Fledglings dreaming of a FLY Christmas - December's fledgling flyers thread

[BlueEyeshadow]

Welcome flyers one and all, old and new, to the December thread! As the advent calendars go up, let's beat the CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) and FLY through Christmas into the New Year (or have a go at it, anyway...)!

We take a three-pronged approach (and a large pinch of salt) to the FLYlady system:

-babysteps
-babysteps and 15 mins' decluttering
-babysteps and missions

The website is here: FlyLady - if you haven't had a look at it for a while it's worth a gander as the design and layout have changed for the better recently.

Whatever you do, though, don't sign up for the emails or your inbox will be bursting within seconds. Or so I'm led to believe... I will post the links to the babystep and mission for each day (the first ones to follow this evening) and there'll be plenty of chat, , and along the way.

A big thank you to Darkness for leading us through November with so much fun!

Just sorry to hear you are getting so little sleep, hope things improve soon. That must have been scary losing DD. I lost DD for a few minutes in a huge crowd on Remembrance Sunday the other week (she is 5), she went to the edge of the market square very sensibly to wait for me and a mum from school found her and waved over the heads to me, it was only a minute or so but I was really panicking.

Well, I have done a small amount of tidying. Ds kicked over a tub of Hama beads this evening, aargh. Other than that I have put fairy lights on the front hedge, ordered the turkey and ironed the Hama bead creations. Everything else is going to have to wait til tomorrow.

Quiet on here today!

Once again, I?ve done no flying but laundry and the constant floor sweeping. Had a nice morning with DS2 though, and got through both Christmas fairs. The school one was manic, but both boys won a half decent prize on the tombola. Playgroup was less busy and DS1 got to paint some salt dough decorations without having to make them first ? result! DH cooked dinner so I could get more work done too. :)

What?s everyone else been up to?

Fuzzled still has flu. Glad you?re feeling a bit better but don?t overdo it! [stern]

OFM needed to get everybody in the right place at the right time?

Toffee had a bad night. Hope tonight is better. Her list was a simple one?

Lauren is gearing up for a mammoth birthday party. 31 kids!

WhoKnows was facing the aftermath of crafting. Hope your day improved! Any of that vodka left?!

ChitChat is also feeling tired

MC - here?s the you wanted! Sounds like you deserve it!!

abird - glad you?re feeling a little better and well done on the shiny sink and decluttered craft drawer.

Ouch is hibernating. Sounds like a plan!

Linzer has had a busy day and benefited from her DH being on hand for ferrying. Hope concert went well.

Just was huffing at toddlerdom ? sounds familiar! ? and wondering what to do once things were quiet.

No missions tomorrow as it?s the weekend. Saturday is Family Fun Day.

Babystep: the power of 15 mins ? this is a good ?un!
***

I?m hoping that DH will do the family fun and let me work, but I have to go to the music Christmas party cos I?m on the committee. Sigh. Hope you all have great weekends. Night all!

Thanks for the round up blue

Afraid going to skip catching up with the thread properly and just post a list for saturday. It's going to be a crazy one so need to have it straight in my head.

To do:
pack ds' kit up
pop into next town to get missing piece of kit if still missing
Check snow stuff on ds
take ds to party
feed and keep occupied
take ds to match
bring ds home
air/wash kit.
put ds to bed
finish tidying utility room floor
finish tidying study bench
tackle dining room

If time
ironing
charity shop run
tip run
remove old nail varnish and repaint nails.
decluttering in my room
etc etc etc...

Right must pass out as need to be up by 7am in an ideal world to get stuff done. Am so lucky in mornings normally as ds will find his own breakfast and keep himself busy but sometimes it is good to be up with the larks. not actually convinced about this but then what do owls know? especially owls with shit sleep patterns?

Right talking shit sure sign of needing sleep.

Happy family fun days to you all!!!!!!

