Last weekend I took part in my first Adventure Race since I had my baby, so needless to say the nerves were there. It was in Wicklow - a beautiful, sunny, scenic hilly part of our country and yet a stones throw away from Dublin city. It is breathtakingly remote and incredibly beautiful. The race is affectionately known as WAR... Wicklow Adventure Race, and it took me 3 hours and 25 minutes to complete. It involved cycling, mountain running and kayaking. 

Summer would not be complete without our visits to our local nursery and pet store! Beach properties in Hermosa Beach don't often afford you the luxury of gardens or grass for that matter, but we got lucky with a little patch of grass in front of our house and just enough room to plant flowers. 

As a child I was always desperate to have a dog, I can remember pestering my poor mum time and time again for a puppy. That was in addition to the pony, that I was sure could live in my bedroom – ahhhh the innocence of children!

There is something very special about the unconditional love that both children and dogs give you. You just can’t help but feel happy when you are in the presence of happiness itself. Nothing acts as a better pick me up than children laughing just for the sake of it, or a dog having a funny five minutes charging around, simply because it has a burst of energy that it just can’t control or contain.

Hannah and Joshua love our Chocolate Labrador Bentley. They love running around the garden with him and Hannah is always keen to come on daily dog walks.

Yesterday I decided to take Bentley and the children for a walk through a park with a wooded area, which is ideal for exploring. The challenge was the undulating path, which was incredibly bumpy in places due to tree roots and once again the Terrain did not disappoint as it made easy work of the woodland floor and steep slopes. The pneumatic tyres are just superb. Knowing how easy they make walking in this kind of environment, I could never go back to any other pushchair.

We are lucky to have some fantastic walks right near the house and the Mountain Buggy Terrain has proved to be invaluable on many occasions. One of Joshua’s favorite places is near the river; the water just seems to call him. Maybe he will grow up to be a famous sailor, discovering uncharted waters or perhaps a marine biologist diving in the gorgeous waters of the tropics.

I often look at both Hannah and Joshua and wonder just who they will become and what changes to this world they will make. Ultimately, Iike any parent, I just want them to be happy, to enjoy the wonders of life and be able to treat everything they experience as a gift and an opportunity for growth. That would be an amazing thing indeed…..

Week 35 brought some exciting times to our house. The goal is to make it to 38 weeks, but these baby girls are anxious to meet the world. According to the awesome team of Dr's that I've seen more than my family over the past 9 months, my babies are ready to arrive any day now. Which put us in full 'fire drill' mode this week. Bags packed - check. Car seats installed - check. Work - uhhhh, still a list. Bathrooms cleaned - uhhhhh...ok, so not everything can be crossed off the list.

So you had a baby, and along with all of the coos and cuddles, oohs and aahs, comes the realization that maybe you should get some fresh air!  Some exercise maybe? A stroll in the park? How about a light hike on the trail?  All sound like great ideas for new moms, but will your stroller live up to your newly found active mommy lifestyle?  Being active before, during and especially after pregnancy is vital to any new mom’s overall well-being. Including your baby in outdoor activities is a great way to regain that pre-pregnancy shape and ward off the baby blues. 

Do you feel inspired and excited by the Olympics? Wow, I am! I’ve been glued to events I never even thought about before, like diving! Who’d have thought it's was such an incredible event?! I was blown away by the opening ceremony - it brought a positivity to people that was long overdue.

Sounds corny, but the only way to start is, as Nike says, Just do it! Get up, get out, get energised! I guarantee you, by just moving your body, getting the blood flowing, filling the lungs with fresh air and oxygen, and moving your joints... you're halfway there!

Nesting & Naming - two of the more fun, or potentially stressful, aspects during the 9 month gestation period. My favorite friend 'google' informs me that nesting means 'to build or having a nest.' A little deeper into the search (OK, the next search result), yielded that nesting is a term that is commonly characterized as a strong urge to clean and organize one's nest. My friends - we are in full effect when it comes to nesting... and naming.