Fledglings flying though July into the summer.

[ColdHeartedBitch]

Roll up, roll up. tis the month of school fetes, sports days and annual reports. In all this flurry of extra activities and with the summer holidays hurtling towards us at rapid speed, now is the time to tame the chaos before our very special chaos creators are able to help us. Fully intending to beat the Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome so that my personal chaos creator can be occupied by others this holiday. Good luck to all to are also striving to achieve this.

Starting from the 1st of the month we shall be fluttering our way to tamed houses. If you are new to the system it is recommend that you focus on making the babysteps your main focus. The babysteps will build up to form routines to help you to stay on top of the house once you have discovered it. First step is to shine your sink. But not just half heartidly, deep clean til it shines Instructions here

For the more established flyer we then progress onto decluttering. 15mins each day in alloted zone of the week. New zones each week. and current zones and decluttering instructions can be found here Zones will automatically update for July.

As for the advanced flyer, there are missions to do each day in the current zone

We have one rule we are NOT perfectionists anything is better then nothing, real life gets in the way and we have to do other stuff other then cleaning (put it on your list, tick it off and :) ), besides the fat fairy's moto is "You are never behind"

As such take the vomit inducing cuteness of the website with a pinch of salt, and join us for wish lists formally to do lists , ta da lists and home bleurghs.

See you bright and early tomo although hopefully not too bright and early.

Hello, still here, just buried under a mass of end-of-term madness.
Last day today so need to pack DC off with cards and home-made goodies, make sure work is completely caught up as it will be a bit 'as and when' over the next 6 weeks and try and tidy up the house a bit - could be ambitious

Have managed to book flights to N Ireland for next Weds for DC and I and need to fit in vet, dentist (40 mile round trip but SO worth it!) and packing before then. So much for relaxing start to holidays!

morning reastie sympathies
absolutely dire here today!!
DC in the worst moods I have ever witnessed. So far dd2 has thrown a shoe at dd3 and dd1 has kicked dd2 screaming and tears a-plently!
I am feeling distinctly ill...stomach churning and alternating boiling hot and freezing cold.
Still, am finishing work at lunch time.then off till Monday so at least I can just focus on house/family chaos till then!
DD1 leaving assembly this afternoon
then dd1 leaving mass tomorrow, also "wheeled toy " day today so have to attempt to fir dd2 huge scooter into tiny boot...
even dog seems in a grumpy mood growling at some imaginary foe out of the window

will BBl if I survive that long....off for caffeine top up!

OFM - oh dear, it's definitely time for a holiday in your household! I hope you feel better soon - poor you .

Yesterday wasn't a Flying day after all. It was full of people to meet and a dental appointment for me in the middle of it. So TODAY is Flying day in this house as I want to get it sorted before the holidays start.

Re: PA's statement:

...the lady who is going to be here while we are away will probably be better at maintaining [my house] a la flylady than me!

That's me! PA has generously offered us the use of her house in the IOW whilst she and her family are abroad. So, next week, I will be Flying from PA's house!

(PA - your DH is very optimistic about my housekeeping skills ).

Right, my list for today:

Get ready for school routine
School run
Tea with friend (ahem - not exactly housework, this one)
Shop at local shops (thanks to losing an entire Tesco online order last night - )
Book hotel for DH and my anniversary
Hair test (for Sat appointment)
Emails
S&S
D/W
Put washing on
Put yesterday's washing away
(15mins ironing?)
Home thingy - 1 hour
Hotspots
Room rescues
Bedroom missions - all in one day
Lunch
School run
Phone MIL
Teachers' cards
Dinner
etc etc.

Didn't get to bed until midnight last night, which was partly my own fault as I stayed up for another couple of hours blitzing the house after I'd finished work. definitely needed this morning!

The DDs are back at their sports & games camp (I signed them up for the last two days) and it's DS's penultimate day at kindergarten, which only closes for three weeks in the summer, so I really need to get organised today and tomorrow. Somehow, however, half the morning has already gone and all I've achieved is a 5k run - I had to force myself to go out in the drizzle, but it was actually ideal running weather.

Think I need a list to motivate myself. Actually, I have a list on my iPod (Home Routines app) but I need to post it on here to force myself to actually get some of it done! Will be back to post it later once I've dried my hair (drizzle = frizz) and made myself a coffee.

Toffee I never guessed it was you looking after PA's house (although I did remember you were going) - how exciting! We will expect thorough reports of all the Flying that you do while you're there.

