LuLaRoe Has Won Me Over + Giveaway!

Some of you might remember a few weeks back I mentioned that I really didn't "get" the whole LuLaRoe obsession that seemed to be taking over the internet. I thought okay they make leggings, what's the big deal?! People kept adding me to Facebook events/groups and then I saw they had other items like shirts and dresses, but I still didn't understand what the big deal was. I would see all these notifications and seriously I was like, "WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"

So when I mentioned it on here, I had a very sweet reader (Hi, Jen!) comment and tell me that she was a distributor of LLR and would be happy to chat with me about it. She explained it better to me and I finally could see where the fun was in this business. Each piece is only made in a limited amount, and the people who sell it don't know what they are getting each time they order more inventory. So it's always a surprise for them, and always a surprise/unique experience when people are shopping their items.

This infographic is a BIT old so the numbers are slightly different now, but it helps illustrate how unique the pieces are! :)

Jen SO graciously offered to send me some goodies in exchange for a blog review of them. She stressed multiple times that she wanted my honest feedback no matter what I ended up deciding about the clothes. Well, I decided that they are FABULOUS!!! When I first looked at the options she had, I wasn't sure I'd find something I loved. There seemed to be a lot of floral or wild patterns and those aren't typically what I would wear. Yet the solids seemed too "safe" for my first LLR... decisions, decisions. After some thought and some digging through Jen's Facebook albums of inventory- I found the pair for me.

They're a fun pattern with colors I love, but not so crazy that I feel like people would stop and stare at my leggings in public. ;) Jen happily found me a navy blue Irma top that I think looks great with them. The clothes are honestly SO comfortable and I like that the neck is high on the shirts. An absolute must for carting around a baby or toddler, if you ask me. The leggings are the perfect thickness that I like and the top is long so everything is covered in the back.

The sizing can be a little tricky to figure out at first, but I feel like most Facebook groups do a good job of explaining how they work. Just be sure to check out the charts for each item before you purchase. The prices scared me a little bit at first, but now that I see the great quality of the items I feel 100% okay with the cost. The leggings are all $25 but don't you spend that (or more!) on a pair of good pants from LOFT, Gap, J. Crew, etc? Totally worth the money you guys. You all know I'm not a big spender but LLR clothes are worth every penny- promise.

My wardrobe has been in such a funk since having a baby and LLR clothes make me feel comfy and stylish again. Moral of the story: Jen rocks. I loved collaborating with her and will certainly be purchasing from her in the future. If it wasn't so close to Christmas I probably would have already bought a whole new wardrobe from her.

Lucky for you, Jen is giving away a mystery pair of leggings to one of my readers! You pick the size, Jen picks the pattern and color.  Just enter below and I'll announce the winner on Monday, December 5th!

We Party Hard

The level of exhaustion I feel this morning is not one I have felt in awhile. Holy moly did we celebrate over the past few days. Jared, T and I visited both sides of my family on Thanksgiving day, visited some of his family the day after that and then celebrated an early Christmas on Saturday with my immediate family. T hung in there like a champ for the most part which was such a relief. He struggled getting to sleep some since he was overly tired, but once he was out he was out for the night, like normal. I know I'm biased but seriously, I have the best baby, haha. I joke with Jared that we shouldn't have any more because there's no way a second baby will be this easy! ;)

I loved being at my Mamaw's house on Thanksgiving Day. While a little piece of my heart is always sad that my grandpa isn't here anymore, it's amazing to see our family grow each year, too. There are now 4 great-grandbabies and another one due any day now. I love seeing cousins and aunts love on my little guy and getting to love on their little ones right back. Between all the chaos and laughter there was plenty of food and fellowship with my family.

Since my sister and her family were in town, we celebrated Christmas and exchanged gifts with them while they were here. It was so fun getting to watch my little niece's excitement over all things Peppa Pig and hear how grown up she sounded! It blows my mind how fast kids change- she is so smart and funny! We enjoyed gifts, plenty of  m&m cookies and laughing at my mom's creative gift tags.

The last few days involved lots of driving around and lots of house hopping but it was all worth it. I love sharing our little boy with our family and it's so special having another member in our family this year. I can only imagine the next month will feel just as crazy, but just as special :)

TLFG: 28 November - 4 December 2016

Welcome one and all to the latest edition of TLFG.

I hope you've had a good week. I actually had a few days off and managed to see not one but two games in the time available.

On Tuesday I went back to Earlsmead to watch Harrow Borough take on the rapidly improving Dulwich Hamlet in the Ryman League.

A few weeks ago, Harrow had somehow managed to win the reverse fixture at Champion Hill by a resounding 4-1 scoreline. Sadly, that performance seemed like a distant dream this time as the Hamlet cantered to a very comfortable 2-0 victory which could easily have seen them score several more.

On Thursday I pulled out my passport and headed off for a bit of European groundhopping.

The teams line up ahead of the match at the well appointed Luminus Arena

Over the years I've been to most of the continent's most famous stadiums so I now enjoy ticking off some of the more random ones.

Having suggested a few games to my fellow hoppers in the Netherlands and Germany, it was decided that the Europa League game between Genk and Rapid Vienna most appealed so that's what we went for.

