May Photo A Day Challenge

Honestly, is it really May already?!

Here goes...

Don't forget to play along With Chantelle and her army

of Photo-a-day'ers at 

Instagram: hashtag fmsphotoaday

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FMSphotoaday/

(As usual, I'll update every few days. Feel free to leave your links in the comments!)

1. I bought this!: Share a photo of something you purchased, whether it be today, recent or something long ago.

I went for coffee today with my sister and bought a skinny vanilla steamer. 

Not very exciting, I'm afraid!  

2. Morning ritual: What’s something you do most morning. Shoot and share it.

Breakfast... a banana and whatever fruit/green tea I fancy that morning. Today it was green tea with hibiscus. <3 
I always check my email, check the news and if I've got some time, I often have a cheeky little morning browse on Pinterest ;)  
Like my Banksy mug?  

3. This is really good!: Find something good in your life and take a photo.
Today I got a fulltime job offer! 

4. In my cup: What are you drinking today?
 Today I'm drinking an iced grapefruit lemonade from Costa
on my way to work. :)

5. Paper: Is it a bill? Newspaper? A letter or a heartfelt card you received? Find paper around you.

I own barely any fiction books.

This is what happens when you do 2 degrees.

Probably a whole tree right here :'( whoops!   
 

6. Broken: Is there something broken around you? Shoot and share it.
Where I work, everything is falling apart.
All the broken things are pretty much fixed with gaffa tape ;)  

7. Something beginning with F: Find something beginning with the letter F and take a photo.
 #fingerprints of course! 1. My tattoo. 2. Forensic analysis of my fingerprint. 3. Latent prints I lifted from a glass tumbler. 4. My iPhone skin. 

8. Shape: Shapes are all around us. Which will you choose for today’s prompt?
Peace. 

9. A snack: Healthy, or not-so-healthy, share a snack with us.
For the popcorn addict within <3 

10. Stars: Whether in the sky or elsewhere, find some stars and take a photo.
My little swallow/bluebird is surrounded by stars :) Theyre all different colours.
I especially love the pink and turquoise ones. 

11. A smile: A smile can change the world. I hope you find many to choose from today.
I had to have a passport photo taken and boy, is it hard not to smile!
You can see me just about to laugh.  

12. Mother: It’s Mother’s Day. Take a photo of a mother figure, or if you’re a mum – perhaps yourself. Or what the word mother means to you.
It's not Mother's Day here (March 10th, bit late!). Everyday should
be Mothers day in that every day your Mum should know what she means to you. Mine is the best. 

13. Sunrise/Sunset: Choose one or both, and take some time to see the sun wake or go to sleep.

We are having rubbish weather recently...
cross your fingers for some sun please!!!!

14. Need: What’s a need in your life?

My boys <3 they're the best. 

Einstein, Freud, and my boo.

15. 7 o’clock: Whatever you’re doing at 7am or 7pm – share it!

Home from my exam and pigging out. Ohhhh yes <3 

16. Mailbox: Take a photo of yours, or someone elses.
*photo to come*

17. Season: What season is it where you are? How can you share it in a photo?

Apparently, it's spring, but you'd never think it with it being so cold.

Still, my Gran's gorgeous azaleia has flowered for the 3 weeks 

it's out every year, and it's gorgeous :) 

18. Want: What do you want in your life?
Too many things to write. Good health, a family, a house, etc.
But right this second? I just want to be able to hold a scorpion without having to use a pilates band to reach my bloody foot! Stretch, back, stretch!!!!   

19. My favourite view: What’s your favourite view? Your kids sleeping? Your loved one? Do share.
You can easily judge the character of a man by the way he treats those can can do nothing for him. I love watching my little men and hubs play. They love him so much. 

20. Light: Light makes a photo beautiful, so how can you play with it in your photo. Could you find a little sunflare, play with light inside or something else. Lets make magic!

