The road to freedom! Time to make some changes!

Giggles86

I've been really good today and not told anyone about my most exciting Christmas present ever! (I told everyone several times yesterday and I think they got a bit sick of me haha!) I'M GOING TO FEED THE PENGUINS!!!! I'm sooo excited already and I've not even confirmed the date yet! My boyfriend has paid for me to have a penguin experience and day out at a local zoo/theme park :-) I love penguins and told him just after we met that if I ever got to 'meet' a real live penguin it would make my life and that's exactly what he did :-D I got lots of crafty things too which I'm going to use to make lots of cards hopefully which will help to save money next year.
I've had 2 NSDs by avoiding the internet for shopping though I am looking forward to going out in the sales as there are a couple of things I've been waiting to buy. One is a lovely down jacket to keep me warm when the loving above-mentioned boyfriend decides he'd like to photograph the sunrise and go out at 4.30am and I'm justifying it as it will last for years, be very useful on cold mornings/nights and it's half price in the sale (I've been looking longingly at them for about 3 months!) I've also got £40 in book tokens which I'm hoping to pick up lots of bargains with so just need to convince someone they'd like to shop with me!
I've decided that in the new year (or before I go back to work) I'm going to try and have a really good sort out of all my stuff, particularly clothes, as I've got so many things that have been sat gathering dust for ages. If I can get some things organised I can sort my crafty stuff out a bit better and have less things to move when I finally can afford to move out. Going to go hunting for some creative ideas before I go to bed with a DVD. TTFN x

grannyx2

Sounds like your dear OH really put some thought into those presents, what a lovely thing to get you. x

Giggles86

Managed a NSD today solely because I talked myself out of buying a lovely warm down jacket in the outdoorsy shop. I came to the conclusion that the £100 could be put towards the holiday (and a new hoody I've wanted for ages and is in the sale!) and should I need such a warm coat I can borrow my OHs as he doesn't often wear it when we're only out in little old England (he's more likely to use it when he disappears to Iceland in February!)
I have decided that saving is my main resolution for next year. I don't want to live at my parents' for the rest of my life...I'm ready to fly the nest (again!) so I've joined a couple of the saving challenges and also hope to put some money aside every month that I can use for the various things I want to save for. I might also be able to make a bit of extra money [STRIKE]if[/STRIKE]when I complete my proofreading course, and hopefully sell some cards at a craft fair that's planned at our church.
I also want to be more healthy so plan to exercise more (not very MSE but the gym is a possibility so I can swim as often as I like) and eat more healthily (which will include more cooking from
TTFN xx

Giggles86

I'll most likely not be around tomorrow so I'm busy reflecting on the past year. It's been the most challenging yet, beginning with a lot of sadness and heartbreak but ending with a new job, a fabulous man and lots of happiness. There were times around April/May when I thought things couldn't get any worse and wondered if things were ever going to improve. At the start of the year I lost my grandad, had a guy break my heart and quit my job in the space of a week. And now I'm in a fab job (that I hope I can keep somehow when the person I'm covering to returns from maternity leave) and I'm with the most supporting loving man I've ever met. (sorry for being all soppy and reflective!) I've met some fantastic new people and hope to get to know them better over the next year while also learning more about myself as I'm certainly not the person I was 12 months ago! I have everything crossed that I can be less impulsive when it comes to shopping and therefore a whole lot more MSE! and I'd really like to not be posting from my room at my parents' at this time next year!!

grannyx2

Hope next year continues in the way this year is ending, just popping in to say:



Granny x

Giggles86

Thanks Granny! Love the picture Happy New Year to everyone :-) It's been a good start, if not completely MSE! Spent last night at my OH's mum's and drank wine I'd been given as a present and played board games (losing spectacularly at Monopoly and Bendominoes!) We saw in the new year watching fireworks on TV and out of the window and had a lovely spag bol for dinner before we set off home via the outlet village. They had some lovely walking trousers but not in my size so I only bought some bags to display my handmade cards in and a hoody reduced from £40 to £25 but it was only £12 when I went to pay. I was pretty impressed! Tomorrow will be less MSE as I need to pop into Leeds and though I have 2 vouchers to spend I also want a few other things for the new year. Time to curl up and watch a film I think. TTFN x

Giggles86

ok So not the productive morning I'd had planned. I have had a good snooze however which I feel all the more awake for having I really must get all my ID things together so I can go and get registered at the gym. Hoping that won't take too long as I have a few things to do before I go to cubs tonight (one being to charge my camera batteries...should probably put those on now!) Getting up at stupid o'clock in the morning to go see the sunrise so need to get myself organised with my warm clothes. It will give me a good opportunity to test out my new head torch though! Must get self into gear. TTFN x

Giggles86

Been out this morning and bought everything I need to make about 4 batches of soup tomorrow. Might take a while but I'm looking forward to having HM soup for lunches at work
Also been out to Malham to try and photograph the sunrise. Not much of a sunrise to be had though so I amused myself taking photos of a snail shell while OH found a decent landscape shot.
I'm currently sat watching CiTV's Old Skool weekend though I'm most looking forward to Rainbow tomorrow. I think I'll have a cuppa and than crack on with taking down the Christmas tree

Giggles86

Back to work today! It's only been one day but is it the holiday's again yet!?
I've got my gym induction tonight. Not very MSE but I'm hoping that because I'm paying for it I'll be more inclined to go (and I have by brother's OH as a gym buddy). I'm looking forward to it and I'm hoping that the regular exercise will make me feel fitter and generally more energetic like swimming always has. I can use most of the gyms and swimming pools withing our local area so I'm looking forward to being able to swim regularly and use all the classes and facilities
Yesterday I made 4 large batches of soup so I'm hoping that'll keep me going for a good 3 weeks worth of work lunches. I half wish I'd not done them all at once as I was constantly washing up things to reuse but never mind, it was a productive afternoon!
Must get ready for the gym (and find work clothes for tomorrow!) TTFN x

Giggles86

Is it Friday yet!? It's not been a bad week really but I'm so tired! We've been accepting new children in nursery and it's been a bit crazy! Once the last 2 come in tomorrow we'll have our full quota of 80 children (40 in each session, not all at once!) I'm looking forward to a lie in on Saturday!!

It's been a fairly MSE week really, my only buys have been necessary with me getting laminating pouches and a couple of drinks (to try and banish headaches on the way home from work). My gym induction on Monday was pretty good. I didn't have a long work out but I felt pretty energetic afterwards, hope that will continue as I go more often. I've not been again this week, though we'd planned to go to Aqua Zumba yesterday, as my gym buddy wasn't well. I could have gone on my own but don't really feel that comfortable with going yet to go alone.
Yesterday I had 2 letters from the taxman, one that confused me to do with tax codes (my dad is usually helpful in such matters but he was confused too so I need to ring them up!), and another to tell me I had paid too much tax Not a huge amount, but certainly will be a helpful boost for my savings account when I get the money through

My OH has text me tonight to say he has booked a hotel for my birthday in London (we'd already booked train tickets using his 'earnings' (not sure how they work but I think it's a bit like air miles!)) and we're staying in the poshest hotel I've ever stayed in! I'm used to 3 or even 2 star on occasions I've stayed in London (just somewhere to sleep really!) but he's booked us into the Grosvenor!! I'm sure I'm not posh enough to be allowed into a place like that!
Must sleep!! TTFN x