25 Things I've Learnt In 25 Years!

Hi

As I turned 25 (I know...!) on Saturday, I thought I would do a round-up post of all the random, wise, profound & silly little things I've learnt about myself in the last quarter of a century.

'Tis The Season!

Happy 1st of December!

It's officially one of my favourite and happiest months of the year, and I couldn't be more excited by what's in store! So many exciting things to look forward to!

Vague Adventures: Update 2 - Backpacking Southeast Asia!

We finally did it!!

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram you may have seen this already, but...After months of talking, changing our minds, saving money, and changing our minds again David and I are finally, definitely, officially on our way to travelling around Southeast Asia for 3 months!

Stepping Out Of The Boat

A few weeks ago our topic in Youth Fellowship was about making disciples. It was about spreading the Good News, about telling people about Jesus. This is the greatest mission that a Christian faces, to share the Gospel with others and make disciples.

September Round-Up & October Goals

It's that time of the month again where I let you know how well, or more likely how badly, my goals for the last month have gone! I always have such good intentions, but somehow my motivation/will power just cannot keep up! Septembers goals were slightly varied in comparison to previous months, but as usual it's a mixed bag in terms of how successful I was in completing them. Let's power through, shall we?

This Week: 5 Things

Today is the 7th, which means the first week of October is officially over!! Autumn excitement and pumpkin everything have been all over the internet for a good few weeks now, and it doesn't seem to be going away, which is totally fine by me. I love everything to do with Autumn, so seeing it pretty much taking over makes me so happy!

Vague Adventures: Update 1

Well, it's been a quiet wee week over here, hasn't it? Apologies for that, I fell off the blogging bandwagon for a bit there. I've tons of half written posts in my notebook, and a few more ideas besides so hopefully I'll be back on track this week!

My Top 7 Autumn Activities!

I woke up this morning at 6am and it was still pitch black outside. Usually the sky is already lightening and the sun is coming up, and if it's a clear morning there are a pretty array of colours in the sunrise. It makes getting out of bed so much easier.

This Week: 4 Things

This weeks Sunday post is going up a tad later than usual! Life ran away from me a bit quickly this weekend, and it completely skipped my mind! It's no big deal though, you can still enjoy my ramblings on a Monday morning :)

A Simple Saying...

I read this quote the other day and it was one of those ones that actually stays with you once you've read it.

This Week: 5 Things

Bank Holiday Monday
It's always so nice to have an extra day tagged onto your weekend, isn't it? That one day makes it feel so much longer than it actually is, and in turn the next week is only a 4-day week!

What Does September Mean To You?

This is the month of chilly, crisp sunshine, a multitude of change and new types of adventures. It’s the month of warm colours and cosy clothes, of jumpers and cuddly cardigans, of mugs of tea and coffee to heat cold hands. I love that going for walks always feel that little bit more special when you’re wrapped up in a coat and scarf in a bid to keep the bite of not-quite-frosty-yet wind away and you watch the leaves begin to change.

August Round-Up & September Goals!

September is quite literally just around the corner, and hopefully this year is much like every year previous and there will be a glorious little September heatwave! Just you know, to fool us into thinking that we've actually had some nice weather this summer, before we can settle nicely into Autumn and every amazing thing it has to offer!

This Week: 4 Things

Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
I bought this book from Easons when David & I were down in Dublin for the day last Friday, I started reading it on Monday, during my breaks in work, and I had it finished on Wednesday!

#WeBlogSummer: 10 Things I've Learnt This Summer

The incredible view of Carlingford Lough from Cloughmore Stone.

This weeks #WeBlogSummer post is going up a teensy bit later than usual. Like, 3 full days late. Apologies! Last week I was pretty organised, I planned and scheduled 2 posts to go live while I was away camping (you check those out here and here if you're interested!). I was so proud of myself, because I am notoriously unorganised when it comes to posting. I don't really have any sort of schedule and posts come and go as I think of them!

This Week: 5 Things

Camping
David and I went away on a camping trip, from Sunday to Thursday of this week and it was absolutely glorious! To be honest I wasn't too keen on going for so long, I kinda thought that 2 nights, 3 at a push, would be more than enough time spent in a tent...after all, when we went to Gosford in May we only camped for 2 nights.

#WeBlogSummer: Trends!

Hello! Welcome to a new week and another #WeBlogSummer post!

I decided to give last weeks post a miss, partly because I was quite busy and didn't get a chance to sit down and write it, and partly because I didn't actually know what to write about!

This Week: 4 Things

My blog re-name & re-design
I'd been talking about doing this for so long, and I finally got round to it on Tuesday night! If you like, you can have a nosey at my introductory post here!

David's Birthday - The Highlights!

On 22nd July David turned the grand old age of 23! Cue many tears and much crying, from him. I'm perfectly happy, because it means for the next 5 months I am only 1 year older than him! It's the simple things in life, right?

Welcome to Simply Courageous! ♥

Last night I went ahead and did something I've been meaning to do for ages...I updated and changed my blog name! What Danielle Loves is no more. There are permanent redirects set up though, so hopefully there are no hiccups with links etc.

Welcome to Simply Courageous!

July Round-Up & August Goals!

So here we are at the beginning of yet another new month! August has rolled around, and we should be basking in glorious sunshine, enjoying all the delights that Summer has to offer! Instead, I'm sat inside, watching Harry Potter with background music of rain battering against the window. Definitely not good summer weather. It feels more like October or November, than August!

The Love/Hate Tag ♥

I was nominated to do The Love/Hate Tag by Liz from The Blog of Happy Things about a week ago, I think. Maybe slightly longer than a week ago, I'm sorry! It seems to take me ages to get round to doing these tags! This tag is fairly simple... list 10 things that you love and 10 things that you hate, and then nominate a couple of other people to carry the tag on. Thanks for the nomination, Liz!

