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.

Manic day, but now seems to be under some sort of control.

Ended up "popping" in to work for nearly 4 hours this morning to get this admin stuff in a bit of order for colleague to take over when I am away.

I am now nearly all packed. House is sort of sorted, but major panic when the hoover packed up because I didn't realise a filter needed changing. so Toffee, you will be unable to hoover!! Had to dash to the neighbours to borrow hers for the bedrooms. Not brilliantly done, but better than it was.
DS discovered a hedgehog stuck in a bin bag. Much amusement and the poor thing has been followed around the garden all afternoon. I think we have adopted a new pet!!
I am now at the point of "Whats not done aint going to get done, so lump it!".
Why is preparing for a holiday so stressful?

Oh and to make me really happy DH has lost my debit card!! Wonderful timing!!

That will do for now. DCs are hungry and wanting tea......

PA - really sorry to hear that I won't be able to hoover . I agree - preparing for a holiday is enormously stressful, but made worse when you are mad generous enough to invite an unknown family to stay in your house whilst you are away!

Have managed to get through some more of my list. Just need to get dinner over and done with, sort the kitchen out, get the boys to bed as early as possible, then I can finish packing. I have adapted my usual holiday list and am just going through, ticking stuff off. I do love lists!

Evening all

Ellie my swimming lessons continue all summer but they are private 1-2-1's. DDs continue as well but I'm annoyed at hers because there has been none for the last two weeks (they are at Ponds Forge so stop when events are on) and now we will be away for the next two. It would be much easier if they stopped like her other after school activities do.

PA and toffee Enjoy your holiday (Not sure when you are going but appears to be imminent.

Well I loved Gnomeo and Juliet today - thought it was brill - Same can not be said for Meadowhell!! I got the thing I needed (And some I didn't thanks to DD) but by the end of it, I think we had both had enough. Was very to find that half of the food court was closed for major refurb (In the school Hol???) Anyway park on the way home restored happiness until DD fell off a swing. Came home and demanded DH pick up pizza on his way home and have napped for the last hour to try and get rid of my rather large headache.

Did manage to tidy DDs bedroom this morning though and do a load of washing as well as 15 mins in lounge but was out rather longer than intended.

Not sure if I will get chance to post in morning as on course all day and DH goes away tomorrow for two days so tomorrows list

• DD to GPs for day
• Find and attend training course and interview
• start to pack beach clothes that will not be needing before holiday
• load a few more books onto e-reader
• 15 mins spare room
• 15 mins dining room

Just need to find out my id docs for my CRB check for tomorrow and pack my bag for the training day and I'm off for a snuggle on the settee and an early night. I think DH is needing some attention - he is not happy at the moment.

Hope everyone is well and 'enjoying' the holidays

I've even done some ironing.

Ta da list:-
Swimming lessons
Dinner
Washing up
Changed our bed
Ironing of something that is not school uniform .
Collapse in.a heap

Time for a cuppa and tv!

evening all
I am sooo frazzled...keep thinking "once today is over it will let up a little" but it never does

today got up at 6am an started, was so busy all day managed to eat only an apple and a cereal bar...untill i finally got back in at 8.15....have now eaten and am having 1/2 hour collapsed on sofa but still have more to do before bed

Ta da (to cheer myself up)
up, dressed
washing hung out
wm loaded and run
dc up and breakfasted
6 beds stripped
washing hung out, bedding in WM
kitchen tidied
full lounge clean:tidied, cleaned windows, dusted, de-cobwebbed, hoovered including behind sofas,washed down doors, skirting and woodwork
to work 1/2 hour early (advantage of no school run )
MAD busy day at work(no time for lunch or even toilet break!!)
left work at 4.30 to go straight to appointment for DD3 at Dyslexia service
Finished app at 6.15 went straight to toy shop for last pressies for dd for tomorrow
Home
beds remade
ate dinner
washing sorted
WM re-loaded and run
ate square of dark choc...feel need for whole bar

so still to do:
hang out washing
re-load wm and run
wrap dd pressies
review diary and work out what I'm doing tomorrow
collapse into heap in bed for a few hours until its time to start all over again!!

will try to be better at individuals tomorrow .... sorry...

oh, yes thanks mc presentation went well....boss was v complimentary...so at least that's over! good luck with training day

Managed to get the DC to bed at a decent hour (although allowed DD1 to go into my bedroom to read for a while and completely forgot about her; she came downstairs at around 9 pm looking very bleary eyed to say she was going back into her own bed!) so should really have made the most of my DH-free evening to either a) tidy up, declutter and catch up on all the other things that get neglected with the DC at home all day or b) have an early night with my book. However, I sat down at the computer after putting the DC to bed and am still here.

Anyway, just wanted to wish Toffee and PA lovely holidays - don't forget we're expecting regular reports, Toffee (it's a shame you're not doing a complete house swap!). You must be devastated about the hoover.

