Wisely and avidly planning our Christmas lists..

[blossoming]

Come join me!
Not so inspired but I do so hate being threadless.

fritzi - glad your DD is going to look super-cool for parties in zebra stripes and tulle! My DD is going to a birthday party this afternoon and will wear her zebra stripe cardigan over her new Charabia chiffon and sequin dress. I'm trying to persuade her to wear her peacock feather hairband, but I think she has other ideas (that's fine, too!).

Romanarama - you mentioned Simmons 180cm beds (of which we have one) and new sheets on the other thread. We dressed our bed at Caravane (though not all at once - costs were spread!) and I highly recommend you visit the shop (Chambre 19) on your next shopping trip cultural outing to Paris.

Cake - yes, think fish protein good for Dukan....well done...where does losing a further 1/2 stone put you at on the scales ?

I haven't a clue about colours... hazel eyes, warm skin tone and naturally mixture dark fair/light/pale brown...but highlighted now...any ideas Bloss?

Bonsoir - I adore the Maloup pj's...!

Cake - I get the adrenaline rush too when shopping but have become far less decisive than I was...and now tend to leave empty handed only to have to return the very next day because I should have bought it in the first place!

Bloss-bought DH a Crew coat last year...very well made...I want to buy him some fab leaf green suede lace up brogues for Christmas from Russell and Bromley as a surprise but shoes tricky....

OOh just noticed EIE's colours link-will have a go....

Ooh lovely, good idea bonsoir. While you're on, do you have any good recommendations for child-friendly hotels in Champagne, pref Epernay?

Romanarama - sorry no, I never go in that direction any more. Are you going to stock up on champagne?

You could stay in Nancy instead - so beautiful!

Yes, to buy bubbles, and just for a change of scene. We haven't done many weekends away recently, so I'm looking for destinations within a couple of hours drive. Germany and Holland also on my radar of course, Fritzi and OWW. Nancy sounds good too - we haven't been.

There must be lovely places for xmas markets in Germany in December, not too far from Brussels. Will do some research.

Love the Issa dresses.I have a few 'copies' ie same twisted front style. They are super flattering.

Thanks to all on last thread who recommended that I get on and wear the Leopard coat from charity shop.
Unfortunately wet and wild here today so haven't yet!

OLLIE re Phase Eight order,I liked
www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/warehouse/Dresses/Jessie-Dress/201076732

www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/warehouse/Jerseywear/Tiered-Cardigan/300812019

Nancy is a fabulous weekend away - so much to look at just wandering around, and you can stay at Hôtel des Prélats (cheaper) or Hôtel de la Reine and just walk out of the door and be in the centre of everything.

I love Antwerp... and Amsterdam... and Maastricht

Nadine has just been delivered! Very nice and flattering.
I also like the Jessie dress but think I will wait and see if it is in the sales as I have bought a couple of dresses recently.

Mumsnut - a big thank you! It was me who liked the Mint Velvet dress and hadn't yet ordered as waiting for the sale! Just brought one and sent link to sister who pointed out its been on the WIT blog here -its one of those dresses that I have no idea how it my look on but pleased I have now got one to try!

Off to read posts!

Hello ladies!

Wow, I am away for less than 24 hours and so much to catch up on!

roma - so glad you appeared to have got what you need with the hours!

EIE - Sorry to hear that you had another unproductive session. You know it isn't all your fault don't you?

LTEC - Good idea about the housekeeper. Basically whatever you need to run home and work whilst retaining sanity is vital in my eyes (more on that later....) Your social schedule sounds packed! I don't think we have any kids birthday parties (thankfully - aren't I awful!!) although we did attend one on Saturday which was fun. I am intrigued by various people referring to nursery or school dances/Balls. I wonder if this is a north/south cultural divide?! They certainly don't appear to have them around here and I mentioned it to my Scottish friends (most of my friends who have school age kids live in Scotland) and they were bemused by the idea. There is an active PTA I should say, but just things like a 'summer fair' etc.

Yangy - Hope you are coping. It sounds like an awful lot to fit in.

