Just got back from Imogens school safety walk!! So glad it's my last one... I think after 6 of them I am the safest person on the streets!! I also found out that illuminous yellow is not my colour! So Lollipop lady is off the job list!

Mummy says!!

Mummy sayd that everything has beauty but not everyone sees it!

Mummy says that men perspire....ladies glisten!

Mummy says that snowflakes are kisses from heaven!

Mummy says that the essentials to happiness are something to love, something to do and something to hope for!

Mummy says...to those who can dream, there is no such place as far away!

Mummy says that if fitness came in a bottle, everyone would have a great body!

Mummy says that a mans work is from sun to sun, but a mothers work is never done!

Mummy says that the best thing to steal, is a kiss from a sleeping child!

Mummy says that she'd rather have flowers on her table than diamonds on her neck!

Mummy says that our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them!

Mummy says that the most beautiful view is the one i share with you!

Mummy says that if you develop a passion for learning, you will never cease to grow

XX

Four of my kids ready for a new school year!!!

99 strikes again!

Today I woke up thinking I wanted to achieve something. Well its 9:21am and I have completed my task! I was just walking home from the school run and sending some emails on my phone, head, down and concentrating hard. I started walking up the drive, and half way up realised it wasn't my house!!  ha ha. I have achieved making a wally of myself!!! :)

Sunday 18th Sept

So much has happened over the summer, but that's another entry! Grant has taken to calling me 99! The reasoning behind this so called loving nickname is as follows. He began with a smile, so already i know this isn't going to be lovely dovey! He goes on to say that i am almost 100%........(cheeky!!!.....almost 100%!!!! ) he said i lack that 1% due to what i will now tell you.
Incident 1- i walked into Tescos Home in town, wearing my high heels, dressed up, and having a conversation with grant. As grant ask me a question, my response to him was wait I've got my heel stuck in the hole in the mat!" Grant just rolls his eyes and wanders off muttering 99!

Incident 2 - this one is almost a daily occurance. Dinnertime, talking and clean top. this is not a good combination for me! Nice splodge of dinner right on my left boob!! 99

Incident 3 - At a funeral, wearing high heels again, and a cute pencil skirt. As i walked down the path past the hearse, i gave a little wave to someone and lost my footing. i stacked it just as they were bringing the coffin out of the car! i ended up on my hands and knees!! Grant grabbed my arm and yanked me up. We both burst out laughing, and i had to turn the other way due to the coffin being there, and totally lack of control!! Grant said he heard a little "ooh" and then saw me flat on the floor. as i dusted myself off and tried to control my giggles, grant whispered under his breath 99!

So as you can see, i completey derserve the nickname 99!

i have no doubt more will follow!

Eden has given the Jane Austen movie 'Persuasion' a new name....'Perseverance'...haha, i cracked up, she said it with a straight face!!

I have my gym mojo back!! yay at last....2 hours a day! New look Keely on the way!! :)

So the summer holidays are over, and I'm back!! I've decided to change the format of the way I write, and have it as a School Run Mum diary!! I've had quite a few things happen to me over the past few days and weeks, and thought it would be easier to jot them down!!

Imogens Genius quote of the day!!!

I had asked Imogen to tidy up. When upon walking into the room and finding it even messier, she replied

"I'm not doing it messy, I'm doing it differently!"

Me told!!

chapter 12- School Run Mum

Diets!! Everybody has their own opinion on them. I have a few myself. My latest one is they’re all rubbish. Healthy eating and exercise is the best way. I am on a weight lose race with Grant, first one to loose seven pounds gets….. Hey, we never decided on the prize!! Pass me a doughnut!

We are keeping track on the board in the kitchen, mine is a steady decrease, I have lost 3 lbs so far, grants looks like a mountain range! Up and down! I don’t want to get to ahead of myself though, I am fully aware as I wade through the murky journey of weight lose, there will be many pitfalls. Namely, chocolate, cakes, bread……ohhhhhhh.

I really have to focus. I need to get into the zone, I need to get my gym mind back in gear, I need chocolate!! No, no i don’t. Oh, the argument that is going on in my head! I make a final decision. I do not, I state, do not, need chocolate. I go into the kitchen and make a Hot Chocolate. What??? That’s not real chocolate. Grant comes in

“You know you’re going to have to stop drinking so many of those don’t you?”

“Yes!” I reply somewhat offended by the remark. As if I wasn’t capable of understanding what ever I put into my body will generally stay there!

“And you’ll have to stop eating all the rubbish you eat!” comes my feeble retort.

“Not really that much, I exercise more than you!”

Although you can’t hear it, I have indeed inhaled half the air in the kitchen, in what comes out as an almighty gasp. Bit dramatic, I’ll agree, didn’t mean it though, I had sipped a bit of my drink just before and it was HOT!!.

With the challenged laid bare on the kitchen counter, I decide with even more passion to take it up! It’s definitely on now!!

Ok, that was 2 weeks ago; I am back to my original weight! I blame Grant. No reason, I just blame him.

So, while I’m in Pizza Hut, I decide to have liposuction. Tally the finances. Not an option! Rubbish. I eat a slice of the deliciously fluffy, deep pan pizza, with all that barbeque sauce, and chicken, and peppers, and red onion, and cheese, and….. ok I have to stop. I look at Imogen, she look at me and says

“If you put a straw into it, it just magic’s into your mouth!”

“That’s amazing, what will they think of next?”

This magic thing she is talking about is a straw, which is in her drink!! And when she sucks on it, it magic’s into her mouth!! Pizza Huts rules! I love the thought patterns of kids. It’s starting to get busy in, and Imogen is talking away, about her day, she’s been to Pre School this morning. Suddenly a child screams, and makes me jump. I realise Imogen is looking at me expectantly. Ohhh nooo, what was it she was saying to me? I look at her and smile and say

“Really?”

She frowns at me and says

“No, you wasn’t listening!”

How does she know? I ask her to repeat the question and she roles her eyes and replies

“Just forget about it”

I can’t help repeating it in my head in an New York/Italian accent, like in the film, Mickey blue eyes. I hope I’m not the only one to do that!! I ask her again, but she’s already onto her next subject by then, what Sarah did at playschool today. Never heard of Sarah. I find out later on in the story, that she’s a little girl a Per School, but Imogen doesn’t play with her because she plays with Emma, but Imogen plays with Emma, but when Emma plays with Sarah, Imogen doesn’t play with Emma or Sarah!!! My goodness, she’s only three. I ask her about the tadpoles at Pre School. They are watching them grow. Every morning we walk in and she takes me over to see them. She tells me, they have got les and arms now, but they’ve still got long willies!!! Ok, so now I’m on the floor laughing. Can’t breath, might be the pizza, that’s just gone down the wrong way, at this shock announcement!!

