3 Photos I Loved In July

So in 2018 I first wrote a post like this, sharing some of my favourite photos from the past month and since then I think I've done two. I really intended to do them every so often but then gradually just forgot about it and ended up posting many book reviews, recipes and other things instead but now lockdown is easing and life is getting back to some sort of normality, I wanted to document some of the things we've been getting upto over the last few weeks. There's no denying a big part of 2020 has been tough but July felt like the start of us all getting our lives back a little and we actually had some plans for the first time in a while! Here's 3 photos from July that I really loved.

A Day At The Seaside

The first photo I wanted to share is from a recent trip to the seaside. We originally had plans to go abroad for our anniversary in July but of course Covid came along and ruined it. Whilst of course we were disappointed for a while, we knew we could still do something just as fun closer to home. There's nothing I love more than a day at the beach with my two favourite people, eating fish & chips, ice cream and doughnuts and paddling in the sea, and that's exactly what we did. The weather was perfect and it felt so good to just get out somewhere normal again! When we got home we watched Hamilton on Disney+ which was all I hoped it would be and more and on the whole, it was just a really lovely day. 

Our First Post Lockdown Meal

George and I had our first post lockdown meal just over a week ago and it was just insanely good. We headed to one of our faves, Miller and Carter, everything felt really safe and clean and the service was pretty perfect. To start we had the best nachos with allll the toppings and halloumi fries. Who knew pomegranate seeds went so well with halloumi? Little bursts of heaven. Definitely need to re-create that at home. And the steak was out of this world and totally worth the wait. I love a date night but we don't get them very often anymore, though this was technically more of a date day but still, it felt good to be doing things like again.

Bear Loving Life

The last photo I wanted to share was this adorable photo of Bear at daycare. I mean, I take about a million photos of him a day so there's plenty of him I could share but I feel like this one just sums him up. Always happy, always smiling, always wanting to play. He'd only been groomed the day before so was looking particularly handsome though he's always a cutie and it seemed like he did nothing but run around and play all day with his pals. He makes my heart melt.

I'd really like to get back to writing posts like this more regularly as it's such a nice way to look back on the previous month and see some of the highlights. Whilst we're not out of the woods yet, after months of lockdown, July has felt like a really positive step in the right direction and I just hope it continues.

Are you starting to venture out more now lockdown is easing?

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A Little Update On Bear At Almost 18 Months Old & A Review Of Personalised Gifts Market Dog Tag*

AD - This post contains gifted items but all opinions are my own

It's been quite a while since I last shared an update on our puppy Bear (though he's probably not officially a puppy anymore, I think I'll always call him that!) so as he's almost 18 months old now and he's been in our lives for over a year, I thought it was about time I shared how he's getting on. It seems crazy that there was ever a life before him, it feels like he's been with us forever!

Almost 18 Months Old

As I've just said, Bear's almost a year and a half years old already! Whilst I can't imagine life without him now, it does seem insane how long ago it was when George and I first met him. I remember it like it was yesterday. He was the tiniest little thing and could fit in our hands and now he seems so grown up. He's still a pretty small dog and we think he's probably as big as he's going to get now. Though he's small, he's fast, very, very fast and has endless amounts of energy. For some reason after he's had a haircut he's always 10x springier too! I mean, he loves his sleep too and is a big fan of a lie in but he's always up for scrap, he often has these mad runs around the flat where he just doesn't stop and he's forever pulling every single toy out of his toy basket. Some days it's like he never stops. He's so much fun though and the most affectionate little pup.

Over A Year At Home

He's been home with us for over a year now and it's been a real rollercoaster of emotions at times. Not everyday has been easy and I think it's important to be honest as if you're thinking of getting a puppy, it really is hard work. I found the beginning quite overwhelming but we soon settled into a routine and now generally he's quite well behaved and has just slotted into our lives perfectly. He has his moments where he's super testing, he seems to be in constant bork mode at the minute which can be draining but generally he does listen, he's great at training and he loves to snuggle up and just cuddle. For any low moments where it all feels really intense, there are a million more moments where I just feel full of love and happiness. He's the best thing to ever happen to us even if he has got us wrapped around his little paw and is definitely a little spoilt!

