We have finished the babysteps - cautiously moving into toddler sized steps now.

[Carrotsandcelery]

You are all going to be so disappointed. My hobby is horse riding. Ta da!! I really wasn't trying to be coy. I didn't realise you were all so nosey took such an interest in fellow thread members I am totally mortified that it is not hang gliding or rally racing or anything a bit more adventurous

I hoovered downstairs (again) - DS got over-enthusiastic with shaking a packet of risotto rice.

I also de-gunked the outside drain - 2 inches of standing water on top of the drain cover . It needs more work when I my order of extra bicarb arrived.

I went out this evening & DH swished and swiped the bathroom without even being reminded. I'll overlook the failure to put on the dishwasher and wipe the kitchen surfaces. :)

Carrots, that sounds like a very productive day.

I even started writing out our Christmas lists to send to my parents. More tomorrow, I hope. :)

Mm, bessie, those falafels sound tasty. I wonder if DS could be persuaded to try some?

angel my DD1 loves falafel! We usually follow this recipe, the ones I made today were an experiment in using the slow cooker!

I'm still a bit worried about eating choc carrots, I had some brownies for lunch on sun & she did posset a bit after her next feed... I'm still hoping it's a coincidence, as I have a bar of the new "burnt toffee" flavour to try in the fridge!

:( on the chocolate so far, bessie.

Let us know how the falafel tastes.

I am tired and grumpy this morning, but it's my own fault for messing on MN till really late last night. Poor DS.

I need to:

wipe condensation off windows (they're really bad this morning)
unload dishwasher
clear up after breakfast
have a shower
put on some washing
find some bits to return to a friend
go out to friend's house

Later:

do market/town shop
rinse out bucket
put away dry washing
hem up DS's trousers
write more of our Christmas lists
e-mail friend
write reply to invitation

Actually, all that is pretty unrealistic, isn't it?

Come on Angel you can do it. I meant to ask you about condensation. Tesco now have those condensation absorbers in the lightbulb, bin bag etc section. It worked wonders in our flat but, as I said, you would have to watch the dcs. I don't know if they are toxic or benign.

My dcs also love falafel as long as it isn't too strongly flavoured. Let me know how it goes in the slow cooker bessie. I have had 2 bad cooking experiences this week after economising and buying Tesco's own brand veggie sausages and own brand Tesco meat free mince. Yeuch! I couldn't eat the sausages at all and the mince was rubbery and made me feel ill afterwards. I will stick to lentils or quorn in future I think, despite the cost of the latter.

I am hoping to do something in the slow cooker tonight as we won't be in until 6.45pm. I will post the recipe if it works out ok.

I have been on fire this morning. I had much of the usual list done before the school run, despite not getting up until 7.40 this morning. I went to bed on time but dd had climbed in with me and was hot and noisy and fidgetty and I was awake every half hour all night. Ironically ds slept til after 6am.

I have also ironed a whole rail of charity ebay items so felt I deserved a and my breakfast

The next task is some hoovering and a tidy of the master bedroom I think. I might prep tea first as that sounds like much more fun

Well the house smells amazing and the slow cooker is on. Lots of ginger chopped bessie

Hoovering is also done.

Ebay package wrapped and addressed.

This morning seems to be going really slowly today

Washing machine on.

What to do next?

I am considering doing some wrapping now that the gift labels the dcs made have arrived.

Oh bessie our photo calendars arrived on Monday and they are fab. The dcs are really excited to give them. Great gift idea. Thank you!

The slow cooker falafel are ok. They did brown nicely on the bottom, so you need to turn them, and the ones that were piled up on top of each other only got a little bit brown. Will try my favourite recipe in the slow cooker next time to see what they come out like.

How are you getting on angel?

carrots, you have to try these things! IMO cauldron sausages are the best! I used to like Tescos pretend bacon, but I don't go there often so haven't had it for ages.

