When life gets busy...

 It turns out, that I'm not such a writer after all.

While my dream remains to be a published author and write for a living, it turns out that when life gets busy and time is short, the two things on my "to do" list that I drop first are exercise and writing.  

As a result, I've still not got a book or online course finished to a good enough standard for publication, and I'm still a larger dress-size than I'd like.

My top priority is my family:  

Mr Build-it is motoring through Year 7.  He's still got plenty of time for cuddles with his mum, but kisses are already off limits.  He spends a lot of time in his room learning how to programme and is developing and building websites and online games and learning different programming languages.  I try to keep up, and always show an interest, but quite often he is speaking a completely different language.  He appears downstairs whenever he is hungry.  My main task with him is encouraging him to get some daylight and fresh air on a daily basis, though that's got easier as he's discovered that some of his schoolfriends like to meet up at the playpark up the road so he takes himself up there to meet them.

Miss Busy is at that very delicate age where she has subconsciously realised that she's growing up fast, but is not yet ready, and is clinging to childhood.  This means that she's watching terrible kids' TV, and is requiring a lot of parental attention.  I'm also aware that in a very short time she won't be wanting to spend so much time with me - her friends will become more of a priority.  So when she asks me to do something with her, I'm tending to say "yes."  We had a lovely time drawing butterflies together the other day, and, dare I say it, we had fun tidying her bedroom together yesterday.  She's also super-helpful at the moment, and always willing to lend a hand in the kitchen, take the dog out for a walk or hang the laundry - long may it last!

Husband is, as always, very busy with work.  He's also got a lot to do with our Scout Group.  He became Group Scout Leader a year ago and, never one to do a half-job, is determined to have our Group be the best in the District - an example of "how it works".  He's putting in a lot of hours and it's really beginning to show fruit.  Our Group is a happy place to be.

I've recently gone back to the classroom once more.  I'm teaching a lovely Year 5 class who need a great deal of teacher love.  I'm determined to do a good job for these children, so I'm pouring in the effort and the hours of preparation that they deserve.

In the meantime, with Covid19 (fingers crossed) finally receding in threat, we are back face-to-face with our Beavers and Cubs.  After a long break it's taking us a little while to get back in the flow, and I'm also bringing in a lot of new children, and trying hard to get a few more volunteers into the mix.  My County role has had to take a bit of a back seat while this is happening, but I am also still delivering regular adult training courses and attending meetings.

So... with family, school and Scouting all taking a lot of time and energy, and the continuous cycle of groceries, shopping, laundry, school run and dog walks... that hasn't really left a lot of time for writing or crafting (or exercise).  So that's where I am right now.  I'll come back to you next time with an update on how I'm getting along with those craft plans and New Year resolutions.  

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

 

Anybody here like cake?

Hands up?

Yes, me too. And this particular cake is a bit of a sweet-toothed 80s bright coloured throwback, to a time when exotic fruit in a tin was the highlight of the week.

Making this seems a long time ago now, as it's two weeks since I last ate. 

(Not strictly true, but I am sticking to the diet pretty well and cake is not currently happening).

This cake is the perfect comfort food for a winter's evening.  Enjoy with custard.

Ingredients

butter (melted)                   100g

brown sugar                       1/2 cup

pineapple rings (drained)     440g can

Pineapple juice                    2tbsp

Cream cheese                    125g

butter (softened)                150g

caster sugar                        1 cup

rind and juice of 1 orange

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

self-raising flour                    1 cup

Method

1. Preheat over to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Tip the melted butter into a 24cm round cake tin, brushing it up the sides to grease. (If you're using a loose bottomed tin, like me, be aware that it will ooze out in cooking).
3. Sprinkle brown sugar over the butter and then arrange the pineapple rings over the base of the tin.  I popped glace cherries in the centre of each one for a really vivid pop of colour.
4. Mix the cream cheese, butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  
5. Add the orange rind and juice, 2 tbsp of pineapple juice, eggs and flour.  Mix well until smooth.
6. Spoon the mix into the prepared tin over the pineapples.
7. Put the cake into the oven for 40-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
8. Leave to cool for 10 minutes and then turn out carefully onto a wire cooling rack.

