2023 Review & 2024 Goals

Birthday celebrations | Valentine’s Day | Bottomless brunch with the girls | Good Friday at Stowe | More Easter fun | Child-free overnight stay in London | King’s Coronation afternoon tea | Daytrip on the Belmond British Pullman | Alfie’s last day of Reception | Holiday to Albufeira | Baby Page #2 pending | Holiday to Madrid | Alfie’s first day of Year 1 | Alfie’s 6^th birthday | Continuing our tradition at The Patch MK | Merry Christmas 2023

I have only just realised that last year, I never got round to posting a year in review or my goals for the year – and truth be told, I’m cutting it fine this year too! As I look back through thousands of photos (mainly of Alfie) that I’ve taken this year, we’ve crammed in so much – and it was virtually impossible to cut it down to 16 photos.

But let’s sum up the highlights.

Holidays. We had two summer holidays this year – a week in Albufeira (which wasn’t without its hiccups, as we had originally booked the most gorgeous hotel in Corfu – cancelled just four days before we were due to fly, as a result of the wildfires) and a more successful five days in Madrid (staying with family, as we celebrated anniversaries and retirements).

It was between those two holidays that I found I was pregnant again – so even more reason to celebrate… even if I couldn’t eat the Spanish cured meats and drink all the sangria (and other beverages). I don’t think I posted too much when I was pregnant with Alfie (largely because I didn’t know for so long), but that was a breeze from start to finish. This one has been quite the opposite – from knowing at about 7 weeks, to the most horrendous morning sickness, insomnia, aches and pains and now gestational diabetes. Maybe I’ll find the energy (and strength) to post about it… they do say no two pregnancies are the same! I’m complaining, but I do feel so thankful and blessed, and like it’s another miracle.

2023 also marked the end of Alfie’s first year of school, and he has continued to thrive in year 1. In fact, I had the pleasure of watching both of his Christmas shows this year (his reception one got cancelled due to the snow/ice last December) and both times, he had a speaking part. I’m so proud of how much he has achieved at school, and he enjoys it so much too – long may that continue.

We have gone on so many days out – both Alfie and I, and the three of us as a family – and I don’t think I could list them all! Some of the new places we visited included Wimpole Estate, Bletchley Park, Bradenham Woods and we’ve just enjoyed an overnight stay in Gloucester (hopefully coming soon) – but we also continued our tradition of visiting The Patch MK for the sunflowers and pumpkins. Other return visits included Stowe, Epping Forest and exploring Woburn.

I managed to tick something off my travel bucket list with a daytrip on the British Pullman – a Belmond train. We went from London Victoria through the Kent countryside with the most exceptional food, drink, and service on board. It really was a dream come true – and while I had high expectations, it surpassed them by a country mile. Trouble is, now I long to ride the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express!

Despite my pregnancy dragging (coming up to 28 weeks though), this year has gone so fast – almost a blink and you’ll miss it. I know we have so much to look forward to in 2024, as well as some big decisions to make and I just cannot wait to see how it all pans out.

So, for that reason, I’m not going to set goals or resolutions for next year – I’ve just looked at the ones in my 2021 review & 2022 goals post and they didn’t go that well. Instead, I have hopes and aspirations that I’d like to see come to fruition.

• For baby Page #2 to be healthy, happy and complete our family;
• To enjoy my maternity leave (I’ve decided to take off the paid time only) and make the most of the time with my boys (both individually and together); and
• For Alfie to continue to do well at school, adjust to life as a big brother and enjoy his new role.

Let’s see what else 2024 brings!

As always, thank you to my followers (of both my blog and my social media channels) and long-standing readers for all the support, likes, messages, comments, and shares. I really do appreciate it all. There’s no point me vying to stick to two or three posts a week, as we know it never happens – but thank you for following my journey.

Wishing you all good things for 2024 – love, health, happiness and so much more.

Love always, Lucy xx