*The Holly and the Ivy* and the You Know What 2013 Chatter Thread.

freespirit66

Nanamia wrote: »

I'm so sorry freespirit the cutters are call tappits and they are made by FME I use florists paste rolled very very very thin until you can see right through it then use the cutters. Both lots of lettering are tappits, just different fonts. I know a lot of people have had trouble using them but I love them

I've done a few cakes similar to the maltesers one and used chocolate fingers around sides very quick but effective. Ha I'm not popping any more photos on we'd have to change the made of the thread "Nanamia shows off!!)

I'm glad you are here freespirit, happy birthday to your DD volunteering tonight well done her ( not hard to see where her kindness comes from) Hope she has a good time and comes home with loads to tell you ready to be spoilt rotten Try to relax tomorrow, I love to bake to relax put some music on and enjoy. Chuckling now thinking of you dancing round the kitchen to tiger feet I've a few CDs which are Jackie (the magazine) which brings up some blasts from the past. It's funny how music does that It can be so therapeutic too - I've been with a friend today while she had the line that's been giving her chemo this week removed:( she was dreading it but we put some music on my phone and chattered and it was soon done one very happy friend xxx

Oh thankyou NANAMIA i have just googled them, they really look effective on your cakes, thankyou for that, i have never heard of them but i have been out of the baking scene for over a year now Aah thankyou yes she is so good at volunteering, marie curie, childrens trust, i dont know where she gets it from, she amazes me, she stands in the freezing cold collecting, has helped build a treehouse for disabled children, trekked to machu pichu and raised money, done comic relief a couple of times, it really isnt from me :rotfl: she is up in london now letting her hair down, ha ha that is a blast from the past Jackie magazine i remember getting it delivered every week i loved it, yes music is therapeutic, especially when you can sing at the top of your voice and not care :rotfl:You really do care about everyone, your friends are very lucky to have a lovely person like you there for them, i hope she is winning the battle! x

freespirit66

FeistyFidget wrote: »

Nana I love seeing the cakes! Gives me inspiration

freespirit, your daughter sounds like a mini version of you - very kind hearted!

Well I fell off the vegan wagon and enjoyed a dominos last night, it was most definitely worth it - think I may treat myself once a month as it makes it a little easier to keep at it

Not surprisingly most of my dreams last night seemed to center around my Nan Will try and get down to her today, even if it is only briefly Have to go bowling in a few hours for my second cousins birthday - I hate bowling and am feeling a bit grumpy about spending money on something I loathe so much, but my cousins children have had such a rough time of it lately (with all our Nan related dramas, my cousin was her main carer and is power of lasting attorney) that I really want to make the effort.

Thankyou FEISTY but she is even more caring than me, she does have a big heart. Oh dear my mouth is watering now you mentioned dominos :rotfl:Well i am not surprised all the stress you are under, falling off the wagon, dont give yourself a hard time, hope your nan was ok today x

freespirit66

Own_My_Own wrote: »

Am feeling a bit stressed today. I realised this morning I haven't booked the car in for its MOT. It is due on the 28th, but obviously need it done before. I have got to Tax in April, but haven't had the reminder, so will have to get a form. I can't remember what you need to do it on-line. And can't do that until I have a new MOT.

And to top it off I still haven't had my new council tax bill. How I am supposed to budget for it when they haven't told me what it is, is beyond me.

Sorry you are so stressed i had my council tax bill yesterday
i was dreading it but luckily it has only gone up by about £3 a month, with what is being said on the news and in papers i was expecting a lot more

Nanamia

I've been waiting for you to post knew you'd be along to say goodnight. Aww bless you what a lovely thing to say, I'm blessed really having so many lovely people around me Thing is I'm quite choosy who I'm friends with as my DH would say!
I knew from what you'd said that DD was a chip off the old block. You must be very proud of her (as I'm sure she is of you too). Her good deeds will come back to her I'm certain well night night, can't wait to hear how her birthday went and of the fun you'll have catching up tomorrow night night xxx

