Favourite Places

So by now most of you know my living situation, however for those who don't I'll give you a quick recap! I'm studying at university in Canterbury so the majority of my time is spent down there. Its a beautiful city and I absolutely love it! I would definitely recommend it as a place to visit if anyone ever gets the opportunity.

During the holidays however, I live at home in Essex with my mum, brother, cat, dog and lizard (we're an animal family), in a town called Billericay. I know right, weirdest town name ever! Billericay is most definitely a 'commuter town' - we're a thirty-minute train ride away from London and about twenty minutes driving from the nearest 'big' towns. The majority of the jobs in our town are the bog-standard retail and bar work, so most people travel into London, Basildon or Chelmsford to work. There literally is nothing remarkable about our little town at all, except perhaps that Lee Evans lives here (I met him once in the fish and chip shop on the high street, he's hilarious). I spent two miserable years at the local comprehensive school before I moved to Kent, so I don't know it as well as I probably would have done, but I wanted to share a few pictures of what is undoubtedly my favourite part of town.

Smack bang in the middle of our rather grey and bleak little commuter town is a Nature Reserve called Mill Meadows. Its made up of a couple of hundred acres of woodland and open space and is home to all sorts of wildlife, as well as a herd of cows who are let out to graze in the summer. Its a favourite haunt of dog-walkers and truanting school children alike (the school faces directly onto reserve), so there's normally a few people around. When I took my little lap-dog Nancy over there for a walk during the week however, I didn't see another soul - human or animal - the whole time I was there. It was a beautiful sunny day and we had a lovely time running around in the long grass and sniffing things. Well, she did. I mainly walked behind her and took some photos.

(I had my first kiss by this tree....I did say 'truanting school kids'...)

(This always reminds me of the scene in Twilight in the woods - or is that just me??)

These are just a few of the photos I snapped while we were out on our walkies. I don't think I really captured how vast the place is, or how silent. It always amazes me that in a fairly large town, with a fairly large amount of congestion, you can go to a place and just have peace. Its a great place to just go and chill out - not to mention work a sweat up! Its quite hilly! Do any of you guys have a favourite place to go near where you live?

I hope everyone had enjoyed their weekend! I've been stuck at work all weekend and am feeling very bitter about the whole situation! 

Lauren xxx

Fat Bastard Stole My Mojo.

You might have noticed that I haven't really been myself recently. I posted last week about how my job is dragging my mood into the gutter (don't worry, I won't bore you with it all again) and how I was feeling uninspired by a measly 1lb loss after being so good all week. Its fair to say that I was feeling like a bit of a fat bastard. And when I feel like a fat bastard, I lose my blogging mojo.

Well, you will all be pleased to know that, as of this morning, I am back to my 'groovey baby' former self. I weighed this morning before work with a loss of 3lbs, bringing my total to 66lbs, or 4st 10lbs, overall. A decent loss is exactly what I needed, and I was so pleased because while I have been within my points, I haven't managed to get much exercise in due to a very painful shoulder and something of a concussion (long story short, I fell off a pushbike. It was the most exciting moment of my summer so far. Except for Harry Potter coming out, obvs). So yeah, a 3lb loss was exactly what I need to stop me feeling like this:

And get me back to feeling like this: 

I promise that now my mojo has returned I will have some more interesting posts for you all! In the meantime, thanks so much for reading my drivel and bearing with me while I get my head back in the game! I love you all!

Lauren xxx

"Lost are many great commissions by such neglect."

Hello beautiful people!

So it appears I have been somewhat neglectful of my blog of late - I am so sorry. The truth is that I constantly feel so drained that blogging really isn't top of my list of priorities at the moment. I get up for work at 6am and don't get home until 6.30pm - sometimes later - by which time I am absolutely shattered, and want nothing more than to collapse into bed. Don't get me wrong, its not like I have a physically or mentally taxing job, but somehow its so exhausting. Its repetitive and boring and demoralising. I leave work at the end of the day knowing that I've effectively achieved nothing, and that I'll be back to do the same thing the next day. Its not like I'm working on a project and will have something to show at the end of it - its just the day in, day out tedium of robbing the general public and being treated like shit by superiors. I'm not particularly close to anyone I work with - we muddle along fine but I wouldn't call them 'friends' - so its not even like I have that the take my mind off the sheer tedium of the work I'm doing!

