Week Sixteen: December 15th-21st
- Thread starter aggy
- Start date
I agree... this week is using up our frozen meals. a few last wrappings to do and then I put it all away (but keep a roll & some tape handy... just in case). Maintenance here and that's it!
Good morning all,
Finish up week is right - I'll be finished OFF by the end of it!
This morning, I wrote the first batch of cards and mailed most of them. Including almost all of the overseas ones (only 9 days late for international!!, and 4 for USA - at least Europe and the UK, which is most of my overseas ones, are later this week). But I still have to get the address for 2, including a UAE, so I think that one will be definitely late. (Although I may be very cheeky and send it via the diplomatic bag - as it's to a friend in the Embassy there).
I have nothing wrapped yet, although I did help DD do her wrapping on Saturday night. While DH slept on the couch (he flew overnight on Friday and that always takes it out of him). She only has 1 thing left to buy, maybe 2, and I am down to 1 full present (which I will pick up one lunchtime) and 2 parts of presents (1 will be bought when we buy the wine for visiting, and the other can easily actually be given as it is).
Also, as DH DID arrive home on Saturday morning, the house has been blitzed again. (I did a fair bit the past few weeks, but he always does a big catch up!). And I got 15 minutes to put away all my clean clothes (I had DD's done, and mine were sorted into piles, just not away yet). But my big priority is always to keep the cleaning cycle going so that there isn't a huge pile of dirty things needing washing and I can root for clean things if they aren't yet put away.
And because I had been reasonably organised about the purchasing, and am relatively calm about the wrapping (I know I can bring them unwrapped as we are staying independent of both families!), I was able to enjoy the festivities we had over the weekend. A party in a neighbour's house on Friday (DD and I got home just before 3am, about 5 minutes before the au pair got in from the nightclub!!); 2 Santa parties on Saturday (my office and one of DD's sportsclubs), as well as training at that club beforehand and collecting DH from the airport bus; and hockey training (well, Christmas tournament), holy communion preparation mass and the Santa steam train yesterday. But I am a little worn out today.
The plan for this week is to eat as well as possible the nights at home (I put a load of veggies into last night's dinner, tonight is an easy prep but nutricious meal, and I will get more veggies into us later in the week. I might try to get some liver as well for me at least, for the iron and energy). I used a lot from the freezer last week, and I am mostly trying to empty the fridge and some of the freezer this week as well before we go away.
I need to figure out a few jobs for DH to do as well, as he will be off for 3 days. Not to overload him, but maybe things like buy the alcohol (and he can choose a few nice Christmas beers for himself then!), and ask him ever so nicely to polish my boots. And have the car packed up on Friday so that it's a fast easy departure on Saturday.
Finish up week is right - I'll be finished OFF by the end of it!
This morning, I wrote the first batch of cards and mailed most of them. Including almost all of the overseas ones (only 9 days late for international!!, and 4 for USA - at least Europe and the UK, which is most of my overseas ones, are later this week). But I still have to get the address for 2, including a UAE, so I think that one will be definitely late. (Although I may be very cheeky and send it via the diplomatic bag - as it's to a friend in the Embassy there).
I have nothing wrapped yet, although I did help DD do her wrapping on Saturday night. While DH slept on the couch (he flew overnight on Friday and that always takes it out of him). She only has 1 thing left to buy, maybe 2, and I am down to 1 full present (which I will pick up one lunchtime) and 2 parts of presents (1 will be bought when we buy the wine for visiting, and the other can easily actually be given as it is).
Also, as DH DID arrive home on Saturday morning, the house has been blitzed again. (I did a fair bit the past few weeks, but he always does a big catch up!). And I got 15 minutes to put away all my clean clothes (I had DD's done, and mine were sorted into piles, just not away yet). But my big priority is always to keep the cleaning cycle going so that there isn't a huge pile of dirty things needing washing and I can root for clean things if they aren't yet put away.
And because I had been reasonably organised about the purchasing, and am relatively calm about the wrapping (I know I can bring them unwrapped as we are staying independent of both families!), I was able to enjoy the festivities we had over the weekend. A party in a neighbour's house on Friday (DD and I got home just before 3am, about 5 minutes before the au pair got in from the nightclub!!); 2 Santa parties on Saturday (my office and one of DD's sportsclubs), as well as training at that club beforehand and collecting DH from the airport bus; and hockey training (well, Christmas tournament), holy communion preparation mass and the Santa steam train yesterday. But I am a little worn out today.
