BeJaguar!!! First trip to e sporting event

Gooooo JAGS

So Sunday was the NFL game that I got Matt tickets for, for his birthday. This is a really show of how quickly time flies by. I bought these back in January and I had to wait 2 months to give them to him which was painful and then a further 7 months until the game! Felt like a life time away but now it is all in the past and that 7months disappeared in the blink of an eye.

I picked The Jacksonville Jaguars vs The Buffalo Bills game. I’m not sure why I just liked the sound of them and I am actually so pleased I picked these teams.

So Sunday morning I decided to dress warmly, if you are in the UK you will know the temperature has dropped drastically in the last few weeks. I picked out one of my favourite autumn dresses from Yumi and grabbed my navy New Look coat from last year.

We headed to a café a few minute walk from our flat and had a DELICIOUS fry up. Annoyingly they were doing engineering works at Redhill over the weekend so we could only get the London Bridge train which was a once an hour situation so it was important we made the 10:01 train! As it turned out we were done eating by 9:20ish so popped back to the flat so I could grab a little cardigan and gloves  as it was much colder than I thought it was going to be and then headed to the train.

It was a long journey to Wembley Park, we stopped off and I got a pumpkin spiced Latte and a pumpkin doughnut from Krispy Kreme.

Such a tasty treat! Felt bad eating him!

The tube was over 15 stops but it went quite quickly and we arrived to a sea of people and a great game day atmosphere! I bought myself a little scarf as it was only £10 and really got me into the game day spirit and meant I had a nice souvenir for the day.

The crowds were crazy! 

We headed up to take our seats just before 1pm (the kick off was 1:30) It meant we got to see all the pregame bits. We saw the mascots coming in via zip wire off the roof, the cheerleaders and the marching band that were just amazing!

The game then started and even that was a show, introducing the team members of the Jaguars with bursts of fire and smoke! The game started and Matt had to explain the rules to me as I had forgotten to look that up (again time slipped away, I kept thinking hey I have loads of time ill look later)

Some snaps from the game

I started to get really into it and in the second quarter I saw the Jaguars get 3 touch downs one after the other taking the score up to Jag 24 – Bill 3. It stayed this way until after half time when the Bills made an amazing touch down and their luck changed and the score flipped to Jags 27 – Bills 31.

I had really gotten into the Jaguar spirit and I really wanted them to win and it was all getting quite tense but the Jaguars managed to get one final touch down which made me leap from my seat and wave my flag like a mad woman.

The final score was Jags 34 – Bills 31… I really got into the spirit and I really REALLY want to go back next year I think it is a must! I didn’t realise but this was their first UK win and ended up being a pretty epic game for them!

There were flags waiting for us on our seats 

The crowds were crazy getting out and ended up at the shop to get Matt a hoodie, unfortunately we queued for near on an hour and they were sold out, alas it dampened his mood a little. However we then headed off to Bond Street. One of the reasons I was really pleased I picked that game was Ed’s Easy Diner (which is one of my favourite restaurants) were supporting the Jaguars and they had a special menu for them and also a deal where you could claim a free milkshake if they got a touchdown which they did so YAY free milkshake!

I ordered the Blakes #5 QB Burger which was 2 pattys with cheese and BBQ pulled pork and Matt went with the HUGE Jaxson’s Jump with triple patty, triple bacon and 3 types of cheese. It was delicious and I was STARVING as I hadn’t eaten since the morning. We then washed it down with a delicious Oreo milkshake and headed home.

Soo sooo tasty!

 I will definitely be going back next year, I had such a blast and enjoyed the game and the atmosphere and I am proud to say I am now a Jacksonville Jaguar fan!

Exciting mid week adventures.

I've been looking forward to the week just gone for a good few months.

On Wednesday I left work early and headed up to London to meet Laura at leister square. We then headed up to Camden to see a band we loved as teens, Jack of Jill!

We also meet up with Emil as we haven't seen him in YEARS! and a friend of Laura's from online too that I hadn't meet.

