You're never fully dressed without a SMILE!

I love this saying!  'Annie' was one of my favourite films when I was little.  Me and my sisters would watch it over and over and sing all the songs dancing around our living room! And I love that it is painted on the wall in the changing rooms at my new healthy haunt - The Wellness Centre... www.wellnesscentreuk.com

I went yesterday for my Pilates class and the place had been completely themed in Valentine's decor!  There were heart shaped cushions everywhere, vases overflowing with flowers - pink and red roses, Valentine's signs hanging on every hook in the main entrance, and balloons tucked behind flatscreens and posters - it didn't look tacky at all, it just looked fun!  And it made me smile :)

Here are some pics from the changing rooms...so pretty!

 


Simple things please me, and after a busy day at work, this place completely relaxes me and make me feel happy - everyone is so lovely and attentive and the Pilates class (using the proper torture-style beds!) is working my body well.  My muscles are sore today but that is defo a sign of a good workout :)

xx

Think (Neon) Pink!

I got this fabulous set of mini nail polishes for my 30th birthday in December and I think I have tried every shade now!  There are five shades; silver glitter (Abbey Road), mushroom (Porchester Square), neon pink (Notting Hill Gate), velvet red (Tate), and a plum colour (Richmond Terrace).  I love them all! 

I showcased the neon pink this weekend and still have it rocking my fingertips today at work.  Definitely brightening up my Monday morning and I love the flashes of colours on my keyboard when I type haha!

This nail polish applies really well, it dries quickly and it has hardly worn at all.  A tiny bit on some of the tips but not noticeable to the passer-by :) I apply two coats as a minimum as it is fairly thin and you don't get the vibrancy with the one layer.

I have taken a pic of my nails but it hasn't come out very well...ignore my cuticles and my wrinkly hands!

I like to wear plain colours when I wear bright nails so I wore black skinny jeans and two plain black layered tops with this :)  Miles said I look like the one from Grease at the end - John Travolta! :(

More reviews of the other colours coming soon...xx

Country Living

Yesterday I went to my big sister's for lunch - always a special treat!  She has the most amazing home in a small rural village, a mix of country and modern lines and it is so homely and gorgeous!  I love these hearts that she has hanging in her kitchen.  I cannot wait to get my own place so I can have cute things like this scattered all over the place.

I love visiting her and my brother-in-law and seeing my nephews - the boys are amazing and I don't get to see them as much as I would like because they live a bit further away, but we try and meet up once a month for a catch up which always involves good food.  This time I hadn't seen them since Christmas time so an overdue visit.

As always, my sister cooked a delicious lunch, chicken with a butterbean, red pepper and tomato stew and homemade rosemary and sea salt foccacia - seriously my sister is an AMAZING cook!!!  Although some credit should go to her husband as he helped too ;)

Dessert was lemon syllabub with homemade vanilla shortbread - I forgot to take pics of her dessert so I haven't got any evidence of her baking skills but the shortbread was melt-in-your-mouth and I think I was a bit tipsy from the limoncello in the syllabub ;)  There was a banana loaf cooling on the side too that she had knocked up but I forgot to have any - fail :(




Top - homemade foccacia bread

Middle left - beautiful red tulips on the dining table

Middle right - the stew/sauce bubbling in her turquoise Le Creuset casserole dish

Bottom left - a pile of Country Living magazines displayed on a gorgeous wooden side bench

Bottom right - the delicious wine we had with lunch.  I took a picture so I can treat myself to a cheeky bottle!






Miles took his guitar to teach my seven-year-old nephew to play - too cute!  They played a bit of One Direction, both sitting in the play room with their matching checked shirts :) give it a few years and they will be headlining Glastonbury together!

My youngest nephew who is four was feeling ill but it didn't stop him entertaining with his thespian charm!  He is such a cutie!  When we got home my sister phoned to say he has chicken pox bless him....lucky I have had it already cus I was smothering him in kisses...it's an Auntie's duty!

We watched Ice Age 3 & 4 - an essential on a Sunday with my nephews, they love a cosy afternoon watching movies on the sofa by their log fire - bliss.

I had a lovely day and I left with a full belly and a bag full of clothes (that's one of the best bits about having sisters!!).

xx

Goodbye January – hello vino!

Throughout January I did a no-booze stint, something I do every year (well for the past three years I think but who's counting...). This year I did have a very small hiccup when I visited my bestie in Dorset and she greeted me at the front door with a champagne flute of the fizzy stuff...it would have been rude to decline and it was delicious! I have put that episode to the back of my mind though and now it is the 1st February, I can have a tipple without the guilt, yippee!

Something I don’t really get is this whole ‘sponsored dryathlon for January’ thing that I have seen popping up all over Facebook…I mean, you want me to donate to you for not having an alcoholic beverage throughout January?! I don’t want to sound horrible, but no!  As hard as I know it may be, I will donate to lots of charitable activities; marathons, half-marathons, runs, swims, cycles, head shave, etc. but giving up booze for a month is not one of them…very sorry ;) – Well done though to everyone who did go the whole month without a mere drop passing their lips, whether for charity or not, it isn’t always easy and I hive-five you all!

There is always something a little bit anti-climax-y about being ‘allowed’ something you have forbidden yourself for a while.  You know like during Lent when you give up all sweets and chocolates, only to scoff a whole Easter Egg in a matter of seconds at 6am on Easter Sunday…it never tastes quite as good as you imagined – get what I’m saying?  Well I have a feeling that once I have indulged in the first few gulps (I mean sips) of my first cold vino tonight, that sweet desire will go away, I’ll probably get a little carried away and make up for the past month of being dry, and I will wake up tomorrow morning with a sore head and a bit disappointed in myself!

Bottoms up ;) xx

What will I achieve this year?

This year I have vowed to:

Start a new exercise class – Xtend Barre here I come!

Read 6 new Books

Do a Juice Detox – lasting longer than a day…

Bake something delicious once a month

Go to a Festival

Enjoy a Holiday in the sunshine

Move in with my boyfriend (yay!)

Declutter, BIG time

Complete my Reflexology Course

Learn to use my DSLR Camera
Do a Floristry course

Sew something beautiful
Eat more vegetables (salad in a kebab does NOT count)

Be more Patient

Be less Distracted, and…

Start a BLOG!!

Let's see how I get on :) x