June Favourites.

I didn't do one of these for May but I enjoyed Aprils a lot so decided to get back into the swing of it!

June was a bit of a strange month with some crazy stress at work and it really has flown by! I think because it wasn't the greatest of months I want to make an effort to pick out the good parts because there definitely were a few!

1. NYX cosmetics -

For anyone that doesn't know I have recently been struggling to find cruelty free make up that is affordable and actually works. I can't remember how I found this one but I am so pleased that I did because it's AMAZING.

I have tried a few of the products and loved them all, although to be fair if you know me at all you will appreciate that I am no make up expert and so my opinion isn't that of someone in the know! My daily routine consists of eyeliner and mascara and that's about it.
Now that I've found this site though I 100% plan on getting more skilled with different cosmetic pieces. I might do a more in depth post about the individual bits and bobs I bought but as a general favourite NYX is right up there for June.

2. Going to the gym or trying to -

For the longest time (literally years man!) I have been wanting to regularly go to the gym, end up loving it, being a gym bunny and having abs of steel and thighs that could crush a mans skull.
Now let's be honest for a moment - gym memberships are mad expensive but this became less of a problem when I remembered (after sort of forgetting) that my local gym actually has a free outside section!!

Now that I no longer have the cost as an excuse I have been once and also been to a yoga class. I did know but it was oh so apparent just how unfit I am as it took me about 3 days to be able to put my arms above my head without wincing. I shall persevere though and my aim is to try and go 3 times a week.
Wish me luck.

3. FIRES -

The first campfire I had was actually with my Brownie pack as we spent the evening teaching them how to safely build, light and maintain a fire. We also ate sausages and super sized marshmallows in digestive biscuits.....
The second was a simple one in my back garden with my sister and parents. It has been real summer weather recently and as it was warm enough to sit out we thought we'd make the most of it by having a bbq and then lighting a log, sat with my family and animals while listening to music and drinking pimms. Perfection.

4. Making life decisions -

This is a biggy but as I mentioned it's been an odd few weeks and I've come out the other side having made a few decisions about where I want to head next. I thought I was okay with the plan I had made but turns out it's not what I want, regardless of whether it seems like the sensible choice!
For me enjoyment and being happy with what I'm doing on a day to day basis is so much more important than money or job titles.

So although I don't have a specific idea of where my path will take me I do know that I'm going to make it change and am excited to see where it eventually leads!

So there you go 4 things that were pretty cool about June, I hope your month was fabulous!

What were some of your best bits in June?

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What Girl Guiding means to me.

All I remember about my time in Guiding is loving everything about it and that there was never an evening I didn't want to go to the meetings. I know not everyone will appreciate just what girl guiding is and what it does but I want to try and explain it (granted my gift with words is somewhat lacking and this is likely to end up not truly portraying just how great this organisation is but I feel like trying).

I have gone through pretty much every possible form of girl guiding, I was a Rainbow, Brownie, Guide, Ranger, young leader and now I’m training as/being a guider so would like to think I have a fairly extensive knowledge if it!

To quickly explain the different levels there are – Rainbows aged 5-7, Brownies 7-11, Guides 11-15 and Ranger or Senior Section girls are 16-25. The most important thing that happens in these meetings is that these young girls are put in social situations with other girls outside of school. In the early stages they are only just learning about what it is to socialise and work with other people and associations like this are vital to improve abilities that can be transferred in everyday life and when they are older and in the working world.

The girls are taught to cook, make many crafts, about the world, first aid and responsibility as the sixers are in charge of the girls in their six (Gnomes, Pixies, Elves and Imps).

As you progress through the stages nothing seems as exciting as the prospect of camping without parents. I found the slightly increased emphasis on outdoor and physical activities at this stage to be incredibly fun, some of my favourite memories come from going away as a group.

The level often unknown or forgotten about is Senior Section or Rangers, now there may have only been 4 in my section but my god did we do a lot, including trips to London and to the highest point on the Isle of Wight – singing Disney songs all the way up and having a picnic at the top makes the journey a bit easier.

 So so may fond memories are made when you are a part of something as big as Guiding, I've seen it increase self-confidence, fitness, skills in cooking and craft and not to mention the comradeship gained along the way.

It’s because of this that I want to be able to give back so I am currently doing my leadership qualification, having helped at one of my local groups for 2 and a half years on and off I have recently agreed to take it on myself as the current leaders of the pack are leaving/retiring.

I was unsure whether to fully take it on as it is quite a commitment, I was weighing up if it would be viable and if I was up to it. Just as I was about to turn it down one of the youngest and (I shouldn't say it but) cutest Brownies looked at me one evening and out of nowhere says “I don’t want Brownies to ever end”. That was it, that was the moment I decided that it was something I just had to do, seeing how much Brownies means to the girls is why it had to continue. It’s still a fairly terrifying concept, being responsible for 24 7-11 year old girls but I think I am looking forward to it.

As you can tell from reading this I absolutely adore what Brownies do and all the activities that the recent leaders have done with this pack have been fabulous and thoroughly enjoyed. Having said that I am excited about making a couple of changes for them, mostly focusing on completion of badges as well as more physical activities. Most young girls enjoy all the things traditionally associated with Guiding BUT we need to appreciate that times are changing and so are the girls. A big issue we face is the change to Scouts, now that girls are allowed to join and focus on these exciting physical activities – orienteering, fire building, team building games, a lot of girls are leaving guiding to join them.

 I intend to get my girls involved in getting active and also learning a lot, the badges that can be earned actually suit this plan perfectly. There are so many that require the girls to improve or learn a brand new ability (swimming, cycling etc), get active and be educated about other cultures, food, charities even environmental issues and science – which I am particularly passionate about.

I have some big shoes to fill and I have no idea if I will make a decent leader for these girls, but I do know that they mean a lot to me and all I want is to ensure they enjoy coming each week, they learn a lot but most importantly leave with experiences they won’t forget and lifelong friendships just like I did. If I do half as well at this as the women I have met throughout my time with the association then I can be proud and know I did well!

Lastly a plea – anyone that has previously been involved in Guiding or simply feels like they might benefit from it please, please contact your local pack and offer your help, even if it’s just every so often, especially if you are a parent of a Rainbow, Brownie or Guide. Guiders and young leaders are always needed to continue this incredible work and help the charity grow... yes Girl Guiding is a charity and relies on donations from people and volunteers to run it, without the dedication of people like my brown owl who gave over 30 years of her life to the same Brownie pack, there is no way it could survive.

www.girlguiding.org.uk

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