To me names like these conjured up memories of growing up in the '80s when teams from virtually anywhere in Europe could win or seriously challenge for Uefa honours.

Belgian teams and their unusual names have always held a kind of romance and mystery to me - the likes of Ghent, Mechelen, Anderlecht, Club Brugge etc etc have always appealed in some way so it didn't take much to persuade me to go.

Being someone who works in the railway industry, I have the considerable perk of being able to travel all over the continent at a much reduced rate or even free in some countries, so I travelled by train.

The journey from St Pancras, with a change in Brussels, only took four-and-half hours so it was pretty easy.

Genk go close to doubling their lead

After meeting my friend Ashley, who had driven from Dusseldorf, we headed to the Luminus Arena for the evening's entertainment.

The ground is a bit like a larger and more modern version of Loftus Road with much better leg room and sight lines - in fact, QPR's proposed new stadium could do well to copy it.

With friendly staff and stewards, the visit began well.

The match itself wasn't a classic with the hosts winning 1-0 courtesy of a pretty scrappy first-half goal. The ground was also far from full but both sets of 'ultras' created a decent amount of noise so the atmosphere was good enough.

I've got another week off in February in time for the first knockout round so maybe I'll be on the rails again.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 100 matches in the London area over the next week as the EFL Cup, FA Cup and FA Vase make their return. There is also action in the Premier League, EFL, National League and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 28 November

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Leicester City @7pm - the pick of the day's U23 matches takes place at Boreham Wood in the far north of London
Fulham v West Ham United @7pm - in the division below we've got a London derby which you might prefer as it's being played at Craven Cottage

Ryman League Division 1 North
Haringey Borough v Thamesmead Town @745pm - if it's a non-league game you're after, this is the best on offer

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Tuesday 29 November

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Torquay United @745pm - currently fifth, the Daggers are currently London's highest ranked non-league side. The former Football League club welcome another team more used to playing in the fully professional ranks and a win could put them in the top three
Sutton United v Dover Athletic @745pm - just behind them are Dover who have been steadily improving over the last couple of season's and made the play-offs last time. With three wins on the bounce, they're going to be tough opponents for midtable Sutton
Boreham Wood v Braintree Town @745pm - we're pretty spoiled for good games in this division tonight. The hosts take on strugglers Braintree knowing a win could leave them just three points adrift of the play-off places

FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round Replay
Wealdstone v Maidenhead United @745pm - if it's cup football you want then this match should get your mouth watering. The Stones have been have had a dodgy time of late so did really well to earn a 2-2 draw at National League South leaders Maidenhead on Saturday. To illustrate how strong they are, it should be noted that the Magpies played most of the game with 10 men, so with their numbers restored it could well be a tricky night for Wealdstone

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Metropolitan Police @745pm - after an average start to the season, the Hamlet are starting to look like contenders again. With eight wins from their last 10 matches in all competitions, they can give anyone in the division a game right now. The Met are struggling and should be defeated with relative ease
Staines Town v Enfield Town @745pm - from a London perspective, these two are currently second and third in the Ryman League standings behind Dulwich. Staines could draw level with the Champion Hill club if they win while Enfield, with games in hand on both, could ultimately surpass them both

Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy
Barking v Clapton @745pm - this cup is fought for by members of the Essex Senior League and this East London derby is one of the ties of the round. Not only does it feature two local rivals but Barking are top of the league and looking like champions already

Surrey Senior Cup
Chertsey Town v Abbey Rangers @745pm - on the other side of London we have a very local derby between sides from neighbouring Surrey towns. Chertsey obviously come from Chertsey while Abbey hail from Addlestone but when you look on the map, their ground is pretty much in Chertsey too so they really are close

FA Youth Cup Third Round
Watford v Norwich City @7pm - if all this non-league action isn't your thing, you can watch the respective U18 sides of these two lock horns at Vicarage Road

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Wednesday 30 November

EFL Cup Quarter-Final
Arsenal v Southampton @745pm - we're now down to the last eight as the domestic season's first bit of silverware starts to come into view. Given how successful they've been in the FA Cup, the Gunners haven't shone quite so brightly in this competition. With only two wins, the last way back in 1993, you'd think they were due another one soon. It all really depends on Arsene Wenger's team selection and how seriously he takes it. Southampton come into this on the back of a win over Everton and are the type of team that should be throwing everything at this cup in order to win it

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Thursday 1 December

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Wolverhampton Wanderers @745pm - wow, December already! You can get the festive month underway with a visit to Loftus Road for this televised game between two former Premier League sides who should be doing better

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Saturday 3 December

Premier League
West Ham United v Arsenal @530pm - with six teams in the top flight, not many weeks go by without a derby and we've got another big one to look forward to at the London Stadium. The Hammers have had a poor season and are winless in four but they picked up a great point against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday which will no doubt raise their spirits. The Gunners, however, haven't lost in a while and historically have a far superior record in the head-to-head. It should be noted though, that they only managed to take one point off West Ham last season but Slaven Bilic's side were performing a lot better than the current bunch
Crystal Palace v Southampton @3pm - the Eagles and in particular manager Alan Pardew face a critical afternoon. With their losing run extended to six games on Saturday and now only goal difference keeping them out of the bottom three, they really must arrest their decline soon. As already mentioned, the Saints are no mugs and will start the game as favourites
Tottenham Hotspur v Swansea City @3pm - Spurs finally lost their unbeaten record at Chelsea on Saturday but they've got a great chance to bounce back with this game against the struggling Swans. The Welsh club have been poor this season but even they managed to beat Palace this weekend to show just how troubled the Selhurst Park outfit are

