Getting shot of the mortgage sooner than 2049!

Bluegreen143

Thought I’d do a list for tomorrow:

1. Do a couple of washings (think I’ll need to use the tumble drier, but every day has been rainy and that’s meant to continue, so it can’t be helped!)

2. Clean all the bathroom walls and woodwork with sugar soap.

3. Take the kids to a park after school as the rain is meant to be off by then - may try to go somewhere different like the botanic gardens 

Bluegreen143

Only did one wash yesterday, but not only did I get the downstairs bathroom cleaned and masking taped, I decided to just go ahead and paint it instead of then cleaning the upstairs bathroom. So really feels I’ve made progress! It’s a lovely dark grey (was lilac before, and the grey is much more sophisticated 😆). It may need going over in places but the paint has covered really well so it won’t need a full second coat. 

I’m going to the gym this evening after dinner then off out to meet a couple of friends for a drink so I won’t get to the upstairs bathroom til Friday. The good thing is, the upstairs bathroom is about 2/3 tiled so it’s only one full wall needing painted in there and a bit on another wall. Then later in the weekend I should get to glossing - I bought a big tin of gloss so I can eventually do the whole house. 

Normally I get Red to do any house projects so it’s been quite nice having my own 🙌🏼

savingholmes

Fab result on the decorating. Go you!

Bluegreen143

Lovely day today to kick off the October holiday.

Took the kids into town to pick something up for my mum. I buy EVERYTHING online, as readers will know, even most of our grocery shops, so I don’t think I have EVER taken the kids into town shopping. I don’t think they even knew the city centre full of shops exists 😂 to make it fun for them, I did park and ride on the subway instead of driving in and they were so excited as haven’t been on it, or Monkey hasn’t since he was small, and Bambi never 😍

Also took them for a browse to the Lego shop which blew their minds and bought them a Millie’s cookie each, again a new experience for them 😂

Then filled up the car and did a Tesco shop: the weekend grocery shop + extra supplies for painting + gloves & hats for the children.

Got home after 1pm and we were all starving 😂 after lunch and some chill out time, we all cleaned the upstairs bathroom with sugar soap then I let Bambi watch some TV while Monkey and I did the first coat of paint in the upstairs bathroom. He’s such a helpful wee soul! I tasked him with unscrewing a bin which is attached to the wall and he knows exactly where my toolbox is, how to find/fit the correct screwdriver head and got it all unscrewed MUCH more competently than I could have 🙈

After that we made homemade pizza for dinner - normally pizza is Red’s job, so I enjoyed having the chance myself. He’s been faffing about trying different techniques each time but we both agree it’s not quite right yet - but mine were actually really good today so I think he will tweak his technique based on mine as he was quite impressed 😅 I used the pizza stones (we now have two) with the pizza on baking paper which made all the difference as otherwise they can get stuck to the peel. 

Such a spendy day so I will round it up tomorrow!! Oh and I’ve given in and heating is on and thermostat set to 18C most of the day (turning off at 9pm as I hate it being hot in the bedroom going to sleep). I was getting grumpy and miserable being cold all day! I will need to remember to turn it off on office days. 

Bluegreen143

Have had SUCH a nice, fun but productive weekend following our lovely first holiday day on Friday 😁

Saturday
We had to skip Monkey’s football as we had kind of forgot about a birthday party and has also arranged for Red & the kids to visit MIL so no time to fit it all in! Oops! But I went to the gym with a friend when they were at MIL’s and it was a great session. Then managed to get a little more work done in the bathroom.

Afternoon was the party, it was for Red’s best friend’s little girl so it was much more fun than the usual scenario where it’s one of the children’s friends and you don’t know the parents well 😆

After yet more work in the bathroom I went to my mum’s for dinner and a craft evening with her and my sister. The children were most perturbed that I was going to visit Nana and Papa without taking them 😂 but much fun was had. I’m close to finishing up Monkey’s jumper that I’ve been knitting for a while now.

Sunday 
This morning we had a chilled morning of play and projects - Red working on a little fence he’s building in the garden (to keep the chickens out of where the new small vegetable beds will be) and me finally finishing the downstairs bathroom totally. Except I broke the toilet seat standing on it and now we need to replace that 🤦‍♀️ upstairs bathroom still needs second coat on the walls plus glossing done, but as most of that bathroom is tiled it’s not a lot of work.

