Welcome to the first installment of Project Happy in 2017!
It’s felt like an odd period between Christmas and New Year and then the girls going back to school, with Lola’s birthday sandwiched in between. A big part of me was dreading the return to normality, and January is probably my least favourite month of the year. The transition has been a bit smoother than I anticipated, and while I’m not fully back in flow at work yet I am getting there and I’m ready for all the challenges and changes that the year ahead has in store.
I hope that all of you had a wonderful festive season and are feeling good about the twelve months ahead of us. Wishing you a 2017 that is everything you want it to be.
Here are my moments of joy from the last couple of days of 2016 and the first week of the new year:
Day 1031: Lola got ‘The Christmasaurus’ for Christmas from my Mum and I’ve been reading a chapter to her every night. It’s been ages since she let me ready to her (she’s so independent now that she won’t let me read to her any more, preferring to read to herself!). Plus, I loved this page.
Day 1032: New Year’s Eve. We opened our Happy Jar today and read through all the fun stuff we did and happy memories we made over the year.
Day 1033: New Year’s Day. A rather pretty sunset to end the first day of the new year 🙂
Day 1034: Lola’s seventh birthday! There were loads of happy moments today – it would be impossible to choose just one. Seeing her so happy was the best part though – I don’t think she stopped smiling all day.
Day 1035: The last day of the Christmas holidays before going back to school, so we tested out Lola’s new bike on a quick ride around the block. I borrowed Sophie’s bike too and rode with the girls – the first time I’ve been on a bike in over twenty years!
Day 1036: The girls first day back at school and my first day back at work in London. I’ve changed how I’m working a bit – doing alternate mornings and afternoons so I can see the girls at some point rather than missing out on seeing them altogether. This morning we wrote some thank you letters before I headed for the train station – it was so good to be able to spend the morning with them 🙂
Day 1037: Today was a very good day indeed. My first yoga class of the year, which was exactly what I needed (this was the gorgeous light on my way to the studio) and I got some incredibly thrilling news that I’m not able to share with you yet, but let’s just say that I am bursting with happiness and excitement about it.
Day 1038: It’s ‘Big Me’ week at school and the girls had to dress up as someone who’s job they would like to do when they are older. L-r: Author Ella, Teacher Lola and Inventor/Scientist Mimi!
Day 1039: We’re having some flooring fitted this weekend and so we tried to stay out of the fitter’s way as much as possible. The weather wasn’t on our side so we headed for the arcade and spent an hour or so there playing on the 10p slot machines.
Day 1040: We’ve had Sophie for the weekend and these two were having fun together playing with taking selfies on Sophie’s phone. I love watching and listening to them laughing together.
