The Rising’s Growing Together Podcast - Camping with Kids, Friendship Feels & Real-Life Chaos @TheRising1111 Growing Together Podcast Ep.12

Episode Date: May 12, 2025

This week on Growing Together, Billie and Charlotte catch up on everything from Charlotte’s camping trip with the kids to how they both juggle friendship, family, and the unexpected chaos of real life.They talk about parenting on the go, keeping kids entertained outdoors, why quality time matters (even in a tent), and what it’s really like trying to balance fun with responsibility. Plus, a hilarious debate on friendship, fairness, and who should actually pay for what! 👯‍♀️ This podcast is your weekly invite into two best friends’ lives no filters, no scripts, just the real stuff.⏳ Subscribe for new episodes every Friday whether you’re a parent, a busy woman, or just love a good honest chat, you’re in the right place. Let’s grow together.#growingtogetherpodcast #mumlife #realtalk #workingmums #friendshipgoals #parentingunfiltered #campingwithkids #bestfriendspodcast #LifeCatchUp #RelatableChats

Welcome back Thanks for joining us again for another week of our podcast Yeah God we've, how long we're doing it now? Two, three months. A while. I felt like I didn't see you for a while though as well Even though we obviously have

But we try and record weekly But every now and then, like I say, you went away And stuff So we record a couple in a week Yeah, I've been away I've been to my happy place. You've been to your happy place. You've been camping.

Everyone's looking at him and like, weirdo. I absolutely love camping. It is genuinely our happy place. And you went to where we went last year when I was pregnant with Hayden and we came as well. Yeah, yeah. And you've been to visit for days as well, haven't you. Yeah, we've been up once or twice, I think, to see you for the day. Yeah, and we had that.

So this time we actually went with, well, my sister-in-law, my brother-in-law, my niece and nephews. and they've never been camping before so that was quite nice for them for us to bring them on our experience because they really want to get into it now so they think they bought a tent years ago and they've just

never gone they've got they've got twins young boys so you know finding the age that you think it's going to be suitable well that's it I think we're a past this year because having a 10 month old that's always on the floor is not going to be good for campers yeah it'd be more of an effort rather so yeah like say the boys are getting to a good age

now they can get involved and run around and buy the bikes and yeah that was it it was it was it was nice to have have them there and and uh like i say bring this bring them on our experience because because it is at having plays i'm i'm just a lot more relaxed at camping i think i'm a different so not a different person but i'm certainly a different mom at camping i think okay tell me more explain well i just think that i'm i don't know people just might be on holiday because I'm more of a relaxed person because it's holiday vibe, isn't it? Yeah.

But for example, well, in the supermarket, I don't even let mine go to the next aisle. That's how panicky I am about my kids going off and me not seeing them. Well, all the times when we talk about holidays, you're like, oh no, we're too scared to go there, be too scared to go there.

Camping's your safe, happy place. With camping, the kids can just go off. They're allowed to just do what they want, go where they want. They've got walkie toorkies, so we all keep in touch. And yeah, I'm just... That's quite a difference right to let the kids from where like

obviously your tent is to like walk up to like the water park bit or to the little shop that they have in the grounds obviously it's all in the grounds but they can go out the grounds if they wanted to obviously they it's not completely the gates locked but obviously yeah you are on like a resort

a camping resort thing so you can't let your kids go to the next Dalai but you're fine so how do you get to that point where you feel comfortable I don't actually know it's such a weird Maybe because you go to the same place. Yeah, I think, I have mentioned this before. On other campsites that we've been to,

I wouldn't really let them go off because of the distance is a bit different and the way that the other resorts that we've been to are laid out differently. Yeah. I just feel like it's just that bit too far and a bit too. Yeah, because I've been to only one of the other ones just for the day.

We went and used the swimming pool when we took cases swimming. But yeah, that's, it's laid out very different. it's a lot more open, whereas that one, you kind of have the entrance at the top. Yeah. And obviously, yeah, you can walk through, but it feels a little bit more like a barrier kind of thing. And then everything is underneath it. So, yeah, I see what you mean.

It feels more enclosed. Yeah. I just, it's really strange because I probably couldn't explain to you why. I just generally become this more relaxed parent. The kids definitely notice it because obviously I'm usually like, no, come here, no, do this, that. And in camp, I'm like, yeah, go for it. Do you want you go to talk it? Yep, fine, go for it.

You know, that sort of thing. And we just love it. We just, we just, it's just the basics. No devices, unless it's for a photo or whatever, you know what I mean? And that kind of a thing. We, we've obviously, over the years, we've, we've got our camping stuff together. It's, you start with nothing, obviously. Yeah, of course, yeah.

We used to go with, you know, like a close family friend that she's, she would have all the stuff, you know, and we'd come with just the basics. And then as time goes on... Must be how you start camping, because you have to learn from people that are good at it in and know what they're doing. And then you think, oh, I need that and I don't need that. And next time we'll get something for that, you know. As you go on, if you enjoy it, obviously, as you go on, you kind of, you add to it.

