I don’t know about you, but I’m really nosey, and I love reading about how people organise their days, and what they do. It gives you a little peek into their personal life, and as I have had people ask me how I manage to fit my blogging and work into my days, I thought I would share a ‘typical’ day with you.We all get up around 7/7.15. Graham doesn’t have to leave the house until the same time as us in the morning, which is a huge help. He tends to get the kids downstairs and start organising breakfast whilst I get dressed and their clothes ready. I always forget socks though. so at some point Graham has to go and hunt them down. Between us we get the kids dressed and ready to leave the house.

We leave the house to get to school at 8.15. Graham helps to get them in the car and strapped in. I park outside my mum and dad’s, who live a five minute walk from school. The unstrapping, getting Ben into his pushchair and getting them across the busy road is the bit of the morning I hate! Harrison starts school at 8.45am.

The rest of the morning varies depending on what day it is. On a Monday we go to a playgroup five minutes walk from school, Tuesday we go to one at the junior school across the road. I’m starting a playgroup at Harrison’s school on Thursday morning’s from next week which will need a bit of planning and organising. Most Friday’s we will be going to a playgroup that we used to take Harrison to when he was younger, but that doesn’t run every single week. The weeks it doesn’t run, my friend who also goes and I will try and meet up to do something, like go to each other’s house for a playdate or go to a soft play centre or something. Friday’s are also the days where a lot of things happen at school – this Friday we will be going to the celebration assembly as Harrison is getting a certificate. Next week is the Harvest Festival and Macmillan coffee morning, which I will be helping to run as I am a member of the PTA. On a Wednesday morning, we will do things like go to the park, or for a walk. Anything to wear them out!!

By the time we get home from playgroups etc, it’s usually getting on for 11/11.30, and then I tidy up, vacuum, mop, put washing on and do any bits of housework whilst Alex and Ben play or watch a bit of TV. We have lunch about 12.30/1, and then the aim is to get them to both have a nap. About 70% of the time they manage a synchronised nap! Whilst they are sleeping, I work for a couple of hours – usually responding to emails,sorting out accounts, doing some blogging, commenting on other blogs and taking and editing photos for reviews. If Alex is awake, I can still do these things, punctuated with lots of getting up to pour drinks and reach a toy, but he is pretty good at playing independently for a couple of hours. If Ben is awake, it’s a lot more difficult. I usually have my phone to hand to catch up on anything on social media, respond to emails etc but don’t get a lot of actual work done. I’m also a social media manager for a furniture brand, so I’m on and off Twitter and Facebook on my phone when I can, updating their pages and profiles.

We leave the house at 2.45 to go and pick Harrison up from school. It’s not far, but again the faffing with car seats and pushchairs takes time. We get home at around 3.30ish, and this is the mental part of the day. Trying to get shoes and clothes off, Harrison changed out of his uniform, read any letters from school, get them all a drink and a snack, all whilst they are running about like loons. We then try and have a quiet activity or game – last week we loved playing this shopping list game. Sometimes it may be some colouring or painting (I’ll be blogging some simple activities next week), or sit and read a book. Sometimes it is just chilling in front of the TV!

By this point, Graham is back, and he takes charge of sorting dinner. I hate cooking and not very good at it – he loves cooking and is good at it so it makes sense! Sometimes I might have prepped something earlier in the day and chucked it in the slow cooker but he always finishes it off. We tend to eat around 6pm all together, and then after dinner the kids play for an hour or so. During this time I get on with some more work. The kids have a bath or shower every other night and we usually take it in turns to do this, before they go up at 7.30 for bed. Graham usually does the bedtime routine, and I then sit down to get on with my other work. I do a lot of content writing for other websites and some social media management.  We usually have a film or something on the TV but I rarely actually watch it, as I’m at the table working. I do try and have a night off on a Saturday but to be honest, it doesn’t always happen. Luckily Graham is incredibly patient and knows it is something I need to do. We sit and chat whilst I am working though – I’m quite good at multitasking when it comes to things like that thankfully.  Before I go to bed (any time between 11 and 2, depending on how much I have managed to get done )I jump in the shower. I try to chill out in bed a little every night by reading, but half the time I end up asleep within minutes.

Obviously things happen where I don’t get chance to even switch my laptop on until the kids have gone to bed, and that makes it hard for the rest of the week. Last week we went out for the day whilst Harrison was at school and I got absolutely nothing done all day – I spent several nights then sitting up until the early hours, squinting at my laptop screen. If I have a day off, I more than pay for it, usually at the expense of sleep! Sometimes I might be given an urgent piece of work, and if Graham is off he will take the kids out for a few hours so I can sit and hammer it out.

I do really love what I do. Although I feel like I don’t get any time to sit and relax, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I always thought I would be a teacher. I never for one minute thought I’d be a writer, something I love doing, and working for myself means I can be there if the kids are poorly, or if there is something going on at school I can be there. Sometimes I would love to be able to switch off for an entire day though!