Once I have regained my composure, and picked myself up off the floor, I point out to her that those aren’t willies, they are their tales! They will shrink when they grow into big frogs.

“Oh, I thought they were willies, Have they got a willy?”

“ Do you want another drink, or a sweetie, how about the park?”

Not the time or place for a conversation like that!!

I ask Imogen if she is ready to go, and she replies

“No, I have to eat my sandwiches yet!”

A tad confused, I look at her plate, and she has made teeny tiny sandwiches with the croutons and the bacon bits!! Impressed, I ask if I can have one, she carefully picks it up and hands it over,

“You have to bite it, then eat it all up. It’s so yummy Mummy, you will really like it.”

How on earth, do you bite a Bacon bit and crouton sandwich in half? I did it!, not very filling, but isn’t that noveau cuisine at it finest? She’s going to be a genius Chef! My mind racing already, must get her on Britain’s Best Dish, Master chef, all those sky cooking programmes, they’ll want her on talk shows….. THE WORLDS YOUNGEST CHEF!!!  She’ll travel the world, cook for Kings and Queens, the Sultan of Brunei!! Then she brings me crashing back to reality by showing me her Dracula teeth, which are two long breadsticks, put under her lips!! Mmmmm, might have to rethink that plan! I pay the bill and off we go, not forgetting to grab a balloon on the way out, I’m sure she only does it to wind the others up when they get home from school! It’s been gloriously sunny the whole time we were in Pizza Hut, now as I head to the school for the school run, it is absolutely chucking it down, it’s always a nightmare to find a space on days like this. I figure I’m a little early, so it shouldn’t be that bad.

I was wrong.

Doctors surgeries! A place to find layers of old magazines, to catch more germs and to come out with depression after listening to the radio station that is playing in the waiting room!! I'm am at present listening to a man talking about how his mum was like the elephant man!! I only popped in to get my throat checked!! I now think I have to check in at the pysciatrists too!!!

Cleaning Poem

I asked the Lord to tell me
Why my house is such a mess
He asked if i'd been 'computering'
And I had to answer 'Yes'
He told me to get off my butt,
And tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up....
The smudges off my mouse.
I wiped and shined the topside,
That really did the trick....
I was just admiring my good work,
I didn't mean to 'click'.
But click I did, and oops I found,
A real absorbing site,
That i got so way into it,
I was into it all night.
So nothings changed except my mouse,
It's as shiny as the sun,
I guess my house will stay a mess,
While I sit here on my bum.

This is my side of the family at my Mum and Dads house in Canada!

chapter 11

And then there are times there aren’t!! Like dog-sitting. When I was younger, I would lay all over my dog, let it sleep on my bed, play with it, and love it. The thought of that now turns my stomach! I’m not a dog hater, just a dog don’t wanter. So, we were dog sitting for Grants mum whilst she was in hospital, It was half term, and we thought, hey, nice cheap fun for the kids! I picked up her bedding and this was where it all began. I suddenly thought to myself, the dog sleeps on this, ewwww, don’t know where she’s been, it smells, and I can just feel the germs on my hand. Wasn’t to sure where this came from, but walked out of the house. Now this is a cute little dog, but fat, so you walk everywhere slow, and you have to wait every five minutes. Not what the kids wanted. I stand at the door of my car, and tell her to jump up. I may as well as told a whale to jump up!! She stands there looking at me, as if to say

“Have you seen the size of me, I can barely lift my paw to walk!”

I’m not giving in, it’s a stand off now!

“Get in”

A look

“Get in!”

A look

“Dog, I’m not going to argue with you, get in!”

What am I doing, it’s a dog, I look at her with determination in my eyes, she will get in by herself. Grants ready to go. I look at the dog, she stares back. I look at Grant, he rolls his eyes! I look at the dog, she’s so smug! I bend down and pick her up, I’m sure I see her smile. I put her on her bed, and say

“I’m the boss!”

I will be boss of something!! I get in the car and roll down my window quickly, can’t do the smell of dog. She pants loudly the whole way home. After ten minutes in the car it’s driving me nuts.

“Chill out Emmie, we’re almost there”

“Heh, Heh, Heh, Heh”

I’m following Grant down a country lane, and stop suddenly, didn’t realise the corner was so sharp. I hear a whop on the passenger seat. The dog!!. I look back and she is in the foot well looking up. I am suddenly laughing uncontrollably; I have to keep driving because Grant is taking me a new way home. I start driving again and the laughing becomes louder. Every time I think of it, I lose it again.

“Sorry Emmieeee… hahahhhahahahha “

It takes about 15 minutes to get home, and all that time I am laughing. The dog doesn’t look to impressed. We reach home and I pull up onto the drive. I do my window up and look at the dog, and laugh again. Grant comes over to the car and grabs her bedding. Ok, time to show her whose in charge. I open the door, she sits there and stares, I grab the lead and pull her out! Job done. She starts to walk up the path, and hobbles onto the grass, I think the gravel path freaks her out. The older two girls are still awake when we get in, it’s 10pm! They call Emmie in high pitched voices, and she starts bouncing about!! Oh sure, now she has some energy. Oh it’s on dog! It’s so on!!

We stay up for another hour then go to bed, we shut her in the kitchen, and go up. Just get into bed, and she starts barking and crying. I’m in the movie ‘Lady and the Tramp’. I tell Grant to go down, as I won’t be very charitable! He wasn’t either!

I wake up really early the next morning, and rush down stairs to let her out. The kids wake up while she’s outside and rush out into the garden. Ok, we are officially the coolest parents. I lay down the ground rules for the dog. They are…

I’m not doing anything, you lot wanted a dog, you do it all!!

Day 2 –

“Can we take Emmie to the park?”

“Yep, get the lead, and we’ll go”

“I’ll hold the lead”

“No I will”

“No, I said first”

“Mum!”

“Not getting involved”

We leave the house, after everyone has helped put the dog on the lead. 6 kids, to one tiny dog. It was a sight, I couldn’t even see the dog! We walk up the crunchy gravel path as the dog walks on the silent grass. We literally get a few hundreds yards from the house and Gabe says

“Who wants the dog, she’s taking forever?”

“I’ll have her”

Chloe grabs the lead, another hundred yards

“Why is she so slow? She’s like stopping every 5 minutes!”

