Life according to Instagram #5

1. Scrummy Christmas dinner

2. Loving my Minnie Mouse onesie

3. Matching cute slippers from Primark

4. Lovely framed picture Michael bought me

 1. Cute kitty on the bed!

2. Clearly the best calendar to have! ;)

3. Happy smiles on Christmas day

4. Christmas kisses x

 1. Retro wedding planner bought by my Mum

2. Ticket to see One Direction, April 2013!

3. Alex Mack boxset, blast from the past

4. Wearing my beautiful blue dress on Christmas day

I have had a lovely few days down in Gosport with Michael's family and now I am looking forward to New Year's and a relatively lazy week ahead of me before I go back to work on the 7th Jan. I had a wonderful Christmas and got some lovely gifts as well as some money towards my Ipad so I should hopefully have that paid off in a few months! I got some clothes vouchers for H&M which I am hoping to spend this week. I also got some DVDs, a ticket to see One Direction in April (2nd row whoppeeeeee), a gorgeous Minnie Mouse onesie (which brings my onesie count up to 3!) as well as lots of other lovely bits and pieces. I don't have much planned for New Years, just a quiet one really but I am very much looking forward to 2013! I have had a difficult few weeks depression wise but I feel like that has lifted and I am ready to face 2013 with a big smile on my face! Life is good right now. 

xoxo

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Just a little note to say MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! I have had a super day, got spoilt by my Mum and Michael and got some lovely gifts as well as some much needed money towards my Ipad so I can thankfully pay most of it off. I also got an awesome Minnie Mouse onesie which I have been wearing most of the day! We stuffed our faces with a delicious christmas dinner made by my Mum (thanks mum!) followed by a yummy crumble. I am so stuffed yet I keep on eating! Won't be looking at the scales for a long while, haha. Going to eat even more now and watch Downton Abbey. Boxing Day tomorrow which I usually hate as it's so boring but I have lots of DVDs etc to keep me busy. Hope everyone has had a wonderful day.

xoxo

Life according to Instagram #4

1. Making waffles at home

2. Feeling very festive with my Christmas jumper and earrings

3. Beautiful pink roses from Michael

4. Love wedding magazines!

 1. Christmas primark socks, very snuggly

2. Afternoon tea with my Mum

3. The lovely Christmas card I bought Michael online (hope he doesn't see this)

4. Can't beat curry and chips!

I am officially on my school holidays now for 2 weeks and I don't go back to work until the 7th Jan! I can finally began to feel Christmassy and I feel pretty prepared this year. All food has been bought, presents bought and wrapped and all ready to go! Tomorrow Michael and I are going to see The Hobbit at the Imax, so excited! Then we will be spending Christmas together with my Mum and on the 28th we head down to Gosport to see Michael's family then back up again to spend New Years with my Mum! Busy busy!

I will probably do a little Christmas post but will wish my lovely (10!) followers a Merry Christmas as well as everyone else who may sneakily read my blog (don't worry I don't know who you are but I know that there are quite a lot of you each day according to my stats!).

xoxo

 

The best moments of 2012

I cannot believe that 2012 is coming to an end and what a year it has been! I have a great feeling about 2013 and I believe it will be life changing for me but I have been reflecting a little on what has happened this year to me and it has all been quite overwhelming! I have had a few downs but I would say that it really has been a very positive year. I feel like I have grown up even more, I have made positive decisions in my life and managed to live much easier with my anxiety.

 I thought I would share a few special moments from my life in 2012:

Getting engaged

In September, Michael and I got engaged whilst on holiday in Rome. It was a life changing moment for me and having someone who you love so much and consider to be your best friend, getting down on one knee and proposing is so surreal yet wonderful. I always knew we would get married and have children and I was happy to wait for when the time was right which is definitely now. We are in no rush to finalise wedding plans at the moment because we have a lot going on in our lives right now but we are always discussing ideas and making plans and googling vintage wedding dresses (that one is just me haha). Whenever we do get married i know it will be so special...whether it is a small intimate event or something a bit grander, as long as I have Michael by my side I don't care.

Travelling

2012 was a great year for travelling to lots of lovely places particularly going back to Florence and Rome. I always haves real travel bug and I just love going on trips. This was one of my favourite holidays and next year I am so excited to Germany in February as well as hopefully somewhere in the summer. We will probably just be holidaying in the UK next summer but no doubt I will get my research hat on sometime soon. 

