Monthly Round Up: April {2016}

So when did May happen? This post was meant to go out last week, but it feels like I blinked and bam, hi May. Not that I'm really complaining as May has started off as a wonderful month, and with what I've got planned, it's going to be a banger. When I look back at April, my memories are clouded with the extra-ordinary weather we experienced last week, but there was also some great moments like nailing my sister's birthday present or having a grand day out with a fellow colleague.

The Good
Our Queenie has to get a mention here, doesn't she. I'm such patriotic bad ass, and I revelled in the nationwide celebrations, everyone loves singing Happy Birthday round a flaming beacon.

The Bad
5 week months are a recipe for disaster when it comes to a healthy bank balance. Whoever thought it was a good idea to pay you a week early was wrong, it is never a good idea.

The Ugly
My new, replacement converse aren't so feet friendly at this current moment in time. I know we've gotta build the bond to break down the hard heel wall, but seriously, a walk round York and I feel like I've climbed a mountain.

The Weird
We currently have two kids bikes stored in the corner of our bedroom, but there is a legitimate reason for this which isn't that I'm starting a second-hand bike shop as a secret side job, or is it...

The Wonderful
I headed out to see The Jungle Book on an evening and it was an evening extremely well spent. Am I now dreaming of quitting my job and flying out to explore the jungle, hell yeah.*

Here's to a magical May which includes a 5 day trip to Barcelona, have I mentioned how excited I am?

*In case my boss is reading this. I'm not actually quitting my job. Please don't fire me.

Spring: Five Favourite Instagram Accounts

I decided it was about time I got round to doing my next Instagram instalment, not that we can really call this Spring at the moment. It's more like Winter #2 out there, but the show must go on. As with everyone else, my Instagram feed is constantly filled with flowers, flowers and more flowers at this time of year. Not that I'm complaining, as I'm a sucker for seasonally-appropriate things. {Take my Autumn and Winter favs for example.} It's pretty impossible to walk down the road right now without finding something that would look great on your feed, so I bring to you the accounts that are nailing it for me!

1. @wishwishwish

For her recent hen do she went to Paris, and spent part of it at Disneyland Paris, how dreamy is that for a pre-wedding trip. 

2. @livpurvis

Olivia was an attendee of the fore-mentioned hen do to Disneyland Paris, so I was obviously going to follow her and I was not disappointed with her feed, that is full of gorgeous outfits, pretty places and heavenly food!

3. @jessicajoseph
The fact that the owner of this feed currently resides in Leeds makes me super happy as it means all the mouth-watering food posts are within driving distance. That and that we share a mutual love for Zara.

4. @poppydeyes
How refreshing do these photos look. The fact that there is always some variety of flowers in the picture makes me v. happy.

5.@elensham
Think architecture and Spring blooms. I want to go everywhere she goes, it all looks so beautiful!

Little Things #22

This week has reminded me of one thing, how terrible I am at painting my nails. Apparently buying new nail polishes doesn't automatically make you an A* nail painter, so I know what I'm going to be doing tonight. This last week{end especially} has been a busy one, and whilst it didn't start off the fresh-est, it ended pretty well with too much ice-cream and not enough vegetables, weekends are cheatends.

1. Because Mr. Sunshine treated us to his presence from rise-to-set I managed to get out on a few jogs this week by the river. 
2. The Queen turned 90 and being the royalist I am, I loved every minute. Especially all of the pictures of George, how adorable is he! 
3. To celebrate said 90th birthday we headed to one of the local parks and ate fish n chips on a bench, watched a beacon being lit and sang Happy Birthday to HRH. 
4. And as if I wasn't broody enough with all the pictures appearing of George, we had visit to the office from 4-day-old Cooper. He just slept in my arms and I could have quite happily taken him home with me. 
5. I discovered there is a Twitter account for when and where York smells like chocolate, and it made my day. 
6. I'm a little bit in love with my new shoes- paired with a stripy top and I feel like I should be on a catwalk. {with some jeans obvs!}
7. We saw The Jungle Book at the cinema this week and it was amazing, I could quite happily go again, but maybe without the three rows of school kids in front of us. 
8. Jay's mum and friend have been up this weekend so we spent our days shopping, walking and eating. 
9. And I finally replaced my broken converse with a sparkling new pair.

Now here's to hoping this week goes quickly so we can welcome in May with a lovely three day weekend! 

Things I Love About Spring

My flat is filled with tulips and daffodils, the sun stays up till gone 8pm and I'm starting to head out of the house without my coat. These things can only mean that Spring has finally sprung, (well technically it sprung nearly two months ago but the rain to sun ratio was very much so 5:1). If you hadn't guessed already, I love Spring and what comes with it. With blossom flowing in the wind and lambs bleating in the meadows I'm pretty content, as long as the sun is making an appearance that is. And just like any other season, I feel Spring brings a right of passage of things that have to be done over the months, so I've created a list as to what I think that list should include.

1. Dining Alfresco
If I was still living at home I would 100% be coming home from work  and heading straight outside to sit down with my book and dinner. Unfortunately, a garden is the one thing we're missing with our flat, but fear not, we've applied for an allotment and have a large amount of neighbouring parks nearby. 

