Tis The Season To Be Jolly.

Well that's Christmas all about wrapped up for another year. Did you all have a good one? I'm currently weighing up the pros and cons of changing out of my pyjamas (I've been debating this for approximately four hours though!) I sort of disappeared about a week before Christmas; my days merged into one long session of darkness, trains and cookie decorating (notice how there is no evidence of said cookies- how bloody hard is it to use royal icing!?) In a whirlwind of working and Christmas prep, there's only a few people that I didn't manage to squeeze in. Is it just me or once Christmas day comes, all the stresses building up to it just seem to melt away. We had a wonderful day; starting in the morning with my parents and Bimble (I got him fake tattoos and a moustache to make him into a strong man and as you can see, am far more excited about it then he is!) The afternoon was spent in the kitchen with Harps's grandparents and early evening we feasted before coming home and sitting with Batman to open gifts. The last few days since have been a slower, much needed rest. Hands up if you're ready to go back to work? No, me neither.

Over & Out

Sophie 

Location Location Location: Lanhydrock Cycle Trails.

These sunny days are meant to last. The weather has been kind over the last few weeks and it's given us a chance to get our more than our little Cornish land usually allows at this time of year. During a bit of life panic, Harps swept me outside for a little bike ride, I say little because I spent most of the time talking to wildlife and taking photos. Lanhydrock is part of the National Trust and is home to the most beautiful and fascinating house, boasting title of 'grandest in the county'. With the weather so glorious, we weren't there to learn about Victorian life indoors, nor were we here to admire the perfectly coiffed and manicured gardens, we were here to explore the captivating, wild estate and the newly added bike trails that bring cyclists and dog walkers alike. The estate itself is free to enter, making it an ever better choice for a day out in the sunshine and the variable skilled trails are suitable for all abilities.

Incase you've never heard me mention, I have really big problems with my knees. I'd probably worry, once upon a time of making that seem too serious but they've got to a stage (after about six years) of severe pain that cycling is actually quite high impact for me. Harps, on the other hand works with bicycles every day and loves a chance to get me riding with him. As much as I loved the wind in my hair, it wasn't long before I'd had to stop too many times to stretch my knees out, that I totally lost him. Both resting and documenting my missing status, imagining families finding my phone months later and hunting for clues as to where 'the lady stuck in the woods' is, I tried not to wonder too far, wishing I'd made a trail of breadcrumbs and taking some of the loveliest photos.

Eventually Harps found me (look how excited I am to have been reunited!) and flitted between riding the shorter trails and my knees having a rest and taking poor quality photos of him. I am not the sports photographer he needs me to be.

And I made some friends with nature. I actually had to be moved along by Harps because I spent so long talking to the caterpillar.

Finally we headed to the dog friendly bike cafe and scoffed some chocolate cake and cold drinks, before heading home via the National Trust gift shop/plant centre and picking up a few herb seeds that are sprouting really quite nicely.

Have you been to Lanhydrock? Maybe it's on your list of places to go? This winter I plan to head to the house and have a quiet day roaming the halls of history. Do let me know if you fancy coming along!

Here's some other places in Cornwall that you might want to add to your Location list:

Daymer Bay Beach

Charlestown

St Ives

Falmouth

Roche Rock and Hermitage

Pentewen

St Austell Brewery

Melinsey Mill

Polgooth

Dairyland Farmworld

Mevagissey

Love Sophie Xx

The Last November Anniversary.

Celebrating our anniversaries has long been a day of comforts. The first three years we'd go on a little shopping spree for each other. Bags full and arms heavy, we'd settle down with a take-away and film. Simple but exciting. There are still jumpers and hats that I wear now, purchased on our first. The fourth we spent quietly, moving in without anyone else took the need out of buying clothes and trinkets. A quiet day together would just do, some kind words in a thoughtful card and of course that sneaky take-away. Year five brought the question we'd been building up to, and of course, a very firm, overwhelming, yes. Rome was our gift that year, and mine was a fairytale dream coming true. Year six seems almost yesterday, and a new tradition has been born, continuing to year seven we've walked our legs as far as they'd go. Finally embracing the cold, wintery date that we first became a couple. The last two have been spent at the same beach, this year with more of an adventure thrown in. Every year has been an adventure to date. 