I suppose it's like any kind of that sort of holiday, whether it's skiing, you know, your first time ever skiing, you don't have anything? And by the time you keep up and you have all the gear, don't you? Because you enjoy it that much. So what would be your, like, say, top five things that you think quite, that make it a nicer, easier experience to have as part of, like, your equipment. Oh, my tent, I think it's important to have a nice, a good tent, not just a, not just a, it's not just for sleeping in. You've got quite a big one that has, like, a space in the middle, right?

Yeah, we have got, but at the same time, I think I thought ahead in the fact that my family's growing. Do you know what I mean? I didn't want to have to buy another one. So this would just go with us through it all, you know what I mean? So that it's got four bedrooms and then it's got your middle, like, main area. So if the kids bring friends and stuff, So it's not like you're stuck. Yeah. Like you've got the space. Yeah.

Well, this year, this year, this time was the best time Mason didn't come. Oh. Not because he didn't want to, but he had work and other bits and bobs going on. Yeah. And he just didn't manage to come up. And I felt that this time actually. I did. I think having, you know, my sister and brother were and my niece and nephew's there.

It took that time, took that thing away. But yeah. Yeah. Yeah. When I got back, it was, oh, I've wished you because he comes everywhere with us, you know. So, yeah, a good tent, and that was different this one because we had basically just two big rooms because obviously there was just the four of us.

Whereas it's usually based and they'd have another room and that split up. So, yeah, good tent. I think that's important. Yeah. Light. Okay. Because when the light drops, you can't see anything, I'm telling you. No, I'm joking.

This campsite, there's obviously all lamps and stuff like that. So, yeah, good light. we have i like this this resort because uh uh to have barbecues you can have it on your plot yeah because sometimes they send you off to like a barbecue area don't they you got traips all your barbecues stuff all your food and all that you want to do it where you're at whereas this so we have our own camping barbecue yeah camping um um do you take like a disposable one or do you have like a proper one that we use every time we go camping i say it's like a foldable but obviously it's not foldable, do you know what I mean?

It's just... Pack away. Yeah, yeah. Just the legs come off, basically. I don't know, really. I'm trying to think what else. Obviously, oh, so originally we bought some camping chairs when we first bought the tent.

They haven't lasted. They were a load of rubbish. Oh, really? I literally, one broke while I was away this time and fell on the floor. So things like that, you have to learn and, you know, you're getting good bits and bumps. But it depends how much you like something, you know? and this time we

every time we go we usually add to it with a little something to our little collection of that's like a good way of doing it and even didn't you say you do that like every Christmas you get a new decoration so it's like yeah

if you try and go out and buy everything all at once it's bloody expensive so if you do a little bit by a little bit and obviously you need for camping you need the basics you're going to need some sort of chair or table that's what I'm saying I think it's easy if you go with someone

so for them it was good that they had the tent but we had all the other stuff and they just said what is there anything certain things that we need to bring I was like well maybe bring your own mugs and stuff like that for your coffee and you know that kind of thing that you like but otherwise we're sorted you go out of yeah

and then we luckily we were the law as a chef so dinner wasn't a problem just got to be patient as well because even me at the beginning I was like oh we haven't got this and we haven't got that name we all want everything at once and yeah just add to it little by little and yeah you'll get there and even us we've still stuff that we've

still want and want to do and well the list is always endless isn't there yeah exactly the reality is you only need a few the bits of the basics yeah and then just enjoy being there yeah yeah it's definitely my happy place though we've got the forest at the back as well that's a nice morning walk or a late afternoon walk i don't think we did that when i was obviously i was like eight months pregnant or wherever i was and i didn't take my dog though did i what the time no you didn't so that's probably why it's more of a you know well you can go with i think he came one of the days. Oh, maybe then.

I think he might have come back when... Yeah, it's usually, so you go out the back, we didn't tell this to the in-laws at first. The in-laws, I say it like that, because they're like my friends, aren't they? So calling them all my in-laws, it feels a bit weird. In-laws feels like... You don't like them.

Yeah, I know, I do, I love you. In-laws feels like a bit of an insult. It does, I don't... It really shouldn't be, but... So one morning, I think they'd gone off and took my dog and their dog off through... like they found this gate out the back, blah, blah, blah, but we didn't tell them that you can't get back in that way.

You have to walk around the whole resort to go to the front, you know, so they did an adventure with the dogs and the kids exploring without our experience. But no, there's that at the back, that's nice. It's like a forest and then it runs out to the beach with the sand dunes and stuff like that. And in seizing, you can get a little train down there and back. And, yeah, there's a lot on resort anyway. There's a lot you can do on resort. but for me it's more the basics of that the kids get to kids

and yeah because they always have their bikes and scooters and things to go up and down in yeah we take some games and stuff like this they had they bought a game with them that we wanted over Christmas but we didn't get it I think it's called tappel or tabble or something like that double no definitely tea okay but it's like a circle with loads of letters on it right and then you have to choose like a subject

So, like, I don't know. Furniture, I don't know. And then you have to just go, you have to click the letter, push the letter down and the bell or whatever it is, and then say it, but obviously the letters go. Okay. I'm not probably explained it very well. But it is quite a good game.

