I’ve started my holiday gifts shopping already. I know I’m early but I don’t have a lot of money any more with not working so there is no way I am going to be able to buy everything in December. I’ve mainly started buying bits of food for Christmas every time I do my weekly shopping. Last week I bought two big packs of biscuits and this week I’ve bought some savoury snacks. I plan on starting to buy books for a few people and getting that done. I’ve pretty much decided that everyone is going to get a mug from me for Christmas from CafePress. I can find something for everyone on there and its nice to have a bit of humour in each gift. I’m hoping to have the majority of it done by the middle of November and only be picking up the last little bits in December.

When I used to be an Avon representative, the main seller I found was products like eye wrinkle cream and other anti-aging products.Everyone seeems to be trying to make themselves younger once they hit 30 and to be honest, I can’t be bothered with all the fuss. Yes, I might change my mind when I do hit 30 but why can’t we all just age gracefully? Lifestyle changes can help you not to get the wrinkles for example, stopping smoking and using skin protection when in the sun. Obviously, once you get to that age you can’t go back and change whatever you did ten years previous but even the little changes can help slow down the process.

I’m lucky really. The women in my family age really well and look a lot younger than what they are. Lets hope it stays that way and my generation doesn’t end up being the big downfall!

I’ve been looking around for some new fitness equipment recently since I’m not going to the gym any more. I have some free weights but I’m desperate for a workout mat because even though I’m using a rug or a towel, it still hurts my back. I’ve also been looking at getting a watch that counts miles and has a timer in so I can’t start going jogging again. I’m looking to train for a half marathon next year so it will really come in handy then. While looking around, I found a handy piece of equipment know as Kettlebells. The website has a whole range of fitness DVD’s but I’d actually like the Kettlebell itself. I love my free weights but this would make it a little easy to strength train. Maybe I’ll put it on my Christmas wish list along with everything else I want!

There’s nothing wrong with my TV but like everyone else, you always want better than what you have. I still have the old TV that has the huge back on it and it takes up so much space. Like I said, its a good TV but it would nice to be have either a LCD or plasma tvs. I think I’d prefer an LCD because of the negative things I have heard about plasma’s but I wouldn’t complain if someone gave me one! I’m hopefully going to re-decorate the living room in the next couple of years so I might upgrade my TV and surround system while I’m at it!

Alex started college last week, the same time Meghan started pre-school. He is studying audio production and he is really loving it. He’s had to buy a few things for his course like some blank CD’s and some headphones. He was also searching round the internet looking to buy buy memory, preferably something portable to transfer his work from one computer to another when he needs to move rooms in college. We managed to find him an 8GB memory stick on eBay for a great price so he bought one this week and it arrived yesterday. He took it into college today and he said everyone loved it and was asking him where he got it from! Quite a few people only bought 1GB memory sticks but with the course being the production of music, music files can be huge and so the 8GB one will definitely be a lot better.

Right now, you could show me all the most positive diet pill reviews and it wouldn’t make me even slightly want to take them. This week I have proved to myself that a little bit of hard work and eating the way I should be doing really pays off. I have dropped 1 1/2lbs this week and I feel amazing. I have also lost 1″ from my hips and another 1″ from my stomach in the last two weeks.  I’m really proud of myself and its given me that push that I need to carry on with the healthy eating and exercising. I am setting myself small, obtainable goals every week to keep me motivated and keep things interesting and I plan on buying myself a new pair of trousers in the smaller size at the beginning of next month to give me that little extra motivator. I’m excited to wear a smaller pair of trousers and FINALLY have a flat stomach. I have never, ever had a flat stomach and I’ll feel so much better about my whole body if I get rid of this extra weight around my middle.

Considering I am eating so well and filling by body with two litres of water a day, I am coming out in spots on my face. Not to the point where I am needing to look for acne treatments but I really need to get myself a deep cleansing mask or something to try and clear it up. Maybe its my body adjusting to the change in my diet and its decided to push all the bad stuff out through my skin – thanks body! My skin doesn’t feel greasy which is what usually happens when I suddenly break out in spots so I can only think that thats what it is. Hopefully it will clear itself up in the next week because I usually have such lovely clear skin and I miss it!

Alex is almost ready to re-do his driving test. He had his first one about a month ago but he wasn’t ready yet – and he knew it – so he didn’t pass. This time, after a few more lessons, he feels he will definitely pass the next time. I really hope he does because one of us driving is better than none of us driving! We haven’t started looking at cars yet but I know of a few car accessories that I’ll be wanting to get. An iPod station and a CD player are definitely a must. I couldn’t do without music in the car. I’d also want to buy some bumper stickers and things for inside the car to make it a little more interesting. I’m excited to be able to be more independant more than anything so here’s to hoping he passes soon.

I have been really focused over the last two weeks about actually doing something about this extra weight I am carrying around. It might only be just over 10lbs but its 10lbs that I don’t want there any more. I am focusing more on the exercise right now and not the weight issue because I know exercising can make a much better chance to your body than just eating healthy can. When I was 130lbs, I still had the tummy, large thighs and a big bum because I didn’t really exercise. I don’t think I really ate anything either! I would rather be the weight I am right now but really toned and have the body shape I dream of.

I am thinking of asking for some form of exercise equipment for Christmas, mainly a treadmill. I know I can go running outside but it would be nice to have a treadmill in the house too that I can use on days where I’m not really up for heading outside or days where the weather is bad. I have been trying to find a cheap but still decent treadmill to put on the Christmas list but they are so expensive. A stationary bike is a lot cheaper so I might just have to ask for one of those instead. I’ll keep looking and see what I can find.

Now its getting darker earlier, I wish I had some form of outdoor lighting in the back garden. My parents have a sensory light that comes on if there is any movement in the garden. Its to help stop burglary’s mainly but its good for if you want to go into the garden. If I want to head outside, I have to turn all the kitchen lights on and its really not enough light. Outdoor lights that you can stick in the grass are also lovely for in the summer when you have late night parties and BBQ’s. I really wanted a BBQ this year but the weather was never nice enough.