The next chapter ....

benbenandme

3 more points today, happy days :j :j

Just made a big sausage plait for dinner, might have to go and get some chippie to have with it from the chippie though I feel so tired today, the de-stressing is definitely kicking in

benbenandme

Morning all, so much for a lie-in, I was awake at 6.30 as usual
I've done a few surveys although I still have quite a few to work through. Thought maybe I'd start writing a list for the week ahead;

• Buy ds main present
• Finish last few present buying bits
• Main food shop
• Deliver xmas cards
• Clean every room within an inch of its life
• Change bedding
• Clear out the car
• End of year banking updates
• Spreadsheets / plans for the new year
• Ds homework (again!)
• Ironing
• Delivere sister & family presents
• Return lights to tescos
• Go through tv times for anything worth watching / recording
• Deliver Mr S present
• Meal with brother / family
• Kettlebells

That's a rough plan for the week ahead. Mum is coming here on xmas eve and staying the night so she wont be on her own xmas morning. She wants to go to the church service at 6.30 (she'll be asleep before midnight mass).

I also need to start planning what I need to make foodwise for xmas and starting a mammoth shopping list. Mum is sorting out the turkey and a pavlova and her sister who is also coming for xmas day is sorting a tunis cake and after dinner mints. I have got about £100 Sainsburys vouchers from surveys over the year, and £45 on my nectar card, so that will cover the shopping, none of us drink much at all, I've got Baileys and vodka which are my tipples, Mum may have a Baileys if she's feeling wild and my aunt wont as she's driving, so no major alcohol related costs to factor in

Today we are meeting my brother and his family for lunch and exchanging presents. Other than that I plan to potter about and get a few bits and pieces taken off the list.

benbenandme

Bits and pieces I need to make - will write the mega shopping list too and then I can add to it as I go;

• Gingerbread muffins
• Coleslaw
• Potato Salad
• Yule log
• Trifle
• Rocky road
• Mince Pies
• Sausage Rolls

Turkey (Mum sorting)
Gammon
Chipolatas
Bacon
Potatoes
Carrots
Red cabbage
Sprouts
Parsnips
Onions
Breadcrumbs
Bread sauce
Thyme
Lettuce
Grapes
Raspberries
Blueberries
Lemons
Cucumber
Ice Cubes
Vanilla Ice Cream
Milk
Cream
Eggs
Butter
Foil
Orange Juice
Apple Juice
Bread
Cheese
Pickle
Fresh custard
Mayonnaise
Coke / lemonade
Readymade pastry
Kettlechips
Chocolates
Pate
Dog food
Prawns
Salmon
Coffee (I only have decaff normally for me)

I've already got:

Xmas crackers
J2O x 16
dried cranberries
Cranberry sauce
Biscuite for cheese
Tin of shortbread

benbenandme

Morning all, had a lovely day yesterday, we went for pizza with my brother which was nice, then came home and had nap on the sofa which was heaven, then watched tv and vegged all evening

This morning I have gone through the tv guide and highlighted the bits I want to watch (not much at all), and will get ds to do the same later and then he can set the sky to record them too.

Update for the to do list ....

Buy ds main present today or tomorrow
Finish last few present buying bits will do with food shop
Main food shop wednesday late night
Deliver xmas cards ongoing
Clean every room within an inch of its life starting today
Change bedding later this week
Clear out the car possibly after xmas when the tree has gone to the tip
End of year banking updates between xmas and new year
Spreadsheets / plans for the new year as above
Ds homework (again!) as above
Ironing tomorrow or wednesday
Delivere sister & family presents wednesday or xmas eve
Return lights to tescos today
[STRIKE]Go through tv times for anything worth watching / recording [/STRIKE] done
Deliver Mr S present xmas eve
[STRIKE]Meal with brother / family[/STRIKE] done
Kettlebells tonight

benbenandme

Ds present is bought and is on its way here :j The kitchen doesn't quite know what's hit it - every cupboard has been emptied, sorted, cleaned and refilled. Just got the fridge and the floor to do and then the floor to clean. Washing machine is doing its thing, dishwasher is done and emptied, need to then refill the salt etc in it. The kitchen is definitely the biggest job to do so am pleased to have tackled it first. Bedrooms look a mess but don't actually take very long to do

Another Amazon parcel has just arrived, need to get hat wrapped up a bit later and safely stored under the tree. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

benbenandme

Today has been very productive so far, I have emptied the fridge of all the festering bits and pieces but it still needs a scrub. I have however done the kitchen floor, changed my bed and that is nearly all washed and dry again , I have also tidied and cleaned my bedroom took ds to the garden centre to get something for Mum. While we were there we also got the dog a cuddly hippo and some doggy chocolate orange treats, he had them last year and loved them

We also dared to nip into Sainsburys and it wasn't too bad at all, I only needed a few bits and pieces rather than the main shop - I got milk, bread, some mints, a big joint of beef that I wasn't planning on buying but after doing it in the slow cooker the other day I am now converted I also got some popcorn to go with my nephews Star Wars ticket, so that's their family completed. I have wrapped the dogs present and my nephews, so tomorrow I am planning on delivering my sisters family's presents and then braving the supermarket for the main shop. I am going to write a proper monster list tonight as I need to go through some recipes and see what bits I need as I was quite ruthless when I sorted the cupboards earlier

benbenandme

Morning Food shopping is done, I went at 6.45 this morning and Sainsburys was lovely and quiet, I went straight to the checkout, it was lovely. I spent £156 in total but after vouchers it cost me £8.16 :money: :beer:

I think I managed to get everything on the list, I may need to get some milk on xmas eve but other than the odd bits and pieces I think we're just about done. I have probably overdone it on the food but hopefully it will last til nearly New Year and the fridge was practically bare so its not too bad.

I skipped kettlebells last night as I was on a roll with the cleaning.

benbenandme

Morning, I've been to Tesco and returned the lights, so that's 1000 Clubcard points heading back my way I also spent another £25 although that included 2 big boxes of Thorntons mints reduced to £2 each :money: I also got a tin of quality street - I nearly managed to resist all the way up til Christmas I also got one or two bits that have now finished off my present buying too.

So, the plan for today is to finish sorting the flat, tomorrow is baking day and delivering a few parcels. Mr S is coming round for dinner tonight, we're having pulled pork in buns with coleslaw and chips.

Christmas music is playing and now its time to get the last bits done

mummytogirls

Wow Benben, well done on getting all that shopping for £8 :beer:, was it nectar vouchers you used? xx

benbenandme

Some of it was nectar points (about £50), the rest of it was £10 gift cards that I get from a survey site, I save them up over the year for the Christmas food shop In fact most of my present buying is covered from vouchers from surveys too - Amazon mainly and then some Compliments ones which can be spent at loads of different retailers (Boots etc).

Today has been pretty productive too, all presents are now wrapped, everything has been delivered to friends / family etc, so my to do list is looking much shorter now. Tomorrow I need to clean the bathroom, do the baking - mince pies, sausage rolls, yule log, trifle. I decided against the rocky road and gingerbread muffins, we have so much choc / sweet stuff that they can wait for another day