My Top Five Festive Film Picks!

Today I thought i'd share with you my top five festive film picks. I don't tend to enjoy films often, my attention span is poor and I lose interest. However, I love Christmas films because, well how could you not!? If you're planning on binge watching Christmas films in the run up to the big day then I've listed my five favourites, starting from five and reeling them off til my ultimate favourite- number one. Let's get started, shall we?

5. A Christmas Carol (2009)

This stands a firm favourite as I first saw it in the cinema with my family on Christmas Eve. As well as being nostalgic, it's also a great film where it follows the life of Scrooge in the run up to Christmas. Of course, i'm not going to spoil it though I'm sure most of you will have seen it or know the story. The most recent release of it is definitely worth a watch!

4. Nativity!

This is one I watch numerous times in the month of December. As you could've probably guessed from the title this one is based around the preparations for a school nativity. It's a hilarious comedy, how can you not love Mr Poppy?! Also, fact of the day: one of the children in the film actually went to my primary school. How cool is that!?

3. Love Actually

Believe it or not, I had never seen this until last Christmas. So many people raved about it so I thought it was about time I saw what it was all about. I loved it, hence why it's made it's way into my top five. If you haven't seen it, the film basically follows a number of different couples during the run up to Christmas. I probably haven't made that sound too appealing but it's a rom-com so you definitely won't get bogged down with slushy couples. If you haven't seen it- make sure you give it a watch this year! Let me know what you think of it, if you do.

2. Home Alone

A classic. I'm almost certain that everyone has seen this film- if you haven't, you've probably been living under a rock. Is there really any point in trying to explain this film? The title gives it away right? I've seen this countless times and I never get bored of it, it's hilarious and i'm completely hooked within the first few minutes. The second film is also just as good, the ones after aren't so.

1. The Polar Express

You were expecting me to say Elf right? If i'm honest, it's never been a favourite of mine- don't get me wrong it is a good film but I can't take too much of it. The Polar Express however is a different story. It's just so magical and exciting. It follows the journey of a little boy who struggles to believe, he is taken on a journey to the North Pole that shows him the excitement never fades for those who believe. You'll also fall in love with the lone boy singing at the back of the train, 'it's so much fun when Christmas comes to townnn!' Just me? Ok then...

So there you have it, a run through of my favourite Christmas films. Do you love any of these as much as me? Let me know or leave me any festive film recommendations! I'll be back Sunday to share my idea of a perfect movie night!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS FILM?

♥   ♥   ♥

The Sunday Edit #7 | HOLIDAY 2015

The Friday before last, you may or may not know that I went on a short holiday to South Devon. I used to do Sunday Edits on my blog quite regularly but I haven't in a while because my life was filled up with college, college work and working in the evenings too. Seeing as I had a break from everything, I thought i'd share with you what I got up to whilst on my travels.

On the 14th August, my parents, siblings and myself traveled down to Exeter as that was where we were staying the first night, in a hotel just outside of town. Once we arrived we checked into the hotel and much to my delight I had a double bed to myself which I very much enjoyed, i'd love a double at home but I simply don't have the space for it unfortunately! We threw our bags down and headed out for brunch, we went straight to the vintage cafe we went to before but unfortunately it was closed for refurbishment so we settled for the next one along down the road. 

We did a little bit of exploring in the town centre and I was very good and didn't spend too much- I did however pop into Lush to buy the Mask of Magnaminty and a gift for my sister. We also saw the Cathedral which was lovely then made our way to the local pub, I had hunters chicken which was amazing!

Saturday was my younger brothers birthday, happy birthday to him! We had breakfast at the hotel which was a choice of cereals, fruit and a cooked breakfast which was lovely and then we made our way down to Dawlish where we were staying for the rest of our holiday. Again we explored the town a little, ate ice cream on the beach front- I had cookies and cream which was so delicious! I also bought some duck food, I felt like a child again feeding the ducks and I was also chased by some pigeons for some food. After a short while, we made our way to the holiday park to settle in and explored the beach and shops down the road. I was quite pleased with the pictures I took and my brother had a lovely day- more celebrations to come!

On Sunday we decided to pop down to Torquay sea front as we were planning on getting a boat from there, unfortunately it wasn't running that day. Instead we played some pitch and putt then started a long walk to a nearby village called Cockington which was absolutely beautiful. It had the most gorgeous tea rooms where a man played the piano whilst people ate, it also had a series of independent craft shops which all had some beautiful pieces which I didn't get any pictures of unfortunately. We did so much walking this day so we were pretty much done for the day and spent the evening relaxing.