#WeBlogSummer: Travel!

This is David's map of North America, and all the stops he wants to make on a massive roadtrip!

Welcome to Week 3 of #WeBlogSummer! If you haven't managed to catch Week 1 or Week 2 you can find them both here, for an introduction into the project and to have a look at the other blogs that have been featured each week!

#WeBlogSummer: Summer Holidays!

Photo Cred - Photographer/Boyfriend extraordinaire, David Lorimer

Welcome to Week 2 of #WeBlogSummer! If you didn't see last weeks post, you can check it out here for a wee introduction into what the project is all about, and to have a look at a few other awesome ladies who are taking part as well!

This weeks topic is all about "Summer Holidays!". Honestly, I actually really struggled with this weeks post as sadly, I'm not really going on any super exciting holidays this year. It's kind of turned into a rambling mess of a post, but I think there's a point in there somewhere!

Recent Reads #2

It's been a while since my last Recent Reads (3.5 months to be exact!) so I thought it was about time I did a recap! In the last 3 and a half months I have read 28 books. 28!

#WeBlogSummer: An Introduction!

Happy Monday! I hope you've had a great day! I've been off work, thanks to a Bank Holiday here in Northern Ireland, so I've had a great day. It may have involved sleeping until like 11.45, watching lots of Chicago Fire and drinking lots of Peppermint Tea...not very productive, but so very enjoyable!

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Tag

A couple of weeks ago I was nominated by the wonderful Jessi from Full of Living to do the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers tag. 

June Round-Up & July Goals!

It's hard to believe that we're at the end of yet another month! Maybe these monthly goals weren't such a great idea after all, all they're doing is making this year fly in!

Mini Adventure - Glenoe Waterfall

Two weekends ago, David and I headed out for a wee drive, and we ended up at Glenoe Waterfall. We weren't heading anywhere in particular, but it felt like it had been ages since the last time we went on a little Saturday adventure! 

Blogging Realisations

It has come to my attention that I'm really not that great at keeping to scheduled posts. It's something I had thought I should work on improving, but after taking part in a Lunchtime Bloggers chat on Twitter during the week, I felt like the pressure had been taken off.

Camping in Gosford Forest Park

Last month over the bank holiday on the 25th May, David & I actually went camping. I say actually because it was one of my May Goals, as David had been wanting to go for ages, and I'm quite proud that we actually went! We decided to head to Gosford, as it's my favourite place in the world (well....maybe just in NI), and I know how to get there easily enough, so there would be no directions drama, which is always nice!

We borrowed my brothers’ tent, filled the car with as many blankets, duvets, pillows & food as possible, and set of for 3 days camping in the beautiful forest.

May Round-Up & June Goals

Sunset at Browns Bay, N.I

As appears to be the theme so far this year, June has arrived way too quickly for everyone’s liking. If I was still in school, I remember exactly how excited I would've been around this time of year. Never mind exams and schoolwork and all that other rubbish, it was almost time to be off for 2 whole months!! Exams were just an inconvenience and the sooner they were over, the sooner we got to leave for the ever glorious summer holidays.

10 Things I Would Rather Be Doing Instead Of Working!

As this goes up, it’s just passed 16:00 on Monday afternoon, and I’ll bet my trusty afternoon slump has well and truly hit. At this stage of the afternoon my motivation disintegrates and no part of me really wants to be sitting in the office, staring at spreadsheet after spreadsheet after spreadsheet.

It usually goes away once I get some Green Tea, and maybe a wee Nature Valley bar, but until then I can think of a million other things I’d rather be doing…

My New Fave Pastime

So on Wednesday, I *may* have bought something pretty special…An adult colouring book.

It's seriously amazing, I'm so excited by it!

One of my friends was given one for her birthday a while ago, but until then I had no idea that these glorious books existed and I was instantly convinced that I needed to get one.

May Goals

Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor, looking sunshiny & beautiful!

So March & April were complete write offs in terms of Goals, but we’ll just call that a blip and move on!

We’re almost in May, and it’s legit scaring me how quickly this year is going in. The last week or so has been beautiful weather-wise, which means that we are creeping closer & closer to summer, and that is crazy!

Fernweh

Fernweh – An ache for distant places; the craving for travel.

David is a dreamer...

Vague Adventures

I’m feeling a little confused at the moment.

A huge opportunity has presented itself to David & I, aswell as my brother and his girlfriend, and it’s exciting, & amazing, & kind of terrifying all at the same time.

Recent Reads #1

Things have been a bit quiet here recently, but that's okay! Here I am again, writing nonsense just because...This time it's all about books!

I'm pretty impressed with how my reading is going so far in 2015. I never gave myself a specific goal in regards to reading, just to "read more" & I feel like I've been doing just that. Mainly on the Kindle App on my phone though, which is slightly annoying.

January Round-Up & February Goals

January Goals:

All The Small Things...

I know that everyone under the sun has said it before but I'm gonna say it again...These days I find that life is just flying past, day after day, week after week, month after month, it's all going so quickly! There are so many of us who say how quickly last year flew in, how fast this year seems to be going & how far away Christmas seems already.

What Danielle Loves...#1

Welcome to What Danielle Loves...#1!

I thought it was about time that I started to actually use my blog title 'What Danielle Loves..." for something useful. At the minute it sounds a little random, and so unoriginal it's not even funny! But honestly, it fits what I want from this blog. I'm writing about things that I love, that interest me or that I am passionate about, so 'What Danielle Loves...' makes sense, for me at least!

Things I'm Excited For in 2015

Carnfunnock Country Park

There is so much to be excited for in 2015! So many plans, half plans & potential plans that I can barely wrap my head around them all.