April Favourites

Just to bring some reality into this blog post; we're one quarter of the way through 2016 - seriously Christmas and New Year feels like a lifetime ago. Anywho, writing my April favourites is rather exciting; why you might asked well for one, it's the end of another glorious but rather hectic month of working life and second, it means FLORIDA IS ALMOST HERE! In fact this post comes to you from a girl sat on the train heading to Gatwick as you read - everybody put your hands in the air like you just don't care! *insert monkey with hands over its eye here*. 

Two of my proudest moment during the month of April were;

1. I motivated myself enough to go to gym consistently - if you know me this is a big deal; most of the time I would rather sat at home and eat multiple packs of Cadburys chocolate fingers rather than hit the gym. 

2. I managed to pack my suitcase to Florida without having to sit on it to close it and I was under the weight limit too. *Air Grab* Seriously when I flew to Portugal with my university chicks last year; my case was overflowing and I was only going for week but Florida I'm going for ten days - how does that work? 

Anyway in amongst of all the chaos what with working life, holiday shopping and a social life, I've still managed to find a few favourites...

1. Arian Oil Shampoo & Conditioner 

With the Great British weather unfortunately not on our side, my hair has taken a turn for the worse - seriously Snow in April? What's that all about? And it seems we've had every storm in the English alphabet past through our country in the last few months; no wonder my hair needs some help. I love the results, my hair feels silky and shiny and I can really see the difference, it is making to my hair. The smell is incredible and you only need a pea-sized of both shampoo and conditioner; which saves on re-purchasing and costs dramatically. 

2. Monin Amaretto Coffee Syrup 

Since trying Amaretto Chocolate Brownie at Christmas; I've been on the hunt for Amaretto Syrup to flavour my regular-sized weekend lattes. Thank you Dolce Gusto and Monin, for bringing some amazing things in our lives. Pre-warning, you can not Amaretto syrup in shops; I've looked everywhere, no luck as of yet. However my hunt comes to an end, when I remembered my trusty sidekick, Amazon. So my Spring afternoons are now very much spend sitting in the back garden (weather depending, of course) with a Amaretto flavoured latte in one hand and probably some form of cake in the other. 

3. Nails Inc Superfood Base Coat and Kensington Caviar Top Coat 

Don't you hate it when you've just painted your nails and one chipped almost instantly? Well not anymore; it's true what they say, go from something a little more extensive and it 100% works. Over the years, I've bought many top and base coats for my nails but not have seemed to have the desired effect and certainly haven't done what it's says they will do. At £14 per bottle, it is a little more than I would normally pay but still it's the best top and base cost since sliced bread; this colour on my nails at the moment has been one for two weeks and guess what... No Chips! 

4. My Disney Experience App  

If this app wasn't in my favourites his month, I would have seriously been surprised. Not only can I countdown to my holiday, I am also plan my holiday from England; from what rides we want to go to booking breakfast with the characters - I think I'm slowly convincing my friend, who I'm going to Florida with, that breakfast with the characters is a must! Not to mention, instead of waiting in queues for hours (you know how us British folk like to queue) we can book our fast pass passes through this app, so no more waiting in line for us. 

NOTE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TO FLORIDA - This app may have been around for a while but I've never been to Florida; so please be patient whilst I catch up with excitement. 

5. Vaseline Body Moisturiser 

Just like my lifeless, winter batter hair; my skin has unfortunately taken a beaten from this wild Great British weather that we've been having lately too. Not cool. So, as any normal girl would, I hit Google and started to look for the best moisturiser I could find - obviously it needed to have a reasonable price tag; I found one body moisturiser for £48. *insert shocked face emoji here* Vaseline have done body moisturisers for a while now but I always found the cocoa butter one really greasy but that was quite a few year since I lasted used it, so I thought why the heck not, lets try it again. I'm so glad I did. It's not greasy in the slightest, it's soft, smooth and has amazing coverage on my skin and the best part is you don't need a lot either. 

