Happy New Year?!

On the phone to a friend today, I realised aloud how I'd been labouring under the delusion that after our busy and crazy December, finished with a big New Year's Eve bash, we were "done" and could sit back and take a breath or two in these early days of 2013.

I'm not sure what I was thinking. As I stuffed bedding into the washing machine this morning and washed up the breakfast dishes after the last of the overnight guests had gone, it suddenly hit me that life was just not stopping as I had glibly imagined it would!  More weekend plans to be finalised, food to be planned and made every day [for no less than the seven of us but usually a few more than that!], an entire day away on Saturday, and the organisation of a family trip to the dentist on Friday minus our car [which needs its MOT sorting].

Life goes on.  Most definitely. I am sitting down now for a writing break even if I don't really have time to do so.

Mr J has found a beard and wig in our fancy dress box that he thinks is appropriate for Gandalf.  I think he looks more like one of the dwarves. He has been in Middle Earth all day today, but consented for me to take a photo.

Coo and the older two boys sat with me earlier and we tiled individual mosaic projects, which had been Christmas present kits kindly given to us by my arty friend Chris. It was hard work to ignore the silence of the finished washing machine and instead continue helping Coo cut tiles as she did her leaf mosaic.

The completed mosaics, awaiting their tile grouting:

After I've organised our January, I'll be posting about our adventures and fun over the last few weeks, including an end-of-the-year trip to Stratford!