Birthday Wishlist

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My birthday is coming up at the end of April. Last year when I turned 25 I got super upset. Mid-Twenties! Argh! Throughout the year though, I learnt to own it! I've accomplished a lot in my years despite the fact I still feel like an awkward 14 year old.

I'm kind of looking forward to turning 26 to be honest and it's giving me an excuse for pretty dresses I might like but know I can't afford - but that's what a wishlist is for right?

5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 

Life, or something like it?

I don't seem to have given much of an insight into life lately, or definitely feel I haven't!

What's been happening? Well, I'm glad you asked!

Work is as busy as ever! I recently applied for a new job at Scope - doing the same thing I do now, supporting people with disabilities back into work - but it was more money, for less hours and less responsibility - dream right? Well, I was offered an interview that I think I would've knocked out of the park! But they changed the role from based in Cardiff to one that would cover the region. And I don't drive (yet!) So I had to pull out. I was a bit gutted to be honest. Half of me really wanted to go for it but then the other half felt - is this a step backwards? I guess we'll never know!

Easter weekend is nearly here, being raised Catholic means that Easter has always been a big deal in my family but I'm not visiting my Parents this year so I'm making a big dinner for Ceri and his family. I'm also especially looking forward to having some days off!

My driving lesson's start next week and I'm super excited! But also a bit anxious!

My 26th birthday is fast approaching at the end of April! I don't know where March has gone? But Ceri and I are going to visit my parents, have dinner with some friends and also go to the Harry Potter Studio tour which will be amazing. There are no words.

Our Anniversary is coming at me at break neck speed too! I've never had one before so even getting past 9 months was quite a feat for me! Yay for commitment-phobe overcoming fears!

Other things?

TV Loving: Homeland! Gosh! I didn't watch it right away but Rachel, Ceri's Sister, watched the first two so it came highly recommended. As well as Mad Men being back on! I've yet to see the entire new episode but Don - you have my heart!

Music Loving: Something about spring weather makes me listen to New Found Glory on repeat. Particularly Sticks & Stones - it reminds me of when we used to go on family holidays in France.

Home Loving: I have a confession to make, I love to clean. I also love Martha Stewart. But that's a post for another day. Ceri & I are whittling away ideas for our garden at the moment - I'm thinking hanging baskets! The nice weather means I want to be out there all the time, so I might as well make it somewhere I want to be, right?

Food Loving: Party Rings! I don't know if these are only available in the UK but they're amazing! Also, on Saturday we're having friends over for dinner and I'm making Pizza on Chicken! I'm excited to see how it turns out!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Loss This Week: 2lbs

Loss Overall: 42lbs

Pounds till target: 40lbs

A 2lb weight loss! Which means in 3 weeks, I've lost 7.5lbs and broken my plateau! A plateau I'd been stuck at for about a year. It was such a relief to see that number pop up on the scale. I couldn't believe it.

I can see the changes not just in my body but also in getting back into clothes I haven't been able to wear for so long! Like on Sunday I wore an outfit along the lines of this:

Spring by sailtheship featuring zippered tote bags

I was looking on Polyvore - I made this 4 years ago as a dream outfit! Well it isn't a dream anymore! Except the Pug - still haven't got one! But the fact that I have that stripey top and was able to wear it on a lovely, warm spring day was something I relished! 

I'm excited to see what happens next week after our 15mile cycle at the weekend - and now that the weather has turned nice, Ceri & I are back to cycling to work!

I've said it a few times before...

But Spring has landed in Cardiff! It started on Friday, looking longingly out of the office window at people enjoying the sunshine on the street down below! By the time I made it out of the office at 6pm there was a chill in the air and I was pooped from a 9 hour a day.

Yesterday, Saturday, Ceri & I packed a lunch and cycled to St Fagan's, an Open Air Museum just outside Cardiff where they have houses and other important buildings from throughout Wales landed in the grounds of a beautiful Manor House and it's gardens.