This could be working to my advantage. For ages they have been on at Grant and I for a dog, now they have one it’s not what they expected. Granted, the dog is 11 years old, can’t walk far or fast, doesn’t fetch, doesn’t do any tricks, and lays down a lot, but that shouldn’t matter. I keep to my word, and let them deal with it, Now’s the bit that makes me smile! I watch as Emmie slows right down, she lowers her bottom and Chloe’s face is a real treat!!  Hahaha

She pulls the dog, the dogs going nowhere! She looks at me, I smile, I’m doing nothing. I remind her she has a poop bag in her pocket. The look on her face is a picture. She can’t quite believe the dog has no standards. I can see what she’s thinking

“ I’m going to have to pick that up in front of all the cars driving by!!”

I laugh and say that’s all part of having a dog, I walk by with Imogen, giving the dog a wide berth! After two hours at the park, and the dog sat down the whole time, the kids are ready to go home. I ask who is taking the lead. The kids run off!! Then I see Imogen come walking back from behind the hedge. I guess she drew the short straw. Or the older five pushed her out! Either way I hand over the lead. I am 100% sure there is no danger of her being pulled off. In fact, she is stood there leaning back, pulling on the lead, with a stationary dog at the end of it! She walks over and nudges her with her foot.

The dog begrudgingly, and ever so slowly stands up. I smile at the triumphant look on Imogens face. It was no easy feat for a three year old! Now for the long trek home. Imogen, the dog and I arrive home 15 minutes after the others, who are laid out on the front lawn, because I had he keys, and not one of them could be bothered to come and get them from me. Kids!!!

It turned out we had the dog for five days. She peed three times on the carpet, pooed once on the carpet, farted loads, and cried every night.

WE WON’T BE GETTING A DOG ANY TIME SOON!

Keely Watling is fundraising for Cancer Research UK

Keely Watling is fundraising for Cancer Research UK

Please if you can, donate some money, i'm running for someone very special to me!!! xx

I just finished a book, it wasn't life changing, it wasn't a book that questioned my views, it wasn't a book that even made me cry. It was a book that made me think. Really think what one human is capable of, and what another human is capable of handling. It was a book written from the view of a five year old boy, he was born in a room, and has never been outside it, never seen the world, apart from the sky through the skylight in the roof. He lives with his mother. I don't want to give to much away, but the emotions this book stirs up will make you think.

Room  by Emma Donoghue

 

chapter 10 - school run mum

That was 2 years ago, and as I sit looking out onto our new Garden, from our new study, in our new area, that contains new schools, I think to myself

That took forever!!!!

Ok, so we’ve moved, we live in a village called Danbury and I have to say, I actually love living here. I found this place on Rightmove, I know, can you believe it. It’s not like I was on it everyday, checking!! I came across it and it looked lovely, so phoned Grant at work and said he needed to go and view this house in his lunch break. Within 5 minutes of him seeing the house he called me back and announced

“I’ve put a deposit on it, we move in 6 weeks!”

Right! Did I say my life was Mundane? Did I say I wanted excitement in my life? Did I expect after 2 years of trying to talk my family round to moving, that Grant would walk into a house and put a deposit down there and then? I can safely say… Yes, it didn’t surprise me. Once he sees what he wants, that’s it, we’ve got it! I screamed down the phone, put the phone down, picked it up again and called him back,

“The kids and I haven’t seen it; do we get to view it before we move?”

“Saturday!”

I was going Saturday! I put the phone down again, screamed again then had a massive heart attack… I can’t leave my friends! Have we made the right decision? I can’t leave my friends! I have to pack the whole house! I CAN’T LEAVE MY FRIENDS!!!! 

After a quick counselling session with myself (much cheaper) I realised that after 5 years of living in the same house, we were leaving. I had so many memories in that house. Good and bad. I was leaving the place where we had made them, what was I doing? I came round pretty quickly, got in the car and went to my friend the Box Man, to collect a ton of boxes for packing! Everytime I see him he gives me the history of cardboard boxes and the best way to fold them. I nod, smile and then walk away. I just want boxes, not a degree in them!!

Now the boxes have all been unpacked, put in the garage, homes found for everything, bedrooms chosen, and arguments had over those decisions. I feel at home already! Only the other day I over a conversation between Grant and Gabe, that assured me we were settled.

“What milk do you like, blue or green top?”  Grant asks Gabe as he’s stood there eating a big bowl of cereal!

“I don’t care as long as its milk!” Gabe’s couldn’t care less answer.

“Blue tops creamier”

“Did you know you can get purple top?” He says with a surprised tone

“Is that Cravendale?”

“I don’t know, I just look at the tops not the labels!”

It strikes me as funny how he only knows the milk by the colour of the lid! I just love the little things it is with kids.

Elliot and Sienna at school, as the older three make their own way to their respective schools. It’s a beautiful day, and I decide to surprise Imogen with a trip to the park. I pat myself on the back, saying what a good mum I am, when She asks

“Can we go to the Park?”

Hmph…. Should have got in there earlier! I put my biggest smile on and reply

“Yeah, of course we can, do you want to get a treat before we go?”

I will surprise her today!! She’s bouncing up and down now, we walk from the school, via the store to pick up a treat and some water. This is the store where I worked for a month and a half, the stopped. Due to it being so flipping early in the morning! 5:30-7:30 am. I cleaned the store before it opened, 6 days a week! I was ready for bed by 2pm. I paid off Gabe’s school trip to Belgium, then quit!! That first lay in was glorious!

Anyways, I wander into the store and meet one of the managers, I stop to chat, but Imogen is pulling my arm off to go to the sweetie section. I tell her to wait. As if….. Telling a three year old to wait for a sweetie just isn’t going to happen. I asked the manager to walk and talk!! He laughs and we set off to sweetie heaven. I finish up the conversation, and turn round. Imogen is stood there with an arm full of chocolate!!

“Put them all back and get one!”

“But they are all my best!”

“I know, but you can only have one best”

“Can I have three best?”

“No”

“Three best….pleeeease”

“Two best”

“Ok, I’ll have this as number one best, and this one number two best”

“Right”

“Can you put these back?”

I walk off to the cash register. Cheeky minx. She puts them all back, in the right places may I add, and follows me over to pay, I let her pay for her stuff, and then she pockets the change! This kid will be loaded when she’s older, knows how to haggle, and has no qualms about taking other peoples money.

We wander over to the park, and she heads for the Massive slide. I sit down and watch. Other people in the park seem to be having heart attacks watching her. Not sure why, they really don’t know this kid. She’s afraid of nothing. I watch her grab hold of the bar over the top of the slide, and lift both feet in the air, then proceeds to swing for a minute. I’m sure I’m going to have to perform CPR on an older lady who is watching her. She lets go and slides down on her bum, with her legs in the air, straight off the end, jumps up, says

“That was cool, wasn’t it Mummy?”

and then runs to the ladder to repeat the whole process again! We gradually make our way around the park, and people gradually leave. Imogens stunt show is obviously too much for them. We come to the slide that was designed for her age group. She climbs up and stands at the top telling me she’s trapped and I need to help. I blame these Disney movies! I walk over to her and pretend to free her. I tell her to escape down the slide.

