Rediscovering Books

For as long as I can remember I have loved a good book. I used to enjoy random finds that once immersed would find me whizzed off into a world of romance, danger, plot twists and just a world that was completely different to my own and to be honest I think that was always the attraction.

As I got older, moved out of home, had children and just basically grew up I found myself reading less and less until eventually if I managed one book a year it was a miracle. This year I got caught up in 3 books and it reignited my love of reading. 

Now I'm not one for New Years resolutions(a few new school year ones maybe), if  you have goals or dreams then there's no point in waiting, tomorrow never may come and all that, so you have to grab life by the horns. 

Some may think that reading a few more books isn't that big a deal but it's what it means. It means setting a goal and sticking to it. It means showing willpower and determination and it also means prioritising my time. In today's society we often use phrases like "I'm too busy", "I don't have the time" and "I have other things to do" as a get out clause for not achieving our goals.

We are really lucky to have 3 really big and modern libraries all within walking distance that offer a range of services from free wifi and computer use to adult learning courses and stay and play sessions for little ones, homework clubs to study spaces and I intend to make the most of them this year.

I want to focus on maximising my time in 2019 and being the best person I can be physically, mentally, emotionally and financially so to kick start it off one of my first reads of the year will be The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. That doesn't mean that I'll be giving up my love of escapism any time soon though, I've also borrowed Liane Moriarty's number one bestseller What Alice Forgot. 

So moving forward, I'm hoping that rediscovering my love of reading will help me rediscover things about myself that I lost along the way.

What books have you been reading this year and what books are on your reading list for 2019?

Emma xoxo

That Girl

As the year draws to an end, like many others I find myself reflecting on the past 12 months. The highs, the lows, the good, the bad, the experiences and the lessons.

This year there has been one thing that has stuck out more than anything and it’s seemed to reoccur the last few years, DISAPPOINTMENT!

I’ve always been THAT girl. That girl who will always be the first to call and text. THAT girl who will share the latest bargain or discount code. THAT girl who loves to make plans and invite everyone to make as many fabulous memories as possible but all too many times it has dawned on me that because I’m THAT girl people take me for granted.

This year, more so than others, it has really dawned on me just how much effort I put into my relationships with friends and families and how complacent that those friends and family have become in assuming that I’ll just always be the one who will continue to make an effort.

Truth is, I just can’t and won’t do it anymore. As someone who has suffered with anxiety and depression in the past I know from first hand experience that toxic relationships, bad vibes and negative thoughts are a perfect recipe for encouraging depression and anxiety to creep back in a quite frankly, I want that door to remain closed.

This year there have been some people who have really shocked me with their actions or just showing me how low down on their list of priorities I am. People who I would have never had imagined in a million years would make me feel this way. When you are the one constantly making an effort and feeling like it’s unappreciated or not reciprocated it can lead to a feeling of loneliness, unworthiness and just plain upset, everything I don’t want to feel. So moving into 2019 I just cannot be THAT girl any more.

Happiness and fulfilment are 2 things that are top of my list for next year and I know that in order to achieve them I need to leave disappointment and negative energy in the past and surround myself with positive and uplifting influences. I know that I am the only one that can be responsible for my happiness so I need to ensure that my lifestyle is reflective of that.

Heading into 2019 I NEED to be THAT girl. THAT girl who smashes her goals, THAT girl who realises her self worth, THAT girl who makes fabulous memories and THAT girl who doesn’t let disappointment limit the amazing life I know I deserve to have.

What are you leaving in 2019?

Emma xoxo

Guess Who's Back?!

I know I know, I've been pretty absent of late but that's a post for another day....

Love it or hate it for the next month your social media feeds will be full of images of elves up and down the country up to their tricks as Elf on the Shelf is back!
For some years now we’ve incorporated this into our Christmas traditions and the only way I can keep on top of it is by planning everything in advance.
This year I’ve noticed that loads of shops have starting stocking ‘elfy’ items to help you and your elf in their antics and I along with what seems like half of the country have picked up a few of these things.

Our elf, Kaboodle, named by our now 9 year old is a particularly tricky elf that usually gets up to no good and as such often leaves a lovely mess for Mummy to clean up!

Traditionally, Kaboodle arrives on 1st December through his special elf door leaving snowy footprints bringing advent calendars for all of the family with him. This year he will also be bringing a couple of extra bits an ‘elf cctv’ that I picked up in the January sales earlier this year for just 49p from Card Factory and 2 early Christmas gifts(a concert ticket for teenager 1 and a repaired phone for teenager 2). This will be accompanied with some elf bunting and 'Guess who's Back?' written on the hallway mirror in bright red lipstick.

During the course of the next month Kaboodle will make angel wings in some spilled flour on the kitchen work surface, decorate our Christmas tree with knickers, pants and bras, hang out his very own washing(a prop bought from Poundland) on a washing line by the washing machine.
He will also be put under a glass with a help me sign and other toys around him, toast some marshmallows over one of my candles, put eyes on all the fruit and veg in the fridge and have a play on the elf swing that I bought in Poundland. 

During December there are a coupe of nights that we are away but our elf visits us wherever we are and will do things like hide candy canes in our hotel room for the children to find and take all of our clothes out of the suitcase and put them on the floor or even draw silly faces on the mirrors(using a wipeable marker that we clean before leaving)

On December 25th when the children wake up there is usually a special gift along with a note from Kaboodle telling them how naughty or nice they have been and that he will miss them but will be keeping an eye on them for Santa.

If you want to see just what our elf gets up to then pop over to my Instagram or Twitter accounts to keep up with the adventures of Kaboodle.

Do you love Elf on the Shelf or hate it? If you love it, what does your elf get up to?

Emma xoxo