Mini New Yorker...Men are like Meerkats...

 Men are like Meerkats......

Men are like Meerkats 

Meerkat on the look out

I am sure you lady's know what I am talking about when you're maybe out and about in a group and suddenly the conversation will stop and in unison the guys heads will all turn and they will all look like a bunch of Meerkats getting up onto there haunches to see a rather attractive lady in a very short dress that (doesn't leave much to the imagination) as she walk into the room. A mutual friend of mine and my husbands did this exact thing last night and it made me laugh....!!! He really looked like a Meerkat searching for predators......its not the most subtle behaviour. Its a known fact and well documented situation, the guys in Sex & the City behaved in a similar fashion when they saw the Irish nanny arrive. With this in mind it will be a behavioural pattern that will continue as long as Meerkats are doing it then men will still  do it too.....Toodles xxxx

Mini New Yorker....getting older and a bit wiser

Getting older and wiser should mean that the more things you go through as you get older should be less painful....but I would have to disagree...!!! My wisdom teeth are coming through and my god are they painful......!!! I think it's even more painful having your baby teeth fall out when you were younger, I remember other children would tie string to their baby tooth and the tie the other end to a door handle and then slam it.......I remember thinking they must be mad to do that but right now I really feel like doing the same......my wisdom teeth are killing me...and I don't feel any wiser in fact they are making my brain hurt....

So is it true do we get wiser as we get older.....? Tooooooddddleeeesss xxx

Mini New Yorker.... "wedding brain" & final preperations for the wedding!!!

So 7 days left to organise the final preparations.....and getting everything in the right place at the right time......!! Who would have thought that weddings needed military precision......?












So I decided to start organising my honeymoon 
clothes yesterday, I went upstairs to arrange my outfits but I ended up prancing around in my bikini checking it fitted ok and making sure it wasn't going to come off when I dive into a pool or something....trust me this has happened to me when I was on holiday when I was younger at a big water park!! I remember going down a ride with my mum on a double ring...the ride was called "The black hole" WE screamed the whole way down (we should have known better with a name like that) and when we hit the water my bikini top came up...... (Luckily I was blessed a bit later than most but hey can't complain)...so I'm not sure anyone actually noticed.....lol!! I bet a lot of you are laughing because you are imagining me prancing around like a bit of an idiot with my bikini on in our bedroom......!!! Well you are right to laugh I do this often actually...........dancing around in our bedroom and attempting to sing along to some of my favourite songs - I must say not always in my bikini though that was just a one off.....!!! lol!

Now where was I...? Oh yes final preparations......well so far nothing has gone wrong although I do keep having dreams that someone is going to spill red wine down the back of my gorgeous wedding dress.....note to self don't go near anyone with red wine. This would be a disaster waiting to happen.....!!

Now I am sure there are millions of women who organise their wedding while working, but I am struggling to think of anything else but our wedding at my desk. I call it "wedding brain" a condition suffered by brides to be where you can tell them anything and will forget instantly or struggle to talk about anything other than their wedding. Now this condition can be very serious and affect others as well, some think it's contagious!!! You must be careful around these women as you may catch it too and this may upset lots of partners...due to the anticipation of a proposal!!! By being aware of this condition you can be prepared, for example always have tissues ready and always wear water proof mascara as a prominent side effect from getting "wedding brain" are tearful out bursts at the drop of a hat.....!!!As well....you may also notice the wedding glow not to be confused with the pregnant glow, two very different types of glow....I can assure you!!! This is where a newly engaged women will constantly be smiling like a Cheshire cat and often be gazing at her sparkling hand. Brides to be will also suffer from verbal diarrhoea which happens when strangers ask about the big day!!!  When verbal diarrhoea kicks in the regular notions of time are also suspended causing others to be delayed as a direct impact of talking to you!! If you are a stranger you should avoid asking any questions even slightly connected to weddings. Although that is not a hard and fast way to stop verbal diarrhoea for certain as even eye contact with a bride to be can cause it.

