If your nest is cluttered and getting you down, join February's Fledgling Flyers and turn it around

[pushmepullyou]

Welcome to the February Fledgling Flyers' thread. A very big thankyou to ToffeeChristmasCake (who will presumably return under her non-Christmas name ) for seeing us through the thick and thin of January decluttering.

All flyers and fledgings old and new are very welcome - we have a fairly relaxed attitude to flying and take some of the babysteps - such as getting dressed to lace-up shoes - with a pinch of salt. We also strongly advise against signing up for the FlyLady emails.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's tips on restoring order to our homes, using one of the following methods:

1. Babysteps
2. Babysteps + 15 mins daily decluttering
3. Babysteps + daily missions

Following the babysteps helps to establish daily routines and build a weekly plan.

If you are overwhelmed by the mess in your home, start with just one thing: shine your sink. It's amazing what you can achieve by just doing a bit at a time!

Pleased be warned that my month's leadership comes with a bit of a caveat as I am due to have DC2 at the beginning of March so there is a chance I may disappear mid month! Thankfully Toffee has very kindly offered to deputise in the event of the unexpected appearance of DS .

Apologies to Toffee (and by extension Ellie) for blatant intro plagarising and thankyou to Nettie for the thread title

See you all in February!

EllieI want your ds - pocket money on craft stuff [pines]

OM Tangled is all about teenagers and their horrid mothers

no time now, need to make lunch before dh returns (he is 5 mins behind me [eek] with all children..we have done catechism, choir, violin, football and The Guardian.

Dishes, surfaces and sink done
Breadmaker on again
FINALLY fold the bloody laundry!
Tumble dry last wet load done
Tidy and hoover downstairs done
Mop floor in kitchen
Bin out done
Try not to throttle DS, who's just as knackered as I am but won't sleep even if he does get a chance, the little brute so far so good
Hope and pray DD is better company than she has been not really
Oh and express some milk at some point done

Getting there :)

Still's lie in

Have only just got up as I had an awful headache, verging on a migraine, all morning - DH thinks I may be affected by the foehn, a warm wind well known here for causing headaches. I'm normally quite sceptical about that kind of thing, but my headache was definitely far worse than it had been - and the toothache hasn't gone either.

Anyway, I think I'll limit myself to a bit of gentle decluttering this afternoon. DH has gone out to buy a wooden floor for DS's room (which he can apparently lay on top of the carpet), which we hope will help with his dust allergy, and the DC are currently being entertained by their new CBeebies DVDs.

Am so frustrated at how little Flying I'm managing to do at the moment compared with the rest of you, but am hoping I'll be back to normal soon!

SC Not sure what was causing the problems with the attachments - the agency had their IT person working on it, but I don't think it was the size of the attachments as even my invoice, which was only a few kb, didn't get through.
The semester holidays are staggered throughout Austria and our area + Vienna are the first to be on holiday; at least it's slightly later this year, as the holidays started on 30th Jan last year IIRC. Apart from just over a week off at Easter, that's it until the summer then - we just have one week off between the two semesters and the Christmas holidays otherwise (but quite a lot of bank holidays and ridiculously long summer holidays).

poor Linzer - pain of any kind and I give up completely or else become a floating zombie on codeine

dd has continued to be quite bad company, poor child (a visit to her violin teacher did cheer her a little - violin teacher had apparently had had four orthodontic ops as a child !)
took her to tile shop and picked up rest of tiles, and also bought a fashion designer kit with her in the hope of getting her to like craft a bit more

dh (kind but very untidy [grr]took boys off to park to play football theyhave returned covered in mud, house is complete tip, (including carefully reorganised hall) and all now watching Eragorn

I have been buyng more dustbin liners and washing powder...ho hum..

now feeling thoroughly grumpy (also hormones i fear) slightly improved by meeting one of my 7 year old catechumens (is that the word) in shop when I was just about to buy a large bar of nut choc. Resisted and pretended I was a charming kind grownup not a pyschopathic bad mother...

linzer now have visions of your dh staggering through the door with freshly felled planks from Alpine Forests and laying them over the carpet immediately!