After the boat trip fail on Sunday, we decided to go on Monday instead. The trip was to Exmouth another nearby seaside town, there were some stunning views from the boat which I've included here. Once we arrived, we walked along the beach then made our way to the fun park which is obviously aimed at the kids but we couldn't help it, ok!? My brother and I could not resist the swan pedal boats on the lake, we had so much fun and if I do say so myself I was a pretty good driver- it was also a good but tiring leg workout too! We also played some mini golf which I must admit i'm not great at, but it was fun nonetheless- haha! The weather was lovely the first half of the holiday so we were pretty hot and tired by this time so stopped for a drink and we also had the most amazing chips I've had from a takeaway in a while! We walked through the park into town and saw some squirrels which came so close, we had a browse around some of the little shops then walked back to catch the boat. We even saw a seal sunbathing on a sand bank on route back, which was cool!

On Tuesday we had a lie in as my other two sisters spontaneously decided to come down and see us. We drove to Teignmouth and spent ages looking for a parking space, it was really busy! Once we finally found one, again we explored the town centre. Do you see a running theme here? All are so different and have a lot of independent stores that you won't find anywhere else so it didn't get boring. Next we made our way down to the pier and I had my palm read(by a machine in the arcade, which I know will be complete waffle but why not!?). We spent a while looking for somewhere to each lunch and settled on a lovely pub which I've forgotten the name of but I had scampi which was a perfect seaside lunch! However, the deserts weren't the best so we made our way back down to the pier for a good ol' 99. Seeing as the weather was still lovely, we took an evening walk down the beach and enjoyed some freshly cooked hot donuts- mmm!

Wednesday was when the weather took a turn for the worse and was unfortunately grey, miserable and rainy. However, we didn't want to stay in all day so I did a quick google search and the House of Marbles was highly suggested for rainy days- it was basically a pottery, marble and toy museum. I know, it doesn't sound the most thrilling but it had good reviews so we thought we'd give it a go. Half an hour later, we were out- it was super busy and quite frankly we personally found it boring.  Instead we went to the nearest retail park and did some shopping, I bought some American candy- a Tootsie Roll and Cookie Dough Bites which I was super excited to try but I didn't particularly like either. I nearly cried in Pets at Home because I can't have a rabbit and I had a Lemon Ice Tea from Costa which was lovely. I also saw a few wild rabbits at our holiday park, which made up for earlier!

Thursday was another rainy day but we decided we would face the rain and get out in it so we drove down to Ottery, St Mary which apparently is the only place in England to spot wild beavers. The wildlife park we visited was lovely, we saw otters being fed and enjoying their enrichment, watched a birds of pray display where I may or may not have got hit by the wings of a Harris Hawk- scary but I wasn't the only one and nobody was injured. We also walked through the enclosure of red squirrels which was cool as I don't think I've seen a red squirrel before. They were so cute and got so close!

We stopped by the cafe where I enjoyed a nice cold lemonade before heading back to town to enjoy fish and chips by the beach, time in the amusements where I won a Harry Styles keying, haha!

Our final day in Dawlish was Friday. We woke up super early to pop down to the bakery and gift shop in the town centre to buy gifts for our family. It was rainy and we were certainly very tired after a busy week so our moods weren't the greatest. We decided to make our way home earlier than expected as we were supposed to be staying til Saturday. I picked up a piece of chocolate cake in the bakery to cheer me up and enjoy at home, I will start to eat healthier now that i'm back but holidays are for treating yourself right?

Overall, it was a lovely week and everyone certainly enjoyed themselves. It's nice to get away and have a break from the norm, relax and spend lots of quality time with your family. I believe I said this last year, as much as I love this part of England i'm hoping to save up and go abroad with my friends next year. Watch this space!

What have you been up to this week or in fact, throughout the Summer?

Let me know in the comments below!

♥   ♥   ♥

July Goals Update | Life

Seeing as there are only two days left of July, I thought i'd update you on my July Goals(here) as promised. I'm also planning on doing a favourites this month so keep your eyes peeled for that on Sunday. Lets see what I've managed to complete this July then...