As we fall into a new cycle, a new tradition has been born, subtly celebrating the special date for both us and what would be Grandpa's birthday, it seems quite quaint and perfect that our final year celebrating our anniversary in November, where next year it starts anew in spring, has been so peaceful, so comforting and growing.

2016 will bring so much change and so much of a new beginning. Seven years later and starting all again in so many ways fills me with a new excitement and adventure than ever before.

Love Sophie Xx

20 Things I've Realised Planning Our Wedding.

We're progressing slowly but surely though the planning of our little 'big day' and after giving notice of intent to get married today (EEEEKKKKK!) I thought it'd be a good time to reflect on some of the things I've learned so far with the good intentions that it may either help you OR give you a chuckle. Either way!

1) Weddings are crazy expensive. Seriously consider elopement. Like seriously. It wasn't something we chose as Harps has quite a large family, but there have been times where we've both agreed it would have been much MUCH cheaper to disappear just the two of us.

2) Remember it's just one day of your lives! It is so easy to get carried away and before you know it you're demanding that you simply must hire 10 olive trees at a cost of over £250 for one day. You can live without olive trees if it means you can buy food for a month ok?

3) You simply cannot please everyone. And that's ok! Who cares if your distant relative that you've only ever seen at weddings and funerals isn't high up on your guest list! It's up to you if they're not even on it at all! Which brings me to...

4) There will be a lot of fluttering and influence from family and friends, make sure that the two of you do everything for you and not for keeping other people happy. They'll be happy if you are eventually!

5) Think carefully about the day of the week you're getting married. We just spent over £450 for a legal ceremony on a Saturday! 

6) Hen do's have become hen weekends and hen holidays and hen space trips (ok the last one's an exaggeration) I had no idea of this until I'd started planning.

7) Pinterest is of course a bride's best friend. I have board a plenty! 

8) If you're having a marquee, it isn't as simple as getting a tent (yes I thought it was!)

9) It's so important to get wedding insurance. I compared on MoneySuperMarket.com and got a great deal at Debenhams and a £20 voucher that I used for some bridesmaids shoes!

10) Some wedding dresses make you look all sorts of crazy shapes. It's them, not you and you don't need that kind of negativity in your life or your wedding.

11) If you're not getting married in a traditional venue and need to provide your own booze, it's pricey so think carefully about how to do it.

12) Your wedding dress/outfit should make you feel like a total babe. Fact.

13) Being interviewed to give notice of intent to get married is scary. It may make you doubt your own name and get a little bit quaky when they tell you about bigamacy even though you know you've never been married.

14) Treat yourself to a special book for all your list making needs! I am so pleased that I have everything in one place!

15) Confetti.co.uk knows my love for crafty additions.

16) There is so much choice for everything that planning a wedding is the best procrastination I've ever done. Spending a whole afternoon day looking at different types of table fabric is my idea of important Sunday work.

17) Most people that work in all types of the wedding industry are super nice. They want you to have the best day ever too! In my opinion, anyone at companies you want to get involved that aren't hugely helpful should be dumped. You can find another that you'll be much happier with in the long run!

18) Guest lists are probably the hardest, much more so when over time, people and relationships change.

19) Trying to train your stubborn house rabbit to any ounce of being able to be apart of the big day is impossible. Give up and watch Netflix. He's a rabbit, he can stay home.

20) Enjoy it all. It can be stressful and I've experienced ways why it can be, but at the end of the day, it's about the two of you and if you want pizza and swingball (yes we have both) then goddamit, have just that! It's one day of many wonderful and brilliant days ahead, don't panic!

Have any of you had any big lessons learnt in planning your wedding? Maybe some great advice from someone when you were?

Love Sophie Xx

*There is no affiliations with any of the brands listed, they're all just some I've used! 

Three Ingredient Chocolate Whirls.

