Today marks the beginning of 2018. I thought I’d top off a lifechanging year with a rose-tinted reflection. This time last year we were businessless and babyless…what a difference in twelve short months! We celebrated the end of twelve glorious months by spending time with family and friends. Our baby girl’s first Christmas made this season particularly special. Vilo’s passion for wood creation was inherited from my Dad who lovingly built our little girl a rocking horse for her first Christmas!
My Dad designs and builds children’s wooden play equipment. We’ve been the excited recipients of his beautiful balance boards but the rocking horse (called Ned) is a real show stopper!
The last fortnight our little one has gone from bemused to overwhelmed with excitement by the Christmas tree. While a two month old may have little comprehension of Christmas, watching her watch our world has enabled me to see Christmas through infant eyes, as if for the first time. As I reflect on this year, I’m first struck by my change of pace. I can waste days with my little friend staring up at the grapevine in our garden or at the ocean when on the beach. My little friend has slowed me down and opened my eyes to our beautiful world. We’ve ended this year with time at the beach
Which introduced a glut of new sensations to my little friend!
We’ve also watched our business grow from strength to strength with the biggest high being customer feedback when they’re happy with our pieces. Most of our decisions are made in the haze of the night when my little friend is asleep. Feedback from Vilo fans confirms that yes…we’re doing a good job with great products!
We became nostalgic and soppy this week on our 9th wedding anniversary. Every year Josh grudgingly gives in to an anniversary picture, so I will be able to see ourselves aging in our ‘Anniversary Album’! He feels this is potentially one of my most depressing projects. Still he continues to give in, so our album becomes richer and our faces more wrinkled! Twelve years together has seen highs and lows. After three continents, two house renovations, one business and one baby I still love him completely. We have some wonderful adventures planned over the Summer season. Family visiting from the UK, a trip to Abel Tasman, boating with friends in the Bay of Islands and a camping trip at Otamure.
Maybe it has been the arrival of our baby girl or our wedding anniversary, but we’ve wanted to extend the Christmas love. We were supported by Vilo fans to donate 15% of all purchases from boxing day through to the 28th December to Northland Rescue Helicopter. As a thank you for the buy in, we’ll be running a New Year’s sale with up to 50% off all Vilo pieces from New Year’s day to the 3rd of January 2018! Click the photo to find out more.
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