Procrastinators Ambling through Advent and Composing Christmas Lists

[Alibabaandthe80nappies]

Welcome to our new festive thread ladies! I am sorry we do not have festive smileys to start off with!

I am two handed once more, DH has taken over trying to settle T. He is brewing a molar and it is really bothering him, plus he has been coughing today so is possibly going down with the bug that DS1 has had. Oh the joy!

I have done it, the Pre-Christmas Toy Sort!

One small bag of broken things and tat into the bin, very baby toys packed away and in the garage, other broken things mended, and everything else properly organised and re-united with its fellows.
There is actually some space for some new things now

TO DO
Put last bag of shopping away
Pick DS1 up
Find somewhere for us to go for lunch tomorrow before purchasing Christmas tree
Online banking
Film afternoon (Cars 2 or Monsters Inc no doubt )
Boys tea
Baths and bed
Our dinner and
Early night

Sorry been absolutely mental busy at work so no chance of posting.

Panto was brill - DS loved it. DD had to go home early as was 'scared'.

Today
advent calander opened done
New xmassy mug in action done
Wrap presents for weekend
Take vits done
Take in some dry cleaning
Ring upholsterers
Pay gas / elec

Xmas
Xmas shopping
Xmas dress shopping
Buy some more online xmas presents
Buy/make xmas cards - started
Write xmas cards
Get frock for xmas party
Get baby sitter for office party and xmas party!!!!!!!!!!!! URGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get kids to write xmas lists for santa
Make Delia xmas cake & ice!

Other stuff
Change house insurance / find cheaper
Buy some nice clothes that fit and look nice
Honey for teachers presents
Book lunch with friend done

Today's list:

• bed as much as poss DONE
• try to feel human Doing slowly
• maybe eat something other than Pombears... it was for the salt I tell you

JKS have you been out on the tiles?

I wish!

no, DD shared her stomach bug germs, and i was up most of the night feeling like i was going to be sick, i wasn't but think i may have felt better if i had.

eating chickrn soup so am feeling a bit better :)

Morning ladies. Well done Ali.

I too have the lergy . Foul cold and cough. I feel like I had a night on the tiles, at least if I had I'd deserve to feel like this!! We spent yesterday in the great outdoors which was lovely, but we were all completely covered in mud by the end of the day!

Anyway, I have a morning off rugby duty, DH has taken DC so I have approx two hours to myself.... (washing, tidying, ironing the uniform, preparing the sunday dinner.... ) but at least I can do it without a mad rush AND in peace and quiet.

JKS - hope you are feeling better by now....

SO today:

• Coffee and hot bath (NOW)
• several wash loads following yesterday's mud based activities
• Sort and iron uniform (the rest can wait!)
• Pick/prep/find veg etc for Sunday Dinner
• Put Pork in the oven for 6 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Hose down DC on return from rugby (yet more mud based activities)
• DC homework
• DC christmas cards
• PIL's here for Pork Dinner. Mmmmmm.
• Collapse, take cold and flu tablets and go to sleep......

Today
Wrap presents for weekend
Take vits
Take in some dry cleaning
Ring upholsterers
Pay gas / elec
DS to birthday party
Remember presents

Xmas
Xmas shopping done some
Xmas dress shopping ordered dress
Buy some more online xmas presents
Buy/make xmas cards - started
Write xmas cards -started
Post xmas cards!
Get baby sitter for office party done
and xmas party!!!!!!!!!!!! URGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get kids to write xmas lists for santa
Make Delia xmas cake & ice!

Other stuff
Change house insurance / find cheaper
Buy some nice clothes that fit and look nice
Honey for teachers presents
Book lunch with friend done

Have now had chance to read thread a bit. Have been chasing DD round trying to brush her hair. Now she wants to play on the pooter. No chance DD.

JKS - sorry to hear about the stomach upset. Yuk. Hope you are better now.

Anon - peace and quiet is great. But you still have to do all the chores don't you!

We are at MIL's. Managed to get out on a good shopping trip yesterday with DH and we even managed to go out together for a meal. 1st time since September! Have ordered a red frock for xmas party. Hope it is ok. Mini will have to check it out when she visits next weekend. It doesn't look that short on me as I am not of great hight. I have some black tights with little bows on to go with it.

HMHB, which dress did you go for? Have I missed a mention in the thread?!?!?

