The best bits of 2025!

Happy end of the year!! Is it just me or did 2025 absolutely zoom by? I was looking through the photos that I have taken this year and realised I’ve already forgotten half the cool stuff that happened. So before the New Year begins I wanted to sit down and remember the good things from the last 12 months. I know I shared my favourites from the last year on Sunday but I had more and some thoughts from 2025. I have also included my favourite photo from each month. There's no order to this, just random thoughts and moments.

Ellie's 18th birthday in August was so special! She had such a wonderful day and was spoilt rotten! Everything I’d planned came together and then some. She got more presents than she expected, we went out for a lovely meal and she made a full weekend of it by heading into town with her friends for a proper night out. Watching her get ready, seeing how excited she was and knowing she was stepping into this new stage of life felt massive. The fun didn’t stop there either because her sister whisked her away for a night and a mini concert thing which they both absolutely loved.

In fact we all had amazing birthdays this year! Stu and Ellie's in August and Becky's in the first week of September. It gets no easier having 3 birthdays so close together but we did something special for each one and on my birthday in November we visited York Christmas Markets.

Since January my mindset’s gone from powering through no matter what to actually stopping to ask if something’s worth my energy. I used to think pushing myself was the only option. Now I’m much more do I need to care this much and that feels like progress!

The best meal I ate this year was steak and chips which surprises even me. I’ve never been a steak person but Stu and I went out to the pub when they had an offer on. Steak and chips for two and a bottle of wine for £30. Absolute bargain considering a bottle alone is usually about £15. The steak was cooked perfectly, the chips were proper pub chips and I followed it up with Baileys profiteroles for dessert. They were made fresh that day and I still think about them. It was one of those meals where you sit back afterwards and go that was worth it. Sometimes it really is the simple things.

Both my girls are adults now which still feels a bit surreal to say out loud. I’m learning that my role isn’t to fix everything anymore, it’s to listen, support and trust that I’ve done enough to let them figure things out in their own way. It’s hard, and I don’t always get it right but I’m trying. I’m still here just more in the background cheering them on and resisting the urge to interfere.

There were so many moments this year where I caught myself laughing with my girls and realised how much our relationship has shifted. Less mum mode and more we’re just hanging out. Baking, kitchen chats, laughing at something that probably wasn’t even that funny, all those moments were special!

Stu and I had a night away just the two of us on Valentine’s Day and it reminded me how important that is. We’re so used to being in parent mode that it was nice to switch that off for a bit and just be us. Walking, talking, eating without rushing and not worrying about anyone else for 24 hours felt like a reset.

This year I have realised that I am never going to be a domestic goddess with all my ducks in a row. I muddle through with the housework, there might be a pile of clean clothes on the dining room table most days and the living room always needs vacuuming but I'm doing my best. This house is lived in, it's never going to be a show home and that's fine!

I started doing a bit of skincare at the start of the year and shockingly I stuck with it. No miracle transformation but my skin is less dry and just feels better. That’s a win in my book. It turns out doing small things consistently actually works. Who knew?

My denim jacket and white trainers were the best things that I bought myself this year. I wore them right through the summer and felt good in them.

Becky and I had a night away and out seeing Whitney - The Candlelight Concert and we then had a lovely time. She took me to a few bars afterwards. One of them the music was too loud, full of what seemed like kids, the drinks were overpriced and they had a smoke machine which made me feel sick! I am too old for wild nights out so we ended up back in the hotel watching Wrestling on her phone.

My girls have found new interests this year and I have enjoyed watching them explore them. TV shows, movies, football, Formula 1 racing and different computer games that they play.

Not all people but some people see a line and cross so far over it that they forget the line even existed in the first place, then act shocked when they get called out on it and act like you’re overreacting. This year taught me that you really can’t control how someone behaves but you can control how close you let them get! Some folks just don’t do personal space or common sense!

TikTok stole a chunk of my life this year. I reckon I spend about an hour a day scrolling. It's not ideal but I do learn things and laugh a lot. I’ve accepted it for what it is, a bit of entertainment and a bit of learning.