Championship
Fulham v Reading @3pm - if you're struggling to get a ticket for any of the above then this game offers a great alternative. Any game between Reading and one of the division's trio of west London clubs qualifies as a derby as the Royals are only 25ish miles west of the capital. Likely to travel in significant numbers, their fans should produce a decent atmosphere to cheer on their team who are currently third after winning five on the trot

FA Cup Second Round - at this stage of the competition the remaining League One, League Two and non-league clubs do battle for the big prize of a third round draw potentially against one of the biggest clubs in the country 

Charlton Athletic v MK Dons @3pm - the Addicks took a very tidy point off promotion contenders Sheffield United on Saturday so they should fancy their chances of progressing against MK Dons who are struggling towards the foot of the League One table
Sutton United v Cheltenham Town @3pm - the U's wrote their name into FA Cup history back in 1989 when they beat then top-flight side Coventry City in a third round tie. Cheltenham won the National League title last season but have struggled to adapt to life back in League Two and are well and truly there for the taking

National League South
Dartford v Poole Town @3pm - currently fifth and sixth with only goal difference separating them, these play-off contenders should produce one of the matches of the day at this level

Ryman League Premier Division
Staines Town v Havant & Waterlooville @3pm - as mentioned above, Staines are one of London's main contenders in the division this season. On Saturday they welcome the current leaders who have responded really well following relegation from the National League South
Hendon v Enfield Town @3pm - elsewhere we've got a north London derby to enjoy at the Greens' new Silver Jubilee Park ground

FA Vase Third Round - at this stage of this national competition for sides predominantly in the ninth and 10th tiers, we're down to the last 64 teams. The winners of each tie pocket a cheque for £975 and move one step closer to a dream Wembley final in May

Abbey Rangers v Eastbourne Town @3pm - Abbey only moved into the 10th tier last season and after winning an instant promotion are up in the Combined Counties Premier. It's quite an achievement to have also have got this far in the Vase. Their East Sussex opponents play at a similar level so it should be pretty close
Croydon v Glebe @3pm - the Trams welcome fellow SCEFL members Glebe to the Croydon Arena. Although the visitors play in the division below, they're challenging for promotion and will fancy their chances
FC Romania v Tring Athletic @3pm - not normally covered by this blog, FC Romania are playing this match at AFC Hornchurch's ground so make the list for one week only. Technically gifted, the Essex Senior League side are usually good to watch but Tring aren't a bad side themselves
Sun Sports v Hoddesdon Town @3pm - only a couple of places separate these Hertfordshire rivals in the SSML table so we should get another evenly matched tie here
Wembley v Peterborough Sports @3pm - it would be quite something if the side from Vale Farm ended up playing at the national stadium but with Peterborough currently top of the United Counties League, the draw has not been kind to them

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Sunday 4 December

FA Cup Second Round
Millwall v Braintree Town @2pm - in National League strugglers Braintree, the Lions couldn't have hoped for a much better draw. Now back in decent form in League One, Millwall's main problem should be complacency

FA Vase Third Round
Sutton Common Rovers v Corinthian @3pm - the 3G pitch at Gander Green Lane plays host to two important cup ties this weekend with groundsharers SCR hoping that they and Sutton United both take a step closer to Wembley
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GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving EVE, my friends! I hope some of you are already off work for the week, or at least get out of the office early today? Our offices rarely closed early for the holidays due to the nature of our business, but I won't lie- I'm pretty sure it's not all that productive of a day at workplaces anywhere today. How can you focus when you're already dreaming about the feast that you're about to have? I cannot wait to eat corn and mashed potatoes at my Mamaw's house tomorrow! And obviously desserts. Lots of desserts.

Last Thanksgiving with my Mamaw. And Baby T in my belly!

If you're going to be doing some shopping Friday (especially from the comfort of your couch!) don't forget to check out my Etsy shop! New releases will be out and we're going to have some great discount codes AND freebies so be sure to check out Instagram for those. Even if you're not necessarily a paper planner kinda' gal, lots of our stickers work great on an every day wall calendar, deskpad at work, etc. I personally use birthday stickers, date night stickers and appointment boxes on the calendar in our kitchen so Jared can easily see what we have going on, too. Okay- enough shameless plug. Just shop our sale! ;)

Last time Aunt B was here!

My sister and her family arrived in town last night and I'm so excited to get to spend some time with them in the next few days. They haven't seen T since he was about a month old and I know they cannot wait to spoil him while they're here. I got a glimpse of what my future holds when my sister texted me this picture from my parents house last night. My niece had been there less than an hour, lol!

I'm thankful for all of you for reading along, for commenting (or stalking! ;)) and for the blogging community. I hope you all have a fantastic holiday weekend with friends and family. 

A Thankful Week

I feel like my heart could just explode with love at any given minute this week. The holidays always remind me of how truly blessed my life is but this year I feel it even more. We kicked off the holiday season over the weekend celebrating Jared's birthday (the 19th) and his dad's birthday (the 20th) plus had our first Thanksgiving with family. Talk about a lot of celebrating rolled into one weekend!

