You'd think it would be the easiest thing, to capture a photo of your family. But after 2 years of jointly hosting the Me and Mine Project I can tell you it's not always as easy as our posts must make it look!
I realised, as I sat in the sea of torn wrapping paper on Christmas morning, that I'd barely taken any photos! That the moment ran away with us and actually that was ok.
We took the annual video of the children whispering "Has he been?" as they tip toed down the stairs to the front door to check that the carrots had been eaten, we got one photo of them and their stockings, one of each of us with our precious present and one of everyone around the Christmas table.
One is enough. One to print, one to put in an album, one to compare to last year. You just need to take one. Oh and a couple of the table of course ;)
To be able to see our growing boys, how we are changing and how our little unit matures each month is a special thing. And the effort that we sometimes have to go to, to just get one photo of the four of us is so worth it. All the bribery for chocolate or sweets when we've finished, the heated exchanges between Rich and I when he wasn't quite capturing my (umm double) chin as flattering as he could.
All totally worth it, because look what I got for Christmas...
Volume 1 of all our Me and Mine photos since the project started in January 2013. Note that he made it Volume 1, which means despite all the rolling of the eyes when I wave the tripod in front of him on the 29th of each month, he's not planning for us to stop taking our Me and Mine photos anytime soon.
Big things have happened over the last 2 years, people have come into our lives, we lost very special people and we have started a new life in the country.
Almost all of my most precious photos of the four of us are in this book, and that's down to this amazing group of bloggers who share a passion for capturing our family, just as we are, at that moment in time.
Christmas is a time for family, for your nearest and dearest, for bestest friends, for merriment and for reflection. I look at Ollie in the Me and Mine post from last year and wonder at what point this year he stopped being my baby.
Christmas Day at our new house was just as I hoped for. Relaxed, a few new traditions, a good few old ones, sparkly dresses, new Christmas shirts and happiness. 3 generations together and two families. Next year my brother and sister in law are hoping to fly over from America which means my lovely Mummy can have her family photo too.
Boxing Day was a pie filled affair with my in laws joining us and we spent the next day having a rather idyllic time with the boys. Card games at the table, a leftover feast, walk in the countryside and then a time on the sofa snuggling watching Frozen. Perfect.
I hope you had the merriest of Christmases and have a happy new year's eve tonight.
I'll be having a party at home with my boys. Lush.
Now join in and share your family photo from December. It's been another wonderful year for us hosts, seeing everyone's families grow. Pop over to Lucy, Katie, Becky and Lauren's blogs and see the magic that was in their Decembers.
And be sure to check out the first Me and Mine 2015 post in January for a few changes to the hosting team...
I grew up in a large, noisy family. 3 children, a close relationship with my cousins and that's what I always imagined I would have when I started my own family.
My sister is my best friend and confidante and I miss my brother since he emigrated to America a few years ago. We still have an incredibly close relationship despite the thousands of miles of ocean between us and Face Time has been a god send.
Of course we bickered and argued as children, but I have extremely fond memories of my childhood. Mass games of 40/40 in the garden, birthday parties unlike any other, magical holidays in Southbourne with our cousins. And I love watching my boys follow almost the same path.
They love traditional games, playing in the garden, having the freedom to roam on the beach in front of the beach hut. It's literally like a snap shot of my childhood and Sammy is so much like me in personality, I do sometimes worry how the house will be when he's a teenager. I predict some clashes!
We joke about having another baby all the time. Joke being the operative word. It sounds quite ridiculous to say we haven't had time to really think about it and make that definite decision, but we haven't. In a year we've launched a tea business, my photography work has grown beyond all my expectations and this blog has become a firm part of my working life. Not to mention the fact that we have lived in 3 houses in one year!
Then last week we had the pleasure of our little niece for a week. My sister's in laws kindly share her childcare with my mum and as they are away in The Philippines for 5 weeks over Christmas, I am helping mum cover off the time before and after Christmas.
Suddenly parents to 3!
Yasmin is a delight. Now I know I am biased but it's true. She has the most beautiful colouring thanks to her Filipino grandmother and she has a tone of voice like a little excited mouse. People stopped me in the street, stroked her cheeks in the garden centre and she distracts all the check out staff in the supermarket.
She has impeccable manners and knows how to use her girlish charm, "Oh peeeeeeassssse Auntie, more snack, more snack!" and I had to be really firm not to give in to her chocolate button, puppy dog eyes every time.
And it was strange because although toddlers are undoubtedly demanding and tiring, she slipped into our life with ease. I mastered the art of carrying my little shadow on my hip and dressing boys, putting on washing, making dinner. Serving one more at breakfast didn't seem any trickier and watching them all laughing in the car on the way home from school was precious.
She sat with me each morning on the window seat next to me whilst I dried my hair and called to the horseys and the birdies out of the window.
And it made me realise something. Soft play centres aren't that horrible. They are actually quite fun if you don't spend the whole time reading your phone like I normally do. Ollie adored shooing me onto a quite terrifying slide, Yasmin thought it was hilarious to bury her head in a ball pit and play hide and seek (Even though the rest of her was completely out of the balls!) and they were giddy at me chasing them kicking the footballs.
A week with 3 made me play more, because work had to stop. When I put her down for an afternoon nap I would race around like a mad woman, setting up little shots to share on my Instagram feed, shooting a few photos for patient clients and replying to work emails. I am in awe of how many with young children at home during the day manage everything! I had grand plans of a little woodland photo shoot for a Christmas surprise for Natalie and Andrew but I literally took one photo on my big camera. ONE! Can you believe it?!
