TAKING STOCK - January 2017 - Teacher by trade, Mother by nature

And just like that, we have reached the end of January! One month down, 11 to go! Is it really going to be one of those years when we blink and it's Christmas again! Eek!

Welcome to the first 'Taking Stock' post for 2017. You can read all of my 'Taking Stock' posts HERE. Pip from Meet Me At Mike is the mastermind behind this series, so be sure to check out her blog. This is something I have done since I started blogging and will continue to do this year - I love looking back at previous months. In a nutshell, it's simply taking a step back and 'taking stock' of what's currently happening in your life.

Here's what's been happening in the month of JANUARY...

Making: memories with my family. Earlier this month, we had a Mini Family Holiday. We took the kids up to the top of New Zealand, to Cape Reinga. The view was amazing, the weather was gorgeous and the kids had a great time swimming at every beach we went to.

Drinking: water - lots and lots of water

Reading: Spark Joy - needing some inspiration as I head into my next KonMari series - 'KonMari With Kids' - next week I am kicking it off with CLOTHES...Watch this space.

Trawling: the internet for kids lunch box ideas - I came across this amazing page with lots of inspiration.

Wanting: Home & Away to come back! We are going to be a week behind Australia. The suspense is killing me. No spoilers please Australian followers x

Enjoying: meeting blogging friends! After a couple of years of chatting online, I finally got to meet my blogging gal pals, Claire (My Other Name is Mum) & Lydia (Always Made With Love), and their gorgeous babies.

Looking: forward to getting back into my morning routines. Don't get me wrong, I have LOVED my sleep ins and not having to do school drop off and pick up, however those extra couple of hours of sleep ins have resulted in me being a little less productive with my time. Oops.

Deciding: what bed to buy Miss B for her birthday. She is getting a mini room makeover for her 12th Birthday this year.

Cooking: Slow Cooker 'Pulled' Bolar Roast - thanks to my sis-in-law for sharing her recipe with me. It was so good, and the best thing is: we had a bit left over to make a pie for dinner the next night! Winning!

Wishing: everyone who celebrated a birthday this month - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! Hope you had a wonderful day x

Liking: Project 333. I am really glad I started it - this has been my first month. I am no longer stressed in the morning wondering what I am going to wear, because everything that is in my wardrobe I love and feel comfortable in - that's the most important thing, right?

Wondering: how Miss B's first day is going to go tomorrow. She is quite anxious about new beginnings. Hopefully all will be fine and she will have a fab day.

Buying: new stationery from KMart and a gorgeous cleaning journal from Warehouse Stationery.

Loving: the #31Days2GetOrganized challenge with Peter Walsh. It's amazing what you can achieve in 10 - 15 minutes. Most of the areas in my home were in pretty good shape since My KonMari Journey, however there were a few things that left my home because they didn't spark joy or I hadn't used them in a while.

Playing: with Master M! I saw a friend share this idea on her SnapChat and had to give it a go. All you need to do is freeze some small toys and let your child break the ice to get them out, or wait for the ice to melt. My son loved it - he was determined to get all of his dinosaurs.

Hoping: to catch up with my Coffee Group next week! It's been ages since we caught up.

Marvelling: at @an_organized_life 's Instagram feed! Lauren has a stunning home and shares some great tips about how to keep your home organised. She is such an inspiration.

Knowing: how to fold a fitted sheet has been a game changer for me! Love it!