So I’ve finally sorted out a Facebook Page for Lulubellelife. This little blog has grown quite a lot recently and so I felt that it was time to expand and connect. I was very apprehensive about it as I haven’t really shared this blog with many of my friends and family, so putting it out there amongst folk I know was a tad nerve wracking. 

I’m really looking forward to expanding the blog this year and I feel like Facebook is a great platform to reach out to new readers. So feel free to have a nosey and like ‘Lulubellelife’ on Facebook!

L x

   
I’ll be honest, if you said to me a couple of years ago that I would be writing a blog post containing a recipe I would have laughed so hard and rattled off a line about how there is more chance of the Spice Girls asking me to join them for a reunion tour. Flash forward a couple of years and here I am typing away after consuming a delicious risotto. You see, I only started cooking towards the end of 2012 after finding myself in a position where I needed to at work. My Mum has never been into cooking and when we moved home in 2005, the new place didn’t come with an oven and we happily left our old one behind. We ate out or ordered take out most days and if we fancied a change we would devour a micro meal. We didn’t really use the oven when we did have it (it actually was from the 1970’s and didn’t warrant an upgrade due to it’s under usage), and Mum seldom made anything from scratch. My Grandad used to cook everyday and provided our small family with a huge roast dinner every Sunday. He also used to make steak pies from scratch, but I used to prefer to watch and eat rather than contribute, so when I found myself in a situation where I needed to learn to cook, Google became my best friend. Google and I enjoyed many meals together from sausages to Japanese curries. Google provided the answer to pretty much all of my cooking questions. I don’t know what I would have done without it! I also began to watch Jamie Oliver shows to pick up tips. By the time we moved into our own place, I was ready to cook for us every evening without us finding ourselves in a&e. Anyway, here is what I served us for lunch today…

  
Bacon and leek risotto!

You can’t go wrong with an Italian dish. Simple, yet full of flavour, Italian food is often also quite quick to prepare and cook. Handy if you don’t have an abundance of time (who does?!). This recipe is one of my favourites as it is quick, easy and tasty. It’s my own take on a bacon risotto,  perfect for a lunch. 

From prep to plate in under thirty minutes, it’s a great choice for everyone.

This recipe will serve 2-4 people depending on how generous you like your portions!

What you will need:

• Bacon – I use eight rashers
• Mushrooms – I use approx 225g of button ones
• One large leek
• Grated cheese 
• Risotto rice – approx 350g
• Water – approx 2 pints
• One chicken stock cube
• Garlic
• Mixed herbs
• Black pepper

How to cook it:

1. Set your grill to 240 degrees and grill your bacon until it is just how you like it. I like it a little crispy, but not too much.
2. For quickness, I always boil the kettle whilst preparing the other ingredients.
3. Put your risotto rice into a saucepan.
4. Add the garlic, crushed stock cube and mixed herbs.
5. Pour approximately two pints of boiled water over your risotto rice and give it a stir.
6. Chop your leek and mushrooms and add those to the risotto saucepan.
7. Give it a good stir and leave it to cook on a medium heat for a few minutes. 
8. Take the bacon out from the grill and chop it into pieces of your own desire (I like mine quite chunky!) and add to risotto.
9. Keep stirring and allow the rice to absorb all of the water until it is full and tender. 
10. Stir in a handful of grated cheese (I use either cheddar or mozzarella).
11. Serve and enjoy!

What recipes do you find quick and easy?

L x

Remind me never to book a hairdressers appointment for first thing on a Sunday morning. Especially if I’ve had a late night. Dragging myself out of bed was almost painful in itself, followed by blow drying my hair so quickly that I burnt my scalp from using the hottest setting whilst simultaneously willing my hair to dry instantly. I’m not one for taking an age to get ready, but I went from shower to car in fifteen minutes.

At least I squeezed in a manicure whilst waiting for the hubby at the hairdressers, so my nails are presentable!

