".......Learning to dance in the rain!!"

mary_hinge

Mr H and I went for breakfast today - a little posh place that is rather pricey.... thankfully we had a voucher for "free breakfast for 2" which we won at the school christmas raffle :T:T very nice it was too!

Been a lovely quiet day whilst the little Hinges have been at school, had a soak in the bath, a nap and then went for coffee and cake before the school run :T

Fed the car some petrol, it deserved a good meal after this mornings school run was done mostly on fumes

Superman has swimming tonight then I'm heading out to a local craft evening for a bit..... I'm hoping Mr H offers to sort out tea for the little Hinges as I'm shattered and I haven't done anything :rotfl:

The buttons arrived to finish of some knitted bit I've made and I am super happy with them it's hard whne buying these things online to get just the right colour..... little things in life. little things :rotfl:

please-let-me-be-lucky

Free breakfast sounds awesome :j. As does cake. Mmmmm cake .

Have a lovely evening Xx

beanielou

Free breakfast sounds good to me

mary_hinge

:wave: what a busy few days!

All hobbies for the month paid, cashed out £20 from PA in to the holiday pot - I moved over this months CT money over too:T

I reluctantly Submitted our meter readings this morning and was pleasantly suprised when they calculated our bill and we in credit by £13.53 after months of hammering the heating thats on the reduced DD too which saved us £36 a month :T

A quiet day in the house of Hinge, I'm on the sofa with a duvet watching trashy tv and doing my knitting My hip and pelvis is objecting to the canal walk I did yesterday. I must brave Aldi later on, the fridge and cupboards are bare I'm hoping Mr H will come along to help. May bribe him with his favourite Mc D's!

Hope all is well

Mrs H x

beanielou

Take care

mary_hinge

:beer: I didn't manage much sofa time yesterday afterall - we went shopping mothercare has a sale on, I managed to pick up some maternity jeans and bras at 85% off!! I'm not sure what I'm more pleases with the fact they were a fiver or that they were a size 18 and fit with space to grow :rotfl:

Have watched Master H's school play this morning, he really is a cheeky chappie

Missy H has decided she needs a new guitar, she has plenty of birthday/christmas cash in the bank and has realised second hand is the way to go to get the one she wants..... she asked last night is 4 hours drive is to far to go having searched on gumtree :eek: she did offer petrol money but it was a firm NO! there is one about a hour away which I don't mind taking her too as it's near the DM factory outlet and we both need some new ones! compromise! is she happy? is she hell as like :cool:

Garden bill invoice finally settled from august last year :eek: I've rang about 6 times chasing it before xmas then gave up.... they had forgotten to apply our discount for the general waste bin for the last 3 years so by the time they've adjusted it we owe them 24p this year..... yes they sent me a invoice for 24p.... first class post too

mary_hinge

Saturday hobbies done and dusted - master H has assessment week next week so if he passes that will be £10 in badges/certificates :eek: and Superman came out of class with the "on sale" memo to say the show tickets will be released to buy..... it is his first show so I was rather :eek::eek: at the prices :cool:

Mr H "helped" me with the aldi shop yesterday, spent £106 :eek: he always adds a good £20-30 to the shopping bill but I'm never really sure how or why :rotfl: we did buy the supersized 16oz steaks to have on motherdays which saves us a fortune on lunch out..... and I did go alittle over board on the fresh food, fruit and berries the fridge and fruit bowl is groaning and we've had some yummy smoothies for snack after hobbies! Even superman helped himself to an apple :j:j

BNS and red peppers roasting in the oven for some soup, will add chillie flakes and creme fraise to mine, whilst the oven is on I threw in a banana and sultarna loaf GF/DF for missy H to [STRIKE]whinge about[/STRIKE] eat in pack ups.

meals for the next week or so look like:

steak and hm wedges
beef stew and dumplings/yorkie puds
mince meal probably chilli
Hm KFC fakeaway with corn and curly fries
jacket potatoes l/o chilli... cheese...coleslaw... beans....tuna (spoilt for choice!)
chicken burgers with hm coleslaw and wedges
soup and toasties... have the stuff to make leek and potato, vegetable and the bns/red pepper soup to this week, will freeze and use for lunches too
sausage and mash
pasta bake with garlic bread

breakfasts will be pancakes/waffles/sausage sarnies/fruit and yoghurt/smoothies or cereal

I'm meant to be meeting a friend for lunch in the week but changed it so they come here - i'll make us some soup and toasties/pannanis to save on spends.

Missy H was off school a few days with a migraine/sickness so that means petrol looks ok and will need a top up rather than a complete fill..... hungry car! Must allow some money in the budget for the breaks to be done - I think the front ones must be about ready to be changed and would rather they were done before we go on holiday.