I know what you're thinking...'Put those in my face right now."...Well you're on a computer, you cannot do that, what you can do however, is whack the oven on pretty hot (that sounded a bit too Jamie Oliver for my liking) and spend literally about five minutes to make these all for yourself. 

You're Gonna Need:

• Butter- Just a good couple of chunks- this is lazy baking remember.
• Pre-made puff pastry- we're not bothering to make our own here guys.
• Nutella *or other named chocolate spreads*- We're not on a diet here by the way.

Let's Do This:

1. Melt that butter! You can pop it in the microwave for about 30 seconds or you can melt it on the hob, whatever's laziest for you!
2. Paint that butter all over your rolled out pastry (it should already come in a sheet-if not roll it to about an inch thick)
3. (You can add a fourth ingredient here and sprinkle some sugar for extra goodness if you want)
4. Melt that Nutella! See above methods...
5. Spread that Nutella to one's taste.
6. Roll that sugary delight like a sausage and using a sharp knife, cut into chunks.
7. Lay in a well greased baking dish and paint a little more butter over the top for good luck.
8. Pop in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and filling your house with the scent of joy.

These whirls of happiness actually became Harp's birthday cake he enjoyed them so much, this was the best news to me who didn't have to slave over the oven making the most complicated chocolate cake that he usually wants. 

Let me know if you make them!

Love Sophie Xx

Location Location Location: Daymer Bay Beach.

I'd never even heard of Daymer Bay, let alone the fact that it's less that twenty minutes away from Wadebridge, Harp's hometown. It's almost as close as Padstow! So when Harp's mummy visited we all headed for a day at the seaside, much to my utter joy! Can we just all talk about how incredible this beach is? It's the perfect beach for everything! Scenic, shell scattered, sandy beaches, clear seas and some of the best rock pools I've seen in ages! There's also a great little shop and cafe just in the car park, I bought the snazziest bucket and spade I could find with the sole intention of making the greatest sandcastle Cornwall had ever seen. 

Dogs, buckets, spades and smiles in toe we made our way onto the beach. After a while of settling Harps and I started to explore. He ended up climbing so high that he could't remember how to get down from the cliff edge and I got all too excited spotting wildlife- donning my best Attenborough impression, my bucket and spade had a whole new job!

Harps and I gathered an underwater world (and yes we put it all back!) There was a little crab, some rather raunchy snails that maybe had a little orgy, a jellyfish I named Jeremy and a couple of fancy shells. Eventually, sunbathing for a little while incited me to the sea. Not equipped to go for an actual swim, I decided to take the little black dog above for a splash in the water. A sudden wave meant little legs here needed to actually take the plunge and doggy paddle, she freaked the fuck out and promptly clambered up my legs taking refuge in my arms. 

Many giggles and a sneaky ice-cream later, we headed home again.

Have any of you been to Daymer Bay beach? Maybe you'll plan a trip there this summer?

Love Sophie Xx

Thankful Thursday// June

I may be all a bit out of sync. I knew that June would be a bit of a topsy turvy month; It's Grandpa's anniversary and my main holiday for the year all in one month! Talk about mixed emotions! It's nice to look back and think about it all together. There's so much to be thankful for in the last month, I'm sure to miss loads out...