1. Finish college and my work placement. 

Check! College and placement done and dusted, I completed my diploma in Childcare and Education and came out with an A which i'm super pleased about! I also finished my last days experience in a local primary school and although I was sad to be leaving. I was so excited to start my summer holidays. I also received some lovely gifts from the children and staff, including a gorgeous personalised photo box and beautiful flowers-  which may I add are surprisingly still alive, 2 weeks later! You can see these on my Instagram (@xtracesofmythoughts)

2. Get a job interview. 

I finally got a job interview after handing in many applications to fill the role as a Teaching Assistant in a primary school. The interview didn't go too bad, besides not getting it- I received some good feedback! I am also in the process of enrolling with teaching agencies so hopefully I can get on doing supply work in September!

3. Complete a Paediatric First Aid Course. 

I am now qualified in Paediatric First Aid, woo! Not only will this help me in search for a job but this is also a skill I think everyone should have some knowledge of. I was surprised how little I knew but now I know what to do if someone started choking or was unconscious and not breathing- hopefully those situations never arise though!

4. Spend more time outside.

The weather hasn't been too amazing the past couple of weeks but at the beginning of July we were experiencing a mini heatwave. When the weathers been ok I've tried to sit in the garden and get some much needed vitamin D but I've also tried walking places more to save money and keep fit.

5. Spend more time with family.

I've been to a couple more family gatherings, it's been so nice to catch up with family I haven't spoken/seen properly in years and I hope to visit more often throughout the month of August.

6. Exercise more.

I was going to half cross this out but I thought i'd better not cheat. I was planning on going running a couple of times or more a week, that hasn't happened as my friends been busy and has been fitting her fitness in before/after work at the gym. I however, well I've been walking a lot more so that sort of counts right?

7. Choose healthier options.

For the majority of the month I've been trying to prepare healthier meals, sweet potatoes have become my best friend as I cannot stay away from carbs and they're a little healthier than your regular white potato. I've also been trying to encouragement salad/veg to every meal(except breakfast) and I've been making smoothies/juices with our new blender. I'm also trying to cut out the snacks after 8pm, which i'm doing quite well at!

8. Give my room a little makeover.

I've not had chance to do this unfortunately. I did however pull everything out, hoover, polish and basically spring clean my room. I have a net above my bed which i'd like to take down but i'm stuck on what to put there instead as i'll just have plain white walls which will look a little odd.

9. Give myself a little makeover.

Another, I've unfortunately not been able to achieve. I wanted to do something with my hair like dye it or get a new style but i'm too scared to dye my hair again as it takes for ages to grow out and I really don't know what to do with my hair. 

10. Blog more.

My blogging schedule before July was posting once a week on Sundays. However, I wanted to up my game and blog more often as I enjoy it so I've been posting on Wednesdays and Sundays. As I've been getting more ideas recently, I may post once or twice more throughout the week in August. Very exciting!

Overall, July hasn't been that bad. I do not have to wake up before 7:30 for the time being and I've been a lot happier! I'm very much looking forward to August as i'm hoping to see more of my family, there are a couple of birthdays and I may be going away for a few days to South Devon so watch this space as i'm sure there will be travel related posts to come if I decide to go.

What are your plans/goals for August?

Let me know!

♥   ♥   ♥

July Goals | Life

Today's post will be short and snappy. I'm going to share with you a few of my goals for the month of July.

1. Finish college and my work placement. 

I believe I've mentioned this before but I have to complete a work placement along side my college course to gain experience working with children. My last day is on the 10th of July and although i'm a little gutted to be leaving as I love it so much, I am very excited to start my summer properly.

2. Get a job interview. 

Recently I've been applying for jobs to start in September, working full-time. However, I've not been very successful in my search but i'm hoping something will crop up that I can attend an interview for or even secure a job. Fingers crossed!

3. Complete a Paediatric First Aid Course. 

I found out that a centre near me will be running a First Aid Course this month and though i'm yet to book- I plan on doing it. Not only will this help me in my job search and when working with children, I also feel this is a very handy skill to have.

4. Spend more time outside.

It is well known that the sun can really help to solve skin problems such as spots or acne. I always try to get my daily dose of Vitamin D but i'll be trying extra hard to step outside and just enjoy being outdoors whether that be in my garden or out and about with friends.

5. Spend more time with family.

You may have seen my previous post: here, where I mentioned I met up with family that I haven't seen in years. I'd like to continue to do this so my plan for this summer, starting now is to visit family on a regular basis.

6. Exercise more.

I feel this occurs in a lot of peoples goals or resolutions but I really mean it. I'd like to loose weight but more importantly become healthier and fitter. Me and my friend have tried to go for a run at least once a week and we've decided to step it up a notch and go every other day or whenever possible.We'll see how that's gone at the end of the month.