Wow, I sound like a right moaner there don't I! I know the vast majority of people out there don't particularly enjoy their jobs, and a lot of people don't even have a job to moan about! For a lot of people work is a means to an end, which is exactly the way I look at this job. It pays my rent over the summer, its convenient and pretty flexible and they offer me hours during pretty much all of the school holidays. I know there's not many places that would do that, so I grit my teeth and put up with it! (And repeatedly tell myself 'one more year, one more year...')

Aaaanyway, now my little whinge is out of the way - the juicy stuff! I lost 1lb at Weight Watchers this week, bringing me to a total loss of 4.5st. FINALLY. When I got on the scales and saw a 1lb loss, I was so pissed off. I was so good last week, tracked religiously and did a ton more exercise than I usually do, and I get a 1lb loss!? What is that about? I'm still fucking seething about the injustice of it all now to be honest. I know that it may partly be due to eating quite a lot on Tuesday (day before weigh-in, what was I thinking!?). I had a sneaky look on my scales earlier in the week and they were showing a 4lb loss, so I know that I was doing well prior to Tuesday's blowout (Pizza Express with my daddy, it was yuuuuuum) and that it may just be 'food weight'. I guess we'll have to wait until next Wednesday to see though!

Also, any other Brits out there getting the 100% arse with this shitty weather!? I think someone missed the memo about it being SUMMER and forgot to turn the sun on! Rain is so tedious. Its got to the point that I've actually given up straightening my hair now, because I know that by the time I get to the station it will look like I've stuck my finger in a plug socket. Its not an attractive look.

Ok, so on reflection this post has pretty much consisted of me whinging about most of the things in my life at the moment!! Maybe I should have continued to neglect the blog - absence is better than misery, surely!? I can only apologise. Just know that I love you all and I've been keeping up with what you've all been up to - even if I can barely keep up with my own goings-on!

Lauren xxx

Harry Potter vs Twilight.

*Spoiler Alert*

I might inadvertently give something away. If you don't want to know, don't read until you've seen the new HP film.

If you read on despite this warning, you're a fool to yourself.

Ok, so by now you all know that I have a majorrrr Twilight/R-Pattz/Vamps in general fetish. Seriously, I love them! There is something extremely sexy about a man with fangs. I'm fully aware that this makes me very weird, but to be honest I don't care.

But in spite of my love for Twilight and my (large) collection of Vampy memorabilia, I am truly a Harry Potter girl at heart. Harry has been what I've known since I was eight years old and read the first book in my Year Three class at Primary School. I vividly remember playing 'Quidditch' in the playground and being sooo excited when the first film came out. I was one of the hundreds of thousands of people who queued up for the books on the day they were released (mine are all First Editions, just sayin'...) and spent days absolutely glued to them, riveted by them. I used a Harry Potter passage for my dramatic monologue at when I went to Drama Academy. I've read all of them at least six times - in fact I've read Order of the Phoenix so many times that the cover has almost completely fallen off. To this day, I can pick up any of the seven books, start reading, and I'm there. I'm in Hogwarts with Harry and Ron and Hermione. The books are like a comfort blanket, a door into a world where none of the normal stuff matters anymore. I don't have to worry about rent and work and essays when I'm reading them. The biggest concern I have is a double Potions lesson and what a little scrotum Malfoy is being. 

And although nothing could ever, will ever, be able to eclipse (ooh Twilight pun alert!!) the books, I do still love the films as well. They may not always be true to the books, and of course they've missed loads of out most of them, but they did what they could with a hell of a lot of details and a two hour time frame. And they are fantastic - superbly written, amazing effects and perfectly cast. Alan Rickman is the most perfect Professor Snape imaginable and Ralph Fiennes is superb. Dan, Emma and Rupert have become Harry, Hermione and Ron, which isn't surprising as they've been playing them for 10 years!

