What a week

What A Week

What a draining and eventful week. Not only for me, but the whole country! Britain voted to leave the EU! Who saw that coming? Ironically, the remainers are accusing the leavers of dividing Britain. Although, it is this attitude that I believe is making a divide. Don’t get me wrong, I am as nervous as everyone but the backlash has disappointed me slightly. Ever the optimist, I would have liked to think that now is time to come together and make our children’s futures as great as we can. Anyway, enough of politics, I’m sick of it! After spending Friday night celebrating a friends hen do I spent all day yesterday on the sofa. I haven’t had a hangover like that since I was 21! What was I thinking!? Surely the fifth sambuca shot should have been enough! I have no business behaving like that now, I’m a mum of five!…. F#@k it, it’s because I’m a mum of five I behave like that! Saturday night I watched Anthony Joshua defended his title without breaking a sweat and Adele had me in tears watching her at Glastonbury. George is teething badly at the moment. Our house has a constant moan in the background, poor little mite! Calpol has been stocked up and the powder that looks like cocaine wraps. To finish the weekend we have spent a lovely day at the school fete. Reminding me of everything I love about British tradition, spending a overcast summer afternoon with family and friends, drinking pimms and playing Tombola!

Rumbled! 

Rumbled

​So this weekend something happened that will change my sex life for the next 20 years. After telling the kids to ‘shhhhhhh’ for the 58th time in the six berth camper we had hired for the weekend, finally silence fell. …..until Harrison asked loudly, in a disgusted tone: ‘urgh, are you two having  S….E……X!? Because of you are having  S…..E……X. You need to stop.  It’s just gross, with your kids here,  close those curtains,  this is grossing me out!’ 😱😰😳😩😫😭 What the fu#k!? Firstly we actually were not having sex, any grunting noises had come as a result of me clambering up the shit#ing ladder to get into the coffin style bed above the drivers seats. Secondly, the space from our bed to the ceiling was about half a foot, i could barely turn over let alone anything else!! Thirdly…..I was too tired 😜 So the next morning I questioned harri on what is S….E…..X? His answer…. ‘its when a man and lady are naked in bed, kissing and making noises’ who was rocking the caravan last night?’ I had to think on my feet. ‘oh,  i thought you were asleep (true!)  there were some naughty boys outside pushing our caravan.  Did you hear dad go out and shout at them?’ ‘no, but thank God for that,  I thought it was you two having S….E….X.  i hope those boys don’t come back tonight! ‘ No fear of that son…they have well and truley got the message😒 So we are now looking for locks to put on our bedroom door and I’m trying to work out how to approach the proper birds and bee’s talk with them …..wish me luck! 

Happy New Years……Resolutions? 

Happy New Years Resolutions

​2016 has been an exciting year for me.   My new addition, George has given me his first giggles, crawled, taken his first steps and become a fully fledged toddler. watch my beautiful sister in law get married on one of the best holidays I’ve ever had.I spent a fantastic weekend in Dublin with some of my favourite girls. found out we are expecting baby number 6 and started my Modernmum blog. I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported me and encouraged me throughout my blogging experience.😘 I have met some wonderful new people through this journey and still feel it is only just beginning. Looking forward to seeing you on the other side…2017! 🎊🎉 I was chilling in the bath earlier,   thinking about what my new years resolutions will be for 2017. I’ve never made NY resolutions before (mainly because I know I’ll never keep them,  why add pressure!?) But this year, I feel like I want to challange myself,  to see if I am capable. So here it goes….

-Being pregnant I’m not about to put pressure on myself to lose weight,  however,  baby is due in April.  By next Xmas I would like to be pre pregnancy weight. #goals

-Stop convincing myself Libby’s messy bun is an acceptable school hairstyle.   Actually start brushing and tieing it up neatly every morning.

-Take George to more toddler groups and less coffee shops.

-Start working at a desk rather than on the laptop infront of the TV.

-Always make sure the kids have lots of paper/supplies for homework projects.  They get so embarrassed taking in a scrappy bit of A4 when little jonny looks like Monet has done his homework.

-With the children,  sign up to at least three charity fundraisers.