We played games at our house Saturday night with Kayla + Caleb and I'm pretty confident it was my worst losing streak ever. I lost at Banangrams, Life and even Sequence. I blame mom brain and lack of sleep, but we still had a great time. Playing games is one of my favorite things ever and it's nice to be able to still make time for them with friends. Definitely the perfect 'night-in' activity for us to host.

Jared and I were typical newb parents and we packed everything we could possibly ever need for little T and spent Sunday afternoon at his parent's house. Delicious food, football, gifts, cake and lots of laughter rounded out the day. T only napped about 30 minutes while we were there which was a tad stressful on this momma, but he hung in there like a champ. When we finally got home that little boy crashed hardddd and was still recovering the next day, I think. Let's hope he can keep up with the rest of the busy holiday week ahead!

And yes, you might have noticed some Christmas decorations up there in those photos... it's true. This is the first year Jared and I have ever decorated this early. We have always done it the day/weekend after Thanksgiving but something got into us Friday night and we decided to put everything up then. I absolutely love putting our ornaments on the tree and enjoying all the memories that come with each one. Jared and I both have tons of childhood ornaments from our own parents and grandparents and we are looking forward to buying T his own first ornament this year!

I hope you are all counting your blessings this week and looking forward to a few days away from work soon! Cheers to this short, holiday week!!

TLFG: 21-27 November 2016

Welcome one and all to the 239th edition of TLFG! 

I know you can barely contain your excitement but it's been a momentous week again as not only did QPR win their first match under returning boss Ian Holloway but tickets for a match at Arsenal against a decent opponent went on general sale!

Now that you've had a chance to digest this staggering news we can get on with the rest of the blog.

What else has been happening I hear you ask?

Well it's all looking rather good for London clubs in the Premier League right now. Chelsea beat Middlesbrough on Sunday to go top while Arsenal and Spurs scored very late goals to consolidate their places in the top five, while Watford are in eighth after beating reigning champions Leicester.

Tickets for Arsenal v Southampton in the EFL Cup are on general sale

However, it's not looking so great for Crystal Palace and West Ham who are dangling precariously above the bottom three. The Hammers have been around this part of the table all season but it's Palace fans who must have the alarm bells ringing in their ears as defeat against Manchester City on Saturday extended their losing run to five consecutive matches which is currently the worst of any side in the division.

In the Championship, Fulham are still the best side the capital has to offer at the moment with their draw against Sheffield Wednesday moving them up to eighth just two points off a play-off spot. 

AFC Wimbledon continue to make all the headlines in League One from a London perspective. This week the Dons played Bury at home twice in the FA Cup and league and beat them 5-0 and 5-1 respectively. The former sets up a very winnable second round tie against non-league Curzon Ashton while the other propelled them into the top six. On Tuesday they face an intriguing derby match against Millwall at The Den.

It's unlikely that any hugely positive news is going to come out of League Two this season but Barnet are the more likely to create it. Slap bang in the middle of the table, they are only three points off the play-off places but so are many other teams so it's wide open. The Bees are unbeaten in five, so seem to be hitting some half-decent form.

From my point of view it's been a busier than normal week when it comes to fielding questions from you fine people. Keep them and your stories of groundhopping and football tourism coming.

I've got this week off and hope to go to Harrow Borough v Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday and will be heading to Belgium on Thursday for the Europa League match between Genk and Rapid Vienna. 

The weather here in London is pretty grim at the moment so always check before you travel whether a game is still taking place.

Also, if you've always wondered what Cockfosters at the far end of the Piccadilly Line is like, you might get some idea by reading the latest piece by 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game' who paid a visit to the local football club recently.

That's it from me - enjoy your week!

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are almost 90 matches in the London area over the next week as the Champions League makes its return. There is also action in the Premier League, EFL, National League, FA Trophy and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 21 November

Premier League 2
West Ham United v Blackburn Rovers @7pm - the Hammers' U23 side are pushing for promotion and could climb to second if they win this game at Dagenham & Redbridge

Middlesex Senior Cup Second Round
Barnet v Enfield Town @8pm - now playing three divisions apart, these old north London rivals have been paired in the county cup in what must be the tie of the round

Ryman League Division 1 North
Aveley v Thurrock @745pm - it's derby time over in Essex where these two, who play about a mile apart, do battle in the race for a play-off spot

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Tuesday 22 November

League One
Millwall v AFC Wimbledon @745pm - the game of the night is this derby at The Den. The League One table is extremely tight with only five points between sixth and sixteenth and these two sit within that group. Millwall were among the favourites for the title but have found things tougher than expected while the Dons have confounded many by forcing their way into the play-off places. Since re-forming, the visitors have never played Millwall in a league game so this is an historic occasion! 

