Highlights from 2013. (Picture heavy and long post)

Highlights from 2013. (Picture heavy and long post)

Hello lovely readers.

We have come to the end of yet another year and this year has been a good year overall.
I have suffered from bad health issues towards the end of the year, something that has put a small damp on things. My nerves have been up and down although my social anxiety has been a lot better thankfully so overall I can't complain. I try to look at life with optimism and I think that in the long run as long as you stay positive things will be ok.

So how was 2013? Well lets sum it up month by month and please read on if you want to see what I've been up to.

January

I went to Naples together with Mike on the first holiday of the year. Away from wet and cold England for a five nights, down to Italy with it's great food and culture. Needless to say I did some shopping as well as I never go anywhere without bringing something back home.
Other things from this month that is memorable is that it came snow. You can say snow might not be exciting for a Norwegian, but when it comes over here I'm like a little child. I think it has to do with Mike. He get so excited and becomes a little boy when it is snow, so it affects me too. We always have lots of fun in the snow.

Me with Vesuvius in the background

My best buy. I love this handbag.

Make up

Naples

Pizza of course

The best hot chocolate I have ever had. So thick and lush.... YUM!




Like a child again

Snølykt-snow light. I used to make these as a child, so have started making them with Mike. He loves them.




February
Not a very exciting month. Worked a lot.  Can't really remember anything special happening this month and can't find any photos that say something else either. :)





March

Another holiday. This time to Spain to my sister in laws house, which is like a second home to Mike and me. It's such a lovely place to be and it's perfect for relaxation.
This month I also went to lots of football matches, gigs and we also went to Wales for Easter. I'd never been to Tenby before. It was absolutely stunning. The weather was lovely too and not at all rainy even if it was in Wales ;)













April

It started becoming warmer, so we went for lots of walks this month. We also went to lots of football and visited Ricoh Arena in Coventry where we had a hotel room within the stadium with a pitch view from our bed! :) Perfect hotel room for a football lover.





The room with pitch view.

View from the window in the hotel room.

Visited beautiful Stratford-Upon-Avon. I had been there twice before, but it is one of the prettiest places I have been to in UK so we spent a weekend away going up to the Midlands.



First drink in a pub garden of the year


As always when spring comes, we start going to the beach. We have one beach where we tend to always go as it is such a great beach. Bracklesham Bay is our choice and it is always room enough there and I love how sandy it gets when the tide goes out. It is a pebble beach, but as the water goes down it exposes a lovely sandy stretch of beach. We always go down there on nice days. Even after work and it is a sunny day we go down there for a few hours. I really love it this time of the year when the days get longer and longer.


May

Me, Mike and four others from the family went to my beautiful Lofoten. It was the holiday of the year and what a holiday it was. The weather was unbelieveable and I felt so proud to be able to show my family my home in such nice weather. We celebrated the Norwegian National Day and as oppose to St Georges Day here in England we celebrate it with childrens parade and everyone is out on the streets in their national costumes and it is such a lovely day.

On the National Day, 17th of May.

Norwegian flags and girls in traditional costumes

My handsome Mike

This is sand not snow. :)

Oh no! I'm facing my destiny.. Mike the Viking.

After Mike and I had been in the sea. Above the Arctic Circle in Mid May this was VERY cold!

Midnight Sun

At the Ice Bar in Svolvær


June

Mike and I went to York for a little holiday. I had been to York before and so had Mike, but we had never been together. York is a lovely place and so much to offer. We have to go back when we have more time. Note to myself for 2014: Go to York.





Mr Whippy boat :)



We also went to Yorkshire Moors and took a steam train.










Also started wearing a hearing aid to help with my horrible tinnitus and hearing loss. This was something that has improved my life a lot as it takes away the tinnitus and improves my hearing somewhat. 



July

July was probably the most eventful month of the year as I had so much going on. 

