Remember, remember the fledgling Flyers: dusting, and decluttering a lot..

[DarknessSoothes]

Come one come all, fledgling reunite. 1st of the month and we survived the fright. Bonfire month and lets burn though the housework to prepare for the festivities of December.

As from the 1st we will be babystepping, mission and deep cleaning our way out of the C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome).

For newbies and those who need reminding here is the principles behind the babystep system.

The basic is this:

1. Do the babysteps.
2. When you do the babysteps with consistency add in the missions
3. When you are doing the babysteps and missions as a habbit tackle the deep cleaning.

This thread is a mishmash of people at different stages. The lists can look long, but look carefully, some of us are reposting lists and parts of lists from day to day.

Our motto is this: Do not strive to be perfect, Progress is progress and anything is better then nothing and my personal favourite part of the fly lady system is you are never behind, just jump in and start from where you are.

So on that note here we go. With much thanks to Ellie who lead us with amusing roundups last month.

Day 1: Babystep 1 - How to shine your sink

Mission here - this will update overnight ready for the early fledglings

Tuesday's reminders are here: It's planning day

And for those of you who are eagerly awaiting christmas here is the flylady's crusing into christmas page. Personally i did some of this last year and done some this year and it does take a chunk of the stress out of christmas.

Well now that I have suitably scared you, see you all tomo!!

Ironing
Put out clothes to dry
Put clothes away
Washing up
Bathroom
wash my bedding
Sweep stairs
Hoover
Fix cupboard
make mincemeat
Sort out cupboard under stairs
tidy toolbox
Lunch
dinner
wash up
cut ds's hair
packed lunch for school trip
welly boots for school trip
nice jumper for school photos
bath kids
Shiney Sink
dry plates

I also found out why DS has been extreamly difficult lately, with a very long chat about his behaviour and got to a root of it. I should have seen the signs but missed them completly, but I know what to look for now.

Lauren well done on doing so much..
Blue lol, I feel your pain, nothing I do is right at the moment with my two and remember clock watching till exp came home so he could take over while I had 5 minutes to gain back some sanity.
Cinders that cake sounds really nice...fancy sharing some about?
Toffee! What happened to the little list? It's multiplied! and you've done loads..nice one!
Linzer what did you do in your hour off? mn?

Good Evening!

Thanks for the get well messages! I am feeling quite a bit better now.

Darkness Thank you for the advice. You are very very right! Unfortunately the basics are quite a long list although I have laid off of the decluttering and missions for this week.

It was a nasty bug toffee I can't believe how quickly it fell off. Weirdly I didn't lose my appetite- couldn't eat much without feeling ill but carrying on eating and drinking helped keep my energy up and I'm sure I got better, quicker, because of it.

Tomorrows list

Up, shower, dress, breakfast
Empty Dw
Put wash on
School run
Visit friend
Christmas plan- (as in Darkness' idea )
Mop kitchen floor
Lunch - Soup and roll
Hoover downstairs
School run
Clean bathroom
Dinner - lasagne
Beaver run
Dry washing
Bedtime routine

Blue Sounds like the conversation I had with DS2 last week. I gave him some of my soup to try and he was all very 'thats sooooo yummy' so when I offered to make him his own bowl, he changed to 'no thanks, I didn't like it'. So tiring although he is generally quite a good eater.

madwoman Poor DD2! At least the school photo will have a story behind it- be sure to write it on the back of the print as a funny memory in years to come.

Hope you are all having a lovely evening, I'm off to watch my Sky+ programmes- I have about 5 hours of bits to catch up on.

Goodnight!

Hi ladies!

Firstly, thanks for all your menu ideas! I now have at least 3 weeks of ideas, just need to get recipes/write shopping lists.

