The year that was 2013

I've published a total of 18 posts this year, that's not great blogging is it?! I also have about as many drafts, that I started and never finished or published, but when the moment's gone, it's gone!

So no boring long explanation for my lack of posts, I'm just busy OK?!
(Even this post is taking me days to finish, but I'm determined!)

Our year has been a good one, our first full year in the new house. We haven't done much work to it this year, just LIVED in it! We have a few new projects for 2014 that we'd like to get on with, some improvements and changes to certain rooms that will optimise the space etc.

So the big events of this year, I probably posted on the blog. We had a lovely holiday with my family in St Georges de Didonne back in May, and then our big trip to England in September. Both were very good and lovely times with family and friends. The kids got to spend some time with their little English cousin, who they love so much. We have a new baby nephew in England born last month, who we haven't met yet. We're looking forward to the moment in 2014 when we get to meet him!

3 of the 4 grandparents turned 60 this year, that's huge! My parents got to see most of their family and friends in the UK to celebrate, and I went to Jersey for a day-trip with my mum and her friends. It was lovely, but they clearly hadn't understood the main purpose of the trip would be shopping! Mum and I definitely plan to return for some proper shopping next year!

There've been a few ups and downs in our French family this year, a few illnesses and operations. Everyone came out of it OK thankfully. We also have a new baby nephew born in June, who is so cuddly and cute we love when we get to spend time with him!

All these new babies and babies on the way make me feel a bit broody and sad I won't have another, even though I know it's the right decision, life is so much easier now the kids are out of nappies, no pushchairs and they sleep through the night!

Laila and Max are thriving at school, I did have some worries that Laila might get bored in her class, she's the eldest in their mixed class and can read 2 years ahead of their level, but she seems very happy still. The teacher is very very good, he's constantly challenging them to think and discover. Laila is fully tri-lingual, she can speak, read and write in 3 languages now. Max is doing brilliantly too, he now speaks Breton at school and knows the songs and rhymes off by heart. Unfortunately for me, they've started speaking in French together at home now, so I have to be very vigilant and turn them back to English if it's just me at home with them.

François and I continue to be very involved with the school committees, last year was a tough year financially for the school (if you remember it's not funded by the state it's an associative school). This year looks better, and we've helped streamline costs and find more efficient ways of doing things. We launched the new website this year and worked hard on improving communication by creating a newsletter and blog. Communication is not a strong point in France in general, in schools it's terrible. We've proved that better communication encourages more parents to help and be involved and therefore makes less work for the rest of us!

I'm generally busy with work, I teach in a few different places now. The number of lessons per week varies a lot, but I've got better and faster at preparing. Some students require more prep than others, and most evenings in term time you'll find me preparing lessons. I did a huge intensive preparation over summer for the school lessons, so those now take a lot less time. However, I've had problems with those lessons. I'm not very good at discipline, it's much easier teaching adults one to one than it is teaching a group of 8-10 year olds. I'm apparently too nice and I've let them get away with too much. Every new term I try to think of a new technique to address the problems, especially in one particular class. It works for one or two lessons and then we're back to square one. I'm seriously thinking this might be my last year teaching at the school, but I would need to replace that work with some hours elsewhere. It's not brilliantly paid, but it is steady work at least. I have started some translation work, for free so far, but if I could get some paid translation work it would be great.

François' work is up and down, it's currently OK, although he is always on the lookout for something better. He has some good friends there now, which has helped him settle in more.

So a New Year, what will it bring for us? We actually wrote some Resolutions with the kids and are going to put them up on the wall. For example, Mummy is going to try not to shout! Daddy is going to help more in the house. Laila is going to try not to cry every time she loses at a game and Max is going to try and use the toilet more instead of the potty!! They really got the idea of resolutions and it was good doing them together, we're already helping each other to stick to them!

My own personal resolutions, which I haven't shared with them, are about my own health. I need this to be the year I seriously lose some weight. There I said it! I have a good exercise regime in place in term time at least, swimming, exercise class and Zumba. All I really need to do is attend all of those every week and stop eating so many yummy things with the kids!!
The problem is I love baking, and I've got very good at it, and really enjoy making things for friends and family. I just need to stop finishing up the leftovers myself!

Wishing all of you a very happy and healthy 2014! I look forward to reading your blogs and will try to post here more often!