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Editorial

Merry Christmas

by thelifestylelady

Howdy Y’all,

I am writing to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Christmas. I can not express to y’all how blessed I am for your friendship, kindness and comments you leave when visiting my little space on the web. I am so touched that people take the time to read and watch the little content I make. For me Christmas is all about the Four F’s,  Family, Friends, Food and Faith. I am so blessed to have all four bases covered, I do not take it for granted that I am sharing the festive period with much loved family, when you live so far  you learn to appreciate the times you are all together, the same goes for good friends, Mr L and I are always grateful when we can visit friends and pick up where we left off, that feeling of shared experiences and a deep rooted friendship. Christmas is always about excess and good food and wine in abundance,  I never underestimate the hours of effort that go into all that yumminess, Christmas dinner is the one meal I look forward to most all year! Plus who doesn’t like left overs? Finally faith, obviously it is the most important time in the Christian calendar but for me when I visit home it enables me to attend my childhood church and the church in which Mr L and I were married, it allows me to take comfort and renew my faith which after this year I need.

If you are interested in how we spend our Christmas please watch here. However you are planning to spend the next few days and whatever your traditions and customs  I send you and your loved ones warm wishes for a very Happy Christmas.

Ta Ta for now,

TLL x

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Editorial

Birthday Time What I Have Learnt This Year!

by thelifestylelady

Howdy Y’all,

So today I reach the milestone of another year older and wiser.  Last year on my blog I wrote this blog post. It was entitled A letter of life lessons and learning for Little L, Little L is my daughter (Little Lifestyle.) This year I wanted to do something a little different and write about some of the things I have learnt in the past year. I feel this year has been a year of personal growth and development for me and before I sound like I have read the shelf of self-help books I will crack on:-

  1. Life is not fair – obvious huh? Not sure who ever thought it should/would be? Bad things happen to good people and sometimes bad things can keep coming. If we didn’t have bad times how would we know to appreciate and celebrate the good times?
  2. It is ok to be down and to ask for help! This is something I struggle with, I try to be everything to all and often to the detriment of myself. Things have happened to me this year which have made it difficult for me to pick myself up and carry on. I have learnt its ok to take time to get back on track. If you need help or if people offer TAKE IT! You win no prizes for being a martyr.
  3. Laughter is the best medicine, having a good laugh, a belly laugh, you know the kind where your crying and your belly hurts is a fantastic feeling. Very little beats it. I am on the search for more of it.
  4. You are what you are, of course it is great to strive to be “the best you”(vomit) whatever that means?! Whether you have to loose a few pounds, learn to be more patient or whatever, don’t waste so much time striving for perfection that you miss being you. Life is not a dress rehearsal. Learning to be comfortable in your own skin is an ongoing saga.
  5. Not everyone will like you and that is ok. This is something I have been trying to explain to Little L as she starts school. It is like finding a life partner you don’t always have chemistry or things in common, that is ok, but always treat people with respect.
  6. You can’t change what others think of you, so don’t waste precious time worrying about it. This is a very tough one, people form a view of you rightly or wrongly. A little like point one, it might not be fair or accurate but your unlikely to be able to change it, so why worry. Some people find this easier than others. Although I find as I age I care less, I can’t see a day where I don’t care but I’m working on it.
  7. Don’t let your fear of others opinions stop you from living and following your dreams. Honestly I worry what people think of my blog and then I think if I get pleasure from sharing it with others, and others enjoy it, why am I wasting time worrying about negative ninnies?
  8. Exercise does make you feel better, yes I did type this, let me tell you I am not a work out junkie, I have no aspirations to look like a Victoria Secrets model (secretly wish I could.) I do find I feel better if I work out this body a little bit. It is good for mind, body and soul.
  9. Friendships, are so important and so different. I am thinking about writing a separate post on this. You have your friends you see and speak to regularly, then you have other great friends who you might not speak to or see for years and you pick up where you left off. Life is busy and time moves fast, we never have the time we need to tell those we love or care about we love and miss them.
  10. Stop and enjoy, I remember a wise person told me on my wedding to stop throughout the day, turn around and take it all in. It was fantastic advice and something that should apply to life. I am trying now to stop and soak up where I am at this stage in my life. I’m embracing the chaos.
  11. Nobody has it right or all worked out. There are those amongst us who might think they have, but I got news for you! There is no “one size” method, especially in parenting and raising kids. They are all different. So to those people amongst us who like to speak loudly in stores and restaurants and pass judgments on the parenting skills of others, I say this, JOG ON. Also I really hate these passive aggressive nimbies who are frankly cowards because they don’t express their view directly to you, they rather stand amongst friends being vocal (because that’s brave!!)
  12. To be loved and have love returned is lucky. This is the ultimate goal, love comes in all forms, whether it is romantic or platonic. Nobody ever dies thinking I wish I had worked more, surely the greatest success is to have touched people and be remembered.

