Shirley's party advice part 4 - Better at party planning than Pippa Middleton

[BlatherskiteOfTheLivingDead]

New thread :) Everyone welcome.

WTAF are you doing awake coughing and MNing at 3am, DW? When did you last see a doc [stern glare]? I am fed up of fellow party fanatics getting ill

Your right stealth i need to see a doc, i cannot breathe. I can feel my airways are tight cos its breathing out that sets me coughing. Its like it cant escape n sets me off. Ive not slept properly for days because lying down just sets off fit after fit. I even windered if i could have whooping cough. I'm ashamed to say ive even resorted to using dd's inhaler. I need to see a doc but my friend is coming monday to do present drop.

I'll go though i promise.

Does the inhaler help? If so, definitely use it until you can get to the docs - which needs to be soon [stern]

The ventolin did nothing really so i gave myself two blasts on her steroid one! but touch wood it felt instantly better so i rushed off to bed to get some kip in whilst i could breathe. Dh was a star putting the kids to bed. Ive had a big sleep and my lungs feel much clearer "drier" us best way i can describe it. The box says an adult can have 16 puffs a day so i may well sneak some more. No doubt the doc will not be amused at using another persons medication but i was desperate.

Have you seen blathers cake? It was bang on!!

It's done. I'm knackered. It went well I think. The kids adored the bouncy castle and slide and happily bounced away for about an hour before everyone suddenly seemed to get tired and came into the little quiet room we'd set up with the crafts in and started making the crowns and doing the colouring before returning to the bouncing rested and refreshed.

Everyone loved the rainbow banner and the cake of course and the jellies went down really well too. I did way too much food though and we'll be eating pizza for a week!

What did everyone say to the dolly and the cut cake. Honestly everything you did was executed so perfectly.

Is it me next?

People were fairly sure I'd have made them but had to ask anyway as they said they were so good. There was a really nice wow factor when the cake was cut as I'm not sure anyone expected the rainbow. I'd used my cake leveller to make the sponges as equal as possible which I think helped with the effect.

None of it was really perfect. The sides of the cake weren't quite straight, especially at the side I turned to the back, I ran out of time to put any of the rainbow bunting up! and the dolly was a bit bald at the back and her dress wasn't 'right'. I think I know how I should have done it but it was impossible using the ribbons I'd bought and I didn't have time to go fabric shopping - I only just had enough time to finish it the way it was!!

I think it was all good enough though. Everyone seemed to have fun. The bouncy castles were unsurprisingly popular and I'm really glad I got the crown kits and the colouring as they really did need a quiet 5 minutes half way through. The little extra room we had in that hall was perfect. We didn't get round to playing the pin the nose either but we didn't need it.

I got a lovely comment from a friend of Facebook this morning who said it was the best children's party she'd been to! DD loved it too which was the main thing.

I'm even more tired now as she's had a temperature all night and has had us up and down plus I was randomly unable to sleep between 1 and 3am too. Chill out day today definitely. DS is begging to put the tree up now so I think we'll do that.

It's all gone very quiet. Is everyone Christmas planning now?

I've got another 'festive' packed lunch to make for DS again this year. Any ideas?

Sorry yes. Im busy making the annual dvd for the grandparents. Dh is wrapping some presents for our parents. Im having to watch 7 dvds to check that they rendered properly.

Festive packed lunch. I seem to remember ds doesnt like a lot of stuff but i'm going with mince pie, sausage in bacon, turkey and stuffing sandwich, cranberry juice. Raw carrot for rudolph.

Not so much Christmas planning as trying to get rid of all the workmen (nothing personal, they are all lovely people and I spent half an hour this morning conspiring with electrician jnr to order electrician snr's Christmas present (from his son, not from me!)) so that I can think about Christmas. And New Year, when we have somewhere between 14 and 21 for dinner. Eeek. Silly games need to be planned for that one, as well as the minor issue of food and drink.

Festive packed lunch - how many cutters do you own ? DC and I went to a freebie session at Biscuiteers, who I notice (with amusement) are now advertising on MN, and because there was no way I was buying biscuits for £30+ a tin (they gave us the 16 we iced in a lovely tin for free) I let the DC choose a cutter each to add to our collection. You could do one shape for sandwiches, and another for biscuits?

Ds eats pretty much anything apart from raw cheese - and mince pies

I've got him a mini cracker to take, and looked for some Christmas biscuits (I cba to make some right now) but couldn't find any so he's got a chocolate star. I've got some turkey to make him a turkey sandwich and I've got loads of Christmas cutters so might cut it into a festive shape. Oh, and I've got some clementines. I like the sausage in bacon idea, I wonder if I could chip one off the pile of prepped ones I've got in the freezer?

What are Biscuiteers?

this is buscuiteers look at the prices and weep - it was fun to do for free, though

You have prepared sausages in bacon in the freezer?

Sausages in Pancetta actually I've made about 24 I reckon. Should keep us going

Ahem i too have sausages and bacon in the freezer. And saysagemeat stuffing balls. And chicken carcasses that will turn into gravy.

Thats all though cos i feel lousy. Cough is much improved but got stomach cramps etc and generally run down. Mil is coming for xmas so i need to make potted ham/red pepper pate for her. And a gluten free cheesecake.

