Spring into action Slatterns, it's Cheap, Easy and Quick here...

[Anonymousbird]

New thread ladies!! Welcome back.

Bring your lists, bring whatever you want, but remember we love it cheap easy and quick .

Who mentioned Shake n Vac??? Cor, that takes me back, those adverts! I used to love the stuff!!!

Oh, and JKS - the ebay stuff keeps getting up on the bed (naughty ebay stuff) and then I have to take it off again each night. How silly is that.

Anyway

• Up, showered and dressed DONE
• Major tidy up DONE (except playroom)
• General tidy, make beds etc DONE
• DC to school DONE
• Fill/Run/Empty DW DONE
• Washing DONE
• Ironing DONE
• On line banking DONE
• 24th DONE and 25th Jan ? credit card payments
• Check dehumidifier DONE
• Building project finances
• Collect post from house DONE
• Go see builders
• Collect dog food
• Chickens DONE
• Dog DONE
• Find/buy photo frames DONE
• Check photo printing DONE
• Pay Utilities Warehouse Bill
• Sort stuff to list on Ebay
• Refix with EON ? part done, but need to shop around for a possible ?switch?
• Call Builder re costings
• Feb house budget Started - needs more work
• Babysitter for school quiz night
• Gloves and other warm gear for DD
• Get fire going
• Make dinner

Welcome LadyT - i think you'll fit right in here :)

Mini - def don't take it personally :)

Sat/Sun:

• crosswords Started
• try and sort/choose new TD with DH/look at current TD & see if it's a simple (ha) repair...
• dinner x 4 & tidy up DONE
• BF course homework DONE

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private; DH thinks his will take me on too
• make boys dentist appts
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Emailed 3rd person
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• next phase of sorting baby room; All grown up books OUT
• analyse heating/electricity for cheaper options
• spend DS2's John Lewis birthday vouchers (decide on what could be good for him, something with numbers i think)

Rah! for baby Ba Ba. Keep up the good work Ali.

Ali - i dream of being more comfortable!!

LadyT - well some of the things that DH did were on my list but he volunteered, who am I to get between a man and (my) jobs?!

teehee if we hehemm 'delegate' tasks... can we still just mark them as done ?

And whyever not? they still are done aren't they? :)

Sat/Sun:

• crosswords Started
• try and sort/choose new TD with DH/look at current TD & see if it's a simple (ha) repair...
• online shop DONE (tomorrow night 6-7)
• batteries in toys x 2 DONE

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private; DH thinks his will take me on too
• make boys dentist appts
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Emailed 3rd person
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• next phase of sorting baby room; All grown up books OUT
• analyse heating/electricity for cheaper options
• spend DS2's John Lewis birthday vouchers (decide on what could be good for him, something with numbers i think)

Oh good

Yes yes, delegation is the way forward. There is often an element of 'darling you said you were going to do X' involved from me when DH has jobs to do, so I am not entirely removed

LadyT - I can assure you that I am spending a considerable amount of time sitting on my arse

JKS - I think it is what your midwife said - baby has simply run out of room to be completely transverse. Has made the SPD worse, but at least my belly isn't painful any longer. Hopefully by the time you are another 3 weeks on your's will have shifted too!

Dinner eaten, now to get the boy to bed.

Delegation is key. Bring it on sister! I have DH home all week, so I should be delegating left right and centre, but sadly, he is "recovering" from an op last week, so I have to go easy on him . For a day or two. Maybe.

Feb budgeting off to a good start, have literally spent nothing this weekend I don't think... 3.5 weeks of seriously belt tightening required, thank god February is a short month!

Getting ahead for tomorrow here, no list today:

• Up, showered and dressed
• General tidy, make beds etc
• DC to school
• Fill/Run/Empty DW
• Washing
• Ironing
• Hoovering
• On line banking
• Credit card payments - 31st and 1st need to be made.
• Order logs
• Pay structural engineer
• Renew library books
• Holiday dates with MIL
• Check dehumidifier
• Building project finances
• Collect post from house
• Go see builders
• MOST IMPORTANT Bathroom order today
• Doors order this week
• Call man to collect old doors
• Balance transfer to organise
• Chickens
• Dog
• Quick supermarket trip
• Reading/Spellings/Word cards
• Pay Utilities Warehouse Bill
• Sort stuff to list on Ebay
• Refix with EON ? part done, but need to shop around for a possible ?switch?
• Call Builder re costings
• Feb house budget ongoing, itemise everything
• Late school pick up
• DD to opticians
• Get fire going
• Make dinner

