Can’t believe it is that time already, January has flown by!  Hope you have all enjoyed the first month of 2018.  It is typically known as the most depressing month but I have come into the new year with a positive attitude and am really looking forward to what I can experience, achieve and accomplish this year.  On with the post and here are some of the things I have been loving this month!

First up is a new series I have been watching on Netflix.  I am a bit late to this one as most people I know watched it when it was shown on the BBC, but I am really enjoying Doctor Foster.  Suranne Jones is amazing as the lead character and definitely deserves the awards she has received for this role.  I am about three quarters of the way through season one.  Without spoiling too much she plays a doctor who finds out her husband is cheating on her but rather than confront him straight away, she starts to plot her revenge while still acting as the dutiful wife.  It is really interesting and I am not sure I would be able to be as controlled as she is.  A must watch if, like me, you didn’t watch it when it aired on TV.

Sticking to a TV theme I also advise you all to check out Bad Moms Christmas.  Me and Ste watched it a couple of weeks ago and it is fab!  I really enjoyed the first one and so was looking forward to this one and it didn’t disappoint.  A great cast and storyline, sometimes sequels can be a bit of a let down but I throughly enjoyed this one.

Food next!  I have been trying to eat a little more thoughtfully this month as the steroids have definitely taken their toll this last year.  I am now on a reducing plan with them and can’t wait to be rid of the them for good.  I discovered these and thought they would be a bit of a healthier snack and I can just grab a handful when I fancy something to munch on.  They are the Jacobs Cracker Crisps and are so delicious and a few always fill me up enough so I can last until my next meal.

I have also discovered the Just Tasty packs of sandwiches from Aldi and am in love with the smoked cheese ones.  Think I have had about four in the last couple of weeks!  It is nice to find tasty sandwiches on plain bread (this bread has sundried tomatoes in but I mean without the seeds).  With my stoma I am unable to eat the multi grain breads so often the only choices are plain cheese or ham on white bread!  This is super tasty and they also have a pulled pork, stuffing and apple sauce one which is yummy too (but not as much as this one).

My next couple of things I have been loving in January were a couple of things I have ‘treated’ myself to.  The first is these Blom Cards.  I have been following Anna (aka Mamas Scrapbook on Instagram) for a while now and she keeps me highly entertained with her Instagram stories.  She is a psychotherapist and has created Blom Cards with one of her designer friends.  They contain 30  cards, each with a psychologically grounded insight or challenge and I have really found them helpful.  I keep them on my make-up desk so I can see them every morning when I am getting ready for the day.  I do not aim to complete one a day but stick with a card until the opportunity presents itself, or just bear the advice given on it for that whole week.  You can purchase your own over on the Etsy shop by clicking here

The other treat came from the lovely ‘The Mummy Club’, who sent me their January subscription box to try out.  The boxes contain treats, support and pick me ups for mums and mums to be.  My box was filled with some amazing things but I won’t spoil it too much by going into it, as you will be seeing a complete review of the box very soon.  You are able to sign up for the monthly boxes, get a ‘mini’ box or even send one to a friend as a treat which is a lovely idea.  Check them out on Instagram and look out for the full review coming soon.  I have now signed up for a monthly box which shows how much I loved it!  I really love supporting small businesses and love the ethos of mums supporting mums.

The Mummy Club January box

One of my favourite beauty treats this month has been these Essence nail polishes.  They are super affordable (£1.60 each in Wilko) and the nail SOS treatment was just £2 and has really been helping to strengthen my nails.  They come in a huge range of colours, apply nicely and last well.

My other beauty treat came from a Christmas set Ste bought me.  I try and use the hand scrub from it at least twice a week (normally on my face exfoliate and mask evenings).  My skin can become dry and dehydrated very quickly and the last few weeks I have even started to get splits and sores on my knuckles but using this gives my hands a real boost. I follow it up with the hand cream which I use every night.  Keeping it next to my bed helps remind me to do it!  I had never really thought of using a scrub for my hands but it has really helped with the dry skin, particularly on my knuckles.

Lastly, my favourtie book of the month has to be Giovanna Fletcher’s Some Kind Of Woonderful.  ‘Chick-Lit’ books aren’t typically my favourite style to read but I do enjoy the odd one now and again as I find them easy to read and uplifting.  This one however, eschewed the typical everything suddenly falls into the main characters lap and she lives happily ever after and just seemed so much more real.  It showed the struggle of ending a long term relationship and how you begin to pull your life back together.  Highly recommend this one and will be checking out her other books too.  You can still sign up to my book club, check out my post about it here

I am pleased to announce I have teamed up with a fantastic company called What2Buy4Kids.  They sell educational and unique toys and gifts for children from birth to 12 years and the customer service is second to none.  You can visit their website by clicking here and I have a discount code which will give you 10% off any orders placed which is SPOONMU218.  Happy shopping!

Last but not least I had to mention the boy’s and their fun in their ‘Gelli Baff’.  If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen the photos.  The boys each got one in their stockings, this was Leo’s and Riley has the ‘Crackle Baff’ which we haven’t tried yet.  They both absolutely loved it and spent an hour playing in the bath and having fun.  They come in different colours and wash out really easily, so no mess afterwards.  I wasn’t sure how Riley would react at first as he can be funny with different textures, but after five minutes of getting used to it her was having as much fun as Leo.

So those are my January favourites for you this month, I hope you enjoy checking out the ones of interest to you.  Let me know anything you have been loving this month in the comments below and here is to an exciting February.

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