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Grey on Grey Outfit of the Day!

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This outfit features two of the items I got from ASOS maternity - the grey acid wash jeans and the striped jumper. I'm also wearing my charcoal grey Dune biker boots from about 3-4 years ago. I really like how relaxed & comfortable this outfit is, although the jeans are skintight so do not put them on after applying body lotion...let's just say it won't be an easy task!!  

xoxo
Anna


Halloween Decor 2013!

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Seasonal table in our living/dining room.  All candles and holders are from Yankee Candle, pumpkins are from the Farmers' Market, felt bats are from Lidl a few years ago and black/purple roses are from Hanley's Seasonal Shop.


Our dinner table


Love this candy cane scented candle from Yankee Candle! The other one I got was Trick or Treat. I smelled another one while in the shop called Happy Halloween and didn't like it. These two are very sweet & dessert-like which I love :) They make the house smell yummy!


Laundry room door - the wreath is from Hanley's (2-3 years ago) and the felt pumpkin decoration is from Lidl.


Hall/entry way - I can't remember where I got the felt witchy bunting from...maybe a craft shop? And the pumpkin lantern & decorations are from my mom a few years ago.


This creepy welcome sign lights up and is from Hanley's (last year). We used to hang it on our front door but now we keep it inside as it likes to blow away when it gets too windy!


Trick or Treat sign on our downstairs bathroom door (right at the front entrance). I bought this at Hanley's this year.


Our Halloween wreath (this lights up too) also from Hanley's Seasonal Shop, bought this year.


Spot the cute baby! Ha ha ha! :) Emilia is obsessed with the Halloween decorations - everytime I put a new one up she gets excited and wants to touch it or say hello. Holidays are so much more fun with children :)

xoxo
Anna

17 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2!

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I am 17 weeks pregnant! And no, I did not move house...but the setting is very different! That's because we are on a cruise ship right now! I was actually just leaving Barcelona, Spain when we took these bump shots :) I am so excited to share more from my trip with you guys, but for now here is my 17 week pregnancy update!


How far along? 17 weeks!
Total weight gain: No idea as obviously there's no scale on the ship ;)
Maternity clothes? Packing for this trip was really difficult...it was kind of a last minute thing so I wasn't prepared at all in terms of maternity wear being that I just bought a whole new autumn/winter wardrobe but none of those items are really appropriate for the destinations we'll be travelling to on this cruise! So I ended up taking a mish-mash of different things but now that we're here I'm realising just how badly I did...ha ha. It's hard packing for different weather in various country but especially when pregnant!
Stretch marks? No new ones.
Sleep: Good :)
Best moment this week: Going on a cruise was pretty epic! 
Miss anything? Not right now!
Movement: No :( I have thought I felt something at times but I don't know...then I stop to feel and realise it's nothing.
Food cravings: None this week!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope.
Gender: We find out in about two weeks!!  
Labor signs: No.
Symptoms: Cramping/stomach pains - and I literally just read on my last 17 week pregnancy update that I was suffering from the same thing! So that makes me feel a lot better. My boobs have also gotten huge again and I'm back into my maternity bras...boo! :(   
Belly button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or moody most of the time: Happy but verrrrry emotional!
Looking forward to: Enjoying my first cruise! :)

Check out my 17 week bump update from my last pregnancy here!

xoxo
Anna

Formal Night on the Cruise Ship!

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Last night was formal night on the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship...and here's what happened when I try to take mommy/daughter outfit of the day pictures, ha ha ha! Life with a toddler is pretty exhausting, I feel like I'm getting a full workout just running around after her. I used to think people were being ridiculous when they'd say "oh I don't have a workout routine, I just run around after my kids", well now I understand what they mean!! 

I wore my one fancy maternity dress that I own! I bought this when I was pregnant with Emilia for my cousin's wedding. It's a pink tulip dress from ASOS.  My shoes (though you can't really see them here) are patent nude peep toe sling-backs from Carvela (surprisingly comfortable with a 3 inch heel). 


