Blogmas - Day 5 - Gospel Choir Service & Christmas Cocktails

Gospel Choir in CCCU Chapel

So myself and my friend Becks are in the Gospel Choir. It's not only students that are in it but lecturers and people from other places.

We had such a great time. We sang a lot of songs by Kirk Franklin (the King composer of Gospel music)

My favourites were "Now Behold The Lamb", "Precious Lord, Take My Hand", "Reign", "Joy to the World" and "Mary Did You Know". Our conductor also sang us a song with his guitar. I could see my housemates and friends standing up and sing Joy to the World with us. I was really in my element, smiling down at them. It was really something like out of 'Sister Act'. Our conductor was sprinting down the aisle and clapping to the audience. Seriously was a fun night to remember.

Afterwards, myself and my friends went out for a few cocktails and played a bit of pool. I of course went for the cocktails that had more of the percentage of alcohol, compared to the rest of the others. We hadn't been out in a while seeing as we are seriously feeling the nerves getting to us now with everything such as assignments, exams, placement and work. We're all a bunch of busy bees dying to get home and to finally have a break over the Christmas.

The Gospel choir is something of which that I happened to commit myself to, simply because the people are lovely and some that I've met have real soul and passion for music. Every rehearsal that we have, our conductor makes us laugh so so much.

My good friend Becks did a solo in "Now Behold the Lamb"... I still get teary when I hear her sing. If you could just see her, you'd agree that she is just so amazing! Our conductor said that this song will be hers for the next 3 years. 'Proud' doesn't even cover it!

I know this is supposed to be a countdown for Christmas Day but I am actually counting down to the 17th - the day I arrive in Dublin.

11 Days left guys!

Blogmas - Day 4 - Secret Santa Christmas Gift Ideas

Source: Etsy

Etsy

These beautiful gems I recently bought for my housemate (for Secret Santa) from Etsy. The problem with Secret Santa is that for certain people you would know well what to buy them, mine was quite difficult. In the end if she doesn't like the gifts she could give them to her sister or mum. Not a total loss.

But I have come up with an idea. Something of which I'd like... not so sure about my housemate.... sure we'll see on the 14th of December, the day we have our Christmas dinner and open our gifts.

Onto the gifts....

I bought a medium sized blue glittery box for all of the gifts to go inside. I also bought a long white lace strip of snowflakes, so that will be stuck around the box to add a little more Christmas dazzle to it. Not forgetting the silver bow on top... duh!

Inside, stuck to the lid of the box will be a note to my housemate.

"Nurse's Survival Kit.... Especially for you.

+ Sweets (fudge freshly made from a shop in Canterbury town) - to give you energy.

+ Candles [3] (oyster filled turquoise soy wax candles in rose and vanilla scents) - your smiling face lights up the room.

+ Matchsticks - to keep your eyes open from working the night shift.

+ Teabag - relax and put your feet up with a cuppa.

+ Coffee - to keep you awake during long shifts.

+ Marbles - to replace the ones you have lost.

+ Elastic band - for when you are stretched to your limits.

+ Safety pin - because you keep your patients safe.

+ Wooden plaque - a sign that your heading down the right route.

+ Oyster (used to hold jewellery) - You can do anything you want - the world is your oyster."

Let me know what ideas you have. Opened to anything really.

Blogmas - Day 3 - Top 10 Christmas Movies

Source: Pinterest

A dream job that I would love to have would be to work in filming, either in directing, producing or  in script writing. I just love movies and tv shows. So Christmas just gives me the excuse that I can stay indoors all day without feeling guilty and watch as many movies as I want. And all of my friends say that I watch movies like really unhealthily, hahaha. I blame my dad and both of my grandparents for allowing this to happen.

• Love Actually (2003) - It's a must guys!! My whole family and I watch this not even at Christmas. We just love the music and come on!! THE CAST ARE AMAZING!

• It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - My dad bought this one year for me saying that he really REALLY wanted me to watch it. He knew how I would react to it. I just love this heartwarming story. It's about a man named George Bailey (James Stewart) who goes into serious debt with the bank that he owns. He then lets the stress get the better of him and doesn't allow his friends or his family to help him. He then meets an trainee-Angel named Clarence who is there to help him by showing him what life would have been like if he was never born.