I can't even begin to tell you how sad I am that its all over. Nothing will ever top the excitement of a new Potter book or film - even a new Twilight film can't come close! I dragged myself to the cinema yesterday evening to see Deathly Hallows part 2, despite feeling like death warmed up, and I wasn't disappointed. A wept periodically from the beginning to the end (specially the end!). It is without a doubt the best film of the eight, particularly in terms of being true to the book. They definitely made the right decision by splitting it into two films. Neville Longbottom totally owned it - well they all did really. I totally loved the Hermione and Ron kiss scene (even though they cut one of my all-time favourite lines out of the film! 'Is this really the moment?' Perfect Harry line!), not to mention Ron's threat to the Slytherins in the Room of Requirement! I sobbed like a small child at the death scene, the resurrection of JP, LP, SB and RL (this is me talking in code so I don't ruin it for everyone, I'm pretty sure it won't work but its the thought that counts!) and the final scene. Complete Potter perfection. David Yates did the book proud and an entire generation of Potter kids proud. I think I'm still in shock at it being over - to me the end of Harry Potter is the end of my childhood. We're talking 14 years of loving the books, the films, the characters. In fact, I'm pretty sure Harry was my first crush. I'm still in love with him now. Isn't it weird how you can fall in love with fictional characters? I can't be the only one who does that. And if I am, I'm blaming it on the fact that I'm a Lit Student and a writer and therefore have developed the necessary emotions to create and feel close to fictional characters...or I'm just a sad lonely singleton who is desperate for love.

So to me, there is no competition between Harry and Twilight. Harry wins, wands down. To me, Harry represents 14 years of excitement and enjoyment and anticipation. It might have been criticized for its focus on death, but tell me this - who goes through life without experiencing tragedy and death? We encounter tragedies every day. Loved ones die, earth quakes and tsunami's kill thousands, and sick extremist fuckers plant bombs on Tube trains and fly planes into buildings. These are the things we deal with day in and day out, so how can reading about how people cope with and overcome tragedies be anything other than inspirational? Harry Potter is about overcoming adversity and doing the right thing, which is why it has been such a phenomenon. J. K. Rowling took three misfit kids and turned them into an example of what everyone should aspire to be - brave, moral, loyal and determined. It is my dearest ambition to one day reach into the hearts of millions of people in the way that she has. I think any aspiring writer hopes to achieve that!

In the words of Stephen King, 'Harry Potter is about doing whats right in the face of adversity. Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend.'

I don't love Twilight any less because of Harry Potter, but I can appreciate that Twilight is a love story. Harry Potter is a more of a life story.

A few of the Harry Potter themed postcards from PostSecret this week....

Me too!!

Yep, same....

Thanks for listening to me ramble on! Love you guys! (Not as much as I love Harry though.)

Wearings.

I had the most horrendous nights sleep last night. My neighbours had people over and as my room overlooks both our back gardens I was treated to a ringside seat for their (very loud) conversations. By the time they'd given up and gone to bed it was almost 4am and I was wide awake. So, I stayed awake and watched some Harry Potter and some Castle. I even managed to squeeze in half an hour on the Wii Fit! Apparently insomnia does have some upsides. (suitcases under my eyes and the tendency to rip the throat out of anyone who looked at me sideways is not an upside, FYI.)

Another thing I managed to do was finally get some 'outfit' photos - taken at 6.30am in my back garden. That, my friends, is dedication. I've been meaning to do some forever, especially since I no longer want the ground to open up and swallow me every time a camera is aimed in my general direction. Well, I do. But if I know I can delete the horrible photos then I feel slightly better about it. Slightly.

These were my first attempts playing around with my brothers camera. His is much better than mine so I've been hijacking it at every opportunity! (They're still pretty rubbish pictures, I am definitely no photographer.)

t-shirt, shorts and espadrilles - dorothy perkins

tights - m&s

necklace - topshop

bag - gifted

The main parts of this outfit that I wanted to show off were a) the shorts. I bought them a few weeks ago in good old Dotty P's and they were too small. I relegated them to the back of the wardrobe and forgot all about them until a few days ago. I tried them on and lo and behold - they fit! They're still a little snug around the thighs but they definitely fit! I'm very excited!

The other things was the bag...I am so in love with this bag, I can't even tell you. My dad&co bought it for me as a present from one of their holidays in Spain last year. I immediately fell in love with it and vowed never to be parted from it, ever. Unfortunately they went to Spain in late August, meaning that soon after their return to the UK Autumn rained down hard - and this is definitely a Summer bag! I put it away and, you guessed it, forgot all about it!! I unearthed it the other day and fell immediately in love with it again and haven't been parted from it since. I just love it so much! Its big enough to carry all my junk around in and not so big that I look like a bag lady carrying it around London. It also has ridiculously cute tassles and zips up the side to add a bit of interest. And its real leather, and new enough that it still smells amazing. Whats not to love!?

Here are a few more shots of 'the bag' in action!

Enough room for all my work stuff, plus the trusty WW Eating Out Guide and Track Book of course!

(has anyone tried the Waitrose lunch pot things? I had the thai chicken curry one today and it was yum!)

