Well, that sounds a super dramatic title doesn’t it?

I know we often associate January as being this incredibly long, and incredibly tiring month, or being this month where we make all these plans and then crash at the first hurdle and beat ourselves up about it for weeks (hey, we survived blue Monday everyone!). But this one has felt particularly, neutrally positive. I think maybe stable might be the best way to put it.

It started off with a New Year’s Day awakening in Spain. The first sunrise and sunset were particularly beautiful and if anything starts you off on the right foot, I’m sure that would be up there for a strong contender.

I often used to sit in a cafe overlooking the sea and write my intentions for the year, or sit there and create a bullet journal for the year (I think my personal best for actually completing it was July… and that was 2020 so any guesses as to how I managed it that long and why it suddenly stopped?). It always helped put me in a focused mindset and have clear goals for the year, it never mattered much to me if it carried on, I just always felt as though I started… right?

Last year, it just wasn’t the same walking around a dismal, cold and windy Bradgate Park. Bradgate Park is lovely, it really is and honestly there are very few times where I actually wish I was in Spain, but at that moment I did. So, maybe despite saying I didn’t start with an intention… maybe I did.

I said to Alex, this time next year we’re going abroad after Christmas and that was my intention for the year.

Little did I know all of the wonderful things we’d get up to throughout the year. But, that’s a story for another day (or just go scroll my social media for a while, it is the highlights reel after all).

But this year, this year, we made that happen and it, and I, started positively.

As I strolled along the beach, I thought about the book that I had once started, sitting as an unfinished document of thoughts on the laptop. Never once demanding to be written, just quietly hiding in a folder tucked away for a rainy day. It needs to be written, the thought cropped up multiple times throughout the week.

And it will.

I really enjoy my job, and it works amazingly around childcare and general life. But, I couldn’t help thinking that despite the uncertainties of freelance social media managing… the freedom that came with that was undeniably unbeaten. I’d love to go back into doing that, perhaps one day when the degree is complete (which will be in May!).

I also thought about how I’m doing with socials and my blog and how much I’m enjoying that side of stuff. I have some incredible opportunities and I’m only ever grateful for such a thing. I did think about how I need to stop neglecting long-form blog writing though, and focus on some diary entry blogs again… hence this one… hi!

I also thought about what needs to be done with the house now. Things that we could change slightly to maximise space (and storage!). So, in a few short weeks. we’ve actually got something that resembles a real bedroom now and things in the spare room are starting to be shifted and moved and put away so it’s looking less and less like a dumping ground. But, these things, like everything, take time. We still need to board the loft, we still need some sort of ground in the alley of the garden, we still need flooring in the kitchen, we still need furniture for some rooms and we’d ideally like a bathroom and kitchen renovation. But, it’ll get there. I’m just enjoying the process of seeing things change and alter and knowing that this is ours as opposed to building profits for a landlord.

Though, perhaps my biggest moment of the month, and the most proudest was watching my two-year-old start two new clubs this weekend. Is this my ‘club mom’ era? She has been talking about ice skating non-stop since we went a few times over Christmas, and saw they do a parent and tots skating lesson for over 2’s. I’m so glad we did! She had an absolute blast and I was so proud to see her skating with a skating aid. My little girl who last year was just taking her first steps is now learning to skate!?

The following day, we packed her bag with her swimming stuff ready for her to start the parents and toddler learning to swim session. She had her swim hat and surprised us both by being confident in the water – this child hates showers and baths – so how she was splashing around, laughing. singing action songs… AND JUMPING IN FROM STANDING was so beautiful to see.

Aside from busy jobs and watching her flourish at clubs, we managed to have a family night of bowling and pizza, and visited a couple of National Trust properties (I really ought to get round to writing up more about these!). But, if you’re ever up Barnsley way, check out Wentworth Castle Gardens and Wentworth Woodhouse, they’re both stunning properties. Although we didn’t go this time, Nostell nearby is also stunning. This is me making a mental note to write about these properly at some point! I may have also gone down the steepest, scariest slide of my entire life this month at a soft play in Oadby too… but in the interest of if your child enjoys something then apparently you put that fear aside and DO it, I had to do it… multiple times with her on my lap.

I’m off to eat some dinner and get prepared for the theatre. There’s three shows I’m watching so there’s some pre-preparations I’ll need to sort out and then my reviews to write afterwards. It’s And Then There Were None (the Agatha Christie!!!!!) at Nottingham Theatre Royal on tonight (23rd) and then The Classic Rock Show at De Montfort Hall on Thursday (25th). Honestly, what a mixed bag! I really am so spoilt with such a variety to watch – theatre is just incredibly enriching and to have these opportunities is so exciting and that really isn’t lost on me. Keep an eye on my blog this week to see what I thought of them!

P.S we just bought tickets to TaylorMania and I found a matching Fearless dress for my 2-year-old so I am SO ready to dance and sing around with her – and she will fully believe she’s at Eras Tour. The thought that I’m going to the Eras Tour twice this year brings me SO much joy, but knowing I’ll also get to warm-up for it with my daughter and let her think she’s there is just so beautiful. It’s giving “gonna tell my daughter that this was the Eras Tour”.

Until next time,

Lauren x