The New Year!

We had a happy New Year's Eve!
I hope all of you did too.

It's always exciting jumping into the car and driving off, into unknown fun times! So, we did. And it was so good.

Can you feel it too? The year of 2012 arriving, full of promise? I get all excited thinking about it. I kinda feel like it's gonna deliver...

No snow, not on Christmas nor on New Year's. Icy it was, at least.

Ready, steady, go!

To think ice and grey mist can be so darn beautiful.

Like a kind of magic.

Driving over this high point there's always sun, in between the mist on both sides.

New Year's Eve

It's a very special day, New Year's Eve. It draws my mind to the entire life of mine: the past, present and upcoming and it also brings the entire world to mind. When Australia celebrates with fireworks, we're getting ready for dinner and when we celebrate the USA gets ready for their dinner.

So if we're in their future, the aussies are in ours! Weird stuff...

John Lennon's words in the Christmas song also speaks to me, every year, 

".... and so Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year - let's hope it's a good one, without any fear..."

I feel like I'll be damned if there's not gonna be a year without fear for me soon!!

We visited Mr Fantastic, of course, and had some 45 minutes in paradise.

He loves the new apartment, central in the city.

Have you ever seen a cuter little kitchen, I ask ya!?

The driver stretched out!

Gearing stuff up, in order for The Boy to be able to play Kinect!

He aced it!!

Am I not the luckiest in the world?!

Why on earth does time pass so horribly terribly quickly???

Leaving The Old Son, going to our friends. Seeing our old hometown being ready to celebrate.

The marvel of children

Hubs and I have always been off, been wrong. Compared to people our age. We both became parents at 20 years of age and none of our friends had kids or plans for kids. Hence no parties for us, with any friends, since they preferred the parties to be kids-free...

When our friends had kids around 28-30 years of age, our kids were big and no babies any longer, then the friends started to have get-togethers with their other friends that had babies, their childhood friends. Hence, again no place for us.

Then when their kids were getting bigger we had a small one again, a baby, and then  our friends had left that stage.... You can't win, we thought and kept celebrating at home, with kids all ages and dinner in the living room.

Then we bought our first house, got the most wonderful people for neighbors and The Boy became fast friend with their daughter.

The rest is history: we had both Midsummers and New Years booked ever since!

We love it and cherish it deeply.

Our fantastic friends make the best parties and get-togethers. Love them.

The kids have a blast.

Their newly renovated greenhouse was up for inspection.

My friend, the proud owner.

It was so un-cold that no one minded just standing outside for a while, talking.

Always a good time for some fun!

My blooming heart wanted to stop time again. Doesn't it always?

My Boy experiences new things all the time. I love watching him.

What a New Year's Eve! To think I could stand outside, almost barefoot...!!

(yes, those old shoes got a reprieve)

Taking comfort in traditions. 

We actually started a new tradition too - more on that another day!

These babies sure do demand new beginnings for us all.

It's always magical and weird and very special. The birth of a new year.

Cheers!!

May 2012 be better, jollier, happier, lighter, more fun and a little bit more crazy...!

Going home after a weekend like that makes me sick to my stomach and brings tears to my eyes.

I question why we moved, why I see so little of my firstborn son and I can't breathe, thinking that I see him so seldom. 

The same goes for our friends: we never had better friends than when we lived in our first house, The Boy never had better friends either.

And then I know. I know why we had to move and why it's better.

I know I see my firstborn more intensely when we do meet, however I absolutely must go there just to be with HIM, not just pass by him.

I know we get even closer to our friends, since we always stay over on our meetings these days - so it's good in totally other ways!

There are different ways of good.

Contrasts enhances.

Longing is good.

Tiring all these celebrations...

Mom stretching out too...

Still wish I could... I know where I'd fly off to!

Hey, sistahs - wait for me, I'll just kick my shoes off...!

It's Wednesday.

Then there are some days off again. This time I'll do my very best to.... CHILL all the time!

Have a kick-ass Wednesday, folks!