So let's say furniture and you would go, I don't know, put C down for cabinet and then you've got B for bed and da-da-da-da, around, around, around. the letters you know so that was quite a fun one and then each person takes a turn and do you pick the letter or it gets given to you know then it said all the letters are on the actual game like like it like it push down thing you know what I mean oh so you get to pick it but then obviously all the good letters go yeah and then you have to try you could have in your head I don't know like you say table and then someone says table or takes it or takes the letter

it doesn't say table but the letter's gone uh-huh so yeah that's a good one but our normals our cards our card games and double and do that and we've got a ping pong table for our camping ping pong table even though there's a ping pong table in the arcade bit but we've got one on the site and yeah the games are fun we bought a game when we were in Orlando

we went to Walmart or Target one of them no we went to Walmart but we didn't get to go to Target and we wanted to go to both because Kaysen always sees it on his YouTube stuff we went to Walmart and we bought we bought a game to play and we played it on the cruise

I can't remember what it's called but basically there's like loads of cards and it says something on it and then you have to nominate who's most likely in the group that that could be so it would be like most likely to have a one night stand or something then you have to nominate someone in the group

or most likely to get arrested but between you're all of you yeah so you you divvy up cards so then you have five or six or whatever whatever it is and then you kind of put one down and you nominate or you pick one up and you nominate the person however it is you basically have cards you read it out and then you nominate someone in the group that it most suits and then whoever ends up with the most cards at the end like I guess you lose the game is the most likely yeah most likely to do a lot of shit um but that

was quite funny because some of it's like really spot on to that person is like absolutely you and then others you're like because this is a bit of an adult's game yeah it sounds it there's a couple like ones that we're like yeah it's like you know something about like masturbating and stuff I can't can't have that one

um it was actually it was actually all the kids ended up playing it we had the game for the whole time we were on the boat and I don't know what like my nan and grader my mom and dad were doing but it was literally like me my sisters my brother and obviously their partners and Liam and stuff

and even Kaysom got involved Kaysen was doing as well, so we had to be careful. Some of the things that he wouldn't even understand. Yeah, he just goes over there. But anything that, yeah, because sometimes they go, what's that? So we put away some that were too inappropriate. And then sometimes he'd have one.

He wouldn't know what it meant because it's like a bit of a slang or a saying. And he'd like nominate and it was just hilarious because he didn't know what he was even nominating someone for or he thought it was one thing and actually it was something else. But that was a fun game. I love stuff like that though.

It's weird, isn't it? You only ever get them for them for. about. And hours go by and everyone's laughing and joking and yeah, I do like games and we don't really do games. I want to do like monthly game night. We don't have many games

so I want to like add to the collection like I say bit by bit, keep adding some good games in. We have a lot of games and we used to do family games night. I think it used to be on a Tuesday actually or Friday. Things change over the year because of the hobbies and the days that we do it. But we used to do it regularly game night and they're

Like, so we'd set, I wouldn't set up, the kids are set up in each area of the living room, you know, different games. And we'd just sort of rotate them and then sometimes we'd all obviously play one. And then sometimes it'd be like obviously double games, you know, just two. So yeah, you break off and you play games at the same time, but different games. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we've got other ones which are like the air, picture of the air. You know, so that's all of you in the, but we do do, we, we like that. We sometimes again, you fizzle out doing stuff, don't you?

Yeah. For whatever reason, you know. Yeah. But no, it is, we did used to do. do that a lot actually because I had the games God we've got more than toys are us or whatever you want to say. Blum me now sometimes I'm like let's just

go and get all of them out because you've got so much stuff in there We've got what we've got and let's just see what we've got to play a few different games Lexi did it the other day actually because where when I haven't hadn't seen my mum and dad in so long and they live down the road and it's just no excuse it's silly really

and so we've kind of put in that tried to make more of an effort to every Tuesday get together or every other Tuesday or whatever, but just try to do that weekly. It's easier when you commit to like a day. Yeah, yeah. And they came to us this week because it was nice and a little barbecue, that was lovely.

