Over The Weekend #52

The weekend started on Friday for us when we

curled up lit candles, put on some Halloween lights, poured some wine 

and watched Death Becomes Her

On Saturday we went to the park to collect Autumn Leaves with Oisìn

He loves getting out and about we later painted them with Nanny

When we popped in for a cuppa to warm us up, we ended up doing crafts!

Saturday night I didn't fancy watching crap Honey G on The X Factor 

So I decided to opt for a bath. book and then an early night!

Sunday looked mostly like this curled up as a family on the sofa

drinking hot chocolates and watching family movies

Today we watched The Good Dinosaur and Pixels

Now I am still curled up on the sofa with a mint hot chocolate, a blanket and candles lit

ready to watch Poldark 

The Autumn Book Tag

1) Are there any books you plan on reading over the Autumn season?
I do TBR's every month but I am not very strict with them. I like to read at least three books from my TBR every month and then one or two that I just pick up.
I do want to read some Anne Rice in October, Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon in November
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah this month, The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton and Queen of The Night by Chee Alexander in the next couple of months. I also want to re-read Phantom by Susan Kay, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, and Little Women by Louisa May Scott in the Autumn time.

2) September brings back to school memories: what book did you most enjoy studying? And what were your favourite and least favourite school subjects?
My first book I remember really enjoying in school was Carrie's War by Nina Bawden. I think I studied it in the few couple of years of secondary school. It started my love for historical fiction which has continued throughout my life.
My favourite subjects where English and History no surprise there!
My least favourite was Maths I HATED it!

3) October means Halloween: do you enjoy scary books and films? If so what are some of your favourites?
I do like horror movies and books, but I am VERY picky about the type of horror I watch and read!
I do love vampires but NOT Twilight! I like Victoria era horrors IE Frankenstein, The Woman In Black, Dracula, The Turn of The Screw and The Woman In White are some of my favourites.
Horror movies I am picky about too! I am not into slasher movies some of my favourite horror movies are Interview With A Vampire, The Wolfman, Fright Night, American Werewolf in London, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and The Lost Boys

4) With November it's time for bonfire night & firework displays. What's the most exciting book you've read that really kept you gripped?
Although I didn't love the book Girl On The Train had me gripped when I read it last Summer
Also Dragonfly In Amber had me gripped with all the twists and turns I love that book!

5) What book is your favourite cosy comfort read?
I have a few cosy reads most of them are classics but at Christmas time I do love a good chick lit to get me feeling cosy! Chick Lit isn't my favourite reading genre but when done right it can make you feel all warm inside feeling lovely and cosy. A few of my favourites are A Very Big House In The Country, You And Me Always, Twelve Days Of Christmas and What Would Mary Berry Do?
But my two favourite ever cosy reads are Little Women by Louisa May Scott and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

6) Curled up with a good book, what is your hot drink of choice?
In the morning times I love a good cup of coffee while reading. I love Costa coffee so that would be my ideal choice but most of the time I also enjoy a cup of tea. I am not into different times of tea only breakfast tea and peppermint tea I have a cute little tea pot for when I enjoy a cup of peppermint. Coming into the colder months I also really enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while snuggling with a blanket and a book

7) Any plans you're looking forward to over the next few months?

I am going to see a musical this week with the hubby so looking forward to that.
I am also looking forward to doing Halloween this year with Oisìn this is the first year he has asked to dress up as some one he wants to be The Hulk which should be fun. This year Halloween falls on a bank holiday in Ireland we are going to have a fun spooky long weekend. We are hoping to pop into Dublin city centre the weekend of Halloween to join in with some of the family fun activities.
Then we have my best friend's baby son's christening which I am looking forward too
At the end of the month my Mam, cousin and I are going to see ballet The Nutcracker which will be a lovely ladies day out and will bring us into December nicely!

Over The Weekend #48/#49 & Change of Seasons Slump

Last weekend for us was the last weekend of Summer

Saturday here in Dublin was a stunning day the temperatures soared and the sun shone

Two of our close friends got married, a beautiful day for a wedding!

My other friend came to do my hair and makeup. I went for a kind of 1950's dress that I have never wore before. I really liked this style and felt very glamorous!

It was a beautiful and very classy wedding, we had a lovely time catching up on friends we

haven't seen in a while. The bride looked breath taking and the groom scrubbed up well too! We seem to be at the age where all our friends and family are getting married, last year we had three weddings, this year two and next year three and each of them have been beautiful and different in there own way.

We danced the night away, took funny pictures and got quite drunk!

My parents babysat Oisìn and it was lovely to have a night to have a few drinks and relax 

Luckily for us my parents also had Oisìn the next day so we could lie in and get over our hangovers in peace!

