I am finally off on my holidays :D I'm not sure Lanzarote are ready for the Davison clan!! Sadly this means there won't be a Sunday blog this weekend or for two weeks after that :( Not sure how soon I will be back on the web seen as I start work at a Summer camp the day after I land back in the UK :)
AAAAARGH major problemo! I connected my google/blogger account to my new phone and stupidly deleted all of my images!! So for now on there might be a few pictures missing from my blog and instead I have some funky black triangles floating around :( anyway....
As I promised last week, here is my first full week of photos from my project 365 :) If you have no idea what I'm talking about then you need to have a read of an extra caramel shot. I totally didn't expect the project to be so challenging! Some people who take on this project use professional cameras whereas I just use my mobile which makes it much more accessible but it is still difficult. If you do more than one thing in a day it's hard to choose something that would sum up your day as a whole and then there are those days when you don't do anything spectacular.. such as Sundays :P
Thursday June 21st - Nikki's 18th birthday; her first night out on the town with her friends.
Friday June 22nd - Coffee and a catch up with Emma my friend from Uni. Very strange to see her in Wolverhampton! Her boyfriend Nathan who she met at Uni is from the same place from me originally .. what are the chances eh?
Saturday June 23rd - Nikki's birthday meal with the family. Our first cocktails with us both being legal drinkers :) yummy woo-woo
Sunday June 24th - Not a photo I took, but I photo I made in a way :P and shared with Dally on twitter. We are contemplating a trip to New York incase you didn't get that ;)
Monday June 25th - Tractors in Claregate? Sam King would be proud :P
Tuesday June 26th - The day I got my fringe back and started using instagram
Wednesday June 27th - Shopping for holiday essentials.
It has been all change in the last few days, my life has taken one big turn! (for the better I hope) My two and a half year relationship ended this week, which I obviously thought was the hardest thing eveeeeeer, but after some pep talks from my Mum and my friends I feel okay :) better than okay actually! We have to keep perspective in times such as these and remember it was only our relationship that ended and not our lives :D and he is still my buddy!
It just feels a bit odd now because a long term relationship influences so many of your life choices and now I only have myself to consider I feel a bit lost haha. The world looks totally different to me now :) mysterious and full of different opportunities. I like to think the picture below is a good metaphor for in my brain right now; It's a whole new beginning!
It is only SIX DAYS until my holidays, what a good place to start some TLC! :D I am RIDICULOUSLY excited to go! After a really dreary June I will be glad to feel the sun on my skin and the sand in between my toes :) My family have looked up some fantastic places for us to visit; we are all explorers at heart and my Mum swears by 'off the beaten track' haha. Here is a sneak peak of what Lanzarote has to offer :) magical!
For our holiday I obviously have to have a lovely new hair cut :P As I am STILL in the process of growing my hair (see my elongated hair journey heeeeeere) I won't be having much off the ends but I am finally getting a full fringe (or bangs if you are American) cut back in, HALLELUJAH! I have missed my fringe sooooooo much but if I had it cut in any earlier I would have looked totally dorky. I'm feeling something a little like thiiiis...
As if this is not enough stuff going on this week, I am also getting my new phone :) my contract runs out this month and I have had a massive internal debate about which phone to get. I am not very good with the technological side of things so this was like a serious brain cell burning decision! I do not kid :P iphones and blackberrys seem to be the it phones at the moment but I'm really not convinced.. you guys may disagree and have perfectly good reasons for loving them but I just don't see it :) so then comes the debate between the Galaxy s2 or the s3 :) I told you it was a brain burner! In the end the £10 a month difference for the slightest of differences made the Galaxy s2 the phone for me :)
Think I'm making a mistake? Argue it out with these guys :)
It's super exciting seeing a friend after spending weeks and weeks apart isn't it? I swear me and Dally didn't even pause for breath yesterday; too much to talk about and too little time is our problem haha even when we sit there for an hour after we finish our drinks! Definitely going to have a repeat of this on Friday as I am meeting the lovely Emma from Uni who has found herself a chap from Wolverhampton (it's weird how these things work out) and is visiting for a few days. Obviously I have to take the opportunity for a girly catch up!
Did you know that you can customise your frappuccio in starbucks now? Um no, me either! You can choose between coffee and cream, then a flavour shot, the type of milk and then whether you want cream and sauce on the top! Save the embarrassment of holding up the queues, have a play around on their website to explore the possibilities of create your own... www.frappuccino.co.uk. I had a lovely coffee and caramel mix today with soya milk; just over 100 calories and it was DELICIOUS!
These lovely coffee meetings are the perfect opportunity for me to get started on my Project 365. By golly, what on earth is that? I hear you ponder. Basically you have to take one photo a day for a whole year, hense the 365 part; even on those mundane pyjama days when you don't have much planned. This way you build up a collection of thoughts, people and events that you might have just forgotten about and then you can see your life with a whole new perspective :) read more about it here if you want. In addition to my Sunday blogging I'd like to start a 'Week in photos' Wednesday in order to track my Project 365.. don't you guys let me give up! I only started on Sunday so I don't have a whole weeks worth of photos yet, but here goes nothing...
