We Wise ladies Avidly are, bearing bags and links from afar.......

[notyummy]

New one!

Don't think we did yet NJC.

I have mine though.

9.00pm Thursday I believe.

Yes, Thursday at 9pm for the grand SS opening.

Ive emailed the people who made the print - it says on their website its possible to made minor alterations or receive a new print for less than the orginal cost if you find you've made a mistake! DH loves the print (smaller than I thought it would be). Its to go in the hallway or in the dining room on a narrow wall.

WANis your b-day coming up soon too? I sort of loved having toddler parties at home but said after DS1s 5th (pure bedlam) that was enough!

Fritzi I dreamt about you and your DH last night - I was visiting you for some reason and you were off to SA and I stayed in your house after you'd gone - along with one of your DH's (male) friends! Most strange - I woke up before anything interesting happened tho!

Happy birthday Amber great pressure. Following ollie's TOWIE ref am well jell!! X

amber happy birthday - love the jacket!

enjoyed that early W&A thread! Where did LTEC go, I loved her links and ideas!

DH is looking after the girls today as our nanny is now off for two weeks - I have almost run out of holiday so am working but he just sent me the sweetest picture of them at his desk (he has taken them to visit his office!)

Our work xmas bash is tonight - retro bowling and kareoke. I am wearing black Michael Kors side ruffle dress, I think the bowling shoes will complete the look!!

PS thanks for your nice comments - I wasn't fishing for them. I think there is a certain amount of pressure at this time of year to look perfect, have the "perfect" Christmas etc etc which it is hard not to succumb to. However I did feel better having a run yesterday - took DD1 along on her bike to chivvy me on!

Morning everyone! You're all sounding very festive indeed! Nativity yesterday was a bit of a shambles, My outfit was great though. I really like the longer length on that WC top and the charcoal looks good next to the dark indigo of the 910s. Will probably wear again this afternoon. It was the 19th by the time we had the funeral, so we'll check on the flowers then straight from there to Sunday School party. Have been ordered to make a batch of jam sandwiches on white bread! Very dangerous to have white bread in the house! Have made sticky gingerbread for the piano teacher and the childminder, and Sunday school teacher gets my mincemeat. I'm so crap though, it's the 3rd year I've not managed to send Christmas cards, and I lost 10 years of contacts when I lost my phone the other week so can't send texts either.
I remember bodsmum. I had no idea it was you reine!

NJC meant to say , these are the vegan books I use. I tend to substitute soya milk for oat milk though, as DS cannot tolerate a lot of soya.

love this one

Good for cakes and very reliable for baking

Good as it has info re cooking various grains etc

Emo is that at All Star Lanes tonight?

ollie, interesting that you are going to possibly put up the print in the narrow hall. Ours is really narrow too, and so I'd be interested to hear what it looks like. Thinking about ordering it as a anniversary gift for DH next year. Yep, Thursday is my birthday too. The WAN household is submerged in birthday/xmas cards, wrapping paper etc. Thank goodness DC2 will be a spring baby.

Meant to say this is the type of jumper I am after.

MY WARDROBE SALE HAS STARTED!!

Happy birthday amber!

ollie

Picked up parcel from the post office and think it's my SS!

reine Bratapfel is just baked apple, filled with raisins, nuts, cinammon, some butter on top. Lovely....

Pickled, I said something like nice idea on the not spending but I couldn't do it. :o I actually do need to do sort out what I have and cut down on the spending though as I have a credit card I must pay off and cut up. I am finally taking Verity's advice and setting a budget too. But first will check out the my-wardrobe sale.

Hellsbelles, LTEC, Choogirl, Romanarama, Eshermummy, Monkeysmama and all the others, come back!

Amber, happy birthday! Lovely gifts.

Reine, didn't realise you were Bodsmum either. I love Charlie Brown's Christmas, I watch it every year.

The washing machine is broken here, poor DH had to go to work wearing my socks. He does not have my extensive wardrobe!

MrsCB, did I admire your leather skirt? I love it, so much nicer than the Boden offering (which I sent back).

The Whistles sweater and blouse arrived, very nice indeed.

DD1 awake, chat later.

Oh yes, Verity was on there too. I remember thinking I hardly recognised you Verity .

Thanks carciofi, I couldn't for the life of me remember romanarama's name recently when I was reminiscing!
Have I mentioned how much I love DH recently? A box with kindle written on it was just whisked upstairs!
Before I forget, great gifts and happy birthday amber!

I went vegan when I did my teacher training njc. Felt really quite healthy, and was thin. I met a nutritionist that summer when I was travelling round Spain (and could not avoid meat/dairy) that the best way, and probably the Mediterranean diet way, is vegan plus fish. Have been discussing this diet with my A level students recently. You can have a glass of red wine a day with food, and you also need to eat with other people and keep active.