Doggy Day Care

One of Bear's favourite things is doggy day care. I did mention it in the last update I shared but I wanted to talk about it again as it has does wonders for him. He's always been great with other dogs anyway, I was always so proud of him at puppy class when he first got to interact with other pups but I think daycare has only increased his confidence. He interacts with such a variety of different dogs, I genuinely think he thinks of himself as a bulldog, and he leaves every week with the biggest smile on his face. He goes one afternoon a week and it's perfect for all of us as it means I get a little break too and he gets to go off and have fun with loads of other dogs and we know he's in safe hands. I could rave about it all day long, it's just been brilliant for him.

Personalised Gifts Market Wooden Pet Tag*

One thing I wanted to talk about in this update is the cutest wooden pet tag for Bear's collar from Personalised Gifts Market. We just got Bear a standard tag before he came home which he's had attached to his collar ever since but I have been wanting to get him one that looks a bit nicer than that for a while. Personalised Gifts Market have a wide range of wooden pet tags to choose from in a variety of shapes and designs. I struggled to choose at first as they were all so cute but I settled on the one below which has his name and two little paw prints etched in. I love the rustic look of it and it feels really great quality which is so important as Bear loves to try and grab his tag and chew it. We wanted something that was small enough to be out of reach on his collar and not easy to damage so this is perfect. This particular tag was £9.99, as are the other tags available and you can personalise them however you wish! This could be a great little gift for anyone you know who has a dog themselves or has just got a new puppy. Personalised Gifts Market has so many other things to choose from too though including travel gifts to clothing, crafts to homeware and lots more.

So I think that's about it for this update. I'm always looking for an excuse to talk about Bear so I'm sure they'll be another one of these up later in the year! He might drive me crazy some days but he's the best thing in my life and I would be totally lost without him.

Have you got a dog too?

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My Highlights Of 2019

At the start of a new year I always like to put together some sort of roundup and reflection post of the previous year so obviously this had to be one of my first blog posts for January. Usually I go month by month but this year I'm doing things a little differently and just picking various highlights instead as let's face it not every month is packed full of amazing things and life can be pretty boring at times. Whilst 2019 still had it's rough times, overall it was a great year for many reasons so I'm really excited to look back and pick out some of my highlights. Let's get started, this could go on for a while!

My Birthday Meal

My first highlight of 2019 was my birthday meal in Leeds. I'm not sure if it's a blessing or a curse to have a birthday so close to Christmas as in one way it feels like the celebrations just keep coming but then they can both sort of blur into one aswell! Last year George and I went to Leeds for the day and had the most amazing meal at Bill's. It's a place I've always wanted to go for a meal and it did not disappoint, I still think about it!

Many Trips To York

George passed his driving test early on in 2019 so we finally got a car which has meant we've been able to do so much more than before. We've had loads of different day trips but York has become even more of a favourite of ours. We first went for our minimoon a few years ago so it's special to us and each time we go, I just love it more and more. I adore The Shambles, it's full of cosy coffee shops and they do Christmas so incredibly well. Bear loves it there too.

Waitress & Come From Away

In April we had a few nights in London and we saw two musicals, Come From Away and Waitress. Both shows I'd been obsessed with for a long time so it was a dream come true to see them both. Come From Away is such a heartwarming show and seeing Katharine McPhee in Waitress was something I'll always remember. 

We Brought Bear Home!

Of course, the biggest thing to happen in 2019 was that we got a puppy! We first met Bear when he was 3 weeks old and it was love at first sight. He came home in April and since then he has just made me smile every single day. George and I have always wanted a dog of our own, it was just waiting for the right time but everything clicked into place and he has just made our life complete. There have been tough times, it's been far more difficult than I ever thought it would be but I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat, and we 100% will in a few years time. He is just my absolute everything.