Ouch linzer, hope you are feeling better soon and that you have some good drugs!

Not to rub it in swans face , but have had a lovely family afternoon painting, card making and play doughing, even dh joined in. Shepherds pie is in the oven, apple pie made and all is right with the world .

sc I actually laughed out loud at the vision of chb/lair and I swooping in on missjulie to stop her going crazy .

I shall be back later to assess the success of my day!

(((HUGS)))) for Linzer, hope you are back on form soon.

I have decided that this "time on your own" lark is very over-rated!! What am I supposed to do all day? I did some shopping, had lunch, cooked a curry which is now in the slow cooker for DH tonight. There is no point doing any baking as there is no-one here to eat it. I am officially bored!! I suppose I could actually do some housework, but its Saturday and its against my religion!
Sat here counting the minutes until DH comes home from work. Was nice waking up to an empty house this morning. Just me and DH, if you know what I mean.

No, I take back all I say about teenagers. I much prefer a full house with them all eating me out of house and home, making too much noise and lolling around the house making a mess. COme back, all is forgiven!!

I feel like throwing a party tonight, or borrowing someone else's teenagers to liven up the house. Any offers? Plenty of
for starters, yummy curry bubbling nicely....

Well, let's all hop over to pa's tonight for wine and curry as she cannot cope without her children. Quite lovely but quite insane . sounds as if you and dh are more than capable of entertaining yourselves .

Afternoon all! Very jealous of the empty house and me time!

I have been working (from home)today so very little flying done

But anyway here goes...

morning routine done
s and s bathroom done
work done
declutter car not done
wash school uniforms not done
hoover downstairs done
change bed sheets not done
mop kitchen floor done
basket of clothes away not done
pack swimming kits not done
dinner not done
evening routine not done

Lots still to do but I'm not finished for the day yet!

Be back to check in later

am sat in untidy lounge, surrounded by 5 DC going crazy...6th DC is upstairs sulking after earlier disagreement...so rapidly wrestles at least 3 DC into coat and shoes and packs off to PA (thanks for the offer ) for a day or 2.....

Dishes, surfaces and sink done
Breadmaker on again done but the dogs stole it!
FINALLY fold the bloody laundry! done
Tumble dry last wet load done
Tidy and hoover downstairs done
Mop floor in kitchen
Bin out done
Try not to throttle DS, who's just as knackered as I am but won't sleep even if he does get a chance, the little brute done
express some milk at some point done
walk in the woods done
plasticine sesh with DS done
collect script done

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah :)

Linzer, sorry you're not feeling better :(

As for you, PA, just about covers it!

hi everyone,

Well my to do list is here so where byut have spent most of the day running errands but oh well its saturday. We are running late for the kids dinner a homemade pizza which is just about ready to come out of the oven.
Will check in later to in the morning
happy Flying!

OVerflowing, I have lost the crown of mum to most DCs on this thread to you it appears! I have 5, all teenagers. Eldest turns 20 in August. How old are your darlings? The more the merrier I say!!

Dh now home and watching rugby!

ok... have almost survived the day LOL

not sure what was on my list (and cant be bothered to go back and find it!) but have done ...not much LOL

Done:
Asperger's activity club with dd3
washing X2
quick tidy round
lunch
made chinese paper lanterns and buuny rabbit chains with DC
chinese buffet style dinner
got cross with DS1 for coming back from town an hour later than agreed
sorted out fridge (as DH collected new (second hand) fridge for garage - so finally have enough space again!)

now am feeling V tired and still grumpy
also it has been pouring with rain all day so postponed 7 mile run till tomrrow

am hopefully going to spend some time reading book this evening...if I can stay awake long enough...