Had a very successful decluttering day yesterday. DH is still tackling our bedroom , which is an ongoing mission. I did room rescues on the kitchen, dining room, sitting room and DS2's bedroom. Also tackled several hotspots on the way. The house is actually looking pretty good now . DH took a big bag of stuff to the charity shop and several binbags of rubbish to the dump.

It really does lift the spirits to have clutter-free surfaces. I just have to keep it this way now.

Yesterday evening, DH and I went out to a party. DS1 had gone off for a sleepover and DS2 was at home with his lovely childminder, our babysitter. DS1 rang me at the party and sounded in good spirits, so I went off and enjoyed myself. At midnight, I checked my phone to find 11 missed calls ! It turned out that DS1 had felt wobbly, wanted to go home and tried to call me. He then, very sensibly, rang our babysitter, who arranged a taxi to pick him up and bring him home.

I feel awful that I hadn't heard the calls, but also annoyed that I can't be off duty for even a couple of hours. Anyway, I've learned my lesson and will make sure I keep my mobile on my person next time I'm away from home.

No idea what today holds in store. DH needs to work, which leaves me (slightly hungover) and the DC to fend for ourselves. DVDs all day, maybe?

Back in a minute, when I've read through the thread.

Ouch - hope your crazy Saturday is not too stressful.

Blue - glad you had a lovely day with your DC yesterday and that they both won prizes. We never win prizes . Enjoy your Xmas party today.

WhoKnows - those slippers look lovely and cosy . I love the idea of fairy lights on your front hedge - very festive. We don't have a front garden, but I think I'm going to put lights up in our front windows this year - it cheers me up just to see them.

Justone - sorry you are having such awful sleep. Hope last night was better. I sympathise with you about losing your DD1 temporarily. DS2 was forever disappearing from me in the blink of an eye. The worst time was when he decided to play hide and seek without telling me and just disappeared in the school playground. I ended up enlisting the help of TAs, parents and teachers whilst we hunted for him. I remember how hard my heart was thumping. I kept thinking, "This can't be happening". Eventually, one of the TAs found him hiding behind the bike shed, where he'd been watching us all looking for him and shouting for him. He thought it was great fun. He was four at the time and we'd read 'Wibbly Pig Hides' as a bedtime story the night before, so he thought it would be fun to re-enact it. I lost years off my life that day.

Abird - well done for telling your mum. Hope she is happy for you and can be supportive.

Linzer - how did your daughters' piano concert go?

Fuzzled - hope you are on the mend now and that your lion's mane is under control .

MC - great that you have been able to help out at your new school and meet some of your future colleagues. That'll make the first day just a little bit easier.

Chitchat - another sleep-deprived Fledgling! Hope you managed to get some extra hours last night. It's nice that you were able to support your friend and definitely much more important than a bit of cleaning.

Lauren - good luck with your DD1's first birthday party today . I hope it all goes well and that DD enjoys it. It's so lovely when they see the candle on their cake for the first time. Take lots of photos!

Waves to OFM, StNicks, Rowing, Ellie, PA, Swan and all the other hard-working Fledglings.

Morning all,

Just a quick post as DS's godfather is due at any time. We're planning to go to the pottery studio this afternoon, so that should take care of the DC's Christmas presents for all the grandparents. We held DD1's birthday party there last year and are planning on holding it there again (although not until after Christmas this year), so must book that while we're there.

Toffee Well done on the decluttering; it does make such a difference to how you feel, doesn't it? I've made a start over the last few days but still feel like I'm doing more tidying than decluttering.

Ouch I think repainting your nails should be a priority. DH is not keen on my current shade of varnish and wanted me to repaint them for his work Christmas party tomorrow but sadly for him, the current polish is still looking good.

This weekend, I aim to focus on:
a) decluttering
b) writing Christmas cards

I'm also feeling quite organised as we've just booked our summer holiday (albeit two months later than last year, but luckily the apartment we wanted was still available in the week we wanted it).

