Twinklie returns to the property ladder

twinklie

So the tier 3 restrictions are nowhere near as bad as the restrictions from we were under before oddly. So DS1's rugby is still on and I can still see my mum and dad for socially distanced walks once per week which is nice. 
I'm still feeling a bit lost, I feel like I should be doing more. Both with money, keeping on top of the house, the kids etc. I'm not sure if I'm just feeling a bit burnt out and ready for a break to be honest. But I'm off for half term now so that will hopefully help. Not that we have any plans. DH is working and I can't ask for help with the boys from anyone, so it's all a bit up in the air re: what we'll be doing. Sigh. 

CathT

Hi twinklie, we're back in tight restrictions too and it's exhausting keeping up with it all isn't it. Similar to you it doesn't hugely impact us day to day but we did enjoy walking the dog with friends and that's something we now can't do. Hope you manage to fill half term with a few activities and the weather is on our side. 

twinklie

Well I’m teaching the DS1 to touch type so that kept him occupied for a bit. Some toy play and then board games kept us busy on day 1. The weather was awful, so we didn’t venture out. 

Might try and drag the boys out for a walk at some point but I’d also like to crack on with some general housework/cleaning. That’s as exciting as today is likely to get. 

We have a session at the sensory centre booked in tomorrow which will keep us occupied and then we have a week to find 30 scarecrows in our local area. 

We also have some garden jobs to do, a model of Stonehenge to make and some other bits and bobs to do homework wise. 

I just need to give my head a wobble and remember it’s all a marathon not a race. We are doing well and things could be a lot worse. 

earthgirl2

Twinklie, is this you? I'm back too, but I couldn't use my username!
Just getting caught up x

twinklie

earthgirl2 said:

Twinklie, is this you? I'm back too, but I couldn't use my username!
Just getting caught up x

Thank you for this, it really made me laugh. I mean, I know what you mean (and yes it is me), but using my "name" to ask if it's me really tickled me.

twinklie

Half Term Updates
Day 1 (Sat) - To be honest, we mooched around. Snuggled in bed with the kids, reading, playing games on the tablet, singing silly songs etc whilst DH went rugby coaching. Then I set up the computer for DS1 to do some touch typing practice. I'm a touch typist and he has issues with writing due to his hypermobility. He has been watching me type since lockdown began back in March and has been commenting for a while he'd like to be able to do it so he can write stories and do his homework easier. I've "pimped" a keyboard up with vinyl stickers to make it visually easier for him (only cost £3.99, thanks to an offer I took advantage of). He's starting with the BBC Bitesize Dance Mat typing and is really enjoying it. 
We also had a rather cut throat game of snakes and ladders, who knew it was so competitive. 
Homemade cheap and easy chicken curry and Naan bread for tea to make it feel like we were having a takeout. 

Day 2 (Sun) - DH took DS1 to rugby training. He had to pay his subs for the year (£100), but this pays for all the sessions and insurance etc, so works out really cheap. We also bought him a team showerproof rugby top (£31), which will help him feel part of the club without having to buy the full kit. The head coach is our next-door neighbour and he said he would just lend us any other team kit he needs. We have had to fork out on some other bits for him but managed to get it all on sale including his rugby boots. DS2 and I snuggled, watch some TV and read some books whilst they were gone. 
Then in my infinite wisdom I spent all afternoon bottoming out their bedroom. Got rid of a shelf full of baby books without them seeing, so will hide them until they are back at school when I will photograph them for sale/get ready for charity/parcel the nicest ones up for presents for my cousin who is just about to have a baby. I also managed to swap out the clothes out of DS2's drawers that just don't fit him anymore. There room is spanking now and it's quite nice to look in. 
Homemade beef and vegetable stew with mash and Yorkshire puddings for tea - very happy family. 