We grabbed some grub and headed to the gig, there were 2 support bands so we hung around upstairs having a chat and then headed down stairs. The band came on and I did really enjoy it, it was a little bit strange as my tastes in music and style have changed a lot over the years. I'm more of a soft banjo playing Mumford fan, rather than lots of angry screaming. I have also swapped my black baggy clothes for more cutesy colourful dresses. However I am glad I went to see them as I would of given my right arm to see them as a teenager. I haven't been to a gig like that in such a long time and seeing friends from years ago was like I was thrown back 10 years ago!

Then on Friday I had a half day from work ready to go to Tulley's farm! I've been looking forward to this all year!

I picked out my Iron Fist dress to wear as it is the ‘spookiest’ dress I owned with little butterfly skulls on it! Unfortunately it doesn’t fit that well anymore alas but I thought it still made quite a cute outfit! I wore a pumpkin hair clips (which disappeared somewhere in the haunts pretty early on alas) and my flashing badge I got in Tiger a few weeks ago!

I made dinner for me and my Mam and we headed off about 5pm. I decided to go early because last year Sarah and I got there around 7:30 and there were big queues and we didn't have chance to do it all! So we got there for opening.

I was surprisingly quiet! Actually really quiet. We got into the first haunt which was a circus themed one almost straight away! It was quiet nerve wracking waiting to get in and I was suddenly hit with the memories of how scary it could be from the year before. I didn’t need to worry though it was hilarious and I have a great time. My Mum like my sister didn’t enjoy the ‘balloon’ bit where you squeeze through inflatable walls and she had a little moment at the Hunted house where we had to step outside for a moment but she recovered quickly!

I thought yeah take my mum she will be brave and protect me, I was WRONG and instead she shoved me in front and did more screaming and running away that me! Haha! It was great fun though. I don’t think it got properly busy until about 8:30pm and that’s when we were coming to an end. It was nice not having to queue for so long for each haunt! 

I then braved the last one on my own which involved having a bag on my head in the dark. I missed it last year and was determined to do it this time! It wasn’t too bad actually, the scariest part was being on my own at the back scared I would get left behind and get lost!

I thought we would be back about midnight but as we got there so early I was home about 9:30pm… that was the only disappointing part that it was over so quickly as I have having such a blast!

I will defiantly be returning next year and I can’t wait! I hope my sister will come next year and my Mum will come back as I think it would be great to have us all there!

I love the fact that it is scary but so much fun. I ended up leaving most the haunts with sore cheeks from laughing so much! There was one where I ran into multiple walls which was pretty funny and I have some bruises on my legs from running into a table.

So know its time to wait a WHOLE year until I get to go again! Boo hoo!

Another year older, another year wiser but still just a Muggle

So I am now 27, EEEP crikey. It is terrifying to think I am really REALLY an adult and 30 is now only 3 years away! It only feels like a year ago that I was turning 21, I have been promised that my 30’s will be amazing so we will wait and see I guess. Until this I will enjoy being in my 20’s still.

If you saw my previous post you may have seen that my week off didn’t start quite according to plan alas. But Wednesday rolled around and I had a nice relaxing afternoon and saw my Aunt for a little bit. I then headed to bed for 11:30pm. This is a big thing for me as I am usually very impatient and I open my presents at midnight! I decided to wait till the morning which I am glad I did.

We got up about 7:30am, which is crazy early for a day off I’d say! But I wanted to make the most of my day. I had to sit outside the living room eagerly waiting for Matt to ‘finish’ a surprise for me. When he let me in I was so excited. He has dressed all the Poes in little hats, and he had, had them printed on a cake too and there were candles light and a hand drawn Happy Birthday sign. It really meant a lot to me especially as it was the first celebration in our flat together that he decorated it up a bit!

 I unwrapped my gifts and I was really surprised Matt got me the time turner I had been pining after. It is beautiful and is the real silver and gold one I wanted! I am terrified I might lose it so I may buy a safety chain to clip on it! I also got some Harry Potter Pop Funkos, and got a beautiful dress and shirt! I also spent my gift card the lovely ladies at work got me on Friday on a penguin jumper which you can see below too!

