Happy New Year!!!

So, I'm now sat here with a glass of bubbly(love champagne, my one and only expensive vice) and the day has come to sum up the year that has passed. Where do I begin...

Let's start with Uni, this past school year has been good it seems. All my studies have gone well, have passed all my exams and student life now seems easier than when I first started. Maybe because I'm now getting in the flow of student life or maybe because I actually love what I do. This past year has made me realise I am in the right place and doing what i am meant to be doing. A good year all in all!

As for home life the kids and I have been well, it's lovely to watch them grow into their different personalities more everyday. They are both at real developing stages age wise(read periods of extreme testing of their mother at times) but that is all part of growing up and learning new life skills :) Last year has also been a bit though, on my son in particular as he's not growing as "normal". Doctors have ruled out any underlying troubles and through loads of tests confirmed this is "only" due to lack of growth hormones. Treatments will probably start next year so wish us luck! We also had a tough time when we lost my cousin unexpectedly last spring. He was too young and it happend suddenly...

Personally I've had a good year. I've learnt a lot about myself and how I react in different situations. I have become more patient and relaxed both when it comes to school and when applied to the rest of my life. I feel I have achieved what I wanted and I've also had some opportunities for fun nights with friends. Over the past year I have made a few new friends and also reconnected with some old good friends with whom i had lost contact. Sadly I've also lost a few, some intentionally others not... Always sad when you loos friends you thought were close but that's life I guess...

Over the past year we have also had my best friend over to stay, miss her so much! Fab to see her, hopefully I'll be off to see her soon :) We have managed to buy a new car, moved house and I managed to win a price in a competition. All good!

As for the coming year expectations are high! My daughter starts school this coming autumn, she can't wait. By march/april I'll be half way through Uni as well.. Also hope all will go well for my son's treatment. On a more personal note I hope for some more opportunity for party and sparkle in my life and maybe a chance to dare to and meet someone special, who knows!

As for New Year resolutions I only ever have one reoccuring one: I promise that I will not give any resolutions as I am not very likely to keep them anyways ;)

On that note I want to wish everyone all the best for 2013 and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Last christmas reflections this year.....

Today I had a lovely, and well needed; sleep in. After all theese last weeks crazieness of getting all sorted for christmas this was really a well deserved treat. Had a great christmas eve with my parents and sister yesterday, not quite perfect though as the kids weren't there. One thing I just have to learn to deal with I guess. First time for me though! That said, me and the kids father have agreed on the terms for "big" holidays as to have them with us every other time. Just as tough on both of us I reckon but a "fair" thing to do for all of us. Focus always has to be what is best for the kids, and therefore this is how it has to be. One big change and progress this year, the fact we actually agree on things :) Hasn't always been that way but as it seems, it gets easier. Hope it'll continue this way as for the kids it really is the best thing if parents can get along and agree on things that concern them :)

Today has been a day of relaxing for me, have almost done nothing! Love it, so needed a break and now for me holidays have started for real. This coming week we are just going to enjoy having time off and doing whatever we fancy! Will be back with updates and more reflection over the year that has passed :)

Happy Christmas!

All that stress before christmas, have spent the last couple of nights wrapping presents and fixing all the last bits of prep and... yes I managed to do it, in time! Today was the big day. As the kids are celebrating at their father's on christmas eve and day we decided to go ahead and do christmas a day early. It has been a lovely day, loads of food, sweets and of course presents. Think the kids got more than what they could've wished for and now they're happily asleep :) Tomorrow I'll be off to my parents after having dropped them at their father's house and then we'll do a "grown up" christmas and exchange presents. Should hopefully be good as well :)