The garden's were absolutely beautiful and looked like something from a Victorian painting. Plus there were a few farm animals on the land including Sheep! Which is making me ever so excited about my Birthday next month - there will be sheep involved and it's not as weird as it sounds!

I don't know what it is about nice weather but as soon as it gets warm out, but my legs get bruised to buggery! Yesterday was no different - when my bike fell on me! Luckily, Ceri and Rachel are both trained first aiders who germolined me up!

Today we've had a bit of a more relaxed pace - trying to claw back the hour we've lost with the clocks changing to British Summer Time. A nice breakfast, some cleaning and a cycle up to Castell Coch, most of which, was uphill.

Somehow, as the day has gone on, it got hotter and hotter, there was a beautiful breeze when we were cycling that made it feel cool 

It's weather like this that make me grateful to live in such a beautiful place! I pray to God that we have a summer this year, unlike last year - where it rained for the good majority of the Summer Months!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Loss This week: Stayed the same

Loss Overall: 44lbs

Pounds till target: 43lbs

This is where it gets confusing - I weigh in the morning to get my "true weight" which is why the numbers say I've stayed the same. However when I weighed at Slimming World in the evening - I'd lost 2lbs, which means I didn't bloat over the course of the day. Which was nice!

I'm in the swing of things with Slimming World now, I don't have to think about things too much - dinners and breakfast etc. Lunches have me stumped if I don't prepare something the evening before - left overs from dinner, or a soup. Planning is key!

I found a couple of pictures the other day from before I started trying to lose weight in - 2009/2010 time - I was shocked. At the time, I didn't see any difference in myself to when I'd been a size 10. Hindsight is 20.20 hey?

Befores:

Now/During

It's useful to look back and see how far I've come and what I've achieved so far, it puts things in perspective! Especially on days when I'm not feeling too cracking!

Love for the Weekend!

Here we are again, Sunday evening! Don't the weekends go all together too quickly?

It's been a big weekend in Cardiff, with Wales playing their final 6 Nations game against France - I thought it would be a super smart idea to go to town early - beat the crowds. Boy was I wrong?! Town was heaving with people - Welsh, French and a lot besides.

I don't cope terribly well in crowds, particularly crowds of 300,00 +! So after a few hours, I bailed and left Ceri to enjoy his fun - Luckily, Wales beat France to win not only the Championship - but win it with a Grand Slam (undefeated!). To say Wales were in party mode yesterday is a bit of an understatement!

I came home nice and early, cleaned my house then went to see the Maccabee's with Cath, and although they're not my cup of tea ordinarily, they weren't bad at all! 

Sunday was a bit of a slower pace, Ceri & I woke up late and headed down to pick up his new bike after his was pinched last week. 

I feel like an adult!

A few weeks ago, I sat down and thought about my inability to drive. I grew up in London, I didn't have to drive! I'd grown used to having a fantastic transport system around me.

When I moved to Cardiff, I realised that in order to get by "in the sticks", it was a requirement to have a license if I at least didn't have a car.

16 days ago, I took the plunge and applied for my provisional license and today it finally arrived!

I'm starting lessons next month and part of my plan for 26 before 27 is to pass by test! I've been practising on apps for my theory and hazard perception but finally, after nearly 26 years on this planet...I'm feeling a bit like an adult today!

Not to mention a full day of other awesome news that I can't quite share yet but I'm so super excited!

Music Memories

Ceri &  I have been exchanging musical memories all evening - what we listened to when we were younger, what shaped us! He was an MTV2 kinda guy whilst I was rocking out to Scuzz, wearing big skater shorts and sweat bands up my arms. I must have pictures still around SOMEWHERE!

Me & Nicola - Aged 17

Me aged 18 - with Gemma at the Send More Paramedics Video 

What did I tell you? I was Punk Rock Princess! I've been in a nostalgic haze all evening, it's been amazing!

