**Announcing** ~ A Very #CherryChristmas ~ A Giveaway A Day In December!

Some of you may have heard me mention this on Snapchat last night (I'm @ItsCherrySue there too) but this year's festive frivolities are going to be a little different. 

As mentioned above I'm wishing every one of you a Very Cherry Christmas with a Giveaway a Day in December. I will announce each prize on one of my platforms each day with simple entry requirements & choose a winner that evening with the prize popped in the post that very night! 

Once you receive your prize, if you post a picture on any of your social platforms with #CherryChristmas & Tag me, your name will be entered into a draw for a Grand Prize on December 24th ~ And by GOOGLY is it grand! 

Prizes will all be something I use and love and something I have no doubt you'll use and love too. Some will be sponsored by brands, others not. I won't be paid for any of them. This is my way of giving back to you lovely lot once a year to thank you sincerely for the life changing support you've given my boys and I and I relish every minute of it. 

You can enter any or all days. Entry restrictions will depend on postage restrictions but every prize that can be sent internationally will be open internationally ~ I'll clarify on each post. 

My standard T&Cs apply for each of the 25 prizes, as do the standard T&Cs of the platform on which each appears. Pop by daily to find the prize & enter and it really is that simple!

You'll find all of my links below so do get to following (if you don't already) 

 & let's get this snowball rolling!

: ItsCherrySue

: ItsCherrySue

   : ItsCherrySue

: CherrySue Doin' the Do

Monday's Moments - 16/06/14

Oh what a beautiful mooooorning, oh what a beautiful day - what's not to love about the summer months, eh? Sure it's Monday but that means a fresh start and a headlong run into what the week might bring - all good stuff!

The sunshine is certainly lifting my mood but so too are these five Moments that mean Monday blues have vamoosed once again. Catharsis FTW!

1. Cut Price Coffee? Aww Yiss!

You know a product is going to be popular when one tweet about it receives more than 10 retweets in minutes. Lidl, the creative minds behind Secret Garden Dublin have come up with another master stroke. Nespresso compatible coffee pods, for very few pee that are feckin' delish. That ticks all the coffee boxes for me, thanks v much. 

Priced at just €1.99 for 10 (that's just over 20c a cup, coffee nuts), these capsules have replaced my dwindling Nespresso stash nicely and I didn't have to join a poncey queue to get 'em. Two pods over ice with a splash of milk (and occasionally a dash of caramel syrup) have been keeping me going all week & saving me a forch. Well played, Lidl, well played!

2. InstaThrilled

I was hella late to the Instagram party, despite people telling me how much I'd love it (soz, Karen). I bit the bullet last year though and you know what? Everyone was right - addicted. 

I use the instant, pic sharing, double tap mecca for micro blogging - that is sharing sneak peeks of products as they're wrestled from the postie, mini reviews, swatches and snippets of behind the scenes at events. I LOVES IT. It helps that I can creep on everyone else's pics too. This past week I passed 1000 followers, I know in the grand scheme of things that's not huge but pour moi? It makes me happy dance lik dis *does Mr Plough hip thrusts*. Come check out our carry on here  & leave your Insta below if you'd like me to check yours out too!

3. You Made Your Mother Cry...

I often share pictures, videos & threats that the Gorgebags send me daily because, frankly, they're hilarious but Aaron this weekend managed to make me blub with just one PM. 

I know there has been backlash about single mams being mentioned on Father's Day but you know what? Screw those guys. It's damn near impossible pulling double duty when your little ones are still little and yep, there were days I honestly couldn't see the light but truthfully, Moments like this remind me how far we've come and how great a job we've done together. 

If you're parenting on your own and struggling, take heart, it gets so much easier, I wouldn't have our lives any other way now and you'll feel the same way very soon, I promise. 

4. Tuesday's Travels

Speaking of parenting powerhouses, we made a little (ie HUGE) announcement on site yesterday and yep, it's a Moment and a half. My own little Sis, Corrina is joining the Cherry ranks and has signed up to be our getaway expert!

If there's a tip or trick about getting a better deal or picking the right destination in holidays then Stone Travel herself is the one to ask. So that's exactly what I did, I asked. Tuesday's Travels starts tomorrow, you can catch the intro post here. We're hoping that it'll be uplifting and informative and will give you (and your kidlets if you have 'em) the inspiration to pack a bag and see some of the world. YAY SIS!

5. AUSSOME!!

One of the pinnacles of an already kick ass week had to be the email to confirm that we have been chosen as one of the eight finalists in the Aussie Blog Awards, sponsored by Her.ie (check out what they said about little ol' us), not only that but we're in the running for Reader's Choice Award too!

Aussome Company to be in!!

If you know me, or you just read Moment 3 up there, you'll know that things like this are just not what I saw for us only a few years ago. I never imagined I'd find something I love doing so much and turn out to be pretty decent at doing it too. Even more astoundingly, people would like the cut of our jib so much that it would literally change the life we live and the future we now look forward to. That right there blows my mindhole, every single day. 

If you took the time to vote for us, I want to thank you, sincerely. If you'd like to vote for us in the Reader's Choice category, then I'm afraid I might have to kiss you, sloppily, at the party, bring your kissing lips! 

Tell me this and tell me no more - 

What the Moment kicking your Monday Blues 

in the shins?

Monday's Moments 22/8

With Monday being the most depressing day of the week, closely followed by the day before payday (any week), I thought I'd share a few moments of bliss. A bit o' gratitude, if you will, PMA and all that shizz. 

My five top moments for the week, thus far, have been: 

1. You Old Charmer!

Receiving a genuine, heartfelt compliment from someone you look up to definitely gives me a case of the warm & fuzzies. On the flipside I've found that giving genuine & heartfelt compliments to those you appreciate can produce the exact same fuzzies! Win/Win.

2. Wha? I'm Not Destitute? 

This *may* not be me counting my money

Waking up on a Monday and realising, despite your worst fears and best efforts, you haven't obliterated your bank account entirely. This doesn't make me Rockefeller, by any stretch, but it does mean I don't have to think twice before ordering a Frappachino. Bliss.

3. Final Scenes, I Waited & Waited for You! (Rendered by smiling eldest Gorgebag)

Watching the final scenes of a game that's been haunting you and giving you the arthritic digits of a person approximately 6 times your age. Aar would like me to point out that he played on 'Insane Difficulty Level' (So now you know). Though I can relate, seeing LeChuck get his in the final scenes of Monkey Island still gives me a smug sense of satisfaction.

4. False Alarm!!

Proabably one of my all time favourite, unexpected moments of bliss, the alarm going off at 7.30 on a Saturday, Panic! Followed by the most comfortable spot you've ever found in your bed. In yo' face alarm! Please note this feeling cannot be orchestrated, I tried once but knew the alarm was set to go off so I just interrupted my sleep & got up at stoopid o' clock. Fail.

5. I Got This!

Being a single Mam, I'm sometimes (not often) struck by the paralysing thought that I'm doing it wrong. Part guilt, part insania but then you have a conversation like this: 

Me: What's his Mam like?

Ad: I dunno, like you. 

Me: What does that mean?!

Ad: Well, she's cool. 

Cue yours truly welling up and youngest gorgebag storming off 'You are SOOOOO embarrasing!' 

Yup, sure feels good to think about the good stuff, what moments of bliss have you had this week?