The Last Instalment For NaBloPoMo!

It's the 30th November and today is the last post for NaBloPoMo! I hope you have enjoyed hearing from me everyday!?  If not don't worry the torture has come to an end! Thanks to Vonnie at Nowt Special for hosting NabloPoMo 2013 for us and to answer her Day 30 prompt - The hardest part about blogging everyday for me is trying to come up with something interesting to say!

For this last post I thought I'd link to some of my favourite November 13 posts:

1. Turning 30!
2. Buns In My Oven
3. Job Description Of A Mum
4. The Book Of Bedtime Stories
5. Ode To Mummy
6. Pizza Rolls
7. Meet The Kittens
8. Give A Three Year Old A Camera...
9. This Week I'm Loving...
10. A Blast From The Past

I hope you enjoy reading these...if you would like to hear more from me please follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Bloglovin!

Now let's wave goodbye to November and welcome in December!

HaHa! Kids Say The Funniest Things!

My kids are hilarious sometimes, the things that come out of their mouths can really make me chuckle! Take the time when I asked our six year old 'What were the names of the first people put on earth according to the bible?' and she answered "Bert & Ernie?" This one tickled me for days! Another one that remains prominent in my mind is when she saw daddy's Calvin Klein band showing above his jeans and asked "who's Kevin Clean daddy?"

 

Here's a few more to make you smile:

"Mummy I have a really important question for you....Do Africans go to Peppa Pig World?" 

"I can name all the countries Mummy: England, Scotland, France, Africa, The North Pole, Australia, Wales, America, Turkey, France, England, Paris and.........Butlins!" 

Two year old Daughter: "My chocolate milk just bit me!"

And here are a few from my friends children:

My friend's three year old Daughter: "What are the birds looking for? My Friend: "Worms." Daughter: "What flavour?"

Another friend's four year old: "What a handsome willy you have Daddy!"

Hopefully you have had a bit of a chuckle reading these! If you have any funny things your kids have said please feel free to share them below - I'd love to hear from you!

Sophie..x 

P.S This is My NaBloPoMo Post #29 only one more to go! If you would like to keep updated with all things Yummy Mummy Survival please follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Bloglovin (Links on your right!).

Banana Muffins

I was looking for another idea to use up our over-ripe bananas at the weekend (it seems we have a lot of these soft, spotty bananas in our house by the end of the week) and came across this great recipe at a fab blog called This Mummy  The recipe makes 12 muffins, it's very easy and quick to make and as Laurenne says, not to bananary! I also added chocolate chips to mine and made some little cases for these muffins using baking paper squares pushed into the silicone muffin moulds. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

125g Butter
150g Caster Sugar
A Few Drops Of Vanilla Extract
1 x Egg
2-3 x Bananas Mashed
190g Self Raising Flour
60ml Milk

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 180C

2) Heat butter and sugar until melted (you can do this in a microwave or in a bowl above a pan of boiling water).

3) Add the vanilla and bananas and str to mix.

4) Add the egg and stir then sift in the flour.  Add the milk. (I also added white and milk chocolate chips at this stage).

5) Pour the mixture into the muffin cases and bake in the oven for around 20mins or until golden and cooked through.

There are loads of great posts on Laurenne's Blog so please pop over to her and check them out!

Sophie...x

For more tasty recipes featured on my blog click here.
 

A Blast From The Past

It’s amazing how things said to you in the past can come back and haunt you years later isn't it?!  For me these things are usually of a negative vane and I guess remind me of who I am and who I am trying to be! 

For instance, I was planning what to wear for a night out the other day and thought ‘I know, I could wear my black jeans turned up with a pair of courts’ then the flashback occurred and I remembered a comment someone had made to me about ten years previously.  Let me take you back...

...There I was on a works Christmas night out and I was wearing blue jeans turned up with a pair of heeled sandals.  One of the girls there said to me, “Oh look at you, you look like you're on your holidays!”  I think the remark was aimed at humiliating me in front of everyone to be perfectly honest (maybe it made her feel better about herself?) but at the time I took little offence and brushed it off.  

Now, years later, I am questioning my outfit choice based on one flippant comment! 

I have decided that I am going to look at it as personality building along with all the other things which occasionally pop into my mind…does this ever happen to you?  Or is it just me being a bit..well um..weird! 

Let me know and please leave a comment I’d love to hear from you!

Love Sophie..x

NaBloPoMo #27!

Ok Baby Born You Win!

