Frugal Frump to Fab/Winter Solstice

maman

:wave:

Welcome lolly, WOW! you've taken on a lot with your new DS but feeling huge admiration. I can identify with your studying as I, too, did an OU degree years ago. I remember feeling huge satisfaction from walking to the post box at all hours of the morning to post my assignments. In those far off days, assignments had to be hand-written and posted. I know it's more instant now with word-processing/internet/email but the hard work is still the same!:rotfl:

If you're into bargains you must identify with our CS talk recently and look forward to your input.

Now for pampering!!! It can't be easy with a baby/toddler in the home but you MUST try and find some time for you. When you feel good about yourself you'll have a better attitude to everything you do. Do we assume you're a SAHM? Do you have any childcare to give you 'me' time or is anything you can do fitted in when children are in bed?

Lots of questions. Chat soon.

lolly101

Hi Maman,

Thanks for the warm welcome . Maybe a silly question - but what is CS? I've read a few posts mentioning it, but haven't gotten as far as knowing what it actually is yet! I'm planning on catching up with the thread asap, so will be on the same wave length soon, lol.

Yes, I'm a SAHM, although would love a 'mini job' maybe 5 or so hours a week - all the time I can afford at the moment! Being out of work really hasn't helped the self confidence!

My mum is pretty good with childcare, she helps out as often as she can, and DS1 goes to his Dad's on alternate weekends. I do think I could find more time for myself though, I just need to be a bit more organised... 'Organised Chaos' pretty much sums up my mindset, my house, and my life, at the moment, lol!

lessonlearned

Thanks Maman - that's the song - hadn't realised Elvis had done a version and of course I had to watch the Tom & Jerry version.:rotfl::rotfl:

I like tenors too. When DS1 was 14 I took him into the city to buy him some clothes. I asked him nicely now that he was getting all grown up could I take him somewhere for lunch other than MacDonalds. He was a bit unsure but agreed when I pointed out that proper Italian ice cream would be on the menu.

Anyway we went to a lovely Italian cafe where they were playing light tenor type songs such as Santa Lucia and Amore and the like. He loved it. Later I heard him telling his little brother all about it ............... "And they were playing opera and it was so cool, and all the waiters fancied Mum".

Bless him.

Welcome lolly. I echo Maman - what a truly wonderful thing you have done. I can only imagine the battle with Social Services to get custody of your DS. I am sure you'll make a wonderful home for him.

CS is short for Charity Shop. I volunteer in one (when I have time - having a little break at the moment but hope to start up again).

Perhaps you would enjoy a couple of hours helping in a CS until you can find a job. It's great fun and of course if family life gets in the way, as it does from time to time, they are usually very understanding if you need to take a break. It looks good on the CV too.:D

DS2 has just made my hot milk so off to bed now.

Good night all x

lessonlearned

Happy Anniversary Maman:j:j

:beer::beer: (Only champers of course)

May you have many, many more.

Bitsy_Beans

Happy Anniversary to maman and Mr maman, how you have a lovely day together xxx

Lolly - welcome to the thread and well done to you taking on the care of your nephew, he's clearly a lucky boy to have you Not quite a SAHM myself (I work at home as a childminder) but I know how hard it can be to shoe horn some "me" time into the day. I am aiming for multi tasking so mini spa sessions happen when the kids are in the bath together. Unfortunately it's not a time for relaxing, bit more functional BUT it does mean I AM doing some grooming, even if it's not lying back in a bubble bath. If you have a quiet 5 mins whilst the kids are playing, file and buff your nails, pluck those eyebrows or even moisturise. I am the worlds worst at making jobs seem more time consuming than they are when really sometimes they only take a couple of minutes

Have a great day everyone

Carmen

Just a quick pop in to wish Maman a happy anniversary.

Hope you have a wonderful day _party__party__party_


Back later

tru

Carmen, I'll be selling the notebooks. Well I hope they sell, if they don't I'll be using very expensive stationery for the rest of my life :rotfl:

Happy Anniversary Maman _party_

floss2 wrote: »

Massive pat on the back for Miss Tru and her friends :T :T :A

Thanks for that, I'll pass it along it to her

I ate a bit of chocolate yesterday and I'm having some this afternoon. I used to reach for it when I was tired, stressed or just because. Now I look forward to it as an occasional treat and don't miss it on the days there's none in the house.