Until the next time, when hopefully my favourites will be filled with items from my Florida holiday, Au Revoir!
Love,
Lauren xo 

Spring Spotify Playlist

This post comes to you written by a girl, who is a little over excited (and hopped up on one too many Gingerbread lattes... Oops!) that the countdown to her holiday is down to single digits but also the fact that Spring has well and truly arrived in Britain. The thought of iced-lattes, long countryside walks and fresh flowers in every room indeed makes the thoughts of Spring amazing. Anywho, with the change in seasons, I thought that there was nothing better than accompanying my long countryside walks or morning commutes to work with a kick-ass Spring Spotify Playlist; so here are my chosen tracks for Spring 2016:  

1. Fifth Harmony - Work From Home 

This is my official jam for 2016. Seriously, where do I sign up to become a member of Fifth Harmony? #FriendshipGoals 

2. Little Mix ft Sean Paul - Hair 

After their Brits performance, I didnt think they could top it. Seriously, this music video is #Goals; I'm officially a 2016 #Mixer

3. The 1975 - The Sound

4. Ellie Goulding - Army

Never a massive fan of Ellie Goulding but she is starting to really grow on me; I think this song I've had on repeat numerous times this month. 

5. Coldplay - Hymn For The Weekend
6. Randy Newman - You Got A Friend in Me 
(Toy Story Soundtrack) 

7. One Direction - History

Um, it's the last song that One Direction are going to release for a while; of course I'm going to treasure it but listening to it over and over again. 

8. The 1975 - Chocolate

A classic; even if I do say so myself! 

9. Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman

#StrongIndependentWomen 

10. Meghan Trainor - No

11. The Lion King Soundtrack - I Just Can't Wait to Be King 
A classic, even if I do say so myself! 

12. Mandy Moore - When Will My Life Begin 
(Tangled Soundtrack)

13. Lawson - Money

14. Nick Jona ft Tove Lo - Close 

Radio 1 Big Weekend #Exeter; come at me! 

15. Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out 

16. Coldplay - Adventure Of A Lifetime

It seems a lot of boy bands are 'on a break' at the moment but Coldplay will never disappoint 

17. Charlie Puth - One Call Away 

18. Nathan Sykes - Give it up 

I may or may not have a little soft spot for him *inset monkey with hands over eyes emoji here* 

19. Add Disney songs x 8 

I'm heading off to DisneyWORLD, Florida in a matter of days, it would be rude not to have Disney songs on my playlist (to be honest, it would be wrong not to have them on my playlist, even if I wasn't going!) 

20. Idina Menzel - Let It Go 
(Frozen Soundtrack) - Every Disney-loving individual will know why this song is in my playlist. That's right, its amazing! 

21. The Jungle Book Soundtrack - The Bare Necessities 
Who doesn't love Baloo the Bear? 

22. Jodi Benson - Part of Your World 
(Little Mermaid Soundtrack) 

23. Mandy Moore ft. Zachary Levi - I See The Light 
(Tangled Soundtrack) 

24. One Direction - Drag Me Down 
Uhh Hello! It was filmed in NASA and will forever be an incredible song! 

Until the next seasonal Spotify playlist comes about, Au Revoir!
Love,
Lauren xo 

Cinnamon & Berry Granola Bars

When it comes to a healthy snack, you just can't beat a good bar of granola. Especially when the mixture consists of cinnamon and plenty of berries. This simple, easy to follow recipe makes granola-baking easy and they are perfect for breakfast, a mid-morning or late afternoon snack and after a workout. I love the soft flapjack texture with the sweet taste of cinnamon and berries that follow; add a morning cup of coffee into the equation, it's the perfect mix. Believe me when I say once you start granola-baking, you'll never look back... 

As the summer is fast approaching, it's time to think healthy and I know, putting nuts, seeds and berries into baked goods isn't everybodies cup of tea, but that's the beauty with granola, you can pretty much add or take away any ingredients that you want too; you could even give Mary Berry a run for her money... 

 Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes | Makes: 12

GRANOLA INGREDIENTS:

• 100g Butter 
• 200g Porridge Oat 
• 100g Sunflower Seeds 
• 100g Sesame Seeds 
• 50g Chopped Walnuts 
• 3 Tbsp Clear Set Honey 
• 100g Light Muscovado Sugar 
• 2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon 
• 100g Dried Fruit {Cranberries, Blueberries, Cherries or a mix!}

HOW TO MAKE: 

1. Pre-heat oven at 160c (or fan 140c or gas mark 3 - pending on your style of oven!) 
2. Line your choosen baking dish with greaseproof paper and butter, in order to stop your granola from sticking to the baking dish. 
3. Mix up all your oats, seeds (sesame and sunflower) and nuts in a mixing bowl; once mixed pour into a deep roasting dish and place in the oven for 10 minutes until lighter toasted. 
4. Whilst your seeds, oats and nuts are turning golden, warm the butter, honey and sugar in a plan on a low heat, stirring until the butter has completely melted. 
5. Once melted, remove the oats from the oven and add into your melted butter, along with 2 teaspoons of Cinnamon and 100g of dried fruit; leave on the hob and mix until all the oats are well coated.
6. Once mixed, tip the content into your lined baking dish and press down lightly with a metal spoons until even. 
7. Bake for 30 minutes. 
8. After 30 minutes remove from the oven and leave to cool in the baking dish; once cooled remove from the baking dish and cut into twelve bars. 

Until the next baking bonanza, Au Revoir! 

Love, 

Lauren xo 

Life Lately #1

Am I currently sat here writing this post whilst consuming a vast amount of Easter egg chocolate? Yes. Yes I am indeed. But what can I say, that's life. But it got me thinking... Every Friday night I think about having two full days all to myself; no work, no commitments, I can do what I want, when I want and then BANG! By Sunday evening, I am wondering where the weekend went, setting my alarm for 6:30am and heading to bed early. Life of a full-time worker, eh? Anyway, since I am absolutely rubbish at keeping a diary, I thought what better way of documenting what's happening in my life than writing a post about it. That's life I suppose... 

WORKING LIFE 
Since January, my working life has been somewhat hectic to say the least. I've taken on more challenges and developed more skills, that I could of ever hoped for within such a short space of time. No day is ever the same, which I suppose is what makes it so interesting and diverse from a normal office job but the one thing that I would say is the most consistent element of my working life, is having a coffee as soon as I walk into the office in a morning. That I don't think will ever change.

MAKING AN EFFORT

Whilst I love the 'lazy wear look', I've recently had a good clear out as I am trying to 'up the effort' with my wardrobe - not just for work but my everyday clothes too. I've been trying so hard to find my own personal style, which has been fun but kind of pricey at the same time. I am getting there; slowly but surely. 

Don't get me wrong, I do make more of an effort for work but whilst just chucking a t-shirt and jeans on with a pair of really comfy Converse is great for comfort, it doesn't really make me feel good. Since 2016 is about getting out of my comfort zone, I thought that making a effort with my wardrobe is definitely a good start. 

HEALTH & FITNESS 
Now that I'm working Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm and whilst I enjoy my job, sometimes sitting behind a desk all day makes me feel rather lazy, so I have finally decided to join a gym. I've been a member of a gym before but unfortunately I was never motivated enough to actually get fit and health, like you're meant to when you join a gym.

Anyway the difference between this time and last time is I've actually taken time to talk to a personal trainer and they've planned a programme out for me - which makes such a difference compared to going to the gym with no plan and no idea what you are doing. So, that would have to be my first tip for beginners heading to the gym: Talk to a Personal Trainer and get a programme sorted! 

Since starting the gym, I've motivated myself by getting some fab fitness wear from USA Pro, Nike and H&M and believe it or not, feeling great in fitness clothes will definitely get you motivated for the gym. 

FIVE THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

1. Watching Disney movies back-to-back 
2. Discovering my love for reading and Nutella on toast once again!
3. Getting back into Fitness
4. Starting to think about what to pack for Florida! Eeeek! 
5. Reuniting with two of my besties (via Google Hangout; hopefully it will be face-to-face soon)

Until the next time, that's life, Au Revoir! 

