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

Can I ask what a slow cooker is?

I'm guessing it cooks things slowly but I have never seen one. I'll have to get my Argos book out and have a look.
What sort of things would you cook in it?

Slow cookers. They're good for soups, casseroles, slow roasts. They work really well for cheap cuts of meat.

I'm struggling this morning. We had another very distrubed night. I'm pretty sure it's developmental as DS's daytime behaviour suggests it too - clingy, cranky & crying (well, screaming ).

Done:

up & dressed
found receipts to take things back
wrote a card
rang eczema nurse

Off out to supermarket soon to distract both DS and me from our grumpiness.

Done:

Up & dressed
Ring eczema nurse
Dry washing away
Washing on & hung out x1
Supermarket & shopping unloaded
Ordered new kitchen bin
Nap
MN break

Still to do:

Make DS's lunch

Take DS swimming

More washing on & hung out
Clean out slow cooker
Get dinner ready

E-mail my parents
E-mail 2 friends
More work on Christmas lists (how can they take so long to compile??)
Put crocosmia / day lillies on Freecycle

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

I find the key to success on the 'done' list is to write down all the little things that weren't really big 'to do' list jobs.

Hello everyone. There seems to have been a lot going on today. I have been Christmas shopping and to the cinema with dh. Then we had a meeting at the school about ds which I was dreading but they seem really pleased with progress. Yay!

Both dcs are now out for a bit so dh and I are trying to relax for a bit before the evening routines. Sleep evaded ds last night so dh and I are fit for a zombie film right now.

We are also completely stuck on a gift from us for dd this year. She isn't asking for much and what she has asked for has been nabbed by other family members. Anyone inspired for a 10 nearly 11 year old who really wants a pony but is not getting one?

angel when I made spiced porridge I had to spray the inside of the crock with oil spray, carrots did you do that when you made your slow porridge?

I didn't spray the dish but it would have been easier to wash I suspect if I had. We had 2 cups of milk and 2 of water for each cup of oats. So 4 liquid to one of oats. I prefer it fully milk but in the interest of heart health we went for a compromise. Angel traditionally the Scots would add a bit of salt and often make it with cream and serve it with brown sugar. We add sultanas, sliced banana and honey to sweeten it and dh likes flaked almonds in it as well. There are about as many ways to make porridge as there are porridge pots though really.

Thanks for the porridge tips - I'll have another go, maybe tomorrow night.

Hope you got a bit more sleep last night, Carrots.

DS was up for 2 hours in the night so I feel fit for a zombie film now.

DH is taking DS out for a couple of hours so I'll have a bit of time to get things done. I'm going to try the FLY crisis cleaning method if I can summon up the energy, although I don't think I'll do any actual cleaning.

To start with:

• shower & dressed
• wash up
• hang out washing / put away dry washing

Morning all, I had a better sleep last night so I am trying to do the jobs I didn't do yesterday.
Have done:
Made beds
Get dressed
Breakfast
One load of washing in machine
Have wrote out Christmas lists (Cards/presents) So I just need to buy and wrap them now. Deciding what to buy for the grown ups is the hard one I find.

Sorry, sorry, sorry...I've been busy, and havent been online much.

We've been out every weekend and I'm knackard. The kids are having a sleepover tonight so that's my peace buggered for the night. MAYBE next weekend? please? Can I just stay in and not go out? please?

Anyhoo,

today
pots
breakfast
pots
hoovering
dusting
shopping
birthday stuff bought for dd
rooms ready
wii chargers done and ready
sweets and shite for kids bought

How is everyone?? What have I missed?

Hello all! I have been up since 3.45am I was not a pleasant Mummy in the middle of the night I have to admit

The only way I seem to be able to cope with such lack of sleep is to go a bit manic so I have tried to put the mania to good use and you will never believe what I have done. I have... tidied up the study. Ta da!

This morning you literally could not get into the room it was piled so high in there. I have tidied it so thoroughly that we were able to rearrange the furniture in there and everything. I am so shocked that I have achieved this as it was my ambition for 2011 and it has taken me this far into the year to achieve it.

We have converted the room into a den for everyone. We inherited a flat screen tv when my Godmother passed away so we have put that in there. There is also a mini 2 seater sofa at the other end of the room so dd could go in there to watch tv with her friends (once we have got an aerial anyway). We have also put ds's drum kit in there which has been in the hallway since Christmas last year which means the hallway now looks HUGE. Dd's violin is also now in there and Dh's various guitars as well. The only instrument I haven't moved in is the keyboard. It currently sits on the desk in the kitchen and I am trying to decide if it should go on the desk in there or if it is good to have the desk clear in the study/den so there is somewhere peaceful to go to work, draw etc.

Part of our meeting at school last night about ds was discussing his need to take time out and maybe this room will provide that for him at home.

I still have stuff packed and ready to be put up the loft and a pile of clothes on the bed waiting to be sorted. I also have a large bag of filing sitting waiting to be filed but, on the whole, the progress is ENORMOUS!!! Yay!

I may even have to go to the shop and get myself a huge bag of maltesers to celebrate!!

Wow carrots that is seriously impressive stuff, that study has been bugging you for ages & you've sorted it out, just like that! Well done! The den sounds fab, I am very jealous! We are still half thinking about making the dining room into a playroom/den (as we always eat in the kitchen), but would need to rehome all the stuff piled up on the table carefully stored in there.

