Life Lately #148

Hello lovelies,

As you're reading this, I'm hopefully sunning myself on the Greek island of Kefalonia! I am so ready for a holiday it's unreal. 

Anyway, flash back to last weekend, when I met up with my best girl Ricka for brunch. We hadn't seen each other for so long, it was so nice to have a catch up. We tried a new place for breakfast in town (I say new, they moved location, so it felt like a new place!) & we had the most delicious meal, overlooking the old part of town, from the top floor, with the window wide open. The weather last weekend was absolutely glorious down south & despite the recent week of rain, it still has been really warm. 

In the afternoon, I watched James play cricket. The season has recently started up again & it was lovely to bask in the sunshine while he was playing!

I went to visit mum that evening & saw the doggies. We went on a walk around the field by my parent's house & the sun was still glorious. It was so hot - unlike most bank holidays in the UK!

On Sunday, James & I went back to Shere. We visited the village a few months ago (it was a lot colder then!) & we decided to go again for another roast as it was so delicious last time. I wrote a full post on our day out which you can read here if you like. We went for another walk around the village before heading to the pub & found this adorable little library in the middle of the woods. How cute is that! We're going to take a book to trade next time we go!

It was Boop's birthday at the beginning of March so we organised a girl's day last Thursday to Brighton. It was a surprise for Boop, she had no idea where we were going or what we were doing. We started with lunch at Giggling Squid, one of our absolutely favourite place to eat, before heading to an escape room at 3pm. I'd never done one before but it was so much fun! We actually managed to solve the puzzles & escape in 47 minutes, which we were chuffed with. We're looking to go back again in the Summer, as they've just opened up another room there that looks good fun!

& finally I spent the end of the week packing! I can't tell you how excited I am for this holiday! I'm going to completely sign off social media, so will see you all when I get back next week! : )

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Life Lately #147

Hello lovelies,

I know you're probably all incredibly bored of me talking about my new house by now (especially if you read last week's post!) but I'm still absolutely loving it! I can't believe we've been moved in over a month now & the weather has been so beautiful, we've been out in the garden eating breakfast & dinners most evenings. We've also had family & the doggies over for BBQ's, which has been lovely! Honey & Harvey adore the garden & spent the first day exploring every nook & cranny they could stick their noses in. Once our grass seed has improved the lawn, I can see them sitting out there for hours! 

We have also been doing some work on the actual garden. Like I say, we've laid some weed killer & grass seed, as well as planted some flowers & seeds for onions & lettuces. I've started weeding the patio as well, but had to stop as I got so hot last weekend! I'm currently writing up another post all about falling in love with our garden, which I can't wait to share with you.

At the end of April, it was Gem's birthday. We celebrated by having the most delicious roast at a local pub. Baby Alice also said my name & made me cry, much to Boop's amusement!

At the beginning of May, James & a few of the girls & I went to watch Bo, Chris, Cathy & Ben perform in a play at our local theatre. It was such a good production! They performed Night Must Fall, a play I have to admit I hadn't heard of, which actually made it alot more interesting to watch the story unfold. 

The Sunday after, James & I went to Hever Castle. It was the most stunning day & we explored the castle & gardens before heading home to a BBQ with Allan & Maria. I've written a full post about our day here if you'd like to see what we got up to.

James & I went to Prezzo for a date night on last Wednesday. I know we live together but with our work schedules being so different, there's nothing quite like getting dressed up & spending quality time together. I have to mention my dish, it was absolutely delicious. I had the penne gorgonzola, which I'd highly recommend!

Last Saturday, the girls came round to mine for a housewarming / Eurovision night as James was in London on a stag do. We all dressed up in connection with our countries, either colours from the flag or something related to the country. We also had a prize for the highest placed country, which Char won! Congrats again Israel!

Last Sunday I went to Ikea with Cathy. We had such a good time! I managed to pick up a few extra bits for the house, including some more tea lights, which I buy on every single trip! But I did manage to resist bringing another plant home.. amazing for me as I seem to pick up a new baby every time we go..

Oh & I've been feeling like complete death this past week. I've been off sick from work & am just starting to feel human again. It always feels so wrong to me being ill at this time of year, it's Summer! I should be out in the garden with my plant babies, not wrapped up in 10 blankets sweating my face off! Nice image for you there.. haha!

Oh & I can't not mention the Royal Wedding in this post. What an amazing day, Meghan looked absolutely stunning & I honestly couldn't have been more proud of our country. I actually wish I'd booked the day off work & had the girls round because it would have been so much fun as I heard there were so many wonderful events in our area!

