Fitness Update

A while ago I was posting about working out ready for going on holiday! Well once we got back that kind of stopped. Ben had stopped napping, and stopped eating in his highchair (which is when I would workout). Ben started Nursery in October, but I never got back into it. As I was more concerned about getting my cross-stitch complete as it was a Christmas present, and wrapping all the other Christmas presents as well.

Now that it's January, and I don't have to worry about that and we're planning our Summer holiday, possibly to Turkey, I'm aiming to get back into it. Ben attends Nursery twice a week, and on the other days he has quiet time in his room in the afternoon. So I can now fit in workouts 5 times a week, which I'm wanting to build up to. The first week I only got in one (but was still in pain a few days later), then last week I managed three! This week I've done 2 so far and hoping for a third tomorrow, Ben's ill so if I'm around all he's wanted is cuddles. And Steve and I are on holiday from work next week so will be having a week off. Then hoping the week after I can up it to 5.

Before I was doing blogilates workouts on youtube. I also watch the SacconeJolys on youtube, and have followed Anna's workouts with Lucy. She does HIIT workouts - this is what I have now started doing, as I hate doing a big long batch of cardio (unless it's walking). So far I love them, and can totally feel it afterwards! I'm also hoping to purchase The Body Coach's Lean In 15 book after work tonight as well to help!

What Ben got for Christmas 2015

This is the last of the Christmas presents posts for this past Christmas! We have quite big families (Steve and I are both 1 of 3 children) and with Great Aunts and Uncles and Great Grandparents on both sides as well. So he did receive a lot (I still haven't opened them all!) and he did get some money as well.

From his Uncle Matt and Aunty Jenn Ben got these lovely wooden toys! The two vehicles are from Sainsbury's and the blocks from Morrisons.

All these car sets are from B&M, the smaller basic cars are from our work friend, and the others are from Nanna and Grandad.

These are from Great Grandma and Great Grandad (unfortunately Ben already has this Duplo set, but extra Duplo is good, and it's just gone in his box with the rest of his Duplo). Hoping that Ben will be better at drawing next Christmas to have a go with the book.

Here we have a selection of Gruffalo products that Ben received. I have no idea where the apron is from but the rest is from Sainsburys (they always have really good Gruffalo products in there!). These are from various friends/family.

We love books in this house! Ben is currently loving the Percy book (I remember these from when I was younger), and sticker books are always a winner. Again these are from various family members.

This is a Radiator Springs car track by Mattel, from Uncle Ian and Aunty Lucy. You crank the handle up and down to move Lightning McQueen up the ramp, and he then slides down.

The Fisherprice Little People City Skyway is great! You put the car down (it comes with 2 cars) and it goes one of three different ways down. Ben seems to have taken to driving the cars up the tower, and will also put his smaller cars down it as well. This was from his Grandma and Grandad.

A lovely Duplo Cars set and this train set (from ELC) are from his Aunty Weeza.

Mack filled with some diecast Cars from Cars 2. Ben loves this, but the cars don't seem to be the best quality (I've had to glue on spoilers and cars have lost side mirrors).

Some Vtech Toot Toot Drivers sets. I've only put together the Garage at the moment, These are from us and I bought the extra tracks so we can connect all his sets together. 

Games and puzzles! Ben loves puzzles (and he's pretty good at them too), We haven't played many games with him yet though. Hoping we can find time to sit down and play games during our week off soon.

Some little extras, a airplane to learn to unscrew and screw back together. Chocolate, and a Space Projector Torch.

Some extras to go with his kitchen a kettle and tea set - I've wanted these for Ben forever and they were always out of stock.

A baking set, again to go along with his kitchen. And a Cash Register to start teaching him about money and we can then play shops.

A massive selection of Alfie books. Now Ben's nearly 3 I wanted to get him some longer books to read, as we can read 2 or 3 at a time.

Lastly a couple of characters out of Planes and Cars.

What I got for Christmas 2015

I love seeing what other people have received for Christmas! So here is what I got.

A Slanket from my sister, Louisa, she lives in hers and loves it so much. I love it too, so nice to sit all snuggled up in it, and sometimes Ben will come and snuggle up with me, and Steve has used it too.

A pair of leaf earrings and Nativity on DVD, again from Louisa, so kept asking me if I'd seen Nativity yet as again she loves it. We haven't seen it yet, am saving it till next Christmas.