And then Lexi like locked us outside for a while and said you can't come in, so I've got a surprise. And then when we come in, she'd set up a little games thing, you know? And yeah, even that, obviously from my mom and dad to get involved in the new games that, you know, that this generation have, you know, and try and get to

get to grips a bit. It was fun. It was nice. It is nice. but yeah that's the things that come out for us in camping yeah all the basics of what we love to do and it was even more nice having the family there this time to have them experience with it and get them like the bang wagon of you know kind of not wanting to come home i never want this is the one holiday you know usually like i'm ready for home and i'm ready for my bed i just want to get back it's one place i never want to come home i know it sounds strange but i just don't i've even this time said do you've not unpacked have you i have unpacked have you i've

don't have all more clothes, but the camping stuff hasn't been put in the garage because I'm adamant that we're going to go again in a couple of weeks. Just leave it there. We'll just leave it there and we'll just leave it and we'll save a go and putting it all back in and get it all back out again. I haven't actually booked it yet, but I'm adamant. You do normally go a couple times here, but not this close together, right? No, because it's just because of the weather, really. Yeah. Because we do tent and the weather here obviously is very hot.

I guess you want to do it at least one more time before it gets too hot at night time. And then it's summer then. And if you wanted to go in summer, you can stay in like a chalet, but we just don't do that. You like to attend to that out of, out of-ish season sort of thing. Yeah.

But getting the beauty of it all because we've got the weather. So like May June, kind of any time. It used to be June cut off. We used to go. The cut off was Morgan's birthday because Morgan's birthday was around June it.

And that would work out well because it would either be kind of when they'd just finish school, but not anywhere else. We used to finish early, didn't it? so it wasn't the season, didn't go too much. So that would usually be the cutoff, but it is getting, we're feeling it more warmer now.

So we don't think we've been in June for a long time. I think the last two years of summers there have just been hotter, or I'm just complaining more, one or the other. Yeah. But it's not that as well for me. I'm looking and it's because of hobbies and commitments. Well, you want to go for a long weekend, and it's like if they've got stuff on the weekend,

which nearly every hobby does something on the weekend, right? Yeah. And it is, it's good that they have a commitment and they're dedicated to it. But, you know, when you just, when you actually want to go away. You've looked at a holiday and you want to go away, but you've got a, which is fine. I know, it's not far away. And we will, if it is that, you know, we'll drive back for it to do it and then go back. But it kind of takes out the, yeah, exactly.

It kind of takes that bit out of it. Yeah. You want to kind of stay in it. Yeah. Yeah. But yeah, the girls did karaoke. I saw. Yeah.

They were, they were really good. So that was that part of the, like, like evening entertainment because that looked like that was in that theatre, was it? I say evening. No, it wasn't in the amphitheatre. That was closed this time actually which it never used it. I know it's not the season because we always go at this time of year. Yeah, they had stuff on last year. Whether they were doing building work or whatever reason it was. That was

a bit frustrating because we didn't get to show them that but there's plenty of the times we can go and see it all again. And this was it more like four, half four. The girl, I think they'd been to, we'd look to like the timetable and seen like the kids club stuff. Yeah. And And the girls wanted to do, I think it was like bracelet making or whatever. And so we'd kind of, we're going to drop them to that, kind of settle them in and go and just walk around and do bits by they were doing it.

But I think the little ones wanted to stay as well and obviously needed an adult. So we ended up just sitting there with them and doing it with them. And then they told them about the karaoke on later on, which was only like, it wasn't late, it wasn't like 8, 9 o'clock, it was like 4 o'clock or 5 o'clock. Better for the kids being. Yeah, but no one else was there. It was literally just us. So they had every name that was pulled up with them.

But they loved it. Yeah, they absolutely lowered it. And it was really good. It was really, I felt like, like, you know, when you're on a holiday, you know, and you have the kids club and the show entertainment. And they do have that all the time. But we don't much, so much get involved in it. No, we just keep ourselves to ourselves.

Yeah. Yeah. If you can, you can go and do it, do you know what I mean? Yeah. But yeah, it was, they did really well. So that was nice. Yeah, the boys are just football My Morgan is the football pitch

So obviously it's not Day is Water Park, the night is football pitch Because you get them all playing up until 12 o'clock at night Yeah Adults, teenagers, kids It's brilliant Everyone just gets together and gets involved And yeah, it's good, it's good

We, at the water park actually We were watching all the kids And then the dads go on the water slides and we'd so both parents my parents and the in-laws had come up one of the days to just to come up for the day and see us there you know what I mean because it is a nice little day trip up isn't you can you can pay like entrance for the day and then yeah and they'd come out and so they were watching so my father-in-law was in between me and Ashley was so watching the kids go and the adults go down the slide and we literally thought okay it's the adults now where we were standing we're going to get drenched and we kind of realized in seconds it was going to happen because we were mid-conversation and kind of ran to find a dry area. Yeah, jump out the way. Didn't obviously discuss that it just happened and we both just turned around

and literally my father-in-law was dripping. You know, like you've been on a log three. Didn't get them out of the way. Literally just looked at us. I was absolutely crying. So that was a good memory. We'd learn that one next time you come back to watch us on slides.

But yeah, no, it was good. It was a good. Always is. I always love camping anyway. I would go with myself. I would go with just Mitch. I'd go the five of us. I'd go with all my family.