Day 3 (Mon) - Morning was a bit of a slow burner because DS2 had me up at a ridiculous hour. But we played, did Math's games with DS1, read stories, watched TV etc. This afternoon we have a session at a sensory center for a play. The boys used to go almost weekly at one point, then we'd dropped down to once per month(ish), prior to lockdown. It's superb for helping them to self regulate. However, we've not been since Feb and it's not open at weekends now, so it's really hard work to get there. But I've noticed that the boys are both very sensory at the minute, so I'm hoping this will allow them to reset. We are in a tier 3 area, so I was worried they'd be closed down. But because we pay to hire the whole room for just one household, it's ok...phew! Still, I haven't told the boys and don't intend to until just before we go for obvious reasons. 
Did the food shop too (delivery - we haven't done a physical food shop since before lockdown). So all of that is put away and meals are planned for the week. Tonight's tea is spaghetti and meatballs. Nom nom. Just need to sort some laundry and I'm classing today as done. 

earthgirl2

twinklie said:

earthgirl2 said:

Twinklie, is this you? I'm back too, but I couldn't use my username!
Just getting caught up x

Thank you for this, it really made me laugh. I mean, I know what you mean (and yes it is me), but using my "name" to ask if it's me really tickled me.

As long as you know what I mean!! I couldn't use my old username so I thought maybe it could have been someone else! ANyway I read through and it's not! Glad to see you and enjoy half term xx

twinklie

Pay day tomorrow. I’ve reduced my childcare voucher contribution and also my tax code has been updated to reflect my working from home relief, so it feels like I’ve had a little pay rise. Yay.

Will update our half term goings on later. Nothing much too exciting happening, but I have bought myself some new slippers as mine are dropping to bits. Figured as I’m going to be at home over winter I’ll be wearing them a lot. The sole on mine has dropped off (they are 3 years old), so it was about time I got some. 

twinklie

Half Term Updates
Day 4 (Tues) - This was a stay at home day, involving lots of cleaning and sorting. The boys didn't want to go anywhere, so took the opportunity to do some homework with DS1. We played Top Trumps, snakes and ladders again (DS2's current favourite game - it's a Thomas the Tank edition). I took the opportunity to catch up on laundry and some other general household chores. Nothing too exciting, but a lovely chilled day. 
Tea was chicken fajita's with homemade guacamole and salsa, went down a storm which was nice. 

Day 5 (Weds) - Took the boys on the scarecrow trail set up locally. It involved a lot of walking and we still haven't finished. They really enjoyed it though, I made sure they both had a map and we worked on some skills on the way round. DS1 read road signs and worked on his map reading skills. DS2 shouted out the numbers attached to the scarecrows so we could tick them off the list and we all took turns in identifying which character they were so we could add it to the list for the competition. 
It was very cute DS2 just kept shouting at anyone we met that we were going on a scarecrow hunt at the top of his voice. He was a tad exited. We got caught in a heavy shower though and got soaked, so when we got home we put onsies on and had hot chocolate, marshmallows and cream. It felt like a real treat. 
Boys had pizza and we had a vegan tea of orzo and cherry tomatos, bay leaf and red onion. 

twinklie

So DH and I have been talking and have agreed to take a day off together later this month to work on the house. Just a quick one day blitz to mainly focus on the living room - which looks like a bomb site. 

We have 2 5 x 5 kallax in there which are rammed full of stuff that needs sorting. There are 2 old manky arm chairs which don’t fit anywhere and we just pile stuff on and he’s agreed to get rid of them...I’m over the moon! 

So hopefully we will be able to sort through and create space, tidy up and just generally make it look like a lovely usable space before December when we will be able to put up some decorations. So this makes me very happy. 😁

We will hopefully uncover three piles - sell, charity, loft. With very little for the bin, I hate sending things to landfill. 

Either way, this seems to be satisfying my sense of “I need to do more”. It will sadly be later in the month however because DH has an exam on the 10th, so we can’t do anything until then. 

Anything we sell will probably end up in savings. Until we get some certainty around the jobs situation then OPing still just doesn’t feel right.