AUG08 - Amazing Children belonging to the Most AMAZING Group of Friends

[TwilightSurfer]

I am so blessed to be part of this group. We are starting another year together, our 3rd but who's counting. May you each have a happy and healthy one. I look forward to more meetups, more FBing, more Skyping, more Waving, more crazy tales, more laughter, more hand holding, and more support than is humanly possible! XOX

buckets sorry forgot to say thanks for getting back to me re 8 track. I have my eye on one. Just trying to decide.

Also trying to decide which Piano to get, can't visit any shops till this snow has gone.

Oh shit, Uni temp bank have replied saying they'll be in touch when something suitable comes up. Am going to have to do this properly aren't I and organise a CM so I can advertise what days I'm available. Will also have to apply to old work's temp bank given the chance of paying CM for nothing. WTF am I doing?

PS Steaky Good to have the decision made eh, now you can start visualising the next year and make it happen.

Sazz no you didn't come across as negative, well maybe a tiny bit, but I asked for peoples' opinions so every one is useful to hear and to listen to what is important to other people.

Equally it is no good me writing off peoples' opinions because they are all partnered up and not in my position - every family has different challenges so finding out what they are has been useful too.

Lots of the arguments around FT childcare and managing finances are true where-ever and what-ever you do so assuming it is just because it is London is misleading. For me it came down to the finances of moving and the decision of do I want that life or this life.

I am happy where I am, which is something of a surprise, so I am going to stay here. And remember - we have a spare, if messy room, for Aug08 ladies and babies.

GB thanks, meant to ask about the Uni temp bank, mum keeps casually mentioning it to me. I spose every uni will be a bit different but assume it is send in your CV and they call you as and when.

buckets does this call for a meep?

sazzles did your dd1 like the doll house?
and do they share the kitchen without too much fighting?
Are you at home or work?

buckets I ordered the book you mentioned.
Hands are not for hitting. I managed to order it from the library and picked it up yesterday. I have just read it to her.
Not sure what she will think,but she did repeat it all to me.

Hi all. No snow here yet but forecast for tonight so must go out this pm for a play and a shop before we are stuck . Oh and should take down the tree I suppose . What a glum day.

Steaky well done on making a hard decision. Your plan sounds brilliant, very best of luck to you.

And you too Buckets. IME peak time for temps in universities is obviously August, but this time of year can be busy too so you never know. And at a guess the current cutbacks may mean more medium-term temps while permanent appointments get delayed...?

Sazzles hope being back at work is going ok. I'm on leave this week just for the hell of it - ought to get something useful or at least sociable done I suppose rather than fritter it away internetting and re-reading DDs current favourite, the delightful 'Spacegirl Pukes' thirty times a day.

to all. Take care in the cold and on the ice.

steak I know I was too negative when giving my opinion about your sitch and I also realised afterwards that I had totally projected my own feelings onto you, so apologies for that. But in agreement with hotter et al, it sounds like you've made the right decision for you and DD, and done it in a positive way with business plan etc. Giving yourself space and time to craft is such a great way to start the year - congratulations and supportivations, or something.

dizzy I thought of you when hearing about school closures this morning Hopefully the younger girls will wear themselves out have fun in the white stuff.

no1 lol at netmums. I sometimes lurk on the original baby boards I used before getting fed up with the fluffiness and coming here instead. Those ladies don't hang about - I dropped in there last week and at least half of them are either up the duff or with newborns in arms

I made a parenting decision over the holidays, which was no more telly in the daytime and where possible no internetting for me unless DS was asleep. It's been shaming as well as cheering to see the positive effect this has had, on both of us. Being able to give him my full attention means I think more about how to involve him in what I'm doing, and he is clearly thriving. This morning we spent 30 minutes bouncing on my bed, he loved it

Snowing again here, after a pleasant dusting this morning, but it's actually not too cold. Not like yesterday's subzero state, anyway. I have a very tired boy asleep in his bed, a basket of clean washing waiting to be hung up and a rack full of CDs just waiting to be played. Gladness

afternoon...

well b'ham has had its first dumping of snow!!! typically it happened after i dropped dd2 at the childminder and during my first of susposed three gym classes .. had to hot footed out of the gym after the first class.. managed to skid dh's car in a 360 degree turn and he had to go and retrieve dd2... so i have had officially 1 1/2 hours of child free time since before xmas ....

typically snow has now stopped but apparently more forecasted for later.. dh determined to go to the pub tonight even if he gets snowed in there ..

hope today is going ok sazz...

your plan sounds great steaky.. know it was a hard decision for you..

vg, no1.. nice to "see" you back ...

waves to everyone else xx

Sounds like is F@#$%^&% cold all over the world today. It's looks like a beautiful morning but the temp shows 18* which is NOT beautiful in my book.

Dizzy wasn't up late strangely enough. I was just tired and had read but had not words to respond to anyone. DH & I were actually in bed (with laptops) by 8p and I turned mine off at 8:30p because I could no longer focus on the screen. I can't remember if I got up to pee once during the night. That's sad isn't it. If I didn't then I slept from 8:30p until 6:30p AND SO DID THE DCs.

Today is the last day of Winter Break. Hopefully it will be a good one.

Steaky glad the decision is made. Too I know.

Sazzles are you at home or the office?

Buckets I'm tempted to do what you've done. I use to work full time at the university so would be easy as I still have many many good contacts/friends. I may also elect to be a substitute teacher at Reese's preschool next August at least one day a week. My degree is in education after all. Who knows. Still pondering and wanting to make a little money of my own again.

Steaky the "Too I know" was not meant for you. I was talking to Reese and apparently typed what I was saying. In true Twilight form I misspelled two.