I'd go with all my friends it's just a place I would literally have everyone there and we've got great memories from camping from growing up with so many different groups it can it's a different experience

every time you go depending on the dynamics of who's going with you and stuff and especially when you always go back to the same place I mean I don't think it can be boring

for some of people going back to the same place is fine if people don't but for that one place for us I don't know I mean for me if I'm travelling far then yeah I like to go

to different places but I think at the same time It's nice to have you locally. It's nice to have a place that like that place gives you all their memories and like you just are comfortable there because you know the places and and you know the set up and like as kids sometimes you'd actually meet like the same families wouldn't you like year after year. I don't think it's quite like that anymore. We just even just love walking around the campsite looking at different plots and there's some people in their long term. Yeah. I know three more everything.

But I just love it. honestly, unless you've done it. Yeah. Well, it's like cruising. Everyone, a lot of people haven't cruised and we've done loads and everyone's like, oh, I don't know if I'd like it. And I was like, I thought the same, but once I've done it, I love it. Don't love it till you try it.

Exactly. Because it's just like I say, it offers so much. Again, a completely different holiday to camping. And again, it is going to be suited to what you like. But I think it's one of them things that if you haven't done it, you think, oh, I don't think I'd like that but you've got to give it a go because it's it's very different actually to how you think it would be I think a lot of people think camp is like really rough in it um it can be defined it how you do it but yeah this is this it's just this one place first it's

it's not far from home yeah you know it's so you can nip out and do things and come back yeah but it's but it's enough of the holiday you feel like you're away yeah and it just brings you back to the basics of what what time out is about you know time out is about being together and take a break. Yeah. I feel like us as a family because, you know, I do a lot of work from home and, you know, Liam's coming and going and, you know,

case and finish your school at two and we've got the weekends and I'm off on Friday. I feel like we spend a lot of time together. But not. But not always quality time because, you know, either I'm finishing work or Liam's in and out or, you know, watching TV. So the other ones on their iPad, you know.

You're there, but you're not there. We're not always present, present. even though we do spend a lot of time together so yeah even just like every now and then like right switch off we're going to sit in the garden now the weather's like a bit nicer just sitting in the garden and stuff because it is easy to fall into that

I'll do it mine yeah I literally I'll be putting around us and then I'm realising that you're all sitting in the same room on a device nobody's communicating you're not really doing anything that's good on your device so the weather's lovely get off there get off of the trampoline and once they're out they're fine

But you just end up you will, you do fall into whatever it is. Sometimes. Not necessarily a device, but that actually is the one that takes you away. Exactly. But then I think, you know, we've said it before. Sometimes I'm like, oh, you know, we need to do something this weekend. We haven't like got up and gone out and done anything because like you've been at school all week.

I've been at work all week. And then, you know, drama on a Saturday. And then, you know, Casey nights to chill on a Sunday. And yeah, a lot of the time I'm like, yeah, he's been out every day this week. He deserves to just chill at home. home, you know, on his device, in his room, playing with his toys, in the living room, outside, whatever he wants to do. So, yeah, it's like finding that balance between, no, right, we need to do something. We need to get up and go out. Or, yeah, like, I like to

watch TV. I like my TV series. Like, even for me, that's what I enjoy to do. It was funny. We even mentioned it yesterday, actually, and the kids came back from school, and that, I remember I used to have that time, from just getting home from school, that just getting home from school when you seem to just have that time on your own. Yeah. Well, you've been like listening, you've been in class, you've had teachers, you've had a friend. Sometimes

you just need to decompress. It is, it is, we've kind of said it out loud to each other yesterday. Obviously, we always notice it. But we actually said it and looked and everyone at that time of just walking in the house after being at work, because we all kind of, luckily we've got something we come home together at that time. We have lunch

and then, yeah, for that half. half an hour, whatever it is, everyone just kind of does their own thing. Yeah. It's weird, but it's nice. And I remember I did it as a kid. Yeah, sure. Like, being at school or day, you want to come home and you want to pick up playing the game that you were playing or pick up the toys that you, you know, want to play with or...

Watch that program or... Yeah, exactly. And, you know, I've just finished work. So, yeah, I want to, like, maybe just chill for a minute and not, like, things. So it's like, you don't want to force everyone to like, no, it's family time. Let's all talk. You know, like, yeah, there's time and a place for that as well, but there's also a time and a place for nothing.