Turning 26

I realise that 26 isn't a particularly special or significant year but I feel that now I am slowly crawling closer to 30, I am finally learning to grow up, make mature decisions, settle down in my career and leave my past behind me. 26 was a wonderful birthday for me but then my birthdays always are because I am lucky that I always get spoilt! I feel now that I have really left my teenage and student days behind me although I will feel it even more so when my Young Person's Railcard runs out next May, *sob sob*

 

Starting a new job

Choosing to start a new job was a big decision for me and I realise I was incredibly lucky getting a new job so quickly! I felt proud that I got my role over many applicants and I am determined to work hard at being the best teaching assistant I can be. I still miss my old workplace but I feel very much at home where I am now and so welcomed which made the transition much easier! I recently have decided to cut down my hours to part time for a while for various reasons, which will mean a pay cut but at least it will give me time to get myself together and have a bit more 'me' time. I don't think it will be permanent but for now I am very content with my decision.

Finishing my course and becoming qualified

Back in August I also finished my Teaching Assistant course and became qualified at Level 3 after studying for 18 months to get there. I was really proud to pass with distinction and hope to do another childcare course next year.

 
I really have had a fab year and feel very lucky to have had such great support from my loved ones through a few tough times. I am going to see in the new year with a big smile on my face because I know I have achieved a lot but also have a lot of wonderful times ahead.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. Thank you to everyone who has read my blog this year. Next year will be even more exciting in blogging land, promise! :)
xoxo

Life according to Instagram #3

 

 1. Trying out the wavy hair look

2. Rainbow nerds, the absolute best!

3. Christmas ducky to add to our collection

4. By the canal in Canterbury 

 

 1.Getting festive in my santa hat

2. The little tree that Michael bought me

3. Krispy Kreme at Christmas, the tree one is AMAZING.

4. Relaxing in my onesie, standard. 

 

 1.New love for red velvet cake

2. Nice cafe lunch with Michael

3. Hugeeeeeeee donut, so good

4. The beautiful Canterbury cathedral

I have noticed my pictures seem to have a reccuring theme-cake! I promise I don't eat like that every day (well maybe) but I just love the sweet things in life! Only 4 more working days until the holidays, 8 days until Christmas and just 2 weeks left of 2012. What an amazing year it has been!

xoxo    

Cheryl...goes away for the weekend!

I have just got back from a lovely little weekend away with Michael, was just what we needed! We visited Canterbury in Kent, we went there back in May 2010! We just wanted somewhere reasonably close by that was picturesque and I am really glad we went back! We stayed in our trusty old Travelodge which whilst simple and plain, was just fine for us! We did a lot of Christmas shopping, we walked along the canal side which was really nice as well as looking at the markets. We visited the beautiful cathedral which we didn't get to see last time and it was definitely worth the entry fee. It was huge and rather eerie though! We lit some candles and said some prayers and we planned for a lovely Indian dinner at a restaurant we love in Canterbury. However when we got there, it had closed down! We were gutted as it we had been looking forward to it all day so we decided as it was cold and rainy, we would grab some DVDS, snacks and we went back to our hotel for a movie night! We watched lots of films, had a takeaway and snuggled up for the evening, it was bliss! We headed home this afternoon, very tired!

I am back to work tomorrow but as of 2pm on Friday I am off for 2 and a half weeks! Next week we have a Christmas lunch, a Christmas party and lots of festive stuff to do which will be nice!! I am all ready for Christmas now, it is a shame I finish so close to Christmas day so I won't get much opportunity to buy last minute things but I am not back to work until 7th Jan which is a blessing!

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend!

xoxo

Life according Instagram #2

1. New Hello Kitty slippers from Primark, £4

2. Chilling in my HK onesie from Primark, £14

3. Best pancakes ever from Aunt Jemima

4. Brand new Christmas guide, exciting!

1.Loving my Aladdin jumper, £12 from Forever 21

2.Best donut over, Krispy Kreme chocolate sprinkles

3.Michael's amazing home made curry, sooo good

4.Festive snowman hot water bottle, first used aged about 8! Haha.

I have had a busy week at work this week but all has been good, the next few weeks will be very busy time with nativity preparations and so on but it is a lovely time of year in schools. In 2 weeks I shall have 17 days off, whooo! Michael and I have just booked tickets to see the new Hobbit film on Christmas Eve and we're going to go for a nice dinner, so excited for that <3, we have lots of lovely things planned for our festive break!

I have also been on the hunt for a cheesy Christmas jumper but everywhere is sold out or costing £30 plus! So I hit up Ebay and after hours of searching for the perfect one I decided to go for a Christmassy jumper that wasn't something I could only just wear around Christmas but also a general wintery jumper too...if that makes any sense at all?! I really liked this red snowflake jumper so I went for that, costing me £12.99 I think which is pretty good! Do you like? Look forward to wearing it!

Looking forward to the X Factor final tonight, would love James to win but I feel like Jahmene is a worthy winner too! Although I wish Union J were still there!
Happy Sunday everyone
XOXO

Cheryl....gets new hair!