This is one of my creative endeavours this month in my year of creativity.  Considering I had five creative things to do this month I've made a remarkably slow start. 

The crochet is going well, but I'm not sure if I'll finish this month.  I have at least bought the bottles I need to make the wine. I haven't even begun to think about the cushion covers or the macrame and the stuff to make the little dolls is just sitting there waiting for some attention! 

On the other hand, I have been running two Beaver meetings and two Cub meetings via Zoom, I have a lot of Phonics videos on my YouTube channel, and the children are getting on well with their home learning. There's certainly been some creativity going on in the house, even if it hasn't all been mine.

Endangered animals masks made with Beaver Scouts

I really don't know the purpose of the cardboard fort or the Harry Potter x Victorian costume - sometimes it's best not to ask.

Charlie's tin can tealight candle holders that he made with Scouts.

Charlie's pelican, penguin, cat mash-up that he did for an Art lesson.

A dog's eye view of lockdown

Hello.  I'm called Blossom.  I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there's something going on around here.

For some reason, the humans are staying in the den and not going out on patrol.

My soft place in the den.  They call it my "BED"

 In normal times, they get up in the morning and we go on our first patrol then its time for breakfast.
After that they go on patrol to other places.  Daddy goes on "HOSPITAL" patrol and Mummy and the small ones go to "SCHOOL" patrol.  They call it "WORK".  I am on guard duty at the den.  Fay comes at lunchtime and takes me on fun patrol with all my dog friends.  Later everybody comes home and we have a lovely evening together with the pack, though sometimes they go out to another patrol which they call "SCOUTS". 

This is my Mummy.  I love her.

 For the last ten days though, Mummy has only left the Den twice, and not at all in the last week!  I don't know what's going on but I really love it!  Daddy is taking me on patrol in the morning, and then he's out at Hospital Patrol all day, but Mummy and the Small Ones stay in the den with me!  A couple of times the Small Ones have taken me for a quick patrol to the field but I don't understand.  I want to run and bounce with the other dogs but they keep me on the "LEAD".  At least I'm out and about a bit though so I can keep an eye on everything.

This is my "sun place".  I sit here to keep an eye out for any cats or squirrels who come near my den.  Also it's lovely in the sun.  I sometimes fall asleep a bit.

 So what has this meant for me?  A LOT of cuddles!  I get to have a cuddle with Mummy whenever I want to!  I bring her my toy or I nudge her with my nose or my paw.  This is my way of signalling to mummy that she is spending too much time on the "COMPUTER" (she thinks she is still on patrol, but hasn't worked out that she's still in the den).  After that, she invites me onto her lap and I nudge her until she's stroking or tickling just the right bit.

This is my favourite toy at the moment.  I usually destroy toys but this one is proving quite tough.

me looking thoughtful.  I'm actually distracted by a cloud.  Nobody needs to know that though.

Today's accomplishments

Instead of a "to do" list, this is what is known as a "ta dah" list - as in, a little fanfare of jubilation for the things I've managed to do.

• Had a lie in - until 9am - go me!
• Then relaxed in front of "100 best walks", because... why not?  It's New Year's Day, I don't have a hangover because I didn't drink anything last night.  I was just relaxed!
• Started the medium term plan for Year 3 French for this term.
• Basket full of ironing.  And then two more loads of laundry.
• Read a chapter of my new book "The Body" by Bill Bryson.  Got pretty excited about all the microbes actually.
• made lunch and made the dough for this evening's pizza.
• sat down and completed the 1st draft of our new Induction Pack for County Appointments for Scouts Hereford and Worcester, and e-mailed it to the County Commissioner for his thoughts.
• e-mailed the 1st Holmer Scout Group leader team to ask for content for the Spring newsletter.
• started printing off Cubs personal details record cards so I can send them home to be checked for any contact info updates / accuracy at the beginning of the year.
• updated our finance records and responded to a bunch of e-mails.
• Got in touch with the Headteacher of a local primary school to arrange an assembly about what Scouts can offer.
• Finished making the dinner and then relaxed and watched Jurassic World with the family.
• Took the dog out for a run (mostly walking actually, but I'm out of practice so that's okay).
• wrote a blog post.