• Little Women (1978 (mini-tv series & 1994) - Both are amazing. Winona Ryder plays Jo brilliantly in the movie but I do love William Shatner from Star Trek in the series version. The story is of four sisters growing up, moving away, getting married and pretty much having their lives completely change and yet a lot of what they go through they all are there for each other when need be. It is an ideal movie for Christmas, where you want a feel-good family, romantic, funny movie. There is one moment where you can't help but blub but it's beautifully done.

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Out of all of the Potter movies this one is perfect for Christmas Day. Hogwartz is covered in snow and that really with the huge Christmas trees in the Great Hall is all the magic you need for the day.

• Miracle on 34th Street (1947 and 1994) - Six year old Susan is skeptical of the Christmas myth surrounding Santa Claus, a trait she learns from her mother, Dorey. When her mother is tasked with hiring the Santa who will pose with kids at Macy's (toy store), Dorey enlists a man with the curious name of Kris Kringle (Richard Attenborough) who claims to be Santa himself. His assertions are met with scoffs and threats of institutionalization, but a young lawyer, along with Susan and Dorey, comes to his defense. I do prefer this to Home Alone... now comes the endless groans... I do like Home Alone, but once every 5 years is enough for me.

• Elf (2003) - This is played every single Christmas in our house and once during the year haha. My dad LOVES this film. Will Ferrell who is an elf looking for his biological father in New York city and pretty much standing out with his ott enthusiasm for the festive season, is the best comedy you can watch at Christmas.

• The Santa Clause (1994) and The Santa Clause 2 (2002) - Great memories of watching the first one at my Grans house every Christmas. The second one is my favourite though. I just love when there's a bit of romance in there.

• The Holiday (2006) - This is my favourite rom-com Christmas movie. I just remember coming out of the cinema with my aunt feeling as though it was one of the best feel-good movies I had ever seen. Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Carmeron Diaz and Jack Black... WOW!! And the kids in it are adorable.

• While You Were Sleeping (1995) - I know this movie well off by heart!! I may even sleep talk the dialogue of Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. The really cheesy music and the funny grandmother is what I love about this movie. Plus I like how Lucy (Sandra) doesn't wear any typical beautiful outfits. She's a normal gal where the guys likes her for who she is and I seriously like that!

• Jack Frost (1998) - This is a movie that my brother and I have always watched as children. We would watch it over and over again. I was always heartbroken though by the story how the dad was his sons best mate only when he was turned into a snowman and then he just died in the end!!!! Sorry for the spoiler but god it is sad but I do love it weirdly enough!

So there they are my top 10!! Not in any order as I don't have a number one slot for a Christmas movie. Let me know what your favourites are and why.

Blogmas - Day 2 - Why family is important at Christmas Time

Source: We Heart It

I do wonder what it must feel like to have no family or no one else in the world to care for you during Christmas... I wouldn't want to say "I know how you feel!" because I don't. I feel loneliness at times but then again nearly everyone does.

My mum has always told me that I should take at least one moment of everyday to thank god/ the universe or reflect on everything I have in my life and to be grateful for it. So I do. Usually when it's the happiest point of my day.

When I was younger, probably around six, I was watching the news with my mum, Granny and Granddad and I remember finding out in that moment what death really meant. And during that time I thought it only happened to you as you got older. So I cried by myself by the back door of the house sitting on the floor with the dog beside me. My Mum knelt down next to me and told me that Granny and Granddad wouldn't die... of course it's something you'd say to a child but from then on I made sure to never take them for granted. Christmas is the time to have time to think and to make sure you show your family and friends that you do love them. Then as I got older I saw how anyone could die and not just from old age.

Gifts of course I do love them but to be honest I've never been excited for them (apart from 3 gifts I've ever ever received in my life... to be continued on another post) ... sounding a little selfish.... but I get excited for buying the gifts for people where I know they love to get them. It's tricky in my family as we don't really care about getting them. We're pretty much happy with the goodies, music, movies and dressing up. All the same we still put smiles on our faces to express how thankful we are.

Christmas time is really about making sure someone doesn't feel alone in this world. That they are cared for and that they matter. My parents have invited so many people into our home over all of the Christmases I can remember. A cousin that we had barely known, his mother and father had passed away in the same year and he didn't feel welcomed in his siblings houses for the holiday celebrations, so my parents invited him to spend it with us. Another year my aunt came from the Caribbean and stayed with us for a few months as she tried to sort out her life. Even dads friend was welcomed into our home when he had just separated from his wife and wasn't allowed to see his children.