Yes, it really does hold all that stuff - makeup bag, mini deodorant, WW books and calculator, day planner, purse, keys, iPod, BlackBerry, umbrella, sunglasses, hayfever tablets and a copy of Middlemarch - without even breaking a sweat!

Best. Bag. Ever.

Because Its Easier To Lie Than To Explain.

Let me start this post by saying how much I love my friends. Truly, deeply, more than words can describe. I am so lucky to have such an incredible circle of friends, whether they be from school, work, university or just friends of the family. I know some of my friends check in on this blog from time-to-time - if any of you are reading this, you're amazing and I adore you.

But good lord, do you people know how to wind me up!

Ok, so before I launch into it, a little back-story....

My parents divorced when I was about nine, and I stayed with my mum in our house in Essex. When I got to around twelve, I had the inevitable mood-swings and tantrums that come with puberty (I wish all the young mums reading this all the luck in the world...especially if you have daughters). My tantrums were added to by the fact that I hated my school and was deeply resentful of my dad and his new wife living in a lovely big house while I was living in a grotty terrace with my mum. After two years of this I decided to take myself off to Kent to live with my dad and new stepmum in aforementioned lovely house. I started a new school that I adored, made a great deal of fantastic friends who I am still very close to, and everything was hunky-dory.

Then, a few months ago my dad and stepmum separated. I know, right? This is the example my parents are setting to me. I will clearly never have a functional relationship (they sound boring anyway). Dad has moved back to Essex, mum still lives in Essex, and the long and short of it is that I no longer have a bolt-hole in Kent for when I want to see my school friends. It takes a lot of organisation to get us all together, I have to stay at a friends house and we have to co-ordinate work/uni/college schedules and lord knows what else.

This weekend, we finally managed to get organised for a night out - me and two of my best friends from school, Danielle and Lianna. The only issue I had was...alcohol. I knew that both of them would be expecting huge amounts of alcohol to be consumed. Normally this is fine. In fact normally I'm the one heading up a convoy to the bar and shouting for more shots. My conversation in a Wetherspoons pub normally goes something like this:

Me: Can I have a jug of Woo Woos please?

Barman: Did you want the two extra shots of Vodka in that for another £2?

Me: *snorts* Uh, yeah!

Barman: How many glasses?

Me: I don't need any glasses, have you got a straw??

I shit you not.

Anyway, after careful consideration and assessment of the situation I decided that I didn't want to drink this weekend. This is hugely out of character for me, but my decision was based on the following -

• I weighed in this week (after missing last weeks meeting) with a 1lb gain. Better than I was expecting, but still not great. I'm determined to lose it (and then some) this week, and I knew that if I went out on the lash it wouldn't happen.
• I am so skint! I have to pay rent, and fares, and for my trip to New York - I can't be shelling out for drinks as well.
• I didn't want to make a dick of myself last night (its been known to happen after I've had a few drinks...), nor did I want to spend all day today with a hangover.

All pretty decent reasons not to be drinking, wouldn't you say?

Yeah, try telling that to my friends. They're not the type of people that depend on alcohol for a good time, and we've spent more hours than I like to admit to lounging around, sober as Judges, laughing hysterically at nothing in particular, or else enjoying a nice meal and a trip to the cinema, or shopping...you know, stuff that girls do. By the same token, they don't do half measures. If they're going out for a drink, they're getting drunk. That is fine, its their decision. But if I'd said I was only going to have a couple of drinks for any of the above reasons I would have been laughed out of town and they would have made it their mission to get me as drunk as possible so I could 'lighten up'.

So, I didn't explain. I lied. 

I didn't give them any of the above reasons for not wanting to get 'too drunk'. Instead, I told them that I was on prescription antibiotics and the Doctor had forbidden me from drinking, and that I was already breaking his rules by having a glass of Sex on the Beach and a vodka and diet coke (which was a double, by the way. After I specifically asked for a single. See what I mean?) So that was that. I had a couple of drinks. I didn't get hammered, spend silly money on shots or tell the cab driver that I love him. I had some drinks, laughed with my friends, danced like an idiot and had an amazing night. I even got chatted up by a younger man (although I didn't realise it until Danielle told me later in the night. Apparently I've forgotten what flirting looks like - at the grand old age of 20. How pathetic).

