Mothership, half term and all that jazz....

Well its Friday, which means that the mothership went home yesterday and today we are going to theirs! Yes, I am Mad but its to do with taking the kids Time Travelling! (I'll tell you more when we get back!)

Half term is nearly over and I for one will be happy to be back in work on Monday. Don't get me wrong I love the girls but am sure that Car has said Mummy at least a million times this week. And, mostly in that annoying voice that is demanding and so draining.

Apart from that she has made her Uncle cry so hard that tears were coming out of his eyes in streams. How, well by walking through a local market town to us on Wednesday (market day) and saying loudly (in a very packed street).. "It seems that someone really smells of Poo around here".

And Bel, well she has been mostly behaved but will someone tell me why she has decided to turn into a grumpy 7 year old who gets arsey at everything! Bloody hormones

In other news, yes so boring this post its OK, you can ignore it, the house is still tidy!

Ah well, I'm off now but before I go, did you know that I'm the 4,151,708,902nd person alive on earth. Its astonishing isn't it. If you want to know what number you are then visit here.

Right I'm off to pack a case, bye for now!!


BNM

The mothership has landed.....YEAH!

After all that hard work (mostly done by Neb!) they are here.


They arrived luckily late yesterday and then after picking me up from work and bringing me home from work , we managed to have some time together which included tantrum (Car), wine(me+Neb), another tantrum (Car), lots of food (including Bel having a small tween tantrum about wanting an adult meal), more wine, them going back to b+b and then a dicky tummy/bottom (read as much as you want into that because it was as much as you can think of!.

Today (Tuesday- this is being written late so it may not be published in time for it being Tuesday!), we have done coastal and eaten more again. I've even managed a night out with my husband (hence the late writing) and am ever so slightly tipsy!

Just because I know you're nosy, here are the pictures from our day (and look, we had blue sky)  oh yeah and if you click on some of them you may get more information, others not as much!:

BNM

Look!

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I can see the floor - obviously this isn't it!

Its great to meet it again, but it has come with a price. You can no longer see my dining room table! And we are knackered!

I hope to god that the Mothership (and other family members) don't find any mess! Or look behind and under things!

Luckily for me, am in work tomorrow when they land so will greet them later in the evening. Will try and blog when no one is watching and let you know what fun stuff we do!

BNM

Finnish the day!

So, if you've been around Twitter the past couple of days you'll realise that I was looking to find out more about Finland.

The reason being is that today (for some apparent reason that I would tell you if I actually read the letter from school slowly) they are celebrating all things Finnish at Bel's school.

So, having been told this on Monday and then Bel asking whether she could dress up, I racked mine and some of your Twitter brains:

@Barenakedmummy
Barenakedmummy so apparently its finnish day in Bel's school on Friday, any ideas @notefromlapland .. any easy Finn characters I can make in hurry!
Oct 18 via webFavoriteRetweetReply

And the result....

Well first there was this:

@domesticgoddesq RT @Barenakedmummy: @notefromlapland .. any easy Finn characters I can make in hurry! Huckleberry Finn (dungarees and a straw hat)
Oct 18 via TweetDeckFavoriteRetweetReply

Which I think is fantastic , but got frowned and groaned at my Neb.

So then I finally got hold of the great goddess of all things Finnish @notefromlapland for her ideas:

@notefromlapland@Barenakedmummy hello! Finnish character day - moomins!
Oct 19 via TweetDeckFavoriteRetweetReply

BarenakedmummyBarenakedmummy

@notefromlapland is Santa Finnish? Had arguments with daughter last night about him not being so

Oct 19FavoriteRetweetReply

in reply to @Barenakedmummy↑

@notefromlapland @Barenakedmummy snowball, snowman... dress her in green and send her as the northern lights.. ummm, i'm not very good at this creative stuff
Oct 19 via TweetDeckFavoriteRetweetReply

So anyway did I use any of her ideas.

Hell no, we went for blue and white instead (Finnish Flag) due to my utter uselessness at being a creative mother!

And then in the car this morning, Bel jumped on me with the question: "Mummy do you know anything about Finland?". Apparently the bit I forgot to read on the letter said that the kids had to find out Finnish facts. She told me that one of them that they had learnt was that Finnish people eat lots of Doughnuts (is this true!).
I then mentioned the Northern Lights - to a reply of done that, The Moomins - done that mummy.
At which point I was stuck and silently wishing I had mobile webdevice. Neb then piped up with : Nokia are Finnish and most of the World's Rally Drivers have been Finnish.

