shall we babystep though september,anyone?

[liveinazoo]

adora?
Bessie?
scout?
arti?

anyone else?

Zoo hope you managed To Get the DCs from school

Having a lazy day here, washing mostly done mid week, just done the towels so will hang Those out, when I've had this coffee, then food and packed lunches for Tomorrow. DDs may have a friend over later.

Will up date Tomorrow.

I woke up with a bad back (having done precisely 0 in the way of housework yesterday) and need poking to get on with "stuff"!

We're home!!! (In the US, that is. )

Hope you have a great vacation Scout are you in a warm or cold area?

arti hope your back feels better soon.

No Pilates for me today, bod looking at the boiler.

Ta Dah's

Up and dressed, coffee, breakfast for DDs
assembled lunch and snacks
WM on
School run
2nd load in WM
My breakfast
sent text re boiler
changed for Pilates but boiler engineer turned up

Still to do

feed dogs
empty DW and WM
errands, but am waiting for boiler engineer to return.

if the boiler gets repaired properly today I can have a hot shower, I have my fingers crossed.

I had a busy weekend-we went to a local play ventre Saturday morn and to the cinema p.m to see cloudy with a chance of meatballs 2.was brilliant!!!!
sunday we did the usual shopping and in the p.m I walk the kids to a park some distance from home to feed the ducks and see some birds in the park aviary.by the tme we got in was dark and they were starving and tired so an easy evening for me!he hee

todays ta dahs
front room hotspot
cleaned bathroom
3 loads washing-TD on the blink a load washing has taken 3hr and still not prop dry2nd load onairer and 3rd load is backed up in machine waiting for aa go in TD
welcome home scout have a great trip!
adorafingers,legs nad eyes crossed you have hot water!
arti sending good back vibes your way!

I have made friends cakes today-banana and carrot and a banana and raisin spice loaf.place smells fab!

We're in a mid-Atlantic state. There were snow show last week before we arrived but now people are going around in tee-shirts. It's a very odd time of year weather wise here.

hi everyone

its been busy at zoo central..
I have been trying to organise some volunteering at the local childrens centre or a while and I got a call yesterday asing if I was still interested as they were launching are new a new scheme inconjunction with the uni that allows a volunteer that does 20hours a week there to train and get an n.v.q in childcare at level 2 and then go on to get a level 3.i have a meeting this afternoon at 2pm to see if I meet the criteria!

im very excited as I miss being around little people!
on the flying front I have been attacking the dreaded cupboard under the stairs again,dejunking old unloved toys ready for the xmas influx.we have a few that are in great shape and in need new homes.im not sure if charities will take used for children in need if not they will end up in a charity shop window ready to be loved by someone else

Hi all.
Very slow progress here but I am "working" on trying to be kinder to myself!

keep up the good work arti.ive had no internet service for 3days-damn roadworks messed up lines

at the zoo its been action stations-clearing and de junking ready for xmas
put out a bag for air ambulance last week which I was pleased about.couple binbags to the tip
trying to re establish the regular washing routines are proving difficult as I live in the coldest of houses and have meter keys so im very aware how much its all costing and the T.D dryer and is gobbling energy whilst doing very little
on plus side I didn't put he fire on yesterday and was soo cold I ran around and cleaned the house in a couple of hours keeping warma nd cleaning is a satisfying combo!ha ha

Hello

Keep up the good work Arti

Had a few quiet days recovering from too many late nights at the weekend. Each DD had a sleeover here, so Frí and Sat, then up til just after midnight on Sunday finishing an art project.

Today I feel able To actually do something

Ta Dah's so far

Up late and dashed out To school, dropped DDs off in time -phew!
Had a coffee between school and Pilates
Back home
Towels in the WM
Planned rest of the week in terms of errands
Had another coffee

Still To do

empty DW
Kitchen cupboards
Dog penn
Food
Plan meals
Take forgotten sports kit To school
Speak To estate agent.
Collect DDs and drop friend's DS home
Dinner
Dogs

DH is back at the weekend.

Hope everyone else is Well.

hi adora
im shocked o say one of my friends has pix on fb of her girls putting up the xmas tree.already!!!!!!!!

I had a seris of panic attacks last night and am feeling a bit anxious and fragile/emotional today

it hasn't helped that when we got to school little zoo started crying that her tummy was hurting
I felt awful leaving her but teacher said theyd ring me any .

I suspect im not going to get a great deal done today all things considred but we shall see...

I made a cake yesterday-spicy parsnip.i didn't have any golden syrup so I subbed honey,it burned in the oven

back to the drawing board with that one

Zoo do you know what triggered the pánico attacks? You don't have To say if you don't want To. Shame about the cake.

