♥♥ MSE Organised For Christmas 2009 ♥♥

SugarSpun

Hello ladies - haven't been here in ages because it feels like I've nothing to add. All the shopping except my DH's present is already bought, and even that is mostly bought (need a big present and will get that close to the time). Nothing's wrapped, but it's all in the UK and I'm not, so I'll get to it when we arrive. We're currently planning to take the train up, so the TGV to Paris, then the Eurostar to London, then the train northwards. It'll be a full day and we'll have a very small one in tow, but I'd prefer the train and its ventilation to the horrible air in a plane.

All the baby stuff is bought. We're picking up a free high chair on Wednesday - but the nursery's still full of grown up toys and there seems to be no way around that at all. We can't find any climate controlled storage places, industrial spaces are far too expensive, and so we might end up renting a room in a shared apartment and storing stuff there, although I can easily see it not happening because of the amount of electricity we need. Grrr.

That's my major update - Christmas is almost completely covered, we're looking mainly at cleaning and organising the apartment and bringing in baby things/the piano we still have in storage and sending out the other stuff. And there's only ten weeks left to do it!

Giggle

Morning, Not had time too read back yet but i will do later. Im tidying my craft room up today ready for Rudolph Day now just to keep in clean after

miss_minx

thank you for all the welcomes-your also so lovely

Jordanshannon- my Oh had his legs waxed upto the tops of his thighs to raise the money. So much fun to watch!

I'll wait for pinkyladymel to tell me about thomas land.

This morning i've made 2 xmas cards and wrapped one of my charity boxes. also waiting for presents I ordered from the entertainer to arrive

Giggle

I forgot to ask is anyone with AOL if so it is slow today and playing up a bit

greent

Poo!! Just typed a long-ish post and it disappeared

Anyway, some of it was:

Xmas 2008:

4 out of the 5 of us were ill with flu and or sickness bugs - yick - not nice! Small dinner ensued! Thankfully we had no guests, other than my mum visiting in morning for pressie swaps.
We gave DS2 a load of toys from attic which had belonged to DS1 and DD - wrapped and in good nick. Even my mum thought some were new! He did have a few things new. Money saved was then put in DS2's bank account. Therefore we didn't save any spends, but did save an awful lot of excess toys coming into the house!!
I didn't make as many pressies as I wanted to, and I made NO xmas cakes - due a lot to the fact that the run up was stressful. I had dire morning sickness and bled at 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks with this baby - and then my nuchal scan showed a high risk of Downs (1:47) so I ended up with a CVS (all clear). OH also under threat of redundancy (was meant to happen 31st Dec - reprieve at the time about the 22nd DEc!!) so job hunting going on. Bleurgh! Oh - and OH had been diagnosed earlier in year with severe stress and depression anyway!!

Xmas 2009:
I want all prep out of way by end of Nov if poss. We'll now have a 7 month old to add to our house come Xmas too I want things made earlier - esp the cross stitched cards by my kids (just didn't happen last year and the previous year I finfished them late on Xmas eve)

However, I won't be starting any prep just yet. We are decorating/ moving rooms at the mo. we're moving into new loft conversion - hopefully by next weekend. Still needs some finishing touches to it. Our current bed/ bathroom will then be redone for DD. Her bedroom will be done for DS1. DS2 then wants to move into DS1's room, and DS2's room will be for the baby!! Phew! Oh, and main bathroom will be redone too, as it is rank! There's also some decorating to do downstairs Argh!!!!

I am aiming to start looking at Xmas in Summer hols, when we come back from our holiday in France early Aug (2 weeks in south of France with a 2month old - I must be mad!!) I have started sorting through my present stash (as part of reorganising for room move). I think I am basically sorted for wrap/ bags etc, but I expect I will get some more plain gold wrap, tbh I will need some more cards - but not many. And I'll need 'individual' cards for close family.

Present wise I have started listing what I have got - but used some of my stash for bday parties my kids are going to this week/ next week. I WILL list and sort the rest though and then move it!! I have a lot of birthdays between now & Xmas too. Inc OH's 40th - hmm.........

Some made pressies can't be done until autumn (eg some fruit chutnies) - but I will attempt a timetable to keep me on the straight and narrow!!

Back later!

greent x

mum2one

Julie_H wrote: »

I forgot to ask is anyone with AOL if so it is slow today and playing up a bit

A
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: AOL IS

A

pinkladymel

GreenT If that was just some of your post then gawd knows how big your original was LOL So does this mean you are due this month? I am so excited for you :T please come post pics asap!! I can't wait to see your new little baby.. do you know what sex it is? Everyone in my family was ill christmas 08 too and it really put a dampener on things.. I hope everyone is better for you this year but kids are so unpredictable!

Miss Minx Waiting for presents.. How exciting EEK!! Hope they all come ok. I can't recommend Thomas land enough. EEK I love it!! In a minute I will find the link on my blog to the day I went. It is so magical and beautiful. They make it snow at least 3 times a day (With foam may I add lol) and when it snows the fat controller and his people all do a song and dance for you. There is a petting farm with real reindeer and also a proper big christmas show at the big top circus. I didn't hold out much hope for the show but it had ice skating, people flying through the air on ropes, a real father christmas. Drayton Manor is closed too so you only get die hard Thomas littlies there GO!! Don't hesitate I promise you it MADE my christmas last year. Oh crud I just looked on my blog and there was no post about it!! NoOoO! Wil dig out pics for you

BRB got to do kids dinners..

Shevs

Queen Bee -Im off to ''VIVA LAS VEGAS'' cant wait

greent

pinkladymel wrote: »

GreenT I don't envy you, ready to go in seven days WOWEE!! lol I go crazy with the two I have LOLHow old are your children? Mines birthdays are December and February so it gets a bit crazy here I am so impressed with your 'Pay off £15K by Dec 09 - £21965/ £15k' I would really appreciate your advice on making bath bombs etc, I always wanted to know how to!

Due date now tomorrow - eek!! The other 3 are 11,9 & 3.

The 'pay off' bit was achieved big style by OH being made redundant, so I paid a lump off the mtge (and have kept payments the same to reduce further ) So a slight cheat, I suppose! He started a new job the following week, so that was ok (although a longer commute involved, and no company car )


Bath bombs - I WILL post about them. Nag me if I don't as I am bound to forget!! They can go beatifully or be right pains in the proverbial to do!!!

mel - your pics from your scrapbook last week were absolutely beautiful!!

greent x

miss_minx

pinyladymel- thank you- even more excited about thomas now. Saw a pic you posted on here few pages back and looked stunning. Also the pic of your LO's is so cute. very proud mum sending those out on a card.

presents have arrived......lots of thomas the tank bits and other stocking fillers. I am loving the fact I can talk about xmas......really like a child in a candy store!

x x