March 2018 in Numbers

 After the quickest month ever that was February, March was the biggest surprise of the year so far (and I can imagine it being the biggest surprise of 2018 overall!). It certainly wasn't a slower paced month, everything has been so exciting. March is one of my favourite months, because the weather is slowly improving, and the evenings are getting lighter but this month has topped my expectations.

2 trips to the spa. Whilst this is pretty decadent, the first trip was a treat from my parents, and the second trip was due to a fabulous rebooking deal (£49pp for a one course meal, use of the facilities and two x 25 minute treatments). It was exactly what I needed.

1 new house. Dan and I completed on our first home this month, after putting the offer down at the start of January. It's so exciting, and we're starting the make a few changes already! Watch this space.

1 proposal. We're also engaged! Dan was waiting for me on one knee when I arrived at our new home for the first time, and it was so special. 16 March is definitely a day to remember! I'll definitely be writing up a separate engagement post in the future.

1 surprise trip to NYC. To top off all the excitement, Dan started to play 'New York, New York' by Frank Sinatra. Dan then told me we were heading to New York, I was in shock! We spent five nights in one of our favourite cities, exploring downtown and each others company.

What a life-changing month March has been. I've celebrated some really exciting news with my loved ones, and had the best holiday with my lovely Dan! Here's to getting stuck into the wedding planning, and also doing up our new house so it's truly ours.

How has March been for you?

Swapping my iPhone for a Samsung

I've had an iPhone for the past five years, and never imagined straying from Apple. But when my iPhone started to die at 80%, 50% and 30%, and with the apple store telling me that no, my battery wasn't failing but it was coming to the end of its lifetime (after less than two years!) I knew I'd had enough, so I started researching my options. Samsung came up trumps; their phones apparently held their charge, were easy to use and took brilliant pictures.

I took this image on my new Samsung, I've been impressed so far.

The model I chose to go for was the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017), and it was a great choice. The size isn't too far off an iPhone 6, and the screen is a very decent size too. I opted for the gold colour (gold sand), and I really like it. It's definitely a very sleek colour, and the phone is overall aesthetically pleasing.

The Samsung is relatively easy to get used to if you're changing from an iPhone. I did message my sister's boyfriend with a few queries but once you get settled into using an Android, for me it was clear I'd made the right change. I was slightly worried that the Samsung wouldn't have all of my usual apps (mainly podcasts!) but actually that's not been an issue for me. I've downloaded castbox so I have access to my fave podcasts and I'm set!

The charge is one of the best things about the phone, it really does hold; in the first five days of having the phone I only charged it twice which is fantastic. I like knowing that my phone isn't going to die when I'm out for the day, or just as I'm leaving work. The charger also seems to charge my phone really quickly (it went from 2% to 100% in a matter of hours which is very handy too!). So far, I've been really impressed with the charge.

Whilst I haven't had a proper chance to take the camera for a spin, the quality is clearly very good. The images are crisp and clear, and I can see myself using the camera for my blog photos and travel memories as well. I took the picture above of my afternoon tea at the spa recently, and I was so impressed with the quality of the image.

Have you ever thought about changing from iPhone to Samsung?

February 2018 in Numbers

 The evenings are starting to get lighter, and this is one of my favourite times of the year. Winter is still here, but the signs of Spring are starting to show and it's an exciting feeling after the freezing few months we've just had/the bitter end of February! It's been a good month, although I am ready for a bit more sunshine now.

3 books read, including Stacey Dooley's new book which was fantastic. It was so insightful, as her work always is, and I really enjoyed reading it. Stacey's work is so important, and I've always admired what she does.

1 country walk. My Mum and I headed to Wandlebury near Cambridge for a sunny Saturday walk which was lovely.

2 lovely meals with my Grandparents. Spending time with my grandparents is always great so it was nice to see both my parents' parents this month.

1 new phone. I've traded my iPhone in for a Samsung A3, and I'm loving it so far! I definitely made the right decision; the camera and battery life are so impressive.

1 night out with my best friends from school. It was so nice to catch up, and we had a great night in the local pubs!

How has February been for you? Are you looking forward to Spring?