& finally yesterday James & I went to Brighton as we had some vouchers to use at Café Rouge. Never, ever again will be go to Brighton on the same day as the "mini marathon". The journey was supposed to take us 45 minutes max, but we ended up on the road for 2 hours. The traffic was at a complete standstill in some places & we had to call the restaurant twice to say we were going to be late! They were very understanding & weren't fully booked thankfully, so we managed to get a table & sit down to eat at 2.15pm, instead of our initial reservation at 12.45pm. We had planned to go shopping for last minute holiday bits as well, but we couldn't face the shops after the ordeal of getting there, so we headed home! We had a lovely lunch regardless, it was just so frustrating!

How has your week been lovelies? Did you watch the Royal Wedding?

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Life Lately #145

Hello lovelies,

In my last post, I mentioned James & I were heading to Crufts for the weekend in Birmingham & if you follow me on Instagram, I'm sure you would be sick of seeing all my dog pictures, but it honestly was so much fun! I got to meet the wonderful JB from The Kingsman & Fru Fru from Beauty & The Beast! I also got to stroke about a million different dogs, I was in heaven.

We stayed in the most adorable Air B'n'B, which was perfect for us. As we were driving up late Friday night, we wanted somewhere we could access after 10pm, which surprisingly limits you on the places you can book! Jo's home was perfect for us & was warm & welcoming when we arrived. Oh & if you haven't booked with Air B'n'B before, you can use my code to get £25 off your first trip! It's the first place I check when James & I are looking for a short break away.

On Sunday it was Mother's Day, so we went over to my parents' for lunch with my grandparents. Mum had made the table look incredible as always, laid out with way too much food. We bought Nan some presents too, here she is buried in a massive box! It was hilarious seeing her open it!

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm slowly building up my book collection & recently added Lily Pebbles' book, The F Word. I'm only a few chapters in, but I'm finding it really interesting & very relatable. Have you got a copy?

Last Thursday I met up with my girlies for Pizza & a catch up & it was so lovely to see them & hear all about Boop's birthday! I can't wait to get our plans together for her surprise.. ; )

& finally, I couldn't do another update post without mentioning the snow again.. I mean.. what is actually going on.. it's nearly the first day of Spring!? James & I came back late Saturday night to find our parking space covered by snow, it made our little flat look so pretty. It's now only 2 & a half weeks till we move seriously not looking forward to packing up everything but we're extremely excited to get settled in now. I'm just going to miss our little flat so much.

How has your March been lovelies?

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Life Lately #140

Hello lovelies,

Sometimes with these life update posts, it takes me ages to fill them, but this month has been so manic, with events & social gatherings, it was pretty easy to get this one together so soon after my previous one!

Last Friday morning, I visited my friend Lorna at her new place. It was so lovely to have a catch up with her over a cup of tea & a shortbread. I absolutely loved her new place & it's the perfect area for exploring which I know she loves to do. We exchanged Christmas presents, I opened mine early as she explained I'd enjoy it more on the lead up to Christmas. How adorable is it!? James & I have placed it right by the door as you enter our flat so it's the first thing you see : )

I also caught up with Shez on the Friday afternoon. (Friday was so manic as I literally went straight to work after the socials!) We had a tea & swapped pressies. I actually wanted to desperately write this post to tell you what she got me, as she was seriously paranoid I wouldn't like it, but I love it. It's a massive pug canvas, which matches perfectly with our pug cushions at home. I need to find the perfect place for him to live, but at the moment he's residing under the Christmas tree!

As I said, after meeting the girlies, I headed to work for Christmas Jumper Day! I blogged a few weeks back showing you my favourite red jumpers from the high street this year & I purchased the Dachshund one from Tesco! I absolutely love it so much, definitely wearing it for Christmas day!

On Saturday, the girls & I travelled to Wakehurst Place for the Glow-Wild Lantern Walk. We booked our tickets way back in September, as it sold out almost immediately last year. The walk itself was quite muddy, but absolutely beautiful. It took you through the grounds of the house & actually into the house at the end, with lots of little photo opportunities on the way. They had some hot chocolate, waffles & marshmallow stands at the end, which smelt incredible. Definitely recommend going if your local. 

James & I had a day off together last Sunday, so we spent the day wrapping & watched Love Actually in the evening. It's my favourite Christmas film & I couldn't wait to watch it this year, I actually might try & watch it again in the next few days if I have time..

So, I started organising our work Christmas meal back in September & on Wednesday it all came together. This year we decided to go to Bills in our local town, for a 3 course meal. It was so delicious, I couldn't fault it! I'm so lucky to work with such amazing people, I couldn't do the job I do without them.

& finally I spent yesterday with mum, wrapping the last few pressies & trying on Christmas jumpers with the dogs. Just look at Honey! She is going to look extremely festive on Christmas day!