Considering how unhurried and relaxed I've felt today, I'm pretty pleased with how much I've accomplished.  I have a warm feeling of smugitude which is not very becoming but will help me go to sleep with a smile, after I've read another chapter of my book.

The Beginning of my Birthday - trip to Diggerland!

My Birthday began this weekend.  I actually turn 40 tomorrow, but my birthday treat was a trip to Diggerland in North Devon so it started on Friday.

First, my husband gave me the first part of my birthday present.  Over the last few years, I've lost two wedding rings and the diamond from my engagement ring.  For my 40th he got the engagement ring fixed and a new wedding ring.  I feel very loved.  This is definitely not a need, but is something that has made me feel very loved and special.  He also gave me a cord necklace on which to hang them when swimming in the sea, making pizza dough, or any other occasion on which I might take off / lose any rings.

We headed down on Friday evening to Cullompton in North East Devon where we camped in the campsite behind Diggerland.  Blossom, our crazy four-month-old Cocker Spaniel puppy had never been camping before but she settled really well in the campervan.  She doesn't realise that this is what we do in this family and that campervan trips are going to be a key part of her life in this pack.

photo from Diggerland website

Dogs aren't allowed into Diggerland, so on Saturday morning Mum came up from South Devon to take care of Blossom for us.  C was feeling a bit under the weather and complaining of a sore tummy but we reassured him and went in.  Diggerland is AMAZING!  Driving a digger is on my bucket list, so this was a big tick for me.  There are digger themed rides, you get to dig holes with proper diggers, and I got to drive a JCB!  Unfortunately C really was feeling rotten and was sick twice.  He felt rubbish and sat out of all the rides we went on that morning.  After a sit-down for lunch, Hubby took him back to the campervan for a sleep, leaving Bug and I to play...  Thankfully after a couple of hours resting he felt much better, and came back into the park for the last couple of hours, so was able to enjoy plenty of rides and even got to drive a real car!

this isn't C - it's a photo from the Diggerland website

As the park closed, we headed back to the campervan where mum was waiting with Blossom.  We got changed and headed for a pub in Cullompton called The Weary Traveller.  I would definitely recommend this pub.  While the carpet could do with a clean, the service was friendly and the food absolutely delicious.  I had slow cooked belly of pork in a red apple and cider jus with dauphinois potatoes and seasonal veg, followed by Eton Mess ice-cream.  Mmmmmm!  Also a pint of Otter Ale.

This morning dawned sunny and I got up to take Blossom out, only to hear a strange sound.  As I returned from the toilet block I realised there was a hot-air balloon being inflated in the next field!  I headed back to wake the others and tell them about it, but the campervan was empty.  They had already heard it and we sat under a tree watching as it inflated and took off - very exciting!  Hot air balloon riding is also on my bucket list, and I hope to tick that one off as soon as the children are old enough to join us for the trip.  

We packed up and headed to the Bluebell Restaurant (tucked behind the service station at Willand if you're ever in need of a hearty breakfast, a carvery or anything in between - we opted for the breakfast).  Then we made our way to Weston-super-mare for Blossom's first beach trip.  It will be the first of many, and it was fairly limited today as she's still on a short lead, tires easily and there are dog restrictions on a large part of the beach.  She did have a paddle though, and was interested in the sand.  By the time we got back to the campervan she just landed in a floppy, doggy heap of cuteness.

As I'm back to work tomorrow morning, we decided to have present opening and cake this evening.  Aside from feeling very special indeed, the gifts I received are all very reflective of me, they've been thought out so carefully.  From Mum and Dad I got garden centre vouchers, which I will spend on plants for my new pond (when I build it).  From my big sister new Trollbeads for the bracelet she bought me for my 30th birthday.  From my little sister a beautiful edition of Jane Austen novels and a replacement rainbow mug (she keeps buying me them, but they are my favourite mug so I use them all the time and eventually drop and break them and she just keeps on replacing them).  From C, a rainbow coloured stripy towel and another rainbow mug.  From Bug, a giant fairy castle which will take pride of place in my Utility Pants* when I've sorted it.  From Hubby, as well as the rings, a canvas of the Periodic Table of Elements, which I've coveted since seeing it on the wall in Sherlock's flat on the TV.