Quick stop at home before I pick up DD. I opened my SS gift and it is amazing. From Harvey Nichols!!! Lovely fragrant Earl Grey tea and very tempting ginger biscuits. Whoever my Secret Santa is, thank you so much! I feel very spoilt .

Creeping back in after too long an absence - everything has been a bit manic lately, but we are now officially off the housing ladder as the house sale went through on Friday .

I decided on a change of policy on the namechanging, it didn't feel right not being Apuski, so I'm going to go with variations on a theme starting with an homage to Grange Hill.

Great to hear the MU went well at the weekend.

And it was fun looking at that old thread again - I was an avid lurker on that thread and remember laughing at all the "please stop tempting us!!" posts.

Amber, happy birthday - and what fabulous gifts!

Ollie, I have a question for you - you were 'diagnosed' a natural gamine weren't you? I'm thinking of going for a style day and have concluded that I may well be the same as you - can you remember what advice they gave you? Any tips would be great.

Apuski love you new nickname - really made me laugh! I loved Mrs McClusky! Wasn't me who had a style day - twas Bloss and NJC and think NJC is a gamine? I plan to have one next time I am over in the UK. No idea what I would be - unclassified probably!
Reine I remember seeing posts from Bodsmum!
WAN our hall isn't narrow but we have an open plan kitchen diner and there is a narrow wall seperating the two by the back windows - think of an archway without an arch! The print is quite small and narrow so wouldn't dominate a wall of any size iykwim. Was really pleased with how much DH likes it.
Fritzi what a perfect gift for you. How lovely. Are you looking forward to being away for Christmas - I'd love to do it?

Hello all and happy birthday amber! Wow, what amazing presents! Have a lovely day.

It's funny, I've only been posting for a few weeks (though had been reading avidly for a little while before that!) and already I felt desperate to catch up and post today after the weekend off. Have had to wait for DS's nap though. Had a gorgeous festive weekend with lots of family time. Christmas shopping and Jamie's for lunch with DH on Friday, wearing leather jacket and IO Breton dress. Breakfast out and finally bought lovely CHristmas tree on Sat; DS so cute singing to himself 'Hooray! We have a kissmass tree!'. Girly night watching Harry rightfully win Strictly at my friend's lovely house and eating lots of scrumptious food. Then decorated tree with DS Sunday while DH was at work and DS was actually v helpful. Very pleased with effect too: gold, silver and white, mostly IKEA with a few White Co special ones in prominent positions! And fairy lights all over house - love them and wish we could always light the house with them! Finally, dinner out last night with DH and DS in leopard print dress and fur trimmed parka - it's so cold here!

I've been catching up with all of you; sounds like lovely weekends all round too. The MU sounds fun and v stylish, hope I'll be able to make one one day. zembo, hello to you and big yes to the idea of a Midlands MU! Are you Nottingham too? Sounds like we share height and dress size as well! I like your AH makeup bag very much; I keep looking for WIT's pink AH one but no luck yet.

ny I'm now in awe of your socialising stamina and capacity to run in dire weather. Sounds like a great night out in Nottm. What's the LM hotel like to stay in? Glam or a bit bland? I'm currently hunting for somewhere wonderful to stay reasonably close by on the 30th - DH and I's wedding anniversary. Last year we stayed at LAngar Hall and it was lovely. Any suggestions from EM ladies?

bloss 50 50s and a kindle - your husband sounds divine! You deserve them and him though.

ants love that snake dress! Want. Think I need to know everyone's planned Christmas Day outfits soon please.

pickled your new teaching wardrobe sounds so cheerful and stylish; isn't it fun planning a new look for a new phase in your life?

mrs cb I am salivating over your leather skirt. Although I secretly crave a leather tunic dress one day though can't imagine quite when / where I'd wear it...

fritzi I'm with you on the copying of Wendy and approve heartily of your bag and ring choices.

ollie I'm also with you on the dizzy mistakes! Tempted to get one of those prints too one day although DH has a heart devoid of sentiment and probably wouldn't 'get it'.

Hello to everyone else I've missed; DS has woken up! Phew! Back with shorter posts soon!

Ollie, oops, just did an advanced search and it was ABO, many moons ago. I used to get you both muddled up until I met you at the MOAMU.

Happy birthday amber gorgeous gifts!

fritzi thank you for the explanation,sounds delicious,am about my o'level German..by the way I had to make myself some earl grey when I read about your gift but no ginger biscuits unfortunately!

apuski I'm glad you've reclaimed your name with a twist.

does no one recognise me from being bodsmum because I made such a convincing job of saying I was giving up the shopping

at 'accidently' festive njc !

WAN yes all star lanes. should be fun. we have a secret santa here at work the gifts are sometimes pretty outrageous. I am hoping to get off lightly this year - last year I came back from maternity leave for it and got a sexy santa girl outfit and a metallic thong for my husband (had just had baby!!!)

apuski great news re house very please for you

NJC your breakfast makes my mouth water and bloss gingerbread and jam sandwiches make it water even more!