The Friendly Frugaleers - Furtively planning Christmas, as August arrives

[StoogingOn]

Welcome one and all!

Yeah yout most likely right fluffy will keep it as a thought. Might just take some pic and add a bit on fb and see if it sells.
jam my dd1 is overly fascinated and into spiders. Im not but I don't show it to her that I'm scared of them. And we encourage her to learn more about them and see them. But did deny her having one herself.

Great news on the mortgage lonely. That's the best birthday present. All under control, all in one payment and no crappy credit scoring. Now cut up all of the cards. All of them.

Spendy day. £51 launderette, £110 Tesco, £95 after vouchers, £5 car park, £20 lunch, £10 I've cream, £219 car insurance,

Compared to other mums I met at baby group I’m classed as a #recklessparent.

Ds has been everywhere with me. He’s not really phased by anything (other than sellotape and I think it’s the noise he doesn’t like...).

He went “horse riding” the other week (not sure if I posted this or not). He patted the pony and was very calm around her. He thought she was hilarious. She is very calm and placid otherwise I would never have done this.

Both Dh and I are very relaxed about stuff.

jam your friend would have probably had a fit if she’d seen ds just now. We’re having pizza for dinner. I gave ds a piece. He’s spread it all over the floor. And has been crawling back to pick it up and shove it in his mouth #slattern

I let him explore his environment. Safely obviously. But within reason let his do his thing.

Christmas does not happen until after my Brother's birthday... conveniently mid Dec. Dsil is on Nye....it would be rude to still be celebrating Christmas on her birthday. 2 and a half weeks is more than enough.

When DS was little he used to get hysterical if he got dirt on his hands. He tripped over running across a car park, did a proper face plant with blood everywhere. He stopped crying as soon as the mud was wiped from his hands. Thankfully he has grown out of that otherwise he would struggle to get out of bed in this house.

scandi such a cutie!!!! (Not the spider Ick!)

Cute pic Scandi.
I'm on the Christmas thread and have already bought stuff. Some of the toys are a bit young for my DC note but I hate to think I might miss a bargain.

Lovely pic too em.

Slattern parent here but I grew up on a farm. As for food of the floor that's the 5 second rule isn't it? Or get it before the dog in the old days.
My D's is usually the highest in the tree. I'm known at our local a&e/UCC. Not a brag at all but we are an active family and kids will find their limits sensibly.
There are some dgc aged 3-5 who are not allowed to run around outside when they visit, or get dirty. My friends dd was similar and rails against it now

That’s it - we’re very active so ds I assume will be too.

My instructor said next time ds is up at the stables she’ll keep me in the sand school and will pop him on with me and hook us up to a lead rope so he can have a proper “ride”.

The second they are paid off life !! Only use 2, the other 3 were for balance transfers. I'll actually keep my natwest card, because I've had it since I was 18, but will reduce the limit to 2k, and it's useful to book holidays and stuff like that on it as it comes with free insurance. But from the day they are paid off, if I haven't the cash to pay it off the same day, I'm not having whatever it is. Get me thinking about holidays !!!

If I overpay than I should be able to clear it in just under 4 years I think. I'll find out next week when we process the application. Eek. But first I pay the garage bill, dd3's residential in October and dd1's music lessons/outstanding bill. Then the spare goes on overpaying.

Had birthday tea at my sisters. So much food!

scandi your dd is so utterly gorgeous! Spiders are not my thing. We have a monster living in the hall window. It's terrifying.

em what a boy! We love a twangy thing. My mum has them. All the dc were obsessed once crawling. Twangggggg. He is divine btw (you know that though!).

What a handsome little boy em ...
Im on the Christmas tread but can't get all stuff do to not living in the UK.

Good plan lonely. It must be such a relief for you.
Ok keep one but lock it away, and dont do what I did and just memorise the number.

My mum made me not one but two beautiful cakes, loaded with marzipan!

They are awesome cakes.

I am loving all the cute kids...

Aww love the pictures of cute children, but not spiders! No, I'm see about spiders really. And I do LOVE horses obvs.

