How to Get your Children back into the SCHOOL Routine after the Summer Break

A lot of children return/ed to school this week and I'm sure most parents will agree, it's not easy getting back into the swing of things.  Even if you are used to going out to work, or even having an easy morning there are still added pressures, for instance do they have their packed lunch or dinner money? Are you out of the house on time? Are they ready? Have they had breakfast? Have they done their homework? You even need to consider correct uniform, PE kits, have they taken a coat?  Did they do their reading?  The list goes on, and on...

I don't know about you but I have had to plan to get this done and so that I don't forget anything, I have followed five easy steps to make this transition easy, and get them back into a routine so everyone knows what they are doing.

1. Confirm what they have to do before they leave for school. The first thing I did was write a list of what they need to do on a morning before school and what they need to make sure they have for school - so get up at 7:30am, breakfast, washed and teeth brushed, dressed, collect reading folders (any dinner money, forms, or homework is put into the folder by me on an evening).
2. Confirm what they need to do when they come in from school.  Then I also wrote a list of what must be done when they return from school. For instance, take off uniform, and after dinner they have to wind down - bath, reading, homework and a light snack before 8pm.
3. Schedule some of your own time to help with school work.  I have scheduled an hour in after dinner every night to listen to reading, or help with homework or spellings.  
4. Prepare everything the evening before.  If you are always in a rush like me it's a good idea to be prepared.  I ensure that everything is prepared the night before.  I get the children to get their own clothes out, ready - I check that their folders have the correct items in for the next day.  
5. Allocate a bed time for School nights and stick to this.  In our house, the children are given an appropriate bed time (I use my discretion depending on how much sleep each child seems to need).  We have TV's upstairs but they are only allowed a DVD for a short period of time and then it's no technology.  

I hope sharing my own routine has inspired at least one reader to create their own routine.  Maybe you already have - if there is anything you think I have missed, please share, I would love to hear from you in the comments section below.  

Thanks for reading guys, laters, Janet :) 

A Healthy Start in September for me and Motivation Mondays intro!

Today, I wanted to post about my new healthy regime.  To be honest I'm not sure how long it will last, but hopefully, for the foreseeable future.  Usually, once I get motivated and get something into my head, I am committed to the task as that's just my nature - I am determined.  I know if I post about my success or troubles on my blog, it will increase my motivation, so bare with my posts - hope it's not too tedious! 

So what's the problem - why this new regime?

Well I know I am certainly not the only person in the world to feel like this but it's my weight, I'm not happy with it.  It's getting me down and now it's time to take action. 

After I had my second child I lost all of my pregnancy weight and managed to slim down to a size ten, yet I was still around the 10 stone mark.   Weight isn't a huge issue for me it's the health factor I'm more concerned with at the moment.  I joined the gym a few weeks ago as I got a good deal (which I'll talk about at the minute) but when I was weighed I was 15 stone 8 pounds and I could have cried with embarrassment.  I'm not stating for a second that I want to be a size ten again because I don't have a size goal in mind, I just want to feel better, more energetic, and be able to look in the mirror again and think, yes, that dress DOES suit me, today I look smart as most of the time I look and think wtf.  

I look at the health problems my husband has, my husband and children need ME to be healthy and well because what happens if I become unwell?  I want to do what I can to stay in shape and be the best parent possible.  Eating healthy all of the time and exercising around work, children, Uni, and caring for my husband when he is ill, as well as making time for friends isn't always easy to schedule in, yet it's so important.  Over the Summer holidays, we have all indulged and I am worried for my children too as I don't want them to become obese, as they are already sturdily built and it's my responsibility to ensure that they are fit and healthy,  

So what's the plan?

I am going to post weekly updates on my blog called 'Motivation Mondays' and this is the day I am going to weigh myself - hopefully it will be good news each week haha, but if you are in the same position as me you should join me and keep me informed each week - we can be fit buddies! 

OK, so I am making time to improve my health no matter what!  I got a fantastic deal at the gym - unlimited use of the gym, sauna and health suite, swimming pools, and exercise classes (I can now go to any of these free and have no excuse not to).  I currently don't have a car so I walk daily anyway.  

So, my plan is Tuesday and Thursday evening swimming with my sister.  I already began this a few weeks ago.  I also plan to swim on a Monday morning.  Then hopefully, I will get to the gym each weekday.  I might even take on two exercises classes if I can as I quite like the bums and tums, ab blast, and aqua aerobics but once I'm at Uni and it's assessment marking time at work I might not be able to fit these in religiously.  I think the main thing is to do what I can without pushing myself too hard, as I might get fed up too quickly and give up - I don't want this.  