I hope you all have an amazing Christmas & Happy New Year if you celebrate it! : )

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Life Lately #139

Hi lovelies,

Why did someone forget to remind me how busy December is!? Literally, I have no time to breathe at the moment. My diary is fit to burst & with one day off in the lead up to Christmas, it's all a bit manic.

I managed to meet up with my girlies at Nandos the week before last for a catch up over some chicken. I also got to see Boop for a Christmas drink at Costa which was so lovely. We went after work about 6pm & it was so quiet. Perfect time to have a drink & catch up over a hot chocolate. We also went & bought her perfume with the voucher I gifted her for her birthday earlier this year.

I mentioned in my previous post that James & I celebrated our 5 year anniversary a week early, so last Friday, we had a cosy night in with a takeaway. You can read about what we got up to here for our actual anniversary if you like.

Like I mentioned, December has started! This year I was kindly gifted the M&S advent calendar by my mum, which I adore. All the products I've opened so far have been beautiful & I get so excited opening it each night! I'm filming each day over on my Instagram stories, so make sure you're following me over there to see what I get!

On 3rd December, James & I put up our Christmas tree! This is the first one we've ever bought together, so it felt really special putting it up & decorating it. It looks so pretty in our little flat, I can't wait to stuff a million & 1 pressies underneath!

We also put on our Christmas bedding last week. I don't know what it is about Christmas duvets, but they just make everything so much better!

Oh look at Harv. He's been feeling extremely Christmassy this week. I popped round to see mum & wrap a few pressies & write some cards & he was so adorable. He even posed for a picture with his christmas hat on.. keep an eye out for that in the next few weeks! 

& finally, panto has started at work! Friends & family are invited with staff to the dress rehearsal each year, so my parents joined James & I for the annual event. We are currently wearing bright green t-shirts & feeling extremely festive at work! If any of you work in retail / entertainment. I feel your pain. NOT LONG TILL CHRISTMAS THOUGH!

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The Ultimate Red Jumper Wishlist

Twist Crop Jumper / Over-Sized Bright Red Jumper / Lace Detailed Jumper / Cable Knit Cardigan / Sequinned Dachshund Jumper / Dog Jumper / Orange Fluffy Jumper

What is it about the colour red that screams Christmas?!

There's just something super Hygge about wrapping yourself up in an over-sized knitted jumper, with a hot chocolate, while watching a film. Am I right?

I've picked out a few of my favourite from the high street this year. I even included a bright fluffy orange one for a slightly different take on the standard red & there's even one for the furry friend in your life!

Let's start with this dark red number from Boohoo. I'm not usually a fan of cropped jumpers, I mean, who wants a cold belly in Winter?! However, the back of this jumper is what sold it to me. I love the twist detailing, it just gives it something a bit extra.

 The next two are just classics in my eyes. The first one I wanted to include because it comes in so many different colours, so if red isn't your thing, they also do black, grey, blue & even mustard (which I'm quite tempted by) The tie detailing down the side of the darker red one is so pretty, it really adds a bit of special detailing to an otherwise plain jumper.

Let's be honest, you can't go wrong with a cardigan. I don't actually own many, I'm usually more of a jumper girl, but this one was too cute not to include.

So, dog lovers amoung us, how adorable is this!? Esecpailly as it has a Dachshund on the front. Honey would definitely approve of this one. I also had to include this adorable Christmas jumper for your own little fur baby. I love that it has little antlers & a hood!

& finally, a fluffy orange jumper! This just looked so soft & cosy, I'm desperate to add it to my collection despite it being in the teens section!

What colour have you been loving this season? I'd love to know : )

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Life Lately #137

Hello lovelies,

It isn't everyday you get to wear sparkly green glitter on your lips is it? Halloween feels like a life time ago now, but almost like it was yesterday at the same time. We all dressed up at work, Elisa & I dressed up as witches & Nicola was a dead bride. I was so in love with my makeup, I'm going to try to recreate the look (maybe slightly more subtle) for my birthday with pink glitter!

I went to visit my grandparent's last week & took Honey for a walk in their garden. You know those places that just bring back all the happy memories of your childhood? Their garden does exactly that. It's so special to me & Honey absolutely loves playing in the fallen leaves, just like I used to do.

Ricka & I met up for some Christmas shopping last weekend & we headed to Guildford. It was so busy in the shops, I never knew people were so organised with their Christmas shopping! We had such a lovely day & catch up.

On Wednesday, I met up with Gemma, Alice, Elisa & Lily at Costa. The plan was to test out the new Christmas drinks, so Gem had the Lindt hot chocolate & Elisa had the black forest hot chocolate. They both smelt incredible.