So this year my three year old has been begging for the new Baby Born range every time the advert is shown on TV.  I think the makers of Baby Born have clearly hit the nail on the head with this latest range consisting of Interactive Potty, Bath and Doll each costing a small fortune.  I mean what three year old can resist? A ‘working’ potty and bath...it’s a miracle.  

Well here I sit making sarcastic remarks about these new toys but I have succumbed and bought these items for Christmas…oh dear! Well at least I will have an incredibly happy daughter on Christmas morning and who can resist that? Not me that’s for sure!

Love Sophie..x

NaBloPoMo #26 - Please visit NowtSpecial for more Blogs taking part!

To stay in touch please follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Bloglovin (Links on your right)! 

Goodbye Cone Heads!

Hurray! We can finally say goodbye to the Cone Heads who have invaded our house for the last ten days! 

No I'm not talking about aliens from outer space but actually of our kittens who recently had an operation and came back looking like Queen Elizabeth 1 and feeling very sorry for themselves! 

As part of the conditions of adopting a cat from the Cats Protection we were required to get the kittens neutered which is of course best all round.  We don't want an influx of kittens and neither to the Cats Protection. With almost 9 million cats in the UK the only effective way to reduce the numbers of unwanted cats is to have them neutered at an early age.

The operation is quite painless and the Vet makes a really small incision to the left side, pain relief is administered and the surgery is quick.  I must admit that BeeBea and Betsy were not themselves for a few days after the surgery and keeping the plastic collars on them for 10 days was hard but now they are absolutely fine and almost ready to be trusted outside in the big wide world.  

So now we have made our contribution to keeping the cat population under control we can rest easy.  I urge all cat owners to consider having their cats neutered as they will be less likely to wander, stray, call (if female), spray (if male). The chance of contracting some infectious cat diseases will be reduced, as will the likelihood of developing mammary tumours (breast cancers), pyometra (life threatening womb infections), testicular cancer, and many other illnesses. Male cats in particular will improve in physical body condition and their urine will smell less pungent!

Thank you for reading my NaBloPoMo post #25! 

Sophie..x

This Week I'm Loving..Where I Live!

Happy Sunday everyone it's NaBloPoMo #24!

I took this photo from outside my Mother-In-Law's house in Mudeford on Tuesday morning before work and I think it's beautiful! 

I live in Christchurch which is in Dorset down on the South coast.  I have lived here all my life and really love it, with direct access to the beach, New Forest and towns I have never felt the need to live anywhere else in the UK! (I maybe convinced to move somewhere a bit warmer but that's another story!) 

I hope you enjoy the view while your here!

Please check out my other posts and feel free to comment - I love to hear from you!

Sophie..x

Give A Three Year Old A Camera...

Morning Everyone - It's NaBloPoMo #23 today!

My daughter Sasha is three years old and decided she would like a go at using my camera.  The results are quite amusing and gave me and my Hubby a good giggle so I thought I'd share them with you!  

This is what happened...

You've got to love them! 

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Body Shop Poducts Tried & Tested

Its NaBloPoMo #22 and I have recently been given a few Body Shop products to try by my local Consultant Trudy McKnight which I am incredibly grateful for and thought I should shout about it especially as Christmas is coming up.  Hopefully this review will give you a few ideas!

1. The first product I have tried is Cranberry Joy Body Butter:

This Body Butter is part of the new Christmas range and has everything you can expect from The Body Shop's notorious Body Butters.  They are thick and creamy and incredibly moisturising.  The Cranberry Joy scent is fruity but not too fruity )if you know what I mean) and I felt incredibly luxurious and Christmassy using this after bathing.  Buy this as a Christmas present for someone else or even for yourself and you won’t regret it!

2. I have also been trying out the Foundation Dragonfruit Lip Butter: 

I suffer from dry lips and have found this lip butter gorgeously scented and really moisturising especially now the cold weather is coming in.  You will find this product moisturising and caring on your lips perfect for this time of year. Another great reason to buy this lip butter is that The Body Shop split 100% of the profits made between their selected charities!

3. The third product I have tried this week is the Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream:

At first I was a little reserved as I was not keen on the smell from the tube.  But I have been using this all week and once applied the smell is much nicer than first impressions led me to believe and leaves your hands with a subtle leafy scent.  The best part about this product is how your hands feel once you have applied it, my hands felt as smooth as velvet and so soft.  It may be pricey but you only need a small amount and I would definitely recommend it!

