#nailartweeklyproject - Week 1

Hellooo,

Some of you may have seen my recent post of Nail Art Goodies & Treats :) I had been treating myself to lots to start my new (future) career as a Nail Technician.

When Danni from Gingerbread Smiles was posting about this awesome new project, I just had to jump aboard. Here is the super cool logo she made for it too :) - so cute!

Use #nailartweeklyproject on twitter and instagram to look at everyone else's who is involved too :)

This first week is 'Clothes'
I haven't really ever done Nail Art before so am the most amateur you could possibly get. So please bare this in mind :) Here you go:

As clothes was a really hard one, I decided to do a basic one that I knew I could do and well I am just obsessed with the whole concept of marriage, love and weddings!

So there you have it, my first ever nail design and first week of a new project - hope you enjoyed :) Please be sure to let me know your thought in the comments, would really appreciate it!

Love, Gemma xo

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Nail Art Goodies & Treats

Hellooo,

So if you read my blog on a regular basis you will know that I recently left work to be a 'stay at home mum' - promise last time I am going to mention it! But you will also know that I am saving up to do a course in my dream job as a Nail Technician. It may take a while to save, so I thought I would get some supplies so I can get some practising in at home especially on the Nail Art as I have never really done it before? Got to start somewhere though!

This is what I got:

Poor quality photo as I didn't have much time to get all the proper bits out to do it - apologies!

Tools
Nail Art Practise Wheels
15 Brushes, 4 Dotting Tools Set
Striping Tape
Paint Pallet
Nail Art
Acrylic Paint Set
4 Barry M Pens - White, Black, Pink, Silver
1 Models Own Pen - Black
6 Technique Colour Pens
1 Models Own Erase Pen
Sally Hansen Correct & Repair Pen
Nail Varnishes
Sally Hansen French Manicure Duo Set
Revlon Chalkboard Nail Varnish & Nail Art Duo
2 OPI
2 Models Own
2 Essie
1 Barry M
3 L'Oreal Paris Riche
1 Sally Hansen Micarle Shine Top Coat
1 Models Own 5 in 1 Top Coat
1 Miss Sporty White Tip
1 Cutex Nail Whitener
So roughly all of these cost me around £60 as I did some bargain hunting. Various purchases from Amazon, Ebay, Frangrance Direct and Boots. It may seem a lot, but you can see how much I actually got for my money!

So be prepared to see lots of Nail posts! Well maybe once I got some practise first anyways.

There is a new project starting actually this week #nailartweeklyproject :) By Danni at Gingerbread Smiles. It's a 5 week challenge with a theme every week so keep an eye out on here for mine, first one later this week :)

Love, Gemma xo

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5 Years of Valentines Past

Hellooo,

Valentine's Day is fast approaching for 2014 on February 14th - I have to admit this is my most favourite time of the year :) I am all about love, a hopeless romance as some might say!

I don't have any bad date stories to tell nor do I have any fantastic ones to share either, so I decided to go with '5 Years Of Valentines Past' - something a bit different so here we go:

2009
Please bare in mind I was only 15 years old, last year of school and first ever proper boyfriend. Had only been together for probably not even a month when it came round to Valentine's Day - I was stupid, young and supposedly in love at the time. It was snowing,so super cold and he had work at good old Primark during the day, so we went back to his for a take away and movies before both of us falling asleep on the sofa at around midnight. Life of the party!

2010
Second boyfriend, been together roughly 2 months and was finally understanding the true meaning of love (not like the first boyfriend!). My first proper date, took me to a lovely little Italian restaurant in my local town. Was soo cute, their was flowers, balloons etc! Then on the way home, we had a long walk down the beautiful river to his home where we spent the rest of the evening watching movies!

2011
Just over a year into the relationship, by this point we had our own flat and a precious little Corey munchkin. One of the mum's had volunteered to have Corey for the evening, can't remember which one. I was surprised with decorated dinner table, candles, flowers - the lot and home made Carbonara :)

2012
By this point I was sadly single so a girls night out it was :) Thankful for my lovely friends, we all went out to the local club and had a very drunken night. The club had wristbands, depending on the colour depended on your situation (yellow - undecided, red - taken, green - single)! Was a good night out - here is a couple of pictures of skinny me enjoying life -

I have blurred out the faces of my friends

Not long after on leap year 29th February I got with my wonderful other half who still remains to this day which lead to the next year:

2013
Well it was our first valentines day together, almost our first anniversary - sadly we didn't do anything. Besides actually we went to Woburn Safari Park (which kind of explains what it is really!) for the day. It still upsets me we didn't really do much though. However, we did actually buy eachother a fair bit, so here is what I got:

Presents Corey got me - I almost got myself the rose & pillow, luckily I didn't as "Corey" knew me well :) lovely gifts which I still treasure to this day!