I have also signed my OH to the gym, just so he pays session by session.  He will need me to go with him, due to his illness and will get guidance from the instructors on what he should or should not be doing and even if he just goes along once per week, it's a step in the right direction for him too.  

I am also signing the children up for swimming classes too, as they all need to learn how to swim properly and gain more confidence in water.  My middle child also fancies karate (but one step at a time I think as all three children need teaching how to ride their bikes too).  

We are going to take control as a family and improve our health and fitness!  

Have you ever been unhappy with your own health and fitness?  Have you done anything about it?  Like me, do you find it difficult?  

I would love to hear your view points on this topic, guys, come on!

Laters, Janet :)

Book review - GOT A Storm of Swords: 1. Steel and Snow

Before I went on holiday I finally completed completed the third book in the Game of Thrones series (yes I know there are seven and an eighth on the horizon but I'm not quite there yet).  My husband bought me the box set for Christmas 2013, and with all the books I have to read with my Uni courses, I barely get time to read a long book for pleasure so I am only up to this book so far.  I did study the first book in one of my BA modules and I thought it was great. It was an easy read and I loved following the different characters however the only way I can describe Clash of the Kings for me is PAINFUL.  It took me so long to read it and I just couldn't get into it.  It was hard work and I found Ser Davos' chapters tedious!  I think that's why it took me so long to finally pick up book three.


OK, so I started book three and I read it in just over two weeks.  There are 769 pages so I don't think it was too bad for me, however I did read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in Three days (the hubby was quite annoyed actually as I was falling asleep in bed with the hard-backed version and I kept nodding off and hitting him with it, haha), I suppose it did take me some time but I didn't have three children back then or work the unsociable hours I tend to now.

I enjoyed Arya Stark's and Jon Snow's chapters the most. Arya was on a journey through the lands during a time of war disguised as a boy.  Jon Snow was working under cover with the wildlings for the Castle Black, and both his and Samwell's characters introduce the white walkers in more detail.

Both Sansa and Catelyn Stark were quite interesting as both had difficult times, and difficult decisions to make as women.  Tyrion Lannister was brushed aside in the story by his own family and I must admit although I thought he deserved the role of Hand of the King, I thought he was a more interesting character when he was demoted and discriminated against by his family.  His chapters never failed to amuse!

Arya's Brother, Bran, was also on a journey but this was more a self realisation of what he has become since his third eye opened and he became a Warg.  He chose to separate himself from his younger brother and go to find his destiny.  The character of Daenerys also developed well as she gained control of her life after the loss of her husband and child, and freed slaves.  Her Queen-like prowess certainly grows well in this novel as she struggled through and seemed to lack direction in book 2.

Reading from the point of view of Jaime Lannister was a good addition to book three.  He has always came across as the villain but in this book my opinion of him alters.  He and Brienne become friends, he becomes a more humbled character, less arrogant.  He loses his sword-baring hand and he has a lot to contemplate in relation to what this means for him as a knight.

All of the characters in the story have suffered huge losses, and although I didn't find book 2 an important read, I do think it set the scene for the development of the characters in book 3.  George R. R. Martin writes from a different point of view per chapter so the characters are the key to the novels.  I find I'm more excited to read the next book now because Storm of Swords part 1. Steel and Snow, from my point of view was easy to get lost in, it was an easy but interesting read with strong character development.  It was easy to imagine how the characters had gotten older in comparison to the first book and I think that Martin has a talent here as from a creative writing point of view, this is not an easy thing to do and it could go either very well, or very badly.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.  I also like the series and I am up-to-date with that so I do have characters implanted in my head already.  I am not sure if that actually enhances the experience or hinders it.  What do you think?  Have you read any of the GOT series?  I've heard book 7 is quite hard to read as Cersei's chapters are quite tedious and difficult to bare.  What do you think of the character per chapter layout?  Do you find any parts of them difficult/easy to read?

I did like this book much more than A Clash of the Kings, and more or less on the same level as A Game of Thrones, personally, but it would be great to share views?

PS. If you haven't seen the series or read the books and like Fantasy as a genre, you should certainly give it a try!

Laters, Janet :)

The Love/Hate Challenge! - 10 Things I Love and Hate

Back in July, I was nominated by the lovely Debbie over at myrandommusings@blogspot.com to complete the love/hate challenge - click here for her post.  Basically, this meant she wanted me to list 10 things I love and 10 things I hate.  I have just got round to doing mine (sorry Debbie) but better late than never, huh!  My loves and hates are below: 

10 things I love…     

#1 My Family – Of course I love my family, they are the most important!  They are top of my list always.  I love my husband, my children, my sister, my niece and nephews, and my mother.  I also love family lost. 

