June 07............watch out, Secret Santa's about!

[TheTwelveDAISYOfChristmas]

if it's no good feel free to ignore me and start another with a better title......just don;t forget to link it

I'm lurking. Have just got DS2 to sleep after the GP excitement by painting his nails silver and topping them off with old glitter varnish.

It was fab with the GPs, we haven't done it for ages with DH not working so not getting our cheffing perk of a nice piece of meat from the butcher. DH made simple but delicious lasagne and mixed salad, and apple crumble. He has been making a gala pie today - I can't wait til christmas tea.

for you holly, I am lucky not to be in that position this year. We did the out-law visit on Fri, and got to see the kids at their house. I think they will be disappointed with their presents. We got DSS a paintballing day but apparently he wanted money (I did mention briefly you get that fairly regularly if you have a job...), and we got DSD a gold plated diamante stock pin and some treats for her horse, plus a tiny miniscule amount of cash towards stuff for her horse. The kids were great - the outlaws were f-in' awful. How lucky you all were that we were not online then. Let's just say we were scrooged!

I'm here!

FINALLY home! Thanks for the sympathy guys, I sometimes just need to get the moaning out of my system. It has gone now and I am back to normal !

I sympathise with the night waking. 3-4 times a night here. Am v tired and prone to sudden angry outbursts followed by tears, but I seem to be coping...just! Oh well, they are only babies once and it doesn't last forever!

I can't join in on the festive cookery discussions...my mum will be doing the christmas dinner. Can't wait. I will be put to work tomorrow evening doing veg prep, but no actual cooking for me!

I'm off to bed now, ds is moaning xxx

Hey ria, long time no speak!

Glad you are ok and ROFL at the job comment!!

I really must go, my son is shouting at me xxx

This should link to the book, but it's the ACE Spelling Dictionary by David Mosely

here

It's used with dyslexia sufferers. It was light turning on a lightswitch for DS1, he still has difficulty but it helps and he gets a lot of satisfaction out of using it.

Oh, it's so good to be back.

BE WITH YOU TOMORROW FOR GIFT OPENING... (bugger, didn't mean to be shouty )

knickers, just re-read my last post. I am so dim and out of practice at typing.

I need a life, I need to go to bed and I need to wrap the kids presents (none of which are what they asked for because I didn't get the gist of the email to FC) oh well, soon be over.

Night all

Hi All - just popping in to wish you all a merry christmas. We are off to SIL to spend Xmas eve as our apartment here is right in middle of town & its so noisy it feels like trying to sleep in a nightclub. We are having Xmas day at her house too. Funny to think we will be home & Xmas will be all done & dusted & yours will just be getting going. Have fab time one & all - hope Santa good to all the DC's.

Nooooooooo Tallulah, Christmas isn't "done and dusted" until the day after Boxing day at least. Even when I used to work between Xmas and New Year I felt festive until Jan 2nd.

Well, she woke a couple more times but then slept from 10.30 - 3 and 3.30 -6.30 so that wasn't so bad . Snuffles are getting worse this morning, but can't get much out, even using saline and tissues to try to clear her nose.

But hope you have a fab time Tallulah, how many hours are you ahead of us in the UK?

Morning all...

Got shitloads to do today so if I don't make it back just to say I hope you all have a fab Xmas and you all get some really nice pressies.

Oh I can't wait till DD is a bit older and we do all the FC bit!

Right, got dishwasher to unload and load again, turkey crown to cook, veg to prepare, hoover, dust, walk the dog, spare room to sort & bed to make up, clean bathroom, collect MIL when she decides to turn up, shower, hairwash, slice beef, make lemon cheesecake, put washing away, get more washing done.....oh and look after DD of course

Ria - I've seen that dictionary and cos it uses phonics, kids find it very straightforward to use...it takes a bit of getting used to, but its a great idea...

Morning all

Catkin re the fudge, I don't think I heated mine for long enough so it hasn't set very well. I'm not sure but I would make sure it's getting pretty stiff before setting it. Also I would use greaseproof paper or something if like me you are using a pyrex dish. I've had to sacrifice the first row to getting it out! Tastes good though!