I always feel a bit silly when writing an ‘outfit’ post, because in all honesty, I am simply not cool enough to be a fashion blogger. Spending hours finding a beautiful location and posing around isn’t really me. I thoroughly enjoy it when other bloggers put a lot of effort in to make their posts resemble the constitution of a holiday brochure, but it’s just not something I’m into myself and I want this blog to be a genuine representation of me. I do, however, love fashion. I’m not fixated on particular trends and I actually rarely venture out to the shops. I buy most of my wardrobe online and once I have an inkling of what I fancy (I recently decided I needed a pair of over the knee boots – cue hours of searching the entire world via the Internet before settling on a seemingly gorgeous pair in the Kurt Geiger sale), I will hunt it down and be sporting it a couple of days later. I’ve had things shipped from all over the globe and am a huge fan of Internet shopping. I just find it so efficient and you know straight away if they have your size etc. I think it’s just blimmin’ brilliant!
Anyway, here I am currently waiting for the hubby at the hairdressers and thought that I would write about some of my favourite items for a Sunday stroll around our local town.

  
I could not be more in love with this Coat. I adore the colour and the cut. You can wear it pretty much anywhere. The huge pockets are very practical and I think that the gold zip detail is very sweet. If I could choose a coat that I think has been created to perfection, this coat would be it. Well done Topshop!

My Jumper is from Hush and is absolutely divine. I love the grey tones and it can be worn with jeans or a skirt. Hush is a brand that I discovered towards the end of 2015 and became obsessed almost instantly. I bought this jumper a couple of months back as a treat. Their products are a bit on the pricey side, but it’s almost justifiable by the quality. I love the simplicity of their designs and know that each item will last me for quite a while. I’ve collected a few pieces from Hush, jumpers, scarves, hats… They always arrive beautifully packaged too. They have an amazing sale on at the moment and I snapped up these gorgeous pyjamas. Can’t wait to lounge about in them!

  
 I always buy my jeans from Uniqlo because they are great quality and most importantly they are (probably) the comfiest jeans in the entire universe.

  
My Chelsea boots are old and from BHS. You can find similar ones here. I love a good pair of Chelsea boots. They go with pretty much anything and are great for winter. 

My scarf is so old that I can’t actually remember where it came from. I do, however, know that it is really soft, long and warm. It also adds a splash of colour to a fairly neutral outfit. 

  
I have been lusting after a Kate Spade Cedar Street Maise for just over a year now and dragged my poor husband in and out of every single Kate Spade shop that we came across whilst on honeymoon, each time groping their handbags and contemplating purchasing one. I was completely over the moon when my husband spoilt me with this gorgeous handbag and purse for my birthday. It’s such a classic bag that will take me from work to a dinner date with friends. It has a long strap too, but I think it looks much more elegant hanging on to my arm. The colour is perfect as I have been carting my black Michael Kors number around for a while now, so this is really refreshing and it will go with most things. I love the attention to detail that goes into a Kate Spade product, cute little quotes and wonderfully crafted into a paradigm of beauty. Needless to say I am thrilled with my gift and feel very lucky indeed. Well done hubby! 

Are there any items of clothing/accessories you are enjoying at the moment?

L x

  
I am a bit of a book worm and I absolutely adore curling up with a good book. I love feeling the pages in my hands and wondering where the author will take me, reading about different people, places and their views. I love receiving books as gifts and giving books as gifts too, not to mention swapping books with others and having a natter about how it was written and the plot (I know there are actual clubs for this). I’m always book sharing with my friend Nichola.

I read quite a few books last year, far more than I had anticipated or realised, especially as 2015 was such a mad year. 

When I was thinking about this year and what I would like to achieve (always good to have targets, dreams and goals!), I decided that I really wanted to read more and watch trash tv less, much to the pleasure of my husband who shoves headphones on the second Big Brother starts. I didn’t think about how many books I would like to read or how I would achieve this goal until I signed up to Goodreads, which is a great website for any book lover. You can track your progress on books that you are reading (I am 19% through How to be both By Ali Smith), keep track of books that you’ve read, share reviews and receive recommendations. I have also been reading Ali’s blog, and Ali read thirty two books last year which is blimmin’ brilliant. This all inspired me to set a target of how many beautiful books I wanted to devour this year and I must admit it’s quite a target… I’ve decided to try and read one book a week. Fifty-two this year! Whilst it will be quite a challenge, I do believe that it’s absolutely achievable (unless they all resemble the constitution of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!) and I am quite looking forward to it. 

The way I am ensuring that I reach this target is by calculating how many pages I need to read a day in order to finish the book within seven days. Some days I will become so absorbed that I will surpass the target and other days life will get in the way, but this is roughly how I’m rolling with it.

