Challenge of a lifetime!

Crumpets

gallygirl wrote: »

Doh :wall:. Great. Spent all weekend carefully avoiding any mention of ebay and now I stumble upon this . That's my afternoon sorted then .

I'm gutted I missed free listing weekend! I've quite a few things to list. I must make time earlier in the day to go through diarys so I don't miss these important bits of information :rotfl:

cotswoldaccountant

Crumpets wrote: »

I'm gutted I missed free listing weekend! I've quite a few things to list. I must make time earlier in the day to go through diarys so I don't miss these important bits of information :rotfl:

Is it not still going on? I'd have thought you had till midnight. I haven't done my stuff yet, it's been such a busy day. I doubt I'll have time now but I'm sure there will be another one soon.

Crumpets

It probably is, but it's too late for me now, it's cup of tea and tv time!

cotswoldaccountant

Got all my eb@y items listed in the end - what a dull task. Anyway, hopefully some of them will sell. The rest will go to the charity shop so it will be a nice spaced cleared!

Have also sold a bookshelf on our local facebook page - advertised, purchased, collected and paid for within 30 minutes - not bad!! Someone else is coming today to pick up a chair. Seems to be a really good way of selling bits and pieces that are sometimes too bulky to sell well on eb@y.

Also remembered I need to organise two children's Christmas nativity costumes before Friday - I am not very good at costumes, and never seem to have the right things at home, so that will mean a shopping trip this week!

Must work now - lots to do today in my 4.5 hour window before picking the children up from pre school and school!

CA

cotswoldaccountant

Well this is peaceful, sitting at the kitchen table without any children rushing around. DD and DS3 have found my older boys' Nerf guns and electronic keyboard. I am leaving them to it! The boys have gone to rugby training with OH.

B&B guests have just left, with lots of compliments about the room and breakfast. Makes it all worth it when people say that they are taking tips for decorating their own home! And I get to eat the leftover nice breakfast items!

We went out for a lovely dinner with friends last night - a much older couple than us. They are a wonderful couple and have led a very privileged life which has sadly been very tragic. Seeing them always reminds me how much we should appreciate our happy family.

I have been thinking recently about getting an au pair. We have had short-term au pairs during the summer holidays for the past three years, but with all our frenetic activity we are struggling to keep on top of the basics like putting away laundry, and we seem to spend a fortune on babysitters! So I think something longer-term would help us. I've sent an e-mail to the agency we have used previously so am looking forward to their reply. Not a very MSE decision, but I think we would generally be calmer, happier and just a bit less tired with someone to help around the house.

Going to take DS1 to our local candlelit carol service this evening - I was so pleased when he said he wanted to come. He is only eight but it is nice to share things like this with him, and I think he enjoys feeling that he is growing up when he gets to do special things that the other children are too young to sit through or appreciate. Yesterday he had a friend round and they cooked dinner - pizza, and apple and plum crumble - for all of the children. They needed a bit of help with the oven and instructions, but they did a really good job and it tasted delicious. Nice to see him taking some responsibility and enjoying it!

Must complete my family photo calendar today, as I bought a 70% off voucher a month ago and it expires today! Won't be very money-saving if I fail to finish it! I might try to do some other online shopping later too - very little achieved in this house so far!

Have a good day all.

CA

Crumpets

Hi CA it sounds like your having a peaceful morning. Enjoy it! I agree that an au pair sounds like a good solution for your family, good luck on finding one. I met one of my very good friends when she was an au pair for one of my dd's friends, she moved back to the states 5 years ago and we're still in touch now.

Your Ds1 sounds lovely, my dd1 has requested we do something together without the little ones, it's really difficult to squeeze in the time but really important too.

Enjoy your day x

dangers

I'm guessing you might be a little bit too far north for this; in my area, there is 'likemymum.com' which I think would suit you.

It might be worth contacting them to see if they can help though.

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi CA, I think an au pair is an excellent idea - let me know if you need an agency recommending .

The candle lit carol service sounds lovely and I can completely understand that your older appreciate being treated differently - I know ours did.

Have you finished your photo album?

Best wishes Tilly x

cotswoldaccountant

Thanks Tilly, I did get the photo calendar finished! Nice saving as they would have cost £21 each full price, but I got them for 70% off. Nice to have a chance to browse the photos from the year as well - as always it's amazing how much the children have grown in just a year!

I did a few bits of other shopping last night too - determined not to go overboard at all. Each child will have a "main" present (but even so, not too pricey), a present of books and something useful. Plus a stocking of little things which I am sure they love more than the more expensive presents. DS2 and DD have birthdays soon after Christmas so if I feel the urge to buy too much, I can always hold on to some until January.

The carol service was a bit of a disaster actually. As DS3 had fallen asleep in front of a film in the afternoon, we decided that they would probably all manage the slightly later bedtime and took the whole family. It was totally unsuitable for children though - all unknown hymns and readings, nothing well known at all. And although it was nice to have a candlelit service, it was quite stressful as DD kept flicking her hair near the candles, and DS2 nearly set the person next to him alight. They were very well behaved, but after half an hour we decided enough was enough and came home! I will remember that for next year...

I must be productive and work hard today - I love Mondays as it is my only day of the week where all the children are at school / pre school until 3 - so I can get lots done!

CA

cotswoldaccountant

Afternoon all, we are having a lovely family day - been out for lunch in town as a treat for the children, as they all did really well in their nativity plays this week.

Now we're watching the Polar Express, which is making me feel very Christmassy!

My photo calendars have arrived, and I am so pleased with them. Also took advantage of a discount code to get Christmas cards printed too, and they look lovely as well. Although I hate the idea of round robin Christmas letters, I have realised this year how much I love receiving these letters from friends I rarely see, so I might send one myself!

Most Christmas shopping is done now, with the exception of DS1 who I am struggling with - no idea what to get him. Any ideas for 8 year old boys who are not particularly sporty, and have enough lego already to sink a battleship, would be gratefully received!

Just updated my mortgage spreadsheet, which I hadn't done since the summer. It seems our building works set us back from our mortgage free date by about 6 months, so I will make an effort to overpay a bit more in 2014 to get us back on track.

I'll be phoning the bank on Monday to check my current mortgage balance, which I am hoping has just dropped under £350k. Fingers crossed!! :j

The decluttering operation at home is going fairly well, and I have several bags in the car destined for the charity shop. Have managed to sell several outgrown baby items in the past few days as well, including a fireguard and stairgate, so a good bit of space cleared.

I am babysitting for a friend tonight, so that will be a good chance to catch up on a bit of work and write a few Christmas cards.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

CA