My beautiful presents - flowers, balloons, Moet Rose Champagne, Vera Wang Champagne flute glasses, Michael Kors Watch, Tiffany bracelet, Pandora bracelet & charms, Me to You teddy and finally Vera Wang perfume :) very spoilt!

Heart shaped chocolates and cake that I made :) going to recreate again this year! (with better decorating skills)
What to expect in 2014? *hint to the boyfriend*
Our firsts together of Christmas, Valentine's and Anniversary we actually now realised we must of spent well far too much on each other - from that point on we didn't do following Birthday & Christmas (this one just gone!). I am a bit spoilt to be honest, and I have said that this year as a joint 2nd Anniversary/Valentines day I want to do something :) So have told him he better get planning - I hope he realises how deadly serious I am being too! So I will be sure to post all about this after the day - might not be until late Feb/March though due to our Anniversary being on Leap Year (which doesn't exist this year, boo!)

Love, Gemma xo

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Weight Loss #3

Helloo,

So you will be able to see my last 'Weight Loss #2' on this link here which I posted 11 days ago now! So it hasn't been long and I am sad to report that I have not lost any weight, but I have also not gained any so at least that is something.

It hasn't been long since I left my job, instead of going full force into basically changing my whole life around (weight, family life, routine etc) I decided to do it all slowly and gradually. Never really done this before. But I feel as if I had gone right thats it, then I would have quit after a few days. I haven't joined weight watchers or anything like that. I am simply losing weight by healthy eating and regular exercise.

So far I have cut out the snacks in between meals, yay me! However, my meal portions are still a bit on the large size which I plan to cut down gradually now :) Also, the exercise is about to begin, I have gone and bought exercise clothes - I didn't have many to spend so well it is actually on my Littlewoods Finance (sorry mum!) but it's the only way!

Anyways, here is what I got:

Nike Legend Loose Pants - Black & ASOS plain tops
Such a straight pose aha, don't like looking at myself in these angles! I spent hours trying to find pants, I should have really gone for cuff ones but these will do now - hopefully I won't trip up! I would have gone for the larger size if they had it in stock, but I am glad I didn't as these fit okay, and well with the intention to lose weight don't want them too big. Yes I went for all black, I am one of them girls - it is slimming (ish)!

Adidas Arianna II Ladies Gym Trainers
These were no nicest and one of the cheapest I could find, very plain and pretty! Haven't had proper trainers in well I have no many idea on how many years, these will do just nicely :)

Intimates Solutions Sports Bra (Black & White)
So, I thought I would give Sports Bras a go, usually my every day wear bra is super padded, underwired etc. Which clearly isn't practical for exercise, These bra's are super comfy, I am impressed only downside is I don't like have a smaller chest but not much I can do about that aha.

Corey goes to Pre-School 2 days a week, so in these mornings I shall be taking either a power walk or a jog. This morning I did plan on going on a long walk, which is the best way for me as I can walk for ages. A slow but effective way to get into exercising! However, typical the weather was absolutely bloody awful so my plans were ruined. I have a cross trainer in my bedroom, covered in cob webs (not literally!) as it never gets used. But I had to do something. I began by doing a few stretches at home, although I felt like I was doing a bit of yoga - necessary non the less. Didn't fancy getting a stitch or pulling a muscle after 10 minutes of exercise! Then the cross trainer, I am going to sadly admit this well didn't go so well. I only lasted 10 minutes as it was just too intense for me to start off with and hurt me in places where I had an operation a few months ago. Walking is my preferred method to ease into getting healthy again, so I shall try again Saturday if the weather decides to behave for me. I won't give up!

I am very disappointed in the whole really with the bloody weather & my poor efforts! The worse thing of all, 2 hours later it stopped raining but I had already started with my list of housework! However, I want to get healthy & lose weight in a slow gradual healthy way so I am not going to panic too much but this little set back!