It was easier to lie to my friends than to explain to them why I didn't want to drink too much. Has this happened to anybody else? I don't want it to sound like I'm slagging off my friends here, because I'm not. If I'd taken the time to sit down and really explain my reasoning to them then they would have understood. But it would have been a long and convoluted conversation and saying 'I'm on tablets' was just so much easier. I can't just say 'Weight Watchers' or 'money', it would have to be a whole thing. The Weight Watchers reason doesn't fly with them anyway because they don't think that I need to lose any more weight. I guess they see me now as so much slimmer and happier than I was 4.5st ago that they think I can stop now. They don't think about how I'll be even slimmer and happier and more confident in another 3.5st time! As for the money thing...'don't worry Lauren, we'll buy your drinks...'

"A new baby is like the beginning of all things, hope, a dream of possibilities."

Ok, so I mentioned yesterday that I spent the weekend in Liverpool with my family - what I failed to mention was that we had headed up to meet the newest member of our fast-expanding family.

Welcome to the world, Rosie Elizabeth Wren! 

Isn't she the most adorable little baby you've ever seen? She's the first baby of my eldest cousin Jamie and brings our grand total up to thirteen - and thats just the grandchildren! My nan now has eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, ranging in age from 33 down to two weeks. 

You can probably tell how thrilled she is!!

Saturday was spent driving up to Liverpool (which is always to be said in a Scouse accent, by the way) and then having lots of cuddles all afternoon with the little one. After that we headed over to our hotel and out for an extremely delicious meal before crashing for the night. Sunday saw more cuddles with baby Rosie before we headed home. It was only a very fleeting visit but it was lovely to see the baby and my cousin - I haven't seen him since he moved up to Liverpool last summer. It was also the first time I'd met his partner and her two kids - from a previous relationship, obviously - and they were lovely. They make such a cute little family!

Here are a few more snaps from our visit :)

 With me and great-auntie Sheryl.

With her second cousin George, trying very hard not to 'break' the baby!

Snoozing on Nanny Joan!

With her big sister Ellie.

With Auntie Sheryl again.

Cuddles with her favourite cousin!!

With Nanny Joan again.

Grumpy face!!

Still snoozing! I don't think I've ever known a baby to sleep so much!!

She's so adorable!! I want one!

A Kick Up The Arse, Please?

I AM A TERRIBLE FAT FIGHTER.

Seriously guys, the last couple of weeks have not been good. Points-wise, my days have ranged from 'ok' to 'diabolical' - diabolical being the day I went up to the city to meet some friends and ended up having Pizza Express and McDonalds, plus a lot of alcohol to wash it all down.

My bad.

I hadn't been great in the few days before that either - an indian take-away, KFC and a kebab all snuck in at some point, and I don't even know why because with hindsight I didn't enjoy any of them all that much. Especially the KFC - it just reminded me why I don't eat that shit. Its foul.

I swore to myself I would get back on track as of Thursday, and to my credit I was under points on Thursday and spot-on on Friday. I knew I was going to Liverpool with my family this weekend and that it would involve a fair amount of eating out and convenience food, so I deliberately saved up my weekly points to keep me covered. I tried to eat sensibly yesterday and tracked everything (including the chocolate fudge brownie sundae in the restaurant - thank you weekly points) and I tried to do the same today. Unfortunately the horrid long boring car journey tripped me up and I ended up picking at the crisps and sweets that my nan felt compelled to bring with her. I love the woman dearly, but she is such a feeder! We've not long arrived home to find my stepdad in full swing at the BBQ - sausages and burgers galore, would it kill a man to toss a chicken breast or a lamb kebab on there for those of us who don't burn 12,000 calories an hour? Christ.

I knew after pigging out in the car it would be the easiest thing in the world to come in and carry on, so I dumped (not literally, that would be bad) straight on the scales as soon as I'd put my bags down. 15st 7.5lb, a gain of 2.5lb since I last weighed in, which in reality is not too bad. I think the fact that TOTM is fast approaching may account for some of that as well, GOD DAMN YOU OVARIES, why must you be so horrible to me when I've been nothing but good to you!? I'm hoping that by being super super good for the next couple of days I might be able to 'stay the same' when I get weighed this week. And if not...well, you live and learn, but no more excuses and no more pigging out. I have a holiday to New York and a 21st birthday fast-approaching, I haven't got time to be dicking around!

Must dash, I have to eat a plate of salad while the rest of my family consumes approximately four cows worth of burgers....

Lauren xxx

I've Only Gone And....

...got another award!

This one is from the love Grace over at Oooooh Pretty and I'm quite excited because its a make-up and product-y type affair and I've never had one of those before!!