League Two
Leyton Orient v Exeter City @745pm - with both teams in the bottom five, this is most definitely a relegation six-pointer. The O's have beaten fellow strugglers Colchester and Hartlepool in recent weeks so there is hope

National League
Boreham Wood v Sutton United @745pm - we've got another derby at Meadow Park where teams from the opposite ends of the London area meet for the first time this season. Sutton are the bigger club but it's The Wood who find themselves closer to the play-off places after a win over Southport on Saturday

Kent Senior Cup
Welling United v Dartford @745pm - it might only be a county cup game but these two provide one of the bigger non-league derbies on the south-east side of town so it should be worth a watch

Ryman League Premier Division
Harrow Borough v Dulwich Hamlet @745pm - a big game at either end as Boro look to take some of their great cup form into this tough league match against one of the capital's biggest non-league clubs. When they met earlier in the season at Champion Hill, Harrow stunned the footballing world by winning 4-1 and they badly need a repeat performance (I'm hoping to go to this one)

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Wednesday 23 November

Champions League
Arsenal v Paris St Germain @745pm - this match should decide who wins and who comes second in Group A as they're locked together on 10 points with two games to go. The Gunners have only lost once this season in all competitions while PSG are far from the all-conquering side they were last season. Arsenal to edge it

Uefa Youth League
Arsenal v Paris St Germain @1pm - the clubs' U19 sides meet at Boreham Wood at lunchtime so you could really gorge on the Gunners on Wednesday if you've got a ticket for the evening game. These matches are often free entry too, so check with Arsenal for updates before you travel

Southern League Challenge Cup Second Round
Northwood v Slough Town @745pm - the hosts face a very tough Rebels side who are up in the top three of the division above. Slough used to be a fine team when I first started watching non-league football in the '80s and were members of what is now the National League. After losing their ground in 2003, the club have played at various venues, in various divisions but now have a new stadium of their own again and look like a club to watch

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Saturday 26 November

Premier League
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur @530pm - the leaders versus the only unbeaten side in the league and it's a huge derby too, undoubtedly the game of the week. Nuff said!

Championship
Brentford v Birmingham City @3pm - can't get a ticket for the above match, then this is your next best option. The Bees continue, like many sides in this tightly contested division, to be highly inconsistent and consequently lie firmly in midtable. The Blues, on the other hand, seem to have been in the top five all season without doing anything particularly remarkable. The fact that four wins from 10 has been enough to maintain this position shows you what a strange competition it's been

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Fleetwood Town @3pm - these two former non-league sides are both well in the hunt for a play-off place and the Dons could even go into this as a top five club if they beat Millwall on Tuesday. The sides have only met eight times over the years and Fleetwood have yet to win
Charlton Athletic v Sheffield United @3pm - classed as an 'Addicks gold match', the visit of the Blades is one of the biggest games of Charlton's season. Both these sides are really too big for this division and were Premier League rivals back in 2007 when they got relegated. Sadly neither side has been back and have both spent far too many seasons at this level since. It's looking promising for the Yorkshire side, though, as they are currently up in second and on a long unbeaten run

League Two
Barnet v Notts County @3pm - as with all the other EFL divisions, League Two is also exceptionally tight with 14th placed Barnet only three points off a play-off place. The visitors are just a point ahead so it should be close

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Barrow @3pm - the Daggers were top but have lost a bit of ground on Forest Green in recent weeks, slipping to fourth. They also suffered a disappointing loss to Halifax in the FA Cup but bounced back on Saturday with a well-needed win at struggling York. Barrow are just a point and a place below them and have lost only two of their 20 league games this season, making them the toughest side to beat. The hosts will no doubt be hoping the visitors' very long journey down from Cumbria will work to their advantage

FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round - at this stage of the competition, clubs from the National League North and South enter the draw alongside all the remaining clubs from the seventh and eighth tier leagues who have made it through the previous qualifying rounds. The winners of each tie earn a cheque for £4,000 and move a step closer to the final which takes place at Wembley in May

Hampton & Richmond Borough v Royston Town @3pm - despite the fact that there are 40 ties across the country, only one of them is taking place in the London area. On the face of it, it's not even that enticing as one of the top sides in the NLS hosts a side from two divisions below them. To be fair to Royston they are top of the Southern League Division 1 Central but they'll still do well to avoid defeat at the Beveree

Ryman League Premier Division
Enfield Town v Tonbridge Angels @3pm - the Towners have been regular play-off contenders in recent seasons and after a slow start this time, are getting back in contention. Tonbridge were among the leaders at the start of the campaign but have slipped back a bit as cup commitments have taken precedence. Both now level on points, a win could take either to within touching distance of the top five

Ryman League Division 1 North
AFC Hornchurch v Maldon & Tiptree @3pm - a lot of divisions are tight at the moment but this one is more so than others as three teams including the visiting M&T share top spot. The Urchins back in ninth are still well in with a shout of the play-offs and should provide a stiff test for their Essex rivals

Essex Senior League
Barking v Basildon United @3pm - the Blues continue to hold top spot in the ESL and with a five-point lead and three games in hand on their nearest rivals, it's looking really good for them. Basildon were last season's runners-up and are in the top five again so this should give us a decent insight into how good Barking are

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Sunday 27 November

Premier League
Arsenal v Bournemouth @215pm - these two will be pretty satisfied with how their seasons have begun. The Gunners are going well in the Premier League, Champions League and EFL Cup while the Cherries are right up in ninth and continuing to surprise many people with some fine performances. However, you can't really see past an Arsenal win as Bournemouth have never beaten or even scored a goal against the London club in their previous meetings - although there have only been three
Watford v Stoke City @12pm - earlier in the day you have this fixture which on first inspection is one of those games that will really only appeal to supporters of the sides involved. However, when you look a little closer you'll see that the Hornets are a top eight side and Stoke are climbing the table fairly rapidly after recovering well from a bad start. It still doesn't really get my pulse racing - sorry