It's the family that shows us what Christmas really means. And mine really has worn their hearts on their sleeves and has opened our home to anyone who is going through a rough patch. It's all I know about Christmas. And if I didn't have a family I really don't know what I would do at this time of year.

So be thankful and full of praise towards your family. Thank the universe for that goodness you have yet in your lives. Even with every disastrous that is happening in the world today, it really does show you how your life can change in the most unexpected times. Think about that and just take this moment to know what you have right before you!! Christmas lights, decorations, music and gifts will never go away, they will always be around at Christmas in many years to come but family may not.

Love them and share that love to others who need it!!

Blogmas - Day 1 - My Favourite Christmas Tradition

Hello dearies,

Well it's that time again.... Blogmas. The season where I publish a festive blog post every day up until Christmas Day.... (technically as I am posting them the day after it'll be Boxing Day (or if you're Irish, that St. Stevens Day for us.)

I had been pondering whether to do Blogmas this year, considering as I am busier than I was last year.... with Uni work such as assignments & exams, then there's placement, my commitments to the Gospel Choir and also my job.  But hey to me this is kinda like a countdown till I go back to Ireland for Christmas, when I will get to see my family and friends and have great long catch ups with them.

So day one I wanted to tell you all what my top most favourite Christmas tradition is. Now there's just so many to pick from so I'll give you a countdown list to my top favourite. Of course they've changed since my Gran passed away but I'm adjusting to new changes.

- Going to our main town Roscommon to see the turning on of the lights. Sadly I'll most likely miss this particular tradition this year. Usually me and my family see our friends and neighbours in the square of the town. So it's an exciting atmosphere to be around, seeing the town so busy... and trust me Roscommon is such a quiet town!

- Visiting the neighbours and family the week before Christmas.

- Christmas Eve, my family and I ALWAYS go to a pub. It's nice really. Like it's the only special time of year really that mum and dad don't get hammered heehee. If there isn't a fire we don't dare step foot inside the pub. My mother and I detest the cold!! We really should be living somewhere like Egypt!! Going to pubs really is where we have a lot of family time.

- Opening one present on Christmas Eve. My brother and I did this usually because we could never contain our excitement as children. I usually either went of for a gift from my grandparents. I'm a sentimental little thing you see.

- Another Christmas Eve tradition is me usually going out to my Godmothers house to spend time with her kids. I wait for my Godfather to arrive dressed as Santa, telling the kids they better be in bed early as he'll be back later on in the night with their gifts.

- Going to Midnight mass in my main Parish church with my Aunt and Grand-aunt. Sadly my Grand-aunt passed away this year, so it will be very different this year. But it really is such a beautiful site to see. Candles lit everywhere and the two huge Christmas trees. Not forgetting the well crafted manger in the corner of the church. I find that it's such a peaceful place to be, with the lovely choir singing my favourites Christmas hymns.

- I also go to Christmas Day mass with my Mam, Dad and brother, all dressed in our best clothing. I usually do the reading and sing in the choir with my Mam. Dad only comes to hear us sing and say hello to the neighbours.

- Christmas Dinner but not what you think. I don't get excited over the food. I just love to see Dads work. He really is my favourite cook in the world. So I just pretend to show my enthusiasm just to show him how grateful I am. I dread the washing up though.

Viennetta and sherry trifle is always our Christmas desserts.

My Top Tradition

So my favourite thing really is on Christmas Day, where it's the whole family sitting together in the sitting room after our meal... granted we spend ages in our dining room eating our desserts, with our backs to the fire and listening to Christmas music. But it's afterwards when we go into the sitting room and we open our gifts. We usually go in order... sad I know!! And then with the blazing fire on we get comfy for Downton Abbey.

Happy Decmember huns... (thinkin' of Mulan!)

Summer is at an End!

Summer is at an end and Autumn has finally arrived. Wholly jumpers, cosy socks and and hot chocolates are few of the magical things that this chilly season brings to my life.

I spent these past 5 weeks in Ireland, being at home in the countryside, just being where everything is familiar and relaxing. I think that with living in England it's difficult to use my spare time with writing blogs. Life seems to move so fast over there. Peace is THE hardest thing to get in Canterbury. Living with other students that come from big/ loud families (whether that's normal or not I do not know) is not what I'm used to but I myself grew up with my gran who was a quiet, shy person. There would be a lot of silence in the house which I loved. It was usually that time I read, wrote in my journals, slept, watched musicals while having tea and cake.