That’s it folks, it has been a really interesting year in terms of personal development. I don’t have all the answers. (Shock horror!) This year is going to be about taking the pressure off myself, enjoy being me and trying to love the world a little better. I want to give back a little more and I need to find a way of doing that, which fits in with my new schedule. I want to enjoy my little family and I want to thank you for reading this. If you want to do something for me on my birthday, take the implement you are reading this on, whether it is a phone, tablet, computer and send a text or email to a friend or loved one you haven’t reached out to in a while and say hi! I am never good enough at it!

Right I am off to enjoy the day.

Ta ta for now

TLL xx

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EditorialFamily

Happy Thanksgiving

by thelifestylelady

Howdy Y’all,

Happy Thanksgiving. I can honestly say I am honored to write these words today, it is slowly becoming a favorite holiday of mine. As a non-American I feel privledged to experience and share in this special day. I am equally blessed that with the birth of my dear American Little L it is a tradition which will continue in the Lifestyle household for our lifetime. There is something so special about friends, family and loved ones coming together in a celebration of thanks. Gathering together and breaking bread (and far more than that as evidenced by my clothing change from jeans to leggings for the elasticated waist 😳 -whose with me?) There is no elaborate gifts giving involved or early morning wake ups from children excited by Santa, it’s simply enjoying who you’re with, watching parades and football.
Mr L and I have been immensely lucky in the five years we have lived in the US, we have never spent a thanksgiving holiday alone.  I think this says a great deal about US people and their hospitality. We have been fortunate to have had a variety of experience with friends and their families but what is most apparent is how thanksgiving gives you the opportunity to be “in the moment” with each other. I have enjoyed the table conversations which have stemmed from what we are thankful for. Today for example I was touched to hear my dear friends young son express that he is thankful for his lovely family as well as so much more.
I am thankful for a great deal. Those of you who are familiar with my blog will know I am not the “gushy” type, in fact I find public displays and declarations of affection uncomfortable. Today however is about giving thanks so I will give it a stab. I am thankful for Mr L he is everything to me. I am thankful I took the job 😉.  Little L is my life I can’t remember life before her, mainly because I am not the same person as I was before and she has enriched my life immeasurably. She is and will be my greatest achievement. I didn’t know the heart was capable of such love till I had her. I am thankful for my family who are so far away, distance can be difficult but I am thankful for Skype and for their continued love and support. For my friends who make our lives richer, when you live a distance from family you create a family through friends. I can honestly tell you I am blessed in this department. Today in particular to my dear friend K and her family who have opened their home and offered their table at Thanksgiving- thank you.

Finally to you the reader of this, I am grateful to you that you take the time out of your busy life to read my offering, to follow and to comment. This new blogging adventure has been a great addition to my life and I am thankful to the people who know me and support my blogging ambitions (Mr L.)

So on the evening of thanksgiving I wish you and your family great blessings. I am going to lie down and rest off this food coma I find myself in and wait for Mrs Claus (that is another blog post entirely.)

Ta Ta for now,

TLL x

 

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