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After a few busy weeks at the family in the Netherlands we're finally back home.

We came home to an extremely cold house on Monday afternoon and we discovered we'd ran out of oil!

We thought we'd be OK until today, but even with the whole system on frost setting the oil ran out. We had ordered a delivery before we went away, but with the snow and cold weather they had run behind. Of course it was a Bank Holiday so no oil suppliers were open.

Mark managed to get a couple of portable heaters from a local DIY shop and we managed to heat up the kitchen, the conservatory (which has electric underfloor heating) and the bedrooms.

Yesterday we managed to get a few jerrycans full of oil, so that kept us going and just half an hour ago our delivery finally arrived, so we're warm and cosy again.

I dared the personal scales yesterday and of course the Christmas and New Year's damage was visible. I have my next Sure Slim UK weigh-in on Saturday so I reserve judgement until then as it gives me a few days to get back on track. I don't expect much, but who knows.

Unfortunately this morning I was cleaning my kitchen scales and the top dropped out of my hands onto the stone floor and shattered in thousands of pieces. Now I have no means to weigh my portions accurately, I have another set of scales, but they are not very accurate, but for now that'll have to do.

I'm going to have to look for some snazzy new kitchen scales now! Any excuse to go shopping really... LOL

The house is still a mess after the decorating that was done before the Christmas and New Years festivities and we had the carpet delivered today. We're still on track for getting it all fitted this Friday and Saturday, so hopefully by Sunday we can re-claim our living and dining rooms in full new decor! I cannot wait. 
The new fireplace is being installed next week and we'll get all the curtains then as well. I'll be glad when it's all over.

I have not done anything creative since coming back, but I did manage to do a lot on the cross stitch work over the holidays. Maybe I'll manage to finish it by March.

Packing & Wrapping

This week has been a bit manic as I am preparing for our Christmas trip to the Netherlands. Today I put through 6 loads of laundry, washed, dry, fold & put away.
I have just gone through the kids' toy boxes to pick out all baby toys which we will kindly and gladly donate to my niece, Mayre, who is now 9 months old.
It doesn't even make a dent in the amount of toys our kids have. Unfortunately we failed to have a good toy cull before we set off to return with even more toys...

Now all that needs to be done is pack our suitcases and at least wrap the kids Christmas presents. I can wrap the others at my parents' once we're there, but don't want to risk that the kids spot the toys that Santa is supposed to bring them. I did order them an early Christmas present each, but that's not arrived yet. I just hope it arrives tomorrow before we leave.

Tomorrow is going to be a mad busy day. I'll have to get up early. Do some more packing and/or wrapping, get our daughter to Pre-school for her Christmas Party. Then I have to drive across town to pick up a V-dub lamp from Hippi Haus, for our son's bedroom as he has now a wonderful mural of a VW Campervan on his wall, made by Sarah of Charlotte Desings.
After picking up the lamp, I'll have to collect our daughter from Pre-school again, she'll probably won't need lunch, but she'll definitely need an afternoon nap, if not for herself, then for my sanity and freedom to continue packing! LOL

So here goes... More wrapping to do!

Lost a little bit more...

So another week has passed and I have lost a little again. I was totally amazed as I thought I would have gained if not stayed after a week of feeling poorly, having a very poorly daughter at home all week and not paying 100% attention to the plan.
So well chuffed that I have now lost 6kg in just 3 weeks!

Today we did some Christmas decorating, well, DH did on my request. I'm still convinced we need more lights outside, but will do that tomorrow.
We can't do the inside yet as the painters/decorators are not finished yet.
Maybe next weekend?

I also did some mire crafts this weekend. Not as much as I would've liked to, but at least I got some stitching done. I finally managed to write all DDs birthday 'Thank You' cards and started writing the Christmas Cards.
I have loads of craft ideas and as and when I get a chance I will update on here.
For now I am working on a birth frame in cross stitch.
Other projects on the go or ready to start:
- Write Christmas Cards
- Jewellery making with beads
- Sewing projects, such as a bean bag for DS, bags, toys and doorstops.
- Drawing & Painting
- Baking cakes & biscuits

First and foremost, I have to sort out the laundry tomorrow. I need to fold several baskets full, as well as running new loads and dry them.
Oh, domestic bliss... NOT!

SHE is Flying

OK, so here's my first post - I'll have to explain to those 'not in the know' what a SHE is and why this SHE is Flying...

SHE stands for Sidetracked Home Executive. BC (Before Children) I had a very organised home and everything had it's place and I kept things pretty clean and tidy.
Now that I have a husband and kids the organisational skills seem to have left me and I find myself continuously juggling between various tasks and feel I get nothing done.
I start a job and don't get to finish it as something else appears on my path - yes, I get side tracked.
So in a bid to get back on track, I found out about Fly Lady who has developed a way to get one's home and life out of CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) into some state of order.

The Fly Lady routines are based on the 'Sidetracked Home Executives' Index-Card file system designed by Pam Young & Peggy Jones.

Fly Lady has been given permission to use the SHE system and she transformed it into a very successful system of home management. Her book 'Sink Reflections' gives a good explanation of why some people are BO (Born Organised) and others live in CHAOS.

So, this SHE is flying - well, I've been following the Fly Lady routines for ages, but never really stuck to it as I keep getting sidetracked - GOSH - surprise!
This time I've sat down and set up the routines to work for the whole family.
Today was the first time test running the routines and so far so good.