So in the new year during my Christmas holidays (11 more working days to go whooo!) I am going to get a haircut, something which I don't do very often! The last time I had a proper hair makeover was in Jan and it has grown so much since then if you look at the pics below! I love my hair long, it has always been that way but I really feel like a change. I want to keep my fringe for a few reasons-I feel like it suits me better than without a fringe and also I tend to get a lot of spots on my forehead and my thick fringe covers it all! So that is staying...I think!

 Me when I got my hair cut in Jan

 My hair now

I am never sure whether I want to change the colour as I have always been happy with my darker brown hair. I have been searching the web for some inspiration and came across these styles, I cannot decide which will suit me best....what do you think?

1. Long-ish bob style with fringe parted

2. Short wavy style with side fringe

 3.  Short bob with full fringe

 

4. Medium wavy hair with fringe

 What do you all think? Nothing much to report here, haven't got long until I am off for the Christmas holidays-going to Canterbury next weekend with Michael for a little break so will no doubt do a blog about that! Also been excited for the X Factor final this weekend, come on James! I am also on the hunt for a Christmas jumper! I feel as though I have left it too late now but I shall be doing a browse in Primarni at some point at the weekend! Happy Thursday all!

xoxo

Life according to Instagram #1

 1. Wearing my ear muffs for the first time in many months 

2. Love my glasses

3. Yummy lasagne and salad courtesy of my wonderful fiance

4. Fluffy socks and penguin pjs

5. Cute cat slippers from Primarni 

 1. Delicious oreo chocolate from Asda

2. One Direction advent calendar

3. Spice Girls stocking from my childhood, miss those days!

4. New party dress from Matalan

5. Christmas tree is now up and glowing brightly!

Please follow me on Instagram: http://instagram.com/cherbearboos

I had some lovely retail therapy today with my Mum, we had a nice lunch and then went for a browse in their big store in New Malden which is about 4 miles away. I had a good look at everything and bought these two beauties (with a 20% off voucher of course!). The blue dress is beautiful in real life and cost £24 down from £30. The cardigan is all blue and Christmassy and cost £14.40 down from £18. Do you like?

  Going to get a curry now and watch X Factor and I'm a Celebrity final, have a good weekend all and HAPPY DECEMBER!

xoxo 

  

Cheryl...loves her iPad!

So this is my first post from my brand new shiny iPad and I absolutely love it! I thought typing on it would be a nightmare but I am actually getting used to it. I have mostly spent the time taking silly photos, downloading tons of apps and watching videos. The main thing I love about it is the crispy clear screen, it is a joy to look it. Having used it for two days now here are some of the things I have noticed...

* The screen is exactly the right sensitivity

* The battery life so far is fantastic and has lasted a pretty long time with me using it looooots

* It is much heavier than I expected and not very comfortable to hold

* The apps are very fast to download and easy to use

* The camera isn't great especially with low light when it is awful and very grainy

* It was very quick and easy to set up

I haven't done much on it so far other than take silly pictures and join Instagram although I will probably mostly share my pictures on here! 

You can find my instagram profile here so please follow if you want to!

http://instagram.com/cherbearboos

I have been coming home every evening, getting in my onesie or comfy pjs and just playing it on all the time! Hopefully Michael doesn't feel like I am neglecting him at all haha ;) Other than that, I have just been working hard this week and this weekend I hope to get most of my Christmas shopping finished. I am going to make a visit to a favourite shop of mine...Matalan! I buy a lot of their stuff online but can never be bothered to go to their store, even though there is one only about 4 or 5 miles away! So lets hope I get some bargains!

Hope you're all having a fab week, I promise my next blog post will be slightly more interesting! x

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I can't believe it's nearly December and I have been writing my blog for 7 months now! Thank you to everyone who reads it, I don't have many followers but I do notice that from time to time I get a nice big surge of views on here which is lovely and even when I don't post quite a lot of people read it. I am hoping my lovely Ipad will arrive tomorrow and from then on I shall blog from there, I am so excited! I have lots of nice things planned for the next few weeks, I thought I would share with you what I am excited about...

Christmas Trip to Canterbury

Michael and I are going on a little weekend break on the 15th to Canterbury and I can't wait. We love the place and we will visit the market, do some shopping and visit the beautiful cathedral.

Holiday from work

I am off work from 21st December-7th Jan, whopeee! I love working in a school around Christmas time especially as our nativity is coming up soon and all the kids get excited. I can't wait to have the time off the finishing buying gifts, spending time with my loved one and eating in excess.

 

Going to see The Hobbit 

Michael and I have been waiting for this for a long time and it's nearly time! We are massive fans of LOTR and will be seeing this in the cinema. In an Imax. In 3D.

 

Spending Christmas with family at home

Can't wait <3

New Years Eve

Around New Year's I will be going down to see Michael's family which will be lovely and New Year's Eve will be my mum and me.

