Looking back, looking forward.

And once again, here we are. Back at the start. There is nothing to make you feel energised and motivated, like the first day of a brand new year. So full of potential and promises. It is like the ultimate Monday!

I am sitting  in our living room, looking around at all of our Christmas bits and bobs. Smiling.
The sun is streaming in the front window and I have a steaming cup of tea in my favourite mug. Life is good.

It is January 1st, almost time to go back to work, time for our little family to leave the "holiday bubble" that we love so much. I don't feel sad that Christmas has passed, because we lived it. We lived it all.

We have enjoyed every moment of the season. We have gathered as a family and had so much fun.

2011 has been a good year for us. We have had much to celebrate.

Special Birthdays.

Happy holidays

More happy holidays.

Girly holidays!

Time for just Murray and I.

Lots of special family times.

Precious times with our precious Joe boy.

K starting school

We have welcomed new members into our family.

(not all of them human!)

And there has been a lot of growing going on.

An awful lot of growing up.

We have had some changes to our lives this year lots of good ones and some sad ones too.

We lost our precious little Bee Bee

And we "lost" our little hughes family and our Joe boy , to the sunny temptations of Spain.

2012 will hopefully be a happy and health - full year for everyone.

Filled with love.

and fun times

2011 also saw the "launch" of my little polka dot adventure -  I so hope 2012 allows the fun to continue.
 I am full of hope and new ideas.

I am looking forward to trips to Spain this year and extra special trips when they all come home to visit.

 Only 30 sleeps until I get to sniff that scrumptious boy again.

What a gift.

I have such a strong feeling that it is going to be a good year. I have absolutely no basis for this whatsoever. But it is there, all the same, in my gut.

I feel good and exciting things are coming to us all.

I have no idea what this year will actually hold.

But, one thing is for certain.

There will be as much family time squeezed into every one of these 366 days that will make up 2012, as we possibly can.

 I hope to have many many more links and photos to share of all of the fun we WILL have this year.

And in December we will choose a wonderful tree

 (although this tree will certainly take some beating. On all counts.)

Before we know it, we will have hurtled through the whole year. Returning, once again, to the magic of the Christmas season.

Full circle.

But for now, right here, right at this second?

This year is brand new. A gift yet to be unwrapped. Full of wonder. Full of promise and ours for the taking.

Happy New year my friends.

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!

And gie's a hand o' thine!

And we'll tak a right guid willy waught,

For auld lang syne.

Happy New Year.