We're Back! It's Been a While...

Hi! 

I can't believe how long it's been since I showed the Kids, Cuddles and Muddy Puddles blog over here a bit of love! If you are new here.... welcome! If you have been following us over on our socials, mostly on Instagram, then you may have been keeping up to date with what we've been up to over the past few years. 

So, where have we been?

A lot has happened over the last few years! I'll catch you up quickly, then you'll understand why we've a bit absent over here...

Covid Chaos

Our last post here was written on March 2nd 2020, and on March 11th the World Health Organisation declared Covid-19 a pandemic. Schools were shut indefinitely on March 18th and the UK went into its first lockdown on March 23rd... almost 3 years to the day!! And there began the chaos of home schooling my 2 children, whilst also still going into work as a primary school teacher to look after the children of key workers. What an incredibly strange and frightening time that was, wasn't it? 

I had also become a single mum just the June before, so navigating this new way of living was an interesting challenge in many ways! During the second lockdown, schools shut again in January 2021 forcing learning online yet staying open again for key workers. My time and energy was split between teaching in school, preparing, editing and uploading online lessons for those at home, and home-schooling my own children, while trying to keep everyone healthy, sane and alive! It was an uncertain time for us all and no-one could have predicted what the next year or so had in store for us!

Bloggers Behind the Screens: "Our Blogs" Featuring Dirt, Diggers and Dinosaurs

Bloggers Behind the Screens is a monthly interview series, where fellow bloggers come together to answer a series of questions on a specific theme. This is a chance to get acquainted with a whole range of bloggers, some of whom you may not have encountered before, and learn a little more about them!

This month, we’re talking to bloggers about the very thing that makes them bloggers. Their blogs. I’m hosting Emma from Dirt, Diggers and Dinosaurs.

1. When did you start blogging and why?

I started blogging on a hormone induced whim in Aug 2018 when I was 7 months pregnant. I needed a creative output as I'd recently gone on maternity leave from my little craft business. I have always enjoyed writing and thought I would give it a go in the hope it would stop the baby brain…it didn't!

2. How did you come up with the name for your blog?

As I was writing from a parenting perspective I wanted something that summarised what being a mum of young boys was really like...so I glanced down at my living room carpet and low and behold Dirt, Diggers and a lot of Dinosaurs were looking back up at me.

Parenting Alphabet Challenge: An A - Z of My Parenting Experiences

You may have seen a few of these A - Z of parenting posts doing the rounds lately, so when Emma from Dirt, Diggers and Dinosaurs tagged me in hers, I was up for the challenge! The idea is to use each letter of the alphabet to describe your parenting experiences, and I took that to mean the good, the bad and the ugly! So here's my take on the "Parenting Alphabet Challenge," created originally by Yule Times. I tried to be a little original in my answers. How many can you relate to?

A is for ANTI-WRINKLE CREAM

Let's just cut to the chase... children age you! If I had know 10 years ago just how bad my frown (and smile) lines would become, I'd have started slapping the stuff on in my mid-twenties! Every wrinkle has been worth it though!

B is for BED HOPPING

Whether that be the children in yours, or you in theirs, there's guaranteed to be plenty of bed hopping, swapping and sharing going on! There certainly (still...) is in my house!

C is for CARDBOARD BOXES

I've lost count of how many times we've had to source these things for school projects; harvest baskets, gifts for the homeless, packages for third world countries, and the latest 2 - to make a hospital from the olden days, and an Easter house! You may as well start stockpiling now! Oh, and all those fancy expensive gifts you buy for your children - you can bet your breakfast (if you're lucky enough to grab any) that they'll be more interested in the cardboard boxes!

Getting to know you tag and Q&A

The lovely Kate from Confessions of a New Mummy has tagged me to take part in the Getting to Know You tag and Q&A. I've never joined in with a tag post, so here is my first! You might learn something new about me!

When was the last time you cried? 
I don't really cry much! But the last time I properly cried, was back in February at the funeral of one of my lovely past pupils. He tragically lost his life at the age of 12 to sepsis, brought on by flu.