Another issue is compulsion that brides to be get with "wedding brain" which can cause the need to buy hundreds of wedding magazines and make lots of mood boards and scrap books. Depending on how bad "wedding brain" has taken hold of the bride to be, she may allow the groom to look if she has only got mild "wedding brain" but as a groom you must be under no illusion that you may not offer any thoughts or suggestions as this may cause a "wedding brain" tearful outburst which I alluded to earlier.

Now as I am suffering from mild "wedding brain" myself and I just looked at the clock and the notion of time has been suspended while writing this so must dash but a quick note to brides to be you will suddenly get what I am talking about when it gets to 7 days before....toodddleeeeeeeesssssssssss xxx



Ps. Good Luck ladies.....xxx

Mini New Yorker......and being a foster child

Ok so you may read that and go well that's not the normal light hearted blog we are used to but I was reading another blog and it was quite inspiring as she told her story about her struggle with bullying.

Well being a foster child was not plane sailing.....I felt like the out-sider most of the time. It was like I was looking through a window and all the other children having fun on the other side.

 As a foster child it's a gamble where you might end up and I remember moving about 6 or 7 time before I was 8. That was just part of it I guess and never having toys of your own always having to just make do with what you would be allowed to play with. I remember one house vividly- it was the last house I lived in before I was adopted. I was always blamed for things that the other children had done wrong...so I would just be bad because I was already being blamed for it- that was a hard habit to break when I was adopted...!!
I was left for my own devices, so I would draw a lot which was never really picked up while I was in foster care, that I was talented! I think because I couldn't read or write they just thought I was dumb. Most of the years before I was adopted were a blur and I don't remember celebrating my birthday and most Christmas' much but do remember seeing the other children rip open their presents, they had bright smiles and their eyes were glinting.....I remember feeling horrible and I cried myself to sleep. Most of the time though I was in a world of my own and I think that was the best thing....!! At the last house I would often take myself off to the bottom of the garden and pretend to be an explorer and get all mucky. I am still interested in clambering over rocks and going on adventures....!!! That love was spurred on by my family, especially my dad who would love to go on big adventures....I would love jumping into his jeep Cherokee and end up somewhere exciting and normally with a pre-made picnic- another love of my mine which is why we put it on our wedding list....!!! I do remember exploring in the garden then deciding to run away....I think I did it a few times...thinking back it was quite dangerous really.....

I think you can spot a foster child a mile of when they turn up to school....the uniform is too big or too small.....normally hand me down stuff and I never looked clean and tidy-very scruffy....my hair was cut in a hap-hazard manner with a wonky fringe I must have looked like a right state. I would get bored at school as I couldn't read or write so I would get bored rather quickly and take myself off.....I went to the bathroom once and I decided I would decorate it in toilet paper- I was that bored....I don't remember being told off....who would have thought a naughty foster kid would end up in the police and become a rather elegant women....lol!! I was always adamant that I would not end up being like all these sad stories about yet another foster kid ending up in the vicious circle.

It's funny really when people found out at secondary school I was adopted they would say I "wasn't wanted" but it was actually the other way around. My family picked me and I picked them and I think the saying "you can pick your friends but not your relatives" isn't true because I was a bit older so I got a wish list. I asked for a brother, a cat, a dog and a big garden.....well I got all 4 and an amazing family.....!!
I was an nightmare for a few years due to being moved around.....it's hard to adjust with different styles of upbringing......!!! As a foster child you were left to your own devises and discipline was not used to keep me in check so...there were a few tantrums.....one was in Tkmax and I screamed my lungs off because I wasn't aloud something.... bet my mum wondered what she had let herself into!!
My parent were good with me but very strict.....I was grounded a lot as a teenager which was a blessing in disguise really....a lot of the people at my school seemed to do a lot of partying and getting up to mischief. I am so glad that I didn't take much notice of what else was going on as it is so easy to be dragged along into these situations. At our wedding one of my old teachers said "you were an odd little thing" which is still true today....I'm still a bit quirky!!!
Lots of children in the system get lost or put into the wrong families and just ended up as a wasted soul. I am glad that I made something of myself and I hope other people who have been in foster care read this and see hope as we don't have to end up like the lost children before us.

