The other week I went to visit two of my friends that live in Germany. It's true that as we get older, it gets harder to make time to see everyone but it's always possible to make time for those that matter most...even if it means jumping on a plane - they're worth it!

Also, at £23 return can you really complain? (yes Ryanair!!!)

I brought along one of my best friends and we were impressed with Germany the moment we arrived at the train station McDonalds...sounds crazy but that's because you haven't tried their white hot chocolates yet now have you?

And did I mention they also sell muffins oozing with nutella. Makes sense now doesn't it. Can the UK McDonalds pleeaseee make note. 

Aside from gawping at any place that sold 'brotchen' and currywurst, we actually did some visiting too!!

As a surprise, our friends took us to Harz for some traditional sledging...but not like the plastic sledges we have here in the UK. The proper wooden ones you see in old fashioned films etc!

I wasn't expecting to be going anywhere snowy so it all felt quite magical and narnia like. I definitely got butterflies of excitement like a small child!!! Snow makes everything look so clean and peaceful.

They did have ski lifts, but some of us have to be bikini ready this summer, so we manned up and walked up the mountain...in the snow.. dragging sledges...things got pretty sweaty but I was promised gluhwein if we made it half way.

Everyone looked so happy and it was cute seeing couples. parent and child and friends racing eachother down the slopes, some of them tumbling off!

We had snow up to our knees which meant there was a lot of tripping up (and some voluntary rolling around making snow angels)

Dare I say, I felt a little Christmassy?!! Maybe more so than I did on actual Christmas!!!

The half way point eventually came and that meant warm alcohol was the order of the day. The walking was worth it!!

Now feeling a little tipsy, we continued our journey up the mountain. Going where no sledgers had been before (because it was actually forbidden)...to the ski slopes!!!

 We whizzed down, dodging the skiiers and clinging on for dear life. It was sooooooo funnn!!!!

And obviously we returned to the gluhwein hut halfway down because you know, it's good to keep warm for health reasons.

Stick fairylights on anything and I'll find it adorable.

After hours of sledging, drinking and getting a LOT of bruises along the way, it was time to go home. Jeans soaking wet and muscles aching, we climbed back in the car and headed home. 

A perfect day was ended with peppermint tea, candles and blankets whilst we watched one of the best films ever made, Chocolat. 

There's definitely some days that I will always treasure because they were just that extra special and this is one of them. 

January Beauty Obsessions

I think a lot of us find January a bit of a 'meh' month. Christmas and New Year came and went and the cold weather isn't so festive any more. BUT I bet you have a really big stock of toiletries now! 

We all know it...you can't beat a pamper evening with some gorgeous smellies and the obligatory candle burning in the background!

Here are the products I am loving at the moment :)

Seanik Shampoo bar 

I absolutely adore Lush but I do find it a tad pricey at times! I was very lucky to get this shampoo bar as a Christmas present. It claims to last around 80 washes...which suddenly makes the higher price seem like a bargain...and I'd say at the rate I'm using it, that's probably about right. It has been a godsend for my flat hair as it dries it out a bit which helps lift it at the roots! It also has a gorgeous fresh smell and leaves your hair looking shiny which one of my housemates even commented on. Another plus is its portable size! Absolutely perfect for popping in your toiletry bag and as it's solid, you can even have it in hand luggage!

Mask of Magnaminty 

Another Lush gift I received at Christmas! I love to use face masks once or twice a week to nourish my skin and this one ticks all the boxes for me. It has a minty refreshing smell and contains lots of gentle ingredients like honey which leave your skin feeling fresh and glowing afterwards. I definitely prefer thick textured masks to peel-off ones and Lush has never disappointed with their face masks. 

Pink Pepperpod Shower Gel 

When I first opened this to smell it I just kept on inhaling it in like I had some kind of problem! I am obsessed with its unique smell. It is sweet yet sort of aftershavey and its fragrant really clings to your skin after a shower leaving you smelling lovely all day! If you're going to pick a Molton Brown shower gel, make it this one! I promise you will have zero regrets. 

Forever Living Aloe Vera Tooth Gel*

I have really enjoyed sampling some of the Forever Living products I was recently sent but I have to say, this was surprisingly one of my favourites! I was sceptical as there are a lot of dental products out there that claim to give you that perfect Hollywood smile but I genuinely believe this has made my teeth shinier! My boyfriend borrowed some and commented on it himself! I love the packaging and it's definitely a lot bigger than your average toothpaste tube. 

Forever Living Moisturising Lotion*

Drink water, remove your make up and moisturise - the key things to do for healthy skin. I am always changing between moisturisers but for the last month, I have stuck to this one by Forever Living. It is quickly absorbed and has kept that dry skin we all experience at some time over the winter months, at bay. I also find it makes a great primer if you use a smaller amount. Again, I love the smart packaging! All of their skincare range looks like this but in different colours, so they looks very organised lined up on my dressing table.

