New, New Thirfty Gifty for Christmas and All Ocassions 2011..Santas Challenge...

mary-op

Hello all :j
Escaping challenges this time round I think what with builders in and out but so far

Christmas cards all made and written (just need stamps)
Got bubble wrap.........need to get brown paper and couple of shoe boxes to cover......must get going on those s.a.p. -I'm all behind with everything this year.
Still got fabric hearts to do for other son -got some fabric upstairs but can't get to it till bathroom chaps have finished
Must finish wrist warmer for gardener chappy and try and find frames for the 4 leafed clovers I've got

Kitchen cupboards will have real good sort out before kitchen is put in -that should be started next week so got a week to do that.

Also need to sort out what to give my friend for her birthday beginning of November. Eldest sons girlfriend has a birthday in October but she'll get a cheque with card.

Been odd this year not being able to get out and about and get stuff so its all either recycling what I've already got or just a cheque. Maybe next year I can get some sort of system going and be more organised.

Hope you're all ok:)

No big deal for us as there'll just be the two of us so we'll just get what food we need nearer the time.

junior_j

Must of been knackered i meant afternoon not evening x

fedupandskint

Just a huge vat of apple chutney on the go now - and it is massive. Ready for some pressies

Used free apples so not very much cost involved but a lot of peeling and chopping!

mum2one

Miss Hoodie went wed, came back fri afternoon, she absloutely loved it, apparently she did a 40 foot zip wire walk, went on go karts, they had a disco, but she moaned about the fire alarm, gd thing they had a fire pratice, but apparently the alarm went off 3 times for no reason!! she was a sod over her clothes, when emptying her suitcase she couldn't remember what had been wore + what hadn't, so washed it all, out on the line, shes walking up + down, wore that, didn't wear that... but she wants to go again next yr.

Plzed about as all this court saga has knocked her for 6, despite the courts asking her what she wanted, shes wrote to her dad and said I want nothing when I do I'll tell you, cafcass don't agree with that, they say she has to have 6 letters, bday, xmas cards + presents for a yr... need I say what state shes in, the other grandparents are being a pain, I feel sorry in my heart for the grandmother, but he wears the trousers, theres times he won't call Miss hoodie by her name its the kid... there across 2mor, and have decided to stay locally for 5 days, despite us saying she doesn't want to see you (after we found out they had sent her dad photos + updates, despite courts saying he can't have everything), madam said she'll see them once if she has to, the original arrangement was mon evening them, wed evening their other son + his wife, (miss hoodie thinks the world of them), but no... it has to be her mon, wed, + thurs her bday... she doesn't even want to got out with us, or even go for a pizza with her friends, all upset thats happened,
I've managed to get Miss Hoodie to see them wed, on the proviso that she doesn't have to see, text, speak to any of them on her bday and doesn't have to see them again this yr. As an outsider if i'd of read the situation the 1st words that would jump into mind is spolit brat, but we've kept them upto date with all the solictors saga, court updates, and they've already lost her once as they gave info to their son, and now there holding on b a shoe string, I'm plzed there pround grandparents, but when they know what can be done and can't, thats be solicitors and the court, and they go against it, it beggers belief.

miss Hoodie has got GP app week after, as despite the teacher last yr said her grades were going down (all ties in when theres court case, or they've done something) she needs a educational assessment, the head doesn't want to get involved as its a personal matter... I appriciate that but when its affecting her school work, it crosses the line, surprised our gp asked about it all when I went, and explained the last saga, he wants to see miss hoodie, then refer her for councelling, and depending on how she copes with the letters etc, if its affecting her health, he said he would everything he can to help, like a ray of sunshine.
trying to make her bday the best I can, and her xmas the best, weve booked tunisia for next yr, money is really tight, but its all in, we know the area a bit, oppoaiste end of town to where we stay, but it came in at £700 cheaper, our friends are going for 2 weeks, but fly out on the wed, as we go on the sun, we get 10 days with them, and few days to us, so it be ebaying, car boots, and everything possible, shes looking forward to Tunisia, and think if I can have a carrot dangling shes got something to work towards,
xx

SugarSpun

I'm an idiot

I found the Christmas cards this afternoon and decided to write them so I can slip the photos in and have them all ready to go back with my parents.

I've only packed the poxy photos away.

