A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

mardatha

Just wondering - if we leave the EU does that mean we'll go back to imperial measurements? Then we'd all get doubly confused ! :rotfl:

gailey_2

Morning guys

Brrr its cold but now snow here but least no rain:j

Opinions please in school playground today lots mums were hovering to give teacher huge collection so i made promt exit.
I dident contribute to collection as last year they made me feel crap as contributed so little.
Hubby said lets do our own thing this year
But has he dealt with it? No
Havent been near any shops and its too cold to drag kids out got house to tidy so can put tree up tonight.

Was planning on trying hm jamie oliver choc and gingerbread but looks measly compared to other mums huge wrapped gifts this morning.

did go in crappy spar but not much in there! got sugar, cake cases
reduced bread and beef for freezer.

went to meat machine van in pub carpark sounds bad but its great got sausage meat for sausage rolls so not good for my diet:rotfl:
get main meat next friday when kids not screaming.

we decided to visit farmshop. not sure we buy much but its so lovley and festive girls can feed the piggies.

Think we doing christingle service at church tommorow:)

Eldests so exited about getting tree later.

right best go sooo much to do!

Softstuff

If I'm measuring fabric I work in feet and inches, even though I didn't learn them in school, because I can tell them more easily by sight. When I worked with balloons everything was done in inches because the companies were all American. As far as food goes though I'll go by ounces, grammes, cups, handfuls or sploshes :rotfl:

If I ever provide a recipe, don't worry about getting the measurements exact, because I never do.

I made vanilla walnut fudge today. And just ate the bits that fell off whilst cutting over ice cream.... with maple syrup :whistle:

On a (slightly) healthier note, made breaded chicken breast stuffed with feta for dinner and it was yummy (1 chicken breast cut in half, whacked until thin, smoosh the feta over, roll it up like a swiss roll, dip in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, bake for 20 mins at 180).

katieowl_2

gailey wrote: »

Opinions please in school playground today lots mums were hovering to give teacher huge collection so i made promt exit.
I dident contribute to collection as last year they made me feel crap as contributed so little.
Hubby said lets do our own thing this year
But has he dealt with it? No
Havent been near any shops and its too cold to drag kids out got house to tidy so can put tree up tonight.

Was planning on trying hm jamie oliver choc and gingerbread but looks measly compared to other mums huge wrapped gifts this morning.

Honest opinion? I wouldn't give anything homemade to anyone who I didn't know would appreciate it. I'd either simply not bother and not worry a jot further about it, or I'd get her a cheapish bottle of wine - £3.99 at half price type of thingy. Then if she doesn't drink she can re-gift it. My mum works as a classroom assistant and gets given all sorts of stuff she can't use/eat - used to come to us when we were local.

I hate the whole 'pressured into giving' thing, I wouldn't think twice about not doing it, s*d what the others think! They are probably all trying to outdo each other anyway - why give yourself grief!

Kate

the_cat

:eek:OMG. Has noone else tried the spiced cookies yet? Just got my first batch out of the oven. They are without doubt the nicest biscuits I have ever eaten.:T

Doing a catering event tomo afternoon and they are supposed to be for that. They have only been out of the oven for 10 minutes and I've already eaten 3. How on earth am I going to keep away from them?:rotfl::rotfl:

paidinchickens

We have got out of the last day gift giving :j DGD came home from school on Tuesday and long story short she has Impetigo. We have kept the boys of school today "just in case" as advised by the docs so all three boys are off so no gifts to buy to be fair we only usually send gifts for junior school and it is only a token summat.

One year I did buy DSs teacher a bottle of vodka as she was run ragged all year and helped my DS no end so I thought she was worth it.

Tree finally got decorated last night by the boys and we watched the first Christmas movie of the year, I am still not feeling the spirit unless you count last night wine with my tea

We always watch National Lampoons Christmas vacation on Christmas eve with hot choc, squirty cream and quilts and pillows downstairs to snuggle into. Next door said this was fab and can they come round this year to which I have told them to bring their own quilts :rotfl:

I am at that point that I get to every year where I have wrapped and bought stuff and think "is it enough?" well I have warned the kids that they will not have much money spent on them this year but I think they think we are kidding. Oh it is soooo easy for the guilt to kick in and get more so I must resist. DS started to real off what his friends money limits are for xmas and some are totally ridiculous some of the kids have a grand each just from their parents :eek: We have three DS and a DD and a sil and DGD and if we had such limits we would need to sell some body parts to pay for it and as DH and I are falling apart I don't think we have any body parts worth a selection box :rotfl::rotfl:

DH has bought me a Remoska and we had a little tiff about it last night. I said I would really like to keep any spending to an absolute minimum etc and he thought it was a nice gift as he knew I really wanted one. I am not ungrateful I am just really worried about the spending

I hope we don't get any snow til xmas morning that way I can wrap the snow shovels up as gifts for the boys :rotfl::rotfl:

I would like to make a gingerbread house tomorrow has anyone got a good CHEAP recipe please?

Have a good day

PIC x

the_cat

paidinchickens wrote: »

I would like to make a gingerbread house tomorrow has anyone got a good CHEAP recipe please?

Have a good day

PIC x

Actually the spiced cookie recipe reminded me of gingerbread. Crispy on the outside and a bit chewy in the middle. Would have thought using the dough recipie for that and switching the cinnamon to ginger would work

jamanda

Gailey, don't try to keep up with the other parents - that way leads to disasters.

To be honest, I think teachers accepting gifts - other than a very very small token/card - should be construed as a conflict of interest. If poor child and good gifts child have an altercation, I wonder if this would sway the teacher's impartiality.

With regard to presents, I'm sensible every year until about this time, and then start to panic because "it doesn't look much" and have to be very strict with myself not to buy some more bits - especially the Christmassy gifty type pretty stuff.

Fruball

jamanda wrote: »

Gailey, don't try to keep up with the other parents - that way leads to disasters.

To be honest, I think teachers accepting gifts - other than a very very small token/card - should be construed as a conflict of interest. If poor child and good gifts child have an altercation, I wonder if this would sway the teacher's impartiality.

With regard to presents, I'm sensible every year until about this time, and then start to panic because "it doesn't look much" and have to be very strict with myself not to buy some more bits - especially the Christmassy gifty type pretty stuff.

I am exactly the same - fine until I see it all laid out and then worry its not enough!!!

I am definately not buying more tho. I've done well this year. I think DDs will be happy, DS wants cash so thats easy, teachers got HM gifts which they love. Only got Mum and StepMum to do - must pester them for ideas as if they don't tell me, they will get nowt!!!

katieowl_2

Ha! We used to have the annual "inspection of the piles" :rotfl: about a week before Xmas, where OH looked at what I'd bought the kids, and decided if one looked better than the rest, or if they all looked a bit lacking LOL! Invariably ended up with me needing to buy something else for at least one person, but he was better able to see the wood for the trees, not having been involved with the slogging round the shops.

He had to do it again this year, as I'd bought stuff for DD for her birthday too and he decided one of the things I'd bought should be with the xmas pile instead. I've pretty much finished my shopping now...I just need to get something sorted for OH (but I have a plan) and something for my friend who is coming for xmas day...only a very vague idea for that though!

Kate