January has been a funny old month. It’s been both quiet and busy if that is possible, but for the most part quiet and we have been relished in a break from the madness of Christmas. After a busy work period in November and December, January has been quiet for both Jon and I, and it has been really nice to focus on other things- such as redoing my blog design, or concentrating on posts and videos I have been wanting to film for ages, like our conservatory renovation as an example.
But mainly it has just been nice to actually relax for a while in the evenings, to spend time watching box sets or to have long baths and read my book. We have had quiet weekends too with very little plans, and as much as I love doing things and keeping busy, I have to admit my favourite kind of weekends are ones where we have no plans and we just potter around the house- my favourite thing to do is be at home. I am still madly in the throes of trying to decorate, style, renovate and add finishing touches to the rooms that we have done so far in our house. It sounds silly but I really do love those weekends of being at home tidying up, sorting and planning. Making this house we bought into our forever home gives me the greatest pleasure and I still can’t believe it is ours.
I want to get more organised and actually go out and take family photos each month for our Me and Mine photos this year. Back in the days where Lottie was a baby and Maddie was a toddler, and when we weren’t so busy with work, our kids busy social lives and parties most weekends, or desperate for a bit of down time on the odd weekend where we had no plans, we used to head out specifically to take photos somewhere. We would combine it with a walk, or a trip to get a cake and I used to love setting up my tripod and getting some family shots to treasure. Unfortunately life has got in the way somewhat and we haven’t done it for a while, preferring to give the camera to someone else or taking our family photos at the last minute. Still at the same time I do think the last minute ones will always be my favourites, they feel less forced and posed somehow. Just off the cuff.
We took these before school the other day as we just hadn’t had an opportunity to before. I was quietly celebrating the fact that we had managed to get ready for school on time, set up the tripod, take some silly photos, and get to school on time, before I realised that we were in fact five minutes late. So the girls had to do the walk of shame through the school office and I felt guilty the rest of the day that they were late because we were messing around taking photos. But I do love these ones. We have taken photos like this a few times recently (in Sept 2016 Feb 2017 Nov 17 )and these black and white silly, imperfect photos are always my favourites over the ones where we are out and about. It’s impossible to get three kids to look nicely at the camera, especially so close up in their faces, but that’s exactly why I love these ones- they capture our kids and the way they are at this moment in time, the funny little quirks that make them who they are.
I just can’t get over how grown up they are all looking now, it’s really true that time goes so fast.
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These are so lovely. They look perfect in black and white, I’ve actually been reading a book this month at night too. I’ve been trying to switch off my phone and relax for a change. x
Your family is so lovely. I wish your family will have a lot of beautiful pictures in this year.
Lovely pics! I’m amazed your three managed to stay relatively still ; my three struggle to not move for an iphone pic, let alone for decent ones like these!! I must say I’m looking forward to getting our pottering weekends back but at the same time not wanting to wish these early days away because you’re spot on – time goes super fast x
So gorgeous! Really reminds me to capture some more moments of my own because you’re absolutely right, time seems to just disappear x
I always love these black and white photos of yours – they really show off everyone’s personalities and they’ll be images that you’ll cherish for years and years to come. I really need to get myself a tripod and start taking some shots with all of us in.