*~2012 is going to be the year for Orange Fairy~*

starnac

that cake is fab. clever you

wendz86

The cake looks brilliant,well done!

OrangeFairy

Thanks Choc and Starnac - he seemed to be pleased with it. Trouble is i spend hours making it and i hate fondant icing so i dont sample any!

I need to start concentrating on the little things again like....

• short showers
• frugal water usage when washing up
• Bread making rather than forgetting and then buying some
• Sticking completely to a meal plan
• Turning lights off
• Jumper on not heating
• Stop leaving things on standby
• Have change for parking so i don't pay a £1 for 60p parking!
• Don't forget treats for the kids for after swimming - prevents me having to pay for overpriced sweets from the vending machine
• Using 1 tea bag when i make mine and OH's tea- i have is really light and he has it medium so one bag does both of ours! Would save about a third of the pack!
• Look into cheap treats i can bake for lunch boxes/puddings
• Reuse present bags and bows rather than buying them
• Limit the kids baths - they can shower. They dont have a bath/shower on monday/saturday as we are outto late. So maybe 2 showers and 2 baths a week rather than 4 baths
• Use up the freezer - so much in there!
• Buy cards in advance from the card factory so last minute i don't spend loads on a card in the village shop
• If have the time get off the bus a mile from my house and walk back from there - would save about 40p on the journey each time and give me exercise

That is my focus to get it to become second nature!

starnac

sounds like a good list there orange. buying cards in bulk is def a good idea. Maybe go through your diary and see what birthdays you have coming up and pick up cards next time you are in town? I've always got a stash of children's cards as DD seems to be coming home with party invites all the time!

I also find posting on the small things thread helps me every day

charlyze2

Hi There Orange Fairy

I have found your diary and subscribed.
Congrats on passing your AAT :beer:. I did wonder how it went.
I passed mine also :j. Have had a nice few months of not worrying about studying, however work have offered to put me through my ACCA so im starting that in a couple of weeks. Glutton for punishment

The cake looks fab :T. i love baking too though i don't get any time to do it. Stupid Skyrim annoys me also. Men never seem to grow up. always playing games

Charlyze2

OrangeFairy

Hello Charlyze!

Well done on your AAT too! I took so long doing that bliming project! I would have a day off but do anything i could to prevent me from getting on with it!
Great news about ACCA. More studying but great that you will be funded. I will have to pay for mine myself! So not able to do it just yet!

I didn't post on here but i have decided my debtfree present to myself will be a tortoise! I have always wanted a pet tortoise so that will be my motivation!!

Great news! I sold 26 items out of 29 on ebay and raised £184!! So very chuffed! The payments are filtering in so a few trips for the post office in order

Sent 6 yesterday and another 8 have paid to will get them sorted today

Today is about a bit of me time with my Harlan Coben book. He is by far my fave author ever! I have been known to walk to work while reading one of his books before! Good job i know the pavements well enough! Then to start sorting DD1's room. Did DD2's room a couple of weeks ago but DD1's room is a far bigger task! Would be nice to find some ebay items but i thing i have exhausted the ebayable items in my house!

Right off for post on the small things and make a cuppa tea

Choc-addict

Hey there!

Loving the list - makes me think a bit about what I waste and don't pre-plan.

I've never read any Harlen Coben books - what sort of writer?

Hope you have a good day x

wendz86

A tortoise will be really cool! My sister is planning on getting one soon as my Dad knows a lady who breeds one. We always wanted one growing up.

That is some brilliant sales on ebay, well done!

starnac

hey orange

my tortoise is counting down the days til he/she gets a virtual friend :j

OrangeFairy

OMG i haven't been on in a while!

Starnac - woohoo to virtual totoise friends :j

Choc- Harlan Coben writes crime books that always have a fantastic twist! I just can't put them down!!!

Wendz- So chuffed with ebay - the money is still sitting in my account waiting for use to put it towards something

DD1 has a rash so had to take her to the docs to find out it is just a reaction to a viral infection. Kept her off anyway so i had a half day at work. Making the most of it by starting on my brothers cake for tomorrow. It is going to be a hard one to do as i am doing an ipod touch cake and the icons will be fiddley!

I have been thinking a lot about my realistic perfect life. (ie my actual perfect life would be to live in a huge house with 2 more children. no work and a few holidays a year!)

Very simply my ideal realistic life would be to have a third child and be in a position that we could buy our house from my Uncle (we rent from him). I would like to be able to work 2 days a week rather than 3 so i could be a better Mum to a third child by giving them more time and going to groups etc. I was pretty young when i had my DD's and i feel i would do a lot of things differently in my older and wiser age. I would love for OH and I to grow a fair bit of veg and make more time for eachother. Also to be in the position to go abroad once a year plus a centerparcs trip.

This is all pretty doable when we are debt free i think. Though not sure on OH's take on having another child. And by the time we are debtfree DD2 will be about 8/9 and so i will have a huge age gap between the kids!

I can dream!