Click here to go to The Body Shop online catalogue to get you into the festive mood. Also for a limited time they are offering a 40% discount with free delivery using code: 14322!

I will be testing more Body Shop products and will post the results soon! 

Sophie.x

The Easiest & Tastiest Lasagne!

This is my absolute favourite go-to recipe and I make it all the time whether it is just for me, hubby and the kids or whether I am having a bigger get together with friends and family.  

It is perfect served with breads and salad and its' a real winter warmer.  It is also the most easiest meal to make and so tasty too! You should really give it a go!

Ingredients:

500g Minced Beef

1tbsp Olive Oil

1 Onion

1 Carrot

1 Pepper

Jar of Italian Tomato Sauce

Tin Condensed Mushroom Soup

1/2pint Milk

Lasagne Sheets (Dried)

Grated Cheese (Mozzarella or Chedder)

Method:

1) Add olive oil to a frying pan and fry chopped onion, carrots and peppers. (You can add other veg too if you like i.e. mushrooms or celery).

2) Once the veg is softened add the minced beef and fry until browned.

3) Add the ready made Italian tomato sauce i.e. Dolmio and stir.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 mins.

4) Whilst the meat and sauce is cooking prepare the white sauce by adding milk and soup to a jug and stir well to mix. 

5) When the beef is ready add half of the mixture into a casserole/lasagne dish and top with a layer of lasagne sheets.  Pour half the milk/soup mixture over the top of the sheets evenly.

6) Repeat as above adding a layer of beef then a layer of lasagne sheets and top with the remainder of the white sauce.

7) Top the lasagne with the grated cheese of your choice and cook in the oven for 45mins at 200C/Gas 6 until golden.

I hope you like this recipe! For more recipes please visit my Food & Baking page! 

I Heart LFA's

From one email from ASOS to two pairs of LFA boots! Oops!  I must admit I have had a soft spot for LFA's for years and have owned two previous pairs.  Unfortunately both these pairs have been worn to death and I have been looking out for some more at a good price.  

Bearing in mind these boots have a RRP of £150-£250 I was over the moon to find ASOS hosting a flash sale last weekend and found they were reduced to £90-£100 each.  After buying the first pair I was incredibly naughty and indulged in a second pair...well at such a great price how could I resist?  These boots are totally on a par with Ugg boots in my opinion, they are made to a great standard and feel really luxurious on. Although they come at a high price they will last you for years so treat them like an investment! Perfect for cold winter days they really make you feel cosy and warm.

Here are some photos of my legs (and my boots)!

Adult Pizza Express Party

As a surprise for my mums Birthday I planned an Adult Pizza Making Party at Pizza Express and we had a fab time doing so!  You may think this was a slightly odd idea for my mother but after attending my daughter's 6th birthday in July she raved about how much she would enjoy having the same party for herself.  Then low and behold an email hit my inbox a few weeks later telling me about the all new pizza making parties for adults!  Woohoo I thought as I promptly booked our local branch. 

After getting a group of party goers together we arrived at Pizza Express not knowing what to expect.  On arrival we were handed a glass of bubbly and the table was adorned with entrées.  After we got settled the store manager came over and introduced himself and then we were off.  Practising with the dough by stretching and throwing it and taking part in a dough tossing competition between ourselves.  We then made our own pizzas and gave them our own original names, only to be judged again for our pizza making skills.  The food was lovely (of course) and we all had a great time! 

The party ended with a surprise pudding holding the obligatory one candle and the lucky members of our party to have won the mini competitions were handed their very own certificates including, Best Pizza Maker, Don't Give Up Your Day Job and Best Dough Tosser!  We all agreed that we had a fab time and were pleased to be involved in a new, interesting and original birthday celebration! Thank you Pizza Express!

Girls Hairstyles - Waterfall Braid

Waterfall Braid

Good morning everyone and Happy NaBloPoMo#18! I hope you had a great weekend?! 

Today I am featuring a waterfall braid/plait for my hair tutorial.  If you have a fringe this can be used to keep it off your face.  This hairstyle can be a little tricky especially if you have hair like my daughter Brooke which is very shiny and slippery In this photo I have left her fringe on the right hand side to frame her face and have used the hair on the left side where it is longest.

