Back to Work After the Half Term

We’ve had a fantastic half term holiday as you can see! It was great to just kick back for a few days, enjoy some walks, do a load of art and craft, play games, enjoy movies snuggled under blankets and have no deadlines to worry about.  There might have been more than one day in the last week which found us still in our PJs at tea-time and I don’t feel even a little bit guilty!

Today however is back to school, back to pre-school and back to work day. Being a clever and organised Mum *cough* I found Kieran’s PE kit hanging under heavy school coats and needing attention after 4pm yesterday. No drama one would think (thankful for the modern conveniences of the washing machine and tumble dryer) until opening the bag. It contained one plimsoll and a school fleece. No shorts, no outdoor sports trainers, no jogging bottoms, spare socks or t-shirt.

We scrambled around and gathered together a motley arrangement of replacements and Kieran has had a flea in his ear about looking after his things and has been sent off to school today to find his original kit in school lost property (much to his disgust!).

That carry-on overcome I cleared my desk, made sure that I had a fresh notepad, sharpened pencils and filled Kieran’s pencil case, made up packed lunches, laid out uniform and clothes for Taylor and made sure everything was ok before going to bed.

This morning…. Everyone was showered and changed in good time. Taylor dropped juice down his clothes and needed a complete change, I realised I’d forgotten dinner money and had to shoot off at the crack of dawn to go to the cashpoint and then…  two minutes before we were due to set off Kieran tells me he only has one school shoe.

One.

In my hallway we have a small bookcase with a basket for gloves and hats, hooks for school bags and bits and pieces and shelves for shoes and boots worn regularly. Kieran’s school shoes have been sat in their allotted space for the whole week yet this morning one is missing (I suspect 3yr old led foul play).  Running out of time we ran around looking for the missing shoe and in the end I’ve sent his nibs out wearing trainers (his good trainers which we’d stuffed into his gym bag to replace the ones that are missing).

I’m ready for another holiday already and have spent time Googling late deals from the UK to a wide range of destinations worldwide and dreaming of a restful Easter break after which we may come home rejuvenated and find everything where we left it and ready for going back to school!

I’m now at my desk, have had two caffeine laden coffees and am ready to get started on sorting out the 403 emails sat waiting for me (madness!) and organise my diary /to-do list into some sort of calm, grown-up and gym-bag free order.

I do love half term with the kids but the transition from holiday to back to work and school doesn’t always run so smoothly! Is it just me?

 

*This post was written in collaboration will the mentioned business however is true to my own thoughts, feelings and experiences

Otrivine and Stuffed Up Nostrils (& Fun Nasal Facts)

I know I live in the UK and I know naff weather is part and parcel of that but COME ON! We’ve had a ridiculously mild winter temperature-wise and I firmly believe that the lack of freezing alongside the constant wetness is what has had us all (ok mostly me) struggling with a constant cold.

This isn’t a full blown cold that you struggle through for 3-4 days then start to get better, oh no! This is the constant stuffed up, bleurghy cold that seems to linger for weeks and weeks.

The lovelies at Otrivine (obviously sensing my frustration) have been in touch and offered me some fabulous information about my nasal discomfort (quite intertesting stuff actually, have a read of the fun facts and info on the infographic below). I’ve never used a nasal spray before but am fed up of the pressure now and am killing forest after forest with my tissue use so it’s certainly something I’d try.

I’ll be reporting back, hopefully with wide open nasal passages soon hopefully. My question for you today though, while I struggle through and wait for the Otrivine spray to arrive is this:
When you have a cold what is the one non-medical thing that conforts you? Is it a warm bath, do you like to sleep it off, is a warmed wheat bag on your face a winner or do you simply try and rest and keep your spirits (as in your mood, not your gin glass) up?

Otrivine Did You Nose It Infographic v3