2018 │The Highlights

Happy New Year Everyone! 

2018 has been a complete whirlwind. It's been a year full of success, a lot of celebrations and a few life lessons along the way. Unlike recent years, the high points have definitely outweighed the low points and I can truly say that 2018 has been one of the best years of my life. 

This year saw me achieve things I never thought possible. I graduated, went back to Disneyland Paris and finally walked along the cobbles of Coronation Street. I've seen myself blossom with a new found confidence and learned a lot about self-acceptance, especially when it comes to my skin. I also learned a lot about love; how I deserve/want to be treated and that I shouldn't settle for anything less. 2018 has also seen me reunite with old friends, put past arguments behind us and experience one too many crazy nights out. It really has been the best year and I feel so lucky to have met some of the most beautiful people, especially in this last few months. 

Tonight I'll be welcoming in the New Year the only way I know how, with a glass of gin and surrounded by the people I love. This time next year I hope I'll be telling you about 12 months full of love, more success and exciting travels but until then, I'm going to share my *many* highlights of 2018. 

Theatre

I started the year in theatre as I went to see three of my favourite shows in the first three months. As I've said, January to March was a complete blur so going to the theatre was literally the only break I got from the Library. In January, I went to see my all-time favourite musical Jersey Boys. It was so good that I went to see it twice in two days and was lucky enough to meet Michael Watson after one of the shows. 

In February, I took my Grandma to see the Rat Pack live from LasVegas which was such a fun evening. We saw Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr and I don't know who loved it more. Then finally in March Mum and I went to see Wicked. It was my fifth time seeing the show but I could watch it over and over again. Along with Jersey Boys, it's definitely one of my favourites. 

Emmerdale Studio Tour

Fast forward to April and I'd finally submitted my last ever Uni assignment. As I had a lot of free time on my hands, Mum and I jumped on a train to Leeds and went to see the Emmerdale Studios. We love the soaps and Emmerdale is one of our favourites so to be able to see some of the famous sets, pull a pint in the Woolpack and watch how they bring the village to life was so much fun. Sadly, we didn't see Ross or Cain. 

Graduation Ball

In May, we had our Graduation Ball. It was a night full of love, laughter and a lot of prosecco. Not only did I finally go to the stunning Oh Me Oh My in Liverpool, but to be able to stand on the rooftop garden, overlooking the docks and celebrate the most amazing three years with the people who meant the most to me was the best way to end my University experience. I should also mention that I only got in at 4am and somehow managed to be in work early the next morning, still in last nights make up...lovely. 

This kicked off the best Summer of my life. 

I Got Published

Each year InTheRed, a Liverpool magazine for writers, release a copy filled with short stories and poems from Liverpool's best writers. I've been trying to get published by them for the past three years and this year, it finally happened. My short story 'The Date With St Clair' was published in the 2018 edition of the magazine and I feel so honoured that my work is there alongside some of the most talented writers. If you'd like to have a read, you can find the magazine online here. 

My 21st Birthday

My birthday was one of my favourite days of the year. From the moment I woke up, I was treated like a Princess. I've never been one to make a MASSIVE fuss on birthdays but my parents went above and beyond to make the day so special. The day was full of surprises, we went for afternoon tea, had a meal with the family and then they whisked me off for a special holiday to...

Cornwall

The day after my 21st, my parents and the dog took me down to Newquay for the week. Cornwall holds a special place in my heart and it's the place I've called my second home for the past ten years. To be able to celebrate my birthday there was the best gift I could've received. The sun was blazing, we chilled on the beach and drank cider on rooftop bars. I don't think I've ever felt more content. 

What a way to start 21! 

Coronation Street Tour

In July, a childhood dream came true as I got to walk down the famous cobbles of Coronation Street. This was another treat from my mum for my 21st and we had one of the best days. It's surreal watching it on the telly, knowing that you've walked down that exact street and knocked on all the doors. We also had fun exploring Media City and Salford Quays. I wrote a blog post all about it if you fancy a read. 

65th Wedding Anniversary

July also saw my Grandma and Grandad celebrate 65 years of marriage. They got married on the 4th July 1953 when my Grandma was only 20 years old and my Grandad 21. Here they are with their special letter from the Queen congratulating them on their Diamond Wedding Anniversary. They love each other more today than they ever could and to me, they're proof that true love really does exist. 

Graduation

I couldn't talk about 2018 without mentioning the fact that I GRADUATED!!

