Last week in pictures.

Call it laziness, call it creativity, I don't mind, but here's my last week in pictures.

Please note, there will be a lot of food pictures. Why? Because I'm a fatty boombastic and I love all food; pizza, fruit, veg, chocolate, everything! I'm not fussy.

And yes, I am one of those people who reaches for their camera everytime I'm about to eat something extra delish. So sue me :)

March 18th 

As you can see, the diet it going well...but this pizza was amazing - the Carolina from Dominos with stuffed crust, mustard mayo and just general goodness. Yum.

I obviously had to get dessert...

But it was all in aid of my other half's birthday. He wanted to stay in and order pizza so he could watch the football on the day of his birth...What ever floats your boat I guess...

Lemon tart birthday cake goodness...

I got to see my best friend Stu this week as well. We usually cook some healthy dishes as he's on a mad diet (that he actually sticks to, unlike me) so this is what I had; Soy, ginger and garlic chicken (YUM!) with a rocket and avocado salad. We then watched Tucker and Dale vs Evil and snacked on vegetable crisps. If you haven't seen this film...Go, run now and go watch it!

March 19th

March 20th

I then went and recaptured my youth by going to a Fallout Boy concert at Wembley Arena. Throughout the entire evening I was not pushed once. No drink was spilled on me and I even had enough room around me to do a cartwheel...It was honestly the most tamest gig I've ever been to.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect people to be windmilling and dropkicking each other along to their songs, I've just never experienced such a well behaved group of concert goers before. But to be fair...it was full of kids and their parents...I'm so bloody old.

I saw this on my lunch break...enough said...

Whilst on the way home from work I was caught in the heaviest downpour of my life...no coat...no umbrella...just completely soaked to the core. But I obviously had enough time to take a photo of this massive rainbow I saw during the whole end of the world...

This was then the weather the next day...Oh blighty...You fickle temptress...



I also got to spend the entire weekend with my favourite Puggle ever...ROO BOW! (Reuben)

Reuben and I on adventures! (Walks...)

He's so unbelievably handsome...(he's currently staring at another dog...attention span of a nat)

March 22nd 

My sister bought me this tasty cupcake before we set of our shopping adventure. It was raspberry ripple, with tiny bits of raspberry sauce dotted inside the cake. Yum.

My sister Emma about to chow down some sushi in Westfields (White City)

That evening (Saturday 22nd) I then went out with my other half and his Dad for another birthday meal. I got this gigantic calzone from Prezzo. It was the Il Carltoni which was filled with pepperoni sausage, seasoned chicken, pancetta bacon, roasted peppers, pomodoro sauce and cheese....I have gained so much weight...I wonder why :|

For dessert I shared this Cherry Sorbet with my other half...it was so delicious. Great choice!

My other half was then given these by his Dad. Homemade cinnamon rolls! Two plates full!

I then came home to find one of my cats fast asleep like this...poor Mini!

March 23rd

Sunday morning, homemade cinnamon roll and green tea in bed...wonderful.

I was bought the biggest packet of quavers ever...(big hands)

Went crazy in Dunelms and spent over 100 bucks! :O

Bought these special bits (I also bought new curtains too which I now have to take back as they were in the wrong packet! WAH!)

Owl Lamp

I love Dutch braids!

Tuesday 25th - I was rudely awoken at 6:30am by these two Princes sitting on my chest...thanks lads...

So that has been my last week in pictures. Lots of food and animals...as always.

Please feel free to support my 5km run for Breast Cancer Care by going to the below link and donating. Every £1 counts!

http://www.justgiving.com/thegreatcatsbys

The Electric Run 26th April 2014

For the past few years I’ve made an effort to try and raise as much money as I can for different charities by doing some sort of sporty activity. This year I’ve signed up to do the Electric Run in Wembley Park on the 26^th April 2014.

If you haven’t heard of the electric run – don’t worry, neither had I until a few months back, but it seemed so different to my usual fun runs, I just had to take part!

The Electric Run is a 5km run that is done at night and from the looks of things, is full of loud music, neon body paint, crazy outfits and amazing courses – I can’t wait! People don't seem to run this run though, you can dance, stroll, jump, hop...whatever, it's so laid back and people don't even wear real running gear to the event (apart from decent footwear!)

Images from the Electric Run website 

Though this genuinely looks like a barrel of laughs, we are doing this for a reason; to raise money for Breast Cancer Care.

My team comprises of 6 other lovely ladies and our team is called…

Wait for it…

THE GREAT CATSBYS

Amazing, I know.

If you would like, you can donate money to this amazing cause by going to our Just Giving page below and clicking on that delightful ‘Donate’ button! If you do donate, remember to click on that ‘Gift Aid’ button too to give extra money to the cause, which won’t cost you a single thing!

http://www.justgiving.com/thegreatcatsbys

Remember every quid counts, so whether you're donating £1 or a £100 it’s ALL going to charity!

Are you doing any charity events this year?

St Patrick's Day

Happy St Patrick’s day everyone, I promise this isn’t a rant post – it's just a collection of contradictions that I’ve slapped together about how I feel about St Patrick's Day.

