Flying in rainy November 7/11/10

[wendyhappysmile]

Hi

Probably plastic knowing my luck swan, but I'm hoping for silver with perhaps one or two rhinestones .

wendy I've got my fingers crossed that you make it through today. You've probably got your legs crossed!

ofm hope the weekend goes well. Have fun!

Fantastic dh has taken both kids to town for ds swim lesson, then meeting mil in cafe for lunch giving me 2 hrs peace . Then mil will mind the kids while we go back into town for a spot of light Xmas shopping (and cake). We will then return, give everyone tea and dh will take mil home. Poor dh, this is probably his idea of a day from hell .

There, you see, I knew someone's dh understood the art of a little recreational shopping with or without cake!

Asked dh last night, and he said he wanted to go to the SALES with me in January. That doesn't count!

Have a great party Wendy 4! old enough to make the sandwiches soon..

quick helloooo

didn't make pilates LOL

scatty day sounds lovely, enjoy!

swan oh no! DH at the sales...not good!

wendy hope today goes to plan!

things bubbling along here...
got to pop to shops in a minute...but otherwise fairly sorted...
Does help that DH has been dispatched to take dd4 to bday party, and has taken DS2 with him...yay!

must dash...
parents arriving shortly...followed by sister and BIL...

TPT dd is at a sleepover for 7 children (8-9 year olds) My friend is v strict about bedtime, so I'm praying I won't get the walking dead back tomorrow.
Given up on dcs rooms, they are workshops not bedrooms really.

done
first xmas panto (well not really a panto) dcs were rapt despite it being a bit [zzz]
delicious gammon lunch
completely cleared and tidied kitchen

I left house for 30mins to drop off dd and dh has already ordered a takeaway for dss

OFM hope the inlaws/parents all enjoy the confirmation

Prof LOL at fuck up fairy, think I know her!

OFM hope MIL visit going well and confirmation goes well

swan at takeaway!

scatty yes my legs have been crossed!

Made it through the party day hurrah! So glad not to have missed it and the party was really lovely. DD so enjoyed it! So baby can come tonight, or tomorrow, but please not on Monday on DD's birthday!! LOL

This baby is going to be good at time management wendy! Mine were both early, this has not turned out to be an enduring character trait! (although dd is very impatient ).

Had lovely time with dh. Bought something suitably sparkly for my stocking and ticked a couple of other presents off the list too!

Hope all goes well tomorrow ofm.

Not looking forward to the sleepover stage prof swan !

Have just been through all of my Christmas purchases and I'm sorted except for my nieces (vouchers), MIL and DH. Very pleased.

Morning all

I am being very shouty at everyone this morning .

DH is in the doghouse. After DS's birthday/party 3 weeks ago I complained there wasn't a single photo of DS smiling, all action shots. So yesterday he was taking photos again and I specifically asked for smiley DD photos - looked this morning NOT ONE! Honestly. Plus he took silly videos of key moments but using the camera, which means there are no photos of said key moments e.g. blowing out candles. Honestly sometimes he just irritates me beyond belief!

Anyway, deep breath, perhaps I ought to go and have a nap or something but we need to go out really with the DC and do something!

BBL

blows kisses to all annoying husbnands!

I'm off to Airforce Museum in Colindale ths morning (ds and I have found 7 alternative tube/bus routes, we are taking most obscure and shortest
dh has run away to church
hope dd will have recovered from sleepover by the time I see her

to Scatty and Wendy

morning all

TPF 4 dc for sleepover is brave indeed! and must say dc bedrooms get me down too. I sort of alternate between high stress and frantic endless decluttering and nagging, and ignoring them totally and allowing chaos to toally take over , then reverting to the former...hmmm

wendy glad party went well grr at DH though...sometimes I wonder why I ever ask DH to do anything...sigh..

scatty sparkly stocking filler sounds lovely

swan enjoy museum

satin well done on Christmas shopping.

Well, meal out and DS confirmation all went well yesterday. DS2 was very tired and grumpy by then end of it all, but other than that all seemed to have a nice time.

DH is now taking MIL back to airport, but on the whole visit went OK with minimal stress and no falling out

Have taken DC to school Christmas fair this morning...they have bought lots of other peoples rubbish to replace the stuff I sent up ....sigh...BUT are all sitting quite nicely playing with it now leaving me to have 10 mins peace...so can't complain!

