Reasons to be Cheerful New School Year #R2BC

It's been back to work and school here this week which in some ways is a reason to be cheerful! 
1) Back to routine
As much as I love the fact that during the holidays we don't often have to get up and out in the morning I do get confused as to what day of the week we are on! It's nice to be back to routine so I know where I am.. Yes I am now a slave to the alarm clock again and have to drag kids out of bed but at least I know what day it is. I also have time to try and get back in to my running again. I've lost some fitness over the break but hopefully it won't take long to come back...
2) Family fun
We had a fab weekend at Minfest which brought many a smile to our faces with acts like these:

  3) Operation House
Still more little steps being taken and son's room still looking tidy! There is now a desk for children to do homework in our partly sorted front room and my sofa looking cosy:

We had a big clear out over the weekend and kids' made themselves money by letting gramps and I flog their surplus toys:

Here's hoping the rest of this half term goes as well!

Reasons to be Cheerful: Back to school edition #R2BC

This week the guest host is Tiger Tales so please go and visit her! It's hard to think of anything but back to school this week as that's at the forefront of my mind so here are my back to school Reasons to be Cheerful:

1) Routine

It is actually quite nice to have routines back in place after the school holidays. It will take time to adjust to them and there may be some tweaks but we all know what is happening each day and at what time. Yes getting up with an alarm seems horrid at the moment but I'm sure my body will adjust eventually...

2) New classes


It's so far so good after 1 day in their new classes. Both children like their new teachers and are happy to be back. My daughter starting off well by being über keen to read her new book The Twits and hopefully will Be better at doing homework this year. Apparently all my son did was play with Lego and have a Jesus story!

3) New me

Well I am sticking to the new gym and fitness routine. Since I joined on Friday I've been 3 times plus a few Wii Fit workouts and an aerobics class. Not made a difference to my weight but my body feels tauter already (it's a work in progress to not be flabby!). We have been challenged at our Rosemary Conley class to see September as the new January and to really get motivated. So I have 4 weeks to knuckle down and see the difference.

4) Family

I am so blessed having my parents around to enable me to work. I went back 4 days before the children so they have had to be looked after by granny and gramps. At least now school is back my parents can breathe a sigh of relief that they only now have a regular commitment of one night a week!

This weekend my brother in law and sister in law are coming to stay in Kendal. It's great to be able to see them and enjoy their company.

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Back to school again!

For me school went back last week but for my children it's the morning. It's been a very busy summer and it seems to have gone so fast. Yes the weather wasn't brilliant but we had some good fun times as a family of 3 or with my parents.

But now it is time to get back into a routine of school and work and everything else that goes with normal family life. The school shoes are polished, uniform already to go, PE bags packed and book bags all to hand. Both my children are looking forward to their new classes and teachers.

There school is quite a small one so each year the class structure is different. My son will be changing from an all Reception class where he was in the middle age wise to a mixed year 1 and 2 class where he will be the second youngest. Hopefully he will cope well with the transition from Foundation stage to Keystage 1 and carry on being enthusiastic about learning.

My daughter is one of the few from her year group that will be moving into the next classroom and a year 4 and 5 class. She is also going to be one of the youngest which will be first for her being an October birthday. This is the first time at this school she will not be in the same class as the whole of the year group. Hopefully being with older children will be an advantage for her.

As for me this I am learning how a new school year at a large secondary school feels like! I am also trying to squeeze in some much needed exercise time to kick start my weight loss before my birthday next month... Let's hope I am more successful than I have been for the last few months...

Reasons to be Cheerful XXXVII ( #R2BC )

Here are this week's reasons to smile!


1) Family I


On Friday my brother and my nephew came to our house for the afternoon and for tea. It was the first time we have been able to sit down to a meal with them in our new home. All the children seemed to be having a wonderful time together and my brother was brave enough to join in:

2) Family II


On Saturday we belated celebrated by granny's 95th birthday with 4 generations of us together for lunch. Granny seemed to really enjoy having family around her and trying out her great granddaughter's new baseball hat:

3) New Term


If I gloss over the fact that we are all finding getting up and ready for school very hard this week its great being back at work. As my job is still new and I have lots to learn it really does make me smile. I am getting to remember more of the 300 staff and I love the bustle of a busy secondary school reception. Long may I continue to enjoy it!

Back to school

That's it term started in Cumbria today so my children went to school and I went to work at my school. Where did those 2 weeks of Easter holidays go to?

At least it was a gorgeous if chilly first day back:

One week down...

Well we've managed to survive the first week back at school and there are only 5 and 1/2 weeks to go until half term! So how's it all been going for the three of us since I wrote my New Term post?

Day one looking keen

My daughter


We'd had a few wobbles about going back to this school but she was pretty cheerful going in on day one. Trouble came when I brought her little brother in to start after lunch and she had a tantrum about leaving me to go back into school. After school she had quite a big tantrum in the car too. All a combination of tiredness and jealousy that her brother was still getting time alone with mummy! These tantrums have now subsided thank goodness.


I have been told that in class she has been lovely and really knuckling down to work. Apparently she got upset when told to stop work and go out to play! She's been good about reading her book to me after school and was very keen to do her first bit of homework. I do wonder how long that will last...


My son


He has been really keen and eager about school from day one and loves wearing his uniform. A very independent young man he hasn't needed me to cross the classroom door after the first day. He seems to be very well behaved and enjoying it all. Like his sister he is completely shattered by it all. Apparently he does nothing at school all day but it must be fun as he skips ahead of me up the path into school!