Happy New Years!!!! I hope you are starting the year off right, with good food and good company!
The weather outside sure is frightful today, but it has meant another day of huddling up under blankets and chatting about the year that has been and the year to come. I have such mixed feelings about 2013 but am choosing to reflect on the wonderful things that happened this past year.
I joined the blogosphere in February, and so here's a bit of recap of the story of my life, told mostly through the pleasures of food!
After throwing my sister-in-law a surprise baby sprinkle, I did a big cleanse in March which then confirmed my suspicions that I am gluten intolerant;
We went to the Greek island of Corfu in April, but there were no restaurants that I could review, so just posted one photo to share the beauty of where we were staying; And it was an exciting month as I took a few deep breaths and opened my Etsy store;
May saw lots of food discovery happening in the gluten-free world, as I discovered how to make a gluten free pizza base, and found some delicious gluten free fish and chips in Belsize Park.
June was the month that our baby girl had her 1st Birthday! Although the Queen couldn't make it, we had such a special day celebrating Madeleine's first year. I also did my first Viewtorial, on the perfect icing (frosting) for the perfect cake!
In July I was busy planning and making all the sweet treats for a baby shower in Notting Hill, Maddie had her first Ice Cream at F&M; and Madeleine and I graced the BBC with our presence having a chat about the birth of Baby George Cambridge.
August saw our little trio head to the bright lights (and boundless options) of New York City for 5 glorious weeks. While Husband mostly worked; Maddie and I went to my mecca....aka Mood, wandered through Central Park, and we all went to Flushing Meadows for the US Open, had some incredible typically American meals out (in Brooklyn), and fell in love with Connecticut.
October saw us continue the jet setting streak, with Maddie's 31's flight, this time just across the Channel to Jersey for some cousin time; I taught myself how to poach an egg, live for a new viewtorial; and I got started on The Fast Diet.
We kept our feet firmly planted on the ground in November, and I mostly got wrapped up in 500 calorie days on the Fast Diet! But I also made my first ever Brisket, and spent a lot of fun afternoons preparing for Christmas on my Etsy store and in my home!
December was all about food and Christmas, with the arrival of our first ever real Christmas Tree setting the scene for the rest of the month. I got involved with The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, and toasted to Madeleine's 1 and a Half Birthday!! The rest of my free time was spent preparing for Christmas though, and it was indeed the MOST delicious time of the year!
It has been a busy year, and adventurous year and a very fulfilling year. Thank you for following along with me and for your comments and encouragement, I have been overwhelmed by your kindness!
I had originally penned a huge post about my New Years Intentions, but for fear of you falling asleep by the end of this already kind of wordy post, here's my abridged resolutions... and the ones that I think best fit in with 2014 on meg-made.
2014 GOALS
1. Develop a little more thicker skin. I am far too sensitive and as such, get hurt far too easily. I have started to actively remove negativity from my life, but want to really make sure the qualities that make me a nurturing mum don't then allow me to get trodden all over too!! Its a tough one!
2. See Switzerland. We've always wanted to get to the Swiss Alps, but it never seems to happen, so I'm putting it top of my list for next year!!
3. Continue the FastDiet to achieve a healthy body that is capable of so much more than I ask from it. I want to feel strong and lean, but most of all, I want to feel confident.
4. I want to start answering my phone more. My friend Saraid nailed it when she asked whether the reason I don't answer the phone all the time was because I struggle saying "no" to whatever people ask of me... In a nutshell, yes! So I guess this goal is also learn to say no too!!
5. So, so many meg-made ambitions that I hope to develop in the coming year, and as ever, eager and impatient and want to do them all right away!!
6. Stop biting my nails. Every year I put this on my resolutions, maybe this will be the year I succeed!
7. Be kinder to myself. It is a constant up-hill battle for me to go easy on myself, I am my own worst critic, but I want desperately for my daughter to be confident and self assured, so I am making a huge effort to model this for her. There are many deep-seeded reasons why I believe I am so harsh on myself, but the Aussie in me needs to stop thinking that if I am outwardly kind on myself, others will want to knock me down. I want to surround myself with encouraging, supportive friends, and hushing the negative inner dialogues that go on and on!
8. Get a good nights sleep. Stop writing posts at midnight and go to bed instead!!! (1/1/2014 = FAIL)
9. Teach myself knife skills using my left hand!! This is a bit of a funny one, but we've just bought ourselves some swanky new knives, and I've decided I want to use them as a chef would, so ambidexterity is my new goal!!
10. Attend a Gluten-Free cooking class of some sort
A bit of a melting pot of ideas and goals for the year ahead, but I'm excited to get started! I can't wait to continue writing about our life through food and really appreciate you for reading along. Wishing you and your family a year filled with much love, health, happiness and cupcakes!
Psst!! If you are looking for a little more meg-made, I'd LOVE for you to follow along!
Happy New Year Meg! You've had a wonderful year! Such great goals for 2014 too! I'm a nail biter as well. I'm not sure if I'll ever stop.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
Thank you Jennifer and a happy new year to you and your family as well! Nail biting is such a tough one, its just so easy!!! Lets hope this year is our year then!! xx
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