Over the past year I have discovered so many new blogs to read and each day I go and read those blogs and it really is like catching up with a friend.

Some of the best moments this year weren’t events at all. They were slow mornings. The first cuppa of the day, no rushing, doing things at my own pace and sometimes even eating breakfast like a proper adult. Those mornings feel like luxury now and I appreciate them so much more than I used to.

We tried Haggis earlier in the year! I don't know what I was thinking but I thought it would be a good idea to get it as a meal with our Gousto box. It wasn't the taste which put us off, it was the texture. At least we can say we tried it now!

There was a little drama in someone's life and in the past when drama has happened I did not handle it well, I wasn't eating, losing sleep and stressing a lot! This time around the only way I can describe is I thought F**k it and F***k them! I was not going to let people ruin my peace.

Usually I would say my dad has been the biggest support to me throughout the year, he has of course been amazing but this year the teachers at Ellie's college have been the real MVP's. They have been fantastic with her, helping her get onto the course she wanted, pushing her when needed, keeping in touch with me about goings on and being a massive support when there were some issues. I can't thank them enough.

When I look back at 2025 it doesn’t feel dramatic or stressful like last year did. It feels full of little shifts, small joys and moments that mattered more than I realised at the time. I laughed a lot, learned a lot and protected my peace better than ever.

What has been a highlight from your year?

Our weekly meal plan! 29th Dec - 4th Jan! #MealPlanningMonday

Are we all enjoying the time between Christmas and New Year? It's that strange little bubble of time where I don't have a clue what day it is. There’s no routine, no alarms but it is nice to take things slowly. We’re still very much in Christmas mode until Friday and then apparently we’re meant to click our fingers and return to normal. New year, new routine, sensible meals and all that but I’m not ready. I think sensible eating can wait until the 5th. There’s no rush, and I refuse to spend the first few days of January being grumpy over healthy food! Hehehe

I didn't do a meal plan last week, it was all about our Christmas dinner. Since then we have eaten leftovers, picky bits out of the fridge and nothing much else. It was perfect! We still have lots of Christmas snacks to keep us going this week and plenty of chocolate to eat so all is good!

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Breakfast for tea!

Sausages, bacon, eggs, black pudding, mushrooms, hash browns, baked beans, tomatoes and toast.

Tuesday - Corned beef hash!

A nice and hearty meal. I will add mushrooms because I add mushrooms to pretty much everything and we’ll have it with baked beans because that’s just how we like it. 

Wednesday - Party food and snacky food or a meal out.

New Year’s Eve food is a bit up in the air. Sometimes we plan it properly and sometimes we decide at the last minute, this year is a last minute thing. It could be pizza, sausage rolls, sandwiches and lots of snacky bits spread out on the table or we might go out for a meal if we feel like it. We haven’t decided yet.

Thursday - A roast dinner of some sort!

Starting the new year with a roast dinner feels like the right thing to do. We have roast potatoes, stuffing and some veg in the freezer.

Friday - Fish, chips and mushy peas.

Might be home made or it might be from the fish and chip shop.

Saturday - Home made pizza.

I will buy ready made dough and then we will just add our own toppings. I will have BBQ sauce, smoky sausage, mushrooms, onions and a little bit of cheese.

Sunday - No idea!

I have no idea what we will have on Sunday. I think it’s going to be a fend for yourself day. Leftovers, toast, freezer bits or whatever people fancy. By then the fridge will probably be looking empty and it will be time to get a food shop delivered.

What are you eating this week?

What I have loved this year!! My Friday favourites on a Sunday!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!! I am doing something a little different this week with the things that I have loved, instead of things from the past week I am picking my favourite things from my whole year and to confuse things even more I am posting it on a Sunday, usually today would be my Project 365 blog post but I am saving that until Wednesday so I can finish off the year all in one post and to be honest I wanted to enjoy Christmas with my family so this post was written a couple of weeks ago so I didn't have to worry about blog writing.

TV!