I'm struggling to come up with a new thing to add to my list of 'Fabulous-ify Me' jobs I want to add one new thing per week, I already -

paint toenails
body lotion after each shower
moisturise hands after each wash
file feet once per week
wear make up whenever I leave the house
keep my legs smooth - most of the time!
keep my eyebrows tidy - again, most of the time
do a bit of yoga 5 times per week

I've found a facial cleansing routine that suits me, so don't want to experiment with that. I don't want to deep condition my hair either, I've got a perfect leave-in conditioner.

Perhaps I should start to concentrate on food?

What do you all think?

MrsWoolfe

Good Morning Ladies and Lurkers!

wow lots of catch up on!

LL Go you! It's lovely to hear from a professional that you are doing well! :j Also what a lovely story with the table1 slightly soppy maybe but I think that your aunty was guiding it back to you!

Maman- Happy Anniversary- hope you have a lovely day and have some well deserved celebrating!

Lolly welcome! have to echo the others- what you have done with your DS is pretty amazing, what a wonderful thing to do- I'm pretty in awe of you there and also managing to fit your studies ...well:A
you absolutely need to find time for you- I'm a firm beleiver that spending time putting yourself first makes you happier/less stressed/and generally makes it easier to handles the bumps and grumbles that life throws at us, so please "come on in" the Fab journey is a slow and long one ...but with these ladies along with you it can be a lot of fun too...ok over with the soppiness what's with me today??

Polesalot welcome back from your hols- totally know what you mean about holiday looks- wish I could have the shiny swishy hair but my curls just won't allow it on holiday- I tend to tie my hair up a lot on hot holidays - having all that hair down it way too warm! Glad you had a good time though!

Lizzie sorry to hear about your DD's job- I do think that in this climate a lot of employers are being a lot less understanding than they used to be- if they ever were, fingers crossed things pick for her soon.

Bitsy- if you increase how often you are using the OCM and still having breakouts, might be worth adjusting the proportions of castor oil to see if that helps- I usually do the OCM 2x a week but in between also do steams and facemasks- I think when you start doing OCM you "bring up" a lot of the gunk in your skin (sorry if that's a bit gross) so you need to keep on top of it on the days you are not doing OCM to keep cleansing it- that's just how it seems to work best for me - I do also use Lush Angel on bare skin so I just alternate between these and it seems to work for me!

Re the move- I do think that it hasn't helped with my skin and hands - handling so many files means papercuts galore. though hopefully with things more settled now it should improve- one huge plus is that whatever it was upstairs I was allergic to isn't in the downstairs office- such a relief not to be coughing and choking all the time- I was getting by using a humidifier/inhaler/mints and olbas oil and I haven't coughed at all this week:j

Also decided to dye my hair this week, sadly not a very birhgt colour ( work would flip) but as the old highlighted bits were showing through my natural drak brown/almost black I decided to do a blue/black and if I say so myself it does make my hair look glossy and shiny, just a much deeper colour.

Right the sun is out and I have the whole day unplanned til about 6 when we head out to a local music event- it's a charity that supports small local/youth arts very small and desperately in need of support so we are all going to head down, watch some sketches, hear some poetry and listen to some music...there is also a BBQ but I will try and stick to healthy options!

Hope everyone is having a good day!

MrsWoolfe

MrsWoolfe

HI Tru,

sounds like you've got a lot of the pampering covered, do you sleep well? if you struggle to sleep it sometimes helps to take 5 mins just to close your eyes and relax- sounds silly but making sure you step out and relax every now and then can help you to relax easier when you go to bed and sleep easier....

otherwise maybe focus on 5 a day? body scrub/brush?how are you doing with your wardrobe? have you sorted through and got rid of the things that don't flatter/fit/make you feel good? have you found the colours/styles that suit you best?

just a couple of ideas!

tru

Thanks MrsWoolfe

I've got a tube of exfoliating shower gel, I'm halfway through it. I was using a body brush but even though the bristles feel soft to the touch, the skin on my legs finds it too harsh I've started using a dry flannel, that's working really well.

My wardrobe isn't too bad. I know which colours suit me - black, white, dark blue and khaki. I really can't wear bright colours, I have very pale skin and brights just make me look washed out or yellow-tinted :rotfl:. You'd think black would too, but it doesn't.

I sleep well, but wake up the second the sun starts coming up. I need blackout blinds I think!

Food - hhhmmmm well I could do better. Maybe I should be making changes there.