"Happy New Year"

But is it ever, I mean really??

I always wish for a 'Happy' New Year and sincerely wish others one but in reality I'm always just glad I have survived the year. This year in particular seems to have been a 'roll on next year' kind of year. And if I was superstitious I may have made the 13 connection a little sooner than September!

My very good friend Caitlyn had me in stitches with a post packed full of memes check it out here but I have to say this one is my favourite, it popped up on Pintrest and Facebook and is just funny!!

We all do it every year and I will be doing it again this year but on reviewing last years 'rules to live by' I can confirm I tank at living up to them!! I think it is just human nature to constantly need for a fresh start...a do-over, and what better time than the beginning of a New Year? After all it comes around every twelve months, its just after most of us have finished stuffing ourselves and being overly decadent.

One thing I am very thankful for this New Years Eve is a suggestion made by my Other Half this time last year. I don't know where he saw the idea, how or why he came to make the suggestion that our family set up this tradition, but after a year of hospitalisations, bullying and other general crappiness I am so glad that he did. Our little family has spent the year trying to focus on the good things and every time something good has happened we've written it on a piece of paper and put it in a jar. Then tonight we can look back and remember that this year wasn't actually that bad a year, we can refill on happiness and repeat next year. It might sound a little corny but I am seriously shocked at how full the jar actually got this year. I'm sure we will have forgotten to put some things in there but we'll get better at it next year....see a resolution!

original on pintrest here

So what else will I attempt this year??

1. I resolve to live a healthier lifestyle (yeah right! I have been attempting this for as long as I have been aware of resolutions but maybe this is the year, right?!)

2. I resolve to listen to my body and give it a break sometimes (because that didn't go so well in 2013!) 

3. I resolve to write more, including finish the first draft of something novel length.

4. I resolve to actually do some of the things on my to do list like go walking, have fun with my kids, read more, have fun with guerrilla art, watch more films, spend more time with friends (basically never sleep but what the hell!)

5. I resolve to refill and repeat...the memory jar that is. I know I already said this but this time around everything goes in! Things that make us laugh, time with friends, films that make us laugh or cry, trips, plays, football wins...EVERYTHING!

6. I resolve to attempt more random acts of kindness even in the face of my Other Half who hates them just because we should do something and walking away breaks my heart.

7. I resolve to let my girls be sisters and accept that certain things come with that and that I can't control everything they do!

8. I also resolve to accept that I am probably going to tank at most, if not all, of these resolutions...especially number 7!!!!!

So Happy New Year everyone. Good luck to those making resolutions, hats off to those who manage not to and while we are sat by the log fire reliving our happy year in our holiday cottage what will you be doing to ring in the New Year?

Music to see in the New Year chosen by my new guru...Munchkin 1 (my eldest!!)

Random Thursday - Best Ever New Year

I have had the best New Year in probably about 16 years. We had no plans, no wild parties, no fire works, no-one else to celebrate with......just us. Now we never make plans and never celebrate with any one but usually end up in bed before the dongs.

I think that is what made this year so special, simplicity!

New Year's Eve: The kids didn't last till midnight (although I didn't expect them to) so a glass of wine, a log fire and New Year's Eve the DVD it was. Corny in it's entirety but I loved every minute!! (my previous best was baked beans on toast al a carte)

New Year's Day: A sunrise, coffee and a note pad. Followed by a family walk on the beach and a hot chocolate to warm up with afterwards...I tell you what the pictures tell the story better.

 

Blue sky and sunshine we could be anywhere, right?

 

Sunbathing like this?? Um No!

 

 

Yep, that's more like it!

 

 

We splashed over the rivers in the sand

 

 

Spotted Nessie (although there was some debate about this one!)

 

 

Click on this one to see a bigger picture and you will realise that we definitely weren't in Kansas (yes it was a little windy)

 

 

Yummy warm up treats and a spot of me time, only a spot though....

 

 

Because Jessie showed up Yee Haw :-)

 

I hope your New Year transition was a magical as mine. What did you get up to?

 

Oh and I have discovered the joys of Jared Leto and 30 Seconds to Mars. I have loved everything I have heard, favourite so far being Hurricane, but had to share this....they have covered one of my all time favourite songs and did it justice :-) Plus the topic seemed to fit given our wander today!!

 

 

 



 

All as part of your Random Thursday's broadcast from Sleepy Joe, linking up with Larissa at Papa is a Preacher (head on over she is cool and loves hot chocolate as much as I do!)

 

 

 

New Year, New Rules

 

Because today is a new day, a new year and life is a work in progress!!

 



 

With a significant amount of help from Loki at The Modfather I have decided not to make any resolutions as such but to set myself some simple rules to live by. Well seriously I have a crap track record at following through with my resolutions...last year I wanted to keep in touch with friends and family on a much more regular basis....epic fail and write more...not so epic fail but I have yet to complete a story I have started!! I did however manage to find the courage to post more original writing on here, all thanks to your encouragement dear readers!!

 

Anyway, as I was saying, not resolutions, no specific goals, just some simple rules to live my life by on a daily (ish) basis.

 

1. Do what makes you happy, this is no-one else's life but yours so live it!

 

2. Be yourself and never be embarrassed of who you are.

 

3. Listen to your body, if it is telling you to slow down or that there is something wrong now is a good time to take a break!!

 

4. Spend time with the people that make you smile, they might not be there tomorrow!

 

5. Take time each day to see something beautiful in the world around you, it might not be there tomorrow!

 

6. Make time for the things you want to do, there might not be another tomorrow!

 

7. Appreciate what and who you have in your life.

 

8. Carry out random acts of kindness on a regular basis, they are great for lifting the soul.

 

9. Don't be too hard on yourself, you do not have super powers and they have not discovered and extra hour in the day as yet!!

 

10. If all else fails stick to the first three at least!!

 

I hope you enjoyed your New Year celebrations last night, I hope you got to ring in the new day with the one you love.

 

Lets make 2013 rock ;-)

 

Happy New Year xx

 



Day 31 NaBloPoMo December - New Year New Schedule

So two months of posting everyday are nearly over and I thought I would sign up for another month.....Ha yeah, not likely!!

Seriously, I have loved posting daily but two months is enough. I have a new project that I need to devote my time to and I definitely need to catch up on the blogs I love to read because there are some I haven't visited all month and for this I apologise!! Christmas and blogging everyday was probably not my wisest plan!!

I thought I would give you a heads up on how I hope things will pan out in the New Year:

Tuesday Tickles/Tunes - This all depends on how I am feeling, you may get both or only one...who knows!

Random Thursdays - Does exactly what it says on the tin and as long as Larissa is hosting the link up party I will be there!!

Fridays - I will either post a Fairy Tale Friday or a piece of Fabulous Friday Fiction (poem or short or whatever else comes to mind).

You may get things in between times if you are really lucky, but this will generally mean I am slacking on my other project and may need a kick in the arse (which I officially give you permission to administer) to get back to what I should be doing ;-)

Do you have any new plans you are making for the new year? Or do you prefer to wing it??

Welcome to 2012

Hello and welcome to 2012, well did anyone notice the difference between 23.59 and 00.00?? OK, so I have been dragged into the new years resolution whirlwind, in my defence they are things I have wanted for some time, I just have to get my act together!!

So there it is, to keep in touch with family and friends on a much more regular basis and get a move on writing some of the things I have started! Wish me luck, seeing as I have just set myself a 12 month deadline.

Let us see if I can muster the confidence to post some more of my writings on here?!? For now all that is left is to wish you a Happy New Year, hoping that all you wish for in 2012 you receive.