It's GBBO, Strictly and the start of the -ber months...the countdown to Christmas 2019 is officially ON (thread 5)!

[NoWordForFluffy]

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Morning!

We went out yesterday. My head hurts. Shhhhhhh! 😂

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Morning!

It's chucking it down this morning. Raincoat and brolly required!

It's funny you should say that, Mrs. I always think of Trigger's broom when I fix him. He's on about nose 3 now too! 😂😂

Ahh you are a good Mum Fluffy, many would have chucked mousey out 🤗
It is awful here rain rain go away come again another day 😛
Am taking Mama to lunch with her friend , that's nice for me 🙄🤐 hey ho got to be done 😁
Have a great day everyone 😀

cold and wet here too

i'm actually watching a christmas film on netflix.

Fluffy BBQ on Xmas day?! Jeez I'm not telling my husband he loves a bbq wants it every day in summer so I'm not giving him the idea it's acceptable to bbq on Xmas day haha!

Grey windy 15 degrees and stop start rain today. BUT we've just booked on for our friends wedding in Mexico Jan 2021 so that'll be something to look forward to after Xmas 2020! 🌵🌮🍹!

Wreck one year we didn't have a Xmas tree because we were moving house on the 4th Jan so everything was boxed up ready for the move but we did put a wreath on the door and had a few Xmas light up houses and ornaments dotted about the house so it looked a little bit festive so maybe you could do that instead?

I just booked drayton manor for the weekend of the 14th Dec - the kids are going to love it!

I'm going to still put the room decorations out maybe one of those small planted trees too

Ds(6) has a blood test this morning to test for coeliacs. He was so brave he didn't even flinch.

Wreck we're away this year too - we use one of those white twiggy pre-lit trees so I can still put some baubles out although DH still pushes for no tree and minimal decs

Im loving the grey and cold days but could do without the rain! It's made my lunchtime walk less enjoyable

Plan for today - finish work early (4pm), cool tea then work on some crochet snowflakes ❄️

We're away the 5 days before Christmas, returning on CE. We are spending this Sat sorting and wrapping presents (and I'll do a list of what's what!) so we are organised when we go. No CE wrapping session here! I'll be in mad baking mode when we get back. I'm going to weigh out all of my dry ingredients so I'm ready to go as soon as I get back.

Fluffy you are so bloody organised! We've got DS bday on 11 Nov so we start doing Xmas bits after then really!

It’s horrible and rainy here. I’m meeting mum for a coffee in a bit and I don’t want to leave the house!

You’re all so much more organised that me. I’ll probably be frantically wrapping presents on CE. I’ve never been the organised type though.

Weather's a bit different today!! I had to put my coat on to go out at lunchtime!

Even DH commented that it is feeling autumnal.

I've booked the Santa Train, a trip to London Christmas markets for me, DSIS and DM, and theatre on 23rd for me, DM, DMIL and DSIL (local company, doing Little Women. They did Goodnight Mr Tom last year 😭😭 and It's a Wonderful Life the year before 😭😭😭). I'm trying not to over-plan for December, but it's hard when there's so much going on that I want to do with DS now he's old enough to 'get,' it!

Any idea what to do with DS. He’ll be 16 months at Christmas so there’s not much he can do, but I’d like to do some things with him.

Lovely plans everyone
It's rained all day and so cold. l put Mum's heating on for the whole time we were out to warm the house up, it felt damp there It isn't at all but there was so much mist in the air l am sure that was it.
Mum has cellulitis in her legs again , got her to the Dr's this morning before we took her out for lunch to meet her friend though so it wasn't too bad. Dr put her on Antibiotics straight away so she will soon get better now.
Fluffy you are so organised
Wreck well done to your DS bless him he's only little too
Crazy am loving the sound of your crocheted snowflakes and going away for Christmas is just lovely
Well done on the booking up Firefly girl you sound as if you are all sorted

Firefly your Xmas bookings sound lovely. I've always fancied going to Blenheim Palace to see the lights - google it, it looks amazing! Think we'll wait till DD is a bit older though, perhaps Xmas 2020- she'll be almost 2 then and DS will be 5.
I'm looking forward to all the Halloween activities first! Also we're off to stay in a log cabin with hot tub with our friends and their 2 kids (same age as ours - perfect!) on 11th Oct so we have that to look forward too as well

I don’t know why it feels so cold, it’s meant to get up to 19 degrees here tomorrow but I have the heating on. It’s just so cold!. The flat has a draft though so that could be it. I’m dreading the actual winter, as much as I love the cosyness I do miss being able to feel my limbs

howell were meant to have an Indian summer next week- a mini heatwave apparently. I'm not happy I want autumn 🍂!

