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How I love a pretty parcel. A good present is all in the wrapping, don't you think? This may be the reason I have a box full of ribbons and spend just as long choosing pretty things to decorate a gift as I do choosing the present itself.

The first is a little something from B. A new pot of my favourite Cath Kidston bluebell hand cream, all wrapped up a treat. And received just as the pot my Mum gave me for Christmas ran out. Oh, what a husband.

The second, a yummy looking pompom garland that was sent on Friday and which I'm hoping will arrive in Germany before a certain lady heads off Down Under. Jammy so-n-so.

ps. It wasn't until I hit Publish Post that I realised how beautifully matching these parcels were. How very coordinated of me.

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Sunday fun in the park with some pretty awesome little dudes.

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This week has been insane in the membrane at work. Truly mental. Over the last few months I’ve gone from working on 2 regional publications to 5 with the addition of helping co-ordinate the artwork and website for Bath in Fashion. Still, the website is now live and most of the artwork is at the printers so things should calm down a bit. And I do get free entry to all the events so I suppose that’s a bonus.

The mister has also been a busy B. He’s working so very hard to get ahead at work and provide for the day we decide to increase our little family by one. This week he had a big ol’ meeting that was a huge success, followed by a glowing appraisal. But being so clever can be stressful.

We’re really working hard to create a future that is bright and sunny, but sometimes it’s hard to step away from work. Leave it at the door and spend the evening chilling out with each other, having fun. This is something we’re working on and manage to succeed at most days. Most days.

But that’s what marriage is all about. We’ve been together for ten and a half years now and married for 10 months, but everyday we learn something new about each other. Learn how to deal with a new issue together. Sometimes it’s good stuff, sometimes it’s a bit more tricky. But it’s all part of the journey. Part of the adventure.

And no matter what we have three awesome things going for us. Helping us along the road.

1. We each instinctively know when something is troubling the other and we talk about it. Straight away. No excuses.

2. Despite being two very stubborn people we can’t resist each other. No long silences there. I can’t not talk to the boy and he has the same quandary. It makes being mad very hard indeed.

3. No matter what, no matter when, laughter is always the best medicine. Laugh at each other, laugh at ourselves, laugh at the whole stupid situation. There’s always room for a chuckle.

This blog is all about the fun we have, but also the challenges we face as we start out on our married life. I think we’re doing rather well so far. We rarely argue. And when we do, we work it out. And then say extra lovely things or get extra squeezy cuddles to make up for it. And that makes it all ok.

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Another colour post.

Ice cream bowls as inspiration for a pastel pompom garland I'm making for this awesome, too-cool-for-school mama. My Saltwater Guru.

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Blimey, the last week has been a hectic one. We were out every night last week except Monday and then the weekend was packed with knitted exploits (two more Happy Circus sales including an order from the brilliant Mads, how cool is that), some eBaying (selling, not buying, how ever-so good of me) then some Valentine’s Day fun yesterday in the shape of my favourite meal ever. The Valentine-shaped goodness continued today with this seriously cool bag and card (there aren't enough grown-up cards with badges on in my opinion) from B, purchased from my new favourite store, Found.

So. As you can tell, a busy time. This week should be less crazy though. I hope.

ps. To my Valentine. I love you, forever and always.

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It would appear that spring is springing in our part of the world.
***warning*** such a happy discovery may provoke some oh-so-silly behaviour.

Pictures from our walk this afternoon. We both had time off work to recover from some Superbowl fun that finished 4am GMT. Crazy fools.

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Isn’t it funny how things that were once pretty important in your life can very quickly fall by the wayside?

I don’t have any vices really. I don’t smoke, very rarely drink. But my guilty pleasure? Magazines. From British and international fashion magazines to homes magazines and even the occasional gossip mag. I could easily spend £30 upwards a month. Easy.

Then New Year 2010 I decided to go cold turkey on the gossip mags. I felt that maybe I was becoming a little too obsessed by who that celeb was dating or what this celeb got up to last Saturday. And that was it. Haven’t bought or read one since. High fives for me. But throughout 2010 I also found myself buying fewer and fewer fashion and home magazines. In fact I haven’t read a Vogue in about 5 months.

No Vogue? But I love fashion. Weird, eh? Thing is, I think the world of blogs has replaced my need for a magazine. Sure, sometimes there’s a story or interview I want to read (hence the Nylon – I heart Sofia Coppola) but why buy a magazine, half of which doesn’t interest or appeal to me, when I can check in with my favourite blogs and see or read something that really speaks to who I am and what I’m up to?

This is a hot topic for me right now. After all, I work in the print industry. I write for a magazine every month. But things change, right? We’re on a pretty tight budget right now, where £30 extra a month makes a real difference, and weddings or little businesses or future plans have maybe replaced a passion for what’s heading down the catwalk this season.

Then again, this lady does have a point...

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Ways to cheer up a gloomy February day?

Chocolate cornflake cakes and a free goody bag from here. Oh, what lovely treats.

ps. Happy, happy birthday to my bro’s girlfriend Chloe. We hope you had the most awesome of days, you totally deserve it xx