Oh Friday, I’m so glad you’re here! And that the most disgusting Thursday in the history of the world (aka. yesterday), is over. Because really, how on earth can weather *that* bad even be possible this far in to May? Sometimes I wish the UK were less fickle. It would make life a whole lot less unpredictable. But anyway, to the happy things! This weekend’s set to be a good one- we’re having dinner with friends, are hearing our banns read for the third time at our parish church, will no doubt catch up with family, and also maybe do a little tinkering around with DIY projects in the house too. It’ll be fun! Here’s a little round up of what’s made the past week a lovely one…

1. Lemsip. All day everyday since Tuesday evening. It’s a miracle worker, isn’t it?

2. Listening to Mumford & Sons new album. (God bless Spotify)

3. *All* the fruit. I’m not sure if it’s because my body’s been craving vitamin C and stuff, or that the sunshine’s brought on a mango/raspberry/banana obsession, but all I’ve wanted to eat this week is fruit, and eat it I have! With the kind of gusto I usually reserve for cheese, which really is saying something…

4. The kind nearly-husband who left work in the middle of the day on Tuesday, drove for half an hour, then walked 20 minutes into the forest to come and help me find the GoPro I’d managed to lose (…it’s a long story) in the middle of a patch of thick undergrowth. It was a fairly disastrous morning, but Jason made it come good in the end. Grateful to have him on my team.

5. Iced water, with add-ins (citrus, mint, cucumber). I’ve been drinking litres of the stuff every day! {See also: fruit obsession listed as point no.3}

6. Being able to pick fresh herbs whilst cooking, from the little planters in our garden. They’re thriving out there too, which is seriously happy-making! Who ever would’ve thought herbs survive better outside than on a kitchen window ledge?!

7. Sitting out in the sunshine, and soaking in the rays like a sponge. It felt *so* good.

8. Spotting a sweet old lady tending to the flowerbeds and lawns in the centre of the village just next to ours. She looked so adorable with her gardening gloves and her shears, and she does the finest job keeping those flowerbeds in tip top condition. This is the sort of insignificant moment that makes my heart sing, though I’m never quite sure why.

9. Hummus! Because apparently Wednesday was International Hummus Day (or maybe National, I can’t quite remember), and so it needs mentioning! And also because I have a tub-a-week habit…

10. Eating spoonfuls of Acacia honey, because I can tell myself it’s medicine for my throat but honestly and truly it’s just my favourite sweet treat at the moment.

Three posts I’ve loved reading this week :: Garance’s simple recipe for a superfood pancake || Joanna’s collection of unforgettable wedding moments || & Kathryn’s sweet balcony garden update!

What’s made it to your happy list this week? :)

This week has been, in a word, glorious. Aside from Wednesday (when I was in London for a day of press events) I’ve taken a little break from all things Internet, and it’s been so great to step back and recharge. Instead of being glued to a screen, I’ve spent the past few days indulging in my favourite possible activity- pottering! I spent twenty minutes on Monday morning figuring out how to make the hose work so that I could do some gardening (I kid you not, twenty full minutes. It should’ve been underscored by the Benny Hill music…), am just getting started on a wardrobe door-painting project, and also treated myself to a pack of colouring pencils and one of those colouring books for grown ups so have spent hour upon hour indulging my inner 5 year old. It’s been total bliss! I’m definitely not someone who can relax by doing nothing at all (spas are my idea of hell on earth, I went to one once and hated every serene minute of it!) so doing little tasks all week long has been amazing for switching off my head. I hope your week’s been a lovely one too? :) here’s a round up of my week in silly, happy moments…

1. Reading magazines and drinking coffee outside in the garden each morning. Such a peaceful way to start each day.

2. Banana, strawberry, yoghurt and oat smoothies for breakfast.

3. The herb-filled planters Jason and I fixed to the brick wall next to the deck in our garden last weekend! They cosy up the space so nicely, and it’s such a treat having a supply of fresh rosemary, sage, mint, and thyme. And marjoram too, which I bought by accident thinking it was oregano! Side note: Anyone got any great recipes featuring marjoram?

4. Toasting marshmallows over the firepit I convinced Jason we most definitely needed to buy and not hire for the wedding. He’s glad I did convince him though, because you know, man make fire and all that! ;)

5. Chit chatting with strangers in London, about the rain and hats and ticket machines and what not. I’ll never understand why people say Londoners are unfriendly!

6. Whatever Jason does to roasted smashed new potatoes that makes them taste 1000x better than when I make them.

7. Getting my new passport through the post, in my married name! I was 80% excited because it’s starting to all feel so official, and 20% excited just because I’m a worrier and had convinced myself there’d be some major issue with it that’d mean I’d end up missing our honeymoon!

8. Snagging a new pair of gym leggings from Gap in the sale. I’ve become one of those women who gets absurdly excited about new gym clothes. Next thing you know I’ll be buying a juicer and making my own almond milk…

9. Spring cleaning! I’ve been on a mad blitz the past week or so, and our house has never looked better for it. Now all I need to do is find some way of stopping Ted from shedding, and it’ll stay that way!

