Valentine's Gifts: Her vs. Him

Now we've consumed our body weight in Nutella/Lemon/Sugar/Golden Syrup covered pancakes it's time to move onto February's next event: Valentine's Day. There is the forever ongoing debate about how you don't need a dedicated day to appreciate your loved ones, blah blah blah, but us human beings are so busy now days that it is super easy to slip into a routine and take for grated what;s around you. I mean there is also that added bonus of presents and food, it's like Christmas all over again. So in honour of this lovey dovey occasion I've put together a few of my favourite pieces that I think would make a great V day present.
{Eds note: Gifts for her are in pink and gifts for him are in red. However, I'm all for equality so there is no definitive label on each gift}

1. Snuggle Time Pillow Case |2. Personalised Hammer | 3. Fujifilm Instax | 4. Macchinetta | 5. Fitbit Flex | 6. Heart Sunglasses | 7. His Mug | 8. Personalised Bracelet | 9. Picnic Blanket | 10. A Pug's Guide to Dating | 11. LOVE Wall Art

Don't worry, for all you single pringle's who are reading this and rolling your eyes, Sir Valentine once said there's no better day to treat yourself. Disclaimer: he didn't, however if you're not spending the money on someone else then why not spend it on yourself, I'm sure you can think of a million reasons as to why you deserve it. And for all you lovers out there who are still yet to book that restaurant, what are you doing with your life? Valentine's means good food, well that's how we celebrate it anyway, so pull your finger out and get a wriggle on!

Here comes the bride!

I have just returned from one of the best weekends of summer, a beautiful weekend away in Lincolnshire at a family wedding. I don't think I've ever told you how much I love weddings but they make the best days, and they're even better when the sun is beaming down (sorry men, but this is the one day you have to grin and bear it being suited and booted). It all began on Friday when we packed up the car and started our two and a half hour road trip North {the second road trip Dudley has made this month, you can read about the first here!} 

As we couldn't check into our lodge, yepp lodge, until 4pm we had arranged to meet the other brothers & wife/girlfriend at Sutton on Sea, a small little town with strips of sand, salt water and seashells. The next few hours were spent eating lunch, sunbathing, shell picking, playing french cricket and an American football game I'm still yet to understand the rules. After being dragged away, I'm a beach baby, we headed off  to find some mountainous speed bumps and windy country lanes. As wild twenty-something year olds we passed the next 8 hours cooking thai curry, recovering jeans from the washing machine and playing a very competitive game of Settlers of Catan. 

The next morning was wedding day and what could be better than waking up to blue skies! The ceremony was held in the village church followed by a wonderful reception at The Mill House. The food was delicious and the decor was dazzling! Us party animals were seated in the center of the dance floor as the party rings,(if only they had seen us the night before) but we did manage to uncover the young beings inside us spending the night dancing like nobody was watching with copious amounts of wine, no hangover incurred this morning though, result! 

To round off the wedding we headed to a BBQ with more alcohol, lots more food, a bouncy castle and lots of reminiscing from the day before! We also managed to squeeze in a visit to a 'pick-your-own-fruit' farm, the strawberries were out of season however we filled a punnet of raspberries for just £2.30, what a bargin!

Roses are red, violets are blue

Yes, you've guessed it, this one's on the theme of love. Don't worry it won't be a pile of mush, or at least I don't think it will. With the upcoming celebration of St. Valentine on Saturday I thought I would write a little post of appreciation to the wonder that is Jay.

We're not big celebrations of Valentine's Day, but this will be our third, well technically our fourth. Our first we celebrated at the ripe age of 15, on a double date to ASK, cute I know. Then I went ahead and broke his heart 10 months later (what a bitch). But as the saying goes, Sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise how much they need to fall together. Once this realisation kicked in we spent our second 6000 miles apart, however I did get a beautiful bouquet of flowers delivered to my halls in first year, of which my sister actually believed they had come from Malaysia! Our third was spent in bed with a take-away as Jay was recovering from a hernia operation, yes I became nurse Beth for the week, and let's just say once you've had a flannel bath there's no going back! This year I'm heading back up to York, but with not much planned apart from pancakes, pretty little liars and a treat of a meal out in the evening.

Anywho, the real reason behind this post was not to tell you my life story but to give you an insight as to why my boyfriend is better than yours.

1. He shares his food with me
Yes, you read that right. It took a little while for him to overcome this hurdle but now it's a given that if he brings up a hot cross bun, I will have half of it.

2. He makes the bed
Still needs a little prompting on occasion but we are getting there

3. He always calls me beautiful
Even when I wake up from snoring and dribbling on him with my hair looking like a birds nest

4. He writes me letters
Call us old fashioned but there's a nice feeling about receiving a hand written letter through the door

5. He supports me and keeps me going
Even when I'm having a mental breakdown and he too has 101 problems

6. He sings with me
We are that couple who will duet 'Love is an Open Door

7. He puts up with my hormones
It should be classed as a talent to go from the top of the world to the grumpiest being ever

8. He can't dance
But he still puts 100% into trying 

9. He tolerates my nagging
I can seem like his mother at times

10. He looks after me when I'm poorly
And I'm not always the best of patients either

11. He doesn't get too mad at my indecisiveness
Sometimes

14. But most importantly he loves me
Too cheesy?

You may have already guessed too that my love for Disney has rubbed off on him whether he likes it or not, but every situation calls for a Disney situation! To cut a long story short I am very grateful to have Jay in my life like I do, and in true Disney style I believe I've found my happily ever after with my Prince Charming, at least until Prince Harry comes along to sweep me off my feet.