Must go as DH keeps hovering in an annoying non-conducive-to-MNing way (I'm theoretically updating the calendar and need to check a few e-mails to do so).

The piano concert went well, thanks - but back to post more later as DH's friend has just arrived!

Morning/afternoon all.

Feeling marginally better today but think I'll put off cleaning the oven for a bit. Have managed to write all the Christmas cards and finish off the thank you notes from DS' christening so feeling virtuous!

There's a community event at a local park today so think DH and I will take DS along - then tomorrow he's going on his first train ride to meet Santa! Think I'm looking forward to that more than DS who is oblivious!

Hope to get a washing on today and do a bit of kitchen rescue but will see how I go.

quick hello all...
feel sooo tired and quite rubbish today It has taken a mixture of paracetamol, lots of caffeine and sugar to enable me to getthe girls to dancing .....
On the positive side dd was fab in her show again last night but less positively she is clearly exhausted after 3 late nights in a row and is VVVV grumpy mood today LOL
need to motivate myself to keep moving.....
just waiting for dh and dd3 to get back from carol concert....then need to move all lounge furniture and then go get Christmas tree.....sigh....what I really want to do is hide in bed for the afternoon ...but hey ho!
also to do:
LOADS of washing
tidy kitchen
finish putting up dining room decs
whats for dinner?
hoover bedrooms
hoover lounge
persuade dh to put up new blind in littlies room

right....

will BBL for individuals

Thank you justonemorethread for your kind wrds, and also toffee for your posts here and on my other thread, and blue for your roundups, and all of you for being kind. It has really helped.

No flying today as we were all at my parents for the day. They are not UNsupportive, but seemed a bit embarressed to talk about it and just talked about their new house. I think they think 3 is too many

But they were great with the DCs and kind to them and cooked for us

Have to do a menu plan and go shopping. Usually enjoy planning the food and driving to the supermarket on my OWN and doing the shopping on my OWN and eating a whisper bar on my OWN in the car - I find it peaceful. Feel a bit tired this evening to do it, might give list to DH. Or might just go, after al I suppose routines are supposed to keep you going when you don't feel like it

Perhaps your parents know that you not delighted at the news yourself and so they are wary of saying the wrong thing, Bird. They won't think three is too many once they meet their new grandchild, anyway. My MIL didn't want me to have another child, but she's absolutely besotted with DS2 now.

Have had a very mooching around day here and have left the DC mostly to their own devices. DH has lit a real fire in the sitting room (it's so, so cold here) and DS2 is watching 'Star Wars' with him. We are about to eat a late dinner. Flying-wise, I have attempted to keep the kitchen under control and I have just written down everything in our cupboards and freezer and thrown away any out-of-date stuff. Now I'm planning a menu based on using up ingredients I have already, so that I can make room for the Christmas stuff. Oh, and I did our Christmas shopping online. I've missed all the delivery slots, but I have been able to sort out an online order that we collect ourselves on from Waitrose on 22nd.

Still haven't done any Christmas cards. Must get on with it or all the 2nd-class stamps I bought will be useless.

Hope you all have a peaceful evening.

Hope your day is not too stressful?

List for sunday.
kit
dining room
utility room
study
ironing
nails
my room
bathroom

Well done on the Christmas cards, Fuzzled. I managed to write a grand total of one today. I really wanted to get my two overseas (outside Europe) cards written this weekend as I want to enclose letters with both, but I'm not sure I'll have much more time tomorrow.

OFM Hope you're feeling better now; glad to hear your DD's show went well.

bird That sounds very similar to my parents' reaction - they were overjoyed about DC1, quite pleased about DC2 and said absolutely nothing when we announced DC3... it was quite awkward. I think it was just the shock, though - they adore DS now.

Toffee A friend of mine who used to work for the PO at Christmas told me that it doesn't really make any difference whether you put 1st or 2nd class stamps on your cards as they don't have time to sort them - in fact, they often didn't even have time to deal with cards without a stamp at all. This was quite a few years ago, however, so I don't know whether it still applies.