-Stick with this blogging lark, I am really enjoying it and maybe even double my followers (feel free to share away😘)

-Get my arse into gear and make sure we have turkeys here in the summer.  Next Xmas we will be supplying your Xmas dinner) -Laugh more,  love more and try harder. So what’s your news years resolutions?  Or like me in the past,  do you just not bother? Happy New Year, Lots of Love Kate xxxx

Happy New Years……Resolutions? 

Happy New Years Resolutions

​2016 has been an exciting year for me.   My new addition, George has given me his first giggles, crawled, taken his first steps and become a fully fledged toddler. I watch my beautiful sister in law get married on one of the best holidays I’ve ever had. I spent a fantastic weekend in Dublin with some of my favourite girls. I found out we are expecting baby number 6 and started my Modernmum blog. I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported me and encouraged me throughout my blogging experience.😘 I have met some wonderful new people through this journey and still feel it is only just beginning. Looking forward to seeing you on the other side…2017! 🎊🎉 I was chilling in the bath earlier,   thinking about what my new years resolutions will be for 2017. I’ve never made NY resolutions before (mainly because I know I’ll never keep them,  why add pressure!?) But this year, I feel like I want to challange myself,  to see if I am capable. So here it goes…. -Being pregnant I’m not about to put pressure on myself to lose weight,  however,  baby is due in April.  By next Xmas I would like to be pre pregnancy weight. #goals -Stop convincing myself Libby’s messy bun is an acceptable school hairstyle.   Actually start brushing and tieing it up neatly every morning. -Take George to more toddler groups and less coffee shops. -Start working at a desk rather than on the laptop infront of the TV. -Always make sure the kids have lots of paper/supplies for homework projects.  They get so embarrassed taking in a scrappy bit of A4 when little jonny looks like Monet has done his homework. -With the children,  sign up to at least three charity fundraisers. -No more dogs! -Always answer my mobile phone, even if I know it is cold callers, politely tell them to fuck off. -Go out for more family walks,  such a cheap fun way to spend time together.  If we end up at the local pub… Even better! -Stick with this blogging lark, I am really enjoying it and maybe even double my followers (feel free to share away😘) -Get my arse into gear and make sure we have turkeys here in the summer.  Next Xmas we will be supplying your Xmas dinner) -Laugh more,  love more and try harder. So what’s your news years resolutions?  Or like me in the past,  do you just not bother? Happy New Year, Lots of Love Kate xxxx

New kitchen 

​The person who said the two most stressful things you can do in life is move house or get married never refurbished a house with four/five children! 
We finished our extension just before George was born but put our kitchen on hold. 

(this picture is totally irrelevant,  I just wanted to show off my wallpaper hanging skills !)  
I couldn’t handle the mess and inconvinience of no kitchen and a Newborn baby so we left it as it was. 
Now, nearly a year later we looking into finishing it and the thought is filling me with excitment and dread! 
I’m still cleaning dust up 11 months after the building work finished! 
This always helps :
‘There may not be a kitchen but don’t think for a second I’m living on sandwiches for a month.’
‘ let’s move into nana’s’
‘Can you still make Coco pops? ‘
‘ you should buy our old house. That kitchen was finished ‘
-Just some of the constructive comments my beautiful offspring offered!  
I also seem to be so much more indecisive since George was born. 
I’m no stranger to refurbing or putting new kitchens in but this time I’ve drawn a blank. 
I can’t decide what kitchen to go for, how to lay it out,  what floor to have, what lighting i want,  an island or a bar?  Solid wood or granite?  
This is so unlike me,  i am,  usually quite an impulsive and decisive person.
Either way,  what i want and what it will look like after a couple of months are two totally different things. 
I picture a sparkling white kitchen with a beautiful chandelier,  a huge bunch of flowers in a vase sitting proudly on the island,  a full wine Fridge and the smell of coffee in the air. 

What the ‘ real ‘ picture will show is dirt marks all over what used to be stunning white units,  dead lily’s where I have forgotton to change the water and can’t be arsed to empty the stinking flowers out,  an empty wine fridge (five kids and five dogs,  need i say more?) and the smell of shitty nappies because,  although I have the intention to buy nappy sacks each time I’m out, I never do!  #mumslife
I better start getting my arse into gear, two walls are being knocked down this week and the sooner I have a kitchen picked the sooner an end is in sight.
I’ll start tonight, hold on, Did someone say tapas? 
….
I’ll start tomorrow! 

