Mr CC has been away with work this week, so it's been a bit of a strange one. I think the last time that we were apart for longer than a night or two was when he did his training to become a firefighter, so it's not something we're particularly used to. But it has meant that I've spent some quality time with Bella in the evenings, particularly on Tuesday when we ventured across the fields (with no coat on!) to enjoy the last flickers of the day's sunshine. Work has been incredibly busy this week, and I have felt very grateful to be able to escape for a while after being huddled indoors for so long.

As the days slip away and we fall ever deeper into spring, it's this call of nature that I'm trying to embrace the most, before another season is done and gone. The creamy daffodils in the corner of our garden are blooming now, and they bob and dance in the early evening breeze when I return from work; a welcoming and cheerful sight. In the hazy light of the dawn it is the sound of the birds' chorus that dominates, beginning softly and crescendoing as the white streaks of light filter across the bed sheets.

I've been wearing an unbuttoned coat to work - even on the morning where frost pricked the grassy hillsides and nipped the air - relishing the cool freshness of morning that a clear blue sky the day before brings.  The wind might be whipping around the hedges and whistling through the cracks in the windows, but it's also the instigator of swirling spirals of blossom petals that seem to almost shimmer in an iridescent light.

Sometimes, in the quiet weeks, I wonder if I have any memories to share, but then I realise that it's often the simple moments plucked from a seemingly ordinary day that are the ones I want to remember the most.

The past week has been full of friends, family, great food and a bit of exploring for good measure. I've done a few productive things on my to-do list - I probably should have made time for a few more - but mainly I've relished actually having some time to walk Bella, take photographs to my heart's content, play Scrabble with my mum and grandma and spend a few hours doing really not a lot.

Easter weekend began by spending a very special afternoon with four out of six of my bridesmaids and my mum at a dress fitting where we indulged in homemade (and for the most part quite healthy) afternoon tea treats. A glass of bubbly and lots of chat made for the perfect start to our wedding countdown; although we still have just over six months to go, things are starting to feel real now, and I've been trying to get organised to prevent last minute stresses. My sister (and maid-of-honour) was an incredible host, and I am now extremely excited about the hen-do in August!

This week was made even better by the fact that Mr CC cooked us pancakes not just once but twice (!) for breakfast. Add a drizzle of local honey and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and you've got yourself a very happy start to the day, and I think it's something we're going to try and make time for more often, not just when it's a bank holiday.

Finally, Mr CC and I took Bella for her first day at the beach (more on this next week!) and I spent a couple of days this week with an old friend from university. We decided last minute to meet half way between where we live - the Peak District - and had a lovely time catching up and exploring our surroundings. More on this in another blog post soon!

What memories have you made this week?

Well it's Good Friday already and, breaking with tradition, Mr CC and I are starting the day with homemade pancakes, smoked streaky bacon and a drizzle of local honey. Hot cross buns will have to wait until tomorrow! There's something quite special about kicking off a four day weekend (for me at least, Mr CC still has to work!) with a leisurely breakfast; it feels like a mini celebration, a bit of decadence first thing to brighten your day. Speaking of celebrations, we spent last Sunday with Mr CC's family to celebrate not one but two birthdays with afternoon tea at a local tearoom. Vintage china and cake aplenty!

We've been trying to take things a little more slowly this week in order to appreciate the little things. Yesterday, for example, was a wonderful day filled with experiments in the kitchen, spring flowers and sunshine. I woke early in excitement to try out my new food processor (almond and chia energy bites - delicious) and then made my way into town where I spent a happy hour picking spring blooms in the florist, browsing the second hand shops and trying to resist the urge to buy everything in the farm shop. There's something quite lovely about a morning to yourself, especially when it ends with homemade vegetable soup and a crafting session in the garden creating a spring wreath (up on the blog soon). These are the things I miss when my working week is so hectic; cooking something for dinner is often a chore and my eyes are usually too tired to craft, so yesterday was a welcome reprieve.

It got even better when Mr CC finished work a little early and we headed home to sit (without coats!) in the sunshine - Bella stretched languidly on the lawn and we played around with the camera for an hour before heading in to make dinner. Sometimes it's the simplest of afternoons that can bring so much delight.

What memories have you made this week?

So many happy memories this week! It's been hectic, don't get me wrong, but that's often the way I like it, as long as my diary is full of positive things rather than simply lots of deadlines. Last weekend was spent with family: Friday night out for a meal celebrating my new job; Saturday night at the village hall to see a live blues band; and Sunday in the garden planting onions, digging veg beds and indulging in my mum's homemade scones. We also took Bella for a walk with a new toy, and I can't resist including this new photo of her looking oh so very grown up.

A beautiful bunch of pink roses have also been cheering up my kitchen table all week (a gift from my mother-in-law-to-be!) which are lovely not only to look at, but also will be a welcome addition to my dried petal confetti for the wedding once they have outstayed their welcome in the enamel jug. Sticking with a floral theme, the deep purple hellebore is out in our garden at the moment and looked absolutely glorious over the weekend in the sunshine.

