Ten Things: Haggis, Blog Birthday & Wintery Hot Chocolate!

I seem to say this every week in these posts at the moment, but, it’s been another busy week in my little world! In fact, Looking at my diary now, I can’t quite believe how much I’ve managed to squeeze into 7 days – no wonder I’m sleepy!
I’m sitting here in my pyjamas writing this with a hot, steaming cup of tea on the desk in front of me, and although I’m a bit tired, I’m also feeling really quite fulfilled. This week has managed to be the perfect combination of midwife-uni-study-placement stuff and blog stuff. I have had the opportunity to meet up with some more local bloggers, and to catch up with some I met last week – It feels like my little life up here is developing a little more work/life balance instead of just being about my crazy student schedule (which, don’t get me wrong, I am loving it, but it is so good to step away from it and have a festive drink with some lovely blogger ladies too!)

So, here are the Ten Things that have put a stinking great smile on my face this week!

1. Blogger Chat
On Thursday evening I headed out to Ipswich for a slice of cake, a cuppa and a chat about all things blogging with the incredible Hannah Gale, her boyfriend Chris, and the gorgeous Chloe Plumstead – It was so good to just chat about it all, and it definitely gave me a bit of a kick up the bum motivation-wise and I’ve started making some big plans for my blog for 2017! Exciting Stuff!

2. Blog Business Cards
This one probably won’t seem very exciting but – I ran out of my blog business cards and so I ordered more. I then forgot I had ordered them, which made opening the parcel so much more exciting – and they are so pretty! (Bloggers out there, would a business card tips post be interesting for you guys?)

3. Open Day
I mentioned this in my “Midwife Monday” post for this week, but on Saturday I was working at the open day at the uni. I actually found the whole experience really exciting and positive, and It also really hammered home how lucky I am to be on this course, with so many people so keen to apply and study midwifery. (After my post went live a few people have messaged saying that an ‘open day/interview tips’ post would be useful so I will schedule that up for one of my ‘midwife mondays’ over the xmas break along with my night shift survival guide!)

4. Uni Days & Hot Chocolate
I have missed my girlies being out on placement! We are all placed in different hospitals and different areas/departments so we really don’t see each other at all when we are on placement so it was so lovely to get into uni and see my girls again! Sara and I went out for the most indulgent ‘Fudge Hot Chocolate’ too – and it was GOOD!

5. #CambMeetUp Christmas Bloggers Bash
What can I say? Fab event, fantastic speakers, incredible company – well done to Pippa and Sophie for organising the day, it really was fantastic and I now feel super festive. Definite favourite speaker of the day was Alice Audley from Blogosphere Magazine who just spoke about the business of blogging with so much passion! It was really inspiring and made me so proud to be a blogger, so thanks Alice if you’re reading this! 🙂

6. George’s Bakery
I blame Charlotte Steggz for this completely – she’s a bad influence on me already and I’ve only known her 10 days! (check her out though, she’s awesome!) Wearing possibly the BEST christmas t shirt EVER, “Mince Pies before Guys”, she steered me downstairs in a break between speakers at the Christmas Bloggers Bash, and introduced me to the most amazing cake – George’s Bakery Chocolate and Hazelnut sponge……with a Ferrero Rocher on top – need I say more?! YUM

7. Back on Placement
It was nice to be in uni for the week, but it was also lovely to get back out to my community team this week – I’ve been working with them so much over the past month, it felt funny to not have seen then for a week! They have all been so supportive and are so keen to help me and teach me – I couldn’t be more grateful to them! And, after a week off, they are stuck with me again now – well, at least until I break for Christmas! 🙂

8. Blog Birthday
I am going to do a post of something about this at some point (when I get round to it with my mad schedule at the moment – you should see my diary – its stressing me out just looking at it!) but my blog turned two this week. This blog has brought me experiences that I never even dreamed of, and friends that I will irritate on twitter for ever – it is something I care about hugely, that I put a lot of time and energy into, and I am so proud of how far it has come in two years – bring on 2017!

9. Haggis
I had a sentimental moment this week where I really missed my old life up in Scotland – so I decided to buck myself up and I drove to M&S (snazzy!) and picked up a haggis – and had haggis, neeps and tatties for tea! Yay! If anyone out there is looking for a blogger to write about ANYWHERE in Scotland – I’m your girl! 🙂

10. Emails from you guys!
This week seems to have been the week that all of you decided to send me emails – and though I haven’t had time to reply to all of them yet (I will find the time, I promise) I have read all of them and they all mean so so much!

– To the girl with an interview to study midwifery at uni this week – Good Luck, just be yourself and show them how passionate you are – just from your email I can tell how much you want this, so just show them that.
– To the mum wondering whether to consider going into midwifery with kids at home – I have colleagues who do it with no trouble – just make sure you know what you are doing childcare wise and it is so do-able – GO FOR IT!
– To the girl who wants to start a blog and doesn’t know where to begin – start on a free site and just start writing – don’t question anything or delete anything – all my old posts are still on here and you can see, I had no idea what I was doing – you learn by doing it! Enjoy!
– To all the people who have emailed to let me know how cute Twiglet is – I am biased but I have to agree! He sends snuggles and snuffles back!
– To all the rest of you who has emailed me this week – I will reply to you, it just might take me a few days but I will reply!
Thank you, all of you for your lovely messages – whether asking questions or just saying you enjoy my blog, I love reading your messages and hearing a bit more about you guys (you all know pretty much all there is to know about me!) it really does mean a lot to me! 🙂