10. Getting stuck into The Girl on the Train. It feels like ages since Jason and I read a book together! We’re maybe 50 or so pages in, and enjoying it so far. In fact, I’ve found it hard to resist the urge to plough through it solo whilst I’ve been home this week…

Since I’ve not been Internet-ing this week, will you link me to something good you’ve read or written in the comments? I’m so out of the loop!

Tell me too- what’s made you happy this week? :)

Oh April is looking good so far, isn’t it? I’m so on board with this beautiful, sunshine-y, April Shower-less April. I think Ted’s enjoying it too, judging by how many times on walks during the past week he’s gone bombing into puddles and streams, and fallen asleep in patches of sunshine on the living room floor. I can’t quite believe how far through April we are already. In my mind, we’re still only on the 2nd or 3rd of the month! Time’s just running away with me. This morning I’m off to take a class at BarreWorks in Richmond, which I seriously could not be more excited for! I’ve been wanting to try one of those ballet barre hybrid classes for the longest time, and had no idea there was a studio outside of central! Wish me and my muscles luck…

Here’s what’s made this week a lovely one!

1. Sitting out in the sunshine in the afternoons. ‘Outdoor office’ is going to be a major thing for me this spring and summer, I just know it…

2. The lovely feeling of waking up the morning after a pre-bed full body moisturise. The best!

3. Ordering a pair of heels online I’ve been lusting after for weeks! They aren’t super fancy or dear or anything, but I’m so excited for them to arrive.

4. A day spent shopping with my Mum and Godmother for their wedding outfits! My Mum’s got her Mother of the Bride outfit sorted top to toe, and she looks totally divine in it!

5. Dinner and drinks with my sister and best friend on Wednesday (they came over to try on shoes for the wedding, and then stayed and ate with us.) Dinner was kind of a complete disaster since I accidentally made a risotto using double strength stock, and it turned out to be inedibly salty. So, M&S pizzas came to the rescue!

6. Buying Sainsbury’s out of pretty paper straws. Their selection is seriously great!

7. Getting to wear Birkenstocks again! I’ve missed those ugly old shoes of mine.

8. Meeting friendly fellow dog-owners whilst out on walks. I’m always that annoying person who wants to stop for a chat ;)

9. Having Jason join me in Body Balance workouts! He was pretty good at it, too!

10. Seeing the prettiest yellow butterfly land on the lone flower we have in our garden (a hyacinth that doesn’t seem to mind being trampled/peed on by Teddy!)

Three posts I’ve loved reading this week :: Amy’s Icelandic to-do list || Louise’ post about her little one’s 4th birthday party (and her words on being a parenting team, especially) || + Rebecca’s post about staying happy online.

What’s made you most happy, this week? :)

Happy Easter weekend! I hope you have a weekend of loveliness ahead of you? Jason and I will be divvying up our time between family gatherings, DIYing (Jason’s in the midst of a new project…) video editing, and, you know, just eating chocolate and stuff. I’ll also be partaking in one of the Easter egg hunts Jason’s put together for me every year since we got together, complete with the sort of cryptic clues that never fail to baffle my brain. It’s the dumbest tradition and totally childish, but I love it anyway! This week’s been a pretty productive one, as weeks leading up to Bank Holidays go. ‘Wedmin’ that’s been lingering over us for weeks has finally been completed, and it feels so GOOD! Here’s to a happy long weekend, and here’s what’s made this week a lovely one…

1. Three words: Easter. Egg. Chocolate. We’ve got so much in the house, and I’ve been picking away at it most evenings. And some mornings, too…

2. Taking passport photos (terrifying!) and having them come out marginally less hideous than my old one. At least that’s something…

3. A day spent with family at my Mum’s last weekend. We had an Easter egg hunt that got louder and more competitive than you’d imagine a group of 20-something year olds would get searching for tiny chocolate in bookshelves and venetian blinds and plant pots! What can I say- it brought out our inner children!

4. Having Jason home all week! He’s taken a week’s holiday from work and even though he’s been building a deck in our back garden and I’ve been busy all week, it’s been lovely being so nearby one another all week long!

5. Roasted red pepper hummus. Hummus 2.0.

6. Burgers twice in one week. We made the best ones at home on Thursday evening- brioche buns from Sainsbury’s are the BOMB!

7. A 6.30am cup of coffee, made and brought to me by Jason. So needed, so much appreciated.

8. Fort-making, watercolour-painting, and felt tip pen-ing whilst looking after Ruby on Thursday morning! We had the best time :)

9. Sitting out by the pond with tea in the afternoons. I always forget what a simple pleasure it is during winter.

10. *Having* to taste test a whole load of wine and champagne so we can decide what to serve at the wedding. ;) Jason’s brother Russell and his girlfriend Clare came round yesterday evening for a wine & cheese night, and it was completely fantastic. And, wines have been selected!

Three posts I’ve loved reading this week :: Elsie & Emma’s insanely amazing April Fools || this beautiful Spring makeup look from TBD || & Ellie’s post about why having a blog is awesome!

What’s made you most happy this week? :)