Is This Called Growing Up? A Haul.

I have weirdly been quite good with my money this year and in the past few months I haven't really treated myself thanks to making a head start getting everyone's Christmas gifts or just generally spoiling my nephew & getting things in order for the bathroom work being done and getting accessories for when it is all completed. So over the past few weeks I have decided whilst I am out and about to actually treat myself to a few things. But what is most surprising is that 90% of these items are actually going to be really useful for me and not just be left to one side unused.  Here are the items I have treated myself to over the past few weeks.




I actually still had a gift voucher left from Christmas last year for our local record store. So I finally picked up this The Smiths vinyl, they are a band I have loved for ages but have been missing from my collection for far too long. As soon as I saw it I knew this is what the voucher would be spent on. Now I just need the spare room decorating so I can go relax in there and listen to this.




We have gone all through 2019 without a calendar but have the perfect spot for one between our desks in the games room. I am hoping that 2020 is the year I finally get organised and this Lionesses calendar should help do the trick. I can write deadlines for articles on it, football fixtures and hopefully anything I have to attend for either of the blogs. I am hoping it helps me keep track of things a bit more plus it can't hurt that I am looking at some of my favourite female players each month.




Our house is lacking in the artwork department apart from a Disney picture in the dining room and a Bradford City picture in the living room we have nothing. So I picked this artwork up from the Bradford City shop to go on our staircase. Currently we have a few signed/ match worn shirts hanging on there so this will go along with them nicely.  




Me and my mum had a trip to the Bradford City Christmas market and I managed to get a few bits there too. We have a spare bit of wall in the games room next to our Valley Parade sign so I got some bunting to hang in there that simply says Bantams. We also got some lovely decorations for the tree too, we can't have it the only place without something football can we?




From the City shop I grabbed a couple of coasters for the games room too as our others are nearing the end of their life. You really can't beat looking at something that is designed to look like a retro shirt, they had some brilliant designs.




A couple of items I possibly didn't need were these Nike t-shirts ( I also got one in black) but at £13 each in the Outlet I wasn't leaving them behind. I absolutely love the design of these and I know Nike t-shirts last me a while so these will be worn right through to summer, if not longer. The red colour also means I have also added a bit more colour into my wardrobe for a change. There will be a post all about styling them up on here soon.




A practical item I have wanted for a while now is an electric toothbrush. So when I saw that Superdrug members could get this toothbrush & toothpaste set for just £18.99 I couldn't pass. I am hoping it works as well as my previous one did as Oral-B are meant to be a good make. Plus with us having the new bathroom I might as well treat myself to a new toothbrush  to go in it.




Finally possibly my favourite treat is my new backpack from River Island which matches my holdall I will be getting at Christmas. I treated myself to this as I wanted to smarten myself up a bit (especially if I go to more events like I did on Thursday) no more stupid prints just a nice simple black backpack. It is perfect as it has a cushioned back and cushioned straps and has enough space for me to add my laptop in there too if needed. I can't wait to get using it. 


It seems as though my days of going out just buying junk or far too many games may actually be behind me, I am starting to think more before I buy items and if I am actually going to get use out of them or not. In 2020 I want to do even better with my money & only buy things I really need, which will hopefully mean more savings to go on a few weekends away or even just day trips as I want to get about more and see more of the UK.


See you soon
Lucy

Rediscovering The Nike Janoski's

Do you ever buy a pair of trainers, wear them for a while then just forget about them? I have to admit that I do this far too often it is usually as I buy new pairs the old ones get put on the shelf. But lately I have been doing quite well at recirculating these forgotten trainers and more often than not I have ended up falling back in love with those old pairs. 




One pair that seems to have become an everyday pair lately has been my Nike Janoski SB's. I think I have had these for around 2 years now after I picked them up at a fairly local Nike outlet for just £15.00 which for a pair that still retails at around £50 (there are plenty of different varieties out there now) is not bad at all. For them to be going strong 2 years later at £15 it is easy to say I have got my money's worth.


One thing I love about these trainers is how comfy they actually are, not once have they rubbed me and they are the perfect fit, not too narrow and definitely not too wide. With them being a low cut too they were perfect in the summer with shorts and a pair of no show socks, in fact summer is when I actually started wearing them daily again. I have also found they look great with my grey skinny jeans and just make the outfit look a bit smarter than if I had any of my colourful trainers on, the black and white go great together and with any sort of outfit I wear.


