I'm Back!

Hello!

Remember me? No? Didn't think so. Oops.

Long time no talk. This feels so weird to be writing on here again. I've missed it soooo much.

I've been gone for a very, very long time and I don't even have any excuses for that... I don't think "the dog ate my homework" excuse is going to quite cut it!

There has been so much happening since I was last on here, so I thought I'd update you on everything 'life'!

First of all, the last time I blogged was four days before Megan, Sophie and Daisy's little brother, named Oscar, was born and he is just adorable, I'm so proud to say I was there for the whole thing and was one of the first people to get to steal lots of cuddles from him - he's made me a very proud godmother, it'll also be a great story to tell all of his future girlfriends; you've been warned Little O!

I then realised I only had a few weeks until I was going back to uni and I wanted to dedicate as much of my time to my family as possible, which meant this little space taking a bit of a backseat, even more so when I got to uni and was landed with a lot of work to do. However, I did a blog post HERE, quite a while ago, about the realities of university and although I very much stand by what I wrote, things have definitely gotten a lot better for me this year in terms of my flatmates and friends but I might do a different, slightly-updated, blog post on another version of university I've found this year.

Now I'm trying to write it all down, I'm seriously forgetting half of the things I've done over the past few months - brain failure!

I moved into my new uni flat on the 19th September and pretty much all of my time since then has been consumed by some new and amazing friends that I've made, as well as the massive workload I've managed to accumulate lately, but seen as I'm going to do a different blog post on university happenings we'll skip to the latest events which is...

The welcoming of my new, beautiful little nephew to the world. Yep, that's right. Another little nephew to run me ragged and spoil tons! Harry Robert Murphy was born on the 28th October and I got a lovely text from my brother announcing he'd finally arrived, what made it even better was I was going home that coming weekend so I wouldn't have to wait the weeks to see him I originally thought I was going to have to - which reminds me, I also went to see Ben Montague and Shane Filan when they visited Carlisle, whilst I was home that weekend; they were both awesome!

I think that's pretty much everything... All of the main goings-on in my life anyway! I'll try not to leave it so long before my next blog post!

Katie x

5 Things to Do When You're Sick

Hello!

I looked after Daisy on Sunday when she wasn't very well and it appears I now have her sickness bug - throwing up everywhere and all of that gross stuff (TMI, by the way...). Needless to say, my bed and I have been best friends today whilst the bathroom has just been interfering with our relationship.

I always struggle when I'm poorly because I hate feeling like I have no energy - something you know you're lacking when you don't even have the strength to turn the bath taps with your nimble toe skills, but you also can't be bothered to sit up and reach for them, so you just sit as the water gets colder and you look at it wishing you could just make it heat up by staring at it. Yep, you guessed right, this has happened to me today.

My lack of energy and inability to want to do anything means I always get bored and end up feeling sorry for myself, so here are 5 things to do when you're a poorly little thing (they might even help you feel a bit better!).

1.

Watch lots of movies!

Snuggle up in your duvet, either in bed or on your sofa, and watch tons of feel-good movies. Personally, I always end up watching Mary Poppins because I lurvvv her! If you're not sure what to watch though, then HERE is a list of feel-good movies that I wrote a little while ago - there's some good uns', even if I do say so myself!

2.

Hugs.

I'm soooo soppy when I'm ill, I just want constant hugs and baby-ing, so hugs are always a good thing when you're ill, they make you feel oodles better, too - you just have to find someone to hug who doesn't care that you're highly contagious...

3.

Go outside.

A funny one to think of doing if you're not well but don't go far - obviously, you have no energy, remember! - you don't want to spread your germs either. Just go sit in your garden if it's nice weather, fresh air can never be a bad thing. Unfortunately, this isn't something I've been able to do thanks to the tail-end of Mrs Hurricane Bertha that's hit England; I don't fancy sitting in a torrential down-pour, thunder and wild gales.

4.

Sleep... Lots.