Celebratory muffin (and candle) for the end of exams! :) 

The light at the end of the tunnel!

21. I care about this…: What do you truly care about?
Today, I care about the one hobby I've had since I can remember, and 
that always makes me feel better. The ice is one place I feel like nothing and no one can touch me, and gliding across the surface, I feel like a feather. 
(Until I don't look where I'm going and fall over...) 
I care about having a hobby you love, and I care about keeping fit and healthy. 

22. Change: This can be a hard one, so put your thinking cap on. How can you show change in a photo?
Me, aged 16. The eyebrows! I think I've changed loads in the last 9 years,
but physically, I don't really feel much different. I wish I'd left my hair like that though!  

23. PJs: Pyjamas, we all wear them? {Except you nudists!} so share them. Please.
I don't wear PJ's (I have such a high body temp, I get too hot) 
so I don't wear any, but I do lounge around in comfy clothes. Usually a huge hoody and leggings. This is from our first date 3 years ago.  

24. Go: A green light means go, but what else symbolises this energetic word?
If you haven't already, GO to the Dr Who experience in Cardiff!!!!

Lucy & Me

25. Us: Us could mean your workmates, family, friends or otherwise. How will you show everyone your ‘us’?
Although puppy is living at a new home, I wanted to use a photo of us before
he went. 'Its the people we love that make us who we are', and this little man certainly made me who I am. 

26. Fave thing to do on Sunday: What’s your favourite thing to do on Sundays? Sleep-in? Eat out? Party? Share.
Now it's getting warmer, Sundays are spent laying in the sun :)
(from the comfort of our own living room) 

27. Can’t live without: What would you rather not live without?
 The one hobby I've had for years, the one thing that keeps me fit and healthy, and the one place I feel like I can escape.
Ice skating.

28. What you’re doing now: Choose a moment in your day and take a photo of it.
Feeding the boys this evening was hilarious. Einstein was just ignoring the food and wanting cuddles, and Freud went nuts for camomile tea. Look at that tongue! 

29. Kiss: This is our charity prompt. We’re going to kiss MS goodbye. So wear red, or pop on some red lipstick and show us a ‘kiss’!
Omg, look what I found!
I was 13 when I made this for my MySpace profile photo...
(!!!!!!)
HOW EMBARASSING!  

30. Tool: A tool in the garage or something useful that helps you get through life. Perhaps in a cooking tool. Find one and share it.
The tools of a scientist. ;)

31. Four things: Choose four things and take a photo. They can be anything.

Four things to look forward to (clockwise) 

The upcoming birth of my nephew!

Summer!

Holiday in Turkey!

Our future together <3 

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Sunday Social 28/04

     Hi guys! Sorry this is a couple of days late... I've been super busy with work, revision and I was sick this weekend too. Anyways! Today's questions are all fun childhood questions :)
1. Did you sleepwalk as a child?

Apparently I used to walk downstairs and set off the house alarm.

My sister used to sleepwalk too - My Mum woke up once

to my sister loosely strangling her! She was completely asleep though!

2. Did you ever try to run away or sneak out of your house?

Only once, when I told my friend I was a vampire slayer (I was 10, sue me!)

and she wanted to sneak out at midnight and go to the graveyard.

I turned my alarm off so she didn't wake up and in the morning I told her

she wouldn't wake up so I went alone ;) I didn't. Haha!

3. Did you have any imaginary friends?

Oh God. In primary school, I had this jigsaw puzzle with a pink fluffy dog in it. I decided he was real, named him Fluffy and during boring school assemblies, I used to pretend he was running around the school hall and terrorising people. Oh, the imagination of a child! 

4. Did you ever go toilet papering?

Nope, never!

5. Did you ever sneak tv shows you weren't allowed to watch?

Um...not really. I didn't know of any that I wasn't allowed to watch.

We watched Scream one Halloween at a sleepover, but my parents were

pretty cool with that sort of thing. 