As I stand at the end of the slide, filming her, she curls up into a little ball and slides down on her feet, two seconds after leaving the top of the slide, she careers to the left and falls head first over the side!!! What the…….!!!

This slide is a third of the size, of the one she was doing acrobatics on!! Seriously, what is she like?. I carry on filming, then as I turn it off, to see if she is ok, she jumps up laughing, and says

“That was funny, I fell off!”

Phew! I ask her if she wants to eat her treat, and she tells me in a minute, she’s just catching a butterfly. Well, this is the cutest thing in the world. She skip along, in the only way a toddler knows how, like a horse trotting! She spots a butterfly and trots with fairy lightness after this butterfly, her hands twirling in the air above her head, and whispering very loudly to me

“Look Mummy, I’m chasing the butterfly!”

I get out the treat, and she forgets the butterfly and gallops over to me. As we sit on the bench, eating and chatting, she turns to me and says

“Mummy, we best friends aren’t we!”

I reply

“Yes, we are bestest friends”

It’s times like these that everything is right in the world!

chapter 9 School run mum

As Grant walks through the door, I greet him with a massive smile.

“Look at what I found today!”

I lead him over to the computer, where I already have the list waiting. The kids are not long from going to bed, they are all in the TV room, just finishing a movie. I sit down gently next to him, a wait to hear his response!

“Why am I looking at this?”

“Well I was thinking that we’ve been in this house for almost five years, I’ve outgrown it! I feel I need to move on, I love this house and all, but that feeling is in me that we need to move!”

I wait on tenterhooks, trying to read his eyes!! Would help if he opened them! His mouth is opening, he’s going to say something, he’s coming closer…. What’s he doing??

He plants a big kiss on my lips, smiles and says

“I don’t think so”

WHAT!!!  I’ve got the feeling though, does he not realise this! The feeling that starts in my toes, and then gradually works it way up, till my fingers are twitching, and the only way I can get them to stop, is to tap out the words Rightmove on the keyboard!! ARGH……7 against 1 are not good odds! Mmm, I need to rethink my strategy. I need to become tactical, I need to think about it logically, I need to get a drink, I’m so thirsty!

I stand next to the sink with a tall glass of water and then call to Grant

“Why?”

“Because it’s not a good time, money, schools, we have other things to pay out for; do you want me to carry on?”

“No!”

The wheels in my head are turning,

“It’ll be nearer your work, so less travel and petrol!!”

“That’s true, but weighed up overall, not enough to swing it”

This doesn’t look like its going to happen. I come to the depressing conclusion that I’ll let it rest for a little while, but will keep my eye on the market, I’m not exactly packing boxes, or phoning removal companies…… might be an idea to get a quote though!!

I wander back in and announce the bedtime routine will now begin…. Starting with the nightly brushing of the teeth.

“Can we just…”

“No, teeth, now!”

All six slowly rise from their places on the sofas, and walk round shouldered towards the stairs, Imogen is just copying them and looks hilarious, her shoulders are up by her ears! I turn to Grant who has made himself comfy on the sofa and say

“Are we going halves or just me?”

Translated for the Non-Watling it means….. Are we going to take three each and put them to bed or am I doing it all by myself tonight? He decides we’re going halves; I give him the boys and Imogen, haha, that’ll serve him right for not moving. We crawl up the stairs, start the bedtime palaver, and almost slide down the stairs again once finished. Why does it take them seconds to wake up, jump out of bed and come downstairs in the morning, but a lifetime to go to bed?? I don’t get it. I decide one day to make a study of it, but for now I’ve just got the wonder team into bed and there’s no way I have the strength to even pick up a remote let alone become a scientist for the night! We both walk through the door at once and get stuck, or did Grant just want to be close?......No, his on the sofa already!!

We sit there, eyes glued to the Television, both still, apart from when the credits roll up and we both become ninjas to see who will get the remote first! Grant looks at me and asks

“Do you want a Hot Chocolate?”

“Oooo yes please” I reply

“Can you get me one aswell then please?”

I only do it because I want a Hot chocolate and biscuits! Wonder how long I’ll be doing this for in this house?

Chapter 8 School run mum

I get itchy feet!! Not literally, but I tend to get bored of living in our houses! So we’ve moved a lot! An expensive hobby, but Grant indulges me. I think this is house number 9 for us! We’ve been married for 13 years and I think it works out a house every year or two. I think that Irish blood that runs through my veins pulls me on, much to my kid’s annoyance.

“You are going to love this house, come and look at it with Daddy and I, You’ll still be in the same school!”

“Where is it?”

“Not sure, let me get the map”

“Do we have to, I like this garden”

“Yeah, and I like my room!”

“Well this one has a bigger garden, and I’ll do you a cool new room!”

These were our general conversations before we moved, and then the house hunting began!! I’m so nosey, I just looking around houses! Haha. But I tend to fall in love with quite a few! I’ll be an eternal interior designer. I think that’s why I get bored, oh no, am I now going to have counselling sessions probing into why I feel the need to move every 6 months??

“Yes Mrs Watling, you see, I think this excessive house moving all stems from the time when you were walking home from school and saw that house, which meant you were not satisfied with your house or as it wasn’t yours, we’ll say your bedroom, this I believe stems from your wants for the material things in life which stems from making your surroundings nice and pleasing, which I think gives you security, therefore gives you comfort, because I give it to you that you are afraid of the dark!!”

It always comes down to people being afraid of the dark!

No I’m afraid of the dark because I’ve watched to many movies!! So, after my self diagnosis, I realise I have that itchy feeling! The wind of time are a changing. Just like the movie Choclat, except that I don’t move house when a bit of wind blows, I don’t own a cloak and I’m not really thinking of moving to a tranquil little town in France! So actually nothing like Chocolat!! I give a quick check to the Lasagne, and go to the computer. Ahhh, kids doing homework!! Rubbish, when did they become so studious!

I search the house for a paper and realise I have recycled it! Check me, recycled it! Mother earth!! I decide to sit down and think over my rashness. Do I really want to move? Do I really want to move from this lovely 6 bed house, with it’s big back garden, it’s close to the station, a minutes walk to the town, friends we’ve had for years, and the best chinese place I’ve ever had!! Do I really want to move? Do I really want to move? For some strange, unknown reason, I actually really do, now how do I break this to Grant, and the kids.