No1 Definitely a meep! Am about to go from half-arsed job-whining to proactive self-promotion. Will have a chat to some CMs at school this avo then chat to DH tonight. I am seeing it as a big gamble for which we don't really have the cashflow.

Thanks for the supportivations ladies.

cyteen can't remember exactly what you said but assume it was along the lines of "don't do it, stay by the seaside and build sandcastles!"

I rarely have the TV on in the daytime, mostly because it has the numbing effect that makes it so much harder to switch it off in the evenings. Though I find it can be a nice distraction for both of us just before teatime.

29 degrees at the moment. Too flipping hot.

ooooh and congratulations Miamla, lovely news

and I cuddle DS to sleep. Now not the most practical thing, but well, head in the sand for a bit longer

lwfh - DD3 is the ONLY one I haven't had to cuddle to sleep - DD1 was fed to sleep and DD2 was a cuddler/dummy. Poor DD3 didnt have a choice as when I was on my own on with DH working, she was fed and put down and left to it (thankfully she just stuck her thumb in and went over) whilst I dealt with the other two - twas lovely having a wee cuddle

she hasn't woken up in any better form though

sazz glad you made it home

Buckets big MEEP on your behalf

*TS glad you got a sleep

loti [meep] about the car, hope you are ok and didn't get too much of a fright

cyteen we had a family bounce and tickle session yesterday, was lovely No snow to speak of here at all, just left overs and freezing cold but thanks for the concern. hope you liked your SS present btw

poppy looking forward to see you and the girls tomorrow

no1 thank you for loving us more than them on the other side

hello all else, off to collect DD from school, hopefully not landing on my arse or being pelted enroute

Hello all.

Congratulations Miamla
That is really lovely news.

And thankyou VG for my lovely Secret Santa present. I plan to curl up and read it tonight.

It was me with the mis-sent present Steaky so I am glad it has turned up finally. I kept schtum about your plans because I felt strongly that taking the job would complicate things but that it was easier to say that when I've got support behind me. Does that make sense?

Anyhow, I know you will make a fantastic success of your craft business. The present you made for Sazz would go down a storm on notonthehighstreet I reckon.

Can we appoint Buckets as your promotions manager and solve two career issues in one fell swoop?

Sazzles, can I thankyou for (possibly on hotmamas) extolling the virtues of various noodle soup type things. They have become a staple in our house recently and all because you mentioning them made me hungry.

We had a lovely Christmas here but it was hectic which led to radio silence at this end. DD1 who is never sick threw up 3 times before 9 on Christmas morning and was ill all day. We still had a lovely time though.

She is back to herself now, and has spent the morning hacking a large piece of ice with a teaspoon and packing a bag 'expeditionally' .

The roast duck on Christmas day was scrumptious and the little teeny bits of playmobil and lego kept us all occupied.

Then we had various relatives descending-there seems to be a family agreement that I am a proper grown-up and so all spare family members visit me to rest in between bouts of bailing out my sisters Tis nice to be trusted I suppose. The middlest of my sisters moved into her mansion house overlooking the sea and it is beyond beautiful.

The best night was my nephew's christening which involved me staying up singing until 4 am and collaborating in the latest meeting of the mutual admiration society I run with my bil.

I don't think I can face spirits again for some time.

DH filled all the photo frames we have accumulated over the years with pics of the dcs and they made a wonderful Christmas present. I must get him to hang them up for me now actually.

The man inside the radio said we shouldn't go out today so I must head off and fashion a dinner out of freezer scraps.

Laters ....

ah Red - tis lovely to have you back, poor DD1, glad all well though and what a lovely Christmas/Christening/ present from DH

I second the notion of setting Steaky up on notonthehighstreet/etsy - I spend FAR too much money/time on there

dinner being 'fashioned' here too but thats because payday isn't till the 15th

stay warm darling

Already on Etsy, and plan to sign up to save my name on Not on the high street, Folksy and beansprog.

The babyclothes plan is to actually do a proper spring collection of girls and boys things.
Then also do slings and household and mummy bits and bobs too.

I'm going to sign up to the monthly craft fair in town so I HAVE to get stuff done, then do homesales and babygroup sales also hit the NCT.

Oh and take in alterations and mending in the mean time. Phew - did I already tell you all that?

I also thought I might do a handmade baby directory -like this but with a big ad on Mumsnet - advertisers would pay to be listed and pay towards advertisng costs.

wotchoo all fink?

Help! I have made lentil and quinoa soup and it is brown, thick and has no flavour other than veg stock granules. What should I add? (that I might have) Is v healthy, has a tin of tomatoes in it too but that didn't change the colour.

sorry all a bit me me me -

buckets, boil up some pasta and peas and chuck them in, if it has to be dull in colour at least let them play hide and seek !

Steaky keep an eye out for bargain water resistant shower curtains in the sales. Could make nappy bags, swim bags, PE bags, eco sanpro bags, lunch bags, make up bags...
Also, popper-sided reusable swim nappies with elastic waistband and legs? Only needs to hold in a poo.

steaky are there local nurseries/playgroups near to you that you can ask them to do a bag drop of leaflets, offer them 10% off through the leaflet - everyone loves a bargin!

everyone also loves personalised things - esp these days when there is such a variety of names. My mum used to buy these blankets for all the babies, their web page has taken off since she first bought one approx 8 or 9 yrs ago - you can't possible tell me that they are complicated or expensive to make ?! they're nice quality and wash well though which makes a difference and I think the reason she was willing to pay £15-£20 for a blanket that is essentially a square of fleece with a trim and some embriodery on it