Soon I will be changing my blog name which is in the process, you can read about it here. So I hope this doesn't confuse too much but I no longer wanted to be 'Yummy Mummy' :) I will still be posting and being as normal etc. Just a new name, design and domain.
Love, Gemma xo

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I Need Your Help - Blog Name Change Vote!

Helloo,

So today this is a bit of a different post, I am asking for your help! Some of you on Twitter will already be aware of this, but I would like a blog name change. 'Yummy Mummy' was something I thought of out of the blue, as I have always liked the phrase and especially the Pink Lining bags all us mummies will know about. It was also at first something to hide my identity as such as I didn't reveal who I was for the first few weeks of blogging as I wasn't sure how well it would go etc. Anyways I now feel as if my blog name is not something I want to continue with for the rest of my blogging journey however long or short that may be.

I have been thinking and thinking of names etc, sometimes some really good ones which I was 100% on but these were already taken :( I will be keeping the little logo of lady & boy, but possibly add some more bits too depending on the name change. So will be looking for someone to have a play with my design! I will also be looking to do an actual domain for my blog, so anyone who wants to help with that please go ahead and give some advice as I have no idea where to even start with that!

Plus also I feel as if not many beauty and fashion bloggers may be attracted to my blog due to the name, I want to appeal to all range of bloggers as my blog is a bit of a mishmash of everything. But please be sure to let me know all of your thoughts or if you think I should stick to what I have now.

Obviously, some of my regular readers will know I write about all things parenting, beauty, lifestyle and fashion. But most importantly I am a mummy to Corey, and this is the best part of my life which defines me the most I think so my blog and it's name has to portray that in some way whether its the design etc :)

Just encase you are wondering, I am getting you lovely people involved too because I am really stuck on ideas and it certainly will help to have others opinions!

Here are my options some lovely friends on Twitter and I have thought of, please vote for one or if you have any other suggestions these are extremely welcome and please state in the comments below along with your blog link for me to say thank you :D

Pretty pleaseee vote for your favourite or leave a suggestion for another :)
	Yummy Mummy xo
	Just Mummy
	Gem Corey Love
	A Little World Of.. Mummy & Corey
	A Little Thing Called Love
	Little Blossom
	Other.. Pleasee state below in comments :)
pollcode.com free polls

Went for a super pretty poll - bit girly but I likee it!
I hope you voted :) once this change has been done & sorted I am going to have a massive give-away to say thank you for all my lovely fellows and the help you have given so keep an eye out :)

Love, Gemma xo

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Life As An Unemployed Mummy

Hellooo,

A few months ago, October, to be exact. I wrote a post all about 'Life As A Working Mummy' which you can see here.

However, many of you will be aware if you follow my blog regularly or have me on twitter that just before Christmas I handed in my resignation. My reasons for leaving work:

Wanting to spend more time at home with Corey
The company not actually providing any training even though on apprenticeship low wage
Due to weird benefit system, actually money wise better off at home then working full-time
So as you can see, really, what would you do in the situation? :) Pretty obvious for me anyways!

My boss didn't want me to leave so they offered me minimum wage and training, however when I asked for this in writing I was ignored. So didn't want me that much after all ey? Quite honestly, not to be big headed although it does make me feel good aha. But it was a very small team and I was one of the only permanent loyal full-time worker there who always worked the most - they are fully aware on how much work won't get done as I won't be there to do it! But I was an apprentice, basically doing all the work? Not worth the money I was getting paid.

Honestly, on my last day I was sad to leave and worried I had made the wrong judgement. But certain things on that day proved to me that I was making the right decision! No present, card or even a goodbye. It is a very big change, however one that I am glad I have made :)

Out with the old, in with the new
As mentioned I want to spend more time with Corey. He had got to the stage where he was crying every day to go to Nursery which also resulted in me almost crying - it was totally heart breaking. My last week, he started pre-school so his hours have been cut to the minimum 15 hours :) But as he says he is a 'big boy' now and 'big boys dont cry'! - suprisingly this has worked!

