New Year New Plans

I'm not one for new year resolutions and it's the one time of year I become a right bah humbug.

However I would like to make some new plans. They are aspirations. If they don't come to fruition I won't feel like I've failed.  They are just positive changes and thoughts.

So without further ado my plans for 2016 are -

• Get fitter. Last year I started the #c25k and really enjoyed it but gave up around June/July time.  This year I'm going to give it another try.
• Lose a few pounds. I know I know boring! Its on everyones list.  I'm not going to diet just eat a bit healthier in the week and hopefully the extra exercise will help. I lost 21 lbs last year but have put 7 approx back on.
• Put some savings in place for the summer holidays. We want to do a few day trips but as everyone knows a day trip for a family of 4 is not cheap.  We are hoping to visit Drayton Manor, Legoland, Think Tank and London for a sightseeing trip.
• Concentrate more on my blog.  My blog was originally born from a self publishing ambition. That didn't work out but I loved the creativity of a blog and writing.  I recently renamed it & hope to concentrate on mum bloggers issues, humour and holiday/trip reviews.
• I've set a few targets for my social media outlets. They may seem small to some but will be a huge achievement to me. Facebook seems to allude me but is the one I'd most like to increase.  If anyone has any tips please share.

•  Instagram currently 144 target 1000
• Twitter currently 1383 target 2500
• Facebook currently 68 target 250
• Recommence my volunteer work at my children's school. I used to do 2 hours every Friday but stopped due to our house renovations. I really enjoyed it & would love to become a teaching assistant eventually.
• Me time. Some people don't like being alone but I love a few hours of my own company which is rare with 2 kids. I tend to feel guilty making time for myself but think it's important & ties in nicely with starting the #c25k programme again.

So there you have it. Do you make new year resolutions? I'd love to hear your plans.

Emma xxx

Christmas countdown day 22 and 23

Today's calendar treats

Tomorrow is the last calendar goodie. Kids have loved opening them each day. The lego stuff will definitely get played with. The Playmobil things are lovely but I have a feeling the little bits will just got lost or shoved oh a draw. The sleigh, elves and reindeer are brilliant though and will definitely be played with.

Yesterday we went to Salcey Forest for a muddy walk which was nice. They are currently doing the Stickman trail which the kids loved.

Today is few jobs, daughter has a party at 3 and tonight we are going to a panto. This year is beauty & the beast.

I honestly can't believe it's 23rd December!!!

Hope everyone is feeling festive & your presents are wrapped.

Emma xxx

Christmas countdown day 19, 20 and 21

Hello did you miss me?!?

Had slight countdown breakdown as had a very busy festive brilliant Saturday followed by the drama that is losing your phone. Argh!!!

So the last few days calendars treats are

Saturday was our annual Christmas meal get together.  This year 32 of us descended onto a local pub for dinner & drinks. It was a fab day. Kids behaved brilliantly & got totally spoilt with people giving them £1's for the random toy machines.

Sunday was a lazy day & today I've tidied the house top to bottom & kids have stayed in their pj's.

Weather been pants again with more mild temperatures & rain!

Fingers crossed it's dry tomorrow as planning a walk round salcey forest.

To end here's a few pics from my weekend.

Emma xxx

Christmas countdown day 18

Today's calendar goodies are

Table & wheelbarrow & not sure if you can see but there's a little teddy bear.

Today the kids had their Christmas jumper day

The little one is happy really! Wouldn't pose for a 2nd picture.

That's it schools over for the year. Got a busy Saturday & probably hungover Sunday!

Hope you guys all have a brilliant weekend full of Christmas cheer.

Emma xxx

Christmas countdown day 17

Today's calendar goodies included a very cute elf

Today was my last day at work for the festive break. I'm in new years eve but only till lunchtime. Was so nice to know no more rushing about for a while.

Today the kids had a craft day & then this evening was disco time.

Hope you've all had a lovely Thursday. I think I might treat myself to a glass of wine once the little man is in bed & the other is doing the 8 pm disco pick up. I've already been back & forth 4 times today!