Love,

Lauren xo 

March Favourites

A March favourites post can only mean one thing... Firstly it is one month until Florida (*cue the extremely excited shrieks and dances*) and secondly, we are a quarter of the way through 2016; I mean where did that time go? Yes that's right, Spring is finally here and Summer will be soon be upon us and we can finally hopefully put our winter coats and boots back into hibernation until Autumn and Winter dawn on us once again but until then let's focus on the positives. With Spring well and truly on our doorsteps, the candles that have a fresh, sweet and/or floral smell have been taken back out of storage, and not to mention that the one of the positive that comes from heading into Spring is being able to drive to and from work in the daylight. Bliss. 

March has literally flown by in the blink of an eye - I am kind of hoping that April does too, since I'm heading across the pond for a holiday on the 1st May - but don't worry, I have still managed to find a few favourites along the way, let's take a look... 

1. Sanctuary Spa, Convert Garden, Air-Whipped Soufflé Scrub 
I don't understand people who don't like to exfoliate - I mean, my skin always feels supersoft afterwards. When I purchased this particular scrub, the shop assistant said to me "I don't understand people who exfoliate. I mean what is the point?" to which I lead with the response (attached with a smile) "people who want supersoft, apricot smelling skin" - Yes I did indeed get daggers! Anywho, I've been looking for a good exfoliator for months but I haven't found one that suits; until March when I got recommended this one. It is incredibly light and fluffy on your skin and the best part is, it lasts for absolutely ages because you don't need to do it every night and you only need a pea-size amount. Perfection. 

2. Sanctuary Spa, Convert Garden, Air-Whipped Creme Soufflé 
It's only fair to say that if you buy one product from a set of two, you might as well try out and purchase the second product from the set as well. Hence how I ended up with the Sanctuary Spa moisturising soufflé as well as the scrub. Similar to the scrub, it is incredibly light and fluffy on your skin; however it doesn't last very long because even if you use a pea-size amount, it doesn't spread very far on your skin but it does however leave your skin feeling silky and smooth.

3. Coco White Teeth Whitening {Vanilla Swirl, Light Lemon & Minty Fresh}
Normally I am not one to try this type of thing out but I have heard such amazing things about this products and since it was on offer at the time of purchase; I thought "why the hell not give it a go". After taking at least half an hour to decide what flavour I think I would like the most, I opted for the assorted flavours - god knows, why I couldn't of made that decision half an hour early, it would of save me a lot of time. I have to admit that all three flavours are really tasty (Light Lemon is a definite fav though) and actually, I have started to notice a real difference to my teeth and gums - hopefully by the time I get to the end of two week cycle, I will be able to reveal a brighter and whiter smile. Cheese! 

4. Tesco's Chocolate Heaven Cookies
It's official I have a definite addiction to cookies! Don't get me wrong, I do love the traditional chocolate chip but these are indeed chocolaty heaven; however my only complaint has to be that there are only eight in the packet, so when you live in a family of four you have to quick otherwise they will be long gone. I mean who doesn't love cookies? I'm got some White Chocolate & Raspberry cookies to try next and no doubt they will take pride of place within my April Favourites, especially if there as good as these. #watchthisspace 

5. Bankin' App 
Realising that I cannot access my budget spreadsheet, anytime anywhere is devastating; however thanks to my trusty iPhone (thank you Steve Jobs), I've found an app which helps me to stick to my budgeting plan on-the-go. It's easy to use, colour co-ordinated and most importantly, it does what it says on the tin and stops me spending when I don't need to. Online banking is definitely a frenemy of mine but this app has definitely helped me to stick to budget and save.

Until the next monthly favourites, when I'll be sat in the airport waiting to board my flight to Florida (eeekkk!), Au Revoir!
Love,
Lauren xo 

A Love for Spring

I think we should all give ourselves around of applause for surviving winter; I mean not that the rain and wild winds are going to be leaving anytime soon - honestly I think with the amount of storms we've had over the last six months, we'll be at Storm Z before we know it. Although, we aren't out of the wild and wet weather yet, we are one step closer to blue skies, Spring walks and plenty of pastel colours. We may just have to be patient a little while longer. 