We plan to do lots of fun things and I also plan to teach him things too which you can read about here 'Educating Corey' post. I haven't really thought about this too much yet as I am still on my first week of unemployment (the relaxing stage!) but we do have a list of things we want to do this year:

Butlins Skegness
London Aquarium & London Eye
Birmingham Aquarium
Cadbury's World
London Zoo
Harrod's Disney Cafe (close enough to the real thing?)
I have set realistic things we can do, as I don't like to be disappointed! Plus we are going to be going on lots of walks to the park every week so I can get plenty of exercise - maybe when the weather is a bit better though? Plus in the town I live in we have something called 'Kids World' which is a super amazing indoor soft play centre. We haven't been in over a year due to working so it will be very exciting now he is old enough to play in the big section. Corey likes to call it 'Boys World' so mummy isn't allowed as I am a girl - thanks Corey! :(

Another thing I am hoping for is that being at home will help my relationship, both of us working full-time was a lot of pressure. We didn't have much time for things together or cleaning etc, it caused many arguments due to grumpiness on both part. I will be home every day to do the chores and cook dinner etc - without being exhausted I will have time. Plus we will have more time to spend together his days off are in the week - family quality time!

Here is our first outing with me as the unemployed to 'Kids World' :)

Here he is playing with my camera, taking photos etc - wrapped up warm before a walk out!

Money is pretty much going to be the same as when I was working, however, I always used to end up skint when I shouldn't have as after my bills/rent go out I should have had more than enough left over - so this is also the start of being very tight and on a sort of spending ban. I plan to save up for engagement/wedding and also most importantly pay off debt to grandparents! I will have posts sometime in the near future on money saving tips too :) Briefly though I am ensuring food shopping is planned, no takeaways and no goodies!

I am also going to be concentrating on my weight alot which you can read about here on my 'Weight Loss' post.

Sometimes when people see that others are unemployed stay at home mums, they think lazyyy. Some people will see the title of this post and think 'er another young mum not working' which is unfortunately the cruel judgemental world we live in. But if you read my story here today you will see that I do have very valid reasoning's behind it all. Yes, I have also loved being a working mummy too, one day I will again too :) I don't plan to sit on my ass all day long. Being a stay at home mum, is a blessing if you can afford too :) who would turn down quality time with their child?

Many of you will know that I am saving up to undertake a course as a Nail Technician as this is my dream job :) For now, I will be practising my nail art, so keep an eye out as lots of future posts planned/in the making!

That is it for now, I will keep you up to date on days out etc with Corey :) - love these sort of posts & can not wait to share mine too!

Love, Yummy Mummy xo

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Boots Point Buys: Sleek & Benefit

Hellooo,

I think the Boxing Day Sales were pretty below average but there were some products I had wanted for a while, luckily for me I had just enough Boots Points to purchase these with - so here is what I got:

Sleek i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette - Au Naturel £7.99
Sleek Face Form £9.99
Benefit Eye Bright Pencil £15

Because of certain deals they had going at the time I got a sample of Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Russian Roulette and Benefit Sasha Perfume. The lipstick was amaze, I am not sure if it is a full size or not but it certainly is a good size! The Benefit sample of perfume, is the usual perfume samples so fair enough but I was super disappointed as mine was only a 1/4 full - stingy!

Here is what they are like out of the boxes:

Soo I have never done contouring before, had to do a bit of research on good old YouTube for some tutorials, plus lovely Sarah from Pretty In Pink Blog helped by sending a very useful picture over. So it isn't great but here is the make-up look I created using all these new products:

For some what the picture looks a tad yellow, must be the lighting from kitchen doorstep/garden :( I certainly feel pretty though & love these products - can't wait to get better with more practise :)

I didn't go full on with the lipstick, I dabbed a bit on - it looked great but had rubbed off a bit by the time I got to take a photo aha. I didn't go too much on the contour, as my first attempt I done too much by accident whoopsie. I can not use eyeliner as my eyes react badly, so when this had black eye shadow I certainly grabbed at my chance for a subtle line, LOVED it!

Plus Sleek is such good value for money! Highly recommend :) With my benefit pencil, doesn't make a huge amount of difference. This was the 2nd Benefit product I have used and disappointed again.

I had saved this Sleek Eyeshadow Palette until I got some new brushes as I only have one eye Real Techniques Brush - luckily for me Hayley over at haysparkles.com had a competition that I won :) Perfect timing and so exciting as I have never won anything before. They are Nanshy brushes & they were amazing to use!