Was especially proud of DS1 who spent a lot of time assisting elderly wheelchair bound parishoner, helping him eat a hotdog and winning him a bottle of wine - all of his doing...maybe he's not such a thoughtless grumpy pre-teenager after all LOL

Must say I am so totally shattered now...am really wondering why I am seem to be so permenantly and totally exhausted these days...hmm...

Not sure what the rest of the day holds... we shall see...

BBL

Ds1 sounds absolutely lovey ofm what a credit to you.

wendy I am totally rubbish at remembering to photograph key moments, we have absolutely no photos at all of DS 6th party and the only photos we have of DDs were taken by a friend .

Have had family outing to lovely market town of Corbridge (near Hexham swan have you been?) for short/wet riverside walk, cafe and visit to christmassy craft/food/toy shops
event significantly marred by dd having diva strop in toy shop because her pocket money wouldn't stretch to buying a dolls house. Poor shop keeper inadvetently fulled the fire by trying to sell her a bookmark instead . I think it will be a while before we visit Corbridge again!!

Ironing now.

I did so love my doll's house! I used to light candles inside it so that I could see a glow through the windows and papered it and carpeted it myself, mde matchbox chest of drawers for it etc etc.

At least you now know wht her heart's desire is! I think dd is only after a laptop [sigh] or dog neither of which she will get...

Corbridge -yes I was tken there once to a teashop 10 years ago...but time is so short when I go to Northumberland I think I only got to visit Hadrian's Wall and a smart restaurant in Hexham this time, which was actually last May For a confirmation.

We have been doing model aeroplanes with the twins.
Great day out (just Ds2 and I) and exciting Battle of Britain display.

OFM ds1 sounds lovely, glad everything went so well.

morning all

I have unexpected day off
DS2 woke up looking very porrly and was sick.... so I took day off to stay home with him...(dh took day off last time ) not ideal, but what can you do?
Obvioulsy he does now seem TOTALLY fine
But I am making the most of day off...have got loads done this morning [gri] and am hoping DS will go for nap shortly so I can do more organising..

Done so far:
6 kids up , breakfast etc...
comforted very whingey DS2
school run
home with recovered ds2
2 loads of washing
folded dry clothes
loaded DW
wiped kitchen surfaces
wiped kitchen cupboards
swept hall and kitchen floors
mopped kitchen and hall
wiped hall doors/skirting/light switches
dusted lounge
cleaned lounge windows
cleared out and wiped out fridge and freezer
cleared out big kitchen cupboard
tidied my room
sorted through Christmas boxes from the loft

To do:
lunch
DS2 nap
menu planning
update diary/calendar
ponder working hours and childcare costs
reboot laundry
hoover throughout
tidy dining room
re-organise dining room shelves ready for Christmas books/dvds

I have been pondering my working hours. Currenty I work 0.6 and do Mon,Tue Thurs 9.15 till 2.30, and weds 9.15 till 5.15, with day off on Friday
I am thinking it would be SO much better to do 3 full days and have 2 days off.
The time after my shorter days is all taken up with school run/dinner time chaos and I never get anything useful/enjoyable/meaningful done, which means I spend all of Friday trying to fit everything else in, and not enjoying time with ds2...
Only problem is older kids and school pick up. They go to after school club on a Weds, but it is £5.50 each, so for the 4 of them to go another 2 days would be about another £200 a month
Childminder option doesnt seem to have worked out, so am going to have a little think about alternatives
Who here works part time and what hours do you do?

anyway...off to persuade ds2 to eat lunch then nap...BBL

OFM only observations not personal experience
I've a friend who's done it both ways, and I think the kids preferred the school pickup option, but their mum found the three day full time thing easier, so swings and roundabout. Would ds2 not find 3 full days of nursery worse? And what about homework?
All my friends who work have cleaners [or grannies ], part-time or otherwise. Most of my friends who don't work have cleaners. Dh wants me to get a cleaner...

Would it not be cheaper than £200 a month to get a cleaner once a week for four hours, so tht you can free up a bit of your time that way?

aggravating morning here. Homebless interrupted by home edding!

swan having spent an hour or so pondering, adding up figures and looking at various options I have come to much the same conclusions as you LOL
3 full days appears to be too expensive/complicated/unsatisfactory for older dc however I look at it. 4 part time days it will have to be, but also concluded that waht I need is a cleaner which would be cheaper than other options LOL
Hope Home edding went well

have had productive afternoon organising/updating diary etc...and have almost booked panto tickets...just need to confirm date with dh, but have now run out of time and am off to do school pick up...BBL

I have the same problem as you ofm I work 5 days 9.14-2.15 (term time only) which suits work (apart from the term time only ) and suits the kids but doesn't give me any child free time to get anything done. However the plus side is no child care costs and I quite enjoy the playground chat at drop off/pick up .

swan how long is ds off school for?

wendy hope all is well (excted anticipation)!