They are definitely long lasting to because as I have mentioned earlier I have now had these around 2 years and the material is still perfect, yes there maybe a bit of dirt on them but it is what can be expected. The colour is still as dark as it was the day I bought them as they haven't discoloured at all,  could just do with giving the white outer a quick clean but there are no scuffs. I have noticed some trainers I own the backs start to give way after a while but there is no sign of any damage to that side of things either. 


I think I have got a good few years left in this pair but when they finally do give up on me I will be repurchasing them as they are definitely becoming a staple piece in my wardrobe and I would recommend them if you are looking for a long lasting, subtle pair of trainers.


See you soon 
Lucy

Last Week #66


I honestly don't feel like I spent any time at home last week, mainly as we were trying to stay out of the way as building work was being done. I think the only night I actually went home from work and stayed in the house was Friday. The work on the bathroom is going really well and I just can't wait for it to be completed. I had a day off to go Christmas shopping with my mum. There was also 2 football trips last week one of which including seeing my article in a programme for the first time which was amazing, the other meant a journey to Manchester. We also had a nice little trip to Scarborough with my parents which was great and finished off nicely with a trip to York Designer Outlet. So here is what I had... 

Been Watching :  Seen as I hadn't really been home I had just stuck to watching YouTube as I waited to set off to work every morning. 

Been reading : Do football programmes count?

Been listening to : It had been a mix of a week with the likes of the Frozen 2 soundtrack, Ria Mae, Tegan & Sara and Shura thrown in the mix

Bought : A lot of Christmas presents, an England Lionesses calendar, a few new Nike t-shirts (will do a styling post on those soon). 

Plans for this week : We really need to get the house cleaned from top to bottom as this work been done has left a fair bit of mess behind, plus we didn't get chance to do anything last week. We also have another trip to Manchester on Thursday which I can't wait for alongside the Bradford City Christmas market at the weekend. In between all that I really need to find some of the accessories for the Bathroom. Fingers crossed I can also fit in shooting some content for here and getting some more football posts sorted. 

So there you have it that was my week. What have you guys been up to?

See you soon
Lucy

My Favourite Disney Characters

Growing up I loved Disney but now I am older I love it even more. Over the years I have loved characters but then fallen back out of love with them however, there are some characters who have stuck as a favourite and never left the list. Whether this is down to their classic quotes or just how brilliant they are when they are on the screen. So here are those characters who are always on my favourites list...






Rex - Rex has always been a favourite due to some of the one liners he comes out with in the films add this to my obsession with dinosaurs and he ticks all the boxes. I think another reason why he is one of my favourites is because my family always refer to me as being a T-Rex due to my short arms.


Stitch - A 100% solid favourite of mine is Stitch and has been since I first watched the film. If you look around our house you are bound to see Stitch in there somewhere and the collection of Stitch soft toys has got out of control. Some of the quotes Stitch says just stick in your head and I love them that much I actually have the Ohana quote and Stitch tattooed on my arm. Fingers crossed I can get the nephew loving him as much as I do.


Chip & Dale - These 2 made the list mainly due to an amazing character experience I had with them back in 2013 in Orlando. I made Liam queue for quite a while to see them but when we got there I think I can honestly say it was one of the best character experiences I have ever had, they had us both laughing and definitely kept us entertained. Plus Chip and Dale are also my dad's favourite so this may have a bit of an impact on them making the list.   


Donald Duck - For those of you who know me this one may come as a bit of a surprise. As someone who is petrified of birds, ducks and anything that resembles them I am actually shocked that Donald has made the list but there is just something about him. I have had a soft toy of him for years now and have even started talking like him to the nephew to make him laugh. Donald is a classic character who will forever be a favourite.  


Woody - Of course Woody is on the list I love Toy Story but I mainly love Woody. I remember dressing up as him when I was younger, the house has plenty of Woody merchandise in too. This year for my birthday I would say 50% of items were Toy Story related too. One of the best things now though is how the nephew seems to be understanding which character is which. Woody was one of my first favourites and it will always be this way.


Buzz Lightyear - The 3rd Toy Story character on the list and the final one is of course Buzz for some reason he has always been on the top of my favourites list too, but I honestly couldn't pinpoint why I think it is just because of how brilliant the character is in the films. 


Ariel - I suppose I have to have one princess on the list and it is an obvious choice as I have always loved the Little Mermaid and I honestly think I have just a little less Ariel merchandise than I do Stitch so she is definitely up there as a top favourite. I don't even know why I love the Little Mermaid so much as it definitely isn't my typical sort of film.


