Diary Notes…

Well, this is new!!

I know. I’ve been gone for a while! Ok,… so like, months to be exact – eek!) but I feel like I’ve just started to learn a foreign language or something.

I’ve even just had to order the 2019 edition of WordPress for Dummies. Just to show me how to decipher all this stuff again!

It’s taken me FOREVER just to type this paragraph for goodness sake!

So then, rather than writing the equivalent of war and peace, and providing an update as to what’s been going on all this time, I’m just going to jump straight back in and pretend all is normal and that I’ve never actually been away.

Yes, of course I’ll want to talk about where we’ve been at some point, but for now, here’s just a brief update of what’s been going on recently.

Family Lunches…

Last weekend it was out, this weekend it was in.

And do you know, even though it’s always such a treat to eat out or have your meal prepared and cooked for you, it was a whole better culinary delight to eat the one cooked by my husband at home! Biased I’m sure, but I’m telling you now, he cooks a mean roast pork lunch!!!

And it’s occasions like this I intend to see happen far more often over the year.  To make a much more concerted effort into creating moments and opportunities where I spend valuable and meaningful time with those I love the most. My wonderful family and my friends.

A New Year Ski Trip…

We were everso fortunate at the end of last year to welcome in 2019, in style, on a fabulous fully-catered family skiing holiday in France.

And it was genuinely amazing.

We’ve been skiing before as a family, but never have we stayed in a catered chalet! And I’ll be the first to admit, I may struggle slightly at the prospect of going self-catering again next time ?

I’ll try to pop up a more in-depth post to let you know all about it, but hey, let’s see if my new year desire for writing again, continues.

Work Life…

It was pretty hard to start back at work again after such an amazing Christmas and New Year break, but here we are, now hurtling towards the end of January. Where everyday normality reigns once more.

And finally, finally, finally I feel like I’m settling in at my job. Hoooooooooray!

Ok, so I started back in August, so it’s not like it was just yesterday. But working only twenty hours a week around the girl’s school hours, in a ludicrously hectic office environment – I’ve found it pretty darned hard to find even five minutes to breathe, let alone actually sit, take stock or learn anything.

And, I can tell you now, there were certainly a fair few times where I doubted I could even carry on. Whether I could feel proud of my work if I didn’t have the time to give it my all. But looking back, I’m so glad I stuck it out now, as at last I feel I’ve tuned that corner.

My colleagues have been wonderfully supportive too. When I had the odd ‘blip’ here or there. Where I felt so overwhelmed by the sheer volume. They were there to pick me up, and tell me not to beat myself up about it.

That ‘after all – you may have been here a while now but only for part of the time’!

And they were right.  

Plus, the biggie…. I also believe I’ve finally found that team, that camaraderie, I’ve been longing for, for the past few years.

Embracing my inner Marie Kondo

Disclaimer first:  I’ve not actually read the book!

BUT… I’m inspired.

And as such, I’m channelling Marie Kondo’s energy and enthusiasm and am having my own ‘Steph Burroughs’ kind of declutter.

And so far, we’ve managed a pretty big sort out across the whole house!  The everyday bric a brac, toys, papers etc have finally found a home. They are now either stored neatly away, new residents at the local tip, or bagged ready to sell or for charity.  And it feels good!

It really is true what they say about ‘a cluttered house = a cluttered mind’. Because before we embarked on this little spree, my head was just stuffed far too full of mess, chaos and disarray, that I found it nigh on impossible to even think, let alone actually get anything done.

‘We can even see the carpet again in the girls bedroom and the spare room too! Result huh!!

The Incredible Years…

Over the past year, I’ve really found I’ve struggled with this whole ‘parenting’ thing.  

I’ve doubted myself as to whether I was dealing with things as I should do, and not just for the sake of the girls, but for my own sanity and mental wellbeing too.

Various little things have happened which I’ve found hard to handle, and emotionally I’ve found this very difficult to deal with.

So before Christmas I heard on the grapevine that the course I’ve previously heard such rave reviews of, was starting up again in January, so right there and then I called and secured my place on The Incredible Years parenting course.

This week I attended my second session, but even though I’ve been only twice, already it makes SO MUCH GOD DAMN SENSE!!

The thing is, none of it is rocket science! As I understand it currently, it’s simply more, careful or thought through actions and behaviours etc.  It’s just making small changes to see huge differences and rewards, for both parent and child.  I’m really quite fascinated, and I just can’t wait to learn more each week.

All that being said though, it still didn’t stop me yelling slightly at Ella as we came home from school for continuously ramming her scotter into my ankles! But hey, we’re all human right? And at least I’m trying 😉

Again, perhaps I’ll try to pop up a little something more about this topic, as it really is quite interesting and thought-provoking.

So there we have it. A blog post!

Well, even if there aren’t many more, at least I can say I’ve blogged in 2019 😉

Fingers crossed though, I’ll be back soon