So that is it for now, hope you enjoyed as beauty posts don't happen often on here! :) leave a comment if you liked so I know to do more beauty!

Love, Yummy Mummy xo

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The Ultimate Baby Bag - Nova Harley*

Hellooo,

Today I have a really exciting product to show you which I have been sent from the company for reviewing. Let me start by saying it is 'The Ultimate Baby Bag' by Nova Harley.

Designed By A Mother For Mothers
Pictures

Excuse the hoover & doggy in the last picture!

Facts
Range: Luxury
Bag Name: Melbourne
Colour: Pink
Price: £240
Material: Premium Leather
Size: Length/Width/Height (43*11*31 cm) - Roughly Medium
Interior: Has 13 illustrated pockets for - change mat, separate insulted bottle holder, nappies, dummies, wipes, bibs, medicines, clothes, dirty clothes/nappies, food, mothers section and keys.

I couldn't take a picture to explain the inside as it was too difficult with my poor photography skills, so below is a picture from their photographers illustrating it in a very clear way :)

This bag 'Pink' is a rather Pink/Orange/Red mixture colour, depends on what light you have it in, and I clearly had bad lighting in one of my pictures above as it just looks pure orange. It is a lovely colour non the less :) But here is a picture their photographer took so you can get a real idea of the colour with good lighting!

Company Background
Nova Harley had a son around 2 years ago, and she got the idea for luxurious and functional changing bags :) Their collection includes faux and genuine leather options, a range of colours and styles to suit every mothers taste. The best part about the company, is the owner is so lovely to talk to via Twitter or Email - so be sure to go say Helloo to her!

Check them out on their Twitter and Website.

Overall Thoughts
Pros
Stylish
Extremely efficient and organised
Gorgeous design

Cons
Mother Section could be a bit bigger - I do have ALOT of things!
Honestly (well obviously!), I love all the different sections, I do not have uses for some of the pockets such as dummies, so I have found some other uses for these! But trust me they are all so handy and can not wait to another baby in future to put it to full use. It is really light, stylish & just so damn pretty :) Even after one day I had soo many compliments on this bag, everyone loved it and how different (or original) it was! On the outside it is stylish, no one would know the inside is baby world :) I could pick no faults with this bag - it is a must!

Don't forget to go over to their site and check out their other ranges - link here.

Actually love it so much that I also now have this is black :)

Love, Yummy Mummy xo

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Weight Loss #2

Helloo,

Well my last 'Weight Loss' post was so long ago, back on the 3rd Oct 2013! - Link Here.

What is even more embarrassing is that I have put on even more weight since then. But as of January, I shall no longer be working (a big part of my stress, well same for everyone ey?) and I am determined I WILL lose weight. Even over Christmas week I lost 4lbs - how? I don't even know hehe.

I will be able to get into more of a structured routine, eat regular 3 meals a day and do more exercise like walks to the park with Corey etc :) All going well, I plan to get a referal from the Doctor for free gym membership - I don't want to commit to this until I am 100% sure I will continue. I used to love going to the Gym last time I was out of work and skinny, this was way back 2011/2012.

I won't tell you my actual weight but my goal weight is 14st, this still seems like a big amount. But for myself, I will be a comfortable size 12/14, if I were to go to anything lower back from before I had Corey then I would just look horrendously far too skinny even though I still would technically be classed as over weight.

Here I am at my desired weight 2 years ago:

My weight has been up and down ever since I was a child, and being contionusely bullied for this didn't help either. At school I was the fat ginger girl who had bad acne - not really much going for myself there. But frankly, now I have learnt that I do not even care. I am loosing weight for myself, so I can feel good about myself and be a bit healthier too. Nicer fashion would be good too! I got rid of the ginger hair back at 15 ish, and so glad I did. As well as undergoing some serious treatment for my acne. Thinks are all coming together for me :)

As mentioned I am doing this for my health, but 2 other reasons are eventually on my wedding day I want to feel and look like a princess and when I have a next child, it can cause issues being so plus size. Even in August, I underwent surgery to remove my gallbladder, this was a result of torturing my body from the drastic up and down weights I have put my body through. I have ranged from size 12-22 about 4 times in 3 years - not good!! Since this operation, I do have to be careful on what I eat as I can not eat as much fatty things, my portions are smaller and cutting out snacks in between (well trying too!).

