Bye 2014 Hello 2015

So we've come to that time of year when it's traditional to look back on another year and look forward to the new one that's about to begin...and while it may be a cliche to do so I thought it was the right thing to do.

So what has 2014 been all about for me...well personally it's been a year of changes, sacrifices and moving forward.

The year started off with me getting into the swing of recording podcasts with good friend Michelle as we got the Disney Dream Girls Podcast well and truly up and running.  We are still going strong and have had great fun recording and chatting with some brilliant guests.

I finally managed to complete my review of our 2013 visit to Walt Disney World, although it did take me till the end of August (a full year) to do it! This was a great way to relive those memories, especially as we knew there would be no Disney trip this year as personal circumstances meant this was not going to be financially viable...but by year end I can say that we are officially counting down to Disney...Disneyland Paris!! (38 days as I type woo hoo!)

Although I did get a little Disney fix by getting my fourth tattoo (all Disney inspired of course!)

Around Easter time I decided to get my running shoes back on after a lapse of about 6 months and adopted the Jeff Galloway 'run-walk-run' approach which worked really well for me. It was also around this time that I decided to make some changes and give myself a healthier lifestyle, this was triggered by two things; firstly I saw the film 'Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead' and secondly I had a chance conversation with my daughters karate instructor. The film was inspirational, not for the methods used in the film, but for the stories and the people who had the determination to make changes in their lives.  The conversation gave me the tools to bring about the change, it was the introduction to the 'Get Real Fat Loss' program.

Taking up the initial 90 day challenge of the 'Get Real Fat Loss' program, and then continuing beyond, has been my biggest personal success and achievement this year. Through a personalised approach to fat loss, exercise and eating I have managed to lose 2 Stone (28lbs) in weight, I have dropped 2 (sometimes 3!!) dress sizes and around 7cms from thighs, waist and bust and 10cms from my hips.  I didn't think I had that much to lose but I can honestly say that I now feel and look better than I can ever remember. I now wear clothes without feeling self conscious or worried that I have lumps in places I'd rather I didn't.  The food that we (yes the rest of the family too...can't be cooking different meals for different people so we all eat together and eat the same things) is so much better than it was this time last year; we have cut out the processed foods and replaced them with lots of fresh foods, veggies and salads and we are all loving it.  We have all either lost weight or seen improvements in complexions or skin conditions so it really has benefited the whole family. And while over the Christmas break I have allowed myself a few treats I know that going forward this new approach is here to stay.

In June Simon and I celebrated 25 years of marriage...we had a great party with loads of friends to celebrate in style.

Yes that is me wearing my wedding dress!

The later part of the year saw us host our annual Halloween party, book the aforementioned trip to Disneyland Paris and close out the year with the usual festive happenings.

So as the year draws to a close I can look forward happy in the knowledge that I have made the most of what 2014 had to offer and that 2015 is another year that will be filled with challenges no doubt but also with friends, family and a sprinkle of Disney magic.  I wish everyone out there a very happy, healthy and safe New Year and may 2015 bring you a year filled with love, happiness and friendships xx

Out with the old and in with the New!

Here we are nearly at the end of one year and the beginning of another.

The run up to Christmas was a mixture of last minute shopping, present wrapping and catching up with friends. We finally got around to seeing friends Phil & Lauren who we had met for the first time during our visit to WDW this past Summer.  We had met during a WDW Radio Meet of the Month at Blizzard Beach and discovered that we only lived just over an hour away from each other!  It really is a 'small world after all'!

I then spent a few hours chatting with my good friend and podcast co-host Michelle as we recorded our second official podcast for the Disney Dream Girls podcast.  We talked Disney Dining plans and took a tour of the New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom...go on have a listen :) find us on i-tunes and subscribe for future episodes!

Christmas Eve is a special day in our house as it's our eldest's birthday so to celebrate we had a trip to the local cinema where we divided and conquered...the boys saw the next installment of The Hobbit whilst us girls saw Frozen - which we both loved! Fabulous music, beautiful storytelling and enchanting animation; a winner all round.  We finished the day off with a gigantic chocolate cake!

Christmas Day was a day for family as we all came together to celebrate the season, exchange presents and eat too much food.

Our Boxing Day (for any non-British out there this is what we call the day after Christmas Day, it has its origins in days of old when servants who had to work Christmas Day would be allowed home the following day carrying boxes of gifts)...anyway this Boxing Day we jumped in the car and headed a couple of hours South to see some more friends made through our love of Disney to partake in a BBQ!  Yes that's right a BBQ in the middle of Winter...thankfully the food was brought inside to eat so we all stayed nice and warm. A big thank you to Mark and Tara for providing the hospitality, food, drink and Disney based games :)

The last few days have been a lot quieter and have given us all the time to relax and chill out and enjoy a few days not doing very much at all!  Although Michelle and I did manage to get together to chat all things Disney and prepare for our next podcast, I even had a few lessons in audio editing!

And that brings us to today...New Years Eve...and the end of 2013.  We have an evening planned at my best friends New Years Eve party which should be an evening of fun, laughter, food and drink and I can't think of a better way to see one year out and another year in than spending it with people you love and care about.

I don't know what 2014 will have in store but I do know one thing it will be shared with friends and family who mean the world to me.  So wherever you are I wish you all every happiness for the year ahead, I hope the year is filled with dreams come true and spent with those you love - see you in 2014 and whatever it may bring xx