babysteppers new year thread

[liveinazoo]

adora?
scout
Bessie

shakes last of sweeties in the tin and hopes for company!

[Scout19075]

Oh zoo, when it rains it pours doesn't it?!

[Scout19075]

We haven't been around. SB and I went to the hospital (in YOUT) on Friday, then up to Ye Olde Market Town (YOMT) in Scoutshire to do a supplies swap with a HE friend and to have lunch, then back down to YOUT to go to John Lewis while we waited for MrScout to return from London. After his return we headed off to the Midlands for our annual January trip to the potteries for Christmas shopping taking advantage of the post-Christmas clearances as well as a steam train ride and an afternoon at the National Space Center. We didn't make it to Sherwood Forest this year (or to the huge garden center we sometimes visit when there's time). MrScout keeps talking about going back again in a few weeks to do the things we didn't get to do this trip.

SB and I have had a "stay here day" -- he's so tired after being on the go for three days straight and not having a full night's sleep since Wednesday night. He's also fighting a bit of a cold and has been trying to eat me out of house and home the last three days or so. I don't know if he's really truly hungry or if he's bored and therefore saying he's hungry as something to do.

Even though I don't plan on doing formal lessons with SB until he's Y1 age the last few days we've done quite a lot on space (thanks to the love he already had for all things space and then Stargazing on CBeebies and adult BBC he's be wanting to do things, learn things, make things). My kitchen is full of stars and planets and astronauts. Not just crafts but actual "work" as well. He's so very pleased. He's also done Lesson 1 of the religion book/curriculum that I have for him/us. The curriculum is set up to do a little every day, a bit more three times a week or a once-weekly lesson. The teachers' resource book is for three- and four-year olds and I have the "workbooks" for both the three and the four year olds but SB was too little when he was three to want to sit and "do work" but now at four he's soaking it up like a sponge so we're combining the activities from both books and doing it all. His bedroom door is now full of Religion activities and work.

But now he's just come and said "you can share the chair with me and Bunny" and when I asked did he want to sit and cuddle he said "Yes Mommy, I want to share a cuddle and the blanket and the television with CBeebies on." How can I resist that?!

[AdoraBell]

Oh Zoo, that would really annoy me too. Hope DS feels better very soon.

I'm okay with oats and Quinoa, also buckwheat, haven't tried millet yet. It's not a huge problem for me, moré of "the penny finally dropped" situación. Whereas DH gets hugely bloated and looks like he's heavily pregnant, can't breath properly because of the pressure pushing upwards. Then if he doesn't stop he gets migraine, bowel problems, doesn't sleep and his skin looks grey.

I just Get a slight bit of bloating and -TMI alert- smelly wind, which I hadn't connected with eating wheat úntil I Stopped because of DH. Seems To be okay if I don't over load myself, had pasta last night as DD2 cooked, so Today I shall abstain.

Right, yesterday's Ta Dah's, in no particular order (because I can't remember)

Up and showered
Breakfast
Dogs fed, twice
WM on
Cleaned kitchen floor
Cleaned surfaces
Dealt with a sink full of ants, I'd forgotten a griddle pan < terrible slattern>
Made brunch for DDs, Well they didn't wake up until mid day so could hardly call it breakfast.
DDs Emptied DW, was put on again some time later
Washing hung out
Shopping
Snack
Back home
Helped DD2 with her cooking
Cleared away
Played Scrabble with DDs, just for fun and To improve their grasp of written English by stealth.

Scout resistance is fútile

I like the sound of your days out/shopping tríps

Today I'm taking DDs To the cinema, not sure yet what we'll watch. Tomorrow, if I can rouse them, will be a picnic in a park that's in the Middle of the capital, need To Go early though before it warms up too much. Yesterday it was 35 C while I was shopping around 4/5 in the afternoon.

[AdoraBell]

Updateing before I forgot what I've been busy doing.

After catching up on MN,

Coffee
Unleashed beasts let dogs out of the pen
Emptied DW and put WM on
Roused, fed and Watered DDs
Fed dogs
Showered
Swapped Loads in WM, flicked switch.

Going To,

Hang towels
Engage DDs with prepping chocolate dipped strawberries
Lunch
Go into town for cinema with DDs
Couple of errands/bit of shopping
Back home for dinner
Make ketchup if it's not too late after we eat.