Yeah, everybody do what they want. And I do that with Kaysen a lot. He finishes school at two. So he comes home, like say, lunch I normally come in, if I'm working from home, come in and have lunch as well. And then I'll go and finish up. And then I'm like, yeah, from two till five, do what you want. Like have lunch, chill, go on your games, play, you know,

go in the garden, do whatever you want to do. That's like your time to do what you want. and if he chooses to be outside or play with his toys then fine if he chooses to be on his devices a lot for those couple of hours then yeah when I come in after work is that right let's put those down now but it depends what he's decided he wanted to do sometimes he doesn't go on it very much or even in that break Liam's told him right get off it for a little bit that's what I mean if it goes too far like usually they just get off it and carry on with that they just need that little bit of time

to do their own thing and like I say you notice it's gone too far but right that's enough now you too off that and go to get outside or go and do something together or whatever it is you know

yeah but yeah it is we just notice that we all kind of just go off in our own little place for half an hour no one talks to each other they do their own thing

and then we ended up going back Liam will be on his phone Casey will be on his iPad I've got the TV and yeah for a certain amount of time it's like yeah everybody do their own thing thing because like it creates a bit of

independency as well like you don't want them like they have to look to you for what you're telling them to do like they have to make their own decisions as well but we we even coming back to that with you know making the family time we're trying to have dinner together at the table to sit down at our dinner table and eat together and talk about the day and da-da-da sometimes we don't want to do that we don't want to sit on a table on the sofa with it on our lap

and eat that way because we want to, yeah, why not? Not all the time, no. But sometimes we literally all look at you and like, who's the on the sofa? You know, that kind of thing, mostly, yeah. And sometimes that's like, feels like a bit different, a bit of a tree and sometimes that spurs on talking more

than you would if you were sat at the table doing the same thing every time. Because we'll end up watching something together. Yeah. You know, like lingo is a thing that we've put on. Lingo. Lingo. It's something on in the day, but obviously we'll just play it back where you have to, so it gives you a letter to start with

Oh, is it like a game show on the TV? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, like a catchphrase. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we'd put something like that on. Right. So we wouldn't just sit there and one of us have one of us that's something like. We'd put something like that and then we can all still get involved in and, you know, like it's the same sort of thing. Whereas at the table we're having a conversation about our day, we just get involved in something like that.

I think if we're going to put the TV on, which we do a lot of the time, even sometimes it ends up being background noise because we are talking and sometimes it's not and we watch it. But our thing is The Simpsons. Yeah? Yeah, I think just because we grew up like 6 o'clock The Simpsons. So like Liam made a joke like he used to watch The Simpsons when he'd have dinner and we did sometimes. It was actually. That's good on it. So yeah, every now and then we're like, oh, put the Simpsons on. So Casey's got into a little bit.

So yeah, sometimes it's like easy for everyone. And then we even watch it, we don't watch it, whatever. But a lot of the time we put that on. Yeah, you don't want it to become like a, oh, you want to sit down table. Yeah, because like you say, we've said every day's not the same. Sometimes you're all, you know, still buzzing with a lot of energy. Sometimes you're all just, you just don't have it in you to talk or want to talk or it's been loud and you want to chill a bit. Like, yeah, it depends how you feel.

But even that, though, I think with, well, for my lot, I always try to teach them to, you don't leave your room without making your bed. You know, like coming, so you come back, when you're coming home, you're coming back to something that's, so I was just thinking about camping. And when we were leaving for camp and I was like, oh yeah, but just let's see all the washing's done and the living room's tidy and so I'm tied in my house to leave the house. But then it's better for when you come back. But that's obviously the concept of it. Yeah.

I'm coming back. I mean, that's different this time because I had Mason at home. So he was at home. True. He did a lot of bits for me. So that's quite nice. It doesn't last long. He even said, I did tidy the house, but you've all walked in and made it a look at mez.

I was like, welcome to my life. Yeah, yeah. That's what happened. But yeah, it's such a weird concept. isn't it, that I have to have everything kind of cleared and ready before I... And if you don't, like, it feels annoying. Oh, yeah, it feels like I'm... Like, go away knowing that, like, oh, and especially, like, washing and things.

I never really used to forward think that much. Like, yeah, tidy up, kind of get the house to kind of where you want it anyway. Not really make an extra effort to go, but, like, more than what I would normally have my house, like, anyway. No. But then when you come home with, like, washing and stuff, it's like, if there's already washing and then you're adding to washing, it's like... That's exactly what I made said.

It was empty. I was like, yeah. What, there you go, mate. Yeah. But no, it is strange to have, like, your house all sorted. It's just a nicer feeling to walk out the door, knowing one that you're not going to come back to mess. Yeah, and it kind of just gets you pumped and ready, I think, for the holiday.

Yeah. Yeah. So it's just something that I do. It's something that I have to, the house needs to be clear and, you know, everything organized at home, as well as you're going away with. Because with camping with us, there's a lot to kind of, You have to pack it off. I mean, we're all right now because everything's boxed up in our Derek, like you've got you got Christmas, you've got your used to you know what you're

used to pack in so it gets easier and easier. You don't forget as much things I guess. Yeah, no. It's a lot to think about that. So we've got like two lists, a home list and a camping list. But then the same was going on holiday anyway. It's still be a holiday list and a home list. Packing list. Yeah. Exactly. Obviously first I've got to leave the list of the animals as well because they've got a zoo to keep up with if we leave. Obviously I had the dog so that was easier the dog was with us yeah one less thing to worry about but no it's it's good like the organisation side of it it just makes things smoother and easy and you're less likely to forget stuff when you're there and then the house is sorted when you come back yeah i'm

