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!

Feet your post struck a chord ( or a guitar chord I have to say, I am feeling so so relieved I've done the Irish visit, and can now stay put till the 27th (when I am going back with dd to see grandma, baby cousin etc) Dsis has gone to NZ, and dps (who have followed me to London but don't want to see us till Sat too busy with their own social lives!!!!!) won't get their presents till 27th...nor will my brother and the other SIL.
So it's only really the godchildren, all 7 of them, and one of them has told me he wants a subscription to NME. That's easy!
And tidying the house for Xmas of course. [depressed][been here before feeling][where are we going to put all the new stuff emoticon]

done
made some christmas meetup plans with dtwins' friends
Christmas pudding bought
threw away one of many enormous cardboard boxes
recycling

todo TODAY
book tickets for Annie (friend's son in it)
buy wine bags
buy more Xmas cards - homemade ones did not materialise [despite all my efforts to offer them glue and glitter]
buy fudge ingredients, and cellophane? And ribbon?
wrap presents which have come out of enormouse cardboard box
send off a horse to Germany
order a small chest freezer [?]
buy ds1 NEW SHOES from Clarks
buy underwear
buy Xmas promise presents x 7
stuff in loft from landing
give lollipop lady her present TODAY

go to very last piano lesson with a present for teacher

Argh, thwarted by the plumbers, washing machine is just underneath the boiler, and I've just gone to empty it into the tumble drier and it's switched off and the washing is soaking It's clearly not my day :o

grr not being at all productive here...but I have ordered some cellophane bags and sugar thermometer for fudge!

Kate well at least the boiler won't go wrong over xmas - you know it is sorted.

Checking in briefly to update:

My to-do list looks like this:
WAH job
DW empty when finished
Bathmats
Clean ensuite properly (shower already done when I was in it )
Hoover UNDER my bed (not done for months )

So I'm quite pleased both with myself and DS who let me get most of this done this morning. This afternoon, I think we'll... um... I have no clue! If he gets up at a reasonable time, then we may try hitting the big city for the last of the present shopping, if not, I'll do it tomorrow and we can just play about this afternoon.

Still, quite proud of myself. Off to dust my bedroom now to kill time before he wakes!

Morning.
slept most of yesterday, slept most of today and finally starting to feel more human. today's list looks like this:

shower and up (only just woken up)
deal with large pile of clean washing
make up ds' swimming kit
ds to swimming lesson
go to see the house of lights (a local house that get very festive with the christmas decorations).
let ds pass out at a reasonable time (he was late to bed ast night)
Sort out present to teacher including test runs
Check ds' uniform and see if needs washing (why are boy's so disgusting)
Mend ds' other pair of school trousers
Add pieces to update cushion. -applique then sewing machine stitch.
finish off several scarves
wrap and parcel up scarves
see about a bigger bag for ds' kit.
finish cards that have missed postage date

So i guess i had best stop messing about on mn and get up...

Happy birthday to lauren's dd
Glad you had a better day today fuzzled

BBL

Not too bad today - friend cancelled on me but it meant I had tidied up and hoovered so never mind!
This afternoon...
Washing - as many loads as pos
Make dinner (check cj as I have written a meal plan somewhere...)
See if there are presses the Dcs can help me wrap
Tidy up living room 5 min
Empty grate in woodburner

belatedly catching up on Xmas card missions, stamps etc

Oh, so quiet on here today!
Made huge batch of soup for eating /freezing
Failed to do anything else on my list as feeling a bit rubbish. Supposed to be working this evening but will do it tomorrow when my mum has kids.
Tonight - tidy up from dinner
Put wash and tumble dry load on
Have long hot bath and hot choc (no )
Try and do evening routine

Catching up on phone!

So
managed my list,
tidied, dusted and hoovered my bedroom
tidied and wiped kitchen
prepped dinner for DH and I

AND finished my present shopping except a nice scarf for DGM as M&S failed me! so will have a look in local town tomorrow so I can post parcel on Friday.

Got to get DS bathed and down for the night but I think a successful day! fingers crossed for a full nights sleep, but a midnight waking is probably on the cards - c'est la vie!

Posted some Xmas cards at last !

Had morning tea with a friend, which was interrupted by panicky texts from DS1, who i then had to collect from school. We didn't make the tea party after all . Oh well, at least I contributed some cakes.