I’ve decided to start a new book each Monday, new book, new literary adventure!

I’ve already read Still Alice by Lisa Genova this year, which I absolutely loved, even though it was terribly sad at times. It’s much better than the movie and I would highly recommend reading the book over the film as I felt that the film didn’t really do the storyline justice and glamorised Alzheimer’s in some ways. 

I’m currently reading How to be Both by Ali Smith. This is such a different read and I have to concentrate to ensure that I am fully absorbed. It’s a bit of an odd one at times if I’m honest, but it’s enjoyable all the same.

I’m thinking I might start posting reviews about some of the books I’m reading and discussing topics that are raised in some of the stories.

Are you setting yourself any reading challenges this year? Have you read anything exciting recently?

L x

   
 So 2016 has arrived and I know I might sound like a right middle aged wally, but it really has flown in. These past couple of months have whizzed by in such a haze and now my feet have landed firmly in 2016. In all honesty, I am always underwhelmed with New Year. I’ve never really embraced the celebrations and have spent all but a couple of New Years Eve’s with Grandad. We used to watch the Hootenanny and sing Auld Lang Syne. Sometimes we would play board games and alcohol was always involved (Grandad loved brandy!). This year was the start of something new and we trotted off to our friends home for an NYE gathering. 

One of my aims when we were planning our wedding was to make the bridal party feel welcome and get to know each other. This turned out to be a huge success and we’ve now formed a gorgeous friendship circle full of couples. It’s so nice spending time together and we all get on really well. That’s why when our friends suggested spending New Years together, we jumped at the chance. Unfortunately a few people couldn’t make it, but we had a great time as a group of six welcoming 2016.

Phil and I took over some games (Dobble, Balderdash and Cards against humanity), and our friends Kim and Simon suggested a couple too. Kim and Simon put on a lovely spread and we also ordered pizza, so amongst copious amounts of face stuffing and Spotify playlists ahoy, we had a giggle playing some games whilst on the big countdown.

   
   
  
We had such a nice evening and hopefully I can return the favour and host New Years in our new home next time.

How did you see in the New Year?

L x

  
I’ve written before about how important I think it is to make time for ourselves. We lead such busy, demanding lives that we can often be so busy pleasing others that we forget to please ourselves. The festive period is a time when I like to take some real time out to just exist. To not have somewhere to be all of the time and certainly not thrusting myself out of bed at six in the morning. Normally I still make a few plans and actually land up being busy, but at a slower pace. This year, I’ve really taken these few days to relax. I’ve been going to bed late and sleeping in late, lounging in my pyjamas until the late am whilst shovelling copious amounts of gluttonous food in my gob and consuming hours of Netflix and books. I’ve managed to read two books within six days and watched a good two seasons of Pretty Little Liars. I’ve enjoyed snuggles with our furball and cuddles with the hubby. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve not become a total recluse. We’ve visited family, shopped, caught up with friends, but all at a slow pace with lots of snatchings of ‘me’ time. It’s been absolutely wonderful and I feel really refreshed. I think it’s just what was needed after such a funny year with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I know that the next few months are going to be pretty busy, so I’m embracing these last couple of lazy days at home!

Have you squeezed in some ‘me’ time over the holidays?
L x

  

I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, so if you are looking for a post about ‘new year, new me’ then you are in the wrong place. I think that resolutions are great and all, but we aren’t always fair to ourselves and often set unrealistic targets. Plus I think that we all do things when the time is right for us and not magically when the clock strikes past midnight and into the new year. There’s enough pressure buzzing around in our everyday lives without placing extra pressure on ourselves at the start of the calendar year. 

Having said that, I do feel that the start of a new year is always a nice time to reflect on the past year and look towards the coming months ahead.

There are some things that I am looking forward to next year, achievable things that will hopefully happen in 2016.

Firstly…

Surviving January

January is a hard month for most of us as everybody is a bit skint from Christmas and the weather is naff.

January is normally quite kind to me as it’s my birthday month and we normally have a cheeky holiday to celebrate. This January will be a bit odd as we will kick it off with Grandad’s funeral, followed by his birthday. I never imagined I would be spending the start of the year saying goodbye to such a wonderful human being, but life throws the odd curve ball and you just have to roll with it. It will also be my Uncle’s sixtieth birthday on the same day as what would have been Grandad’s, so whilst it will be sad, I am determined to make it a nice day for my Uncle and create happy memories.