I guess my question to you....for me nurture was much stronger than nature so it’s seems you really can become a new person and genetics has some bearing on your life but not all and you can change a path your life was set out on a re-direct it to where you want to go.....I am now happily married and looking forward to starting a family.....even though many professionals said I would never have a real relationship and or go to uni but I have am proving them wrong every day....A true fairy tale ending....

Any who I am off I think that is enough off my story.......so toodles xxxxx

Mini New Yorker....International traveller...the essentials....

I have been slightly obsessed with Sex and the City and when I saw Carrie's vanity case and hat box in the second film and I decided that I really really wanted one to take on my honeymoon to make me a rather

chic international traveller... so I did a bit of hunting and it soon became apparent that a vintage case or steamer cases from the 1920's were not in my monthly or yearly budget for that matter... so I got a bit grumpy and grumbled for a bit and then forgot all about it until I found this little gem on the asos.com, I was amazed to find this at such a reasonable price. You can use it as a vanity case and as a hand bag which is great because as it has a long strap to make it easier for when you are moving about the airport or going on exciting day trips out in some exotic countries. I think even in the blistering dry desert in Egypt it would still look very chic....unlike me on this camel....it was so hot that I had to wrap my scarf round my head. and I nearly lost my flip flops when the Camel took us round the Pyramids and Sphinx in Cairo  in the end I just took them off- not really as chic as Carrie B in the second SATC film...although at least I didn't do a Charlotte and fall off the Camel lol!!! Well I nearly did when we had to get back off...that was a bit touch and go.....

In Luxor Valley of the Kings I was so ill because of the 7 hour coach journey which was hot and dusty and I think I had eaten something that really didn't agree with me.....!! A couple of days later my fiance and I both got ill and I felt like I was going to die... Not even water would stay down!! It was like when Charlotte and harry (SATC) got food poisoning and where lying on the floor of the bathroom..... we kind of had a moment like this..... I have to say it was not exactly the most romantic evening my fiance and I have ever had.....and when you ill like that I don't think any outfit can help you look a bit more normal. I think everyone suffers from Egypt tummy but we got some Egyptian medicine which we were told would flush the system......I have no idea what was in it because most of the instructions were in Arabic but I think it literally was ripping my insides-practically removing my organs..... I was surprised I didn't bring up a lung or something and I thought my stomach was going to burst with pain. WARNING don't take any Egyptian Medicine-will make you worse. Luckily we were there for 2 weeks so a few days to recover didn't affect our holiday too much...... we still did a lot: Luxor-Valley of the Kings & the Pillars of Karkak (oh and on the way home we stopped to for a quick break & my fiance held a goat-a women just gave him the goat to hold-he wasn't really sure what to do with it!! Lol!!.) We went Diving-for the first time ever!! I have to say the scuba gear was not very fashionable-when they put the tank of me I nearly fell backwards because of the sheer weight of it!! It was as big as me!! Unfortunately I went a bit green around the gills when we were meant to having our briefing-I was being sick in the bathroom-which made me feel even worse as it didn't smell of roses!!!

For the the last 2 days we flew to Cairo- we went the Cairo Museum-which was amazing the bits I liked were the tiny jewellery & the massive statues, we went to how the Egyptian perfume  and learnt about the different meaning & how they were made & how papyrus paper was made then bought some Egyptian art, then we went out to the desert were rode Camels around the Pyramids & we saw the Sphinx, and  river boat cruise up the Nile, 

So I have to say that I was not the most International traveller...I am going to make a real effort when we go on our honeymoon I look chic while in transit....!! You really don't want to be one of those people you see at an airport where they have fallen asleep and started to dribble down there face or snore loudly- not cool!!!

