Wow, how quickly did 2018 go? Each month seemed to fly by! This year seems to be going the same way already. I wish life would slow down. I’m starting to feel old.

Here’s a look at our 2018:

January

We were planning to get away one weekend a month but this went wrong right from the start. We did enjoy lots of days out though, including a visit to the National Trust Estate Tyntesfield and a nearby beach.

February

This month started off well with lots of lovely days out including a trip to the monkey forest. It went downhill though when Daisy developed shingles It was very painful and she was very poorly but thankfully she responded well to antibiotics.

March

March brought snow which the girls throughly enjoyed. School was even closed twice for snow days. We made snow ice cream and went spotting snowdrops in a Newark Park. We enjoyed a mini break in Cardigan Bay where we visited my very best friend Sarah. We explored various beaches and went dolphin spotting However, It was also this month where Rosie became really poorly. We didn’t know what was wrong at this point. Scarlet fever was diagnosed but she didnt respond to treatment. It would be another few months before glandular fever was diagnosed but she went downhill quickly.

April

April was not a good month. Rosie was very poorly indeed. she missed a lot of school and we spent a lot of time cuddled up on the sofa watching Hetty Feather. She slept a lot, ate very little and had zero energy. We were very worried about her and I can’t remember getting out much.

During the Easter holidays we had planned to go abroad to the Canary Islands but were worried about flying for Rosie. After all we still didn’t know what was wrong. Instead we went to Scotland on a Forest holiday for a week. I didn’t actually get around to writing anything except our Top tips for a Scottish Road trip  but we spent most of the time in the hot tub. We did manage to catch up with our old friends/neighbours who came to see us when they knew we were in Scotland. Rosie was still very poorly but we finally received a diagnosis. Mostly this month was about helping her get better and recover from glandular fevever

May

The sun came out and Rosie very slowly started to show signs of improvement. We enjoyed a few days out to The Cadbury’s Chocolate factory in Birmingham and enjoyed a weekend in Guildford to a celebrate my Nanas birthday. Five cousins in a Premier Inn with my Sister and Mum was lots of fun after a miserable few months. Also our friends Pippa and Max came to stay over half term.

June

Rosie suddenly got better, went back to full time at school and life went on. We went back to enjoying days out including a faveourite of ours Bourton-on-the-water. Rosie turned eight and enjoyed a lovely party at Pricknash Bird and Deer Park. We went to the circus and the girls enjoyed their school disco. The sun continued to shine and it really was a lovely month.

July

The girls started gymnastics. Poppy turned 10 and had a sleepover party. Daisy turned six and we visited the confetti fields. The weather was hot, hot, hot so it was all about being outdoors in pretty outfits. We spent lots of time in Nanny and Gramps pool/garden, caught up with lots of family and there was lots of strawberry picking too. A really happy, relaxed month.

August

It continued being a super hot summer which was amazing. The first two weeks were spent outdoors everyday. We were all so grown and relaxed. For the last two weeks we travelled to the South of France for a blissful holiday. The first week we were by ourselves but for the second, we were joined by my sister and her family. It was perfect. The sort of summer where we lived in swimsuits and flip flops, went swimming and canoeing, ate nothing but barbecues and lots of ice cream.

September

We enjoyed a fantastic trip to the bird of prey centre which Poppy had won for us. The girls started back at school in years 2,4 and 6. Then Poppy sat her 11+. She worked so hard preparing for it. We also enjoyed more National Trust days out, revisiting Westbury court garden and Croombe.

October

After all her hard work Poppy passed her 11+ and we were delighted! We didn’t go away during October half term but instead our friends Pippa and Max came back to stay which was wonderful as always. We always have lots of fun together. This month Poppy had another go at paddle boating and Rosie tried sailing for the first time both with school.

November

What a crazy busy month. The girls took part in their first gymnastics show which was AMAZING. They also had their Christmas disco. My Nana came to stay and we also went out on a few muddy walks.

December

Another busy month with trips to see Santa, catching up with family and friends and wearing Christmas clothes and pjs. It was a really lovely family Christmas. The girls were relieved to break up from school after all three had managed a full term (Sept to December) without missing a single school day. Yippee a first for us. It was a lovely relaxing Christmas holiday, surrounded by friends and family.

This year I’m not going to set any goals as I always end up failing. I just want to enjoy family life, continue making memories and for us all to stay healthy.

Karen x