2018 was the year I returned to blogging, after having a year long break, and whilst I didn't write loads of posts, I was happy to return to something that's been part of me for years.
I wrote about Jack's sixth birthday back in May and reflected on the years with our little man. These type of posts are one of the whole reasons I began this blog in the first place and will serve as something that the children and I can look back on for years to come.
In September I talked about the summer holidays, which seemed to fly by in a blur of days out, seeing friends and family, not to mention our holiday and my birthday.
As the year progressed I enjoyed some time with some blogging friends, which is really special as it is just for me and I love it. It's like meeting up with friends you dont get to see very often and who share something in common with you that not many others do. I visited the Lake District in October and then the Yorkshire Dales in December and enjoyed drinks, laughs and some much needed time away.
I've also started to write more about chronic illness and how it affects me. I've shared a few posts with my advice on different aspects of the illness and they seem to have been quite popular, so I'm hoping to continue this in the future.
The 7 Things I Loved The Most About 2018
2018 was a funny old year - after some losses at the end of 2017 we spent a big part of the year reeling from those, only to have a couple more over the summer. We definitely had some great times though, my favourite ones being:
Jack turning Six
I adore my childrens' birthdays and try and make them a bit special. This year we went down to Legoland in Windsor with his friend and their family, followed by a smaller party at a local splash zone. Every year I say it, but I can't believe my baby is six!
Our Family Holiday to Spain
We spent a lovely two weeks together at Magic Natura in Spain and had a great time. We visited the waterpark loads, fed elephants at night and enjoyed quality time togeteer the four of us. I look forward to our family time every year, and this year it will be Mexico which is really exciting!
My Blog Trip to Tenerife
Whilst I love family time, time away from the kids is also very needed so this trip was the perfect opportunity to spend a week with friends soaking up the Canarian sun, and the toffee vodka! Sian, Laura and I had a brilliant trip and I have very fond memories of our time together.
My birthday
Some birthdays I don't really acknowledge and some birthdays end up quite big, and this one was definitely the bigger side. We did Crystal Maze in Manchester - fantastic by the way - afternoon tea at Cloud 23 then a night with lots of lovely friends.
Visiting Portmeirion
We have been going to Wales as a family for many years now as my in-laws have a caravan there. We have never visited Portmeirion before though, and wow was I impressed! Brightly coloured buildings. quirky shops and tea rooms galore - I was in heaven!
Enjoying a weekend off with the hubby
This seemed only a small thing at the time, but it was such a good weekend. My sister house swapped us and had the kids for the night, and waking up to a quiet house, casually hanging out then nipping to the pub for a drink was the perfect way to spend a Sunday.
Spending time with friends
This year one of the things that surprised were some new friendships. I adore my long-time friends and cherish them a lot, but some special people came into my life this year who I was not expecting and my life is so much richer for them.
7 Things I am Looking Forward to in 2019
I'm not one to think too far ahead and whilst I have things I would love to achieve in life, having a chronic illness generally means you have to take each day a it comes. With that in mind though, there are some lovely times ahead that I am looking forward to.
Returning to the Caravan in Wales
We only visited once last year and I actually missed it. It is like a home away from home for us and a great opportunity to take just a few nights together without going too far or spending too much money I'm definitely looking forward to a few more trips this year.
Seeing Westlife
Yes, yes, I know, very uncool, but I was a huge Westlife fan in my teens and I was thrilled to find one of my friend was too. So in May we have planned a night out seeing the concert, indulging in the exclusive bar beforehand and enjoying a night in a hotel too.
Going to Mexico
As I mentioned before, this year's family holiday is to Mexico, and we are going with friends. I've never been transatlantic to anywhere apart from America before so I cannot wait for this, not to mention is costing us the same as it did to go to Spain last year!
Trying New Things
Last year John and I started playing D&D with friends and I absolutely love it - it's such a fun form of escapism plus I actually really enjoy the role playing part and it's definitely helped with my confidence. This year we're planning on trying Live Action Role Playing, which is not for everyone but I'm quite intrigued to see if it's for me.
Getting Organised
I'm hoping to do a bit more in the way of life organisation this year - and by that I don't mean becoming the next Marie Kondo or Mrs Hinch, but more getting my diet in better order for my health and planning my blog time better and therefore being more productive. I'm pretty sue I've been saying this for years though, so let's see how this year goes.
Making the Most of What I Have
When I look back over the last few years it has been a lot of 'when the kids get to that age..' and 'when I feel better..' and 'when we have more money...' - more often than not those times never appear and you spend your life wishing time away. I want to focus more on the life we have, the special little people in it and appreciating my husband. It's not always easy when you're in the thick of it and life seems just too much, but I'm hoping doing more gratitude activities will help that.
Enabling My Husband To Have Some Time Off
I've felt like 2018 featured a lot of me taking time off as I was struggling and Mr H left behind holding down the fort. He has had the odd night out and he is currently in Florida for a week (most of it for work), but he doesn't actually get much time to himself because, to be honest, the thought of parenting on my own scares the shit out of me in case I can't handle it. However it just isn't fair and he needs a break every now and again so I must push myself, for his sake.
Tag 7 Bloggers to Take Part
I think most people have done this by now but if not feel free to join in and tag me and I'll share your post!
