So how was it for you?

Christmas 2008 is done and dusted. Over in a flash as usual. Tomorrow we are off to my brother's for a couple of nights, so no posts until we return.

On Christmas Day I took a heart shaped wreath to Nigel's grave. The Christmas flowers placed there by his mum and sister, along with mine, looked beautiful in a sad sort of way. The cemetery was very busy, lots of people remembering their loved ones who are not with us any more. I didn't stay long, never do to be honest. I like to show that I am remembering, but not to dwell to long on what could have been...

Signing off for now, have a great few days!

Merry Christmas!

Hope all my readers are having a wonderful Christmas! Ours is certainly going very well!
Here's my favourite carol for you to enjoy.

Wow a week has passed already!

A week since my last blogpost. Busy as ever, fitted so much in this week my head aches just thinking about it! Not much crafting has been done, which is no surprise!

Today, the girls and I took part in a photoshoot for Essentials magazine. We will be appearing in the March edition, which due to the delights of the publishing world, goes on sale in February. Lots of photographs were taken, and this time I will be getting them all to keep on a CD. We enjoyed taking the photos most of the time... Alex was not impressed with one of the tops she was supposed to be wearing, so following negotations she wore the one sent for Sophie which was too small.

Whilst talking to the journalist who has compiled the article from this blog, the conversation turned to what the future holds. Did I see myself having a relationship with another man? I have room in my life for someone else, yes, just haven't met him yet! Whoever it is will have to realise that Nigel still is and always will be a big part of our lives. The girls talk about him in some way every day, even if it is just in passing.

Being ready for someone else in my life doesn't change how much I miss Nigel. I know I will love him forever. Not a day doesn't go by when I don't think about him. Christmas time is more poignant without him. Just to ask his opinion on things for the girls would be great. I suppose wanting his input will be something I will always miss. I know he would have boiled over with pride last week when the girls were in their school plays.

Anyway, I have presents to wrap tonight... wish me luck, I may be some time!

In pursuit of happiness

As I've said recently, life is pretty hectic at the moment. However, hectic this year has brought me massive happiness as I have thoroughly enjoyed this week. First came the performances of Scrooge by year 5/6 at the school I teach at. I played the piano for the songs the children sang, and the script was written by my very talented colleague Debs. I really enjoyed being a part of it this year. I mean, I have enjoyed previous years, but for some reason this year was my favourite Christmas production to date. The children worked hard to achieve the fantastic end result, and I was very glad to be part of it.

Then today was the first performance of Scrooge at our church, Abundant Life in Bradford. Sophie and I arrived at church at 9am this morning, after having been at rehearsals until 11pm twice this week. We were raring to go, and after a run through before lunch, the cast were buzzing in anticipation for the first performance at 2pm. Wow, it was so much fun to be on stage! Sophie loved being Harriet Cratchitt, and I found being a party guest to be an absolute delight! Admittedly I did have to wear a frock made from curtain fabric, but I definitely looked the part.

Both Sophie and I are absolutely whacked, we will sleep well tonight that's for sure! Tomorrow we will perform Scrooge again, at 6pm, to a full house I believe. Back in September, when I auditioned for Scrooge, I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone to go along and sing and act in front of a panel of people who I didn't know. Now I am very glad to have done it, and will hopefully be involved in future productions at ALC.

Being involved in Scrooge has also helped me get to know more people at ALC. The girls and I have been welcomed whole heartedly into the church, invited along to all sorts of events, and included in working as part of the team in a very positive way. I ummed and ahed for an absolute age about switching churches, and am now certain it was the right thing for us as a family. Amazing how trying something new can have such a positive effect on my life.

These last few months have been busy, enjoyable, and full of new experiences. The end result has been a feeling of happiness, unlike anything I have experienced in a long while. So long may this feeling continue!

Personalised message from Santa!

Get your own personalised Santa greeting!

Sophie

Alex

Scrooge!

Apologies for the lack of posts, I am massively busy atm so I am finding it difficult to fit anything in, never mind blogging!

Anyway, at the weekend, Sophie and I will be appearing in Scrooge! It is at our church, but it is way more than just a church production. I have really enjoyed doing it, Sophie has adored being Harriet Cratchitt, and we'd love anyone who is in Bradford or around the area to come and see it.

The website is here and tickets can be bought online, so do come along!

Day 2: Winter Weather

I don't think there could have been a more fitting prompt for today's page in JYC. I woke this morning to discover that snow had fallen overnight, and it had settled! I had to clear the windscreen before we could leave, as the snow had frozen into ice on the bottom layer. The journey to work was a little hairy, as there was black ice a plenty on the roads.
My journalling talks about how I would love to have a true white christmas, having only experienced one, whilst skiing in Bulgaria in 2000. I have vivid memories of snowy days as a child, including my gorgeous brown snow suit which I inherited from my brother!
Pics to follow, once I have uploaded them from my camera onto here!

Day 1 : Journal Your Christmas

So far so good, I completed my page for my JYC. No photo yet as I did it once the girls were in bed, so an awful time for taking pics. The first page had to be a manifest, setting out what I want to achieve in doing JYC, and also why I am doing it.
In short, I am doing JYC because Christmas is an important family time, and I want to record how important it actually is. Family is so very important to me since Nigel died, adjusting to being 3 instead of 4 has been themost difficult journey I have ever made. I feel more comfortable with it now, but it has taken a lot of work. Even now, I still find myself experiencing hiccups. Certain situations remind me so much of how things could have been, but now never can be.

I want the girls to be able to look back over my journal and remember how we enjoyed our Christmases together. Three or four, there are happy memories to be mulled over. The Christmas before Nigel died, 2005, we had just had a conservatory built onto our house, so we made the most of the newfound space in the living room that year. Alex had been very ill just before Christmas, with a blue light ride to hospital early one morning, so family time together was very precious that year. Poignant now, looking back.

It is late and I am working tomorrow, so time to sleep. I wonder what tomorrow's JYC prompt will be...