January 2015

What a busy month is has been for me. I have been on over 20 trains in the space of 4 weeks, and that doesn't include London tube trains! All I can say is thank god I have a rail card.

January is usually a month that I dread. I love Christmas so much but once New Year has gone, I start to feel really sad and all I want is it to be warm again. However, overall, it has been a great month. From New Years, to my work experience placement at Closer Magazine to starting back at uni has all be so much fun.

1st January

Ben and I sharing champagne - just after midnight  

This was taken just after midnight on New Years day! On New Years eve, I went out for a meal with my boyfriend's sisters family to Frankie and Bennys. After, we went back to her house and played games until midnight. Once the clock had struck 12, we cracked open the champagne and celebrated the beginning of 2015 and the end of 2014. The picture above shows Ben and I with our champagne, looking extremely happy.  Sadly, I couldn't drink much of it because I had to drive to work at 8 in the morning. That was quite said but I just had to think of the money!

5th - 9th of January

Monday morning in Oxford Street 

After that, I had a few days to relax before I went to my work experience placement at Closer Magazine in London. I had such an amazing week and it was my favourite work experience placement I have done. It was an exhausting week, but completely worth it. 

10th - 11th of January

Blueberry and cranberry muffins - made by me!

I attempted to make my Dad a birthday cake, it's the thought that counts...

Once my busy week in London was over, I had the weekend all to myself. And there is nothing more I love than baking. As many of my friends would know, I love Mary Berry and The Great British Bake Off. So if I have a spare day, I will always find something to bake. This could be muffins, brownies, cupcakes - basically anything sweet. I decided to bake some cranberry and blueberry muffins which turned out extremely well - almost perfect if I say so myself! And also, I decided to bake my Dad a birthday cake. This didn't turn out so well. The cake took ages to bake. The mixture was still watery and once it has baked into a sponge, the top of it was burnt. This was easy to solve as I just cut off the top. However, this wasn't the biggest of my problems. I made a butter cream using butter, icing suger, a bit of vanilla extract and a tiny bit of milk but it wouldn't set. So, when I put it on the bottom layer, it leaked through the sponge and as Mary Berry would say, it had a very soggy bottom. To hide this disaster, I covered the entire cake in icing sugar and decorated it with icing pens. Lets just say, it's the thought that counts. 

12th - 14th of January, 2015

Dad's birthday meal - in a Rickshaw? I think it might be called?!

Mimi's favourite hiding place

This month marks the 2 month anniversary of the Archer household getting Mimi! Mimi was an early Christmas present to my dad from my mum. We're a family who love cats and ever since our old cat, Elsa, sadly passed away 2 years ago, our house didn't feel right. So after talking (persuading) my Mum, we finally decided to get a cat, and to surprise my dad with her. Mimi is either 5 or 6 years old and was a stray. She had a family before but we don't know how she became a stray. Luckily, someone brought her to the RSPCA and within a month, she was re-homed! Mimi was very shy yet cuddly. However, after settling in, her personality has definitely shown. She loves hiding under this curtain and playing with string. She also likes to eat my mum's flowers...

15th of January

Innocent strawberry and banana smoothie, chocolate milk, orange digestive biscuits, Creme egg pots of joy, chilli heat wave Doritos, exotic fruit salad pot and a classic fruit salad. What a feast.  

On the 15th, I got the train to Leeds to visit Ben and my flat mates came as well. We went to Red Hot Buffet which is just amazing. A few people I've spoke to aren't a fan of it, but I don't understand, what's not great about unlimited food? You can go up and help yourself to all sorts of food from around the world - Italy, America, Chinese, Indian, Mexican and English. All my favourites in one buffet. Afterwards, we decided to have a night in and have bit of a feast (as you can see above). However, I was slightly healthy and brought some fruit, but I still snacked on biscuits as they are irresistible. 

16th of January

My awesome vans at Doncaster train station 

The day after, I got the train back to Lincoln (where I go to uni) for my friends 21st birthday. I had to get 3 trains to Lincoln, which I don't usually mind, but it was very cold and I had started to get fed up of getting trains ever since I went to London. 

Bubbles (Emily), Blossom (me), Buttercup (Izzy), and Mojo Jojo at the front (Bex) 

My friend's birthday was a great night. Fancy dress, vodka jelly shots and a night at Superbull is always a good combination. My friends and I went as the Powerpuff Girls and Mojo Jojo. We all loved watching the Powerpuff Girls when we were little, so it was a childhood dream to dress up and pretend to be superheros. 

22nd January

Parma ham, rocket, mozzarella and parmesan cheese = the best pizza ever

The 22nd of January was the day my sister graduated from De Monfort University. We traveled to Leicester and arrived at half 11. We walked to the Curve, which is a thearte, and my sister registered and got her robes. The day consisted of a lot of pictures, walking, and clapping. We had a professional picture taken and went for lunch. Afterwards, we went back to the graduation and my family and I took our seats as we waited for the ceremony to start. She graduated with a 2:1 in Midwifery and my family and I could not be prouder of her! After the graduation, my sister met her friend who she used to live with at uni and we went to an Italian restaurant for tea. It was honestly amazing. I absolutely love Italian food so my sister made a good choice! After having a few days of feeling down and upset with my uni work, I realised that it wasn't worth it. After seeing my sister graduate made me think that I'm only a few months away from finishing uni, and after I've finished, I know I'm going to miss it. It was a realisation that I needed to make me feel better. When I saw my sister on stage, I felt very proud and thought one day, very soon, that would be me.  

Mimi and me relaxing in the evening

23rd January - 25th January 

Free cupcake for doing the National Student Survey - it was just as nice as it looks 

Professor Green at Engine Shed, Lincoln 

And that's what happened during my January!