June 17th - Walking up to the top of the world a hill at Milford.
June 18th - Very polite cereal.
June 19th - Starbucks date with Dally; trying out the make your own Frappuccino!
June 20th - Squished in with our last ASDA shop before our holiday <3
I chose thirteen because it is well known for being an unfortunate number and well, this weather is pretty unfortunate in the middle on June! Thirteen things is also a nifty bit of alliteration that pleases my inner English geek ;)
One
Catch up on sleep. James enjoys this one a lot. Often you won't see him until afternoon if he has the day free.
Two
Cook something extravagant for dinner, which really is such a time wasty thing to do, but you just know that you are going to enjoy it more than a rushed cheese sarnie. Baking is always good too but be careful! Baked goods are just so delightfully yummy that you might find yourself doing number ten in this list to fit back in your jeans.
Three
Leading on from the last one... MUG CAKES! Find out how I made them here
Four
Go and have a peruse around a charity shop because you might be surprised by what you find. I got myself a lovely skirt for my holidays that just needed turning up a few inches for only £2.50.
Five
I'd just stick your waterproof jacket and wellies on and go outside anyway! Have you not experienced puddle jumping? It is not only for children :) Take yourself somewhere local that you have never been to before and annoy them by traipsing around leaving wet footprints everywhere :P
Start writing your birthday or Christmas list; I say it is never too early!
Seven
Board Games! Grab a few friends, siblings, strangers, pets etc and have a games day :) Cluedo is my favourite but that's because I always win ;) Bored of your board games? Jenna Marbles has the answer..
Eight
Start watching a new TV series or get through that list of 'must watch' films. Game of Thrones is my new one at the moment seen as EVERYTHING apart of True Blood has now ended. With on demand, netflix, lovefilm and whatever else that is out there, how can you say no? You could even eat some of your baked goods from number three while you watch.
Nine
Wii tournament! I think I know every single move to most of the songs on Just Dance 2 now. Nikki refuses to play with me because it 'isn't fair' haha :P She can't turn down a bit of Harry Potter Lego though! It is so additive trying to find all the secrets and unlock all the characters :)
Ten
Revamp your exercise routine. When I'm at Uni I have to walk everywhere and I ride my bike a lot but when I'm at home I find myself slipping into coach potato mode. Now we can't have that! I have found loads of workouts on Pinterest that are as short as 10 minutes and they can all be done at home!
Take a bath, try a face mask, use your best body butter, manicure, pedicure, pluck your eyebrows, plait your hair, wax your legs... us Brits should still be prepared for the Sun so we can make the most of the whole one day of it!
Twelve
Internet 'window' shopping; because it rains a lot in England and we don't have endless bank balances! Don't splash the cash half heartedly, only buy when you know it's worth it :) if you keep scrolling back and clicking on it... usually a sign it should be purchased ;) Here are a few fabby things that I bought from the Urban Outfitters 50% sale the other day (free delivery over £75 too) ...
Dip Dye Tank - £18 reduced to £10
Batik Tapestry Throw - £35 reduced to £18
Thirteen
I'll dedicate this to the social websites that we all love and hate. Open up a website of your choice and choose one or more of the following to do. Don't like to be so public with your affection? Text instead :)
Tell a few people the top three reasons why you think they are awesome.
Send a funny picture to a friend to make them smile.
Find someone who is raising money for charity and donate a pound or even 50p
Tell someone how good they look in their profile picture. Probably best you don't do this to someone you have been internet stalking though because that is weird.
Make an event and invite your mates round for a film night/pamper day/wii tournament/baked goods tasting/games night/sleepover
If all else fails... check out my procrastination page!
I have an absolutely massive 'Films to watch' list thanks to being so busy in my last few months at Uni. I even missed out on watching the Avengers at the cinema because I had to write an assignment :'( boo! I've watched '21 Jump Street', 'Snow White and the Huntsman' and 'This means War' recently but my favourite by far has to be 'The Vow'. Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams have magically recreated a true story which is both enjoyable and heart-wrenching all at the same time. 'The Notebook' was always my number one romantic film but I think I have found a contender!
Now I am a sucker for decor in film and TV sets (check out Lovely Undergrad if you are interested!) and the apartment in the Vow was not a let down. I can't describe how much I actually wish I could live there; even more than Penny's apartment from The Big Bang Theory. I absolutely love the bright eclectic patterns in the bedroom, I am considering buying a similar tapestry throw from Urban Outfitters for my Uni room this year.
What I would do to have this kitchen in my house! It is so lovely and vibrant that I could just imagine cooking everyone a massive spicy Mexican feast or something else of the sort :) I like the addition of the plants on the windowsill, my little Umbrella Plant would feel right at home.
It is insane that before Uni I never even thought about any of this kind of stuff but now I get excited over everything and anything to do with home decor.. even bowls. They had super cool crockery in the vow too! Imagine eating cereal out of these bad boys...
Haha I am most definitely getting old!
"Keep your head high, keep your chin up & most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about."
