Going on holiday after having children is not as much fun as you’d think it would be. So whilst this is a paid for post, for Thomson Al Fresco and their family camping holidays, I’m writing it because I’m thinking about holidays, and how we are going to handle them this year.

The boys are busting to go camping, but I don’t think our youngest, who will be 5 come the holidays themselves, will actually like it. He’s quite partial to his home comforts, just like his mother. My Glastonbury days are long gone. So now, I’m actively researching something that will give me a half and half – a camper van, with a tent, or something with tent capabilities, but all set up and ready for me when I get there. The only thing is that I get annoyed at what they cost, because I think they will be / should be a third of the price that staying in a hotel will cost. But it doesn’t. It’s actually quite similar. I’m sure that’s to allow for the cost of the wear and tear and all that, but I’ve still not brought myself to book, so I’m still dithering. Have you been camping? Is it viable with a 4 and 6 year old pair of boys.

Can I test camping in the garden first? Would that be a good idea?

Well, that’s been an “interesting” couple of weeks for me – since posting that last blog about being a grown up, people have emailed, texted and phoned to say:

1. Were you writing about me?
2. Are you ok?
3. I am so totally in the same place as you, thank you for writing about it!

Which one do you think I’ve had the most of? Yup, number 3. I am so surprised and kinda pleased to hear that other people sometimes have these first world issues of not knowing exactly what the right way forward is…. Although I wish we all had it “sorted” in our minds actually, so that we could get on with enjoying all the good things we have. But I’m pleased that my writing about it has meant that people haven’t felt like they were failing / struggling in isolation sometimes….

It’s funny really, that I got a couple of “are you writing about me / x” messages because they were from people in my real life – when actually I was writing about people in my online life – it was a bit weird to be telling people they could “stand down” from feeling that I was writing about them!!!

And then the “are you ok” questions were lovely, but I was just writing and reflecting on the things I’m seeing around me. It’s not a mid life crisis but if anyone does want to send vast quantities of green and blacks, that would be just fine.

Anyway, I’ve got lots and lots and lots to share in my usual, well crafted, witty, intelligent fashion so now I’ve got this blog out of the way, I’ll crack on with my photos, video and other stuff from our week away in France, skiing and overcoming (I always think that should be two words, not one) my fears of falling head first off a mountain side with skis attached to my feet….

xx

Please note this is a “brain dump” because I’ve got a frankly hilarious blog running around my mind. But can’t get it down on paper. And I’ve got some work deadlines. So I’m publishing this half done effort and will finish it tonight. I know…. such a professional :))

The School Nativity – the high point of the parenting year. The point where you hope and pray that your child does something cool, but not too weird. And is well behaved towards his fellow sheep / calpyso king / spider / zebra – who were all *apparently* at the Birth of Christ – or are in their version because the class has 28 tiddlers in it.

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No I don’t mean chicken thighs. I’m referring to my own. I did my first session of exercise last week with a PT and it hurt the next day, but not too badly. I said this tonight and we’ve really gone for it. I wanted to write “sore bum cheeks” as my title but figure that will just attract the sort of people who I wouldn’t count as “quality visitors” if you know what I mean. So I’m documenting this now, that I’m taking time for me, and nailing this. I’m eating better with the help of Thinking Slimmer (who are one of my clients) and exercising. And by god I have exercised tonight.

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*Alert* Possiblility of TMI being shared in this blog so if you are someone who doesn’t want to know personal things about me, move right along please.

Today has been all about the boobs. And quite frankly, I’m sharing because I don’t know what else to do!

This morning, we are swimming, E and W do a good lesson and I do some brilliant swimming, pounding the pool, not thrashing too wildly – and so does DH. I should have known that getting to the pool and everyone in on time meant something had to give. I’m so naive.

Anyway, post lesson, we get in the pool with AKT (one of my two best friends) and her crew who’ve also been swimming. We are literally next to – and I do mean next to Mr AKT when W climbs up me and swings backwards, hoiking my right boob out of my costume with it. I couldn’t react quick enough. I really couldn’t. Mr AKT was nice enough about it. Mrs AKT says something like “kids eh?” whilst I’m trying to strangle W who thinks it’s hilarious. Lovely Bloke is stood there, doing nothing, laughing and I’m thinking “WHY ME”???? So I drag us all out huffing that we are going to be late for E’s first birthday part of the academic year.

I have amazing things to write about the rest of my day and will, at some point shortly. But now, I need to move on to this evening….