[AdoraBell]

Ta Dah's

Towels hung out
Strawberries covered in chocolate and gobbled up
Lunch
Cinema
DDs ate Pizza Hut
Shopping/errands
Back home
DDs To Bed
I ate at 10.30
Fed dogs
Brought shopping in
Organised dogs for the night
Made a cup of tea, and No, I am not going To empty the dishwasher.

Tomorrow we're staying home, and sleeping in.

[Scout19075]

I'm going to do my list here today in hopes that someone will hold me accountable. It's a bit long and some of it's fiddly/silly but it's what I hope to accomplish today.

finish washing up Tuesday's dishes and pots
wash up Wednesday's: dishes, pots, pans, slow cooker (am so far on top of the dishes and don't have anything in my sink)
make slow cooker dinner (SB helped)
iron clothes
fold clothes
SB cards (Thank You cards 1, 2, 3 & 4; sign birthday card for friend)
update SB's daily dairy Tuesday and Wednesday
update my daily diary Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
my daily Gospel reading Tuesday and Wednesday (it's on email and hasn't come through yet)
shake new batch of cherry brandy
make list of photocopies that are needed: Science Rocks, Science Plants, Science Space, Religion
cut out more pictures of plants, trees, animals
list seeds: what I have and what I'd like
list supplies need to get: from Insect Lore, from the garden center, from Tesco, from John Lewis
copy questions: September, October (September started but need to finish)
update presents spreadsheets
shower (SB and me)
bathroom: wash down sink, clear off window sill, wipe down window sill, organize towel rack, clear under rack, scrub shower, vacuum
SB's bed: strip sheets, wipe down mattress, remake bed
Our bed: strip sheets, put on new protector, remake bed
emails: MiL, Mom, Friend in Canada, BBF at home, HE friend 1, HE friend 2, HE friend 3, HE friend 4, Guiding Friend re email, Guiding DC re email, Friend from Home, SiL1 re wedding
fling: kitchen, living room, bathroom, bedroom
take out to bins as needed: recycling, trash
meat: label, wrap, freeze
chicken: label, wrap, freeze

SB helped make the dinner and is hot on cleaning the bathroom sink for some reason so we're going to do the whole bathroom. I figure take advantage of it while he's eager!

May need some pokes later!

[liveinazoo]

--->
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little zooloves to clean the bath-I stand her in it and away she goes-started when loved wiping the tiles when in the bath and it was handy when small as she was contained while I did the rest if the bathroom.she will also clean the sink! and help with baseboards/radiator.sadly the other s aren't as enthusiastic!

adora in the daily mailhere they have been running a sugar detox diet-today they have cakes made with buckwheat /speltits online so maybe thatd be worth a lokk if you want a treat?

ds went gp-chest infection-has antibiotocs and inhalers-warned pain any worst its back for steroid tablets.yesterday we had to shop and I had to taxi back as he was crying so much.today he was slightly better but this pm he has started sneezing-suspect a nother cold coming so hoping that doesn't interfere with chest recovery

he isn't eating hardly anything but when little zoo has a cold she eats for England tooscout-isn't that old wives tale feed a cold?

ive not got a huge deal done here-he bin vey sorry for self so we watched Indiana jones yesterdayand snuggled.i made him a banana cake and the girls some carrot and popppyseed muffins

today ive managed to hotspot front room

[AdoraBell]

Thanks Zoo I'll take a look but ATM I'm finding I don't Miss cakes etc, DDs had Pizza Hut yesterday and I wasn't even tempted, even when DD1 offered.

Hope DS recovers quickly.

Well this morning I have slept in then meandered from the bedroom To the breakfast bar in the kitchen. Coffee is right >>here by my hand.

Tried To print lists of school materials/books. Tech has a mind of it's own and I was getting frustrated so I walked away. Have hand written the book list and will leave page open on iPad for materials when I Go shopping.

DD1 has not bothered To do her laundry for Two weeks now, she knows.
All other laundry and Ironing is up To date.

Have taken dog's breakfast out of the freezer, they have raw food, they ate very last last night as we were out so a late breakfast Today won't be a problem.

I have most of the ingredients for ketchup, trying Jamie Oliver's recipe, but couldn't Get fennel or a chilli. I'll try using dried chilli unless I find some Tomorrow.

My Two used To like To help, one day they used baby wipes on the Windows. This was not very helpful of them.