Summer Days Out With Bear

Over Spring and Summer, we had lots of little day trips out with Bear and I just can't wait to do them all over again this year. We've visited a beautiful village called Castleton several times which never gets boring, it's gorgeous to just walk around and Bear always gets SO much fuss. There's also a lovely cafe with the biggest cakes ever. We've also ventured out to places like Bakewell and Bradfield too for lunch and days like that are always my fave. As we headed into Autumn and Winter too, we had loads of long walks with Bear which was just such a nice way for us all to spend some extra time together. I actually much prefer getting out in the colder months, though I'm not sure Bear is as keen as he has to wear his little jumper!

Our First Family Holiday & Our 8th Anniversary

We got to celebrate our 8th anniversary on holiday in 2019 which was so special! It might not be the most adventurous place ever but you can't beat a seaside break can you? We had our first little family holiday with Bear and his two fave uncles came with us too so it was just one of the nicest weeks, I smile every time I think about it. We stayed in Whitby and I'm seriously considering booking it again for this year, it was that good, but we visited Scarborough and Bridlington too so there was LOTS of ice cream, alllll the fish and chips, and the ultimate - seaside doughnuts. The weather was perfect, Bear adored going on the beach and to say he was only just 5 months old at the time, he took to it all so well. He loved it just as much as we did.

We Visited An Alpaca Farm

Since getting Bear, George and I have really realised the impact of having date nights (well more like date days for us) as Bear and work take up so much of our time that sometimes we can go ages without really spending any time together. Last year we fitted in the odd cinema trip when we could or meal out and day trips to places I've already mentioned but one thing that stands out to me is going to an Alpaca farm. I had no idea there was one so close to us but it was such a fun afternoon. We got to feed loads of alpacas who were just so sweet and there was also an array of other animals that were so friendly. I loved it so much.

I saw & Juliet

Back to musicals and in September I was given the chance to see a brand new musical in Manchester called & Juliet. You all know my love for all things musical theatre now so to be invited was just an amazing opportunity that I'm still so grateful for. The show has now transferred to the West End and you best believe I'll be seeing it again in 2020. It was one of the most fun shows I've ever seen and I left so incredibly happy.

We Went On The Emmerdale Tour

I have been a fan of the soaps, Emmerdale, Coronation and Eastenders for as long as I can remember. George and I went on the original Corrie tour in Manchester a few years ago which was excellent so I was thrilled when Emmerdale announced they would be doing their own in Leeds aswell. We finally got round to going in October and it was just so interesting. It was so cool to visit real life sets that are used each week, get to edit our own little clips and see how each episode is made. I learnt so much and definitely see things in a different light now when I watch it each evening.

ALL The Baking

I've always shared recipes on my blog, primarily baking ones but in 2019 I really ramped it up a gear. I shared about a million brownie recipes, lots of simple biscuits, festive cupcakes and loads more and I'm really proud of myself for that. Whilst I bake because I enjoy it, there is no doubt that I'd love to do something more with it in future, it's one of my dreams to have a little stall of my own selling my bakes at Christmas but whether that will ever actually happen or not, I don't know. In 2019 though I really started to perfect certain recipes and now I feel like there are some things which I've got nailed down and I do just want to share them with everyone. In 2020 I want to keep baking, keep improving and hopefully people will still keep enjoying everything.

A Christmas Market Or Two

I adore the Christmas markets. I say it every year but it's something I do genuinely look forward to from January to November (when they all start up again). They are guaranteed to get you feeling festive and I often come home ready to get out all the decorations and turn my home into a little grotto. Last year we visited Leeds and York for the markets - Leeds definitely wasn't my fave and I'm not sure I'd go back but obviously York got it so right. This year I want to head back to Manchester as theirs are always buzzing and they'll be something new every single year. I've also heard great things about Birmingham's market so that's another to consider. I do think 2020 is the year we finally head abroad though for the Christmas markets after literally years talking about it. I'm ready for Christmas again already!

