The Christmas TAG

I am so excited for Christmas - you'd think it only came every ten years not every year! So in keeping with my festive mood, I thought I'd do this Christmas TAG, put together by the lovely Poppy

1. What is your favourite Christmas movie? 

Believe it or not, I've never actually seen Elf, which I know is a lot of people's favourites. I love The Grinch, Aurthur Christmas, The Polar Express, The Nativity films and I love Christmassy rom-coms like Love Actually and The Holiday too. 

2. Do you open your Christmas presents on Christmas Eve or morning? 

Christmas Morning

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory? 

There isn't a specific Christmas memory that stands out but I do remember always being in the school choir and learning Christmas songs for the productions/carol services. One year we sang at the local lights-switching-on and that night my mum and dad told me, my brother and sister that we were going to Lapland UK the next day. Going to Lapland UK was super magical and amazing. 

I was also chosen/I volunteered to read out part of the nativity story at church one year - that was a proud moment! 

4. Favourite Festive food? 

Does it sound bad to say that there are too many to chose from? Obviously I love Christmas dinner, especially the pigs in blankets, Yorkshire puddings and the stuffing. I love the tins of chocolates too like the Cadburys Roses, Quality Street etc - the strawberry and orange creams are my favourites. I really like Terry's Chocolate Oranges too.  

5. Favourite Christmas gift? 

There's not really anything that stands out but getting my first mobile phone was quite exciting at the time. I think when you're little, every year the presents get 'better' than the year before and are your new favourites. 

Last year I got my first pair of GHDs which was amazing because I've wanted some for 5/6 years! And they are something I'll keep for a long time. 

6. Favourite Christmas scent?

I do like cinnamony smells but sometimes they can be a bit too strong. Is it weird to say that I love that kinda dusty smell when you get the decorations down from the loft and the smell of tinsel? 

And the smell of Christmas dinner cooking. And the smell of clementines always reminds me of Christmas too! 

7. What tops your tree? 

Our theme for our decorations is gold so we have a gold star on the top of our tree. 

8. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions? 

We always watch the Polar Express on Christmas Eve, get the Christmas chocolates chocolates out and have a Chinese takeaway. Then we put out a glass of milk and a mince pie for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph and we lay out stockings by the fire. I usually have a Lush bath with something Christmassy like the melting snowman or cinders bath bomb. 

9. As a kid, what was one crazy present you wished for but never received? 

I don't think there was anything, maybe I'm just super spoilt? I'm sure there was probably something I asked for that was crazy expensive. 

I think I might of asked for a mobile phone when I was about 9 which was a year before I actually had one. 

10. What's the best part of Christmas for you? 

The Christmassy feeling and the excitement because it genuinely is the best time of the year. Everyone is so excited and happy and it's just something great to look forward to. 

It's magical and I love the fact that so many people in the world are celebrating the same thing at the same time. 

You also get to see friends and family that you might only see once a year and it's basically an excuse to catch up and bring everyone together. 

You also get to eat a tonne of food and no-one can judge you because hey, guess what!? It's Christmas! Hehe ;)

Thank you so much to Poppy for tagging me and i tag everyone who is reading this to do it too!

October/November Favourites and Update

Sorry I didn't manage to do an October favourites so thought I'd combine the last two months together. October was a pretty rubbish month for me, hence why I didn't write a favourites. I have been struggling with M.E, anxiety, not being able to sleep etc and didn't manage to get things done like in September. Some days in October were quite frankly awful and some of the worst days I've ever experienced. I felt partially bad around Halloween and November didn't start much better. As I said my anxiety has been really bad and I've been waking up in the night having panic attacks and struggling to sleep and eat because I am so anxious. It's so hard to know what to do when you've tried everything you can think of and you're exhausted and in pain. M.E and anxiety do not mix. I think I know the reason for my anxiety so I know I will be okay soon but it is still an awful thing to have to go through. 

November has been about the same with lots of panic attacks and struggling to sleep. At the end of the month I had a lot of really bad pain too which I struggled to deal with. If anyone has any tips on coping with pain, let me know. 

One thing that has been helping me is an app called BeatPanic. You do have to pay 69p for it but it honestly works really well when you're having a panic attack and the best way to describe it is as a set of flash cards that appear one after one on the screen with either things to do to help you calm down i.e. Repeating a calming word to yourself or taking deep breaths or reminding you that you are safe and that anxiety cannot hurt you. I'd definitely recommend it if you struggle with anxiety or panic attacks and would be great to use in public because no one would know what you were doing, they'd just think you were looking at your phone - which you are! I've also been using other meditation apps. 