All in all, a pretty wonderful weekend.  I feel very pampered and loved.  This weekend was all about doing the things that I love doing, and having a very special time.  

What would your ideal birthday weekend look like?

*It's probably best not to ask about my Utility Pants.  It's a room in my house, not an item of underwear.  It's a cross between a utility room and a pantry, and I've decided that it will be a den, a "mum-shed" if you like, decorated so that anybody wandering in there to get a can of beans or load the washing machine will think for a moment that they have stumbled inside my brain - rainbows and witchery, wildlife and craziness.  I'll post more on that this year as the decorating and sorting comes to fruition.  

The Missing Blogger

This blogger has been decidedly absent.  I have good intentions.  Writing on the blog has been on my "to do" list for a long time.  I like blogging.  I love to write and this blog has been a creative endeavour since 2010, when my almost-eight year old was tiny.  

Life, however, has me spinning many plates, and inevitably one or two get dropped.  

Tonight I set aside the marking, though I may get back to that later as I'm quite enjoying marking beginning attempts at poetry.  I ignored my list and went straight for the blog.

Here's a quick summary of what's going on in my life:

• Home - I'm a bit on edge at the moment about my home.  We've been in Herefordshire now for almost three years, hoping to sell our lovely house in Scotland so we can put down roots here.  I've been getting a bit pot-bound in this rented house that was always supposed to be a temporary situation.  We finally had an offer on the house, and accepted.  In Scotland, once the missives are exchanged, which usually happens very early in the process, the deal is legally binding.  We went ahead and started looking at houses, an found one that we absolutely love, went ahead and made and offer and were accepted!  Now we're just waiting for everything to be finalised.  The missives in Scotland have NOT been exchanged yet, our buyers have their loan agreement, but are waiting for their buyers to get their loan agreement through (this week we've been told) so that they can exchange missives with them, and then with us.  Our buyers are hoping to move in July, so I'm very much hoping that this will be a simple process and then we can start asking about a completion date for our house - we have our loan agreed, and hopefully move in late August.  In the meantime, I'm thinking about starting to re-paint the magnolia walls here.  We carefully didn't put any pictures up to avoid having to repaint when we moved out, but after three years, two children and a dog, the walls need repainting, and in some cases a bit of polyfilla, so the sooner I get started on that (and then keep everybody away from the paintwork!) the sooner it's done.  I'm actually finally getting happier with how the garden is looking.  This year I decided it was time to stop waiting and to just plant stuff, so I bought a lot of cheap tubs and planters and ordered bulbs and perennial plants and just chucked everything in, and now I actually have flowers growing on my large patch of gravel.  I'm planning to make the most of this Summer of countryside living with some wild foraging, and lots of time outdoors for the children, as our new house will be in the city.  Yes, you read right.  From seven years living in a small village (lovely community) to three years living in the middle of nowhere (not even a pub to walk to!) to a house where you can walk or cycle all over the place and a top-up pint of milk is very literally just around the corner.  I can't wait! 
• teaching - I'm very much enjoying my teaching job.  I love teaching. The lady I'm job-sharing with is lovely and I think we work very well together. The class we're with at the moment are quite chatty and VERY untidy, but I think that's partly because I didn't set up expectations on that front very well in the first few weeks of the year.  We seem to be constantly chasing our tails just to keep up with the marking and planning, let alone getting the displays and things sorted out.  Next year I'm delighted to be in Year 4 again - The planning for all the topics and units is there, so I just need to rework it to make it work for me and the new class.  I'm going up to three days per week, and will probably have a different teacher working with me (to be appointed this week).  I'm looking already at what I can do during the Summer to get the classroom looking nicer.  