I am definitely a Carrie Bradshaw in the making....so I am going to catch up on my beauty sleep as it is a big day tomorrow.....it being my hen do, don't you know!!!! So excited  it's only 2 weeks till we get married and I just can not contain my excitement.....any way I am off now...so Toodles xxx

Mini New Yorker and her own mocktail: The Mini New Yorker

So obviously being the next Carrie Bradshaw you need to have a few basics under your hat, the ability to write witty and funny stuff, have a a huge wardrobe full of designer clothes and enjoy a few cocktails....now for me this was an issue because I don't have a lot of designer clothes (I am working on that to) and I am certainly working on the witty writing-well I think my mishaps are quite amusing so that's a start. I don't drink, I haven't had any since I turned 18. It was a very wise decision as I was either bouncing off the walls or in a heap on the floor....yes I was a light weight. After being in the police and seeing ladies sitting in their own sick with the skirt hoisted round their waists just confirmed my decision-I have to say it wasn't very classy. A lot of my friends don't drink a huge amount because we all drive and live out in the sticks. So I need to find some mocktails instead. An way I had never had a mocktail until I went to a rather funky bar in Reading....it had Buddha and Geisha cocktail pitchers....!!! If owned a bar I would have decorated very similar I think as I have a strong influences from Cambodia (after doing my trek.) It was actually my fiances brothers birthday celebrations as it was his 30th.....I ended up talking to my fiance brother about his fish....as the bar actually had fish behind all the drinks bottles..... I don't think he had any of the feet nibbling fish though....that would be pretty cool!!
It felt like it could of been in Chelsea or somewhere just as glamorous, it had a great feeling about it- exotic but very cosmopolitan too although I did feel about over dressed.....in my full length black sequined dress ooooh and my mouse ring which I have to say has been a very popular purchase of mine- people always comment on it.

They did do great mocktails they made some special mocktails for me....I picked to have strawberry and coconut.....I think I am going to call it mini new yorker, because its striking, vibrant and sexy chic which sums up New York and me??? ha ha!! Well I am trying to be chic and sexy!!Oh.....and then I had a mocktail Cosmo ...which was cherry flavoured....... Yummy!! Which is why I have added cocktail glasses to our wedding lists for our mocktail/cocktail nights.....!!! This will be fun to do when we have guest too....after our honeymoon as I think we have to may have a few things to do before the wedding.....!!! lol!! Although it seems to be getting there.....

So with a few busy weeks ahead I am going to dash so toodles xxx

Mini New Yorker and her glass slipper.....

Now if I remember rightly Cinderella ....she was always the ugly duckling and never went to any of the balls or parties. Well at school I was very much the Cinderella in that I never went to the big parties.....and no "princes" at school ever placed a glass slipper on my foot but........ a classmate did break my shoe when I was walking up the stairs to an art class. To be honest I'm not even sure how he managed to stand on my foot as I have size 3-not exactly getting in the way. I then decided it would be best to wear backless shoes....and as it was summer it was a good choice. I seemed to remember that my style caught on and loads of people had them on the week after..... this seemed to happen a few times and more at college...

I was a bit disorganised to say the least and not the prettiest either but now I think my glass slipper moment will be at our wedding and  it will fit perfectly. School was one of those places where the pretty girls wore makeup with perfect hair, the high heels from somewhere fashionable and skirts they would role up to make even shorter....

Me, I was just not that girl.....I had braces, I always had bags and bags of stuff in a disorganised manner. I normally had a hockey stick which would often be dragged along the floor because I had too much stuff, art folders that were bigger that me and my bulky clarinet that I actually never practised and was quite terrible at it..... (it was a good job we lived in the country side) I should have definitely stuck to what I know...being a bit of an art geek.... I was constantly dropping stuff or losing my bus pass which was always at the bottom of my bag along with my house keys. I would then go into a panic and start emptying my marry Poppins bags out on to my friend on the bus to find the lost items-this was an every day occurrence.  I often would leave my art folder on the coach by accident, once  it was the day before my art GCSE exam- such a doughnut!!! Luckily the bus driver knew it was mine and brought it back the next day as I was for ever doing this and at college I seemed to forget it quite often.....