I've got my 2nd load of laundry on & cleaned the kitchen window earlier. DD2 & I have been swimming, so feed & lunch before anything else will get done.

Later I need to get DD2 weighed & pop to the shop for a few things before picking DD1 up from pre-school. DH & I are going out tonight, so must try to get the girls into bath & bed a bit earlier than usual.

bessie I struggle to get hold of Cauldron products up here. Now and again the supermarket gets them but not often. I don't know if they whizz off the shelves and that is why.

I would happily not eat any meat substitute at all but seem to have got into the habit of using quorn products more and more often. I think it is so that I can adapt recipes meant for meat. Dh is not a veggie but gets a subsidised lunch at work and seems to nearly always have the veggie option so maybe I have converted him by accident

I have done a fair bit of Christmas wrapping. There is still quite a lot to do but I always think that once you have started you keep the ball rolling. I dread being fed up doing it but having to keep going and refuse to return to the Christmas Eve I spent crying and wrapping

I am also a bit anxious about dh's birthday. I seem to know what everyone else is getting him but not to be too sure what I have got for him myself. Having had a rummage in the cupboard I have quite a few bits and bobs but not much by way of a main gift Everyone else has run off with all the ideas from his list so I have no idea. Yikes!

The wrapping also means that I can store stuff a little more easily, without fear of people seeing their gift,s which means I can organise each household's into separate bags, ready to transport. It does mean that I now have no shopping bags anymore though.

Sounds like a productive day, Carrots.

wipe condensation off windows
unload dishwasher
clear up after breakfast
have a shower
put on some washing - started
find some bits to return to a friend (counts as decluttering)
go out to friend's house

nap
eat lunch

make DS's lunch
sort out dinner

do market/town shop
rinse out bucket
put away dry washing
hem up DS's trousers
write more of our Christmas lists
e-mail friend
write reply to invitation

Going out took longer than planned so DS had a late nap, so will be in bed late - not too optimistic for the rest of my list but I'll have a go. Off to wake him up now.

Wow! You have all done really well today!

I have been a bit under the weather so not done much at all

Just hope I can get back on track soon!
My DH birthday is not far away now as well so I will need to start getting organized with presents and cards.

Angel you did really well.

The slow cooker curry went well - it was a touch wet though so I think the slow cooker doesn't need as much liquid as things simmering on the hob do. Lesson learned hopefully.

I am shattered tonight so that is me curled up on the sofa for the evening.

BlackCat I hope you feel better fast. I prescribe curling up on the sofa for you too.

Thanks, Carrots.

Hope you & BlackCat feel better today.

Today:

Clear up after breakfast
Shower & dressed
Go out to toddler group

Shopping away from yesterday
Hang wet washing out
Put dry washing away
Put more washing on
Unload dishwasher
Tidy hall/kitchen
Put soda crystals down sink/drain

Nap

E-mail my parents
E-mail 2 friends

15 mins of writing Christmas lists
Hem DS's trousers

Oops, forgot:

Put the bins out

We randomly had a SLEDGE arrive by post this morning (DH had ordered it). Now we're prepared for winter! :)

Morning all,
O.k. so far today although my wrist is hurting today. Could be the arthritis playing up. Still I'm not going to let that stop me! I have to battle on with some of my health problems as they are not going to go away. Getting old!

Today I am going to try and do things 15 minutes at a time.
Here's what I would like to get done:
Wash up/dry up
tidy/sort some paperwork (hot spot)
Try to start on Christmas and Birthday lists (Cards/presents)
Maybe check food cupboards and do shopping list/meal plan.
Laundry.

Oh Angel I am fine, I was just tired, which is how I like to end a day - it makes me feel like it has been worthwhile.

Good luck with your list today.

BlackCat my dmum uses a gel (Voltarol?) on her arthritic joints and it helps a lot. She also uses tubigrip supports sometimes. I know she tries not to think about it and glories on.

So far today I have done the usual: wash, lunches, school, gossip with other mums, top up shop, dishwasher, worktops, prepped tea, prepped after school pancakes, decluttered kitchen table, put a wash on.

