This morning started as most other weekdays, the holiday now over. Woken by Alexa at 6.30am, I then snoozed for 5 minutes then got up and dressed my 5 year old. Normal morning, my 7 year old had already woken daddy and they were downstairs. Yesterday I finished all the back to school preparations. PE bags and ironing completed and baths had, before leaving for my nieces party.  I arrived at the party stressed after the sat nav had taken me along a very narrow country lane with twists, turns and ups and downs. At every corner I was fearing a car coming the other way and then having to reverse for quite a way up or down hill, not fun either way. Thankfully we did not see another car but I vowed to find another way to get home.  I hate going to places that I don’t know the way to, where I am completely relying on the sat nav to get me there. It will often take me through places that I don’t want to go, narrow country lanes is one of them. Anyway we got there and the kids had a lot of fun, lots of sugary goodness provided by my sister and the cake tasted as good as it looked.

My 7 year old did eventually complete his reading yesterday so has a new book today, which he has just read to daddy. Back to school, meant back to work for me today. I always find that on my first day back I often have a fuzzy head, which includes forgetting passwords and needing to phone IT. Yes, today I did have a computer problem but I managed to fix it later before phoning IT. Though I have now locked my expenses account for an hour due to getting my password wrong.  I know they are very important but I am an expert at forgetting them, especially when they have to be changed so often.

So the work day is over, the house is cold and it is dark outside. The kids are now screaming upstairs, no doubt making their existing mess worse. Last night rather then going straight to bed they were playing. Trying to get them to just go to bed was a struggle and telling them they had school in the morning made no difference. I know some kids seem to obediently just go to bed, our kids very rarely do.

Both children came in from school this afternoon demanding toast. My 5 year old straight away headed for the bread, toaster and chocolate spread. I was still working, but the words “in a minute” did not stop her from helping herself. I was glad because I needed to get my work finished but also frustrated that she would not just wait. The chocolate spread in our house belongs to the kids. They will always spread it on thickly then they will dip a spoon in the jar, eat the chocolate of the spoon and put it back in the jar, yuck.  The consequence of this is a chocolate moustache and lovely mess, why do kids do that? And why do they not understand when I explain how bad it is? I have caught her a few times under the kitchen table, jar in one hand and spoon in the other. I do try and limit them to one jar a week. So once we have run out for the week there is no more.

My hands are now very cold sat here, it has rained hard these last couple of days and the colder weather is here to stay for now.  I am now going to check on the kids upstairs, they are being very loud and then think about starting dinner. I also have washing again to put away and my 5 year old needs to read to me. My day goes on and doesn’t stop till the kids are finally asleep tonight. The ongoing daily stress of being mum.