Love, bubs and life on our little farm

I like a little bit of reflection every now and then. I do believe in the saying "you need to know where you came from, to know where you are going".

So I am taking a moment to review my 2010.

We kicked off the year with a lovely holiday away for our 5th wedding anniversary, leaving Elka for 5 days with my parents. It was invigorating to remember how we operated as a couple without children, even though Miss B did accompany us as a 26 week belly bump!


I worked myself to the bone, getting things organised in my lab before I left on maternity leave, training new staff and completing my research grants. I was rewarded for my efforts with a very nice payrise and later in the year despite being part time and on maternity leave, I have been promoted to being in charge of the section I work in. I am really happy with what I have managed to achieve!

Jase was headhunted for an exciting new position which came with high risk but also potential for great rewards. Not to mention that it came with a lovely (and timely due house extensions and my maternity leave!) payrise and also fulfilled his goal of reaching a particular government level that he wanted to acheive before the age of 30 (an impressive feat!).

I watched Elka grow from a cute 18 month old to a fiesty and inspiring 2.5 yr old. She has the endless ability to frustrate me to tears and make me laugh and laugh all in the one minute.


And of course we took our little property that we adore and made it into somewhat of our dream home. We drew the plans ourselves, handpicked our builder and spent long hours liasing and researching to make it just what we wanted. The builder started work two weeks after Bronte was born and it was a tough couple of months for me stuck in a construction zone with a toddler and a newborn full time. But we are just so happy with the end result.



In all it was a dream achieving kind of year. In fact so much so that we have basically acheived every little dream that I used to wish away for when I was sitting in the freezing cold in Canberra desperately writing my thesis and pining for the warmer climate, horses and land and being close to my family.

And what will 2011 bring us?

Well still lots of work on our house - we havent finished the exterior painting, we have the huge amount of timber verandahs to stain, the concrete verandahs to pain and endless amounts of landscaping and driveway work to go. I go back to work in February and I am excited for the challenges my new position will bring. I am not looking forward to settling Bronte into daycare as she is very Mummy clingy, but I am sure it will do her good.

Jase's job will get busier. I have some work trips already on the horizon. We are hoping to squeeze in a family holiday. I have plans to get back into my horse competitions and hone my fitness, I have lost my baby weight but could do with some muscle toning. We have some very elderly sick relatives so it envitably seems it will be a year with some sad moments.

My girls will grow, we are sending in Elka's enrolment forms for her chosen school and I will hear Bronte start talking and watch her start running.

We are planning a (my side) family holiday to Italy to rent a villa in 2013 so we will will work towards that.

but overall, a quiet year, a "consolidation" year as Jase calls it. Time to sit back and recover from the massive life changes and expenses we have experienced this year.

I don't do New Years Resolutions but I am determined to ensure that the smiles and laughs outweigh the stress and bickering. That the family time will glow warm in our memories and that we soak up the little moments that pass too quickly.

And I wish you the very same for your 2011. xoxo