So, after our usual full day out on Monday, and a full day out on Wednesday, I said to Podd that yesterday we would be doing "absolutely nothing" all day. Famous last words. Of course, that didn't happen. At all. When does it ever happen? Even the least eventful days, where you don't get dressed or leave the house or do any formal activities, always involve something, and almost always that something can be classed as valuable in some way.
In the morning I spent a couple of hours working on a new work project, while the sprogs played. I really enjoy and am very passionate about my doulaing work when it comes around, and that is definitely my first love. However, I have been pondering a couple of ideas to give me more things to do that are just for me, and will be more on an ongoing basis. I was so wrapped up in my project that I forgot to have breakfast, and completely lost track of time so when I eventually stopped and washed my hair and went to eat something it was nigh on lunchtime!
After lunch the kids and I hopped on the bus to Morrison's. While we were waiting we were talking about the roadworks on the main road and Little decided she wanted to know what they were doing so she crossed the road and went to ask one of the workmen what they were up to (almost the whole road on one side has been dug up, they were on the other side a couple of weeks back and have dug up several side roads too, as well as at the sides of lots of houses). The workman said there were problems with leaky gas pipes so they were putting either plaster or plastic (she didn't catch which) in them to seal the leaks. I was very proud of her - having the confidence to go and ask someone something she wanted to know was something she used to do a lot, but had stopped doing so much. I love the curiosity they have, and will always encourage them to follow what they are curious about until their questions are answered.
Around Morrison's was a fairly standard (read: boring) shopping trip. On the bus home again the sprogs made friends with and talked the ear off a lady who was sat near them. I was most proud when they shared the roads on which we and she lived, and then Small said "we can't tell you what number we live at though" and she said "no you're right, you shouldn't tell me that". I have had several tearing my hair out moments when the sprogs have given away a lot more about us than I feel comfortable with, and I'm sure most parents of young kids have felt the same. There's a limit on how much is ok to tell strangers, and I'm glad they can talk happily without giving away inappropriate information.
When we got back we put the shopping away and had a quick tidy up before going round to the sprogs old school to pick up a friend of Little's. Must confess I was not looking forward to it but it was uneventful. However, I definitely do not miss having to make that trip twice a day!
When we got back I did some batch cooking - 3 cottage pies in the freezer and I started some bolognese in the slow cooker to cook overnight. Meanwhile the sprogs all played, and then asked to put a film on. By this point there were 3 neighbours kids and the friend of one of them who was playing at her house, so there was 5 kids sat on the sofa watching Brave and 3 playing upstairs! Eventually the extra children went home and we had dinner and then walked Little's friend back to his house.
This morning I was expecting to be rushed off my feet but actually it was a very calm morning. I finished off the lasagnes that I started yesterday, made up a packed lunch and we set off to meet our friends. I mentioned the other day that I take her daughter to forest school, and in return, as of next week, she will be taking Little to a monthly book group at the city centre library. Anyway, we picked her up and made our way to the estate where we do forest school with only a minor hiccup because I forgot which bus it was and tried to get us on the wrong one, such that we missed the one we were supposed to get on! Luckily, we had deliberately organised to meet earlier than we needed to exactly because of things like that!
At forest school they first played some games and then clubbed together to make an obstacle course - they made a balancing obstacle, some obstacles where you had to crawl under tarpaulins, a trip wire and a pit to jump over, a limbo and some others I didn't see. They then practised running around it and at the end timed themselves to see how fast they all were. We also did our usual of having a fire and hot chocolate at the end, and we the parents managed to avoid setting the woods on fire after the floor under the fire pan caught alight! All in all it was a good day and the sprogs came home tired and happy and played a bit of Minecraft before bedtime :)
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