“Kids, do you fancy moving?”

“NO!”

Mmmm, didn’t go to well! Maybe I should have gone in with a plate of cookies! That’s where my plan went wrong. Oh why am I so rash, I need to start at the beginning of my plans and not jump straight to the finale!

Step one – Bake cookies, ah man, all I’ve got is a Lasagne and some garlic bread, wonder if that will get me anywhere? I finish the dinner and call the hoards in to devour the food that I have just placed on the table. I hear what sounds like hundreds of feet pounding on the floor and get ready for the grand entrance of six hungry kids! It never ceases to amaze me what a big group they look like when they are all together. My little army marching together to conquer the Kitchen!

They descend on the table and all make a grab for the spoon that’s placed by the side of the Lasagne. With my catlike reflexes, I pick it up before anyone else. I reign supreme, and am more importantly in control of portion sizes. I dish out, and take a seat at the end of the table.

“So…..” now’s not the time

“So, how’s all your days been?” I’m sure I have some cookies in the cupboard, later Keely, bide your time!

“I climbed to the top of the rope in PE today, I touched the ceiling”

“Good job, Elliot, how did you get down?”

“I slid and now I have burnt hands!”

I thought this would have been a subject to raise when he first saw me at school, Burnt hands!, I’d be telling anyone who’d listen, and probably waving them about in the cool air. Or is that just me. As I quiz my hard nut son a little more, Sienna pipes up with

“ I love Garlic bread”

“That’s great darling, so are you ok now Elliot?”

“Yep”

“Mum, can we have Garlic bread everyday, I love it?”

“No, it doesn’t go with every single meal Sienna, normally Italian meals, pizza, bolog….”

“Are we Italian?”

“No!”

“Why do we eat Italian food all the time then?”

“We don’t!”

Then I think back to the last two weeks dinners, rubbish, she’s right! Note to self, read entire cookbook shelf! I ease away from the table, and slowly and quietly pull a packet of cookies out of the cupboard. My secret weapon! I arrange them nicely on the plate, and once the last scraps of dinner have been licked of the plates, I place the plate on the table, and get down to business.

“I was thinking of moving, what do you think?”

“We said no earlier! Did you not hear us?”

“Yes, but I’m treating you like adults and opening up a discussion about it” Nice touch I think!

We sit and talk pros and cons for about 10 minutes, and then they are bored. But we have come to an answer. A resounding NO!!  What a waste of a pack of cookies, what will I have with my hot chocolate tonight now? I call back the troops, and point to the chores chart. Groans ring in my ears, so I escape the noise and leave them to it. All they have to do is load a dishwasher!! I notice the computer is free and open up a new tab quickly before the kids come back. Type in Rightmove and see what comes up.

“What area do we move to?”

“What?”

“Nothing, talking to myself, not the kitchen staff!!” Didn’t realise I had said that out loud!

The world is my oyster, I can pick anywhere, Peru, Iceland, China, I type in 10 miles from Benfleet!! I like to live dangerously! Thousands of houses come up on a never ending list, I decide to refine it. I type in a price, number of bedrooms, and press find properties. That’s better, a more manageable list. I trawl through the long line of houses, putting far too many into my favourites to show Grant when he gets home.  More cookies are needed I think!!!

Just Wondering!

I'm just sat here with Imogen, my Tinkerbell of a two year old, and we're watching Fireman Sam. Nothing wrong with that I hear you say. No, I agree, I'm quite enjoying the snuggles, but as I sit here and watch a small village in wales, have at least three fires a day, I ask myself, has no one called the Police to report a suspected Arsonist???  Also, Norman!!! This child is left to wander the streets, while his Mum polishes the sweet rack. Not only that, but he is the main cause of the fires. Surely people are putting two and two together, and thinking he needs a room and Juvenile hall!!  ha ha

What am I letting my children watch!!! Imogen.... put those matches down!

Mummas Leek and Potato Soup

3 big potato's 3-4 big Leeks
1 large Onion
3-4 Chicken oxo cubes
2 pints of water
salt and pepper

Peel potato's and cube into 1-2 inches

Bring to boil in a pan

Fry onions and leeks in a little oil

Add them to the potato's

Add oxo cubes, and salt and pepper

Continue to boil till potatoes are cooked

Put half of the mix into a blender and blend, repeat with other half

Delicious!! Enjoy x

No going back Onion Gravy

Found this in a reciepe book, and will never have any other onion gravy again!!

2 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Butter
8 Onions -Sliced
1 tsp Caster sugar
1 tbsp Plain flour (all purpose)
1/2 pint beef stock

Heat Oil and butter in a large pan

Add Onions and mix well to coat

Cover and cook gently for about 30 mins, stirring frequently

Add sugar and cook for another 5 mins or until soft

Remove pan from the heat and stir in flour

Gradually stir in stock

Return to heat and bring to boil, continue to stir, then simmer for 3 minutes

Season to taste

Mmmmmm enjoy x

Best Meatloaf ever!!!

Sautee - 2 large onions (diced)
              pinch of salt
              pinch of pepper
              tsp of fresh chopped Thyme

Add - 3 tbs Worster sauce
          1/3 cup chicken stock
           1 tbsp tomato paste

Take off heat

In a seperate bowl mix - 1/2 cup bread crumbs
                                      2 eggs (beaten lightly)

Add this to - 2 1/2 lbs mince meat

Add pan ingredients in to the mince and mix with a fork

Take a handful of the mixture and shape into an rectangle shape

Place on the tray, repeat this till mixture is gone

Spread tomato ketchup on top of the meatloaves

Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, on 180/350

Remove and eat straight away, I serve with a yummy mash potato!!
Enjoy x

Chapter 7 of School Run Mum

I run to the kitchen quickly, pretending I didn’t hear, I don’t really do moaning kids, never have, probably never will. That one, I’ll put on hold till they get bored of shouting Mum! I reach out and push the on button on top of the stereo.

“She’s so lovely, she’s so lovely, she’s so lovely, she’s so loverrrrly!” come my dulcet tones from the kitchen. Well, dulcet might not be the word that others may want to use, let’s go with Tina Turner wannabe. Oh to try and keep rooted to the spot when all I want to do is let loose and dance is hard, so I’ve decided to go with it. I’m flying around the kitchen like that scene in Flashdance!

 I love this song at the moment. Scouting for Girls… She’s so lovely. I’m the kind of person whose life has a soundtrack. I was bought up on music, all kinds, Motown, classic, pop, country, R&B, the list goes on. As I’ve grown up music has played a massive part of my life. Even now, I’ll start gagging when certain songs come on that were always being played when I had morning sickness! Not good when you’re in a serious conversation with someone.