CHoo - Good to hear from you!

40Den - Welcome!

Rufus - Great to hear from you. Was lovely to catch up on all your news.

Fritzi - Thanks for asking ref how everything is without the mothers help. I think 'ok but fraught' probably sums it up well. That 30 minutes cleaning she usually does on 4 days a week does make quite a difference...and the fact that I have to battle through the worst of the rush hour is a huge pain. My folks arrive on Monday for a few days though.

Today I am wearing
this with opaques and wedge boots, plus
this coat.

I can definitely recommend the dress - so flattering.

In addition, my bargain Tesco Clbcard deal arrived last night:
here

It may say knee length....but that is obviously on someone of 5 ft 3! However it is v flattering and I think it will be fine worn over leggings with boots. I am off to pick up my long awaited Mad Men/Prada dress from M and S at lunch, so will report back.

Have a good day all.

MrsJ, I have ordered this advent cal from amazon, who have lots, including [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Penguins-Before-Christmas-Advent-Calendar/dp/0810995557/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1289996075&sr=8-10 this fab one]]

this fab one!

Agree with Bonsoir - Maastricht is lovely (fab shopping/restaurants and great atmosphere from it being a University town). Also go to Anwterp when I can.

At home today as dd and ds2 both have sore throats and coughs. Ds1 had it on moday, I guess it's that time of year.

Huge sympathies to those of you who work and feel like you're being pulled in all directions. It's really hard, this work -life balance idea is great in theory, but so hard to achieve in RL. I have missed 2 days this week, but really need to go to college tomorrow, so dh will have to take the morning off work. With 2 asthmatic dc winter is a nightmare.

I had a lovely e-mail this morning. The jigsaw stars bag appeared on their website yesterday, but by the time I had dealt with RL and sat down to pay for it, it was gone. I emailed their cust services, and a lovely lady tracked one down in a shop and is holding it for me. Made my day

Rufus great to hear from you. Life in Ireland is pretty grim these days, so bad that I have been sucked into listening to the radio again, God, you would really despair. On other hand BTs was thronged with shoppers on Sat, and it's always hard to get a parking space in Dundrum it's so busy. Well, I shall continue to make my contribution to the economy in my W&A way - it's my patriotic duty

Ds2 is small for his age, so much so that he was under the care of a Peadiatricican for a few years. She did all the tests and concluded that he will always be small for his age and that we need to ensure that he has robust self-esteem to deal with other peoples perceptions of him IYSWIM. Luckily, he is super bright, fuuny and all round adorable, so he'll cope. It is much more difficult for a boy though, which is really sad I think.

Fritzi what a lovely idea to make an advent calendar for your DH, you are so thoughtful. I got a cute one last year, like mini bunting ith a pocket for each day. I nearly bankrupted myself by filling it with a treat each day x3 - stickers, badges, cute pencils, etc., this year there will be 3 choc coins every day. Also tracked down a lego advent calendar which they can share - we are lego obsessed in this house.

EIE you know it is not your fault, you have put in so much effort, don't let anyone guilt you into feeling that you are solely responsible.

The Royal wedding has made me a little sentimental I remember the day C and D's engagement was announced, anyone remember that blue suit she wore with the bow neck blouse? Thankfully for Kate she seems to have lots of self-confidence and hopefully will have a happier experience of the royals than Diana. I remember on their wedding day I was wearing a red silk sun-dress my mum had just made me

LTEC you're description of shopping bulimia is spot on

OK, off to cathch up on christmas shopping, I'm usually nearly finished by this stage, but I have nothing

Plum - great links - my friends son loves the 365 Penguin book so that calander would be fab for him.

Hi all
LTEC how do you plan to find your housekeeper? You have inspired me. DH is currently working 70 hour weeks 9(no joke) and a lot of that from home so I feel like I have 3 children to cook and clean for and it's doing my head in. Even two mornings a week, maybe 3 hours, would be a total lifesaver and not that much more than we pay for our cleaners now. Am thinking about putting an ad on Gumtree.