7. Choose healthier options.

I'm constantly trying to eat healthier and shift a bit of weight but who can resit a couple of biscuits with their cup of tea!? Instead of just jumping to the junk food, i'm trying to consider and eat healthier options. Goodbye bread, hello crispbread and salad.

8. Give my room a little makeover.

I've never really been completely happy with the area at the end of my bed so I've decided to ditch the bed net, you know those mosquito nets that you see quite often on Tumblr and maybe add some clear fairy lights or just go completely simplistic and have a shelf with a few bits and bobs on.

9. Give myself a little makeover.

Nothing too drastic don't worry, I just mean sorting my hair out. I haven't dyed my hair in about 3/4 years but i'd like to change it up a little. I'm not entirely sure what colour i'd like but I shall have a think and get back to you on that one. If not I may just have a restyle!

10. Blog more.

Last but not least as I soon shall be off for summer, i'll have more time to blog so i'd like to get up at least two posts a week- if not more! I'd really appreciate if you could leave some post suggestions for the summer below in the comments!

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THIS JULY?

♥   ♥   ♥

Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone | Life

Today i'm talking about something a little different here on my blog, something I don't think I've ever talked about on here. But don't worry, I shall be back to my usual posts next week! Basically i'm going to be talking about stepping out of my comfort zone- i'm just going to put it out there, I do not have social anxiety and that is not the basis of this post. I feel that everyone has certain boundaries and choosing to socialise with those outside of my immediate family is one I've crossed.

I'll give you a brief outline of why I was in this situation, of course I won't give the ins and outs. About 8 years ago my mother, her mother(my Nan) and her sisters(my aunties) had a huge argument which caused breakdowns within the family that have never been resolved. This meant that I very rarely got to see anybody outside of my immediate family circle to avoid possibly upsetting my mother or the fear that they don't want to see me or my siblings. I'll just put it out there now, I was just assuming and I was completely wrong.
Anyway, enough about that!

Yesterday, was my Nan's birthday. She decided to have a family gathering and in fact invited my mother and all of us(me and my siblings). I knew I wanted to go, to step out of my comfort zone and not to isolate myself anymore from the family. I must admit, it was a big step for me and my sister as we haven't seen them properly in about 5-8 years. So much has changed in those years and I felt completely oblivious to the goings on and I felt my family were constantly recapping us on things we had missed. 

I felt like I was a complete stranger who had joined the family, I felt so awkward.

There was even one point where I told my sister, I wanted to leave and I felt like an outcast.
However, i'm so glad I stayed as I felt that there was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I'm still kicking myself for not doing it sooner but I no longer feel guilty about not going to see them- i'm not passing the blame but it really wasn't my fault when all of these years, I felt like it was.

When everybody was leaving, I began to become tearful. If i'm honest, my auntie hit the nail right on the head- I was completely overwhelmed by everything. Nobody excluded us, everyone was lovely and so supportive. I was reminded that I can make my own choices in life, chances are my mum wouldn't be bothered by them as at the end of the day, she never once stopped me from seeing the rest of the family.

Me and my sisters have made it our mission to visit everybody this summer on a regular basis and keep it that way. 

I worried about the gathering all week but honestly I had nothing to worry about. I'm so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone as I feel so much better and happier. I don't really know how to end this post but basically, I want to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone- whats the worst that could happen? It's definitely not the end of the world if it goes wrong but it's amazing when it goes right!

I hope this post wasn't too boring as it was very personal, points to you if you made it to the very end!

What have you been up to this week?

♥   ♥   ♥

Baking, Concerts and Family | Happy Easter!

I just thought I'd pop by and wish my lovely readers a Happy Easter for those of you who celebrate it, if not then I hope you're having a lovely weekend! Hope you're enjoying your four day weekend, spending time with family and friends and eating your weight in chocolate and other food!

I've certainly enjoyed this Easter weekend which started off with some Easter nest making(not really baking like I titled in the post- oops), yum! These are essential every year in my house! (I forgot to photograph them and I've just gone back to take a picture and gone, none in sight so they must have gone down a treat!)

Yesterday I spent the day listening to Olly Murs and getting ready for the concert, it was absolutely amazing! We arrived a little late unfortunately so there was no chance of getting near the front so instead we queued to have our photos done at the booth and then made our way to the barrier of the B stage where he did a few songs. At that point we were so close it was incredible, though I only managed to get one good photo as A. The majority of them turned out white silhouettes as the lighting was too bright and B. My phone decided to play up-(so annoying) so my camera was inaccessible for the most part of it! None the less I have some amazing memories, I can't wait to see him again live!