There has been some great TV over the last year, my favourite things that I watched were Squid Game, Stranger Things, All Her Fault, Toxic Town, Apple Cider Vinegar, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, Scamanda, Adolescence, Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, The Twister: Caught in the Storm, Paddington in Peru, Doctor Who, American Murder: Gabby Petito, Grey's Anatomy, Nonnas, Ginny & Georgia, Wednesday, The Traitors, The Handmaids Tale, My Oxford Year and of course all of the wrestling!

Painting my nails!

This year I made a point of doing a bit more self care and painting my nails became my little weekly ritual. I’ve been all the colours under the sun. Every now and again I give my nails a rest and it feels so strange not having colour on them. I love how something so small can make you feel a bit more put together even if the rest of my life is falling apart.

Temu!

I hate the idea of Temu but I gave in this year and placed a few orders. I always make sure to pay with Paypal as I have heard horror stories about peoples bank accounts being wiped out but they do sell some fantastic stuff at great prices. I really rate the decorations for special events like birthdays and Christmas and things to do with TV shows like Grey's Anatomy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and anything WWE. I have also found them to be cheaper than eBay and Amazon for some things, the delivery takes a few weeks so everywhere else is better for convenience.

The Country Show!

We always have such a great day at the country show that happens near us. It’s one of those proper wholesome days out with the animals, stalls, the smell of chips in the air, someone somewhere selling wooden ducks for no reason. This year the girls had their friends with them so Stu and I had the day to ourselves. We basically wandered around like we were on a day date, pointing at tractors and eating burgers at 10am. We also saw my dad and his partner there with his vintage car. He does love showing it off. Every time I see him with it he has that proud parent face. It’s very cute.

Football!

We have been right into watching the football over the last year. Newcastle United, the team we support did pretty well last season and won the Carabao cup and England's ladies did pretty well too! The Lionesses went and won the Euro's! I am hoping the men's football team does just as well in the World Cup next year.

Lots of family time!

The girls have had a busy year which means there’s been less quality family time so when we have had the chance to be together I’ve grabbed it with both hands. It won’t be long before one or both of them move out and I feel like I’m living on borrowed time having them mostly to myself. We’ve had days out, meals out, movie nights, stay at home and do nothing days and lots and lots of laughs. I love those moments where everyone is in the same room but doing their own thing but it still feels cosy and together. I’ve also spent loads of time with my dad, my brother and his family and I had a fab day out with my dad’s partner at the world’s biggest Primark in Birmingham.

Ellie's new/old bed!

I don’t even know who came up with the idea of shortening Ellie’s bed to give her more room in her bedroom but it happened and it worked! She has a metal bed frame and a couple of inches were chopped off the length and it was all put back together and it's perfect! It sounds dramatic to say it changed her life but it genuinely did. Suddenly her bedroom made sense, she has so much more floor space, a dressing table she actually uses every day, a clothes rail and even the motivation to keep it tidy. Miracles do happen.

A few nights away!

We had a few nights away during the year and every single one felt like the biggest treat. Stu and I had a Valentine’s Day away, just the two of us and it was lovely. No kids, no responsibilities, just us pretending we were young and carefree again. I had a night away with Becky as a late Mother’s Day gift when we went to see Whitney - The Candlelight Concert. The whole evening was gorgeous. We did have a week away booked in October but life happened and we decided to play safe and cancel. We still had days out though and made the most of everyone being off work and had a cheeky night away!

Gousto meals!

I have stuck with Gousto over the year, getting recipe boxes delivered most weeks. They sent out an email like a Spotify Wrapped for food and I was far too excited about it. Apparently we had 32 boxes delivered, ate 85 different recipes and explored 13 cuisines! I love how it makes meal planning easier. No more standing in front of the fridge wondering what combination of random ingredients will make an actual meal. It’s made cooking fun again and we’ve tried so many things we never would have picked ourselves.

The Garden!

