Winding Down

the year's coming to a close. this year's been a mix of a year - with the boys' performances in school not up to mark, akmal showing great potential in school, massive holiday planning - for the 10th anniversary & the taking a chance trip, hubby's new job and big change in his weekly and sometimes, weekend, schedules, a cat becoming our new family member, new kittens born and a week later, died. full of ups and downs and new things, this year.

i doubt next year will be a quiet year what with amir now in morning session and akmal in his final year in kindy. and ariff in year 2, with no excuses about not being able to read or write, no more excuses about just starting school. asyraf too need to buck up, both in school and personally. he's been such a let down this year and he needs a good nagging to improve and be better.

of course, the highlight of this year was our california holiday. especially since its so fresh in our mind and well, withdrawal symptoms are currently attacking full force.

we came back with cough and flu and fever (for me at least) and with muscle aches and pains (for hubby and me, we're old). we managed to fight off jet lag despite being up since 4am on the day we returned. the boys pushed themselves to still go for their weekend football training. i pushed myself to unpack and do laundry and sort out our clothes. we all pushed and held on strong and went to bed with the rest of the country. ok…maybe earlier than the rest but we did it, we fought off jet lag both over there and when we came home.

there's so many things i want to turn around next year. yes, i know, i don't need to wait for new year to turn over new (in my case many, many) leaves but since my leaves revolve hugely around the schooling tree, it makes it easier and more sense (my sense) to use the new year (and the new schooling year) as a starting point.

anyway, i am grateful for all i've been through and learned during the year. despite its downs, the ups have been extremely wonderful and fulfilling. the downs can be overcome and, insyaAllah, i'm hoping it will turn, or slowly start to turn, towards up.

anyway…the jist of our year, in pictures. we started the year with a bang, with ariff entering primary school, and ended on an extremely high note, with our holiday in sunny california, which i have written a few entries on, on our travelog - link is at the side and here.