Settling in for the long haul

Dakota_Rose

Last night the heated blanket did indeed come out, and I promptly fell asleep underneath it 😂

It was a productive and positive day at work today. Need to celebrate the wins where we find them and I promised myself I’d look for the moments of joy this week!

I was given what looks to be a good book at work today so that’s my next read lined up. Our new mattress has been delivered so bedding will be washed and we’ll enjoy a new bed tomorrow night.

Looking forward to our dinner of chicken burgers and salad tonight. This evening will be a little bit of reading and an earlyish night I expect.

Hoping everyone has a good ‘hump day’ tomorrow.

_Dolly_Rocker_

Mmmm dinner choice sounds lovely.

I had chicken and sweetcorn pasta, was delish.

Sun_Addict

You sound like me, I fall asleep at the drop of a hat. Anything that starts after 9pm on TV I think why’s that on so late 🤣

Dakota_Rose

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81972534#Comment_81972534

Exactly that @Sun_Addict. Hurrah for streaming services nowadays or I’d literally see nothing through to the end.

Dakota_Rose

Today has gone by pretty quickly but was another long day with lots of different duties covered. I’m hoping that tomorrow is a shorter one and I get some working from home/wellbeing time in the afternoon.

I came home to a lot of parcels which is unusual for me. My sunglasses, little man’s new school shoes, and eldest’s birthday presents had all been delivered. The new mattress had also been unpacked so I felt like a real big spender 😂. No regrets though, as they’re all justified spends and taken from money we had in pots.

It will most definitely be another early night for me. Not least because my fresh mattress and bedding calls. Work days are a real cycle of work, sleep, repeat. Sometimes this feels a bit miserable but on the other hand, I’m so lucky to have a secure job that pays well. We can afford to have a parent at home for the children full time, albeit a humble enough lifestyle, which I know is a luxury others could only hope for.

I’m determined to appreciate the positives this week and there are many! My hormones have settled and what a difference that makes to my anxiety levels. I feel back to my level-headed self this week. The job is still utterly ridiculous though 🙈!

Dakota_Rose

It has been a beautiful day weather wise and what a difference it makes! I had a very busy morning at work but did manage to get my early finish. I popped home quickly for lunch, which was a brown roll with red pepper hummus, apple slices and a handful of mixed nuts/dried fruit. Don’t worry, I soon balanced that out with a cup of tea and chocolate eclair when we made a quick visit to see Mum 😂.

Then it was off to collect the children from school, home for a quick snack before heading back to school for the youngest two’s parents evenings. We are feeling suitably proud as our very energetic children with questionable choice-making skills at home are behaving beautifully and working hard at school.

Finally home to settle down for the day and Mr D and I enjoyed a cuppa in the back garden admiring spring that is blooming everywhere we look. Mr D has been working so hard out there and it shows. I’m not garden-minded in terms of work at all, but do really love to sit outside and enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labour! Being out there reminds me why we bought this house. The garden is a beauty (in our eyes); very mature trees and plants and a lovely big size. We have lots of plans to develop it more over time but we are very lucky with what we’ve got.

Dinner is cooking - tonight is gnocchi with leftover bolognese and garlic bread. The standard bowl of broccoli will likely grace the table too.

Tonight’s plans are simple as ever: yoga, book and bed. Oh my word, what a difference the new mattress has made! I can’t remember much about it because I was sleeping as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Tomorrow is Friday - nearly there!

peb

Wonderful that the new mattress suits.

Dakota_Rose

It’s Friday evening and the start of the weekend. I have a niggly issue at work that has been left only partially resolved which means I will be battling to keep it out of my mind this weekend. It’s so frustrating to have a brain that will not switch off when it has the chance to!

The weather is beautiful and we have lots of lovely food in to enjoy. Mr D is going to a welcome event for the fishing club he has become a member of on Sunday. Big event for him, as he’s not been a part of any group before. Fishing has been his beloved hobby since he was a boy so I’m really happy for him and proud that he’s stepped out of his comfort zone. I’ve pencilled in taking the kids and a roast dinner round Mum’s that afternoon for a change but it may still be hotdogs or similar in the garden if Mum isn’t feeling up to it.

Otherwise we have no plans. Glorious!

Tonight’s dinner is beef burgers with salad. I have a glass of rose with lemonade plus a stack of books sitting beside me and I intend to enjoy them.

Happy weekend all.

Dakota_Rose

It has been another beautiful day for the weather and we’ve spent most of it out as a family. We went into our nearest town and had a good browse of the charity shops. The children are so different in their nature when it comes to spending but all thought very carefully about how much they were taking with them from their savings envelopes and how much they hoped to bring home with them. Apart from a bit of bickering along the way, we had a lovely time. With the sun shining, we were all a bit hot and bothered by the end.

Tonight’s dinner was flatbread pizzas, made in the garden using our new (to us) pizza oven. A close friend kindly gave this to us, as we’d enjoyed hers and she was upgrading. They weren’t quite perfect but enjoyable nonetheless and I’m sure we will get the settings tweaked over time. By the time we had finished, the sun had moved on and we were feeling the chill so have moved back inside to warm up and relax.

We’ve ended the month within budget but with lots more items on the to-buy list as the home improvements continue. The last direct debit came out today so we are just about at £0 for the month now, bar some grocery spends and what is left in the sinking funds.

Today’s charity shop wins included a new stack of books for my to-be-read pile. £2.40 spent and a new toiletry bag that I’ve had on my shopping list for some time now £2.99 spent. Eldest was pleased with some new DVDs for 50p each and the youngest ones had a sensible enough splurge in Home Bargains. Mr D treated everyone to a pastry at the bakers and I bought doughnuts for after.

We are hoping for a quiet evening ahead. The children and I will be relaxing at home tomorrow as Mum isn’t too fussed about a roast dinner. A lazy day is called for before a new week of work and school begins.

MillQueen

Sounds like a lovely day and that's sweet that they were thoughtful about their savings and their sensible buying at the shops - you are doing a grand job of raising future MSE-ers 😂.

You have made it in life now you have a pizza oven. That sounds like an idyllic weekend.