Happy New Year…

Happy 2015 from the snail blogger.  Although it's a bit much to really call this a blog, since I only post every quarter!  But nonetheless it's the start to another year and I have a feeling that this one is gonna be big.  Odd numbers work best for me, so here's hoping the pattern is right.  Let you know.
Here's what we have been up to the last 3 months…

Christmas came early in our house due to some filming for work.  It was really fun to have the tree up and the house decorated in October, a full house of kids and all during work hours.  See the results here

Husby and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary and went on a romantic weekend to Gothenburg.  Amazingly Gothenburg is in Sweden, but being there you wouldn't know it.  Full of friendly and chatty people, serving food and drink that's affordable.  Almost felt like Dublin.  I realised that my issues are not with Sweden but with Stockholm.  Stockholm you need to take a little lesson from your working class brother and lighten up :)

It started to get dark by 15:00 and every ones mood went on a downer.  Only 5 hours of sunlight in November compared to the usual 55.  So it was a welcome when the Christmas lights and candles came out.  It doesn't get any easier with the darkness, if anything it gets worse for me.  I really am considering  a bit of light therapy during these months to help me out.  That or move to the Bahamas.

Tilly celebrated her 5th birthday!  Time just moves too fast!  She is the most wonderful little creature.  I would say that she is happy literally from the moment she opens her eyes, until the moment she closes them 6.9 days out of 7.  We are truly blessed.

She had a big bash with her 'gals' since this is the last year she is in dagis.  Next year its one kid for a sleepover.  Holy balls it was mad.  17 kids.  Don't do it man.

Then it snowed for like 2 days.

Then we stopped working and going to school and started our holidays.  First by celebrating Swedish Christmas on the 20th December with our Swedish family ahead of our trip to Dublin.  Husby was the most excited as always!

Our trip to Dublin started perfectly thanks to our brilliant friends and the auld city itself.  Had great catch ups with my heroes The Kilpatrick's. Nothing is ever too much trouble for them. Had an unexpected meeting with my beautiful friend JK, who I haven't seen for 6 years but it felt like yesterday.  Great sign of friendship.   Took the sublime train ride along the coast from Dublin to Greystones and watched our daughter melt in her grandparents arms.

Celebrated a lovely Christmas with my parents and sister, doing all those traditions with Tilly that I did when I was little.  It was so special.  She talked perfect English the whole time and became really attached to everyone.  She got braids in her hair every day and basically got treated like a princess  nonstop!  The usual over eating, drinking and watching telly was done by all too.

Since things were going so well, we ditched the kid and headed into the big city for 2 nights.  As usual my friends don't disappoint and The Eggs showed us a great St Stephens night.  You know the kind whereby the conversation starts with ¨ Ah nothing is really open tonight, so we'll have to take it easy but we've got this thing with the in-laws tomorrow so won't get too wrecked¨  and then ends somewhere between 3 and 4am outside Bruxxels.  The conversation continues the next day on the way to the in-laws with ¨ I need dark glasses and pre-recorded answers for anyone who talks to me.¨  Thank you The Parr's for your ability to turn a boring night into a memorable night.

Due to the over indulgence from the night before all I got from the 27th is this breakfast pic and not much else.  We spent most of the day in bed and then dragged ourselves out to meet another amazing couple The McGrath's.  This time for a nice dinner with wine at Fade St Social.   This wine was not easy to get down and even husby had to excuse himself early to deal with hiccups he'd had for 12 hours.  Ended the night with some bubbly at SMS (the restaurant Super Miss Sue and not a kinky joint.)  Thankfully these folk really had a big day ahead and chose to decline any offers of more.

Returned to our sweet girl and went for a walk and lunch in Glendalough.  Got this one snap of her and my parents.  Everyone is smiling so widely and looks so happy.  I would love this to be an everyday event but sadly its not, so it has to be cherished.  Thank you Dublin and the people in it for making every second Christmas one I love the most.  Hopefully we see those we missed on the next trip.

Came home to some snow and our lovely home, and realised I love it here too.  Just need to get away from it sometimes to realise it.
Brought in the new year with some lovely friends over a very traditional Swedish NY dinner.  Rule # 227 - lobster, fillet and potato gratin.  The kids did a great job of staying up until midnight and got to see the fireworks.  One to remember for them I think.

And here we are in the present day.  24 hours away from the first day at work after almost 20 off.  The whole family sleeping till 9am every morning.  Having coffee's and eating out.  Socialising and relaxing.  Reflecting on the year just gone and appreciating how fortunate we are.  Thinking of those who are far away and those who have felt alone.  And wondering how 2015 will be different and what better choices we can make.
I have a lot of thoughts about all those things and if any of them are to become more than thoughts, you will be reading about them here……