James has started his new job & he's loving it! One of the perks of the job, is he gets to bring home their dog food. Honey was extremely excited by this as you can see. Every bag / tin I got out the bag she would sniff & try to open & then decide to roll on top of the food! Was so funny to watch.

James has been away this weekend & he sent me flowers at work! I seriously can't believe how lucky I am. Thankyou babe, you made my day!

& finally Boop & Cathy came round for dinner last night & we ordered a Chinese & stuck on Horrible Bosses 2. It was so lovely to catch up with them & show them the Lanzarote vlog that I recently finished! We all seriously had the Summer blues after though.. why has it suddenly got so cold!? It's really starting to feel like Christmas! I picked up our Christmas tree today from Tesco, the decorations are also bought ready for the tree & I've started my shopping. I can't wait to make our little flat all festive.

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? : )

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Life Lately #136

Hello lovelies,

So if you follow me on social media, you would have seen that I got my hair cut towards the beginning of October. I decided to have a longish bob, which is the shortest my hair has been since I was a young teenager! I absolutely love it & styling it is so much fun now it's shorter. I'm quite sad I didn't do it sooner!

On 12th October, Honey turned eight. EIGHT. Oh my god, where do the years go!? I came round to visit her & we had lots of cuddles & played games before curling up on the sofa together. She's such a cutie.

Last Sunday I met up with the girls at Pizza Express for lunch before I started work. It was so lovely to have a catch up with them. I was actually planning on doing some shopping after we'd met up, but we just talked for hours & I had to head straight to work! I also managed to pick up a few bits in a charity shop before meeting them, so keep an eye out for a small haul soon!

James & I both had last Monday morning off, so we decided to check out a local pub that's started doing breakfast. Oh my god. Look at my foooood. I couldn't believe how delicious & well presented it was. Oh & of course, you can't have breakfast without a cup of tea! Next time we go, I'm going to test out the pancakes, because they looked amazing as well!

It was Mum's birthday on Sunday & I spent the afternoon with her, eating lots of food & drinking lots of tea. We also took the doggies on a very Autumnal walk, which they enjoyed!

& finally, I've started to decorate our flat for Autumn / Christmas! I'm determined to get all my shopping done as soon as humanly possible this year. I do always try to get it done & dusted before December starts, however, I want to be finished by latest middle of November. Whether this will happen or not, who knows, but I'm excited to try! Would any of you be interested in me doing a post about decorating your flat on a budget this year? I've managed to do a few Autumn DIY's & managed to pick up some cute little decorations quite cheaply.

Have you started decorating yet?
Did you have any plans for Halloween? : )

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Life Lately #134

It seems like an eternity ago now, but we went to watch banger racing on Bank Holiday Monday! It was so so so hot, I think the hottest Bank Holiday we've had on record. We were out in the sun the whole day, watching the cars race around the track. I was the only one that had been before, so it was great to watch everyone's reactions to the racing. (especially yours Jules!)

Oh, now how cute is little Maggie? My mum is looking after her a few times a week for a friend while they are working in London & I met her at the beginning of September. She is such a character, she's in to everything!

Look at these two. Aren't they just the cutest things? We had a girls night while all the boys hit the town & the evening was filled with baby cuddles, Say Yes To The Dress & pizza. 

Jigsaw puzzles. How under-rated are they? Seriously. Ever since I bought one for Elisa for her birthday, I've wanted to complete my own one. The Works had a 20% off sale a few weeks back, so I picked this one up for James & I to play. We're only half way through as it's so difficult, but so much fun!

Char finally came home for Nandos, yay! I'm kinda hoping she came home to see us, but really I know it was for the chicken.. haha! She's been away in Edinburgh for what's seemed like forever, so it was lovely to have a catch up over a bite to eat in town. 

Last weekend, James & I went to the New Forest for a couple of days. It was the perfect holiday for us, filled with animals, food & a cosy log cabin in the middle of nowhere. I'm going to write up a full post on our trip, so I won't go on about it to much now, but it really was the most lovely break away.

This week, the boys have been playing their annual golf tournament, so I decided to cook for them & Maria on Tuesday night. I was extremely proud as every plate was cleared! I made a lamb with orzo dish, with hot crusty bread & we had nuts & crisps for starter & a strawberry cheesecake for pudding. (Thanks Tesco!) Btw, would you guys be interested in me doing a 'what we eat in a week' series on my blog? I've seen quite a few YouTubers doing them recently & find them so interesting to watch. 

