Life Lately – February 2022

Life lately sees us spending pretty much every day on Rightmove – scrolling through houses, drawing out potential plans of how we could make a house work for us, viewing houses, pricing up affordability, missing out on houses and wondering where the heck we will be living in a few weeks time! It’s nuts out there people and it’s also rather exhausting too!

We sold our village 3 bed semi a few weeks ago, as despite pondering on extensions and such, we felt it wouldn’t work longer term and was time for a change and something bigger. We love East Yorkshire still and have pin pointed towns and villages we like (although if the right house came up, we would be happy to stay in this little village too). And are jumping on any suitable ones as soon as they come up. The only problem is – so is everyone else! We are hopeful though that we will find the right house for our needs in this forthcoming chapter, and be able to create another happy home that works for us.

Life is busy and nuts, but there are always lovely moments along the way.

Loving

Lately I have loved Valentines, a spa weekend with my sister in laws, the masses of snowdrops out in nature right now and that lovely milder sunny weather that makes you feel like Spring is on the Horizon – so lovely!

My biggest love of the last few weeks though has been starting my forest school stuff. This is a new venture I decided to do last summer, and haven’t spoken to many people out of the family about it – until now. I started the training last August and it has been such a wonderful experience for me and something I truly love. Starting sessions this week at a local primary school, and setting up my little business socials to start spreading the word has reinforced that passion and excitement again, and I can’t wait to qualify in a few weeks time.

Watching 

We have started watching the (new and very cringe) series of The Apprentice and I finished Call the Midwife too. I have been watching the odd 22 Kids and counting (always love it) and started the new series of Sweet Magnolias.

Film wise – Encanto has been on repeat most weekends here as soon as the kids get home on a Friday, and we finally caught the most recent James Bond for a date night (which yes, I did cry at!). We also had a great night out in York too at the beginning of the month to see the kids uncle in a panto – it was so funny and a generally fun night out together.

Reading

I read Little Women to the girls (E wasn’t too bothered) over the last few weeks and they loved it (obvs – it’s a classic). I really enjoyed seeing their interest in the sisters and what was happening and, I am looking forward to showing them all the film of it now. I have also read a few more chapters of “Last Child in the Woods” – it is super interesting if you want to read up on the benefits of nature for young people.

Aside from that, there really hasn’t been much else as I have been trying hard to write assignments for my forest school portfolio and navigate the crazy life we are currently leading.

Listening to

Yup, you’ve guessed it – Encanto songs! Most journeys see the kids requesting this, but thankfully I quite like them so it’s a party all round. With being Valentines too, I spent a good week listening to old school love songs – 80’s and 90’s classics, Usher, Destiny’s Child, Maroon 5 etc – as well as recent stuff from Jason Mraz, Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift etc. It’s been good times over here in East Yorkshire I can tell you!

Bought

At the beginning of the month I went to a wonderful kids charity shop over in Pocklington (nr York). If you know about it, then you will know its pretty epic as far as charity shops go! I bought loads of lovely clothes for Oscar, lots of new books for the kids, and also a bouncy inflatable cow for Oscar (amazing!).

Visited 

We haven’t been very far during Feb as a family; with weekends taken up looking at houses (meaning we have stayed local and enjoyed a few walks in between), and the kids spending time with their cousins. I am desperate for a little break away and some new scenery to discover. I did have the privilege and opportunity though a couple of weeks ago to hang with my mother in law and 6 sisters in law at a Spa in Lincolnshire. It was lovely just to have a big bed to myself, brekkie made for me, time to talk and laugh together, eat loads, play games and of course – relax in a spa and have a much needed massage. It was lovely!

Spring is on the horizon, life is nuts and our youngest turns 1 next week! Time is rushing by, life is busy, the world feels fragile and chaotic (though there are so many amazing miracles too), and sometimes it all just makes me a little emotional at how much is changing and needed. I am excited though (as always), for new chapters and the things ahead, but worry often (and far too much) about how it will all work out in the meantime. Here’s hoping for fun memories made in March, better weather, safety and more clarity on a family house!

THIS MONTH I AM GRATEFUL FOR:

*Momentary inner peace in all the chaos
*Half term
*A day dedicated to love
*A Spa weekend
*Forest School
*The beauty of snowdrops
*Taking Oscar to a sensory play session
*A Spontaneous snowfall for the kids to go wild in
*A visit to the temple with E
*Lots of charity shop finds for Oscar