Coming To An End

It has been STINKING HOT these last few post-Christmas days so staying home with the air con has been the preferred way to spend the day. Hit the sales?? Nuh-uh..... I couldn't handle the pre-Christmas madness so I'm steering clear of them. The beach and I aren't the best friends either, my English heritage has ensured that the only shade I go, other than white, is red. Plus I don't like getting my head/face wet (yes, an eccentricity of mine and even weirder is that I don't like to do it in the shower.....)

via

As we tend to do at this time of year, I've been reflecting on the year and what I hope for for 2012.

The BIGGEST highlight for 2011 was the arrival of our darling Harper. We feel so blessed to have her, she is our perfect miracle and we just can't get enough of her!!

Michaela has grown into a kind, and very chatty, little girl. Twelve months ago we were concerned with her speech development, it seemed to be delayed in comparison with children her age, but now she is a talking-machine/negotiator/comedian and she amazes us daily.

We attended a number of weddings this past year, friends have also fallen pregnant, had babies and we managed to squeeze in a couple of little trips away- all wonderful!

I look forward to an improved home life in 2012 after having some major problems with our drug dealing neighbour earlier this year. His 'line of work' impacted considerably on us to the point that we considered selling our home. This situation thankfully changed around the time of Harper's birth with new tenants moving in so we're hoping that those dramas are behind us.

I strongly believe that 'Health is Wealth' and while this past year hasn't been perfect (Michaela fractured her arm, Harper required physiotherapy shortly after her birth to address torticollis along with a tongue tie that made feeding for the first month tricky, messy and publicly awkward and I had some post-partum complications that put me back in hospital for a few days when Harper was ten days old) as a family we do have a lot to be grateful for.

On the work front I hope to do some casual work- relief teaching, uni exam supervision in order to fund Little Cloud Factory's return to some hand made markets. Unfortunately I didn't participate in any markets this year and I want to change this going forward. Juggling two children while trying to be a wife, run a home, do some sewing, have a shower, brush my hair.......has certainly been a new learning experience these last six months. It has taught me to not set unrealistic goals and to be flexible with those that I do set. Heading into a new year I hope to be motivated by a few personal goals so hopefully 2012 will see me:

1.  Learn to crochet
2. Create new softie patterns
3. Participate in a couple of hand made markets
4. Learn to use Photoshop (and take better photos with my camera!)
5. Make more clothes for my girls

 Happy New Year and may every day of 2012 be filled with happiness.

Penelope xx