Share our Lives - Grocery List Frequent Buys!

It’s that time of the month again to share some of my life and join in with the other Share Our Lives bloggers. This month the prompt is: Grocery List Frequent Buys!

Grocery shopping happens every week here. I usually do one big food shop and get it delivered and then nip to the local shop for bread and milk and the farm shop for fruit and veg just to get some steps in! Most weeks I get Gousto boxes delivered, which cover three or four of our evening meals each week. It’s such a game changer because I don’t have to think about grocery shopping for those meals and it introduces us to some recipes we might never try otherwise.

I tend to do online orders because it's just easier and get the food shop delivered. When I order online I always go through my list of favourites and most bought items and end up adding the same things each week. There are certain items that are just non-negotiable in our house. They go on the list week in, week out, rain or shine and these are those things:

Milk!

We go through about 12 pints a week and sometimes more if we're into having hot chocolate, milkshakes or smoothies that week!

Bread!

I buy a thick sliced loaf for toast and a medium sliced loaf for everything else. In the warmer months we I usually buy two loaves of medium sliced bread as we seem to eat more.

Cheese!

Cheese is something I buy every week without fail. Sliced cheese for snacking, grated mozzarella, a block of Red Leicester and maybe some cheddar too. I don’t eat a ton of cheese myself but my family more than make up for it.

Yoghurts!

I like to mix things up here so the flavours vary week by week, they’re usually something fruity. Everyone in the house has their favourites and it’s one of those items that disappears quickly if I don’t make sure there’s enough.

Fresh Fruit!

Apples, oranges, bananas, grapes and whatever else is on offer. In the summer, strawberries and melon make regular appearances.

Vegetables!

Carrots, onions, potatoes and mushrooms make it onto my list every week. We also stock up on tinned peas and sweetcorn most weeks. Depending on the season, I might add in salad leaves, tomatoes or even fresh corn on the cob. I like to have the basics for cooking but I also enjoy throwing in a few extras when they’re in season.

Brunch bars!

Stu takes brunch bars to work as a snack so I always grab a box of Belvita bars and a couple of packets of Cadbury Brunch Bars. They’re a lifesaver for mornings when there isn’t time for anything else or for when someone just wants a sweet treat.

Sliced ham!

We go through so much ham in this house. It’s perfect for sandwiches, quick snacks or even thrown into omelettes. My girls call it thinking food as they will stand looking into the fridge, eating ham while thinking about what to eat.

Chocolate chip muffins!

These are a breakfast food in our house. We all reach for them when toast or cereal isn’t hitting the spot. They’re a little reminder that breakfast doesn’t always have to be serious.

Juice of some sort!

We all drink diluted juice here, usually blackcurrant or orange. I’ll often buy a couple of cartons of fresh orange or apple juice too. It’s nice to have options.

Pasta sauce!

My eldest has some sort of pasta dish after work most mornings (she works night shifts) so it’s easier for her to cook something quick when she gets in. I usually bulk buy the pasta so that doesn’t go on the list each week but pasta sauce does. She goes through a couple of jars a week and it’s one of those items I never forget because running out would be the end of the world for her.

A meal deal!

On the day when I get the food shop delivered, I always treat myself to a meal deal. It’s usually a sandwich, a snack, and a drink for about £4. I like to think of it as a little treat and a reward for bringing the food shop in.

Depending on the time of year I’ll also add a few extra bits to the weekly food shop. In the summer it will be fresh berries, salad things and ice cream. In the winter there's tins of soup and hot chocolate added to the list.

What things do you buy every week with your grocery shop?

I am linking up with:

Adrienne from Mom Life with Adrienne.

Dara from Not In Jersey.

Jen from Show me & Sweet tea.

Joanne from Slices of Life.

What I’m buying for myself while Christmas shopping!

Christmas shopping, the magical time of year when you leave the house determined to be a generous, thoughtful human being and return home with bags of treats for yourself. It’s basically tradition at this point. If Santa can reward good behaviour so can I! So let’s talk about the things I definitely didn’t plan to buy for myself this December. hehehe.

December shopping does something to my brain. One minute I’m hunting for stocking fillers and the next I’m holding a fluffy cardigan thinking this will help me survive winter. It’s always pretty, it’s always soft and it always comes home with me. I try to imagine gifting it to someone else but then I picture myself wearing it and it's too precious to let go.