Why is it that when you’re a Mum, there’s a certain part in your brain that says,

“Even though you’ve had six kids, you can still dance the way you did and still look cool!”

Well, I can tell you now, half of that did not wobble when I was 18! I have to wait for the jiggling to stop before I return to walking, for fear of losing balance and falling over. People say the miracle of child birth is amazing…. I think it’s a miracle if you can keep your body in some sort of shape that resembles a human and not the marshmallow man! I love my kids more than anything; I love them so much that I have a stretch mark for each. A mothers love!

So dancing around the kitchen, Elliot pops his head in and asks:

“What’s for…..What are you doing?”

“Dancing!”

“Why?”

“Because you happen to have the coolest Mummy in the world who not only dances cool, but I can do this….. Owwww!”

“You alright?”

“Lasagne… with a side of garlic bread!”

“Cool – oh and Mum, I wouldn’t do that again!”

Cheeky, I use to do the splits all the time!!

I turn the music down a little and begin to wander around the kitchen; I walk three steps and sit down at the table, and put the TV on. Ahhh…. Midsommer Murders. I love this programme. How does Detective Barnaby solve all these crimes in this little village? By the looks of it, only 15 people live there, they should all have been dead by the end of season one!! Must have had move ins. Or, it could be him killing everyone, what a twist that would be. I kick my shoes off in various directions, and reach out to turn the music down, WHOOSH. A little person on a scooter whizzes past me!

“How many times…. I keep telling you, outside, the scooters are to stay outside, they are at no time allowed in the house!”

A munchkin that took the wrong turn on the yellow brick road replies

“Sorr-wee!”

As Imogen shouts this out, she continues her reign of scooter terror in the living room; I walk with purpose out of the kitchen, stand by the patio doors and point to the garden! Without even stopping, she whizzes past me again, and out of the patio doors. 2-year-olds nowadays. After reaching the bottom of the garden in record time, she is now flying high above the little trees on the trampoline! My kind of girl, living life to the full!

I stand and watch my little bundle of fun bouncing up and down, then round down the garden and leap on to the trampoline, Imogen flies higher than I have ever seen her go, and people on the street stop to look at the amazing flying toddler that keeps appearing over the fence every 4 seconds! I hold my breath to make sure she actually lands back on the Trampoline, and breath a huge sigh of relief when she does. She commands me to jump with her, I warily get up and start to do little jumps

“Higher”

“No, Mummy will do little jumps, or you’ll be flying with the birds again!”

“I like it!”

“No, I’ll jump little”

“Peeeees”

I start to jump a little higher, and higher still, I jump a couple more times then realise that childbirth has been very cruel to my bladder!!! I make my excuses to a 2 year old, and dash off up the garden.

Detective Barnaby is slowly but surely, drawing all sorts of conclusions as to who murdered the Art dealer, and the son of the Butcher, who was engaged to the daughter of the Art dealer, but the young man from the Yacht Club who has been in love with her for years, was not happy about this at all, and his movements seem to suggest him as the culprit! I have my own suspicions. I am going with Col Mustard, in the Library, with the revolver!! 

I settle down on the chair again, and realise the whole point of being in the Kitchen is to start the dinner. I open the Fridge and browse it’s contents, Wow, I need to go shopping. I notice someone has hidden mini Mars bar behind a tin of Beans. Got to have eyes like a Hawk when you’re a Mum. I reluctantly leave it there and spy the mincemeat. I grab it, and shut the door.

“Whose Mini Mars bar is that in the fridge?”

Gabe comes speeding through from the TV room and smoothly leaps onto the side and opens the fridge, eyes darting back and forth, he finds the stash of chocolate gold, and just as quick runs back out!

I might be jumping to conclusions, but I think it was his! I turn back to my meat and bend down to find our frying pan. I must remember to clear and tidy this cupboard out. I don’t know if you are the same, but my pots and pan cupboard, gets messed up every night, so I have now given up, and have it as a free for all. This actually really bugs me, as I am the kind of person that lives by the saying:

“A place for everything and everything in its place”

I eventually recover the frying pan from Narnia and place it on the hobs, put the meat in, and stir. I’m not Nigella, I don’t have the ability to make cooking dinner sound romantic and exciting. I think the kids would think I had gone mad, if I started narrating everything I was doing in the kitchen!

DING DONG

This time I’m fully at ease with that sound, I’m dressed!! I just shout out to the boys

“Half an hour!”

“OK”

I busy myself around the kitchen while the meat is cooking, and by busy I really mean, throw a few things in the dishwasher and sit down to watch the rest of Midsommer Murders!

That’s when I think ………My life is so Mundane and repetitive, I need more, more excitement!”

Spoke too soon!!

Just made a really nice and easy sauce to accompany Pork!

Wholegrain mustard sauce

Made on the Hobs

1/2 cup butter
1 cup plain flour
3/4 pint of semi skimmed milk
pinch salt
pinch pepper
1 1/2 tsp wholegrain mustard

Method

melt butter in pan
add flour and whisk quickly
add milk 1/4 pint at a time
add salt and pepper
add mustard

whisk till no lumps, and pour over Pork

Enjoy x

As I stroll around the shops, I am wondering to myself how long I can live with sleep deprivation? I've gone 4 days now! I'm being a tad dramatic, I've had a couple hours sleep for the past four nought. It all began with a headache, progressed to the River Thames flowing from my nose, onto Niagara Falls, weakness and fuzzy head, then this cough, that I seriously am getting fed up with! It gets worse at night, so i come downstairs to prevent waking the rest of the household sleeping like babies! I sit on the sofa, eyelids taking over both my cheeks, I'm that tired, I'm flopping all over the place to try and stay upright, and after writing my will, and doing the washing up, I decide to prop myself up on the sofa with a million cushions. I grab a couple of Throws and begin to build the tower of cushions around me. All the while trying not to cough, knowing if I do, I'll never stop, and what a total waste of time building this architectural masterpiece that would be! I position myself in the midst of what has now become a well. Let the covers fall on top of  me, and and let my head fall back, as my neck has now lost the will to support it. I have the biggest glass in the house next to me, full of water, and I let the tiredness take over. Last numbers I looked at on my phone read 5:58!!

8:33am!!! Yes, that's when when I was awoken by Chloe saying she only had 10p of credit left on her phone!!! I leave the house at 8:40 to begin the school run, time for me to spin around very quickly and turn into Wonderwoman. Nah, not going to happen today. I text my friend, Gabe normally walks to school with her son, and meets him at 8:30..... he was sick everywhere last night too.... didn't tell you that, did I!