I normally wouldnt bother at all the way i'm feeling but they've never eaten here before and they are shall we say "uncouth" and so i want to do a three course wowser!! That'll get back to sil then, that i'm super-wife-mother-domestic goddess!

OK, I am going to slink off now as you two are about a month ahead of me .

I have posted cards and parcels . We don't have a tree or anything else up yet though (we have one, but it's still in the garage) due to aforementioned plaster dust and it's cause - electricians wouldn't have been very impressed if they had been fitting downlighters around the tree, I feel.

We're having our first ever christmas alone at home this year so I'm being super organised because I'm panicking. We've done Christmas lunch here before when DD was 8 days old and I was going nowhere with a fresh C-section wound and feeding to establish but my Mum came down to help cook which took the pressure off. I have bought stuffing - because I don't like it so find it hard to get poncey over - and a 'turkey roast' thing from the local butcher as there is no way Dh, me, DS and a fussy DD will get anywhere near eating a whole turkey even given a week or leftovers and I have pre-wrapped the sausages in pancetta (I'm told it goes crispier when cooked) and stuff the lot in the freezer. We went out today and bought the veg. The pudding I made last year and have been storing ever since and the cake I made a month or so ago. I marzipanned it along with the gift ones today and intend to ice them tomorrow. I need to have a nosey at Stealth's pics for inspiration. How do you wrap them to give them away?? I've made mine in a pork pie tin and I can't find a small enough cake board to put it on.

We put the tree up on Sunday. We usually wait until after DD's birthday but it was after her party and she was asking if we could too. We even went for the big 7' one that hasn't been out since DS was tiny. Since he's been able to move, we've had a little 4' one sat on a cabinet out of harm's way but they're both big enough to be told "no" now and so far, so good...

Oh, and can I have your pate recipe DW? That sounds lovely

Maybe it is because we have done Christmas at home with just us for years and years that I am so blasé disorganised. I ordered the meat (no point doing turkey or goose, it doesn't get eaten) but everyone wants all the trimmings too. DH and I will sit down and write meal plan and associated shopping list on Friday. Tomorrow I am taking DS to see The Hobbit while I catch up on 3 hours sleep, if the reviews are anything to go by

We're not having sprouts, bread sauce or cranberry sauce because no-one likes them. It's quite liberating to do Christmas dinner exactly as we want it and not have to go along with anyone else :)

I really want to see the Hobbit too. I really hope it's not that bad!

OK, so the plan for the festive packed lunch so far is -

Turkey sandwiches cut into Snowman shapes with a carrot nose, and possibly buttons if I can work out what to make them with. DS doesn't like olives but they'd be perfect.

1 or 2 sausages wrapped in pancetta

Some carrot sticks - for Rudolf

Either the chocolate star I've bought or a Christmassy biscuit. I've just remembered that DD will be making biscuits at her baking class tomorrow. I could pinch one of those maybe.

A cracker.

I need more fruit or veg I think. Need a way to crowbar them in. Have seen a suggestion of wrapping the lunch box up in wrapping paper which I liked but might annoy the dinner ladies if he's chucking paper everywhere. His lunchbox is see-through so I could always stick paper inside the lid to make it look wrapped??

Ooh, I know! Little Christmas tree cucumber shapes. I've got a mini tree cutter I think

Im sure they wouldnt mind a wrapped lunch as a one off.

Ever since dd1 was born ive refused to leave the house so we've had three xmas' just us and one where my mum came. Didnt help, just ate. Anyway now ive got mil i'm a bit miffed because i like it better just us. My best best one though was when dd1 was 4 weeks old. We banned visitors and bought our entire dinner in foil trays from m&s. completely went against me because i prefer cooking. Anyway, dh lined all the trays up in cooking order and made one of the best dinners ive ever had. Dd slept in the sling on my chest but i put a napkin over her head in case i dropped food on her. I didnt want to put her down in case she cried but because i wanted her at the table.

This year ive made hardly anything compared to normal. And i still feel terrible so at this rate i'll be buying the foil tinned version again.

But my tree went up on the first and our elf on the shelf has brought activities or treats every day so ive had to really think ahead too. Im knackered to be honest. I havent got better since my mum had to come and help out that day.

Blathers i cant give you my recipe because well i havent googled one yet. Mil is a vegetarian coeliac so im thinking red pepper pate and a stuffed mushroom for main. She rang me today to advise she'll be bringing her bisto best as its gluten free and a lot of rosé wine.

You're making potted ham/red pepper pate for a vegetarian?

I can't see that going down well

Pmsl. I dont think i'm gonna be making anything.

Ive got the shivers, stomach cramps and severe nausea. I fell asleep earlier but have a racing heart and really lucid dreams woke me. Dh aint bothered. He felt ill on monday so he's looking at me like i'm a wimp.

I'm panicking. My whole body is thinking "not norovirus not norovirus" my head says i must have a virus as its just dragging on and on. But im making myself worse thinking no way can i shop let alone cook like this. And worse its dd's preschool play tomorrow and only me who can attend. So much depends on me being well i'm getting into a state.

Rest today. Plenty of fluids and keep eating. Give yourself as much of a chance to be well tomorrow as possible.

Could DH go food shopping? Do an M&S Christmas again?