BBtomrrow

Evening any of you who aren't over at PA's - can just imagine an inpromptu fly party

OFM - Did enjoy placement by end of week - took a while to get into it -was nursery and 50 3-4 year olds all day was just not my thing -this is why i'm doing 5-11 years and not early years - managed to make all placement think illness was reoccurance of what happened last year when I was tired and was always fainting so really trying to get a few early nights in to catch up.

Well car has now cost me over £200 in two days which as a student I just don't have but at least its working again. Would have been about £400 if DH didn't know a mechanic. My lovely sister got up early this morning and took me and DD to dance class in return for breakfast. Have also managed to sort paperwork, go to hairdressers, sort out car insurance, wash clothes and go to library and get DD some new books. I have also booked myself 1-2-1 swimming lessons, the teacher rung to check I got the e-mail and caught me off-guard am not looking forward to that.

Going to tidy clean laundry and kitchen then a little telly watching before an early night.

Busy day of housework ordered by DH tomorrow

Hope you are all well and having a good weekend

PA oh, didn't realise you had 5 DC...admirable effort!!! No wonder you dont know what to do when they're all elsewhere!
Mine are 12,11,8,6,5 and 2(3 in April)
So...never a dull moment round here! Cant wait till mine are all old enough to be elsewhere once in a while LOL

mc 50 3-4 year olds would not be idea of fun either LOL
Hope your DH hasnt really ordered YOU do day of housework....
and hope early nights helps and you're soon feeling better.

doric - lol! No chance of me getting bored...not yet!!!

toffee - thanks for the praise! Have been soooo busy today!!!! Glad you are not a complete 'fairy'!!

stillchuckingit - Lol! You got me pmsl!!!!! Don't see you outside....yet!!! Really need your 'help', i think!!!

ellie - me thinks you're a fraud! Twas not meeeee you were having a stern talking to! - although after today, i wish it was!! Can you come back?!!!

Probs going to crash and burn!!!! - have spend 5 hours in the kitchen today peeling, rinsing, chopping, cooking, stewing, blending food for DD!!! Just got to cling film it up, label, freeze it, then start the blooming mammoth task of doing the dishes (and re-shining my sink........if i can still be bothered!!!!) Just sat down for a wee rest!!! (a sure sign that DD shall wake again!)

Hope all of you lovely ladies are having a lovely wkend, and not working too hard!

xxx

A Fly party sounds like an excellent idea, PA. Not sure I should be indulging in too much , but curry sounds good!

Gosh OFM - 6 DC, am impressed! It makes me feel quite embarrassed complaining about what hard work 3 DC are (it's far easier now, admittedly). Actually, the more children people have, the better they seem to cope IME - DD1 was at kindergarten with a boy who is one of seven, and his mother is one of the calmest and laid-back people I know. And she goes everywhere by bike...

ellie We do have drugs, but I'm trying to avoid taking them as I get rebound headaches - I was very, very tempted this morning however. I think I'll have to give in if my headache is still that bad on Monday morning, when we'll be taking DD2 and DS to their skiing course.

We've had quite a relaxing afternoon - well I have, at any rate; I decluttered DS's clothes (he had 38 T-shirts!) and hung up the washing, which somehow seemed to take all afternoon. DH, in the meantime, decided that the carpet in DS's room needed to be taken up after all and has now laid half the floor (planks of wood from the local DIY store, swan!). He is utterly exhausted now, says his back is killing him and is recovering in the bath.

Must do some tidying up now, as I've been putting it off all day (decluttering seemed like the more attractive option). I may then be tempted by a very small while we watch the Apprentice final (although all the suspense has gone out of it for me since I spotted who the winner was in the newspaper at Christmas, despite my mum writing a note on the front telling me which pages to avoid...).

waves muddy football socks at Ellie menacingly

being at a loose end, and slightly pyschopathic mood I decided to do chopping of garden branches. Large heap, very satisfactory. The trick is to start as darkness is falling then you don't have to clear up.