Being an Auntie means you have the luxury of putting things on hold for a week. I get to do the fun stuff, spoil her, take her out 3 times in a week, just because. And I loved it. I loved that she was totally content at our house. The little bedroom is now set up with all of Sammy's old nursery furniture and pink bunting, which I guess will stay up for the next time she comes to stay and we eventually redecorate that room.
I had lots of kisses, cuddles, sleepy snuggles at bedtime whilst she drank her milk and the best compliment of all, was when she saw my sister and my brother in law, she wanted them to come in and play, with no worry when my sister left again, after a few hours on her day off in the week. It was like she lived here.
It's an incredibly special thing to know you are trusted with someone else's most precious person.
A week was a long time for her to be away from home (Although Sammy protested that 6 nights wasn't enough!) We have left our boys for a few days and this weekend they are off to their grandparents in Poole for 2 nights, whilst we have Christmas parties with friends. But could you imagine yours being away for a week?
I know my sister and brother in law missed her terribly but I feel very lucky to have developed my little bond with my niece. Feel fortunate to have had had that intimate time with her, kissing her goodnight, hearing her say "I, looove, youuuuuu!"
And it's helped with that definite decision. 3 is lovely. Sammy, Ollie and Yasmin are lovely, and that's the 3 for us. A temporary 3 when we get to borrow a little pink one. But I don't have that broody feeling, instead I feel excited for what will come next. What adventures we can have with the boys now they are out of toddler routines and have an almost unquenchable thirst for life.
It was a treat to slide a clip into her whispy baby hair, and the tutu skirts are incredibly cute, but those are not reasons to have another baby! I was born to be surrounded by boys. Our boys suit us, suit our family dynamic and we are very grateful for them. Now I must go as I need to pop out and buy some slime, sticky slugs that will clime down the wall and something called a putrid pizza.
But do you know what, I couldn't be happier! Because I know the little faces I will see on Christmas morning are going to be magic.
My only one from our week (bar the few iPhone snaps), a calm, contented, beautiful little girl. Beautiful Yasmin lu.
Linking up with Mummy Daddy Me and The Ordinary Moments
Is it just me or does grey seem to be the new cream? I have completely fallen in love with having grey sofas in our new grown up living room and completely fallen out of love with our old, tired, beige sofas, that have recently become so unloved, they are extravagant dog beds. They have served us well for many years, but now that the days of baby sick are behind us, it would be nice to have some nice things!
The trouble is, the room is freezing! I took down the curtains when we moved in and lifted the carpets to reveal an original herringbone oak floor and after the recent AGA fire, (Down to the chimneys needing to be swept.) we have decided to fit a stove in this room. The stove is an investment but one that will make a huge difference, not only to the room, but to the whole house!
So here are a few before snaps I took the other afternoon, before the sun went down. No filters or fancy editing, just as it is! Nothing is plugged in, odd bits of furniture with the dogs sleeping on the top of the sofa cushions. A room that doesn't get much use on account of our lovely family/dining room. A work in progress!
We have the option to put vents in the floor to our bedroom above, to benefit from the heat the stove generates and it will be so much more efficient than the open fire, which fills the room with smoke!
So the room has become a bit of a dumping ground/my office space. When the decorator moves in here next week, I need to sort out my office in the barn above the garage, which is currently full of props! The new door to the family room/dining room is waiting to be stained and fitted, the walls need decorating and the floor needs sanding and polishing. We are still debating the curtain fabric but have definitely decided to have wooden shutters on the front windows, which our lovely decorator is going to make for us.
It's an almost square room, with traditional proportions. So we actually have lots more room than at our last house! I love the idea of having a central ottoman with piles of books and trays for drinks and nibbles, and then 3 sets of seats surrounding the fireplace. It's a room to sit and read, entertain friends, play games on Christmas Day in, and a space for Rich and I in the evening to really relax in, away from laptops!
I love this colour scheme and the work by Jessica Zoob and it's inspired me to collate all sorts of bits and cuttings to help bring our vision to life.
I adore the mix of soft and bright tones. A neutral backdrop with pops of colour and beautiful prints. I may have not been able to resist this cushion. It comes in a box and is our prized possession. I literally adore it.
So here is my current mood board of inspiration. Pinks and greys and brass fittings for a hint of gold.
I love the sofas with a fixed back, to help the woofers keep off the tops, combined with new rules when the room is complete! We ordered the Angel range from Sofas and Stuff just in time for a Christmas delivery and I am currently lusting over these chairs from Alison at Home to complete the seating around the ottoman. Also on my lust list is the prints by bluebellgray. There is nothing I don't love.
Of course I haven't found the perfect coffee table or fabric ottoman yet, it's driving me mad! So if you know anyone who makes large square ones let me know!
Someone asked me on Instagram the other day, how do I have all these vases and bits all around the house with small boys. But the honest truth is, whilst they are definitely boisterous, they are not destructive. I have little vases on the coffee table and they never touch them. Planes whizz by, feet jump around, but all my lovely things stay just where they are. In fact both the boys often say "Mama, that looks lovely." Good boys!
I love the idea of big lamps on the sideboard behind the sofas, but Rich quite fancies an old piano! And when you look on eBay they go for about £50! So that's on the New Year wish list.
This is a room that will take a while to come together. We can't have everything on our wish list all at once but all the evenings spent working will be worth it. When we have a beautiful room.
Now the funny thing is the estate agent called it the drawing room, but with our modern family living it seems to formal to call it the drawing room. So I guess it will be our sitting room, to sit and relax. Read and relax. Now hurry up lovely decorator and make it look wonderful for Christmas!
What are your top sites for interiors inspiration? Let me know, I love searching through lovely sites!