Let's be honest, sleeping is never a bad thing but it's definitely not going to hurt when you're sick, sleep it all off, that's my advise for the day.

5.

Take a lovely, long, luxurious bath.

Any excuse to have a bath - add a nice, smelly bath bomb too, if you can - light a few candles and just lie there and relax! 

Katie x

Music Crush #10

Hello!

I can't believe we're at Music Crush #10 already! I've seriously just gone back through all the previous ones, sure I'd made a mistake and missed a few numbers out along the way! Apparently not though, apparently we really are at the tenth Music Crush!

I recently heard that Charlie Simpson (a former member of Busted, if you're not sure who he is) has brought out a new album; his second solo album. 

I've heard a few songs on it but haven't had the chance to get out and buy it yet so I haven't listened to all the songs to decide which is my favourite. It really made me want to listen to his previous album though, so I did!

This weeks Music Crush was easy for me... for once!

Charlie Simpson

~~~

Cemetery

Being all predictable on my song choice there by choosing his first single from that album but I seriously adore it. I love this one and Farmer and His Gun is probably a very close second favourite.

I can't even tell you what it is that gets me so much about this song. It's one of my most played songs on my iTunes (you can read my Top 25 HERE, if you're interested, if not... just don't click it!), I think it was sitting at #25 last time I looked but that's probably changed the amount I've listened to it this week!

Maybe it's all of the imagery that the lyrics provide me with and the metaphors... so English student-y of me, I know, what can I say, I have English analysis on my brain 24/7.

I love the opening lines:

Welcome to my cemetery gates

I lost your love and I buried it here

The idea of there being a cemetery for all your past loves and broken hearts is something even my over-imaginative brain had never thought of.

I think everyone will like something different about this song and have their own interpretation, the best way to figure out what you think about it is to listen to it! Aaaand, because I'm so nice, I've embedded a video so you can listen to it right here!

Katie x

6 Pamper Night Necessities!

Hello!

I mentioned the other day that I'd spent the day with Megan and Sophie. Well, as well as going to the lovely little Old Hall Cafe (which I wrote all about HERE), they had some friends over and their mama had organised for us all to have a pamper night!

There are certain things that I think are essential to a pamper night, like:

1.

Face Masks

Who doesn't love a good face mask, cleansing all those pores and whatever else it is they're supposed to do?! Personally, I think I just looked like I had poo spread all over my face but it felt amazing, it was self-heating too which, aside from being one of the weirdest sensations ever, made my face feel all lovely and relaxed!

2.

Mani-Pedi's

Well, everyone needs to have pretty toes and fingers, a pamper night is the perfect place to fix those bare nails and chipped toe nail polish! I had Megan and Sophie do mine and I definitely have an interesting mix of colours on my toes...

3.

Movies

Find the best and most hilarious, belly-aching movie you can find and put it on for you and all your friends to sit and crease up in laughing fits! (We ended up watching Princess Diaries - Megs and soph are only 8 and 9, so the movie had to be age appropriate, obvs! Plus, everyone loves Princess Diaries).

4.

Selfies

Let's just be honest for a moment, selfies are an -anywhere-any-occasion thing, okay? So why the hell wouldn't you take a ton of them on your pamper night when you all have face masks on and look like crazy people for painting your face with, what is essentially, mud?

5.

Sweeties!

Once again, sweeties are an anywhere-anytime-occasion thing in my opinion but you need extra sweet treats at a pamper night, because you're pampering yourself, so why not treat your tummy too?!

6.

Hair Accessories

Not only do you need to sit and do each others hair making sure you all look fabulous but you need a few flower crowns too - duh.

Obviously those are just what I deem as 'essentials' and I've probably missed things off or put things on that you wouldn't have thought of but I'd love to know what you do on a pamper night - as you can tell, we had an awesome treat night!

Katie x

How To: DANCE RECESS!

Hello!

How are you feeling today? A bit down? You just can't wait for the weekend to start, I totally get that.

There is only one remedy that can help you get to the weekend then (and through it, if you're working like me) and that's this:

A Dance Recess

Directions of Use:

