Our 5 Year Anniversary!

Hello lovelies!

On Friday, James & I celebrated our 5 year anniversary. I mean, how crazy is that!? In a way, it sorta doesn't feel that long as it's like he's been apart of my life forever, but at the same time, it's gone so quickly.. weird huh? 

Due to time off work & booking the hotel that we did, we actually celebrated a week early. James' Dad & Maria kindly bought us a Secret Escapes voucher for Christmas last year, so we used it to book a night's stay at the beautiful Warren House.

We didn't want to travel too far from home, meaning the outskirts of London was a good option for us. Warren House is in Kingston-Upon-Thames, which is about an hours drive away. We decided to make a few stops on the way to our hotel, starting with Chessington Garden Centre. I absolutely love it here. We used to visit quite often when James worked at Chessington World Of Adventures, but we hadn't been since early Spring. It looked so beautiful & festive. Garden centres are one of my favourite places to go to meet a friend for tea or lunch as there's always so much to see & eat! Perfect place to pick up a unique Christmas pressie.

The added bonus of this particular garden centre is it's dog friendly & there's even a assigned place for doggies. It gave me the chance to sneakily take a few photos of cute ones!

After lunch, we then headed to Jurassic Encounter Golf, which was literally down the road from the garden centre. Despite it being freezing, it was really good fun. James actually plays golf properly, but mini golf is about as far as my ability will stretch, so it's fun to play it together, despite it getting seriously competitive!

We could check into our hotel from 3pm, so we'd timed our arrival about 4pm, just when it was starting to get dark. We were greeted with prosecco & were shown to our room, which over-looked the gardens.

After a few glasses & a nap we went down for dinner at 7pm & basically had the dining room to ourselves! We were wined & dined & truly spoilt with a three-course meal. I had salmon pate for starter, James had goats cheese ravioli & we both had a steak for main & white chocolate cheesecake for pudding. To say we were full afterwards was an understatement!

The next morning, we woke to a full English breakfast & an all-you-can-eat continental buffet in one of the many dining rooms. It was soooo delicious. 

We then wanted to explore a bit of the local area before heading home & after some researching online, we headed to Richmond Park. Neither of us really knew what to expect, but when we started to drive through, we couldn't actually believe how close we were to London! We honestly felt as though we were in the middle of the New Forest! There was so many beautiful deer as well, this massive 'army' that we found as well as a smaller heard, with a gorgeous red stag.

We had a walk through the woods & despite it being freezing cold, the sun was shinning & it honestly felt so Christmassy! I'm honestly so sad I'd never been before, but can't wait to go back again already!

Have you ever visited Bushy Park? That one is next on our list!

Hope you're having a wonderful December so far lovelies! The Christmas countdown has officially started! Make sure your following me on all my social media (links below!), as I'm truly in the Christmas spirit this year. Also, I was lucky enough to recieve the M&S Advent calendar from my mum & I'm opening each day of my Instagram stories if you wanted to check that out as well!

I would love to read your Christmassy blog posts, so please leave them in a comment down below.

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A Cabin In The Woods

Hello lovelies,

For my birthday in the middle of January, James & I booked a night away in this beautiful cabin. I'd been desperate to go away since the end of last year & when I found this place, I knew it was the one!

I booked it through Airbnb, which I'd heard good reviews about from a friend who had used it last year to book some unique over night stays when they travelled around the country for their honeymoon. It takes a bit of sifting through the website (think of the sale rack in Primark..) but I really did stumble over a gem when I found this cabin!

The cabin we booked was in Pulborough, a large village about half an hours drive from our house. I didn't want to go too far, but also somewhere that I hadn't really had a chance to explore. To be honest, we could of been absolutely anywhere, the cabin itself is very secluded, down a track about a half mile of the main road.

When we arrived, it was around 3pm, so we quickly dumped our stuff & headed out for a walk while there was still some day light. James & Misty, who own the cabin, were in constant communication with us, so they knew exactly what time we were arriving. They left the heating on for our arrival, a personalised message on the chalk board in the main living space & we found a bottle of processo & chocolates in the kitchen! We were so surprised & slightly over-whelmed by how amazing everything was. 

They had also left a welcome guide, filled with lots of local walks. The cabin itself is on a bridle path, so it was well signed & we were able to navigate our way across some fields towards the local pub.

We headed home & cooked dinner & enjoyed a night infront of the tv on the sofa, lit up by fairy lights.

I can't stress to you enough how beautiful this cabin really is, the pictures don't do it justice. We had such an amazing stay, we're definitely thinking of booking it up again in the Spring.

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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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The Woolpack Inn

Hello lovelies,

At the end of August, James & I spent a few days exploring Somerset & Bath. My parents had kindly bought us a two-night stay at a B'n'B in Beckington & tickets to Longleat. I wanted to share with you today the lovely B'n'B we stayed at called The Woolpack Inn.

We arrived quite late in the evening on 23rd August, as James had work till 7pm that night. Travelling from home, it took us around 2 & a bit hours, so not too bad. The B'n'B is also a pub, so it didn't matter about our late arrival. We checked in & headed up to our room, which was a superior double.

It was such a stunning little pub & our room was beautiful. It was on-suite with a small sofa area. It looked out onto the main village road, but there was hardly any traffic & it wasn't unusual to hear horses trotting past in the morning!

Breakfast was between 8-10am in the morning & no need to book, so you walked down to the breakfast room at your own leisure. We wanted to leave the pub quite early to get to Longleat at 10am, picking up lunch on route, so we headed down on our first morning around 8.30am & the second around 9.30am.

There was a lovely selection on the menu, including a full English, scrambled egg on toast or you could help yourself to the breakfast buffet, which included cereals & muffins & a wide selection of juices.

We then headed to Longleat (separate post coming soon!) & decided to have an evening meal back at the pub.

James & I decided to share the garlic bread for starter, I had fajitas for main & James had a burger. Our main meal was very nice & service was fantastic throughout, but we weren't keen on the garlic bread. It was covered in a very odd sauce, which neither of us were amazingly fussed on, but overall, it was very good value for money, as we did have wine too!

We went for a walk after dinner that night & found ourselves walking around the quaint little village in the rain, but it was too good not to explore, despite the fact we got wet!

I can't rate this pub enough, we seriously had such a wonderful stay & the staff were lovely. Beckington is the perfect place if you want somewhere quiet & away from a main town to stay, but only a short journey into a main city.

Have you ever visited Beckington or Somerset?

Make sure you pop back soon to check out our adventure at Longleat! : )

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