1) Take a small section of hair above the temple and begin a French type braid only taking and adding hair from the top of the head.
2) Once you have one complete crossover, drop a section from the bottom braid section to create a 'waterfall'.
3) Carry on with the braid dropping a small section from every bottom crossover as you go.
4) Go round the head as far as you like and finish off the braid with a normal plait down to the end of the length of the hair.
5) Tie the plait at the end with a hair tie.

Red Sky At Night....

Its NaBloPoMo #17 today and thought I'd share this with you...

As I left work the other day I was greeted by this wonderful sight! It really makes you stop and think doesn't it..how beautiful the world can be.  I must admit sometimes life is so hectic I do not stop to smell the roses but when I saw this sky I couldn't help myself and stopped to take this photo in the middle of the street!  

Happy Sunday Everyone - I Hope You Are Having A Fab Weekend!

Dont forget to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Bloglovin - please click on the links to the right. You can also register to receive updates direct to your email by adding your address to the 'Follow My Blog' bar!

Sophie..x

This Week I Am Loving...

This week I am loving... reading to my 6 year old daughter as she is especially into the Clarice Bean books by Lauren Child.  These books are fab and it's not only my daughter who can't get enough but me and my hubby love them too! 

Check out the amazing interactive official website of Lauren Child who is also the writer of Charlie & Lola too.

Don't forget its NaBloPoMo #16 - Please visit http://nowtspecial.wordpress.com for more Blogs taking part! 

Meet The Kittens!

Earlier in the year, just as the summer holidays began we adopted two new kittens from the Cats Protection. We already had two older male cats named Frankie & Sonny but as they came before the kids they were never interested in our children in fact they would run in the opposite direction!  After much begging from the children especially Brooke asking for a dog we decided that although a dog would be too much responsibility for us we could take on another cat.  So off we went to visit one of the many litters of kittens at the Cats Protection in Poole.  During our visit we had many cuddles with all the kittens and decided to adopt a little girl named Betsy subject to a house check made by one of the Cats Protection volunteers.  As we drove home after our visit the girls were talking in the back of the car and my hubby and I exchanged 'the look' after hearing the girls discuss whose bed Betsy would be sleeping on...it went a little like this..."She's going to sleep on my bed..no she's going to sleep on my bed...no she will want to sleep on mine" etc etc.. As Betsy was part of a litter of four we decided to phone the Cats Protection as soon as we got home and ask if we could adopt Betsy's sister BeaBee as well.  Well they said yes and now we have four cats! (Just call me the crazy cat lady!

I can't recommend the Cats Protection enough, the kittens are healthy and incredibly friendly. They have fitted into our family incredibly well and are now confident and happy!  They are also incredibly cheeky and mischievous, as I write this BeaBee is walking across the lounge with an empty biscuit packet in her mouth which she has retrieved from the bin - I do feed them btw although they don't act like it!  

Now we couldn't be without them and even though they can be trouble, the benefits you receive from owning cats are huge and I must stress that they are especially good if you like cuddles! 

Sophie.x

P.S: Thank you for reading today if you would like to comment please do as I love to hear from you! 

This is post #15 for NaBloPoMo!  You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter just click on the Links to the right! 

Pizza Rolls

These pizza rolls are incredibly easy to make and really taste good.  As chief lunch box maker I do sometimes feel despondent  at the thought of another daily lunch box making sesh, so these are great to make at the weekend and store in the freezer.  When you need to provide an easy yet scrummy lunch all you have to do is whip these bad boys out and send them on their way (the family and the pizza rolls)! 

1) Make your dough, I make mine using a bread maker all you need to do is tip in the correct ingredients, press start and wait for 90 mins.  If you don't have a bread maker you can easily make your own dough using a recipe on the net.

2)  Once the dough is ready to handle, roll out into a large rectangular shape using a rolling pin (see below).

3) Using ready made pizza sauce or red pesto or even your own home made sauce cover the dough thinly. Grate some cheese and sprinkle over the top of the pizza sauce (Quick Tip: Don't be tempted to add too many toppings - less is more).

4) Roll the covered dough carefully into a swiss roll shape and cut into sections around 1-1/2" wide.

5) Place the cut rolls/sections onto an oven proof tray lined with baking paper and cook in a oven set to 200C/Gas 6 for around 20 mins or until golden and firm.

It's NaBloPoMo #14 today! For more Blogs please visit Vonnie at http://nowtspecial.wordpress.com.  You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter just click on the Links to the right! 

Ode to Mummy (Me)!

