Happy new year everyone! We’ve been discovering new places, trying new recipes, learning new skills and making some new things part of our routine this week. Sophie started at a new dance school this week and has enjoyed her first few dance classes there. It means her dance lessons are a little more spread out during the week than they have been, but on the plus side we have Saturdays free again.
We haven’t made any new year resolutions but have started a couple of new things for the year. My favourite is starting the day with five minutes of snuggle time on the sofa together while reading the nature poem for the day from ‘I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree’. I think this is Sophie’s favourite new thing too!
I’m continuing with my #365daysofgratitude daily challenge for the seventh year and it’s been lovely to see some new people joining in with me this year. It’s such a lovely thing to do and while it isn’t always easy to find those grateful moments each day, I always feel better for looking for them.
This year I’m also going to try the #1000hoursoutside challenge again. We managed to do this in 2020 and it was great for encouraging us outside each day. I’ve signed Thomas up to some forest school sessions starting next week and have been getting outside each day for a walk with him while Sophie is at school. I’m not sure if we’ll manage the full 1000 hours (it was quite an effort to do it last time) but just spending more time outside will be a good thing.
What I’ve been grateful for this week:
- Day 1 – I am grateful for a flask of hot chocolate on a winter walk.
- Day 2 – I am grateful for new recipes especially when the end result is as yummy as today’s beef and stout stew with cheesy mash was. Will definitely be making this one again.
- Day 3 – I am grateful for an afternoon out on a Gruffalo trail.
- Day 4 – I am grateful for time to help Sophie learn how to use her new knitting loom and start making a scarf.
- Day 5 – I am grateful that Sophie enjoyed her first dance classes at her new dance school.
- Day 6 – I am grateful for the beauty of frost-covered leaves.
Other things that have made me smile this week:
- Taking Sophie and Thomas to the toy shop to spend their Christmas money.
- Finding a good tree to climb while out on a walk.
Happy New Year to you too! Reading this post just reminded me that I didn’t get that book you said I won! Anyhow, nice to hear of your plans to carry on with looking for things to be grateful for and also to get outside more. These are things I really need to do more of.
Well, we hope the new year brings you much love and happinness.
Oh no, I’m so sorry that your book didn’t arrive. I will make sure it gets sent out to you – sorry that it didn’t get sent out in time for Christmas though.
Happy new year! It sounds like you have had a great start to 2022.
Sophie’s dance lessons sound great and snuggle time together sounds lovely.
You have inspired me to start #365daysofgratitude. At the moment I am just doing it on Facebook but it might turn into blog posts.
Good luck with the 1000 hours outside and Thomas at forest school, that sounds like fun.
Lovely photos! x
Thanks Kim, it has been a good start to the year. Lovely seeing your #365daysofgratitude posts on Facebook.
It sounds like a lovely start to the new year, and New is a great word. I’m glad Sophie is enjoying her dance classes. I think I would have probably managed 1000 hours outdoors when my children were younger but these days, no chance. I’m happy to be joining in with 365 days of gratitude though.
I’m glad that you’re joining in – it’s lovely seeing your posts. 1000 hours outdoors is quite a challenge – I found it took a lot of effort to manage it last time but it was good to have the incentive to be outdoors more.
I love the word new. Discovering new things is exciting.
Lovely to hear Sophie is enjoying her dance lessons and morning snuggles are the best!
Your stew looks amazing, it’s making me hungry. xx
It is lovely to be trying out new things this year. Sophie is really enjoying her dance classes.
Happy New Year!
Good luck with the 1000 hours outside challenge, it sounds like a really good idea.
Thank you, it’s a good incentive to get outdoors. Happy new year to you too.
Happy New Year Louise. The Gruffalo Trail! Loved those days. We also need to get outside more, but not sure we’d manage 1000 hours so good luck with this challenge again #365
1000 hours is quite tough – I’m trying to make more effort at the start this time in the hope that it makes it bit easier later on! Happy new year to you too.
Happy New Year! Sounds like you have kicked off with some great plans, love the idea of trying new things we tend to get stuck in a rut and do all the usual boring stuff. Love a Gruffalo trail. And yay to finding a good tree to climb we do struggle with those locally. Once you find a good one it’s like gold dust as far as the boys are concerned!
Thank you, it has been nice to try some new things.
Happy New Year and a great start to 2022.
I look forward to seeing your outdoor adventures!
Thank you. We’ve been enjoying getting outdoors more.
New is a good word to start the year! Love the photo of you three grinning, it has such happy vibes. The tree is definitely one for climbing, who can resist it?! Your new morning routine with snuggles and a poem sounds wonderful.
Thank you, starting the day with snuggles is my favourite thing at the moment.
It has been so cold this year so far! Lots of frost and fog but where is the snow??? I want to experiment with some vegan stews this year as I miss them from my childhood. #project365
It has been cold. Sophie has been quite disappointed not to have had any snow yet.
That’s just under 3 hours a day outside, I think I probably do that with dog walking and sitting outside to read and drink tea almost every morning. Love the morning routine of snuggles and a poem
I can imagine walking the dog each day gets you outside a lot.
Happy New Year! New is such a great word for the first week of the year. You have been busy! I love that you take part in the days of gratitude. They always make me smile. I like the idea of the 1000 hours outside challenge but I have no idea if we would ever complete it #365
Thank you. I love doing the #365daysofgratitude challenge – it’s been such a great way of trying to find positives each day.