My family and I have always celebrated St Patrick's day since as far back as I can remember. My entire family is Irish, so my sisters and I were brought up in an Irish community; we attended a catholic school, we went to church every day, attended Sunday school and mass every week until we were teenagers, we went to a lot of Irish clubs/bars/gatherings in and around London and of course, we learned céilí (Irish dancing).*

I’m not going to sit here and write the history behind St Patrick ’s Day (you can easily find that out with a quick google search - but no, he didn't literally chase snakes out of Ireland!) I just wanted to address what this day means to me and how it’s perceived.

For me, St Patrick's Day is like any other holiday – I spend time with my family, we eat food, we talk, we just enjoy each other’s company and, yes, sometimes, we go out and have a few drinks to celebrate the day.

As soon as I mentioned it was St Patrick’s day coming up to a few friends and coworkers, I was of course was met by the inevitable ‘Oh cool, what pub you going to?’, ‘Irish drinking on their Saints day - duh!!!’ ‘Yay - Another reason to get pissed!’ 'St Patrick's day = Beer Day' ‘Are you going to drink Guinness?’ – You get the idea.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m used to this response, so it doesn't actually bother me, (besides, it’s been written that St Patrick liked a stiff drink or two himself) I honestly find this idea of an ‘Irish Stereotype’ amusing to deal with. My only tiny gripe is that I tend to think that people have forgotten that for some, St Patrick's Day this is still a religious day.

I’m not going to sit and preach the word of the lord, calm down, I haven't been to church properly in a decade and I don’t really consider myself completely catholic (I like science too much) – I’m just highlighting this fact – St Patrick’s Day is a holy day for a few religions; so I guess I'm requesting for people to have a bit of respect.

ANYWAY – I’m not going to sit and moan that people chose to celebrate this day with drinking and partying! More power to you. I love a good party and drink myself, so if you want to go out and have a few bevy’s on or around St Patrick’s day, I’ll happily consider you an honorary Irish person and welcome you with open arms, because lets face it, I’d rather have it the way it is now for St Patrick's Day, than how it is for Saint George’s day, which seems to be forgotten about each year.

So, Happy St Patrick's Day again, are any of you celebrating it? If so, how? (Don't worry if you say you're going out drinking! Haha - I'm not having a pop!!)

*Note, I'm not stating that you have to be Catholic to be Irish - I'm just stating how I grew up.

Competition wins Feb/March

Here is an update on my latest wins.

Happy comping everyone :) 

Sweetheart Marketing Twitter competition 

Beauty Works Twitter competition - Fish tail braid hair band - The ladies at this company were so helpful. They tried four times to match the braid to the colour of my hair, great service. Thanks again ladies!

Milton Lloyd perfumes - I didn't realise I would receive this many! They smell divine.

Nspa Twitter competition - I love Shea Butter so much and this doesn't disappoint; it's so moisturising.

Blooms Gin Twitter Competition - x2 Gin and Tonic  - Cannot wait to try these!

SportsID Twitter competition - SportsID, you made my pancake day with this win! It tasted like a homemade batter - thanks so much.

Karma Clothing Twitter competition - Crop top/jumper - Great quality light jumper but I just do not suit crop tops (I'm very tall so it looks like I'm wearing kids clothes) (Before anyone loses their rag - I didn't have a choice with what I won, it was a surprise)

Thomas Cook Twitter competition - £200 holiday vouchers!!!!! Such an amazing prize, I'm still in shock!

Lavera Twitter Competition - Great deodorant, but sadly the smell of it has triggered several migraines. I am a migraine sufferer anyway, so I have given this to a friend and they have said it's a great product.

Big Strawberry Twitter competition - Ipad Mini case (it obviously had to be the cat cover).

GFCandles Twitter Competition - So cute and cinnamon scented - I haven't burned it yet, I think it's too lovely!

Vape Inc Twitter competition - For the record, I do not, in anyway want to glorify smoking, it's an awful habit and I need to stop. However, I won this and seen as I smoke occasionally, I thought I'd give it a go. I don't actually think it's an E-cigarette, I think it's more like a portable shisha pipe (which is so much cooler in my eyes). I asked for Cherry Flavoured tobacco and it tastes lovely, very similar to a proper shisha pipe. 

J Jacaman Wines Twitter competition - I only received this the other day, it's a '2004 J Jacaman Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – deemed 'Cali’s Best' supposedly - either way - I'm excited to try it.

Glorious Foods Twitter Competition - £25 love to shop vouchers (and two 50p off glorious food vouchers).

BakerDays Twitter competition - Letterbox cake (Again, I obviously got the cat one) and I got to write my own little message on it (CAT PUN AND FACE)

Miss Luxe Twitter competition - Waffle Red Skater Dress - I was genuinely surprised by the quality of this dress, their photos do NOT do it justice. I would usually put a photo up of me wearing the item of clothing I have won, however...

This dress is tiny...really tiny

I am a size 10/12 so I thought I'd ask for a 12 just to be sure...but this dress would easily fit a size 8, I could barely get it on! I'm going to assume their clothing is for a more 'petite' lady and not for anything like me....so all in all...a sad time indeed.

So that's my wins so far...have you won anything this month?