Birthday shenanigans

If you've been reading my Blogmas posts, you'll know how I spent my birthday. I feel like I only touched base on how I celebrated due to Blogmas being my top priority at the time so I thought I'd dedicate a post specifically to the shenanigans.

So, Day Nine of Blogmas was the day itself. The day I turned 20. The day I was officially no longer at the 'chavvy age of 19' as Chloe often refers to it as. I booked the day off of work. Effectively, I booked myself a long weekend as I had that Friday off and the following Monday from the full time job and I booked the Saturday off from the part time job.

I woke up at my usual week day time of 6:30. One because Joshes alarm went off, two because I forgot mine off and three because I had a hair appointment, thanks to my mum, at half 8 in the morning. If that comes across as a little ungrateful, please look past that as I wanted my hair cut but I didn't want to be up that early on my day off. Welcome to the down side of having a birthday in the lead up to Christmas! 

After I returned home from my haircut, I did a spot of housework. I know what you're thinking. "She's moaning about having to be up early for a hair appointment but did housework on her birthday?!" The only reason I got my housework over and done with then was because I knew I wasn't going to have the time or energy to do it at any other point over the weekend so I thought it be best to get it over and done with then.

Come half 11, I headed down to my Gran's and the two of us were meeting my mum for lunch. We headed to a restaurant a five minute walk away from my grans called The Pony Inn. Their portion sizing are huge, which we knew before we thrived yet we all still ordered a starter as well as a our mains! It's not as bad as it seems, we only ordered two starters between the three of us. Although I did end up taking part of my main home for Josh to snack on. We shared breaded mushrooms and a bread basket for starters then my mum had some sort of risotto for her main, my Gran went for a small lasagna and I went for the salt and pepper chicken. Oh my WOW!  I think my dish was better there than it is from the Chinese!

After lunch, the three of us went back to my grans to get the dogs and take them for a walk along the he beach. We were surprised as it wasn't as cold as we were expecting. I spent the rest of the afternoon at my Gran's. We watched a Christmas movie that was showing on the TV when my auntie arrived. 

Half 5 soon came around and we headed off the Le Friquet Garden Centre where I went ice skating with my mum, stepdad and my stepdads grandchildren. My Gran and auntie stayed and did some shopping while we were on the rink. Once the skating had finished, we got free pizza and did some shopping.

I didn't just stop celebrating on my actual birthday. I carried on into Saturday.

Saturday morning came around and I went out for brunch with Chloe, Rosie, Sj and Lulu. We went to Muse because I'm basically in love with their Pancakes and the decor in there! Chloe, Rosie and Lulu all went for a fairly light brunch. Sj and I went for the heavier option of the Manhattan Pancakes to share as I knew neither of us would manage a portion each. We got chocolate syrup and bacon to go with our pancakes and the price included a choice of syrups and a side. I know what you're thinking - bacon, chocolate syrup and pancakes are a weird choice. Don't mock it until you try it. Although I think it's an acquired taste as the girls did give me a funny look when I ordered. However, Tasmin liked the sound of my combination so now I don't feel so alien.

Pancakes Manhattan with chocolate syrup and bacon from Muse Cafe

After brunch, we had some time to kill so we went for a little walk through town to deflate a little as we had filled ourselves up on food and drinks before heading off to Oatlands Village. Three guesses as to why we were there! If you follow me on Instagram, you'll have seen this photo (also the one below) of the five of us, plus the boyfriends, as well as Catherine and her boyfriend where we all took part in a chocolate making workshop.

Chocolate Making Workshop 

You would not believe how much fun we all had doing it! The theme was Christmas so the chocolatier had us making a bunch of Christmas themed chocolate treats from snowmen to Santa's. We made rum truffles, white chocolate buttons, chocolate covered marshmallows (the snowmen we made), Santa (it's meant to be hallow inside but none of us shook it for long enough so our Santa's all had legs of steel), Florentines and a bit chocolate mix.

The final outcome!  

Can I just start off by telling how amazing the hot chocolate mix was! I literally want to go back purely for that and I have no doubt in my mind that the others will join me! Due to Santa's solid legs, we had to be careful as we were told a story about one guy who broke his teeth eating a solid Santa and ended up with a dental bill nearing £1000.00! I can vouch for us all and say there have been no broken teeth or steep bills.

As I predicted, Sj was the first to have a chocolate spillage. And when I say spillage, I mean, half of her big piping bag full of white chocolate ending up in a puddle on the floor and dripping off of the worktop! Our chocolatier didn't mind in the slightest luckily. In fact, she joked about it a couple of times throughout the session! 

We were only expecting the workshop to last an hour about we were there for two hours. She even let us try a few little tasters she had made and was waiting to set. When I say tasters, she only offered us the alcoholic chocolates! Happy birthday to me! Will I complain? No. never complain at free chocolate. Or free food. Welcome it with open arms!

As we all had a couple of hours left to spare, the girls came back to mine. We stuffed our faces with a ton of chocolate and watched a couple of episodes of Blue Mountain State before they made their way home. 

Of course, I couldn't celebrate my birthday with my family and my friends and not do anything with Josh. The two of us ended Saturday by going to his works Christmas party. Unfortunately, by then I was completely pooped and struggled to socialise properly so left a little earlier than planned. However, the two of us had a bit of a lazy day on the Sunday. One, because he was hungover and two, because I felt a migraine coming on so had to rest to prevent it from actually forming. Touch wood, I've avoided that migraine so far! I ended up having a lovely stew with my mum and stepdad that night as well.

So that's pretty much it for my birthday celebrations. A whole weekend full. And I was completely spoilt! A massive thank you to my friends and family for such an amazing weekend!

Charlotte.