Roo - By far one of my favourites (the soft toy I have of Roo is possibly one of my most loved) but I don't know why. I have never really been a big Winnie the Pooh fan but for some reason Roo stands out to me plus he is super adorable. 


Flick - Finally on the list we have Flick from Bugs Life. Now this one is on the list thanks to some brilliant memories I have surrounding the character. I will always remember having an alarm that was Flick and would shout out phrases. When he shouted out intruder alert my sister was terrified. I actually believe he was confiscated in the end after it absolutely frightening her to death. Flick is definitely an under rated character just like Bugs Life is an under rated film.


So there you have it those are my favourite Disney characters and I have to admit it was hard trying to make this list and pick those solid favourites and not just ones that come and go but I have now realised I have a great mixture of favourites. Would any of these characters make your list? If not who would?


See you soon 
Lucy.


Last Week #65



Another week done and dusted, I feel like I didn't do much last week when looking back I did a fair bit. I saw family, went to watch the Christmas lights switch on (well the really early part as I thought my sister was dancing) and the rest has been filled with getting the house ready for work starting on the bathroom, which was fun until I ended up falling through a floorboard. So here is what I had...

Been Watching : YouTube, YouTube and more YouTube, it is all that I have been watching lately and it has been a mixture of videos everything from hauls, renovations and gaming videos. 

Been reading : I stuck to just reading blogs last week and I really enjoyed it. 

Been listening to : Of course I had been listening to a lot the Descendants soundtrack but I have also fallen back into listening to Shura, I forgot just how good she is.

Bought : I think I did quite well this week only buying a few Christmas presents along with a Bradford City mouse mat and some Bradford City coasters.

Plans for this week : Work on the bathroom starts today so I want to try be out of the house and away from the mess as much as possible. Fingers crossed I have a trip to the football on Thursday then on Sunday I am heading to Manchester to see Man City Women. I also have a shopping trip planned with my mum so lets hope I can get Christmas sorted and some bits for the new bathroom.

So there you have it that was my week. What have you guys been up to?

See you soon
Lucy

A Crazy Gymshark Wish List

Once again I have found myself looking through my work out drawer, yes I have one of those now and just thinking urgh I have such a lack of variety. The drawer currently consists of around 4 t-shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 jackets and just one pair of joggers, but with me wanting to go to the gym a lot more often I could do with a few more items to add into rotation (this is mainly because I am useless at getting washing done). I keep finding my way to the Gymshark website & thanks to them having a constant stream of new releases I have far too many items I am wanting to pick up. Although I am going to try limit myself to a few items at a time so that if I lose enough weight to drop a size I can treat myself and have clothes that actually fit correctly. As I say Gymshark are bringing out some brilliant releases at the moment so get ready as this could be quite a long post...


Arrival t-shirt £15.00


I have got a few of the Veer t-shirts from Gymshark and they are my go to for the gym, they just fit perfectly and I feel comfortable in them, so I am hoping these are similar in fit as they look great. The best thing about this sort of t-shirt is just how plain and simple it is with just the logo above the chest.


Apollo T-shirt £15.00


Another t-shirt I have my eye on is the Apollo one, This isn't a workout specific t-shirt and is one I would possibly wear most days. I love how the brand is more prominent on this t-shirt and definitely stands out. To be honest I would probably wear this on the more casual days or just lounging around.

Contemporary t-shirt £18.00


Another t-shirt I want specifically for the gym especially in this claret colour is the contemporary one. Again it looks like it will be perfect for my work outs and also looks like it is the perfect length like my others. This colour is definitely a stand out one for me though it just looks really nice and I definitely don't own any others in this colour yet.


Glitch T-shirt £18.00


This could quite easily be one of my favourites, the glitch t-shirt. If I was to buy this I would definitely be getting this colour too as it just reminds me of Bradford City. The deign of this is brilliant and is definitely a stand out for me.


Reset t-shirt £20.00


Sometimes when working out I just wear all black or black and grey, however with this rest t-shirt I can wear my favoured black and grey style with just a bit of white added and look pretty smart whilst working out. This t-shirt definitely looks smarter than any others I own and would actually look quite nice teamed up with my Under Armour shorts.


Raid Shorts - £30


Shorts are definitely an area I am lacking in, with me only owning a few pairs. The pairs I do own are simply black ones but I want to try change that a little and actually add a lighter colour pair into my workout drawer. A few months ago I wouldn't have dreamt of this however, now after seeing these Raid ones I really want to give a pair a go.


