Today started again with Alexa telling me that it’s 6.30am. I reluctantly rolled out of bed and went and woke our daughter. The morning story is the same every day, the only variation being how difficult the children are. We got out of the house on time and took daddy to work. Arriving at school we sat in the car a while and discussed my son’s spellings. He was very good and we thought he had practiced them enough. Unfortunately, when he did his test me did not do to well, he is not sure why.

I left the children at breakfast club and was glad to be heading for home. After doing some shopping I went home and finally got myself motivated to start sorting out my garden for winter.  The soil in the pots was rock hard due to it being so cold, so I have some dead plants and weeds still left in their containers. Now I have a selection of weeds, pots and plants in my summer house.  My Cordylines now have fleece coats on, Hopefully, they will survive the winter.  The weather is getting so cold now, my woolley hat is firmly on my head when I’m outside.

I managed to get the Christmas presents wrapped which was an achievement, I’m now just trying to work out if there is anything else I need to buy. The presents are now hidden in our bedroom ready.  I still have cards that need to be written, maybe over the weekend, we will get them finished and posted. The run up to Christmas is always a stressful experience, trying to remember everything and get things organised.

It was the school summer fayre today. I collected the children early and we went and had a look at the stalls. There was the usual stalls, the raffle, cakes, face painting, books, tombola, popcorn than a cafe and a game of throwing hoops at ‘The Grinch’.  The children wanted to do everything, though thankfully they did not pester to hard to do face painting. We threw hoops at ‘The Grinch’ and then did the tombola.

There were toys as well as food and household items.  My 7 year old was hoping to win a toy, unfortunately, after spending £1.40 all we won was a bottle of hand soap. He started crying and I could not stop myself from laughing. His face really was a picture. I told him it could have been worse as there were tins of peas sat there as well as shampoo, at least he can use the soap. Most of the good prizes had already been won so I didn’t dare try again, chances are we would have won the peas and there would have been more tears.  I then bought them some popcorn, they now calmed down, munching away.

Santa visited the children today, my son was insistent that he was the real Santa. He told him that he wants Cola left out for him on  Christmas Eve.  So something else that I need to remember. He opened his present as soon as he saw me, I could see that he had loom bands, I was expecting him to be upset. Instead, he was excited and pleased. My 5 year old was given some duplo, not so good as we have piles of it no longer played with as both children now love the Lego. I told them that they need to share the loom bands.

Our son was trying to work out how the loom bands go together and then getting very upset that he could not do it. He was screaming at me to help him however, I’ve never played with loom bands so I do not have a clue what to do. I called in my daughter to help. Straight away she seemed to know what she was doing and made herself a bracelet. Our 7 year old says she has done it wrong as it is different in the instructions but she got further then him and no tears.

Tomorrow my daughter has been invited to two parties. 12 – 2 and 2 – 5, the 1st is a boy, the 2nd a girl. It is going to be a long afternoon, hopefully, I am will be able to have some party food. I have bought the little girl a crafting present, it is quite pretty, cords and beads. I have wondered whether to buy another, as I’m sure my daughter would love it. Though she has seen it and has not asked for one and I would probably end up forever picking beads and bits of her bedroom floor.

The children keep asking for the Christmas tree to be put up. I have told them Sunday if they behave. At the moment they are not doing as they are told, I am hoping that I don’t have to carry out my threat and not put the tree up. Next weekend is a bit to close to Christmas for the tree but I will wait if I have to.

I am now going to go and get some rest it is going to be a long busy day tomorrow. I am now going to try and build some energy ready for tomorrow and my job of being mum.

For Christmas see, Christmas poetry,