Here's a better look at Emilia's dress! She is wearing a Billieblush peach tulle dress which she also wore at her birthday party. Her grey bow & ballet pink headband are from Layniebug Designs and her shoes don't match at all but they are the only pair of proper walking shoes she has and as she grows out of them in 6 weeks, I only got one pair :( They are from Clark's. 


Here's a rather dark family photo of us at dinner! Jonathan is wearing a navy blue suit from Zara. Poor Emilia is still teething - she had a rough evening, hence the finger in her mouth! Her bottom molars are just coming through. 

We are docked in Nice, France today so I am looking forward to touring Monaco/Monte Carlo later this afternoon! I will let you guys know how it goes :)

xoxo
Anna

18 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2!

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How far along? 18 weeks!  
Total weight gain: 14lbs total!  I weighed in at 129lbs this morning -- which is up 3lbs from two weeks ago! Gah! The weight feels like it's just piling on this time around!
Maternity clothes? All the time! 
Stretch marks? No new ones.
Best moment this week: This week was pretty stressful because of all the travelling we did. Not only am I pregnant but travelling with a toddler is hard work! Especially when we were working, filming, editing, etc. everyday and we managed to pack visiting 4 different countries into a very small space of time. So although it was definitely a cool experience, under the circumstances I found it quite stressful and was so happy when we got home! 
Miss anything? I do miss feeling like a normal person...I kind of wish these hormones would settle down soon!
Movement: Still nothing, but I was pretty late feeling anything with Emilia too so I'm not really that surprised.
Food cravings: No...how boring!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!
Gender: We find out NEXT WEEK! I can't wait :)
Labor signs: No.
Symptoms: Cramping/stomach pains -- exactly how it was this time last pregnancy! My face is still breaking out a lot around my chin/jawline which I know is hormonal. And I have been feeling very emotional! Literally the smallest thing can set me off and make me cry!
Belly button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or moody most of the time: Moody/emotional! 
Looking forward to: Finding out what we're having! 

Check out my 18 week bump update from my first pregnancy here!

xoxo
Anna

October Favourites 2013

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These are my favourite products of the month!  

Elemis Japanese Camellia Oil Blend
My spa therapist used this on my hands & feet when I got my mani/pedi done on the cruise ship. I love the smell - it's not too strong or overpowering but still luxurious. It feels amazing on the skin and makes it super soft. I use this on my belly & feet. It is also recommended to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy!

Elemis S.O.S. Tea Tree Spray
My manicurist used this as a treatment on my nails which were very stained from constantly wearing nail polish and the results were amazing! I can't tell you how impressed I was. She just sprayed and left it to do its job...after a few minutes my nails were clear & white. I couldn't believe the results!

The Body Shop White Musk Smoky Rose 
I was totally surprised by this perfume as I did not think I would like it. It is actually a very fruity, light and quite sweet scent which I love. I've been wearing it everyday since I got it!

HD Brows Bronzer (2)
I received this bronzing powder in a recent Glossybox and loved it. I have been using it as a contour as it's matte and really warms up my face without looking patchy or muddy. It is highly pigmented as most HD Brows products are though, so a light hand is definitely necessary when applying it to the face!

Be A Bombshell Onyx Eyeliner
This was another Glossybox discovery and I'm so glad I found it! I am so picky when it comes to eyeliner but this ticks all the right boxes. It doesn't budge once applied, even if wet (I do a lot of crying in my pregnant hormonal state!!). As it is a felt tip liner, I find it super easy and foolproof to apply.

Dior Earth Reflection Eyeshadow Palette
I purchased this in duty-free at the airport on my way to Barcelona and it has become a staple in my makeup bag ever since. It features all my favourite shades - champagne, frosty pink, dark brown, gold and taupe/light brown. All of these are shimmery, very pigmented and have no fall-out. A big thumbs up from me!

Essie Island Hopping Nail Polish
I would describe this as a smoky purple or dusky lavender. It's a more unique choice of nail colour for autumn but works extremely well with a lot of greys or neutral tones which I tend to wear in the colder months. Like all Essie polishes it lasts a long time (almost a week, depending on how careful you are) and doesn't chip easily.