The whole christmas frenzy is rather crazy though. Every year I always think that this will be the year when I don't buy the kids too much so they'll learn to appreciate their gifts. Every year I then get worried they won't get enough presents as I have tried to follow the above... Every year people around my kids give them loads of gifts anyway and it all ends up in a total unwrapping mania of wanting more. They obviously like their presents and yes, they do get necessary things aswell as toys but... always lots of stuff! Not that I deny them that but to put it in perspective it seems so weird that we this end of the world give away tons of stuff when so many people around the globe barely have anything to eat. All this media influence and christmas hype tells us that this is what you do if you love your children, family etc. And yes, I'm guilty of falling into this every year but, isn't the most important thing that you are together with your loved ones? Love can never be expressed fully through pricey presents. Love is being there for, listening to and spending time with the ones you care about. That is something you can do everyday, not just one day a year! My aim in life is that my kids will grow up and not think of me in terms of what material things they've recieved or not, but will feel that I always was at their side, that I always listened(and at least tried to understand) and that I always had time for them, no matter what. That is the true meaning of christmas and how you express true LOVE for the ones you care about!!! On that note:

I wish you all a very happy christmas! Hope you have a great time with your loved ones and that this christmas will bring special memories to treassure forever! HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!

Finally!

I am now officially on holiday! Sort of, will probably be some(maybe) reading over the next couple of weeks but on the whole I  am planning to just enjoy a little time off with my kids and family. Such an awesome feeling to know that we now have 18days of almost no must do's, well that's after we've completed all the must do prep before christmas that is!!

Tomorrow we're(kids and I) off to the city to meet up with my sister and do the final bits of shopping and ofcourse also to just spend some time together :) Then it'll all be wrapping presents and sorting the house out left. Love the excitement of presents, wrapping them and getting to give them away!

Will be back soon with some more updates/thoughts on life once I've rested a little after theese 2 lst weeks of extreme work overload. Have to say my brain is near shut down since I have for the most part survived on very little sleep, all about priorities really and sleep hasn't quite been top priority lately... Plan to make ammends over the holidays now if the kids will let me,

Good Night

Superwoman!

That's what I feel like right now! As I have written previously uni has been extremely manic but somehow I have still managed to sort most bits for christmas and so on... Only last few presents to get and I have 1 week to do it-should work for sure!!! Couple more days at uni now then some well needed time off.

Anyhows, tomorrow it'll be full day at school then time to start wrapping presents, love it! Best thing about christmas is wrapping the presents and giving them away :) Right now all my time revolves around school and christmas prep it seems...

Have also been thinking about this last year and all that has happened. Will do some reminiscing here in a few days before we hit new year. Always a good thing to evaluate and appreciate the good bits and work out what you need to improve next year :) Also, I have added a little LIKE button at the end of every post, so if you like what you read feel free to tick the little box :)

Good Night for now!

Weekend summary

Have had such a fab weekend, well deserved I think since last week was so busy. Friday I went over to one of my really good friends. We had some wine, glögg, cheese & so on, totally fab! Was a bit of a late night though. Saturday I had another godd friend over at mine and we had dinner, wine etc. Yet another late night but great! Have to say I do feel a little tired now though!

On top of having fun I also managed to do a few hours of work on saturday. It was one of thoose days at work when you understand why you do what you do. Some of the kids I work with have improved & started to really improve in so many ways. I have absolutely nothing to do with that but just to be able to see that transformation from how lifee used to be for them to what it is today is such a blessing. It's moments like that that makes my job worthwile :) For you who don't know what I do, I work with disabled children & young people...

We have also managed to get some order at home now in time for christmas. The tree is fully decorated, although decorations have been put up somewhat unevenly... Now just a few bits left before all prep is done and we can enjoy a little bit of time off. 4 days more of uni, then... Can't wait!

Random thoughts....

This has been a week that has made me think alot, both about myself and who I am but also about the people I am aimed to work with once I'm done with uni. We've had a few really inspiring lectures and seminars where we've had the opportunity to listen to peoples life stories and experiences in dealing with some sort of need of help from social services. To get the perspective on their feelings and how they've been treated are such helpful things to keep in mind for the future. Have to add that it was both good and bad experiences. It has also made me think about who I am, and how I act/react in different situations. Something always worth considering in order to grow as a person I guess.

On another note, today was Lucia. Swedish tradition with singing christmas songs, and so on. Went to watch the kids at daycare this morning, they were so gorgeous :) It was very cold though. They always celebrate outside and this morning it was nearly -20 outside..... Tomorrow is yet another early morning, been full on this week and as it looks at the moment so is next week. Then after that, christmas break! Now off to bed, alarm goes off at 5am tomorrow, Good Night!!!