Hello from Rome!

So I am writing this from our beautiful hotel in the centre of Rome-we arrived here in the peak of the heat at around half 1 and found that we had been upgraded for free to a luxury suite rather than the standard double room we had booked...how lucky? It is amazing, a perfect location with lovely huge bed and a jacuzzi which has all these massage and flashing light thingys...so cool. I have never stayed in such a nice room. Anyway, hotels aside, we are having a wonderful time. We haven't got long in Rome as we come home on Sunday but as it's our 6 year anniversary on Saturday (whooo) we are going to make sure that is an extra special day. Florence was beautiful, if a little hot and smelly and yesterday we did a very long hot walk up the hills so that we could take it the view. We didn't actually have time to go to any art galleries (I hear gasps) but we visited lots of other museums and attractions. 

After arriving in Rome today with the 34 degrees hitting us straight away, we headed for the Trevi fountain and then onto Giolitti...the world famous ice cream parlour! I felt sick but it was ohhhh so worth it. We walked around the sights, taking it all in and the general lovely romance of Rome. It really is so beautiful and tomorrow we are going to the Villa Borghese-a pretty park and the Zoo and a few museums. No doubt there will be gelato involved somewhere too. I am exhausted as it's half past midnight here so I shall leave you here with a few photos and I will do a proper post when I get back. Love love love xoxo

We're all going on a summer holiday...

On Monday, we are finally off to Italy! So you don't have to worry about me talking about it for much longer, lol. I have brought the dusty pink suitcase out from the cupboard and began packing. Michael can pack everything for a week's holiday an hour before we go to bed but me...I need a few days! I am lucky enough to still have my trusty Matalan suitcase that I purchased in 2007 when we went to Morocco and it is still going strong. Of course, the main reason I bought it was because it is pink (if I can get anything in that colour, then I will) but it is also big enough for clothes, make up, my laptop, books and everything else I need for holidays.

For me, I find it easier to put things in sections in my suitcase and in little bags. So I will have...

 a bag for jewellery

a bag for products like shower gels (yes, it is easier to get 'mini' bottles of stuff but seriously they actually cost the same, if not more and I would rather carry a bit of extra weight..or should I say, Michael can carry...ahem!)

a bag for medication (I always take paracetamol, IBS tablets, anadin etc as I am a bit over cautious like that!)

a bag for chargers like phone, camera, video camera

Other essential bits like an umbrella (you never know when the rain will hit you!), dry shampoo (for those times you just don't want to wash your hair) and of course, SUN LOTION!

My laptop-some people may think holidays are supposed to be technology free and I guess that is true but I always like to have my laptop for various reasons, particularly as me and Michael sometimes like to just chill in our hotel in the evening and watch a film.

 I also always purchase guide books in advance because I like to have a map and an idea of where things are. I got this for £2 from a charity shop. Michael is much more of a 'let's see what happens' sort of person where  as I like to plan everything! This year I haven't planned any acitivites though because I think it will be nice for us just to explore this time.

Anyway I probably won't be blogging again until I get back (I may sneak in a tiny post if possible) so this is goodbye for about 10 days! Have a lovely bank holiday weekend everyone and I will be back with a big post about my hols and what we did and lots of pics obviously (I also have my video camera so will figure out how to upload them here). 

BYE FOR NOW! XOXO

Summer will be gone in September but it's still something I'll always remember...

