Sometimes in life you get those life bulbs moments when something that has been staring you in the face really becomes obvious. I know that New Year shouldn’t be the only time to stop and reflect but it really is as good as any. It was indeed this New Year that made me really think about what I wanted from my life and what I did not and what is important to me.
When I read on DorkyMum about having a word for 2014 I knew it would be LIVE
2013 was a difficult year for a lot of people who have really helped me along with my journey, especially with their positivity, despite what they may have been going through. When I questioned what it was about them that I admired, it was simply that they were living the life they had: Making the most of every moment: Not letting things that they could not control ruin the enjoyment of things they could.
With this in mind I got up on New Years Day.
I WAS HANGING!
The weather outside was utterly miserable: the wind blowing down fences and the rain lashing down. My head pounding I could have quite easily have pulled up the duvet covers and just gone back to sleep.
NO this was 2014 – and this was the year that I was going to Live my Life – make the most of things. My children were not going to suffer because I had over-indulged on a night out. So we put on our wellies and our waterproof coats and off we went. There was no reason to let the excuses take over.
In fact it was raining so badly that we never ended up where we set out to go because the roads were flooded. We found *somewhere* and pulled over in a car park. We were hoping to find something of interest to show the children but there was just muddy paths, and trees in an over –flowing river: Nothing interesting at all.
But we all walked, all of us. You see it is really easily to leave a teenager with Aspergers in his room, playing games, but we bought him out too. It was so lovely to see the older two boys walking side by side, soon the smaller one would be as big as his brother (I am sure they do something to them at secondary school to make them suddenly grow up).
And the sound of laughter as the younger two jumped and splashed in muddy puddles really helped soothe my banging headache.
Not once did any of the boys moan, or snipe, the sound of bickering had ceased – and all because they were just outside.
And we went home and I cooked a roast – before passing out into bed just before 8pm. So maybe my drinking had wasted some of the next evening, but I had managed to stay and make the most of the time my children were up.
I have set myself small goals this year and quality time with the children is a top priority. I have placed small pieces of paper in My Motivational Jar and am Instagraming goals too. I do hope you will join in with me. Of course Monday also sees the return of the MotivationalMonday linky too.
I love your words for 2014. I think too many of us forget we need a bit of quality me time as well as the quality family time we’re all always trying to make happen. I hope you have a great year!
i love your motto for 2014 lovely and i also love how stuck into fsamily life you get and how you get those boys out to have fun and also do so much craft work with them at home. you are such a wondeerful mum 🙂
i am off to look at your motivational jar now
wishing you all a happy and healthy 2014 and wishing you all the luck to make your goals LIVE x x
Ten out of Ten for braving the weather on New Year’s Day. After a thorough soaking on the morning animal feeding I was quite happy to be indoors, but you show that taking everyone out can be a good move and refresh even the reluctant. I hope you can keep up the teen motivation into 2014. Thanks for joining me for Country Kids.
I love your approach to the new year, and I love your word for the year. When we moved to the US, that was certainly my intention and while we’ve not always managed it, I will be continuing to live life as fully as I can – what better motivation is there than our kids? Great post, and I must read your motivational jar post, it’s just been a bit busy here over Christmas 🙂 Lovely post x #CountryKids
ah how lovely that you al managed to get out and have a walk, the weather has been wild lately!
Wonderful positive attitude and great walk to forge ahead into 2014!
I find getting outside is especially good for reinvigorating tired minds and bodies. I try to get out as much as possible. I’m so glad you’re choosing to think positively about the everyday-it’s not always easy to maintain but it makes the tougher things more manageable I think.
I love the way you consciously set out to do things. I always feel that I should do more like that. I think we just go with the flow a bit much (although it’s sometimes a good thing). Looks like a fun family walk even if you didn’t see much of interest.
Such an inspiring post. To ‘live’, yes, that’s a great way to leap into 2014, with two very muddy feet!
think we do need to seize the moment (she says tucked up under duvet with laptop!). I went running on New Year’s Day in pouring rain… No such thing as bad weather just bad clothing
This post is amazing and truly inspiring. May your new year be filled with the same positivity as it has started 🙂
Small goals! I love the idea 🙂 And looks like you’ve started it already so yay for you! 🙂 #CountryKids. Love the photos btw, and hope you and your family are safe from the floods.
Wonderful wonderful post Joy and I love your motto for this year. Just perfect. Well done getting outdoors too, we’re itching to get out but its not stopped pouring. When it finally did, POD was back at nursery! Here’s to a great 2014 x
Happy new year! That looks like a great walk with all the family together and a lovely way to start 2014, living life!
x
What a lovely post full of optimism for a new year. Hope it’s a good one for you x
Love a bit of fresh air to blow the cobwebs away – always makes you feel better, even when you really don’t feel up to it at first! Lovely new year, fresh start post. #CountryKids
Brilliant! A great word! Well done on getting out with your hangover! 🙂
I’m poorly today and have lost my voice. We had a protest planned to help save our local hospital. I really wanted to have a lie in or a duvet day on the settee but made myself go as don’t want to look back when the hospital has gone and think that I never did anything. I had no voice or placard, but managed to bring myself for support lol.
