Birthday Days Out

With the threatened onset of snow I wasn't sure how this weekend would turn out but I'm pleased to say that all proposed plans were able to continue as normal without any interference from Mother Nature!

Saturday it was over to my brother's to celebrate my niece Violet's 2nd Birthday where we enjoyed lot's of birthday cookies and cake

and today more birthday celebrations for Ben who chose Columbia Road Flower Market as his day out in lieu of the usual boozy calorie laden events of the past

It appealed to both our natures with Ben's love of flowers and the odd vintage shop for me to nose in.  

I came away with some gorgeous roses - I couldn't resist the blue being so different!

I hope you have all had fabulous weekends and are prepared for the expected onslaught of snow this evening (or keeping warm if it's already reached you!). It was amazing to see how many people were stocking up on shovels and bags of ice when I popped in Tesco this afternoon.

Fat Friends!

A few weeks before Christmas my friend Ben discussed wanting to lose some weight in the new year and the next moment he was announcing his intentions to lose 5 stone by 1st September 2013 in aid of charity on Facebook

There was a lot of support and in no time he had joined forces with the local charity Dream Factory, news reports and an appearance on BBC Essex followed and we are now a week in to his "5 stone challenge" and I can proudly say he has already lost 16lbs!

He has also started a blog which you can find here where he bravely announced his starting weight - you will not hear mine here may I add!! - and will be sharing his journey so do pop along and say hi - or even wish him Happy Birthday tomorrow!

If you're so inclined his Just Giving page can be found here where he is raising money for the Dream Factory who grant wishes and dreams to children suffering from life limited and terminal illnesses so a very worthy cause

Naturally this will have an impact on me.... as I said to Ben, I'm not becoming the fat friend and well who will I indulge in midnight runs to McDonalds if not him so I too am taking some steps to lose a little weight and can announce this week I have lost 2lbs

It also means Weight Loss Wednesdays are back!

Each week I will share news on my journey to lose weight; I'm tackling weight watchers once again so they'll be much competing with Ben as he will be following the Slimming World plan and of course the tweaks to my lifestyle to increase activity! I'm already joking I appreciate how Jessica Innis must have felt winning Gold at the Olympics because I now walk the long way home!

I hope you will join Ben and I and offer any words of advice - particularly tips on either the Slimming World or Weight Watchers plans

The Impossible

Last night my friend and I went to see The Impossible, a film based on a real life families survival of the 2004  tsunami in Thailand and oh my was it traumatic!

I am not one for crying in films but I think tears flowed from beginning to end - my friend said she cried all the way home too.

Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed (which seems the wrong word!) it I'm not sure I could put myself through watching it again - not without thoroughly preparing myself first

Happy New Year

and hello 2013

For someone who usually hates New Years Eve celebrations I gave in and agreed to join Ben for the evening for a takeaway and drinks.... a last minute call from a friend with no plans saw our night for two become a party

Ben laid a fabulous table for our takeaway and kept us topped up with Cosmopolitans all evening and I had the best night and it was the perfect way to say goodbye to 2012 and welcome in the New Year.

Now I have returned home to start the task of taking down my Christmas tree before work begins again tomorrow - wish me luck!

Much health and happiness for 2013 to you all