Mince Pie Popcorn

The best thing about Christmas for me is over indulging in all the sweet treats I can possibly handle. 

Thanks to Kirsty Allsop, I decided to add mince pie popcorn to my list this year. 

It was super simple to make, just pop your corn, a couple of dollops of mince meat. Mix it up with your hands so all the popcorn gets covered. 

Then you put it in a tray in a 200 degree oven for about 10 minutes to dry it out and crisp up. That's it. 

So easy to make and even better to share. Enjoy. 

Mexican Night!

Arriba, Saturday night , we were in Mexico! Well not quite, but it was Mexican themed. There were Margaritas, Chilli and Tequila Sunrises.

We periodically go over to our friends house for night of drinking, they have kiddies, we don't it's an easy way to get together. We don't usually theme the evenings but for some reason this time we did, and it was great fun. We even cracked out the playing cards for a drinking game which took us into the early hours. Easy rules thankfully, everyone get a card, lowest card takes a glug from the designated cocktail in the middle. The end of the game was reached when we ran out of booze.

Just wish I'd taken more pictures, Adam took a few videos of the cocktail glug reactions, which I personally feel should never see the light of a public forum. So they will be for personal consumption only.

Needless to say Sunday was spent nursing hangovers in front of the T.V.

Do you ever do theme night's with friends, any suggestions for our next one?

Easy Yoghurt Cake

I wanted cake, so I made one. A yoghurt cake. I've never made one before so this was a little bit of an experiment. A French friend of mine used to make this cake when we worked together, she always said it was really easy so I thought I would give it a go. Turns out it is. 

You use 1 normal sized yoghurt, I used a Ski smooth in strawberry. I think you are meant to use Greek yoghurt, but I didn't have any, so I improvised. You then use this same pot to measure out some of the other ingredients. 3x plain flour, 2x sugar and 1x oil. 1tbsp baking powder, 1tsp vanilla essence, 10ml milk and 3x eggs. You can also add in a handful of nuts or whatever else if you want, I used some leftover almond flakes. That's it, mix it in a bowl, and bake in a tin at about 170 for 40 mins. Easy. 

You end up with a super quick, moist cake, with hardly any washing up. What more could you want? Give it a go. 

December Fitness Goals

Quick recap on my November goals:

• One session of yoga a week

• 2 - 3 runs a week, pushing my distance/speed on one of the runs
  
• At least one other random workout per week, magazine, TRX or lucky dip challenge

I managed to do 2 yoga sessions a week, and my 2 PT sessions that was it. November was pretty much a write off when it came to exercise. There was nothing wrong with me, apart from a complete lack of motivation. So the only exercise I managed to do was the sessions I was paying for. That really says something doesn't it. I only have a valid excuse for a couple of days when we didn't have a bath, shower, or sink in the bathroom because of a re-vamp. The prospect of washing with a bucket of water after a sweat fest didn't really appeal.

So goals are going to be a the same as for November, got a feeling I might struggle past the 20th seeing as I won't have much time in between stuffing my face with festive treats. I do have a reason to stick to my goals up to then though as I have entered myself in to a 5 mile Christmas Pudding Dash on the 21st December.... Only 2 and half weeks to go and I don't think I've ever run more than 5k so it really will be a challenge. Wish me luck.

Planning for the Future

I'm not sure I have ever really planned for the future, just things I would like to do/achieve at some point in my life, buy a house, get married, get fit, start a family, you know the usual. It just seems that lately these things have to be added to a timeline, and given a slightly more specific deadline. Is that just part of getting older? Or is it just my current circumstances that are demanding a little more commitment that my usual meh if it happens it happens attitude.

I think it started when we fixed a date for the wedding, financial decisions have to be made to ensure we can cover everything, upto and after. This really hit home recently when I was offered a new job, when the offer was first made I was in no doubt I was ready for a new challenge, something different let's do it. This offer is only for a temporary position though, it would take us up to the wedding and then finish. Which in theory would be brilliant, but in actual fact what if I couldn't find another job after, that would really mess up our future plans. At which point I realised we had mapped out quite a chunk of our future already, scary!

Wedding - Honeymoon - Baby (Maternity) - Move to London (6 months) - Buy House

BIG financial commitments, the specific dates aren't set but I think we will have reached the end of the timeline in 2 -3 years, so can I really afford to take the risk at this time. Unfortunately I think the answer is no, so I guess I will have to stick it out in current job for a little while longer, unless my numbers come up on the lottery of course.  

Do you have a timeline for your future plans, am I the only one who finds it a little scary?

Wot Up Blood?

Yesterday I did a good deed, I gave blood. 

This is only the second time I've ever given blood, the first time was in February of this year, but it is definitely something I'd like to continue doing. They do ask you some very odd questions in the form you have to fill out though. Well not odd as such, just things I'm not sure you would admit to even if they were true. For example, have you been given money or drugs for sex? or have you had sex sex with a man who has ever had oral or anal sex with another man, with or without a condom? I can happily and honestly answer no to both, but I'd be interested to know if anyone answers yes. 

They gave me a little keyring this time with my blood type on, which was nice. I'm quite pleased with my blood type, I know that sounds odd but to me it serves as a little mantra as well as a blood type ''B Positve''. Nice little reminder everytime I get my donation letter through.

Do you give blood? You should if you can, I think it's a great thing to do, doesn't cost you anything apart from time, and in exchange you get snacks (crisps and biscuits), drinks and the warm fuzzies that you may be helping to save a life. It doesn't hurt, promise. Although I did yelp a little when they ripped of the tape holding the needle steady, but I can take it, I is 'ard init.

If you fancy giving it a go have a look at www.blood.co.uk it will tell you what to do.

Collecting ''THE'' Dress

So Saturday I got up quite early, was picked up by my Ma and Pa and driven the hour it takes to get to the Wedding Dress shop that I used in Uckfield. I know that's quite a trek but it was the closest shop that had the dress I had fallen in love with online. (I didn't end up with that particular dress in the end as when I put it on it looked hideous, made me look really square like I was made out of duplo!)

I had received the call in the week that my dress was ready for collection. It's really real now, I think that was the moment when I realised this was really happening. When you book venues, caterers, photographers etc you don't really get something weddingy to hold that's yours, it's just a date in the calender. An amazing bejewelled princess dress, for the most extravagant day of my life is. I can touch it, try it on swoop around in it, but not too much, I don't want to ruin it before the big day. It is still yet to be altered to my particular specifications, and will have to live with my parents, but I can go visit anytime I want.

Obviously I'm not going to put a picture up, I want to save the big reveal for the day, but I was just wondering am I the only one who felt like this. Are you married/getting married, when did it seem really real to you?

I can really picture myself wearing it afterwards as well, on those nights when I get an evening in by myself in front of the T.V. big fancy dress on twirling around the living room....just me?