2011/2012 Challenge: Day 10: Anything you wish to say to end 2011/start 2012.

I always find it hard to put things like this into words, so instead I am using a couple of quotes that I love to say it for me.....

To end 2011....

....and to start 2012...






2011/2012 Challenge: Day 9: What are you looking forward to in 2012?

Apart from hopefully getting a job and moving at the start of the year, the main things I am looking forward to next year are:

My Birthday (of course!)

Taking a little summer holiday with Cameron somewhere

A big family party to celebrate Cameron turning 2, my Nan turning 80, cousin turning 21 and Mum turning 50!!

Taking Cameron to Disneyland Paris for Christmas!!

What are you most looking forward to in 2012?

2011/2012 Challenge: Day 8: Things you hope for in 2012.

The main thing I desperately want for 2012 is to get a job and actually make a start with my career.... but the more I talk to people about my options, the less likely this seems! As a single mum, I am stuck due to sky high childcare costs, a lack of jobs and all the rent and bills to pay alone. Things are looking bleak. I had hoped to have everything sorted for when my tenancy ends in mid February, but this is unlikely, and I guess I may have to face up to the fact that this ridiculous government has made it impossible for me not to 'sponge off taxpayers', and stay on benefits for the time being at least.

Other things I hope for in 2012 are of course health and happiness for myself and my family.

2011/2012 Challenge: Day 7: 10 things you want to say 10 people.

1) To my mum:

I appreciate everything you do for me and Cameron. I wouldn't have been able to make it through the last couple of years without your help. You are amazing and I really hope you find someone who truly deserves you soon so that you can be as happy as you should be! Love you! xxx

2) To my best friend Aimee:

I miss you lots! I hope you are coming back to Bournemouth at some point over Christmas as Christmas day would not be the same without seeing you! Hope everything is going ok in Brighton and can't wait to see you as soon as possible with the Chubster, who also misses his Godmummy lots! xxx

3) To my boyfriend:

Hope you are feeling better soon, I think you may have given me your germs... Can't wait for the weekend! xxx

4) To my other Best Friend Sealy:

I miss you!! Hurry up and return from Oz so that I can give you a big hug! Love you lots! xxx

5) To Cameron:

You are the best thing to ever happen to me and I love you so so much! Everything you do amazes me, even the naughty stuff! Can't wait to spoil you this Christmas! Also can't wait to meet Santa with you on Saturday!! xxxx

6) To my friend Katie:

I hope everything went ok at school today, and I hope everything else is ok. I am here for you whenever you need me :) Had a great time this weekend! xxx

7) To my 'internet' girlies:

Love you all! You are all amazing at giving me advice or the kick up the bum I need! Have to meet all of you asap! xxx

8) To my Uni besties Abi and Georgie:

Miss you both! Can't wait to see you both in the New Year! xxx

9) To my cousin Aaron AKA Joey Essex:

Hope your head is feeling better today! Apparently you went out on 'the biggest night out ever' last night? Thanks for giving me male present giving advice, even when hungover.... and for watching TOWIE with me and getting just as excited, if not more, by its storylines.... xxx

10) To my family as a whole:

Can't wait for Christmas this year! It is going to be AMAZING!! Love you all loads! xxxxx

2011/2012 Challenge: Day 6: Any words of wisdom/advice for anyone?

My biggest advice to anyone:

I try not to have any regrets, and in case I forget, I had 'Live without regrets' tattooed on my foot.......

2011/2012 Challenge: Day 4: Something you’ve learned this year.

Something I have learned this year is who my true friends really are. This year has been quite a tough one for me, and the people that came through for me and actually seemed to genuinely care how I was feeling were not the people I would have necessarily thought. I've also learnt that there are some girls out there who still act like they are 13 years old and in a school playground, but that's a whole other blog post...

I have made a lot of 'internet' friends over the past couple of years, and I know some people find this hard to comprehend, that I am friends with people I have never even met in real life, but I consider these girls to be better friends than a lot of people I have know longer, grown up with, live closer to. These girls have been there for me through my pregnancy, birth, Cameron's first year, my graduation and are still there for me now I am feeling happier. I have been able to meet a few of them: Katie, Joanne, Mel and Frankie and hope to meet many more as soon as possible!