definitely a list girl yeah oh yeah in terms of yeah thanks it feel better don't it when you cross it off yeah just love yep and just nicer like if you've wrote a list and ticked it off when you're leaving it's not like what have i forgot what you do you kind of eliminate that bit of like travel anxiety of I know I forgot something it's going to be really important and at least you're down the road but if you're actually going away away like that feeling

of being rushed out the door or you've not quite done your list or you've not quite cleaned your house like you're starting the holiday off like you feel like you do don't you mean it doesn't really matter but it's just how well it makes that initial leaving yeah and even packing up for us you know

I mean it's different going on and probably on anywhere else but with us with the camping stuff we've learned we have to take our time and patient from putting it away and we've got to look after it and put it away properly to make these things last as they should you know what I mean? Because if you just put it away, it'll end up...

You'll end up losing things, breaking things. Just damaging it, again, you know, whether it being damp or mouldy or, you know, like if you don't look after stuff. It's the same as games. If you don't pack games away properly, you miss a piece and then you can't play that game anymore. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So that was a lesson learned from one time before we kind of just chucked everything and left, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then you come back to it, it's like, oh, yeah. Yeah, just, then you get annoyed with yourself then, because you know you could have prevented it. Yeah. But, yeah, no, camping, I like it.

Yeah, I think that's just the same thing with the organisation anyway. It's like even Kaysen's room, like everything has a place. He knows now where all his toys are. So it's not the, where's this or this one thing that I need to go with that? And I don't want to play with it. And then it's like, their rooms are just full of crap anyway. Like, the more organized it is, the less annoying it is for me to have to have to, to help and try and hunt for this tiniest little thing.

Well, that was a joke for us in our house because everything in my house has a place and a box, so there's no excuse. But you know, like when you have everyone round and nobody knows what box is what, obviously, because it's not their house. Yeah, yeah. And then they help you put the stuff away.

And all you think is, that's not the box. Just leave it. Don't help tidy up. Sometimes it's better. You just leave. I know you've left a lot of mess, but it's better for me to put it back.

I can just go, because then in my head, I'm like, I know that that box is messed up. Yeah, yeah. whole box is going to have to be tipped up and organised and well we have friends over on the weekend and they took loads of stuff out of the room and brought it into the garden which is fine it's like you say the toys are there to be played with but then it was like right just take them and put them back in his room just put them on the floor and me and casing will put things away

probably it's such a weird feeling isn't it yeah but i think it like you say it's good to give installing them these little things of like you know have your bed made like yeah i get organized and getting them involved in how to pack for camping, how to unpack for camping a little bit. Obviously, they don't have to get involved in the whole thing, but it gives them a little bit of understanding. Otherwise, they're going to be teenagers and adults that can't do anything to themselves. The same thing, when it comes to me going camping, they just go and get, all I say is, right, I need this many pants, this many socks, this many outfits, this many outfits, like as in, they know what I mean, because obviously it's camping and then just a hoodie

or something for the night because they know it gets cold, that kind of change. And then that's their responsibility there to go and do it. Obviously, Lexi's a lot younger. She literally just emptied every draw she could and sort of every possible occasion. Exactly that, yeah. So we had to kind of downsize that bit. But yeah, they all kind of go and go off

and get their bits and know what they want and anything in particular they want to bring wheels, obviously like skates, scooters, bikes, a ball, whatever. No, I think it's good to get them involved in that packing because otherwise, yeah, they don't know anything. And as mum's, it's so much easy to just do or yourself, but I think it's better to kind of help guide them into learning these things young so that they get good at doing it themselves.

Yeah, it's a little bit like when I give them their pile of clothes to put away, I know it's going to go away wrong. I know it's going to mess. They've got to. But they are trying to do it right, but obviously they're just, they're young, you know what I mean? It's like when they wipe, like, they just don't have the right hand action, you know, but they're only going to make any worse, but just let them get on.

They have to give it a go. They have to learn. like yeah well done thanks it does literally right you go like this yeah yeah you just got let them get on with it because like I say I think I think sometimes you can just get into the it's quicker and easier if I just do it but then nobody learns yeah then it's all on you yeah I agree on that definitely but uh yeah but I did add wicked week don't know soon I'll be going again so don't you worry about that I'll talk you're talking more about that well we've got that to you've got that to plan we've got Easter coming up to plan so we'll get that sorted and then yeah

we'll let you guys know what we'll let you guys know what we'll get up for Easter. We'll obviously plan to get the gang together. Yeah. And we'll see how that goes. We haven't been together. We've had no weddings, have we? We went from being together all of us all the time, all these weddings. We've done loads of like stuff

together. It's been quite, I don't think we've all got together for a couple of months now. No, but we are. This is it now. We've got something coming up. We've got it planned. We've got the date picked. We've put that in the diary. So, yeah, we'll be seeing everyone getting the kids together. So we'll let you know how Easter goes.