Nothing tests self control like a shiny skincare gift set. I go in for wrapping paper and come out convinced I need a three step routine that involves serums, massaging and misting. I buy them for myself every year and I always feel like I’m doing something responsible. Never mind that I’ll forget step two by mid January and end up using the fancy night cream as hand lotion. The thought was there.

I fully intended to grab a candle as a gift, something classy like Frosted Woodland something but then I spotted one that smelled like gingerbread and happiness and next thing I knew I was buying two. One for them and one for me because what am I supposed to do live in a house that doesn’t smell like Christmas! 

Socks are always marketed as a gift but who are we kidding, no one appreciates them the way we do. The second December hits my feet are suddenly freezing and if my feet are cold the rest of me is so when I see fluffy socks in festive colours my brain goes these are needed to live just like food and water. I try to justify it by thinking I’ll give them to someone but once they’re home I become attached to them, they’re mine now. Oops!

Every December I become a new person. I see a fresh notebook and think this will change my life. I will become organised, write plans. I will journal daily but jump to February and three pages filled, one of them containing a shopping list and the phrase remember bins but I still buy it because who doesn't like new stationery.

Every year I buy a fancy box of chocolates to either gift to someone or have out when guests come over, then two days later I’m eating them alone while watching TV and pretending the box ripped itself open but December calories don’t count in case you didn't know!

There is no marketing stronger than the words worth £80 but now £20. I don’t even care what’s in it. It could be eyebrow glitter or make up I don't know how to use, I’m still tempted. I tell myself it’s smart shopping, I’m saving money. Never mind that I wasn’t planning to spend the money in the first place.

There’s always something in the supermarket that jumps into the trolley. Mini mince pies, fancy crisps, hot chocolate with marshmallows shaped like snowmen. I tell myself it’s for Christmas week. Then it disappears during a random December afternoon when I need a break from real life.

December is stressful enough without pretending we don’t treat ourselves while we’re out shopping. We’re juggling lists, crowds, budgets, wrapping disasters and that one person who keeps saying they don’t need anything. (my dad). So if something brings a little happiness or warmth I say go for it!

Do you buy yourself treats while doing the Christmas shopping?

Window shopping in the Christmas aisles! #FridayFavourites

This isn't my usual Friday post, normally I share a few things I’ve been loving over the past week but things have been a bit busy here. Don’t worry, all good things and it's my birthday today. It has just been one of those weeks where I blinked and suddenly it’s Friday again. So instead of my usual favourites post, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea to share one of my absolute favourite things to do in the run up to Christmas. A good bit of window shopping in the Christmas aisles! (All of the items below are from TK Maxx)

There’s just something so magical about Christmas shopping, especially right now in November before the full on festive chaos hits and everyone’s elbow deep in wrapping paper and mince pies. I don’t even need to buy anything, I can happily wander around for hours just looking at all the sparkly, twinkly bits and pretending I live in a Christmas movie. 

I always tell myself I’m just going to have a look and most of the time I mean it! There’s something so nice about browsing with no pressure to buy. Just taking in all the decorations, admiring the colour schemes and mentally redecorating the whole house even though I know I’ll probably end up putting things exactly where they were last year.

Candles are my absolute weakness. I could stand in front of a candle display for ages sniffing every single one like some kind of candle expert. I don’t even need to light them, I just like having them around looking cosy and Christmassy. Give me a spiced apple or gingerbread scent and I’m instantly in a better mood. My family has learned that if they lose me in a shop, I’m probably somewhere in the candle section. I’ve got a slight candle problem, I own more than I could ever possibly use but there are far worse addictions!

The rest of the Christmas aisles are just as fun to explore. I love spotting all the different colour trends each year. The traditional deep reds, golds and greens, the kind of decorations that make you want to sip mulled wine by a crackling fire. Then there is the pastel, candy themed look with pink baubles and doughnut shaped ornaments that make me smile even if they’d never match my actual tree and don’t even get me started on the woodland themes with little foxes, owls and pinecones everywhere. I want to adopt them all.

It’s like every shelf tells a little story. You’ve got the classy luxury area where everything sparkles just the right amount and then right next to it the slightly chaotic section full of singing reindeer, light up penguins and novelty mugs that play Jingle Bells when you pick them up. I love it all!