Master H has requested we get a takeaway pizza from the shop on site on holiday and superman has declared we can't go to the seaside with out having fish and chips and ice cream really will need to work hard to keep on top of the food budget :cool:

mary_hinge

Sorry I haven't been around much this week - been one of those weeks! Mostly filled with tears and not alot of anything to say really I always feel abit glum this time of year, I think it's the reality of christmas/mothers day when you don't really have an extended family. Not that I would want mine per se but the void I have is there none the less. I guess it doesn't help that I'm coming up to the due date from my MC in the summer and although we have the hitchhiker and are terribly lucky it still feels abit raw. It's like a scab that my mind mentally seems to keep picking away at regardless of how much I try not to.

In other news, Missy H has been recognised as a community warrior and has been picked to attend a special awards night in the coming few weeks. she is one of 3 in her catergory and is rather excited at the prospect of a posh new frock and all the trimmings, not to mention the cash prize to spend on equipment of her choosing! I have been mighty proud off her amongst the tears and sadness this week. She really is growing in to an amazing young woman.


I picked up some bits in the Asda sale for superman and master H - all 50% off or less star wars/minecraft/rock t-shirts for a few £'s each. The branded ones will go as part of the Easter hunt prizes as neither are big chocolate/sweet eaters. Some joggers in the next size up again 50%.... Superman has 3-4pairs of trousers other than his school ones as he is usually in Pj's or Pants He needed a few more for our jollies over easter as the weather is looking far to cold and snowy for his vast shorts collection :eek: he has had a upwards growth spurt and has really slimmed down since christmas time - he has a chunky bum and things were appearing a tad snug. I noticed they now have room and could even be described as baggy.

Our meal plan went down a treat the last 8-9days, I went shopping to Aldi this morning with Missy H to fill the fridge and get some add ons to make meals out of what we have left. We tend to eat down the freezer the week before our holidays to help with holiday spends but also to start a fresh when we get home! Spent £67 which included £6 for some hightops for master H and £5 for a few packs of nappies/wipes for the baby cupboard.

Meals this week:

Chicken burger and curly fries/hm wedges
cottage pie and veggies (mix in the freezer just needs mash adding)
cajun chicken steaks with hm chips (again freezer)
Wraps with Sf chicken strips, baby corn and salad
Jacket Spuds with a choice of fillings Tuna, cheese, hm coleslaw, beans
Chillie with rice (in thefreezer)
Sausages - maybe with egg, chips and beans one night then Toad in the hole with mash and veggies another night
Pasta bake

The usual waffles, pancakes, eggs, cereal for breakfast and pack lunches for the little folk for school.

I don't have any lunches/coffee dates/get togethers pencilled in for this week, I didn't make it most of the ones I had arranged last week one friend however was rather insistant and turned up to pick me up..... she is very good at "knowing" with out me needing to say anything. Alot of my friends do the "Just ask if you need us....." Well I can't! I just can't.

Exchanged £15 of banking rewards to cash which has been sent to the holiday fund. I have £10 in PA to cash out but hoping in the next few days that will also see £15 so sitting on that a while. The £2 pot is sitting at £50ish and there is £114 in the holiday fund before any extra clear in there..... should keep superman in fish and chips and Master H in pizza and ice cream for the time we are away

Council tax bill and water bill have arrived this week with the payment plans, CT is still over 10months and has increased by £5 a month :cool: May ring up and spread it over 12 payments but then I have enjoyed the last 2 free months this year :cool: will decided when I have a day where I feel I can "Adult"

Hope everyone is well and staying warm in the snow :eek:

Mrs H xx

please-let-me-be-lucky

Mixed bag there Mrs H. Sorry things have been tough for you this week. Big hugs.

Brilliant news re Missy H and the award :T. You have every right to feel proud. Hope you get to go to the ceremony with her!

Bargains from Mr A’s sound great. My DS2 is having a real spurt too. Trousers that fit on a Monday are like shorts by Friday :eek:. Luckily I kept all DS1’s old clothes so all shopping can be done in the loft :cool:.

Holiday fund looks good too. Not long now :j Xx

mary_hinge

What are you feeding him?! :eek: must be a boy thing.......Master Hinge has alot of Superman's bits but as Superman spends so much time in pants or pjs he really doesn't have loads of clothes so we have to do some extra shopping too and tbh superman has really chunked out the last 2-3 years since we switched his school - where as master H is all long arm and legged stick man like! It is lovely to see master H in something of Superman's and remember things from a few years ago

We are looking forward to our jollies as long as the snow stays away I can cope walking on a cold beach in wellies shell hunting and exploring the rock pools but not a chance of doing that in the ice and snow! Our van has heating but how good it will be I'm not sure dressing gowns and fleece onsies are on the to pack list!

I am hoping to find a sitter for master h and superman so that Mr H and I can go with Missy H and 3 of her friends (she gets to pick 5 guests :eek: but insists her brothers will ruin her evening and are firmly not invited :cool:) I get it I really do but sitters are few and far between for us.... either way Mr H or I will go.