Friday 22 June 2012

Hilarious!

Ha ha ha!

Guy has fallen in love with the latest addition to the Coulson household!

Nicky put a couple of goose eggs in the incubator after the goose stopped being broody and one of them hatched last week. As its on it's own with no brothers or sisters, guy has felt sorry for it so it has definitely caught the attention of guy! Yesterday, he brought it up to Nicky in bed at 6am! He came back at 7am to find Nicky had put it on the floor as she didn't want it pooing on her freshly cleaned bed sheets and promptly put it back on the bed where it pooed everywhere! Ha ha!

I asked Nicky if he was this adoring of us as children and she said not - I'm a little offended!

We are now having to be extra careful as we walk around the house to make sure we don't stand on it as guy & Nicky are keeping it out all the time!

It is ultra cute though!

Saturday 9 June 2012

Book Recommendations...

You asked for it Charlotte! Here is a small list of books that I have read and recommend.

Fallen Series by Lauren Kate
·         Fallen
·         Torment
·         Passion
·         Fallen in Love (Short Story)
·         Rapture 
Hush Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick
·         Hush Hush
·         The Dungeon of Langeais (A short story in the Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love Anthology) _ This is the first I have heard of this book! I am going to get it!
·         Crescendo
·         Silence
·         Finale – Expected release date 23rd October 2012
Midnight Breed – Lara Adrian (I have some hard copies of these books but I am not sure if I have lent them to you in the past?)
·         Kiss of Midnight (The Midnight Breed, Book 1)
·         Kiss of Crimson (The Midnight Breed, Book 2)
·         Midnight Awakening (The Midnight Breed, Book 3)
·         Midnight Rising (The Midnight Breed, Book 4)
·         Veil of Midnight (The Midnight Breed, Book 5)
·         Ashes of Midnight (The Midnight Breed Book #6)
·         A Taste of Midnight: A Midnight Breed Novella (short story featuring Danika who first appeared in book #1)
·         Midnight Breed #11 (title and release date TBA)
·         Midnight Breed #12 (title and release date TBA) 
Immortals after Dark Series – Kresley Cole
·         The Warlord Wants Forever (now released on it’s own, it was originally found in the Playing Easy to Get anthology). This short story introducing the series. The story of vampire Nikolai Wroth & Valkyrie Myst the Coveted
·         “Untouched” as found in the A Deep Kiss of Winter Anthology
·         Demon from the Dark (Immortals after Dark, Book 8)
·         Shadow’s Claim (The Dacians: Realm of Blood and Mist) - by Kresley Cole – expected release date August 21st 2012 (this is the first Immortals After Dark spinoff book)
Legend by Marie Lu
·         Legend
·         Prodigy (Release date 29rd January 2013)
Divergent Series by Veronica Roth
·         Divergent
·         Insurgent 
Starcrossed Series by Josephine Angelini
·         Starcrossed
·         Dreamless (Release Date – 5th July 2012)
The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
·         Clockwork Princess (expected release date November 2012)

I've just found this blog which has a very very long list of books and reading orders.

New Rules of Lifting for Women

This is the new programme I am doing to try to loose some fat and increase my muscle. I am really keen to get into lifting weights and this book has been recommended by lots of people as a great way to start. The programme basically sets out workouts and eating plans/recipes to follow. I am trying to keep the eating side as simple as possible and, after researching what established weightlifting women's diets look like (See Jen Comas Keck's blog), I have decided to do as follows:
  • 5 or 6 meals per day
  • Each meal to include: Protein, fat, vegetables.
  • More complex carbs on workout days but only in the morning (I may just add in porridge for breakfast on workout days)
My eating hasn't been as consistent but as weigh in is a week tomorrow, I am really trying to buckle down this week!

On the workout side of things, I am really eonjoying it and am definitely starting to get stronger. This is how I have improved so far:
Squats - I started these using 15kg and have increased this to 30kg. I am working out later today and plan to give 40kg a go! Wish me luck!
Deadlift - I started deadlifts using 15kg and have recently moved up to 40kg.
Push-ups - When I started I was only able to do 5 full push-ups off the floor and now I can manage all 15!
On the negative side, I really wish I was doing this with someone else. I want to take this really seriously (like you would do any sport that you start e.g playing hockey) but it is really hard when you are doing it at home and on your own. As the local gym is rubbish I am doing it at home in my home made gym:
However, Mel came round last night and has said that she is quite keen to start doing this too which is great news! I am not sure yet how committed she will be but at least she is showing an interest and she is planning on coming round on sundays and wednesday to have a work out with me!!

My ambition is not to be skinny but to be strong and healthy. I have a couple of pictures that are really inspiring me:

Oscar....

Sorry it has been a little while since I last updated the blog with my news so thought I'd fill you in on whats going on...

The biggest news is that I have recently become an Aunt again! Horray! Oscar was born on the 30th May - 5 and a half weeks early. He was 5lb 1oz. Poor little thing has suffered Jaundice and has recently been diagnosed with Meningitis! We are still not sure which strain on Meningitis it is but he does seem to be doing really well. Luckily Leon and I were able to go and give him a cuddle before the jaundice and meningitis were diagnosed - I don't think we are able to cuddle him now :(.
Anna is doing really well and, although she can't feed as his suckling reflex hasn't come in yet, she is still putting him up to her breast and expressing to keep her milk coming as she is determined to feed him once he is able to.
He is very cute!