My main issue is that usually when I used to lose weight, I would just starve myself. This was fine when Corey was younger and eating out of baby weaning jars, plus me being single. Whilst working, I would be so tired after that I couldn't be bothered to cook so now I am not working I have all the time in the world. But now I have a family I need to feed too, I am not going to cook for them and not eat it myself. So I plan to hopefully do some food recipe posts on meals to feed the family on a budget too of course :) Especially, using the Slow Cooker I got for Christmas which you can see here.

This isn't a New Years Resolution, it's just good timing to start after Christmas. I am not doing this for 'New Year, New Me' - I am doing this for me!! This post has really been inspired by Jules at Lippy Likes. She had a post all about weight loss, and had a link to this amazing website called Model My Diet. You enter your actual weight and goal weight, it creates virtual models of you to illustrate what you look like and could look like. This is my results:

left - me now
right - goal weight
Even though I feel much more fatter than it shows on the picture of me now, at a size 22 - yuk! As you can see from the picture above of my actual self a 12/14 is a perfect suit for me :)

Seeing these, and reminiscing on old photos of skinny me, has really given me more inspiration to go for it. I need to work hard on this for myself! :) fingers crossed I WILL do it!!

There has been soo much talk about weights etc in the news and all over my twitter feed recently. I even found myself in a heated talk with a fellow blogger over it. But at the end of the day, I don't think it matters what size a person is and I certainly do not judge someone by their weight or size. I also don't think people should promote being 'fat' or 'skinny' neither are good. The main essential to life is having a healthy lifestyle by eating better, cutting out the snacks etc with regular exercise. What ever works for one, may not work for another. Plus the fact that whatever someone weighs has nothing to do with another person, not our body, so shouldn't make judgement.

As mentioned the smallest I have been is a size 12, yet what none of you will know, this at the age of 15 - I had actually had an eating disorder. You wouldn't tell this by the size I am now, but I did suffer with Bulimia. Which I thankfully overcame, but a reason to why I can not do diets such as shakes or detox's - because I have in the past, and I have been close to relapsing. Alot of people assume eating disorders are for people who are super skinny, no I was a size 12. This is why I do not judge someone, because you never know their true story and everyone is different.

Being a size 12 for myself as stated above is still classed as over weight for my height etc, as it is roughly 14 stone. Where on most occasions, those who are similar size would be probably roughly 10/11 stone. Big difference but who cares :) I know what I look and feel good as for myself.

There is a weight loss community for bloggers just started which I haven't joined because as happy as I am for everyone trying to be healthier etc and it certainly isn't a competition but I would be gutted if I didn't do so well. Which could result in myself losing motivation. However, best of luck to everyone trying to a bit healthier this year :)

Love, Yummy Mummy xo

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FiloFax*

Helloo,

Well I have been kindly sent a FiloFax to review on my blog - I can not even explain how much I love them & have always wanted to try one. Very exciting :)

Pictures

Facts
Size: Personal
Measurements:Height - 188mm, Width - 134mm and Depth - 44mm
Price: £60
Material: Leather
Colour: Fluoro Pink
Contents: Yearly Diary (Week Over 2 Pages), Ruler/Page Marker, Different Coloured Ruled Paper, Contacts, Personal Information, Lots of European Facts (Measurement Sizes, Bank Holidays etc), Notepad, Transparent Envelope - kind of like a plastic wallet!

Extras
These are some extra goodies that I am going to buy for myself to add to my Filofax to get ensure maximum usage :)

Prices
Calcuator: £14
Organisational Stickers: £2.50
Sticky Notes: £4.50
Ballpen £20
Products By FiloFax
These are all the products/ranges that FiloFax offer on their website here.

Personal Organisers
Organiser Paper & Accessories
Organiser Refills
Notebooks
Bags, Briefcases & Accessories
Portfolios & Folders
Pens & Pencils
eAccessories (Ipad covers etc!)
Diaries

Be sure to check all of these out a they're great!
Overall Thoughts
Pros
Handy Size
Stylish
Practical
Sturdiness

Cons
Bright Colour Pink (depending on your taste of course!)
Expensive Cost
Well, what can I say? It is super handy and stylish. The size is great and ideal for my lifestyle, however a business person would certainly need the A5 or even the A4. I shall be using mine for blogging events, birthdays and personal meet ups etc. :) So exciting and received it just in the nick of time for New Years - how handy is that! After opening, I was a bit shocked by how bright the Pink really is, it really is neon pink. As the first day went on, I had got used to it but be sure to bare this in mind. If I were to use a FiloFax for work, it would have been plain old boring black plus a bigger size.

