Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!  To all parents, we made it!! 😀
We've survived the whirlwind of one of the busiest months in the school calendar, we're still in one piece, a bit financially weather beaten maybe, but it will all be worth it to see the little darlings' happy faces on Xmas morning!

Here's to family and friends and festive cheer.

Here's to some time off work/school all 4 of us together.

Here's to the end of the arguments (every few seconds) over which toy 6-year old would actually like for Christmas!  He's been so indecisive this year, every night he's saying 'but Mummy I can't possibly sleep without....' whichever toy it is, a different one every night!

Here's to having successfully made it look like Santa and Rudolph have eaten the mince pie and carrots left by the front door!  Not sure how long we can get away with this charade with 9-year-old!

Here's to eating and drinking too much!

Here's to sitting down this evening, once the little darlings are finally asleep, with a glass of something toasting the season, but most of all, just being grateful that the noise has stopped! Until tomorrow morning!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Best wishes for 2020.  xx

It's the most wonderful time of the year

So the festive season is upon us and, correct me if I'm wrong, but apparently it's the most wonderful time of the year! 

Following on from my last post, here's my updated 'to do' list:

1.  Sort costumes for 2 different Christmas plays.
2.  Go to 2 different Christmas plays.
3.  Pay for 2 separate trips to the pantomime.
4.  Send 1 child off to London on school trip.
5.  Provide donations for school Christmas fair.
6.  Go to Christmas fair and probably win my own donations back!
7.  Pay for both kids to attend school Christmas film night.
8. Throw random pound coins into school playground in case I've forgotten anything!
9.  Donate a vital organ for school Christmas hamper!
10. Inform kids that Santa has probably run out of cash to provide presents!

Oh, and I actually dreamt the other night, that I didn't get eldest child to school in time to go on her London school trip! She was devastated,  I was phoning the coach driver screaming at him to turn round!  Insanity is setting in and it's only 20th November!

Send HELP!

It's the most wonderful time of the year,  if you're a child of school age!

To all the other parents out there, we're all doing great, and we'll all survive!

Much love xx

The Busy/Festive Season

Anyone else feel like having a nervous breakdown daily at the amount of things that need to happen prior to Christmas!  Which is only 51 sleeps away (I know this as my 6-year-old is on a daily count down already!)


So to help me attempt to organise everything that's on my 'to do' list, I thought I'd share it all with you to make you all feel so much better!


Next week - school parents evening for both kids.
End November - 9-year-old on a school trip
Every Thursday - 6-year-old swimming lessons
Every Wednesday - 9-year-old after school art club
1st week December - 9-year-old x2 performances of Christmas play - 9-year-old also attending panto with school - school Christmas fayre - non uniform day.
2nd week December - 6-year-old x2 performances of Christmas play - 6-year-old also attending panto with school.
Mid December - work Christmas party.


Oh and I must remember to do the Christmas shopping as well! 


And order my supermarket delivery for end December, as soon as the delivery slots come out so I don't miss out!


There, do you all feel better now?!  Not sure if I do!!


Have a good 'busy festive' season all!. xx

Winning the Lottery

So we actually won a few £ on the lottery the other week!  Don't get too excited, it was only a few £!   But nevertheless a win is a win.

However, when hubby realised the matching numbers, 6 year old was standing right there, hears our conversation, runs half up the stairs shouting to 9 year old that 'we've won 58! We've won 58!' She comes charging down probably thinking we'd won 58 million or something!!

6 year old then changes his sentence to shouting 'it's a few quid in the bank!  It's a few quid in the bank!'

Reality, it wasn't even £58!

Hubby says to me; 'you know that blog you write'.......!

Happy days!
Xx

The 9 and 6 Wisdoms - Part 1

If you follow my Maternal Instincts Facebook page these may be familiar.

These are the wisdoms of my 9 and 6 year old.

It was Saturday evening, all was quiet, when suddenly the sound of ........ 'Mummy I must clean my trumpet!' rang out from 9 year olds bedroom! 😂😂😂 Not a euphemism!! I was basically shoved out of the way as I exited the bathroom from having a shower! The trumpet is literally getting a bath! 🤣🎺🎺
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'Mummy, the best bit about eating raw cabbage is the juice that comes out of it!' 🤣 She picked up a chunk of it thinking it was lettuce, her face changed shape as she realised it wasn't lettuce! Now she's claiming it's the best thing she's ever eaten!
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Me: 'Err, can you go back and flush the toilet please?' Him - 'It's not my responsibility, it's not my toilet!' 🤣🤣
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Tonight's 6 year old crisis- 'But Mummy that empty chip bag is veeerrrryyyyy important!!' Whilst crying uncontrollably with tears streaming down his face! I'm going back to work!! 🤣🍷🍷
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9 year old wisdom/sass - Me: are you going to tidy up that stuff on the floor before you go to bed? 9 year old: I don't know yet Mumy, I can't see into the future!! 😂
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'I'll tell you when I'm done drawing Mummy so you can time my bed time correctly!!' Cheeky little ***!! 😂😂

Follow my Facebook or Twitter pages to keep up with the 9 and 6 wisdoms!! 

https://www.facebook.com/maternalinstincts2017/

@Carolin01865385

2 Week's Notice

To my colleagues, don't panic!  This is not a blog about me quitting my job!! 

