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

[elliepac]

Morning everyone,

I didn't know if pmpy would get on today and I didn't want the thread to run out of space for our chat housework musings so thought I would create another one.

Hope you don't mind pmpy!

Still can't post the longer message. Will see if it will let me post my list on its own (so will spare you all my rant about DD2 - glad to hear your DD's behaviour has improved, SC. Not the case here, unfortunately.)

Morning routine
Phone health insurance company, who haven't replied to my e-mail delegated to DH as I am a coward
Mission
15 mins decluttering in DDs' room
Polish mirrors
Menu planning done
Make shopping list
Clean out fridge
Finish letter
Afternoon routine
DD1: letters x2
DD2: letters x3
DDs: Music theory homework
Send school photos to GPs
Pay kindergarten Bastelbeitrag
Pay friend for flowers for kindergarten teacher
Visit friends
Drop off DD2's friend's homework (assuming DD2 will actually bring it home)
Buy stamps online
e-mail friend re meeting up
Evening routine

It worked.

Someone is sending me the message that I need to be more succinct in future.

I went to bed too late too, but all in a good cause as dh and I watched a very good film together about Moliere (bit like Shakespeare in Love) after minor spat.
He has taken to having these junk fests with the boys and watch footballmatches with them late into eve, which throws all out of kilter, but I suppose as he says ITS THE HOLIDAYS! Still, we made up

Ds2 is overtired this morning and has had mini tantrum so far.

LIST
clear kitchen
take two kids to Multisports
ds2 is here this morning, and then joining them at Multisports this afternoon from 12.00pm
go to hospital with SIL as she needs someone to mind baby while she is there (briefly)

dd friend to play at 4.30
out for dinner this evening at friend's
babysitter booked

MissJ good luck with today's lineup and the swimming
SC what is your carnivalcostume plan?

will see how morning goes and try and fit some other things in depending on mood of ds2....

Your tea did the trick, Linzer. I have made a list at last:

Breakfast
Unload d/w
Put washing on
Get dressed, wash hair
S&S
Get boys dressed (before midday)
Crisis clean
Clean fridge
Tesco delivery due 11 - 1pm
Lunch

That will do for now....

Oh yes, managed to get twins to do half an hour's work on projects yesterday. phew.
that's what I need to do with ds2 this morning, half an hour of concentrated work. plus 5 mins of piano

toffee love the get the boys dressed bit! It is soo like that here. I need to get dressed too I really do feel like a zombie this morning.
Not, unfortunately, a prancing steed SC
Moliere film had a fantastic method acting bit about horses

Linzer dd was sweet all yesterday, preparing for skating, pickup, doing her project. I made a real effort to be very nice to her, and it worked (partly because her day had gone well), except at bedtime when she went off the rails again, I think due to over tiredness. I really struggle with dd and setting boundaries, and knowing how far to give in to her demands. She needs so much cuddling but at the same time can be downright rude, and I never quite know how to respond to her rudeness, whether to ignore it, or crack down. I think your dd is younger isn't she?

swan Yes, DD2 is 6.5 and has been at the terrible two stage since she was about 15 months! She is also very affectionate and can be lovely when she's in the right mood, but is liable to erupt if something doesn't go the way she wants it to. Like your DD, she is also far worse if she's tired.

I had thought she was gradually getting better, but she had two major tantrums before school this morning. I normally try to ignore her, but I just don't have the time to wait for her to calm down in the mornings (we were late getting to the meeting point today, so I had to drive the DC to school). A sticker chart helped for a while, as did talking to her about it when she was calm, but I'm at the end of my tether with her sometimes.

poor you Linzer I sympathise completely, sometimes it seems like the whole day is turned upside down by one person's moods. It doesn't seem right that they hold everyone else to ransom. I think sometimes dd feels tense about school, and she will find some problem or issue to pick on to discharge this emotion, it's almost as if she needs to have a tantrum to feel better.
Mostly she is quite easy to get to school nowadays, and has been a dream getting ready to go to Sports, even to extent of making her own lunch

done
dropped off two
piano practice ds2 x 1 (sounds good!)
read a football story with ds2 although he was resistant and wanted to go on Wii!

now I think I need another cup of coffee, real this time. Still feel like a zombie unfortunately.

Also, when I think clearly, I see that for dd tantrums have become the way she thinks she will get her hapennysworth of attention. It has become for her a very simple way of getting everyone to "listen".

I have found you!! You can't get away from me forever!!

Mucho excitement here today. Firstly I am waiting for a delivery of a Miele cat and dog hoover! It had better live up to all your hype. I am expecting a perfect house by bed time tonight!!

Also today is officially Christmas day in Positive household! DD1 has arrived after not being able to get here over Christmas. So lots of cooking and eating and merriment - ........very possibly not much time for hoovering, making my perfect house even more unlikely!