#2 Writing – I love to write.  I like to write what I feel or know, through articles, and I also like to write fictional pieces too.  I am not an avid poetry writer but I too, like to write the odd poem too!  Writing is my passion and my love.

#3 Studying – I love to study and better myself.  I enjoyed completing my BA (hons) in English and Creative Writing, and I also enjoy studying for my MA in English too.  I hope one day to be able to complete a PhD and become a Doctor of Philosophy. 

#4 My Blog – I am quite proud of my blog.  I have only been a blogger for a few months.  I initially started blogging in January, but the website I used wasn’t great and I only blogged twice each month.  In May, I moved to blogger and I started to blog more frequently.  I am pleased to have over two thousand views on my blog and I am very pleased with what I have learned in relation to HTML codes, and really I have amazed myself with what I can do!  I hope to grow and develop it further!

#5 Clothes – I do love clothes but I can rarely find any I like.  I like a lot of black clothes but I also like denim jeans and jackets too, although I can’t find a jacket I like currently they all seem too short.  I like to clothes shop alone, but I find that because I need to lose a bit, what I like doesn’t always suit me.  I still like looking!

#6 Home-made Curry – I love my home-made curry.  I don’t particularly have a recipe but I use Maykways curry powder. I like mushroom curry, chicken or pork curry, and I also like to use smoked sausage and sometimes I add chilli depending on how hot I want it. 

#7 Watching Films and TV – I love to watch TV and movies.  I tend to watch fantasy, sci-fi and crime programs along with some documentaries too.  We love it when Harry Potter is on TV at the weekend, and I love to watch things like Penny Dreadful, Grimm, The 100, and Game of Thrones. 

#8 Reading – I love to read.  There is nothing better than being absorbed in a book – getting sucked into the world of fiction.  I love it!  I am currently studying some gothic texts for Uni, and I have recently read Carmilla, and The King of Elfland’s Daughter which were particularly a breath of Fresh air. 

#9 Coffee – OK so I love coffee – it’s no joke, I drink it most of the day.  I drink both decaf and the ‘hard stuff’.  I don’t mind either, I just love coffee!

#10 Walking – I love to walk because it gives me peace, a break from life.  I love having quiet time to think and that’s exactly what walking does, plus it’s great exercise! I particularly enjoyed all of the walking I did on my holiday at Center Parcs (another love of mine).

10 things I hate…

#1 Spiders – I am not keen on spiders.  I don’t scream or anything but I can’t stand the way they look and the way they move. 

#2 The seat being left up in the toilet – yes boys (as I live with four boys) please put the seat down after using my toilet lol!

#3  Mess – I actually hate mess but this is quite an ironic pet-hate because my house is always messy with toys and things that the kids leave lying around. Once they go back to school tomorrow, I might regain some household order. 

#4 Damp loose hairs – this is probably my worst hate but I hate hairs lying around in the bathroom and I can’t stand them touching my skin – damp hairs are the worst.  I have long hair myself and do what I can to keep them off me.  I tie up my hair until washing, inspect the bath and sink before use and ensure my sponge is away from anyone who could infect it with hair.  I used to scream my head off if one was on my wet body getting out the bath and wouldn’t dream of getting in the bath with one floating in the water.

#5 Washing up – OK, so like I don’t like hairs, I also don’t like floaty food bits and absolutely hate washing up.  If I have to wash up I like to wear gloves, but that’s why I have a dishwasher.

#6 Coconut – I really dislike the taste of coconut.  I can’t stand the milk or the actual coconut itself.  I can tell if it’s in a curry or in a biscuit I buy because I can sniff it out anywhere. 

#7 Discrimination – I hate discrimination on any level as I don’t believe others should be disadvantaged.  I hate it when policies or even the actions of a person put others at a disadvantage.

#8 Parents of disrespectful children who don’t seem to care! – Have you ever taken your children somewhere and they are being good but another child keeps being nasty or injuring them and their parents don’t even seem bothered?  Sure, my children are far from perfect and they have hurt other children by being to energetic (not on purpose) but I always check them for this and ensure they apologise and are respectful to others.  How can anyone expect children to be respectful when their parents aren’t?

#9 Aldi decaf coffee – sorry Aldi as a coffee lover I sometimes have to endure decaf as I drink far too much.  I have tried several decafs and Aldi must be the worst ever.  I love Aldi as a shopping place and always get great bargains but I’m so sorry, as I just can’t stomach your coffee. 

#10 Bananas - I truly dispise bananas.  The smell, the skin, the taste, the way the feel in your mouth and I know if someone has left a skin in my lounge bin! 