OFM Poor you, that sounds like a very stressful start to the day even if you weren't feeling ill. Hope the caffeine helps.

feetheart Sounds like you have a busy few days ahead of you; hope you're able to relax when you get to N. Ireland!

Blue Hope nursery sports day goes well. I used to have a love-hate relationship with sports day when I was at school (it was good fun but a bit demoralising always coming last!) and my mum seemed to hate it even more than I did, as she always refused to come and watch.

Right, must go and BBH my hair - back with a list in a bit.

I have gone on strike and spending today hiding under a pile of fluffy duvets. I shall be spending the day in the naughty corner nursing my injuries from the over training i have done this week. Ds has training tonight so still don't to escape the builing. Also ignoring anything to do with this wedding we are going to over the weekend. Failed to find something nice to wear (despite 6hrs of shopping trip over two days ) and making do with something from my wardrobe. really cba to go, but it is one of those where it is expected so no choice. So today i am going into hiding. If anyone asks I am doing some serious preparations for the festivities of the weekend

Good morning everyone,

TaDa so far:

• up at 6, all beds made/curtains opened shortly after
• s&s'd
• simple bagel breakfast done
• shoved some food in their packed lunch bags
• made sure they were dressed
• bundled them to the school bus 5 mins late again
• flaked out on the sofa

To do:

• blardy everything!
• sweep kitchen
• kitchen wiped
• wash up
• laundry in
• dryer on
• vacuum living room
• declutter bedroom
• sort/tidy dd and ds1's rooms
• put laundry away that's been sat on the chair in the kitchen all week

Can't be bloody arsed today tho. Ds2 switching between being lovely and cuddly then screechy and demanding. My very own Jeckyll & Hyde baby

Don't suppose anyone knows of trustworthy work from home schemes? Starting to feel guilty that my dh is effectively carrying the entire financial burden now that I'm a SAHM.

Whinge over

You've reminded me that I was intending to reread Flylady's book for inspiration, Toffee. Goodness knows I could do with it. I have so far:

Put DS's pillow in the WM (came back from my run expecting to be able to put it in the drier, but I'd forgotten to turn the water on for the WM )
Finally washed and dried DS's pillow
Washed yet more bedding and other laundry from our holiday
Drunk coffee and e-mailed some old primary school friends (FB is great for getting back in touch with people)

And now I need to leave to pick up the DC in five minutes. And then we're off to visit my English friend in the afternoon. Tomorrow has to be better.

Tulipsia I also sometimes feel guilty about DH carrying most of the financial burden (my earnings have been negligible so far this year). However, just think how much our DHs would have to pay someone to take care of the DC and housework - just because being a SAHM is unpaid doesn't mean it's not worth anything.

love the thought of toffee posting from PAs house and toffee filling us in on how gleaming pas house is . I would love to go on holiday and come back to a shiny spotless house please if anyone is offering [cheeky]

done a load of washing today but little else - we are having issues with my granparents (my grandad remarried about 20 years ago after my gran died and his 'new' wife is being put in a home miles from him by her daughters - poor grandad :( ) and I still think I'm a bit ill - really struggling energy wise and constant headache

Ta-da:
Washing done and clean stuff put away
Remembered to defrost sausages
Sports day attended
Some work
Lots of faffing about in the name of decluttering the study
Hoovered
Mopped floors

To do:
Lots more work (ha!)
Aldi shopping
Tidy desk
Pack up parcel
Cook tea
Various emails

Better get on then! Sports day was a bit mixed- DS1 devastated because he didn't win his race (he was 2nd!), nearly won the potato and spoon race but dropped it at the last second, refused point blank to do the obstacle race and then cried and had to be prised off the buggy by the teacher when I had to leave.

Sounds like an awkward situation reastie - your poor grandad. :(

Waves to all. BBL.

Have a shiny sink again! Also swept and mopped kitchen floor and tackled the kitchen hotspot for 5 mins. Hoovered house. Put old papers, cartons and bottles out for recycling. Emptied bin, then washed it inside and out because it looked grubby. Put our bedclothes in the washing machine so we can have a lovely clean bedroom after I've done all the missions.

Am hoping to do the missions when I get back, providing DS2 wants to watch telly (cross fingers).

Reastie - sorry you're still feeling ill and also have worries over your grandparents

BlueEyes - keep up the good work!