I also always seem to have unfortunate mishaps with a lot of my personal items which have ended up in various sad state of affairs from being lost or dropped down the toilet or fallen into the sea ... !!! Oh yes I had dropped my phone in the sea when I had been on art trip at college and one of my friends look like she had fallen into the sea so I scrabbled over the rocks and then me and my phone went flying at which point I heard her burst out laughing from the friend who seem to have pulled her head out of the rock pool... at which she fell about laughing because of my rather haphazard rescue attempt.!!! That night we tried to dry it out and then it started to vibrate loudly in the middle of night and the same friend who had looked like she may have been drowning told us half a sleep that it was her lunch box vibrating and it must be the sandwiches her mum had made!!! So  funny!! Least to say the salt water killed my phone and since then not much has improoved- my last victim was my Iphone after having it for a few weeks it slipped out of my trouser pocket as I was getting out of my car and the screen cracked-Nightmare!!! This is not an isolated incident, I fell into a river on a geography trip and as I went slidding down the bank I grabbed the nearest thing which happened to be a friend and we both ended in the river drenched from head to toe........... I remember having to change into some spare trousers as I had rather soggy trousers and pants......before doing the walk of shame and getting back on the bus....and I wonder why I hated school with such embarrassing memories such as this....

I have lost count of the cameras that I have been through but I think it was a good idea to have put an under water camera on our wedding list-GENIUS just in case lol!!! Any way my Cinderella moment is not long now!! I am getting so excited and more relaxed now everything is organised!!! I am just keeping an eye on our wedding list...It's actually a very odd concept a wedding list, having been brought up not to ask for gifts....any way I am off to organise a few last minute things and to find a dress for my hen do...... so toodles xxx

Mini New Yorker and the Art of commuting and Fashion Olympics...

So I have been commuting for a week into London and I clearly have not grasped this fine art....! Well I decided as I had done so well on Monday and Tuesday I would try and be even smarter by trying to find completely free parking so on Wednesday I decided I would drive to a different station where I thought there would be off road parking I'm sure everyone has had the same idea but I thought I could park then walk! Well the machine for the parking didn't work so I thought would find another one and from the machine back to my car I lost my debit card! I tried to find it I literally turned my car upside down! I then ran around the car park but couldn't find it! I wandered around- as panic set in I could feel my self welling up and then a nice lady stopped to try and help me but I couldn't stop my self wailing  about how I had lost my card etc! Any way after a few mins I think she wandered off as I flapped! I ask the police officers- nothing! I asked the ticket office they were most unhelpful! While I was wandering around I accidentally speed dialed my mum and I have to say she really knew what she was doing and managed to get my ticket after driving to two towns to sort it out! I think I was about 3 hours late and very embarrassed and flustered not a good impression! I think I will be looking to move very soon can't be dealing with this and with 6 am starts I think it's time we moved! Lol!

It's now Friday and I am on my way back to go back to my sunny home (actually its pitch black) to go out with my future parent in laws (it's less than 4 month-Eeek) I had to run through the maze of London under grounds and tube stations to get all the quick connecting trains. I was still a bit late even after running in heels (6 inches I might add which is a pretty mean feet...ba ba boom tisssssh-sorry lol!!)

I have to say, you even have to get use to the heat down in the under ground....as soon as you step into the cart it is suddenly like a sauna. I felt weird as I started to pull my layers off to stop my self melting. It doesn't help when some silly person shuts the only open window on the train....why would you do that......? why? The thing is I create my outfits as one piece so by taking off my layers ie. scarf, coat, jumper etc it just looks like I couldn't be bothered to get dressed properly lol!! The other thing is that no matter how hard I try not to get stuck next to someone who has really bad bo I always seem to end up with their smelly armpits right in my face....this is definitely a hazard of being under 5 foot 4...!!! Bio-hazard....lol!!!

The other thing about commuting is that when you are in a hurry and you have tourists not knowing where they are going with masses amounts of huge luggage cases it's like an obstacle course or hurdles. I feel like I am getting ready for the Fashion Olympics....right I am off so tooodlesss  xxxx

Mini New Yorker and her Va Va Voom Valentines

Now Ladies Valentines Day is one of the most important dates in a Ladies calendar, however you don't need to spend a fortune to have a romantic night (wink wink nudge nudge). And Guys, Ladies saying they don't want a big fuss made on Valentine's day-NOT TRUE-they are definitely a lying....!! Every Lady want to be swept of the feet and be wined and dined...!!!  I love just having the best dates with my fiance...!!

