Is it always the yellow crocuses that bloom first? Yellow first, then purple and lastly the white. For the last couple of weeks we have seen shoots appearing in the woods and parks, crocuses, snowdrops, daffodils, bluebells, tulips... In fact shoots appeared from the bulbs I have in pots before Christmas in the snow. Last weekend we walked up Ticknock, en famille. It was a gorgeous sunny day, I had even put a load of laundry out on the line to dry. We were so enthusiastic we headed up beyond the masts towards the fairy castle. We had always been too tired to make it up that far before. All of a sudden we were shrouded in clouds and it started to sleat! Needless to say we turned around and came down off the mountain very wet but happy with our adventure. From a bright sunny day it had very quickly turned into a hot chocolate sort of day! I only walked once this week, bad. bad, bad!! I couldn't help walking with a spring in my step today because it was so lovely on Killiney ...

Gosh I have fallen off the wagon already!! I have been walking but not the three times a week as I promised myself! More importantly I have not been blogging!! Well, here we go getting back up again. I have been so busy, car in the shop, birthday parties etc. This is the usual stuff in a busy Mums life, I know. So there is no for me not to excuse not to excercise and I have to get that into my head. This afternoon come hell or high water I am going to get my coach out on her new bicycle and have a good walk. She loves her new bicycle even though it is quite pink and as she is a "tom boy" now she no longer likes this colour. She was nervous at first, thinking it was too big for her. At first I had to hold onto the saddle until she gained momentum but now she is cycling away like a pro! It is a lovely sight. Now I just need to run along beside her.

I have been walking most days, some long walks, some short and sometimes twice a day! This is probably because at the beginning of the week I am very motivated so I have walked both in the morning and in the evening. Then as the week goes on, life tends to takes over and I find excuses to skip. How can I feel motivated all the time? Why is it easier to talk oneself into skipping out of a simple healthy walk?! During my walks I have noticed that Santa delivered a lot of new bicycles and helmets at Christmas. Now for one of my pet peevs!! Please make sure your childs helmet is on correctly!! It makes me cringe when I see them hanging off or sitting on the back of precious little heads. It is easy to teach children how important is it to protect themselves properly. " The helmet should sit level on the cyclist's head with only a couple of finger-widths between eyebrow and the helmet brim. The strap should sit at the back of the lower jaw, against the throat, and be suffici...