22 years and still laughing…

With Christmas and birthdays and this crazy time of year… our anni usually comes and goes quietly and we are too exhausted to celebrate or spoil or anything else really. The past few years we have been trying to make more effort esp with the girls getting older. Last year we tried something different and celebrated early and that was amazing to take the pressure of this time of year. This year again, we were determined to keep it low key and it was soooo chilled too and we loved it. We had an uber quiet day at home… slept, read and played some poker. Later in the afternoon we popped out for a quiet celebration with Kitty. Being a hopeless romantic, she asked us to reminisce how we met and that time of our lives. We laughed a lot. This year I have known Digz for half his life and that seems so surreal to me.

One of things I’ve always loved so much about us and our family, is how much we laugh together. I know this is a gift from Digz, he’s a funny guy and he has always made me laugh from my belly. He has a brilliant way of helping us see the funny and joy in life and not take things too seriously. When things get intense, he manages to throw in something light and it sometimes just helps right when it needs to. It’s been a good balance for me and my more serious side has been a good balance for him.

#gratefuleveryday

It’s a wrap… “Love, Life and Everything else”

I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have finished this visually beautiful project. It was one of the highlights to my year and I’m utterly grateful for everything it gave and more. I think it has changed me a little from the inside out and I’m not sure how you go back to normal after something so profound.

I have titled this body of works…. "Love, Life and Everything else”.

I didn’t know it at the time but when I look at them altogether like this, it’s all I can see… a body of love, of life and everything else in between. I have been so blown away by this project and how much it grounded me through the year. It gave me something tangible to hold onto especially when the weeks were tough and that even in those moments I could still find the beautiful. In each day, in the mundane, in the stress and chaos of life and in the quiet and private spaces too. It’s been one of the most visually beautiful projects I’ve ever done for myself. I know we know things and I know we miss other things. We skirt over the good things and focus on the silly things but seeing life's nuances in picture form helped me find so much love, goodness simplicity and humility… and it did something deep inside of me. I am so grateful.

.Thank you #365tinycaptures for helping me see, really see.

Thank you for journeying with me Lucy and Jackie who also personally took this journey in their own formats and thank you for coming along for the ride through the year - I loved sharing it with you.

Birthday Girl

I’m not going to lie, being far away from Corks on her birthday was brutal, we all missed her terribly. Sharing her has been an adjustment. She turned 20 while she was out at sea, a perfect way to kiss her teenage years goodbye. We are so proud of the young adult she’s becoming and is. We iron out issues as they come up, which of course they still do but on the most part… she’s doing good, very good. The best part about her traveling to Mauritius with Ryan and spending this festive season with his family is that Ryan took her to see most of the island on their bikes. It was block training season for both of them and they trained intensely together. I love the places her bike is taking her. What a beautiful way to see the world... one country at a time on your own set of wheels. It was a year of firsts for all of us, not having her with us this time of year. She’s growing up and so are we… we are learning how to let go and how to do that with grace (we hope). How I help myself cope is I remind myself where I was when I was her age and it definitely helps me find perspective. Sometimes I forget how independent I was already.

Ryan is Mauritian and his family live there and they invited Corks for the holidays.

When she asked us if she could go to Mauritius with Ryan earlier in the year, we decided that if she wanted to travel that we would help a little bit with pocket money but she would have to buy her own ticket to the island. Which she agreed to. I know that sounded a bit harsh on our part but it was a very grown up thing to do and we wanted her to know that it came with responsibility that she would have to carry. She had most of the year to work towards it. Corks and Ryan did their first stage race together and won the mixed team category and the prize money paid for her ticket there. Of course, we loved that so much.

Very proud of them both.

Walking and walking…

The day before we left on holiday Digby broke his toe. Yes on the already injured side.

Digby’s mobility was returning beautifully, we weren’t having any set backs and the swelling had been at bay for a good few months already and he has been moving more freely and even faster. I actually couldn’t believe it. The swelling returned with a vengeance and the discomfort was back. After 20 months, we have another set back and I really just feel so badly for him. It’s the second December affected by this injury.

In April it will be 2 years since the hit and run and we continue to struggle. We spent as much time as we could in the water this holiday and walked on the beach sand too to help. Luckily this time he didn’t seem to have pain, just the swelling and discomfort. He will continue physio when we get back now and he might have to consider another op on his knee etc. in the new year. We will know more once the toe recovers.

I loved the beach walking and the beaches just seemed to go on forever and the water was warmish so I could wade and walk and I loved it. I can’t wait to come back asap.

PYHAS 2019 - is a go…

Paint your Heart and Soul starts today.

There is such a brilliant lineup of artists sharing their love and passion and I can’t wait to join in and be part of this group this year. This will be the only group I’ll be in teaching in this year. If you haven’t signed up yet, it’s still not too late to do so.

Look forward to seeing you in the classroom.

Happy New Year!

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