Since then I seem to be in a bit of a change of seasons slump!

I am in a reading, TV & blogging slump...I finally caught up on all my recorded TV last night! I just can't seem to get into any book I pick up so am taking a reading break

I just can't seem to get with it! I have spent the weekend deep cleaning the house and getting rid of junk. I had two black bags for the bin and one for the charity shop!

I done a bit over an overall on our bed room! I just need to get my mind set out of this little slump I am in at the moment! 

Need to get myself some new Autumn clothes, candles and perfume so a shopping spree is needed once that happens I am sure I will be feeling better.

Going for a lovely lush bath then going to watch X Factor, Poldark & Victoria

Hope everyone had a nice week

Normal post will be back this week! 

Autumn TV Shows I Can't Wait To Watch!

With Autumn fast approaching I am really looking forward to some new shows 

along with some new seasons of my favourite TV Shows 

Here are some of the ones myself and hubby are looking forward to this Autumn/Winter

Victoria~ITV Sunday 28th August 9pm

Jenna Coleman of Emmerdale, Doctor Who and Me Before You, fame has finally got her own starring role in this ITV show. in this eight part drama it follows Queen Victoria's early years and her marriage to Prince Albert played by Tom Hughes.
I think this will be a racier version of the movie Young Victoria with Emily Blunt.
It's been labelled as ITV's new Downton Abbey
as it's taken Downton Abbey's Autumn prime time Sunday night slot but it will only have one week alone in that slot as BBC have there own period drama which they hope will fill the gap Downton has left!

Poldark~BBC1 Sunday 4th September 9pm

For those who don't want to watch the life of Queen Victoria
BBC have there own fight for Downton's viewers with series two of Poldark!
I have tough choice of what to watch and what to record! I think for me Poldark wins!
Clondalkin (my hometown) native Aidan Turner is back as Ross Poldark for this ten part second season. It follows on from last season after the loss of Ross and Demelza's child, Poldark's mining company has gone bankrupt and he has been arrested! Fun stuff all round so!

The Great British Bake Off~BBC1 Wednesday 24th August 8pm
The Bake off is back, who doesn't like a bit of the fab four! Mel, Sue, Paul and Mary make the strange foursome that just seem to make this show!
I can wait to met the bakers and see all the lovely cakes, breads and goodies they bake
but also if there is going to be some drama over, soggy bottoms, non risers and melted ice cream!!
Ready Steady Bake!!!

Goodnight Sweetheart~BBC1 Friday 2nd September 9pm
There are other revivals and prequels on the BBC this Autumn due to the celebration of
60 years of the sitcom, but I am looking forward to revisiting Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart the most. I have fond memories of watching this at tea time with my parents and brother when I was younger. The last episode aired in 1999 and it is a bit bitter sweet that the special will be airing on what would of been my brother's 30th birthday!
I am looking forward to see what happened to Gary as the last episode saw him stay in the 1940's with his WW11 wife Phoebe as the time portal closed and he never got to see his modern wife Yvonne again!
It looks like all the cast is on board and set to be in this special so I am looking forward to seeing what happened to Gary and co!

50 Ways To Kill Your Mammy~SKY 1 Wednesday 28th September 9pm
This funny Irish man and his Mammy are back for a third season
It looks like this time he is not only trying to kill his own Mammy but also other people's Mammy's!
Not alot known about this series yet but if it's anything like that last two it will be just as funny!
Nancy is a legend who else would sky dive, wrestle crocs, scuba dive, shoot guns, fly a plane, and jet ski plus a whole lot more at the age of 72!!

Westworld~Sky Atlantic October No Set Date
This is one the hubby is really waiting for he is a big fan of the cult 70's movie
so he is really excited for this TV drama version. This Sc-fi Western series tells the story of a futuristic theme park called Westworld. The cast is quite amazing with the likes of Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Thandie Newton, James Marsden, Evan Rachel Wood, and Ben Barnes
I am expecting really good things from this, think Total Recall with out the cheese!!

The Walking Dead~Fox Monday 24th October 9pm
A lot of fans where very annoyed with the season six finale cliffhanger
While I wasn't too upset with it, personally I have seen cracks in the show
since season five.
I felt that there was drop in the script writing and story arcs with endless cliffhangers
which have made the show a bit of a caricature of what once actually made it great.
That said I am hoping with the adding of Jeffery Dean Morgan as Negan to the show
along with different characters and storylines this will added to the dept and quality of the season
Now if they just stop with the cliffhangers fan can stop going ape shit crazy!