Back later.

evening all

sooooo tired......

dd leaving assembly lovely but , dd very
all dc V tired
nanny finished - slightly

Dh now officially broken up though Yay!
and no work for me tomorrow - double yay!

DD leaver's mass tomorrow, then I am taking her to buy jewelery for her leavers party (she finishes school at lunchtime)
other dc all finish at 3.15

then we are officially in school holiday mode
unfortunately have jam packed wk/end all needing to be different places at same time, with a too-small-car, and then I have big training day on Mon at which I am giving a presentation firsrt thing, so have to work on that at wk/end too....sigh...

one step at a time though hey!
my aim for tomorrow is: to still be alive by 3.15 and to wash our bedding - aim small LOL!!

May bbl when littlies in bed

Hi all

Trying to post something upbeat and cheery, but am a bit tired and lacking in inspiration so this will have to do instead.....

OFM - it sounds as if you have enough on your plate at the moment - good luck with all the concerts and with the preparation for the presentation next week.

Thanks, Push.

Everyone sounds exhausted. It's that end-of-term frantic thing going on.

Managed to do two of the missions this afternoon: throwing rubbish in a bin bag and putting fresh sheets on the bed. Aiming to do the other parts of the week's missions tomorrow, but I will still have boxes of junk piled up at the end of the bed .

Have just ordered DS1 off to bed - rather grumpily, as I need to finish the boys' end-of-term cards before I go to bed. And I want to go to bed right NOW .

It's DS1's leaving assembly tomorrow morning. He and I are both going, even though he effectively left the school some months ago. This means I need to get everyone out of the house on time, which is always a challenge.

Time to stick pictures on cards and stuff cards into envelopes, then will do the before-bed routine and go to bed at a decent time (for once).

Good night.

Is it just us who are still at school next week? We don't finish till Weds here in rainy Hampshire (actually Tues for us as Weds is an Inset day).

Still at least it gives us the weekend to get the teachers cards made.

No Flying to speak of accomplished here today, just a couple of loads of washing and a quick whizz round with the vacuum cleaner.

Tomorrow is a hectic day, tennis in the morning, the back to school early to harvest all the veg out of the school garden so it can be sold to the parents at the open classroom/parents evening type thing after school, attend assembly as DD is getting an award, attend open afternoon thing, then back to run the school disco at 5.30, I really need to do some paid work too, got a lot on at the moment.

Good morning,

My goodness, everyone is super busy at the moment, aren't they?

Linzer - very impressed with the 5K run, well done!
Tulipsia - I was the same for many years when I was a SAHM. (loved nearly every minute though ) I did dabble in making some crafty things - homemade cards, cross-stitch things, etc. But it was an awful lot of effort in the evenings when DCs were in bed for pennies! Plus I am not that good at asking for money, so would end up nearly giving them away. So, sorry, no ideas from me!
PMPY
OFM and Whoknows - both of you are so busy!! Have a good day!! And a for if you survive until this evening!

Reastie and Linzer - I am seriously concerned that I might have to go into hiding on MN after Toffee has outed my lack of housekeeping skills. Just dont forget everyone, that I will return and read everything that is written about my mess home in my absence!

Yesterday was day off, so ran round like a mad thing and got very little done!

TaDa so far:
tumbler loaded with smalls
whites wash on
ironing done
pets fed and watered

To do:
Washing on the line
sandwiches
breakfast
sort out dry washing
more ironing
sort kitchen
work - hopefully on time!
shopping after work
hoover
some serious dusting!!
Make birthday cake for DD4 - "party" tonight, birthday Monday, so she will need one for tonight and one baked on monday, too.
prepare house for DD4's birthday sleepover tonight. 5 x 14 year old girls - imagine lots of giggling, lots of food, lots of make-up, lots of hair styling, lots of DVDs, lots of noise, lots of mess!! - they are then off to ice-skating tomorrow.
Need to find some suitcases
start sorting out clothes for everyone
Get DS to sort his wardrobe out

Oh my goodness, can someone please stop time and give me a chance to get everything done!!

Right, off I go, have a good day everyone........

Morning all,

We're now a third of the way through the summer holidays, which have gone surprisingly fast so far. This may well have something to do with the fact that I haven't yet been at home with the DC on my own. This is about to change, however: I was arranging when to meet up with a friend next week, turned the page in my diary - and was to see a completely blank page for the week! How did this happen? I thought I'd been very organised about arranging things to keep the DC occupied and me sane. Oh well, I'm sure it will be good for us all to have a completely unplanned and unstructured week even though I will no doubt have been driven mad after a few hours days.