Hugo Boss Nuit

I think we all like to be that person that has their own unique scent so I am always looking for perfumes that nobody else has. I was drawn to the sophisticated look of this perfume bottle and with its black colouring, I thought it would be really strong but it actually has a very delicate sweet floral smell! It is my current 'go to' every day scent!

I haven't written about anything beauty-related in a while as food seems to have been the biggest thing in my life recently!!! Yess - even post-Christmas!

If you have any beauty favourites I'd love to hear about 'em :)

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A festive guilt-free milkshake

"I never want to eat again. Ever" - this is me after every meal I have over Christmas. Of course, a few hours later I can be found indulging in more mince pies and knocking back the mulled wine. But that's okay because 'it's Christmas!'... 

Except, I won't be able to use that excuse anymore so in an attempt to make a transition to the healthy side, I whipped up this delicious cinnamon and vanilla milkshake, using Forever Lite Ultra* in vanilla flavour.

To make, simply add a level scoop of your forever lite powder to 300ml of semi-skimmed milk (by all means use skimmed to save on calories, but I'm not quite at that stage yet!). Then simply sprinkle in some cinnamon and give it a good ol' whisk to give it a nice creamy texture!

Sprinkle a little more cinnamon on the top, et voila!

If made with skimmed milk, that makes a grand total of 201 calories. Not bad for a tasty milkshake!!

I actually made this because I was scavenging the house looking for some Christmas leftovers as we're not having lunch till we've gone to the bank and some shops AND the garden centre, and I knew that if I didn't eat something, I'd end up eating more rubbish.

I was starving before I drank this and I can honestly say I now feel completely satisfied...and for me as the biggest eater for a little person you'll know, is saying something.

If you're really wanting to shed some pounds then you can take on the seven day challenge where you replace two of your meals with a shake! I think I'll play around with more recipes before attempting that because my love for food is just too great! And remember that if you do try the challenge then it should only be short-term..a sorta kick-start to your healthy lifestyle!

If you have any other recipes, I'd love to try them so do let me know :)

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Cheesy Pesto Twirls

I remember making cheese straws in nursery. That's the level of difficulty we're working with here...except these cheese straws have an extra sophisticated twist to them! Easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser, you can't not have these on your spread this Christmas.

All you need is:

• an egg
• two sheets of ready rolled puff pastry
• grated mozzarella 
• a jar of green pesto ( I bet red would work just as well though!

Step One: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

Step Two: Line a baking tray with some foil and then roll out your first sheet of pastry.

Step Three: Spread a generous layer of pesto across the whole sheet and then sprinkle on your grated mozzarella. 

Step Four: Lie the second sheet of pastry on top so you have made a sandwich with it. Then cut into strips of around 4-5cm width and as long as you like! 

Step Five: Twist the strips and then rub some egg over the pastry so that they leave the oven with a nice glaze. Pop  them in the oven for 25 mins.

They taste best served warm straight from the oven!

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The Most Delicious White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake

It was one of my friend's birthday recently so of course, this called for a cake. But not just any cake, this one had to be super duper extra special! I searched far and wide on the internet (slight exaggeration but you get me) until I stumbled upon this gem of a recipe on BBC Good Food. White Chocolate and Raspberry...I mean you just can't go wrong with such a classic combination.

Enough babbling, this is what you'll need to make it:

For the cake

200g Unsalted Butter 

100g White Chocolate

4 Large Eggs

200g Caster Sugar

200g Self-raising Flour

175g Raspberries

For the Ganache

200g White Chocolate

250ml Double Cream

A little bit of Icing Sugar

Method:

(1) Preheat the oven to 180C and then grease and line two standard size cake tins. Chop up the butter into small chunks along with the white chocolate and then let it melt over a bowl of boiling water.

(2) When the butter and chocolate have melted into a heavenly bliss, allow it to cool for a couple minutes, before beating in the eggs and sugar with a whisk. 

(3) Sift and fold in the flour and raspberries.

(4) Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and place in the centre of the oven for 20-25mins. 

(5) Once the cakes are ready, allow them to cool whilst you get started on the ganache!

(6) Chop up your remaining chocolate and add 100ml of double cream. Place them over a bowl of hot water and allow the chocolate to melt into the cream. Once it's melted, allow it to cool before adding the remainder of the cream.

(7) Whisk the mixture until it's light and fluffy. Once the cakes are cool, spread the ganache between the two cakes, making a sandwich. I had so much ganache that I also put some on the top, chucked on some spare raspberries and dusted on the icing sugar.

Et voila!!!

How to survive a night shift

Working when your body is supposed to be sleeping can be tough. It throws your sleeping pattern, eating routine and can take some adjusting to!! I have just finished my first week of 'out of hours' work for uni which actually wasn't too bad, and here's how you can get through working nights too...

1) Go in with a positive mindset: if you start off feeling rubbish then you're only going to make the night drag for yourself! 

2) Stay hydrated: if you're like me, you forget to drink during the day, never mind the night...but water is super important to keep any headaches at bay!

3) Bring comfy clothes: If you're lucky enough to catch a few hours sleep in between tasks, bring some comfy clothes to change into. It'll help your body get into 'time to sleep now' mode.

