January in Photos

It's late, as usual. In fairness, I just have a lot of photos this month! I've been doing #100happydays and nearly didn't include those photos to save them for finishing the challenge, but I decided to keep them in. But it means I have a lot more photos than usual as I have to taken a photo every single day! So I'm sorry this is a little photo heavy...

1. New Year's Day Dinner

We normally have a proper roast on New Year's Day. Instead, Phil and I got a takeaway and did absolutely nothing!

2. Pizza Hut Buffet Lunch

My Dad has wanted to go for a Pizza Hut Buffet Lunch for years, but because it's only on on weekdays during the day, he's never had a chance to go. A few weeks ago he and my Mum had a Friday off work and guess where we ended up!

3. Welcome tweet from AO.com!

This was just after I accepted my job offer. Such a great feeling! 

4. Cinema date with Phil

5. Unexpected Flowers

Seriously, where did I get this boyfriend from? I'd accepted my job offer earlier in the day and we had a date in the evening. I got in the car for him to give me a lift home and he produced this bunch of flowers! They are absolutely beautiful. I've only been bought flowers a few times in my life and it was such a surprise. What a sweetie.

6. Party time

I haven't worn this dress for about 3 years but we had a wedding to go to a few weeks ago and I thought I'd get it out. I was actually dithering over wearing it but everyone loved it when I posted it on Instagram so I decided to keep it on! 

7. First 8 mile run

8. Beans, rice and avocado for recovery

9. Gorgeous meal with my Mum

My Mum had a day off a few weeks ago so we pottered around and ended up going out for lunch. This sweet potato curry was on the lunch menu so we both decided to order it and wow. It was amazing! I've never had such flavourful rice before! Note to self- learn to make rice pilaf. 

10. Book buyin'

I absolutely love scouring charity shops for books. I got these for £2 each!

11. Party dress

I have two weddings coming up this year, and haven't given a thought to what I would wear. When I saw Sian wearing this gorgeous Coast dress, I knew I had to try it! It was down from £195 to £95 in the sale and it is absolutely perfect!

12. Phil and I are going to see Derren Brown in June! 

I absolutely LOVE magic and I have a huge crush on Derren Brown (Is that weird? Is it just me?) so I can't wait to go and see him!

13. Yummy homemade omlette

It was mushroom, spinach and goat's cheese

14. Joined the onesie club

I swore I would never own one of these but when my friend Meg got this one, I couldn't resist. It is so cosy. I never want to wear normal clothes again. 

15. Lunch with Steph

I started #100happydays a few weeks ago and this was photo one! Steph and I have been for lunch a few times at our favourite cafe in Didsbury and it's our tradition. Also how awesome is her Clueless jumper? 

16. And we shared a brownie

17. More second-hand books

18. Yummy dinner

I made this pasta dish for Phil and I a few weeks ago. We've been talking about making it for ages and it was lovely, and very cheap! 

19. Snuggles

20. This guy

21. Lovely lunch

Roasted chickpeas, salsa, homemade guacamole and cheese. 

22. Roasted Brussel Sprouts

I have never been a fan of brussel sprouts, until I heard about roasting them. Now I love them. Seriously, cover them in salt and give them a go!

23. Gingerbread Friend

This little guy was made by my friend Meg for charity. He is filled with lavender and really helps me sleep. Plus look how cute he is!

24-26. Healthy Brownies

I've fancied making black bean brownies for a while, and on my last day of unemployment I decided I really should take the opportunity to bake. So I made these. And they are divine. A little gooey, but you wouldn't know they were healthy!

27. Even more charity shop books!

28. Running through the mud

29. Egg curry for two

Phil's parents bought him a veggie cookbook for Christmas so he could cook for me. How awesome is that? This was a recipe from that that he wanted to try.

30. Date night!

31. One of my favourite photos of Phil

32-33. Cocktails!

34. Bowling date

We decided to go to All Star Lanes a few weeks ago for a fun little date. Turns out I am absolutely awful at bowling and it's not socially acceptable to have the bumpers up when you're over the age of 13.