• Campervan - that's right.  We got ourselves a campervan.  We are beginning to get the hang of just jumping in for a weekend away, and are planning lots of trips around the place with it, and are working out the best way to store things.  It's a VW T6.
• Health - So I've still got microscopic polyangiitis.  Apparently Vasculitis doesn't go away.  I'll be on the immune suppressants and steroids and blood pressure meds for a long time.  Kidney function has stabilised at 50% which is good, and the Drs are quite happy to tell me how well I look, check my bloods and send me on my way again.  Apparently all the weird little oddities my body has come up with are nothing to worry about, so I'm just trying to ignore them and take them in my stride as long as the blood results are okay and nothing drastic happens.

• The family - The husband and kids are still gorgeous.  The kids of course drive me absolutely bonkers, and I occasionally have a crises of confidence that they aren't being very kind to one another, or are becoming selfish.  I am reassured by everybody else telling me how lovely they are, and wonder whether they just save it all for me.  Sadly, I am no longer wearing a wedding ring but it's not as bad as it sounds - Hubby is still putting up with me despite my careless ways, I just no longer have the rings!  A couple of years ago the diamond fell out of my engagement ring while I was doing housework, and I never found it.  Last Summer the sea at Durdle Door in Dorset sucked my wedding ring off (I've lost a bit of weight, and I think it must all have been on my fingers!) and that disappeared into the blue.  I was wearing a stand-in as I really wanted to be wearing a wedding ring still, but took it off the other day while making pizza dough.  One minute it was beside me on the counter, the next it wasn't.  I told everybody to look out for it in their pizza, but nobody found it.  I'm hoping to get a replacement at some point, but it's not really the kind of thing you are supposed to buy for yourself, is it?  We're also sad to have lost our dog Tara three weeks ago.  She was such a wonderful warm and loving pet, and we had her for nine years, so it's a bit strange to get home and not see her wagging tail in the back door, not to get up early and take her out for a walk, and not to have her warmth spread across my lap on the sofa or my feet under the table.

• Scouting - Having done a LOT of Scouting in the past, things are pretty quiet since we moved to Herefordshire.  We've both got lots of skills and experience, but nobody here seems very interested in what we have to offer.  This is probably a good thing since I was poorly last year, as I was able to give myself a bit of a break.  Now we're both working with the Group where Bear and Bug are Beaver Scouts, and hoping to help it grow and develop.
• Crafting and Writing - This will be a very short paragraph.  It's just not been happening.  Too tired.  Too busy.  Bug got a mini-sewing machine for her birthday in February, and I confess I only just got it out with her this weekend (and can't make it sew properly so need to take it to Hobbycraft for instructions) so that she can sew her own apron - I'll try to post about that in the next couple of weeks when we complete it!

So there we go.  A whistle stop update of where I am and what I'm doing and a promise that I'll try to blog again at least once a week.

What have you all been up to?  Anything exciting?  Do comment below.

Christmas Holidays - From Stay-at-Home-Mum to Work-at-home-mum - diary of a transition

Christmas Holidays

I made no attempt to spend too much time working during the Christmas holidays - figuring that trying to do so would only mean I'd be disappointed in myself.  This was a good decision.

C had just finished his very first term at school and was absolutely exhausted - combined with the excitement of a five year old of Christmas of course!  Bug too was pretty worn out, and also very, very excited about Christmas.  So we spent the first few days of the holidays just relaxing.  We watched a bit of TV, we played with Lego, we went for long walks in the woods and played at the adventure playground, we made a gingerbread house, and we snuggled up on the sofa - bliss.  


On Christmas Day they woke up, opened their present from Santa (a puppet theatre and various puppets), looked in their stockings and we exchanged presents.  

We followed this with a walk in the Wyre Forest on Christmas morning on our way to my Sister-in-Law for Christmas Dinner.  

We stayed there for a couple of days, incorporating a visit to see Dick Whittington at the Regents Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent which was hilarious, and some snowman building on Boxing Day.  

Sunday was at home, with another long dog walk and some time to play with new toys (and get some laundry done).  

Monday morning Hubby was back to work, and the children, dog and I travelled down to see my family in Devon.  More walks in the woods, present exchanging, swimming with the cousins, playing on the beach etc.

Back on New Year's Eve, with my mum in convoy.  She stayed a few days, and we did a bit of shopping and pottering about, including a visit to Hereford and to Worcester.