Thanks for the nomination Debbie, and thanks for reading to you guys.  Do you have any love/hates in common with me or do you disagree with any of mine?  What do you love? What do you hate?  

Hope you enjoyed reading, laters, Janet 

My Amazing Summer holiday break!

On Friday, I returned from a fantastic holiday at Center Parcs in Whinfell forest.  We kept the children busy and probably over-spent but I do think I actually tried to pack too much into the holiday as we booked several activities and meals out, but we would have had a good time without as many activities.

It can be an expensive holiday but I too found Haven expensive.  As you stay in lodges the accommodation itself is costly.  I found it a good holiday because there was something for everyone to do.  There were activities ranging from around £6 and some that were a lot more, but it really depended on what you want to do.  The lodges had a build in barbecue which was great, as it was cheaper than eating out.  If you want to save money on any holiday then it's best to eat out as little as possible.  In a family of five like ours, I don't think a meal out cost us less than £45 but it was the drinks that I found the most costly.  There was also a Dining In takeaway and you could order Chinese, tapas, Indian, and pizzas to your door and although it was more expensive than a regular takeaway in my home town, it was not as expensive as dining out.  I must admit that we did not enjoy the food (and drink) at every establishment as we did eat out for lunch and dinner on most days.  We didn't try every food establishment either but we did enjoy food at Canopy Bar, Cafe Rouge, Bella Italia, Rajinda Pradesh and most of all, Hucks.

There are free activities too, and I must say that the subtropical swimming area is fantastic.  There are flumes for all ages, a wave pool, a water jet area, whirlpools and there was so much to do for everyone here, even if you didn't want to swim there are chairs at poolside and also a cafe.  There are also great adventure play areas for children as well as a beach area.  There is a free children's disco every evening in the bar that includes the bowling and many of the restaurants have free indoor play areas for children too!

If you do have some spending money and you like a pamper you should certainly check out the Aqua Sana Spa.  I had a paraffin wax foot treatment and it was around £16, but it was fantastic - really refreshing and it made my feet feel replenished after all of the walking I had done.  We also painted pottery too as a family activity and that was fun.  As well as buying time in the studio you have to also pay for your pot so it wasn't cheap, however it was nice to have something memorable to bring home.

The Activity Den is amazing for young children as they have nursery places or 3 hour activities in which you can leave your child to do an activity with qualified staff.  My son enjoyed a couple of activities here during our stay.  Other activities that my family utilised were bowling, cheer leading, football, quad biking, creative canvas, a photo shoot, and archery.

If we go again, we would like to do miniature golfing and possibly the family den building.  I know I would certainly be up for another Spa treatment too.

The summer holiday period is now drawing to a close, but to be honest I still feel like I'm in holiday mode - back to work on Tuesday too!  It's all fitness and health for me come September and it will certainly be planning our family Christmas - oh and it's my son's fourth birthday and I'm returning to University for my final year of MA studies in October.  Back to Earth with a bump for me!

How have your Summer holidays been? Have you had a holiday this year or have you had any days out?  Do you have children returning to school/starting?

I would love to hear about them all in the comments below, guys!

10 Reasons You Should Start A Blog - Guest Post by Debbie @Myrandommusings

Dear readers, did I mention I was on holiday this week and would be having an amazing time? Maybe once or twice, huh?  

Well, never fear, because I have a treat for you today.  Guest posting for me today is Debbie, and she has done a few posts for this blog (because I like to keep her busy and out of mischief).  Today, she posts 10 reasons you should start a blog, and Debbie herself only started her AMAZING and SUCCESSFUL blog this year, and has had an amazing response from her readers.  

About Debbie

Born in 1982 in North East England, I knew from an early age I wanted to be a writer. Life got in the way, and the dream was put on the back burner, although never forgotten. I now write my own blog which you can read here: www.myrandommusings.blogspot.com, write guest posts for other blogs and am planning on completing my first novel by the end of this year!

You can catch up with Debbie by clicking on the following links:

Blog link: www.myrandommusings.blogspot.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/randommusings29

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/randommusings29

Bloglovin: www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-random-musings-6951697

Instagram: www.instagram.com/debrandommusingsblog29/

And now, all that's left is her post for us today.  Don't forget to show Debbie some love by commenting below!

10 Reasons You Should Start A Blog

For this post, I thought I would share with you ten reasons you should start a blog. Maybe you have been thinking of it for a while, and just need a little push to get you started. Maybe it’s not something you’ve considered seriously, but would like to have a go. Maybe you’ve never thought about it, but you just might after reading why it’s so great to have a blog. Try it! What have you got to lose?