I love the idea that my children get to find out more about countries of the world but wish that my enthuasism for them would be greater and that I could persuade myself to be more creative!

Ah well, half term is upon us so no more random letters for a week!

BNM

Mothership Prepartion - Part 2

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Time is running slowly out as my in law family arrive on Monday.

Since I last spoke blogged things have gone a bit more hectic here.

Last night, Neb was faffing with the laminate that we've had in our hallway for the last month. I got bored watching him so went to bed to read.

Tonight, I'm hoping we can get some peace but there still is the dining room (or the clean laundry room as now called), the kitchen and upstairs to do.

What I should point out is that I, we are not the cleanest of people and my house is normally in a state of madness, with tiny bits of floor poking out. Hey, I'm proud to say I'm messy but unfortunately the mothership is tidiness itself and has been known to bring cleaning produce for us! Ah well, here's for a busy weekend and I was hoping to cook some cakes too!

BNM

Mothership preparation Part 1

Yes, Neb's parents are landing in 6 days and what are we doing...

Well I'm blogging, the girls are killing themselves in the bath and him.. well he's painting the ceiling!!

Would show you a pic but he'll kill me! Ceiling today (living room), walls tomorrow and then laminate on Thursday .. talk about over the top!

The laminate has been sitting in our hallway for two weeks! Ah well, best not complain!!

BNM

Homework: is it the correct answer?

Image: Carlos Porto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

According to the government, children in years 3 and 4 should have 1.5 hours of homework a week.

But then they also state that children in year 1 and 2 should have one hour per week of homework.

Now that Bel is in year 3, she has plenty of homework that to be honest takes her longer than 1.5 hours per week. Take last night when the homework came home (it has to be back by Thursday), she has some handwriting to do, some spelling and some clock faces to draw. Not that much you'd think, but when the spelling is 16 words which she has to write out 3 times well that takes a long time. Also, Bel's handwriting isn't perfect (think small spider!) so the handwriting takes a long time.

So, what are we doing about it?

Well to cure the boredom of writing words out 3 times we have come up with this plan, she did handwriting last night and one lot of spelling, she will then do clocks tonight and one lot of spelling and then tomorrow it will just be spelling. And, we also need to listen to her read. Not only that though there is a sheet that goes with the spelling for Friday!

But is it too much, yes I think it is, I know she is now 7 but surely when she has spent time in school learning she needs some time to relax. We try and get her to do the homework as soon as she comes home from school but we are usually not home until 5, so her day is nearly finished. She nags to be able to go outside to play with her friends on the street - but with the evenings getting darker anyway this may end soon.

Before writing this post, I Googled too much homework (aye the great god Google strikes again) and I'm not the only parent feeling this stress, The Madhouse feels the same way. And it isn't even good to read that 3 years ago, the ATL ( a teachers union) tried to ban homework in primary schools.

Surely there must be a better way for teachers to see that the children are improving, without the children feeling the pressure and dare I say it stressed at seven!

BNM

Help please

Right people who are reading this (yes that means YOU!)

I need your help with a moral dilemma. I have recently been asked to put an advert on the site and I don't know what I should do. So if you could spare me a second and answer the poll, I will be grateful. Please be honest, because even though I blog to get things out of my brain, I do like having you lot reading it. And if you didn't read it, I'd be very upset.

So please look over there <------------- and fill it in!

TA



BNM

Big Girl's Blouse

Yes, my husband is a big girl's blouse. And the reason, well today after his visit to the doctors last night he had to have a blood test. And guess what I had to go with him because he's afraid of :

Image: piyaphantawong / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Well actually not these he thought he was having a big fat needle in! Hey Ho.

The funniest thing was explaining to Car what was happening, first she thought they'd have to take daddy's skin off to get to the blood, then she wanted to know if they needed to take his bones out and then after seeing it happen she wanted to know when Daddy's blood was being put back. Bless.

And Neb, well now he's realised that it doesn't actually hurt that much, he's now gone home worrying that they'll find something! Fingers crossed, he'll be fine.