Thats little ol' me on the left, and my sister (bottom)
with my cousins :) 80's babies/90's kids

Next week's questions

1. 4 favorite things to do on a weekend

2. 4 favorite things about your best friend

3. 4 things you would do with $100,000

4. 4 favorite books you've ever read

4. 5 favorite snack foods

6. 4 things that you must do daily

Can't wait to read your posts!

Saira

x

Grateful.

 
I don't usually post these but this week I thought it might be nice to share.

For a long time now I've been training as a psychologist, and I'm always up for learning about new therapies and techniques. 

One that I came across whilst researching Mindfulness many moons 

ago is called Gratitude Therapy.

I guess it's loosely similar to the Buddhist therapy of naikan, that emphasizes gratitude as a way to heal depression, anxiety, and neurosis. In this approach, Buddhists systematically review their whole life and offer gratitude for everything that they were given.

Like naikan, gratitude therapy is about not taking things for granted; for remembering to appreciate every material possession, opportunity and person that is part of our lives for no matter how short a time.

Anyway. It's something I've practiced for a long time now, and it's very simple.

Each week (day, week, month, whatever you like), you sit and make a list of what you're thankful for. Sometimes, when times get a bit stressful, it's nice to dig out your lists and remember to focus on what you do have, as opposed to what you don't.

This week...

• Having a roof over our heads and food on the table
• Having a man who loves me for me and always tells me
• My Mum and all the things she does for me, still
• The old lady who said thank you and squeezed my arm after I held the door open for her
• The little girl that picked up my book for me when I dropped it at work
• Having lovely neighbours who we can trust implicitly 
• The lovely couple that gave Kip his new home, and the way they always send letters and photos and let us stay updated on his life. They realise how hard it is to 'lose' a pet and have made it that much easier
• Having *touch wood* great health
• Having two little pet rats that keep us laughing all day long
• All the opportunities life throws at us

Encourage your mind to 
think more positively, 
and start now.

 

Sunday Social 21/04/13

Hi!

Well, what a week! Here goes with this week's Sunday Social :)

 

1. What is your shopping weakness?

House decorations. Anything to make our home even more homely.

This week, I bought another jigsaw frame. This one I themed 'travels & adventures'

 and my Shutterfly book came!

 

2. What is your food weakness?

Asian food. Especially noodles.

3. What is your go to movie to watch when nothing is on?

 I can watch The 6th Day over and over again. I love it.  Other than that,

Blue Crush and Into the Blue :)

4. What is your go to breakfast food?

My standard breakfast is a banana and camomile tea.

Sometimes, I'll have a greek yogurt with honey if I'm more hungry.

On a gym morning, I'll have tea and a spirulina and ginseng protein ball.

(They're delish!)

 

5. Do you drink coffee? If so, how do you take it?

Only socially. I don't make it at home. 
I drink a tall soya cinnamon latte or soya chai latte with vanilla.

Your go!

...and dont forget to link-up on Ashleys blog!

Link-Up: When I Grow Up!

 

I seem to be going link-up mad this week!

Today's link-up is when I grow up, by the lovely Erin at Two Thirds Hazel.

(I'm 25 and I consider myself to be a grown up. I do grown up things I thought I'd never do when I was small - bills, rent, ironing...IRONING! 

Haha! I've always felt like the Mum at work and uni because I'm older than the majority, which I like. So this is more.. in the next 10 years...!)

So...!

 (1) Grab the button
(2) Follow your hosts
(3) Link up your post with Erin and Whitney

When I grow up... I want to have 2-3 children. And to have at least one girl!

When I grow up... I want to have lots of summer BBQ's with friends and their kids.
 

When I grow up...I want to finally get my PhD and find a job as a Clinical / Forensic Psychologist.

When I grow up... We want a dog again, it's something we both really miss. 

 

When I grow up... I want to still have my itty bitty waistline. Who am I kidding - the babies will soon change that!