Maybelline Forever Strong Nail Polish in Dark Denim
This isn't a new purchase but more of a rediscovered favourite. I don't usually tend to wear such dark colours on my nails but I really like this one for autumn! It's a deep navy blue and lasts about 1 week.

Yankee Candle Candy Corn
Finally for my non-beauty favourite, I had to recommend my newest Yankee Candle! This has been burning in our house pretty much all month long and I am obsessed! It makes the entire house smell sweet and yummy :) 

xoxo
Anna

Halloween Ghost Cupcakes!

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I found this cute cupcake decorating idea in my Betty Crocker Big Book of Cupcakes.  They look a lot more impressive than they really are to make - they are actually deceptively easy to do, especially with a few optional shortcuts ;)

To start out with, you will need a basic chocolate cupcake recipe. You could use a box if you like or bake them from scratch (which I did - the recipe is in my Betty Crocker book but you can use whichever's your favourite!).  Instead of using muffin cases, I used short ice-cream cones which you can buy at Tesco or in any supermarket. I filled them until they were about 1/4 of the way full and baked in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 175 degrees Celsius.    


The book gives you a recipe to follow for the icing but I just bought some roll-out Regal Ice by Dr. Oetker.  I rolled 1 and 1/2 inch balls onto a surface with lots of icing sugar so it wouldn't stick.  To make the ghosts, I rolled them out until they were thin sheets about 5 inches in length/width and then carefully draped them onto the upside down ice-cream cone cupcakes. I then slightly wet the front and stuck three chocolate chips on to make a little ghost face.  And that's it!

Let me know if you try these yourselves...tweet/send me your pictures or tag me! I would love to see what you come up with :)

xoxo
Anna

Happy Halloween!

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Happy Halloween from our 7th puppy, Emilia! Yes that's right - she wanted to be a member of the pack for just one night and dress up as a little pink poodle! Needless to say the costume was a huge hit and I think she won the prize for cutest pooch in the neighbourhood.  (I bought her costume from TheCostumeShop.ie for those asking.) Unfortunately she hated the headpiece so we had to bribe her with a lollipop so she would keep it on for the pictures!


We didn't take her out trick-or-treating around our neighbourhood as she's still a bit snotty getting over a cold but she had the best time answering the door to all the other trick-or-treaters and checking out their costumes! Everytime the doorbell rang she got so excited...and not even the creepiest costume could faze her! Clearly Emilia takes after her mama ;)


Eh...why am I not outside with the rest of the pack?!


We did take Emilia to my mom's house and to visit another friend of ours, so she had a little taste of trick-or-treating! I can't believe next year we'll have two...eek!

I hope you all had a very happy & safe Halloween! Until next year ;)

xoxo
Anna


Style Saturday: Black on Black

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Top/ASOS, Maternity Jeans/ASOS, Boots/Ravel (ASOS), Earrings/Orelia, 

Today is my first baby girl Sina's 3rd birthday! I can't believe she's 3 and already has 4 kids...ha ha ha! This was actually Monday's outfit and the first time I wore my Ravel boots from ASOS. They are surprisingly really comfortable! I'm impressed. I think they have about a 3.5 inch heel, they're not stiff in the front and break in very easily. I'm still really disappointed about the stains in my black maternity jeans though! :( As I mentioned in a recent vlog, they were absolutely lovely until I washed them the first time and they came out covered in white-ish stains. A few of you mentioned using liquid rather than powder detergent and washing them inside out - but I had done all of these things! I'm afraid I will have to dye them which is kind of a pain. Other then that I love how they fit and they don't attract hair which is a plus, especially with 6 white doggies ;)


We didn't buy Sina a present this year (only because all the dogs already have way too many toys/beds/treats/everything they could ask for!) but her birthday pupcakes are in the oven and we're taking her & Albi with us to my mom's house for dinner which is a special treat :) I haven't even thought much about my birthday tomorrow...Jonathan asked me to give him a wish list of items that I want but I found it so difficult to come up with anything! I honestly feel really happy and grateful for everything I have at the moment! Maybe if Emilia were out of nappies or if I weren't pregnant again I would have asked for a nice bag but right now it just isn't practical! I will wait a few more years :) 


I hope you're all having a lovely weekend! I will be uploading another fashion video tomorrow instead of Friday as I wanted to include my birthday outfit :)

xoxo
Anna

Birthday Outfit & Lovely Gifts!