Then we went for a fairly long walk on the canal - much longer than we meant to, and the children were very whiny on the way back with some tears 🙈 at one point Red was carrying Bambi AND her balance bike on his shoulders 😂 however it was a lovely exploration - they’ve just opened a new bridge onto a totally separate bit of the canal we’ve had the chance to explore before so we adults at least enjoyed it! 

Once we were back, I went out with a friend to a water sports place on the canal for some outdoor swimming in wetsuits. It was VERY COLD but very proud of myself for managing! I’ve always thought of myself as not outdoorsy or adventurous and this is a mindset I’m slowly changing. 

We were meant to have spatchcock roast chicken today but the chicken which I bought on Friday was off 😡 dated yesterday but I never realised it was so short dated when I bought it. Really annoyed it was still out for sale but it’s taught me a lesson to always check dates well. 

It could have been expensive as our minds went straight to a takeaway but instead we were very good and made tuna & sweetcorn pasta for the kids then HM chips, cheese and coleslaw later for ourselves 😇 ok not so healthy but it was a delicious treat! And used up some cabbage and potatoes which have been sitting about. 

Oh in other news - I booked us a five night break for the second May long weekend 😁 it’s to a peaceful wood cabin by the shores of a beautiful sea loch - the same place we’ve gone the last two summers so we know we love it. £100 deposit paid and the rest is due in April (£725 overall for the five nights which is an increase on their old rates but I think that’s to be expected).

savingholmes

Planning holidays sound lovely

LOL at your child being able to use a screwdriver so well already. Bathroom sounds like its coming along. Pain about the seat but still cheaper to diy than get professionals in so hold on to that.

Bluegreen143

@savingholmes he is very good! He has a few tools of his own including a electric screwdriver (he’s only allowed to use when supervised). He spends a lot of time “shadowing” Red when he’s working on projects so he has learned a lot of DIY skills already, just wanting to be like Daddy 🥰

He’s also going through a very helpful phase right now. He will help me peeling veg, set the table for dinner (including lighting candles 😆), put the washing into the tumble dryer then ask if there is anything else he can do and when I say no, he can go and play, he’ll often say “no I want to keep helping you!”. He’s a right sweetheart! His sister isn’t quite as helpful as he is yet but she loves to help cook too and she helped me sugar soap the bathroom bless her 😅

I’m a huge believer that the best way for kids to feel confident and happy is if they feel competent at doing stuff and like they are genuinely useful to others. It can be hard to fit in time for them to help with how busy life is, it is worth it though. Better than them sat on screens all day!

joedenise

Absolutely agree with you @Bluegreen143.  Kids can't learn if you don't let them 'help' even if it does take longer to get things done.  I was lucky when mine were small that I was a SAHM like you were so I think that probably makes things easier.

Bluegreen143

Morning all 🙂 quick round up below:

Monday
Monday was my one day I need to work this week. So full on chaos as the kids played amazingly while I worked but made a giant mess 😆 I also have a bit of a cold (again!! I just had one a week ago!!) and had a Tesco delivery coming after work and the kitchen had been left a big mess - oooft it was a busy day.

£50.56 spent on groceries, meal plan below:

M - leek, celery & potato soup

T - spaghetti meatballs 

W - chicken satay & fried rice 

Th - chicken fajitas 

Tuesday

Glorious autumn day, one of the first non rainy days we’ve had! Took the kids on a lovely woodland walk with my friend and her two in the morning and we all really enjoyed it. 

Spent the afternoon engrossed in various projects - I tidied up and did the second coat of paint in the upstairs bathroom, Monkey spent ages making crafts at the table while listening to an audiobook and Bambi was absorbed in washing her plastic farm animals in soapy water for a remarkably long time 🤣

The kids like occasionally going on a “night time walk” after dinner, we don’t do it a lot as this is also our window to read stories and do homework, but we managed last night and it was fun. First night time walk where it’s actually been fully dark at 7pm as we’ve not been in a few weeks. This time we just went round our estate (under 20 minute walk even at slooooooooow kid pace) but sometimes we go to the swings in the park across from our estate. 

I’ve managed to clear out space in the under stairs cupboard for a stockroom
of cleaning supplies, toiletries etc. Meaning we can keep it all together but also have space to bulk buy every couple of months - no more running to Tesco cos we are out of dishwasher tabs! So I ordered another Tesco delivery yesterday with supplies for the stockroom - £55 spent, mainly on that (Red added a couple of items we’d forgotten in the main shop too). Not sure I ordered enough to last a couple of months but I can refine next time. 