Then it will be my birthday. With the kerfuffle of moving house and with Grandad passing, we haven’t booked anything exciting. I am thinking spa day, a nice meal (always thinking about food!) and a trip to the theatre.

Soon after my birthday we will hopefully be upping sticks and moving into our new home. I am beginning to worry about it as I love to be organised and know what’s going on and I feel like I can’t plan anything until we have a definitive date set. I’m worrying about everything from packing pots to having the Internet connected (seriously cannot live without Netflix). I’ve even started having moving anxiety dreams!

Once we move, I will work on putting our own stamp on the new house. We’ve already decided a couple of things (new porch and patio doors), but I’ll also have great fun designing the interior.

Secondly…

Travel

Being honest, I’m not normally a fan of February. It’s a bit of a dud month to me, no Christmas, no birthday, just winter. The hubby and I always enjoy valentines’ day, but aside from that and praying for no snow, there’s not usually a lot going on in February. This year I am planning on hop skipping away to somewhere sunny. I haven’t chosen where exactly, so any suggestions are welcome. At the moment I am undecided between:

• Maldives 
• Dominican Republic
• Mauritius 
• Mexico
• Thailand
• Bali

Let me know if you have been to any of these and what you would recommend!

I would like to squeeze in a trip to Florida for Easter and I am contemplating hitting up the West Coast of America again in the summer as we had so much fun this year. I also adore Europe in the summer, so maybe a trip to one of the Greek islands or something. I’m also thinking of escaping around New Years next year, but  not sold yet.

Reading and writing

Something I would like to do next year is read more. I read quite a lot at the moment, but sometimes life takes over and I’m too tired or busy. I want to make reading more of a priority and hopefully devour many exciting books!

I also would like to write more in 2016. I want to put more effort into my blog and organise myself so that I am posting regularly. I am planning on structuring my posts too, so that we all know what we are expecting!

Continuing with the writing theme, I am going to look at the two novels that I have been writing (one is finished) and look into getting them published. I love creating the characters and developing the story. There is a perfect writing spot in the new house that I am looking forward to utilising. It has such a lovely view that I’m sure will leave me feeling nothing but inspired!

Move more

We recently joined the National Trust and I can’t wait to explore more sites next year. I want to exercise a bit more (far too much face stuffing), and walking around the magnificent grounds that the National Trust possess is going to be a great way to capitalise on getting fitter. I also need to cut down on the sweet stuff as diabetes runs in my family and I don’t fancy developing it if I can help it. I’m not sure I want to know who I am without chocolate and cake though, so I’ll have a good think about the best way to do it! 

Volunteering

I am very aware that I lead a lovely life and am very blessed. I want to get more involved in volunteering and helping the local community. I haven’t decided how or what exactly, but I’m big on giving something back and will look into new opportunities when we move.

Host Christmas

Yes, next year I would like to host Christmas. We will have more space and I love having people over. Coupled with how much I adore the festive period, I can’t wait to shove canapés in peoples’ faces and cook a mahoosive bird. 

And last but not least…

Family time

I love spending time with loved ones and I would like to organise some nice adventures with the family next year. Quality time with the hubby and our marvellous family. I think sometimes we all take each other for granted and I want to do less of that. You never know where life will lead you next and I want to embrace what we have.

So yes, I think that sums up my general plan for 2016. Have you made any grand plans?

L x

I was really enjoying taking part in Blogmas when, unfortunately my poor Grandad passed away. I was very close to him and we are all heartbroken. He had been terribly unwell, especially this past year and it was definitely the right time for him to say goodbye. We never wanted to say goodbye to him though, and it’s been really tough. I know that it will take a long time to feel okay about him not being around anymore. It still feels very raw and odd. I’ve had moments where I’ve really panicked and broken down and moments where I just want to hold his hand again. I’m just going to try my best to carry on as normal as that’s what he would have wanted and I feel that’s the best way to help me overcome such a sad time. I haven’t felt like doing anything that wasn’t absolutely necessary for the past eleven days, but I feel ready to get back to blogging, so hopefully I will have some new posts coming up soon!

Hope you are all ready for Christmas, only  five more sleeps people!

L x