There’s a new YouTube video that Boo and I can’t stop watching – This Girl Can is a national campaign developed by Sports England to celebrate active women, whatever their level. We saw it for the first time last week and I was immediately struck at just how true it is.

“This Girl Can is here to inspire women to wiggle, jiggle, move and prove that judgement is a barrier that can be overcome.” – This Girl Can

I think it being set to Missy Elliot’s Get Your Freak On – one of my all time favourite songs, just adds to how much I love this video; trust me I look pretty freaky after 45 minutes of spin – not to mention saddle sore, OUCH!

#operationyummymummy has taught me that being active is not pretty – well for me at least it isn’t – but it’s something I’ve come to embrace; you only have to see my Instagram feed to see that I’m no stranger to the beetroot look after spin or that I’m constantly in search for the perfect sports bra that will reduce major bounce, but still also knowing that yes my booty jiggles, and do you know what… I’m ok with that. I have the confidence to enjoy the gym and exercise but for many girls and women it can be a barrier.

I love how Boo thinks it’s funny that I’m dripping with sweat when I pick her up from crèche at the gym or that I’m so exhausted that I lay down on the hall floor once we’re home, she’s partial to joining in with planking and is a pro when it comes to squats – that’s my girl!

A new year brings new beginnings and while I won’t be making any resolutions , I do think it’s the perfect opportunity to start the year strong and to act as a role model for the younger generation – yes I sweat, and swear (a lot), I struggle, I don’t always succeed but I’m a girl (and woman) who can and when it comes to setting an example for Boo, I’m happy with that.

I’m no stranger to making New Years Resolutions, big or small I always in previous years sat down between Christmas and the new year to decide what I wanted to change, give up, take up – you name it, I’m pretty sure I’ve resolved to do it. However this year is the first where I’ve not made a resolution and yet I want to achieve so much this year that you’d think 2015 was the year of the resolution but as I’ve discovered through the years, it’s time to give up giving up.

I’m one of those people who in previous years would be at the gym 29 days in January only to flake by the middle of February – come on, those melt in the middle chocolate puddings are just too good and they come in packs of two around Valentines day!! But here I am again in January, not at my fittest, drinking 8 glasses of water a day or being able to do the splits – confused? See my resolution from a couple of years ago.

Every year I thought it would be different but recently I’ve realised that the never ending cycle of resolving to be different does nothing for me and the way I work, it just sets me up to fail and disappoint myself. Having said that I am extremely competitive and mostly with myself but I think the timing of a new years resolution just doesn’t work or maybe the inner resolver in me prefers summer, who knows – but to all of you working hard at keeping your resolutions, well done!

For me 2015 is all about the marathon and not the sprint after all I’m much better at long distance.

We all love a bit of hair envy, especially if we are the ones causing it; but with the trend of big hair here to stay, the pressure is on for salon worthy results at home.

I don’t know about you but for me it’s much easier to straighten my hair in a hurry for a sleek look rather than create the perfect bouncy look in less than half an hour, plus I’ll admit it, I’m not the best when it comes to blow drying my hair so I’m always looking for cheats to help me get the look, and well it seems I’ve found the ultimate mother’s little helper… Sleep In Rollers.

I’d heard quite a bit about Sleep In Rollers, but never really thought they could deliver the results they promised; however I received them as a gift so decided to try them out.

I am by no means a hairdresser but as you can see they’re pretty easy to put in, I had damp blow dried hair as I wanted to see what the maximum curl was like – I rolled the front section forward to give my fringe height and the rest either to the side or back depending on the section. The first time took me around 20 minutes to put them all in, although I’ve now got it down to a fine art of 10 minutes, I don’t know if you need to, but I prefer to secure each roller with a kirby grip to be safe.

They really are easy to sleep in, I know it’s different for everybody but I only woke a few times the first night and now I’m use to them so barely even know they’re there.

I tend to take them out after getting dressed and make-up, oh and running round after Boo and I find a quick arranging with the fingers and a blast of hairspray and I’m good to go, the absolute perfect cheat to that polished look pre 8am.

I’ve perfected my technique so now I fully dry my hair, straighten it then use the rollers as I find it’s the best way to tame my naturally unruly Persian hair.