My sister on the left and me on the right, please ignore my double chin and looking slightly embarrassed as a queue of people were watching us. Also the hat was a prop, that wasn't part of our outfits, haha!

The absolute babe himself, Olly Murs.

Now the rest of the weekend will be spent with family, watching Easter television while consuming too much chocolate, oops!

I've also got quite a lot of work to be getting on with so I'll be starting that this coming week so if you feel I'm a bit quiet over the week, that will be why- apologies in advance!

Even so, have a lovely Easter/weekend and I'll be back with another post very soon!

♥   ♥   ♥  

The Christmas tag!

Hello lovely people(if you're reading this)!

So basically I was going to do the 'this or that' tag as a sort of 'get to know me' post, I got that idea from omgchl0e's blog and I was just about to link her in my post then I saw this! When I saw this tag I had to do it immediately, it's less than a month so why not? (PS go check her blog out, it's one of my favourites!)

1. Do you like to stay in your PJ’s, or dress up for Christmas? 

I've got to admit, I have been lazy before and stayed in my PJs all day- new Christmas ones ofc! But during the morning when opening Christmas presents, we stay in our PJs and then get changed and dress up a little for Christmas dinner and evening!

2. If you could only buy one person a present this year, who would it be? 

This ones so hard! Probably my mum as she's the one who holds the family together, especially at Christmas! And shes done so much for me this year!

3. Do you open your presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? 

I know a lot of people who have theirs at midnight, but that still counts as Christmas Eve right? It's still Christmas Eve until the morning to me! I think i'd hate that though as when you wake up on Christmas morning you wouldn't have that much to look forward to. Unfortunately my brothers too old to believe in Santa but we still open them on Christmas morning.

4. Have you ever built a Gingerbread house? 

I built one last year! I love gingerbread so we bought a kit and I was so excited to decorate and eat it! But unfortunately the gingerbread was disgusting! so it just sat over Christmas and looked pretty!

5. What do you like to do on your Christmas break? 

Christmas is all about family, Christmas films and dressing cosy! So for me this is the one time of year my family see's each other properly, I love seeing us all together being happy as larry! I think this goes for everyone, Christmas Eve is spent watching Christmas films with the family getting all excited for Christmas the next morning! Then Christmas day is just spent with my mum, dad, sisters and brothers. My nan has 2 sons so she goes back and forth each year, it's our year this year so I'm so excited to spend it with her!

6. What’s your favorite Christmas meal or treat? 

I'm not fussed on full roast dinners but i'll tell you what I do have which is my favourite! I don't have meat, not because I'm a vegetarian just because I only like chicken and I only like it in breadcrumbs/battered(so basically nuggets and stuff like that). I do have vegetables though, my favourite is sweetcorn! Not to forget the pigs in blankets, wait that's pork? I like pork too but not like the pork you would have on roast dinners! Yorkshire puddings are the best to complete the dinner!

7. What’s your favorite holiday movie? 

This is definitely hands down The Polar Express, I saw it in the cinema when it was out on Christmas Eve! Its just such a cute film, it probably still puts a quick thought in my head Santa is real! Wouldn't it be fabulous if we all believed until we became parents? But Christmas is especially for the children!

8. Candy Canes or Gingerbread Men? 

We hang candy canes on my tree and are only allowed them on Christmas eve or later so I do love candy canes for that reason. But gingerbread men are beautiful!

9. Have you ever made a snowman? 

We use to make one every time it snows! Whether it was good or not is a different story! I love the snow, but I hate being cold so I don't tend to go out in it anymore which is sad!

10. Which do you like better, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? 

I love the excitement of Christmas Eve but definitely Christmas day, its a day full of happy families, giving, kindness, laughs and alcohol(only a little though, nobody likes forgetting what happened on Christmas!)

11. White lights, or colored lights? 

Both! They are so pretty! I have coloured lights in my room to reflect off the white walls and look pretty! But my tree usually has white lights, they remind me of fairies/angels a lot which is nice to think loved ones who have passed are still around joining in the Christmas festivities!

Ok this has made me soo excited for Christmas! 

Everyone should do this and comment below if you've done it so I can see what you get up to on Christmas!

I definitely think I'm going to do a series of posts Christmas related seeing as I loved doing this one!

Talk soon! X