Camp Bestival 2016

Camp Bestival 2016

My friend has been to every Camp Bestival since it started and every year she has tries to convince me to come with her. Now, here is the problem,  i don’t camp! My experience of tents is that they are damp and freezing when the weather is cold and like a sweat box when it’s warm.  They smell and don’t even get me started on putting the bloody tent up and taking it down! I have nothing but respect for anyone who can embrace camping,  especially with children! But it’s not for me. When you have five children in tow the aim of the game is to always plan ahead. Avoid anything that could cause Unnecessary stress! Over the last year the kids have really started getting into music and what’s hot in the charts. I looked into tickets to capitals jingle bell ball, party in the park,  Justin Bieber and more,  but tickets always seem to be a minimum of £100 each. When you want to take four kids it’s starts getting ridiculous! So my thoughts turned to Camp bestival,  where the tickets for children are approx £150 but you have three days of various artists plus so much more. Another friend had mentioned she was going but had hired a campervan….bingo!!! After the drama of trying to find a six berth campervan to rent for the first weekend of the summer holidays with two weeks notice we hit jackpot in Hayling Island. At the cost of £650 for the weekend,  to take the kids away for four nights, we thought is was a bargain! It is so much easier packing a campervan for a little holiday than a car.  Food i had brought went straight into the fridge,  I made the beds up and put the cases away in the wardrobe. The campsite opens on the Thursday,  there is not a huge amount happening that day but food stalls are open and the Slow Motion area (pampering section where you can have your hair done,  spa treatments,  yoga etc). We drove down Wednesday night and pulled up at a lay-by close to The festival ready to drive straight in on Thursday to get a prime spot and avoid heavy traffic. Camp Bestival is set in the grounds of Lulworth Castle in Devon. It took about  two and a half hours from where we live in Warlingham. It is an absolutely beautiful setting that’s adds to the magic of the festival. Knowing Thursday was more of an orienteering day to gauge where everything is, I decided it would be the perfect day to book a relaxing massage in the Slow Motion area. Mike and I both had a shiatsu massage which really set us up for the weekend. I have never had a massage on the ground in a teepee before but don’t knock it till you try it,  it was fantastic! The campervan was equipt with a toilet,  shower and a kitchen but unfortunately the field don’t provide electric so we couldn’t use our shower. However,  the ‘posh showers’ they provide are really nice and as long as you pick your time right (we showered late afternoon)  there were no ques. I can’t go through everything that the festival has to offer,  mainly because I don’t feel like we did even half of it but I’m ready to go hardcore at this festival next year!! The main stage is where the big acts perform.  From about 3pm the music acts are continuous. Our favourites are Reggie and Bollie, Jamie Lawson, fat boy slim and Katy B. Dick and Dom from Cbbc really for the crowd going and Mike and I were crying with laughter at some of their antics! Unlike other festival,  the main stage area never felt rammed. There was plenty of room to set up a picnic blanket, buggy and bags and have a dance without bumping into anyone. The Big Top tent is where we watched a beautiful West End Kids show featuring songs from all the Disney movies, We Will Rock You and to Mikeys delight, a bit of  Arianna Grande. The children all took part in the Brit School Workshop where they learnt dance routines. We spent a few hours in the art tent making all sorts of models with the outerspace theme that the festival was based on, Mikey, Charlie and Libby particularly enjoyed that. Harri spent his time outside the tent perfecting his spinning wheel tricks! The kids were mesmorized by the insect circus, loved the punch and judy puppet show and although we didn’t make it to the biggest bouncy castle,  we are saving that for next year. We all enjoyed watching the BMX and stunt shows but, again,  we missed a few opportunities that we are looking forward to catching next year such as the wall of death and the kids climbing wall/ gymnastics. The atmosphere feels very relaxed and safe with regards to the kids. I lost a couple of the kids one evening (not on purpose i promise)  and kids welfare tent called me within 10 minutes to say they were safe and with them. All children are given wrist bands with parents numbers written on them. One of the managers that I spoke to when I picked Mikey up proudly told me that in all the years Camp Bestival has been running they have never lost a child for more than 15 minutes!  That is quite an accomplishment given number of families that attend. Now let’s talk about my favourite subject…..food! The food choices are out off this world! With a family of seven it can work out expensive to feed them all day at the festival. I would suggest packing lots of food so that you can cook breakie and take snacks etc. But with all the best intentions to save money, when your faced with the choices there,  it’s hard to resist! Chicken katsu curries, fish and chips, Dj Bbq, French crepes, Indian, Burgers (not just any burgers,  those posh burgers made from any meat you want!) Lobsters and shellfish,  pasta, pizza, milkshaka made with any chocolate you want, I’ve cream,  Vietnamese, Jerk, Cakes, Mike had a Ox Cheek wrap that was out of this world. The list goes on,  honestly,  anything you could possible want,  they catered for. Mike was particularly enjoyed when he saw a few of the foodies he follows on Instagram there. On the recommendation of our veteran camp bestival guru Katie, we made a point of going into the kids field and getting them some corn…… That went down a treat with them all and is now going to be a regular snack in our house! As you can probably tell, we really had the time of our lives! Now I’m going to dissapoint you by telling you we left early. We packed up on Sunday afternoon,  missing a few acts, losing out on seeing some of the other treats the festival had to offer and most importantly, the complete highlight (so I have been told) THE FIREWORKS 🎆 Mikey had already missed a couple of rehearsals for the production be was in due to our weekend away and missing any more could have meant losing a place in the show. This is just another thing I will look forward to next year. We spent such a magical weekend together.   The children loved it and Mike and I both agreed it was better than taking them to Disney world! Needless to say we have already booked for next year and can’t wait! FYI,  Camp Bestival provide a payment plan for tickets so that you can spread the cost a bit. For us to go (2 adults, for children and a baby) for four nights,  including pitch and tickets was approx £750. If you decided to give this a go next year here are a few tips: -The campsites are up and down some pretty beastly hills. We must about managed with the buggy but watching some of the campers drag trollies of tenting equipment back and forth from the car park (up another hill) made me want to pour them a vodka. If you can afford it, look into the glamping, backstage and boutique camping.  If you have young children it would be well worth it. -Take plenty of supplies (milk,  bread,  crisps,  baby wipes) I ran out of a few bits and popped to the very limited camping shop. I paid £2 for a tiny pack of baby wipes (the pack I usually get free in my baby show goody bag) You get my point! -Don’t rush to the front of the main arena, it’s calmer and easier for the kids to dance about towards the back and you still have great views of the stage. -Don’t pre judge the acts!  we were so excited about Fat Boy Slim and Jess Glynne that We were not fussed on Mr Tumble,  Dick and Dom or Reggie and Bollie yet they were our highlight! Hopefully I’ll see you there next year…. http://www.campbestival.net