To do:
banking
check christmas present list (its getting confusing now).
laundry
order flowers for friend at work/Grandma birthday/Dad Christmas.

Scatty Wednesday he goes back I think. Physio tomorrow will confirm. Stitches out today, and he's walking well.

Dd hs a sore throat nd so now so do I. And earache
Have managed food shopping with both in tow on way back from surgery, in fact all would be well if it weren't for the lack of Home Bless, so depressing and having to drip feed them most of the shopping as we walked home...Dcs are like large annoying cuddly puppies forever wanting to chew things

Hall full of bags, now have to switch off telly!!!

A friend of mine has an after school and holiday nanny, she is a (maturish) student so fits the nannying in around college (art college so not many lectures).

Thats good news swan he sounds like he is healing well . Take it easy now, there are some really horrible bugs going round up here .

Not getting very far here .

evening all

just jumping back on the Flywagon.
have cleaned the kitchen this evening
got to have a bath and wash my hair as have a full day Christmas shopping with my mother tomorrow (eek pass the diazepam!)
house mostly looks like a bomb has exploded, but it will get better now we have switched DS2 into his newly decorated room and we can get some stuff sent to the Salvation Army shop.

Had the dentist this morning for a filling so have wibbled for alot of the day from the huge release of adrenalin.

However, boys are clean, warm and fed and there is supper for DH now he is home from work. Not a total right off of a day.

No housework tomorrow but will get on with more stuff on Wednesday.

Night all. x

Oh yes have also done internet shop of loads of wine and goodies to be delivered the day of DH's surprise birthday (saves trying to store it here without him noticing )

Hello all

DD birthday over, kids in bed. DS not too well, has a rash on his face and bloodshot eyes. Says his bum itches - can't see worms so don't know what it could be?!! ?Sorry TMI!

DD had a lovely day, loves her Sylvanian caravan we got her and the wooden dolls' house and furniture the grandparents (jointly) got her.

I got max 3 hours sleep last night. It's like mother nature's cruel joke isn't it!!! Contractions are constant unless I get up and walk around - then I sit down again or lie down and they're back!!
Surely it must be soon ... hang on for 4 hours hopefully so it isn't DD's birthday!

evening all
swan LOL at "drip feeding" kids the shopping !

wendy oh...where are you? Still with us...did you make it through the birthday?

scatty prof glad I'm not the only one with silly hours LOL It isn't even really that I want child free time, that wouldnt happen either way as will have ds2 with me when not at work...just a whole day seems such a more useable solid block of time then a couple of hours at the end of the day ....
Did contemplate a Nanny of some kind, but again just works out too expensive!

Am now formulating plans for getting more done with after school time and trying to make that a more positive time of the day...
Unfortunately it has always been my most loathe dpart of the day... and I have never found a consistent way of improving it...anyway...

Have been quite productive this evening..
school pick up
spoke to dd3's friends mum and re-arranged play date
been shopping on way home (also had to bribe drip feed DC with mini fairy cakes around the shop )
Bought new file for sorting papaer work - seems I need another 3 though!
dinner - cottage pie, made yesterday.
Made dinner for tomorrow (chicken and brocolli bake)
Washed dds coats
put my coat in to wash
homework with dd3 ....sigh...
reading with dd3 and 4
homework with dd4
supervised dd2 homework
tidied kitchen
sorted HUGE pile of paperwork off microwave into new file
littlies to bed
bit more diary updating and rang several parents to reply to party invites (have about 6 between DD3 and 4 in next few weeks )

Now:
Investigate best use of tesco clubcard vouchers...
Put away shopping delivery ...any time now...
On-line banking
book panto tickets

also have huge mountain of ironing that I am quite successfully ignoring!

tomorrow:
am:
S&S bathrooms
laundry reboot
tidy and hoover lounge
make lunches(need shopping to arrive as no bread, so will do tomorrow)

fit in a few hours at work!

pm:
school pick up
pop to shops for more files!
dinner:chick and pasta bake
laundry reboot
girls to put washing away
put littlies clothes away
make lunches
more paper sorting
gym?

right...must get on, BBL

I'm at home, OFM, it's just false or slow labour contractions, they never get really painful!