nicesimplethings

summer

8 May

freshly cut grass

shells

bank holidays

sea smells

trashy harlan coben books

99 with a flake

big blanket. outside fun.

howth

girlie may birthdays

pretty painted toes

rain

reading at breakfast

sitting in the park with the girls

sand

sunny balcony time

hearing the ice-cream man

holidays

packing

not working

going for a run in the sun

new people

smell of sun cream

rain. sun. sun. rain. cloud. sun. rain. rain. rain.

silly music

bare legs

coconut smell

long drives

easkey

flipflops

dinner outside

dogs

bbq smells

takeaway coffees with siobhan

bees

tattoos on show

fun weekends away

smoothies

heat

freckles

someone else putting on my aftersun

summery lists

Tags: summer, summer in ireland, summertime, things i love

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Categories lists

easy homemade protein bars

2 May

need:

200g mixed nuts & seeds (chopped almonds or hazelnuts work well)

150g desiccated coconut

5 teaspoons low fat natural yoghurt

100 ml coconut oil

2 1/2 scoops vanilla protein powder

make:

chop nuts

melt coconut oil

mix all together

place cling film in a lunchbox or similar

spoon the mixture into the box and squash it down

put it in the freezer for about and hour and a half

chop into little squares and separate with grease-proof paper

eat and enjoy

YUM 🙂

Tags: coconut and almond protein bars, coconut bars, healthy snacks, no cook protein bars, protein bars

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Categories recipes

healthy eating = healthy tummy. simple.

7 Apr

so anyone who knows me know that i am – usually- quite conscious of what i put into my tummy.

at the moment i’ve been bulking up on these bad boys below, and have to say, i’m really seeing (and feeling) the benefits:

almonds with the skin still on

green tea

green veggies-

avocado/guacamole

water

fish

eggs

nutty, superfood salads from m&s

humous on rice cakes

crunchy oriental stirfries

bounce balls- available at all good health shops

coconut butter- used as cooking oil-

cashew nuts and pine nuts – on top of my stirfry

flaxseed, chopped hazelnuts, linseed and bran with my porridge

i’ve also tried to stick to eating carbs- in so far as possible- to post-workout, thanks to the advice of the lovely guys at the edge gym in clontarf. i’ve started to take some of their supplements too to help make sure i get everything i need to keep my body healthy, strong and full of energy. you can buy them here.

give the above a try and i guarantee you’ll see a huge improvement in your overall energy- you’ll feel less sluggish, more motivated and less hungry. give it a go at least. feel good.

Tags: good food, gym dublin, healthy diet, healthy eating, healthy living, nutrition, supplements dublin, the edge gym clontarf

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Categories edible beauty, lists

in my makeup bag *right about now

31 Mar

i am absolutely in no way faithful at all, at all, to beauty products.

i have yet to be sucked in and involve myself in any form of relationship with or commitment to a particular brand.

this is what i am currently seeing and due to my frivolous beauty junkie nature, these guys may not even be around in a few months…let’s be honest…

but for now i am LOVING:

pure ultra soothing lip balm from good ole m&s

l’oreal true match foundation in d3-w3

l’oreal true match the touche magique in d.w-1-2

mac studio careblend pressed powder in medium (loyal)

benefit they’re real mascara in black

benefit creaseless cream shadowliner eyeshadow base in tattle tale

mac powerpoint eye pencil in bountiful brown (loyal)

rimmel eyebrow pencil in hazel 002 (loyal)

mac pro longwear lip pencil kiss me quick

dior addict lipstick in 465 singuliere *great for making your teeth look whiter

estee lauder perfume sensuous nude

Tags: benefit, dior, in my bag, l'oreal, mac, makeup, they're real mascara, true match

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Categories in my bag

strength

21 Mar

strength

/streNG(k)TH/

noun

1. the quality or state of being strong, in particular.

2. physical power and energy: ‘exercise can help build your strength’

synonym

vigour- power- force- might- potency

Tags: ballerinas, dancing, homeless, hugs, rugby, sport, strength, strong, tears, yoga

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Categories stills

Great Ireland Run April 2013- ah go on!

