The Blended Family

I am a sucker for Christmas. I remember it being my favourite time of year when growing up. Then I had a few years from my teens till when my daughter was born that weren't so magical anymore. I guess it was part of growing up. After my daughter was born, the spark of Christmas ignited once again and it is the one time of year I like to go all out. We put up the tree before my daughter went off to visit her dad for three weeks. Yes, three! She will be back just after Christmas so we will be celebrating it twice. The first few days I spent wondering what to do with my life. Then I got motivated to climb into my hobbies that get neglected with the roller coaster of motherhood. Any mothers suffer severe guilt if they start to enjoy their alone time? I like to call this motherhood psychosis. We really can't give ourselves a break! The tree has its honored place in the lounge and I can glimpse it every day as I type. I always get warm feelings. Except that it is 30⁰C in ...

I believe the best thing about a big party is getting to see family and friends that you don't often get to see due to distance and time. Time gets away from us all as we make our way through life. Today is the birthday of someone very special in my life. My fiancé and very soon to be husband (if everything goes according to plan!) He entered my life some years ago. He was reserved and quiet. Exactly the kind of person I enjoyed yakking to. We lost contact and it was some years before we bumped into each other again. This time he wasn't so quiet and reserved. I am glad he wasn't as we may have missed this opportunity to be happy. I remember the Christmas dinner he was introduced to the family. I think he was sweating. Even more so when he said he's going to ask my parents' permission (the very noble way of him) to marry me. I heard about his nerves afterwards. Taking up the position of step father without a falter in his step. Providing us with t...

I love minimalism. The simplistic and neat look. The order and sophistication. I began a minimalism journey about a year ago. The reason? I was drowning in stuff. So much "stuff" that I no longer used. Now I have by no means reached the equivalence of Japanese minimalism, but I feel better with just less "stuff" in my life. I began a simple process of elimination - If I don't use it, it can be donated. My partner however does not share my minimalist fever. His approach is more the "but we could use it one day" approach. So we compromised. It gets hidden in a spare room so I never lay eyes upon it, which may just set off my anxiety. Now my family is small, Sam is the only grandchild and so she gets a lot of stuff for birthdays and Christmas from grandparents and stepparents and step grandparents. I started with the 'culling' method of minimalism. The amount of gifts that come in, is the amount that should go out +1. And she helps with it ...