Hello 2015

I don't know if you know, but 2014 was a bit of a rollercoaster ride of emotions for me. By the time December rolled round, with all the changes over the past few weeks, I was more than ready for a fresh start and, with the New Year just around the corner, a time made for new beginnings, I was in luck.

2015 is a new start for me and my wonderful boyfriend Ed

I had planned on starting the new year seeing it in with a glass of the fizzy stuff and my boyfriend Ed by my side for a festive midnight kiss. As always with me, things didn't quite go to plan when we went to a party and I drank a little too much, a little too quickly and subsequently, instead of the romantic kiss, what Ed got was a passed out girlfriend and sleep before the clocks chimed. Bit of a disaster....

Drinking before even getting to the party is never a clever idea...

From the very next day I was determined to make 2015 a better year and went in guns blazing declaring I would be eating nothing but salads and not touching a drop of alcohol for the entire month. I lasted a grand total of 4 days. It's not that I couldn't do it, if I tried, it's that the lonnnnnng month of January is a hard enough time as it is, but when you add the life changes I am currently experiencing into the equation, you're looking at a breakdown waiting to happen and a few glasses of wine might just take the edge off it all.

Don't get me wrong, things are happening the way I want them to. In fact, I am the happiest I have ever been. But no matter how much better my life is now, it is always a little sad to admit you made a mistake and things didn't work out. I hope that in a few weeks time when everything is final, that I can really move on in my life with Ed and my children. I am fortunate enough to have a loving and supportive family, and a couple of close friends who have stood by me no matter what. For these people, I am eternally grateful.

My sister has been my rock throughout the past few months

My life has never followed the path I used to want it to. I have often been envious of those people who managed to do things the 'right' way. But recently I have come to realise that actually, there is no 'right' or 'wrong' way. Life is too short to worry about the choices we are making. Yes, I made some along the way, but everything that has happened has happened for a reason and led me to where I am now, which, in case I didn't already mention, is the happiest I've ever been. So yes, I will conclude this rather rambling post with one of my favourite lines from the soundtrack to my all tine favourite Disney film, the magnificent Frozen....

 

"I know I left a life behind but I'm too relived to grieve.... Let it go"

 

2015 will be the year I finally manage to do just that and leave the past where it belongs in the past, allowing me to move on and into a brighter future for me, Ed and my two beautiful children.

Instead of unrealistic expectations or the promise of a new year, new me, this year I have gone for some sensible attitude changes in key areas of my life..

-I will have a healthier relationship with food, exercise and my body image.

-I will have more patience with people, especially as a mother.

-I will aim to spend less time on my phone and more time in the present. I will be more motivated and confident, using my bucket list as a way to force myself out of my comfort zone.

In short, I will use the fresh start to keep myself as me, only better.


Happy New Year everyone!

My Christmas in Pictures!

Carly's first christmas!

Christmas morning beach walk and visiting Grandad's bench

Cameron opening pressies

Christmas Dinner with the family

Me and my babies <3

Cameron being introduced to Cookie Monster

With my lovely fiance :)

Christmas cocktails and lunch with my dad and sister

New Years Eve with my gorgeous daughter

Great nan cuddles

More fooooood!

"Mummy, my hat doesn't fit!"

Popping down to celebrate at midnight with my cousin and his fiancee at their restaurant

It's New Year!

New Years Day walk along the beach

Me and my not so little man

All wrapped up warm and cosy!

Back to Blogging...

Hi everyone, did you miss me?

With the new baby things have been extremely hectic around here, as you can imagine. Carly has settled in really well but as she is still so little I am getting many a sleepless night. I nearly cried with happiness when she managed 6 hours straight last night! Fingers crossed for more of the same. Cameron has understandably been a bit jealous but he adores his baby sister and gives her lots of hugs and kisses. Carly is now 5 weeks old and she is already growing up too fast! I weighed her yesterday and she is now 10 pounds, so has gained two pounds in just over a month, not too bad!

Meanwhile, I have managed to lost two and a half stone of my pregnancy weight through healthy(ish) eating and breastfeeding alone which is great, although I am well aware I may put a bit back on over Christmas! I plan to take it easy over the next couple of weeks (I mean, seriously, who diets over Christmas?!) and then come back in the new year and get my pre baby body back!

I will be doing the healthy eating/treat exercise plan I did when I had Cameron as it worked really well. I want to ideally get down to 9 stone, which means probably around a stone to lose once I have gained 'holiday weight' next week. I am also starting back at my old exercise class which I am actually totally looking forward to as I missed the class over the last 10 months (expect to see lots of posts on my new year goals and weight loss journey in the new year).

Talking of wedding dresses, the wedding planning is coming on leaps and bounds. Having already secured our venue for the ceremony and the evening reception, as well as our photographer, we are now moving onto the more creative side of things and have been buying supplies to make our own save the date and wedding invitations in the New Year. I am also making our wedding favours and have already bought the material and ribbon for the bags. I will be putting up some posts in the next month on our DIY wedding including a step by step guide on how to make Save the Dates, Wedding Invites and Favour Bags.

Once I have toned up and lost that pesky last stone I am looking forward to going wedding dress shopping with my mum who has very kindly offered to buy me my dress! I keep seeing beautiful dresses in shop windows and having to restrain myself from going in! Once I allow myself to start looking, expect to see my dream dresses on the blog (must remember to make sure Tim doesn't look on here!).

Also coming up on the blog expect to see the return of regular posts such as 'Plans for the Month', 'Cuddles with Cameron' (now of course joined by Cuddles with Carly!) and 'What I did this Week'. I will also be hopefully doing some product reviews in the New Year of all things mum, toddler and baby. The blog will be taking on a couple of different angles as I want to write both about being a mummy and all that entails as well as wedding planning, which is very relevant for me at the moment and also links in with my degree of Events Management. I hope my readers enjoy the changes coming to the blog! Please feel free to send in any suggestions you may have for blog posts.

Hope you have an amazing Christmas and a very happy new year 2013 lots of love (Not so) Yummy Mummy (I'm working on it!)