35. Breakfast in bed

36. Replicating my favourite bagel

I've been going to Bagel Factory on a Monday night before choir for months and I always have the Halloumi Melt Bagel. So I decided to make my own. It was actually pretty good! Warm halloumi, sundried tomatoes, rocket and a bit of mayo.

37. First 9 mile run

38. I ran 28 miles in a week!

39. First day of work outfit!

Cue a new dress and a new bag, obviously.

40. Learning about my new job

41. New iPhone case

IT LOOKS LIKE A GAME BOY!

42. Disney at choir

We've been waiting for this for ages.

43. What would have been a really great photo of Phil and I

Damn you blurriness!

44. Amazing Thai Sweet Potato soup at work

And it was £1! (My banana was free)

45. Free snacks at work

Every floor at work has a huge American fridge freezer and the salad drawer is filled with chocolate bars. I know, so dangerous.

46. Free breakfast at work

Mmmm porridge.

47. Did I mention we have a Starbucks at work?

And it's subsidized? This latte was £!

48. First run after work

 I hate post-workout selfies, but it was a big deal that I got home from work and went straight out for a run. I've gone back to doing it in the morning mostly now, but dragging myself out after work was a challenge!

49. Buying a running belt makes me a real runner

50-51. Cocktails with my favourite people

Funny story about this night. I booked a table at Revolucion de Cuba cause I love it there and Phil and Steph were meeting for the first time so I wanted to take them somewhere nice. It was all lovely and then after we'd eaten, the waitress came over and kept asking if I'd booked the table for Charlotte and if my name was Charlotte. I was like "yep, that's me. Booked under my name." Then she came out 5 minutes later with a cocktail with a sparkler in, and sung Happy Birthday to my! My birthday is in March. It was SO embarrassing and of course, Phil and Steph joined in because it was just so ridiculous, but so did people on other tables! It was so funny.

52. Girls night means one thing...

I think it's replacing Mean Girls as the film we put on for girls night. Serious words.

53. Bye bye long hair!

54. Board game night

Who doesn't love Cards Against Humanity?!

55. Cinema date, again

I read The Wolf of Wall Street last year so I was extra excited to see this. I thought it was great!

56. A lift to work

On only my second week at work, I got to the train station to find my train was cancelled. I called my Dad let him know while I sorted out an alternative route. While I was waiting for another train, he called me back and said he'd turned about and was going to give me a lift to work! Lifesaver.

57. Finally bought my choir badge!

58. Finally made it to Solita

Phil has wanted to go for ages and we finally went a few weeks ago. Phil has a burger that had something called Bacon Candy on. Apparently it was amazing.

59. Beautiful sunrises make my commute much prettier

60. Snow!

Yes, we got snow in Horwich. Seriously, whatever the weather is like in Manchester, it's 10 times worse in Horwich.

61. Yummy dinner

Salmon with sriracha (I'm obsessed!) and honey, with roasted chickpeas, avocado and salad.

62. Reunited with Kris!

Kris and I used to work together and it's rubbish not seeing her everyday. 

63. The best stir fry I've ever had that I made while drunk

After two glasses of wine, naturally.

64. New issue of Runner's World

65. Homemade prawn curry

Super simple, but my specialty dish. Seriously though, it's pretty much just prawns, onions, curry paste and tomatoes.

66. Educated Phil in one of my favourite films

Phil is a real film buff so it was nice to be showing him a film for a change!

67. Enchiladas!

68. My very long and very horrible 10 mile run

Read more here.

69. I love my choir

70. Perfect evening in

That's fruit tea, not read wine, by the way.

71. Getting back into strength training

I was aching for days after this!

72. Finally getting to sing Circle of Life at choir!

73. Pizza Express nom

Whenever I have a voucher, I always get a big pizza (instead of the one with the salad in the middle!) and a side salad and take the rest home for lunch the next day. People were getting serious lunch envy when I rocked up at work with pizza for lunch!

74. Post-run mango and banana smoothie

75. Phil cooked dinner

I say cooked... :)

76. And then we had dessert

With two spoons, of course

77. New dress

I decided a new job was a reason to buy lots of new dresses...

78. 70 miles run in January!