& finally, I'm currently staying at my parent's house, looking after Honey. They have gone away on holiday for their anniversary, so it's just the 2 of us (until James comes round for dinners in the evenings) & it's given me so much time to just sit & blog & edit all the footage I have from days out / holidays over the past few months! Expect a few more blog posts & videos over the next few weeks!

How has September been for you lovelies? Are you all set for Autumn? 

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July & August Favourites

"Go-Pro"

Ok, so this isn't an actual go-pro. It's a replica I purchased off Groupon about a year ago, but seriously, it's perfect for what I wanted it for. I took it on holiday to Lanzarote & got some brilliant underwater shots & the wide angle lens is perfect for capturing those long sandy beaches. I couldn't be more pleased with it. (Keep an eye out for a Lanzarote vlog soon that was filmed using this camera!) 

Revlon Foundation
I've been using this foundation for a couple of months now & am so pleased with how flawless my skins looks when I use it. I usually mix it in with the Youth Lift Glow-Plexion & it creates the most beautiful texture on my skin. I can't recommend it enough.

Studio 10 Youth Lift Glow Plexion 

This has to be my favourite product I've tried in a long time. My mum got a free beauty box when she ordered over a certain amount with M&S & this was one of the products. It's an all-in-one primer, radiance creme, illuminator & highlighter.

Heat Protect Spray
I actually picked this up when I went into Boots to replace my VO5 heat protect spray, but this one caught my eye. It's almost £2 cheaper & smelt incredible. I'm totally converted. I've used it a few times on my hair so far & it's helped tame the frizz as well as protect my hair against my dryer & straighteners.

Dachshund Stationary
Ok, so I've always been obsessed with stationary & making notes, but since I've found these adorable Dachshund notepads / sticky notes in The Works, I've become even more obsessed. And of course, the best part is they are covered in dogs! What more could you want.

Matte Lip Crayon
This is my absolute favourite lipstick at the moment. I have the shade Raspberry Wine & it's the perfect dusky pink that seems to compliment every outfit. I wore it every night on holiday & most days at work. Even though it's quite a matte shade, it's also incredibly moisurising.

Kindle
I have a continuous love affair with books. The only problem is, I never find time to read them. I only ever tend to read when I'm on holiday, so Lanzarote was a perfect excuse to blow the dust off my kindle!

Music 

Britney Spears
Ever since Erin did a poll on Twitter to find the best Britney song, I've been obsessed with listening to all her tunes. Yes I blame you girly ; ) There were so many amazing songs that I'd forgotten about, it was the best trip down memory lane.

Disney
This past month I've found myself sitting there not knowing what to play on my ipod & everytime going back to the same playlist, Disney. It's perfect for lifting my mood, or for just putting on while I'm doing the house work.

Events

All my friends came together for my annual Summer BBQ, which was incredible. It's always one of my favourite days of the year.

I got a new car! I've had Connie just over a month now & I can't wait to have lots of adventures with her.

James & I visited The Harry Potter Studios in London. I absolutely loved the whole experience, I'd definitely go again!

& finally, I went on holiday to Lanzarote with my girls! There will be a full post coming soon but I can safely say it was a massive highlight of this year so far!

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Life Lately #133

There are so many birthdays in August. This has been a month of celebrations & food! We went for an all-you-can-eat breakfast at The Beefeater to celebrate Cathy turning 26 at the beginning of August. She has now caught up with me. Not long till we're in our 30's girl..

Ah, our holiday to Lanzarote! There is a full post coming soon, now I've finally managed to sort through all the photos! I seriously can't thank the girls enough for our time away, it was exactly what I needed.

Oh look at my little one. I missed her so much when I was away, but I got to see her last Monday when my parents invited us round for a BBQ & a catchup. She looks so adorable with her teddy.

Tuesday morning, Elisa & Lily took me to Fun Splash. There were so many cute babies there!

On Thursday, it was Elisa's birthday. Now as you guys know, I'm big on birthdays, so when someone decides to work on their birthday & doesn't have any plans, what do I do? I make plans! I bought her a massive balloon, (no joke, it seriously was massive) & we had a 'present per hour' rule at work. I also got all the girlies together on Friday night for a meal at a lovely Italian restaurant in our local town, followed by a chocolate cake of dreams. It was so lovely spoiling her : )

& finally, bank holiday weekend is finally here! For once, I have Monday off! The plan is to go watch banger racing with my family & friends. I've just got to get through work today & then a day off is exactly what I need!

What are your plans for this weekend?

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Spring

Spring always brings a smile to my face.

I took these photos on Mother's Day at the end of March. It was such a bright, beautiful day, I couldn't resist heading out with my camera & snapping a few pictures. You might recognise the final image of Honey, as I posted it on my Instagram a few days ago. How cute does she look!? She's gotten so fluffy this year, her hair has almost made her double in size (she looks incredibly fat!) Anyone else have this with their Dachshund when they hit a certain age?