Sunday was another restful day, and a long dog walk.  Monday, the last day of the holiday, I took them for a long-promised treat to the Play Planet in Hereford.

This week they are back to school.  We've all finally succumbed to the germs that Bug has been coughing at us all holiday.  I'm back to work.  So far this week I've sold two items (I'm still getting excited about this.  Looking forward to when I sell so many that it's no longer a novelty!).  I've bought some more fabric to make some more sandwich wraps and snack packs, and ordered some wooden items to paint and embellish ready for my first craft fair, which will be the 1st March.  I've blogged once so far this week, and completed one i-writer article.

I feel quite hopeful that I'm getting there with the balance.  I feel as though I'm on the cusp of making some actual money from doing things I enjoy doing, and with the flexibility to be there for my family when they need me.  Roll on a successful 2015.  Happy New Year!

Days 6 and 7 - From Stay-at-Home-Mum to Work-at-Home-Mum - Diary of a Transition

Days 6 and 7 - The Weekend

Weekends in the Inkspots home are as much as possible about family time (*until I start attending the odd craft fair to sell), and with Hubby around to share the load I'm not going to list all the things that we've been up to over the weekend.  It involved lovely long walks in the woods, a little bit of Christmas shopping and gift wrapping and spending time with a pair of grumpy, feisty little end-of-term pre-Christmas small children. 

With Hubby's support though, I did manage to get some work done over the weekend.  All crafty stuff rather than writing stuff, for the simple reason that writing tends to involve longer periods of quiet concentration, which just can't be done on a family weekend.  I finished varnishing my wooden shapes (eight of them have just gone on my Etsy shop) and have made a good start on my wooden blocks project.

wooden garden decoration from Sunbow Designs

wooden garden decoration from Sunbow Designs

wooden garden decoration from Sunbow Designs

Days 4 and 5 - From Stay-at-Home-Mum to Work-at-Home-Mum - Diary of a Transition

Days 4 and 5

A couple of interesting days because its the end of term.  More than that, it's the end of C's first term at school, and Bug's first term at her new pre-school, and it's Christmas!

Here's yesterday:
Work stuff - wrote an article for i-writer and researched some "filler" ideas to submit.
Mum stuff - washed and hung another load of laundry; took the dog out for 40 minutes in the woods; did the Grocery shopping; dropped the kids off at school and collected them; finished writing all the Christmas cards and posted them; posted my nephew's birthday present; spent some time just chilling with the children when they got home from school; iced the Christmas cake.
Just for me - played a game on the computer for half an hour; read a magazine; watched some TV.

And today:
Work stuff - put first coat and a half of varnish on six garden decorations; sanded down wooden blocks for another making project; contacted a craft fair organiser about booking a stall.
Mum stuff - took the children and the dog to Queen's Wood and spent an hour and a half walking and playing there; made the gingerbread pieces ready to build a gingerbread house tomorrow (was delighted that the children made "pop biscuits" with the spare gingerbread - a favourite food of the characters in "The Magic Faraway Tree" which we've just been reading); made mince pies; did a load of ironing and washed and hung another load of laundry;
Just for me - watched a film with Hubby.

I'm still a bit concerned that I'm not getting enough work done, but when I note it down like this, I can see that my day is pretty full and I'm doing plenty of lovely things with the children.

Day 3 - From Stay-at-Home-Mum to Work-at-Home-Mum - Diary of a transition

Day 3

Wednesdays and Thursdays (Tuesdays and Thursdays after Christmas) Bug goes to pre-school, so from 9.15 ish to 2.45 ish I have the day to myself.  I do get quite a bit of some work done in that time, but I also take the opportunity to get the grocery shopping done without having to referee two children, and to plough up and down the local swimming pool, something I really missed when I always had a couple of small armband-wearing cling-ons attached.  So here's how today went:

Mum stuff
Dropped the children off at school and pre-school and picked them up again.
Did a load of ironing, washed another load and hung it to dry.
Went to do the grocery shopping, realised that I'd left my Christmas coupons at home (by the back door, ready to take!), so just did a small shop and will go back tomorrow.
Wrapped Christmas gifts for teachers and pre-school staff.
Went for a short bike ride with the dog loping along next to me.
Made a birthday card for nephew and wrapped his present ready to post in the morning.
Started writing Christmas cards

Scout stuff
Hubby and I met with the District Explorer Scout Commissioner and Explorer Scout Administrator to tease out issues with Explorer Scouting in the District, think about a way forward and see where we could offer to help.
Work stuff
Continued to paint the next ten wooden garden decoration shapes.  They'll be ready for their first coat of varnish in the morning.
Wrote a blog post.
Posted a sold item.

