Malteaser Fudge

Lizzie sent me this link after she had made some for me and it was right up my street.  I made it myself once at new year and am about to try it again!

That link no longer seems to work so either try this one on twitter or I'll put the basic details here.

300g chocolate, melted in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat for 10 seconds until melted.
Mix in 375g condensed milk and 350g of malteasers.
Put in a lined baking tin.
Set in the fridge then cut into pieces.

Great Gifts - for baby!

We have been so blessed to receive so many fantastic for our lovely baby.  We are very grateful for our little girl and it's meant we haven't really had to buy anything for her ourselves.  I am hesitant to start this list, as it will imply that some some gifts we received weren't as great as these ones, but that is not my intention at all.  Everything we received was so appreciated. I love the sentimental gifts like the blankets.  I love the practical gifts like the baby wipes.  This is more a list of gifts that were perhaps a surprise, or weren't things I would have thought to give before.  Therefore I want to record those before I forget in the hope that I will then remember them to give to others in the future. And I won't be able to make and give a beautiful Fair Isle blanket so that's why wonderful gifts like that haven't made it on to the list! It's also a list of things that I don't think would matter too much if you had too many of them or they could be easily passed on - so "Bonnie" lettering hasn't made it on, or Peter Rabbit milestone cards. Hopefully that's enough disclaimers to get on with the list - but is still not enough for me to post it on the other blog!!

Clothes - we have received so many items of clothing, that we have only bought her two newborn Bambi onesies so far.  I think and hope it may be quite a while before we have to buy her any clothes as lots of people were thoughtful enough to buy bigger sizes too.

• Bundler - not sure if that's their common name, but found it on a label.  We had never heard of them before but made nappy changes so much easier at night!
• Swimsuit - would never have thought of as a gift - a bigger size was a good idea.
• Sun hat - if baby is born at that time of year.  Used daily!

Books - I am keen for Bonnie to be a reader so am pleased to be starting early!

• Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes - made me well up on first reading!
• Milo's Black and White World - first book she took an interest in and read multiple times during her third month
• Where's Mr Owl - love the felt flaps.
• Goodnight stories for rebel girls

Gifts for parents - definitely something I am going to try to remember to do!

• Cake! - yum!
• Chocolate bars/Celebrations - so appreciated!
• Flapjacks for night feeds
• The New Mum's Notebook - love this notebook and it's advice.  Think it deserves it's own blog post!
• Nursing tops - worn everyday!

Miscellaneous

•  Bamboo MuslinZ muslins - noticeably stronger, softer and pleasanter than normal ones.

Expanding weekly chores

I started my weekly chores and wrote the blog post about them not knowing how I would get on. I am proud to say that I have been doing them for three weeks now and haven't missed a day.  It has also really helped me to relax in between times knowing that I will see to it on its designated day. Sometimes I might have done something a day ahead if I know I'm going to be busy that day, which is a nice feeling.  Bins I have found hard to do when I am at home during the day with Bonnie so sometimes I have done that on a different evening, but it is a good mental check for me on a Tuesday to see if they have been done or still need doing.  I have also noticed the slight stress over areas that aren't covered on the weekly schedule feeling I ought to be seeing to them.  So I am keen to expand the list to include some additional chores that I will hopefully get done on the designated day.  So here is the new list:

Daily
wash up
laundry
prepare tea
clear work top area (as clear surfaces are good for John's mental health)

Weekly
Monday - clear out/clean fridge and freezer, clean microwave, kitchen cupboard doors
Tuesday - bins (empty and wipe out), tweezers, oven
Wednesday - bathroom (at least sink and toilet.  include these on a rotation, probably in decreasing order of frequency: end of bath, shower unit, shower screen, floor, towel rail, shelving unit
Thursday - Bonnie's room, bedding/towels wash
Friday - hoover (ready for any visitors at the weekend!), wipe room doors, tidy up lounge, patio window area.

I feel really happy about this list.  I think it has pretty much everywhere covered now and the days seem do-able.  I also really like the mentality that I don't have to do everything for the day every week.  As long as some of it gets done and I do the most noticable and pressing bits for that day, then I will feel good.  For example today, Monday, I have looked through food in fridge, cleaned one door shelf, wiped entire front of fridge and freezer, cleaned microwave, wiped one cupboard door.

I found it interesting that I haven't put anything down for the weekends.  That did make me feel rather lazy this weekend, especially as John had a big sort of some places.  But I do think I want to try and keep weekends flexible.

Hope to come back with an update at some point.  It's three weeks till the summer holidays so I would definitely like to keep it up till then, but not sure what will happen after that.