~Littlekel's new diary for a fab debtbusting 2011~

OrangeFairy

We buy for 51 people!!!!!!!! That is including everyone from our children down to the kids teachers and swimming instructor!!!

My ideas for homemade gifts

Candles
Soaps
Homemade Jam
Cupcakes/muffins
Biscuits
Truffles
Fused glass workshop - bowls, art work, coasters
Etched glass (frosting) on jars to make outdoors lanterns
Cookie mix in a jar etc
Beanbag
Quilts
CD tower from wood
Special wooden boxes
Canvas art
photobooks
Go to Dartington Crystal and get the kids to paint glass / vases
Towel cake
Family History research
Hampers of various things
Sweet jars
For my sister - make a little home for her fave teddy dog
Blankets for baby dolls/ teddies
Mosiac frame
Mosaic a cheap mirror
Stained glass art - need a class
Cushion covers
Painted stepping stone for the garden by the kids
pot pourri
Hand made jewellery - course needed
Sock Monkey - maybe a bit adventurous
Some kind of pottery - class needed!
Take the kids to paint-a-pot and get them to decorate a serving bowl
Personalise a second hand piece of furniture

Hopefully i should be able to match up some people to some homemade gifts!!

penelopedee_2

Hiya Kel, happy new diary x Glad to see you had a good Chrimbo.

OrangeFairy

Hello diaryland

A good day today.

Took my £10 voucher in for an eye test. She said i have fantastic vision and very healthy eyes so i was pleased with that. I have booked the girls in for eye tests next tuesday. They are free and worth doing - especially as OH has bad eyesight and DD1 gets headaches!

Go for an eye test - crossed off my 101 list!

Went to my bestfriends for a cup of tea and then she kept and fed the kids lunch while i went for the test. Very DFW for me. Went in at 9am to avoid one way of the bus fare. Cost £5.25 for the three of us to get 5 miles home though! :eek:

Put £10 on my phone which will give me free internet. Also picked up 2 meccano sets for £4.99 each down from £14.99. They will make great presents for my present stash.

The my Dad and Stepmum came round to visit the new house. It was great to see them.

Panicked a bit yesterday as we got a bill for gas for £217!!!Just for gas and we have only lived here for just over a month! Then eagle eyed OH spotted it was estimated. The bill was for 190 units but they were about 140 units off in our meter reading. So should only be about £40 so i am happy with that. Dreading the electric bill though!

Right off to cook the kids some tea xxx

wendz86

Sounds like a good day! Great news about the eyes, is an expense you don't want.

That bill would have scared the life out of me too! I dread to think how much gas we have been using last couple of weeks. x

OrangeFairy

Afternoon and Happy New Years Eve all!!

So proud of my brothers! They are 19 and 23 and both studying their accountancy courses. DB1 studies technician level with me and DB2 i studying intermediate level the year behind us. An accountants were advertising for trainee accountants and so i spruced up their CV and wrote them both a cover letter. They both got interviews and they got both jobs. They both start in february, 35 hours a week and day release for college! Fantastic news. DB1 has just had a daughter and has wanted to leave being a chef for year due to the bad hours! DB2 works behind a bar since leaving college in June. Both of them will get all their studying funded too! DB1 being there will be a big help for DB2 who i am worried will find it boring!

Yesterday didn't end too great, one phone call from OH ended up making me feel quite down. A conversation about his parents now giving us less towards the wedding than they originally said made him comment that it was my plan to have it this may rather than next may as my family couldnt all make it then. That left me feeling like i have forced him in to an earlier wedding than he would have planned! Then i commented on my brothers jobs, he replied with 'one of these days you'll apply for better jobs' I am quite happy where i am while having a young family. I don't want to work full time and only see them for an hour each evening and then weekends! OH has a son with his Ex and he has a really crap life and is brought up pretty much by his Nan! I would assume OH wouldn't want this for his girls.

Realised he is disappointed with the job i do and the money i bring in. He would prefer me to set my sights higher and work full time. I am happy with my wage and the time i get with the kids however My work means i can leave any minute of the day if i want to. I make it to all plays, assemblies and teacher appts! Maybe get my thinking hat on and try and make money from home - that might make him happier and i could still have the time with the kids. I would imagine a 3rd child is a definite no no if he wants me to work full time sooner rather than later. There is no way i would have a baby and then work fulltime.

OrangeFairy

Right now a more positive post than my last one

2011 goals (inspired by chocaddict!)

Financial

Pay for as most of the wedding as we can without cards
Pay off everything only leaving the loan
Start over paying the loan before the end of the year
Carry on budgeting money
Become a bit more thrifty in my ways
Log my spending
Think of something to sell from home to make more money

Personal

Lose 1 stone by march 26th
Spend more quality time with the kids
Have at least 40 things done from my 101 list by the end of the year
Improve the kids eating habits
Eat more healthily and exercise more often
Try and spend more time with family members i don't see very often

I was pleased today that i have found 3 pairs of shoes that would be idea for the wedding. £22 £24 and £32 - so pretty good prices. I have ordered them all in to see which fits! I have wide feet so hopefully one pair will be okay! Infact the £22 and £24 had 10% off with a debenhams code on here - so lets route for the £22 pair!

penelopedee_2

Happy New Year Kel x

OrangeFairy

Happy New Year all

We saw New Year in with a bit of poker with BIL and SIL and then Harry Potter Cluedo!

Today - hopefully we will get to go on our New Years walk if OH is feeling better. Then dinner at MILs.

Wasn't quite sure if i was going to start the diet today or tomorrow - will just see how today goes! Will hope for it to be a NSD unless we pay for parking somewhere!
Decorations down today! Love getting them put up but love putting them away!!

I apologise for my rather down post yesterday - trying to forget about it if i can and move on with this year xxx

wendz86

Happy New Year!

I am taking our decorations down too today. Have made a bit of a mess already.

Don't worry about feeling down yesterday, everyone has their down days. You are doing a fab job bringing up your children, you have plenty of time to worry about your career later.

Enjoy your walk and meal today x

OrangeFairy

Quick pop in

NSD number 2 today! :j Though tomorrow we are taking the girls swimming or cinema and then also a food shop. Tuesday i will have to get the bus...so Weds will be my next NSD aim!!

Weighed myself yesterday!! It's not good!! I have put on 6lbs since november!!! So i have added another half a stone to my goal to make up for it! My Aunt said to me the other day that i looked like i had lost more weight - i quickly told her i definitely wasnt as my jeans were starting to get tight! I have literally felt myself expanding lately!!

Lovely chilly walk out on the burrows today with the kids and BIL and SIL. Picked up some nice stones/rocks to add to our fireplace. Also got the idea of getting some large flat rocks and getting the girls to decorate them as garden gifts for family members! Cheap and homemade!

Got an email from BHS to say they were refunding £12.60 into my account for a dress return! I had forgotten about that. woohoo £12.60 better off!

Back to work on weds!! :(:(:( Want more time off with the kids but also want to get back to normal! I feel a bit sad about being lazy over the holidays and not getting dressed early enough etc! Seems to have flown by!! xx