Still, if I write and address the cards but leave them unsealed I can absolutely figure it out once I find the photos... I hope.

rufusdog52

Hope it all goes all right Mum2one, sounds like she had a nice weekend away xx

Junior - welcome back to the thread, hope you are well xx

Mary, I think you have done wonders seeing as what you have both gone through this year xx

We had an upset today, OH's Dad is in hospital, he's had 7 heart attacks over the day. They have operated on a blocked artery this afternoon and so far he seems to be pulling through but its a nervous 48 hours to see how he goes. OH has been up there all day today with him and I am going with him tomorrow.

mum2one

rufus - hope all goes on ok with Ohs dad, you all take care

Susan - Why do u have to go back into hospital, have you got dates yet, the idea of the holidays sound an amazing idea, any room in suicase!

xx

On a lighter note, was nearly a fire bridgage job earlier, mum got stuck on the stairlift, it conked out halfway down the stairs, she got it restarted, came down and her foot was wrapped in 3ft coiled wire came out of the stairlit, had to get plyers to cut it off, frightening as she could have been by herself.... emergemcy call out 2mor... tea to the ready xx

mrs-moneypenny

[QUOTE=mum2one
:jIts time of the month - Santas Challenge..:j


The Cleaning Challenge
Clean the freezer and organise it - actually did this at the weekend, freezer is chocca full but got everything out and put like with like. listed what we have and what is low its much more organised now


Start a list going to go through recipie books and look for meals to try before incase they make it onto the table christmas day last year did mushroom tarts as main we are veggie and they have proved so popular they are now requested most weekends

Food/Meals
DH actually bought some mince pies in aldi at the weekend after commenting its nearly christmas so might as well remind myself what they taste like:rotfl:need to get back into batch baking so i have a supply of hm ready meals on hand

Christmas Cards / calenders / printables (vistaprint):A
mil in law always wants a dairy diary set but now weve stopped having a milko deliver must tell her to put an order out for it herself and ill buy it off her;)


Parcels / Posting
need to check what cards are in the attic and what i need i always get special god daughter/ relly type cards so will try to make some of those instead of shelling out about £25 in the local nice card shop
Stamps
its worth asking for sheets of 100 if you get through a lot or listening out incase superdrug do the 10% off offer again this year

Christmas Cake
making mine so must get the recipie out and add what need to the shopping list

Christmas Catalogues
requested the hawkins bizzare catalouge last week but its not here yet

Christmas List
Have a check to see what you need to buy, and for those who are organised, THank you for the reminder, ive put mine together in the hiding place and written them down but need to go through the list to see whos geting what and what is needed
Christmas Cards
Split the list into families, / friends / work etc, any that need posting, eg a family, we tend to post all to one member + they forward on... another trip to the attic for this one im sure there are cards up there just not sure how many

Where am I??????
mil coming up for christmas day and youngest DDs bf, usually invite my mum sis and her family for a buffet get together over the christmas week so need food plans for that to avoid a rerun of last years frantic dash to iceland to see what buffet items they had left

At the end of all that, ladies we deserve a treat....at some point in december before the school finish ill be settling down with its a wonderful life in piece, had it for 3 years with kids refusing to watch a boring old black and white film so i gave up and watched it on my own and throughly enjoyed it,
:santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2::santa2:
thanks for the brilliant challenges:T

mary-op

Hello all :j
Just did a post and it disappeared so now got to do it all again:mad: (if I can remember what I said......lol)

Well done all of you with the challenges..........feel guilty not doing most of them but house full of builders excuses a mountain of things...........thats my excuse.............lol

junior -welcome back -sorry forgot to say yesterday. I remember you from last year:T

susan - done two scarves..........more than enough. I got a bit fed up to say the least. Better doing something smaller with quicker result:)

rufus -thanks but I've not really not much and what I have done is what I'd call 'therapy' to stop me going bonkers.............lol
Hope OH's dad gets on ok:)

mum2one - all happens in your house......never a dull moment is there. You really should write a book...........think I've told you that before:)

Went for my 'health check' (something for 'oldies' I think).......managed to walk from home to surgery.....furthest I've done in a long time.....and I walked back ! Well, OH been doing the distance....can't have him beat me can I..........lol
And seems apart from my problems health is good and I've even gained some weight..........much needed for me with no bum to speak of.............lol:rotfl:

Hope you're all ok:)

Anglea

Hi all

I'm only away a few days and already mum2one is reporting another drama, your mum and the stairlift. Thank goodness she was ok.

Sorry to hear about all the hassle for Miss Hoodie and yourself.

Mary, it's like Piccadilly Station at your house. Nice to read of the progress. Sorry OH didn't get any good advice at the hospital.

Rufus, sorry to hear about OH's dad. Reading about your knitting saga and those needles was making me anxious too, glad you found some better needles.

Hi to mumof2 - you'll enjoy yourself on here
Junior - I was wondering where you had got to.

Sugarspun - hope you get your cards and photos sorted out.

Thanks for asking about me Susan, I was busy as both children were home. Hope you will be ok in the run up to hospital. I loved your new makes on the blog.

I've got a question for you all, triggered by the challenge.

I was reading online about food leftovers. Some people were saying that if they had a few spoonfuls of something, they would add it to a plastic container in the freezer. So each day there could be a mix of savoury items being added. When it's full they cook it adding some grated cheese on the top.

Have any of you tried this?