a boy and his Lego

I've been absent from this space for so long, and so much has happened in that time, that I hardly know where to begin with this post. I have struggled with what to write about, whether my words matter, whether my photos are good enough, and wondered if anyone really cares anyway. But over the past months as I have watched friends blog and make their way in this amazing world of online connections I have been encouraged that this is a world in which I belong. Ultimately it doesn't matter at all what words I speak here or how good my photos are. What matters is that this is my little place of internet fabulousness and if anyone chooses to come along for the ride, then it will be all the more fun!My absence, however, has not been merely one of just sitting around reading books and drinking tea. Well, maybe it has, just a little. It has also given me some time to mull over big questions I wasn't quite ready to mull over yet. Priorities have been shifted in a good way. Stock has been taken of the important things. Considerable amounts of wine and chocolate have been consumed for both physical and emotional benefits! Shed loads of young adult literature has been consumed in what one might almost call a bit of an obsession!If I've learned one thing in the midst of all that has happened, it is that people are what matter in this short space of time we have to share. Family and friends, their health and wellbeing - they matter more than all the mortgage worries, weight concerns and job securities put together. And realising this made me want to do more to spend time with those people, to really connect with them. Which in turn helped me decide that my One Little Word for 2012 is CONNECT. Whether that be in person, on the phone, by Skype or email, I am determined that I will connect in a more meaningful way with my family and friends. Afternoon tea seems like the perfect way to do this!I'm hoping to connect a bit more with my creativity too over the coming weeks and months. I have become so terribly lazy in that part of my life and I think I suffer as a result. No creativity = not being at my best. So I've taken the plunge and signed up for the One Little Word course with the amazing Ali Edwards. A little prompt at the start of the month might be just the thing to get me going. That and the fact that I may or may not have ordered some pretty new scrap goodies this past weekend! Hopefully I will have something to share here in the next couple of weeks, once I get my lazy backside in gear and clear the desk in my study!Apart from all the drama of the past couple of months, the only other thing happening around here is Lego. I know, shocker, right?! I really don't know what to say about the sheer volume of the stuff that has made its way into our house in the last few weeks. I'm sure there are worse things to be accumulating and I am thankful that I'm not having to deal with Barbie and Bratz dolls, but really, at some point this is going to have to stop! The crux of the problem is a small person's obsession and too-close-to-Christmas birthday. And obviously the very clever marketing skills of the people Lego employ. It really is out of my control (this is clearly denial but I'm going to run with it otherwise my parenting skills will be called into serious question by all and sundry.)We have actually added more than 10 new sets of Lego since Christmas, and some of these are huge! On top of that we have doubles from the birthday party that are sitting ominously in the living room, waiting to be taken back to the toy shop and changed for another gigantic set. And then there's the birthday money - how can I make it not morph into more Lego without a 6 year old meltdown? If anyone has any advice I would be glad to hear it! I wonder if you can guess what kind of birthday party we had last weekend? I'll give you a clue...it wasn't Mario and it rhymes with Mego! I was in no small way surprised when I went through my photos for January that they would make an excellent advertising campaign for the aforementioned construction toy company! So I give you January through my lens.Ok, I'll hold my hands up and admit that I secretly rather like the stuff and it's fun to take pictures of. And it stands the test of time and makes my small person beyond happy. Which is the main thing, I guess. Today I spent a blind fortune at Ikea on storage for it all, and rather sadly dismantled the electric train set that Santa brought him only 2 years ago because it has been overshadowed by tiny ninjas and their frightening skeleton and snake-like enemies. If there is to be happiness in this house in the next few months I must embrace it and say "yes" to all proposals of ninja fights! Because those small people matter most of all, and if I don't connect with them now I will surely be sorry tomorrow.I hope you forgive my absence and my rambling. I am so very glad to have the opportunity to connect with anyone who stops by here to read my blog and it would be completely lovely if you felt like sharing how your start to 2012 has been. Or if you could just console me re the Lego!!