So there was a time when I’d rise on a Saturday a good while after that weekends episode of Home Truths had finished. Then something happened: Kids turned up.

This last weekend we de-camped to the Isle of Wight to have the kids christened on the Sunday, but also to give the toddler a treat and visit the steam railway for their ‘Day out with Thomas’ special on the Saturday.

The schedule was as follows:

• 07:00 - wake up, Toddler up, all of us in one room = all of us up
• 08:00 - everybody dressed, go for breakfast
• 08:45 - prepare to leave for Ryde
• 09:00 - leave (7 mile bomb down some country lanes)
• 09:20 - drop Jen off to browse some charity shops and get a picnic
• 09:30 - Tescos for petrol
• 09:40 - pick up Jen
• 09:45 - Pop into see the Sister in Law, leaving the youngest with her for the day
• 10:20 - Leave for Havenstreet (another 4 mile bomb down some lanes)
• 10:30 - meet friends and enjoy Thomas and steam trains
• some semi-relaxing
• 16:00 - Leave Havenstreet for Ryde
• 16:15 - Chill out at the Sister in Laws for a bit.
• 16:30 - Mother in Law rings she has arrived at the hotel, so its back to Newport to pick her up.
• 16:50 - Find the MIL, head back to Ryde.
• 17:15 - Arrive back at Sister in Laws’ place. Pick up wife and youngest, leaving toddler
• 17:30 - Arrive at restaurant (in Ryde) with Jen, Youngest, MIL and meet father, who thankfully made his own way there
• 19:16 - Dinner finished leave Ryde for Newport (fourth trip between the two towns today)
• 20:00 - Get youngest ready for bed and settled, move travel cot (and Youngest) to the MILs room
• 20:10 - Go out of hotel and find a pub, with Jen and NO KIDS!
• 22:30 - sleep. bit tired now.

Sunday was slightly less manic, but involved Church and no trains. Can’t have everything I suppose!

I think life is better with kids, but I’m a bit too tired to think properly right now.

A couple of weeks back we visited Kew Gardens with my mother-in-law. I didnt think there would be much colour about at this time of year. Turns out I was quite wrong!