New year, new me, new blog!

I'm back!

I am not sure if anyone actually follows this blog anymore as I have not kept it up to date for so long. This year though I am going to try really hard to do that. I would like a to use it more like a journal of my life and my family's life. This year is going to be a challenging one for our family and I think it would be helpful to write stuff down, record the highs and lows, and just to have a place that is just for me and my stuff.

This year I will be returning to work (teaching) 2 days a week, this in turn means that the boys will be going to childcare 2 days a week (sob, sob). I am realy struggling with my emotions surrounding my return to work. On one hand I am looking forward to the challenge, to getting my brain going again, and to get my skills up to scratch. On the other hand I am dreadfully sad that the boys (but Lewis mostly) will be going to childcare. I know it is only 2 days a week, and I would have probably sent Ashton for at least one day this year anyway as he only misses pre prep by 22 days, but I just feel so terribly guilty. Lewis is only 10 months old :( I know he will be ok, funnily enough the other 2 went to child care at exactly the same age; Ellyse to a family day care mum and Ash to a (terrible) child care centre. BUT they only went for one day a week....poor Lewis has double that time! I need to focus on the days I have at home and know it will all be ok. If I didn't enjoy being at home it may be different, but I just love being home with the kids. At least I have been blessed with placements at a fantastic community child care centre that is on the same premisis as Ellyse's Kindy was. Being on the committee for the Kindy gave me a fantastic insight into the workings of the child care centre and I feel very confident that they will recieve fantastic care. Ash will be in the 3-5 room and there are only 13 other children, and 2 staff - wonderful ratios!

Anyway enough of that sad talk. There are big things to come this year as well. My darling little girl starts year one and I just cannot wait to see all of her pre literacy skills come together as she learns to read and write. She already knows a lot of words and all of her sounds which absolutely amazes me. It will certainly be interesting to be teaching year one at one school and have a year one child at another school.

I have many personal goals this year also. There is weight to lose, friendships to be restored, muscle to tone, fun to be had and Keiran and I would like to get ourselves set up for camping.

Another big goal for myself and my family this year is to live more frugally. We are not over spenders, never have been, but it is the little things that we don't really need, and the amount of gifts our children recieve. I am mainly returning to work for professional reasons, as well as having an opportunity to share a class with an amazing teacher who I have had the pleasure of teaching with before, but the money is a nice bonus. But the way I see it, if I am going to put the boys in child care then then money I am earning will work for me! I am not going to fall into the trap of spending what we earn....just because we are earning more doesn't mean I have to spend more.

Ok, I think that is a long enough entry for today. I am not going to read back over it as I am going to rest while the boys are sleeping and Ellyse is having quiet rest time in her room. If anyone is readingm thank you and sorry for the rambling first entry back!