So forget caffeine, this stylish mother’s little helper is Sleep In Rollers.

I love the theatre, Boo loves the theatre – we love going together and living near Wimbledon means we’re fortunate enough to have the Polka Theatre on our doorstep. The Polka Theatre is a world-class theatre for children and we were invited to watch the Grandad, Me… and Teddy Too in the Adventure Theatre; the perfect afternoon treat for Mummy and Boo.

Grandad, Me… and Teddy Too is an enchanting show based on conversations and research with local grandparents, the show has been commissioned by Polka to explore family and celebrate the special role Grandparents can play in the lives of young children. Created especially for ages 2 – 5 by leading early years director, Sarah Argent

As it’s in the Adventure theatre, it’s a really relaxed and informal performance for the children with two actors as the little ones sit on the carpet and watch. It’s a brilliant introduction to theatre and for those who are a little more experienced like Boo it’s a still engaging enough.

The story itself centres on a little girl who’s Grandad lived abroad and who she video calls almost every day, he then comes to visit and it shows how their relationship develops long distance and how the dynamics change when they’re together in real life, not forgetting Teddy too!

As a parent, Grandad, Me… and Teddy Too is a real treasure; often theatre productions aimed at young ones are loud and energetic which is brilliant, however this show is a gentle journey for the children of discovery and leaves them at the end calm and reflective. I found it a great way for Boo to explore emotions and family relationships. Children are invited to bring their own teddy, and are even given their own ticket!

Can you remember the excitement as a child of going to the theatre and feeling all grown up by having an afternoon (or evening if it was a really special occasion) with Mummy; and getting to stop and have hot chocolate and a pastry before you headed to the matinée performance of the latest craze or even a classic retold for the hundredth time –I do; I’ve had a love affair with the theatre since being very young and some of my fondest memories as a child are from days out at the theatre; including The Polka Theatre – I love how it’s now becoming a firm family favourite for Boo and me.

Grandad, Me… and Teddy Too is playing in Polka’s Adventure Theatre for ages 2 – 5 until 8th February 2015, to book please call the Box Office on 020 8543 4888 or visit www.polkatheatre.com.

Disclosure: We received free tickets to watch Grandad, Me… And Teddy too for the purpose of this review. No payment was received and all opinions are 100% honest.

Both Boo and me suffer with seasonal dry skin and are prone to the odd eczema breakout so keeping our skin moisturised is really important. For me it’s always a hard tying to find a good skincare range that strikes the right balance between being kind to your skin and not being too ‘medical’.

Aveeno is a brand that’s been around since 1945 using naturally active colloidal oatmeal and/or oat extracts to produce skincare products that help to combat dry, irritated and eczema prone skin. They’re teamed up with the acclaimed children’s author Penelope Harper to create a series of books that follow the adventures of Ellie and Eddie.

We’re fortunate that Boo is used to moisturising daily and in fact really enjoys it after her bath as I manage to sneak in a tickle or too! However for lots of young children understanding the need to keep their skin hydrated especially if theirs is sore and irritated can be a struggle. The new Aveeno book is a fun story following Ellie who has eczema and her pet Gecko, Eddie who also suffers from dry skin. Boo really enjoyed the story and at the end she even told me why it was important to keep our skin soft.

When it comes to getting Boo to enjoy her skincare routine for me it’s all about owning it – she’s three years old so like all little ones, if they think it’s their idea then they’re more likely to get involved and want to do it, When she was a baby I would sing to her and pretend to eat her feet, now we make a game of counting her fingers and toes and like a said good old fashioned distraction of tickling always seems to do the trick!

Your little ones can meet Ellie and Eddie too by downloading the book here.

For me I love how the Aveeno range works together to fit into your family lifestyle, the daily moisturising lotion is great for everyday use, and unlike other ranges that are targeted at dry skin, it’s really easy to put on and absorbs quickly. The cream is great for target areas and when your skin needs a little extra tlc and the bath oil is just lovely for a relaxing soak. The best bit? There’s no nasties and is perfect for both Boo and me.

See for yourself how Aveeno can help your family’s skin stay moisturised by requesting a free sample.

Disclosure: We were sent a selection of Aveeno products for review. No payment was received and all opinions are 100% honest.