Small, happy aaaand happy new year!!



Happy New Year to every one of you!!

I hope this year is full of love, laughter and exciting new things for us all!

Thanks for reading (I appreciate it so, so much) and I wish all the best to all of you!

A few of the many highlights of the year include going to Paris, the World Cup in Brazil, seeing my family in Portugal, qualifying as a teacher and moving in with my boyfriend. I need to reflect and look back but right now I'm faaaaar too busy eating Mexican food and waiting for the fireworks (before promptly going to bed #partyanimal).

Here's to 2015! 

Sophia x

Small, happy and a winter walk!

So this weekend my sister and I decided to make our Dad happy (season of giving and all that) and go on a little winter's drive in the beautiful Peak District!

As you can tell, I've always been shy and retiring..


Sister selfie!


This was slightly, blurry but all the others had my sister with a frothy lip! Master photographer right here...


Would you look at this view?! I honestly feel like I'm in Frozen! Although my Olaf was at home in bed in plush form, not bouncing around making jokes! This was the view as far as the eye could see when we took a quick, impromptu drive up to Derbyshire this past Sunday. 

It's so nice to be home and to appreciate the beauty around us. It makes you feel in awe really to know that this beauty is completely natural #gettingdeephere

I love being in Altrincham but Sheffield offers this beauty that is so accessible. It's wonderful and it just made my mind so clear and calm to see this peaceful view. It was nice to just stand there, take it and have some time to reflect. 

This is such a weird time of year, between new year and Christmas where the days all run into each other but I must admit I love it! How are you spending them? Any fun NYE plans?!

I'm planning a Mexican fiesta at home with my sister and our boyfriends! Haha very traditional! 

Sophia x


Small and Happy's Christmas!




Merry Christmas one and all!

I hope you had a fabulous, delicious and restful time with your friends, families, pets, partners, whoever and are enjoying this weekend (extra time off!).  We've had snow here so today entailed a trek to Morrison's (for emergency almond milk and carrots!) and more shovelling than a murderer on a dark night!

I shall move swiftly away from that slightly morbid comparison and back to the festivities!  I didn't take many pictures because I'm not a picture person at the best of times but also because I was spending quality time away from my phone and with my favourite people (and my family too....hehe!)

As an adult child of divorce, the festive period can appear to be a tricky sea to navigate but luckily my family is at a place where we can still all spend it together and these last few Christmases have been some of the happiest we've ever had.  I genuinely mean that, I'm not sugar coating it and saying that it's all perfect, but everyone is in a much better place and that has a knock on effect with us all.

Despite this, I know my sister (the taller one, obvs, hence the blog name!) wouldn't mind me saying this, but she is not in the best place with her own mental health and personal worries at the minute so the fact that everyone can come together and get on and enjoy each other's company was honestly the best gift I could have hoped for!!  But alongside that I got some lovely books to sink my teeth into (The Luminaries, The Miniaturist to name a few),some domesticy presents and some of these fabulous adult colouring books that are taking the world (well, Waterstones, so my world in effect) by storm to do in my spare time.


I also aim to treat myself in the sales at some point but it will all be happening online because I can't stand shopping at the best of times!  Helloooooo ASOS petite..

Anyway before my bank account takes a hitting, I have movies to watch and blogs to read so I'm going to stop rambling on!  How were your Christmases?  Any amazing gifts?  What was the best part of your Christmas dinner?  Any plans for NYE?

Sophia x

Small, happy and the things that make Christmas!


It's Christmas Eve!! 

Are we getting excited yet?! I know I am! I've been desperately trying to shift a cold alongside going to the dentist so it's not been the most jolly and festive of run ups but I am a determined Christmas celebrator (is this a word?!)  so I thought to help send my Christmas excitement into overdrive I would list some of the things that really make me feel jolly and goodwill to all men-y...

1/ Seeing the tree and all the beautiful decorations. Everywhere just looks nicer at this time of year and it makes me feel all magical and sparkly and excited inside. Even the most mundane places look a bit snazzier and it always makes me think about the people who took the time to make their office, supermarket, post office or wherever look a little bit shinier and bright and I think it's so nice that collectively we all enjoy doing that. 

