£67,031.92 is a frightening number indeed....

Treadingonplaymobil

Well today was freaking manic. Up at 4:30, yoga/work/keeping the house clean for clients/getting DCs to school, then client here from 9:30-3pm, then straight to pick up DCs and did stuff with them till DH came home. Literally didn't get five minutes' peace all day! So knackered now, going to sit and knit for a while and go to bed at 8:30. Living the dream.

Have just noticed in the calendar that DH is away again with work tomorrow - he is away at least twice a month now for an overnight or two. I don't really love it, but it seems to be part and parcel of his payrise/minor promotion, so can't really complain. He's away for almost a week the week after next. :eek:

We had tomato soup for dinner - I made a quadruple batch a week or two ago and we've had so many meals from it! Something to be said for huge batch cooking/freezing, although it was a bit of a pain at the time and took two pans. Need to menu plan some big batch cooking meals and packed lunches to do on Sunday when I have a cooking session.

Looking forward to a peaceful weekend - admin work on Saturday then batch cooking on Sunday. :j

Betty I will share my full candle method (it's probably not remotely correct, but mine seem to come out broadly ok), but will do it tomorrow or on the weekend - my brain is too frazzled to type it now! Do remind me if I haven't done it by Sunday.

I haven't even achieved the whole of my pitifully short list today!

To do today
1. pay partnership CC minimum payment. Did manage this.
2. stew apples. But not this.
3. make homemade hobnobs - I have a friend coming for a playdate tomorrow morning (DC3's non-preschool day). Or this.
4. knitting. Did achieve this, and going to do more now.

To do this week
1. declutter and tidy DCs' bedroom.
2. declutter and tidy our bedroom. made a start
3. Plan November's budget. Done.
4. Plan November working time/business goals etc. Done.

To do this month
1. Keep the total spend at the budgeted level - it's high on YNAB this month (£3,842) as it includes the £470 paid off the MBNA card and all our savings pots are actually budgeted.
2. Keep a tight record of Christmas spends so I can ensure it sticks to budget as far as possible.
3. Keep beavering away at my business goals.
4. Make some candles - we've run out! And I know one person really wants another one for Christmas, so will add it to her hyacinth.

wishingthemortgaheaway

My hubby is away a lot for work (in September & October he came home on 4 occasions for an average of 15 hours at a time, and slept for 9 of those)
We get into a 'daddy's away routine' and it works, it does mean, sometimes, things are done a little differently or not at all.
For example (and I don't know if this would work with three children, I've only got 1)
I don't cook an evening meal when he's away, it's always a 'previously batch cooked microwave ' meal. When he's here I do cook and batch cook to stock up the freezer again.
It sucks, sometimes, but, because hubby is away, I can run the finances in the way I do and I don't have to work as much.

You will find a rhythm, make sure the smalls pull their weight too.

Suffolk_lass

Don't worry about the hobnobs - they are better fresh from the oven - I put some walnut bits in last time I made them - they were lovely. They only take half an hour in total and most of that is spooning them onto the baking paper!

Treadingonplaymobil

Week 38: Day 6

Suffolk lass good point on the biscuits, I will bake some this morning.

wishingthemortgaheaway I definitely haven't got into a rhythm when DH is away - it's very new to me, he has been home at 5:45 at the latest for years and years, so it's weird to have days when he isn't there at all! I get really annoyed at the thought of doing bedtime etc alone (which really isn't remotely challenging, my three are very good, it's just time away from work/downtime). Need to figure it out a bit more. Using batch cooked stuff sounds like a good start.

To do today
1. stew apples
2. stew apples. But not this.
3. make homemade hobnobs.
4. knitting - almost finished my scarf.
5. menu plan and shopping list for next week and batch cooking - either DH or I have to go at some point tomorrow.
6. do a bit of decluttering in DCs' room.
7. keep on top of house etc while DH away.

To do this week
1. declutter and tidy DCs' bedroom.
2. declutter and tidy our bedroom. made a start
3. Plan November's budget. Done.
4. Plan November working time/business goals etc. Done.

To do this month
1. Keep the total spend at the budgeted level - it's high on YNAB this month (£3,842) as it includes the £470 paid off the MBNA card and all our savings pots are actually budgeted.
2. Keep a tight record of Christmas spends so I can ensure it sticks to budget as far as possible.
3. Keep beavering away at my business goals.
4. Make some candles - we've run out! And I know one person really wants another one for Christmas, so will add it to her hyacinth.

Treadingonplaymobil

Rumours that I am snacking on hobnob biscuit dough at 6am have been grossly exaggerated.... :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

groovychick69

I'm stuck at home today as car going in for service - maybe I should try baking??? I'm desperately waiting for an outstanding invoice to be paid so I can shuffle a bit more money/debt around, Have a great day and enjoy the biscuits!!!

Suffolk_lass

I trust they tasted even better cooked...! I have been making a huge vat of roasted butternut squash and onion soup for the Village F/W display tonight. I hope I have not put too much chilli in! :whistle: :shocked:

Treadingonplaymobil

Week 38: Day 7

Phew, made it to the weekend! Lovely to slow down a bit. Even though I'm working today and batch cooking tomorrow, it will be nice not to have to get everyone out the door, see any clients or otherwise have to rush around.

The budgets continue to balance (we are a whopping four days into the month, it's quite often gone wrong by this point!).

Did a menu plan yesterday and even with batch cooking supplies it comes in just under £90. Hoping that will be the biggest shop of the month, then <£60 for the rest of the month, if my plans come off!

To do today
1. catch up with the laundry.
2. and the ironing.
3. DH or I need to go food shopping.
4. book keeping from October (trying to do this more month by month rather than at the end of the year).
5. looonnng work list.
6. Bit of tidying in the DCs' room if I get time.

To do this week
1. declutter and tidy DCs' bedroom.
2. declutter and tidy our bedroom. made a start
3. Plan November's budget. Done.
4. Plan November working time/business goals etc. Done.

To do this month
1. Keep the total spend at the budgeted level - it's high on YNAB this month (£3,842) as it includes the £470 paid off the MBNA card and all our savings pots are actually budgeted.
2. Keep a tight record of Christmas spends so I can ensure it sticks to budget as far as possible.
3. Keep beavering away at my business goals.
4. Make some candles - we've run out! And I know one person really wants another one for Christmas, so will add it to her hyacinth.

System

TOPM is your website getting lots of visits, or is it still early days.

Haven't heard you mention making candles for a very long time, they will make excellent Christmas gifts.

Have a good weekend.

Suffolk_lass

Have you decided what you are going to knit as Christmas gifts yet? I have two balls of yarn sitting on my desk at the moment after crocheting some poppies to join the cascade at our Village Church - I had to remind myself, via a youtube video, how to do it (maybe upwards of 40 years since I did it last) but I was thinking I could sit and crochet rather than read in the evenings to be a bit more productive. Maybe tree decorations?

I am also going to make mincemeat to give away (I use the Delia recipe from the classic green Christmas book but these days I use veg suet to preserve it) - have you considered these as options?