A Hollister t-shirt, I love the colour coral on me in the Summer, so flattering! A pair of stud earrings and a check scarf both from New Look. These were from my other sister Julia and her boyfriend.

Two sets of mugs, the pack of four are by a brand called Symphony (never heard of them before) and were from my Aunty and Uncle. The other pack of 2 are from Next and were from Steve's mums cousin. These were joint presents for the both of us.

Smellies, everyone always gets them for Christmas right? The Philosophy shower gel is from Steve's brother and his wife, the Clarindon and Co set were from Steve's other brother and girlfriend, the Burts Bees set is from my Grandma and Grandad. The final thing is some Laura Ashley body polisher from the same Aunty and Uncle that got us the mugs.

Anything to do with making our house smell nice is good with me. Got 2 candles, and a reed diffuser. The bigger candle is by Linea and from my Aunty and Uncle again. The mini one is by Wax Lyrical and a little something extra from the in-laws. The the diffuser is from one of my cousins and her boyfriend.

A lovely pack of biscuits from my sister and her boyfriend (these are to all 3 of us). The Walkers shortbread are from my other cousin and his wife and son. And some little chocolates were a little extra from Steve's brother and his wife.

These were from my mum and dad (my mum knows I love hot chocolate). The glass mug was from Sainsbury's, and the set was from QVC, but Whittards do have their own website as well.

A Harry Potter re-usable bag that came from the Harry Potter Studio Tour, as my family went there for my sisters birthday, now we all have matching bags, haha!

A lovely silver photo frame from M&S, I just need to print off a nice photo of Ben to put in it, and keep on my bedside table.

Lastly from my parents I got this gorgeous Laura Gellar make-up set. I need to get it out have a good experiment with it all soon. The powder foundation will come in handy when we go on holiday I think!

Steve and Ben got me these rose gold Pandora bow earrings, I love them! And I love rose gold too, I did choose these myself (we normally choose our presents from each other).

From Steve's parents I received another lovely Pandora charm (it matches the one I got for my birthday from them). The colour is lovely!

Ben's Stocking Presents 2015

I really like seeing what other people have received for Christmas! So this is the first of three posts. I'm starting with Ben's stocking presents that he got from Father Christmas. We leave Bens stocking in his bedroom all ready for Santa to fill. Then in the morning we open up his stocking presents in our bed.

Ben kept asking for cars from Father Christmas, and he obviously listened. He got another toot toot vehicle to go with his many others, a crazy flippy car and Cars 2 Blue-Ray as he loves Cars so much! 

He also got the Shopping List game by Orchard Toys, Cotton Reels to learn to thread and his first set of felt tip pens.

Ben also got some special treats, a chocolate Santa, some jelly beans and some bubbles to blow.

Happy 2016

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Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a good night last night whether you stayed in (like us) or went out. I also hope you all enjoy spending some time together as a family today! We are having a lazy day, although I have laundry to do and some cupcakes to ice. And then going round my sisters later. I also wish everyone a happy and healthy 2016.

A little re-cap on this year: I got a managers position at work and turned it down, as I would like to concentrate on my family and also on my blog, and not worry about getting so stressed at work. I now feel a lot happier about going to work and don't spend time thinking about it at home as much! We had 2 holidays, one to Menorca, Ben's first time on a plane. And our second to France again. We also had some sad news as Steve's nan passed away, but Steve's brother also got married. Took a big step with Ben and got him into a Pre-school, which he loves. And I love the extra free time to get things done around the house as well. We had a great Christmas spending time with mine and Steves families.

What do I hope for in the next year? For Ben to continue progressing well, and to extend his hours at his Pre-school when we can get his 15 free hours. And hopefully he'll become less clingy towards me as he gets older as well. To hopefully persuade Steve to have another baby! He's going on about putting some of Ben's toys in the loft, so he can't be as negative about it as he is saying! As we still have everything of Ben's anyway! To be more organised - now Ben is at Nursery this has become a lot easier. I did have this as an aim for 2015 as well, I have improved but feel I can still do better. I now do more things on the days I work! I also want to take more care in myself, Just little things like moisturising daily, and looking after my nails and hands properly (they take their toll because of where I work). And do my hair properly, it looks so scruffy half the time as I don't do anything with it, and just let it air dry!