 

When I grow up... I want to have a beach house or a cottage. Or a beachy themed cottage. 

When I grow up... I want to always remember the hard times so I'll always appreciate the good times.


When I grow up... I want to always strive to be a better person.


When I grow up... I want to make sure I still keep a blog diary, I still pin daily, I still prefer reading psych journals and New Scientist to celeb-filled magazines, and still remember to practice gratitude daily. 


When I grow up... I want to be able to teach my kids how to live a healthy, active lifestyle like I have done; never worrying about dieting or anything - just eating clean and training mean as a way of life ;)
  When I grow up... I want to be as thankful as I am now for everything life throws at us. 

 

Okay, I promise now, no more link-ups for the rest of the week, 

apart from Sunday Social of course! ;)

Finishing Sentences Link-Up

Hey folks!

I'm coping Ashlea here and joining in with the 'finishing sentences' link-up...

1. I laughed so hard I cried when...I accidentally poured my boyfriend what I thought was pineapple juice earlier today, only for him to take a huge gulp and realise it was 'World's Hottest Ginger Pop'.... poor thing had to suck on an ice cube! 10 seconds later, my Grandma threw a yogurt across the floor and down her trousers. It was hilarious. 
  2. My high school... let me do trampolining and ice skating for PE. Best ever?!

3. It really pisses me off...when people stop on the yellow chevrons at the end of my street and block the road! It takes me at least 3 changes of the traffic lights sometimes to actually leave the road :'( 

4. In ten years... I will be grateful I waited a little longer to start a family, even when my hormones keep telling me to crack on with it! I'm so thankful to have time to appreciate my man before it becomes all about someone else :)

5. If I could erase one thing... money... I hate it. I love it but I hate it. I would erase financial differences. Footballers wouldn't make more than Soldiers. Third world countries would be able to access fresh water and food. We wouldn't tax the poor to pay the rich. 

6. In 1999...I was 12, I started secondary school, and I was OBSESSED with Buffy the Vampire Slayer ;) 

7. Honestly... I really feel like a completely different person than I was 3 years ago.

8. To me, Sushi...is amazing. I love it. 

9. Someone really needs to invent...cryogenic freezing, space travel, time travel, and an alarm clock mat that you have to get out of bed and stand on to turn off. 

10. The first time I drank alcohol... I actually don't remember when it was. I remember the first time I tasted vodka - in the car park of the cinema. It was horrible.

11. The one question I would ask God is... what is the meaning of all this? 

12. Lindsay Lohan... Africa, what happened to you?!

Feel free to link-up and join in :) 

Sunday Social 14/04

Its our favourite time of the week again! 

 

1. When did you join twitter?

September 23rd 2010. I had to look.

2. Who is your favorite non-celeb to follow?

I hardly use Twitter - what does that tell you?! Haha.

I like to follow my friends that have Twitter, so I'll say the beautiful Robyn O :)

3. Who is your favorite celeb to follow?

The only reason I have Twitter is to follow Derren Brown and Kaley Cuoco.

I also like to keep up with Overly Honest Methods because I'm a psychology geek.

Oh, and anyone who works on Holby City or Dr. Who because I'm obsessed. <3 

4. Have you ever had a celeb respond to a tweet?

I've had many conversations with a lovely actor called Jake Canuso (Benidorm),

as well as Hannah Tointon (Hollyoaks, The Inbetweeners) and a private message from the one and only Chad Michael Murray ;) oh and one from Lacey Turner (Eastenders). 

I'm such a suck-up :P

Such a nice guy, y'all should follow him.

Hannah's a sweetie too :) so is her sister Kara
who I met a few years back.

5. What is your favorite store/brand to follow?

I don't follow any stores or brands. Should I?

6. Give us three tweeps we should be following.

Derren, for witty and intelligent conversation.

 Kaley for limitless amounts of dog photos.

 And Jake, for bringing some sun to a dreary day.

Alrighty, it's your turn!