Mealplan Monday 30/12/13

I wrote a few weeks ago that I was planning to do a meal plan and I have been writing my ideas on paper but this is my first blog meal plan. Its been going okay, a few times I changed the meal at the last minute because I had other things in the fridge that needed using before going off or I didn't have the ingredients I needed but I think that's good because in future I can make sure I only buy what I need!!

So for this week the plan is:

Monday- Fry up (sausage, eggs, beans etc..)
Tuesday- Salmon, baby potatoes and cabbage
Wednesday- Leg of lamb, roast potatoes, veg
Thursday- Spaghetti Bolognese
Friday- Fish, chips and homemade coleslaw
Saturday- Pasta bake
Sunday- Roast beef with all the trimmings

I'm hungry just thinking about it so better make a start on my fry up!

This week I am linking up with Mrs Ms meal plan Monday so I can share my meal plan and get some ideas from other bloggers.

1001 movies to watch before you die

Browsing through the latest Book people catalogue I came across a book called 1001 movies you must see before you die. I was intrigued to see what would be on the list and my daughter said it would be a great challenge to watch them all! Because of course we have nothing better to do with our lives do we? So I ordered it.

At the front of the book is a checklist for you to mark off the films you have already seen and to my surprise I've only seen 72 of them, and there's me thinking I'm a bit of a film buff... yeah right!
To be fair most of the movies in the book came out before I was born and a lot of them are foreign and I've never heard of them! Still I do like a bit of a check list so I think I will get myself a collection of old films in the new year, like the Marilyn Monroe classics as I've always wanted to watch them but never had the time and have a bit of a film fest.

 

Oh and I bought my 11 year old a popcorn maker for Christmas so I think we will get a lot of use out of that!

December Glossybox

I know I'm a bit late with the glossybox but my daughter has been asking me for months to subscribe to it so as a surprise I ordered it for her for Christmas. I love that its a gift that just keeps giving as there will be one delivered to the door every month!

I don't normally spend much on cosmetics and as I have just finished with The Body shop I have loads of  their skincare range that I can now use for myself. But I do like the idea of having a surprise box every month (did I say I ordered it for my daughter or myself?) So this is what we got in our box this month.

 

 

 

The razor is amazing, I wasn't sure it actually worked as I could only feel the soap/cream part but it did!

I love the nail varnish shade but haven't had a chance to use the mascara yet as my daughter wont let me open it!

 

Anyway I'm looking forward to next months already, it will be like Christmas all over again!!

Shop local

A few weeks ago I had a list of items I needed to buy, some of which I had needed for a while, so as I no longer have a car I thought I'm either going to have to order online or take a trip on a bus after work to a big shopping area.

My list was:

A computer mouse
Party invitations
Cat worming treatment
A broom
Net curtain wire
2 sets of keys cutting

I don't like to order too much online as I have to pay for delivery and I never know when the items are going to arrive plus I know technology is good but I'm sure you can't order a set of your door keys online (I may be wrong) I don't live near a big shopping area but I do walk through West Norwood everyday. There are a few local supermarkets, B&Q, superdrugs and greggs. All the other shops are small independent shops and restaurants that I rarely go into.

It was approaching my sons birthday and as I'm already embarrassingly known as the mum who leaves everything until the last minute I thought I need to try all these shops to find some invitations before the day of his sleepover!

After scouring all the shops of West Norwood I reached home pleasantly surprised to have purchased everything on my list!!

Now I'm sure with Christmas approaching I will be using a lot of the big chain stores to purchase gifts and housewares but I will also bare in mind that I can buy a lot of good quality and good value items in local independent stores too!

Learning to swim

Today was the day my little man swam for the first time!

Okay I know it's not a big deal considering he's 9 years old and these days parents are putting their kids in for lessons from about 3 months of age but for him it's a great achievement.

For the whole summer I tried to get him to swim, we spent most of our holiday in the pool and although he wasn't scared of the water, the minute I tried to get his feet from the bottom of the pool he clung onto me like a little koala bear and wouldn't let go. I told him it was so easy once you had the confidence to float on the water but he insisted it was impossible and he was never going to be able to do it!

From the beginning of yr4 he has been going for lessons with school every Thursday. I take my class straight after his so as he is getting out the pool my class are just getting in and I must say I'm amazed at the progress so many of the children have made in only a few months. Considering their lessons are only 30 minutes long and some of the kids could just about walk through the water at the beginning of term I'm so pleased with how much they have learnt so far.

Swimming is such an important life skill that I think everybody should be encouraged to take up if they are not proficient enough as it could potentially save a life. Plus it is such a fun activity too!

I would love to spend more time swimming with the kids like I did when I was younger. We would go every Monday after school and on the way home we would go to the chip shop for a bag of chips, open with a little wooden fork and loads of salt and vinegar.

I think when it gets a bit warmer that's what we'll do...