Goodbye January

So January kind of did me in. It was the month of illness after illness (for both Ben and I and seemingly everyone we know...). I'm blaming this on the awfully dry winter we've had this year- it's made the cold and flu season especially brutal, not to mention that it's not doing my hair or skin any favours. To be honest, January was never my favourite month. I've actually seen quite a few other blogger's share these sentiments. I usually experience to post Christmas let down, followed by frigid temperatures ( it got to -40C the other week!) and gloomy days stuck indoors. I'm just not a fan. Some might argue that February can be quite similar, and yes it's still pretty cold out. For me however, February is the beginning of a lot of celebrating.

We have Winterlude beginning in Ottawa, Valentines Day, and a Family Day holiday this month. A couple of weeks later in March we'll be celebrating my birthday and our seventh anniversary! I seriously cannot believe it's been seven years- I was eighteen when I met Ben and nineteen when we started dating. Where has the time gone? I can still remember how nervous I felt around this time seven years ago... I knew I really liked this guy, I was pretty sure he liked me. We were already friends and being more than that made me feel excited and anxious. Oh eighteen year old Rachael, if only you knew how wonderful your life was going to turn out to be...

I suppose my point here is that I'm excited to move on into these next couple of months. For some reason I'm feeling extra sappy about all these milestones this year, (particularly our anniversary in case you couldn't tell), so forgive me if I get a little high on life and love around here for a little while. It's my blog, so I can;)

For now, I'm happy to see January go, and even if I have to deal with another couple months of freezing weather, I can't say that I mind waking up to snow falling outside my window now and again. Hot chocolate, blankets, movie nights and painting helps too:)

Random

It's been one of those days. (Please excuse all the jumbled thoughts that I am sure will follow)

Last night I awoke somewhere around one am to one of the most excruciating migraines I have ever experienced. Nothing helped. I couldn't get back to sleep until seven am, and even then it was only for a couple of hours. Not a fun night. Not at all.

So today has been a very, very lazy day. I've watched seven movies so far, (combination of Disney and chick flicks, I am not ashamed), snuggled with my cats a lot and kept all lights off except the mini lights over the bed. Oh, but that was all after I enjoyed a glorious breakfast in bed from my man, who, after hearing about my night went straight to the kitchen to cook for me without a word. I love him.

One of my personal goals for 2013 is to simply do more of what makes me happy. Whatever that happens to be. I spent too much of 2012 worrying, and thinking that I "should" be doing this and that, or that my life "should" be a certain way. That doesn't work for me any more. This year I am going to embrace joy. Take more bubble baths, learn a new recipe, take more pictures, snuggle with Ben, buy clothes that make me feel good, spend more time with my friends, go thrifting. Those things all bring me joy. That's just off the top of my head. My point being, life really is short and precious, and I will not waste mine. I am going to enjoy the heck out of it for as long as I can. Maybe that sounds heavy, but this is just how I have been feeling.

I have all these ideas bouncing around in my head lately- so much I want to accomplish this year. In particular, I want to embrace creativity a lot more. I've got notebooks filled with random thoughts and lists- it's how I operate. If I could make or learn at least one new thing a week, I think that would be fantastic. I don't like making lofty new years goals, this seems manageable. Maybe, just maybe I might actually turn that idea into regular blog posts:)

More to come, I think. Going to enjoy the rest of my night now.

New Years Eve With Friends

I woke up on the last day of 2012 to snow falling gently outside my window. One of my favourite sights. I had another leisurely morning before Ben got home from work and we were on the road. 

 Left these two behind with my sister. Wish I could spend the day sleeping!

 Our view the entire drive :)

Poor sick baby :(

All dressed up! (My dress is from Modcloth) Poor Jill just wanted to be held all night- I didn't mind.

I quite like this one :)

  Snuggles the next morning

 Garlic chicken and the most amazing warm potato salad for lunch!

 The best lunch companions

  Singing baby :)

So I didn't know what was going on above my head for this one- but I love this picture.

 Making chocolate spiders in the kitchen- this little guy is my favourite baking companion :)

 This picture makes my heart happy- even with Ben pulling a face!

 Oh these two....they love each other :)

 Chocolate spiders- a Barclay family recipe, they are amazing!

Sad to leave :( The vacation is over


New Years Eve was full of sick baby cuddles, yummy food and chatting with our good friends. We toasted 2013 with sparkling wine in our fancy clothes:) I cannot even tell you how eager I was to enter a New Year!

New Years Day was pretty low key. More snuggles with the kiddos, an amazing lunch, a bit of baking with Paul and watching a lot of Friends. We didn't want to go home- back to our regular routines and responsibilities. But that's life right? I'm grateful that we got to welcome 2013 with great friends and look forward to what this year will bring. If I'm being honest, I wasn't a huge fan of 2012- nothing horrible happened, but it just wasn't my year. 

I've been making more lists this week (definitely a quirk of mine) and I think I've made a pretty good goal list for 2013. Maybe I'll post it on here.