2/ Planning and buying (and wrapping!). While this is arguably the most stressful part( have I remembered everyone? Aaah my budget has disappeared quicker than a mince pie out in front my grandma!) once all the presents are bought I usually sit back and think, no matter whether they love these presents or not the most important thing is that we will all be together and enjoying each other's company and that always calms me. I suppose it's the perfectionist and ultimate nurturer in me that wants everyone to be as happy as can be and to enjoy what they've received and avoid the awkwardness of having to pretend they like gifts but I need to remember that that is not all of my responsibility!

3/ The music! Buble! Obviously one cannot live on Michael alone (though many would try) so I have really enjoyed cultivating a more varied Christmas playlist this year meaning I can still enjoy all the classics but perhaps I can intersperse them with some different cover versions and artists so I can maximise festive listening without getting bored!! It really just gives a bit more of a Christmassy atmosphere listening to songs waxing lyrical about snow and love and chestnuts roasting and all that jazz, don't cha think?

4/ The food! All of the cooking shows offered up by our various chefs get my beyond excited! Even though I am nowhere near taking on Christmas dinner duties I have officially been given Brussel sprouts responsibility so perhaps this shows that I am truly on the first rung of the festive cooking ladder... It is always so exciting going to my grandma's because while she is too old (read lazy) to do everything from scratch (her words not mine by the way!) she can set a table so well it's as if the one and only Martha Stewart has possessed her and the confetti fairy has come along to visit too. If this wasn't very clear, basically she makes a rocking table. This holds true for Easter and any important family occasion.

5/ The general family experience! That old chestnut eh? No one's day goes perfectly, despite what their tweets, instagrams or Facebook updates wish you to believe. Putting different generations together along with a combination of alcohol and high expectations always leads to a few awkward riffs or two, or even a blowout if you're really unlucky/inebriated. However, in my experience there's nothing a good sleep whilst watching some festive tv can't heal. My advice if you have a family like mine is, keep the men away from the kitchen and your mother away from the wine!
(Sorry, mum!) Whatever happens on this day, try and appreciate being together, it is so rare for most families and especially if you have older relatives, be extra loving and caring. We never know how long we have with the people who are closest to us so never end a day full of anger or hate towards someone (even if they did cheat in that last round of cluedo..)

Anyway, I am now feeling fantastically festive (and alliterative apparently) after thinking about the things that really make Christmas and I can't wait to chill out today on the sofa before celebrating the big day tomorrow!

What makes Christmas for you? How do you celebrate? Any cute, quirky traditions in your family? If love to know!

Merry Christmas to all, may your days be merry and bright!

Sophia

Small, happy and the WANDERLUST tag!


I absolutely love travel. Love love love it. As soon as I'm back from one trip I get that desperate urge to be planning something else. I know it's bad to spend your life counting down to events and I should be savouring every moment etc etc and I do, but counting down to a trip just makes evey day so exciting!!

I've been lucky through my degree and choice of work that I have quite a few weeks off work throughout the year and as such travel addiction can be fed and is only growing the more places I see!

So let's kick this off, the wanderlust tag! I've seen this floating around on a few blogs and vlogs so I just had to give it a whirl!

Let's set off...

1. Where was your first plane to?
It will have been to Faro, Portugal. Being half Portuguese I have all my mum's side of the family there so we go every year to see them all. The first time being as a two month old on my very first plane! I'd liked to imagine that I was a perfectly behaved baby the whole time. Seeing as I've never heard anything to the contrary and yet I've heard many a relative laugh about how my sister was such a crier I'll take that to mean that I was a little travel pro from the get go!

2. Where have you travelled to that you'd love to visit again?
Easiest question I've ever been asked, New York, I would go tomorrow if I could. And the next day, and the next day...

3. You're leaving tomorrow, money is no object. Where are you going?
I kind of answered this in the second question but I'll expand it to say I'd do an American tour and then end in the Maldives!

4. Preferred method of travel; planes, trains or car?
I like how with planes you can pretty much go anywhere, however the faff of security and the effects of long haul travel aren't my favourite parts of travel at all! I like the ease of trains, you can get up, wander around and you can watch through the windows to see where you're going. Plus they don't dent my bank account as much as planes do!