Three years of hard work, a lot of stress and a sprinkle of imagination saw me graduate from Liverpool John Moores University as a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing. I remember writing my 2017 highlights a year ago and thinking, 'this time next year, I wonder if I'll have actually graduated.' Well, guess what girl. YOU DID IT! 

I'll be honest, it hasn't sunken in that I'm not going back to University ever again and I miss all of my friends so much. However, the 13th July 2018 will forever hold a special place in my heart. 

The proudest day of my life. 

Lytham Festival

The Graduation celebrations continued with a trip to Lytham Festival to see Nile Rodgers and Chic. This was one of my favourite nights of the year as we didn't stop dancing for the entire night. I've always wanted to see Nile Rodgers and Chic at a festival so this was the perfect way to end what had been my favourite month so far. 

Meeting My Favourite Authors

In August, I went to my first ever authors event and met three of my writing inspirations; Giovanna Fletcher, Lindsey Kelk and Paige Toon. I've been reading their books since I was fifteen years old and they've inspired me endlessly throughout my studies. To be able to meet them, chat with them and listen to them talk about their passion for the genre they write in was so refreshing and completely restored my faith and motivation in what I do. 

Liverpool

September saw me reunite with old friends and spend a lot of my time in Liverpool. I've taken more time for myself this year and spent a lot of this month at the Docks, in Costa reading a book. If anything, I've realised the importance of taking time out for yourself to do the things that you want to do. I also realise how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful city. 

Halloween

Halloween was so much fun this year. I spent it with my work family and it was such a laugh. I'm so lucky to be able to work for people who I get on so well with. Apart from that, October was a quiet month, I like to think it was a time for me to relax and recharge for the busy months ahead. 

Heather's & London

In November, I was reunited with my lovely friend Jade. We took a trip to London to see Heathers the Musical (starring Carrie Fletcher) and it's up there with one of my favourite days of the year. Heathers was absolutely amazing. I purposely didn't listen to the soundtrack because I wanted it to be a surprise and it completely exceeded my expectations. Carrie was the perfect Veronica! After the show Jade and I explored London, taking in the sights of Oxford Street, Carnaby Street and she finally convinced me to go on the tube! 

Christmas In Disneyland Paris

And finally December, the month I returned home to Disneyland Paris.

In September Chloe and I decided that after two years, we were long overdue a trip to Disney and what better time to go than Christmas. It was a holiday full of pure magic from the moment we stepped off the Eurostar to the moment we said goodbye to Main Street. I'll never be able to explain how much this place means to me, the only thing I can say is that I'm incredibly thankful to have ended the year there. Also, being able to spend the holiday with my favourite roomie was even better. Chloe and I are literally the same people and we didn't stop laughing for the entire trip. 

Rugby With Dad

2018 saw me actually take an interest in a sport for once. 

Dad and I have spent the majority of our Friday nights at the Totally Wicked Stadium cheering on the Saints and it's been absolutely brilliant. Being able to spend time with my Dad doing something we both love has been a pleasure and I can't wait for the new season to start. 

Ohana

I don't know how I would've done this year without my family. They've been so supportive and so loving throughout and I can only hope that I've made them proud. I don't thank them enough for everything that they do; my Mum for bringing me coffee on those all-nighters doing uni work, my Dad for distracting me with the rugby, my Grandma and Grandad for consistently making me laugh and my little Buster for being there with a cuddle.  I'm so lucky to have them.

Friendship

I've learned a lot about friendship this year; it's not about the size of your social circle but the people in it. My Uni gang have been my personal cheerleaders since we met in our first year and being able to graduate together was the best feeling. Thank you for putting up with my many breakdowns and telling me I could do it when I was so close to giving up. Laughter is so important and the laughs I've had this year have kept me going, from our crazy nights out to riding bikes around Liverpool at 3am. I'm so bloody thankful to have had such beautiful people be a part of my year. 

Overall, it really has been the best year ever. I think the only thing that could've topped it off would've been if England won the world cup. 2018 has been my year. I'm thankful that I'm still healthy and that my family are too. I feel extremely lucky to have had so many life changing experiences and to have met some of the most amazing people who I hope will continue to brighten my life in 2019. I've got a feeling that 2019 is going to be a quiet one, but I'm ready to make it another good one. 

I hope you have a fantastic New Year and that 2019 is filled with love, happiness and a little sprinkle of pixie dust! 

Lots of Love,

Meg

xxx

What I Got For Christmas 2017

I can't believe that Christmas has been and gone!