freespirit66

NANAMIA aaah thankyou, ewwww feel for you in the cold, was it wet as well? We have had torrential downpours today, thunder and lightening! I decided to get my washing done today and baking tomorrow, i think i am being a bit optimistic how much i will get done, gone are the days i spent all day in the kitchen baking :rotfl:on my list are Scones, Welsh Cakes, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon cake, Cupcakes, Sweetcorn Fritters, and a special dinner. But i did have a lovely relaxing day today inbetween washes, i read on my kindle, read the paper, watched some sky+ recordings (i only have it until 28th) , then watched 127 Hours on tv tonight, so all in all a good day, noone to run around after (except the dog). How is your dog doing still being naughty?
OMO i cant believe parents actually pay that for a prom dress :eek: the thing is on the night everyone looks so beautiful a £500 dress would not stand out from a £65 dress, my DD1s dress cost £25 at a market, they were overstock for Debenhams so noone knew any different, and DD2 found hers when we were in Florida $60 dollars so again about £35 :T
MONEYSAVINGMUMOFONE thankyou for such lovely words about DD, hows your pain? Its getting close to your holiday now isnt it?
Right i am off to bed, night everyone x

bunbun2

ds2 got home safely from the party and had a great time. thanks for all your advice.

freespirit have a great day baking. looking forward to seeing what you have made. enjoy your evening with your dd and hope she has a lovely birthday

noodles86

Own_My_Own wrote: »

Ours is frozen, but I get help with it, as I get CTC and WTC.
With the changes to council tax support, I don't know what help I will still be entitled to.
What ever it is I will pay it. I would just like to know in advance what it will be.

Ah sorry, it's not very helpful that they havn't let you know, maybe drop them an email? Our local council are quite good at answering an email within a day. I really thought all council tax has been froze, must have been listening to the local news instead of national!

I'm having trouble from severn trent in finding our water rates, we moved on the 8th Jan, let them know we have moved, but we apparently over paid on our last place & the only thing they can tell me is that I just need to pay £13.03 a month until further notice. Well on our old two bed we paid £31 a month so I'm just waiting for a huge bill to come to my inbox!

noodles86

Oh just thought of something else - its Christmas related - yay!

So at Christmas Mali will be 1 & Nia 7. Myself and the hubby were chatting last night about Christmas (no idea how it cropped up, but it's nearly always on my mind lol) and he was saying maybe we should spend the same amount on the kids to make it fair. And I said I know what he means but for what you can get for £50 for a one year old (est 20 presents-ish) you could only get a hand full for a 7 year old. A playmobil set she would like is £30 for example.

So what would you do or what have you done, spent the same amount or have a bigger budget for older children?

Oh also to add, my hubby's family is huge, so both girls also get a lot of presents from them too, so over the past few years I've tried to scale back some 'santa' presents as there will be loads more coming from family!

I'm gonna end up clogging the board up with these posts lol! Just remembered, hubby also said that it sometimes takes the spirit of Christmas away buying things early (if the spirit of christmas is running around the weekend before xmas then I'll keep the no spirit and buy throughout!). Which I then said I appreciate that but I did ask him if I could buy some happyland bits for Mali the other day as they were 50% off & a 20% code, which he agreed to! I said well I'll always be keeping an eye out for bargains for the kids as it's saving in the long run however, so he can keep the spirit of christmas, I told him he can buy for his huge family this year and I'll stick with the kids and my family. I cant wait LOL!

SugarSpun

Own_My_Own wrote: »

I have just got to sew hundreds of beads and sequins on it. :eek:

Glue gun! for your sanity!

noodles86 wrote: »

he was saying maybe we should spend the same amount on the kids to make it fair.

I'm not planning on doing that with a 4yo and a 3mo old this Christmas (:eek:) The big one is getting a dressing up box, a dolls house with furniture and a stocking. The little one is getting its older sister's learn and groove tarted up from the garage and a stocking filled with baby shampoo, stacking cups and vests, just for show so the big one doesn't start asking awkward questions.

FeistyFidget

Noodles, I have no children but I think that until they are old enough to understand the concept of money (what things costs etc) then you will be fine with a bigger budget for your older one

Well some of my present giving spirit was completely drowned out today I had bought a science museum UFO;

http://www.sciencemuseumshop.co.uk/product/252973/sm-my-mystery-ufo.html

and a super scriblenauts DS game;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Warner-Bros-Interactive-Scribblenauts-Nintendo/dp/B003NSBMDK

for my second cousins 10th birthday yesterday. Saw him today and he asked if it was possible he could return the UFO, even though he'd opened it as it was boring. I explained that it had been opened now and so it couldn't be returned, he whined that there was nothing left to do with it. His younger brother (6) then came over and told me that they would play the DS game, but if that was boring too they wanted it returned! When I gave the presents yesterday, I don't actually remember getting a thank you and when I tried telling him about the game, he told me it didn't sound like something he would like.

I'm not sure if I am getting old, but I would never have dreamt of saying that about gifts, and I sure as hell will not be letting our children do it.

Is very upsetting when we are saving for our little home and we spend money that isn't even appreciated