SIGNING OFF FOR CHRISTMAS

Hello and Happy Christmas Eve, we made it (almost) through another crazy year!
I'm sat here on 23rd December, having just cleaned the house from top-to-toe with the help of my brother in law who's been staying with us for the last couple of months, and it finally feels like Christmas. I've poured myself a large glass of wine to write this post with, as George puts Goldie down for her final nap of the day, and we begin to wind down for the evening.
We've had a crazy couple of weeks as Covid caught us good and proper. My self and my brother in law tested positive last week and it eventually caught up with George on Monday this week...
A devastating blow considering it is Goldie's first Christmas and we had plans to head to George's family home with my whole family in tow. A real family affair that was SO needed but, alas, Covid had other plans for us once again. I've since mourned the Christmas day that we had planned and I'm now ready to enjoy the Christmas we do have, the four of us and the two dogs, George, Jimmy, Goldie and Me, it's going to be really quite special regardless of everything, particularly since we're all feeling so much better and I've finally tested negative after a long ole week.
Thankfully, we all had super mild symptoms and after just one day in bed (for me, the boys were absolutely fine) we've been making the most of spending so much time together at home, showering Goldie with love, play and introducing her to the very best of the Christmas hits (and by that I of course mean Bob Dylan's Must Be Santa) Go get vaccinated if you haven't already!

But anyway, enough about this past week and more about this past year, what a real rollercoaster ride it has been! I'll look back on 2021 with great fondness, for the most part. The year had SO many incredible highs, highs like I've never known before! We had our beautiful baby girl Goldie Rae and our lives changed tenfold, for the better of course. It's been such a beautiful year and the greatest joy of my life to watch her grow and see the world through her eyes. She truly is such a joy to be around and I am so grateful to have her in my life, my teeny tiny best friend!

We got married, FINALLY! And what a day it was, truly the happiest day of my life, which I know sounds weird since we've had a baby, but I'm sure most mamas can understand that whilst bringing your baby into the world is such an incredible, INCREDIBLE(!!!) thing, it's not necessarily the happiest or best day of your life as it's such a long ole slog of a day! So yeah, our wedding day was the happiest day of my life, truly the happiest I have ever been and I would not change a single thing about it! I wish more than anything that I could go back and do it all over again!

But anyway, enough about this past week and more about this past year, what a real rollercoaster ride it has been! I'll look back on 2021 with great fondness, for the most part. The year had SO many incredible highs, highs like I've never known before! We had our beautiful baby girl Goldie Rae and our lives changed tenfold, for the better of course. It's been such a beautiful year and the greatest joy of my life to watch her grow and see the world through her eyes. She truly is such a joy to be around and I am so grateful to have her in my life, my teeny tiny best friend!
We got married, FINALLY! And what a day it was, truly the happiest day of my life, which I know sounds weird since we've had a baby, but I'm sure most mamas can understand that whilst bringing your baby into the world is such an incredible, INCREDIBLE(!!!) thing, it's not necessarily the happiest or best day of your life as it's such a long ole slog of a day! So yeah, our wedding day was the happiest day of my life, truly the happiest I have ever been and I would not change a single thing about it! I wish more than anything that I could go back and do it all over again!

The first part of this year was spent in lockdown and either heavily pregnant or with a newborn, and tbh it was the most perfect introduction to parenthood. I loved the slow pace of those early newborn days and I only wish I soaked it all up that little bit more, it truly does whizz by in a blink. But I look back at those newborn days as some of the happiest, most emotional and challenging, but magic days of my life, and I can't wait to do it all over again someday if we're lucky enough.

I started to work on my fitness again when Goldie was 3 months old. I originally did it with the wedding in mind. I had my dream dress all ready and wrapped up in my wardrobe that I was determined to get in to, and I wanted to look and feel my most beautiful on our special day.
It started as a wedding thing but I quickly learnt how incredible it was to do something completely for myself, two hours (there and back) to be alone, to work on myself with the help of an incredible personal trainer Kaif. It was SO amazing for my mental health and it's something I really want to continue with in the new year, particularly since we have a big holiday planned for the summer time which is SO insanely exciting after two years of no sunshine eeeek!

The end of summer meant we FINALLY got our Campervan back from being renovated and managed to get one trip under our belt before it got too cold. I am SO excited to hit the road in Janis the Van as soon as spring arrives. We have so many plans and destinations in mind but if you have anywhere you would recommend then please do let me know and we will certainly add them to the list.

And then winter came around and I had the busiest lead up to Christmas ever! Work was crazy busy in the best way, and George and I learnt how to juggle (or sometimes not juggle altogether), it was a huge learning for us but I am forever grateful to the life we've been able to create, a life that means we can be flexible with work and childcare. It's not always easy but we've managed it and I'm so proud of us.
I worked with some brands that I could only ever DREAM of working with, like GUCCI FOR EXAMPLE!!! Nope, still not over the fact that Gucci know who I am. It was an honour to work with my dream brand this Christmas and I'm really rather proud of myself about it. I don't often celebrate work things anymore but that was a real biggie for me and it was nice to celebrate something like that again.

Saturday By Megan Ellaby has gone from strength to strength this year and again, I am so proud and so eternally grateful to all that have made a purchase and supported us in some way, thank you so very much, from the bottom of my heart.
It's been the hardest year for business yet, and we have learnt a lot along the way, but I'm thrilled to have gotten through this year and to be able to look back at it as a really great and successful year.

And the biggest shock of the year is that I'm actually a Swifty... who'd have thought it! (HA!) But, basically that was a VERY quick look back at 2021 the year that really surprised us all with what it had in store for us and I have to say, despite the highs of 2021, I'm excited to see the back of it. I have to say a huge thank you to each and every one of you for everything this year, the chats in my DM's, the likes, the comments and the support and love, it is SO truly appreciated! You're beyond awesome.

Sending you all so much love this festive season, please stay safe and keep testing before you leave the house! Have a beautiful and happy time however you're spending it and remember, if, like me you're not spending Christmas the way you thought you would, that there are many more Christmas' to come. Stay strong, positive and reach out if you're struggling.

Lots of love

x M