The plan for this week is to eat as well as possible the nights at home (I put a load of veggies into last night's dinner, tonight is an easy prep but nutricious meal, and I will get more veggies into us later in the week. I might try to get some liver as well for me at least, for the iron and energy). I used a lot from the freezer last week, and I am mostly trying to empty the fridge and some of the freezer this week as well before we go away.
I need to figure out a few jobs for DH to do as well, as he will be off for 3 days. Not to overload him, but maybe things like buy the alcohol (and he can choose a few nice Christmas beers for himself then!), and ask him ever so nicely to polish my boots. And have the car packed up on Friday so that it's a fast easy departure on Saturday.
Everything is wrapped, mailed, decorated... done 
I just have general cleanup to do, baking and dinner prep for holiday meals.
We will be hosting my sisters family, our aunt and uncle for Christmas Dinner.
I just have general cleanup to do, baking and dinner prep for holiday meals.
We will be hosting my sisters family, our aunt and uncle for Christmas Dinner.
The cards are done and the last ones were posted this morning!! (Unless I get unexpected ones I need to send a return one).
I gave DH a copy of the master lists this morning, but I haven't heard his response yet! He asked for it though! He will buy the alcohol over the next day or 2, put the roofbox on the car tomorrow, put a few things there on Friday while DD is in school (helping the man in Red with logistics ) and pack up and do the driving on Saturday.
We also finished making DD's snowmen for school last night. For her birthday treat for her class, she made a marshmallow snowman each. A Smores sized one with 3 blobs of chocolate for buttons, a medium sized one on top with 2 eyes and a mouth blob in chocolate, and a tiny one covered in chocolate for a hat, all stuck together with chocolate. Her own creative idea, and she did the VAST majority of the work on them. Which is great. They are all bagged up now to go to school on Friday. And she is bringing the presents for her crèche minders, driver and the SN teacher in school today (there is a class collection for the teacher and TA that we've already given to).
I talked to the landlord of the house we're renting this morning, so that is all finalized.
And while I haven't done any wrapping, I am not worried about that as I will have time in Cork. (And so will DH and DD to help me!! LOL!).
Dh is also going to bring DD into the city tomorrow afternoon after school, for her "shopping trip". She has 1 gift to buy (and we can get that in Cork if necessary), and she always wants to see the Live Crib (lots of farm animals, outside the Lord Mayor's house - run by the Farmer's Association), and we get a hot chocolate and people watch as well, enjoying the magic. The au pair will come into town as well with them, and I will meet them when I finish work a little early.
So we are getting there.
(The house can stay messy while we're away - we have a week when we get back to get it sorted again!).
I gave DH a copy of the master lists this morning, but I haven't heard his response yet! He asked for it though! He will buy the alcohol over the next day or 2, put the roofbox on the car tomorrow, put a few things there on Friday while DD is in school (helping the man in Red with logistics
) and pack up and do the driving on Saturday.We also finished making DD's snowmen for school last night. For her birthday treat for her class, she made a marshmallow snowman each. A Smores sized one with 3 blobs of chocolate for buttons, a medium sized one on top with 2 eyes and a mouth blob in chocolate, and a tiny one covered in chocolate for a hat, all stuck together with chocolate. Her own creative idea, and she did the VAST majority of the work on them. Which is great. They are all bagged up now to go to school on Friday. And she is bringing the presents for her crèche minders, driver and the SN teacher in school today (there is a class collection for the teacher and TA that we've already given to).
I talked to the landlord of the house we're renting this morning, so that is all finalized.
And while I haven't done any wrapping, I am not worried about that as I will have time in Cork. (And so will DH and DD to help me!! LOL!).
Dh is also going to bring DD into the city tomorrow afternoon after school, for her "shopping trip". She has 1 gift to buy (and we can get that in Cork if necessary), and she always wants to see the Live Crib (lots of farm animals, outside the Lord Mayor's house - run by the Farmer's Association), and we get a hot chocolate and people watch as well, enjoying the magic. The au pair will come into town as well with them, and I will meet them when I finish work a little early.
So we are getting there.
(The house can stay messy while we're away - we have a week when we get back to get it sorted again!).
Got 80% of gifts bought and wrapped. Will go out again Saturday to get the reamaining gifts.
The only areas I have to keep up with are the bathroom and kitchen.
Today I am baking cookies and finishing up CDs/DVDs I'm making for friends.
I think that's it for me.
The only areas I have to keep up with are the bathroom and kitchen.
Today I am baking cookies and finishing up CDs/DVDs I'm making for friends.
I think that's it for me.