Toffee Re the running, I haven't noticed much difference in my fitness when doing everyday stuff (probably because my lifestyle is far too sedentary ) but the fact that I can now run for 30 minutes non-stop when even running for a minute used to take a huge amount of effort does make me feel a lot more positive. It was also a huge effort to force myself out of bed this morning MC - I may even have to start running in the evenings (during the school holidays at least) instead of collapsing on the sofa with a glass of wine.

linzer I tried morning running for a while...but then I was off running for 3 weeks with an injury and when I came back to it I just couldnt face the thought of 5.30 am runs any more...think I prefer evenings...although you do sort of have it hanging over you all day then!
Talking of which no time for my run today (though legs still slightly stiff from Sundays race) so must get out for good run tomorrow eve...

oh and yes...happy holidays to all those going away...very my office companion is off on holiday tomorrow too...not fiar...hmph .......(enjoy!)

ofm what you did before breakfast would class as a day's work chez moi! i truly don't know how those of you with large familes eg pa and yourself cope. 2 dc's and full time teaching kills me.

Quick fly by to say happy holidays to pa and toffee. toffee looking forward to the gossip on pa's house . pa have a wonderful time on your jollies!

Ta-da list

Usual stuff, DW, washing up etc.
Not a lot else, just decluttering really, I am trying to rid the house of piles of paper that seem to have built up everywhere (again). Did go to work though, plus yet another session in school garden, harvesting last bits and digging out spent broad bean plants etc.

Last day of school here today, seems to have been a very long half term. The DCs have taken it all in their stride but they are definitely ready for their break now, as am I.

Linzer - I can't seem to force myself to do morning running at all, maybe at the weekend going out at about 9, but not really early. Evenings are tricky to fit in with meals, DCs bedtimes and stuff though, also I never know what time DH is going to get back from work. Don't know what the answer is really. My last few runs have been shorter again (20-30 mins) partly I think because I'm only managing once or twice a week, partly because there is only one level route around here and I'm bored of it so I have been varying it but having to do hills (not very big ones but it does make a difference). Have got my resting heartbeat down from 83 to 73 over the last few months which I'm pleased about, and definitely feel the difference when running around playing football with DS. {have PM'd youknowwho tonight, no reply yet}

So tired, need to go to bed

WhoKnows and OFM I'm def. more of a morning runner but 6 am was early even for me (I normally go at around 8 am after the school run). However, if I want to go running during the summer holidays I either need to go out first thing (before DH leaves for work at around 7 am) or in the evenings (not an option today, with DH away). Today's run wasn't great, as I had a bad stitch for the first 1.5k and so ran very slowly (about 1k less than usual), but I've downloaded some new running songs to my iPod so am hoping they'll inspire me on me next run!

Well done on the heartrate WhoKnows and hope you get a reply to your PM (and, more importantly, receive the remaining books!). Tbh I wouldn't be devastated if I didn't get mine back as it was one I bought second-hand - I didn't want to send on anything I would have been sorry to lose as I know books do go missing - but it means a quarter of the books have gone MIA before we're even halfway through.

Really must go to bed now. I only came upstairs to switch the computer off but had to reply to a work enquiry (had to turn it down as I just can't work with the DC around, and we'll be away from Saturday anyway) and then thought I'd quickly check the threads I'm on... At least I don't have to be up early tomorrow; I just hope that DS isn't up at the crack of dawn. Hopefully the DC will all have a lie-in tomorrow as they were all tired from last night's sleepovers.

babystep is meal planning

declutter in the living room or mission

Wednesday is antiprocrastination day

Only just off to bed - far too late, I know, but somehow, even with a list, packing takes forever (particularly when trying to get DC to go to bed as well). And I was determined to leave the house vaguely tidy, which was challenging as DS2 had scattered two boxes of Lego and Playmobil all over the sitting-room floor again. The house is looking OK now. It's just me that's looking wrecked .

Will report from my new venue tomorrow evening!

Thanks for all the good wishes.

Morning all! We are quiet this morning.

Another productive morning from me .

So far:-

Breakfast
Washing up
Ironing
Banking/budgeting (August expensive month holiday plus DS birthday)
General tidy (which has now been destroyed by DC in living room, though they were suspiciously quiet and find they have taken all the cushions off the sofa and made a den )

To do:-

Park
Lunch
More ironing
More washing
More putting away
DS's room

Back later!

Ooh! I'm the first on here this morning!

Ta da!
Stripped beds
Boys to CM (yay!)
Washing on line
Weeding and garden tidying
Hacked back all the bushes that were almost blocking the path in front garden
Work related emails
Emailed ebay seller about wii game with scratched disc :(

To do:
Work
Dusting (inc y'day and today's missions)
Tidy bedrooms
Filing
Wipe mirrors
Laundry away
Zumba!

Hope everyone's having a good day, and happy holidays. I'm off for a before I get cracking.

Oh, x-p with Ellie.

Sorry to steal your thunder blue

Had a lie-in until 8.30 this morning (the DC were up about an hour before me but only disturbed me once, when DD1 needed the password for the laptop), which was probably a mistake as I've had absolutely no child-free time. I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the summer holidays are incompatible with having an even halfway tidy home.