Next few days

• Clean DH's car
• Spend DH's Amex points!
• Find Maths worksheets for DS and phonics for DD
• 121 tutorials
• Organise some more tea dates for DC
• List more eBay
• Set up weather station
• Start to think about lighting, bathrooms, doors?. look through MIL's magazines and online for ideas
• Two costumes for DD and DS this term at school

Ali - i hope you're right, though i'm not looking forward to my spd getting worse, has calmed down again at the moment.

Anon - all sitting down jobs firmly in DH's pile!!

Sun:

• crosswords Started
• try and sort/choose new TD with DH/look at current TD & see if it's a simple (ha) repair...have had a look but can't see the noise making bit

Mon:

• all up & breakfasted
• all dressed
• DH to work early (away all week i think)
• school runs
• BF course
• lunch & tidy up
• jobs?
• collect DS1
• chill out time
• tea x 3 & tidy up
• boys bath & bed
• online shop (7-8)
• early quiet night for me

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private; DH thinks his will take me on too
• make boys dentist appts
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Emailed 3rd person
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• next phase of sorting baby room; All grown up books OUT
• analyse heating/electricity for cheaper options
• spend DS2's John Lewis birthday vouchers (decide on what could be good for him, something with numbers i think)

yawn yawn yawn, awake in the night anyway, got up for a wee at 4ish, then awake until 4.44 when DS2 woke up...

Dh gone already, long week ahead.

Oh and he decided i was right, the bearings have gone in the dryer so we do have to get a new one at least i get to choose now with no interference!

left from Sun:

• crosswords DONE
• try and sort/choose new TD with DH/look at current TD & see if it's a simple (ha) repair Repair no go

Mon:

• all up DONE & breakfasted
• all dressed
• DH to work early DONE
• school runs
• BF course
• lunch & tidy up
• jobs?
• collect DS1
• chill out time
• tea x 3 & tidy up
• boys bath & bed
• online shop (7-8)
• early quiet night for me

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private; DH thinks his will take me on too
• make boys dentist appts
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Emailed 3rd person
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• next phase of sorting baby room; All grown up books OUT
• analyse heating/electricity for cheaper options
• spend DS2's John Lewis birthday vouchers (decide on what could be good for him, something with numbers i think)

Already longing for bed!

Mon:

• all up DONE & breakfasted DONE
• tidy kitchen, unload & reload dw, wm on DONE
• all dressed DONE
• DH to work early DONE
• school runs DONE

• BF course
• lunch & tidy up
• jobs?
• collect DS1
• chill out time
• tea x 3 & tidy up
• boys bath & bed
• online shop (7-8)
• early quiet night for me

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private; DH thinks his will take me on too
• make boys dentist appts
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Emailed 3rd person
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• next phase of sorting baby room; All grown up books OUT
• analyse heating/electricity for cheaper options
• spend DS2's John Lewis birthday vouchers (decide on what could be good for him, something with numbers i think)
• new tumble dryer

Morning JKS- get that TD ordered!!!

Oh boy it's a long list today... AND I forgot DS was supposed to be gardening at school, luckily, he can join the group going next Monday!

• Up, showered and dressed DONE
• General tidy, make beds etc DONE
• DC to school
• Fill/Run/Empty DW Emptied
• Washing
• Ironing
• Hoovering
• On line banking
• Credit card payments - 31st and 1st need to be made.
• Order logs
• Pay structural engineer
• Renew library books
• Holiday dates with MIL
• Check dehumidifier
• Building project finances
• Collect post from house
• Go see builders
• MOST IMPORTANT Bathroom order today
• Doors order this week
• Call man to collect old doors
• Balance transfer to organise
• Chickens
• Dog
• Quick supermarket trip
• Reading/Spellings/Word cards
• Pay Utilities Warehouse Bill
• Sort stuff to list on Ebay
• Refix with EON ? part done, but need to shop around for a possible ?switch?
• Call Builder re costings
• Feb house budget ongoing, itemise everything
• Late school pick up
• DD to opticians
• Get fire going
• Make dinner

Morning!

