Me and Mine – A Portrait for January 2018

They say we see beauty in life’s imperfections and I think that’s why I love these photos of the three of us. To my critical eye the light could be better, the background tidier, but we couldn’t look more like us if we tried!

The day I took these photos we’d had the laziest sunday ever, taking our time to rearrange Sam’s bedroom as while he was without a bed. Before you start to worry that I’m forcing him to sleep on the floor, we’ve just sold his old bed to make way for a slightly bigger one and it won’t be delivered until later this week. It was an Ikea Hemnes Daybed, one of those which pulls out to a double and is really handy but actually just doesn’t seem to be that comfortable. I’ve changed it for a slightly wider single, as his room isn’t quite big enough for a double, and thought it was a good time to change the position of the furniture a bit too.

I’ve taken the bed from under the window to the opposite wall, a move which makes the whole space feel different.

It was a good opportunity to have a bit of a spring clean of his room, although getting Sam to part with any of his possessions and have a clear out is an impossible task. The boy sheds tears at the thought of giving anything of his to the charity shop – he becomes massively attached to every thing he owns and it came to the point where I had to pretend I was just sorting things into a separate bag before finally throwing it away.

As I’m writing this I’m hoping he doesn’t decide to read my blog this month, or I’ll be in trouble!

Anyway we’re pretty much done and ready for the new bed to arrive – in the meantime he’s either sleeping in with me or staying at Granny’s a few miles up the road. I like the look of Sam’s room with a little less in it, but I’m looking forward to the bed coming and us getting back to normal sleeping arrangements again.

This month has been long, hasn’t it? Thank God I’m not doing dry January is all I can say! Last year, I went vegan for January but I swear the month didn’t feel this long! I have started to notice the lighter mornings and evenings though, haven’t you? The other day I started and left work in daylight which was a first for this year and a sign that spring is on its way. I’ve even got some flowers coming up in the pots outside my front door, a bunch of daffodils in my kitchen and a week off work on the horizon. Things could be looking up!

The thing I’m looking forward to the most in February is having half-term off and planning a few days away with the kids and some friends. It seems like so long since we had a break and I know I just need a change of scenery to get a new perspective on life. Sometimes things get on top of us and it takes a mini break to see a way out, don’t you think? Also, the friend I am hoping go away with is very much like me and we are hoping to hatch some plans together in between keeping the five kids we have between us happy!

So here it is, the end of January and the first month of 2018 done. Have a good Feb everyone -not that I’m wishing my life away but March (my favourite month) is just around the corner.

x Julia

PS I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who read and commented on my last post. I had so many positive reactions and helpful advice, so thank you! It really means a lot xxx