Operation New Year.

First and foremost let me start by wishing you all a very happy new year. I hope it's one filled with happiness and health for you all and I'm certainly looking forward to seeing what 2012 has in store for me.

I spend New Year's Eve with Gary at his house. His parents and I watched Hostel (very festive, I know) whilst he did some work and then they went to bed at 9pm. That left Gary and I to watch my Gimme Gimme Gimme box set until midnight and watch the firework display in a neighbour's garden through the window. It was a lovely way to spend the evening - I'd rather have a night in with Gary and a DVD than a night out, any day. Unless that night out was by the Thames on Near Year's Eve - those fireworks were spectacular and both Gary and I said that we want to go and see them in person one day.

Now to what you'd expect of a New Year blog post - my resolutions. I make a few every year to give myself the best chance of actually achieving one. Last year I didn't tell anyone my resolution as it was a little embarrassing but, to be honest, I'm not embarrassed any more. I vowed that by next New Year's Day, I'd be able to fit into the prom dress I wore when I was 16. During my first year at university, I had to live off ready made foods and couldn't cook anything fresh or healthy. I bet you're looking at this and saying 'yeah, course you HAD to' but the fact I didn't have a kitchen for six months of my degree (actually didn't have one - it didn't exist) might go some way to explaining that. Needless to say that I put on a lot of weight. I didn't realise it at the time but looking back I was the biggest I've ever been and I've never been small to start with. Please tell me you can notice a flaming difference between what I was then and what I am now:

My somewhat lunar-shaped face circa July 2010.

My somewhat less lunar-shaped face circa July 2011.

So on January 1st 2011 I tried on my high school prom dress and, alas, it didn't fit. Nowhere near fit, to be honest. It was a good three inches too small on the zip and even zipping it that high was a challenge. So my resolution was to do something about it. Nothing drastic, nothing extraordinary, I just wanted to fit in that dress. It isn't even like I'll ever wear it again - I don't like it in the slightest - but it was the principle. And guess what. I did it. By no means have I been on a diet this year - I eat Nando's more than I care to admit - but with some exercise that I enjoyed and being a little more conscious of my choices I managed to get Gary to zip up the dress last night. I could not actually believe it. Here's a picture of January 1st 2011 compared to the one I took last night.

January 1st 2011.

January 1st 2012.

I cannot believe that it's the same dress. I'll never wear it again but that's not the point - I am actually in it with it dressed up and it doesn't actually look like the Michelin Man in drag.

So, this year, I'm going to try to keep up the good work. I'm setting myself a little goal because I'm more than happy with little by little. Not being on a strict diet means I can enjoy life. I don't do well when people tell me I can't eat certain things. If I want it, I'll eat it and that's how it is staying. So my resolutions are as follows:

1. Lose 14lbs by my graduation on 13th July.

2. Finish my crocheted blanket.

3. Stop feeling the need to answer to people that don't and shouldn't matter.

4. Get at least a 2:1 in my degree.

5. Tell Gary that I love him every day.

Simple little things that, if completed, will all make me a very happy girl. This year holds big things for me. It's going to be a scary and life-changing year but I cannot wait.

January: A hospital appointment that may result in me having a pretty big operation, my all important interview with Huddersfield for my dream postgraduate course and returning to my last semester at Lampeter.
February: Mine and Gary's second Valentine's day together (but secretly third :P) and a trip to Spain.
March: Moving out of Lampeter for good and completely finishing my degree!
June: Turning twenty-one, going to Paris with one of my best friends, Gary and I's second 'anniversary' and potentially going on holiday with Gary and our friends.
July: Graduating from university!
August: Sunning myself in Tenerife as a well deserved congratuations for escaping from Lampeter without major mental damage.
September: Potentially starting teacher training at Huddersfield and moving in with Gary.
October: Gary's twenty-third birthday.
November: Mum and Dad's 35th wedding anniversary.
December: Another wonderful Christmas and an attempt at seeing whether this year's resolutions have been kept!

I cannot wait to see what this year has in store for me. Thank you for everything over the past few months and I hope to share my exciting new year with the lovely friends I have made through this blog. Happy New Year, you lovely people. :)