. He will usually sleep until about 11 or midnight if I'm really lucky!


8-10pm: Party time for mom & dad! Jonathan and I usually take full advantage of our kid-free evenings by vegging out on the couch, watching our favourite shows & eating chocolate :) We try to go to bed at 10 so that we can get some sort of sleep before Eduardo wakes up for his night feeds. Then the whole thing repeats itself again the next morning! 

Feel free to watch my video on our daily routine here!



However I have to warn you that I'm very sniffly & congested...we've all been hit by a horrible cold! :( 

xoxo
Anna

Sweet Sunday: Watermelon Slice Cupcakes!


Welcome to my new summer baking series! This is something I'm really excited about. Emilia & I are going to be inviting you into our kitchen for some mommy daughter baking fun every Sunday and sharing our favourite summer cupcake recipes! To kick things off, we've started with these super cute Watermelon Slice Cupcakes, which would be perfect for a summer BBQ!

(Recipe taken & adapted from Betty Crocker "The Big Book of Cupcakes")

To make the cupcakes you will need:

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 packet strawberry flavour jelly (in powder form)
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup pureed watermelon (about 1 1/2 cups watermelon pieces
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting you will need:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons milk or water
1 tube green gel food colouring
2 tubes red gel food colouring

To decorate: 

1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Red muffin cases


For the method & to learn how to make these, watch the video here!



(P.S. I did forget to mention to preheat the oven to 350F/175C!)
This recipe bakes 24 cupcakes. 1 cupcake = 340 calories


As you can tell Emilia definitely approves! These are surprisingly fruity & tangy cupcakes...the jelly and watermelon keeps them lovely and moist and chocolate lovers will be satisfied too as they contain chocolate chips! 


Sorry for the creepy cupcake lady picture...ha ha ha! I hope you liked our first summer recipe - let me know if you have any requests for what you'd like to see next! I have a few lovely recipes planned but I am always open to new ideas! If you bake these Watermelon Slice Cupcakes be sure to tweet me your pictures with the hashtag #SweetSunday! 

Happy Baking!

xoxo
Anna

Fashion Friday: Raspberry Stripes!


Another dreary & grey day here in Cork made me want to pull out these grey acid wash jeans from Zara! I also like to wear this outfit in the summer with white skinnies for a brighter look but they were in the wash as I wore them yesterday! The pink striped sweatshirt is from Vero Moda (I also own it in blue & white) and I am wearing a raspberry Boob nursing singlet underneath. My lip colour is Revlon Lip Butter in Pink Truffle and my ballet flats are from New Look (similar style here)!

My earrings are my Orelia hoops, I'm wearing my Alex & Ani bangles and gold Scorpio necklace from my dad. On my nails is Essie "Fiji" which I have been loving lately for spring/summer! I am also joined in this OOTD by a rather somber looking Bianca...ha ha ha :) 

Happy Friday! 

xoxo
Anna

What I Ate Wednesday {17.5.14}


Breakfast
Same ol' same ol'. Organic porridge oats with almond milk, 1/2 banana, blueberries & cinnamon! Eaten with a decaf Nespresso coffee & big pint of water with apple flavoured Spatone. No, I will never tire of this breakfast! It keeps me full till lunchtime and is deliciously healthy :)


Lunch
I made a Caprese toasted panino in our sandwich press! It tasted amazing...all you need to make it is some buffalo mozzarella (I used half a ball), San Marzano tomatoes (any tomatoes will do!), a dash of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt! If you have some fresh basil on hand, add that too (I didn't). The multiseed ciabatta bread was fresh from our local bakery and I toasted this up until the mozzarella was just melted. Yum!!


I followed this up with a Pink Lady apple & vanilla kids yogurt. I used to get these yogurts for Emilia but she's more into the Go-Yos at the moment so I eat them myself! They are full size with no sugar or nasty ingredients like aspartame and all organic so they're super good for you! I like the vanilla & strawberry flavour best. I also drank another pint of water.


Emilia saying "cheeeeese!" at lunch :) Little monkey.


Dinner
I made chicken enchiladas for the first time ever! I thought they were okay...I made them using an Old El Paso kit I got and added chicken breasts, red pepper, onion and shredded mozzarella cheese. Being that the sauces all came from a box, the flavour was a bit bland. I'm sure "real" Mexican enchiladas are much better!! But it was interesting to try...maybe next time I will try them from scratch. With this I also downed another pint of water.


Dessert/Snack
This is my newest snack obsession! Tayto Bistro Gourmet Sweet & Salty Popcorn...this stuff is amaze-balls! Only 350ish cals for almost a full bag, and free from any artificial flavours. The only ingredients are maize, coconut oil, sugar and salt. If you're a fan of that sweet/salty combination like me (I love to mix Maltesers with popcorn sometimes!) you will love these! You can also get them in Jalapeno and Sour Cream flavour which Jonathan likes. I had this bowl with another decaf Nespresso and a pint of water.

That's it for this week! Let me know what your favourite snack/dessert is, and if you've tried the popcorn tell me what you think! :)

xoxo
Anna

Beauty Tuesday: Short for Summer!


I paid a visit to the hairdresser's this morning and got the big chop! I had been itching for a change and wanted to try out a new style...so I went short for summer! This time we went for a sleek a-line bob, slightly shorter in the back and longer in the front with lots of soft & piece-y layers. What do you guys think?! I am in love with this style! It's so light & fresh - I feel like a big weight has been lifted. In fact I always do get a lot of the "weight" taken out of my hair whenever I get it cut, as it's so thick & heavy! 


I also got my colour refreshed - as you know the root colour is my natural shade, and then my stylist lightens the ends in a balayage style as well as adding a few blonde pieces at the front to frame my face. I can't tell you guys how much I love this colour as it's so low-maintenance! I'm really looking forward to trying out new styles with this new length. I like it so much that I want to keep it this way for a while, so I booked another appointment for 6 weeks time (thankfully we will be back in Ireland then so I can visit the same salon!).


For those wondering I always go to Staunton Byrne in East Village, Douglas and my amazing colourist is Shane. I will only let Shelly cut my hair - she is the best and puts so much time & effort into finishing the cut perfectly!

Let me know your thoughts below! What do you think of the a-line bob? Will you be going short for summer?

xoxo
Anna

Custom Blog Design by pipdig