Here we are almost at the end of the longest month in existence , how does January last for so long??
Anyway the lovely folk at Parenting Phils challenged me to take part in this reflective look at the past year. It was an increasingly tricky one for me personally but I’m not going to spend a brand new year feeling sorry for myself so I’m going to focus on the good parts of last year and this tag seemed a good way to do that. Onward and upwards and all that!!!
So……
My Top 7 Posts From 2018
Didn’t know whether to go with my personal faves or the posts that were most popular so have combined the two starting with my top 3 most popular posts
Affection withdrawal as an abuse tactic… conquered
I didn’t realise how relatable this post would be. Even so many years away from abuse I do still suffer from thinking that certain things that happened had only ever happened to me.
We’re all stories in the end….
A piece where I thought of the stories I tell my children of their grandparents that they never met and ponder what stories my children will tell to their children about me …eeekk
A positive poat about how rebuilding after abuse can leave you pretty strong and powerful.
My personal fave posts I’ve written to add are these…
Total slush-fest as glorious first born turned 18
A plan so cunning you could stick a tail on it and call it a weasel
A funny little tale of how teen boy the younger devised a plan of all plans to get small girl interested in the World Cup (spoiler alert – it totally worked!)
Doria Ragland and the chip on my shoulder
The HUGE chip on my shoulder about being a single mum and how a royal wedding made it a little less prominent
Something we all need from time to time
7 Things I Loved in 2018
1) My eldest turning 18 and starting out in a career and being a proper grown up who I am immensly proud of
2) The afore mentioned World Cup.
Our house developed a month long party atmosphere , alongside lucky flags , lucky shirts and all other kind of superstitious nonsense , when the kids get older though they are less likely to want to hang out with you and for all those England matches we were there all together in frenzied excitement ….and it very nearly came home
3) A cool mini break to York with youngest 3 . It was so lovely to get away together and York is my fave place so lots of fun and happiness
4) Teen boy the younger smashing his gcses and starting college . SO great to see all his hard work paid off in his results.
5) A fabulous night out with the girls watching Matilda at the theatre.I bloody love a musical but long term readers will know my theatre trips are often a solo activity. This time my daughters joined me for a gorgeous meal then a fab theatre trip.
6) Continuing to be surrounded by amazing people . My inner circle is verry small but I’m very lucky to have in it amazing humans such as my sister and fantastic friends and even soe handsome guy (how did that happen?) Speaking of which…
7) The best date ever
Handsome man -check
Beautiful city – check
LOADS of theatre – check
Fab Food – check
Amazing company -double check.
It Was Amazing!!
7 Things I’m Looking Forward To in 2019
1) Doing more writing on that book that I’ve tinkering with for about a thousand years
2) More theatre , I’ve already seen plays I fancy seeing in my fave small theatres.
3) Some more mini breaks with the kids , hoping to build on our York trip and explore elsewhere this year …dependent on children’s social life and who wants to go where at any given time.
4) A return to Edinburgh Fringe , my happy place and soul feeder
5) More lovely dates ….see above …I’ve bought a diary and everything!
6) Grow my blog. Stop treating it as a secong thought and put some work into it.
7) Taking dance classes …been on the to do list years this year it shall happen
7 other great bloggers that you should check out and that I challenge to complete the Top 7 Tag!
Daydreams of a Mum 
What a fun way to start the week! Thank you for the tag! xoxo
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Thank you so much for the tag Kelly, really appreciate it! This is such a great post to do for anyone just to appreciate the good points of the year gone by, to deal with the negatives as well as to focus on some goals for the future. I’ve enjoyed sharing your year with you, you’ve certainly had some great family highlights. I wish you all the best for the year ahead!
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Thanks so much Liberty!!
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I love a good tag -can anyone take part? #triumphanttales
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Of course!!!
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Not a bad year after all!!! And some great posts too!! #TriumphantTales
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Great read and so many things to look forward to in 2019 X #triumphanttales
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Matilda at the theater sounds fabulous! #GlobalBlogging
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It was wonderful!!
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It sounds like you had a great year and that you’re well on your way to matching it this year! I’m looking forward to hearing all about it.
Thank you for sharing this with us at #TriumphantTales. I hope to see you back tomorrow.
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