Taking photos of all the displays has become one of my favourite festive pastimes. By the end of a good browse I usually leave with nothing but a phone full of photos, a smile and maybe a candle that somehow jumped into my basket when I wasn’t looking. It's the whole experience, it feels like a little seasonal treat, one I look forward to every single year.

Do you like browsing all the Christmas decorations?

A photo every day for a year! 21st - 27th September! Week 39 of #Project365

What a week I have had, in a good way! I got over the cold I had last week. There’s nothing better than that first day when you wake up and realise you can actually breathe through your nose and have a little more energy back. I got on top of the jobs around the house that had been piling up just in time to have a big day out to Birmingham to visit the biggest Primark in the world. I had a lazy day at home on Friday, I needed it and yesterday Ellie and I had a little shopping trip together. We did more browsing than buying but sometimes it’s just fun to potter about the shops and people watch.

Today, I’m taking things slowly, there is just some washing to get through and maybe lunch out if we can be bothered. As I’m writing this I feel like I could happily crawl back into bed and snooze the afternoon away. It has felt like a busy week but from now until January things are only going to get busier! I've just realised next week we head into October, September really is the quickest month. It's like blink and you missed it!

Now for a photo every day!

263/365 - 21st September

The carvery is back on at the pub and the kids were out doing their own thing so Stu and I treated ourselves to lunch out and it was good. It might not look amazing on the photo but trust me it was and the bonus was there was no cooking or washing up to do for me!

263/365 - 22nd September

Just a pumpkin shaped and scented candle. Tis the season!

263/365 - 23rd September

I made 14 banana and chocolate chip muffins! They didn't last 24 hours as they were so good! I had compliments from everyone who tried them and a backhanded one from Ellie. She said they were good but not as good as Aunty Jean's. I will take 2nd best, no one makes better muffins than my Great Aunt did.

263/365 - 24th September

It is the season to rewatch The Gilmore Girls! It is such a cute show, no big drama or shocks just cosy TV.

263/365 - 25th September

I am Kim and I have a mug addiction! I was in mug heaven in Primark, there must have been about 100 to choose from. I'm actually surprised I bought just one.

263/365 - 26th September

Months ago I was looking for the Minecraft bathbombs in Lush but our local one didn't have them in. Birmingham didn't let me down though, I found them there and had a lovely soak in the bath with them on Friday.

263/365 - 27th September

Ellie and I were feeling fancy shopping in the food section of M&S. She treated herself to some salmon, I bought some Percy Pig sweets. The only reason we went in was for the Christmas food catalogue!

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This week my Word of the Week is: Birmingham! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

This week has been all about getting back to normal after being under the weather last week with a cold but to be honest I was just going through the motions waiting for Thursday to arrive when my day was not a normal day. I went on a bit of an adventure to Birmingham! I did think of Anne and Joleisa when I was sat on the bus, knowing it's their city! 

My dad's partner and I hopped on a bus, not literally as we had booked it as a coach trip to visit the biggest Primark Store in the world. It holds the Guinness World Record for the world's largest fashion retail store. Spanning five floors and approximately 160,000 square feet, it’s like Primark on steroids. It’s also not just clothes and homeware either. Inside there’s a Disney cafe, a beauty studio, a barbershop and even a vintage clothes shop. You could spend a whole day in there and still not see everything, we totally missed the vintage clothes.

Before we booked the coach we looked at the train prices and wow, I am glad we did. A train would have cost us at least £70 each and taken nearly three hours, plus the faff of changing trains and fighting to get a seat. The coach cost us £21 each, with reserved seats and took about two and a half hours. Bargain! It was way less stressful too, we got to sit back, relax and let someone else do the driving. The coach itself was lovely and the driver was brilliant, so cheerful and helpful. The only rookie mistake we made was not packing any food for the journey. Everyone else on the coach seemed to have thought of that. At one point I spotted a couple of women sat there with croissants and cans of wine and it wasn’t even 10am yet. They were clearly living their best life while I sat there wishing I’d at least brought a packet of crisps!

It took two and a half hours for us to arrive in Birmingham but it was totally worth it! We got dropped off right outside Primark and headed straight in! I had seen photos and videos of the store before but nothing really prepares you for just how big it feels when you’re standing in it. It’s overwhelming in the best way. We had a bit of a plan, head straight to the top floor, check out the Disney cafe and then work our way down floor by floor. We could have eaten anywhere in the city centre but we had heard so much about the Disney Cafe. It was so cute and the banoffee milkshake and the hot dog I had tasted good, so were the tater tots, how American!