Wouldn't surprise you all to know I'm the same type of parent as the recently posted folk. Trees have been climbed, dirt has been rolled in, A&E been visited (DS mainly).

em, to my mind you're a Sensible Parent. That's double hard with your first. You'll be positively neglectful with your second

Not enabling but small persons riding clothes are seriously cute.....

laska has enabled me though into some bargain Hush cropped star jeans, £25 from £75 if I keep them.

Cakes are fabulous lonely.

lonely sounds like a good plan with the cc.
And thank you for the nice compliment. Dd1 would love to come and "rescure" your spider but I agree with the others that kids see how you act and pick a lot of from that..

Slattern here also......,we went on the open top bus ride with DGS around the west of the island. he loved it even though it did rain, esp loved the rocket launcher exhibition at the Needles (they used to test rockets there in the 50s and 60), where he could press all the buttons and 'launch' the rockets.
Then we had ice creams - lovely posh expensive local ones - and he dropped his two seconds after coming out of the shop.. Granny (me) scooped it up and plopped it back in his cone, ( following the 'less than 5 seconds on the ground, its still edible' rule) .He still seems to be alive.....(dont tell mummy though will you?)

Where is good to get starter riding stuff jam? I'm thinking decathlon but can you suggest anywhere. Dd is finally signing up to riding lessons

Nice cakes and DC lonely

not me jam..( they are fab btw I have some)

lonely beautiful kids... And yummi cakes.
Sorry for the spider pics but dd1 is mad about them. And has no fear whatsoever. Luckily she also likes horses, cats ect... She has been stung by a dwarf tarantula in the past, so we have already had that visit to the a&e.

We did some clearing and cleaning today. DH brought three bags of clothes to the charity shop and we've more odds and ends to take to the recycling centre. It's not open tomorrow which is a bit annoying. We just want them gone now. I did some washing too but it lashed rain approx. 10 minutes after I hung it out. I'm in two minds whether to take it back in or leave it out in the hope that it will dry tomorrow.

That's brilliant about the loan Lonely. I'm so pleased for you. There's light at the end of the tunnel. Iirc, your naughty debt is due to your ex not paying anything for his DC as opposed to reckless spending on your part. Happy birthday!

NSD for me although DH spent a bit on groceries.

Lovely photos Scandi (except for the spider - eek!), em and Lonely. Cakes are fab. Now I want cake

Yessss lonely I’m so pleased for you! Taking control of your finances, birthday cakes, what a great day!

em oh, it’s so much fun when they find the twangy door stop! Bless him 😍 he reminds me of my 2 when they were tiny, utterly fearless and into everything.

Have a great Saturday night, whatever you’re up to guys xx

Just checking in after a lovely but busy day.
My legs ache .
Met a friend for a lovely lunch in town, her turn to pay.
Little potter about,mainly looking but picked up some lovely Kiko lipsticks and a lipliner buy 2 get 2 free .
Also got 2 more Christmas presents for DS GF in Cath Kidston.they gift wrapped and they are already added to my Christmas gift app
DH can hardly move,he has been putting together furniture.
So pleased with it,would love to sort out the sitting room next .
Lonelythats great news, Happy Birthday !
Gorgeous cakes by your Mum.
Cleaned out hens this afternoon and it has just started to rain.
em thats a gorgeous picture of DS.
Start em young!
Im very much -outside wellies on,walk for miles and enjoy life knacker them out
Then hot scrub to get the mud/sand/leaves off- type of mum .
Mine slept like tops !
My DF is super fussy about dirt/germs and her DC was always ill .
It was actually deliciously chilly here tonight and I have had a hot bath with a St Evac candle and have got the blankets out for the sofas.
I love Autumn/Winter and snuggly blankets/hot tea/knitting/fires /Christmas .
I can smell Autumn

Lovely pics! I'm that kind of parent too to the horror of my own mother at times! I consider we've had a good day if everyone is covered in mud by the end of it.

Great cake Lonely.