• Coffee and hot bath (NOW) DONE
• several wash loads following yesterday's mud based activities Second in
• Sort and iron uniform (the rest can wait!) found just needs ironing
• Pick/prep/find veg etc for Sunday Dinner DONE
• Put Pork in the oven for 6 hours!!!!!!!!!!!! DONE
• PIL take DDog for walk DOING
• Hose down DC on return from rugby (yet more mud based activities)
• DC homework
• DC christmas cards
• PIL's here for Pork Dinner. Mmmmmm.
• Collapse, take cold and flu tablets and go to sleep......

HMHB - just seen your link!! Very foxy. Beautiful lines!!

I will have to find my list tomorrow.

Recovered from stomach bug thankfully & went to friends for the night, DS1 settled at 10.30pm! DS2 got up at 4. And DD needed resettling twice in that time = not a lot of sleep, so off to bed soon.

HMHB - wow love that dress, def not for my current figure!

Tomorrow:

• all usual
• lots of laundry
• try and see what's needed to do for Christmas
• orch concert @ OAP home
• DC must have a bath

HMHB - that dress is seriously bombshell! Not for my current figure either

Anon - sounds like a lovely day, I hope your pig was enjoyable.
I'm feeling rather chuffed as I did a piece of gammon today and managed to get the skin to crackle beautifully. DH and I crunched our way through far more than was good for us!

JKS - glad you are better but that sounds like a rough night! Hope you are all tucked up in bed and fast asleep :)

We have had a nice day today, took DS1 into town earlier for a haircut and he was good as gold, and then we have decorated the tree and had a roast. It looks brilliant, I am really chuffed and I've been faffing around with it and other bits of decorations all evening, with a nice glass of Cointreau and some carols/christmas with the rat pack music on. Lovely

Must get my act together tomorrow, because I lose my long day with only DS2 on Wednesday due to it being the preschool Christmas party. Which is for 2 hours in the middle of the day at a softplay in town, and the preschool itself is actually shut the rest of the day so I will have him kicking about here all morning plus have to get us into town rather than just walk 5 mins up the road.

Thanks re dress. Hope I can pull it off. Am waiting for it to arrive and then will try on again! The girls in the shop say it suits all sizes!

Today
Take vits done
Take in some dry cleaning
Ring upholsterers
Pay gas / elec

Xmas
Xmas shopping done some
Xmas dress shopping ordered dress
Buy some more online xmas presents
Buy/make xmas cards - started
Write xmas cards -started
Post xmas cards!
Get baby sitter for office party done
and xmas party!!!!!!!!!!!! URGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get kids to write xmas lists for santa
Make Delia xmas cake & ice!

Other stuff
Change house insurance / find cheaper
Buy some nice clothes that fit and look nice
Honey for teachers presents
Book lunch with friend done

Morning. Right, after a week of bad back, grotty cold and lots of pills and potions I need to crack on with a vengeance:

Today:

• Up, showered and dressed DONE
• DC to school DONE
• General tidy, make beds etc
• Fill/Run/Empty DW
• Washing One DONE, one more to go in
• Hoovering
• Practice Christmas Baking for DD
• Ebay - waiting for three items to sell (hopefully!)
• Into town for Christmas Cards, card, paper and socks!
• Ironing
• Remake our bed
• Strip DC beds and wash
• Book MOT
• Order printer ink
• Send sponsorship for 2 Movember men
• Bathrooms
• Polish silver
• Collect money for teachers gifts
• On line banking/budget
• Chickens
• Dog
• Reading and homework with DC
• Make dinner

One off things this week/soon:

• Work out outfit for 70's party
• Make Christmas Hats for DC at school
• DH?s tax return
• Window locks - chased
• Cash back for old mobiles?
• Book theatre trip
• Find supplier for Oysters
• Musical instrument lessons for DS?
• Clean oven DONE
• New socks for DS and DD
• Inspect and possibly object to local planning monstrosity application
• Music downloads with vouchers doing
• Holiday Summer 2012 - insurance and car hire, pay deposit end Jan
• Booze run to France
• Call about tennis lesson
• Addresses onto computer
• Piano practice
• Time Machine for Mac to set up
• Choose photos for the wall
• Work out parental controls on Mac and Sky
• Life insurance to finalise
• Set up weather station
• Register with Anthony Nolan Trust
• Choose two outdoor lights
• Need Blu-Ray player and Microwave and keyboard and hard drive and camera
• Investigate beekeeping
• Study - major sort needed