[Scout19075]

Very spur-of-the-moment I decided to cut out caffeine -- I was drinking way too many carbonated beverages (I don't like coffee and very rarely drink tea) and while the caffeine doesn't bother me (as in keep me awake) I could feel the drinks doing bad things. I didn't have any during the week last week but had a few over the weekend while we were away and I could feel the difference. So I've gone cold turkey again and today was the first day of no weird headache thing. Our water tastes horrid so I've been having a lot of Ribena (the concentrate stuff where you add your own water) and juice. I have had a few mugs of decaf tea (because I only have decaf bags in) the last few days which is most unlike me but it tastes nice and since I have it weak it's mostly water anyway.

Just thought I'd do a quick update while having a tea-and-cracker break.

finish washing up Tuesday's dishes and pots
wash up Wednesday's: dishes, pots, pans, slow cooker (am so far on top of the dishes and don't have anything in my sink)
make slow cooker dinner (SB helped)
iron clothes
fold clothes
SB cards: Thank You cards 1, 2, 3 & 4, sign birthday card for friend
update SB's daily dairy Tuesday and Wednesday
update my daily diary Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
my daily Gospel reading Tuesday and Wednesday
shake new batch of cherry brandy
make list of photocopies that are needed: Science Rocks, Science Plants, Science Space, Religion
cut out more pictures of plants, trees, animals
list seeds: what I have and what I'd like
list supplies need to get: from Insect Lore, from the garden center, from Tesco, from John Lewis
copy questions: September, October (September started but need to finish)
update presents spreadsheets
shower (SB and me)
bathroom: wash down sink, clear off window sill, wipe down window sill, organize towel rack, clear under rack, scrub shower, vacuum, wash all cups/holders, put everything back in place
SB's bed: strip sheets, wipe down mattress, remake bed
Our bed: strip sheets, put on new protector, remake bed
emails: MiL, Mom, Friend in Canada, BBF at home, HE friend 1, HE friend 2, HE friend 3, HE friend 4, Guiding Friend re email, Guiding DC re email, Friend from Home, SiL1 re wedding
fling: kitchen, living room, bathroom, bedroom
take out to bins as needed: recycling, trash
meat: label, wrap, freeze
chicken: label, wrap, freeze

I am tired.

[Scout19075]

Forgot to add that SB was a superstar cleaner!

[liveinazoo]

[AdoraBell]

Scout I always use a water filtre, even in the UK. Hope the headaches have Stopped now.

Zoo glad DD's arm isn't fractured. It is really painfull getting hit with a football, I had one in my face in school and again a couple of weeks ago, that hit my ribs. Hope she's feelling better soon, but it's likely To be sore for a while Not good that the school didn't call.

So, DD1 discovered Today that leaving clothes To fester for 2 weeks resulta in a real stench when you eventaully disturb the science experiment and bring the whole lot downstairs To wash it. Oh and the línen basket needs washing too as somehow some or other food got into it , she's going To do that Tomorrow.

We've had a real lazy day, other than DD1's four Loads of washing, meals and feeding dogs not much has been done. This morning I removed a weed from a shrub/tree. Doesn't sound like much but this is a creeper than winds itself really tightly around múltiple branches and the root was about 6/7 inches long. Took about ten minutes To remove just 1.

[Scout19075]

Adora, do you regularly make your own ketchup? I've found one or two recipes but they seem so fiddly and too much like hard work for a condiment that has such a short shelf-life when homemade. I want to try it, though, as well as a recipe for homemade mustard that I have even though I don't like mustard.

We got a little propagator today and a couple more packets of seeds, including a packet of Gerkins because I want to try and make my own bread and butter chip pickles (have both a seasoning sachet to try and a recipe to do it from scratch). I got a packet for container strawberries, too, and some flowers. Our potato pack came yesterday from the Potato Council so we'll start chitting in February. SB was very excited when our potato box came in the post and wouldn't shut up about his new potato seeds. These are in addition to 12 packets of seeds we got free from a magazine that included two types of tomatoes, a couple of herbs, some lettuce and other salady vegetables. Marigolds were a bit hit with SB last year so I picked up a packet of those, too.

We're going to do lots of "lessons" on plants and trees this spring and do lots of growing. We're also going to raise caterpillars to butterflies again along with some "learning" and some crafts. He's still spouting off space facts and knowledge and wants to do more so I'm having a look for more activities and "work."

We're away this weekend again.