Kent Senior Trophy
Cray Valley PM v Tunbridge Wells @3pm - the non-league alternative is this county cup game down near Eltham. Cray are a friendly club and well worth a visit if you fancy a bit of groundhopping on a Sunday afternoon

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GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

A Good Friday Indeed

I'm going to cut to the chase this Friday morning and just say this. Y'ALL ROCK. I was blown away by the response I got to yesterday's post. Each and every one of you that commented (and those that didn't/couldn't!) just reaffirmed how awesome the blog world is. I appreciate all the encouraging and sweet words, and I agree with you all so much in regards to how and why things have changed over the years. I answered everyone I could but just to sum up for those stalking along:

- Blogging has definitely changed, but everyone out there is still awesome.

- Commenting from phones is difficult, especially with the Bloglovin' App. Cmon BL, help a blogger out!

- Paid posts kinda' suck, unless it's actually a good fit for the blog/blogger. I only do them on occasion and truly only try to write them if it's something I feel good about, relate to, or find relevant to my blog and my readers. I have a collaboration coming up with Uncommon Goods that I'm stoked about because I actually shop there and love finding gifts there this time of year. Stay tuned ;) 

But I think that's enough about blogging for now. Just know I appreciated the feedback SO much and it was nice to "meet" even more of you who have been silently reading along.

In other news? My main man's birthday is tomorrow! I felt a little guilty because it truly snuck* up on me this year... but I think it snuck* up on him too ;) I don't think I can really top his surprise Nerdy 30 from last year, gosh that was a fun night! We're low-key celebrating at home over the weekend and then Sunday we'll be doing a combination Thanksgiving/birthday get together with Jared's family. I can't wait to celebrate my favorite guy and hopefully have a lot of fun over the next few days. 

*I know you're supposed to say sneaked, not snuck... but I just can't bring myself to. The end.

Jared's 30th from last year. And a 9-week old baby in my belly!!

It's hard to believe it's actually time for holiday celebrations. While it's so awesome to think we have a new little buddy to enjoy this season with, I'm not gonna' lie- it feels a tad bit stressful too. How do you momma's handle the holiday chaos with a little one? I'm just picturing the traveling around, no naps, packing practically the whole world to go over to someone's house. Ugh- send help.

That's all I've got for today. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead of you. Happy Friday!!

What's Changed?

When this calendar year ends, I will have been blogging for FIVE years. Five, people! That blows my mind to think about. My blog design has changed more times than I can count, I've written on just about every topic you can imagine and I've seen a lot of blog 'phases' come and go over the years.

Last night I discovered that an old blog friend who had mostly left the scene was starting her blog back up again. I was so excited to see that! This was a girl I literally would not know if it weren't for silly me opening up a blank blog post back in 2011 and deciding I wanted to write about my engagement and wedding planning days. We bonded over all sorts of things and we enjoyed keeping up with each other's day to day, no matter how mundane it might seem to the outside world.

And that's what blogging was for me for a long time. A place to write about daily life, my job, fun places I went on the weekend and maybe share a funny meme or something I found on Pinterest. The comments would flood in on practically every post. And I'd respond to those comments. My blog email inbox would constantly be ongoing conversations with blog buddies, new and old. Heck, I could write a post about being old and never leaving my house or how much I love circus peanuts and receive dozens of responses from friends all over the country.

So what's changed? When did blogging become solely about monetization, likes, shares and pins? Don't get me wrong... I still apply for various paid opportunities and get super pumped when a cool sponsored post comes my way. I still run ads on my sidebar and do a couple other things to make (a tiny bit) of money from this blog. The fact that a hobby of mine can make any money at all is pretty cool, but I still continue to blog because I crave the friendship and the interaction that blogging originally brought me. I have real life friends now because of this space and that alone is my greatest "accomplishment" in blogging.

Blogging is where friendships are born! It's where I find great new recipes. It's where I can laugh out loud over something funny that happened to you at work. It's where I can get ideas for new places to travel to and where to eat when I'm there. It's where I can read updates on your kids who are older than mine and learn new tricks to try to get him to nap longer during the day. Blogging is this awesome conglomerate of people that I just can't quit.

I know people are still reading. The pageviews and stats still show that, and that's great! I'm so glad there are friends out there who come back time and time again to see what randomness I write about, no matter what stage of life I might be in :) But the comments and the interactions are less and less. Are we all just bored of talking to each other? Are we just too busy to comment? Would we rather scroll through Instagram to get those tiny snippets of life, versus take the time to read a wordy blog post?

I don't really have the answers to any of these things, but sometimes you just want to open up blogger and hash it out. At least I still feel that way. I don't feel (too) guilty when I write a post without any fabulous photos. Or if I don't have an image to be pinned or shared. This is my blog after all, and I'm proud of where it's been, where it is now and possibly where it will end up one day.