Have had a lovely day with DH's friend, although DS was so overexcited that he hardly stopped talking and running around all day. The pottery painting was nice and relaxing, and we've booked DD1's party for 4th January.

Must go downstairs and drink some more Glühwein, otherwise DH will be wondering where I've got to...

Just dropping by on phone and I have to agree with Linzer.

Just tracked a parcel posted 1st class recorded delivery on Tuesday and it's not been delivered yet - but a bog standard 2nd class parcel posted at same time has been delivered.

Not very impressed AT ALL!!!!!!

Anyway, as you were!

linzer, obviously the poor DC3s are generally not welcomed with red carpets like their older siblings! Goodness knows what DH's parents will say - they have had 5 grandchildren appear in 4 years but they are more into babies than my folks so hopefully they'll be happy. Toffee I think ur right, they did not feel they could be too positive as I was quite open with my mum that it had come as a shock.

Right, must NOT hijack the housework thread with my unplanned baby woes...

We have a nice fire here too, toffee, but they do make an un-fly-like MESS I find. Hope your days got better OFM and ouchholly

While DH is at the shops (we menu planned together which was nice as usually it's a job I end up doing) I WILL do some busywork:

plan uni work (this has been on my list for like a week!!)
NAMECHANGE - just to get my head round what's going on - watch this space!
Clear kitchen and shine sink
Sweep up all the ash that's famen on the hearth

Tada! BTW, I'm a bird cos I like the fluttery things - only when I was namechanging did I click the slightly negative sexist connotations . Unfortunate as I'm actually a right-on feminist, but I'm not changing it now - I'm reclaiming it as a purly ornathological term!

You are sounding a little bit more upbeat about the situation Bird. Like the new name.

right ds is asleep. alarm is set I am going to crash. night.

[QI] Good evening, good evening, good evening? [/QI]

I hope everyone?s had lots of family fun today. The music group Christmas party was good, and we won another prize on the raffle. Yay! Got some work done, although less than I?d have liked, and caught up with Strictly?

What have the rest of us been up to?

Toffee has clutter-free surfaces! Yay!! She had a mooching around day and is organising the kitchen.

Linzer was heading out to the pottery barn and booking her summer holiday. Sounds good! Glad the concert went well.

Fuzzled has done Christmas cards and thank you letters. Glad you?re feeling a bit better.

OFM was very tired but still hectic ? hope you can get a chance to rest!

Bird has spent the day with her parents and was menu planning and sending her DH out to the shops. Like the new name.

Tucks duvet over Ouch. Good night!

Waves to SC, MC, Rowing,WhoKnows, Lauren, Ellie, Swan, StNicks, ChitChat, Madwoman and everyone else!

**
No mission. Sunday is Renew Your Spirit Day?
Babystep: Inspirational stuff for the CJ. Bit about this one myself, but if it helps?
**

Tomorrow I have to do crèche at church, do tons of baking, cook a roast dinner, talk to/Skype my mum? Oh, and somehow fit in as much work as possible. Sigh.

Better get to bed. Night all.

Hello all,
Thanks for words of support regarding lost child - I felt so embarassed when that other mum brought her back to me and thought she must think I'm such a careless mother! I didn't even smile or thank her I was still in shock!

Anyway, by the way, I can't believe some of you actually wear nail-polish. Honestly, it's all I can do to brush my hair in the mornings!
Makes me realise I must try harder at FLYing and maybe I'll also become a domestic goddess with manicured nails!

Family fun was quite well managed. Still tired as last night I was up two hours with Toddler Who Was Sent To Test Me.

Next week I'm going to try and do the whole Fly Lady thing properly, maybe I'll try getting a control journal together.

Happy Sunday to everyone

2 parties, a karate graduation, doctors, Xmas shopping and a pint of stale lager poured over me. Just another day in the Life of Mc.