And then a moment ago, literally at 9.30pm, Mr E, whose wife Mrs E works with me calls me and says “Hi I’m on the way home…” I say “oh good” and am then about to launch into telling him the results of my research on my broken skin – again, on my right boob, when we both start saying “Who’s that?” to each other and finally begin to work it out. I could have scarred Mr E for life with what I was about to report to him.

So the lessons learnt today regarding boobs are:

1. Do not let your children climb on you and swing off you when you are in the pool, especially next to your best friend’s husband.
2. Identify exactly who a caller is when you answer the phone before you relay the findings of your internet research on red/broken/poorly skin on your boob.

And with that, I’m going to bed, because I can’t cope with the idea of anything else boobage related – rule of things happening in 3′s and all that. Here’s hoping tomorrow has less boobage related stuff in it…

You know you’ve been on a family holiday when….

Your children don’t go to sleep before 10pm at night, because they have been up late every night you were away.

Your children don’t wake up in time for school / pre school, because they have been getting up between 9am and 10am each day you were on holiday.

Your children are telling people that “mummy’s bottom is very white” in the playground.

Your children don’t understand why they have to revert to eating meals for dinner, instead of just chips/pasta followed by as much ice cream as they could eat, coupled with sprite / Fanta by the bucket load.

Your husband is looking lost because you’re back to work and taking calls from clients who need your input at 5.55pm. He’d rather I was not doing that. But then it’s taking those calls that pays for the holiday, so he’s smart enough to not mention it directly.

You have peeling skin and think “there must be some educational purpose to this to show the boys how the human body works”…….

You look like David Dickenson from Bargain Hunt because you put suntan lotion on everyone one day one, and forgot to apply any to yourself.

You spend days 2 – 14 trying to cover up with a rash vest and applying lotion at every conceivable opportunity to limit the damage incurred on day 1.

You shamefully present your fridge magnet / soap to family that was bought in the airport because it was the only thing you could find, and don’t mind that they say “thanks” without much enthusiasm.

You finish your tea and are disappointed that there aren’t any “dancing girls” going to be around tonight for post dinner entertainment.

You actually miss the sound of the “choo choo waa, choo choo waa” song from the Mini Disco that happened each night. And you have it going around your head, even though you have a love / hate relationship with it.

You are annoyed that you have to do the dishwasher after every meal. When on holiday, the fairies did this, so how come we didn’t manage to pack them into our suitcases.

The washing machine is on so frequently that you worry that it might self combust.

You pray for good weather so that you can get as much washing on the line as possible to enable you to get rid of the overflowing suitcases full of dirty clothes in the front lounge.

You are disappointed to go to your bedroom and not find chocolates lovingly placed on your bed that’s been made beautifully.

Did I forget anything?

Having been chosen as an inspirational blog earlier in 2012 by the Sainsbury’s Family Blogger Network, I was very happy when I saw this opportunity come along from Sainsbury’s Bank car insurance as they offering to give away four pairs of shoes to my lovely readers….

Who likes cool shoes for their tiddlers? Who likes little dish dinners? Fancy a pair for your tiddler? If you do, then read on!

The long and short of it is that Little Dish have teamed up with Sainsbury’s to promote the Barnardo’s Big Toddle. E did it when W was just two weeks old and it felt like a big accomplishment at the time. We are very happy and grateful to have two healthy children, even though they do pull funny faces at us sometimes… Here’s a photo of E, earlier that day. It’s not particularly relevant to this post. It just made me smile…

Anyway, back to Barnardo’s Big Toddle, Sainsbury’s and Little Dish. The event is the biggest fundraiser in the UK for under fives and typically attracts over half a million kids to it; that’s an awful lot of little walking feet. Little Dish have partnered with the Big Toddle to offer special limited edition packs of Chicken and Butternut Squash Pie. This gorgeous dinner will also come with a pair of toddling shoes for just £5, which is a fabulous deal. These packs are available in Sainsbury’s from Wednesday 23rd May for 10 days only. Proceeds from the sale of these special edition packs will go to Barnardo’s.

For my part, the deal is that we get four pairs of these shoes to give away. All you have to do is:

• Log in to Rafflecopter (below) with your Facebook account or your email address and…
• …enter the draw up to 3 times by leaving a blog post comment, tweeting about the giveaway or ‘liking’ the blog post
• State the size shoe you need when you enter. Shoes are available in small (4/5), medium (6/7) and large (8/9).

The more times you enter, the more chance you have of winning. Winners will be chose at random (through random.org) and announced on this page.
Please note that this giveaway is only open to our readers in the U.K. So what are you waiting for – you’ve got to be in it to win it :)

L x

a Rafflecopter giveaway