I don't know if this goes alongside how bad I've been feeling but my skin has never ever been this dry. There was a point at the beginning of the month where it was flaking off and crumbling in my hands and the only thing I've found to help that is exfoliating my skin with a physical face scrub and applying argon oil. I've used Argon Oil for a long time in my hair but have never really had the need to use it on my face before now. I've since tried going back to my regular face serum but nothing is cutting it at the moment. 

I've been enjoying reading and have read the whole Confessions of a Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella which I tried to read a few years ago but found super boring. Tried it again and loved it. Couldn't get enough. Also been loving christmas books by Carole Matthews - The Christmas Party and Calling Mrs Christmas. 

I've been out a few times over the past two months but not as much as usual or as I would like. I have been shopping a couple of times but felt quite ill during both times and had to sit down/go back to the car. I've been out for lunch a couple of times too and have been going for a little stroll down our road with my mum every evening which I am really proud of. 

I've managed to write all my Christmas cards but am struggling to get things done in time for Christmas and I'm feeling anxious that I won't be well enough to enjoy it as much as I would like. I forgot how exhausting small things like writing cards can be when you feeling extra poorly. 

Goals for December are:

- Put Christmas Decorations Up

-Bake something 

-Wrap and send presents 

-Go shopping at least once and get eyebrows done before Christmas 

-Get a festive drink from both Starbucks and Costa 

-Enjoy Christmas 

Chloe xxx 

P.S sorry if this is badly written, I didn't want to not post but pain/brain fog are not on my side today. 

Positivity

It's sometimes hard to stay positive especially when being a spoonie means there is so much you can't do. Something I like to do when I feel down is to go onto Pinterest and either look at some of my favourite quotes and sayings or to try and find some new ones. 

Here are a few of my favourites, I hope they brighten your day and bring you happiness and positivity. 

Chloe xx 

Autumn Nail Polish Picks 2014

Today I'm going to share with you my top autumn nail polish picks. In the autumn I like to wear quite dark colours on my nails with a few grey-iege nudes and greens thrown in. 

Essie Penny Talk

I love rose gold in the autumn, it's warm and metallic and totally appropriate for this time of year.

MUA Khaki Green

MUA have since changed their packaging but I love this polish. It's a classic khaki green which is great for if you want something autumnal but not too dark. 

Essie Merino Cool 

This polish is fairly new to me and I have to say I think i may love it even more than my beloved Barry M Mushroom. It's a grey-iege nude but it's warm with slight purple undertones. I also think it looks really chic and grown-up. 

Avon Tweed

This polish is a very very very dark red that looks almost black/brown in some lights. It's more interesting than just plain black and I think is slightly mysterious too. Perfect for if you're feeling in a vampy mood. 

Essie Bahama Mama

Another favourite, this is a classic berry red-wine shade and it's such a gorgeous colour! I have already worn it multiple times this season and can see myself wearing it again which is very rare for me! 

Rimmel 60 Seconds in Pompous

I hate the name of this polish but I love the colour. I love dark purple nail polish and Barry M do another great one called Vivid Purple. It's not too dark so you can still tell it is a colour and I think shades like this never go out of style or clash with anything. 

Butter London Wallis

I can understand that a lot of people hate this polish because it's not the prettiest but I quite like those ugly-pretty shades. This is such a unique colour and I don't think I've ever seen anything similar from any other brands. 

Avon Cherry Jubilee 

This polish is quite similar to Bahama Mama but much more of a true red shade. This colour never goes out of fashion for autumn and I love wearing it on my toes as well as my fingers. I also like to wear a similar shade on my lips. I love matching lips and nails! 

China Glaze Agro

An olive-y green looks great at this time of year. It's not dark but not bright either and I love the shimmer in this polish. 

What are your favourite nail polishes for autumn? Are there any you think I should try? 

The Unpredictable Side of M.E

M.E is a fluctuating illness and aside from suffering from payback after activity, good days and bad days tend to come as they please. 

It's hard to plan ahead because you never know how you will be but at the same time, you have to plan ahead so that you can rest beforehand. Even then, resting before an activity doesn't guarantee you'll be well enough to do it. This often leads to suffers having to cancel plans last minute or stop what they are doing to rest, sit down or take time out.