So, who's out there reading?? I would love to hear from you. Blogger, former-blogger, never-ever-gonna-start-a-blogger? How long have you been here? What makes you comment or not comment? I'd also love links to your favorite bloggers who still write and share like the good ole' days ;) The floors open!

Whirlwind Weekend

This weekend was jam-packed from start to finish and now that it's over I don't know where the time went!? Friday was especially great because Jared and I got to go on our SECOND date since T's been born! My in-laws were sweet enough to come over after we put little man to bed and we were able to go out for a few hours. I'm still not ready for someone else to put my baby down for the night... is that weird?! Luckily, he's got an early bed time so we were able to go grab Mexican food and take our time at dinner. 

It feels like such a treat to sit down for long, uninterrupted conversation these days and I soaked in every second of it. After eating we shopped a little, grabbed our holiday Starbucks drinks and ended the night picking up a couple items at Kroger. That's a hot date if I ever heard of one ;)

Saturday was a blur of errands, cleaning, meal prepping and fiiiiinally getting a mani/pedi that evening! I've had a gift certificate since April and just haven't set aside the time to make it happen. It was amazing and much needed though. I went at a weird time so I had the whole place practically to myself and it was so relaxing... I could have stayed another hour!

Another thing I got into this weekend was making baby food for T. We started solids recently and I bought a few jars for him to try out first. I bought BeechNut naturals, for anyone curious; I liked those because it's just the fruit or veggie, no additives or anything weird. However, now that we've tried a few things and T seems to like it ALL I knew it would be more cost effective to make stuff at home. It's actually pretty fun so far, too! I might post more about it at another time if people are interested- I googled a lot and talked to a lot of other moms about their homemade baby food adventures which was super helpful.

Lots of productivity, a good mix of relaxation and of course lots of family play time sums up the past few days. I cherish the weekends with my little family so much. They always go way too fast, but all I can do is hang on and enjoy the ride. The days are crazy, we don't sleep enough and figuring out an ever-changing baby is hard work sometimes but I wouldn't have it any other way. My two boys are my world!

TLFG: 14-20 November 2016

It's been quite a week in the history of humankind with one surprise candidate landing one of the toughest jobs around but it's one he's always wanted.

Probably most famous for saying things he possibly shouldn't have and being spectacularly unpredictable, Ian Holloway is back in charge at QPR after nearly 11 years away.

A rank outsider at the start of the week, the chatter grew louder and louder until it was announced late on Friday that he was the man chosen to replace Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

A former team-mate of current director of football Les Ferdinand and QPR boss between 2001-2006, Holloway has a strong connection with the club which he tells us is 'his'.

Pay What You Like is back at Champion Hill this Saturday

He steered them to promotion from what is now League One to the Championship in 2004 and has since won impressive promotions into the Premier League with Blackpool and Crystal Palace.

Like Neil Warnock, he is primarily a motivator who can do great things at this level but gets found out badly in the top flight where more tactical nous is required.

When his name first started to crop up many thought appointing him would be a retrograde step, especially when you consider his last job at Millwall went badly wrong. But when you listen to his passion for the club and his desire to succeed, you start to believe he could be the man. All QPR fans will want him to do well and if he fails, it won't be for lack of trying.

His return to the Loftus Road dugout takes place this Saturday when Norwich City visit so the ground should be pretty full and the crowd optimistic.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are almost 100 matches in the London area over the next week as the Premier League and Championship make their return after the international break. There is also action in League One, League Two, the National League, FA Cup, FA Vase and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 14 November

U23 Professional Development League
Crystal Palace v Watford @1pm - two Premier League sides' youngsters go head-to-head in the early game at Dulwich Hamlet's ground
Millwall v Cardiff City @2pm - if you'd rather see a game in one of the capital's bigger stadiums then this one is being played at The Den

National League South
Wealdstone v Bath City @745pm - the pick of the day's non-league action is to be found at Grosvenor Vale over in Ruislip where the Stones need to win to keep in touch with the play-off places

Ryman League Division 1 South
Carshalton Athletic v Faversham Town @745pm - the Robins welcome last season's beaten play-off finalists in the knowledge that a win will lift them up to second

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Tuesday 15 November

International friendly
England v Spain @8pm - after a enjoying a comfortable win over Scotland on Friday, the Three Lions next face 2010 world champions Spain at Wembley. Unsurprisingly, England have lost four of their last five games against one of the powers of world football but historically they are still in front in the head-to-head. If you want to be there, tickets are still available

FA Cup First Round Replay
AFC Wimbledon v Bury @745pm - it seems a bit unfortunate to have to play on the same night as England but quite a few teams are having to do it. If you don't fancy forking out for a friendly at Wembley then this looks like a cracking alternative as two well matched League One sides do battle at Kingsmeadow - it's also only £10 to get in

FA Vase Second Round
Cockfosters v Wembley @745pm - after seeing the original game rained off on Saturday, two of the top five in the Spartan South Midlands League look to take a step closer to Wembley in what should be another decent game

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Wednesday 16 November

Essex Senior League
Waltham Forest v Wadham Lodge @745pm - the Walthamstow derby between the long established hosts and new boys Wadham Lodge at the ground of the same name which they share