Isn't this lovely?! I was tidying up the lounge the other day when I found this drawing among a pile of paper work.  At closer inspection I realised it is a drawing by my eldest daughter Brooke (aged six) where she has written down all the things I do for her and her sister!  I must admit after I deciphered what she had written it pulled at my heart strings hence the photo I took and this post! 

If you are also finding it hard to read (I don't blame you) let me decipher it for you now:

Brushing our herre (hair).
Taking us out to fun playses (places) with are (our) frends (friends).
Takeing (taking) us on rides at theme parks.
I like playing skiping (skipping) - I don't think this one is relevant to me! Lol!
Helping us all.
Ceeping (keeping) safe.
Doing chors (chores).
Helping me not to be late whenever I need to go enewer (anywhere).

Ahh bless her, the six year old teenager can be so lovely when she wants to be (cue tear to my eye)!  

Please feel free to comment - Take care everyone!

Remember I am taking part in NaBloPoMo and this is #13! For more Blogs please visit Vonnie at http://nowtspecial.wordpress.com.  You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter just click on the Links to the right! 

MumsNet Book Review -The Book Of Bedtime Stories

Do you and your children enjoy reading bedtime stories together? If the answer is "yes" then you should give The Book Of Bedtime Stories by Walker Books a VIP space on your book shelf and be prepared for some quality family reading time! 

Thanks to Mumsnet my family and I were given the chance to read and review The Book Of Bedtime Stories and we really enjoyed getting the chance to do so*.  Each story has been individually chosen by Michael Rosen from over 400 entries submitted to the Mumsnet and Gransnet children's story competition. 

With ten beautifully written stories taking between five and ten minutes to read (please see the list of stories below), when I asked my girls to choose their favourite story they had trouble doing so but when pushed my six year old chose 'A Parcel For Theo' and my three year old chose 'The Dancing Bear'. Personally my favourite's were 'Allie To The Rescue' and 'The Night Thief And The Moon' which in my opinion should be made into a short film as the narrative is unbelievably descriptive and really provokes the imagination!  If I was to say anything negative the only thing missing from this book are some more funny stories! Although each story included is beautifully written and most are very classic in their nature we do like a bit of a giggle in our house as well.  Never the less this doesn't take away from the fact that we all really enjoy reading these stories together and The Book Of Bedtime Stories is currently on top of the pile!

The ten prize winning stories are listed below with a brief description of what you will find:


Time For Bed - A story about a little boy and his adventures before bed.
When Polly Jumped Over The Moon - A young cow who achieves her dream.
The Sheriff Of Rusty Nail - A sheriff who won't ride a horse but chooses a pig instead.
Bedtime At The Lighthouse - A story of two children staying with their grandparents who live below a light house.
Celeste, Who Sang To The Stars - An intriguing tale of a little girl who rescues the stars.
Allie To The Rescue - The adventures of an alpaca at her new home.
Princess Imogen's Independent Day - A princess who wants to do it all herself only to find that story time is best spent with others.
The Dancing Bear - A tale of an unusual friendship between a bear and a little girl.
A Parcel For Theo - A great little story about a boy and his lost toy jaguar.
The Night Thief And The Moon - A story of a blue creature who rises once every 100 years.

The Book Of Bedtime Stories is available from most book shops and if you need some new children's stories should definitely be on your shopping list. 

* All opinions are my own and I have not been paid to write this review.

My Hairstyle - Messy Bun With Flower

Its NaBloPoMo # 11 today and I have been posting a lot of my girls hairstyles on my blog recently so I thought I'd change it up a bit and put one of my hairstyles on here for you. Basically I have been wearing my hair in a messy bun a lot lately as I am trying to stay away from over styling it and in this photo I have added a flower.  If you are 'hair-challenged' like me you will find this is really easy and should only take 5 mins to put up!

1) Pull your hair back into a high ponytail and tie with hair tie but instead of pulling your hair all the way through on last twist leave it tucked in.

2) Pin the hair against your head using bobby pins giving the effect of a loose/messy bun.

3) Add flower or clip of your choice for a bit of interest! :)

American TV - I Miss You!

I have been thinking a lot recently how much I have been missing my favourite TV shows from over the pond (sad I know but I love a bit of American telly). Some of these shows have started airing their new series in the states already but have yet to reach our British shores, it's just not fair!  So here are my absolute favourite American shows which I am pining for right now:

The Middle

The daily mishaps of a married woman and her semi-dysfunctional family and their attempts to survive life in general in the city of Orson, Indiana.