This summer wasn't anything too special but at the same time I'm glad nothing bad came out of it either. I was lucky to have my family, friends and neighbors. It wasn't the warmest of summers, so there were a lot of days with having the excuse of staying indoors watching movies, baking and playing the piano.

The highlights this summer were the days that I spent at the beach and hanging out with my mum in cafés after a long day of shopping.

So, seeing as this is a catchup, lifestyle post here is the usual photos of my days at the beach.

The sea breeze really does make a lovely change to the disgusting city polluted air that I walk around everyday. Summer wouldn't be summer if not having spent a day at the beach.

Queen Medb (old Irish way of spelling Maeve) was the warrior queen of Connacht, her home being in Rathcroghan, situated in the western Provence of Ireland.  It is said that her father was king of Connacht before becoming High King of Ireland and she became ruler of Connacht after him.  She had five husbands, and ruled for over 60 years.  She was also said to be the reason her husbands became kings, that to be the ruler of Connacht they had to be 'married to Medb' as in married to the land. The first mention of Medb is in the Cave of Cruachan, Oweynagat (in Rathcroghan), in the form of an Ogham inscription on the lintel stone placed in the cave during the 4th or 5th century CE. She appears in much of the literature of early Ireland, and our most famous, epic literary tale, the Táin Bó Cuilnge (Cattle Raid of Cooley) revolves around her, despite being known as the Ulster Cycle. Medb was a woman of her time. Under the Brehon Laws of ancient Ireland women had equality with men, they had the power to raise their own armies, hold their own property, participate in the court system as lawyers and judges, as well as pick their own partners. Marriage was a contract not a sacrament and so could last as long, or as short as the couple wished. 20 years or an afternoon. 

Historically, she would have lived sometime around the years 50 BCE - 50 CE, if she existed as a real flesh and blood queen.  And that is the question - was she real?

To me as a child I believed she existed. The Táin Bó Cuilnge story and Cath Boinde (the Battle of the Boyne)was perhaps 70% of our history module that we did in Primary School, which is funny to think about having spent 8 years there.

Naturally there was cake and some sort of refreshment. I knew this would be my final journey to Shells Café (Funeral March comes in) so I opted for the homemade gluten free chocolate cake and iced tea.

I hope everyone had a more exciting summer than I did. Sometimes I wonder will I ever have those amazing summers like I had when I was younger. The days were hotter, happier and a lot more laid back.

Cheers for reading,

Blogging Vacation is Over!

Canterbury

"It's been a long, long time...."

Wow, this can't possibly be happening!!!! Kayla back to blogging!!

Yes! I have come out of my hibernation and am back to typing furiously about my not-so-exciting life!

I suppose you all deserve to know what has been going on my life. Well first off, I had been working 3 jobs. One of which with M&S, I happened to love. The others, bar-tending in a club and waitressing were quite stressful. Not so much of being afraid of making mistakes but of the owners.

Then in April '15 I left London and moved to Canterbury in Kent to start my nursing course.

It's only been a little over a month into my course and it's interesting in certain areas. Some of the basics are a little droll to hear but it has to be done.

I consider myself lucky to have the house-mates I have because I had a bad enough experience with College house-mates back in Ireland. I live with five girls and all of which have different personalities. Two of the girls I get on really well with. You'll find that we go to church together, sing in the Christian Union together and watch our favourite movies together. Homesickness doesn't seem to be a big deal as I've been living over here since 2013.
There are days when I'm awfully bored but there's always something new to look forward to. For instance I have my bestie Edel coming over in June. Lots to show her and also lots of movies to get through.

Canterbury is perfect for me, with its cafés, library's and parks. I love to walk in a unknown direction and get lost. I'll end up finding hidden gems, like craft shops or old, historic buildings.

My friend Claudia and I like to go for some tea and cake and have a long chat about our interests and stories.

This little park is one of the pretty places I get to stroll through while walking into town.

Canterbury is a very expensive city to live in however, so as a student I have to give myself a set budget per week on saving money. I admit that I take care of myself first because I'm the only love in my life, so a treat is allowed once a week, for example that could be going to the cinema or for a meal.

Getting back to blogging will be hard. If you could ever believe I have more free time now than I did when I was working, so perfect time to be getting back into it.

And another nice thing I get to do today is giving myself the time to catch up on everyones blogs... well the favourites that is, with a nice subway.

Lots of love,