So today is my last child-free morning for a while. Then again, it probably won't be completely child-free as DD2 seems to have a UTI so I'll try to take her to the doctor's this morning (he's only there until 2 pm); will phone up for an appointment when he opens in half an hour.

I read an interesting article about to-do lists when I was on holiday, which suggested you should limit your to-do list for the day to the three most important items (and write everything else down somewhere else). I must admit I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed by my list lately so have been avoiding looking at it. Maybe restricting it to three items will help - I'll report back later!

To do:
Catch up on washing/ironing first load on
Finish unpacking
Phone paed

PA I'll swap you the five 14 year old girls for around ten preschoolers. It's DS's birthday (and party) on Sunday, and he's ridiculously excited. I'm not. (Oh, and if you find a way of stopping time, please let me know!)

control journal babystep

15mins decluttering in the masterbedroom or mission

friday's focus info

Yes please can we stop time. I need it too !

Huge waves to everyone! Welcome back Linzer!

leaving Blighty today (sniff)

bringing first group of visitors back with me, more arriving Mon

wracking my brains to imagine what state the house was in when I left. Don't think it was good ...

However, to continue Pushme's upbeat theme ...

We're off to the coast end of next week for a few days (weather permitting) so don't know when I'll be posting again but huge waves to everyone!

[stuffs jars of Marmite/swedes/salt & vinegar crisps in suitcase prior to return]

Hope you have a good trip back, SC. at you having been over in the UK; it's another two weeks before we head back. Only two more weeks without Cadbury's! Am having to console myself with hobnobs in the meantime.

Catch up on washing/ironing dry washing put away, 1st load in drier, whites in WM, ironing done
Finish unpacking almost
Phone paed done - appointment not until 1.15 pm so get a whole child-free morning after all

However, only about an hour left of said morning so must get on. After coffee.

This morning, I have managed to deliver all the teachers' presents and attended DS1's leaver's assembly, which managed to be both funny and very moving. DS refused to join his classmates afterwards, which saddened me, but I know he just found it all too overwhelming and wanted to get home. The song played at the end was 'Don't worry, be happy'. If only it were that simple.

I have a bit of time now to get some jobs done in the house (bedroom missions, maybe...), then it'll be time to collect DS2 and take him to his friend's birthday party.

Good luck everyone with the endoftermrushitis!

PA - as you will be coming back to your house after I've been looking after it, I promise not to out your lack of housekeeping skills if you promise not to out mine !

tulipsa will you let me know if you find any good work type things to do? I'm planning on returning to work in december but don't know if I'll manage for many reasons I won't mention here - am desperate to be a SAHM but also want a little income of my own to top up DHs wage.

PA we are all desperate to hear how lovely your house is - bet toffee will have a great week

Well I have cleared and mostly tidied the master bedroom this week and it's been really hard work making myself keep on top of everything in there but so far I've managed . Rest of the house is looking a tip questionable and I know I won't get much done today as decorating my mums bday cakes for her party tomorrow (cakes enough to feed over 50 people!). I'm feeling really sorry for myself today as continually getting debilitating cramps still related to coil (it seems my ibs doesn't mix well). It looks like I shall have to have it out soon as I can't even go for short walks or tidy the house before I have to go to bed crying in pain :( Moan over, apologies for that, it's just making me really down as that was the last thing on the contraceptive list and other than making myself ill on the pill again we have nothing left

Hi all. DS1 has finished nursery! He suddenly decided that he doesn't want to go into reception after all, but hopefully will forget that in a while...

Ta-da:
Laundry on line and clean stuff put away
DS2 and I walked to the post office - exercise, fresh air, free! - to declutter old phones
Old camera gone via freegle
Made beds
Cleaned walls - eraser sponges from Aldi are amazing!
Phoned kitchen fitter and booked a slot in Sept.
Arranged to declutter double buggy to local pregnancy choices - yay!

To do:
Boys to hairdresser - will be traumatic...
Lots of running around
Check all kitchen measurements
Cook tea - lasagne so lots of stages
Prepare for rejection of lovingly cooked tea
Work-related emails

Linzer - Do you have Schockohobbits in Austria? Like hobnobs but with a sillier name...

Waves to all - and for the end of term.