Contemporary shorts - £25


I know I just said that my drawer is already filled with plenty of black shorts but I really do like the Contemporary shorts, if they are anything like the Gymshark shorts I currently own then I will definitely love them. The best part about these is just how simple they are with just the small logo on them.


Grade joggers -£40


I would sometimes rather wear joggers to the gym rather than my shorts, but that all depends on the weather, if it is freezing outside I would rather have my legs fully covered. But I currently only have 1 pair of Nike joggers for the gym, these Grade ones look great though. At £40 they are on the pricy side but I do really like them. 


Apollo long sleeve £18.00


Long sleeves are something I wouldn't have really considered wearing to the gym however, this Apollo long sleeve looks great for those cold training sessions and even lounging around in. It looks almost too nice to wear for working out whilst also looking super simple. At just £18 it may definitely be one to try out.




Hydro jacket - £60.00


Finally on the list we have the Hydro jacket, would I wear this for anything gym related? I highly doubt it but I do actually want to start going walking so this might be a good buy for that, surely it will keep me nice & warm as well as keeping me dry and still looking good. But to be honest I think it would look pretty great as an everyday coat too.


So there you have it those are the items I would love to order from Gymshark and fingers crossed I can place an order soon.


See you soon
Lucy

**All images from Gymshark

October 2019 Favourites



So where did October actually go? One minute the weather is quite mild then all of a sudden it is freezing, the clocks have gone back and Halloween is over. I can't believe we are already in the penultimate month of 2019 the year has gone by so fast, can it slow down a bit? October was a month filled with plenty of football and family time and I absolutely loved it. So here are my favourites from the month of October. 


Fashion
I loved playing around with different items in my wardrobe throughout the month, in fact I even wore items I thought had gone missing but my favourite item of all has to be my Matalan checked pants, they are just super easy to style and really comfortable. In fact I have loved them that much I am already considering wearing them for Liam's works Christmas party.


Another fashion favourite is definitely my love for trainers (sneakers) just constantly growing. I have worn new pairs, which have finally been brought out of the box and instantly fallen in love with them. One pair in particular is a pair of all white Nike hi-tops, they just look very fresh and stand out on my feet, I just hope that I can keep them white for a very long time. I will be doing a review on these very soon along with another new pair I picked up when I went shopping with my mum at the end of the month.


Lifestyle

In terms of lifestyle favourites the biggest one just has to be spending time with the family, watching the nephew grow and just get cheekier is brilliant, plus seeing how he loves Pikachu just like I do is great he really is becoming a little character. Another favourite has been my love of Craft beer returning, thanks to Points of Brew I have discovered some great new beers from Tesco believe it or not, would you be interested in seeing some posts about them in the future? 


Home
I am adding a new section on here now as the football one has moved to my other blog. The section is everything I have been loving home wise whether it is changes that are happening or items that have been bought. To kick off this section we have a pretty big favourite... we booked in for our bathroom doing and I can't wait, the sperate toilet and bathroom are going to be no more and are going to be knocked into one, I have loved sitting and picking out what I want in it too. Another favourite has been seeing progress taking place in the spare room, finally the walls are clear, skirting boards are 3/4 removed and I am hoping it is all finished by Christmas.  

Health & Fitness
I have been lazy in terms of fitness, so lazy in fact we were barely in the gym but this was a mixture of us both being ill or just being busy but my favourite thing is that even though we were slacking on the gym front I have maintained my weight no gains and no losses, obviously I would have loved to lose some but the fact I haven't gained is great.


So there you have it those are my favourites from October what were yours?


See you soon
Lucy.

Last Week #64



Well I was slacking last week with the blog but that is because I have spent far too long on my football blog and just trying to get things organised. In fact that is how 90% of my nights were spent last week, my Saturday morning was also spent sorting this before we headed to the football. Sunday was just a day of getting housework done and I am glad to finally get everything nice and tidy. So here is what I had... 

Been Watching : It has been a YouTube week again although I have finally got caught up on Keeping up with the Kardashians and I am loving it. 

Been reading : I managed 2 pages of my Hope Solo book and that is it.

Been listening to : Once again it has been a Descendants filled week with a bit of Tegan and Sara thrown into the mix.

Bought : I finally bought my tickets for Man City women and to be honest that was it thanks to me staying in and sorting the blog.

Plans for this week : I want to carry on sorting both blogs out and actually publishing posts on here. But the most important thing this week is going to be clearing out the bathroom and getting ready for work to start next Monday. Who knows I might even purchase some items for the bathroom and spare room too.

So there you have it that was my week. What have you guys been up to?

See you soon
Lucy