Holly, sorry you had a shit time yesterday. I sympathise with you on the family time. DH only has Xmas day off and my mum will be here. Doesn't feel very Christmassy here. Also of you with your fancy kitchens and family Xmas, it'll be me, DH, DD and my mum and my mum doesn't really appreciate lovely fancy homemade stuff. I mentioned making Nigella's Christmas morning muffins for breakfast, and she said "oh ok whatever" and then I said, and we can hanve scrambled agg and bacon "ooh scrambled egg'll be nice" Oh we'll I'll not both slaving away to make lovely home made muffins and nice Christmas dinner when I'm sure you'll appreciate a McDonald's breakfast and a M&S ready meal much more!

I think I'm just feeling bah humbug as there is no build up here, as I'm not at work and DH is. There have been no Christmas related activities and it'll be like one day then it'll all be over back to normal.

Anyway, who's on for SS prezzy unwrapping tonight?! 9.30?

Oh Bumper....believe me, the only people that appreciate my cooking are me and DH! We have the exciting prospect of my mum and MIL here tomorrow - both of whose cooking skills leave a bit to be desired - my mum doesn't posess an oven - only a microwave combi - and both serve up Aunt Bessies roasts and frozen veg....so I'm definitely not doing it for their benefit.

My turkey crown is from M&S though and I just leave it in the tray and put it in the oven

My DH is at work today...hopefully will get home early though...

and I'm officially "working from home" today and Thursday, in on Friday. Thankfully nursery is open. The NHS doesn't close for Xmas....we have clinics on Thursday and Friday....FFS who would want to go to a hospital appointment between Xmas and New Year?

By the time your DH gets home from work, you will feel much more festive and you will have a lovely time....

hi all just want to wish you all a happy christmas and hope you all get your wishers?

mine is for chloe to get better ! to top it all of for the new year just got a letter today from hospital chloes hip eray is showing abnormal i just dont know how much more i can take, the poor little ladys been throught so much already, i dont want her in a cast as well and she as bad ecexma on her legs too.

once again sorry i burst out crying this morning when it came

Morning everyone! Nearly time now....

Jammy - glad you had a bit of a better night's sleep. One thing that seems to work to clear LO's cold a bit faster is if I neck a couple of redoxon's a day...maybe a little of the massive dose of vit c gets through to her via milk? She seems to be recovering a bit faster than her older sister anyway (though they've just had 2 colds in a row...odd, I've never experienced that before!)

DH has just peddled off with DD1 to Smithfields for an aylesbury duck...am a little about whether they will have any, but he assures me it's very trad to go on xmas eve...We shall see.

And bumper....I had a phase a couple of months back of trying to make fudge...it's NEVER as easy as they claim I reckon...I made 3 batches from 3 diff. recipes...and none of them were quite fudge...oh well.

Oh Trace I feel so bad for you Have you tried a bit of safflower oil on the excema? My friends LO has it all over and she swears by it. I really hope you get some good news too.

Am now rather disappointed that DH opened my SS present when I was out a couple of weeks ago and phoned me up to tell me what was in it. I guess I could always wrap it up again.

Am also concerned that my recipient is going to think their SS is a right weirdo when they open their gift...meant well though!

BadZelda thank you so do i ,

[fsock] your dd opened your ss, i would kill dh lol

...

Well...we often open each other's mail; is that weird?

Morning all.

Having read all the messages so far this morning, my claim to be bored now that I am at my parents for Christmas, and that I have a horrid cold (thank heavens that I can take some paracetamol), sound rather trivial.

Best wishes to TinselTrace, most of all and lots of hugs {{{{}}}}. how crappy for you. Hope there is someone around to support you and tell you that it's all going to be alright. It's just crap timing that it's all going on around christmas. RE the excema, also just lots of moistorizer of the really gunky creamy kind, and washing with aqueous cream and oilatum oil in the bath. This dry weather and central heating combined just doesn't help.

Oh well, better go and entertain the DH who is already pulling his hair out. My mother has a brand of bossiness which has him climbing the walls within 5 minutes of getting here. Oh joy!

Oh, and didn't Daisy say that putting porridge oats in the bath was really good? Bit cheaper than safflower oil...have just looked it up and rather at the price!

i have none in though i use oilatum bath oil now and we put aqueous cream on her she had some kind of reaction to it, so been told not to use again, i think ill go looking for the oil