Hope DD is okay. I don't have FB, but you shouldn't worry about other people's schedules.

A classmate of DD's was here a couple of days ago and her Mum was late collecting her. When DM said she's been putting the tree together her DD looked very disappointed. She had left the lights To be done though. Ours will Go up next week sometime as I want DDs To do it while DH is here.

So, breakfast and school run are done, I've had my breakfast too.

DW is waiting To be Emptied
WM is waiting To start
Dogs are waiting for their breakfast.
I'm catching up on News and MN

Hope you feel calmer soon, could you relax in a nice bubble bath? One of my favourites for stressful days. Another thing I do is make a drink and forcé myself To sit down úntil I feel calm again before continueing with my day. Do you have any magazines To distract yourself, or look on líne at Recipes?

Coo-ey

How is everyone doing? Christmas trees up and surviving Small Boy and Cats?

Ours is still in the loft. DH got back late Sunday and promised DDs that they could do it tonight. DD1 did a very good "mutter mutter promised mutter never do mutter mutter" she is not amused.

Ticking along here, Tomorrow busy having coffee with a friend

We put the tree up tonight, decorations should be able To Go on Tomorrow.

Back in the UK now. Arrived mid day Tuesday. Came back to Scoutshire on Wednesday (and ran around like a loon grocery shopping, fixing a flat tire and clearing up a puddle of water from a power cut. Spent yesterday trying to keep SB out and active to get him back to UK time (he was awake for five plus hours Wednesday night after being asleep for two). He went to bed/sleep normalish time (645/700) and slept until around 645 today. We decided today would be a "Scout and SmallBoy stay at home pajama day" because, frankly, we need and deserve it.

We made a Christmas train decoration yesterday and hope to make more things this afternoon. I addressed most of the cards this morning. I need to find what I did with the cards SB choose (in the States) to send to his friends so I can address them, too. He will only sign so many in one sitting so I need to get SB started signing his cards and the cards for family (not worried if he doesn't sign the ones going to friends, most of whom are childless).

Do have a to do list for today but am being gentle with myself.

I need a nap....

Well done for taking it easy today, hope you enjoyed a nap.

Nada done here, other than full taxi service for DH and DDs, all day.

I kicked butt yesterday but today not so much. But today we went to soft play with friends and are now at Tesco (having a drink) to get the perishables needed for tonight's dinner.

It's still foggy at the rooftops and the sin is low in the sky so I doubt the fog will gull clear before it's dark again.

Hope the fog clears by tomorrow if not tonight Scout

Today I finished Christmas shopping with DH, next I need to plan and organise the food, and wrap a few gifts before tomorrow lunchtime. DDs are back from their trip in the afternoon.

General things are getting done but I'm not busting a gut.

Dogs still need to be fed, and dinner for DH and I, then I can relax.

We leave Friday (morning) for two weeks.

So much to do!

Where are off to then Scout, is it PILShire? Hope you have a good time wherever you are going.

My mount wash more is clean but in danger of collapsing off the side in the kitchen. DDs are sleeping off a weekend of parties. I'm having a coffee before Pilates.

Yup, Adora, down to PiLshire for Christmas and New Year. I have mixed feelings about it but I shall go and smile and put on a happy face. There's just a lot of family BS with one branch of the (immediate) family and I'm sick of it dominating/affecting every holiday and get together.

SmallBoy is sooooo excited about Christmas he could just burst. Any time he sees lights or decorations or hears Christmas songs on the musiac he tells me how "this place is celebrating Christmas!" Last night he told me that "the Christmas lights (on the trees outside of the place where we had just had cream tea) are dancing for Christmas, Mommy!"

I've lost track of the number of cards I've managed to get SB to sign but he's done amazingly well even though he gets fed up of writing his name over and over and over. He signed all of the American cards (posted while we were home) and all of the cards for the extended UK family (including his Godparents and close family friends) and cards for his friends. I'm not going to ask him to sign the cards to MrScout's friends (most of them have never met him, anyway, since they live a distance away). He's even written the envelopes for most of his friends' cards. Not bad considering I've never pushed him to write his letters and he's never been to nursery/pre-school. (He can spell the "little boy" version of his name he has a nine-letter name that has a choice of lots of nicknames and he goes by the long formal name and two shorter versions, one which is a five-letter little boy name and the other a three-letter man version and he copied his friends names from a piece of paper onto the envelopes.)

