A good old catch up.

It's been a while hasn't it? 

It's been well over a year since I last posted on here, and since then a lot has changed for me. I still work at the same care home *2 years this month* - but I've qualified for level 2 Health and Social care, something which I'm super proud of and never thought I'd get round to finishing. I'm single, a lot more out going, more confident and I'm currently making plans to go backpacking around Australia in 2017. When I say that a lot has changed, I don't mean visibly... I'm still the same ol' girl but my dreams and my goals have taken a drastic turn, hopefully for the better. I've also decided to do a bit of a U-turn on my blog, and I'm hoping to focus more on my travel plans. I'll still be doing lifestyle posts, the odd recipe here and there, and lots of beauty & fashion posts but my main goal is to write about travel. 

Travelling is something I used to dream of, not regular.. it was just like a dream I had in the back of my mind. Once when I left school, I applied for a air hostess course at college, I got through but something pulled me back and I never went for it. Since then, it was always a distant memory. Something that could of been but never would be. I'm still not an air hostess, and who knows maybe sometime in the future I might be? What I'm trying to say is that, I want to travel. I want to travel for as long and as far as I can. I want to go to new places, experience their cultures and the way they live, I want to meet knew people, I want my 20's to mean something other than paying bills and going to work. 

Don't get me wrong, I love my job... but my heart aches for something different. I'm constantly making plans, dreams and goals for all the places I want to visit, and spend time in. I want to hike up mountains, and be proud that I've done it. I want to eat bugs, and live in the wild for a few months, I want to go zip lining over a jungle, I want to go on the highest swing in the world (in NZ) and have no care in the world. I want to experience everything life has to offer and I want to do it now. 

But right now, that just isn't possible. I want to do this properly. Perhaps I could just quit my job, buy a ticket and travel the world. But my anxiety tends to hold me back. I'm a planner. I need to do it properly. I'm currently in the process of saving.. it's really difficult for someone who wastes their money constantly on nights out, taxis to work and coffees from Costa. In fact, I'm finding it way more difficult than the first time I saved for my trip to Australia. It's hard, but I'll do it, and I'll do it because I want to. 

My current goal right now is to backpack Australia in 2017. It's already August, time is running out. The plan is to start in March... whether that will happen or not, your guess is as good as mine. It's motivating, and I strongly urge anyone who has the same dreams as I do, to take the steps needed to make it happen. 

Even if it doesn't happen straight away, even if your plans go wrong, stand up tall and tell yourself that it doesn't matter, so long as you're in the process of making it come true, you're way ahead of everybody else still dreaming about it.

Be sure to follow me and my journey. 

♥

Spring 2015

Spring 2015 is here and it's so beautiful. 

This year, I'd say we're quite lucky because usually in April it's raining like crazy and we don't see the sun until June/July. 

We've had such beautiful weather though. It's easy to mistake it for Summer. 

In the UK, our Summers don't get that warm. Maybe 27-30 degrees if we're lucky. So to get 22 degrees in April, it is pretty good. 

I know we've had this weather for a few weeks now, but sadly I've been stuck at work throughout it all and haven't had a proper chance to sit and enjoy it. 

Until today...

I finally have two days off, and both days are supposed to be good weather so I'm pretty chuffed about that! My mum went to do some gardening today at my grandma's, so I thought I'd go up there myself and take a few snaps. (I'm broke until payday so I can't do much else). 

I'm now officially looking forward to Summer - hopefully the weather is just as nice but hotter! 

Date Night

Hey girls! 

Me and Ryan (my boyfriend) recently hit the 2 year mark on our relationship which is as lovely as ever. 

We've been through some rough patches, but given the time and effort we've spent trying to make it work, talking about things and changing a few stuff here & there, we're still together and hoping to be for quite some time! It's lovely being in a relationship with that one person who gets you the most. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to be single too but I'm just the type of person who prefers to be in a relationship rather than be single. 

To keep us on our toes, it's always nice to have a little fun. You don't want to be stuck in all the time doing nothing but watching day time T.V... Why may you ask? Because it's boring that's why! Although, sometimes on those 'I really cba to do anything' days... watching day time T.V actually has it's good points. 

If you find yourself doing this in a relationship, you need to change it... and fast! 

No-one wants to be in a boring relationship where you end up doing the same thing over and over again. It's nice to change it up a little bit once in a while. That's why I recommend having 'Date Nights'. 

Obviously, you don't have to do this every single day you see each other but like I said above, once in a while it's a nice thing to do with each other. 

I don't mean spending lots of money either, because although Ryan goes to work... I don't as of yet (currently looking for employment), so sometimes money is an issue. I'm not the type of girl who wants my fella to pay for everything either. If he offers, fair enough but I'll still try and find a bit of money from somewhere, just in case. I'm a bit stubborn like that. It's nice idea for him to pay for everything but c'mon, it's a bit cheap and a little skanky to get him to pay for everything we do, all the time. 

You can do the simplest things, and still have a really good time. Just going to the pub for a drink or two is classed as a date, so why not do that? I don't drink alcohol that much, (I had my first alcohol beverage today for the first time since NYE!). I often have water, or maybe a coke depending on the mood I'm in, but it doesn't matter what you drink. As long as you're out and having fun, alcohol doesn't really come in to it... even if you're at a pub. 

You could cook a meal together, or cook a meal for your partner. You could even go the whole way (don't be rude) and put candles up and some nice music. 

Sometimes though, it's nice to do something a little different. Maybe go to a spa? Or a hotel for the night, or maybe do something a little more outrageous and go to a concert. The whole point of a date night is spending time with the person you love doing something you love. 

Just the other day, me and my fella decided to go out for a meal. It wasn't crazy expensive, and we split the bill (sort of). I paid for the desserts - he paid for the meal and drinks. (I offered to pay that too but he's just as stubborn as I am haha). 

It was lovely getting out the house for a bit, even if it was just behind his house. We went to a Brewers Fayre Pub, which is honestly so lovely. The food is just, mmmmm. 

I had a Pasta bake with 2 garlic bread slices and a side salad, whilst Ryan had a Chicken burger, chips and a small salad. For dessert we both had a HUGE slice of chocolate cake; I had ice cream with mine, and Ryan had custard with his. For drinks, I had a Bulmers (the red one) and Ryan had some sort of beer haha. 

All I'm saying is spend a little more time being in each others company doing stuff you both enjoy and you'll find yourself feeling and being happier, and your relationship will be stronger too :) 

Competition Wins!

Competition Wins

I've recently found a new hobby and I have to admit that first off I was a bit wary about the whole thing... But after coming away with a few prizes and can now honestly say, that I am addicted. 

I haven't won many prizes, but coming from someone who hasn't won anything in her life except 1 Easter egg in Primary School, I'm very chuffed with how things have gone so far and so there's no looking back now. 

I enter competitions all over Facebook and Twitter as I find these are the best places to win them. It's also really easy to do so on these websites. 

On Twitter, the majority of the time all you have to do is "Follow & Retweet" & on Facebook, again the majority of the time all you have to do is "like the page, share the post or enter your name and email address". It's as simple as that! 

These are the prizes that I've won so far! :) 

60 sachets of cat food from Almo Nature

A Wax Miracles car freshener from Wax Miracles

A Hello Kitty Necklace from UKDailyDealz


I've also won 2 tickets to Race Retro 2014 (which haven't arrived yet as I only won them last week) and 8 free passes to Paint Balling!

So as you can see, it's not a lot but it's certainly a start and I can't wait to win more prizes! :)

Have you ever won anything, if so... what? I'd love to know!

xx