Secondly I want to tell you about my day. DD1 was up at 5:30. This is bad!!! She won't go back to sleep. She is on the naughty step by 6:30am. I am not looking forward to this day as DH won't be back till 9pm so I have both kids on my own all day. Fortunatly, a friend came over and took us all out in her car (we live in the back of beyond and I don't drive). We got back and DD1 went up for her nap. I did 15 mins in the living room/kitchen/dining room, sorted out the washing, wiped the surfaces. No more than an hour. This on top of an aready shiny sink, etc.
DD1 was an angel all afternoon. I made a jam sandwich, doughnut and cheese picnic for lunch for when she woke up and we snuggled under the covers and watched Disney films all afternoon. DH managed to get home early, just in time to take her to bed.
When he came down, he looked round the living room. Then he went into the kitchen via the dining room. He came back and said 'the house looks really good, babe, well done you with everything else you've got to do.'
I almost cried! I do get credit where it's due, but he normally has blinkers on when it comes to the house and things I do. He even noticed I'd cleaned the fridge, although that was probably cus I'd moved the beer!
So, thankyou! You guys have inspired me to do this and keep doing it and in only a few short days my 'blind' hubby is buying me chocolate and saying thankyou! And I did nothing all afternoon!!!!!

Linzer

I've done the bathroom now but cant do anything else now until DS is asleep (he needs supervising) so am on my bed Mning on the quiet and hoping he doesnt have a major meltdown over something he's thought about or hurts himself.

I meant to write Proficient - not prolific - argh!

Evening all,

Just popping on so you don't all forget me, I'm too tired for personals but am trying to read the thread a couple of times a day. I feel much more back on top of things this week, managed home blessing and have done some missions and routines. However sciatica is playing up a bit again so no hoovering!

Another one here who is impressed by SC's menu planning. I really struggle with this because DS is such a fussy eater, DD is not so bad but some of the few things that DS likes she doesn't. DS won't touch ANY potato. Oh and DH doesn't like pasta. Or potatoes. And randomly returns from work any time between 6 and 9pm without any prior warning, plus we are out of the house most after school times at activities with one or other DC, it is hopeless!

Off to bed, night all.

Good evening all.

Feeling much more positive about life. Although have not caught up on the lack of sleep earlier in the week so predict a flying fail tomo.

Quick roundup of the few bits that have stuck in my brain really don't expect much

There has be several mutterings about the work from clients and various advice flying amongst the fledlings.

SC has both scared and impressed us with her meal planning and the trials of fussy eaters have been raised. Although in this house the eater's aren't fussy it's all the sodding allergies.

and one word of note face at the fledglings who are ill and injured and don't seem to be resting enough to get better properally. It will take longer to recover in the long run if you don't rest now And whoknows don't worry about the lack of flying come prop up the naughty corner bar with the rest of us.

we had a success? A real success? A DH recognised the work done and bought chocolate??? Well done LorelaisMommy.

a control journal babystep personally I skip this one.

Mission

Friday is declutter car and purse day

sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

Hi Darkness! Nice to see a friendly face at this time of night! I've just finished cleaning up vomit (still heaving).

Cheered up immenly having found the cutted up pear thread that everyone else on mn seems to have read already.

Goodnight.

[staggers in from night out at concert. Sadly stagger not due to alcohol intake but due to decrepit-woman-wearing-heels-syndrome. Dh rather frustratingly gone to bed and to sleep in under 10 seconds leaving me wide awake!! Grrrr]

Thanks for compliments about menu planning but can't really take credit as left to my own devices would eat sardines on toast followed by marmite on toast followed by beans on toast with the odd apple thrown in for luck. But dh is an ever-hungry gourmand and we live in a country where food is taken very seriously and it kind of seeps in to one's pores after a while. Looking at my waistline, could frankly do with a bit less emphasis on food and menu planning and more on pounding the pavements!!

Sympathies Whoknow re: fussy eaters That must be so difficult to plan for. I'm part Irish so am always by adults who don't care for potatoes!! Could your dh not send you a text to say roughly when he is going to get home? Not knowing would drive me bonkers too!

DD is always changing her mind about food which is driving me mad. One day she loves courgettes, then she hates them. Ditto mushrooms. Ditto parsnips V. frustrating because you think 'great I can add that to the list of veg she likes' then 'oh no, I'll have to take them off again'

Sorry to hear about your sciatica - take it steady - know from close relative how horribly painful it can be.

What a lovely post Lorelais So glad your day turned out to be better than expected and brilliant the system is making a difference as flying with a baby is not at all easy. So pat yourself on the back - you deserve the compliments!!

Blue whinge away - that's what this thread is for!!

Madwoman oh no! Why do they always fall over on photo day? Hope no lasting damage!