Tsunami Bomb - Take the Reins

Homegrown - You're not Alone

Something Corporate - Punk Rock Princess

Sum41 - In too Deep

I don't know why but always when Spring starts kicking in, I delve back into my love of pop punk - New Found Glory, Fenix TX, Alien Ant Farm - all the greats! There are so many more that should get honourable mentions, ah the memories!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Loss this week: 3lbs

Loss Overall: 44lbs

Pounds till Target: 43lbs

If you read this segment regularly, you might notice some differences! 

- Firstly, the chart is different! I've cancelled my Weight Watchers plan yesterday and I'm tracking everything through Slimming World. I much prefer the prettiness of Weight Watchers but I'm not paying for it if I'm not following their plan. 

- Secondly, the target is different! I've realigned my target a little bit to reflect what is healthy for my height of 5'7. My target of 143lbs - (10.2 Stone), was at the bottom of what was healthy for my height range, so I did a bit of a re-calculation and went for 150lbs (10.7 Stone) 

What else is new?

I cancelled my Gym membership! I simply wasn't using it and I had no motivation to go to the gym either before work - which was my favourite time to go, or after work when I had no energy. So I cancelled it! That seems counter productive to the whole weight-loss effort however...

I went to Zumba with Cath! It was hilarious - I spent way too much time giggling and not really doing any of the moves, but we're going again next week and I'll put waaaay more effort in.

I have a Fred Perry jacket in my wardrobe that I haven't been able to throw away for years. It doesn't fit and hasn't done for ages but I love it and I can't part with it - that jacket is my goal. Or one of my goals at least! I'm not very good at setting time bound targets for myself where losing weight is concerned but here's hoping! I'm feeling way more positive and motivated - especially now I can see a bit more progress than staying where I was for 3 weeks!

Weekends

I don't know about anyone else, but working the 9-5 really grinds on my will to live. That being said, I'm living for weekends at the moment, Sunday's sunshine and relaxed pace more than made up for Saturday's unwelcome drama.

The sun was shining all day Sunday and I finally got some bags done! There must be a quicker way to make piles of tote bags...Oh if only I had the financial backing of a large european fashion house and I could employ a lot of people to do my sewing for me. I just need to get quicker and be less distracted!

I need to re-focus on my A game - I seem to have lost it lately! Oh lethargy - thou art mine enemy!

Week of Instagram & Life

This week has been a bit of a mixed bag, between alternating bad moods - I'm up, Ceri is down and vice versa - lethargy and being demotivated, it's culminated in a burglary.

Whilst we slept soundly in our bed last night, our Garage was burgled and the culprits made off with Ceri's bike. I feel lucky that mine wasn't taken - too feminine perhaps or didn't look as expensive as Ceri's. A few other homes on our street were also burgled and the same stuff was taken. The Police, or Po Po as we call them (scratch that - I call them!) have already paid us a visit this morning and what would've otherwise been a lovely Saturday morning is now ruined. We're lucky to have such good neighbours in this area who look out for one another.

I feel a bit violated but would've been more upset if they'd been in the house. Ceri is being very clinical - which is like him, thank God. Insurance, Landlord - all the practical stuff that I'm not very good at.

Luckily in a few hours the rugby could turn his Saturday from Rubbish to Brilliant in about 90 minutes Wales are playing at home to Italy in the 6 Nations. Ireland are playing Scotland and we are suited and booted accordingly!

What are you planning for your weekends? I hope it's started better than ours! x

Recipe: Spag Bol

It's not often that I'm wowed by a "diet" meal, I'll eat it but it won't knock my socks off. To say I was impressed by Slimming World Spag Bol is an understatement. It was amazing.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

340g Extra Lean Mince

2 Shallots - finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic - crushed

mushrooms - finely chopped

1 x beef stock

1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce

Salt & Pepper

Method:
Chop the shallots and crush the garlic, chuck them in the pan for about 5minutes. Throw in the mince and cook till it hits a nice brown colour. 