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Here's what I wore on my birthday! I had a wonderful day spent with my lovely family :) We went out to dinner tonight and I chose to wear this grey Vero Moda tunic dress which is not maternity but has always worked really well with a bump! I just tie the belt a little higher than it's meant to be and it makes my bump look like a present!  Underneath I'm wearing some Kate Thomas maternity leggings & matching tank top which are super comfortable. I've also been loving my black wedge boots lately, these Chinese Laundry ones just add a cute unique touch to any outfit...and they're really cosy too! I kept my accessories silver to match the greys in my outfit and wore my Swarovski heart necklace, Dyrberg Kern stainless steel and silver Tiffany's heart bracelet along with my Orelia hoop earrings. On my nails is Laqa & Co. Greedy Guts which I'm so disappointed with - it chipped almost straight away! :( And on my lips I have on Eyeko Liptastik Glossy Lip Pen in Lip Lover and Maybelline Superstay 10hr Stain Gloss in Forever Coral (this shows up more of a red than a coral). 


Jonathan did an amazing job of spoiling me once again this year - here were his presents! (Although Emilia said the palette was from her ;) 


I got the Clarisonic Plus in Light Pink Floral. This comes with both a sensitive face & body brush head, three different cleansers, a body polish and of course the charging cradle. I have wanted to try this for so long! I was really looking forward to using it tonight but unfortunately you have to charge it for 24 hours before you can do that...boo! I will let you know how I like it!


I also got the absolutely beautiful Bobbi Brown Old Hollywood Eye Palette which comes with nine different neutral shades...this is so pretty! I can't wait to try it out :) 

I will do a proper birthday haul post later on this week but for now good night, and I hope you all had a relaxing Sunday! 

xoxo
Anna

19 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2!

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First off - apologies for the out-of-focus pictures, I took these with my DSLR using the timer and I couldn't get the focus right without a second person! Usually Jonathan is home to take my bump shots but he wasn't here today. And as you can see Emilia wanted to get in on the action too ;)

How far along? 19 weeks!  
Total weight gain: 13lbs total!  I weighed in at 128lbs this morning -- which is down 1lb from last week. 
Maternity clothes? All the time! 
Stretch marks? No new ones.
Best moment this week: Feeling the baby move for the first time :)
Miss anything? Not really!
Movement: Yes!! I think it happened the morning after I posted my last bump update  actually - I had been whinging to Jonathan about how I hadn't felt anything yet and to that he replied "I bet I can get it to move!" I was sceptical, but he started poking and jiggling my belly...then lo' and behold I felt a little kick! And another, and another...and another. The baby is still quite small (it's about the size of a mango) so it's not like I feel a lot of movement everyday and sometimes I don't even know if it's movement or just indigestion! But it was so reassuring to feel a few strong kicks :)  
Food cravings: No...how boring!
Anything making you queasy or sick: My stupid prenatals :( I hate them so much!! I don't remember them making me this sick last time. I've had to stop taking them in the morning but the downside to this is that I often forget to take them at all later on! 
Gender: We find out this week. I still think girl, although I have had a very vivid dream that it's a boy but I just have a feeling it's the opposite!
Labor signs: No.
Symptoms: Heartburn & hormonal acne.
Belly button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or moody most of the time: Happy :) 
Looking forward to: My next doctor's appointment!

Check out my 19 week bump update from my first pregnancy here!

xoxo
Anna

Birthday Haul!

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I got some really gorgeous presents for my birthday this year. I am so grateful for every single one and got a lot of requests to share. So here it is - a little birthday haul :) Maybe it will give you some ideas for Christmas presents or your own wishlist! 


