Well, despite my best intentions back at the start of November I didn’t manage to keep up with these Living Arrows posts for the rest of year but I didn’t think I should let 2022 end without one last post. And as for 2023? At this point who knows, but I’m not planning on disappearing altogether just yet!

We had a busy half term with all sorts of Christmas things going on at school. The boys have kept up their swimming, both making great progress, they’re still enjoying Street Monkeys, and we’ve got Beavers and Cubs as well so there’s plenty to keep us all busy – even if for me it’s mostly acting as taxi driver!

We had a lovely Christmas at home this year. Certainly an improvement on last year when my dad had just died and then the boys had covid and my mum and brother came and sat in our garage for an hour!

We had a full week of school before Christmas this year so I took Toby for his first experience of Clip ‘n’ Climb. He loved it and it was really nice to have some one on one time with him. Gabe decided he probably wouldn’t enjoy it, and I think he was right! We did have a Gabe and Mummy day after Christmas which involved a wander round the garden centre looking at reduced Christmas decorations and visit to the cafe for cake, which is much more up Gabe’s street!

My photos in this post were taken on Christmas Eve. The boys got new pyjamas as usual (I think nearly all their PJs are Christmas ones now – they wear them all year round!), and despite a few doubts about Father Christmas this year they still put out a mince pie and a whisky for the big man and of course a carrot for the reindeer too.

Both boys’ hair had got so long! Toby’s especially was in desperate need of a cut – he could barely see past it! I’ve given them both a haircut ready for back to school. Toby’s looking forward to going back, I’m not sure about Gabe though and to be honest I’d be happy with another week off! At least we get one more day though, and don’t have to go back until Tuesday.

Anyway, that’s all from me for now. I hope you had a lovely Christmas and Happy New Year, and all being well I’ll be back here with another update before too long. I think I’m going to aim for once a month in 2023 – it’s better than nothing at all isn’t it?!

This is my ninth year taking part in this linky celebrating childhood, based on a poem by Kahlil Gibran, “You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth” .

If you’d like to see the rest of my Living Arrows posts you can find them all here.