As an ME sufferer I think something that really helps is having an understanding family and friends. If the people around you understand that you could suddenly feel very ill, it can help to make you feel more relaxed and comfortable. It's always good to have a plan B incase you are not well enough to do the original activity. 

It is important to remember that if you are around an ME sufferer who has to sit down or stop an activity that it is not their fault and that they cannot predict or control this. It is important for family and friends to be able to accept changes in plans and be flexible. 

I think I can speak for all sufferers when I say that the last thing we want is to have to change or plans because of how we are feeling. 

It's scary to think that you could feel really ill when you are out or if you are alone and that you don't know how you are going to feel in a few minutes, hours, days, weeks etc. 

One minute I can be fine (well not fine but okay) then the next I feel awful. 

I'm not talking about payback because feeling bad after doing something is expected and means that you have had fun rather than feeling rubbish for no reason. Payback is expected but you can't see all bad spells coming which is why suffers can find it hard to hold down a job or have a regular college/school/uni attendance. Pacing obviously helps but it cannot guarantee than you won't feel ill for no reason. 

How do you cope with the unpredictable side of M.E? Is there anything you like to have to hand for when a bad spell strikes? 

September Favourites

Beauty 

I am so in love with the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush. This was new to me at the beginning of the month and i love how it is a dark berry shade without looking too dark or gothic. It's super wearable and perfect for the day time.

 

I had a sample of the New Charity Pot from Lush in with my birthday present from my friend Charlotte and loved it so much that I went and bought the biggest tub they do. It is quite thick so you probably wouldn't need to use it all over, every day but it's great for super dry patches like elbows and feet and is surprisingly even more moisterising than any BodyShop body butters I've tried.

 

Something else that I love from Lush is The Comforter Bubble Bar which smells of raspberries and sweets and turns your bath pink and super bubbly - what's not to love? Sorry I don't have a picture of it, I've used most of it up! 

Achievements

I baked two cakes this month, a lemon drizzle and a Victoria sandwhich cake, went shopping three times, went to a garden centre for lunch and went to a Macamillan coffee morning. I'm super impressed with how much I've done this much and really pleased I managed it all and feel really grateful to of had such a good month! 

The lemon drizzle cake I made 

Things I'm looking forward to next month

October is one of my favourite months and I'm really looking forward to Halloween! I love Halloween so I'm hoping to bake something Halloween related and maybe dress up a little bit... 

I'm hoping to go out shopping a couple of times too and to my favourite place for a hot chocolate with my mum and nan! Sorry I don't really have many new favourites this month. A lot of the books I have read haven't been very good! 

How was your September? 

An Autumn Walk

This morning we went for an autumnal walk at a country park near where I live. Here are a few pictures I took...

Chloe xx 

Things Lately

I try to keep my blog as happy and positive as possible and I like to think that I've come a long way where positivity is concerned but recently I've been feeling a bit stressed and a bit lonely too. Since finishing college, it upsets me that I don't really have any friends my age that I am able to meet up with often and although I have friends that I have met through Twitter, I would love some friends that live near me.

I feel really stressed about what I'm going to do in the future job/education-wise. I also feel really anxious about it and like I have no purpose sometimes. It scares me to think too far ahead to the future so I try to take every day as it comes. I don't feel like this as much as I used to but it's a big change not to be in education and not to see people my age and is something that is hard to get used to. I'm scared about never having a job, or being able to go back to education, never having friends or being able to do the things I want to do. I'm worried about what people will think if I'm not at college or working and it's making me so stressed. I feel like I need to have a plan but I don't and I really can't find anything that suits me which is so disappointing and disheartening that I can't do what I want to do. 

Don't get me wrong, most of the time I'm happy and positive but it's hard to be like that all the time and it sometimes gets to me. I try to apprieate the little things but it's really hard to see everyone else my age starting to drive and looking at uni's when I can't even walk too far or go shopping without suffering and being in a lot of pain afterwards. 

Chloe xx 

Product Rave: Aromatherapy Associates Miniature Bath Oils

I put these oils on my birthday wishlist and was super lucky to receive them from my parents this year. I've really wanted to try something from Arometherapy Associates but didn't want to splash out not knowing whether or not I liked the products. The miniture set is perfect for trying out the oils and I think more brands should do something like this! 