We don’t know how long we’ve got at this life, so we have to make the most of it. 🙂
Happy New Year to the Pinkoddy Family! 🙂
lots of love
Claire
xxx
All the best for 2014. Live is a great word! Great to see the incentive to get the boys out and even the simple things keep them entertained. I think as we get older maybe we tend to over think the fun.
Isn’t it amazing how just being outdoors is sometimes all that’s needed to make the kids (and us) forget our squabbles and grumbles…Good Luck with your hopes for 2014, with such a positive attitude it’ll be a fab year for you, I’m sure x
what a perfect word to choose for 2014! I love this post, I remember being forced out for walks by my parents and whinging for about ten minutes and then forgetting and just loving being out doors! x
Live is a great word for the year, it encompasses a lot! Lovely pics! It’s easy not to bother to go out when its so cold and wet but looks like a lot of fun
Beautiful pictures. A great reminder that sometimes the only thing for it is to get outdoors!
Just Go Outside is my number one rule for this year to get us all to a happier, healthier place; I’m terrible for squatting around inside the house, getting grumpier and grumpier. Gorgeous pics, I love a good muddy walk.
I love the motto from The Shawshank Redemption “Get Busy Living, or Get Busy Dying…”
A lovely upbeat post – have a great 2014!
What fantastic pictures! Despite not making any resolotions per se, taking better photos is something I am defo working towards this year. Your narration to accompany the pictures is also enchanting – if I close my eyes I am there. I agree, the one thing we really need to do with our lives is actually live it. That one passes alot of us by. Will defo be returning for motivational monday – it sounds like a fantastic idea!
Love the tones of the still life shots in the middle of this batch #BetterPhotosProject
Great post! i love your resolutions. I don’t have a word for 2014 but a phrase and it is: Let It Go (We have seen the film frozen a few too many times!).
love your choice of word! it was great! it is always great to be positive!
Yaaaaay we love puddle jumping! It’s too easy for us to determine what kids should do depending on the weather. When it’s rained for days on end we’ve played inside until we were just doing each others heads in. I decided it was unfair on T to keep him cooped up just because I didn’t want to get cold and wet, but we donned our wellies and we jumped and splashed. I felt so much better, he loved every second, and we made memories! Great post!
What a lovely motto to have for your family this year. Good luck 🙂
I just love doing this with the girls. Sometimes it is so easy to want to stay inside and hide away in this weather, but once i get them outside, they just love it and so do it 🙂 x
Oh yes this me! Spending more time organising my craft space, doing more crafts, reading and quality time away from the telly and lappy when the kids are home from school.
Lovely list of ‘small goals’ to live by. And great pics too. I’m sure you’ll own 2014 😀
Here’s to an amazing 2014 full of fun, memories and us saying yes to every great opportunity that comes our way x
Loved this post! It’s given me motivation for the year ahead (your blog ways does motivate me, you know.) Happy 2014!
What a fantastic word. Mine is Nurture.
Lie is fab Joy, very similar to my ‘live in the moment’ that I am embracing this year. Mich x
I love this Joy, brilliant attitude to start the year with x x
Great choice of words. So important to make the most of the here and now!
Fab attitude to have! And you were brave to go out in that weather! I always hide indoors! must stop doing that
love your get up and go attitude, it sounded like the perfect tonic for all, fab writing fab pictures from a fab mummy
Super word, lovely post and what a fabulous looking outing 🙂
Happy New Year..!
I must get on with planning mine 😉 xx
What a great start to the year, reading your post has motivated me to get out and about more regardless of the weather
Loving your word! This is the year for positive attitudes and small steps to make the picture great x
Good for you getting out in the wet weather. I don’t think children mind a bit of rain & mud, mine loves it !!
Great pictures…. everyone looks like they are having a brilliant time, and I bet it blew a few cobwebs away? Happy 2014 🙂 xx
I have to admit that this weather has put us off going outside and that says something as we are not afraid of getting out in all weathers. Well done for your muddy walk and I love your word of the year!
Live is an excellent word to live by – I find getting out and into the world when I have a hangover almost impossible, so well done for making the best start to 2014!
I love your photos, it makes me want to go out and take photos 🙂 Which I will on Saturday and Sunday!
Word of the year is a great idea – LIVE is also an excellent choice. You have inspired me. I think my word of the year is going to be PATIENCE as with a 3 year old and a 20 month old – full time job and my blog, I am going to need it!! 🙂