Clarisonic Plus in Pink Floral from my husband Jonathan


Bobbi Brown Old Hollywood Eye Palette from Jonathan


Alex + Ani bracelets from my sister


Alex + Ani earrings from my mom


Cute heart mug, sugar cookie candle (both from TK Maxx) and infinity scarf (Accessorize) from my other sister!


Cos bracelet from my mom


Beaded jewellery box from my mom


Ted Baker phone pouch from my lovely friend


Aqua dinner plates (TK Maxx) from my mom


Zara coat from my mom - we bought this together last week & I love it! 

Hope you enjoyed, and thank you so much for all the birthday wishes - both on here and on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram! 

xoxo
Anna

Harvest Apple Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

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I am doing a seasonal cupcake baking series on my blog and YouTube channel where I will be sharing my favourite autumn/Thanksgiving recipes with you every Wednesday of this month! So here is my first delight, Harvest Apple Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. This is a delicious recipe from Betty Crocker's Big Book of Cupcakes which you will love if you're a fan of apples & cinnamon! My husband Jonathan can't eat butter, so he just eats these without the frosting and he LOVES them! Even Emilia is obsessed :)


To make the cupcakes you will need:

1 and 1/2 cups caster sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups plain/all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped cooking apples
1 cup mixed nuts (I use walnuts & pecans)

For the cream cheese frosting you will need:

8oz (226g) cream cheese
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 teaspoons whole milk
4 cups icing sugar

Watch my video on how to make them here


The recipe bakes 24 - I gave a dozen to my mom & sisters and am bringing another 1/2 dozen to my mommy group tomorrow! I hope you love these as much as we do! Let me know if you try them and be sure to tweet me your pictures or tag me on Instagram/Facebook!

xoxo
Anna

Grey Day!

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Cardigan/Vila (LoveClothing), Top/Vila, Maternity Jeans/ASOS, Boots/Dune

Another grey outfit for a grey day! If you can't already tell by the lighting, the weather has been rather gloomy & overcast lately so the colours in this look are quite fitting! Also don't mind the drool stain on my leg...this has become Emilia's trademark. She leaves little trails of drool and/or snot on my pants when she runs up to me and hugs my legs - ahh the glamour of motherhood! Ha ha ha...


This Vila cardigan is not maternity but it's so oversized & cosy that I've been getting a lot of use out of it lately. Underneath I'm wearing a basic black long-sleeve top (also non-maternity) and my ASOS grey maternity skinnies. The boots are what I like to call my "biker boots" even though they have never been anywhere near a motorbike ;) 


If you missed our gender reveal vlog, you can watch it here! We found out on Tuesday and we are both over the moon :) I can't even begin to explain how lucky and thankful we feel for this amazing blessing <3

xoxo
Anna


Fashion Friday: A Little Insight

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Cardigan/Gap, Tank Top/InWear or Part Two (can't remember!), Maternity Jeans/ASOS, Boots/LoveClothing, Earrings & Bracelets/Alex+Ani 

Here is the outfit that I wore to our doctor's appointment this Tuesday! I am absolutely loving my new Alex + Ani jewellery that I was given for my birthday. Although I generally tend to gravitate towards more silver/grey/black during the colder months I really wanted to incorporate these new pieces into a few autumn looks!  


Neither the cardigan nor the tank top in this look are maternity but I did wear this top all throughout my last pregnancy and it is actually quite long so I feel it works to cover the bump! The jeans are probably some of the most comfortable maternity skinnies I own...they are so stretchy and fit really well. 


