Today

Today I managed to persuade the kids to stay home after school. Going out is too much trouble.

Today we came home again. The kids were sad to go.

Today we went to grandparents' house to join Owen there! It was warm and sunny again just when we had to spend hours on the motorway.

Today I worked from home. 

Today I took Harriet on the bus to Woodstock museum after work. She loved the bus journey but not sure about the late dinner and wait for Peter to come pick us up after work. Just so happened there was a massive traffic jam today!

Today I managed to persuade Harriet to stay home again.

Today I stayed home with Harriet after nursery as it was raining. Quite relaxing actually.

Today was a bank holiday. Owen went away with grandparents for the half term holidays. I was rather short tempered with him in the morning due to stress and rush to go out, and felt bad about it. And now I miss him. 

Today I had a barely suppressed migraine and we went to Witney to go to the post office and to run some errands as I had another order at my Etsy shop! In the evening I watched a tutorial about illustrating for picture books.

Today I went to Sophie's hen do at Straw Kitchen in Whichford Pottery. We had a lovely plein air sketching picnic and it was a brilliant morning. So nice to be out without the children.

Today was Friday and I worked from home. In the evening I prepared the art supplies to bring to Sophie's hen do tomorrow.

Today we went to the little brook by The Bell after school with Maddie for a picnic. Harriet was desperate to copy Owen and Maddie. They had a lot of fun together though there were tears and shouting when we had to go home.

Today I had a nice relaxing afternoon at home with Owen after school and he was being extra happy and extra good and reminded me of the cute little preschooler he once was. We chatted about his preschool days and I was surprised he remembered in details particular incidents from years ago.

Today was one of those days I burst into tears at work, finding it too much to cope. I can't understand why other parents don't find non-uniform days a bother at all. It's one of those days I felt like a lousy parent. Why couldn't I breeze through work, 2 kids, household chores, family shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc, like everyone else? And remember to put milk in the fridge, close our front door, bring my laptop to work, bring Harriet's water bottle and nappies, bring the correct children hats for the weather, lock the car, put the children's food in the fridge when I arrive in office, take them out when leaving, turn the oven on as soon as I reached home, put the bins back after the bin collection, lock the car, add beer to Ocado order, take Harriet's leftover avocado from my bag to the fridge, lock the car. Peter was very understanding and surprised me by actually going to Sainsbury during his lunch break and got Owen new t-shirts, dinner and even chocolates for me! Drats. Forgot to eat the chocs and now it's bedtime.

Today though I had booked Little Wild Things for Harriet, though it turned out to be a lovely day, I couldn't summon the energy to take Harriet to it. Instead I spent a long time complaining to the school about yet another bothersome stressful non-uniform day for Owen. Then I took Harriet to Witney to get groceries and to collect Owen's school shorts. When we went to collect Owen, he wanted to go home the long way so it took 1hr and he needed to go to the loo and so pooped in his pants. Not a good day.

Today we really wanted to take the children out somewhere fun, but really couldn't find the energy to do it and so spent all day at home.

Today we met up with Daisy and Lou and Astrid for lunch, and then Lou taught Owen how to cycle. Harriet got scratched by a cat! And the children had a few rides (and bouncy castle) at the unexpected fair in Witney.

Today I took the car to the garage to get its air con fixed just when the warm days ended. Daisy came to join us for dinner and both kids were mad about her.

Today went to play date with Eddie. I stayed home with Harriet.

Today I napped on the sofa while Owen played by himself after school. Wednesday has become a favourite.