Add in the Mushroom and then the chopped tomatoes. This should make it really nice and saucy/juicy! Add in beef stock and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes

You can chuck on the pasta and when it's done it's ready to serve! I chucked some Parmesan on and didn't just gobble it all up - I licked my plate clean, took some for lunch the next day and even Ceri thought it was amazing!

This meal was entirely "free" meaning I can have as much of it as I like! Yipee!

Things I love Thursday!

Happy International Woman's Day! To mark the day I'm loving awesome women who rock my socks!

First up! Emmeline Pankhurst, She was the leader of the British Suffragette Movement which led petitions - some peaceful, others not so much, that eventually led to women in the UK getting the vote. You go Glen CoCo! Whilst not everyone agrees with her tactics - she was accused of being "too militant" - you can't deny that this lady took the woman's movement forward by leaps and bounds!

Sir Mitchell

Is it weird to cite Leslie Knope as a BAWSE Female? I shouldn't think so. She fights for what she believes in, cares about her friends, is ambitious and hardworking. I have to admire that. I wish she wasn't fictional! She puts positive vibes in the work place which is infinitely important and she makes my heart feel too big for my chest, girl crush <3

This is my Nana Burke - she was a Primary School teacher in a small town in Ireland - a working woman who also had not 1 - but FIVE kids! Catholics eh? She died when I was about 7 and like with all Irish women of a certain generation - had staunch views and a strict moral code! But she let me drink the milk out of my bowl when I was done and taught me piano!

Amelia Earhart! WHAT A WOMAN! Alright, her sense of direction wasn't that cracking but she was breaking ground and pushing boundaries in a world that was new to everyone! Flight! I am so in awe and envy of her bold as brass attitude!

If it wasn't for JK Rowling and Harry Potter, I wouldn't be who I am today. They shaped my childhood. I think she's incredibly driven, smart and beautiful.

There are so many more amazing women in the world - Mothers, sisters, friends - doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses - cleaners, cooks, sewing machinists! It doesn't matter the job, but women everywhere are inspirational no matter their circumstances! Celebrate Women today! http://www.internationalwomensday.com/ 

Weight Loss Wednesday

Loss This Week: None! Stayed the Same

Loss Overall: 42lbs

Pounds Till Target: 53lbs

I'm in a pickle! I joined Slimming World on Monday night, so I'm going to start going to classes but I don't know if I should use my Monday weight or continue weighing on a Wednesday morning. I think for this week only - stick with the Wednesday weight - because I've only been with SW for 2 days! And next week will be the ~*official weigh in*~ weight.

For the last few weeks, I'd felt demotivated and at a loss in regards to the healthy eating I was doing but not seeing the results on the scale. I know that's a very limited way to look at things and there are other ways to look at it - like if something fits nicely that hasn't fit before.

However now, I do feel a bit more positive! I know where I am (mostly) with SW, I need to get back into the gist of it and plan my meals a lot more but that will just be until I get back into the swing of things.

I'm optimistic of doing well with SW because I've already lost 3 stone with them, now I'm just kind of floating in the middle hopefully returning to classes and getting back into that support system will be the good push I need to see it through to the end. 

My friend Cath and I are going to start going to Zumba on a Tuesday nights, which will be fun! But I also have to start going to the gym again. I just honestly love sitting my arse far too much!

Painting!

Ceri & I finally started decorating the house this weekend in a big way! We hopped on the motorbike and flew over to B&Q and had such fun picking out colours for different rooms. We're only starting on the hallway and living room to start with - at the front and working out way back!

I'm not the best person at home improvements, I've never done anything other than hold out a variety of tools with a perplexed look on my face. Luckily, Ceri is pretty handy with a hammer and a paintbrush!

Things are slowly coming together and once little things are done then it's a kick in the backside to start the next project! 

I'm not sure if you can see the colour of the wall? It's pretty green when you're sat next to it! But I'm not sure it shows up on the camera! 

I have, however, enjoyed being able to finally hang my flying ducks that have been in a box for years!

What are your style tips?