New PE shoes for ds1 bought
Tasty tomato sauce done
pancakes done
kids supper done
dd ate some done
aubergines roasting for dh supper done
children in calm mood done
dd is showing interest in her fashion design done
long chat with MIL on phone done

PA hardworking friend (who has her own business)rang up (with three teenagers who had all gone off to visit friends)..she was thoroughly bored too, and said she was crocheting up the ends of different coloured wool to pass the time.

OFM you will be glad to hear dh is back to his usual grumpy state of weekend-itis

Evening all,

PA my DCs go off to GPs for a sleepover every couple of months, and I always feel a bit weird and lost without them, especially around their bedtime. Undisturbed lie-in the next day is lovely though.

Linzer - enjoy The Apprentice, hope the headache improves.

Ellie apple pie sounds yum, haven't had one for years. We don't do puddings much in this house, DH and I are fat enough already, DS won't eat any of them, so poor old DD misses out a bit.

Nice day here, swimming lessons this morning, followed by lunch and some outdoor play (frisbee and bubble chasing, there is a big green near our house and we go out on windy days and blow bubbles so the DCs run themselves ragged chasing them). Then to the cinema to see Tangled, which despite my general hatred of films for children was quite good. DS tends to sit on my lap at the cinema, I do like a good snuggle with him. Slow cooked braising steak for supper, which both DCs refused point blank to try, but that just leaves more for the grownups.

to or not to ....that is the question....it is tempting me....can I resist?????

swan DH seems slightly less grumpy here today...odd...or maybe actually it is just that I may be slightly less irritable...who knows!!

OFM not ordered me to clean - ordered us to clean apparently its a mess cos i've been ill, exhausted and at school. Don't know why he couldn't do anything though

Job list for tomorrow

• Gym for more torture
• DD to swimming
• 3 x washing
• Iron uniform for Monday
• Clean up spare (dumping) room
• online shopping
• Hoover throughout
• pop to shop for things for lunches for beginning of week until can online shop
• clean out fridge
• clean dining room
• Tidy up toy in lounge
• Uni work - reflection on nursery placement and prep for special school placement next week
• Work out how to sell onebay and put some things on there and amazon to sell
• Online banking - will have this face
• Turn up school trousers x 2

That will do

I did better today than yesterday - but that isn't difficult as I was out of the house pretty much between 9am and 11pm so didn't do anything.

Today I

Shined my sinks
made the bed
did 4 loads of laundry
put away 5 loads of laundry (note not the 4 loads I did today!)
Did yesterday's mission in hallway - and in seeking out cobwebs ended up spending 45 minutes in the forgotten corner of the hallway where a couple of dying houseplants live - revived and dusted house plants and cleaned behind them.

The afternoon was spent doing some council work, before going to an auction to buy furniture, loading up furniture, stopping off at the supermarket as I'd run out of washing powder, coming home to make the lasagne (DH made the component parts but was busy with the rugby)

I am now with

Am also with . Was going to abstain after enjoying some last night, but - well, I haven't. Am not sure how many glasses I've had now, actually .

Playdate went a bit haywire at the end. It was going so well that the playmate's mum decided to go shopping for an extra hour - cue: breakdown! DS had suddenly had enough of playmate and hid under the bed, wailing. I must, must, must stick to two hours maximum from now on!

I haven't had much of a list today. I did my morning routines and one load of washing, but now there is a kitchen full of dirty washing up and a basket full of clean laundry. I'm not sure I cba to do any of it tonight. It is my lie in tomorrow. Perhaps I will leave it all to DH for tomorrow .

Thanks to those who posted on my other thread. I think that has preoccupied me a lot today. How on earth am I going to Fly with an 11-year-old to educate? I suggested a cleaner to DH, but that went down like a lead balloon and, anyway, I know we don't have the money. DS will have to become a Flyboy!

Flyboy has just sat down next to me and is trying to read what I'm writing so I will sign off!

(Might have another glass of too!]