Are You In Touch With Your Prehistoric Side?

As mum to 16-yr old Miss C, I can’t deny that life is sometimes extremely difficult and quite often emotional! There are hormones, tantrums, sulking, and fits of uncontrollable tears, many of which are mine and well quite frankly Miss C often looks at me, her poor mum, with an expression of both compassion and mortification on her face! In spite of this and although frequently challenging, living with a teen can also be immense fun, rewarding and on occasion very surprising. Take last week for instance when I found myself having the time of my (prehistoric) life!

Last Monday started much the same as any other evening, that is until Miss C suddenly decided from out of the blue that she was now a Velociraptor! In her pre-historic guise she came bounding into my bedroom with an energy (that I’ve not seen from her for about 2 years) and landed on my bed with a loud squawk! Doris, the cat, dozing quietly on the bed, raised one slitty eye and when realising that Miss C was too big to stalk and kill, promptly nodded back off to sleep. It seems that our feline friend’s reaction wasn’t quite what Miss C was hoping for and so instead I seized the opportunity to join in and bond with my teenage phenomenon!

SQUAWK !!

Miss C, thrilled at my obvious enthusiasm, set about teaching me the basic skills of how to be a realistic Velociraptor (only of course after ‘Googling’ them)…. So off we set, we crouched low, shortened our arms, stuck out our bums and began to peck chicken like about the bedroom. Now I must admit, the Squawk took slightly longer to master (it did however leave me with a raspy/sexy voice, which I kind of liked!) but at last I was ready to showcase my new talents, so off we went to show Mr PB and little Miss H!

Now it’s fair to say that little Miss H was delighted with this unexpected arrival of dinosaurs in the house and needed no cajoling to join in. Soon we were all cavorting around the house totally immersed in our fun and enjoying every second of being a fully fledged ‘dinosaur’ family.  It was then while in full flow, that I stopped and took a step back to see my two children (who normally lead very separate lives due to their 7yr-age gap) ‘playing’ together, just like when they were small.  Now this is a rare and tender moment and the sight of it fills me with immense joy and pride… oh please, please, please don’t let scenes like this, between two very different sisters become ‘extinct’!

‘Table for one, Madame? ’ … HELL YES!

God, I realise that I must be in a minority, but I do just love Monday mornings! Now I know most people don’t and to be honest that’s not surprising, as for them it’s the start of the working week, but for me it’s just a wonderful time. For me it’s a time to cherish and to regroup from the weekend, to relish the stillness of my house, the peace and quiet and the fact it’s now just me and Doris to keep each other company.  Of course and without doubt, I adore my family, but sometimes, just sometimes, the noise, bickering and occasional out and out ‘war’ wears me down in the way a toddler high on smarties would!

Still every weekend I try to succeed at being an accomplished wife, parent, cook and all of my other various roles and so to that end, the pinnacle of our weekend is our Sunday Lunch/ Dinner. Regardless of what it’s called in your world, I’m sure it’s not just me that aspires to producing a glorious meal for my picture perfect family to all sit down together and enjoy!
 
I know there are statistics out there and so called experts who champion the importance of eating together as a family, but I wonder have they actually ever tried it. I mean, not just in theory, but actually in ‘real life’ with proper kids…. well in this case, my kids! Or could it be that all the research carried out on this subject has been conducted in a top-secret laboratory somewhere off the coast of Russia, using computer-generated children, whose moods, reactions and behaviours, unlike mine, could at least be slightly predictable?

Am I made of ‘The Wright Stuff’?....

As I climb into bed tonight with a ridiculous smile on my face, and reflect upon my unusual day; I’m reminded of a couple of expressions people often say in life.
‘Do something that scares you every day’ and ‘Well think of it as a good deed’.

Today (my unusual day) I did both! 

 

'Gorgeous!!'

Every week day morning I flick on channel five for the Wright Stuff. Sometimes I listen giving it my full attention, for if truth be known I have a gigantic crush on Matthew Wright! Other times it just plays in the background whilst I go about my day to day life. But hearing the first topic of debate was about Christmas (all my friends know of my absolute love and infantile excitement of Christmas!), I found myself doing the unimaginable…well for me anyway!

I don’t really understand why or how I ended up calling into the show and speaking to the very friendly researchers, who after deciding I had something interesting to say put me ‘live on air’ to Matthew!

Wish you were here....

We’re packed! Tickets, passports, magazines, baby wipes, boiled sweets, colouring books, crayons and wallet are all safely ensconced in my hand luggage and we’re off to the airport on our holiday. Now we all look forward to our annual summer holiday with the excitement of a dog that’s discovered the remains of a big mac on the side of the road! But does it actually live up to the glossy brochure promise and can it ever be anything other than the usual trials and tribulations of family life, with the only difference being that hopefully the sun is shining and two of you have developed the runs?

The airport check- in is our first port of call and also the first cause of stress. Let’s assume the queue isn’t too bad and that most other travellers have been conned into paying for online check- in, hence leaving it clear for me and mine to glide through with ease. If we’re on an early flight then I’m already at a disadvantage by not looking my best, having woken at 3am in order to get the kids ready, feed the cat, triple check the bags and give ourselves an extra 30 mins just in case the taxi fails to turn up. So being met by a glamorous check in girl, with perfect make up, chalk white teeth and a fixed grin, isn’t a great start.