Ok, so I have to tell you my top ten products of the moment and then link you to my top ten blogger of the moment...should be easy enough!

So, here it goes...

1. N-Spa Vanilla Creme Brulee Shower Gel - it smells so amazing that there is even a 'do not eat' warning on the bottle.

2. St. Tropez Self-Tanning Lotion.

3. Avon Nailwear Nail Hardener

4. Barry M Nail Paint. I'm not fussy on the colour, although at the moment I'm loving Mint Green.

5. Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Moisturiser - Cocoa Butter

6. Maybelline Falsies in Black Drama

7. Schwarzkopf Bonacure Moisture Kick Spray Conditioner

8. Loreal Elvive Colour Protect Shampoo and Conditioner

9. Vaseline Lip Therapy - Cocoa Butter (anybody else noticing a theme here??)

10. Nivea Creme

And my favey blogs of the moment...

1. Jayme and Mendi at Her Late Night Cravings

2. Marina at Fashion.Makeup.Lifestyle

3. Sarah at A Million Dresses

4. Sadie at What Sadie Did

5. Rosie at Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On

6. Charlene at Dainty Dresses

7. Amber Rose at Laughing With Broken Eyes

8. Sarah at Under The Blossoming Cherry Tree

9. Suzette at Girl VS Gut

10. Bonnie at Fat-Be-Gone

Thanks again to Grace for the award!

Today I Ate - The Home Edition.

Hey guys

Ok, so I know I've been a bit of a let-down on the blogging front lately - sorry! My only excuse is that I fail at blogging/life!

I said last week that I was going to make 'Today I Ate' a semi-regular feature on the blog, and I'm here to tell you that I won't disappoint!! Last weeks post showed what I chow down on during a typical work day, but today's post is for a day when I'm at home - ie yesterday. I was supposed to post this last night but then I totally forgot, by the time I remembered it was stupid o'clock at night and I was too tired. So technically it's 'yesterday I ate'. You know what I'm getting at though!

(NB When I'm not at work, the whole three-meals-a-day thing kind of goes out the window. I'm a night owl by nature which means that if I don't have a particular reason to get up early then I won't. This especially applies to yesterday as I went out the night before and had one too many mojitos!)

Breakfast/Lunch/Brunch

Grilled bacon sandwich on white bread,

with low fat spread and ketchup (11)

Banana (0)

Tea (0)

Dinner

Stuffed Chicken and Roasted Vegetables (serves 2)

You will need:

2 skinless chicken breasts

4 rashers of bacon, preferably smoked, with the fat trimmed off.

2 teaspoons of classic pesto

2 teaspoons of extra-light philadelphia cream cheese

1 courgette

1 red pepper

1 onion

8 button mushrooms

300g new potatoes

2 teaspoons of Olive oil

Seasoning

Frying pan

Foil

Roasting tray

1) Preheat the oven to gas mark 6. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in the frying pan over a medium heat. Butterfly the chicken breasts and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until just white. Remove the chicken from the pan and spread 1 teaspoon of cream cheese and 1 teaspoon of pesto over each breast.

Close the chicken breasts and wrap securely in the bacon.

Wrap in the foil and place in the oven for around 40 minutes.

2. While the chicken is in the oven, chop the courgette, pepper, onion and mushrooms and place in the roasting tray. Drizzle over the other teaspoon of olive oil and season well. I always add a splash of balsamic vinegar and some crushed chillies as well.

Roast in the oven alongside the chicken, turning occasionally, for around 30 minutes - or until it looks like this:

3. While the chicken and vegetables are in the oven, bring a pan of water to the boil and add the potatoes. Boil for 10-15 mins until soft.

4. Serve and enjoy!

Stuffed chicken breast (8)

150g potatoes (3)

Veg (0)

175ml Rose wine - not pictured - (4)

Snacks

Cherries (0)

Weight Watcher yogurt (1)

Options Hot Chocolate made with 1/2 mug of semi-skimmed milk (2)

Galaxy Ripple (5)

Total points for the day - 34/37

Exercise - Wii Fit - 3 BP's

If anyone decides to give the recipe a go, let me know how it comes out!

Love to you all!

P.S The lack of weigh-in post this week is due to me not going to my meeting! I had a lovely day out on Wednesday with my wonderful friend Rosie and her little sister, and then met up with some school friends for drinks afterwards. I'll keep you posted on weigh-in next week though!