My garden was a bit hit and miss this year but I enjoyed growing what I did. The sunflowers were a huge success, my tallest being about 6ft tall. My flowers did amazingly well and were still going strong well into November. I did so well with the cucumbers and my tomatoes were late coming but I grew more than a few handfuls.

Katie Van Slyke

TikTok showed me a woman, Katie Van Slyke from Tennessee who has a farm. She breeds horses and other animals and I have followed along, watching and have become so invested in her animals. Her mini goats got me hooked when they were pregnant and I've watched the baby goats being born and grow up, mini horses been born, cried when a horse died and lately I have been watching all the new born calves. Soon it will be foaling season for the horses and I am very excited.

A tattoo!

Not mine, my youngests. Ellie got a tattoo a few months ago, at the time it wasn't my favourite but it's growing on me! It's so funny but I keep forgetting that she has it especially at this time of year with her wearing long sleeved tops. She loves it and is so proud of it.

An empty house!

As much I have loved the family time we have had over the last year I have enjoyed having an empty house while the girls have been out doing their own thing, at work or with friends. They both seem to have the best social life and as much as I miss them they're not here it makes me happy they are out in the world loving life.

John Cena!

I've loved him most years, he is/was on the top WWE stars. What a rollercoaster ride the last year has been since he announced his retirement! He's been on our screens for 20 years and has worked hard. This year though, I went from loving him, to hating him when he turned bad guy and then loving him again.

Heart Musicals!

Since I discovered Heart Musicals radio station it is just about all I have listened to apart from the last few weeks when it has been Christmas music! I listen to it through the radio app on my TV. It has all the musical hits from the likes of Wicked, Les Mis, The Greatest Showman, Frozen, Chicago, Hamilton. I’ve been walking around my house, singing like I’m on stage at the West End.

What have been your favourite things in 2025?

This week my Word of the Week is: Christmas!! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

It has to be! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, whatever you were doing.

I worked through my Christmas Eve to-do list and got everything done and by teatime I was ready for a sit down. I got lots of the Christmas dinner cooked in advance so there was less to do on Christmas Day, it worked out really well.

We were up early on Christmas Day at half past seven, just in time for Becky and her friend getting in from work. Becky's friend was staying with us over Christmas so she didn't have to rely on a lift to and from work with there being no buses. We were up so early so we could all open our presents together! Everyone was spoilt rotten! The girls had a few surprises which they were happy about and so did I. I got some perfume off Stu, which I wasn't expecting, a fab Bon Jovi mug and from my dad, a tonne of bath stuff, which might seem a normal gift but coming from my dad it isn't, he is so not into girly things so it was a big surprise.

The morning was spent going through our presents, speaking to family on the phone and helping Ellie set up her new phone. She takes security seriously and has a different password for everything and never writes them down, so that was fun. It's a good job I kept a record of her login details for her bank because she didn't have a clue as she uses her fingerprint to log in to most things but when you have a new phone you have to log in to everything first before using your fingerprint.

We could have eaten Christmas dinner at midday as most of it was ready but it felt so strange to be eating that early on Christmas Day, so we held off until about 2pm. It was just Stu, Ellie and I as Becky was still sleeping for work. I'm blowing my own trumpet here and I have to say the Christmas dinner was one of the best I have ever made! We ate our fill and then relaxed for the afternoon.

Just after half past five, Becky and her friend were up and out of bed and were ready for their Christmas dinner. I always think I am just an OK cook and I get nervous cooking for other people, but the friend said the food was amazing! Phew! I also made them a packed lunch to take to work full of picky bits like pork pies, sausage rolls, chicken bits and things like that. They loved it and were so grateful as there would have been no buying snacks from the shop with it being closed. It might even have convinced Becky that packed lunches are a good thing and she doesn't need to spend money each evening at work buying food. Hehehe.

Yesterday we spent the day doing nothing much at all apart from watching the new episodes of Stranger Things. We slept until late and ate lots and we didn't even bother getting dressed properly. It was the best PJ day ever!

How was your Christmas? I hope it was as wonderful as ours. I don't think Anne is hosting her Word of the Week linky this week but I do like writing these posts.