 I then got ready and I picked my new elephant dress. I bought some navy tights to go with it and paired that with a navy cardi and a backpack as I wanted to be hands free all day! We then headed to The Harvester to have breakfast. I had planned on a simple crumpet and fruit type breakfast as my tummy still wasn’t feeling 100%. However when we got there I was actually quite hungry and pretty unhappy about missing out on a fry up on my birthday so I caved and got one! I did however give some to Matt as I couldn’t manage it all! It was well worth it as it was DELICOUS!

The motor way was insanely clear and we arrived around 11:45am. Our tour started at 12:30pm so we had a fair bit of time to wait. We looked round the gift shop and I excitedly started make a mental list of how I was planning on spending my birthday money, and then we sat outside for a while as the sun was shining gloriously and it was the first beautifully sunny warm day that week!

We queued up just before 12:30 and headed in! We did the first part with the cinema and little talk and I got to push the doors open to the great hall as it was my birthday woo! I was so excited and I got Matt to snap as many photos of me with my favourite props and sets as possible and I took WAY too many photos myself… It is hard to pick just a handful out of the hundreds but here they are!

The sets are all beautiful 

I did the broom stick thing this time! That was loads of fun, I didn’t do it last time because of the queues and the fact that I really hated photos or videos of myself (shame really!) this time however the queues were only around 10-15 minutes long and I really wanted a photo!

I love this picture and I got to pick Gryffindor robes

After looking at all the beautiful sets, we headed into the next part which was the main reason for my visit THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS! It was really awesome and you got to go up inside it too which I hadn’t realised you could do! It was stunning and exactly how I imagined it would have been!

I tried so hard to get through to platform 9 3/4 but it didn't work

When you come off you can have your photo in a booth to look like you are on the train (which we did and bought!) and then you get to have a few snaps and play around in another booth with a video that plays in the window! I really enjoyed that part!

So happy I got a snap of Matt to keep!

We got through into the middle bit, and I was ready for a sit down! We both got butter beers (I got the fancy one with the mug you get to keep and Matt ended up getting 2 disposable ones) It was warm enough you could sit outside which was GREAT! It meant we got to do all the outside stuff properly and sit down and really enjoyed our butter beers (last time we went it was SO COLD outside we spend a minimum amount of time outside and rushed through it!)

I wish I could drink butter beer all day long

Couldn't resist getting a snap on all the things outside

The next bit was all the inside information, the how they did it and the artwork and what not. I love this bit too as it is so fascinating and interesting the amount of work that goes into making films.

Then you head up Diagon Alley. I remember it being longer and I kind of wished it was but it was really awesome regardless! I love peering into all the shop windows.

My favourite shop

Then the last bit which is defiantly a favourite of mine was the Hogwarts model. It is just stunning and the atmosphere in there is perfect. It just makes you wish SO HARD that it was all real and you could really go there. I won’t stop hoping that maybe one day I will get my letter ha! You just have to sit back and take it all in!

The Hogwarts model... so stunning

You then go through the wand shop bit with the names of all the people that worked on the films on wand boxes, again this is really atmospheric and pretty impressive.

And then you end up back in the gift shop! I was pleased I looked at the beginning as I was pretty tired (it was about 5pm by this point and I was starving) I picked out a few bits. I got myself a beautiful T-Shirt, chocolate frog, Muraders map mug and a souvenir guide. I really wanted a wand too, but I decided against it as it was quite pricey and I wanted to save some of my pennies for other things.

My mini haul

While we were paying I also got a ‘It’s my birthday’ badge! I was pretty pleased with that!

And with that we headed home. It was NOT a clear drive home, actually it took about double the time but I guess the M25 at rush hour you wouldn’t expect anything else. We then got a pizza and garlic bread from Morrisons on the way home and I really enjoyed that and ate while watching so Star trek next gen. The evening was spent being lazy in our pj’s just watching TV and playing on the internet.

It was one of those days that I just DIDN’T want to end, and I didn’t want to go home either. It went so quickly and I enjoyed every moment of it. I then popped into the shower and Matt relight the candles on my cake and sung Happy Birthday too me which was the perfect end to the perfect day!