As most of you know by now, we found out at our last scan that we are having a baby boy! We could not be happier and feel so blessed. I've been asked a lot about the name we've chosen for our baby and for various reasons I've decided to keep it private until after he is born. I feel like I share so much of my life with you guys and although I love to include you all in what I do, I also think it's important to keep certain things to myself. It is very hard when I constantly get judged for every single tiny thing I do...lately there have been some serious breaches into my private life and a small percentage of nasty people have crossed the line. When people write silly gossip or make up rumours on the internet, I know not to let it bother me as it doesn't affect my real life. However when certain attacks of this nature filter into my real life, this is when it becomes scary and I can honestly say that in recent weeks I have felt violated and harassed. So while I do want to continue to share with you guys, I need to be careful and also have to protect myself against nasty individuals out there who wish to cause me harm. I know that these people are in a very small minority but I do feel that this is one of the reasons I've decided to keep a couple of things private. Thank you so much for understanding...I truly appreciate all of your positive comments and support - I know that the majority of you are lovely people. I just felt I owed you guys an explanation and some insight into what's been going on. 

xoxo
Anna


20 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2!

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How far along? 20 weeks 1 day! I am officially halfway there!
Total weight gain: I'm sick with a horrible cold/sore throat so weighing in this morning was the last thing on my mind! I will update this info sometime this week ;)
Maternity clothes? Yes, although the t-shirt I'm wearing in this post is not maternity and it actually fits really well (for now, we'll see how far it can stretch!). It is actually one of our new Friendliest Friend t-shirts that go on sale very soon! Jonathan is working with a very talented graphic designer on getting the website up and running so I will let you know when it's finished.
Stretch marks? No new ones but my belly is soooo itchy! :( I am oiling it up every night in hopes that I don't get anymore.
Sleep: I know I'm not getting enough...going to bed too late and waking up too early is not really the best option for anybody! 
Best moment this week: Finding out the gender of our baby :)
Miss anything? Feeling well, I hate being sick! Other than that, no.
Movement: Yes - I feel movement on a daily basis now although it's still quite light and nothing too strong...no big kicks yet!
Food cravings: Nope, but I have been really hungry this week - or at least I was before I got this cold!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really, except I'm still not drinking half as much coffee as I used to. I will order a decaf Americano if we're out somewhere but I don't take one for breakfast anymore, or in the afternoon either which I used to do all the time!
Gender: We found out last Tuesday that we are having a BOY!!!!!! I can't believe it :) We are so thrilled even though I am a bit nervous at the same time...I don't know the first thing about boys! But I am looking forward to having one of my own!


Labour signs: No.
Symptoms: Bigger boobs (I'm back up to an E cup again...ahh!!) hormonal acne, heartburn, itchy bellybutton/belly! I remember this symptom from last time round and it was so irritating! I think it means that the skin around my bellybutton is stretching and you are not supposed to scratch as it can cause more stretchmarks but sometimes it gets unbearable! Like I said above, I have been using oils & creams to prevent them as much as possible. I also just got a call from my midwife this afternoon letting me know that my iron levels are low, so I have had to be put on an iron supplement. Hopefully this will help with my energy levels! 
Belly button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: Shopping for our baby boy!!



Maple Cornmeal Cupcakes with Maple Butter Frosting

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The second recipe of my Thanksgiving cupcake baking series is for Maple Cornmeal Cupcakes with Maple Butter Frosting. I love anything corn related at Thanksgiving, whether it's cornbread or baked corn and my mom sometimes even bakes cornbread muffins which make for a delicious savoury treat! I wanted to incorporate cornmeal into at least one of my recipes and this one is perfect! I got the idea from Betty Crocker's Big Book of Cupcakes but made a few slight changes to the recipe.


To bake the cupcakes you will need:

1 and 1/2 cups plain flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk


To make the maple butter frosting you will need:

4 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons maple syrup
3-4 tablespoons milk

Pecan halves for decorating

Watch my video on how to make them here!


As you can tell, Emilia loved them! :)


This recipe bakes 18 cupcakes. Unfortunately I am still sick so I can't taste them! Boo! That is the worst ever! But I'm told they are lovely - the texture is grainy like cornbread and I think this would be a perfect Thanksgiving treat! Please let me know if you try these and as always, tweet me your pictures or tag me on Instagram/Facebook if you do. 

xoxo
Anna

21 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2!