To get your voice heard

If you are anything like me, you have an opinion on everything! Sometimes, your friends need a break from hearing them all. A blog is the perfect place to share your views with the world. From my experience, blog readers value honesty, and enjoy reading different thoughts and perspectives on things.

To become part of an amazing community

Before starting my blog, I pictured the blogging community as bitchy, back stabbing and very competitive. I was sooo wrong. The blogging community is awesome! Everyone is friendly and welcoming, and you can guarantee if you have a question about anything blog related, someone will be happy to help you out.

To build an online presence for you or your brand

If you aspire to a career in the media, or anything PR based, a good starting place is a blog. It puts your name out there, and helps you build a following. If you have good content on your blog, and are honest, people are more likely to trust you to handle online PR than if you have no proven track record.

To record your journey

A blog is a place to record anything and everything you want to share with the world. It is so good to look back on your blog and see how you have progressed, what has changed and how far you have come. You will look back and cringe at some of your earlier posts, but they will still bring back memories.

To become more organised

I am not the most organised person by a long shot. I have found blogging forces me to be organised in at least one part of my life. I have a schedule, which I stick to, and deadlines to meet – even if I do set them myself! After you build up your readership, your readers will start to know when to expect a new post – you may think now that wouldn’t matter to you. It will! You will learn to manage your time effectively so you can stick to your schedule, because you don’t want to let your readers down!

To make money

Initially, this won’t happen. Like anything, blogging isn’t a get rich quick scheme. Given time and effort, you can make money this way though, using affiliate links, and sponsored posts. Maybe even becoming a brand ambassador. So yes, it’s hard work, but as income sources go, it’s got to be in the top ten of best jobs!

To build something you can be proud of

At the risk of sounding soppy, your blog is a little piece of you, an achievement you can be proud of. You will pour blood sweat and tears into it, and there’s nothing wrong with being proud of your achievements, no matter how big or small. When you look back, you will remember that feeling you got when you published your first ever post and 6 people read it – 6 whole people! It’s an exciting moment, you want drum rolls and fanfares! That feeling never goes away. Hopefully, the numbers get bigger, but that feeling doesn’t change!

To boost your confidence

I almost used the words ego boost here. It feels good to know people care about what you have to say. However, that’s not quite it, it’s more than that. It’s validation, it’s knowing it’s ok to be you in a world where the media tells you you should conform to certain social standards, and it’s the realisation that your voice matters!

Free therapy!

I use that term lightly, but it does feel that way sometimes! If you are upset about something, often, pouring your heart and soul into writing about it can help. After writing your feelings down, I think you feel lighter. Perhaps something is eating at you – have a good rant about it, you will be surprised how many other people feel exactly the same.

If you aren’t ready to share your feelings with the world straight away, I still find writing is a good distraction from your problems!

To have the best hobby ever!

Blogging is fun! I know everyone will tell you it is time consuming, and harder than it looks, and they are right, but it is so rewarding, and more than worth the time and effort you will put in. It feels so good every time you can tick a goal off your blogging bucket list!

I hope these reasons to start a blog have helped you make the decision to take the plunge! Do you have any reasons to add? Share them in the comments!

Happy, Happy, Happy, Holidays!

Hello readers, today is a very happy post.

First of all, I would like to say that an interview I did for another person's blog featured today, so you should certainly check this out: http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/its-bloggers-life-with-janet-from.html

My Uncle flew over on Monday and I collected him from the airport but he went home on Friday.  I didn't see him an awful lot but it was good to catch up.  I haven't seen him in around five or six years so it was nice for the kids to see him as my eight year old didn't remember him, and my three year old has never met him.  He's a great guy, felt like he had never been away!

On Friday, I broke up from work which is obviously great news, however, I began to have flu symptoms.  Since breaking up (apart from being very snotty and looking a bit like death-warmed-up), I have been working profusely on getting ready for our holiday to Center Parcs Whinfell which is TOMORROW! There was no-way this flu was spoiling my holiday so this is the second day of taking Lemsips (which seem to be working) and I'm soldiering on.

Tomorrow is also my wedding anniversary and I have been married for 13 years! Wow, where has the time gone?  It's great to know that tomorrow evening I will be sipping champagne in celebration (seen as though we couldn't afford to be that extravagant at the wedding itself lol).

I must admit, I am really looking forward to Centre Parcs and I don't think I will be able to get internet connection to blog (so don't miss me too much).  I do have a guest post scheduled for Tuesday 25th August - 10 reasons to start blogging, from Debbie, @myrandommusings so you should definitely check that out!

Have a great week, and if you don't hear from me, don't worry, I will be having lots of fun in the Spa! Haha!

Laters, Janet :)