...

Next weeks horoscopes.. Seems exciting :)

You wake up on Monday feeling like a character in a romance novel. Your entire life seems oriented toward the prospect of love. (Or perhaps you're already in love -- lucky you.) Flattery and sex appeal figure strongly on Tuesday as well. Wednesday you're too busy thinking about your wallet to spend much time thinking about your heart, and Thursday finds you crippled with indecision about your work life. But worry not: The weekend returns you to the realm of red roses and boxes of chocolate. If you're single, Saturday's your chance to do something about that.

J

Fifteen Facts about Me

Now I know if you read my last post you'll think why am I posting again because I said I wouldn't until the new year (with my new years resolutions) but I was doing the trend thats on Twitter at the moment "#15factsaboutme" and I got bored of 'hashtagging' it on every tweet so thought I'd post up here so I can hashtag it once.

(The first 5 I posted up on my Twitter as well but I'll expand)

1. I'm a trainee teacher at Edge Hill University

You'll probs know this because I've mentioned it in previous posts on here but I've just finished my first semester of university and its got a whole lot more intense. I've been thinking recently whether this is the right career for me as the work load is starting to come clear to me but I've decided it is. I love working with and inspiring children and one day I want to inspire children in other countries, maybe ones less fortunate that my own. An old friend recently made me realise that if I believe in myself and not let others get me down, I will achieve.

2. I'm unsure whether I want children

I know this might contradict what I've written above but I'm going to work with children throughout my chosen career so I'm wondering whether I want to come home to them too. I know that might sounds harsh but having experienced working in schools already and seen my auntie, I know how stressful the job can be at times. Also, I am crap with any type of pain! I got my belly button pierced and I was crapping myself for the pain.. Same when I've had teeth out and even my ears pierced, that's why I haven't braved having a tattoo. I know people say you forget the pain once your child's out but I actually think I wouldn't be able to cope with the pain in the first place, no matter how many drugs the hospital can provide.

3. I work best under pressure

I'm the type of person who puts of doing work as it just looks like too much has to be done but when I've done this in the past for GCSEs, A-Levels and ABRSM exams, its worked out pretty good.. Look I'm at university. Now if your reading this taking part in those exams, don't think you can do the same because that might just be me but this is honestly how I passed all my Double Bass exams throughout schools and trust me, I get so nervous when I have to play the Double Bass as a solo which is weird as I've played it for 9 years but thats just me haha.

4. I want to get my hair done professionally to go back blonde

If you've know me for a long time you'll know I used to have blonde hair, not bright blonde but a dark blonde. I want to return to that colour, maybe not forever but I don't want to be as dark as what my hair colour is at the moment. Don't get me wrong, I like the colour my hair is at the moment, my friend Hannah did a really good job dying it but just want a sort of dramatic change with it haha. Also, I don't trust the at home hair colour stripping kits as from friends I've spoke to previously have all had problems with it like their hair going a colour they didn't want and it burning their scalps so professional all the way I think! 

Yes this is me.. 2 years ago.. With blonde hair haha

5. I'm shy

This provides a big problem for me with most things because I don't like public speaking or confrontations, that's why I've got walked all over by people in the past. But I'm currently trying to work on this trait of mine because in my career I can't be shy, I'm going to be expected to be professional and confident with children, parents and colleagues. Bring on the new not shy lifestyle haha.

6. I'm very geeky

Now I'll admit this about myself quite freely because in my opinion, there's nothing wrong with it. At the end of the day, being geeky is who I am and if people, lads in general, don't like that.. Then their not worth it because its what makes me.. Me. I'm geeky because I love all things scientific.. I've always liked school and the learning that it brought so my career is perfect as I'll always be learning throughout. I've always liked dinosaurs and its a sort of obsession of mine which you can ask my mum and sister about.. I'm all about things dinosaurs and love history. I find things like that fascinating to know about and interesting to learn. Same goes for things like natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanoes.. Yeah I know I'm sounding really geeky but that me haha.

7. I love reading

Most people say they'd rather watch a film than read a book but I'm the other way round completely. Don't get me wrong, I like to go to the cinema and watch a film or something but I stand by the phrase "books are always better than the films". I've read all the Twilights and Harry Potter books and there so much more in depth than what you get from the film. The films are good and you can understand the storyline but you don't get any of the underlying characters emotions. Reading helps the imagination grow and I will encourage all children in my class to read.

8. I'm never going to be a size 8

I went shopping with a friend the other day and neither of us are size 8s but we aren't aspiring to become a size 8 either. Yeah I've recently become involved in cheerleading and the university gym because I want to get healthier and loose some weight to become a little happier in my own skin but I know I will never be a size 8 which I'm happy about. My eldest cousin who's 14 is wearing size 8 clothes and my sister can pull them off and she 12, neither of them are fat or chubby if that's what your thinking. But I associate size 8 with young teen girl, its not a real woman figure and if a man can't handle that, their not worth keeping.

