One Thousand

I'm not one for marking blog anniversaries in any big way, but when I noticed via my blog dashboard earlier this week that I'd published by 1000th post here on Being Mrs C it did make me stop and think.

A huge amount has happened in my life since I started this blog over five years ago, and I find it really interesting when I look back at some of my earlier posts to see what I was doing then, and what was making me smile back then.

Over that time I've stopped working and devoted my time to looking after our family, but the economic situation here has also changed a huge amount leading me to take on paid work via this blog to help out financially at home. I blogged about it back in April and my stance hasn't really changed. The only small difference is that I will now accept copy written by others for sponsored or featured posts, but I figured that I'd be silly not to accept money like that when it is offered to me, especially with two kids to feed and clothe in the house!

You can't have a party without party rings!

When you blog it's often as if things go in waves. Suddenly a load of sponsored posts will come along at one, or a huge number of items to review, but as you never know what might or might not be coming next I find it hard to turn things down that would benefit our family. So as a reader it may seem that there are several posts in a row that are all paid for content. In a sod's law kind of way that also usually coincides with me being stupidly busy, so not having time to write about all of the things I do want to write about. I do have a little notebook jam packed with things I want to write about and I'm determined that I will get much more organised and make time.

One feature that's started over the last year is my Ladybird Tuesday look at vintage Ladybird books. I'm enjoying sharing my collection with blog readers and I also love how many other bloggers are joining in too. It's also amazing how many of my "real life" friends tell me that they look forward to the weekly trip down memory lane. 

Just some of my growing vintage Ladybird collection

There's been a huge amount of change in the last month here chez C. Mr C started a new job on the same day that Little Miss C started going to pre-school every morning. As if that wasn't enough, Master C also started nursery that same week and then turned one a couple of weeks later (One??? Already???) All these changes mean new routines for everyone and I think I'm finally getting used to the different shape that my day now takes. I do still need to find the balance though between all the many many things that I do when I'm not 100% dedicated to looking after the children. For a while it was swinging towards filling all my time with paid work, and whilst that was nice for the bank balance it wasn't really helping my frame of mind, or the amount of housework that wasn't getting done. 

Now we're in the swing of the new routine properly I'm trying to devote some time every day to crafting, and also time to enjoy all the books that I want to read. I'm also keen to try my hand at some new things and I'm delighted that I've a couple of workshops lined up for the next month too which I hope will teach me some new skills. Along with a couple of local friends I've also joined the WI and after just a couple of months there I'm loving the new friends and crafting experiences that it's already given me. The first meeting was a little surprising though – I didn't expect the WI to me making nipple tassles, but that's exactly what we did!

Not something I ever imagined making at the WI!

As if all this isn't enough I'm also trying to get more involved with Little Miss C's infant school and have decided to stand as a parent governor there. I'm yet to see if I get appointed or not, but if so I can see that that too will keep me busy and help keep me out of mischief. I've always said that variety is the spice of life and that's most certainly what's happening for me right now and I'm loving it.

I've no idea what the next thousand posts here will hold, but I certainly hope to give you variety! Thanks for reading some of the first thousand.