"Gabe not going into today, sick last night, sorry, just woke up!"  I press send a tad embarrassed!

Surf look today, I think. little thought required. I throw my clothes on, and yell down the stairs for the rest of the kids to get their shoes on  and make their way to the car. I don't hear anyone move, and decide the only way to get them out is to say I'll sell the TV!! Task done, no kids left in the house. I grab my bag and phone, and head out of the door, SUNNIES!!! It's way to bright for the way I feel today! I lean back in the doorway and grab them out of the basket. Ahhhhh.... I may just make it to 9 o' clock!

3 times it takes to start my car, I'm cursed when it comes to cars. I think it is to keep me humble! We set off, I sometimes am amzed at myself, how I can completely be so unawares of what is going on in the car! I am bought back to the present by Sienna saying

"Tell Elliot to stop it...... Mum!.... Tell him!"

I Reply

"Elliot!"

Phew, she's happy with that. I park the car and four kids and a zombie all pile out of the car. I grab hands and cross the road. I say goodbye to 2 on the way to Pre school, and hand Imogen over to the pre school leaders quite happily. I call Gabes school to let them know of the ordeal that was last night, and that he wouldn't be in. Leave a message, leave a message!! I wanted some sympathy!! I leave a message!. Two secs later I get a call from the school....They were by the phone! They must have been! I had to leave a message! They need Gabe in, it's SATS week. I do as I'm told, then go of to town!

That's where I started wondering, How long can I live with sleep deprivation?

Chapter 6 of School Run Mum

Chapter 6 of School Run Mum

I grab a towel, and wrap it round me, and walk out of the en-suite. I get a sudden pang of modesty, and look around the whole upper floor of my house for my dressing gown. I find it laid out crease free on Sienna's bed, she's obviously used it as a cover last night! I grab it.

DING DONG

Oh my goodness, what is so important that this person after two rings of my doorbell has not given up? I throw the dressing gown on me and almost trip head first down the stairs, I check myself in the mirror as I walk to the door, just to make sure I am not sporting the runny mascara look, managed to avoid it, due to only being in the shower for 20 seconds!!

I open the door and am about to say Hello, when I stop in my tracks and almost scream..... No-ones there!! I almost want to run down the road and find this person, and demand they tell me what was so urgent that they Ding Dong three times, and THEN walk off! I shut the door and run back up to the shower, I left it running so it's still a lovely temperature. I jump back in and the phone goes..... They can leave a message!

Once clean and smelling sweet, I emerge from the Sauna that is my En-suite, and fall backwards onto my bed. I lay there for a minute, thinking
"I’ve got an hour and a half till the kids get out!"

My eyes open at 3pm!! The kids get out of school in 15 minutes, I am still laying on the bed, in my dressing gown, with Imogen curled up next to me. What the heck! I sit up so fast I feel dizzy. I grab my phone and text Tan and tell her what's happened.
"Can you grab Sienna when she gets out if I'm not there pleasey?"
"Sure honey :)" comes back the reassuring text. Phew.
I grab my jogging suit, put it on in record time, a pair of flip flops that are laying around, are slid onto my feet in seconds, and I grab a baseball cap, as going to sleep with wet hair, doesn't always turn out to be the best way to style it!! Why can't I find these things out when I've got more time. I scoop Imogen up into my arms, pick up her coat on the way out the door, only just catching it, to run back into the house to get my keys. I strap Imogen in, her head nodding everywhere the entire time, and jump into the car......
"PLEASE START, of all the times I need you to start first time, this would be it, PLEASE!"
I turn the key in the ignition, and the engine fires up with an almighty roar! I don't have time for a celebratory dance, so I chuck it into reverse and am on my way! I park on the curb, not really the place to park, I know, but Sienna always looks so disappointed in me if I'm late, that I've made it my mission in life to always be on time. I can't take the big puppy dog eyes, that seem to be asking me
"Why, Why did you leave me here, when all the other Mummies took their children at the right time?"

I literally throw Imogen over my shoulder, and run down the path to Sienna's classroom door! Tan calls out
"Just in time my love, the doors just opening"
I manage to escape the look, to live another day. I apologise for the way I look, and notice Sienna's smiley little face emerge from the classroom! I wave and relax. She's none the wiser, I am still a good mummy, and on the plus side, I am totally on time to pick the boys and Chloe up. The afternoon chat is in full swing when I arrive. I fill the girls in on my laziness and stand back to listen to the playground buzz. I love it, there's a certain feeling about the playground, it's like this safe enclosure. It's a little area of town, where gossip is shared, lunch dates are made, and kids are swapped for play dates, to be returned home later. As soon as you walk out of the gates, things change. You become 'Mum' again. As I wait for the boys and Chloe to join us in the Infants playground, I chat, I make two Lunch dates and I manage to get a cupcake order. Did I mention I make cupcakes? It's a way of making money, and the kids love it, as I always make a few extra!

I hear the boys before I see them, Imogen and Sienna have run off to play on the Trim Trail, and the boys have just thrown their bags to join Sienna's at my feet. Chloe wanders round with her friends, and chats with them.... a school run mum in training! I shout out they have five minutes, I know it will be more like ten to fifteen, as I will get talking! It tends to be my little group of mums that are always the last out of the playground. I keep to my word tonight, and am only five minutes. The kids run off towards the gate before my voice seems to throw an invisible rope around them all and pulls them back to me.
"Bags!"
They each grab their bags, and head at a snails pace now up to the gate. I say my farewells, and quickly walk up to the gate. Here I start chatting with another mum, so the kids, huddle while I laugh and words like...Really?....No!....You're kidding fall out of my mouth. The kids start bouncing about and try to catch my eye. I say goodbye, and head towards my car. I hadn't locked it, so the kids are already in there by the time I arrive. I clip Imogen in, and as I put one leg in the car, I hear someone call my name. It's Deb! The kids give a collective groan, we always talk for ages. I decide to ignore their chorus, and bring my leg back out, and give Deb a hug.
We talked for ages! I get back in the car, and the kids say in unison
"Can we go home NOW?"
"Yes, I wasn't that long!"
 The silent look on the back seat, let’s me know I was.

We head home, the car deciding that today, is a good day. I wave all the way home, even to Lisa in Tickled Pink. As we pull up to the drive, the clicks of the seat belts ring in my ears. As soon as we stop the kids are flying out of the car and are hopping up and down on the front doorstep to get in! I grab Imogen, and walk as slowly as I can... hehe....
"Hurry Up, I need the toilet!"
Oh, I quicken my step; I don't want any more washing today. They all pile in and dash to the toilets. We have three, and they seem to always be in use. How's that? I stand in the living room and say to myself
"Let the fun begin!"