Rumbled! 

Rumbled

​So this weekend something happened that will change my sex life for the next 20 years. After telling the kids to ‘shhhhhhh’ for the 58th time in the six berth camper we had hired for the weekend, finally silence fell. …..until Harrison asked loudly, in a disgusted tone: ‘urgh, are you two having  S….E……X!? Because of you are having  S…..E……X. You need to stop.  It’s just gross, with your kids here,  close those curtains,  this is grossing me out!’ 😱😰😳😩😫😭 What the fu#k!? Firstly we actually were not having sex, any grunting noises had come as a result of me clambering up the shit#ing ladder to get into the coffin style bed above the drivers seats. Secondly, the space from our bed to the ceiling was about half a foot, i could barely turn over let alone anything else!! Thirdly…..I was too tired 😜 So the next morning I questioned harri on what is S….E…..X? His answer…. ‘its when a man and lady are naked in bed, kissing and making noises’ Day three he wake up and he asks: ‘ who was rocking the caravan last night?’ I had to think on my feet. ‘oh,  i thought you were asleep (true!)  there were some naughty boys outside pushing our caravan.  Did you hear dad go out and shout at them?’ ‘no, but thank God for that,  I thought it was you two having S….E….X.  i hope those boys don’t come back tonight! ‘ No fear of that son…they have well and truley got the message😒 So we are now looking for locks to put on our bedroom door and I’m trying to work out how to approach the proper birds and bee’s talk with them …..wish me luck!

