My Achievements in 2019

It is my first post of 2020 and I wanted to look back at the last year because when I think about it, it was a pretty big one for me! I want to write down five of the biggest things that I did last year, not as a family necessarily, not even as a mother but as me because I feel like 2019 was the year I started to rediscover my own identity a bit more.

For eight years I have had a baby at home and last September Finn joined his brothers at school and Cora started nursery part time and suddenly I have two days a week where I can do whatever I choose.  The freedom is wonderful although the reality is that the 5 hours or so goes pretty quickly and is mostly taken up by work or running errands, but still.

So here are my five achievements from the past year

1) In March I decided to start running and I could barely manage half a kilometre before having to stop and walk.  I kept going though, pushing myself each time and in September I ran a half marathon in Bristol.  I remember the sensation as I crossed the finish line feeling simultaneously like I could conquer the world and pass out on the spot but I am so proud that I kept at it, I didn't stop and I ran 13.1 miles.

2) I had only left Cora overnight until September but this year I managed to go away twice without the children, once for a weekend with some friends and once for four nights with my Mum and Sister.  It was so lovely to be able to get away and really relax and recover, coming back to real life with a little more energy.  It feels like an achievement to have got this far and the children be secure enough that they don't mind and I really felt like it did me a lot of good.

3) Having a little bit of free time made me decide to volunteer as a school governor this year.  I am still learning the ropes and I think there is always going to be more to learn about but it feels great to have some focus and it is fascinating seeing how the education system runs from inside it.  

4)I took my first driving lesson on my 17th birthday and finally, many years later, I got my pink driving licence.  I didn't tell anyone I was learning as I didn't want the pressure, especially having failed my test when I was learning before and I sobbed so much when the examiner told me I had passed.  It seemed much harder to do as a proper adult but I love the freedom it has given me and I am making plans for 2020 to maybe drive a little further out than the 20 minutes from home which is currently the longest drive I have done!

5)Visiting new places is always on my to-do list and last year I visited three new countries, Croatia in the summer ( which is one of the most breathtaking countries I have ever been to), Greece in October where we spent a wonderful week in Crete and then Tunisia in November which was pure luxury.  I loved discovering new places and I feel so lucky to be able to travel through my blog sometimes. 

I honestly can't see myself accomplishing as much in 2020 but I have set myself some goals, one of which is to read 52 books this year as reading is something I have always loved and has fallen to the side a bit since I have had children.  I also want to get more creative with my photography and try new things.

What are you most proud of achieving in 2019?

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Freedom // Frugi

All clothing featured was gifted by Frugi

At the grand age of 32 I finally passed my driving test.  I started learning 15 years ago on my 17th birthday and after many, many lessons and several tests, I eventually gave up.  I had my last lesson a couple of weeks before Dylan was born and once he arrived the idea of leaving him to get back in the learner car wasn't appealing.  The years carried on and I had no desire to drive.  I didn't feel like I needed it in my life and we have a wonderful public transport system.

Finn was born in 2015 and he and I spent many weeks in hospital, with Ed bringing the bigger boys over on the bus each day to visit us.  This is what inspired him to finally learn and by the end of that summer he had a licence and we had a car.  He gave up working in an office to work from home and for the past few years there has been a car sat on the driveway, pretty much unused during the week.

For my 30th birthday he got me lessons but it took until February this year for me to decide it was something I actually wanted to do and to send off for a provisional licence.  I then had to retake my theory test and start at the beginning again with learning.  It was scary and I was petrified but I wanted to do it this time and I was determined to keep going.  I still wasn't expecting the examiner to turn to me with a smile though, and tell me I had finally, finally passed.  

I have been driving for a few weeks now and whilst I still feel nervous sometimes and a little hesitant, it is starting to feel more natural and I have been taking the children out on my own.  It has opened up the world a bit and I love the freedom we have to go to new places and leave whenever we want.

Frugi sent the children all some clothes that will be perfect for a Christmas or Boxing day outfit as well as some of their colourful wellies and we headed to a local-ish nature reserve that I have never been to before as it just isn't that easy without a car.  There were dinosaur trails to follow, fairy doors to find and plenty of sticks around that made amazing magic wands for budding witches and wizards.

We love Frugi for its colourful designs, soft organic cotton and how well things last and all three boys were amazed at how soft the cords were.  I like how Cora's dress matches Dylan's shirt and how easy everything is to pass down when they outgrow it.  All four are wearing their usual sizes here and most things fit well, although I would probably size up in the dress.  We will definitely bringing these outfits back out for Christmas! 

And when we were done, our wellies were covered in mud, fingers grubby and stomachs growling we could hop back in the car and drive straight home.  I took so many photos and I am awful at editing which ones stay . . . 

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