I have also put the bin out and discovered 2 of our rabbits running loose in the garden Dd hadn't put the lid on the run when she fed them this morning. So...I have had my exercise for the day running around trying to catch them They are now safely deposited back in their runs so the cats, buzzards and foxes are out of luck today

I am having a now and deciding what to do next.

Making good progress here today.
have washed up, done cat litter tray, swept kitchen floor and done some decluttering.
Am stopping for lunch now.

Sounds a good start BlackCat.

bessie I forgot to say we made porridge in the slow cooker last night and it was beautifully cooked this morning. It was easier than making "normal" porridge too. I think dh did 2 cups of porridge, 2 of milk and 2 of water. I stirred it and set in on low for about 8 or 9 hours.

Sounds yummy carrots, and perfect timing for me as I was going to try making some at the weekend!

Nothing excitng achieved here today, DD2 was up in the night again, so I am knackered. I think she's over her cold now, but has got into the habit of waking, so I think I'll be spending the next few nights doing sleep training again.

Also managed to do hoovering downstairs, do a small amount of food shopping and cook tea.
I kind of had a go at the meal planning as I listed everything we had at home (dinner sort of items) and did a separate list of 21 meals we might like to have.
I think I still need to try and sit down with a recipe book and come up with some good food. We normally do our big food shop at the weekend so will have to try and do it before then.
The house still looks a bit like chaos tonight as I haven't tidied up DD toys and didn't get all washing up done. Sometimes there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day!
Tomorrows another day.

How did you all get on?

Well done on the meal planning, Black.

Done today:

Clear up after breakfast
Shower & dressed
Go out to toddler group

Shopping away from yesterday
Hang wet washing out
Put dry washing away
Put more washing on
Unload dishwasher
Tidy hall/kitchen
Put soda crystals down sink/drain
Put the bins out
Some work Christmas lists
Took DS out to see diggers

DS had another meltdown tonight with an uncharacteristic screaming tantrum at dinner time, and refused to eat anything other than a rice cake. He's normally very calm. I hope he's not coming down with something (he has a few spots but it's hard to tell as he's prone to getting them).

To do tomorrow:

Ring eczema nurse
Dry washing away
Take DS swimming
Washing on x2

Supermarket

Order new kitchen bin (one of my Christmas presents - we know how to live it up round here!)
E-mail my parents
E-mail 2 friends
More work on Christmas lists (how can they take so long to compile??)

Plan meals for next week
Find casserole recipe to cook on Sunday
Hem DS's trousers (ha - unlikely to happen)

Wow angel you've done loads!! How exactly do you do the soda crystals down the sink/drain? Do you have to dissolve them first?

I've got a wish list on amazon (the DC have them too), whenever I see or think of something I would like, I add it to the list. It would be perfect if only people looked at it

I treated myself to a new kitchen bin a few weeks ago, it is lovely Some of the things on my list are: a new fitted sheet, new plates & bowls, a sink tidy, & tea-towel hooks I am boring myself!

I just chucked the crystals at the plughole and poured boiling water on top.

The instructions say to put half a packet down the drain (I presume the outside drain) and sluice with hot water.

That's a good idea about the Amazon list - DH has one but it hadn't occurred to me to keep one.

Your list sounds as exciting as mine!

I've just put the ingredients in the slow cooker for porridge :) - will report back on the results tomorrow.

Well, the slow cooker porridge was a complete disaster.

I did 1.5 cups each of oats, oat milk and water. It was burnt on the bottom and sides, had a deep brown thick wrinkled dry skin on top and was watery with small oaty lumps in between.

We have a huge slow cooker - the sort you can fit a whole chicken in. I don't know if that makes a difference.

AngelDog you are doing very well on the lists lately, Well done!

I am in need of Large Coffee this morning [yawn]. I don't think I got enough sleep last night and really didn't want to get out of bed this morning.