I don’t know whether it’s because it has been the first full year of school activities and work events, or simply because T is getting older, but this year has flown by. It feels like I was only writing our 2021 update last week.
Compared to last year when there were still restrictions in place and we were still being extra cautious, this year has seen us do a little bit more in terms of travel and exploring. It’s been pretty awesome, and we are so incredibly grateful to be able to do some of the things that we do.
I always enjoy writing these posts as it means we not only get to reflect on the past 12 months, but we can also try and plan ahead based on previous adventures!
2022
January – March
We started the year off with a bang thanks to two solid lines, but not the pleasant kind! Two weeks into the new year, we all got struck down with COVID. With a combination of being run-down after Christmas and then being hit with the back-to-school rush, it was inevitable that we were going to catch something – we were so tired. The only positive to it was that we were forced to stop and cancel any plans that we’d made.
January was pretty much a wipeout, but because we were at home for most of it I got to dedicate time to writing some posts for LGBT+ History Month! February rolled past in a flash, and then March was a literal breath of fresh air with our first trip of the year. York was our location of choice, and we were able to travel by train thanks to an invitation from LNER. It was amazing!
Our favourite posts:
- 12+ LGBTQ+ Autobiographies and Memoirs
- 12 Iconic Moments in LGBTQ+ History
- Our (Brief!) Weekend in York
April – June
April is always a busy month for us, with two birthdays in close succession and then the school Easter holidays. The first birthday of the month was the little man’s, who hit the grand old age of 7! To celebrate, we arranged a trip to Edinburgh, which was absolutely incredible. We had been meaning to visit Scotland for a long time, so we decided to bite the bullet and go for it during the Easter holidays. We even got to work with Airbnb in the process, which was such an amazing experience!
A week later was Sharon’s birthday, with this year being the big FOUR-ZERO! Sharon has never been one for celebrating her birthday, but because it was a special birthday I managed to persuade her to an overnight stay at The Grand in Brighton! It was a treat to say the least, and she surprisingly took to the life of luxury like a duck to water.
By May we were ready to rest, but there was no time as by mid-May it was my birthday and then half term – the last school holiday before the summer holidays. I couldn’t believe how close we were to T going into Year 3!
In comparison to the previous two months, June was dedicated to some child-free time. For me, I visited the newly opened Queer Britain in London with friends, and then later on in the month Sharon and I took ourselves off to Birmingham to visit the UK Games Expo, which was a proper nerd-fest for us as gamers. It was fantastic!
Our favourite posts:
- A 7 Year Update!
- Our Trip to Edinburgh
- LGBTQ+ Inclusive Fiction for Young Readers and ‘Tweens’
- LGBTQ+ Inclusive Fiction for Tweens, Teens and Young Adults
July – September
After a busy few weeks over the previous few months, as well as with some paid work (we only went and worked with Google, folks!), we decided to treat T to a trip to Legoland. This was our way of saying ‘Thank You’ for all his hard work! This had originally been planned for his fifth birthday, but it had to be delayed due to the pandemic, and then cancelled due work conflicts. We made it our mission to get a trip in before he was too old to enjoy it. It was such a fun weekend, and it kick-started the summer holidays perfectly!
Before officially starting the school holidays, we had to take note that this year was the first full school year T had experienced. Starting school the year COVID kicked off meant that he’d never experienced a full school year, but we’d need not have worried because T absolutely smashed it and we’re relieved to say that he absolutely adores school.
For summer this year, we took ourselves off to Croatia for a glorious 11 days. Despite being the hottest holiday we’ve ever experienced, we had such an incredible time – you can often find me looking at all the photos from our trip. With both of us being huge Game of Thrones fans it was like we were stepping onto set or back in time. Everything about the holiday was just spectacular, from the food to the views.
As soon as we got back from Croatia it was time to bring out our rainbow bunting and face paint, and head off to Brighton for Pride. Taking T to Pride, not to mention our local one, will always hold a special place in our heart.
The rest of the summer holidays were a blur thanks to the balancing act that is work and life, but we kicked summer into touch and managed to have some incredible experiences with friends and family. From a trip to Kent to visit our friend Freddy and his children, to a couple of trips into London, including our first ever visit to the Barbican Conservatory! We even got to visit some firm favourites, such as the Arundel Wetland Centre with T’s cousin.
Our favourite posts:
October – December
As soon as we got comfortable in our shorts and t-shirts it felt like the the temperatures suddenly dropped and we were quickly diving into our autumn and winter clothes! Not only that, but it felt like T was in school for five minutes before we were suddenly in the midst of another school holiday – although it was a welcome break to be honest! Year 3 has really hit us like a truck, with all the different events and all the work he has to do during evenings and weekends. I can’t tell whether the previous two years allowed us to be complacent or whether this is genuinely what the later years now look like, but either way it’s been quite a slap to the face.
For half term, we had managed to score a cheap break (and well-earned rest!) a few months prior, with Somerset being our location of choice. It was the first time we’d taken T to the county and it did not disappoint.
As soon as November came we were very quickly on the slippery slope into Christmas preparations. In the blink of an eye we were suddenly in December and putting our tree up. Despite the hecticness, we did manage to score some tickets to a panto in London, which was a real treat. It was also T’s first ever panto.
Where did the year go?!
Christmas was spent at home with our best friend and it couldn’t have been more perfect. We watched Christmas films and played games, and throughout the rest of the holiday we just enjoyed each other’s company.
As always, the New Year was a relaxed affair, with T trying his hardest to stay up until midnight!
Our favourite posts:
Looking forward…
It wouldn’t be an end of year update without some reflection on how much T has grown. The months between his birthday and Christmas appear to be when the biggest changes occur. I’m going to put it down to all the sun he gets in the summer! In all seriousness though, this year has in fact felt like the biggest leap so far. Not only is he learning at lightning speed, but he really is building his own personality. He is full of ideas and plans for the future. It’s such a joy to watch, let alone be a part of. He is so smart and funny, and some of my most cherished moments have been when we’ve had a wonderfully in-depth conversation about something he is passionate about (like Minecraft!).
Just like every year that we’ve done these posts, we also like to end them with a thank you. To you. Our followers. Whether you follow our adventures on here or over on our Instagram. Without you we wouldn’t be able to experience half the things that we do. Thank you for all your support and for giving us the feeling of community. We are so lucky to have you. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our posts as much as we’ve enjoyed writing them.
As well as our followers, we’d also like to give thanks to the brands we’ve worked with over the past 12 months. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that there are brands out there that want to showcase different families, as well as the rich diversity society has to offer. It’s been such a pleasure to create some of the content that we have.
Next year, we look forward to hopefully getting out and about again. That being said, next year is also the year to up our savings game in an attempt to save for a mortgage! This means that trips will be more local, with a lot more focus on our National Trust membership. That being said, we still hope to try and get on a plane at least once! Next year is also the year we (hopefully!) get to showcase a brand new blog. Watch this space!
Happy New Year, folks!