Today's To Do List:

wash dishes I'm keeping on top of them so far!
wash pots
wash pans
take out recycling --got most of it out, just need to take out the paper/card but it's raining now)
take out trash
get SB to sign last of family friends cards
help SB put candy canes in the last of his friends cards
get SB to sign card for his swimming teacher
sign remaining family/family friends cards
get MrScout to sign remaining family/family friends cards
write envelopes for friends cards
sign cards for friends
get MrScout to sign cards for friends
grocery shop (will go tonight)
groceries away
make list of extra bits that need to be packed for PiLshire
start to pack for PiLshire
prep reindeers (cut ribbons, cut pipecleaners, find pompoms)
prep reindeer gift bags (create tracers, trace patterns on paper, cut out pieces)
update presents spreadsheet
emails (MiL, SiL3, Mom, BFF, GSFriend in WA, GSFriend at home, WorkFriend from home, HighSchoolFriend now in Canada)
pack swimming bag for tomorrow
pack cards, candy canes and presents for tomorrow

SB has had WAY too much screen time today but we're both a bit tired/unmotivated and seeing as we're out most of tomorrow with errands, swim class and soft play I'm not going to stress about it.

Not on the formal list, but also done:
Day 16 of train Advent Calendar
Day 16 of Lego City Advent Calendar
half a CBeebies magazine with SB
updated diary

Right, I need to go and wiggle again.

Don't worry about the screen time Scout it's a one off in an other wise busy schedule, sounds like you both need it. And Well done Small Boy on all the card signing and addressing what a star.

Spent the morning, after Pilates, genérally organising but not acheiving very much, then we all headed into town and did grocery/Chritsmas shopping. I'll only have To buy veg/fruit and salad between now and Christmas. This evening has been busy, dinner then organising the freezer, feeding dogs, organising them for the night, clearing everything away and nagging DDs To tidy up and Get To Bed. They are on their long summer holiday and I don't intend for them To become nocturnal.

Not sure what Tomorrow holds but there is yet moré laundry To be dealt with.

I think I've worked out that SB has signed approximately 50-60 cards since the end of November. Not bad though I can see why he's bored of his name.

I tend not to stress about screen time too much since most of the time we're active or doing things together, like playing board games and puzzles, making things or he's playing/experimenting while I'm doing jobs. Friday was one of those days where we left by 7:30 a.m. and didn't go home until 8 o'clock-ish and we were out most of the weekend so yes, we both needed yesterday. I do factor at least one "at home, chill out day" a week because we both do need a chance to be a potato.

Today I have:
got up (a major achievement today!)
finished washing up last night's dishes (glasses, mostly, and a pan that was too hot to do last night)
put dinner into the slow cooker
separated, wrapped, labelled and froze the meat I bought last night (that won't get used this week)
separated, bagged, labelled and froze the cranberries I bought last night (have been buying some every time I do a big-ish shop so I have cranberries for the summer/autumn when I start making Christmas delights)
started a batch of cherry brandy for 2014 baking/cooking needs
fed SB
put the recycling by the door to be taken out

This morning I still need to:
do lunch for SB and me
pack snacks for swimming
take the recycling out
go to Tesco -- forgot pepper and an onion for tomorrow's slow cooker dinner
go to Tesco -- utilize their mailbox to mail the Christmas cards
have SB sign the three cards I forgot to have him sign yesterday (and then I think he's done)
make sure all of the cards have stamps

This afternoon/evening I will:
hang up wet swim kit
wash up breakfast and lunch dishes
wash up dinner dishes
take slower cooker pot out to cool (will wash if cool enough early enough)
wash down stove
address last of Christmas cards
sign last of Christmas cards (my name and SB's -- this is the lot he's not signing)
have MrScout sign the Christmas cards
start packing up stuff for PiLshire

Soft play got postponed until Thursday mid-morning over lunchtime (so a lunch playdate). I thought SB would be upset I told him before bed that we'd be going after swimming (the soft play is in the same building as swimming) but he said "That's okay. I'll wait if I can play with T (his BFF who he swims with and we were going to soft play with)." Bless his old soul. (He was born an old soul, if that makes sense, and didn't/doesn't tend to tantrum over things you might expect like saying we're going to soft play and then taking it away and saying "we'll do it another day.") He's just happy he's going swimming and he'll see his friend/s there.

Wow, that is a lot of cards for a Small Boy, don't be too surprised if he asks To change his Name

I know what you mean by old soul, glad you don't have all the usual Tantrums To deal with when things don't Go as planned.

Another day Spent largely out, DDs did some shopping on my gift card.

I need To check my cupboards as I'm sure I have Cranberry jelly and I really don't want To have Go To the capital again unless I need To. Today I've been trying To think of How I can make sage and onion stuffing without bread crumbs. DH has realised recently that he is gluten intolerante and here they just don't cater for it. I think I'll try with corn instead of wheat flour, wish me luck!

Are slow cookers easy To use? I used To use a pressure cooker but went off them after the safety pin was forced out of the valve at high pressure, not somehting that should ever happen.