Bring on 2012!

2011 hasn't been the best of years, and I can't say I am sad to see the back of it!

It started bad during the spring when my work hours got cut ( I was only contracted to 7 hours in the first place) so this affected our shopping money a LOT. It's amazing how 3 hours a week less adds up to such a big amount towards the end of the month.

Then we had to re-mortgage, payments went up loads, just what we needed!

After months of my partner looking for a family sized car as we had a small one that although was cheap to run just wasn't practical in the long run, anyway he found a focus for a great price, mint condition, with so few miles on. It was great and just what we needed...10 days later a 75 year old lady who had never had an accident in her life wrote it off in her micra...

This meant no holiday in Cornwall as we had no car (when I say holiday I mean long weekend with the in laws so was a freebie near enough too as that's all we could afford).

We had no car until late Oct so had 4 months with no car which really took it's toll.

The planned 3 day trip to Swanage with my mum and youngest brother and my son also turned out to be a disaster, second afternoon mum's car broke down (really badly) luckily we were staying with my grandparents, so could take Alex back, but we then had to leave early in the morning to be towed back in a large tow truck for 4 hours...

My Dad owns and runs his restaurant which has just been an awful year going through 3 chefs and not having one at the moment at the busiest time of year. I really feel for both my parents and hope that things work out for them as it is putting so much strain on them.

But at least we all still have our health and each other, as friends and friends of friends have had really heart breaking years.

I honestly don't think I could have got through this year without my little man, he has grown up so, so much this year and has really turned into a little boy compared to the toddler he was a year ago.

So here is to 2012, I'm not one for New Years resolutions, but there are a few things that I really hope I do, do this year.

• Focus on the positive not always the negative 
• Really look into making money out of craft, and start, make and finish things on my every growing list of ideas. 
• Play with Alex more/make more time for him
• Do housework before browsing the internet 
• Make more time for my partner

Happy New Year to you all, here's hoping it's a happy and healthy one!