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Friday 18 November

Premier League 2
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal @12pm - in theory this U23 match between two of London's biggest rivals looks like a great way to kick-off a weekend of football watching. However, the match is being played at Spurs' training ground and I haven't been able to confirm whether it will be open to the public - check the club's website nearer the time or give them a call

Southern Counties East League Division 1
Glebe v Eltham Palace @745pm - the non-league option for the day is this groundshare derby down in Chislehurst where Glebe continue their push for top spot

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Saturday 19 November

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United @530pm - leaving England aside, the game of the week in the capital should be this one between clubs from the north and east of town. Their relationship has never been great and it became even worse when they fought for control of the Olympic Stadium - a battle the Hammers ultimately won. Games between these two are usually pretty close and often produce a few goals so it's no surprise it's been picked for TV
Crystal Palace v Manchester City @3pm - the Eagles, like last season, started well but are now starting to slump worryingly. Now winless in five, they welcome title contenders City who have hit a rocky patch themselves. This could be a goalfest as neither side are shot shy
Watford v Leicester City @3pm - if the Foxes were last season's surprise package then Watford are raising a few eyebrows this time round. Being in the top eight after 11 games is a great achievement for a side who confounded many by staying up with relative ease last season - long may it continue

Championship
Fulham v Sheffield Wednesday @3pm - the Owls made the play-off final last season and have been up in the top six for most of this campaign. However, a couple of bad results have now left them just below the Cottagers who are now right back in the hunt for promotion after back-to-back wins over Huddersfield and Brentford
Queens Park Rangers v Norwich City @3pm - the hosts have been uninspiring of late and sacked Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink last weekend after a draw at Forest. This week they re-appointed club legend Ian Holloway who distinguished himself as player and manager in two previous spells at the club. He's got a tough opener against the promotion chasing Canaries but the crowd should be well up for it

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Bury @3pm - the Dons meet the Shakers for the second time in a matter of days with a victory possibly lifting them into the top six
Charlton Athletic v Port Vale @3pm - the Addicks take on one of Wimbledon's main rivals for a play-off berth so will do them quite a favour if they win

League Two
Barnet v Crewe Alexandra @3pm - a run of four games without defeat has left the Bees on the cusp of the top seven. To break into it they'll need to beat sides like Alex who currently reside there
Leyton Orient v Blackpool @3pm - things were looking pretty bad for the O's a few weeks ago but six points from three games has raised spirits in time for the visit of another one of the division's play-off contenders

National League
Boreham Wood v Southport @3pm - the Wood's main focus this week will be on their FA Cup replay at Notts County but with that out of the way, they'll have a visit from the Sandgrounders to contend with. A win could put them into the top eight

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Welling United @3pm - the Beavers have played some entertaining football since coming back up from the Ryman League but inconsistency has crept in and they're down to fifth in the table. Sadly Welling have been pretty bad for a year or two now and are well on course to suffer a second successive relegation

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Worthing @3pm - in many people's eyes these two are underperforming. The two best supported clubs in the division should be doing better. Worthing were top but have fallen away while the hosts are just off the leading pack and should make the play-offs. Apart from anything else it's 'Pay What You Like' with all profits going to charity - there could well be 2,000+ in attendance

Ryman League Division 1 North
Aveley v Maldon & Tiptree @3pm - the Millers in sixth are looking good for a play-off spot but they'll need to be at their best for a visit from the leaders

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Wembley v Berkhamsted @3pm - the Lions are facing a tough run of games at the moment with this visit from fellow top-fivers Berkhamsted being the latest. A win could lift them to second

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GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Things That Have My Vote

How about a little light-hearted NON-election talk today? How about a few favorite items of mine that get my vote all day :) *Some affiliate links included, so I get like 2 cents when you click on stuff.

Bando planners. I have been an Erin Condren fan for about 4 years now... purchasing her planner year after year. I have nothing but awesome things to say about my EC planners, but I've been considering other options for the 2017 calendar year. Something a little smaller, a little more sleek perhaps. I've heard good things about these planners and since they are less than half the cost of my EC, I might just have to give it a go for next year.

Ulta Matte Primer. Okay, I'll be the first to admit that I don't know much about makeup. I've been wearing the same stuff in the same way for yearsssss. I'm slowly but surely branching out though and about a month ago I finally got myself some primer. If it weren't for blogland I probably wouldn't even know what primer was, but this one has been working great for me. It's inexpensive (you only need a tiny little bit, it goes a long way!) and I feel like it keeps the shine to a minimum, too.

Huggies Diapers. Up until T was about 2.5 months old I was team Pampers. And then they started leaking ALL.THE.TIME. We have officially switched over to Huggies Little Snugglers (he's in size 3, already!!) now though and haven't looked back. Isn't is weird how every momma has a different diaper preference?

Nike Air Max. I'm a sucker for gray or white tennis shoes. I always have been. And I'm pretty tied to Nike in general. These are just SO lightweight and feel amazing on your feet. I have a colorful pair of them but I'm hinting around for this pair for Christmas ;)

Planner Stickers. Okay, shameless plug- but if you didn't know it yet I run an Etsy shop with another friend/blogger of mine. We have been working super hard behind the scenes to get some goodies ready for Black Friday and I can't wait to release them to the world. Plus, holiday stickers are right around the corner which makes me way too excited ;)

What FUN things are getting your vote this week??