To start ticking of things on my bucket list for 2014 I finally dyed my hair brown, and more so I finally dyed my hair myself. As a blonde I have always just had my hair highlighted (by the hairdresser) and like an addiction each time I go to get it done I just want it lighter. So now I plucked up the courage and have gone dark, quite a blotchy dark as this is my first attempt, but I love it :-) x
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...January has been pretty awesome, and busy, the days are slipping away from me. I can happily report that there have only been 2 days of complete melt down and cabin fever, which for rainy Scilly winters is darn good! But boy having a baby is a social business, the girls have a better looking social calendar than I do. This week alone has involved two toddler groups and water babies for Amelia tomorrow while her unbelievable excited big sister starts nursery on St. Mary's. I've painted, I've knitted, I've crocheted. We've been to the beach so many times already and Jessica even managed to get me bare footed with my big toe in the water screaming like the wimp I am every time a wave washed up the shore. Jessica is obsessed right now with Dr. Doolittle, the old 1960's, 3hr long version, so that when went to the beach we had to go on a hunt for the giant pink snea snail (as she calls it). I am just loving the imaginary play at the moment. Ever since we watched Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang on Boxing Day we have been in and out of flying cars in search of grandpa. The disappointment of Jessica's face when I told her Daddy couldn't make Maime's van fly! But the excitement on her face when Daddy did bring down from the loft his old Scalextrix racing car model... There has been such a beautiful balance of socialising, playing around the house, out in the garden, films snuggled up on the coach and oh so many walks and bike rides. We had a perfect Sunday just past. Padding around the house in the morning, I even managed my full yoga, then up the road to our friend's house for a family favourite of brunch pancakes, extra special Tony pear, brunch pancakes. Before we all trundled along to the community centre for soft play and badminton. I have discovered my perfect opponent is Jake, who is 8. Then home for an afternoon in the garden of wheelbarrow building, and fruit tree planting. And the cherry on top, fish fajitas for dinner. Simple but perfect. I will now stop gushing over all the silly little things that are making me smile at the moment, because boy I could just keep on going. That is one of the things I love about writing this blog it makes me remember and be thankful for all the happy moments I get to enjoy. Never do I sit down to write and feel the need to dig up all the bad memories from the week. I don't think it is a boastful thing when you choose to highlight and share with people all the good that is happening around you, but more of a positive attitude, or at least that is what I choose to believe. x Tree planting If you are not into self congratulation look away...now, because I am pretty darn proud of myself! Will set what was initially 'us' a challenge, but more so me. When we were in Italy we saw the most beautiful play gyms that even at ridiculous prices we were tempted to buy since really we have yet to buy Amelia anything. However by the time we arrived home we were back into our old mind set away from the flashing lights of those big cities with all you can buy, why buy something when you can make it yourself? And who am I to turn away from a challenge or project to cram into my day. The result, ta-da... did I mention I was proud of myself! I mean I made that from scratch, and let's be honest as much as I wish it were different my sewing skills really are basic. The fun was in coming up with the design for it. After looking at an old play gym we found in the loft that was Kirsty's I decided its design was rubbish and so came up with my own, using old pipes, scrap pieces of fabric, an old sleeping bag for padding and a poor toy octopus that donated it's rattle and life to my cause (much to Jessica's distress). The owl rattles, the stars squeak and the rain cloud jangles. There are fish in the making which will crinkle.
Oh I love making and creating. I have said this to Will so many times, but how do people have time to watch tv, I actually don't because there aren't enough hours in my day to do all the things I want to do! x A rather random post, but I suppose the New Year makes me more reflective than I realise. I wanted to share with you a few things that make me smile, but just the little things, the ones that at times get you through the day. There are those days where I can't help but feel a little lost, where the loneliness creeps in and before when I could easily distract myself with a book or going out, with kids you just can't and have to somehow dig yourself out of that hole. Saying this all sounds a bit down, which is the complete opposite of how I feel at the moment. I was trying to explain to Will the other night how I feel such a great sense of anticipation and that everything is coming together, what everything is and what the anticipation is for I am not quite sure, but I love the feeling!
