Time Flies When You're Having Fun

Um, hi. *tap tap*
Is this thing on?
Er, remember me? Simoney, sometime blogger. AWOL now since early December.

Well, here I am, returning to action... sort of.

We've all been busy Christmassing, seeing in the New Year, lazing in the sun (or if you're in Northern Parts, freezing your butt off?), so I doubt you've noticed my absence as you've all been busy with your own, ya know, LIVES.
Rather than regale you with blow-by-blow tales of my doings, I'll let the pictures do the talking. Meanwhile I will ramble a bit on some thoughts I've been having about this blog and moi. OK? OK.

(Just so ya know, it's a blazing hot summer here in NZ, which arrived in full force six weeks late; we've just come back from a week's camping; the rest of the time has been spent at home hosting, hosting, hosting...)

[Dream come true having dinner in December with "Love & Light Cat" (from Canada) and other blog-met besties]

I've been blogging now for what seems like forever. In reality it's only six years (the lifespan of my youngest child) and during those years lots has changed. I've changed, my kids have changed and blogging itself has changed.
As blogging around the world has metamorphosed, it is unrecognisable as the close-knit community of supportive mums I found when I started. It's become slick, professional, monetised and huge. (Though here in New Zealand the biggest thing that's changed is that loads of my blogging besties have quit or barely blog anymore).

While the face of blogging has been changing I've been doing my thing here. Sure I've dabbled my toes in a bit of blog-post partnering where it seemed to fit; I've done the odd review for relevant useful products from time to time, but in the last year I've done very little (despite the ongoing requests from random PRs and wannabe guest posters which arrive in my inbox daily).

As my real life has become more busy and complicated, my blogging rate has dropped. As my kids have become less camera-happy and story-willing, I've found myself holding back, blogging less.

[Christmas Eve - my babies aren't so little any more]

And then the killer blow - what felt like the nail in the coffin - my eldest outgrows theme parties. But parties are my thing, I protested. It's what I do!
However November & December left me completely partied-out from all the endless hosting (something to host every week), and I have had to ask myself, Are parties still my thing?
And if they're not, then what?
What do I blog about? And is Greatfun4kids even remotely a relevant blog title anymore?
I'm not just not sure.

See, here's the thing: Time is flying by at such a fast rate of knots.
I can clearly remember saying to people, "I'm just not ready for a new year to start," LAST YEAR.
I was never ready for it, but it came and went anyway, and now here we are again.
My kids are approaching a whole new season of life, I've got a whole new level of parenting staring down the barrel at me and I don't know if I'm ready for that either.

I'm still riding this rollercoaster called parenting, hanging on for dear life, making it all up as we go along, flying by the seat of my pants.

I know I still have plenty of stories in me. I know I don't want to do anything as drastic as shut down this blog which is my window on the world, my own private soapbox... but I'm really thinking it might need a new name. A new identity for a new season.
I don't want to leave behind six years worth of stories, I don't want to start a new blog, begin from scratch - nothing as drastic as that!
I'm just thinking a new title. Something that fits me going forward.
A title which nods to the fact that I am flying by the seat of my pants.
Something quirky. Something "me".

[Best thing about summer: the new pool in our backyard! A humble Warehouse special, but worth its weight in gold]

What am I about, going forward?
I'm a parent who learns mostly by messing up - I like to be honest about that.
Two of my three kids are on the edge of adolescence. There are spectrum issues in the mix which complicate family life (but which my kids don't want me to write about).
We are a bit crazy, very noisy but I crave PEACE most of all.
I've battled depression and anxiety, which are under control right now. I'm also dyslexic - but "gifted".
I love to tell stories and share my struggles honestly but with hope, so others know they're not alone.
I love to make things beautiful and memorable. I love all kinds of celebrations and making the everyday special.
I'm an avid reader (with a failed bookclub who hasn't written a book review in nearly a year).
I'm still a lazy mother who hates being in the kitchen - but I like to share easy delicious recipes when I find them.
We love to travel and we do a fair bit of it.
We live in one of the loveliest places on earth, New Zealand. Our antipodean viewpoint colours who we are and how we live (relaxed, laid back, take us as you find us).
Oh and there's my faith, which underpins it all. And gratitude for the many blessings.

Anything I've missed?

I've already asked my Facebook friends/readers for suggestions and have had a load of ideas but nothing yet that sings to me. I'd love to hear any and all suggestions from you, my faithful readers. Can you help me create a new name for this place that will connect us to the past but take us forward into the future, whatever that looks like?

I do think though, that I've found a new by-line: "Time Flies When You're Having Fun".
Don't you think?

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Do you agree that Greatfun4kids needs a new name? Suggestions? Thoughts? Do tell!