Quick list:
Tidy away lunch things
Swish & swipe
Ironing

Not much flying today, life has got in the way again.

Had a message on ansaphone to call solicitor this morning - I hate that, as its never good news. Anyway phoned, she was busy, would phone me back, so I spent the morning puttering around waiting for the phone, and not doing things which would take me out of hearing distance. (DS is not impressed, as I was due to take him to DM's this morning to stay overnight with her).

Nearly lunchtime before I get phonecall, more hassle that I don't really need. Sort out the immediate problem, then take DS to DM's. Come back to try and sort out rest of it - included me phoning a dr's surgery to ask whether they could check if a relative of mine who lives opposite them is still alive! They, obviously didn't want to tell me anything, but when I said that I just wanted to know if I had to make the 100 mile journey over theren or not, and if relative was deceased could they advise next of kin that solicitor needed to know, she did tell me that she was sure everything was ok and I wouldn't need to make the trip.

So that's most of my day gone, and I've just had an email asking me to go into work tomorrow afternoon (I'd set that time aside for ME as I'm collecting DS in the evening but, such is life).

So, done
Morning routine
Make beds
s/s
Wash up
Pack DS bag
Wait around for phone call
Putter around doing bits and pieces
Phonecall and immediate aftermath
Take DS to DM's
Sort out DM's stuff - phonecalls etc
Post Office - post DP's parcel, collect CB
Put washing on line
Pay playgroup salaries, and sort ready for post
Sort out rest of solicitor stuff, and email solicitor when done
Agree to go into work tomorrow
Putter on MN rather than getting on with anything

To Do
Work on my quilt blocks for class tomorrow
Zone cleaning/decluttering
Zone mission
Cook tea - yesterday's leftovers
Evening routine
Clean washing away
Washing on airer

Evening all,

Sorry to hear about your time being messed up by the solicitors Cobwebs hope it all get sorted out quickly.

Linzer - I know what you mean, first day of hols here, I felt as though the DCs were making mess faster than I could tidy it up.

Waves at everyone else.

A nice day here, the DCs are going to be going to quite a bit of childcare over the hols so I can go to work, so we're grabbing a lazy day when we can. Telly was on till about 10.30, after I decided to put it off things were a bit frazzled for the first hour or so, both of them wanting me to play different games with them, while I wanted them to play together so I could tidy, but all settled down pretty well by lunchtime. They have played loads of board games, done jigsaws, a bit of time in the garden, a walk to town and the park this afternoon, as well as time on the Wii and computer while I made dinner. Also Hama beads. DS has been doing Hama beads practically every day for the last month or so again, which is great in that it's good for his coordination and keeps him quiet, but they get everywhere.

Anyway, let's have a look at todays ta-da list.

Two lots of clothes washed and dried
Shower curtain - hot wash with vinegar to descale it and the WM
Coffee machine descaled
Various hotspots put out, mainly paperwork piles
Birthday card posted
Shopping (odds and ends) done
Bathroom cleaned (not v.thoroughly)
All kitchen counters wiped
Sink shined
Inside of oven doors cleaned
Thorough clear out / clean out of fridge, chucked lots of half empty jars of olives, sauces etc and cleaned the interior

Work tomorrow, and the DCs are going to their GPs for a couple of days.

Ta da list:

Ferry to IOW
Visit Ryde
Meet PA, her DH, five children, two cats and two rabbits!
Attempt to look like responsible adults that you would wish to leave in charge of your house and pets
Wave off PA and family
Unpack whilst DC play on Wii (we don't have one at home, so they loved this)
DH to supermarket whilst DC play football in back garden
Meet next-door neighbour to retrieve said football from her garden. She gives DS2 a freshly laid egg from one of her hens
Feed cats and rabbits
Dinner
Telly
Bedtime routine

We have had such a good day. The boys love it here. Not sure what we're going to do tomorrow - maybe visit Robin Hill.

Cobweb - sorry you've had such a wasted day. Must be so frustrating.

Sorry - no energy left for any other messages. Off to bed now.

Yeah, I know. It's late. I'm crap.

Linkies:
babystep is to look after your nutritional needs

zone is the living room, mission

Thursday is errand day

Night.

Good morning from the IOW. Beautiful, sunny day here .

One of PA's cats 'ordered' DH to get his breakfast this morning! DH was making himself a coffee, but the cat jumped up on the worksurface and insisted on having his breakfast first.

Have fed the boys. Just need to feed the rabbits, then we are getting dressed and going out. Planning on visiting Robin Hill today.

Morning all! Waves to toffee on IOW!

Tis a beautiful day here too in Lincolnshire!

The plan for today mainly consists of maintenance tidying and a crack at Ds's bedroom. He slept at MIL's last night so DD and I have had a very relaxed morning so far, she's so lovely when not competing for attention!

Am about to get cracking. Am getting there with the house, 4 days until we go away so have a finite amount of time to get there! On the positive side I only have 2 loads left to do and the washing will be all up to date and only 1 pile of ironing left to do!

Have a gorgeous day everyone!