Top understanding mummy marks for Molepom

What a shame Toffee re the school after all that you have gone through with ds1. Last thing you need! Hope you can find a solution but sorry that you have to.

Darkness I did similar plan last w/e when on holiday. It was so long and onerous that it scared me in to total inactivity this week

Am also in denial about Christmas Linzer!

Glad to hear that those of you who were ailing are now on the road to recovery (save for your mindee Lauren)

Arf at wasp conversation PA Who is she going to phone when you are 6,000 miles away???

Don't worry JustonemoreFlying is virtually impossible with active toddler

Welcome back Cinders

Have a great night out Darkness

Waves to Feetheart MC Mummy Fuzzled and everyone else ...

Better get to bed although whether I'll sleep is another matter as I can hear dh snoring through the ceiling!! Fortunately can lie in tomorrow as public holiday for Armistice ...

G'night all ...

[Ooh! Squeaks with excitement and turns on crippling heels ...]

There are people up and about in the naughty corner

[.... grabs corkscrew and heads back with a few in direction of Darkness

[Hands fortifying whisky and bottle of Dettol to Justonemore]

it's not even 7 o clock here

i'm still slogging along - dd1 is at dance, ds1 is supposed to be getting ready for cubs but has abandoned his dinner in a fit of 'i've picked the pasta out and the rest might be poisonous so i'm going to go and sit on the toilet until it's time to go' and then it'll be 'what's for dinner' for dh and i.

no school tomorrow as it's remembrance day, so everyone has to be lickety split outta the house and ready for 9.15 so we can do the parade thang. that does mean that my job for this evening is to make sure all of the many and varied uniform types are all pressed and ready, with poppies to spare. weirdly, this year will be the first remembrance that dh hasn't worn uniform. in 20 odd years. very odd to think of it. i'm sure he'll have very mixed feelings tomorrow.

and i've got 20 brownies to keep in line as well. so pondering dh will be the last thing on my mind.

give it another hour or two and i'll join you in the naughty corner. suspect you'll be in bed by then though.

Morning all,

Have about half an hour before I leave for the airport to pick up friends - house not too horrendous but I do have a ridiculous amount of washing piling up, mainly thanks to both DS and DD2 wetting the bed last night. I think I'm only going to manage to get one pillow and one duvet washed before I leave.

justonemore No, please don't worry - you didn't sound patronising at all! I live in hope that Internet shopping will make it over here some day, but it doesn't look like it will be happening any time soon. Sympathies re cleaning up vomit - it's a horrible job, isn't it?

madwoman Hope the parade goes well.
I must confess that I did spend far too much of my child-free time on MN... I'm always complaining that I don't have any time to declutter, but it's my own fault a lot of the time.

SC I cannot believe you are in denial about Christmas; I bet you have been handmaking presents for months. I know exactly what you mean about children who keep changing their mind about food; I'll make a meal which the children really enjoy, think "oh good, I can add it to my repertoire" - and then they refuse to touch it the next time.

Must dash - not sure I'll get on again later/over the weekend, but waves to all and hope everyone has a good day.

To school or not to school? She was fine for the rest of the night and I suspect it was a result of overtiredeness/too much dashing around/cake sale....

Hiya all, it's my turn for tummy bug so another day off work

So I'll be in the naughty corner today mostly sulking about it!

I'll be back to catch up properly when my eyes start to work properly!!

Morning all. [picks up empties]

Oh no Lauren hope it passes quickly

Justonemore Personally I'd err on side of caution - usually a 48 hr rule with vomit anyway. Hope your dd recovers soon!

Armistice day here too Madwoman Hope not too onerous for your dh to make the adjustment. Half my family are in the forces so know it can be a tough one.

If only Linzer!! Should have stacks of home-made presents lining up in cupboard, but, er, I haven't ....

sorry about the washing ... last thing you need before the arrival of guests

Now I have a cleaner, I have tried Flying properly on only three weekdays a week ( still doing basic routines/baby-steps daily of course) but have been overcome by chronic Nesbitting tendencies on other two days which wasn't meant to be part of experiment! Need large kick up rear!

Anyway, cleaner not coming today so now have two hours in which to tidy entire house/do washing/make pizza dough prior to arrival of dd friend. Should be do-able as house not too squalid - just surface mess. Better crack on with it ....

Waves to all fellow fledglings ...have a good day everyone!

SC - he does ring up about 4 days out of 5, but not usually til about 5.30, which is either I'm leaving in 10 minutes or I'm not going to be home till 9, so it doesn't really help much.

Bit of an all-nighter in the naughty corner last night

Hope you feel better soon Lauren

No Armistice holiday here, the DCs school will be observing a minutes silence, I was in DS's classroom this morning when the teacher was explaining. Although I feel quite strongly about Remembrance and always wear a poppy, I have to say I heave a quiet sigh of relief at the end of this week, the Year 6's sell poppies in the school all week and it is an endless saga of lost coins, lost poppies, poppies being taken to pieces and the black bit lost, arguments over whose poppy is whose. I am going to take DS to his first Remembrance SUnday parade on Sunday, he is old enough to understand now.

List for today:

Morning routine - done
School run - done
Half hour help in classroom - done
Run - done
Need to stretch,shower, shopping and coffee at a friends next, before a PTA meeting this afternoon, school run plus meet with DD's teacher and get home and do nothing else. Hopefully.

Poor DD is struggling at school at the moment. She is a bright little thing but really struggling with her writing and it is affecting her confidence. Her reading is a bit behind too. She is very confident at home and socially, but school is a different matter, although she says she is happy she often comes out having not been able to speak to the teacher about something she wanted to or even been able to ask to go to the loo.

Whoknows my dh used to do this all the time on return from business trips - if I cooked then he'd eaten on the plane - if I hadn't prepared something then he was starving. Used to drive me nuts!! Now I just cook for dd and me (with enough spare for him which goes in fridge) and we eat at usual time and then he can help himself (or not) when he gets home. Harder when its more frequent and with larger family though.

Hats off to you for selling poppies!

Your dd sounds lovely btw. Hope teacher can offer right support!

Whoknows - Your DD sounds very like mine. I am about to ask for ideas on MN re her confidence. She is now Yr4 but can be very shy at times (though you would never know it at home ) and often doesn't speak up at school. Her current teacher is very aware and is doing what she can but I need ways to build her confidence all round - she can just about pay for something in a shop now but fell to pieces a few weeks ago when she had to ask an assistant for what she wanted in a sweet shop, she just couldn't do it. I am really struggling as I have always been quite cocky confident and I don't feel I understand her so find it hard to know what to do to help.
I'll let you know how I get on. Hope teacher is helpful.

Lauren - hope tummy bug sorts itself out quickly - Take It Easy.

Linzer - in exactly the same boat as you re MN vs decluttering, MN wins far too often

Ta Da:

• Compose flier to go on fund-raising Yellow Moon catalogue
• Partially composed letter to head re school Assoc stuff - impossible to get her at the moment as FAR too much other stuff going on at school (new head, new broom, HUGE issues to tackle)
• S&S
• Washing in
• All up and out
• WORK - invoices, chase those that owe money, SAGE stuff

To Do:

• Post something on MN about shy DD
• Do online training thingie re being a Mystery Shopper. Right up my street I think :)
• Pack up and post ebay parcel
• Finish letter to head
• Order school photos
• Order school cardigan for DD
• Listen to 'Songs my Son Loved' on Radio 2 - have listened all week, usually with tears streaming down my cheeks. Best radio journalism I have ever heard. Possibly even more poignant for me as DS is 6 this week, I could quite easily see him joining the army and the thought of losing him is just too terrible to contemplate

Think I need lunch (and another tissue :()

Looks like I missed a late-night party on here in the early hours .

Lorelais - I'm happy to hear that Flying is working so well for you and that even your DH noticed . Sounds like you had a lovely afternoon with DD too.

WhoKnows - my DS2 is a fussy eater and it makes meal planning very tricky. I tend to make something the rest of us will eat and offer it to him, but always have some pasta ready for him if he refuses to eat it. Sorry to hear your DD is struggling at school. Does she have an understanding teacher?

Justonemore - sorry you were clearing up vomit at 1am. Hope DD continues to get better now.

SC - dirty stopout, staggering in at all hours! It wasn't date night, you know ? Did you manage to get any sleep with the snoring DH?

Madwoman - I hope the Remembrance Day parade goes well. DH and I observed the two-minute silence at home.

Darkness - thanks for links and round up. Glad you are feeling more positive .

Linzer - oh no, not two loads of washing when you have guests coming as well. That's all you need. Hope you have a nice time with your friends.

Loren - sorry you have caught the bug. Rest and get better soon.

I fell asleep with DS2 last night, so woke up to a messy kitchen and no uniforms laid out. I did miss having done my before-bed routine the night before. DS1 complained that he'd felt sick and had a headache all day at school yesterday and felt sick again this morning, but I told him he had to go to school. The deciding factor seemed to be when I reminded him that his two best friends were bound to find other friends if he was off school a lot (he was upset that they had already started hanging out with a couple of other boys). I feel a bit mean getting tough with him, but his attendance for the first half of term was only 66% and needs improvement. He is trying hard, though, and I know he struggles.

DS2's class was chaotic. I stood outside and listened to their teacher attempting to restore order. She doesn't seem to have any authority over them. In the classroom next door, the children were reading quietly. Quite a contrast.

Ta da list:

Breakfasts and before-school routine done
School run done
Load d/w done
W/m on done
Washing up done
Clean surfaces done
Finish putting away yesterday's shopping done
Unload d/w and put away plates etc done
Swish and swipe in the bathroom done

List of three:

Errands in town - take shoes to cobblers; take old clothes to charity shop
Order stuff for DS2's party
Tackle laundry - as much as possible.

Have a bit longer today as DS2 is going back to his childminder's after school, so hopefully will get a bit more done.

Good news - DH is picking up a large delivery of books to sell in his new business shortly! We have waited weeks to receive them and it means he can finally start proper work and earn a bit of money in time for Christmas (phew).

Missed you, Feet

Right..I'm not doing a huge load today as I will just forget.

I've got the kids to school, had their photos taken, got them ready for trips, went home, got DD's guitar which she forgot, back to school to drop it off, realised left mobile at mates house during morning coffee catch up, had to go to her place of work to let her know and I'll pick it up later, went to shop for cleaning stuff, got money out to pay for photos, got home, cant find keys, back to shop to find keys (left tham at the till..AGAIN), get home and thought....Fuck it. I cant be arsed today.

Hope everyone else is having a better day today x

Ta da:
Morning routine
Made Christmas cards with DS2
Played trains with DS2
Played 3 board games with DS2
Lunch
DS2 asleep...

To do
Music group newsletter - keep Nesbitting and it's getting urgent
School run
Friend's DD's 3rd b'day party
Cook pasta bake and collapse with and Friday evening telly. :)

Not much actual flying on there, but hey.

Linzer - hope friends' visit goes well.
Sorry about school issues, Toffee - hope it can be resolved.
Lorelais - at comment from DH.

Waves to all.

sorry folks, computer not working again, (Ds2 has just mended it so no time to catch up..

First stage of statementing process - I've been forwarded the letter that "I'll" be sending (composed by Parent Partnership) to apply for statement done

and I've been to Wickes to have a part of kitchen replanned...that took forever what with the measuring of mm beforehand...quotation and possible decision by Sunday (when special discount ends [ho hum..I think there's always a discount one way or another at Wickes)

dd has a friend round and I've done the food shopping and put a wash in

SC agree that cleaner seems to take the edge of Flying motivation and the small bits of dedicated rushing around

Whoknows maybe meal planning is simpler than one thinks just meat and two veg/carbs in one form and another..I find Jamie Oliver etc has totally confused the issue because most of his ingredients are rejected by one child or another. I am now reverting to 50's menus...

Hi everyone

Have been awol again this week

Had DD school assembly today and she played the part of Horus the Egyptian god. Fortunately everyone had gone down the homemade outfit route too so there were lots of severed pillow cases and sheets

done

2 loads of washing
Ironing put away
Food shop
Dinner prepared
Man come to measure window seat for foam and material (will get a 2nd quote as far too much imo)
Office work
Bank

Helping at Brownies tonight for my sins as Brown Owl desperate for help.

Got my sisters 40th birthday party to go to tomorrow so have bought my share of the food today and will prepare it tomorrow morn as well as make an apple and blackberry crumble for Sundays lunch round friends.

Hope you are all looking forward to a lovely weekend and catch up next week.