A Step Forward

And two steps back...

Well that's how it feels at the moment! We are frantically clearing out garages and getting rid of as much clutter as we can in preparation for the builders to start in a few weeks. We have cleared one garage and made a good start on the second. Whilst lifting items I turned my ankle and have been hobbling ever since. Then , on the coldest day of the year so far our boiler decides to break. My eldest boy also developed a nasty cold and extreme asthma so we are huddled in the lounge by the log burner, actually rather toasty, waiting to see if the boiler can be mended. I just don't have the inclination to tackle jobs outside in this weather or inside away from the warmth of the fire!  Not big problems in the scale of things I know , but......

I feel like I have run out of steam before the work has even started.

We have a few days off to look forward to though. Each year we can have a company weekend away funded by the business. Although we can't get childcare for a whole weekend, this year we are having a couple of meals out and a day without children on Saturday. 

This always recharges my batteries.

Much as I adore my three kids they can run me ragged and as winter seems to be dragging it's heels this year I am feeling like I need a bit of breathing space.

We are going to have a mooch around a few shops child free and look at a oven I have my eye on for the new kitchen. It will be nice to see it in the flesh. This will cheer me up no end :) 

Small things I know, but that's what makes all the difference!

Here are some great quotes on small things for your amusement:

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together."  Vincent Van Gogh

"If you cannot do great things do small things in a great way."  Napoleon Hill

"For the person whom small things do not exist , the great is not great." Jose Ortega Y Gassett

"Be faithful in the small things because it is in them your strength lies."  Mother Teresa

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Money Off Codes

In Town or Online

So are you a big "Go To The Shops Gal" or an "Online Browser?"

Ok so I did venture into town today with my 5 year old in tow. Fortunately she was pretty excited about the prospect as she had a few pennies of her own to spend. I needed to pick up some items of school uniform for the boys that I had ordered and had been informed had arrived. So off we set, yet again in the pouring rain.

On arrival at the uniform shop - which incidentally is not in the centre of town , but about a 10 minute walk in the other direction, dragging a by then slightly reluctant and hungry 5 year old - we were told that they had made a mistake and the items were actually out of stock. Great.

After about a half hour wait, they managed to find replacement items and sent us on our way ! I hate uniform shopping, really hate it. At least most of it was done in June - yes June. I went early this year.

I fully intended trying to pick up a couple of items from my A/W wish list today, but with the rain and the trek and the child, I just wasn't in the right frame of mind. I wandered into Primark, hoping for the inspiration that befalls so many of you and wandered out with a top. I just don't get it ......yet.

I did manage a nice pair of skinnies and a long sleeve T from Gap - in grey of course, but everything else on my wishlist was out of stock. As I am trying the 'plan, be wise with what you spend' approach this A/W, I decided to jump ship and much to my daughters delight at this point, head back home.

However ..........

the story does not end there! Later this evening I decide to log on and see if I could pick up a few of the items online. I always look for codes and money off first - never one to pay full price for something and I came up with some gooduns! 

I'd wanted a few staples from H and M - cardigans, blouses etc and came up with these codes saving myself £8.50. I had a sale item as well. So four items for about £35 - not bad going. You can use 2 of these codes at any one time. I think they are valid for about 4 more days so hurry! The 10% and £5 combination seem to give a really good deal . I don't think it operates on the sale items though.

1304 = £5 off

9954 = 10% off

9921   = 25 % off one item

9844 =  free delivery ( I didn't use this one so haven't checked it yet)

I have also had my eye on this large scarf from Baukjen , but at £89 was hesitating. I picked up a code from another blogger ( link below) for 15% off which makes it a lot more attractive!

 She also mentioned a code for Clarks for 20% off, making those boots I wanted even more tempting! 

Pop on over to her blog at Pret - a - Mummy to pick these awesome codes up and grab some bargains!

I'm also after a few high street items from Next, but I am determined not to pay full price for them or delivery so I am holding out for some valid codes ! The £10 online for new customers I cant use as I am already registered. Unfortunately neither of the stores locally do these items either.

My mainstays during the Autumn and Winter seem to be skinny trousers and bootcut jeans, blouses, long sleeve Ts, scarves and jackets. I always top up on a few of these basics at this time of year as I will wear and wear them to within an inch of their lives!

On this occasion I do wish Id had stayed at home and shopped online. I like to be able to browse and look at what I'm buying, but lets face it when does that actually happen if you have young children with you and I never feel it is really that fair on them either! My little girl quite enjoys the outing , but the boy's capacity is two shops at most before a Costa and a trip to Game is required. Anyway, I've found that the money off this time has made it far more worth my while shopping online, although I shall wait until said products arrive before the final judgement is made. I will do a few outfit posts when they do and if they are staying. 

So your shopping preference - home alone or out and about?

30 with 30 Week 8

Week 6 for me!

It took me a couple of days to check in with Lauren's blog after getting back from camping so imagine my delight to have been picked as favourite outfit of the week last week - thanks guys - very happy girl - cheered me up after a very wet week camping!

So only a day late then , I am linking up again with Lauren at From My Grey Desk for the 30 with 30 challenge week 8.

Ok, so this past week was a little of a challenge to say the least and I will not be at all ashamed to say that I did not stick to simply my 30 items whilst camping! See here . I added warm hoodies and some extra skinny jeans to get through the week. It was wet and cold again and although I had taken my floral Great Plains Skirt it did not get worn! 

 I stuck to my keds and I am very sheepish to admit , Crocs , to survive the wet conditions. Whatever people say about crocs ( and whilst not wanting to cause offence to anyone , I do not like them, but have succumbed to using them at home in the garden ) they are amazing for your feet when camping! It is the first year that I have not come home needing a rescue pedicure to mend my cracked heels!

Beautiful aren't they?

The most ideal thing to wear all week was this sort of outfit ( I have saved you from the horror of photographs during my week of camping and these were taken upon my return!)

Outfit 1

Skinny jeans
White top 
Grey Zara Cardy
Scarf ( I took 3 scarves away and wore all of them it was so cold!)

Keds

Outfit 2

Superdry capri pants

Coral top

Coral scarf

Next pumps

Outfit 3

Lemon Cardy

Blue spotty Scarf

Zara jeans

Keds

All of these outfits got covered with a thick grey hoodie when I got cold and a blue North Face Waterproof to keep out the rain. We had thunder, torrential rain and lightening! The priority really was keeping warm and dry!

I even resisted a day trip to Clarks village and a day of bargain shopping ! 2 weeks and counting.......!