"MUM!"

Here we go!

Chapter 5 of School Run Mum

Chapter 5

“Seriously, I’m at a roundabout! Not now, Not now! Stupid car…. Not really, I love you, I love you, please work!”

This is my normal pep talk to the car when it feels like giving up and laying its weary wheels down to rest. I was told that my car normally gives up after about five years….. Almost eight years later, new wheels, 2 new batteries, a big hole in the water bottle, and bringing back to life countless times, it’s still with us…..no doubt grudgingly, but non the less, with us! My gratitude towards the car varies depending on it’s performance. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions driving my car. Upon first entering the family taxi, I am filled with hope, faith and anxiety, then pure elation if it starts, or pure ARGH if it doesn’t. Anyone that has taken a lovely car ride, with the music on, windows down, and the car responding to the tiny wish you have will know that feeling of contentment. Well, that’s the complete opposite to the journey you get in my car. As soon as we pull out of the drive, the adrenalin is pumping,

“Will I make it today?”

“Have I got my phone to call Grant to come pick me up from where ever the car has decided the journey has now ended?”

“Did I put the buggy in, I don’t really want to carry Imogen all the way home!”

“Is there water in it?”

“Is there oil in it?”

“Is there life in it?”

All good questions, for a car like mine. Bless it, it gets us round, but only on it’s own terms.  Once it decided to give up just outside a Petrol station. Wouldn’t even give me just a little more to get it into the station! I parked it on the side of the road, got out and kicked the wheel! Like that would make it work, but I felt a whole lot better. That afternoon, once I had bought a can of petrol and refilled a completely empty tank (opps) I was talking to my neighbour, who casually asked, did I get the car working? I looked at her a little puzzled how she new.

“Oh, I drove past while you were giving it a good kicking!”

Number 1 - why didn’t she stop to help??

Number 2 - how totally embarrassing!!

So, as I’m approaching the roundabout, the car is approaching either a heart attack or a strop!! Either one is not going to go down to well with the other drivers behind me. I decide to just close my eyes and put my foot down. Let me just back up there, I didn’t actually close my eyes. That would not adhere to the Laws of the road! So with my eyes wide open, I see a space and almost put my foot through the floor.

“Woaaaah!” Imogen’s thrill seeking side comes out in her.

“Yeaaaah” She loves going round a roundabout, especially at 40 miles an hour I’ve just found out. I’m laughing at her so much, I almost miss our exit. A quick glance, a flick of the indicator, and look over my shoulder and I pull over just in time!! I can hear the crowds cheering in my head. I’m totally trying out for the Grand Prix next year. Lewis Hamilton will be crying in his little pit stop.

As I take my foot off the break, and rest it back down on the floor, I feel an odd shape under my foot, as I search for what it is, I notice that whilst performing my Formula one crowd pleaser, an array of rubbish was flung from under my chair. Ewww, I have actually put my foot on a half eaten banana! Right, family council when the kids get home.

As I praise the car for making it round the massive hill in the middle of the road, I realise it’s not finished yet. I notice from the gauge it is starting to overheat, I only filled it up last night! My Car is a Lush!! I coach it all the way home, and as I pull into the drive, I sit there and let the thumping in my heart calm down. This can’t be good for my nerves. As I sit there a little voice drifts over my shoulder

“Get out Mumma?”

My little passenger has a big smile on her face when I turn around

“Was that fun?”

“Round again!”

No! Definitely not, we’re home, the car made it, I don’t have to phone Grant to tell him where I’ve left the car, and Dora the Explorer is on, which means I get an hour, to do the rest of the chores, without having a constant shadow!

I flop out of the car, and open the car door to get Imogen out. She always has a smile on her face! She puts her hands to me and I wave.

“No, out!”

I knew what she meant, just teasing. My goodness, I’m bad.

I get her out of the car, and pull her up to my eye level.

“How much do I love you?”

“ To a moon and back!”

This is my thing I have with the kids. I think every parent should have their own little thing. Mine is to ask

“How much do I love you?”

the kids reply

“To the moon and back!”

I love it. As I say prayers with them at night, I kiss them and say it. The boys will always say it again when I reach the top of the stairs! Ahhh. It’s melts my heart. I know I’m on limited time with that one, so I enjoy every second.

We walk up the stairs to the house and open the door.

“DORA!”

We walk into the TV room and I place Imogen back into the castle she had built before we left. Command Dora to come on with the magic of the remote control, and leave her to complete the tasks for the day. I think they have to help Isa find her home. The things a 5 year old kid goes through just to help her friends. Through the dark forest, across the river in a boat, try to pass the grumpy troll. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for kids doing things for themselves, but I am a tad concerned that Dora’s parents let her wander through forests, fields, and mountains, on her own, and without packing her a lunch!! Am I the only one seeing something wrong with this picture?

I leave Dora and Imogen to wander through forests, fields and mountains ( if Dora’s parents can do it, then so can I!!” )

Right, 2 hours before this house becomes a hive of activity again. What to do? I end up in the study, browsing the DVDs! I’ll have a shower, then pop a movie on while I do some paperwork. Perfect. My fingers flow over the plastic covers and finally stop at The Notebook! I love this film. I love Noah.

I peep round the corner of the TV room, and check that Imogen is accomplishing her to do list with Dora. All fine and dandy. I was informed that Swiper had in fact turned up, but he’s been dealt with. 2 years old and dealing with thieving foxes already, couldn’t be more proud.

I stand at the bottom of the stairs, look upwards, and put the first foot forward on the 16 step journey that will take me to my bedroom.

“16, divided by two, is 8, that’s only eight steps to my bedroom, I’m doing it!”

I run up the stairs two at a time, and actually surprise myself when I don’t fall back down at the top. I must still have adrenalin racing through my body from the car journey!!

I walk into my bedroom, and throw the DVD on my bed, then make my way to the en-suite. I put the shower on before I get in, to get it to the perfect temperature. I don’t want to put myself through the torture, of being pelted with freezing cold water, then scolding hot. Not really my idea of fun. The redness that had covered my face during Spin class, has finally started to fade away, and I just have that healthy glow. Haha. Healthy glow. Whatever, I was close to throwing up. I’m not sure that if you looked Healthy up in the dictionary, that you would find ‘Being sick’ in big, bold letters written underneath!!. I might be wrong, but I’m willing to put myself out there! Once I see the steam gently rising from the shower, I slid in and let it rain down on me. Nothing like a shower after the gym.

DING DONG!!

If I stand here, they might go away!

DING DONG!!

Don’t think their going away!