Monday 31 December 2018

Changing things up

With the new year coming up I have been thinking a lot lately about what is important to me, what I want to focus on next year and what I am going to let go of, moving forward.  

I want to focus more on my health and on my family.  I'd like to kick start the year with going back on Paleo, getting back to Zumba and taking up running again.  I used some of my Christmas money to buy running shoes today and I'm looking into a couple of organised runs in the new year.

Thinking about family, I want to spend more time with the kids and more time with Nico.  I'll be keeping up our two main documenting areas - Project Life and the one second a day videos.  Both have been really fun this year and are so nice to look back on.  We're also planning our first real family holiday in 2019 and I am so excited about it.

This year has been huge in terms of my career.  Things are still being worked out and finalised but I am making the hours fit better with family and I'm looking forward to just settling in more at my new school and finding my feet there.  After a turbulent year of change and uncertainty, I am finally where I have been fighting to get to for the past seven years and that feels great.

I'm still carrying on with my goals and with my crafting but in a bid to ease up on myself and reduce some of the stress and pressure I have felt this year, I am going to stop aiming to do my languages every day - I do that anyway through work and I'll still dip into it during my commute but it's off my to-do list.

Finally, I'm going to stop blogging every day.  I don't want to let go of this space completely, it has been an important way to keep up with friends and family over the last eight years and put my thoughts out there.  Lately it feels like I am writing for the sake of it and to be honest, I'm boring myself and getting stressed about it.  Going forward I will write when I have something to say and when I have the time to say it well.

Here's to a fabulous 2019!

Sunday 30 December 2018

Weekly Wisdom

When you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a bigger fence.

Saturday 29 December 2018

The Saturday Update

What a fabulous holiday week!  We had a busy weekend of shopping, wrapping and sending in a last minute dash to prepare for Christmas.  I never want to be that late again!  

We spent Christmas Eve visiting Nico's family with my Dad.  It was really lovely to catch up with everyone and the kids had a whale of a time.  It was nice to look forward to the new year too with an invitation to a family wedding.

Christmas was blissfully quiet.  Just the four of us at home with my Dad.  We had bacon sandwiches for breakfast and duck for dinner and in between we opened gifts, played and watched a couple of films.

Boxing day was similar with a visit from Nico's parents too.  It was nice to be relaxed.

Dad left on Thursday.  The kids were quite down but we had a lovely breakfast and bit of shopping before taking him to the station.

Yesterday I handed in my application for citizenship - just a six week wait to hear now.  We got a few bits and bobs done in the afternoon but we are definitely still in rest mode.

Today I have a hair appointment and then I need to get on top of a few jobs to have a quiet week next week.  I am loving this vague period between Christmas and New Year now that the Christmas stress is over.

Friday 28 December 2018

Links!

Mum life.

Feeling poor after Christmas?

Oh dear.

A great idea for history lovers.

Mulling over whether to do this in 2019.

Didn't do as well as I hoped here.

Glad this is over for another year.

2018

Thursday 27 December 2018

December Goals Review

Here's how December went:
  • Visit the Christmas market with family - done!
  • Fondu night - no.
  • Sort out the hobby room - done!
  • Finish a crochet project - done!
  • Make Christmas cards - done!

Wednesday 26 December 2018

Gingerbread House

A friend gifted us this gingerbread house kit when it was Joshua's birthday. I just had to make up the 'glue' icing with egg white and powdered sugar.

I waited until I had some backup and made this with Dad and the kids at the end of last week.

It was surprisingly easy - even Joshua got involved and it was fun. The only problem is that they are not eating it as fast as we made it.

Isabella was extra excited having made a house at Kindergarten so she knew what to do.

It was a fun little family project.

Tuesday 25 December 2018

Merry Christmas

Wishing you a merry Christmas with your loved ones and a happy and healthy 2019!