I think this is currently my best-loved TV show at the moment.  It is so funny and you should definitely check it out. 

Nashville

A fading country music star comes into conflict with a rising teen star. 

This show is so good, I love the music and the country style fashion - I'm hooked! 

Greys Anatomy

A drama centred on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors.

This has been a firm favourite of my hubby's and mine ever since we first found it on our Honeymoon in Mexico.  We had the TV on whilst getting ready one night and the first series of Grey's was on - We've been hooked for eight years!

Modern Family

Three different, but related families face trials and tribulations in their own uniquely comedic ways.

This is very funny indeed and very witty too.  If you like to have a good laugh at family goings on definitely try to catch up on this series.

So that's it, my TV round up...now please I'm begging the powers that be, just update us over in the UK!

I Heart Florence!

So for NaBloPoMo #9 I must let you know that I am a Florence & The Machine fan!  I know they haven't released any new albums recently but the old ones are still standing strong and are played regularly in my car!  

My favourite tracks are: Cosmic Love - Lungs, Never Let Me Go - Ceremonials and Shake It Out - Ceremonials.

Please check out the website and if you have been hiding under a rock somewhere and haven't heard any of these tracks you can get an idea of what they are all about here! 

Job Description Of A Mum

Its NaBloPoMo #8 time and I am really trying my best to remain positive today but it has been trying I must admit.  I have been really busy this morning, I literally haven't stopped.  I've done the housework, worked out, been to the doctors done the school run and popped into the shops, I have also just picked up Sasha from nursery and have finally got home.  So imagine this...I finally manage to get myself some food when I hear the dreaded words; "Mummy I've spilt my drink"! An entire cup of orange juice is now sinking through my favourite rug and I have to stop any idea of lunch while I clean up.  Whilst cleaning up I am actually carrying around my lunch back and forward from the lounge to the kitchen in order to stop the kittens descending on it like vultures (ridiculous sight I know)! Once I have finished cleaning the spillage I reach for my plate and go to sit down but stop and sniff the air only to find the kittens have used their litter tray - Nice!.  Lunch? Hold that thought! 

My tale of woe goes on but I will spare you the boredom - I know you've all been there too! However after sitting in yet another traffic jam later this afternoon I work out that I have been driving back and forth for 2 hours! I feel like a taxi driver, only I don't get paid!  

This leads me to ponder how much would you charge to be a mum if you could? How much would we be worth if we could get paid for all our services? A mum's responsibility is huge and the amount of tasks we accomplish day to day are insane! 

Here's my job description - not my actual paid job, but the other job (the one I do for love):

Cook - Shop and plan ingredients for breakfast, lunch and dinner oh and snacks in between making sure healthiness and goodness are monitored (if time permits)!

Cleaner - Bathrooms, beds, hoovering, dusting, dish washing, ironing, general tidying and picking up the same toys over and over again!

Hairdresser - PE, swimming and ballet hair styles all covered, other styles available upon request!

Personal Stylist - Buy clothes, pick and lay out ready for the next day on a nightly basis, helping children get dressed in the morning in order to stop pants being put on back to front and trousers/skirts worn on heads etc.

Personal shopper - Clothes, food anything that is asked for and required - I'm on hand to provide it!

Taxi Driver - Coordinating school runs, after school clubs and play-dates   Sit in car for crazy amounts of time whilst safely battling way through traffic to get everyone where they need to be on time or at least within 5 mins after due time. 

Nurse - Patience and sympathy given with well stocked first aid kit and soothing words of 'it will be all right'.

Maid - Run baths, make beds find lost items - also see 'cleaner' above.

Receptionist/PA - Make appointments and arrange all extra-curricular activities at convenient times to all involved.

Mind Reader - Know exactly how each person is feeling at any particular time of day and respond as needed.

Teacher - Answer any given question with proper knowledge (ahem) and help with homework.

Counsellor - Be a shoulder to cry on with helpful words of wisdom whenever needed even when you haven't sat down for five hours and all you need is 5 mins of 'me time'.

Friend - Play with the children including board games and make believe role play, sing songs, dress up and lose all inhibitions for as long as you can bare!

Body Guard - Be ready at all times and watch children like a hawk saying words like, pick your feet up, don't trip, stop at the road, be careful, watch that, slow down, don't run...the list goes on!

I'm sure there are many, many more services required of us!  Please fell free to comment below - I'd love to hear what you have to say! :) x

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