JKS, your early mornings are too much.

Ali, hurrah for a turny baby!

Welcome LadyT.

Right, an actual proper list today (ish)

morning routine -

• make beds and open windows done
• breakfast done
• Oj, spatone + vits
• kitchen - 15 mins
• laundry - load in done fold dry washing done sort and put away started
• shower and dress

• laundry - sort loads and plough through - hang outside?
• general tidying, cleaning and pottering - 15 min spurts, get duster out etc.
• playing
• lunch
• library
• shop
• feed birds
• tea
• kitchen - 15 mins
• rubbish and recycling out
• tidy downstairs + hoover + playdough removal
• DS bath and bed (DH)

Morning everyone :)

JKS - what a nightmare for you :( I don't know how you cope with your DH away so much. Will he be able to go away less as you get more pregnant?

TODAY
All up and dressed - 2 done, I'm in slouchies still
Spatone + vitamins - done
Breakfast and tidy kitchen - done
DH into London for a meeting at some point (currently underfoot!)
Run DW
Make beds and tidy upstairs
Wipe over bathroom
Hoover and sweep downstairs if needed
Breadmaker on
Fold clean washing mountain
Machine wash my slippers (fingers crossed it doesn't ruin them!)
Lunch and tidy kitchen
Walk to Sainsbury's
Make some soup
Catch up with some e-mails
Online banking (pay cleaner and window cleaner)
DH home a bit early?
Dinner - stir-fry
Clear up
DS bath and bed
Post DS-to-bed tidy
Kitchen clear before bed

ONGOING
E-mail out some recent photos of DS
Confirm DS preschool sessions - have got the form
Strip wash and sort through cloth nappies to see how many new ones we need for DC2 (love buying new cloth nappies )
Apply for HIP grant
Ring new NHS dental practice
Buy and hang a mirror in the spare room

SPRING CLEANING LIST
Clean living room and dining room carpets
Spare bedroom bookcase
Nag DH into sorting out his growing stacks of shite paperwork - getting there
Call furniture donation scheme about stuff in garage - have rung, need to check it has the relevant fire label
Polish the silver
Sideboard (this is a mega task) - one cupboard done
Sort and shred old paperwork

Argh can't catch up after a week of slacking but hello and hope all slatterns are well

JKS for away dh, I am missing my sister now she has gone. Life is definitely easier with two adults in it, if only for having someone to talk to at the end of the day.

All up, dressed, breakfasted - DONE
Washing up - DONE
Wipe kitchen sides and dining table ? DONE
Load of washing on ? DONE
DD to school ? DONE
DS to preschool ? DONE
Recycling into box - DONE
Clean microwave - DONE
Tidy sitting room ? DONE
Shake n vac ? DONE
Hoover downstairs ? DONE
Load of washing on airers ? DONE
2nd load on ?DONE
2nd load out -
Clean loo ? DONE
Clean bathroom- DONE
Tidy dc room? DONE
Strip dc beds ? DONE
Meat out of freezer - DONE
Look up recipe ? DONE
Make shopping list -
Clean inside windows & mirrors ?
Dust downstairs ?
Dst bedrooms -
Clean tv ?
Pick up ds -
Lunch ?
Hoover upstairs ?
Supermarket -
Mop downstairs -
IRONING ?
Pick up dd ?
Cook dinner ?

Wash up -
Bath and bed dc-
Clean bathroom -
Tidy kitchen and sitting room ?

Ooh ooh ali I still have my nappy stock from when I used to sell them so let me know what you want and I can see if I have them

Right, time for a list for MOn-Tues

Help community assn-DONE
Help theatre
Accounting at church
Read trademags
Washing
Ironing
Hoovering
Dusting
Clean hard floors
Clean kitchen
Clean bathoom
Ring mother

I think that will do for now..should keep me busy or a while

Well he's already planned to be back around the school holidays which is when baby is due so that's good, and I do have the Nanny 3 days a week (with DS2 when he's at pre-sch, so i sometimes get the house to myself which is lovely), but the early mornings are a killer, evenings can be lonely but i'm good with my own company/going to bed early once i've got the boys settled.

