Saying goodbye to my teenage years

Sunday saw me enter my twentieth year, and although not one of the 'big' birthdays like your eighteenth or your twenty-first, your twentieth birthday does signify the end of your teenage years, and I think that's certainly worth note. N and I spent the day in the most perfect way possible, with brunch, a wander through the woods, a picnic, and of course, much, much photo taking.

In the morning, partly from excitement and partly from the cold I've been well and truly struck down by for the past week (Strepsils and tissues have been my best friends lately), I woke up at a less than sociable hour, and unable to sleep spent a couple of hours catching up on Instagram and deliberating over the breakfast menu at Six, where we would be heading later on. N woke up around eight, and after a slightly sleepy rendition of 'Happy Birthday', he popped into the next room to bring my presents through. I was lucky enough to receive some really lovely and thoughtful gifts from my loved ones, including a beautiful photo album from my mum, which I plan to add to every month, the rucksack I've had my eye on for a while now from N's parents, and a gorgeous 'sentence a day' journal from N himself.

We then spent a little time just sitting in bed, and as a pre-brunch snack I had a slice of the banana bread I'd made the night before topped with some creamy cashew butter, accompanied by a fresh espresso. Then, after showering, popping on some comfy, sunshine-appropriate clothes and some low-maintenance makeup (for me, anyway!), N and I caught the bus over to Hove for brunch. By a wide-open window perfect for people watching, we sat down for a delightful brunch of sourdough toast topped with houmous, avocado, roasted tomatoes, portobello mushroom and a hash brown, with organic beans on the side and an egg and bacon for N. To drink, we both ordered water and orange juice, and I ordered an almond mylk flat white, too.

Then, with full bellies, we meandered our way back through the centre of town, stopping at M&S to pick up some picnic supplies, which we then packed up and took to Stanmer Park, in the north of Brighton. As we drove away from the city our surroundings grew ever greener, and with the windows down and some sunny-weather music playing (Day Wave is my go-to at the moment), it got us both in the perfect mood for a couple of hours of exploring the park. When we swung into the car park, we were met with families and groups of friends set up with barbecues and tents, and seemingly endless hills of the greenest grass rolling off into the distance. Spending most of our time in the heart of the city, it was so refreshing to be surrounded by such an open landscape and to breathe in fresh countryside air - I truly believe it's one of the most relaxing things on this earth, and that time spent in nature can do wonders for your wellbeing.

Equipped with snacks, drinks and of course, my camera, we climbed a small hill to reach the forest, which we wandered through until we found a clearing in which we could set down our bags and set up for lunch. N had prepared himself a sandwich in a fresh baguette, and I had brought a little spread of houmous, vegetable tortilla chips, veg sticks, sea salt and black pepper cashews, and falafel. Oh, and we had a bottle of raspberry lemonade and a punnet of strawberries to share, too.

Upon finishing our lunch, I spotted a path through the trees behind us through which a sea of bluebells, which I had been most excited to see, peaked through. I eagerly led N along the path, camera in hand, and immediately began snapping away. There's something so magical about the way the bluebells cover the entire forest floor and create a cloud of the most beautiful hue that weaves its way between the trees.

Before heading home we made our way back towards the green hills where we started, where we sat for a while just basking in the sun and taking a few more photos. Then, we popped back in the car and made our way home, and while N caught up on some uni work, I made a few family phone calls to catch up and say my thank-yous. To end the day, we ordered Wagamama for dinner, which we ate in bed while we watched the BAFTAs.

I don't think the day could have been any better, and it's a day I'm going to treasure for a very long time. Over these past few days I've been taking the time to set my intentions for the years to come, and I'm hoping to make them my best years yet by keeping my mind and heart open, looking for the good in every one and every thing, focusing on my passions and ambitions, and continuing to focus on providing love and support for my loved ones.

I hope you've all enjoyed this gloriously sunny weekend, and I'll catch up with you again soon.