Happy New Year - 2014 and Its New Challenge.

Hi Readers - I am back from my Christmas adventures!

I hope you all were able to enjoy Christmas and have some time to relax. My Christmas was in two very different halves. The first half was spent with all my family coming to stay with us. It was pretty mad with all the bodies squashed into the house, the dog going around hunting for any crumbs dropped and three babies(who were a bit poorly).  Gone are the days when we all sat in a circle enjoying watching each other open their presents. It took us a few days to accomplish this! But oh boy was I a lucky girl I had the most amazing craft books and I had a gorgeous kit to crochet a very special granny square scarf - Bohemian Rhapsody. It comes with 75 different coloured

Lace / 2 ply 100% Merino wool. It took me several afternoon and nights to wind the skeins onto some card. I think it may take me several years to accomplish the scarf - but I think it is a project to enjoy slowly and not one to be raced through.

The babies have all grown - even in one month they look so different. The twin girls did have hats to match their elves outfit! They have such long legs - we're not sure where they get this from as we are all short!

 Rowan is just beginning to sit up.

After several days of time together Mr P and I bade farewell to our children! It was strange leaving them in our home. It was mixed feelings and I cried as I left but also happy to be on our way to our beloved home in Northumberland, to be able to have time to spend together, relax and unwind.

 Popping into the local supermarket we were greeted with some rather odd looking mince pies!























Sadly we only managed one trip to Holy Island (Lindisfarne), the tide times were not very good and then on the last day there were problems with gale force winds and the causeway still being left with much sea water.

Mr P enjoying his very favourite view of St Cuthbert's Island.

I love this view and the light was just soooo gorgeous.

 

One day when it was not raining we managed a walk in the Lammermuirs and we walked along a lovely valley following Whiteadder Water and went up  Cockburns hill. Here I am rather windswept! But triumphant that we made it up the hill and it did not rain!

 Then my final picture is of Mr P looking down the hill towards the village where our home is.

But Now to my new 2014 challenge.

What is it? Many people have suggested various challenges, such as reading all Agatha Christie books in one year, or making something from every craft book I own etc etc. I thought too about various challenges such as a physical one or going on a diet. All these challenges worth while in their own right but they just didn't excite me until all of a sudden I had a brain wave - I've got it my New Challenge!  

I love my hubby, very much and am very privileged to have such a caring and loving partner. Now he works very hard, being a minister of a church and often works long hours. I also am kept busy with my full time job ( which I love) and home, family, church, hobbies etc. Sometimes it feels as if we do not see much of each other and time together gets squeezed out. So what I have decided as a challenege is in two parts. 

1) That Mr P and I must spend at least one hour a week with each other. 

2) Once a month I am going to organise a day of adventure/mystery for both of us to share.

This may not seem a very demanding challenge, but it will take some planning and also I have decided to fund it I must economise on the shopping bill. I am really looking forward to being creative and the fun we will have together. The challenge has in a way already started as this last week we have had lots of lovely time together - so I consider we've done our hour this week.