Hello 2019!

A very belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I can't believe we are in to 2019 already and I am already hoping that this is going to be one of the best years yet for us. 

At the end of this month, this blog turns SIX years old. I am shocked that I've kept it going so long! In 2018, I didn't blog as much as I wanted to because it felt like too much of a chore - 64 posts in a whole year is awful. I was churning out sponsored posts and reviews which, don't get me wrong, I love because the children enjoy toy reviews and the sponsored posts help pay the bills, but my personal posts got pushed aside and I even stopped writing my What I Won posts altogether. I am planning on bringing those back this year and for anyone who is interested I won a total of 212 prizes worth £5,774 altogether in 2018.

The end of this month also sees mine and Chris's anniversary - we will have been together for nine years - and he turns the big 3-0 in February. Lots of cause for celebration.

I never make New's Years Resolutions because I can't really keep them to be honest but there are a couple of things that I'm eager to do this year. The main one is: learning to drive. I'll be 27 in March so really I should have done this ten years ago. Chris is the driver in our family and I hate having to rely on him or use public transport with two kids in tow. I just need my own freedom. I'm currently almost done with revising the theory and will probably be booking my theory test in the next month. I want to get that passed and out of the way before I start the practical side so I can just focus on that. 

Halfway through 2018 I rediscovered my love of reading. I used to read a lot as a child and teenager but found that I didn't have much time for it after having babies. Now that they are growing up, I'm making time to read and loving it. I'm signed up to Goodreads and have set myself a Reading Challenge of 80 books in 2019. Fingers crossed!
 
Lastly, the biggest thing for us this year is that we are hopefully going to be buying our first house. I will definitely be blogging about all of this and I'm really excited about not renting anymore and finally having our forever home.

Do you have any big plans for 2019 or have you made New Years Resolutions? Let me know!

Use These Stop Smoking Tips For Success This Year

For this New Year, did you make a resolution to quit smoking or even switch to ecigs? It shouldn't be a surprise considering 50% of people make that their New Year's resolution! There are countless people who desperately try to quit during the month of January, however, it takes more than simple resolve to quit. 

It is estimated that about 7 million people make a resolution every new year, and the top of the list is to quit smoking.

If you are looking for the ultimate way to succeed, you need to take your main goal and break it into smaller bite size chunks. Each time you reach a small goal, you need to reward yourself. One of the ways to stick to your goals is by keeping a daily journal, talking to your friends, and focusing on the benefits you will gain.

Here are some of the best tips to keep your resolutions this year!

1) Make One Solid Resolution: You are going to have a much higher chance of reaching your main goal if you channel all of your energy into changing one thing in your life.

2) Do Not Wait Until New Year's Eve For A Change: If you want the greatest chance of success, you will want to think about what you want and need to change in your life.

3) Look Ahead And Not Back: You may feel like you should take a second shot at resolutions you might not have succeeded at.

4) Be The Lone Wolf: Do not feel the need to choose what everyone else is. Decide what you want out of life and choose that as an aspect of your life you want to change.

5) Step By Step: Look at your goal as a series of small steps that will lead to a greater change. Create a time table of meeting these small goals.

6) Make It Concrete: Let your family and friends know what you are out to achieve and let them help you. The added support will helo you through the tough times.

7) Motivation Is Key: Create a checklist of how achieving your goal is going to change your life.

8) Reward Yourself: When you reach one of your smaller goals, take some time and reward yourself to keep yourself motivated and focused on the bigger picture.

9) Put It In Writing: Many people find that when something is in writing it makes it more real. Consider creating a journal or computer spreadsheet, where you place your goals, milestones, and achievements.

10) Change Is Hard: It is important to understand that changing habits is hard and you will be tempted back to old habits. Treat these failures as a small setback and get right back on the horse!

Why Should You Quit Smoking?

There are millions of people across the globe who are suffering medical problems due to smoking. Smoking causes harm to the entire body and slowly destroys the body and every aspect of living. It has the ability to cause strokes, heart disease, lung disease, osteoporosis, and cataracts.