I hope you all had a lovely day eating lots of yummy food, drinking gin and spending time with your loved ones. I had a quiet Christmas with my parents and grandparents but that's how we like it, and rest assured that it was full of nothing but love, laughter and pigs in blankets.

Last year I did a post telling you all about the things I got for Christmas and surprisingly, it went down really well - it's one of my most viewed posts of all time. So, I thought I'd do it again this year. When it came to my Christmas list, I didn't ask for much - it was mainly just stuff that I'd use and wouldn't be shoved in a cupboard. I think the main things I asked for was my Effaclar skincare and some more of my trusty foundation from Boots. 

However, Santa thought he'd treat me to some other things and I have been the luckiest little lady this year. I've been well and truly spoiled by my loved ones, and I obviously spoiled them in return. You'll be glad to know there are no trips to London this year, but we're taking Dad to see Jersey Boys on tour and Mum's got a Fitbit (she won't stop walking up and down the living room and it's driving me mad). 

I wasn't expecting a 'main' present this year as I hadn't asked for anything big and I treated myself to a new iPhone earlier this month. So, you can imagine my surprise when I unwrapped one of many Pandora bags. My Mum and Dad got me a Pandora bracelet last year and since then I've been after some spacers to separate the charms. I would've got them sooner but I haven't been able to afford them. Very kindly, Mum and Dad got me Mickey and Minnie clip-on spacers to go on my bracelet and I am so in love. I'd been looking at these charms for months and Mum had always talked me out of getting them, at one point she told me that she thought they were scruffy and looked cheap. Now I understand why. They make my charm bracelet look complete and I've officially started my Disney Pandora collection. 

 Along with the charms, I got this beautiful leather bag. It's available to buy when you purchase some of the Disney charms and it's perfect for any Disney fan. Mum said that when she saw it, she couldn't say no. It's only small, so would be perfect for my next Disney trip - whenever that may be. It comes with a strap so it can be used as both a clutch or an over the shoulder bag, and the little box it comes in is just the cutest thing ever. 

Pandora was full of freebies and because my parents spent a certain amount of money, they got this limited edition Pandora Christmas Bell. It's white with little snowflakes engraved on the sides and it says 'Pandora 2017' on the front. It can be hung on the tree or over the door and it's the perfect keepsake to remember a productive yet challenging year - it's definitely been a year full of change. I love how subtle the decoration is, I'm pretty sure you could keep this up whatever time of the year.

If you know me well, you'll know that I'm obsessed with jumpers. I have a wardrobe full of them - every style and every colour. I think they're the perfect item for any winter wardrobe and I was super excited when I opened this beautiful, orange jumper from M&S. I've had my eye on this for months and this was another one of those presents that I wasn't expecting. I've already had it on (I wore it on Boxing Day) and it's the warmest, cosiest jumper I own. Be expecting it to feature in a post in 2018.

I love gin. There I said it. 

From the moment I finished work on Christmas Eve to the minute I went to bed on Boxing Day, gin was the main beverage that was consumed. I'd happened to mention to my parents that I'd like some gin for Christmas and I was just expecting a bottle of Gordons. However, they went a step further and got me the 'Gin House' collection featuring some of my favourite gins with the flavoured tonic that they should be paired with. I think I'll crack that one open at New Year. 

Last year, I really struggled to get a diary. I like my diaries to be a day a page and each night before I go to bed, I make sure that I write about my day. I've found that it's helped my anxiety as my diary is a personal place where I can write my thoughts and feelings, plus it's fun to look back on in a few years time. My Mum and Dad got me this pretty pale blue diary and I can't wait to start writing about my adventures in 2018. 

It's not Christmas without chocolate. It's tradition for my parents to get me a box of my favourite Lindor chocolate and a Cadbury's selection box - the popping candy Freddo has been a personal highlight. I haven't finished all of the chocolate yet, I'm trying to save it as it only feels appropriate to have Lindor at Christmas. 

Something I asked for was my La Roche Posay Effaclar skincare products. I've been using these for over two months now, after my dermatologist recommending them to me. I know that you need to give them a bit of time to work and so far, I've been seeing very positive results. It's on the expensive side, more than I would normally spend on my skincare routine, however, it's working and it just goes to show that you get what you pay for. If you're looking for some products to help your problematic skin then I highly recommend this stuff. 

I didn't ask for much make up this Christmas as I've pretty much got everything I need at the moment. I've also got nowhere to store my products so more make up was the last thing I needed. I've been running out of my trusty No.7 Stay Perfect foundation and my Soap & Glory Supercat liquid liner, so I was really happy when I unwrapped these. No matter how many foundations or liquid liners I try, I always find myself coming back to these two. 