I'm always loosing my kids just. It's horribly

Thanks for round up blue

Finally planed my uni work - not as behind as I thought so very happy with that. Failed to do other things as had annoying circular pointless argument with DH about our future plans . So going to bed disgruntled.

Morning!

DH is feeding DS breakfast (usually my job) so grabbing a moment to wave as I fly past.

Managed to wipe down kitchen surfaces yesterday and sweep and mop kitchen floor (badly needed!) so things a bit better in there.

Dining room still looks like a tip, but have negotiated doing WAH work in evenings on Tuesday and Thursday with employer so hopefully I can get on with in there this week. To be honest, it's mainly Christmas presents so a bit of wrapping to be done and a few of my birthday presents to be taken to the charity shop as while I appreciate the thought, they're so not me!

Today I'm currently nuking the mince as I forgot to take it out last night and will make lasagne for dinner this morning and take out some of the mince so DS can have spag bol for lunch.

Then out this afternoon to see Santa for DS and not me at all!

On with the day. Shower for me while DS and DH do the remainder of MOTD - 14mo and he's already a footie fan

Bird I haven't commented before as I haven't known what to say and didn't want to make anything worse/upset you. I love the new nickname and I really hope that it all works out for you. I'm firmly of the belief that God/fate/the universe (delete as appropriate) never gives you anything you can't handle and I'm sure you will get used to it and once it arrives will love it heaps and forget you ever worried about it. Hope that all makes sense! Anyway, good luck to you.

Good morning everyone!

Today is ds1's birthday party so I'm up early prepping party bags and food. We're off to the leisure centre so organised fun and mess at someone elses gaff has been paid for!

So today's list (really need to get cracking as it's long)

Put a wash on
Td party clothes
Wash uniforms
Wash ds2 bedsteads
Remake his bed
Make party bags
Pack swim things
Load dw and put on
Cook party food
Prep rest of part food
Load up car
Find a lighter / matches
Write list of children expected
Remember free entry vouchers for guests
Enjoy party hmm!
Give out Xmas cards to family
Txt mil
Update calendar

Have a good day everyone, bbl

X posts morning Fuzzled!

MOrning all, still trying to come up with an inventive xmas name so will stick with boring normal one for the time being .

Haven't posted for a few days so need to catch up with you lovely lot but am a woman on a mission today so must get going soon.

Yesterday was a very successful day. CHristmas tree picked, who knew DH was so anal. We spent about 45 mins wandering around the garden centre trying to choose one, I could have bloody grown one in the time he took to choose one . Anyway, bought one, visited Father CHristmas although DD freaked out and wouldn't look him in the eye until he offered her a present . Got a classic picture which will duly be used for embarrassment in later years. DS is smiling and DD is giving him the evil eye. Think this may be the last xmas we have where both believe as I think doubt is starting to creep in with DS (he is 8) so planning to enjoy it!

Before we went, we did a massive decluttering/clearing of toys from living room and hallway and tree is now decorated and looking beautiful. DH went on to declutter and tidy/deep clean dining room which is the house dumping ground and it looks beautiful. He even cleaned all woodwork . He was going until 10pm last night. Kids rooms have been decorated and the whole house is looking quite smart apart from our room (guess where all the clutter got dumped ) and dd's room. It is the tiniest room know to mankind and she has the most amount of toys known to mankind. These two do not sit comfortably together and I really need better storage. Has anyone out there got a tiny room that they have successfully storaged up?

Today's list goes like this:-

FInish present shopping
Food shop
Our bedroom
Try and make some sense in DD's room

That will be more than enough. Only 1 week of work to go. I finish on Friday although DC's don't finish until the following Tuesday which means we have two marvellous days at home without DC to get everything sorted. They will still go to the CM as we still have to pay her full whack for those days so might as well make use of them.

Have a good day everyone.