HAPPY 2015!!

Happy 2015!! The start of a new year always brings a sense of excitement! I always start the new year with a handful of half-hearted resolutions, which usually get broken within the first couple of weeks... oops. But this year, I have some resolutions that I very much mean to stick to.

1. Be in the moment more.

God, this is so so so important! Especially now I have two children who need my attention. I am so guilty of seeing something happen and immediately grabbing my camera or phone to capture it, when what I should be doing, is getting involved with my children more. I want to spend time with them, real time, and less time behind a camera lens.

2. Less Technology.

Kind of a continuation from number 1, but this is not just relating to the kids. I think we are all so guilty of submerging ourselves under a wave of technology. TV, Laptops, Tablets, Phones... it's all too easy to get lost flicking through endless facebook streams and not looking at what's happening right in front of our eyes. I want to be a good example to my children and I am beginning to lose sight of what is important when raising them. So less technology, good old fashioned fun.

3. Get out more as a family.

We do spend a lot of time out the house, but I'm not talking about going shopping or sitting in coffee shops for hours. I mean, get out in the fresh air, trample through some puddles and get active.

4. Spend more quality time with the children.

Now that I have two instead of one, it's not always so easy to spend a good amount of time with them both individually. So I want to take them to at least one class each a week. Perhaps ballet for Alice and Baby Sensory for Thomas. But just, spending time with them both and being in the moment more... and yes I know this is sort of the same as number one, but I just want to reinforce it!!

5. Be healthier.

How easy is it to make fish fingers and peas each night for Alice? And stick a microwave meal on for Dave and I? Too blooming easy, that's what. I want us to be a healthier family, trying new foods together, eating as a family and having more salad on the plate then chips!

6. Learn to appreciate what we have, and stop stressing about what we don't.

We are so guilty of always wanting what we don't have. We'd love a bigger house, we'd love to move back to West London, we'd love to buy instead of rent... the list goes on really. But instead of focussing on all the things we don't have, I want to spend 2015 focussing on what we do have. 2 beautiful healthy children to bring up, a 2 bedroom house 2 minutes from a train station that the very kind landord lets us rent for way below market value and of course, each other! Life is too short to worry about what we don't have!

7. Spend more time as a couple.

Easier said than done with Thomas in the picture, but I think we really need to spend more time as a couple. Even if it's just leaving the children with my mum and popping out for lunch! At the moment, it feels like we are always just parents and sometimes forget that we are a couple too!!

8. Be tidier.

Again, easier said than done with Thomas being so young and Alice being her own little whirlwind! But I would like to try and find a little more time in my life for cleaning. Maybe when I stop going on my phone every 5 minutes...Haha!

9. Live simpler.

Less stuff basically. I tried to start this at Christmas when we bought Alice only a handful of presents. Kids don't need tons and tons of stuff, especially my Alice who tends to get bored of toys very quickly. Our house isn't massive, and I would like to cut down on the amount of stuff we have and teach our children (and ourselves!) that it's not about the amount of things you have that makes you happy, it's about the experiences you have in life and being with each other.

10. Less blogging.

I know I haven't been present much on the blog lately anyway. And this does kind of tie in with the other resolutions. This blog has been so great. I have documented my life in a way I wouldn't have been able to in any other way. I've met some amazing people through it and had incredible support at times I have needed it most. But I need to concentrate on my family now. It doesn't always feel right taking on sponsored posts, as I sometimes feel I am selling my family out, and I always feel so guilty for not posting as much as I feel I "should" have. So in 2015, this blog will be a family blog, documenting the things we do together and the moments I don't want to miss. I'll blog when I want and not worry about silly things like stats and comments.

2014 was such an amazing year and 2015 looks to be just as exciting and busy. I hope you all have a fantastic year!!

xx