Happy New Year!
I haven't been blogging much lately and to be honest, not sure it's high on my list of priorities anymore.
I've had a bit of an up and down year. Really struggling to deal with the FIFO lifestyle, am organised and calm and then things seem to fly out the window when Brenton is home, and of course I want him here ALWAYS, but I am still trying to learn to work my life into the FIFO ways of things. I do have to let go more. But I am a person who likes things done in certain ways around the home and get enormously pissed off when I have to re-explain things every 3 weeks.... Anyway, that's my problem, and it's not going to change, so I guess I have to be the one to learn and change...
2012 did see me learn to crochet granny squares which was/is hugely rewarding for me!!
I even made a baby blanket for a very special baby!!
We bought an old Millard Pop top Caravan (Gertie) which we loved but ultimately was too small and too old for us. So we bought a fantastic Coromal off road pop top about a month or more ago and have really fallen in love with it. I call her Maggie. The beds only pull out to doubles, so I sleep in a bed with Mia and Brenton sleeps in a bed with Lexi so we all have lots of room... It is a fantastic addition to our family. We sold Gertie and she was gone within 24 hours of advertising her for sale so that was good too..
We had a huge amount of renos done to the outside of our house and it looks fantastic. We just need a few screens and a new side gate/fence to finish it off in a couple of months and I will feel happy. Then I can really get stuck into the front garden. We also had a lot of landscaping done in the backyard wasteland, and it is so much better now. I love the addition of 3 vegie patches, I truly love the feeling of getting all we need out of the backyard to accompany our dinner. It can be a fair bit of work and the garden has been sadly neglected over the last few weeks, but I will get out there soon to pull weeds, and a bit of maintainence. I've been enjoying making my zucchini pickle and just yesterday I made beetroot and onion relish which I must say was deluxe on my bbq meat last night. We've added a cubby house for the kids and Father Christmas bought the girls a tramp which they love. Not sure why he bought such a HUGE one which covers up most of our new grass area, but there you go... It might have been the cheapest on for him to buy in K-Mart...
We had 3 weeks holiday in Darwin at the end of June and into July. I was honored to be Chief Bridesmaid or Matron of Honour or whatever I was called. I regretted being so far away from Amber as she prepared for her most special day. I did feel a bit 'out of it', but that's what happens when we live so far apart. But to be in Amber and Mark's wedding was the biggest honour, and I would do it all again, although I might have slipped in another quick weekend visit up there to see her before she got married!! Just to be greedy!!
I attended E2C in April last year, I just love this retreat! People who get to go, know what I mean. I always come home in a totally different frame of mind, at least for 24 hours!! LOL!! I also attended the mini in October, and can't wait for March, the women who organise this retreat Amanda and Meredith, are sanity savers!! With a huge amount of flair and organisational skills to boot!!
We went to Adelaide and did touristy things with the kids in the last lot of school holidays, it was a great break. Ice-skating, Central Market, a night with one of my best friends in Mt Barker, A day shopping at Harbour Town, Zoo, Art Gallery and SA Museum. All good stuff.
Lexi had another yearly checkup, she's going fantastically, and no need for further surgery, but we will be having 12 monthly checkups for who knows how long. As long as is needed.
We spent Easter in Pt Neill and have just come home from staying up there over New Years. All good stuff, getting away and it's only an hour up the coast. Great for the kids, to swim and just be a little feral. Mia learnt to Jetty Jump this last time we were there. A fantastic feat, she did it one step at a time. We are so lucky to have such fantastic places around here and wonderful friends to share it all with!!
Mia turned 8 in August. I am so proud of the way she is growing up, she's a normal girl, popular with her peers, by the end of the year she was writing fantastically and was particularly great in a debate!!
She's friendly and loving, and while she had a few issues this year with a girl, I hope next year is different in that respect. She did hip hop classes last year with Ashlee, as well as art with Jill, both of which she loved very much. She also did a term of Basketball skill, which she loved too!!
We will continue to let her choose the direction of after school activities. I think kids have the rest of their lives to be busy busy busy, I don't think it's neccesary to have them too busy to be able to entertain themselves... We love you MIA!!
Lexi turned 4 last week. Our heart baby is growing up, she's a delight, if a little crazy, knows how to tell white lies already, and if she tells you she wants a vegemite sandwich, when you bring it to her, she'll say 'I wanted peanut butter' Little Miss Contradictory I call her. She has loved 2 morning sessions of childcare for the rest of the year once I stopped working, and is quite a social little girl, warms to everyone she meets... She is totally ready for Kindy which she calls Kindygym. I am sad that she's not little anymore, but to be honest, I love the independence that growing up gives them..
Me, I am now 37, but still feel like I am in my early 20's. I have kind of a bad attitude at times, and while I have a sympathetic ear to friends in need, I also tire of bullshit fairly quickly. I'm quick to fire up and slow to cool down. I am me. I am Ali. And that is that.
This year, I want to keep crocheting, sewing, and scapping, growing veggies and keeping my little family happy, while teaching them some skills so that they can look/do for themselves a little more.
Happy New Year, here's to more Meatless Mondays, no added sugar, more Quinoa, not many carbs, and lots of protein. And lots of learning about new things!!
Oh and being more organised!!
This is a no photo post as it seems to be taking forever for me to find the photos I want to upload and to be honest, I just can't be bothered!!
Happy New Year.
x