5. Favourite travel website?
I love sta travel, purely because being under 26 this is where I book all my flights for my big exciting trips so I always associate it with big adventures!!

6.  Where would you travel just to eat the food?
Hmm, this is hard. I'd love to go to Japan and try all of their sushi and sashimi and ramen. In fact yeah, that wasn't hard at all, Japan!

7. Is there a place you would never go again?
This year whilst in Brazil we popped down to the Iguazu falls which were pretty amazing,however I've seen them now and the area they're in offer nothing else to see really so I probably wouldn't go there again.

8. Can you recite your passport number from memory?
I reckon I could have a good go and get about 50% of the numbers right so probably not a risk I'd be willing to take!

9. Do you prefer the window, middle or aisle seat?
I have the world's smallest bladder so aisle seat every time. One of the easiest ways to piss off a total stranger is clambering over them for the fourth time that hour to 'nip to the loo' while they're trying to sleep.

10. How do you pass the time on the air plane?
Reading, watching inflight entertainment, writing my diary, bugging my travel buddy and asking him lots of boring, lengthy questions. And then getting sad when he mysteriously falls asleep...


If anyone else has done this tag let me know, I love reading these things!

Sophia x

PS - It's almost Christmas!!

Small, happy and graduating...AGAIN!



So throwback to 2012 and here I am tossing my lovely mortar board up in the air upon graduating with a first class honours degree in Psychology from the University of Liverpool. I will interject to add that this photo was a fifth attempt so it means a lot in several ways! Here it was July and I'd just gotten back from Thailand so I was sporting a very nice tan if I do say so myself and feeling immensely proud.

Flash forward to today where I did the whole thing again. Less tanned mind you, a bit chillier, but still very proud, happy and inspired. Today, I graduated again, officially, this time as a primary school teacher. All those early morning get ups dragging myself to placements, the endless observations, lesson plans, targets, naughty children (really selling it right?!) all came down to this moment. To
this day where I can officially teach and do what I really do love, despite those earlier grumbles.

Today is the official start of my professional journey.  Yes, I've been working and teaching and have a class but today's ceremony really kind of kicked it off! I've had my photo (where the man even rearranged my rings?!) and I've made it up the stairs and across the stage to get my certificate without falling and all I can feel is so proud of myself for sticking with it.

Not just the PGCE but the everyday grind of how difficult this job can be. I have had my mind widely opened to the incredibly diverse situations our children are living in. Some children have it all, both materially and emotionally, some children are deprived, in every sense of the word. Deprived of love, support and even sometimes, basic care.

I am aware that I'm not a social worker and their home life is not my responsibility. However, what today means for me is that I have the power to affect change in these children's day to day lives. It is difficult and sometimes I get nowhere. But sometimes I get somewhere and if those children can feel safe and cared for and passionate about learning because of my presence, that is surely a reason to celebrate, no?

At this point I would like to add the the University (Leeds, by the way) clearly didn't think so as they only put on tea, coffee and TAP WATER for our reception! I mean I'm not asking for Moët et Chandon (I wouldn't ask them to take it back either but hey ho) but some prosecco, cava or hell, even a throwback wkd wouldn't have gone amiss in this celebratory occasion!

But perhaps I am just tapping into what is truly wrong with British society that we need alcohol to celebrate. In all fairness they did have sausage roll shaped things that were actually stuffed with cranberries, so perhaps that was meant to be jolly enough...

My grandma certainly didn't think so when she loudly declared, 'where's my sausage?! I wanted some meat!' So perhaps she thought today was a pretty big deal too...

Anyone else graduating in Decmeber?!

If you are congrats and wrap up haha!

Sophia

Small and happy's silent Saturday #2



The beautiful Nicole Warne of Gary Pepper girl in a gorgeous, snowy New York. Isn't this photo just perfection?!

Small and happy's Disney Friday. TOP 5 FILMS.