And now back to Pandora. My Grandma and Grandad got me this stunning Belle charm for my bracelet. They know that every time I pass the Pandora shop, I always have to go in and look at the charms and I've had my eye on this one for months. It's such a pretty little charm and the detail is immaculate. Belle is one of my favourite Princesses as I relate to her imagination and love of books. When I was in school, I was bullied for being a bookworm but Belle helped me to realise that reading doesn't make you weird - if Belle could do it then so could I. It was such a heart-warming surprise and I can't begin to tell you how lucky I feel to have received such beautiful gifts. 

I've added another Disney film to my collection and it had to be my favourite Princess, Snow White. I collect the DVD's in the shiny cases and I've always wanted to add the first Princess to my collection. Receiving this was such a surprise and it had a lot of sentimental value. My Grandma and Grandad introduced me to Snow White and it's because of them that I love her so much. They used to watch the film on repeat with me after school and I hope that we can all sit with a hot chocolate and watch it together over the Christmas break. 

Another gift with sentimental value is this beautiful gold chain. I don't know if any of you have ever noticed, but I always wear a necklace with the letter 'M' on it. My Grandparents bought it for me for my 18th Birthday and since then I've never taken it off. However, the other week the original chain snapped and I was GUTTED. It may only be a small, thin necklace but not wearing it makes me feel empty - it's become a part of who I am. I'm so lucky that they bought me a new chain and I feel complete again now that I can wear my necklace. 

I got through beauty blenders like there is no tomorrow. As much as I wash them, they just don't last long so this pack of Real Techniques beauty blenders was definitely appreciated. I love the fact that I received gifts that I'm going to put to good use - and if you haven't tried out these beauty blenders yet then where have you been? They're the best! 

And for my final present from my Grandma and Grandad, they very kindly got me a bottle of my favourite gin. Like I said, I love gin but my favourite will always be Hendricks - it's a classic. I only ever have Hendricks when I go on a night out, so being able to make my favourite gin at home is amazing. I'm so grateful as I know that Hendricks isn't cheap. Plus, when I've used the bottle, I'm going to put some flowers in it and use it as a quirky vase. 

I took part in a few secret Santa gift exchanges this year. I love doing this sort of thing as my favourite thing to do at Christmas is buy presents for other people. From my blogging secret Santa kindly organised by Beth, I received a Gin & Tonic making set which includes a measurement glass (something I definitely need), a Little Miss Sunshine travel mug and some Beauty and the Beast bath petals. It's very clear that my secret Santa knows me well, but I'm yet to find out who it was, so if you sent me these lovely gifts then let me know so I can personally say thank you. 

The next secret Santa was from my lovely friend Tori who I go to Uni with. We've spent many nights in the library stressing over deadlines and watching videos of puppies so I'm surprised I didn't guess that she had me. Knowing me as well as she does, she got me a 'Gin & Bear It' coaster, a Beauty and the Beast purse and a huge book of 624 things to write about (something I'll be needing when I'm struggling for inspiration next semester). 

And for my final secret Santa from a member of the lovely Disney community. I received a beautiful Tangled plaque featuring my favourite scene from the film, a Briar Rose bow which I'll be wearing in a Disney Bound and a Seven Dwarves pencil case which I'm either going to use for Uni or as a makeup bag. It's clear that everything has been handmade and I can't help but feel so fortunate to be surrounded by so many talented, generous people. 

I've mentioned it a few times on the blog, but I absolutely love my job. And more than my job, I love the people I work with. I didn't expect my bosses to get me anything this year but they went above and beyond and handed me a box containing a UGG scarf and hat. I was overwhelmed by their generosity and I feel very lucky to work with people who treat me like family. 

And finally from my close friend and work colleague Sarah. We always have the best laughs in work and from her, I received a personalised gin glass (no one is getting hold of that) and two cans of Gordon's G&T. It was the perfect gift and another gin to add to my ever-growing collection. From the amount of gin I received, you'd think that I really, really liked it or something...

I also received some more chocolate and more gin (obviously). I've been so incredibly lucky this year and I can't thank everyone enough for their kindness, support and generosity. I feel so loved and I'm ready to start the New Year surrounded by the people who mean the most to me. If you've done a post showing everything you got for Christmas then link it in the comments as I'd love to have a nosy!

Lots of Love,
Meg

xxx