Christmas countdown day 16

Today's calendar goodies

Today be honest I'm not entirely sure what the brown playmobil bits are. Any guesses? The red thing is a little rucksack & Lego is more obviously a cake & table.

Today I had my works festive lunch.  It was scrummy & I'm still full. Was really nice & relaxed. For anyone in Northamptonshire can definitely recommend The Windhover.

I did also have a starter but forgot to take a pic. Was a gorgeous prawn cocktail very light & refreshing.

Just had a stressful hour feeding chickens, rabbits & children at the same time after battling traffic.  Then had to stop pointless bickering over lego whilst trying to load the dishwasher! Argh! Kids!

Tonight it's my daughters Christmas Carol concert at her school so that will be very Christmasy & hopefully my stress levels will be returned to normal by then.

I've only got one more day at work (Yippee!) & then break up for the Christmas period. Woo hoo.

How's your week going? Break up for Christmas soon?

Emma. xxx

Christmas countdown day 15

Wowser day 15 already!

I'm actually not feeling the love today. It's raining again & blah!

Anyway hope you lot are feeling more festive & here's today's calendar goodies -

Very cute stereo & more cups for the lego people. 

Tomorrow is my Christmas works lunch which will be lovely & my daughter is singing at a residential home & is really looking forward to it.

Emma xxx

Christmas love it or stress it

I LOVE Christmas but having spoken to people & read various blogs it strikes me we put too much pressure on ourselves to create a perfect day & spread ourselves too thinly.

For me Christmas is not just about THE day its the build up & traditions.   I'm by no means perfect & stress about the usual things like money, when am I going to have time to wrap the presents & what to buy that awkward relative but I don't stress about Christmas day itself.

A lot of people seem to worry about squeezing in as many relatives, locations and activities into 24 hours as possible and making it all perfect. Some peoples schedules are dizzying and just what is perfect?

How can you enjoy yourself if you are clock watching, wondering when you can finally stop being a taxi & enjoy a large drink or single handedly feeding 15 people the perfect roast.

For me as long as I've seen my friends & family in the lead up to Christmas seeing them on Christmas day isn't the number one priority. Don't get me wrong it's lovely to see people but it's also lovely to relax & enjoy your children & their excitement.  Plus isn't that what boxing day is for!  With regards to the meal isn't it just a posher roast.  Why stress about it?

I always organise a big friends & family get together a week or 2 before Christmas I see everyone in one large swoop and I love it.  I also think it eliviates the pressure to squeeze too much into Christmas day itself.

It's one of my favourite Christmas events & has become a tradition.   I also love our annual panto trip, the kids Christmas concerts, the tree buying, seeing Santa & garden centre bauble browsing.  These are my Christmas bursts of happiness. It's not just about Christmas day itself.

I guess what I'm saying is remember people spread the Christmas cheer over a few days & don't stress about making just one 24 hours in the whole year perfect.  Kids will cry maybe grown ups too. Drinks will be spilt & no one will eat the sprouts even though its a new wondrous recipe.

Remember to enjoy yourself & note to self remember next year to actually pay into the Christmas saving club not just join!

Christmas countdown day 14

More rain & so gloomy. I hate the dull weather. Can we have some sun & frost now.

Today's calendar treats -

Can't believe it's the last week of school.  Kids got a couple of normal days & then craft day, Christmas jumper day & school disco.

Both kids were tired this morning but only 4 more school runs to go. We can do this!

Emma xxx

Silent Sunday #3

Rare quiet moment

 Happily playing Jenga or Jinga as Luke calls it. 

Christmas countdown day 13

Today's calendar goodies

The Playmobil angel is so cute.

Today was another rainy day & nothing much planned. Popped to my sisters so kids could play & just had a very scrummy toad in the hole.  

Gonna have our mini apple pies & ice cream in a minute. Yum! 