So, on to the oils.... 

Relax Deep - vetivert, camomile and sandlewood. Lovely after a long stressful day or if you need a good nights sleep. It really helped me to relax but I don't like the scent as much as Relax Light. Does what it says on the tin. 

Relax Light - lavender, ylang ylang and petitgrain. This one is one of my favourite scents and really helps me to sleep. Definitely one that I'm going to repurchase. 

De-Stress Mind - frankincense, petitgrain,  wild camomile and rosemary. This would be a lovely one to keep by your desk at work to inhale if you're feeling stressed. I LOVE the scent of this one! Can't get enough! 

De-Stress Muscle - Rosemary, black pepper, ginger and lavender. I've used this one the most to try and soothe my poor aching muscles. It's hard to tell if it helps or whether it's just the hot water that makes me feel better but the experience is relaxing and makes me feel better. I think it would be a great one for someone who has overdone it at the gym  or feels tense. 

Revive Morning - pink grapefruit, juniper berry and Rosemary. I can't say this made a huge difference to me feeling any more revived but then again I do have M.E. It's a lovely scent and feel luxurious. 

Revive Evening - geranium, ylang ylang, patchouli and sandlewood. This is one that I personally don't have much use for so can't really comment. May be good before a night out or something like that? I'm not really sure what the difference between Revive Morning and Revive Evening are. They smell differently but surely if you want to be revived, it doesn't matter on the time of day? I'm guessing Revive Evening isn't quite as revive-y (technical term) or strong as the Morning one.  

Support Breathe - pine, eucalyptus, tea tree and peppermint, perfect for if you are feeling anxious or have a cold. I used this a lot recently during a very anxious time and although it didn't cure my anxiety, it helped me to feel more relaxed for the duration of the bath and for a while after. 

Support Lavender and Peppermint - AA say that the main benefits of this oil are that it soothes and cools the skin. This is the only oil I am yet to use but I imagine it would be great for sunburn and is relaxing and soothing all round. It smells like lavender and peppermint as you would expect! 

Support Equilibrium - geranium, rose and frankinsence, not gonna lie, at first, I had no idea what "equilibrium" meant and had to ask my dad. This oil is designed to be to be emotionally balancing and uplifting. 

So there we have it, all 9 oils! Aromatherapy Associates have since added an "Inner Strength" oil which I am yet to try. All oils have been used in the bath, not the shower, as I am extra cautious of slipping. I would recommend them to anyone, especailly spoonies, anxiety sufferers and anyone who struggles to sleep or relax. They make a great gift and I personally think they are worth the £33. 

Have you tried any of these oils? If so, if love to know your thoughts. 

Chloe xx 

*Not a sponsored post 

Dover Castle and Beach Adventures

A couple of weeks ago, I had a busy week and managed two full days out the house. The first was a trip to Dover Castle. 

Pondering over the meaning of life in the Abbey...

I climbed a LOT of stairs which was extremely difficult and painful but the view was worth it, do you think? 

 

Two days later we went to the beach for the day....

Typical English weather, the sky was very grey and so was the sea! 

I expected the second day to be the hardest and I thought I would feel worse because I would be suffering from payback from the first day but actually it was the other way round. The first day, I felt absolutely awful and didn't think I would make it out the car at first, let alone up the castle and I'm super proud of myself for how much I managed and how much walking I did, even if me and nan got left behind a lot! One thing I wouldn't recommend doing if you have ME/Fibro and are visiting Dover is going in the war time tunnels. We thought we'd just be wandering through but it was a guided tour and we had to walk super fast down slopes and there were automatic doors that closed behind you if you didn't move fast enough which was really horrible and I struggled so much. You couldn't drink down there either (although I did have to in the end because I felt awful and like I was going to pass out) and the tour was 45 mins so quite long and draining. There are also a lot of loud sounds, moving pictures and flashing lights so if I had know it was like that, I definitely wouldn't of gone! Silly me for not researching it properly beforehand. 

Both days out were super cold and freezing! Where has summer gone? I really enjoyed sitting relaxing on the beach though (even if I did look a bit of an idiot wrapped up in loads of layers including some of my nans clothes - lol my life is so elegant!). The beach is one of my favourite places to go, it's a shame I probably won't get to go until spring next year! 

I hope you enjoyed reading about some more of my adventures, I love sharing them with you all! 

Chloe xxx