Also spent £9.50 on Amazon on a bulk order of kitchen roll as Red uses a lot and Tesco have stopped doing their cheap one. 

At the weekend (I forgot to say) I ordered £60 of clothes for myself from Matalan. I had plenty in my personal pot and really need them, even though I got clothes in August (and coats/boots last month). Before that I’d let my wardrobe run down soooooo much. I ordered 2x tops long enough to wear with leggings, a pair of loungewear joggers for at home and a dress I can wear to the office. 

Bluegreen143

Really need to round up my spending for this month. We’ve spent quite a bit on odds and ends for the house, though we do have money in the house & garden pot so that’s OK.

Wednesday
Had a really lovely trip with the kids to a country park with a teeny children’s zoo, great playpark and beautiful river walks. We’ve only been there once, two years ago, and have vowed to go again soon. Spent £4.85 on entry to the children’s zoo (it is tiny so they don’t charge much, but the kids loved it!) and £7.50 on a cake and two ice lollies at the cafe, which was a rip off but never mind. 

Following our usual pattern for these holidays, we came home for lunch, had some “quiet play time” after lunch where I get to sit and read my book and the children listen to an audiobook, then I finished the bathroom decorating while the kids played and got housework done. 

Thursday
It was rainy on Thu so I took the kids to softplay - only £7 for both because we arrived when it opened and they apparently have an early bird price, who knew?! Will take advantage of this again as it was half the usual price. 

Bambi was most unhappy at the end as she wanted an ice cream and declared “I won’t go home if I don’t get an ice cream” 😂 needless to say, she somehow found herself at home in the end, without an ice cream after all, and I was happy I managed to handle it without anger (tbh I just ignored her and kept passing her shoes, coat etc and despite her protests she put them on - she is all bark and no bite and rather a mama’s girl so not the sort who would genuinely try to stay in softplay without me!).

After softplay we nipped to Home Bargains and £38 later we had two Halloween costumes, a decorative ceramic pumpkin and a bag of sweets and slime tubes to bring to the Halloween party my friend is throwing this weekend - we are all bringing a few bits to contribute to making up trick or treating style party bags for the kids. My kids are going trick or treating on Halloween so I could have happily skipped this but some of the other party attendees live in flats so won’t be, so it’s a nice idea.

Again, we followed this up by a quieter afternoon of play and chores at home. 

Friday
Morning - trip to the library to swap our books, and then Lidl for the weekend groceries. 

Overspent at £58!! But £3 was from my own spends as I fancied sushi for lunch, £2 was a beer for Red (he will reimburse that) and £5 was a nice glass quiche dish which I’ve been wanting for ages (will come from home & garden pot). So £48 on actual groceries. 

Red has his big annual Christmas night with the boys on Saturday. I go out with my friends a lot, weekly if possible so I tend to keep it very inexpensive (we either go to each other’s houses or meet at the pub for soft drinks), but Red is the opposite - he almost never goes out or sees his friends but saves it for one annual blow out 😂 So he asked for quite a lot of treats in the shopping as he anticipates a hangover 😅

In the afternoon I had a cooking day - made lasagne for dinner (plus an extra batch of sauce to freeze for spag bol later), and I need to bring some food to the Halloween party tomorrow (it’s a bring and share type situation) so I made a broccoli and bacon quiche in my new dish and M&Ms cookies using the Millie’s recipe from on here. Plus I bought an extra punnet of grapes to bring too. My children hate quiche so hopefully they like some of the food other people bring 😂 I love quiche though so I just went with my own preference!

Emergency fund is now at £1,764 as I’ve managed to move some underspends across. Still a while to go to get to my six month target!! 

In November we will get our first Help to Save bonus which will be £1,200 between our two accounts 😍 the £2,400 we’ve saved in them will remain in there so we get the second bonus in two years, but we will get the bonus sent to our accounts. We are buying a decent cordless hoover with it as we’ve had a string of cheap ones which literally pick up zero dirt 😡 then the rest saving towards a wood burning stove.

Thats if the conservatory is EVER built to put the stove in. We’ve been messed about loads with the start date! Allegedly it’s now beginning on Nov 7th. I’ll believe it when I see it!