Christmas

Decide venue DONE - at ours (as usual!)
Establish numbers DONE
Rough main meal plan (ie. turkey and the trimmings for the first time in a decade, feeling brave)
Christmas Eve plan DONE - going out for dinner
Presents - list mostly complete, tot up what not ordered
Cards and stamps to buy
Wrapping paper and tags
Addresses to find
Tree (second weekend in Dec)
Decs and lights IN LOFT
DC lists/letter to Santa DONE
Christmas Cinema trip Booked
Trip to DH's office for kids' christmas party
Food list and order
Wine order
Boxing Day - go out/activity?

Today:

• Up, showered and dressed DONE
• DC to school DONE
• General tidy, make beds etc DONE
• Fill/Run/Empty DW
• Washing One DONE, one in, one more after school
• Hoovering and mop floor
• Practice Christmas Baking for DD
• Ebay - waiting for three items to sell tomorrow (hopefully!)
• Into town for Christmas Cards, card, paper and socks!
• Ironing DONE enough for now
• Remake our bed DONE
• Strip DC beds and wash DONE and washing now
• Book MOT DONE
• Book eye test message left
• Guy collecting sofa 2.30
• Order printer ink
• Send sponsorship for 2 Movember men
• Bathrooms
• Polish silver
• Collect money for teachers gifts
• On line banking/budget
• Chickens
• Dog
• Reading and homework with DC
• Make dinner

Afternoon! Chaos here, although we've managed to be everywhere on time so far by some miracle!

DONE
All up, dressed and fed
DS1 and me to his last music class
DS1 to preschool
Sainsbury's for cards, cheese and Harry Potter DVD
Take DS2 to Drs
Unload dishwasher and clear up

TO DO
Lunch and clear up
Tidy living room
Put away decoration boxes and bits
Vacuum downstairs
Make a plan for dinner - cold gammon + jackets?
Pick up prescription for DS2
Collect DS1 from preschool
Try and get hold of Mum in France to remind her to get us some champagne
Preschool reading with DS1
Dinner
Clear up
Baths and bed
Early night

CHRISTMAS
Check tickets for Christmas train ride and Santa visit
Book lunch for Saturday? Where?
Addresses
Write and post cards (need stamps)
Update budget spreadsheet
Check present list
Shop for remaining presents
Decide when to go and buy cheese
More I am sure...

Well have been busy this morning but mostly reorganising the stuff we took away or doing laundry, nothing that really makes the house look any different

Tomorrow:

• all usual Doing
• lots of laundry Doing
• try and see what's needed to do for Christmas; more presents wrapped & put away
• orch concert @ OAP home
• DC must have a bath
• find ongoing list

Well done on pre-christmas sort ali

Wow hmhb, great dress!

Had a great weekend away despite stinking cold and not being able to sleep much. Came home and my house was a total pit, stuff everywhere, dirty floors, bed not stripped so I had to do it before I could get in it... dd's homework also wasn't done so had to do that before bed which led to late night. Probably not a big deal really as the dc had fun with their grandparents and it's probably a bit unreasonable to expect them to do housework when they are already doing me a favour by looking after dc but I was feeling ill and exhausted and cold through from waiting on station platform and it was the last thing I wanted to be faced with. Managed to clear some surfaces, strip and remake the bed and do some washing up last night and have done the rest this morning.

Christmas tree is up now as well

Quick check in whilst I am feeling organised!

Today:

• Up, showered and dressed DONE
• DC to school DONE
• General tidy, make beds etc DONE
• Fill/Run/Empty DW
• Washing THREE LOADS DONE
• Hoovering and mop floor DONE
• Practice Christmas Baking for DD DONE (phew!)
• Ebay - waiting for three items to sell tomorrow (hopefully!)
• Into town for Christmas Cards, card, paper market tomorrow and socks DONE!
• Ironing DONE enough for now
• Remake our bed DONE
• Strip DC beds and wash DONE and washing now
• Book MOT DONE
• Book eye test message left
• Guy collecting sofa 2.30 DONE
• Order printer ink
• Send sponsorship for 2 Movember men
• Order Christmas tree to collect Saturday
• Bathrooms
• Polish silver
• Collect money for teachers gifts
• On line banking/budget
• Chickens
• Dog
• Reading and homework with DC
• Make dinner

Freak - think they should have done some stuff like stripping the bed, and asking DD about her homework, it's not great for you to have to sort it last thing on Sunday night. Glad you had a good time though.

