Happy New Year

I know, a bit late

but that is me all over lol!

I have lots of reading to do on my google reader too as I got really behind over Christmas and have yet to catch up on myself.

The Christmas season was a lot of fun but very busy for us and we have hardly eaten a thing at home because we have either been visiting friends & family or eating out (with more friends & family) ! I am desperate to shake all the extra calories out at Zumba lol!  Our decorations have now been taken down & packed away.  The boys both went back to Nursery/Preschool today and the whole festive season already feels like weeks ago!

Right the rest of this post is a bit rambling and you might want to scroll down to the next blog on your reader list lol

2011 was a good-ish year for us.  We had our fair share of flu bugs & childhood illnesses for the first part of the year but we have since all enjoyed good health (touch wood). I started a new job in January but have been out of work since the contract ended in July.  However we are lucky that our mortgage is low enough for us to be able to pay for it and the household bills on one wage.  We have also learnt to prioritise and budget. Not that we have ever been spendthrifts - DH has never owned a credit card for a start. However, being out of work has it's advantages.  I absolutely love being at home with my boys and watching them grow into their personalities (and the Little Fella certainly has lots of "personality" lol"

With moneysaving our priority this year, one of my main aims (I don't really believe in resolutions) for the next few months is to cut down on the amount of food that we throw away.  We have to separate our food waste in this area and I am always a bit disgusted that we manage to fill at least half the large bin that we are given (about half a plastic carrier bag) in a week!  Mainly it is because of my portion size.  I cook far more than required, a few extra veggies or an extra sausage.  Amounts that I find too small to freeze but get put into the fridge and forgotten about.

Top of my list however, is to spend my time more constructively.  This is the last year that both DSs will be at home as DS1 will be starting full time school in September.  I find I procrastinate all morning whilst they are at Nursery & then spend my afternoons doing all the little jobs around the house that I should be doing whilst they are at  Nursery.  So you may find that I start posting about some of the early-years activities we do.

Sewing projects

My dear Mum is 60 in May, so I really want to make her a quilt, however I am still trying to find the right pattern and fabric.

I also really ought to finish the boys quilts seeing as they have been waiting since 2010 for me to quilt them!

I am currently working on a little machine applique project that was inspired by a watercolour drawing I saw in a newspaper... pictures to come soon.

I am also about to start on a year long sew-a-long for The Sewing for Boys Book that I won a while back. The details can be found on the boyohboyohboycrafts blog. The first project is a raglan tee.  My boys do not need t'shirts, but I thought that it would be a good skill builder as I have never sewn jersey or knit fabrics before.

Happy New Year and well done if you managed to read the whole post lol.