Happy New Year...

I hope all of you readers have had a lovely Christmas and New Year, with happiness and love the whole way!
We sure have and I will say that this was the best Christmas in a long time.  I think it was to do with how spread out all the festivities were and how I got to share it will almost every special person in my life, bar the few lovelies which are literally on the other side of the world.

First there was the mini Christmas here in Sweden on the 20th, as all the family would be travelling to other parts this year.  Santa came to visit the kids and brought them LOADS of gifts.  It was one of those moments when you decide that next year the meaning of Christmas might be made a little more clearer so that giving overtakes getting.  But needless-to-say they loved it and had lots of fun.  We ate nice food and drank nice wine, and got to be together on a snowy night.

Then husby and I decided to have a little Christmas evening of our own so that we didn't have to lug the gifts to Ireland with us there and back.  We made a yummy dinner and enjoyed some sparkling while opening gifts.  It was cosy and special.

Then came our trip to Dublin to be with my parents and sister.  What a great time it was.  Tilly got a beautiful new bed with special princess linen, and was in her element.  The present situation was more or less the same, with a lot of parcels for everyone.  We made Tilly wait until we were all there which was very hard for her, because she spoke about Santa coming all day and night the day before and could not hardly fall asleep.  She left Santa his milk, cupcake and a carrot for Rudolf of course.  And was very pleased when he left her a little note in the morning.  We had a delicious lunch of traditional Irish food, with stuffing and gravy and all the trimmings.  Gingerbread and custard for dessert which was like re-living my childhood!  The day was brilliant!  

We got to spend quality time as a family and Tilly enjoyed spending time doing fun things with Granny and Pops and Gucci too.  

After 4 amazing days we went to stay with our generous and fantastic friends Mark and Audrey, who may I say are the hosts with the most!  They organised all our friends to come over for a big dinner and the kids had the best time playing and running around.  Tilly was loving the new environment and new toys of course.  It was brilliant catching up with everyone and hearing their news and just seeing them all in one place was perfect, especially with their children.  Over the few days we went shopping, sightseeing, eating at amazing restaurants, walking the streets of Dublin, having pints, meeting more friends, going to the park and just relaxing at home.  It was like being a tourist but in your home.  

I am now more in love with Dublin than ever before and miss my friends and family EXTRA now. 

But now we are home in Stockholm and have so many great memories and such a content feeling inside to start the new year in right.  I am looking so forward to seeing what is installed for us in 2013.  Thank you all our friends and family for making the end of 2012 one to remember.  We love you. x

Now lets start work tomorrow........