I have been quite a busy bee these past few days I feel like I have been here, there and everywhere! I have had a lovely few days though but I'm pleased to have 5 or 6 days to relax and get things done before going on holiday next Monday (gosh that has come around quickly!) I also start my new job 2 weeks today can you believe it? I am so incredibly nervous, I am sure after a few days I will be fine but I always worry about everything so the night before I start is going to be interesting! :/

Anyway on Saturday, Michael and I caught the coach from Victoria down to the south coast to stay with his Mum and Step-Dad for the weekend. The area of Gosport/Portsmouth is lovely and after a few hours journey and some lunch, we headed off to a pretty seaside town called 'Lee on Solent' and I sampled some rather interesting raspberry ripple ice meringe ice cream! In the evening we went for a lovely dinner at a nearby restaurant and on the Sunday we went to a place called Marwell Zoo (couldn't tell you where abouts that is mind you!) It was very very hot but we had lots of fun looking at all the animals, being one of mine and Michael's favourite things to do we had lots of fun taking pictures and walking around. After a long day we headed back home in the evening-what an excellent weekend and very kind of Michael's mum to put us up and pay for food etc :)

Yesterday Michael and I finally got to see Blood Brothers in the West End. Michael kindly treated me :) We had a bit of time to spare beforehand so after checking into our hotel in Waterloo we went to do a bit of shopping in Oxford Street. Unable to resist Forever 21, I headed in and was pleasantly surprised with their clothes this season, I saw SO much I liked but in the end made myself promise to only get one thing. I chose this super cute apple print dress with a collar, it was a large which only really just fit me (need to cut down on the desserts...ahem!) but was still comfortable. With my student discount it cost me £20 which I think is pretty reasonable! Of course I had to pose a few times in the dress, as you do.

After some chill time at our hotel, Michael and I (armed with our Tastecard) headed for a restaurant we found online called 'Baltic'. It is a Russian restaurant but they do quite a wide variety of modern European food and with 50% off we headed in with high hopes and hungry tummies! We had a fantastic experience there, Michael had the sea bass (it looked very expensive) and I went for the steak which was amazing. We just had time for dessert and sneaked in crepes and apple pie-also very delicious! We both agreed this was one of our favourite restaurant experiences ever! 

We got to Blood Brothers with a few minutes to spare (we sat down at 7.44pm lol) and discovered we were front row-yipee! Whilst being a little squished, we had an amazing view and Blood Brothers was a fantastic show, one of the best I have ever seen. We headed back to our hotel after a busy day, in fact a really perfect day :) 

This week I really need to start packing, we need to get our holiday insurance and euros-I also need to stop buying clothes so I have some spending money hehe! I will be back before I go away with another blog post! Until then....xoxo

6 Years of Happiness

Unfortunately it is impossible for me to write about Michael and not be overly cheesy and romantic so I apoligise in advance to anyone reading this! I would like to dedicate this post to a man who has changed my life over the past 6 years. When we met, I was a lost depressed confused 19 year old and Michael, a typical 23 year old student. We didn't meet in the conventional way which almost makes me feel like our 'story' is even more special. When I met Michael, through a online dating website, I was excited but apprehensive because of my failed love life up until that point. On our first date we instantly clicked and chatted away without any awkward silences. Great start I thought. Admittedly I got a little drunk because I was SO incredibly nervous to meet the man I had spent 3 months talking to through email. It turned out to be the best thing I have ever done.

It is not true to say it was 'love at first sight' because that is not something I believe in. I certainly felt at the time though, that Michael was and is an extrememly genuine and kind hearted man and he gave me a feeling I hadn't felt before. We went on dates, we did the typical trips to the cinema, spending too much money in restaurants, meeting the family etc and it all went swimmingly well. It was a certain point though, I don't know quite when, that I realised "Wow this man is one in a million' and I realised that I had fallen in love.

To me, Michael is everything I could ever want in a boyfriend and a partner. He accepts my flaws but he also celebrates my talents and encourages me to be myself. He makes me laugh every day in a way that only we can understand. He makes me feel safe and protected during the many moments I feel lost and alone. He has never once let me down. Whether we go out or we stay in, when we are together it doesn't feel like we have been together for so long-it all feels so new and fresh. But most of all I love him so much because he is my family and my best friend and he has been there when I have no one but him and my Mum by my side. When others have closed the door in my face, he has been there with warm comforting arms to hug me tight. These 6 years have been the best of my life but knowing that we have such a special future together makes me smile every day, even when I don't feel like thinking positively. 