Gotham~Monday 19th September 9pm
Not much is known about this next season of  this comic book based show
I really enjoy this show and out of all the comic book shows we watch this is my favourite
It's darker than then others but also quite cheesy which I like!
Last season ended with the crazy dangerous patients of Indian Hill being released on Gotham
so we can expect strange villains such as The Mad Hatter, Poison Ivy, and The Tweed Brothers
There is once again no air date for here in Ireland but we will be watching online!

Arrow~SKY 1 October No Set Date
Legends of Tomorrow~SKY 1 October No Set Date
The Flash~SKY 1 October No Set Date
These three DC Comic book show all air in the states in October but the UK/Ireland
are normally a couple of weeks behind. The only DC show we don't watch is Supergirl we tried a few episodes but weren't fans at all so that was quickly dropped.
Arrow follows on after Laurel's death and the attack on Star City from Dhark after a very weak second half of season four here's hoping the storylines pick up and the flash backs are dropped!
Legends first season was quite hit or miss, some episodes where great fresh and new but most where rehashed, dull and boring. Season two has a whole host of new characters which will bring new storylines and action. Here's hoping the budget was upped for more sets as all the different time zones and countries started to looked the same in season one!
The Flash had a good strong second season with cameos, plot twists and fun villains but with the now time jump and different Earths the writers can go and do what they want with these characters.
We already know that Wally West becomes another version of The Flash and that there are some really exciting villains coming our way! I can't wait!

The Crown~Netflix Friday 4th November
Netflix have big plans for this show already planing another six seasons
and with huge budget! The Crown is a drama based around Queen Elizabeth II England's longest ever reigning monarch. Claire Foy will play Queen Elizabeth and Matt Smith as Prince Philip
The first season will focus on the younger days of the Queen and her wedding to Prince Philip with plans in other seasons to follow her  right up to present day.

Gilmore Girls A Year In The Life~Netflix Friday 25th November
I can't not mention The Gilmore Girls who I grew up with, who I watched every Sunday from it's first episode 2000 until it's last episode in 2007. Sunday afternoon's for me where a cup of tea and Gilmore Girls an hour out of life to see what was happening in Stars Hollow, with mother and daughter Lorelai and Rory. People say Irish women talk fast well I think these women give Irish women a run for there money in the dialogue stakes! I love this show and I have so many memories of crying with Rory about her love life and the huge crush I had on troubled Jess!!
I can't wait to see what has been happening with the Gilmore Girls and the people at Stars Hollow

So that's the shows we are looking forward to how about you?

Dear Friday......

Dear Friday ~ I am glad you are here! It's been a long week and we need time to recharge our bodies

Dear Autumn ~ You are amazing I love the colours you bring

Dear Cold Season ~ Go away hubby and son have had enough of you!

Dear Media & Department Stores ~ It's not Christmas yet!! It's not even Halloween yet let us enjoy the changing of the seasons before we think about Christmas!!

Dear Local Park ~ Thank you for the fun family time you bring

Dear Hubby ~ Get well soon and stop being a man and go to the doctors!

Dear Oisín ~ You bring so much joy into our lives, you are only only little but the happiness you bring us is huge. Get well soon my little man x

Over The Weekend #5

This weekend we tried to get those jobs done

that you leave until it has to be done

Saturday we got alot done

Sunday Hubby and I bought didn't feel well

sore ears and tickle throats 

but we did have a lovely Sunday lunch

and then curled up and caught up on some TV

 I woke early Saturday morning

but as it's my lie in morning

hubby brought me breakfast in bed 

and I spent an hour or two reading

We then went to the park for some

fresh air and Oisín enjoyed running 

around with a football! 

 Then it was back home to

get some chores done

Oisín wanted to help cut the grass!

 I got some of the Halloween bits out!

Love Autumn and the cosy feeling of

twinkling lights and candles

 Oisín enjoyed taking some selfies Sunday afternoon

 While we were watching the rugby!

 Used my slimming world syns on this
sharing with the hubby of course
while watching Downton Abbey

Then Batman hubby's favourite
movie!

Our Autumn/Winter To Do List

Now that October is here I thought I would start our to do list

for Autumn/Winter!

* Buy lots of lovely Yankee Candles

* Take long walks with Oisín in the park

* Make homemade soup

* Lots of cosy movie nights

* Lots of yummy hot chocolate with the movie nights

* Buy some more fairy lights for our bedroom

* Dress up for Halloween

* Go to a bonfire

* Light sparklers

* Read lost & lots of books

* Watch The Walking Dead

* Buy Oisín some Autumn/Halloween Winter/Christmas books

* Carve a Pumpkin

* Prosecco and Downton Abbey

* Eat a toffee apple

* Paint at home with Oisín

* Attend an Oktoberfest

* Enjoy lots of seasonal flavoured coffees

* Plant Spring bulbs

* Go Trick or Treating with Oisín

* Watch lots of Christmas movies

* Go ice skating with Oisín

* Have lots of bubble baths

* Go to a Christmas market

* Bring Oisín to see Santa Claus

Wow that's a long list hopefully we will get through it all!!