What a week

What A Week

What a draining and eventful week.  Not only for me, but the whole country! Britain voted to leave the EU! Who saw that coming? Ironically, the remainers are accusing the leavers of dividing Britain. Although,  it is this attitude that I believe is making a divide. Don’t get me wrong, I am as nervous as everyone but the backlash has disappointed me slightly. Ever the optimist, I would have liked to think that now is time to come together and make our children’s futures as great as we can. Anyway,  enough of politics,  I’m sick of it! After spending Friday night celebrating a friends hen do I spent all day yesterday on the sofa. I haven’t had a hangover like that since I was 21! image What was I thinking!?  Surely the fifth sambuca shot should have been enough!  I have no business behaving like that now,  I’m a mum of five!….  F#@k it, it’s because I’m a mum of five I behave like that! image Saturday night I watched Anthony Joshua defended his title without breaking a sweat and Adele had me in tears watching her at Glastonbury. George is teething badly at the moment.   Our house has a constant moan in the background,  poor little mite! Calpol has been stocked up and the powder that looks like cocaine wraps. image To finish the weekend we have spent a lovely day at the school fete. Reminding me of everything I love about British tradition, spending a overcast summer afternoon with family and friends,  drinking pimms and playing Tombola!

What a week

What a draining and eventful week.  Not only for me, but the whole country!
Britain voted to leave the EU! Who saw that coming?
Ironically, the remainers are accusing the leavers of dividing Britain. Although,  it is this attitude that I believe is making a divide.
Don’t get me wrong, I am as nervous as everyone but the backlash has disappointed me slightly.
Ever the optimist, I would have liked to think that now is time to come together and make our children’s futures as great as we can. 
Anyway,  enough of politics,  I’m sick of it!
After spending Friday night celebrating a friends hen do I spent all day yesterday on the sofa.
I haven’t had a hangover like that since I was 21!
image
What was I thinking!?  Surely the fifth sambuca shot should have been enough!  I have no business behaving like that now,  I’m a mum of five!….  F#@k it, it’s because I’m a mum of five I behave like that!
image
Saturday night I watched Anthony Joshua defended his title without breaking a sweat and Adele had me in tears watching her at Glastonbury.
George is teething badly at the moment.   Our house has a constant moan in the background,  poor little mite!
Calpol has been stocked up and the powder that looks like cocaine wraps.
image
To finish the weekend we have spent a lovely day at the school fete.
Reminding me of everything I love about British tradition, spending a overcast summer afternoon with family and friends,  drinking pimms and playing Tombola!

When you nearly kill your husband

When You Nearly Kill Your Husband

How about when you are peacefully sleeping and your husband wakes you up asking for his phone. You tell him you don’t have it, but he insists before you fell asleep you put it on charge next to you. Even though you have absolutely no recollection of this you bolt up and start looking for the phone……. Nowhere to be found! He is absolutely certain, after you ask numerous times, he brought it upstairs and gave it to you So you check everywhere, strip the bed, take the duvet out of the cover incase the phone has some how maneuvered itself down the bed,  in-between the buttons and into the sheet. No sign of it. You get on your knees and check under every corner of the bed while he lifts it. Meanwhile the light is now full on,  risking waking the baby. You check drawers,  windowsills,  down the toilet,  in the bath…. Even though twenty minutes ago you were catching your zzzz’s. While hubby stomps around the room insisting its gone,  you try to rationalise unless a pixie has come in and taken it, it would have to be in the room. You then sit up on your phone and work out how these Tracker things work on your phone so you can locate it in the 220 square foot room you are sitting in! but neither of you can remember the f@cking email address. You finally take the search that step further and decide to go downstairs to re -trace his steps. imagine your suprise when you hit the bottom step and see the phone sitting on the sideboard in the hallway. WHAT A PR!CK The next bit? You prepare your rant and outburst at him for being that stupid. When you walk in the room,  show him the phone,  and before you can get your words he bellows…. ‘Oh my God.. You just took that down there!!!!  You found it here and took it down there ‘ What you want to say is ‘ you f@cking dick, you woke me up,  had me looking everywhere, nearly woke the baby up and then have the gaul to not apologise, you are a total walking W@nker!!!!!!!’ But you just hand it to him,  tell him politely to f@ck off, Get into bed and leave him with the thought that he is a complete ignoramus! Then write a blog about it! Ps…..He apologised in the end 😂😂😂