Another holiday. It seems like we don't do much else than go on holidays, but July is the month of our wedding anniversary (7th) and my birthday (16th) so we went to Weymouth where we met up with my sister in law and brother in law that also was down there on holiday together with our little cute great newphew Harry. It was such a lovely few days with lovely hot weather so we went to the beach and I did something I never thought I would do. I went to a CROWDED beach and actually enjoyed myself. I love being on the beach, but normally opt for more quiet once.

We went camping. We like go camping in summer.




Probably my biggest achievement of the year!




I celebrated my birthday.



Read more HERE



My best friend from Norway, Marianne, came over to us on holiday and I had the best week of the year. It was so lovely to be able to spend some time with her again as we haven't spent much time together the last few years since we have had so much going on in our lives.
We went to London two days in a row in a heat wave so was extremely exhausting. But fun!
We went to New Forest, Windsor and we celebrated my birthday by going out in Guildford.
It was a week of laughing and memories and also the great feeling of true friendship. Even if you haven't seen each other for a long long time you just pick up where you left off. That feeling is the best.



I love you my dear.

Me and Lucy and a photo bomber


Don't ask!

I love you my dear Marianne!

We also found time to go to Amsterdam for four nights which was fun, but extremely hot. I don't mind heat, but when it is as hot as it was this time it becomes so exhausting that it takes away some of the fun. But it was nice moments as well. Amsterdam is a lovely city with so much to offer so you can't be bored.






And I got my first tattoo. I designed it myself and wanted something very personal.


August

I think entire August went to work and relax after the hectic month before. It was probably the extra time I had on my hands by relaxing that made me start my blog again. I had written a bit before, but not for a long time. The first post I wrote was in August.  You can read it here.

 We did take Mike's mum down to the New Forest to Bucklers Hard and Lymington which was a lovely day out.











September

I had a horrible month health wise as I started fainting without any explanation why. I have been having so many scans and tests done, but doctors has still not found out what it is, so this has caused my autumn a bit harder than normal.

Holiday time again! Spain. We went down to Playa Flamenca to my sister in laws house again and had such a great time. Weather was so lovely and we had so much fun. You can read more about that in this POST.





October

A relatively quiet month, but I headed down to Hastings to meet Leah from Just Me Leah that I had got to know through my blog. Had a lovely time there and Leah is such a lively and friendly person and we hit it off instantly. You can read more about my weekend in Hastings here.


I also went out with people from work for Halloween and dressed up which was great fun.

November

Plus London. I went up to London not knowing anyone there and I was so nervous, but no need to be as everyone was so lovely and friendly. I had a brilliant time and made several new friends this day. I got a make over of gorgous Betty Pamper and I had a fun photo shoot with Blast.

You can read more about my day at Plus London here.


This photo I borrowed on Betty Pampers blog as she posted a before and after shot of me.
You can find Betty's post about Plus London HERE


In November my lovely daughter came over from Norway which was a very lovely visit. I have missed her so much that it was lovely to spend some time with her. She is growing up far too quickly so she is almost grown up. She was 16 years old in August and she is a beautiful young lady.

Before she coloured her hair

And after she coloured her hair. :)

December

A month filled with blogging, events and holiday.

Went to the Plus Size Christmas Market that Club Indulge hosted and met more lovely blogger people.



Here is a link to my post I wrote about it.

I went to Spain for Christmas and had a great time again. Blog post to follow about this with lots of new outfits and so on.

All in all this year have been a good one. Just hope that the doctors can figure out what is going on in my body and that this will make my 2014 even better.

I also want to thank my lovely husband for all your love and support throughout the year. I'm so grateful for everything you do for me and I hope I repay you some of what you do for me with love. You are the best thing that has happened me and I have never been happier than since I met you. You make me glow and I'm proud to say you are my husband.

Jeg elsker deg Mike!


 For my blog I will continue to enjoy sharing with all of you my outfits and everyday adventures. Blogging has made me so much more aware of what I wear and also made me move out of my comfort zone. Can't wait to meet more of you in the new year.

Have a great 2014 everyone and enjoy the festivities of tonight. Happy New Year!

xxx