4) Bring healthy snacks: If you're not lucky enough to sleep in breaks then you're going to need energy to get you through the night! Healthy snacks like bananas, yogurts and nuts give you energy without making you feel slugging and bloated.

5) Invest in some decent ear plugs: It can be hard to sleep during the day so give yourself the best chance possible by blocking out the hustle and bustle of the day. I absolutely love theses ones.

6) Wear a night mask: Daylight sends signals to your body that it's time to be up and about. Stop those signals by wearing a comfy night mask during the day when you're catching up on your zzzz....

7) Reduce the brightness on your phone: Ideally, you should try and avoid using your phone when you want to try and sleep...but if you absolutely must, reduce the brightness setting! You can also download a free app called Twilight, which gets rid of the blue light on your phone which otherwise prevents you sleeping,

8) Play white noise: Another tip for helping you get your sleep is to play white noise from your phone. I always use this link. It'll also help drown out any outside noises.

9) Stay busy!: If you don't get many breaks in your shift , then my advice would be to power through and keep yourself on the go as much as you can. As soon as you start to slow down, your mind will too and you'll struggle.

10) Find what works for you: Because I was getting sleep within my shift, I kept my eating routine the same as normal...but if you're up all night, it might be worth shifting it round to re-programme your body into a reverse routine. I found power naps before my shift made me feel groggy but some people swear by them!

If you have any other advice on how to survive a night shift, drop them in the comment box below :)

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Our African Safari Tent in Wales

An African Safari tent...in Wales? Sounds a little mad but also pretty awesome as well though right?

We honestly had one of the best weeks staying here. The weather was amazing, think 28 degrees!! (Yes even in Wales) and each day was filled with different activities; mountain biking, segwaying, quadbikes...basically a load of things that would keep us outside.

So this was our tent, come on in...

The inside did not disappoint. I thought they'd be nice inside but even my high expectations were exceeded and these photos don't do the place justice! The bed, as you can see was huuggee and covered in African animal cuddly toys and hot water bottles, which we didn't need of course. 

And as you'd expect to find in any tent (Ha!) we had a much bigger than I'd expected bathroom! A his and hers sink, fancy bath and an open shower! 

It gets better though...

Wait for it...............

.................................

....................................

TADA :)

Each tent comes with its very own private hot tub! We spent most of the evenings in ours with a can of cider in hand, looking up at the stars. The poor TV didn't get a look in! 

Does it really get any better than this?

Staying in the UK has made me realise that you don't need to jet off somewhere to have an amazing experience. 

Every morning, I sat by the 'window' and looked out onto the ponies in paddock opposite, as I sipped on my tea. I remember feeling completely zen and rejuvenated when I took this picture. Clear mind and all that jazz...

What added to the safari feel was that the ponies lived around our tent, so we'd hear them chomping away at the grass. You could look out a window and see a cute little face staring right back!!

If you fancy staying somewhere a bit different then check out the website here 

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Falconry Experience

Kev and I wanted to go away this summer but after all the travelling to and from India, I decided a 'staycation' was what we needed..you know, to try and save some pennies!

We headed to the beautiful North Wales, which is actually right on our doorstep. A few nights of camping and glamping (more on those in a later post) and lots of outdoor activities were booked..making it not the cheaper holiday we'd hoped for!! It's always good to try something new because that's how you find new things you love.

One of my absolute favourite things we did was a falconry experience with the very knowledgeable falconer, Richard. 

We started out in the most adorable barn on site where we were staying that is usually used for events but today, it was to be used to fly the sweetest little barn owl called Renee. 

Whilst we handled her and got her to fly between us, Rich told us lots of facts about barn owls as well as answering our many questions! Renee turned out to be a right little diva, even turning her nose up at food when we tried to tempt her down from the highest beam she could have found!

We then went outside, where we were introduced to our two companions for the hawk walk; Edgar and Alan, the Harris Hawk brothers. 

As we walked through the fields, sun beaming down on us, the birds flew out through the trees and then back to our gloves! As time went on, we really got to know their personalities, making it easier to tell them apart. 

Alan flew off to hunt and came back with a little bird. When they get excited, their feet lock like a ratchet, so he got stuck to the branch when Edgar tried to steal it from him, meaning his only way of protecting his meal was to swing upside down!!

To try and distract Edgar from trying to steal Alan's food, we played a game with him, making him fly through the whole in this tree between me and Kevin, getting a little treat each time he did. He handled it like a pro!

Sometimes they were a little mischievous and didn't land where they were supposed to...

We were so lucky to have a clear sky to watch the pair soar up high above the trees and then swoop down towards us.

We then headed back to the barn for some tea and cake, whilst Richard put all the photos he'd taken of us onto a disk!

It was £90 for both of us for an hour and a half which is amazing value for money when you look everywhere else. There's very few places where you can have this as a private experience without being in a big group. The photos were a lovely little extra too :)

If you find yourself in North Wales and fancy giving this a go then here's the link to Rich's website.

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