Just for me!
45 minutes doing lengths of the local pool

Day 2 - From Stay-at-Home-Mum to Work-at-Home-Mum - Diary of a Transition

Day 2 - 
I actually feel as though I've got quite a lot done today.

Mum stuff
took C to school
washed and hung a load of laundry
tidied, hoovered and mopped throughout house
cleaned bathrooms
sorted the Lego and helped children tidy bedrooms
changed bedding (just one bed)
emptied rubbish
one dog walk and one 40 minute run with dog
made pizza from scratch
went to library
upcycled a t-shirt into a Christmas jumper for Bug (this took a couple of hours this evening, which is why it's now gone midnight and I've not yet gone to bed)
updated household finances

Work stuff
I've done some painting on my garden decoration shapes, 
updated my business finances
updated stock inventory
prepared an item (hat) for mailing in the morning
written a blog post

Day 1 - From Stay-At-Home-Mum to Work-At-Home-Mum - diary of a transition

I'm in the process of trying to make the transition from being a Stay-at-Home-Mum to my two gorgeous children, to being a Work-at-home-mum.  Having spent more than five years at home, I'm yearning to work.  Not just for the money, though that would certainly come in handy and make me feel as though I'm contributing a bit more.  It's more that, while I love being a mummy, I do feel that I have a bit more to offer the world, especially now that C is at school and Bug is approaching that milestone too.  I've thought about going back to Primary School Teaching, but I've spent a few years without a boss now (don't tell Hubby!), and I think I'd prefer to keep it that way.  In addition, I've other, creative urges that I want to experiment with, writing and crafting.  I'd like to try being a WAHM, developing my own portfolio career/business with the flexibility to be at home with the children on the holidays, before and after school and if they are sick.  If it doesn't work out, then maybe I'll reconsider, and get back to the interactive whiteboard and teaching.

I've set myself some increasing targets for each month, which will hopefully lead to some increasing income too.  These include writing blog posts, in the long run I'd like to be able to do some sponsored posts and get some small income from Google adsense; writing articles for i-writer; writing and submitting magazine articles; completing and submitting a couple of my books; making more items to sell, and selling them using etsy, folksy and craft fairs. 

The trouble is, that I sometimes get to the end of the day and don't feel as though I've achieved anything.  If I'm honest though, these aren't days where nothing has been achieved, these are just the days when being a stay-at-home-mum, trumps being a work-at-home-mum.  I'm actually doing plenty, it's just that none of it is progress towards my work goals.  So I thought I'd keep this diary of my transition from one to the other, in the hope that seeing how I get on might help other mums to decide whether or not they can do it too, and also to help me maintain my sanity, by reminding me that the mum bit of WAHM is just as important as the work bit.

Today, for example, I achieved no work at all.  Absolutely none.  Here's what I did achieve: did a load of ironing; took C to school; popped to B&Q to get some varnish for Garden shapes; collected dry-cleaning; prepared stuff for Beaver Scout Christmas party while simultaneously supervising Bug as she painted stars and cut up bits of card; had lunch with Bug and made the dinner ready for reheating later; settled Bug for a nap...she refused to settle without me cuddling in with her...so that was two hours of snoozing! Collected C from school and drove 40 minutes to Fownhope to run the Beaver Scout Christmas Party (stand-in Beaver Leader!), then 40 minutes back; the kids had eaten at the party, so they got ready for bed and settled down; ate dinner with Hubby; walked the dog.  And that's the sum of my day!  Will definitely get some work done tomorrow.  I've a load of garden decoration shapes to finish painting for a start.  Watch this space to see how I get on.  Future SAHM-WAHM posts will be shorter, I just wanted to introduce it this first time.