Now I don't know about most people but I really don't fancy going out on Valentines with loads of other couples to be over charged and turn into one of those annoying couple who you see smooching each others faces off in public place! These are the people who you just want to shout at "get a room for goodness sake." Thankfully I have much more decorum. Any way I think it's nicer to just be at home and cook a romantic meal with the one you love or if ladies you haven't been lucky enough to find your Prince Charming, Mr Darcy or Mr Bond  type...then why not have a girls night....wine and a good chick flick with lots of chocolate and take out...?? It would be like Halloween....telling scary stories about bad dates....I hate Halloween-I am a bit of a scaredy Kat!! I hated Valentines Day when I was younger...I never got that many cards and the ones I did were joke ones....sniff sniff (sad times.)  

Now it is a totally different story.....I love celebrating Valentines day because I found my prince charming and he swept me off my feet.....!!Now staying in is the new going out...!! I have got a few fab tips to give the Valentine's evening that Va Va Voom. Now for a romantic evening, I think a bubble bath would be very romantic- now I picked champagne bubble bath which was a special valentines one...but any fragrance would be good- I personally would recommend a fruity one like strawberry or chocolate.......!! Now Candles/tea lights are very romantic but just be careful not set the house on fire or your self....!! Candles certainly set the mood. Now a few vanilla candles you get for about a £1 from asda or lots of tea lights for £2 for a big bag of tea lights!!! And for finishing touches you can sprinkle some confetti rose petals around your home....around the bath and the rest I will leave up to you....lol!! I got some lovely roses...and perfume which was a lovely surprise.....!!! Actually Flowers and confectioneries are the traditional Valentines presents...

My fiance had gone in a superstore on Monday afternoon and he noticed lots of men panic buying gift and later on we went to get some food from our local superstore and there were yet more men panic buying and the store had made it even easier for men not to forget as they had thousand of red roses just as you walk through the door...it made me laugh......when will most men learn not to leave things like this to the last minute...its the same with Christmas and anniversaries......!!

Any way I can't complain about my man- I am sorry to say.....(I know....not want single girls want to hear) any way off to bed....I am off to a wedding fair with my mummy which will be lovely can't wait....my first one.....very excited....just downloaded lots of music ready for my train journey (yes they are soundtrack I hate to admit it) any who Toodles xxxxx

Mini New Yorker and Fish nibbling her feet all in the name of beauty....



Fish Nibbling Treatment.....Me



So what to do on a day off and when my friend said to me over a cup of tea-we have for a catch up and a gossip.."This is a weird question but do you have hard skin on your feet....?" I thought maybe she was trying to say I had gross feet but it was her next comment that got me intrigued....."Do you want to get your feet nibbled by fish" It was not what I thought she was going to say and the look on my face said it all....but I was thought hey give it a go...!! So my friend drove us into Luton...I could feel my self getting a bit more nervous....!

When we got the shop which is called Dr Spa Fish In Luton it was bright and spacious we got a bit of instruction how to put our feet in and had a little soak before and then we were told to put both feet in together other wise they may think there will only be one foot...!!!

our feet being nibbled lots....

  They felt like little pins and needles, it's very good for circulation and skin conditions. They just nibbles at you feet....it was a weird feeling and the thought that the fish were munching on my feet was a bit weird but I think I am kinda hooked....!! My fiance and I want to got to go for valentines as something a bit different...!! I spoke to the salon and they will also be getting hand tanks with the little fishes in them to nibble on your hands but because your hands are covered in bacteria they are working out how to do put it into place and eventually full body tank- which I can wait to try...

I asked about how they look after the fish, I was told they monitor them very regularly through out the day and write regular reports each week and good training...

I had a great day and can't wait to have her feet nibbles by the little fish's again....toodlesxxxx

Mini New Yorker says..Dear Vogue

Dear Vogue.........I would just like to express some concern....! I opened your current issue and was slightly confused......!! The models looked slightly out of proportion.....Not sure if the pic had been stretched or they really were that tall....but for some one who is 5"3 and a bit it doesn't really help looking at people who are that tall....because not many people can actually pull off those looks...! I understand you want to have people who look fabulous but looking at these girls I just don't really see how they can really extenuate the clothes if there's not much to fill them with...!!! I think we have all open magazines and go..."tut, why don't I have those long eye lashes or no stretch marks..." ect ect!! The truth is none of these models look like that really..so I feel a  bit better about my self and I like being small....I think you get the best presents come in little boxes....like my engagement ring..... so the best things come in small packages-FACT!!!