Emma xxx

Christmas countdown day 12

Today's calendar wonders are -

Kids both very happy. We've had a couple of games & no arguments hurrah!

I have spent several hours being very hungover after Christmas drinks at my friends definitely had too many proseccos.

This afternoon once I felt more human we made mini apple pies. Shop point pastry but we made the filling which the kids loved. They would be fab with a blob of ice cream which sadly I don't have.

Kids just been bathed & now settling down for strictly.

Emma xxx

Christmas countdown day 11

Today's calendar gifts are

My daughter is very impressed with her little lego wands!

Today I've been sorting the dining room as things can go back in their homes now the carpets are down.  There's still a few bits & bobs to do but all minor & can wait till after Christmas.

Tonight I'm at friends for Christmas drinks & nibbles. Tomorrow's plan is to do some baking but I lost my list so guessed the ingredients so hope I've got everything. It's nothing too elaborate and I'm cheating with just rol pastry. 

Emma xxx

Christmas countdown day 10

Today by a Christmas miracle both kids got dressed early & played together without shouting before school. Hurrah!

Today's calendar gifts were lego girl accessories & more weird hanging things.  I think it's supposed to be a light/shadow decoration. Who knows!?!

Today was work & kids have swimming lesson soon.

I've also been searching unsuccessfully for a reindeer onesie. My other half is on a Christmas do Saturday & has only just remembered he needed a costume. There's loads online but wouldn't arrive on time. Men so unorganised! 😜

I was also beyond excited to wake up to carpets!!! We've been doing up our house & I've had no carpets for just over 3 months. DIY is most definitely not my friend but we are nearly finished. Woo hoo!!!

Here's a couple of before & afters -

The Eagle eyed amongst you will notice an old curtain stuffed up the chimney. There was an awful draft. I don't actually notice it anymore! (Wierd what you get used to.) We are getting a wood burner but will be after Christmas now.

Emma xxx

Christmas countdown day 9 Wednesday

Today my son was in a strop. He's slept in last 2 days & then the rushing around has been a pain.  I'm not sure whether to let him sleep as he's tired or wake up so we have our normal routine. He's the sort of child that needs to be up for 30 mins before eating.

Anyway today's calendar gifts were -

The little stero & the weird pot thing!!! I'm not quite sure what it is. Any ideas?

This afternoon I finished work early & saw my sons Christmas concert. I can't share pics as other school children are in them but here's a cute one from in the car with sheep ears still on.

Had to keep kids out of the house as carpets being fitted (3 months with no carpets so I'm very excited) so a cheeky mid week McDonald's & visit to grandads.

Emma xxx

Christmas countdown day 8 Tuesday

Today everyone seems really tired & was so dark.

The treats today were

I must say I've been very impressed with the playmobile set.

Normal work day today & I do seem to have lost a little of my Christmas cheer. The weather is rather odd

 These very mild days really don't feel like December.

Tomorrow I'm watching my sons Christmas concert though & cannot wait!!!

Emma xxx

Christmas countdown - Day 7 Monday

To start I honestly can't believe it's Monday. Where did that weekend go?

Today's calendar treats were

We now have a nice little set building up

I had a sneaky day off today

 Was getting a bit worried about the time to do my wrapping so dropped kids at school, bought some sellotape as I'd forgot & started wrapping. 

Thinks didn't start of  well as the first present I tried to wrap I cut the paper too short! 

But 5 hours later yes 5!!! I had finished

Can't wait to see the kids faces on Christmas day.

Emma xxx

Christmas countdown - Day 6 Sunday

Today's treats are -

We went into town for a wander round the festive market.  It wasn't as busy as last year & less stalls but nice to get out.  We then visited Billing garden centre saw santa & I purchased some more decorations.  You really can never have too many baubles.

Need to keep them away from my son though as we've already had a bauble casualty. Boo!

New baubles love them all!!!

Broken bauble boo!!!!

Have a brilliant festive Sunday everyone. I'm now pooped & having a well needed sit down.

Emma xxx