Don't forget to head over to their site to get yours now - Link Here.

Have you already got one or plan too now? I would love to know!
Love, Yummy Mummy xo

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20 Things To Let Go Of In Order To Be Happy

Helloo,

Well frankly, the title explains it all - 20 Things To Let Go Of In Order To Be Happy! I got inspiration for this post somewhere on the internet, although I really can not remember where from as it was a while ago. However, I thought this post would be perfect for the start of 2014 so have been saving it. Here is what I think could be so true for many of us and I really hope it helps! I hold my hands up I really do need to let go in order to be happy :) - especially certain things in my relationship. So here we go.

1. Approval Of Others

Who really give a sh*t what other people think? Well lets face it, we all do. But if we make a decision and are happy with that, what does it really matter what other people's opinions are. They can not dictate the way we live ours lives. Do what we want for ourselves :)

2. Anger/Resentment

Anger will eat at you from the inside. Learn how to make peace with those who have wronged you in the past however big or small. This isn’t about letting the other person off the hook, but it is about letting that anger go and coming to terms with what has happened can not be re-done. I don't really ever forgive or forget - if someone hurts or upsets me then gosh I hang it over their head forever. I really need to stop this a like I said it will eat you from the inside :(

“Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got.”
3. Negative Body Image

There is only one person’s opinion you should be concerned with when it comes to your body and that is you! No one person determines what the 'correct' body type is. Many of us have seen the recent magazine covers that are appalling to celebrities, the whole society think that being skinny is the only way you can be pretty. It isn't right! If you are comfortable in your own skin, and you are healthy, then that should be the only thing that matters. Do not let others tell you that you’re not beautiful because if you believe you are, then you are. It is what is inside that counts after all :)

4. Idea Of A Perfect Partner

There is no such thing as a perfect partner, so throw your check list out the window. In life, what prevents us from moving forward is looking at the perfect image of a partner we concoct in our minds. The sooner you realise there isn’t one perfect person out there for you, the better off you will be.

“He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyse. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you.” – Bob Marley
5. Perfect Life

Just like there is no perfect partner, there is also not a perfect life. I believe in order to get what you want then eventually you will get just that if you work hard enough! There may be bumps on the way and it may take a little while longer than you wish. But it will happen one day :) It is up to you to create the best possible world for yourself.

6. You’re Going To Be Rich

Ha, well we all wish. I spend every day wishing I had all the money in the world, to be able to buy what I want. But unfourtently it doesn't happen like that. We aren't all able to be millionaire after all! I just need to be realistic, stop wasting money, saving up etc! One day I will be able to afford the things I want if I work hard enough, just like the 'perfect life'.

7. The Idea That Good Fortune Will Arrive At Your Doorstep

This again goes with the previous two - You cannot take a back seat in life and expect things to happen for you. Appreciate the life you live, and be grateful for what you have. Value each minute of every day. Live like there’s no tomorrow, and make the most out of any situation.

8. Excuses

Make no time for excuses. You want to work out, but you don’t have the time? Wake up early and get your gym on. Excuses are only rationalizations that make you feel better about yourself for not doing something you want/need to be doing. You desire results? Stop bitching, and start doing.

I soooo need to remember this one every time I am feeling lazy! - pure motivation for me right here
9. Thoughts Of Your Ex

We have all done it at some point, don't even try to deny it. But if you do just think that person is your ex for a reason. If you are going to think of him or her at all, try and think only about the lessons the experience taught you. Do not linger on any old feelings, as this will only prevent you from being happy with someone else in the future. I always think what a lucky escape, and if you still feel you love that person - then go fight for what you feel instead of wasting time trying to find someone else. It wouldn't be fair to find someone new if you have feelings for your ex.

10. Stubbornness

My worst habit. I know it’s hard to admit, but sometimes we just need to give in. I constantly argue until I am proven right, no matter what the cost or how severe the arguement - sometimes even when I know I am wrong.

