It seems that Christmas creeps earlier every year. We’ve got to a point already where we drive around in the evenings and the girls spot Christmas lights. They’ve asked several times whether we can put our Christmas tree up now and I’m not even close to being ready. This week I published a Christmas gift guide for mums who run. This is my second gift guide, in addition to my What’s on West Midlands Christmas post. So, it may appear on the face of it that I’m ready for Christmas. But I’m far from ready. A quiet weekend After hot…

When you have children, it’s true what they say about needing a week off to get over your holiday. With the children in school Monday to Friday and doing so many extra-curricular clubs, we make the most of school holidays. That said, last week was probably the most manic one we’ve had. Luckily, the girls are old enough to cope with it these days, and they’re good company too. London, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire and home Last Thursday, I caught the train from my sister’s house in London back to the Lincolnshire Wolds. A bracing walk along the coast as the weather…

Being one of the last counties in the country to get half term can feel a bit like punishment. Whatever our crime, we’ve well and truly paid the price. Tomorrow, we’ll finally be released. Only for a week of course, but we have grand plans nonetheless. Three cities in one weekend Fun days out are like buses sometimes. And in case you hadn’t noticed, I am terrible at saying no. So on Friday afternoon, my husband met me at the school to pick the girls up. We drove straight from there to Birmingham for a meet and greet with Elsa…

As the sunny days get fewer and further between at this time of year, I find myself appreciating each one a little more. There are many advantages to working from home, but the main one for me is being able to get outside in daylight every day. It makes the darker months of the year so much more bearable. A much awaited achievement Libby has been having swimming lessons since she turned four years old. To start with, she progressed quickly, whizzing through the early groups. She could already swim, so when the assessments only required her to go along…

Can somebody please remind me how long the sniffle season lasts? I expected it when the girls went back to school although maybe not quite as quickly as the colds appeared. I anticipated it continuing for a week or two but seriously, it’s been over a month. Enough already. Sniffle season My husband and I succumbed to colds this week and mercifully, the girls have had nothing more than a tickly cough. In fact, it wiped me out so much that I had to turn down a swim in the river on Monday. Thankfully though, I’d recovered enough by Tuesday…

Things are finally falling into place. When the girls went back to school, I was so sure it was going to be easier with both of them at school. The reality was a little different. But after several weeks of playing catchup, I finally feel like I’ve got to where I need to be. Exercise It was always the plan that when Lia started school, I’d exercise each morning before starting work. Not for long, but an hour of running, swimming or cycling. Instead, I fell into a routine of thinking I had too much to do. So, I’d go…