One of the best things about that Primark is the baskets. You get options of either the usual bag you carry or one of those pull along baskets on wheels. I went straight for the pull along one and thank goodness I did. We started off in the Home section and I could feel my arms getting tired just looking at all the candles, mugs and Christmas decorations. I resetrained myself. I could have spent a lot more than I did. We spent about the next three hours browsing and putting things in our baskets.

My favourite buys were the candles because can you ever have too many, a Christmas mug and The Sims Nightdress!

I also bought some things for Stu and the girls but the they will have to wait until Christmas to get their treats. I spent a lot less than I thought I would. I think I was just so overwhelmed by it all that I didn’t want to make too many snap decisions. I’ve already decided that I need to go back with the girls though, they’ll absolutely love it. I’ve told them to start saving now because once they see everything they’ll want to buy half the shop.

By the time we had finished in Primark it was close to 3pm. We went outside to get some fresh air and of course stopped to get the classic photo with Birmingham’s famous bull.

We also had a quick wander around the market stalls outside. The food stalls were incredible, they had pretty much every type of food you could think of, including corn dogs! I don’t think I’ve ever seen corn dogs for sale in real life before so that was a bit of a novelty. I regret not getting one.

We headed back onto the coach at around 4pm and were back in Scunthorpe by about 7pm after hitting some traffic. It made for a long day but such a good one. For me it wasn’t even really about the shopping even thought it was fun, it was more about the experience of going somewhere different, seeing Birmingham and having a proper day out. It definitely brightened up my week and gave me something to look forward to after feeling a bit rough.

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good one! I am of course linking up with Anne who blogs at Raisie Bay for her Word of the Week linky!

Stocking Fillers Under £5: Affordable small gifts for everyone!

Christmas is coming and with it comes the delightful tradition of stuffing stockings with little treasures but finding charming and thoughtful gifts that won’t break the bank can be a challenge. Here’s a handy guide to stocking fillers under £5 that will bring joy to everyone on your list without emptying your bank account!

Miniature Gadgets

For the tech savvy person in your life, look for small gadgets like a phone stand, a portable phone charger or a mini USB fan. These items are not only practical but also add a touch of fun to everyday routines.

Festive Scented Candles

A small scented candle can bring a cosy, festive vibe to any space. Go for seasonal scents like cinnamon, pine, or vanilla. These mini indulgences can brighten up a room, make any recipient feel special and you can pick them up for £1 in some of the Pound type shops.

Creative Stationery

From quirky pens and notebooks to colourful washi tapes and sticky notes, creative stationery is a hit with anyone who loves to jot down ideas, doodle or plan. You can often find fun and functional options for under pence never mind pounds.

Pocket Sized Games

A small puzzle, a deck of cards or a travel sized board game can be a great way to spark joy. These items are perfect for family gatherings or cosy nights in providing entertainment for all ages.

Hand Creams and Lip Balms

Winter weather can be tough on the skin, so a lovely hand cream or a nourishing lip balm makes for a thoughtful gift. Choose ones with appealing scents or natural ingredients for an extra touch of luxury.

Mini Plants

A tiny succulent or cactus can bring a bit of green into any space without requiring much care. These little plants are perfect for brightening up desks or windowsills and are often available at budget friendly prices.

Reusable Tote Bags

Compact and eco friendly, a reusable tote bag is both practical and stylish. Choose one with a fun design or a clever slogan to add a bit of personality.

 Novelty Keyrings

From quirky animal designs to miniature tools or symbols of favourite hobbies, novelty keyrings are an excellent way to add a bit of fun to daily routines. They’re small, inexpensive and often make people smile.

Gourmet Treats

Chocolate, flavoured nuts or a small packet of gourmet coffee or tea can be a delightful treat. Go for unique flavours or packaging to make these edible gifts feel a bit more special. My dad loves different flavoured Chutneys and I always get him some from B&M. Usually under £5 for about 9 mini jars.

Travel Sized Toiletries

Think mini hand sanitisers, travel shampoos or bath bombs. These items are handy for anyone who travels or just loves to pamper themselves a bit.