Bear's first christmas

And to end this post, of course one of my biggest highlights was Bear's first Christmas. Honestly, for years I'd dreamed of moments like that and each Christmas I'd always get that 'when will it be us, when will it finally happen' feeling and in 2019 it did, so to wake up on Christmas morning with this excitable little pup with us too was just everything. He has absolutely made my 2019.

Overall 2019 was a brilliant year and looking back we really did so much. Blogging-wise I might have fallen a little but I just had other priorities and it was no longer one of the main things I had to focus on anymore. Whilst there were moments throughout the year where things got difficult, or I struggled more with anxiety, I ended the year on such a high with my two favourite guys and now I'm just excited to see what's in store next. We have so many plans for the next few years so I just can't wait to hopefully see them all come true.

How was your 2019? Do you have any personal highlights?

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What I Got For Christmas 2019/Bear's First Christmas!

Christmas is over. I'm devastated about it. Not even joking. I'll get over it soon enough and get into that new year spirit at some point but for now I'm just trying to get my head around how it's all over already and how quickly December went by?! I've already seen people getting excited over Summer bbq's and slating those who still have their trees up, each to their own but Winter has just started and Christmas was days ago, please let those of us who aren't ready to say goodbye to it just yet, enjoy it for just a little bit longer. Anyway now that little rant is out of the way, let's get down to all of the good things that Christmas day brought this year. Each year I like to write some sort of Christmas reflection post and a what I got for Christmas so this year I've just combined the two!

Let's start with what I got for Christmas. I always love reading these posts from other bloggers and whilst the presents George and I buy each other aren't necessarily out there or pure luxury, because that's just not us, I still like to share all of the normal things. So let's start with books first. I honestly would have been happy with just a pile of books as in case you somehow hadn't heard over the last few weeks, I've managed to read 100 books this year and I'm still not quite done. The first book I unwrapped was Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. I really enjoyed The Husband's Secret by the same author and I loved loved loved the TV show of Big Little Lies so I'm really intrigued in how the book will differ to that. I also got The Librarian Of Auschwitz which I'm going to save to read in January. I'm so interested in anything to do with Auschwitz so I'm really looking forward to reading this.

I also got a few DVD's for Christmas this year which were Everything, Everything and Home Again. I adore both of these films so I can't wait to re-watch them both soon! Everything, Everything is just the perfect soppy romance we all need sometimes and Home Again is just so much fun and Reese Witherspoon is brilliant in it. 

One of the presents I was actually so thrilled about was these Love Actually socks. I know - years ago I would have thought socks were such a boring present but now each Christmas and birthday, I'm always so happy to receive them! Especially now we have a dog who steals them at every opportunity he gets. I've watched Love Actually more times than I can count this Christmas and it's definitely my all time fave festive film so I'm looking forward to watching it again with these on. I also got a Lush bath bomb I've not tried before - Luxury Lush Pud. I've meant to pick this up every single year and I just never do so this was a top choice. Oh and I almost forgot to mention George topped all other Christmas cards with this Jeremy Corbyn spesh. Sorry if you're not a Corbyn fan but he's the prime minister we all deserve.

We always get each other a few food items too because we definitely don't stock up on absolutely everything in advance....you can never have too much though! I got my faves - mini Toblerones, my ultimate favourite drink EVER - Red Pop which is so hard to find now and it's a bit of a running joke now that we get each other Pop Tarts at Christmas so I got the chocolates ones this year. I always prefer the standard flavours like chocolate or strawberry whereas I tend to get one of the American flavours for George, this year it was the return of cookie dough. We also had our stockings full of chocolate too so we have more than enough for the foreseeable. Finally, I have to talk about my present from Bear. It's a beautiful personalised calendar, I love it so much. Each month has a gorgeous picture of him and a funny little caption and some of the photos are from when he first came home, some I didn't even remember so it's such a lovely gift. I can't wait to put it up in my office this week.

Speaking of Bear, I think he thoroughly enjoyed his first Christmas. He was totally spoilt and didn't even know which toys to play with, there were so many. He spent the day doing a mixture of sleeping, playing and eating, and he even got some chicken for dinner too which he was very pleased about.