I also adore photographing bees. There's nothing better than capturing them whizzing through the air or perched on a flower enjoying the sunshine.

Most of the images here were taken in my grandparent's garden. It's my absolute favourite place to come when I want to relax, as it holds so many childhood memories for me.

What do you love most about Spring?

Where is your favourite place to go from your childhood?

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Life Lately #125

Hello lovelies,

I went to my first ever bra fitting just over a week ago. I know right, I've just never been brave enough to do it before, but I wrote a blog post on my experience & why I think it's such an important thing to do. I won't go into too much detail as like I say, I've written a whole post about it, but you can read it here if you like : )

I had a lot of leave left at work from this year, so I decided to take a few days off last week. It was so lovely to just be at home & doing lots of bits & pieces I never find the time to do. One of which was finally editing the footage from our holiday to Corfu last June. I couldn't be more proud of how it turned out! You can watch it on my YouTube channel if you like. I also noticed it became Spring, almost over night! The sun was shinning & it was actually so warm walking the dogs.

Last Thursday my parents went to Crufts. James & I went last year & after we came home & raved about how much we loved it, they decided to book tickets & go this year. Crufts is a big thing in my family & we all watch it together every year, but they'd never actually been. Did you watch it this year?

Last Friday, mum & I went to Guildford for the day. We did some shopping & I took her for tea at The Tea Terrace at the top of House Of Fraser. We had such a lovely day & managed to pick out a few options for an outfit I'm hoping to wear to a wedding in June.

For my birthday, Cathy bought me a voucher for afternoon tea, so on Sunday, we booked a table in the local tea room & got this feast! It was so nice, all the sandwiches & scones were freshly made & we even got a slice of cake to takeaway as well!

Oh & finally, Honey on my bed yesterday morning. She hasn't been feeling too well recently, just a bit of an upset stomach, so has been snuggling down with me watching Netflix before work. I'm finally up to date with Riverdale! Is anyone else watching it? I'm really enjoying it but find it a bit weird how sometimes a massive storyline in one episode won't even feature in the next.. I won't give away any spoilers, but those of you who are watching, do you feel the same? : )

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Life Lately #123

Hello lovelies,

Cathy, Gemma, Gail & I met up for brunch at Cote last Sunday. They do such a good breakfast deal; you can have any cooked breakfast, with a juice & hot drink for £9.95! Definitely try to go if you haven't already.

After brunch James & I went to our local sports hall to play badminton. We booked a court for an hour & it was so much fun. I was really nervous about playing but it was so chilled there, it put me right at ease. We managed to do a full hour & even though it isn't the most energetic sport, we managed to make each other run around a bit & got our heart rates up.

Awwh just look at Stan. Isn't he just the cutest thing? James' family rescued him just before Christmas & he is always so excited to see us when we go round!

On Thursday, I met Lorna for tea at Pretty Things. It's one of the cutest little tea shops you'll find & they are currently doing a unicorn hot chocolate which Lorna had & it was the most sparkly, pink concoction I'd ever seen! If you live near or in West Sussex, I'd definitely recommend going! I had a piece of their home-made lemon cake & earl grey tea which comes in the cutest little teapot.

On Friday evening, we met James' parents at the pub for a meal. I was so excited to have a steak as I hadn't had one for so long! (Oh & some cheeky brownies!) Val & Barrie also have a new car, so we got to see that too!

Because I'd mentioned to the girls how awesome badminton was last week, Boop & Cathy decided to join James & I for an hour last Sunday. It was so much fun!

& finally, today is Valentines day! I hope you're having a lovely day whatever you are doing. James & I are heading to Brighton in an hour or so to do some shopping & hopefully go to The Breakfast Club. We've never been before, so I'm hoping it'll be as good as the hype suggests.

How is your February going lovelies? Do you have any plans for Valentines?

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Life Lately #122

Hello lovelies,

I met my friend Ricka for a late birthday treat at Bills last Sunday. I haven't had afternoon tea there for over 2 years & even though they've changed it up a bit, it was so lovely! We had two scones each, a pot of blackberries, a piece of Victoria sponge cake & a pot of earl grey tea each. Heaven.

It was Bo's birthday on Wednesday, so we went to the pub for dinner. James & I both had a burger with pave for pudding, just look how delicious it was!