Eco Friendly Items

Consider bamboo straws, reusable cutlery sets, or beeswax wraps. These sustainable choices are both practical and kind to the planet, making them a great option for eco conscious friends and family.

Personalised Ornaments

For a festive touch, look for small, customizable ornaments. They can be personalized with names, dates or special messages, making them a memorable addition to any Christmas tree.

What else can you think of? What do you put in stockings for people?

Share Our Lives - Where do you shop?

This month's Share Our Lives linky prompt is: Where do you shop? I thought long and hard about this blog post and with Christmas just around the corner I thought I would share where I do my Christmas shopping!

Shein!

I love Shein, I know some people frown upon the fast fashion brand and complain that everything is rubbish quality but I have never had any issues. The girls have already made numerous lists of things that they would like. Mostly clothes and some make up and I have already ordered some new Christmas decorations.

Not on the High Street!

If you're looking for unique, personalised gifts, Not on the High Street should be at the top of your list. This site shares small UK based businesses offering one of a kind gifts you won’t find anywhere else. From custom made jewellery to quirky homeware you’ll find beautifully crafted and meaningful presents for everyone.

Forbidden Planet!

If who you are buying for is into comics, anime or geek culture like my girls Forbidden Planet is the ultimate shopping destination. It has a huge selection of comic books, graphic novels, action figures and merchandise from popular franchises like Marvel, Star Wars and Harry Potter. We are so lucky to have a store in town and we can easily spend an hour in there just looking at everything!

Waterstones!

Waterstones is the perfect place to find the latest bestsellers, classics and graphic novels. I am not a big reader but my girls are and we will of course be visiting in the run up to Christmas to pick a couple of books up.

Amazon!

You can't beat Amazon, I love it and always end up on there when I am stuck for a gift for someone and they always seem a lot cheaper than other places! For Ellie's birthday I saw a gorgeous Nightmare Before Christmas bracelet charm and in the shop I was looking it was £55 and on Amazon it was £14.99 for exactly the same thing!! What a bargain!

B&M!

B&M the popular discount retailer is where I go to get all the stocking fillers and random gifts. I always get the gift set of mini jars of chutney for my dad, selection boxes of chocolate, treats and for Christmas Eve they are great for novelty cups and hot chocolate sets. 

Primark!

For budget friendly fashion and trendy accessories Primark is a top destination. I took Ellie a few weeks ago and she filled a basket and I am taking Becky soon for her to pick some things. They are great for hoodies, pyjamas, beauty products, slippers and I love some of their Christmas decorations.

Lush!

I always treat us to some bath bombs from Lush. Lush is known for its handmade, eco friendly, and cruelty free beauty products. Lush specializes in fresh, natural ingredients, offering a range of products including bath bombs, soaps, skincare, haircare, and body products. My girls love everything from this shop and me too! 

Asda! 

For the Christmas food shop I will be getting it from Asda this year, I already have my home delivery booked in. I have been using the app and each time I shop I get some money back and I have been saving it up for Christmas, as of start of November I have £45 saved to go towards Christmas! 

Where will you be doing your Christmas shopping?

I am linking up with:

Adrienne from Mom Life with Adrienne.

Dara from Not In Jersey.

Jen from Show me & Sweet tea.

Joanne from Slices of Life.

Sarah from Toronto Sam.

What I have loved this week! Week 35. #FridayFavourites

This whole week has been a big favourite of mine. It's the best weekend that we have had during the whole summer. We have had meals out, a shopping trip, Ellie's 17th birthday, got some big jobs done around the house, Becky has taken some holidays from work and we still have more plans for today and the weekend.

Usually I share things that I have loved during the week on a Friday but I am going to talk about those things more in my Word of the Week blog post tomorrow and today I am sharing some of the fab things that I bought on a shopping trip with my girls. It was the fun type of shopping trip getting some extra treats for Ellie's birthday which was yesterday. I am still of course linking up with Erika and Andrea for their Friday Favourites.

We of course started our day having something to eat in McDonalds. That place usually stresses me out with people everywhere, chaos at the counters with the Just Eat and Uber delivery guys but this time it was pretty quiet which was strange considering it was still the school summer holidays. We even managed to get a table straight away! 

Autumn is coming and so are the clothes. Over the last year I have got into wearing dresses and I have plenty of summer one's but not many for the colder months. I saw this one and it screamed Autumn to me. The colour is just perfect and I can just imagine wearing it with a cardigan, thick tights and my boots.