The whole Christmas break for us has just been perfect and exactly what we needed. We've been on lots of walks to the park including one on Christmas Eve where Bear wore his festive jumper and got covered in mud. We've eaten pretty much everything, read lots and we've also watched SO many films. I can't not mention the Call The Midwife special too which was incredibly heartwarming as always but how good was Gavin and Stacey?! I wanted to cry throughout, they have to do more surely? Over the weekend we also binge-watched the second series of You but I suppose now it's time to get back to some sort of reality.

I now need to try and get this flat back into some sort or order as it's very cluttered at the moment, I need to start planning for next week as we're away for my birthday and I literally can't wait, and I should probably slow down on all the Xmas chocs...maybe not just yet though. Bear's first Christmas was everything I hoped it would be and I just can't wait to experience more of these firsts with him over the next few months as he turns 1 in February! Don't talk to me about how fast that's come around, I'm trying not to think about it too much as it's just mental that it will be here so soon! The whole of the last week has just been lovely, better than I could have ever imagined. I really hope your Christmas was special too however you spent it.

What did you get upto this Christmas?

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My 2019 Pets Christmas Gift Guide/What I've Bought Bear For His First Christmas

After sharing my Women's christmas gift guide, Men's gift guide and a Food & Drink guide last week, today I'm sharing something a little different. A pet's Christmas gift guide! Well I say pets but it's all for Bear, though all of the shops I'm about to mention obviously had loads to choose from for all our furry friends. This kind of doubles up as a what I've bought Bear for Christmas too, and whilst it's not something I necessarily planned to do or something everyone will be bothered about, this is my first Christmas as a dog mum so why not? I've no idea if what I'm about to share is too much in some people's opinion or not enough in other's eyes but I wanted to get a variety for him and if I can't go over the top at this time of year, when can I?

Webbox Reindeer Toy £5*

First up we have Bear's first bit of blogger mail! Webbox kindly sent over one of their Christmas items and I knew this reindeer would be perfect for him. It's a really decent size so can occupy dogs for ages and it has a lovely pair of ears and antlers for them to nibble on (Bear has already taken off both ears and 1 antler, it's like some weird initiation all the cuddly toys have to go through when they're new!) This is available in either plain or corduroy and both are gorgeous. £5 aswell is a reasonable price given how big it is and the quality of it. It feels really sturdy like it's going to last a while, regardless of how much it gets dragged about!

M&S Light Up Ball £6

I can't wait for him to play with this! I've been wanting to get some sort of light up toy for Bear for a while as it's exactly the sort of thing that will be ideal when he's in that mood to chase something round and really get his energy out. Every time this hits the floor it lights up different colours for a few seconds so I can just imagine him being absolutely shook when he discovers this!

Various Treats £1 - £3

We've got quite the selection of tasty treats this year for Bear but he gets through them so we like to keep the cupboard stocked up! We've picked up more of his favourite Pedigree Tasty Bites, some turkey flavour Jumbone mini's, Baker's bacon & cheese whirlers, bacon flavour rawhide bones and we've also got him a Baker's stocking which was £3 from B&M and that has another selection of different treats in it. Bear gets bored with the same things over and over so we tend to try and have a few different things in to switch it up so I think we've got that covered with all of these! We picked all of these up from B&M and Home Bargains.

Selection Of Toys £1 - £3

Also from B&M and Home Bargains, we've picked him up a few other toys to play with over the festive period. We probably won't give them to him all at once as he's already got loads and it's more exciting for him if he just has one or two new ones at a time. I've already mentioned the light up toy which was £6 so the most expensive thing but some of the cheaper toys we got are a chew rubber ring, a soft candy cane toy which I think squeaks aswell (joy) and finally a rope reindeer toy. It also has a crackly material inside so it's something that I think he'll really enjoy playing with.

Scooby Snacks Advent Calendar £2

Finally, we have a doggy advent calendar! I knew I was going to get him one of these as soon as I spotted them in B&M. It was £2 and you get 24 carob dog treats so now he can have a little treat each morning when we open our advent calendars too. The treat breaks up into 4 which is great as it is quite big and it also means we can spread it out over the day if we want to.

