Back to Reality

Hi everyone. I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year ahead. It's all starting to slow down now, and to be honest as much as I love Christmas I'm kind of happy for it all to be over.

I'm currently lying in bed at the moment and I'm completely restless (nothing to do with the fact that I was drinking yesterday) so I said I'd put my thoughts on paper, so to speak. The past month has been a crazy one to say the least. I work in retail (as most of you prob know by now) so it goes without saying that we were completely hectic for the month of December and November. So much so, that this year I really struggled with work/life balance. Obviously my priorities are always going to be my kids but it goes without saying that my job is very important too as it's the hand that feeds us (if I've got that saying right). It was tough balancing the craziness at work and daily life, plus the extra bits like xmas shopping, school plays-activites and my blog etc. I became quiet forgetful this year, it was like I had way too much going on in my head, I even forgot the tooth fairy 2 nights in a row. I know, I know, how could I? But the reality of it is that I'm certainly not perefct and sometimes I get it wrong. I'd like to think that I'm not the only parent.

Every Christmas you could spend an absolute fortune. I don't know about you but I feel like I never have enough (money) at this time of year. When Christmas day comes every year I feel like "Santa" could have been a little bit more generous. Now I know it's totally ridiculous because the kids have so much and got everything they asked for, however when I go on facebook and I see pictures that other parents have posted of sitting rooms full (and I mean FULL) of toys I feel kind of guilty that I cannot afford to be that extravagant with my kids.

I didn't get to go home ( to Cork) for Christmas this year and I haven't been able to for a number of years now, 10 years to be exact i think. Because of the nature of my job it just never works out that I have enough time to visit. It's sad and this year I really felt it, I would have loved nothing more than to go home and see everyone because it is really what Xmas is all about (being around your loved ones and family) but at least I will be lucky enough see my family early in the new year.

I really really do love Christmas but I'm ready now for some peace and quiet at the start of the new year. I know January can be a month that most people dread, as we are all broke and depressed from the over indulgence of Christmas. But for me this year I think it will be a month for some "time out" and some "me time" that I feel I really do need.

So a Happy New Years to each and everyone of you. I hope you celebrate in style. I'm excited to see what 2016 holds for us all xx