Anyway, my happy list: Brushing my teeth with a new toothbrush Picking out new letters each go of Scrabble Maths, like proper maths non of this simultaneous equations malarky, more like vector matrixes (sorry I will never mention these things again *sigh*) Putting on a brand new pair of socks My morning coffee Hoovering Receiving post, especially unexpected post Starting new projects Finally finishing projects A new entry on my favourite blogs Listening to music with head phones on Yoga everyday, twice a day if I could Fresh bread, still warm with lots of butter, preferably Lurpak Trying new exciting recipes, especially bread recipes That first breath of outside air in the morning Fairy lights... there is more, of course there is more but if I am having one of those rubbishy kind of days it is these little things that snap me back into reality and put a smile on my face or that sense of happiness inside. So I dare you, your next low day just stop and think about the little non obvious things that get you excited, not the ones that you are suppose to get excited about, because of course I'm going to melt inside every time my beautiful girls smile at me, but a sneaky lick of peanut butter can work just as we'll at times x Happy New Year!!
I'm such a sucker for reflecting on the year that has past and making lists and setting challenges for the year to come. We said goodbye to 2013 in good old Hensleigh fashion, by going to bed early, I can't remember the last time I saw midnight! But I did spend a lovely evening just me and my husband and some biscuits and cheese. One of my things for 2014 is more time spent with Will, even dare I say it, have date nights. There are so many days where we are so out of sync with one up early with Jessica, letting the other sleep, then trying to settle the two of them at night and hopefully squeeze in a good few hours of non child friendly to-do's before falling into bed and a quick catch up on each others day before passing out asleep. So other than 2014 being the year of organisation, which follows on from last year, 2013: the year of organisation (you can guess how well that one panned out...). I want 2014 to be the year of people, I want to make more time for the people in my life. I want to be that person who will always make time for you no matter what crisis of their own they may have, I want to greet all with a smile and most of all keep those friendships of the people I don't manage to see very often but they still mean so much to me. Share my love and excitement of receiving things in the post. I'm hoping to really find my feet for carving out what our little family unit is to become. To celebrate the different seasons and spend more time outside, whether that's teaching Jessica about working the earth to grow our veg., rediscovering our chickens or simply enjoying the Island at the beach or walks in the fields. Last year has taught me a lot. Taught me that you do just need to go for it and believe in yourself (although I'm lucky that Will has enough belief in me for the both of us). I sold paintings, I knitted, sewed, crocheted, created so much, including a whole new person, and yet I just want to keep going strong. I never want to stop learning and dreaming of what I can achieve but I need to learn to be patient, learn to ask for help more and perhaps learning to be more forgiving on myself. I can't do everything, especially with two little ones. But if I can cook good meals, hopefully with home produce, paint, create, knit, let my imagination run wild and not be scared to dream big. All this topped with making time for friends and family, and making sure my two beautiful girls feel loved, secure and that I have all the time in the world for them (no matter how nuts they drive me), then 2014 is going to be one amazing year!!! I learned not long ago that what is important to me is not the accumulation of 'stuff' or the need be able to tell people, 'well I've done that' or 'I've been there', but the experiences and how every little moment can shape you as a person, each new second is something new and something completely different that when you look at life this way it just makes every second of living so darn exciting. A bit like knitting, it's not really the end product I am interested in, but all the new challenges I am faced with along the way. I can't wait to see what kind of person I will become in a year's time. To start the year, we've scrubbed the oven and defrosted the freezer, and set out our goals. But thank you for all your support last year and I hope you are all having fun making plans for whats to come. Here's to the next year, and well to the next second. x x |
AuthorMe? I'm a wife, a mother, a friend, an artist, an islander, a lover of all things pretty...but that's today and tomorrow is always different. Archives
January 2018
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