Freak - do you do much in the evenings in your own? I mostly watch tv/MN/go to bed with book. but i love it in a way. On Tuesdays i almost resent having to go out to orchestra - thinking i may slack off with attendance over the next few months.

Trying to get DS2 to have a nap, I'm hoping to order a dryer then go to bed myself for a bit.

Mon:

• all up DONE & breakfasted DONE
• tidy kitchen, unload & reload dw, wm on DONE
• all dressed DONE
• DH to work early DONE
• school runs DONE
• BF course DONE
• lunch & tidy up DONE

• DS2 nap
• me nap
• collect DS1
• chill out time
• tea x 3 & tidy up
• boys bath & bed
• online shop (7-8)
• early quiet night for me

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private; DH thinks his will take me on too
• make boys dentist appts
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Emailed 3rd person
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• next phase of sorting baby room; All grown up books OUT
• analyse heating/electricity for cheaper options
• spend DS2's John Lewis birthday vouchers (decide on what could be good for him, something with numbers i think)
• new tumble dryer

morning routine -

• make beds and open windows done
• breakfast done
• Oj, spatone + vits
• kitchen - 15 mins done
• laundry - load in done fold dry washing done sort and put away started
• shower and dress done

• laundry - sort loads and plough through - hang outside? done 2nd load in done
• general tidying, cleaning and pottering - 15 min spurts, get duster out etc. err
• playing done
• lunch done
• library
• shop
• feed birds
• tea
• kitchen - 15 mins
• rubbish and recycling out
• tidy downstairs + hoover + playdough removal
• DS bath and bed (DH)

Success, DS2 asleep already, dryer ordered :)

Mon:

• all up DONE & breakfasted DONE
• tidy kitchen, unload & reload dw, wm on DONE
• all dressed DONE
• DH to work early DONE
• school runs DONE
• BF course DONE
• lunch & tidy up DONE
• DS2 nap Doing
• me nap
• collect DS1
• chill out time
• tea x 3 & tidy up
• boys bath & bed
• online shop (7-8)
• early quiet night for me

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private; DH thinks his will take me on too
• make boys dentist appts
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Emailed 3rd person
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• next phase of sorting baby room; All grown up books OUT
• analyse heating/electricity for cheaper options
• spend DS2's John Lewis birthday vouchers (decide on what could be good for him, something with numbers i think)
• new tumble dryer Ordered

Well done JKS - now get to bed!

Things going quite smoothly here this morning - minimal Beebies and I've got a fair amount done. I'm sure it won't last!!

TODAY
All up and dressed - done
Spatone + vitamins - done
Breakfast and tidy kitchen - done
DH into London for a meeting at some point (currently underfoot!) - done
Run DW - done
Make beds and tidy upstairs - done
Help DS to construct a lift out of books for his owl - done :)
Wipe over bathroom - not needed
Hoover and sweep downstairs if needed -
Breadmaker on - done
Fold clean washing mountain - done
Machine wash my slippers (fingers crossed it doesn't ruin them!) - in machine
Lunch and tidy kitchen - in progress
Walk to Sainsbury's
Make some soup
Catch up with some e-mails
Online banking (pay cleaner and window cleaner)
DH home a bit early?
Dinner - stir-fry
Clear up
DS bath and bed
Post DS-to-bed tidy
Kitchen clear before bed

ONGOING
E-mail out some recent photos of DS
Confirm DS preschool sessions - have got the form
Strip wash and sort through cloth nappies to see how many new ones we need for DC2 (love buying new cloth nappies )
Apply for HIP grant
Ring new NHS dental practice
Buy and hang a mirror in the spare room

SPRING CLEANING LIST
Clean living room and dining room carpets
Spare bedroom bookcase
Nag DH into sorting out his growing stacks of shite paperwork - getting there
Call furniture donation scheme about stuff in garage - have rung, need to check it has the relevant fire label
Polish the silver
Sideboard (this is a mega task) - one cupboard done
Sort and shred old paperwork

JKS yes I loved it for about 3 months but then it started to wear a bit thin. It's just cos it's every evening I think-when dsis was here I really noticed how nice it was having someone to talk to, even just to comment on the tv programme or to tell something funny the dc had done etc.