A few other things I love about December:

*Snuggling in my onesie

*The Christmas TV guide coming out

*Snowy evenings

*Cold crisp days

*Wearing funky coloured ear muffs

*Cuddling in the warm with Michael

*Christmas TV specials

* That Christmas Eve feeling

*Opening and giving pressies

*Boxing Day food overload

*Making new year's resolutions

xoxo 

Cheryl....treats herself!

Well I finally committed to buying an Ipad, how very exciting. I have been thinking about buying one all year but I was always concerned about the price and the fact that I already use my laptop a lot. I guess I feared it was all style over substance but I guess I shall see! At work we are lucky to have Ipads in the class for the kids and having played on them myself and looking at its features, I decided to get one of my own.

I work about 35 hours a week and earn what I would call a pretty minimal amount (I work damn hard for it though!) so I thought I would research options for buying the Ipad and paying it off in installments. A lot of people don't like the 'buy now pay later' option but this is what I went for. With Very, you are able to use their BNPL option and defer payement for 12 months without interest. What interested me was the fact you can pay off chunks within the time frame of whatever amount you want. I am very lucky that my Mum and Michael have given me a chunk towards it as an early Christmas gift but the rest I hope to have paid off by early next year. I don't feel like it's a debt hanging over me as I am confident I can pay off the rest soon. In the meantime, I shall enjoy the benefits of an Ipad, yipeeee! When I receive it, I shall post an honest review of it. I have already started to look at cute covers and accessories for it (no doubt they will be Hello Kitty themed!)

I have had a good week at work this week although feeling a little down the past few days and panicky. This has certainly picked me up though!I have spent the past few days coming home from work, getting in my pjs and watching my Downton Abbey boxset! Also I am seeing my lovely friends this weekend to celebrate a birthday and have lots of quiz related fun! I have bought myself a few bits and pieces since pay day but nothing major. I had to get a new purse and bought this one from Ebay for £12. I love the tapestry cat print and hope to get a bigger bag in the same material.

 Tonight Michael is making us one of his amazing curries, going to watch a film and get a decent sleep! 4 weeks until the Christmas holidays, time is flying past and I need to get busy wrapping pressies!

HOLIDAYS ARE COMING!

XOXO

Wearing glasses

I remember my first ever pair of glasses. I was 8 and they were red Mickey Mouse ones and I thought I was so cool. Back then, I didn't care about what I looked like or how I may appear to others. As I grew older and my sight began to get worse, I was very reluctant to even wear glasses even though I knew I should. As my teenage years approached, I wore my glasses on and off but hated how I look in them. I would hide them away and just put up with the fact that I couldn't see everything clearly. In hindsight, it didn't help at all and as time went by, my sight just got worse until I had to admit defeat, I had to wear them more. I got new glasses in my early 20's and began to feel a little more confident. A year or so ago, I bought myself some new brown glasses from Specsavers and I feel a lot more able to wear them out now-in fact I wear them all the time except for when I am sleeping obviously.

However I still always take them off for photos which is why some people may be surprised that I wear glasses all the time. There are probably only about 5 photos of me that exsist where I am wearing them! For so long it has been a reflex action for me to just whip them off when a camera comes out because I have always been so self conscious. I realise though that it is all in me, this feeling of looking ugly in my glasses and that other people see it differently. Wearing glasses is so 'in trend' now that it does annoy me when you see people wearing them without even any lenses in! People say well why don't you wear contact lenses but really, I cannot be bothered with the stress and discomfort of them. As I get older, I begin to care less and less about what others think and go with what feels best for me.

There are a few celebrities who have inspired me to keep wearing my glasses-particularly the beautiful Zooey Deschanel who just rocks a pair of specs like nobody's business. As well as celebrities such as Tina Fey who make me feel like it is sexy to wear glasses and the old 'geeky four eyed' cliche is long gone.

So I will do my best to wear glasses in my pictures sometimes. After all, they are attached to me for 75% of my day, so why not! 

xoxo

Wedding Planning: Stars and Moon Theme

I love all this wedding planning/researching lark. Michael and I aren't really comitting to any particular place or date right now but that doesn't stop me coming up with all these ideas and themes. I have mentioned Pinterest many a time (every other blog post haha) but I use it all the time to create boards for wedding planning and it's perfect for gathering ideas. I love anything with stars and moons on and I thought this would make a really great theme for a wedding and something maybe slightly different from your normal vintage theme which I am sure many couples are doing (still love it but you know what I mean). Here are some of my ideas, do you think it could work?

A giant moon and stars, posing for pictures underneath, very romantic!

Lovely stars and moon quotes everywhere like this

A cake with moon and stars, this is so unique!

Cute cupcakes

Adorable little moon sandwiches

Star lights everywhere!!

THESE SHOES!

And this ring!

 

XOXO