So this is for you Michael, you may not read this but I wanted to say thank you for everything you have done for me these past 6 years. You will never truely now how you have changed my life.

'I love you to the moon and back'

1.9.06

xoxo

August Favourites

The summer is going far too quickly for my liking. As predicted, I have had my days where I feel low but I put that down to the fact that I have so much time to think and so much time to fill, which I have done my best with but inevitably, I have been reflecting far too much on things. Sometimes, just a cry and cuddle will help and sometimes I need the whole day to recover. However amongst the few down periods, I have some great days and lots of fun. August has been a pretty good month so far following a crappy July with feeling really unwell. I thought I would share with you some of my favourite things/stuff I am looking forward to this month....

That holiday feeling

  Source: Pininterest

Granted, I have been away this year already and lots of little trips but I really love the feeling before a big holiday and I may be in the minority but I love packing! I always get my suitcase out about 2 weeks before and like to organise what I going to wear and make a little itinerary of what we'll do-I need to get on that now actually!

Catching up with friends

   I have really enjoyed seeing my friends this summer and looking forward to catching up more with others. It is really hard to find the time to see them because obviously we all work different days/times but I really need to make more of an effort this year to see my friends and also hopefully make new ones at my job.

Sleeping in

  Source: Pininterest

I am NOT what you would call a morning person. I only just began to get used to being up at 6.45am for work and then I am hit with 6 weeks of lie-ins-I am struggling to get up earlier than 11! Not that I am complaining, it is wonderful and I am grateful that come September I can sleep an extra 15 mins each morning because my new job is a lot closer.

Watching the Olympics all day long

 Source: Pininterest

 I am going to be very sad when the Olympics end tonight. I am first to admit, I never thought I would get into it as I am not a fan of watching sports but I have found myself choosing to stay in all day to watch (gymnastics being a particular favourite!) and I can't wait to settle down for tonight's closing ceremony with a takeaway and some drinks.

 Planning ahead

 Source: Pininterest

 Planning is my favourite thing to do and I have been doing quite a lot of it this month! I have been planning for my birthday next month (I turn 26 on the 25th Sep) as well as thinking about future events like Christmas (it is never too early!) and birthdays :) 

Pretty dresses

I have seen so many pretty dresses in the shops this month and being right at the end of my pay (last week is horrible before you get paid isn't it?!) I knew I couldn't really afford anything. However I found this extremely cute 50's diner print dress (last one in my size!) on Very

and using the 'Take 3' option, I am paying it off for just £5 a month. Seems a lot more manageable that way and I have lots of compliments on this dress already!

 I have also been loving watching lots of late night films, old Home & Away episodes on Five Star (90's at its best), learning phonics, eating a lots of yummy restaurants including using my Loyalty Card at La Tasca and making cakes (nutella cupcakes anyone?). I shall be back with a blog post or two before going to Florence on the 27th so watch this space. Have a lovely Sunday everyone xoxo

p.s: How amazing are these rainbow pancakes?!

Source: Pininterest

 

Holidays are coming!

Ah it's a bit too early to think about Christmas but I do love the 'Holidays are coming' advert! But no really I am thinking about my Italy holiday in less than 3 weeks time! We fly to a place called Pisa (yes the place with the leaning tower, I am hoping we can visit it if we have time!) on August 27th and then catching the train to Florence which takes about an hour. We are staying in a tiny B&B called the Bonsignori and it only has 3 rooms! When doing research I like to look for small places like this as the service tends to be much more personal and you can chat to the owners about the best places to visit etc. This place had lovely reviews so I am excited to stay!

 

Then on the 30th August we are catching the train to Rome, which surprisingly only takes 90 minutes. We booked in advance and got a great deal of course! We are in Rome for 4 days before returning home on the 2nd September (and then I start my new job on the 4th eeek!). We will also be in Rome on our anniversary so we will probably try and find ourselves a nice romantic restaurant in Rome-that shouldn't be hard to find eh?! We are staying in a highly rated hotel called the Esedra Inn-I chose it based on the TripAdvisor reviews and also the location. We stayed in this area last time in 2008 and it's a beautiful area.