Isn't it amazing what brings back memories, specifically from 2002/3, a concert, a movie, a party and an interesting hotel room!! Not all linked and not on the same day!  So here goes-

It's 7th September 2019, I'm sitting watching '2 Week's Notice' because it randomly came on TV, I love this film and really should get it on DVD.

But, the truth is this film reminds me of the above mentioned facts.

1.  In 2002 when me and my husband hadn't been together very long, we went to see Sheryl Crow in concert in London and the next day we saw this film in a London cinema in Leicester Square.

2.  In 2003 when it came out in video, my now husband bought the video for me.

3.  To get to the point of me receiving this video, I've got to first go to a birthday party with my family, where we stayed in a B&B. Lovely party.  Interesting B&B room!

4.  In said room, which was a family room because I was with my parents and not my boyfriend, for 1 night we had a shared bathroom.  And apparently this warranted them installing a toilet behind the TV!  The hotel owners that is, not my parents!  Seriously,  in the middle of the room, behind the TV, was a toilet! 😂

5.  Following day,  and no, none of us used the very public toilet!  I head home to spend the afternoon with my boyfriend and am presented with this film on video as a present.

So there you have it, this film reminds me of a concert, a movie, a party and an interesting hotel room!

But somehow it's 17 years later,  married for 13 of them, I've had a couple of glasses of wine and Strictly's about to start!!  So over and out and I apologise for the dodgy blog post!!

😂😂 xx

Statements of Fact Part 3

Well it's been a while but here's a new 'Statements of Fact.'

1.  Don't try to please everyone you see, you are not a bar of chocolate or a bottle of wine!

2.  Always try to do something that tomorrow's you will thank you for, even if it's peel the spuds for tomorrow night's dinner!

3.  If I don't write these down while I'm thinking of them, I will forget them!

4.  Don't give up, it will be the end of the school summer holidays soon!

5.  I knew I'd be writing this post being unable to remember what fact number 1 is!  Should have written them down!

6.  If something inspires you and spurs you on, whether it's something you saw on TV, or reading another bloggers post or something that someone said, don't feel guilty about where that inspiration came from.

7.  I've remembered fact 1!

8.  It's 8.50am and in just over an hour we're going out, so I really must get on!  Or I won't have time to go through the drive through on the way!

Have a lovely day everyone xx

A Recipe for Being 40

Firstly I'd like to apologise to anyone who has not yet / or only just turned, 40!

I'd like to say life began at 40, but so far (in 6 months) I've had the worst conjunctivitis ever, sciatica, every germ going and right now, eustachian tube dysfunction! In case you're wondering, that's an EAR infection!  Although I must say that not being able to hear in surround sound for over 3 weeks has its advantages!


Throw into the mix, a 5-year-old who wakes up almost every morning, 5am on the dot, with nose bleed!  Apparently it's common in young children when the weather is repeatedly dry.


Add a 9-year-old (8 at the time) who decided to cut her head open on the corner of a kitchen cupboard door the night before her birthday, resulting in an evening at minor injuries!


Finally, mix in daily life at this time of year, which includes, 2 sports days, a writing event in youngest child's class room, school trips, eldest taking part in our town's carnival, several birthday parties/play dates for friends of both kids, and cook at a repeated daily temperature of over 20 degrees, and congratulations! You've created one dishevelled, only just, 40 something! 


Caffeine and wine are what keeps' me going as always!  Although I haven't been allowed the wine part recently due to anti biotic and steroid medication for the EAR infection!!


Much love everybody xx

Oh Lemons!

For those who haven't seen my original 'lemons' post, this is about when life throws you lemons.

I always find when this happens that I deal with the situation in a completely calm and adult manner.  No seriously!  I do!




Usually the anxiety that something may go wrong and the 'what ifs' are worse than when something does actually go wrong, and all that's left for you to do is sort the issue out.




Truth is, there's no point not smiling your way through the day, whatever the day brings, otherwise you wake up one day and wonder where your life went.  And the answer to that is, you wasted it worrying about things that may never happen. 




There's always going to be another mountain or hill to climb, that's just how it goes.  Don't wait until you're at the top before you smile! 




When I started writing this post it wasn't meant to turn out so 'meaningful!' 




So while I'm here, relating to my earlier 'lemons' post, I am glad I didn't stop blogging as I suggested back then. 


And to prove Maternal Instincts is still alive and kicking, here's a sneak peak of the sequel book cover!


Not giving any more than that away yet!  Got a long way to go yet! 


