Making the future happen - museumworker's MFW diary Pt 2

Yorkielass

Congratulations museumworker, lovely news for the start of a new year.

Your diary inspired me about the time we were trying to move and so couldn't start overpaying as we were saving for moving costs and I've missed your regular posts.

Good luck with your 2014 OP target, we've got a similar one.

museumworker

Thanks for the welcome from you all! toots, lovely to see you on here, you sound like you have a FANTASTIC year ahead! And Yorkielass, not feeling very inspirational, so very nice to hear that from you. Sounds like you're also on a declutter mission too. Good luck to you for reaching your target - it's a little bit scary seeing it written down, isn't it?

Made first OP of £328.04 from some money that was sat in FD account (the one that feeds mortgage). Had planned to start another 8% saver with the £300, but not got round to it and am itching to get off the start line! The rest is the left overs from rounding up from the mortgage payment over a few months.

This weekend OH renewed breakdown cover - after looking at different options, renewed with existing for £40 instead of £69 .

We've also used a perk at his new job to book for discounted theme park tickets and hotel. Have a weekend away in march to look forward to now! £36 the tickets and £135 the hotel. All accounted for as we've budgeted £2k a year for holidays and we know that DD will LOVE this one!

We've also submitted some share forms to cash in (not worth keeping them) and decided not to pursue private healthcare insurance (perk of OH's job) as this point.

Today have taken DS to playgroup - £2.50. Went through copper jar to avoid trip to cashpoint! Leftovers for lunch and nap time now.

Were thinking of buying DS a play kitchen. Can anyone point me to any good tutorials for making one instead?

Alchemilla

Congratulations on the impending miracle!

mouche

Congratulations mw! I've followed your diary with interest and am very happy for you.

Regarding play kitchen - I have no tutorials to suggest but my LO got the Ikea kitchen for Christmas and I can attest to it's good looks and quality. LO likes it too. It was on offer when we bought (and hid) it in the autumn but not sure about now.

Pearla*Merle

museumworker wrote: »

Hi All
* made major advances in using mindfulness techniques and reduced migraines significantly

:T Lovely to hear this, museumworker! I'm plagued by them as well and know how debilitating they can be. Can I be cheeky and ask if there was any technique you found particularly helpful?

Congrats on the baby news It's great to hear another little mini museum lover is on its way to the world

Play kitchens! Pinterest is your friend A couple of good examples (no tutorial, but fairly self-evident?) here and here and then a cardboard tutorial one here So many different ones on pinterest.com though, just search for diy play kitchen and you should find loads of examples (I imagine there will be lots of tutorials if you click through to the picture source as well). Good luck!

greent

museumworker wrote: »

- am delighted to announce that we are expecting another baby in July!

.

:T:T:T


Oooooh - congratulations! I was hoping that was what your news would be! xx

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

That is wonderful news, I am delighted for you all. As for the kitchen, just giving him some bits and bobs of kitchen equipment from your own kitchen or charity shops will probably do the job until he moves on to the next thing!

yukkibear

Big congrats to you x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Evening MW, congratulations on your lovely news :T

Best wishes, Tilly x x

museumworker

Thanks for the congratulations everyone! I've been telling people in RL too, so starting to feel a lot more real!

SSS - congrats on MF glee! What an achievement - a very well earned badge . Have you stopped smiling yet?

DS loves to play in the real kitchen - we had to fit child locks to the cupboard doors as he was breaking plates pulling them out! We have toy food, saucepans and plates from DD, so just looking for the kitchen as role play. My friend has the IKEA one which he loved playing with, so am thinking about that one. Out of interest, what price was it on offer mouche? It's £45 full price, and am determined to keep costs low.

Had a good look at pinterest, some great ideas (although I feel a little overwhelmed!). I may ask OH if he wants to take it on as a project, he's a lot more creative and practical than me!

Pearla*Merle - sorry to hear you suffer from migraines too, they really are awful. Have you identified any triggers? My main one is release from stress. I worked with a health psychologist on the NHS - had about 20 sessions. It completely revolutionized my health. At my worst I was getting about 15 a month. After working with the health psychologist and taking a low level of amitryptiline my attacks were down to only 1 every couple of months. More recently I've been off the medication, and have had some really awful migraine attacks, but only about 6-8 in a month, and never as long lasting as they were before. I'm about to go back on the medication. If you're interested in seeing a health psychologist, it would be worth speaking to your doctor, or seeing if you can refer yourself. I had to go through the mental health services (outsourced in my area), and they were so professional and understanding and didn't treat me like I was a crazy (unlike the neurologist, but that's another story!)

Anyway, the method we used was called ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy) which is a form of mindfulness based cognitive therapy. The Happiness Trap is a fantastic practical guide to it - you can download the first chapter and other freebies here: http://www.thehappinesstrap.com/. The basic premise is you learn to accept and not struggle with difficult emotions and feelings (including physical ones), and instead focus on living your values. Honestly, completely life changing. I hope you find something that works for you soon.