So, every year I do a little ‘day in the life’ blog where I write down everything I do in a 24 hour period, this year I’m doing it a little bit early as my blogging this year has been a bit all over the place and I don’t trust myself to remember to do one when I normally would! So here it is, Thursday 16th May 2024 (and I think it might be the craziest one yet)…

00:02AM- I’m just finishing my break at work, I’ve been studying whilst eating pasta. I grab a cup of tea and head back to my desk for the last 4 hours of my shift. It’s a really good bunch on tonight so it’s actually a fun shift which makes the time pass a lot quicker.

02:03AM- A walkabout outside to stretch the legs with my work Mama, we have a catch up whilst I eat a Ripple (best chocolate bar going in my opinion). I get another cup of tea to see me through the last stretch.

04:00AM- Finish work, scoff a biscuit and say goodbye.

04:03AM- Get in the car, it’s bloody freezing this morning. Drive home.

04:26AM- Park the car. Unlike a normal drive at this time I actually don’t see any living animals (something the kids love to hear about in the morning), just a dead badger so I think I’ll keep quiet about that one. There is a slight pink tinge in the distance as I amble down the hill.

04:32AM- In the house. Find Henry asleep on the sofa (not an unusual sight when I’m not here to prod him awake and upstairs). Feed the cat some treats to keep him quiet. Send Henry to bed. Check the kids. PJs on. Set alarm.

04:39AM- Climb into bed- nothing beats that feeling of crawling into bed after a night shift.

06:58AM- Clara awake. She climbs into bed for a cuddle.

07:04AM- Henry and Clara head downstairs as she’s unwilling to go back to sleep. I am very willing to go back to sleep.

08:05AM- Awake. Do some aimless scrolling on my phone. Get bundled by the girls. Make the kids beds.

08:12AM- Head downstairs. Make packed lunches for the big 2. Fill the water bottles up. Henry has made me a cup of tea. Put some toast on for myself. Do Polly’s hair. Dodge a flying toy aimed at my face from Clara.

08:24AM- Polly tries to be helpful and throws shoes to Seb but accidentally hits him in the face, Seb then has a meltdown. They are now running late.

08:35AM- Clara and I wave them all out the door. I throw the washing outside.

08:40AM- I put another load of washing outside.

08:45AM- I make Clara up a lunch. Set her up with Waffle dog whilst she plays a game and go for a shower.

08:46AM- Clara changes her mind and needs a poo instead.

08:51AM- Send Clara back downstairs and actually get in the shower. Then brush my teeth.

09:03AM- Dry hair and get dressed. Henry comes home, I get distracted by his story of Polly missing the mini-bus as she was late and one of the school mum’s saving the day when she spotted them walking up to the big school and gave them a lift up- Thanks Gill!

09:18AM- Get Clara dressed.

09:24AM- I put my contact lenses in. Do Clara’s hair. Put both our shoes on and say bye to Henry.

09:26AM- Out the door.

09:34AM- Arrive slightly late to Pandas (toddler group). We do some singing, some playing and generally have a natter with a cup of tea. Clara is Kirsty’s special helper again which she loves- although she seems to think that Kirsty is being her helper and she’s running the show! At some point we head outside into the garden where the kids carry on playing, we do a bit of crocheting and carry on our chats. It’s a lush way to spend a morning.

12:49PM- Clara and I head into town, we chat to some friends on the way down. I buy a new notebook.

13:09PM- We meet Laura at Dukes, get some hugs of Henry, order some cheesy chips and Clara has us in fits of giggles singing on the table for the whole patio.

13:52PM- We finish up and go and see the sea. Clara has a good play on the beach and we have a chat.

14:50PM- Say goodbye to Laura and leave the beach to head back up through town. We get distracted on our way by the same friends. Clara has a right laugh pretending to crash her scooter into Rob.

15:10PM- School pick up for Seb first. The kids have a play in the playground. I have a chat to some of the Mums.

15:35PM Polly’s mini bus gets in and we head home.

15:41PM- In the door. Snacks for the kids.

15:50PM- Seb does some reading. Polly is playing a game with her ponies right across the floor. Clara is having a whinge about something.

16:05PM- I practice Polly’s braids ready for her dance show at the weekend. Henry is watching tractor videos on the TV with Seb avidly watching too. Clara is still having a bit of a whinge.

16:20PM- I put tea on. Seb is now playing some shooting thing game which leaves me dodging him every time he comes near me. He’s trying to hit the ceiling with it so nothing is safe. Clara has finally stopped having a whinge and has joined Polly’s new game with all the farm animals out instead.

16:27PM-I sort the washing out. Water the plants (I mean I think the sunflowers have had it but I’ll keep trying as long as there’s some green stuff showing). I take a call from the dentist about Polly’s appointment in the morning. Seb is now playing a wild game with his tractor in the clothes airer as I do all this.

16:36PM- Ironing.

16:57PM- Serve the kids tea- it’s southern fried chicken and smiley stars.

17:03PM- Do some study reading whilst the kids eat.

17:19PM- Henry leaves to go back to work. CBeebies makes an appearance.

17:29PM- Have my tea- it’s pulled pork and new potatoes. Seb has a cup of milk and I make some angel delight. Take the contacts out.

17:50PM- I make the mistake of putting Seb in charge of serving the desert up. Clara decides she doesn’t like it so I feed her biscuits instead.

17:55PM- Washing up. Recycling outside and empty the bin. Wipe the kitchen sides down. The kids are in the garden inspecting their dying flowers. Feed the cat.

18:23PM- Tidy the living room.

18:35PM- Pull the kids back inside as they are banshee screaming at a seagull. Stick Britain’s got talent on. Open the textbook up again.

19:10PM- Head upstairs. Shower the kids. Get them dried and dressed for bed. Lay clothes out for tomorrow. Polly reads some Narnia (we are now on Prince Caspian). Do the bedtime routine.

19:50PM- Say first goodnight.

19:57PM- Say a second goodnight.

20:05PM- Make a cup of tea. Collapse on the sofa. Stick Emmerdale on (yes it is our guilty secret). Eat chocolate. Attempt to finish that bit of studying.

20:19PM- Say third goodnight to Polly. She is very nervous about the dentist in the morning and has asked to get in our bed. I’d never normally agree to it before we get in there but she’s already overtired and we have a very busy weekend ahead so I let her. Then I return to my sofa nest.

21:26PM- Finally finish the section in the textbook I’ve been working on. Then FINALLY… it’s Bridgerton time! Been waiting way to long for this.

22:31PM- I give up after one episode. As much as I’d love to binge the next 3 I’m hanging on by a thread so I’m bailing out and head upstairs to bed.

I’m truly exhausted but hey at least I got a few things done today!