So, after my second week in my new job I am happy, feeling rewarded and exhausted and about a a million other emotions. Kind of goes hand in hand with teaching I suppose. But anyway, because of my silly busy-ness I haven't done a Disney Friday for a while. I've had this in my drafts for too long but kept holding it back because I couldn't agree with myself on what my favourite of Disney's animations are! But here are the top 5 as they stand (right now!):

The Lion King

This is just classic on so many levels. I really feel like the music in this film puts the movie on another level. Every single song is fantastic, catchy and beautifully animated. Not only this but the story (based on Hamlet, so extra cultural points there!) is brilliant and manages to be both hilarious and uplifting as well as incredibly moving and at points just down right distressing (anyone over Mufasa yet?!)

The characters are great. Zazu ( a hilarious Rowan Atkinson) and Scar (possibly the best villain in a Disney movie?) are just two stand outs for me.

This is a timeless classic and is a true example of Disney at its toe tapping, emotional, magical best.

The Little Mermaid


I'm going to say the most stereotypical thing ever as a girl and admit and I love mermaids ( I also love the colour pink so there you go!) Like any girl watching Ariel swim around with that amazing hair and her awesome shell bikini I was addicted hook, line and sinker. Like the nautical references? I was quite impressed myself. Anyway, as an adult I still love this film. Sebastian is an adorable ray of sunshine. I love the musical sequences, especially Part of your world and Kiss the girl and I always always tear up when her dad turns her into a human. Plus a Prince Eric is definitely one of the best (read 'hottest') Disney princes, for sure.

I just love this film so much I can rewatch it and rewatch it, while Ariel is not my favourite princess there's a lot of top characters in this and it's just a lovely, sweet story.

Tangled


A more modern classic. When I saw this in 3d at the cinema (completely worth it!) I fell in love instantly. I couldn't believe that Disney could still produce the kind of films I loved as a child and I feel so lucky that I am still able to see these films be released and see such good quality. Rapunzel is a princess for our times in terms of her spunky, independent nature.  As well as this, the humour, the music and the characters feel modern and current and yet the old Disney magic is still there. All that combined makes this one of my absolute favourites.

Aladdin

I will never stop loving this movie! I will love Aladdin forever. Thanks to the fantastic Robin Williams it's definitely the funniest Disney movie (totally my own opinion obvs) and the songs and the story is fabulous.  It's just got everything I want from Disney and on top of this the movie has my favourite princess.  I love Jasmine, she is so bad ass and beautiful and has the rare gift of being able to rock harem trousers and makes her own choices like a boss. It is a classic underdog story with a good boy done good, and what Brit doesn't love that? 

Frozen

I feel like Frozen has had a slightly delayed surge of popularity. It seems to be even more popular now than when it first came out and I for one can't quite understand how that can be?! I am proud to say that I was a mega fan from the start! For personal reasons, I think it's the fact that the main crux of the story is all about the love between two sisters and I am extremely close to my own that makes me love it :)  The whole Scandinavian style and animation is all beautiful and I just love this movie for being so adorable and more importantly for always reminding me to just LET IT GOOOOOO!


Ahem.

Now I've regained control and have stopped singing (somewhat) I'd like to hear your favourites!  Are you an oldies but goldies lover or do you love the newbie Disney offerings more? It must be said this was a very difficult decision as a I love Beauty and the Beast and many others, however I purely went off the ones I love to watch again and again.  It's never easy when it comes to Disney!

Happy weekends all :)

Sophia x

Small, happy and currently #3


Buying// My last Christmas presents, yeah for real, I am beyond organised!

Watching// Friends with Benefits, as in I'm literally watching it right now, love a bit of Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis.  Who's hotter though, seriously?!  #toughdecisions

Reading// The Rosie Project again, such a funny and heartwarming read.  If you haven't read it, do, please!

Celebrating// Getting my first full time time teaching job!  Officially got a class of my own!  Feels good to finally be settled.

Thinking// About how lucky I am to have so many good people around me who have been such a support.

Coveting// Pretty much the whole ASOS website, so nothing new there.

Trying// To worry less and not put as much pressure on myself.

Debating// What edible gifts to make for family for Christmas presents (any suggestions would be welcomed!)

Loving// All the FESTIVITY!!  Christmas is coming people...



Small, happy and a silent Saturday #1


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