Our Favourite Autumn TV Shows

I love Autumn TV (I love Autumn in general!)
but I just love all the great TV shows that start back in the
Autumn time. I love after a long day lighting candles
with a glass of wine, cup of tea or hot chocolate
drawing the curtains putting the fairy lights on and
settling down to my favourite shows

Downton Abbey

I have made no secret about loving Downton Abbey
and have wrote about it a few times on this blog
I am so looking forward to this starting again on Sunday
especially as now the hubby really like it too,
but it will be bitter sweet as this is the last ever series
Will Mary find love? Will Carson and Hughes marry? Will poor Edith ever get a break? Will Anna and Bates have a child? Will Downton close it's doors for good? We will find out over the next couple of weeks!

The Walking Dead

From gentle costume drama to zombies!
I didn't start watching this show till last year when Paul
finally persuaded me to watch it. I binged on the first four series
and couldn't wait for series five, but to be honest I was disappointed
with series five while there was a few amazing episodes the season felt rushed
with a lots of filler episodes. I am hoping this season will be better with the
return of fan favourite Morgan, plus anything with Norman Reedus in it is a bonus!

Vikings

Vikings we got into this over the summer while some channels
were airing re-runs. It took me a while to get into it we are just finished season two and now Irish channel RTE is airing season three before season four starts on History in the Spring
It's all filmed in Ireland with a mix for European and American actors. The show is about Viking Ragnar Lothbrok who is frustrated by the policies of his local chieftain who sends his Viking raiders east to the Baltic states but Ragnar wants to head west to the rich Britain. I am really enjoying this show and the acting is really good too!

The Great British Bake Off

I love this show I haven't done much baking this year
as I am following Slimming World diet but I still like to drool over the cakes
and Paul Hollywood!!

Gotham

Another show that Paul got me watching and I was hooked after an
episode or two! This is a retelling of the Batman story with the show starting off when Bruce Wayne's parents are killed. The first half of the first season was more of a cop show with the focus on cop team Jim Gordan and Harvey Bullock solving the crime problem in Gotham. I felt like the story shifted in the second half of the season with us seeing more of the origins of the Batman villains, like Catwoman, The Joker, The Riddler and The Penguin

Gogglebox

We love this show and have been watching since the first season
It's so much fun and we do laugh so much at each episode
On paper it sounds stupid watching people watch telly but it's so much more than that
and we have got to know the varies families The Tapper family, The Michael family and The Malones our favourites are The Moffatt especially Scarlet she is so funny, Leon and June, Chris and Stephen, and Steph and Dom

The Flash

Another comic show you can tell my hubby is a bit of a geek but that's okay cause it's cool now!
I like this not as much as Gotham but Paul loves it! This season was about Barry Allen who's mother was killed aged 11 and his Father was blamed and sent to prison. Now Barry works in the crime lab but a freak accident makes him The Flash which gives him the power of super speed he uses his power to fight crime! It's a good show but a little cheesy at times!

So these are the shows we are looking forward to returning after the summer break but there are also some new shows I am looking forward to watching this Autumn/Winter like The Muppets it will bring me straight back to my childhood! ITV's remake of Jekyll and Hyde and Scream Queens
What will you be watching over the Autumn or Winter?

My Week In Pictures 23/52

This week went by in a flash!
It was a mix of poor Oisín teething and
buying things for our home!

Saturday:

Oisín's face when his favourite cartoon comes on!
We a pyjama day!

Sunday:

Getting more Halloween things for the living room!

Monday:

Wine and The Walking Dead
the best things about Monday!

Tuesday:

Playtime at Ikea!

Wednesday:

Wednesday means bath time!
Someone loves his rubber duckie!

Thursday:

Playing in Granny and Granddad's

Friday:

Walking to work on a bright cold
Autumn morning

Week In Pictures 22/52

Another week gone by so quickly where is the
time going to? This week we
started to set up decorations for Autumn
and Halloween!
Here is our week in pictures

Saturday:

Stocking up on Halloween goodies!

Sunday:

Sunday morning smoothies!

Monday:

Monday walks in the park

We love Autumn walks

Tuesday:

Snuggles with Granny while

Mam and Dad are in work

Wednesday:

This little man loves bath time so much

Thursday:

More Halloween goodies, dotted around our home!

Friday:

Oisín seems to be going through
a growth spurt at the moment
all he seems to do is eat and sleep
not that I'm complaining!