Have little models-mix it up be the first to be bold and go in a new direction....oh and pick me lol!!!

Any way I am off to bed so night night..tooodless xxx

Mini New Yorker...her christmas stocking..and her fairytale engagment!!

Well where do I begin...I was meant to be heading back to my house when my car yet again decided to have a tantrum and just not work because it had been left in the cold on its own....after an hour of trying to get it started by using jump leads which were so old we weren't even sure if they actually worked.

Then when my mum got my car working I headed home...on my way home a car nearly hit me because he swerved into my lane...luckily I have good brakes and it missed me by inches....any way by the time I got back up in the my county my boyfriend and I got home at the same time...!! We got home and I sat down on the sofa...my boyfriend went up stairs to what I thought was to unpack his bag etc from the Christmas hol stay! When he came back down he stood watching the tv...didn't think much of it and asked if we should swap the presents....he wanted to do it the day after but I wanted to do it then... (little did I realise what was coming next) so with a cheeky grin at him he then gave me my Christmas stocking with my presents in...I got the sex in the city 2 DVD   ( which I have now watched about 4 times already-I look for the fashion and inspiration) and  some yummy chocolates and some bath bubbles stuff...I got the to end of my stocking and grab what I thought was a weird shaped orange....it was small and wrapped up...I opened it and it was what looked like a ring box....."is this what I think it is" I said with a massive grin on my face....I then had to close my eyes and when I opened them he was on one knee with my beautiful ring glistening back at me...!!!

It was sooooo romantic and I just burst in to tears of joy.....I called my mum, and when I spoke to my brother he just said " wheres my thousand pounds" ok so let me explain- stupidly when I had broken up with an x I bet my brother I wouldn't be married before I am 32....I about to turn 25....this was over 3 years ago and I now regretting making the bet which my brother is actually holding me to...!! He wants it in £5 notes in a suitcase lol to make it look like more!! Oh and my boyfriend...I mean Fiance called his parent too, they got a bottle of bubbly out to toast us too!!!! I had a very small glass of bubbly...(as I don't drink alcohol- not done for about 6 years) it was a weird sensation....and when I woke up in the morning I had such a banging headache-I wished I hadn't....!! Aspirin....quickly consumed!

Now to do some serious wedding shopping to do and venues to book and colours to pick and more shopping to do...!! But first a celebratory meal with my friends!!! We went to Windsor to my friends uncles restaurant-it was fabulous and I was so full I had food baby...then we went to pay for the bill which must have been £150-£180 we asked for the bill about 4 times then a waiter came over with 4 boxes...which contained a mug... "thats your bill" he said.....I couldn't believe it...!! But it was a lovely meal so we will be going back there!! I'm not sure we will get another free meal though...!!

Any way now it's time to start the planning...I am sooooo excited about the planning...!! Toodles xx

Mini New Yorker...our boxing day box....

So boxing day is at my Uncles house in London....so we all got ready and loaded up the car early and then set off....I remember last year we got into London and we were at a set of traffic lights and a car next to us pulled up and was turning right when it nearly got hit by a taxi...we all said at the same time. "That's Chris Evan" he was in his 4x4 with his family....he got so angry it made a interesting story over dinner...!! The taxi didn't even stop. Any way this Christmas I got very travel sick and spent the whole journey going with my eyes closed- I had sit down when we had got to my uncles for a few minutes before I felt ok again...had a big cup of tea which helped!! There wasn't much dancing this year but we did do our forfeits again unfortunately my forfeit I wrote which was "give Katrina £10+" resulted in my uncle punching me 10x in the arm.....not fun for me...!! I some how managed to lose my brand new pink gloves....I turn my uncles house up side down turned out I had left them in the car-oooops!! Bit embarrassing...!! We had a nice buffet meal then some of us played on the wii...it was nice!!

Our boxing day box is like a big lucky dip bag...we get 5 presents each and the challenge is to get each present for £2 each its great fun hunting for unusual and different present the aim is to be as creative as possible....!! Its like a big treasure hunt....you have to make sure you don't buy the same things as the year before.....!!

