Week 12 - Attic/Storage Week

[AuntJamelle]

Another bonus week for me! The attic will have to take care of itself until spring! Focusing on holiday prep and catch up cleaning tasks this week!

http://christmas.organizedhome.com/holiday-grand-plan/attic-storage-week

 

[AuntJamelle]

Update so far...

HGP'd the landing/staircase to lower level which is high traffic and needed TLC! Used magic erases, clorox wipes, etc. to get all the dirt, marks, and such off the walls. Dusted the high ceiling, shelf over the stairs and everything looks nice now!

Stocked freezer with cookie dough - preformed into drop cookie shapes:

1 Batch Chunky Chocolate Gobs

2 Batches Lemon Crinkles

1 Batch Regular Chocolate Chip cookies with White Choc Chips and Dried Cherries added

Also made a batch of Freezer Egg "McMuffins" for quick breakfasts during the week - just did 10 so far but will do another batch soon, I hope!

Made a trip to the butcher yesterday as well and now freezers are stocked with lots of chicken breasts, ground beef, bacon, roasts and brats - all portioned into sizes for use at single meals as needed.

No crafting this weekend - focused on food tasks as you can see above. lol

 

[AuntJamelle]

Added 1 dish of "Wet" Burritos to the freezer last night - we had one pan for dinner and froze the second.

No other HGP progress, not feeling well. So folding some laundry was about all I was up to after dinner...

 

[Winged One]

I had a day off yesterday (took annual leave and only told DH last night) and managed to get 5 complete gifts and the final parts of another 2 purchased. I ordered 2 tree decorations I need for "Bride's Boxes" this morning (personalised houses) - although I still have 1 to make (fish) and 5 to buy (heart (easy), fruit basket, flower basket, rose and bunch of grapes - all not so easy!!). I also have 2 other people that I will pick up the final items tomorrow at lunch break (the 2 shops I need to visit are next door to each other close to the office).

So I am down to a very short list now:
Bicycle from Santa (DH is helping the Man in Red with that purchase at the weekend)
A couple of Christmas beers (not out yet) to finish DH's presents
Some sweets and fruit, a book and a jigsaw for DD's stocking (last minute, and I'd like DH to help choose the book and jigsaw)
Making a voucher for "Build a Bear" as DD's birthday present (26th Dec)
A specific mug for 1 DSis's significant other (1 of the 2 to get this week)
A rose scented candle for DSIL (the other of the 2)
2 containers to put sewing buttons and ribbons for DSis (and rooting through my stash to part fill it, and maybe getting some new ones too)
Talk to DBro about getting a gift card for that DSis for grocery shopping in their currency (I'm paying but I can't get sterling versions easily)
DH's uncle (I want to consult MIL in case he needs anything, but we usually give him a book token as he loves books)
The au pair (something nice and Irish and crafty - any ideas on what a 19 year old might like?)
Heart, fruit basket, flower basket, rose, bunch of grapes decorations for DSIL's DP

Oh, and finish off:
Knitting 1 beanie hat
Sewing 3 crayon rolls
1 heart decoration (1 Bride's box is for Christmas, the other is a wedding gift next May so I have time)
(And doing the sewing on 8 more Christmas decorations I have cut, to give all siblings and significant others 1 - and that's an "all or nothing" bonus for the 11 stockings).

OK, looking at it like that, it seems like a lot, but it's not really.

Apart from that, now that this morning's interview is over, I can get back to house cleaning. I seem to suddenly be making some progress on keeping the clutter to a minimum, and I have gotten rid of a lot recently too (bags to goodwill etc).

I do need to go to the storage unit at the weekend, but the attic is reasonably ok for a change.

So on we go!!

 

[Winged One]

Mug, rose scented candle(s), jigsaw, 3 heart ornaments and 1 fish ornament all bought or ordered. And a chocolate beer for DH. (Christmas ones aren't out yet).

Lots of wrapping to do this weekend, work on crafts, start writing cards, and work on a few cleaning jobs left from previous weeks (although they are slowly getting done too).

 

[AuntJamelle]

Great work, Winged One! You are doing great!

I've spent the last two days cleaning and decorating the downstairs level of our home for Christmas. We don't host Thanksgiving, and we are having a big dinner party on Dec 1st to kick off the season with our friends - SO - I got the big part of decorating out of the way.

Also did some grocery shopping - got a lot of things needed for freezer cooking - including cookie dough - as well as non perishables for use over the holiday season.

Did great with sales, coupons, etc.! Spent $71, saved $78!

Got some more freezer cooking done this morning. Have a batch of cookie dough chilling in fridge.

Yawning and exhausted, catching up on the boards while DS naps...

 

[Winged One]

Dining room week is almost over!!

Real life impinged in a BIG way this week. DH is gone away again, DD is not getting to sleep, I am not sleeping well, I had a work dinner 1 night, work itself is frantically busy (our BIG regular deadline week this week which always means working late), and the weather has turned wet and miserable.

So I am trying to keep the worst of it under control, rather than doing anything new this week.

But I need to clean properly at the weekend as MIL and FIL are staying 2 nights next week while I go on a work trip (DH is still away and it's not fair to leave the au pair in complete charge for effectively 3 nights).

And I am making reasonable progress in emptying out the freezer to make way for holiday goodies - I am trying to eat all the little 1 or 2 person portions and make up meals of leftovers, rather than buying fresh this week.