Off to catch up on the thread a bit, but will probably not be able to return today, so see you all tomorrow.

Hmmm, took dh's car to the garage this morning (did a bit of shopping while waiting) but since then have been sitting in front of the computer reading mumsnet threads about books to read. And I've ordered four of them! Tidying the house is not going to get down if I sit here all morning and read all evening!! Will I never learn?

Lunch break (well, it is here)

Yay PA was wondering what you were up to! How's tricks? I must say though that your hoover love-fest fixation is starting to worry me ... Have a great "Christmas" with your dd1!!

I too have submitted Amazon order this morning Longtime - least urgent thing on my list of course. Have you tried Fat Fairy 15 min timer method? It's intended to focus efforts. I'm torturing encouraging myself with it this morning.

Linzer sympathies over your dd..if you remember I was posting exactly same as you a couple of months back (just saying this to provide "hope" not to be insufferably smug!!). Wasn't down to anything we did anyway - except for cancelling most extra-curricular activities. Hang in there, it will get better x

Swan it is particular infuriating when they kick off after day in to which you have put loads of effort ..really know that feeling of frustration ... sometimes with dd it's like nothing is ever enough ie the more you do with/for them, the worse the behaviour.

Hands steaming of oomph over to Toffee

Right, better go and actually eat lunch and then start again. As Molière would say, I thrive on soup not fine words (or some'at like that anyway [confused)] That was specially for Swan that was

Meant to say earlier, glad you are feeling better Ihate

Stillchuckingit, I guess I'm supposed to set a timer for 15 minutes then stop what I'm doing? I'll give it a go!

List for this afternoon:

drop dd back off at school
Thai Embassy for ds's visa
Ring to arrange ds's course/hotel
Ironing
Load washing machine

I think I should stop doing so many things for my dc's!

And, Stillchuckingit, it sounds like you're at work so you have an excuse. I don't! Most of my students are on holiday this week too!

Glucose tolerence test complete and after 14 hours with no food, I can eat lunch. (and no more trips to docs today )

To Do

• Eat!!
• Washing in washer and towels from late night wash to dry
• Swimming lesson (Fingers crossed for a better one than yesterday)

-Pick up DD - she is at gp's today

• Shop for a few mid week bits
• Tea - southern fried chicken quick tea today
• an hour on uni work
• Another 15 minutes on main bedroom and clothes pile
• Yoga this evening

Hope everyone is well, off to catch up on thread whilst I eat

Long-time

see baby-step (yuck term) no. 10 here

I think the idea is that one frantically tidies, declutters, dusts or whatever is necessary for 15 mins and then sits down for 15 mins and rests/Mumsnets/drinks coffee for 15 mins until timer goes off again, and then you do another burst of activity for 15 mins and so on; alternating between work and leisure.

Flylady uses same principle for decluttering techniques (that fling boogie thing - another yuck term), and washing and meal prep, in fact anything one can't face.

It works well if you have a huge, overwhelming room to declutter and no huge corresponding chunks of time in which to tackle it. Flylady suggests in this instance just decluttering 15 mins a night. (Flaw with this is that my dh can undo 15 mins of decluttering in approx 2 mins, but that's the theory anyway!)

Currently, I am trying to lose weight and I'm finding it useful saying to myself "I can control what I eat for 15 mins" by which time (touch wood) urge to snack has gone away.

In summary (sorry, not expressing this very succinctly!) it's a pyschological trick to change one's attitudes to tasks. Scroll down to bullet points here: www.flylady.net/pages/New_Attitude3.asp

Right, my timer has gone off .....must dash ...

Enjoy your lunch MakingChanges!!!

The heating is fixed! And I managed to restrain myself from getting overexcited in front of the plumber (didn't want to embarrass either him or the kids )

Meanwhile, I managed to get the dishwasher done, finish the washing, tidy up, and after the plumber had gone, we went shopping.

So I'm actually having time to relax at the moment! Until time for dinner, that is.

And we lost the darts match last night (but only by a narrow margin).......

Woo hoo darts, you be all nice and warm now!!! :)

Hope everyone is having a nice day. My headache is finally thinking of going, so haven't got much done. Didn't feel up to going swimming today. We did go for a tiny walk though.

Darts cheers - the misery of a cold house [brrrr] I think my plumber finds my enthusiasm alarmning too when he's fixed things

Spent most of day with SIL and baby in hosp clinic, and generally rushing around trying to pick people up or drop them off, (or their lunchboxes) Am officially TIRED, and not quite sure what's for dinner [sigh]
A friend has invited us for dinner, but not some one we know well, so more stress there at thought of socializing, and tidying house for babysitter.

done
dw
reloaded
swept floor
wiped table
big new pile of recycling [grrr]
helped SIL (she was v.grateful)
exercise ?? I think it counts
children much enjoyed sports
made a start on ds2's Titanic visit project

otherwise I think I'm two steps backward

todo
bin
cook spaghetti
wash salad
dress salad
lay table
bath sweaty dcs

hoover telly room floor for babysitter?