A few weeks ago I bought a ring for Ellie's birthday and as I spent over £59 at Pandora I got a free silver chain, I have been looking for something to go on it and saw the charms in Pandora but I wasn't too keen on the price of £55 each so I had a look on Amazon and saw the same Nightmare Before Christmas one for £14.99. Bargain and a bonus birthday present for Ellie! 

We were in HMV and saw the range of Care Bears that they have there was of course the cutesy one's that I remember from being a kid and then they have these more rebellious looking one's. This is the Halloween Spooky Sparkle Bear Care Bears Plush. Ellie picked it, a treat from her sister for her birthday. I also picked this bracelet up from a little crafty shop. I think it looks so cute and Ellie does love this style of bracelet.

I saw this make up bag for Ellie and slipped it in the basket before she even saw it. hehehe Becky said she was quite proud of me realising it was something to do with Taylor Swift. Ellie needed a power bank for going back to college to keep her phone charged and we were just going to get a basic, plain one until we saw the Nightmare Before Christmas one in B&M. She of course had to have it.

I am loving all the Halloween and Autumn things in the shops. I am ignoring the Christmas things, it's far too early for that. I want to enjoy Autumn before I think about the festive season.

Ellie had to have this cute Oogie Boogie shelf ornament, it was only a few pounds from Primark and I got the Autumn gonk too. I seem to be collecting them for every season. I have Christmas, Halloween, Spring and Valentine's day one's so far.

Ellie is back at college next week so it was hair cut and hair dye time for her. She topped up the red that she has and I had to got some of the blonde to lighten my hair to dye it pink!! Just before we got the bus home we stopped off at Starbucks for a Pumpkin Spice latte, crazy that it is only August and it's back on the menu. I do love them though.

It was such a lovely shopping trip. My girls had a great time and so did I. We have another fun shopping trip happening as it's Becky's birthday next and she needs a few treats and extra presents too! 

What have you loved over the past week?

Some summer clothes from Shein!

I feel like I am stepping way out of my comfort zone with this blog post. I have been sharing more photos of myself lately. More selfies and some of the nice outfits that I have been wearing but nothing like this, not a whole blog post of me! Eek!

A couple of weeks ago I ordered from Shein, not just for myself but for the rest of my family too. It was a big order and I ordered some clothes that I would never have ordered this time last year. I have lost a bit of weight, I've started wearing more dresses and I am feeling more confident in myself.

I stepped way out of my comfort zone and bought a couple of skirts, I never wear skirts! The first one, the Corduroy Skirt which I mentioned in my Friday Favourite post was too big but I did manage to move the buttons and now it fits. The second one I didn't think was going to fit as it was the same size as the corduroy skirt but amazingly it did. The Flap Pocket Denim Skirt.

My thought is that I can wear it with boots and tights in the autumn and winter and a like the Square Neck Ribbed Knit Sweater I bought. I love the fit of it and it feels really nice. I did worry it might feel too woolly, I don't like that feeling on my skin but it's OK. In the warmer months I can wear it with a t-shirt, trainers or a light, short sleeved sweater like the Solid Color Batwing Sleeve Knit Top. Considering it's heavier than the grey sweater it feels much airier and cooler and not just because the sleeves are shorter.

A bought a few t-shirts and these two below were my favourite. The rainbow striped one just screamed summer to me. I can imagine wearing it with just about any set of pants or shorts that I own. The Puff Short Sleeve T-Shirt was not a colour I would usually go for but it was only a couple of pounds so I thought why not. I think it would go with something darker on my bottom half.

The dress in the middle above, the Floral Print Square Neckline Spring Dress With Puff Sleeves was longer on me than I thought it was going to be but I like it. I was planning to wear it with leggings but I think I can get away wearing it without them whenever the summer decides to arrive.

When I ordered this High Neck Contrast Color Long Sleeve Dress I didn't expect to love it as much as I do! I had planned to keep it for the winter to wear with tights and my boots but when I tried it on I realised it goes so well with my white trainers and it's not as thick as it looks so would be perfect for the chilly days that we have been having lately.

I think I look good in it and I definitely feel good in it. It really isn't something I would normally go for, the only reason I bought it was because it was on sale and I only paid around £3.

Now onto my favourites! The Striped Cinching Waist Dress!