Notyummy how are things going at work? I've been wonderign how you've been doing.

dolcee post a picture and we'll all have a look and decide for you! It's really hard to do without seeing someone.

Vin you are gorgeous and so definitely a winter!!

On the colours front, I think that the Colour Me Beautiful system might be a bit better than HofC, sounds like it's less dictatorial and offers some more scope for the fact that people can wear colour out of their seasons. I have embraced my autumn status but I still think that black is way better on me than some of my autumn colours and I defy anyone who tells me that magenta is not a wow for me!

How do I work out my colours? Someone help me, please?!

Have very dark, eyes and hair, pale but yellow-toned skin, today am wearing this jumper, which is a very orangey tomato colour, and looks, well, ace against my skin, actually. . Other colours that are good are charcoal, navy, mustard, bright green, cornflower blue. Look dead in light grey beige, pastels, black

ps. Am also wearing these. OH THE SHAME, but my feet are so toasty!

Roary fab idea, I would (almost) give up new shoes for a housekeeper. Even a couple of mornings would make a huge difference. I also find batch cooking and freezing is a lifesaver. I basically make twice as much of anything I cook and put one half in the freezer. It makes such a difference not having to cook every day.

Bloss an idea for using up your fabric scraps: I'm going to make some bracelets and necklaces for dd like these, found an easy 'how to' here

And another thing...

What more would a housekeeper do than a cleaner? I have neither at the moment, but have just taken on loads of extra work, which I do in the eves, and while DS is snoozing. Like now, for example, when I am clearly working very hard, and not on MN at all, oh no.. Not keen on putting DS into childcare, but very keen on having someone else to do cleaning/ironing/changing beds etc, for 2 lots of 4 hrs a week. Would that be a cleaner, or more than that?

Love that dress NY and the website.

Verity yes it's very grim isn't it? I can't help myself listening to the coverage.

Gumtree is good place to start Roary, you'll get immediate replies.

Can someone link to Everything's colour site? Can't seem to find it. I think I'm a winter (dark hair blue eyes, but sallow skin that looks best with a tan)
Sorry to hear you're in a bad place, hope that counsellor wasn't the cause of you feeling that way. Don't go back if it was. Just because she's a counsellor doesn't make her an authority on your RL situation.

Plum - I have a cleaner for 4 hours a week - and she basically will do anything I want - I just pay her by the hour and she is fab.

I used an agency initially but then my cleaner went on her own which suits both of us better really.

I think the best way of getting a cleaner is by recommendation but people are very possessive over their cleaners

Am on day one of dukan and ok so far. Quick question re. yoghurst - are they ok provided they're fat free and is there a limit? Wasn't going to eat 10 or anything but perhaps 2 small ones in a day.

Think I must be a spring or summer having read EIE's links again.

roary- I know exactly how you feel! My DH has been working 100 hours a week recently (6 weekends in a row plus all week) and I have nearly buckled under the pressure. Would love a housekeeper/ mother's help as no relatives who are able/ willing to lend a hand :(
I do have a cleaner on the days I am at work though (only 2) who does ironing/ bedlinen/ general tidying so don't have to come home to a tip!
Totally agree with whoever said there are no prizes for cleaning so if you can afford it and are pushed for time I'm all for extra help :)

vino- thank you for putting me on your special, priveliged people list (totally understand your concern about being IDd) but I think you must have taken your pics down now as can't access profile.

fritzi- heals has some fantastic stuff doesn't it (not that I have anything from there but I like to window shop so to speak)

plum- so please that your DS 'passed' his check! You must have been v worried. Did you not take hime to the GP for a second opinion? I hoe you didn't suffer in silence!

bonsoir- your DD sounds v glam! The zebra print cardi looks lovely on the little girl on the Boden site but I don't think it would suit my DDs.
My DD1 told me the other night as she was getting ready for Brownies (has just started) that she didn't want to wear her denim skirt on top of leggings and to stop fussing because 'it wasn't a fashion parade'. This was uttered as she was carefully selecting a necklace to match her outfit!