2. New Clothes
It goes without saying that a new season means a new wardrobe. It's out with the dark colours and in with the light. Mine is currently filling up with pastel skirts and printed shirts, now isn't that a nice phrase. 

3. Baby Animals
I know I've touched on this before but driving past the lambs every morning just makes my day. I've also started jogging in the evenings again which means when I get to the river there is a stream of ducklings just bobbing along. It's the little things that make me happy!

4. Flowers and Greenery
When it gets to this time of year I always think that the grass is just calling out to be sat on. It's just so green and fresh, and that smell once it has been cut, heaven {unless you're a hay fever sufferer}! The streets and fields are all so colourful too with the fresh blooms which make for great Instagram photos. 

5. Days Out
Now that the sun is actually out there's no excuse for you stay in your pjs all day. My favourite thing is the longer days and we've even started doing things in the evenings after work, who would have thought it!

6. Spring Scents
I love sniffing out a new candle and when you're in a new season it gives you a reason to head out and restock your rooms and cupboards. 

There are another 101 things I could ramble on about such as the pastel nail varnishes I'm yet to paint my nails with or the addition of Spring homeware essentials but I don't want to send you to sleep, so I shall leave it short and sweet. Have a wonderful spring-filled weekend!

Little Things #21

My blogging game has been a shamble so far this month. I can only apologise for the cracking content you've been missing out on. I can't even blame it on the fact that I have a life as many of my evenings have been spent searching the internet for cushions, I'm halfway there. I do have the excuse that two evenings of my week are spent sitting in on a Social Media Course and I spend my weekends away from my laptop screen, so I suppose it counts, sort of. These weekends have given me all kinda kicks...

1. I managed to maintain my dignity at my first work social which included a team-building activity followed by an afternoon/evening/night of drinking. I felt god damn awful and suffered from a two-day hangover as fresh as a daisy for work on the Monday. 
2. My flat is filled with tulips and daffodils- I just can't get enough. 
3. I've consumed my body-weight in Dolly Mixtures this month
4. The Saccone-Joly's have announced they're expecting baby number three- I am beyond excited. 
5. We took advantage of the sun and headed down the park for a game of ping-pong. There were also lots of ducklings and I just wanted to take them home.
6. I'm a member of the work fun committee which pleases my inner-organisation-freak-self. 
7. My desk has been updated with a new folder and pen pots.
8. Kensington Palace have been documenting Wills and Kate's trip to India and I've loved it. 
9. Sunny days mean we find fun things to do such as hire a pedalo. 
10. Last Friday we went for a team outing for lunch at the local carvery and I left in a complete ice-cream coma.
11. The Durrells has turned into our new Sunday routine.

If I was to add today's events to this then they would include a complimentary bacon sandwich for this morning's quarterly company meeting, and a trip to see The Jungle Book tonight. As far as Tuesday's go, this one is pretty damn good.

Little Things #20

We're five days in and I feel like April is fully living up to it's rainy nature- I'm over here trying to prep my spring wardrobe and move forward into the times of shoes that don't require socks. Alas, weather moaning aside. It's been a little while since I posted a life update, and in-between trying to come up with healthy ways I can eat/bake/cook my growing pile of chocolate I've managed to lead a relatively interesting life with some mildly interesting things that keep me content in my little world.

1. It's 47 days till we jet off to Barcelona so preparation has begun.

2. Part of this preparation includes ensuring I'm not as pale as a ghost when baring my legs, so I'm currently trialling Garnier's sun kissed skin moisturiser. {when I say trialling I mean trying it for a few more days as a rash coincidently appeared which is because of a) the product or b) my eczema} 

3. I discovered Malton has the best ice-cream parlour. 

4. Rumour has it we could see a Princess Diaries 3 in the foreseeable future.

5. I dressed up as a ballerina for Sports Relief and got everyone in the office to play chbby bunnies.

6. We popped into the city, and I ended up in Zara. I cannot walk in without walking out with a purchase so I now have this, this and the pictured top in my wardrobe. 

7. Easter = food, friends and family. The best kind of alliteration.

8. We visited a farm over the weekend and I made friends with some lambs.

9. Spike outgrew his pot, so we bought a pretty new pot, did some gardening and left Spike 1 resembling a pineapple.

10. I'm up to date on Once Upon a Time and the fact that Swan and Hook are getting it back on makes me super happs. 

11. I've regained my student status by enrolling on a Social Media Marketing course for the next 4 weeks.

12. Tonight has been reserved for the Daredevil final. We have sweets and everything. 

April Goals {2016}

The end of March means the beginning of April and the beginning of April means it's the month where I have eight birthdays to prepare for and I'm totally prepared, ish, not. I also now have a mountain of chocolate to get through which is totally contradicting my day time salads and evening work-outs, but the lighter evenings mean I have no excuse for starting up jogging again. So whilst I wallow in my disappearing bank balance and munch through half a chocolate egg, I will leave you with my ambitions for April. 

1. Finish all chocolate-related goodies and replace with healthy things.

2. Replace my hearbreakily-broken converse.
3. Attempt to not make an utter fool out of myself at my first work social.

4. Visit a farm and see some lambs.

5. Spring clean the flat- not entirely sure what that means yet.

6. Get Barcelona planning. 
7. Update my wardrobe with some Spring essentials.