• One year until we get married passed. Of course I'm thankful for this awesome milestone!
• The two books I read pictured above. 'The Versions of Us' is a great concept, how one choice can impact the course of a whole lifetime. I loved that about this read and am sending it on to Chelsea this week so I'm sure she'll give you a proper review of it! The other book; 'Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend.' Was leant to me by Leona and I read it in an entire day. She knew I'd love it as we discussed 'Curious Incident of a Dog in the Nighttime' and 'Room' (both two great reads.) It was just one of the best books I've read in ages and I'd thoroughly recommend it.
• Speaking of which, I'm pretty thankful for catching up with my gal Leona- wedding planning and conspiracy theory Game of Thrones chats over Wagamamas is a pretty sure way to my heart.
• Working in the prettiest of places. Just look how nice that harbour is above. You're all a bit jealous aren't you? Does it make you feel better that I spend 98% of my day inside?
• The kind words of you all when I was going through my Grandpa funk. It's this little corner of the world that really helps me get through it. I'm feeling better. Thank you.
• Batman making friends. Since we re-potted our parrot plant, Batman's taken to snuggling down next to his friend Piggy in an evening and it really makes me smile.
• Eva & Davis fragrance is my new favourite scent ever. It's pretty hard to find their website though so I'm not entirely sure how to stock up!?
• A dinosaur sticker on the platform floor. Because who doesn't want to see a dinosaur on the floor the morning after watching Jurassic World and dreaming of t-rex's? 
• Toasting marshmallows and putting the world to rights with one of my favourite ladies in the entire land. I always feel so much more centred and positive after time with her and recently we enjoyed the most delicious tapas followed by a sugar coma inducing dessert! 
• A charity golfing event that I helped to organise raised over £1500 for Cornwall Hospice Care. I'm really thankful to everyone who helped support the event!
• Quality time talking about the future and laughing at the past with Harps. Almost eleven months to go!

What are you all thankful for at the moment? Sunshine I'm sure! Thanks Lisette for inspiring me to be more thankful with your beautiful soul (and face!)

Love Sophie XX

Two Weeks Of Happiness In Photos.

Let's start by just making this clear. I want to be on holiday forever. I need to invent something incredible that the world buys in bulk for the next 50+ years and I can spend my days frolicking around Cornwall as I'm meant to. Any ideas? The last two weeks have been some of the best this year. Thankfully it hasn't felt like one of those really fast holidays and I've really rejuvenated during the time; ready to crack on for the next couple of months until my next little snippet of joy. 

Funnily, the only time I really did try and do some work during my holiday I managed to lock myself out of my email, phone and calendar. Sometimes life just spells it out for you doesn't it? So, what have I been up to? I know all you nosey badgers love to find out! 

We've been pretty lucky with the weather, for the first week Harps was also on holiday and we spent a lot of time catching up with friends and family, burning reading in the garden, Batman adventuring, pilates on the grass and evening walks just for the hell of it. It's nice when you haven't got to worry about what time you need to wake up or getting the shopping for the week to save time; the freedom of breaking routine is the happiest isn't it?

During the first week we also got a lot of wedding plans sorted; even more excitingly, passing the one year mark until the actual day- there'll be more about this later this week so keep an eye out! I caught up with some friends for the less sunny days, scoffing as much cake and hot chocolate that my body could physically handle before passing said 'one year mark' and venturing into my 'health regime'. (Gonna be honest, week number two did NOT help with that *read didn't stop scoffing cake.*) It was all nicely rounded off with family BBQs and Newquay's Electric Beach Festival where we fought the rain to see Backbeat Soundsystem, Dreadzone & The Cat Empire (awesome bands if you've never heard them!) 

The second week I was flying solo, Harps returned to work and I visited my first ever bridal shop! It was a massive disappointment to be honest and despite trying on three dresses- I wasn't sold on any which resulted in mother and I in M&S cafe people watching and gossiping. More little wedding details came together, exaggerating all of my thoughts with Stacie as we spent the loveliest day at the beach. I also popped over to Plymouth to see Liona & Leopard, after a rather one-sided game of ping-pong, we sat admiring the view and catching up before having the tastiest lunch at Wagamamas where they proceeded to mock my spoon fears and we compared Game of Thrones conspiracy theories.When Harps did have a day off we took a trip for the most delicious and fancy cream tea at Carlyon Bay Hotel, overlooking the shoreline in weather that could have easily have been somewhere much more Mediterranean. I may or may not have got a little confused on the walk back and 45 minutes later walked in a complete circle in the blistering heat, bellies full- Harps wasn't best pleased when we looked ahead and saw the hotel sign again...

So that's it. Two glorious weeks all wrapped up into one. You can see just above how 'great' Leona's shot is... I miss this holiday already. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to iron clothes, set my alarm for an early morning and generally get back into routine. 

Love Sophie Xx