December 2023 – Party Time & Planning 2024

Bonjour lecteurs! I hope you had a lovely Xmas break with all your loved ones! Are you already back at work or will you start again on Monday? Are the children back to school? Stanley went back on Thursday, so it was time to get back to routines slowly but surely. It feels a bit bizarre to write about December 2023 here now that we have fully started the new year. But time to share my monthly highlights and a quick reflection on what 2023 has been for us.

Visiting Wale

December 2023 started with a bang as we were in Wales pour l’occasion.

I have only been there a long time ago as it is quite a long drive. But I am so contente we made it to the Delta Hotels by Marriott St Pierre Country Club.

A mini-break in the Welsh countryside was all that we needed to fight the winter blues!

L’hôtel was gorgeous and it put us in the right mood for all the Christmas fun.

Back To Kent

The second week of December 2023 might have been less eventful as I was unwell and I had to cancel some appointments.

But we still made the most of it at home.

And le weekend, we stopped at one of our fave locals. Do you like Thai food?

Then, you gotta check out Giggling Squid. I have a giveaway for you to win a voucher with the très chic chain of restaurants in my last series of Xmas Giveaways.

Willy Wonka & St Ermin

December 2023 was also l’excuse parfaite for us to have some fun in London.

You know it by now, I am a happy gal in Kent but from time to time, I love going up to London for a day of fun.

So we made it to the BFI IMAX to see the fabulous Wonka new movie before heading to the St. Ermin’s Hotel in Westminster.

J’adore l’hôtel with its beautiful décorations de Noël.

You have to go and try its Afternoon tea, it’s one of the best we have tried in London.

And the fun carried on despite some virus! I might have been unwell but I was still ready to party with Grumpy Boyfriend this time around.

A Date In London

Do you have any Christmas traditions as a couple? Do you do something just the two of you, kids free?

We made it to our annual Xmas night in London on a Friday night and Grumpy Boyfriend took me to the beautiful Penelope’s London.

We finished the night at the théâtre to see The Play That Goes Wrong.

It was so much fun! I recommend the play, we had a lovely time!

And Then The Rush To Noël!

How do you usually cope with all the stuff to do around Xmas? I know it sounds like a distant memory now 🙂

I am the last-minute type! So in between work, school, and my blog, we rushed to get it all ready and the Xmas tree was eventually up!

Stanley broke up from school quite late compared to other schools so I was still working on the 22nd.

Christmas Fun

But I eventually slowed down and we made the most of it for a week or so. We stayed in the UK this year. We spent Christmas at Nanny S.

It was such a lovely treat as she booked us a room near her house so that we could have a lie on Boxing Day.

And I reckon I ate my weight in chocolate and cheese over that week, on top of all the champagne and wine ?

It was full on in between the odd shift at work and way too much télévision! I usually don’t spend much time in front of the TV. But that période bizarre between Christmas and NYE is a time when I would happily be a potato on the couch with too much food in my belly!

We spent the last week of December 2023 catching up with our famille and I worked on the 31st.

Et voilà! Just like that, 2023 was over. I have now reflected on what this year has brought to us and I feel like it was a good time to progress in so many aspects of my life. I might not have met all my goals, but I am ready for what 2024 will bring to us.

Looking  Back to 2023

A year ago, I posted a picture on my Instagram asking you what you wanted 2023 to be like in 5 words.

Mine was ADVENTURES, MINDFULNESS, BALANCE, STRENGTH & HOME…

I feel that 2023 has truly been full of adventures. We have been to so many places both in the UK and abroad. I’ve been to Crete and France with the boys, but also Croatia and Normandy on my own.

I feel that I have also been more mindful. Par exemple, I am very happy with all the time I spent reading, learning, and meditating or journalling. However, it was sometimes hard to get the right balance. At some point, I was working 2 jobs, one in retail and one in teaching while doing my blog full time. It was too much.

We have not done as much work in the house either but I can think about it this year!

Looking forward to 2024!

I have done a full review of 2023 this week and I am so happy with the résultats.

Financially, I felt more secure this year and I expanded my skills encore. It’s very satisfying to see the progrés I made in this area.

I am also contente with all the trips we took with the boys. I am not a homey person and I am always at my happiest when I am out and about.

Moving forward, I think I have already planted some good seeds for a successful 2024. Like many others, I want to get back to healthier habits after having eaten too much over the last fortnight.

As for balance, it’s been one of my things for many years, but I have now accepted it is not possible at all times. So instead, this year I am going to concentrate more on boundaries.

I feel like it’s time to get back to the source in 2024. I will do more giveaways and I will try to be more Frenchie.

What do you want your 2024 to be like?

Wishing you the best 2024 possible. Remember that only you are in charge of your life and happiness. So go for it and never look back!

Disclosure: This post might feature some sponsored content I recently published but it is merely a list of my highlights of the month! This a post where I share some reflections as a mum in the country and in London. I hope it will inspire you to get on more family adventures.