I am a very happy bunny today, the sun has his beaming yellow face in the sky and I am liking it! Making the most of this Sunday, chilling in the conservatory and not helping my parentals do the gardening :P All this time off from Uni has already got me pondering the ins and outs of absolutely everything... as well as getting addicted to Pinterest!! I saw the little quote above and it got me thinking, I am a bloomin' weirdo but I'm happy! So here are a few of my secrets that make me.. well me!
Fear of wet wood
This sounds ridiculous I know but I cannot stand the feel of wet wooden spoons or wooden ice lolly sticks. Urgh it's giving me shivers just thinking about it! I don't have many phobias but this is most certainly my number one! This uniquely wonderful phobia however was a lovely ice-breaker in my first year of Uni. In a lecture we had to write our biggest fear on a piece of paper and put it in our pockets, I had totally forgot about it and accidentally dropped it on the floor of my bathroom. Poor Leah found this ominous note and I haven't been able to live it down since!
I am proud of my ginormous forehead.. it's regal you know ;)
Queen Liz the first used to pluck her hairline so that she could have a bigger forehead. It was seen as an aristocratic trait and a sign of being wealthy and beautiful. How can I possibly knock myself for having a facial feature so historically important eh?
Video Games
The only games I have ever been able to complete expect Harry Potter are the Tomb Raider ones. My uncle used to play them on his old PS1 when I was a kid and I must have picked up my uncanny skills subconsciously from watching him. I actually really love playing video games (not that I tell anyone) and I am currently working through the second Lego Harry Potter with Nikki :) I shall never forget where it all started though, Lara Croft will always be my homegirl.
God helped me pass my driving test
I've always considered myself to be agnostic; I'm not religious per say but I do believe there is something else out there. I have never prayed in my life but last September I was so desperate to pass my driving test I actually gave it a shot. I thought I was going to be like spongebob, taking my test over and over so there has just got to be another explanation as to how I passed with only one minor :)
I think my initials are the bomb
Absolutely nobody that I know actually agrees with me on this but my initials JD are the BEST! Who else can say that they share initials with cool tv characters Dr John Dorian and Jess Day ;) It also stands for Jack Daniels aaaaaaand it's a sports shop. I'm sure there are other reasons too but no other initials can compare :P
I don't think I've ever had a serious problem in my life
My nearest and dearest always say that I am insanely lucky and I actually have to agree. Everything in my life always turns out right :) I have a feeling this has something to do with my inane karma beliefs and I am always scared my luck will change; you can't take these things for granted you know! Fooooor example; in high school almost everybody gets called a nasty name or two.. I got called a fish. I actually really like fish now that I come to think of it :) I mean look how neat this guy is
Dear fourteen year old self... that was a super cool nickname! Check out these fishy facts and become a fish loving gal like me:
The lung fish can live out of water for as long as four years!
Humpback whales create the loudest sound of any living creature.
The sailfish can swim at the speed of 109 km/h, making it the fastest swimmer.
Seven is always the magic number If J.K. Rowling says it is then it is. Thats why there are seven facts about me in today's post ;)
I can't say that I am as nuts about the Royal family as some of the people I have seen on the BBC news24 in the past few days but it was still great to get involved in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. I thought I'd fill you in on what I've been up to while I'm sat watching the procession to St Pauls Cathedral on the tv.
The Davison clan got dressed up in our best red, white and blue outfits; I opted for a raspberry maxi skirt with a long sleeved stripy top as it was a wee bit chilly for June! Our family and family friends all came round to ours and spent the entire afternoon eating, drinking and being jolly. I hope everyone enjoyed eating the lovely cake that me and Nikki made especially for the occasion! It was nice to catch up with everyone after living in York for most part of the year :)
Helloooooo from the lovely city of Wolverhampton :) I know I always whinge about it but it has been nice to be home. My bedroom is looking ridiculously full as I seem to have acquired a load of junk over the past year at Uni but it is much more homely than it usually is when I visit home. This week I finally got to celebrate James' birthday, which was on the 20th May! I treated him to a day out at Chester Zoo on Friday because we are both animal nuts (though he likes to keep it secret haha) :P The nice weather managed to hold out for us so we had a lovely day in the sunshine checking out the okapi, cassowaries, komodo dragon and of course all the normal animals too!
James loved it all (I think!) apart from the tropical realm because the birds are allowed to roam free and there is a constant fear of getting poo right on your head! My favourite part of the day was watching the orang-utans in the 'Realm of the Red Ape' enclosure. When I went last year they were very docile so I didn't have high expectations for it this time but I was very very wrong! There were baby orang-utans swinging and rolling around all over the place :D check out the video below for a quick glimpse that I managed to record! Cheeky little monkeys :)
Being the nice girlfriend that I am, I even bought us tickets to have a ride on the water bus :) There are these kind of man-made rivers through some of the enclosures that the water bus goes on. I was quite impressed how close you can get to some of the animals, the giraffes and the buffy-headed capuchins were the stars of the trip :) We were literally five metres away from the mommy and baby giraffe!
I hope you all have some amazing plans for the jubilee weekend despite the typical British weather :P I will fill you in on my Royal antics later in the week!