Bear oh I don’t know how I feel!. I’d like to be able to get a bit more use out of my summer clothes but it’s been so nice having a bit of autumn!.

It's so cold today. Our lounge was below 18° for the first time in months. A few sunny days will sort it though. And DH remembering to close bloody windows by mid-afternoon as the temp starts to drop then.

Your mum is in the wars, Mrs.

I've got a Matalan basket full of stuff waiting for a discount code. I'd better get one!

I've got on with the cross stitch tonight. It's coming along nicely.

Mrs sorry to hear about your mum, but I’m glad she’s got the medication she needs.

Fluffy the cross stitch is beautiful.

Well done fluffy. I have fallen behind on my cross stitch. Need to dedicate some time to it this week.

Howl at that age I think it's only really the lights they are interested in.

Hi, can I join? Loving the autumnal vibe! Everything is going to be really different for Christmas this year as we (me, DH, DC 6 and 8) normally drive down to see my family every other year but my parents have moved house and there isn't going to be room for us all. I got quite stressed about keeping the magic alive last year in the face of everyone's different traditions/school brainwashing/bloody elf on the shelf failures/searching questions from older child and although we've booked a hotel to be near family I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better to have our first quiet one at home this year. And really I need this decision made, it will be a wrench but it's been coming for a while.
Very inspired by all your early planning! Just need to find time to clear the kids rooms and then I think I'll be able to make lists a bit more efficiently.

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Hi goblin! My opinion is that Christmas will be a bit miserable in a hotel room, even if you're visiting during the day. Cancel. Stay at home and really enjoy it! It's why we don't visit my family at Christmas as I'd rather the kids have home comforts and their own beds.

Looks like it's dry today. Woooo! It was very wet yesterday!

Emrys, you have to get bank onto the cross stitching! They have to be ready for your tree! (No pressure! )

Howl, I agree, something not too long / cold and with lights. Even a walk round town once the lights are on will do! We also did a mini steam train ride at that age. Just 5 mins in each direction and a Santa experience halfway! That was plenty!

Em, come on gel get stitching 😁🤗
Fluffy your cross stitching is very neat, it's a lovely picture 😍. Mum is in the wars ⚠️ but these ab's will sort her out 🤗
It's cold this morning too. I will start cranking up the boiler just now 😁
We are off to town this morning. DH needs tyres l need to sort the TV license and get a few bargainous buys 😁😁
Am after the 2 tins of sweets for 7 pounds from Mr T today 🍬 😁
I will get the ones l don't like to stop me scoffing them 😁
Cholesterol result was 4.2 , l don't know how with all the bloody stress l have had 😂😂😂

Goblin I agree with Fluffy. Confined spaces and over excited children is not a good mix. We did a bit of travelling to stay with family over Christmas when my eldest two were small. The stress of packing a car full of presents without them seeing anything was something else 😂 - it was actually quite liberating to stay at home. These days we meet up as a family between Christmas and New Year and it's brilliant as it breaks the time up nicely and gives everyone something to look forward to. Could you change your hotel booking to the weekend after Christmas and visit then? Perhaps book a panto or an activity to do with your parents.

My DC are older so the Elf passed us by - I'm quite relieved having seen the mental gymnastics my younger relatives go through trying to devise adventures for their Elf.

Howl I second (or is it third) wrapping up and going out to look at the lights. Perhaps combine it with a little trip to pick a present for his favourite person. He won't know much about it now but it's something you can do every year. My DS is nearly a teenager and loves coming with me for a quick raid on the shops to buy his dad and sisters Christmas presents. We follow it with a Costa or a McDonalds.

Emrys crack on! I am knitting a cardigan for one of my great nieces and it's taking bloody ages. My aim is to have it finished and ready to send at the weekend. We'll see 🤷🏻‍♀️

When do you get the blood test results Wreck?

Fluffy I've had to do emergency surgery on a much loved toy. Over the years DS's teddy - called Teddy (he gets his imagination from me) needed 2 new panels, a new ribbon and many minor repairs to his nose and arms. He is now carefully packed away after DS decided he was too big for him but Teddy was too precious to throw away.

At the end of this month I'll be getting my act together and making Christmas cake and puddings. Only DH likes pudding so I'll make 2 little ones and then I'm going to make a Yule Log for the rest of us. If I can find room in the freezer I'll make the sponge ahead of time, otherwise I'll do it on 23 December.