BNM

All quiet on the western front

Yes, that says it all really.

I have nothing to blog about, unless you want to hear about sickness and scores. You do? Well, OK then....

Saturday was the day, I'd got up early to watch the game and then was going to take the kids to the theatre in the afternoon. Except it didn't quite happen that way.

I was woken up at 6 to a "Mummy, I've been sick" shout which is always the best way to be woken up. Needless to say the day got worse. Car had been sick on her sheets, so it was strip her and bed. I put her into more pj's and as I was up went downstairs to snuggle under blanket with her (It tends to wake you up the smell of sick in the morning!). Car managed to get some more sleep, and I was about to hunker down when I heard this sniffle from upstairs. Bel was up,but also looked green around the edges. I asked her how she was feeling and all I got was not well, before she too rushed to the loo.

So, as Neb got up for work (he also felt a bit poorly, but had been to the doctors that week and is going for a blood test tomorrow - I have to go with him and hold his hand!) there we all were wrapped in blankets on the sofa.


So he left us there, sat on the sofa, sick bowls in front of the girls with me watching the rugby.

The rugby was disappointing - I'm not even going to dwell on it. We lost, I cried.

As the day, wore on the girls started getting better and by yesterday they were all smiles and shines again.

And me, what am I looking forward to... well, work is busy today and this week is going to busy at home because we are preparing for the landing of his mothership and family..ie my mum in law, dad in law, brother in law and girlfriend are coming up to us (not staying her thankfully) for half term. So the mess needs to be cleared, a new floor has to be laid and everything needs to be clean and polished......

BNM

When all else fails, cook something

Well its finally come to this, I cannot think of anything else so I thought I'd share my dinner tonight!

On my meal plan (which I should really post) for tonight we have Chili and Spaghetti Bolognese. The grown ups are having Chili because the weather has turned and we need warming up. The girls do not need their brains blown away by the heat in the Chili so are having Spag Bol. I am being very frugal because I am using one packet of mince (about 500g) to cook both.


So here they are (along with the recipes) - please note though that the amounts are guesses (I don't really use scales!)

Chili 

Dice one onion, 2 chillies (seeds and all), garlic and half a carrot (left overs from Bel's carrot sticks at lunch) and fry in a little oil until soft.
Add teaspoon paprika, chili powder and cumin. Mix.
Add approx, 1/2 pack of mince, leave to brown.
Mix in 2 tins of tomatoes. Crumble in 1/2 beef stock cube.
Stir, cover and leave to simmer.

Taste - and realise that you may have made too hot! Ah well!!

Spag Bol


Fry one onion (chopped) in a little oil.
Add remainder of mince.
Add milk ( a hint I got from a magazine - its meant to make the mince less dry!).
Add 1 tin tomatoes, pinch of herbs, a splosh of Worcestershire sauce and a squeeze of ketchup.
Stir, cover and leave to simmer.


See, I can cook (though obviously I can't clean, I apologize that my cooker is dirty!)

We're hoping that there will be leftovers because tomorrow the girls are going to have shepherd's pie with theirs and I'm hoping for Beef Enchiladas with ours!

Best go and check they're not burning!!

BNM

The day I embarrass myself

Yes, this is finally it - the day you all realise that I'm not that nice a person at all. And its all the fault of the Listography which I love. I will confess know that I may have (ahem) been a bit of a slag growing up, as those that know me may testify but for the power of making a fool of myself (where best than the blog) here goes.

Now the listography this week is hosted by Nickie@Typecast because Katie just couldn't. So for the love of god, don't blame me for what I am about to tell you is true. Also funny, also yeah you know I was young! Also in theory more boyfriends or one night doodahs than dates but hey!

1. The short one - I met him while on a night out and I was possibly sitting down. He was shorter than me (possibly a near dwarf). He loved sport, I didn't. I thought he was a go- he wasn't, more a cheating toerag but there you are
2. The hairdresser - no he wasn't gay, well I don't think so. He was the one in between the short one and my going to uni. 
3. The rugby player - So my type, so funny, so arrogant and yes if we were both single at the end of the night, well you know......
4. The on/off boyfriend - we met up, we saw, we conquered, we loved, I met his parents, he met my brother (who hated him), we grew apart, I finished it, we went back, I finished ... you get the drift. I finally managed to end it.
5. Tintin - Yes I dated Tintin. But a 6ft cuddly one. Who was nice, but odd and liked odd things. We ended

Now this is where the list is going to stop but there are many more I could add, there's Mr Pepparami, Mr Actually (who never really was), Mr first kiss, Mr Rugby field.......