27 Jan

guys, i don’t like reading post about people who run a mini-marathon every two weeks and harrass their friends into sponsoring them etc etc…

BUT. just a tiny, i think worth-reading but.

i have just signed up to do the great ireland run, which takes place on sunday the 14th april at 1pm in phoenix park in aid of st. francis hospice in raheny. this charity is very close to my heart as they helped my family and i through my mother’s terminal illness, lung cancer for ten long months. she was diagnosed in 2010 with aggressive small cell lung cancer and passed away 10 months later in our home.

the illness caused her discomfort, pain and an emotional rollercoaster every day. this is where the hospice team came in. as her primary carer i needed a break, i needed advice and i needed a friendly ear. they treated mum with respect, made her feel as comfortable as possible and joked, laughed and made light of any serious issues so as to keep her as positive as possible for as long as possible.

this is not me trying to make anyone feel guilty, not at all. i am simply explaining why these people deserve any help they can get- as they really are a light at the end of an otherwise dark, sad and very long tunnel. i hope you just take my word for it and that you never need to meet the team, for obvious reasons. but do know that someone you care about unfortunately will, at some stage, need their help.

you can donate here, no matter how teeny tiny. i’ll keep you posted as to my training progress with michael bodycoach and will of course post some embarrassing red faced sweaty photographs or both pre and post race :

this is for you mum xx

wish me luck x

Tags: bodycoach, couch to 10k, Great Ireland Run April 2013, Lung Cancer, quit.ie, Raheny Hospice, smoking

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Categories vids

new year, new to-do list…

5 Jan

so i’m obsessive about to-do lists. anyone who knows me knows that much…

so for 2013 i couldn’t wait to get my hands on a nerdy new moleskine (notes on an iphone simply don’t cut it) and start scribbling for the new year.

here’s what i came up with:

more travelling– already planning a trip to zakynthos with the girls and possibly a trip to new york and miami is on the cards although wouldn’t mind another sunny break after the summer…and dream of new zealand to visit kiri, brian and sophie and australia to visit nicole, maria & steen wuhu! need to start saving asap meh…

more learning- enrolled myself in a masters in digital marketing starting february 19th so i can be an even nerdier nerd and learn more ‘onliney stuff’ to keep my brain ticking over. next task is new desk but might have to draft some help to put that one together eek!

learn something new- got a guitar for my birthday from my brother and dad so going to get cracking on this pretty soon 🙂

challenge myself- started bikram yoga this week at init yoga and it’s awesome! very tough but feel like i have totally pushed myself after each class…i’m still pretty crap so hoping it get’s a little easier…or i get a little better! 🙂

get moving- need to finish learning to drive, pass my test and get a little crash dummy to drive around…thinking a mini one or mini cooper or maybe a fiat 500? also thinking of getting myself some two wheeled transport…

more fun weekends- not necessarily boozy weekends but i finally need to address that i didn’t get to see everyone who lives abroad who i love and miss in 2012 😦 so need to get cracking on booking weekends to edinburgh, london, reading, cardiff, krakow and gothenburg for 2013 wuhu!! also with the new-old-wheels i’ll be able to host some little roadtrips. win!

just try and be a little healthier- eat more foods with no labels, drink more water and less caffeine, cut down on processed foods etc…maybe it’s easy to say but i also need to learn to be a little more proactive with my time as i tend to procrastinate over the teeniest tiniest things so need to get on with the show a little more, maximise my time and get the balance a little better…

i’m open to suggestions 🙂

Tags: 2013, bikram yoga, edinburgh, gothenburg, init yoga, krakow, london reading, more active, New Year's Resolutions, studying. masters in digital marketing, to-do list, travelling

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Categories lists

damn you santa- all the things i wanted but never got…

9 Dec

mr. frosty

new kids on the block’s first album

twister

racer bike

barbie magic van

gizmo

bmx

hair curlers

mini fake washing machine

baby born

teenage mutant hero turtles- all of them

sylvanian families- all of them

trip to disneyland florida

guitar

totally starting to work my way through this list- guitar and gizmo first off…and maybe twister…

Tags: baby born, barbie magic van, bmx, disneyworld florida, gizmo, mr frosty, new kids on the block, teenage mutant ninja turtles

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Categories lists

fidelity

9 Dec

I never loved nobody fully
Always one foot on the ground
And by protecting my heart truly
I got lost in the sounds
I hear in my mind
All these voices
I hear in my mind
All of these words
I hear in mind
All this music
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
Well, it breaks my heart

Suppose I never ever met you
Suppose we never fell in love
Suppose I never ever let you
Kiss me so sweet and so soft
Suppose I never ever saw you
Suppose you never ever called
Suppose I kept on singing love songs
Just to break my own fall
Just to break my fall
Just to break my fall
Just to break my fall
Break my fall
Break my fall

All my friends say
That of course it’s
Gonna get better
Gonna get better
Better
Better
Better
Better
Better
Better
Better

I never loved nobody fully
Always one foot on the ground
And by protecting my heart truly
I got lost in the sounds
I hear in my mind
All of these voices
I hear in my mind
All of these words
I hear in mind
All this music
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
I hear in my mind
All of these voices
I hear in my mind
All of these words
I hear in my mind
All of this music
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
Breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart