Working our way through the babysteps - the new installment of the back to school flylady thread

[Carrotsandcelery]

Hello again everyone! This is the new thread for us as the old one was getting a bit unmanageable.

Yes dd is fine now.
I am going to try the water and washing up liquid and see if that will work.
I have:
done breakfast
got dressed
made bed
done a bit of washing up
one load of washing done
cat litter tray
Hoovered dining room and hallway
Now stopped for a rest

I think we might be in for some strong winds too(we are in northwest Eng)
I don't like it when it gets very windy.

Littlemiss I hear you have the remnants of a hurricane heading your way I do hope you and yours stay safe, our lot miss it all by miles, east mids.

so far today I have done:-
got dressed
made bed
put asda shopping away, and had to clear another cupboard for tins...oops
decorated nan's cake muffin
prepared veg
put chuck in oven
put cushion covers back on, 1 week and there filthy gggrrr
done a load of laundry, cleared bedroom floor in the process
and I'm guessing seeing as dinner is all prepared I assume I already did today's baby step .

I am really looking forward to this week. I have purchased my rug for the living room and have found a very reasonable, and gorgeous electric fire for £50 quid off ebay. So I will be changing the lounge around to suit the fire place, it goes very nicely with decor, squeak - excited!!! . I knew saving all my avon earnings would come in handy around this time of year!.

That's a very good babystep - for DD's dinner in the week especially. I'm forever looking at the ingredients in the fridge and thinking - hmm this would go with some chicken had I got it out of the freezer last night....

I am going back to meal planning but making it more of a budget this time as we are a bit strapped and have £££ things we want to save up for.

The dcs love it if they can open the cupboard and look at the menu and somehow don't argue with it if it is written down - as if I have no control over it either

I wish I was better in the kitchen. I need to do a list of what we have got (I do this so I don't have to keep moving things to see whats at the back or underneath)
I would love to know how to be better at meal planning. I'm guilty of leaving things till last minute then trying to decide what to have.
I'm sat here procrastinating at the mo (or maybe I've just run out of steam!)

LittleMiss you could try bicarb soda - oh just noticed Robots post. It gets rid of the smell. Used it in the car and it was great. Years ago when I last had the carpets cleaned the man who did it said avoid Vanish carpet stuff as it foams so much (sorry not much help mentioning it now!). He suggested baby wipes.

since my last post I've decluttered my wardrobe, children's games cupboard and DH did his wardrobe. Sink still shining, Sunday lunch nearly ready and on Day 16.

Even DS sold a load of his games and bought a new one with the proceeds. Result as now he can close the draw in his bedroom!

Unfortunately although the house is clean and tidy of adult stuff toys everywhere and in laws arrived to usual chaos, despite me having told them on the phone the other day how great it was all going :(

Oh x post! let's swap weeks menu I'm so bored on ours, are you up for it?

littlemiss why not start by making a list of all the meals you usually cook & choosing from that? I like to try to make something new every week, but have fallen into a bit of a rut lately. There's usually some kind of menu plan swap thread going on over on the recipes/food board

In the style of bessie these are my menu plans for earlier in the year here They are more winter fodder but it is beginning to head that way again up here so some of them are appropriate again.

I/we have achieved more than anticipated today.

Dd was packed off to tidy her bedroom so it is now tolerable. Having dug out her winter clothes I got her to try them on and very little (ie two things) still fit, which prompted a moving of summer clothes into storage for the winter and going through of the rest of the stuff in her wardrobe.

A large amount is now hanging on a rail ready to sell. She is devastated but I am trying to console her by pointing out that if we manage to sell it then there will be money for a couple of new items. Poor kid

On a plus note, she now has half a chance of finding things in her wardrobe.

And she got new shoes, boots and trainers today so it was not all bad

Carrots and bessie you are just soooo organised, thanks for the ideas. I'm learning..

Hi everyone, checking in late as have had a busy day. I hope our dd is better littlemiss there must be something in the air as dd was sick last night too, poor thing was up from 1 till gone 3, seems absolutely fine today, but this is the third sickness bug she has had in 6 weeks, she has gone from never ever being sick (not even possetting, we were so lucky!) to what feels like loads of the stuff!! I really don't know if I need to see the doc about it, I know they will probably say it's a virus, but she has been fine inbetween, just has been every few weeks she is being sick.
I second bicarb though, works a treat.
Today's babystep I already do, I am pretty good at it, but I do tend to forget stuff when shopping, or not realise we have run out of something until I need it, therefore we end up going to sainsburys or tesco express, which gets really expensive, as we always ended up spending more on other stuff - last week it was gravy, which ended up costing £15! We do tend to have the same stuff during the week though, but DH likes cooking and unlike me is actually good at it, so he does the weekends, when we have nicer things, I just make a list before I go with the days, list the meat and go from there, however I always end up picking a few easy days, like pasta bake or jacket spuds, and leftover night is Wednesdays, before I go shopping. DD and I take leftovers for lunch and sometimes sandwiches. It works quite well.
I am just hoping tonight will be a sleep through night, shattered after last night, was awake early again too. Got a fair bit done after the 10th cup of coffee though! Have done general tidying and couple of hotspots, laundry, washing up, emptying bins, hoovered, cleaned hob and we have been out for lunch. oh, and did a couple of ours work this morn and evening, but nothing too taxing. I was really happy with the floor after esterda, looks so much better with polish on it, needs another coat but will wait till thursday, might become part of my routine to sweep and give it a mop every couple of days I think, so shining my sink and the floor!
For my declutter I think I will count my documents as I just sat and organised a load into folders and deleted lots. Still a mess though!
Now just a couple of bits to do before an earlyish night I think.

Evening everyone.

missmakes, your posts always leave me feeling exhausted! :)

Not doing very well on bedtimes - yesterday was 00:15 and tonight isn't exactly early though we've been out all day.

Feeling pleased as the kitchen is tidy though after I did the dishwasher & tidied up a bit. The stuff we brought back in the pushchair has even been tidied.

Tomorrow:

Try barrier cream on DS
Find swimming costume
Take DS to first swimming lesson
Put away dry washing
Get out dinner from freezer
Vacuum up storage bags & put away
Refill DS's treasure basket
If time, tidy the 'organised room'.

Morning all, Thanks for those meal ideas Carrots and Bessie, I have added some of them to my Control Journal so when I'm stuck and can't think about what to cook I will refer to said list. I am also going to add to list any meal we have and all enjoy. It's hard to find things the dc will eat some times as they are being very fussy lately.
I haven't had chance to read all posts yet so I will try to have a look later.
Right I will have to come back later as I need to go shopping before dh goes to work.

Morning all! I hope everyone has slept and is raring to go.

Today's babystep is is all about taking care of ourselves

Our mission today is a fairly easy one too so flylady and Kelly are being kind to us today.

So far I have:

washed and dressed to shoes
made packed lunches
loaded dishwasher
got dcs to school
opened back door because kitchen stinks due to all the furries still being inside (and still no sign of this storm)

Still to do:

many, many loads of washing (as dd has tidied her room into the wash basket)
clean worktops
declutter toy cupboard in kitchen
room rescue spare room & kitchen
hot spot kitchen table
hot spot side board
Kelly's mission

I think that will do for today. The weekend seems to have been hard on the house - it looks fairly messy - but I feel a bit fevery and like a cold is brewing so I will take my time.

LittleMiss just make a list of all the meals you can think of that the dcs will eat and add to it as you discover them. Keep it blu tacked inside a cupboard door in the kitchen and you will be on your way. Then, as bessie said, when you feel able, try a new one and your list will gradually grow.

When I did my experiment of not repeating meals everyone got much more excited about coming for tea as it was more interesting. We also found we snacked less in the evening as we had noticed our meal more, rather than just shovelled in the usual thing It was fun

Today's a work day and I gave Pilates first so it's always a knackering start to the week (back injury so Pilates essential sadly). But I've swished the sinks with lovely new Method Tub and Tile, sorted the main hotspot and shined sink. Will have to do for today! Have a good day all x

missmakes, a quick question - what do you do with your DD when you have a really productive day like yesterday? Does she just play on her own while you get on with things?

Carrots, hope you're not coming down with something nasty.

I like the food list idea - I struggle to think of ideas for dinner as I'm intolerant to dairy and DS can't eat tomatoes / citrus / spices. All the meals I cook seem to be boring too!

We went to visit friends yesterday who have 2.5 year old hooligans twins and a 17 month old daughter. Their house is absolute chaos and full of clutter. I'd be just the same in that situation, but it made me feel very smug at how tidy our house is on the surface at least.

I'm lacking motivation this morning. Need to get organised to go out for swimming now.

littlemiss hows the weather up your way today ? its warm and windy down here, odd combo and it is reminding me of the hurricane in hythe when I was younger.

I haven't started on anything yet, ds1 is ill now, and I'm planning on getting in the back garden to put all my garden stuff away before the winds get stronger, its already blown my table over :(

I'm also having to hold the charger wire into my laptop as ds1 accidently broke the power source bit off the mother board .. again (poss AS) which is causing me a bit of an ache. Anyone know of any other way of charging the bleeding thing until I get it fixed? may have to dip into xmas savings to get it fixed so I'm really not happy.

I have stopped for a already.

I have decluttered the kitchen toy cupboard (jigsaws and games) and filtered out what I hope the dcs will agree to trying to sell. I feel guilt ridden but the cupboard is still very well stocked and they might be more inclined to take something out if they don't have to move 5 other things first.

Angel what ages are your dcs again? When I am doing stuff like that they sometimes come and "help" or play with each other, or play by themselves, or play with their daddy or watch tv, or draw etc, although usually they are at school. It can be very difficult when they are pre nursery - you just have to grab your moments when you can and be realistic about what you can achieve.

I'm not sure what to do for dinner I have nearly a whole chicken to use up, so i was thinking either a casserole-had pork on friday or a korma but I have no naans, input would be greatly appreciated :) lol

I have been brutal with ds's chest of drawers - he had underwear aged 2-3 and he is nearly 7

I am struggling with his favourite pyjamas though. They are age 5-6 and he is very cute in them. I will judge next time he wears them how cramped they really do look

Lol carrots, my kids are always wearing too small pjs, they get a new pair on xmas eve, so that they don't look like tramps on xmas morning photos, and if the go away for residential's etc.

Gossip just spotted your post. I am a veggie so haven't ever cooked chicken but could you do Spanish chicken (garlic, onion, peppers, thyme & tomatoes as a casserole) with rice with it? You could make chicken noodle soup with some of the left overs. You could make stock with the bones for the freezer. The Jamie Oliver chicken and white wine recipe on my recipe page is lovely - I use quorn but it is meant to be chicken. Or a chicken and mushroom pie...