Okay so I didn’t make any new year resolutions, but I’m trying to do small stuff that make my life and that of my family’s a little bit better.

These are some of the small things that we’ve been doing in the last week.

Saving money on bread and food in general by accepting my mum’s offer to use up all the cheap spelt flour I bought by making us a succession of fresh bread for us. The bread maker was a Panasonic and cost £1 at a car boot sale.

Helping Immy eat more healthily by putting a small dollop of mayonaise on the bowl when I give Imogen some chopped carrots – she eats all the carrots (result!). I’m going to start on fruit salad next.

Saving on the tumble drying by adding an extra spin cycle to the washing – which seems to help clothes dry quickly. On towels I do this twice.

Making friends feel wanted and acknowledged by always sending a reply to friends who email me, even if it’s an ‘I’ll send a longer -more thoughtful – email later’ email.

Being in the now with Andrew by cutting back on my social media trying eg trying not to Tweet in the evening unless it’s worth tweeting about.

Writing more focused blogs – ones that might offer something to those who are reading them rather than rambling!

Sam x