9. I don't have a dad

This may be shocking to some of you's that have grown up with a mum and dad but its not because this is just my life. I've never really been bothered about wanting to know who my dad is because I know my mum knows whats best for me and I've seen what other dads can be like, I can survive without that stress in my life. I am quite contempt to have my mum in my life acting as both my mum and dad. If I've ever needed a father figure I've had that influence from both my uncle and grandad. I'm happy and my families happy with the way things are so no need to disturb the harmony.

10. I'm musical

I don't claim to be a genius when it comes to music but I do know I can play an instrument and I have a musical ear. I can hear when music good and pick out individual things like instruments and decorations because thats what I've been trained to do in GCSE and A-Level Music. I've played the Double Bass since being in year 5 so I have had a lot of experience there however, since going to university I haven't played as I don't have my own instrument. It a little sad really.

11. I'm random

Since I've moved to university I've realised that I really am quite random and I could come across pretty weird at times. My flatmate, Kitty has made me realise this because she's always laughing at me.. I don't mean that in a nasty way its just that I'm obviously quite a funny person ;). She's always laughing at my accent, I know that its not funny to my family or friends at home.. but the Yorkshire accent is quite distinct and pretty common to be honest haha. She also laughs at all the facial expression I apparently do and I believe I've got this off my mother as she's talented in the facial expression department. My facial expressions make me quite transparent with emotions.

12. I still like to watch children's television

Now by this I don't be I sit and watch Cbeebies or Disney Channel on a daily basis. I like to watch the classic 90s kids television like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, That's So Raven, Lizzie McGuire, Worst Witch.. All those which I used to watch when I came in from school. Children's television programmes nowadays are to acted, there just so fake. I've watched them before and they just don't seem real.. I don't mind Hannah Montana as I'm quite fond of that movie but I'm a keen follower to bring back the 90s classics!

13. I'm lazy

My family will agree with this but I am so lazy at times, I just like the relax around the house rather than go out and be active. Due to living away at university, my body clock is seriously messed up. I go to bed in the early hours of the morning and don't get up until morning.. I know in myself thats not right but I'm so used to it now it just happens naturally. I sleep in all the time because I have 2 days a week of university and its just second nature now. Although I'll have to get back into a routine when I'm back on my placement in North Wales for six weeks.

14. I'm addicted to Teacakes and Coca-Cola Cherry

It sounds really healthy and it really is but I can't help but love them. I was so upset when Tesco Express round corner from me ran out of Teacakes for days or weeks (it all merged into one haha). I don't have them as often now because being a student I live off a tight budget and can't afford them as often as I'd like. 

15. My favourite colour is purple

Purple hasn't always been my favourite colour. Throughout my younger years, my favourite colour was blue so its sort of similar to purple. I prefer dark/deep purple and my room at home is that colour. Most of the things I got for university was in the dark purple colour and pink because they go together. Plus if I ever get married (I don't really wanna live with a lad haha) that will more than likely be the colour scheme..

J

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES!

This year Christmas has been brilliant this year because I've got to spend a lot of time with me immediate and close family. As I've now moved 2 hours or more away from my hometown, Doncaster, its quite hard to keep in touch constantly with family but Christmas, its the time of year for family togetherness. 

Well Christmas Eve, we have a tradition that me, my mum, sister, auntie, uncle and 3 cousins all go to 'The Cumberland' which is a pub just up the round from me. We've been going there for a good 7/8 years and its always a right laugh (my Yorkshire dialect really came through in that sentence haha). Well this year was no different, we went up early afternoon and stayed till early evening (haha, no we're no alcoholics). But, it was also a little more special as my loooonggg childhood friend, Charlie, came up especially to see me know I was back from uni for a while which was great as I'd not see him since my uni leaving party. We played the usual card games, Chase the Ace and Snap, and like usual, I was out first and lost (I'm not all that good at card games haha). Unfortunately, I didn't take any photo's of it as I was too much into the family time.

So onto Christmas Day the biggie - as you can see from the size of the writing haha. Now both me and my sister are older, we don't get up as early as we used to on Christmas to open presents however, I do have the thing where I have to be asleep before midnight on Christmas Eve cos I like to wake up on Christmas (I'm strange haha). 

So onto the presents I got off Santa ;) aka Mummy :D - it was good getting presents this year because I haven't been at home so meant so much more...

I actually bought this necklace for my sister but looking at it, you'll realise I have my own half to. Its so cute! We were wearing our necklaces all day yesterday and they'll be handy when I'm at uni and separated from Beth, my "lil sis"

New heels and there nude in colour so will go brilliantly with everything AND there wedges so there comfier that heels like stilettos which I sometimes struggle to walk in haha

A wonderful new collection of children's books - all of which will contribute to my Christmas work (my English journal). Also, being a trainee teacher I have to start my collection of quality children's literature so I think this is definitely a good, standard start to it.