Find the best, dance-y, up-beat, feel-good music you can - I suggest something like Jessie J's Sexy Lady or Meghan Trainor's All About That Bass (or if you're not that keen on Meghan's original, Emblem3's version is amazeballs).

Put it on as loud as you can (without annoying your neighbours, obviously), if neighbours are a problem, then that's easily fixed; get your headphones out and blast it as loud as you can... without blowing your brains out.

The next part is easy; you simply get into the groove and dance your heart out around your bedroom, living room, whole house if that's possible, and you do the craziest, and obviously the best, dance moves you can - you can dad-dance as much as you like!

You will instantly feel refreshed and have oodles of energy to get you to the weekend!

Take as many doses as necessary.

This post was inspired by Charlieissocoollike's video on YouTube, which is probably just as much of a hilarious pick-me-up as seeing yourself crazy dancing around your bedroom is! So if you're struggling to get the dosage of crazy dancing just right, I suggest you watch his video (below) and he will show you exactly how it's done!

Katie x

Mid Week Pick-Me-Up #10

Hello!

It took me four times to write the title to this post correctly, my fingers are just being more clumsy than normal today (this is basically me warning you about any strange,illegible words that might sprout up at any point in this post - it's my fingers fault, not mine!).

"Follow your heart but take your brain with you." - Alfred Adler

This quote is a clever one, if you ask me. It has life well and truly figured out.

I don't know about anyone else but, all the way through school, you're told to follow your heart and not listen to other people, just do what you want to. Although this is true to a certain extent, you can't just follow your heart and not think about what it is you're doing. For example, if your heart tells you you want to travel, that's great but you need to have your brain think about whether you can afford it or if it's practical.

I have a friend who has always wanted to go to one university. They didn't get into it the first year they applied, so they declined every other offer they had as well, then completely changed their life plan and what course they wanted to do, just so they could re-apply to the same university the next year. It was also the only university they applied to the second year but, again, they didn't get in. She was following her heart to the university and city she wanted to be in but wasn't thinking about the other options or the fact that she might not get in again.

I'm all for following your heart and dreams, I ended up in Nottingham because I followed my heart, but I made the mistake of not thinking about it properly. I didn't think about how far away it was from my home; how much I would miss my family; how difficult it would be to get home when I needed to. I'm not saying I wouldn't have ended up in Nottingham if I had thought about those things because I love it there but at least I would have realised what I was doing before I got there.

Your brain is more logical than your heart, but your heart is more truthful than your brain. Use both.

Katie x 

Music Crush #9

Hello!

Sorry about the lateness of this weeks Music Crush but I've had a lovely day out with the Big Little Ones and then a pamper night and somehow I only managed to get back an hour ago... I honestly don't know where the time went!

I've been really indecisive about what song to choose this week. I've been listening to 5 Seconds of Summer's debut album on loop for most of it but I feel like I'd be cheating making them my Music Crush because they got their chance to shine only a few weeks ago. Therefore, I was left with the task of trying to find another song I've been loving just as much. The next song that came to me was a one by The Script, but they were last weeks Music Crush!

 Then it came to me. This weeks Music Crush should be...

*DRUM ROLL*

MAGIC!

~~~

Rude

This is definitely not the kind of music I normally listen to but I'm in love with it!

I originally heard the beat to the song on an amazing rendition sang by a father who didn't want a certain man to marry his daughter - it's hilariously amazing - and I googled what the song it was originally based on was and found this one. 

I think it's just something about the laid-back tone to it that I love. It seems so chilled. The lead singer, Nasri, has a reggae sound to his voice, a bit Bob Marley-like to a certain extent, and it makes the song seem less about a serious topic and more about just being content.

So here is the original song by MAGIC! for you to listen to:

And if you fancy listening to a father's response to the song, which is one of the best things I've heard in a long time, then here you go!

Katie x