So that's pretty much everything we've picked up for Bear for Christmas. I did order something in the Matalan sale last week for him so that's another cuddly toy for him to chew to death but they're his favourite so I can't resist. He's already a lucky boy with the amount of toys and treats he has but I was always going to be that dog mum that buys far more than he needs at Christmas. I'm fully aware he will have no clue what's going on and will just want either our presents or the wrapping paper but I don't care, I just can't wait.

Do you buy Christmas presents for your pets?

*Products marked * are PR samples

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Bear Update #2 - 8 Months Old, Doggy DayCare & His First Operation

Though I feel like I talk about our puppy Bear on my blog A LOT, it's been quite a while since I last shared a proper update. We brought him home in April and a month later I shared how he was getting on, his first experience at puppy club and more, so now he's just turned 8 months old, I thought it was about time for another as quite a bit has changed!

8 Months Old?!

HOW? Seriously how is my baby nearly 1? Okay I know it's a few months away but before we know it his first birthday will be here and I'm already close to tears about it. I just can't get over that this little man was something I'd dreamed about and hoped for, for such a long time and now he's been ours for months and is growing so quickly. I can totally see why when people have one child, they end up having another then another then another because I already keep thinking about when we'll be giving Bear another little pup to play with. Sometimes I don't realise that we've reached the end of a certain stage until it's gone and I'm never prepared for it. When we first brought him home, for weeks and weeks he would curl up on my chest and sleep, and he also used to love laying on my shoulders but then one day he just grew out of that and I still get sad when I think about it. I wish I'd known how quickly it would go because I'd have savoured those moments even more. He's honestly changing so fast and I already feel like we're out of that small pup phase 😭

Our First Family Holiday

I won't talk about this too much because I did a full blog post about it which you can find here but I had to briefly mention we had our first family holiday this Summer. He was only just about to turn 5 months old when we went so we had no idea what we'd let ourselves in for and how it would go but he was surprisingly well behaved. Let's just not talk about the time he ran for his life on Scarborough beach and we genuinely nearly lost him. There's video footage of that on his instagram if you want a laugh. He did have the time of his life though, his two fave uncles were there aswell and he had all the attention the whole weekend. We ate a lot of ice cream, visited Whitby/Scarborough/Bridlington and just enjoyed ourselves more than we could have predicted.

Goodbye Puppy Club, Hello Doggy Daycare

I mentioned in the last update that we had just started taking Bear to puppy club, and it was one of the best things we could have done for him. Puppies were only allowed until they reached 5 months so he had his last session before the holiday and we were all sad to say goodbye. Each session he got to interact with a variety of different dogs and we learnt so much from it. I couldn't recommend finding a local puppy club enough if you're thinking of getting a dog. After puppy club ending and our holiday, he had his assessment at a local doggy daycare centre and he smashed it! He only goes once a week but that 1/2 a day does all of us the world of good. I love Bear to bits but it's not like everyday is perfect, sometimes he does drive me up the wall as I'm sure I do him aswell, and those few hours gives me the time to actually clean the flat (something I had no idea would be so hard with a dog), pop to the shops or if George is free, we can use that time to go to the cinema or go for a meal. We don't really have anyone around to help us out with Bear, and whilst we totally knew that was going to be the case before we got him, sometimes time just us two is so needed and having somewhere like a daycare centre means we can be us again for a little while. He has the BEST time there too. He's got a good group of buddies, including two bulldogs who I'm sure he thinks are the same size as him, and the people that work there love the dogs like their own.

His First Operation

Last month Bear had his first operation which was not fun for any of us, but he's recovered well and now back to his normal self. We thought getting him neutered as early as was allowed would be best as it means it's not something we have to dread or put him through when he's older and he was a little star. He recovered quickly, though was not a fan of the cone of shame at all, and within two weeks he was back at daycare, and running circles around us again. It certainly wasn't fun leaving him at the vets for the day and it's definitely not something I want to repeat again but at least now it's all over and done with!