I think its best I stop now, ahem!

BNM

Think of the sun

Well, the weather has definitely turned, and Autumn is now upon us.

While, the sun we had last week made us think that Summer had finally come, I know now while looking out of the window, with the wind and the rain that it has  gone. It is the season when animals start to hibernate and while all I want to do is exactly that, I know I can't.

I must sit here and think of sunnier climes. I must not hibernate (really not going to happen unless I metamorphosis into a hedgehog!). I must not get jealous of the fact that my dad and uncle are a quarter of a way through their round the world retirement trip. (They are currently in Fiji on their way to New Zealand - where they'll get to watch with baited breath France play Wales- here's hoping!)

So what have I been doing to while away the days. Well I've been thinking of Summer holidays.

For the last couple of years, we have holidayed in the UK, and though I have seen many of the UK's loveliest corners I do wish we could do something special next year.

I am thinking of taking the kids to DisneyLand Paris ©, of taking all three kids (yes, one Neb -big kid) on ferries to France and watching their faces light up with joy.

© Disney

I remember going on many holidays in my childhood on ferries and though am not the best on a boat (yes, its big and has stabilisers * I still get a bit sick) I would love for them to experience a different country.

But what to do, with them in the car, well as we have travelled many a far distance in this country, I think that I may have one or few ideas:

10. Make sure you pack enough food for the journey and more 

9.  Have a CD of their favourite tunes in the car - this doesn't have to be twee kids stuff either, both of mine love to rock with the best of them

8. Play in-car games e.g I spy, motorway bingo (the one who sees the most of a particular colour car wins), I went to the shops, My House,

7. Make sure that they have books in the car. While Car is still too young to read for herself, she stills has fun with lift the flap book and a teddy. If you do have older kids, like Bel, make sure they don't read for too long as you may one day get the I feel sick shout.

6. Bring along any electrical gizmo's that you have, Bel has her DS which she will play while Car sleeps. One of these days, I may even invest in a portable DVD player (a godsend according to some friends)

5. Plan your stops, though Neb hates having to stop for anyone and prefers to do it all in one go, it is always best with restless kids to stop. On a recent trip to Cumbria, I discovered that Car has a thing for toilet flushing systems and loves the sensor ones in some service stations. These are also a good place to get more food, especially if they've eaten the whole lot.

4. Let them sleep. If you can get the little monsters, darlings to sleep then peace is always a good thing to make parents travels happier

3. Sing songs. If you've played the CD to death and can't stand listening to Poker Face any longer, then nursery rhymes and songs sung in silly voice by parents will always lead to happy cars

2. Give them a simple map of the journey. This is great as you not only have interested children but it also lets Neb know that my map reading is not that shit!

1. Keep calm, frazzled children + frazzled parents doesn't a good holiday make. Keep Calm and enjoy yourself!

So, I hope that's helped if you have a car journey/holiday going on soon.I'm off to share these on the P&O Spellbook page, helping other parents stay calm.

And remember, you have the chance to win a holiday to - just go to the P&O facebook page, hurry you have until the 15th of October to do so.

BNM

* My dad always told me that they had stabilizers on and I shouldn't get sick because of that - needless to say it didn't work

This is a sponsored post

23 days to go....

Image: Tina Phillips / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Halloween, its nearly upon us as I'm sure if you have children you will know. If I've said it once this week, I've said it a million times, no its not Halloween yet, yes when its Halloween I will let you know.

Luckily, we were sent these this week, which have kept them quite for a bit (it probably won't last!)...

Spooky Puffs, a breakfast treat from the Honey Monster, are Sugar Puffs with a difference (or should I call them Sugar Pups - Car's name for them!). They are a limited edition toffee apple puffs which are great to keep the kids full of energy ready for any Halloween party.


Both the girls, have eaten these all week and love them. The limited edition cereal contains no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives as well as being a source of fibre, so I know that they have gone off to school and nursery full of energy.