Me and Katie when I was pregnant

Of course this is not to say that my 'actual' friends haven't been there for me too, some of them have and I am eternally grateful to each and every friend who has been there for me.

I just feel that I need to say a big thank you to these girls for being amazing, and that I hope to meet the rest of you in 2012!!

2011/2012 Challenge: Day 3: A person who has impacted your life in some way this year.

I warn you right now that this post is bordering on soppy.... Yes, me, the biggest pessimist ever, being soppy and ever so slightly emotional. However, the person I would say has had an impact on my life this year would be my boyfriend....

Basically, having been single for 18 months, I had started becoming quite anti-men and this in turn was making me quite bitter and hard as a person. People always say you will find someone when you least expect it, when you have stopped looking, And in my case, this was true. Although I had been on the dating site I met him on for pretty much the entire 18 months, I was on and off it and usually only went on it every month or so to check out who had emailed me. I went on it by chance and saw his email, emailed him back and we started speaking and found out we lived only three roads apart.

He had to wait a couple of weeks to take me on a date because I had been ill with the flu but when we did meet I was instantly attracted to him and within just a couple of weeks, I felt like I had known him for ages. Things have just been so relaxed and easy. He met Cameron early on and is amazing with him. He helped him (finally) learn to walk, by having the patience I had lost, to help him walk around until he grew the confidence to go it alone.

We have been together six weeks now and I am really glad I met him as, like I say, I was getting to be very bitter. Since being with him, I have become so much more relaxed, happy and positive about everything. I smile so much more. This is why I am naming him as someone who has impacted my life in 2011 (you may now go and puke... haha).

2011/2012 Blog Challenge Day 2: How much have you changed overall in 2011?

I think I have changed quite a lot over this year. The picture above was taken on New Year's Eve 2010...

This is one taken at the start of October this year:

So physically I look different, but I also feel so much more confident now as well.

I went through an extremely tough year in 2010, meaning that although 2011 was no walk in the park, I managed to finish Uni feeling so much stronger than I would have done otherwise. I made a conscious decision in January to lose my baby weight, and by April (my deadline) I had lost all of it, and started losing a bit more on top. This in turn has made me feel really good about myself, leading to me looking back into dating again, and I have now been with my boyfriend for over a month, so things are going a lot better on that front as well.

I started my Blog in January this year and it has given me even more confidence and more importantly has made me realise my passion for writing all over again. I have been able to Blog for More! Magazine, which was such a fantastic opportunity, and has led to me arranging work experience with them in the New Year, which I am very excited about. I have also blogged for a dating site, and loved that opportunity as well.

Cameron has changed so much more though! He has gone from a newborn who didn't really do much more than eat, sleep and occassionally make some noise, to a right little character. He is gorgeous and so adorable and I am very lucky, and very proud to be his mum.

I am looking forward to seeing how we both grow and change, and the new adventures we will have in the coming year.

2011 Conclusion/2012 Introduction Blog Challenge: Day 1: What has been your most memorable moment in 2011?

My most memorable moment of 2011 has to be getting my results back from Uni to say that I had passed with a 2:2 and meaning I would be graduating with the rest of my year.

With my Uni friend Abi and Cameron on our Graduation day

I know I went on about this a lot before the big day, but surely this just proves how big a deal it was to me? I am really proud of managing to finish my degree with Cameron as a newborn and it has definitely made me more determined than ever to get a job and make something of my life. Being a stay at home mum is definitely not for me.

2011 Conclusion/2012 Introduction Blog Challenge

I wanted to do another Blog challenge as I feel they help give me inspiration sometimes. I was looking for a Christmas themed one but this one caught my eye and I love it. Feel free to do the challenge on your Blog as well, leave your links in the comments if you do as I'd love to read them!

Day 1: What has been your most memorable moment in 2011?

Day 2: How much have you changed overall in 2011?

Day 3: A person who has impacted your life in some way this year.

Day 4: Something you’ve learned this year.

Day 5: Describe an adventure you had this year.

Day 6:  Any words of wisdom/advice for anyone?

Day 7: 10 things you want to say 10 people.

Day 8: Things you hope for in 2012.

Day 9: What are you looking forward to in 2012?

Day 10: Anything you wish to say to end 2011/start 2012.