Smoking has become the number one cause of preventable deaths. In the UK alone, cigarette smoking and second-hand smoke cause an estimated 200,000 premature deaths. Out of these premature deaths:

40% are due to cancer. In fact, smoking leads to many forms of cancer including that of the lungs, larynx, mouth, esophagus, kidney, throat, pancreas, bladder, cervix, and acute myeloid leukemia.

35% of all these deaths are due from heart disease and strokes, while the remaining 25% are caused from lung disease. This includes bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma.

Did you make quitting smoking one of your resolutons this year? How are you doing?

(This is a collaborative post.) 

 

A New Year, A New You (+ giveaway)

I admit, I love watching TV. I'm a bit stuck in my ways though and if given the option, I'd choose a TV series over a movie. I think sometimes that movies feel too long and I like little half hour/hour long episodes to watch. Even if I've seen the series a million times (I'm looking at you 'How I Met Your Mother', 'Friends' and 'Gavin & Stacey'!), I'd still go for one of those rather than branching out and watching something - TV or movie - that I've never seen before.

This year, I want to change that. My boyfriend Chris is always in shock at how little movies I have actually seen, especially classics. I'm going to make it my resolution to watch more movies that probably wouldn't be my first choice and to do this, I'm opting for movies that will make me laugh. I feel that comedies would be the easiest way to ease into them - they're just like one long sitcom episode! Here's what I'll be watching, in case any of you want to too:

Yes Man

 I do like Jim Carrey as an actor and I love the positivity of this movie. Carrey stars as a man who is stuck in his ways and attends a self-help seminar to unleash the power of saying yes to things. I definitely think that I need to start doing that myself!

Due Date

A high-strung father-to-be (Robert Downey Jr.) is forced to hitch a ride with an aspiring actor (Zack Galifianakis) to make it to his child's birth on time. I am familar with Galifianakis due to the Hangover movies - which I love - and he is my favourite actor in them so I'm sure I'll enjoy this one too.

 

Doc Hollywood

Eek, I've never actually heard of this movie - how awful is that?! It was released a year before I was born so I'll use that as an excuse. A young doctor (played by Michael J. Fox) is offered a job as a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. On the way there, he causes an accident and is sentenced to community service at the local hospital. Locals become attached to him and he falls for someone there.

 

Two Weeks Notice

This is probably one of those movies that everyone has seen but nope, I have to admit that I haven't! I'm not a huge Hugh Grant fan but I'll give it a go. Environmental lawyer Lucy (Sandra Bullock) goes to work for billionaire George Wade (Grant). He becomes dependent on her, asking her advice at all hours for frivilous matters so she hands in her two weeks notice.

 

Horrible Bosses 

Three friends (Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis) are all workers who despise their oppressive employers. They can't quit so they come up with a plan to get rid of them for good. Unfortunately, they aren't the cleverest...

I can't wait to get watching! If any of these movies sound great to you and you'd like to give them a watch, you can purchase them here: http://amzn.to/2j0b7u7

Alternatively, I'm giving away this bundle of movies over on Twitter! Just give me a follow and retweet the competition post. 

 

Want to laugh your way into the New Year? RT & FLW to win this bundle! #NewYearNewYou Ends 24/01 23:59 https://t.co/5t9HMCHReR pic.twitter.com/RmfYJqIotU

— Rebecca Phillips (@x_walter) January 17, 2017

Goodbye 2013!

2013 has been such a good year for me. I started writing this blog on 14th Jan 2013 as a way to look back on C's development. I cannot believe how far it has come and I can't fathom why people keep coming back for a read!

C was only 4 months old at the start of this year so 2013 saw lots of "firsts", sitting up, standing, walking, etc. and I'm so pleased that I have been able to document them here. 

We even had my 21st birthday, C's 1st birthday and the announcement that Chris's sister is expecting a baby in May so I will be an auntie!

I'm so grateful for my wonderful family and we really have had the perfect end to this year...<3

I can't wait to see what 2014 brings us. 

Happy New Year, everyone!