I think that's pretty much everything to update you on. He's still the best puppy ever, and we love him more and more each day. He's not great at sleeping in his crate anymore which isn't ideal but we're working on it, he loves human food more than life itself and he is still the friendliest little thing. I couldn't imagine life without him now.

Similar - 5 things I've learnt since getting a puppy

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6 Things I'm Excited For This Autumn

I tend to write up a post like this every Autumn so why change the habit of a lifetime? Autumn is my favourite time of year, though I'm sure you already know that because it's not like I don't bang on about it enough over on Instagram. There's just something really special about it, the weather finally cools down and and it's the start of the best few months of the year. So, here are 6 things I'm excited for this Autumn, and I'd love to know if you've got anything fun planned too!

Bear Experiencing Autumn For The First Time

I know it's cheesy but sometimes having a puppy is like having a newborn, and like with a child, I'm so excited for him to experience this time of year for the first time. I mean, to him nothing will really be different and he'll just go about his life as usual but I am SO excited. This time last year was when I was really feeling like when are we ever going to get a dog? Is it ever going to happen? but now we have Bear and I just can't wait to experience everything again but with him this time. I can't wait to take him out for long walks with crunchy leaves on the ground, for us to come home after a day out and all get wrapped up and snuggle, and I might have already started buying his Christmas presents. 

The Cold & Rainy Weather

I fricking love rain. There isn't anything that's much better than being inside all cosy and warm and seeing & hearing the rain outside. I know it's weird and most people are the complete opposite but I much prefer to wake up to a cold and dreary day rather than a hot and sunny one. It's the time of year I can wear my fave boots, layer up with jumpers and bring out my many scarves. I adore going out and that first chill just hitting me as soon as I step through the door.

The Food

I come alive in the kitchen when Autumn hits. Give me allll the pies, casseroles and soups. I adore the warming, comforting meals that just make you feel all cosy afterwards. I always lose inspiration when it comes to meal times in the warmer months, salad and fruit get boring quite quickly and I find myself longing for things like shepherd's pie, slow cooker curry and spicy chilli. Not that I don't ever make those things in Summer but our flat is like a furnace sometimes so it's hard to enjoy those meals when you're hotter than the sun. I've already made my autumnal chicken pie a few times and I can't wait to try out some other pies soon. Autumn always makes me bake loads too in case you hadn't already guessed by the amount of recipes I've been sharing recently.

Day Trips

I love going out for the day with George and Bear. With life and work being as busy as they have been recently, a random day trip out is something I look forward to for weeks. Just knowing we have something planned for us all to enjoy always keeps me motivated and positive. We've recently been to York for the day, Bakewell and Manchester which have all been lovely so I just can't wait to create more memories over the next few months. I want to try and get one final visit to the seaside in because Bear was living his best life on holiday, and of course I'm desperate to get to a Christmas market or two later in the year.

Autumnal Decor

I'm never one to go mad with a theme, I know some people love to change pretty much all their decor for different seasons but 1. I can't be bothered and 2. I couldn't afford that. But Autumn is my fave so I always like to add a few new bits in when I can. That usually comes in the form of candles which I've been stocking up on from Homesense. I've also added a gorgeous glass pumpkin to our bookshelf which I'm already dreading having to take down at some point, and I've just picked up a soft mustard colour blanket from Primark for just £4 which I never want to part with.

Pumpkin Carving

We never got round to this last year, or the year before, or the year before that... It's something we always plan to do but just end up leaving it too late. I'm not sure how it'll go this year with Bear always desperate to be involved in everything but we're gonna give it a go. No doubt mine will be horrific but I'm sure it'll be fun regardless.

So that's some of the things I'm excited for this Autumn. I'm already on a countdown to Christmas and starting to feel festive (it's never too early) and I just can't wait for the next few months to unfold. What are you looking forward to this Autumn?

Similar - The Autumn Blogger Tag // 22 Autumnal Blog Post Ideas // Perfect Autumnal Nails with All That Jazz

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