Anyway, I know we have an official first day of Spring (which just so happened to be last Sunday) but I don't consider it Spring until I've seen Cherry Blossom blowing in wind and more fresh flowers in stores than ever before. Only then is it officially Spring for me. So, whilst we wait ever so patiently for the Storms to pass over and the blue skies to appear; here are a few reasons why I have a love for Spring: 

• Fresh Flowers. Carnations. Daffodils. Tulips. Peony. 
• Pastel Nail Varnishes. 
• Being able to walk around with a light jacket, instead of a heavy coat on. 
• Fresh Air. 
• Animal off-spring. 
• Birds chirping. 
• Cherry Blossom on the trees. 
• The promise of summer. 
• Spring cleaning. 
• Evening strolls. 
• Easter. Bunnies. Chocolate. And a four-day weekend.
• Open windows. 
• Garden parties. 
• Floral fashion. 
• Beautiful scenery. Everything becomes so Instagram-friendly. 
• Driving back and forth from work in daylight. 
• More productive feeling. 
• Hibernation ends. I'm talking about animals not people (even though we all still struggle to get out of bed, no matter what time of the year it is)
• Iced Beverages. For anyone who doesn't know seeing me without an Iced Latte in Spring, is like seeing Winnie the Pooh without a jar of honey - it just doesn't happen. 
• Daisy chains. 
• Smoothies. Berries. Mango. Passionfruit. 
• Sunglasses. 

Until the next seasonal change, which just so happens to summer, Au Revoir! 

Love,

Lauren xo 

It's Okay To...

Life is interesting. Sometimes it throws everything at us all at once; other times it dip-feeds us problems that we have to deal with head on. One day this week, I was mining my own business purchasing my usual medium-sized beverage, flavoured with either Cinnamon or Vanilla - believe it or not that life or death decision of what coffee syrup to purchase, comes down to a moment of spontaneity. Anyhoo during my purchase, I overheard two girls discussing life and the most important fact of the day was that Girl A (let's keep it anonymus - more fun that way) needed to buy that skirt from Topshop because Girl A and B needed to fit in with Girl C at school as she was popular, especially with the boys. But it got me thinking, how did I ever survive secondary school? But more importantly, it got me thinking why is it so difficult to be different these days and the fact is that it is okay to things that make you different. 

So here are a few thoughts that went through my head, when thinking about what it's okay to do:

1. Cry over nothing at all. 
2. Laugh uncontrollably at things that no one else finds funny. A little awkward at times though.
3. Stay in on a Friday night. Disney DVDs and Chocolate anymore? 
4. Talk to your pets. I'm pretty sure that they understand you. 
5. Not wanting to go out on a wet and windy day. 
6. Be happy. Never let anyone drag you down. 
7. Put all your DVDs into alphabetial order. It doesn't make you strange, just extremely organised.
8. Look at the desserts on a menu before looking at the mains when you go to a restaurant. 
9. Be a #Directioner.  
10. Cut out those who doubt what you can really do. 
11. Quote F.R.I.E.N.D.S or Mean Girls on a daily basis.
12. Not have a boyfriend. 
13. Treat yourself every once in a while. 
14. Hold your hands up and admit you may of made a mistake. The important thing is that you learn from it.
15. Enjoy a colouring book as a adult. It's very therapeutic! 
16. Still sing every lyric to a Disney movie. 
17. Act confident; even if you're shaking like a leaf inside.
18. Be proud of achieving a goal, big or small. It's your life. 
19. Think that you look great. Definite confident booster. 
20. Only take 5 mintues to do your make-up, who can tell anyway?
21. Not to like the same things as everyone else. 
22. Take your time in facing the world.
23. Be honest when giving out any advice. 
24. Not have a favourite colour.
25. Be you. 

Is there anything that you think it's okay to do? Anyway until the next time, Au Revoir! 

Love,

Lauren xo