I. Am. Tired.

[liveinazoo]

glad dd has to tackle the laundry bin adora-cant say id relish that job...

scout sounds like you and SB are going to have an industriousspring/summer.think at least if you aren't home no mess is being made

yesterday dp was about so we went and I ranted at currys-they have emailed their distribution centre and I should hear back in a week or so-old w.m wil be collected and am told will be reimbursed the cost of installation and for being late when booked time slot and paid for it and as had to cancel a child activity will be compensated for costs+ for that-result!

we also did a big food shop for the freezer

todays ta dahs
2 loads washing/drying/put laundry away
hot spot front room
wipe surfaces in kitchen
stroll to local shop for a paper with zoolets

ds is still complaining chest hurt he isn't right and didn't want to go riding today,little zoo had 2nd lesson and came back with dp hop up and down excited.soo cute!

we have watched a dvd as there was a thunderstorm.dd2 is having an attitude day and tried to shout me down after I intervened in an altercation with little zoo...I have painful croak for a voice now and she is behaving like nothing happened,no sorry.nothing

[AdoraBell]

Yes, Happy Burns Night, Carrots, if you're lurking

Scout it's the first time I've tried making Ketchup. I always thought as you reagrding the effort etc but recently I saw on the News that rodent hair was found in ketchup made in Latín América for this market. Suddenly decided the effort was worth it. Love the sound of all your seeds.

Zoo yes, there was no way I was dealing with her línen basket. She's now questioning where her swims suits are as they have friends over. I only had To look at her. Glad you got things sorted at curry's, hope they do what they said. Good luck with DD2.

I still have ants, couldn't Get any ant powder and. I've definitely lost the number of the guy I need To call. All the other compañías use chemicals that are tóxic for pets and humans too. Am waiting for friends To return from hols To see if they have his number. He went independent when his Boss sold the company.

[AdoraBell]

Tried To Get summat To spray for these ants, but they only had the nasty tóxic things.

Ta Dah's

Up and showered, dressed and breakfasted
Woke DDs, did their breakfast
Cleaned kitchen counters
Unleashed beasts and fed them too
WM on
DW filtre cleaned
Emptied and reloaded
Shopping
Lunch, cleared away
Planted toms and peppers outside, finally
Looked closely at my sore eye and thought that looks dodgey!
Off To clínica To Get it checked, t'is a cyst and Dr. thinks I'll Get away without intervéntion, just need drops.
Back home
Sorted dogs
Fed DDs
Spoke To DH
Fed dogs
Spoke To estate agent, people coming Tomorrow pm
Emptied DW and cleared away

Sat down with a tea

Still need To disinfect kitchen sides again and put eye drops in. And put recycling in the car, and put dogs away for the night.

[liveinazoo]

hope eye ber=tter soon

dd2 isn't sleep through coughing fits that sound like a sea lion and wakes me to tell meI had 90ins solid sleep last night.i don't know who I am anymoreI NEED SLEEP!!!!!

that is all

[liveinazoo]

just read that back-souldve said better.sorry!

[AdoraBell]

Hope DD2 gets better and you Get some decent sleep soon Zoo

So, people are now coming Tomorrow , I'm finding the whole thing too stressful. Got rid of most of the recycling Today, 1 box wouldn't fit so will deal with that in a day or Two. DD1 is staying at her friend's tonight (she's the mess magnética so this will help some what ). Still need To feed DD2 and the dogs, then a quick whizz round To make sure everything is still spotless.

[Scout19075]

SB is underfoot and in the way and going exactly where I am trying to go. He's not helping and is making a huge mess of stuff I'm trying to sort. Argh!

Going to ask MrScout to take SB out for a couple if hours on both Saturday and Sunday so I can blitz and fling in peace!

[Scout19075]

SB is underfoot and in the way and going exactly where I am trying to go. He's not helping and is making a huge mess of stuff I'm trying to sort. Argh!

Going to ask MrScout to take SB out for a couple if hours on both Saturday and Sunday so I can blitz and fling in peace!

[AdoraBell]

So they came, they saw, they were non-commital. Will have To wait for feedback from the agents.

Hope you Get your things done Scout.

Have finally been able To Get the spray for the ants. Went shopping as an Aid To leaving the place closed tight for the spray To work.

DDs have made a rather large mess decorating cup cakes, I let them have a packet of cake mix as am still without weighing scales.


DH is back Tomorrow evening.

[liveinazoo]

post

[Scout19075]

You okay, zoo?

[AdoraBell]

Yes, hope everything is okay Zoo

This morning I made oatcakes - Scottish stylee.

We're off out now so I'll check back later.