Things only got busier after the weekend, and on Wednesday we picked up our new (well, new to us) car! We have to be a two car family because of our jobs, and unfortunately Mr CC had been using my old car for far too long - so much so that we decided it was time for a more efficient investment. He has also promised me that mine will receive a full spring clean this weekend to make up for the fact that his is now new and shiny (although I won't hold my breath...).

Thursday (I can't believe we're still in the same week!) was a long day at work followed by a wonderful meal at a local Italian restaurant to celebrate a close friend's birthday. The food was good, the company even better, and it was such a cheerful way to end a busy week. Next week I will be working for a couple of days but then I will be off over Easter, and I am so much looking forward to a bit of time and space to myself, much as I have loved the last few sociable days.

What memories have you made this week?

This week has been such a strange one. It has been full of exhilarating highs and stressful lows, but is ending on a happy note: a new job! I am starting at a smaller company and have been offered a promotion - both swaying factors in leaving my current employment - and although it will be a few months before I officially begin my new role, I am so excited for a fresh start.

Most of the rest of the week was been spent preparing for the interview for said job, never a pleasant or stress-free experience, and it does tend to take over every other element of your life (my house is looking a little worse for wear as a result). My plans for the weekend therefore involve an awful lot of sorting out and clearing up and doing all of those everyday things that have fallen by the wayside over the past few days.

Pre-empting memories, we are going out for a meal to celebrate this evening with friends and family and I can't wait to catch up and switch off from the working week. How are you spending your Friday night?

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Photo via Unsplash.

This week, for the first time this year, I ventured out into the garden to attempt a bit of a sort out. Walking out of my door to be greeted by a gale-force wind, I was pleased to be able to remove my hat and scarf because it actually wasn't that cold (!) and the sun shone the whole day long. Daring to climb the steep bank next to our house to feast my eyes on a whole host of dancing snowdrops, I decided to try and capture their beauty, but photographs never seem to do them justice. I even attempted a video but I need to work on my skills before sharing on here. We also took delivery of our new DSLR camera, and I am so excited to get started!

Over the weekend I managed to clean the polytunnel and give the garden a spruce to prepare for the planting season. There's nothing better than that satisfying feeling of being ready and poised to begin. I also bought some new herbs for the hanging basket next to our front door - I'll be able to swing out and grab a handful now whenever I'm cooking.

Mr CC and I took Bella for a walk with her favourite toy, and spent a happy time running (yes, I know!) through the fields, chasing the wind home for our reward of sausage sandwiches.

I also received some positive news from work this week; regardless of what (if anything) will result from it, it's always nice to hear that you're seen as a valued employee and that people recognise the hard work you put in on a daily basis. Mr CC and I went to the local pub for dinner to finish off the successful day and consumed some local cider before heading home for relaxation, then blogging for me and hammering away making bee hives for him: perfect!

What memories have you made this week?

What happened to the carefree days when laughter, fun and making memories were the only important things? When did life become something to get through in order to reach the end of the day, the week, or the season? I'm as guilty as anyone at wishing away those tough times, hoping that what comes next will be so much better. But what if we saw each trial and tribulation not as something to overcome, rather as an experience that forms and shapes who we are as people?

Admittedly, it often seems impossible to switch off the stresses of everyday life. Work, money, health, family - life can be demanding and we inevitably prioritise the things that seem to require our immediate attention and the things that appear to be going wrong. So what's the solution?

It's time for a shift in focus, a change of outlook and a re-focus on making memories. Life will be difficult - that's not going to alter - but what we can do is look to cherish those happy moments rather than letting them pass us by in a haze of disappointment and stress that has the ability to diminish everything other. Really, that's what starting this blog was all about, and I want to actively create the opportunity to notice the memories that we do make. Happiness comes not only from the moment, but also later as a memory, and can be utilised as a coping mechanism to turn to when you have a bad day, week or even month. With this in mind, I'll be documenting more memories on here, starting with what's been happening this week...

Looking out of the back bedroom window to see the sunrise bleeding into the pale blue sky has been a spectacle this week. The mornings have been crisp; the sort that make you feel like sticking your head out of the back door and breathing in deeply just to fill your lungs.

Bella has been very needy these past few days, wanting to hop on my lap for cuddles every five minutes, and despite being busy in the evenings with work I have loved the attention.

Last Saturday we had friends round for dinner and I experimented with some new recipes: a buckwheat focaccia to go with pesto and pine nut tagliatelle and some homemade lemon meringue ice cream alongside raw brownies. The focaccia left a lot to be desired, but the dessert was a hit! The wine flowed, we laughed and caught up, and everyone fussed over Bella. A wonderful way to spend a weekend evening.

What memories have you made this week?