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How far along? 21 weeks 1 day!
Total weight gain: 16lbs! Weighed in at 131lbs this morning.
Maternity clothes? All the time. Though the cardigan & top I'm wearing in these photos are not maternity!
Stretch marks? I actually have a funny/embarrassing story about stretch marks. So last week the itchy belly I was experiencing made me quite paranoid about developing new stretch marks and when I went looking for signs of them, I discovered some faint purple/blue-ish coloured ones on both sides of my belly. There seemed to be two on each side and were pretty symmetrical. Of course I was quite upset about it, just because I knew this was how they usually appear - first blue, then red-ish pink and then eventually they fade to white. Anyway, I went on a girls' weekend to a hotel with my two friends and while taking a shower I noticed that these "stretch marks" were actually running all the way up my body - right up my belly and onto my boobs!! I then realised that they were not stretch marks at all...they were veins! I felt so stupid...ha ha ha! Visible blue/purple veins are a pregnancy symptom, I think it's because of the increase in blood volume when you are pregnant however I didn't get that last time so I wasn't expecting it! 
Sleep: I was thinking about this recently...and have realised just how lucky I've been with sleeping comfortably this pregnancy. This is actually surprising given how soon I popped out this time! But I haven't even had to use any pregnancy/extra pillows yet and I know I was definitely using them by now in my first pregnancy. Right now I feel like I can sleep any position I want, even on my belly sometimes (though usually on my side is the most comfortable)!
Best moment this week: Spending a relaxing weekend at a hotel with my two other mommy friends...it was a welcome & long-awaited break!
Miss anything? Not really.
Movement: Yes! I'm still waiting for those big strong kicks but the flutters & little mini flips are definitely there.
Food cravings: No, those seem to have gone away.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope - still off coffee for the most part though!
Gender: BOY!
Labour signs: No.
Symptoms: My symptoms are really the same as last week's...a little heartburn, some hormonal acne, itchy belly, oh and now visible veins!!  
Belly button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: Planning the nursery, shopping for boy clothes...lots of exciting things to come :)

xoxo
Anna

Autumn Leaf Cupcakes

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Here is the third recipe from my Thanksgiving cupcake baking series - autumn leaf cupcakes! This is a chocolate lover's dream as it consists of a chocolate cupcake with chocolate cream frosting and the autumn leaves are made from melted chocolate chips! I'm not usually a big chocolate fan but I have to admit that these are pretty tasty as the cupcake isn't too sweet. (For reference I used Bournville Baking Cocoa.)

To make the chocolate cupcakes you will need:

2 cups plain flour
1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking soda 
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup hot water
2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
3/4 cup butter
1 and 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

To make the chocolate cream frosting you will need:

1/2 cup butter
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted & cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups icing sugar
3-4 tablespoons milk


For the leaf cut-outs I just used 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, melted.  To watch my full recipe video on how to make these click here

Hope you enjoy these cupcakes, let me know if you try them out!

xoxo
Anna

Fashion Friday: Warm Wool

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Jumper/New Look Maternity, Leggings/Selected, Boots/London Rebel, Earrings/Orelia, Bracelets/Dyrberg Kern & Tiffany's, Necklace/Swarovski, Lipstick/Rimmel Airy Fairy

It's been so cold here this week, all I want to wear is wool! This outfit is particularly cosy & comfortable for the chilly weather, with the knitted jumper and wool leggings. I also love that although the leggings are not maternity, if I undo the zips at the sides it gives my bump room to grow! I feel like my belly at 21 weeks looks like it did last time at 28 weeks! It's huge! As much as this pregnancy is going by very quickly, sometimes I forget that I'm only just over halfway because of how much bigger I look and I expect to feel huge kicks & movements even though they are still quite faint & fluttery. It can be confusing!


I took these pictures by myself using the tripod as Jonathan was away all day and Emilia was down for a nap (not that she could have taken them...ha ha ha! I just thought I'd mention that!). What's cool about her nap schedule is that although she's only down to one hour and 1/2 nap a day, she is now going to bed an hour earlier. Which means more free time for mommy & daddy :) Woo hoo!

I hope you're all having a lovely Friday! I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving! 

xoxo
Anna

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