My Highs and Lows of 2014

Before launching headlong into 2015, I’m just pausing for a moment to reflect back on 2014, and I was tagged by the lovely Jo at My Monkeys Don’t Sit Still to share my highs and lows of the year…

1. What was your happiest event?

I loved the summer holidays. I know that’s not strictly ‘an event’ but I have such fond memories of us playing out in the sunshine in the back garden. I really enjoyed my garden for the first time last year, with my Project Garden redesign and my cut-flower patch, so just being out there relaxing on lazy days when we had nowhere we needed to be was wonderful. Many happy hours spent there, and I am always at my happiest in the sunshine.

2. What was the saddest thing to happen?

My husband being made redundant. He’d been there since he left college, so it was a huge shock and change for us.The company was run by his friend, who sadly had to declare bankruptcy. Fortunately, the Husband got a new job and it’s now working out to be a good thing as all’s going well there.

3. What was the most unlikely thing to happen that actually went ahead and did?

I’ve been fortunate to work on some fabulous projects as a blogger, but the one that I couldn’t really believe was true until we were pretty much there and checked in, was our visit to Bluestone, Wales. I did not, this time last year, expect to be offered a break as lovely as that for my family, as a part of this blogging world I’m now so very firmly entrenched in.

4. Who let you down?

I think I’m very lucky to be able to say that no-one did. I don’t rely too heavily on others. There’s something inherently in me that warns me not to, having been let down badly in the past by someone very close to me, and I do also just like to do things for myself.

5. Who supported you?

My husband, always. My mum is fabulous, and I’ve other lovely family and friends who I know I can rely on.

6. Tell us what you learned.

Friends are friends, and they don’t have to be the ones that live down the road from you. Over the last year, I’ve made friends via social media, some that I now do meet up with, and others that basically live in my phone on their blogs and Twitter, but I’m pretty sure they’re still real! And then there are the lovely ladies that I write to regularly, again we’ve not met, but I consider each and every one of them to be a friend.

7. Tell us what made you laugh.

My kids make me laugh every single day. Oh, and Gogglebox.

8. Tell us the things that made you cry.

I cried a lot in the run up to my girl starting school. I knew she’d be fine, I knew she was ready, I knew I’d chosen the right school for her, I just didn’t want her to go! It was the end of an era, and I kept having flashbacks to her baby and toddler days.

9. Tell us three things your child or children did to make you feel proud.

The first would have to be Boo starting school. She totally took it in her stride and was so, so happy to go that first day.

boo starting school

She’s continued to go from strength to strength and I’m hugely proud of her. I think my favourite thing I’ve seen from her attending school is how quickly her reading and writing has come on, and she loves it. She was just amazing in her school play, and has made so many lovely friends. I can’t ask for more. And I have stopped crying!

I am proud of how well my beautiful boy is adjusting to his life without a big sister around him all of the time. I’ve seen him go from being shy and cuddling me all the time at his first playgroup, to now happily wandering off and getting stuck in all by himself. His own language and development has come on, too, and I’m enjoying watching him flourish.

Watching my kids play together makes me immensely proud of them. They are so very close, they adore each other’s company, they’re desperate to see one another every morning. They are great little siblings.

10. Tell us the things that made you proud of yourself.

Hmm, I find this one harder than the last question! I could wax lyrical all day about my children, but not as easy looking at myself! Motherhood aside, I’m proud of this here blog. I’ve built up a lovely readership, it’s given me a voice and a connection with many others, given us as a family loads of great opportunities and I’m even doing OK in the rankings. Not bad for it’s eighteenth month.

11. Tell us the challenges you overcame.

I think adjusting to the Husband’s new job has been the most significant thing we dealt with last year, and all of the changes that have come with that.

12. Tell us the things you would like to change about your life in 2015.

Not much, truth be told. The changes that are already on the horizon are Little Man starting nursery later this year and before then I have the joys of potty training! I’d like to make the most of our one on one time together and build more time like that in for Boo and I this year. As part of my #BringBackPaper challenges, I’d like to carve out more me-time, and along with papery time, I would like to get back into my running. I’ve also got a few redecorating plans in my mind that I’d like to get round to. Other than that, I’m happy, and who knows what the year will bring?

If you’d like to share, too, consider yourself tagged! How was your 2014?

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18 thoughts on “My Highs and Lows of 2014”

  1. This has just reminded me, I’ve not done mine yet either! Lovely read and making good friends from blogging has been one of my definite highlights and totally unexpected too 🙂 xx

    1. Yes, I didn’t really consider that side of it all when I started, but it’s a hugely important part now and so lovely 🙂 x

    1. Try it! I had to keep coming back to it for a few days before I’d got it all done, but happy that I did look back like this 🙂

  2. You should be super proud of your blog. Your posts are always super professional, sleek & engaging. Plus you don’t heavily spam out all your posts so you’ve got there from your own merit.
    Bluestone looks lovely! Glad it all worked out for your husband too xx

  3. Lovely post and definitely agree that you should be proud of your blog – it’s definitely one of my favourites and I always love reading your posts. So sorry to hear about your husband being made redundant but glad he is enjoying his new job. And I can definitely sympathise with your feelings at Boo starting school having felt quite a similar way in the run up to Jessica starting preschool last week. So glad that Boo is doing so well at school and really thriving and that Little Man is enjoying one-to-one time with you too. Hope that 2015 will be a wonderful year for you.

    1. Ah, thanks, Louise, so lovely to hear. Yes, that was a scary time, but all’s turned out for the best, I think now. It’s hard when they’ve been with you all the time, and then they’re off and you’re tied to holidays and weekends only to do things. But, she loves it and Little Man and I adjusted pretty quickly 🙂 Hoping you and yours all have a great year, too x

  4. Such a great tag you have done so brilliantly with your blogging and last year sounded amazing. I hope 2015 holds everything you need and want hunny. Love the photo of your daughter. Growing up so fast, don’t they? Buba starts school in September! EEEK. I am so nervous. Lovely post. Thanks for linking up to Share With Me. Sorry if you had any trouble commenting on my site today as the host is being transferred there are a few glitches to fix. Apologies. #sharewithme

    1. They grow up way too quickly! I was nervous this time last year, too, but all is well, so I’m sure Buba will be fine, too 🙂 Thanks for hosting x

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