TIred here, hoping to do bath & DC to bed with minimal meltdowns (from all of us!) then watch some tv & get to bed early. DH coming home about midnight i think.

Tomorrow:

• all usual Doing
• lots of laundry; More doing
• try and see what's needed to do for Christmas; more presents wrapped & put away
• orch concert @ OAP home DONE
• DC must have a bath in a mo
• find ongoing list

Freak - I know what you mean about coming back to a mess, I think I would feel peed off even though I knew I really shouldn't!

DONE
All up, dressed and fed
DS1 and me to his last music class
DS1 to preschool
Sainsbury's for cards, cheese and Harry Potter DVD
Take DS2 to Drs
Unload dishwasher and clear up
Lunch and clear up
Tidy living room
Put away decoration boxes and bits
Vacuum downstairs
Make a plan for dinner - cold gammon + jackets?
Drop off prescription for DS2
Collect DS1 from preschool
Sort out bookclub order through preschool
Order a new nursing bra to replace the one the machine ate
2 loads of washing
Try and get hold of Mum in France to remind her to get us some champagne
Order some snow boots for DS1
Dinner

TO DO
Pick up DS2's script - DH doing now
Fold pile of clean washing
Preschool reading with DS1 - maybe DH will go?

Clear up
Baths and bed - NEXT - DS2 already asleep!
School application - MUST DO
Early night

CHRISTMAS
Check tickets for Christmas train ride and Santa visit
Book lunch for Saturday? Where?
Addresses
Write and post cards (need stamps)
Update budget spreadsheet
Check present list
Shop for remaining presents - in progress, not many to do now
Decide when to go and buy cheese
More I am sure...

Phew, love that feeling of all DC in bed :)

Today:

• all usual DONE
• lots of laundry; even more doing (where does it all come from?!)
• try and see what's needed to do for Christmas; more presents wrapped & put away
• orch concert @ OAP home DONE
• DC must have a bath DONE
• find ongoing list DONE

Tues:

• morning routine
• strip beds & find clean bedding
• swap bathmats & towels
• school runs
• drop off car seat insert to friend
• BF group
• home & quick lunch
• hopefully DD nap
• town trip
• collect DS1, reading, etc
• DS2 home, check & repack bags
• tea
• DS1 swimming
• DC bath & to bed/ready for bed
• orchestra

Ongoing:

• book handyman in to clean gutters (& other jobs)
• order blind for kitchen side door
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started; Done more
• clean oven; Bought Oven Pride
• get kitchen curtains dry cleaned
• family tree (scanning in old certs & photos & email new contact)
• tackle Areas of Doom;
• buy some frames that will hang on the wall & hang up as many photos as poss; need some sizes
• new watch battery needed
• sort iPhoto on laptop... no luck yet
• big bathroom blitz really needed
• town trip needed
• try & find childcare for DS1 on Thurs for orch concert?

A mad day. So busy at work didn't get out til 6.15pm and then late to pick up DD! She was fine and CM fine thankfully.

Ali - I like your cheese list item. Tis a good point. When is stuff ready for xmas i.e within sell buy date - important!

Snow on the mountains here so getting nice and xmassy.

Today/Tomorrow
Get kids to bed done
Tidy up after tea done
Put on face mask done
Do nails
Take vits done
Take in some dry cleaning
Ring upholsterers
Pay gas / elec
Washing
Post stuff / buy stamps

Xmas
Remaining Xmas shopping - mainly for kids
Buy some more online xmas presents
Buy xmas cards done
Write xmas cards -started
Post xmas cards!
Get baby sitter for office party done
and xmas party!!!!!!!!!!!! URGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!! - rang 2 no one avail so far eek
Get kids to write xmas lists for santa
Make Delia xmas cake & ice!
Get xmas tree
Do xmas decorations in house

Other stuff
Change house insurance / find cheaper
Buy some nice clothes that fit and look nice bought some
Honey for teachers presents
lunch with friend - tomorrow!

DC in bed = bliss

DD is singing happy birthday to teddy