On Sunday Cathy, Boop & I planned Gemma's baby shower. It was so much fun to organise (if a little stressful at times) but we managed to get all the decorations ordered at the beginning of January, invites sent out & cakes baked. Everyone was asked to bring along a sweet treat, so we had mountains of food! Also, Elisa made this fantastic cake for Gemma & Ollie, just look at that little elephant! Gemma knows she's having a little girl in March, so it was easy to buy presents for her. I managed to pick up a personalised penguin dressing gown & had 'Baby Rogers' printed on the front. It was so adorable, I wanted to keep it for myself to be honest..

Tuesday morning I met up with Shezza, Elisa & Lily to have a catch up with life. Those girls seriously know how to put a smile on my face, especially Lily, just look at her little bunches!

Oh, & I always try to include a picture of Honey in these posts, because she's always a massive part of my life & makes me smile so much everyday. After my birthday in January, all the excitement of the last 2 months fades away. I know for most people that happens at the beginning of the month as Christmas & New Year becomes a memory, but it can get you down. All I need to do is make a cup of tea & cuddle this little one & my day is instantly better.

& I have to be honest & admit, a bit of retail therapy does help too.. look at my beautiful boots I managed to pick up in the ASOS sale! They were £19 down from £34.99 & I can't wait to style them once storm Doris has passed through.. the weather really knows how to bring down your mood. I seriously can't wait for Spring now & for us to head into the warmer months. It's seriously scary to think we are in February already though? Madness.

How was January for you lovelies?

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Life Lately #121

Hello lovelies,

The girlies & I met up for a catch up a few weekends back to discuss baby shower ideas for Gemma's up & coming day! We are so excited & plans are coming together nicely. I can't wait for her little one to be born.

We had a staff meeting at work on Tuesday morning & I had a gap between the start of my shift, so James & I went for breakfast at Bills. I've mentioned this restaurant hundreds of times on my blog I know, but they honestly do the best breakfasts ever. Just look at those pancakes!

Last Thursday we had a short downpour of snow! I'd just arrived at work & suddenly the sky opened & we had a snow shower! It only lasted a few hours but still, it was most exciting! Elisa & I thought we'd be trapped at work forever.. luckily we weren't.. ; )

Thursday was also my last day at work before 5 days off. On Friday, James, Allan & I moved our furniture into storage. We were kindly offered some furniture which had been hardly used (including a sofa, 3-doored wardrobe & bedside cabinets) just before Christmas as a friend of the family was moving into a rented house, but bringing her own furniture. As James & I are currently looking for our own place, but not yet found anything, we put all the furniture into storage. It took all day to move it from the house to the storage area, but it's one step closer to being in our own place!

On Friday evening, we had a meal at my grandparents to celebrate my birthday. Mum brought the most amazing cake for me, it was called Freddie The Frenchie. Isn't he just the cutest!?

Saturday morning I'd arranged a pottery painting session in town with my tea ladies. It was so lovely to catch up with them all & to obviously paint with a cup of tea & some cake! I decorated a bowl for Honey, which we get to pick up in a few days time.

Saturday evening I'd organised a pub trip with my best ones in town. It was so much fun, despite the fact I've been put off orange licquer for life..

Sunday morning the girls & I went for brunch at Joanna's Tea Room. I tried it out in December with the family & loved it so much, I had to book it for the girls to try as well. They have chandeliers, pink tea cups & endless supply of cakes. What more could you want? The original plan was to go for a short walk while we were there, but due to the rain, it was a walk to the duck pond & back!

Finally, on Monday, James & I travelled to this adorable little lodge we'd booked for the night. It literally was half an hour down the road, but right in the middle of nowhere. I'm going to do a full review post about it in a few weeks, but oh my goodness. We are already looking to book it up again in the Spring / Summer. It was so perfect.

How has your week been lovelies?

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Life Lately #119

Hello lovelies,

In my last post I mentioned that panto prep was well under way. We officially opened last Friday night so we are now a week into the shows. It's absolutely manic at work, especially as Star Wars started Thursday & we also have Moana showing too (which I'm seeing today & am so excited about!) Have you seen either film yet?

My parents went to see the panto last week, so I stayed at home & watched Christmas films with Honey & Harv - they looked so cute by the tree.

Oh & just look at my friend's fur babies! When we got out all the Christmas decorations & put up our tree, we found these two little jackets of Honey's. After a good 10 minutes of trying to cram her fluffy slightly tubby body into them, we decided it would be best if they went to a new home.. : ' D

Last Sunday, it was my "tea lady" Christmas meal. We went to a curry house this year for something a bit different & it was so nice to catch up with all of them. I hardly get to see them over the course of the year as we are all so busy, so it was lovely to spend some time with them & stuff myself with curry before work! We also did a secret santa, thankyou Sarah for my present!