But, on the plus side I drink less (because I don't tend to drink alone) and I go to bed early most nights so maybe it's better for my health

All up, dressed, breakfasted - DONE
Washing up - DONE
Wipe kitchen sides and dining table ? DONE
Load of washing on ? DONE
DD to school ? DONE
DS to preschool ? DONE
Recycling into box - DONE
Clean microwave - DONE
Tidy sitting room ? DONE
Shake n vac ? DONE
Hoover downstairs ? DONE
Load of washing on airers ? DONE
2nd load on ?DONE
2nd load out - DONE
3rd load o - DONE
3rd load out - DONE
Clean loo ? DONE
Clean bathroom- DONE
Tidy dc room? DONE
Strip dc beds ? DONE
Meat out of freezer - DONE
Look up recipe ? DONE
Make shopping list - DONE
Clean inside windows & mirrors ?
Dust downstairs ?
Dst bedrooms -
Clean tv ?
Pick up ds - DONE
Lunch ? DONE
Hoover upstairs ?
Supermarket - DONE
Mop downstairs -
IRONING ?
Pick up dd ?
Cook dinner ?
Wash up -
Bath and bed dc-
Clean bathroom -
Tidy kitchen and sitting room ?

I have to share this hysterical comment from DS

He likes to give me a cuddle when I come out of the shower, once I'm dry, because I'm all nice and warm - he likes to put his face on my skin and then gives me little pats - I think he misses the closeness of BFing. It is very lovely and I hope he doesn't grow out of it for a good while!
Anyway, today we were having said cuddle, and he suddenly looked up at me 'Mummy what lovely boobies you have, they are all squeezy', and snuggled up again. I PMSL!

Hello!

Monday:

-Up, dress done
-Brreakfast (must not lay in bed for 10 extra minutes and miss this vital meal meaning I eat choclate all morning)done!
-Make mine and DPs lunch done
-Preare giant smoothie for the week
-3k on treadmill done

• shower done
• work (...blah)half done!

-fetch DSDs Schuh order at lunchtime -Nails done -pick up chicken from butcher done -remember not to leave chicken in fridge at work -finish on time -fetch DD from friends house -drop in gift to friend with new baby, don't stay!... just for 5 minutes... grin -cook dinner (relying on not having left chicken in fridge at work) -Bath, story, bed for DD -Eastenders grin -make DDs packed lunch. -wash bath towels that I should have washed today -bed

Can I have a long term list?:

-Sort out DSD dentistry
-set up savings account for DD
-research cheap disneyland deals
-apply for credit card
-clear out cupboards and clean
-alphabetise spice rack... (geek)
-Take old DVDs to charity shop
-Take bottles to bottle bank
-Return loaned wine glasses to friend across town
-Sort out bottom of wardrobe
-sort DDs old clothes and take to charity shop
-sort out DDs old toys and take to hospital... how do I do this? Just turn up?

LadyT - just reading 3k on treadmill exhausts me!

Ali - lol

Freak - true i suppose i would get bored of it, and i def drink less & sleep more, but long ago settled the issue in my head of drinking on my own

I remember reading a quiz about whether you were an alcoholic or not, and if you answered yes to any questions then you were, i was yes to 3!

1. do you drink on your own? - yep
2. do you ever drink before noon? - yep (every Christmas for a start)
3. do you turn to drink at times of stress? - err, yes! (thinking back to DS2 problem days or bad days with the boys, get them into bed, open the wine...)

I think it was a rubbish quiz, should have said 'do you regularly 1, 2 or 3?'
IMO

Mon:

• all up DONE & breakfasted DONE
• tidy kitchen, unload & reload dw, wm on DONE
• all dressed DONE
• DH to work early DONE
• school runs DONE
• BF course DONE
• lunch & tidy up DONE
• DS2 nap DONE
• me nap DONE!
• collect DS1 DONE
• chill out time Doing

• few phone calls to make
• put bits back on broken dryer for collection on Sat
• tea x 3 & tidy up
• boys bath & bed
• online shop (7-8)
• put away shopping (at least cold/frozen stuff anyway)
• early quiet night for me

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private; DH thinks his will take me on too
• make boys dentist appts
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Emailed 3rd person & again
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• next phase of sorting baby room; All grown up books OUT
• analyse heating/electricity for cheaper options
• spend DS2's John Lewis birthday vouchers (decide on what could be good for him, something with numbers i think)