This is so comfy and again not something I would usually wear. I tend to stay away from anything that has a lot of white on it as I always seem to attract dirt but I am being brave. I already know where I am going to wear this, we have something planned next month that it would be perfect for.

I seem to have a thing about dresses that have red on them so of course I was drawn to these. These are dresses that I will wear leggings under as they are a little on the short side to show more of my legs. The Summer Holiday Crop Elegant Ditsy Floral Dress With And Puff Sleeves seems to fit me so well and I love it. The leggings I am wearing underneath are just one's from Primark.

 The Floral Print Batwing Sleeve Belted Dress was a bargain at just £5 and the material feels like it should cost more. I am glad I went for a bigger size in this as there isn't much give in the material. I feel good in it and I can see me wearing this a lot. 

I am so happy with what I bought from Shein. All of the items that I have mentioned were size 20 / 2XL apart from the floral dress above which I got in a size 22 / 3XL I also bought some bracelets which will be appearing soon and a black cardigan. I really do like the long cardigans from Shein as they always seem to be exactly the right length that I want, as long as my dresses! Oh and I random find was a Grey + Sloan Memorial Hospital sweatshirt, it was such a lucky find, I was just browsing and it was there. There was no mention in the description. I had to buy it.

Do you shop from Shein? What have you bought lately?

Clothes shopping with my girls.

Up until the beginning of last year or so my girls weren't really interested in clothes shopping. Yes, they would come out with me and buy what they needed but they had no interest in spending a day in town just looking around shops but things have changed and I am loving it!

It all started just over a year ago when Ellie decided she wanted to wear skirts and dresses instead of the hoodies and oversized clothes that she usually wore. She jumped straight in, bought a few outfits and hasn't looked back and I am glad to say still wears the clothes that she bought a year ago. There are of course some days when she goes back to wearing tracksuits and hoodies when she wants to be comfy but it's mostly crop tops (which I am not a fan of), dresses and really smart clothes! 

We have had some fantastic shopping trips. She can think of nothing better than spending a few hours looking around Primark, yes it takes that long. She has got it down to perfection now. Walks around looking at what they have without picking anything up and then does a 2nd walk around picking up what she wants. I think in all of our trips there are only a few times that I have said no, you are not getting that. One was a skin tight body suit and the other was a dress which she might as well not have been wearing as it showed way too much off!

Becky has always been a tom-boy in the way that she dresses with hoodies, tracksuit bottoms and oversized t-shirts. She has never been overly confident when it comes to how she dresses and even now still wants to fade into the background but she has come to realise that her tracksuits and baggy clothes are just not suitable for nights out. She has been going out more to concerts, club nights and even to bingo at our local pub and has noticed everyone dresses up a little or a lot depending on where she is. She has been buying a few tops to go with the black jeans which she always wears but needed some more outfits.

Last week she asked me to go shopping with her to pick some new clothes. I jumped at the chance and really did think I would have my work cut out but it was easy! Usually Becky shops in the men's section but she went straight around the ladies section and was picking up a few things. Her basket was filling with nice tops, smart trousers, a couple of shirts and some plain black trainers. She knew she couldn't keep wearing her black and white Nike trainers for nights out but hates real shoes so black trainers were the way to go! They look really smart.

We stopped at the make up section which didn't impress her much, she might be wearing really nice clothes but make up is a total no go for her. She does make me chuckle. I picked up and eyelash curler and she thought it was some sort of torture device and couldn't get her head around why there were so many different shades of foundation until I explained that everyone's skin colour is different. She does make me chuckle.

We carried on to another shop and I could tell that Becky was feeling more confident in her clothing choices when she picked up some shorts. She only wears shorts around the house or when she knows we're not going to see anyone that she knows. This time she was buying shorts to wear while she's going out with friends in the summer.

One of the reasons I love shopping with my girls is that as much as they are about shopping they are all about refreshments too. hehehe When I go shopping with Stu he hates going to Costa or Starbucks but my girls love to stop off for a drink and last week we tried the Mango Dragonfruit Refresha drinks. I don't know if I am a fan. I wasn't overly keen on the taste but I couldn't stop drinking it. I will have to get another to make sure. hehehe

Now that I have been out shopping with Becky, Ellie is hinting at we need a shopping trip together. She better get saving as that girl thinks money grows on trees. 

Do you like going clothes shopping?