Yeah, you're good. Be good. Nice to get together anyway. Have you got a game today? Well, we've got a, am I the arsehole? Oh, okay. So we've got a little scenario again, so you can let me know. Am I an asshole for going on a camping holiday?

No, so this one, this one's a bit brutal, to be honest. So, well, actually, no, I'll do this one. This one's probably more of a debate. So there's this girl, she's going out for lunch, like she normally does regularly with, I think, this is her sister or not. So whether it's a friend or sister or not, you know, it probably happens to some people. But yeah, go out, you know, maybe a monthly thing and this person always forgets their purse. So they never pay. Can I use it? Forgets their purse. So it happens every time, always some sort of excuse. It's obvious. They never pay and they never pay that person

back either. So it's not like a, oh, I'm just always forgetful and I'll sort you out, I'll hook you up I'll sort you out later, never pays them back. So always happens anyway. They've popped around the house, getting ready to go. Right, let's go. So they've gone ahead and gone to get in the car. This person's already, I know she's forgot her purse, clocked it being left in the house on purpose,

picked the purse up, put it in her bag. So they've gone for lunch, da-da-da. Right, the bills come. Oh, forgot my purse. Well, they've got, oh, what, this purse. So they brought the purse that they, obviously, the other person tried to forget oh there's your purse don't yeah there it is now you can pay and obviously that person was super pissed off like you went in my bag you grabbed my things

clearly and then it comes out that they've you know been reminded so that the person who always gets left to pay is like am i the asshole because they're annoyed at me now yeah but actually they do it to me every time on purpose so is she the asshole for hunting around grabbing that person's person taking it to the restaurant? I don't think she's an asshole with the reason. No. You get what I mean? That'd be annoying, right?

Yeah, yeah. I think anyone would be a bit if someone picks your stuff up kind of thing. But the reason behind it, but you can't really get the aunt because really you're every time. You're the asshole and you've made me the asshole to have to go and get your purse. Yeah, I think this is something I try and teach, well, more my eldest at the minute because obviously he's with his own money, you know, and growing up. that it's good to put your hand in your pocket,

obviously don't be the only one. Yeah. You know, so, and, and, basically that. I don't know how to go into it. Yeah. Exactly what I've said to him, but it was basically that, you know, you always put your hand in your pocket for people,

but don't let people take the piss out of you and don't expect it all the time from, you know, because it's, like you say, you should always offer to pay for yourself. If you want to cover a mate or, you know, oh, no, I'll get this round or, oh, you know, it's my trip today. That's lovely.

Be generous. but don't be aware that people do take the piss too there's people that take it to her and take the piss so but yeah no I I don't think she's an arseye no I don't think she's an arson no I just get the argument especially because they're close this isn't a random friend this is a close close person so you like I would be annoyed if you went in my bag yeah like and the fact you've gone in my bag because I've forced you to I was going to say she'd probably be more defensive if anything that's probably why that's what it is she's come across as like you're an arseal because you've gone through my thing

and bought this. But she's shifting the attention onto that because she's the one that always forgets her purse. Yeah. So yeah. Yeah, yeah. No, I don't think she's an arse. She's not an arseal.

The friend's the arsele. Yeah. Or sister or not, whoever it is. Take your purse. Yeah. Don't make your friend feel like they have to do that. And the other side, though, I probably would have just, like, say if I'd sin it, let's say, I would have gone, oh, don't forget your purse, remember.

You know, like maybe turning it. I don't think I would have been able to go to the length of actually secretly taking it and whipping it out I think I probably would have done that but whether they go oh yeah yeah and then leave it behind then I would be really annoying and the next time I probably would have done

what she'd done. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, no, I don't think she would have. No, you're not the assail. Yeah, exactly. It's nice to kind of put people like, I would have gone, actually I forgot mine

I picked yours up thinking it was mine so you have to pay for me today. Yeah, that's an even better one. There you go. So if you're in that situation and your friend does it to you every time, then try and grab their purse. Yeah, well, how do you feel when the tables are turned back?

Like, you know, when things like that happen. So that's another, all another conversation. Yeah. We'll save that one for next time. Yeah, yeah, that could be a bit free. Put your hand in your purse and pay for yourself, guys. Yeah, but don't get the piss taken up. Yeah, well, I meant pay for yourself.

But, yeah, if you want to offer your friend, that's nice. And if you're the one that always, you know... They probably don't notice it if they don't under that. Well, they do because they're doing it on purpose. Yeah, true. But, yeah, if you've got a friend, like that then don't be tight yeah don't be tight guys right well keep like and subscribing supporting us as always we really appreciate it yes if you see us in person let us

know that you watch it because it's nice to chat yeah it's nice to hear feedback whether it's online or in person so thank you great bye guys have a nice weekend