11. Procrastination

I see many posts of people who don't want to do uni work or anything and end up 'procrastinating' - just as I do with house work. But really, if we just got it done when it needed to be done it would not be as hard as you think and saves time worrying about it all too.

12. Your Baggage

Been hurt in a previous relationship? Most of us probably have been. But carrying those negative thoughts and assuming all men are the same doesn't help the situation. No two people are the same, so it is unfair to judge depending on your past.

13. Negativity

What you put out into the universe will come back to you, so change the way you think, immediately. Stop thinking of life as a glass half empty, but rather, half full. You have so much to be grateful for, if only you took a moment to appreciate it. Anything is possible in the mind of a positive thinker.

14. Judgemental Thoughts

Why do people feel the need to constantly worry about what is going on in other people’s lives? If we spent as much time worrying about our own behaviours as we do worrying about those of others, our lives would be a whole lot more meaningful. We have no idea what is going on in another person’s life, so who are we to pass judgement on the way they act? Even though I share my life on here, there is still plenty I do not share - stuff that no one knows. Yet they judge me because I am not a size 8 or whatever reason it may be. It is silly, it has no affect to them about me. Just as I wouldn't judge someone especially a stranger I know nothing about. Like celebrities, yes their stories are all over the news but you don't know the real full true story, so let them be!

15. Jealousy

Stop envying others and learn to appreciate what we have - the key to happiness. Everyone’s life is unique; we have certain things to offer that others cannot. When we act in a jealous manner, all we do is bring negative feelings into our lives. Nothing to gain from this behaviour, besides horrible feeling within ourselves.

16. Insecurity

I always feel insecure, every day about every little thing. Low self-esteem for so many reasons. But those lucky people who have high levels of self-esteem tend to be happier, according to surveys. They accept who they are and work it every day of their lives. They radiate confidence, flaunt their pride and give off positive vibes. This is how I would love to be, happy within my self and I am learning to be that way which has proven to better my mood. Shall we all give it a go?

17. Depending On Others For Happiness

At the end of the day, the only person you can count on 100 percent of the time is yourself. Especially in a relationship, you depend on that person for everything including happiness. But like me, my boyfriend isn't really a soppy git that I wish his was. So I have decided rather than getting upset because he won't buy me flowers that I will just buy myself some - making my own happiness :)

18. The Past

Stop living in the past, if you hadn't realised time is going really fast! There is no point in dwelling on mistakes already made. I should know as I have made some big ones when I was younger. I look at them as if I learnt lessons and moved forward. Since then, I learnt to better myself and won't make them mistakes again. Sh*t happens and not much you can do about it now besides move forward.

19. The Need For Control

I am a complete control freak when it comes to organising things, making the boyfriend do things etc. It needs to stop as I have realised you just need to let things be. Certainly controlling things hasn't worked out in the past for me, so here is to seeing where things take me this year.

20. Expectations

Expectations need to be realistic. If you set thing that are unrealistic then you will just be disappointed if they do not happen. Anything extra on top of expectations would just be a bonus :) I for example, sat down on New Years Eve and wrote a list of things I want to do this year, looked at prices and looked at what was realistic. I have set many things that will be possible thankfully to my mum :)

I think these are all very valid ways for myself to improve my mood, positivity and how I look at things. :)

I will leave on this note here:

To realise the value of ONE YEAR.
ask a student who failed a grade

To realise the value of ONE MONTH.
ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby

To realise the value of ONE WEEK.
ask the editor of a weekly newspaper

To realise the value of ONE DAY.
ask the person who was born on February 29th

To realise the value of ONE HOUR.
ask the lovers who are waiting to meet

To realise the value of ONE MINUTE.
ask a person who missed the train

To realise the value of ONE SECOND.
ask a person who just avoided an accident

To realise the value of ONE MILLISECOND.
ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics
It just kind of shows really how important every moment of your life is and how we need to appreciate time by spending it doing things with love with people with life whilst being happy. :) Two of these statements hit home to me, as I had Corey 6 weeks premature and my anniversary is on February 29th.

*DISCLAMER*

Obviously please do not read into this post too much, if it offends you sorry and I am not suggesting in any way this is you or what you should do. I just feel some of these will help me to have a more positive outlook on life and hopefully have a better year in 2014 :)
Love, Yummy Mummy xo

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