Well… look who decided to show up again.

Lately, I’ve been realising something that’s been hitting me harder than I expected: life has become… difficult. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, my kids are getting older, or if I’m just juggling too much, but the weight of it all feels heavier than it used to. Things I once managed without thinking now leave me needing a sit-down and a strong cup of tea.

Weekend Mode: Surviving Saturday & Sunday

Today was my first day back at work and I could already feel in my bones it was going to be a crap show. I woke up wanting the world to just swallow me whole, but apparently being a responsible adult means ignoring the desire to disappear and instead dragging myself out of bed to face the chaos.

Today was supposed to be glorious. The youngest two stayed home with their dad, which meant I could finally blitz through all the jobs before going back to work tomorrow. A peaceful, productive day for once. Ha. Hilarious.

Today has been non-stop, and I’ll admit it — I’m sulking. I want to be back at work, but instead I’m stuck playing “main parent.” I’ll be fine, but right now I’m moody about it.

Everything’s labelled, packed, and shoved neatly into the boot. I’d even managed a decent night’s sleep, was up and showered by 6am, and sat with my cuppa feeling smug. Three out of five kids were heading back to school today.

What. A. Frigging. Day.

I woke up in an arsy mood today. No real reason—just that heavy, prickly feeling where everything feels like too much. I knew I needed to get out of the house, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t get the toddler to the childminder. I couldn’t get to the post office with the Vinted parcels. I just… couldn’t. And because I couldn’t, I was in a mood and taking it out on everyone.

Bank holiday Monday. And not just any bank holiday—it’s actually sunny. The first proper sunny bank holiday we’ve had since about forever. So obviously, I’m determined to make the most of it.

Today has been stressful—but let’s talk about how I’m trying (keyword: trying) to manage. We’re creeping up to the final week of the summer holidays, which means one thing: the dreaded uniform check.

Up at 5:30am. Yep, the early bird gets the stress—and trust me, I’m no stranger to this routine. I’ve showered, done my hair, got dressed, and I'm sitting with a cup of tea in the kitchen by 6:30am, pretending I’ve got my life together while the house is still hushed in peaceful silence. Little do I know, that moment of calm is just the calm before the toddler storm.