Evening everyone,

Glad you are feel a bit cosier now Darts

Hope your oomph returned Toffee!

Like Swan I feel a bit tired now but satisfied that I got a reasonable amount done today. Loads still to do but have made serious inroads.

Today:
morning routine inc. s&s, wm on, dw on done
declutter and tidy office and boudoir did fair bit
make 2 important phone calls done
Amazon orderdone
personal grooming done but need to dye Barnet Fair tomorrow
quick supermarket shop done
continue laundry done
start sewing Carnaval costume (or at least sort out pattern and materials etc)NOPE
sort 3 parcels + 1 letter for posting tomorrow half done

Have also cooked veggie burgers for supper (Thurs = veggie night) and finished afternoon/evening routine. Need to finish letter and parcels and then I can join dh on the sofa to watch mortified people weeping over truffles Masterchef ...

Then early to bed! See you in the morning ladies!

A no-fly day today.

DS and I have been to Oxford, his first time on a "normal" train. Busy day there, train back, walk to town to collect car, and back home. Followed by a long nap. So we're running very late here, he's just eating tea now . Still, he should sleep until a reasonable hour in the morning .

Morning routine done
Get ready to go done
Make beds done
s/s done
Have to wait for DH before I can leave as he's lost his keys done (so we had to catch the later train)
Busy day out with DS done
Nap done
Cook tea done (pasta and yesterday's leftover paprika sausage mix)
Tea doing
Bedtime routine
Evening routine

Tomorrow DS and I will be baking. A WI member is running a coffee morning on Saturday, and needs contributions. Her granddaughter asked her to have it in aid of "Dreamflight" for disabled and sick children, as the granddaughter has been a recipient.

Chocolate and marshmallow crispies are on the menu (lots of DS assistance), and a coffee cake.

Evening all

Here are tomorrow's links...

Tomorrow's babystep is to learn how the routines developed. There's also a testamonial here by Flylady herself explaining how she developed the system over the course of a year. It is a month by month account and tbh I was a little disturbed to read that she didn't add personal hygeine to her bedtime routine until June....

The mission for tomorrow is to spend 15 minutes decluttering your dresser. This took me about 30 last month , but on the plus side should be quicker this time round as it hasn't got too bad.

Friday night is date night for those of you with the time and inclination so have lovely evenings

The boys are in bed (DS1 not asleep, of course), DH is watching a film and I have finally caught up with today's posts.

Linzer - I see you gave up on your long post in the end! Sorry to hear about DD2's tantrums. I know how you feel - DS1 was a terror.

Swan - sounds as if you are coping with tantrums too. We only got on top of DS1's anger issues by using a very strict reward chart and having zero tolerance (he was 8 by then though). He still has his moments, but it is much better these days. Hope you are enjoying your dinner out.

PA - how lovely that your DD1 is home for a very late Christmas. Have a lovely evening. Oh, and hope the hoover lived up to your expectations.

Longtime - at you being distracted by MN and online shopping. We have all done it.

Still - thanks for the oomph.

Makingchanges - bet you are enjoying being able to eat again.

Darts - hurray! Your heating is fixed! Enjoy your lovely warm house.

MissJulie - hope you get some sleep tonight.

Ihate - sounds like you and DS had a lovely day out.

PMPY - thanks for the steps - and 'urgh' at Flylady's personal hygiene!

I have to say I never really found my oomph today, in spite of cups of tea from Linzer and Still. I think that may well have been down to me going to bed far too late. I watched a programme about 'The King's Speech', then got caught up in a programme about a model agency (I was fascinated by what a vacuous, self-centred bunch the model bookers seemed to be and felt so sorry for all the vulnerable girls (children) trying to become models), browsed MN, then did an online Tesco order that took much longer than I meant it to. I must remember the 'bed at a decent hour' step in future . Luckily, DH stayed at home today (the car is still at the garage, which meant he couldn't get into work) and he was very good at making up for my lack of energy. I think he could see I wasn't going to speed up today. I even had to have a nap later to get me through this evening.

Today's list:

Breakfast done
Unload d/w done
Put washing on done
Get dressed, wash hair done, eventually
S&S done
Get boys dressed (before midday) done - after lunch
Crisis clean nope
Clean fridge nope
Tesco delivery due 11 - 1pm DH put it all away
Lunch done

After lunch, I managed to take the boys out to the playground (even played football with DS1), then made cakes with DS2 on our return, before flopping into bed.

I am going to bed in a minute because I'm on sole childcare duty again tomorrow - DH is going to work and I have visitors in the morning. I really need to have some energy again.

See you all tomorrow.