We were out this morning & I napped this arvo. Plan to spend this evening on the sofa with DH sorting out these photo calendars for Xmas presents. Might also check I can find the Xmas card list too.

bessie did I say our photo calendars arrived and they are fantastic. The dcs are really excited.

I am really chuffed with the den. It is a funny little room that has been underused.

Dh is moaning now though. He moaned about the state of the room and now he is moaning because I need help putting stuff up in the loft and need him to sort his ridiculous pile of clothes. Sometimes you just can't win. He wants it all done but isn't prepared to put in even an eighth of the work I have to see it done. The irony is the majority of the mess in there was his. Grr!

Wow, Carrots, that sounds really impressive. Boo hiss to your DH moaning about it. I hope you get a better night's sleep tonight though.

I had a productive morning while DH and DS were out. I've finished my Christmas list, just need to finalise DS's, and then it's only DH's to do. (Why he can't do his own is beyond me. )

Boo! to grumpy DHs (I think they always need something to moan about!) and to sticky porridge. I made this and it stuck to the bowl too - my DH is all huffy now about having to clean it!

Oh no! What is going on with the porridge? Maybe my cheapo slow cooker is hugely powerless so the porridge comes out of it ok! Dh is making porridge just now but just on the hob. It will be me who gets to clean the pan when he has not put it in to soak when he has finished.

I have asked about the porridge in recipes

Glad your calendars came out so well carrots, I had put off doing mine as we had some professional shots taken yesterday & I had hoped to include them, but I doubt we'll get them back in time so need to sort them out now.

DH & DD1 have gone to the shop & DD2 is napping so i have put tea on & vacuumed downstairs.

Hello molepom Good to see you again, but i do get confused by your name changes!

Hello all, We had one or two computer problems so haven't been able to get on here as much as I might like. (Fingers crossed it stays working!)

Well done Carrots on your den room!

I have wrote out my Christmas lists but still haven't bought anything yet.

Not much going on here today, just the normal everyday stuff.
Might have a go at cake making later if I get round to it.

Who is /was molepom ?

Hi Blackcat

I have been doing some filing but it is a really boring job so I think it will have to be a 15 min a day task to get through it.

I have also decluttered a cupboard in the sideboard of all the outgrown videos. I don't think the charity shop even takes videos these days. I suspect they are going to end up in the tip. I will have to investigate first.

Dh has also helped me put the duvets and pillows etc up into the loft.

He has been for a long run and obviously thought things through a bit as he has apologised for being a grumpy git unappreciative and has realised he has to do his fair share if he is going to moan about the clutter which is nearly all his.

I need to gather some motivation and fill the car for the recycling centre now as there is too much for our fortnightly collection

I need to do a wee shop too. I haven't done a menu plan so I can't do a proper shop yet. I need bread and milk though so I suspect it will be me doing that as well.

Sympathies Carrots I hate any job to do with paperwork, although I do like stationery and also write lots of to do lists.

I have asked my DH to write a list of what he wants for birthday/ Christmas cause I don't have a clue what to get.

BlackCat I sympathise on the "don't have a clue what to get" front. There are quite a few useful threads in the Christmas section that might help.

DH & I decided last night that as neither of us really want anything, we will buy each other half a tablet computer. We'll hopefully get something in the Jan sales, so have set a £30 limit for something to open on Xmas day. I still don't know what to get him though!!

Incase you're interested, here's what fly lady is doing next week. I hope DD2s sleep improves this week as I really need to sort stuff out for Xmas & can't be napping all the time!!

What are you guys doing for Xmas? We have my family coming round on Xmas day, then off to ILs on boxing day, some friends coming round for lunch in the 27th & I have scheduled a pyjama day on the 28th

Dh and I used to have a budget of £25 and we always got each other lovely Christmas gifts. The budget has gone up since I stopped work as I think dh wanted me to be treated a bit as I no longer had my own income to treat myself. Somehow it is not as nice though. It is too late for this year but I think next year we should maybe go back to a tighter budget.

I don't know what came over me but I have just hoovered the kitchen, hall, stairs, landing and the dcs rooms.

If I keep on top of things as they are just now then I wouldn't be far off being pleasant for Christmas. All it would need is house blessings and a kitchen floor mop. There are still a few pockets that haven't been dealt with, mostly dh's clothes and dh's paperwork. It would quickly deteriorate into chaos again though so I have to try to keep it ticking over. It makes me a bit nervous when it is nearly there.

We are going to my dmil mid December for a mini early Christmas with her and my dsil and her boyfriend.

We will have Christmas morning at home and then head over to my dparents in the afternoon. We haven't sorted out all the food yet but we will be eating there with my dparents and my dbro and his family so there will be 10 of us in total.

On Boxing Day my dparents will come to us for a very casual, low key lunch and chill out.

I think I will book a pj day as well bessie - sounds bliss.

I am hoping a good friend will be home from abroad over the hols too so I am hoping to have a bit of time with her although that often proves tricky as her dh is not keen and doesn't often let her out on her own.

DH is buying me a rice cooker for Christmas. He's getting a couple of books and a phone holder / charger for the car.

None of the wider family has given me lists though so I've not managed to start any shopping.

We're on our own on Christmas day, just out at church in the morning, then visiting DH's family on Boxing Day afternoon/evening. then we're off to my parents for a couple of days, have a few days off and then will see the PILs again at New Year.