[All Dinosaur] Calendar, Dot-to-Dot book, Top Trumps cards, Planet Dinosaur DVD, Jurassic Park DVD Triology, Volcano Making Kit

Now here is the collection of dinosaur items my mummy got me. I've always liked dinosaurs but since going to Natural History Museum and watching more documentaries on dinosaurs, I've become more and more obsessive with them so I got all this. I've always been a little geeky and dinosaurs and volcanoes are particular interests for me including any other natural disasters (don't laugh at my geekiness haha.. I have to be slightly childish to be a primary teacher haha).

This was a surprise and I know we have the Harry Potter collection in the cupboard singularly because we've bought them as family presents each and every time they've come out because we're big Harry Potter fans but mum surprised me with my very own HP collection. As the DVDs at home of the "family" DVDs I've not been able to take Harry Potter to university with me so this was perfect and I can take it back to uni with me :D

Tom Daley Calendar and Autobiography

No need to say anything else other than... OOOOOOFFFTTT!

Discovery USB Microscope

 This was recommended by my Science tutor at university because it would be a good addition for my teaching supplies collection. Its a microscope which attaches to any laptop or computer and magnifies whatever you put under it (just like a normal microscope).. this is going to be useful in the teaching profession as it'll allow me to magnify children's work and other small things.

New ankle cowboy style boots!

Eyeshadow palette fro my sister :)

I GOT MY CONVERSE! There so gorgeous! Just the right colour for me, I absolutely love them! And will probably wear them all the time haha - both me and my sister got Converse for Christmas this year :)

Well we alternate where we have our Christmas dinner each year, normally its at our own house or grandparents. This year, it was our house as our grandparents were heading to my auntie and uncles house therefore, we had my other auntie and her 3 kids round for dinner, it was all quite hectic as we don't have a very big house.

Pictures from the day.. I didn't take many as I was too busy.. Less and less photo's are being taken each year at Christmas now :( ..

Cousin Dan not liking the fact he didn't win the cracker haha

I also never win these :( I have to cheat just to earn my Christmas hat haha

Cheers everyone! (Dan is so cute with his juice in a wine glass -.-)

Julie will hate me for uploading this but it makes me smile and shows how mad my family is haha

A nice photo of us :)

Cheese and Biscuit course like a picnic on the rug haha

The annual sister Christmas photo <3

Posing as usual ;)

Love this photo - I love my mummy <3

This is a corker of a photo too :D - pulling faces, typical us :)

Family photo <3

Christmas Pj's! - Its tradition to be bought pyjama's for Christmas.. As you can see, my sister has 1D ones *rolls eyes*

Now as a family we have a few traditions round Christmas which are highlighted in this post but another one is what we do on Boxing Day. On Boxing Day we traditionally remain in a pj's all day and watch films and mainly just chill, recovering from the hectic day before. 

This year was slightly different as the films we've watched in years previously as normally, we'd begin to watch any DVDs we got for Christmas however, this year we just watching films that were on the television. So this year we started by watching Land of the Lost which was the first time we'd seen it, it was hilarious haha.. Love Will Ferrell! Next, we watched the last hour of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging which is something we went to the cinema to see as family but its still just as funny each time you see it haha (if your reading this and haven't see it, I recommend you see it!). The Spiderwick Chronicles followed this on E4+1 which was again, a brill film and we really got into it even though we were meant to be playing a game we'd got for Christmas, Call 'Em All (you probs wont know that but I'll take pics of the whole family playing it on NYE). Miss Potter was the next film we switched on which was a gorgeous film portraying Beatrix Potter's life and tribulations in being an author in the early 1900s. Hitch ended our film marathon which was played on Watch but Will Smith is a fantastic actor and I seem to love anything hes in like MIB 1,2 & 3, I Am Legend and of course, Hitch haha.

We had a little snack picnic feast on the carpet and it was funny because my mum was struggling to sit on the floor and eat.. It was the standing joke at this time but these are the pictures of our Boxing Day picnic feast:

A selection of garlic mushrooms, onion rings, mini fajitas, chicken satays (which Beth ate most of), potato skins, crackers and cheese, chips, pasta and sweet treats. It was all just so yummy!

And you can see my present stack in the distance haha.

However the bad news is that I'll be leaving you all hanging until the new year as I have a lot of uni work to complete and very little time to attempt to complete it. I'll be seeing friends back home and spending more time with my family. 

I'll fill you in with all the news on the new year and all my new years resolutions in the new year.

Until then :)

I hope you all had a great Christmas and I wish you all the best for the New Year!

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, whichever you prefer

J