Do It Yourself

Following my post yesterday about all the wedding talk, whilst out shopping today, EJ & I went along to HobbyCraft! I know what you're thinking we really know how to live. 

This shop brings on a whole new existence when you have a wedding to plan. EJ's face lite up & the place became a treasure chest, full of such great ideas. In theory, making & doing it all yourself sounds like a lot of fun & that you'll also be saving a lot of money, but I am wondering if you do? 

For all the great ideas we found none of us are what you would call creative so are wondering how some of these things will actually turn out. 

Lots of ideas have been noted down & once the venue has been confirmed I think we will be making many trips back to HobbyCraft. 

Has anyone else done decorations & invitations themselves for their weddings? I'd love to see what you came up with. 

A passion for the Blues

For quite a few years now I've had a bit of a strange passion, well it might be strange but I'm a girl in a bit of a boys world. I am mad on Chelsea Football Club! 

I got into watching football quite a few years ago & after going to my first match at the Bridge about 7 years ago, I was completely obsessed! My sister & I share the passion & go to as many matches as we can. We both get out shirts each season & watch all their games on the TV. 

I'm not sure what it is about the football but the atmosphere in the crowd on match days is absolutely what got me hooked. There is nothing else like it, not even a Robbie Williams concert! 

A few years ago I got so interested in the team that I started a twitter account & blog @chelsea4girls which is my place for talking all things Chelsea. Unfortunately due to a lack of time, I've since removed the blog but I still keep up my tweets & giving my views on the performances & any news from the club. And with over 10,000 followers I guess I must be doing something right! 

This season my love for the blues has been further ignited with Jose Mourinho, the most exciting manager the premiership has ever seen coming back to his rightful home. I was fortunate enough to be at the opening game of the season this year for the first time & experience the atmosphere when the 'Special One' walked out of the tunnel to roars of applause. 

A recent blues related highlight for me was receiving a personalised birthday card from Mourinho which my sister had organised, what an honour! 

We have also got my youngest cousin interested in the blues now, when asked her favourite football team, she replies "Chelsea, Chelsea"! Proud cousin alert! We got her a Chelsea t-shirt on our recent trip to Stamford Bridge & news from Auntie Debbie is that she won't let it go in the wash!! Brilliant. Won't be long before we are taking her to her first Chelsea match!  

There will be many more posts to come over the course of the new season especially if they continue to win & are as exciting as their current form. 

KTBFFH (Keep The Blue Flag Flying High) 

Wedding Fever

This week has been absolutely crazy but in a good, no, a great way! 

On Monday evening my sister EJ called to announce that her boyfriend Ash had just proposed & she'd said yes! There were a lot of tears for all of the family that night & we couldn't be happier for the perfect couple. 

After the excitement of seeing the ring & their beaming faces subsided, we have had full on wedding talk all week! I've no doubt that this will continue for months to come. 

Unlike most girls, me nor my sister have ever dreamt in too much detail of our 'big day'! Some girls I know have scrap books which they created when they were young with photos out of magazines of the perfect wedding - not us! We're both pretty laid back about it yet its amazing how quickly & easily you can get into wedding fever when it comes your way. 

I've been involved in some friends weddings in the past providing advise & support but never to this extent. 

EJ & Ash both have very clear ideas all of a sudden about their perfect day! It's all so exciting & certainly all systems go. 

The most amazing thing for me personally was EJ asking me to be her bridesmaid, we are extremely close so it was always in the back of my mind but there's nothing quite like being asked to be such a big part of someone's big day. And at least I know she'll be kind to me when it comes to the dress or it'll be pay back when my time eventually comes around! 

My sister & I talk on the phone on a daily basis anyway but this week not a spare minute has gone by when we've not been on the phone talking ideas or looking on the Internet at anything wedding related. 

First thing is first, they very sensibly sorted out their budget, I'm still stunned at how much a wedding adds up & I'm sure it will just grow & grow as the months go by. 

I won't spoil any surprises that they have planned by writing it on here as its still early days but I'm sure I'll be posting a lot more over the coming months about developments. 

Any pointers or advise on arranging a wedding would be welcome. 

Friday Motivation

 "The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible." –Arthur C. Clarke

Getting our Geek on!

As part of my birthday celebrations, I'm having a night out tomorrow with friends. My good friend Gemma, came up with the idea of dressing 'Geek Chic' which I instantly agreed too! 

I'm really excited & having checked with the bars that we're all ok to dress up & most importantly wear our trainers (for comfort & style) we are all pretty much set! 

I have the converse (complete with diamantès to add to chic aspect!), the braces, the geek glasses & t-shirt & not forgetting the frilly socks. I'm set! 

As with most themes or fancy dress the fun is in seeing everyone else's interpretations so I can't wait for tomorrow night. 

Post coming up next week with plenty of photos! 

Some good news at last

After vowing to get fit & healthy after a procedure earlier this year to remove part of my cervix, I've been working my socks off! The running is going well (bar the latest injury), my diet is much cleaner, I've lost some weight & am mentally feeling much better. 

I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone but especially someone who is going through any health problems. Healthy mind, healthy body is what they say isn't it? 

I recently had more cell samples taken for my cervical abnormalities & I'm pleased to say there is no change (as I've had to explain to a number of friends & family, this is good news!)

Providing that some blood tests I've had taken come back as fine then I should be ok to have another bit of time off the hospital & have the cells checked again in a few months. 

At the moment this really is the best outcome. Unfortunately, this may continue like this for some time but in my eyes the healthier I get then the least likely these cells are to develop. 

So having now turned 30 & enjoyed lots of celebrations with my friends & family, it's hopefully a happy & healthy few months ahead for me! And every time I'm feeling down, I just have to read through my blog to motivate me once again & look how far I've come!

Onwards & upwards as they say! 

(Unsure of who 'they' are I keep referring too but it's all true!) 

Injuries cont.

Unfortunately over the last few days my running injury has gotten worst! It initially started as a stress fracture of the right metatarsal a month ago, this seemed to ease off after a weeks rest so I continued running. Now that I'm increasing my distance I'm starting to get excruciating knee pains also in my right leg! 

The pain is so bad that it straight-away stops me from running! It came on after 6 KM earlier this week so I took the rest of my run easier & made sure I rested & iced it when I got home. This seemed to do the trick & with 2 days rest I ventured out again this morning. Sadly after 4KM I was in agony again.

Wondering if anyone reading this can advice? 

I don't want to go back to my doctors again just to be told to rest. I've carried on putting ice on my knee & resting all day. It feels fine when I'm walking its just when I run. 

I really don't want to be injury prone as I enjoy my running so much. 

With only a few months until my half marathon I need to keep up the training so any injury makes a large delay. 

Any suggestions or advise would be really useful.