 

 

 I have also been thinking about my holiday wardrobe and having a look at what will be suitable for the hot weather (it's about 36 degrees there at the moment!). Of course I haven't planned out each day but I shall be going for some nice dresses with sandals for the day and some pretty floral dresses for meals out etc. I also have my backpack which is very comfy and normally on holiday I will have a bag that is strapped across my front. I will be paying a visit to Primarni in the next few weeks for some holiday essentials!

 

 

I also have my favourite Roma University hoodie I bought last time whilst over there! It only cost about 15 euros which is pretty good value I think!

I have had a really lovely day today, had a nice long lie in and watch some Olympics this afternoon. Michael made us some yummy bacon sandwiches and then we went to the park-we managed to avoid the rain and we had a lovely rest on our favourite bench and fed the ducks. Tonight we're having a lovely Indian meal-I really love days like this :) 

 

I am looking forward to catching up with some friends this week too. A month today until I go back to work!

xoxo

Hiatus

Hola amigos! This isn't me saying I am leaving blogging altogether but I have decided to post less but make them a little bit more loaded with quality if you know what I mean? I have unfortunately seen my blog viewing figures decline quite dramatically recently and whilst I know it shouldn't be about that, of course it plays a factor in how often I blog. I am not quitting my blog but perhaps instead of every other day it may be just once a week. 

I don't write for viewers, I write for myself but of course, it is nice if people read it and recently I have dropped from about 40-50 views on a blog post to about 10-15! I can't help but feel that maybe it's because they are not as interesting as they could/should be but I hope to change all that. Also I know I don't particularly advertise my blog in any way, probably down to laziness, and whilst I am not worried about followers or readers, I do feel that posting less is probably for the best for now! 

However watch this space as I have an idea for a new blog in a few months time which I will be launching and it definitely will be very interesting! ;) I will still be blogging about my life/holidays/things in general...but only when I have the inspiration to do so. So thank you for reading and please check back here again soon.

xoxo

Cheryl gets back on track!

I finally managed to venture out today after pretty much spending a whole week recovering at home from this horrible illness! I am getting closer to my normal self-today me and Michael went to our favourite place to have afternoon tea-Kingston Lodge Hotel. With a special deal I managed to get it for £12 for two and I love it because each time we go it's a little different. This time we had some yummy finger sandwiches, delicious warm scones and a plate of various cute little cakes-brownies, lemon tarts and meringes (my favourite). 

All very calorific! But it has been nice getting back my apetite after almost eating nothing this week (I have lost about 5 pounds) so I figure a few cakes won't hurt me! That's my mentality anyway. I majorly missed cake when I was ill so I will no doubt be making up for it! Other than that I have been resting and watching the Olympics-I never thought I would enjoy it so much but I am loving it! Especially the gymnastics and we even have had the weightlifting on! I also have been browsing online at various clothes websites and trying to resist but failing! Especially ASOS-there is soooo much on there right now that I want but I am trying to think realistically and trying to save as much cash as I can for our Italy holiday (less than 4 weeks away whoooo!) an also planning my holiday wardrobe. Of course this has to be thought about very far in advance. If it is going to be very hot, which Italy always is in August, then I want to be prepared! 

So this is what I am loving on ASOS right now-I only really can afford to get one of them, what do you think?!

'Once upon a time' Watch £16-Now I don't really need one but isn't it lovely?!

 

 'Rabbit Bag' £20-This is mega cute but I am thinking perhaps it's too small?

'Cat Jumper-£30. Bit expensive but perfect for when it gets colder, it's so cute!

 'Heart print shoes-£14. I love these! I want these!

 So many pretty things, so little money! xoxo