Have a lovely smiley day everyone! xx



Pok 'e' boy

I was going to call this post 'Pokeboy' but realised that doesn't sound right!!

So, Pok 'e' boy is a small, almost 6 year old, Pokemon obsessed child who lives under the same roof as me!

There's really no cause for alarm but to make everyone aware here are his most obvious (annoying) characteristics!

*  Continuous talking, all Pokemon based.

*  Words and names that make less sense than a 1 year old learning to talk!

*  Daily air guitar to the Pokemon theme tune which is slowly moving into other guitar music as well.

*  As soon as he receives a new Pokemon figure, he's instantly onto the next one he wants.

*  ALL Pokemon Cost a fortune!

Should you spot Pok 'e' boy anywhere, my advice would be not to enter into any conversation with him or you'll be there all day! Don't offer to go in any shops with him! And don't think you know more about Pokemon than he does!

Good luck to any parents with children developing even just the smallest interest in Pokemon!

Xx

Taking the spaniel out

A 5 year old is like a spaniel! Honestly sometimes a trip out is like taking a dog out!

Take yesterday for example, we embarked on a blustery sunny Sunday walk from home to the next town along the sea front and canal.  5 year old moaned continuously until allowed to throw himself onto the beach, where he returns 2 seconds later with many many pebbles, all of which he insists on keeping!

Then walking off the beaten track for a bit he finds a stick, well more of a branch really, and carries this, not letting anyone else touch it, until we reach the edge of town where we have to convince him he cannot take it in the cafe, and to leave it at the side of the pavement.

In cafe have to continuously ask him to get his feet down off the chair, as they are muddy!

When we start on our trek back home we have to go the exact route back to see if stick (branch) is where it was left and to our disbelief and the spaniel's delight, it was!

Always Trust Your Maternal Instincts

So as I'm sitting here with a poorly 5-year-old on this lovely sunny Sunday, thought I should really write a blog as it's been a while!

He's sat beside me watching 'Dinosaur' on DVD, huddled under his Pokemon blanket feeling rather...........!!

Hopefully by this evening we will have forgotten he was ever poorly!

But this little episode has reminded me to always trust my maternal instincts.  In reality I saw this coming yesterday but was caught up in my day and ignored the signs. 

Sometimes when young children behave in an erratic manner it can be a sign they don't feel 100%. Of course it can also be them just behaving like children, so it's hard to spot!  Yesterday 5-year-old went from one extreme to the other with 1 minute distraught crying over everything and the next laughing hysterically about nothing!  And as a result today I am sat here watching a dinosaur film waiting for the washing machine, which is fill of his bedding, to finish!

So here endeth today's little lesson! Hope you're all having a better day than us!
Xx

What have you done today?

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

Well , yesterday for example,  I turned up for work after a lovely week off, without moaning!  Didn't drink nearly enough caffeine and realised at 5.30pm that I hadn't had a drink (of any sort) for at least 4 hours!  Incidentally, this is actual footage of my desk most mornings!!

Other areas of achievment today, include not hyperventilating when 8 year old threw toothpaste down her clean dress at 8am!  And not complaining when 5 year old wanted to sit and read through every single Pokemon name on the leaflet that came with his latest Pokemon toy, about 30,000 times!

So, to continue quoting lines from 'Miranda' (in case Miranda Hart is reading this, by far the best comedy sitcom ever!! - Seriously I do love it!) 'I'm off for a 'what I call' glass of wine! And to contemplate the fact that East Kent is due for about 3 snow flakes overnight and we may be facing this in the morning..........!!

Have a good evening everyone!!

New Year, New Look

Happy 2019 one and all.






With the new year comes a new look for my book 'Maternal Instincts the laugh or you might cry diary.' 

Available again now on Amazon and Waterstones websites.  So tell everyone you know, spread the word!


So how are we all 4 days into 2019?  Any new year's resolutions out there?  For myself, I refer you to my post from last year concerning resolutions -


'Call me pessimistic but personally I don't see the point!  I mean, it's worth it if you're planning on stopping smoking or something life changing but you've still got to really want it.  You've got to be mentally prepared, and personally I don't feel mentally prepared to stop buying lattes, start jogging or even go 'dry January!'


My birthday (this year a particular milestone) is this month so dry January wouldn't work anyway! 


And for the last few days I am relishing in the fact I can finally (after 4 months) enjoy a drink without coughing!  Has anyone else experienced the hacking cough that just won't do one?  I eventually stumbled on 'Lemsip cough syrup.'  Not the drink or the capsules, but an actual syrup that is soooooooo menthol it clears noses in the whole street!  But it doesn't half help soothe a tickly throat!  Highly recommended.
A sip of this, followed by some wine a bit later also helps you sleep!!


Have a lovely evening everyone, I am just remembering it's Friday, serious 'day confusion' over the Christmas and New Year period!!


Much love xx