Any way after finding my gloves and having a few more cups of tea we decided to head home....it has flown by and I think we were all happy to head home and relax....!!

So the next day I was meant to head home...my car had been sitting on the drive for a few days...so when I went to start it up because it had been sooo cold ....my mums drive was still covered in snow and just like me my car does not like the cold so she had a little tantrum -didn't start and just as I had called the RAC my mum got her started....!!! What a nightmare....I was soooo desperate to get home and see my boyfriend....but he had a bit of a surprise once we got home.....

Any way that's a whole other story....toodles xxx

Mini New Yorker and Her Christmas

So it's Christmas Eve Morning and up and ready to travel a few hours to my mums house to start our festivities. After our what can only be describe slightly obscene office Christmas do!! I got stitched up Royally.....my boss swapped the Secret Santa so he would have me so I would get the obscene shaped chocolates....but I am happy to say that one of my colleagues got my boss...and bought him a green mankini...which he promptly tried it on....!! Very amusing but I just don't think lime green is really his colour...that's probably not what I should be worrying about really...!!!

Any way back to my family Christmas, I got to my mums at lunch time so we had several cups of tea and then our neighbour popped round to give us a Christmas gift...!  We started to get the house ready....I think spent most of the afternoon cleaning the bathrooms....!! I was then sent to get the last bits of the shopping...tried to find a few bargains but unfortunately there weren't any!! I was in there ages....I started of with a basket which got too heavy to I gave up carrying it and then just slid it a few feet when a nice sale guy asked if I wanted a trolley instead (much better option)..which he rushed off to get and then transferred my shopping from the basket into my trolley!! Good job I hadn't bought anything embarrassing...!!  Any way I picked my brother up and we went home to have dinner and wrap the last of my brothers presents...(which I do every year-what is it about boy wrapping or lack there of????)  I think it doesn't matter how old a male is wrapping presents is just not in their DNA..!!

Any way with the house as ready as it would ever be so I sneaked my mums stocking out of the living room where it was hanging up and ran up stairs to fill it up with all the goodies my brother and I had got for her this year...!! It's a kind of a tradition that us, Murray's never stick to the stocking...we always have over flow bags...!!

Well Christmas day and I was up so early that I was not used to seeing that time of day!! I had a lovely cup of tea straight out of a fresh pot and we stuck on the AGA and put in some croissants and got some yummy smoked salmon....unfortunately I could not saver the moment as I had to started peeling potatoes, parsnips- which will be honey roasted of course, Baby carrots (which were sooo cute) sprouts and other root vegetables. Then we opened our stockings which we got some lovely things...lots of sweeties yay... My mum and I got most of the food ready and the table set....then I showered and put on my "Sunday" best which was my blue sparkly dress and glitter silver tights...which I love...!! I have seen a few more sparkly dresses which I would like to buy when I have a bit more cash flowing...!!

So all the relatives arrived and the kettle was on and the sherry was being poured...!! Presents were all unloaded and then once everyone had the right drinks...my cousins and I handed out the presents...some didn't have labels so it was a memory game of which presents were for who...!! Any way this year we reverse the order oldest first...! It was nice, I got one present from my cousin which was a large zip....which confused me.....I sat looking at it...then I twigged and started to zip it and it started to make a shaped....I finished the zipping and it was a little make up bag.....!! Very cool!! I also got a RED WII too...to try and get me fitter...!!

Then it was time for lunch and we got everything out of the oven served up all the food and the best gravy ever made...(it was made by my mother-totally yummy and full of flavour.) We pulled the crackers and then lit some candles for those we had loved and lost in our family...!! To them we toasted and then tucked in to a lovely dinner...which was soo filling...I couldn't finish my christmas pudding but I did get my 20p...!!

So dinner was wrapped up and christmas tv on, we all settled to watch various shows....several rounds of coffee later... it was time for some of my relatives to go home and then all over again in London with my other uncle and aunt...with our secret santa box/lucky dip.. on boxing day!

So Christmas day is over and now for the second round on boxing day...sorry pardon the pun....any way toodles..xx