Spooky Puffs are available to buy from Tesco and Asda for a RRP of £1.50

BNM

I was sent a free sample of Spooky Puffs to review and all opinions given are mine

I don't know how she does it - review

There is a book, a finished book, sat on the sofa next to me as I type this.
 A book that has been with me through the madness of the last couple of weeks. A book which I've read snatches of in work, read snatches of with drooping eyes at bedtime. A book which I've nodded with and smiled with and know that I too have done the same kind of things.

And the book:

I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson, a book which though 9 years old has just been turned into a film. A book which while working mothers breathe will always be current.

The book is based on Kate Reddy, mother of two and successful city business woman. A woman whose lists defy all lists (even my own do not go that far) and who balances her life with the aid of the nanny, Paula and the long suffering husband, Richard. Kate stays in contact with her friends via emails which keep her buoyant and I'm sure if the book was based in 2011 then it would be a blog which kept her going!

Apparently, there has been some controversy about the film but seeing as I'm so busy, I haven't seen it. I can see that as the film has been based in New York that maybe the Englishness of some things may not work but I will remain silent until the day I do see it (on DVD probably, the last time we went to cinema I saw Aliens and Cowboys sans kids!).

The opening scene of the book, sees Kate making pre bought mince pies more homely and reminds me of a scene from my childhood where I was dressed up as the Queen of Hearts with some tarts for the carnival. My mother, also a working mum, had bought the tarts that morning at local supermarket and I'd been bribed not to say they weren't  homemade. So when the judge asked "did your mum make these?" I lied and nodded.

As a working mum, I find myself drawing parallels to this book, and even though I am not a high flyer as Kate is, the book is full of things that pull at my heart strings. I do not do the school run, I have missed sports days (they always land at exam time and when I am the minute taker, I cannot take time off!). I know that I must make time now to be with my kids while they are still young.

I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson, RRP £7.99, and the film (featuring Sarah Jessica Parker) is out now.

BNM

I was sent the book to review, but all opinions given about this book are my own.

The age we are

Age, its just a number isn't it. Nothing to be scared of, nothing to worry about.

But having shared a story in work the other day about something Car said, I learnt something new (always good to learn new things when your brain is slowly frazzling).

So I'd mentioned that as we walked to the car yesterday morning this little voice piped up in a very old lady grown up way.. "Isn't the weather terrible today......"

And J ( a work colleague) mentioned that she had read research that noted that young girls become an age as soon as they talk.. they are either young, middle aged or old.   This explains why my lovely Bel is 7 going on 17.... and Car well 3 going on 70.

For those who have boys - well they are always stuck in childhood. And if anyone asked Neb how old he was (40 soon) he will tell you he is 6!

BNM

Screaming heebiejeebiees

This is how our nights are known as.
It is not due to any rampant love making but the children!

When Bel was younger (3) she had the Night Terrors. A horrible time when she would scream loudly, whilst pushing and kicking anyone who got close to her. Even a mummy hug wouldn't work. We got through them even though they reoccurred most nights for a whole year.

I had thought that our time with the terrors were over. I thought that we had done our penance.
But no, it seems that Car has decided to follow suit, and though currently not every night (touch wood, cross fingers) they are back.

I hate them with a passion. The only time when being a parent is not enough. When noone knows what's in their heads. When trying to keep calm is what is needed but when nothing I do works.

BNM

Being caught short...

Image: aopsan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Not me obviously I have an iron bladder (ahem, this may or may not be true, I have two kids!)

Car has been potty trained for a while now and was going through the night and day dry. Recently though we have been getting accidents and are changing her undies more than once in a day. I even went into the loo the other evening to discover a puddle on the floor, went into her room and found her in a dry bed but with wet knickers.

We have realised that she doesn't quite know when she wants to go and short of us asking her every 5 mins "do you need the toilet"  I assume this is something she will grow out of.

We obviously are going down the route of no shouting but am worried now that this has been bought on by the dummy ridding motion (which hasn't as yet started for fear of wet sheets again and the fact that she banged herself quite hard by falling over on Saturday!).

I'm trying to find a web page which shows what happens when you need to wee in a simple way but at the moment have come up with nothing. If you have any ideas, how we can help her understand more then pleae share.

BNM

Hopefully I will be back to normal on this blog soon as the students actually settle in to life in University and stop nagging me every five seconds!