On Monday, Mum & I went to my Grandparents' to decorate their house for them. They are in their late 80's, so not too fussed about Christmas now, but we made the house look extra festive! Just look at Harv, stretched out on the sofa. He really does know how to make himself at home!

On Thursday I met up with my friend Ricka & we went for lunch at a local pub. It was so lovely to have a catch up before Christmas & swap pressies!

& finally yesterday was Christmas Jumper Day at work, so I wore my new addition to my jumper family this year, my grey festive Dachshund jumper! Just look at it! I'm seriously obsessed with it : )

How is your December going lovelies? Have you done all your shopping?

I'm finding it so difficult to juggle work, blogging, socialising & staying healthy at this time of year, it all gets a bit much sometimes, but Christmas Day is a week tomorrow which is so exciting! I can't wait : )

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Life Lately #117

Hello lovelies,

At the beginning of the month, myself & my work colleagues travelled up to London to attend the annual Spektrix Conference at the Lyric in Hammersmith. I've never been before but felt so inspired when we got home. We had a range of inspirational talks by speakers & users of the system, plus theatre royalty from all over the country. I can't stress how amazing it felt to be apart of the theatre community & I'm already counting down the days till next year's event. The only downside was the travelling. I'm sure if you live in the south of England & regularly use trains, you'll feel my frustration. A journey that would usually take us an hour from London to home, took almost three. We had cancelled & delayed trains & eventually got picked up (thankyou to Tracey's husband & James for coming to get us!) from a station that was 20 minutes away from the one we usually would come into. Nightmare. I sympathise with you if you get trains to work everyday..

You might remember me mentioning before, that James' dad & partner Maria are getting married in June next year. They had a food & drink tasting session a few weeks ago so we drove them to & from their chosen venue. As it's about a 45 minute drive from home, we had a meal at a local pub to save us going back & forth. It was so delicious. Just look at that pudding..

Ah & straight on to another pudding.. oops! I met up with Ricka last Wednesday night & we went to ASK Italian. Ricka had never been before, so of course I introduced her to the Chocolate Etna. Oh my god, have you ever had it? It's seriously the best thing on earth.

My grandad turned 89 on Thursday! We had a family meal the Saturday before, but went up for tea & to give him his presents last Thursday. Just look at him in his hat!

James & I also went Christmas shopping last week & I managed to nearly finish buying everything! We bought dinner & a bottle of wine to celebrate! Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

Yesterday night James & I went to a comedy night at our local theatre. It was so funny! There were three acts; our favourite being a guy called Markus Birdman. If he ever comes to a comedy club near you, go & see him. We were in stitches! 

Oh just look at Honey here. She is just the cutest thing. With everything that's been going on lately, she is always there to keep a smile on my face. This time of year can get stressful or actually quite depressing with Winter sneaking in, but she is never too far away for a cuddle.

What have you been up to this month?

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Life Lately #114

Hello lovelies,

At the end of September, Cathy invited the girls round hers for a three course meal. It was absolutely delicious. This was one of the puddings; a banoffee pie. Just look at those strawberries! (That was my contribution, I cut the strawberries up!)

James & I popped into Bills for breakfast last week on our way to paying in the money for the work Christmas meal. It seems crazy to be organising Christmas already, but places get so booked up so early, we had to reserve an evening asap. We also had a day of shopping. I managed to pick up a few exciting bits from Lush, so keep an eye out for my reviews coming soon!

Last Monday, James & I went to Chessington to feed the giraffes he works with. We had over an hour of traffic to get through & missed our time slot which was gutting, but we explored the local area & discovered this beautiful garden centre down the road from Chessington. They have some adorable animals plus one of the best cafes I've been too. They have different stations to go to; hot breakfasts, pastries & cereals & they open up the soup kitchen & pizza station at lunch time. I'd highly recommend it if you're in the area.

So Tuesday, we set off again (extra early this time!) & managed to get there with over half an hour to spare & I got to meet his 5 giraffes. They are absolutely beautiful. Giraffes have always been my favourite animals (as I'm sure you guessed from my Longleat post) so I was majorly excited to meet them all.

On Wednesday it was Honey's birthday! She was 7 can you believe.. I seriously can't. She got some new toys & a new jacket - make sure you add me on Snapchat to see more of her!

On Thursday I met up with Lorna & we went to Costa. She'd been recently & recommended one of their new drinks for the Autumn season, the Toffee Apple Hot Chocolate. It was so delicious & we got to have a lovely catch up in the warm.

Finally, last night I took mum as an early birthday present to see Belinda Davids perform as Whitney Houston. It was one of the most amazing shows I've seen. If you close your eyes, you would actually believe it was Whitney on stage. It was incredible.

How has your month been so far lovelies? : )

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