I'll be quite relieved when the term is over....

So, to counteract yesterday's productiveness, I have got sod all done today as the DC decided to have some sort of conspiracy against me and have not been asleep at the same time all day And now DD's still awake and being clingy :(

Hiya all!

Had a bit of a mad day with people popping in and out all day wanting to see DD it didn't dawn on me that people would be visiting though so had a bit of a quick extra clean this morning after the first influx to make sure it would be up to mum and nana standards

Have also been given notice from my last full time mindee she is leaving middle of january...parent has quit work so I REALLY need to get advertising and find myself more work or we will be struggling with bills! Plus I have Ofsted coming February and I would really like to have a full timer on the books so they can see all the fun and exciting things I do!

Hope your dc's starts to sleep soon fuzzled and kate, and that you are feeling happier today linzer!

So lists...

To do:
Playgroup this morning -done
Wash up/shine sink - done once, needs doing again
Washing/drying 1 -done*
Bedroom hotspot
Little tea party tea for DD and mindees - mindee had tea party on her own...DD napped
Have family round later to see DD done
Hoover -better do this now actually done

Also today I have:
Sorted DD's toys done
finished home bleugh done both of these have been on lists before...just got them done!

BB tomorrow!

Toffee I will be relieved when term is over. End of term-itis definitely setting in here, ds1 had a massive tantrum (luckily for only 10 mins)when I switched the Wii off firmly at 5.10 (he gets back at 4.30) Dd claimed her twin had ruined her performance tonight by trying to stand next to her (the nerve at the encore, and seems very worried he going to embarass her at the school disco tomorrow. Ds2 had a massive screaming fit when we switched the Wii off (foolishly put it on as a treat for him for 20 mins after performance).

All shortlived, we are getting quite good at dealing with bad behaviour here They have all been singing/performing their hearts out this week and it has taken its toll. Could it be they are missing the simple rhythms of homework???

done
children have written reams of Xmas cards
dd has made one more homemade one and continued wth her Pokemon tapestry
last piano lesson which I hurriedly had to convert to singing lesson as I still hadn't mastered Water Music
present to piano teacher
supper
washed uniform for tomorrow
went to school play for twins

Carol Concert tomorrow for ds1. He has been singing all week in old folks' homes, tubes, business premises. He seems to love it but it is tiring.

Toffee I am very sorry about ds feeling bad - it must be quite an ordeal to deal with all those people at once, even if one is MIL, also maybe worse that one is someone he knows. I bet MIL was very proud to tell everyone you had cooked the cakes and biscuits.

Lauren I want to be one of your mindees!

Good evening!

DH and I have finally done the Christmas cards! Woohoo! I?ve got through the worst of the job and have evenings back again. Might have to see if I can fit in some flying tomorrow though ? rapidly descending into chaos?

Bird - glad you had a good evening yesterday in the end. Here?s a for you.

feet is in full-on Christmas mode and counting the days. Hope it all goes well.

Lauren was celebrating her DD?s first birthday. Hope you had a lovely day! Sorry about the mindee. Hope it picks up soon for you.

Fuzzled was finding short, manageable lists to be the way forward.

Linzer was also focussing on short lists. Hope you had a better day today.

StNicks popped in with a list ?

WhoKnows has a kitchen ready to face Christmas. Are you though?!

Kate was suffering from muffled momentum, plumbers and conspiring children?

swan was sending a horse to Germany and going to her last piano lesson ? glad all the concerts are going well.

Ouch has mostly been sleeping.

Toffee has posted some cards and is looking forward to the end of term.

**
Links:
Babystep: Making the bed.
Mission: Shine bath/shower and room rescue in kids? rooms.
**

Erk, just noticed the time. Night all!

Had a productive evening. So going to sneak in a list update before finish painting my nails and heading to bed.

shower and up done
deal with large pile of clean washing
make up ds' swimming kit done
ds to swimming lesson done
go to see the house of lights (a local house that get very festive with the christmas decorations). done
let ds pass out at a reasonable time (he was late to bed ast night) done
Sort out present to teacher including test runs made up cookies in jar, made two batches of cookies
Check ds' uniform and see if needs washing (why are boy's so disgusting) will do for last day of uniform
Mend ds' other pair of school trousers
Add pieces to update cushion. -applique then sewing machine stitch.
finish off several scarves
wrap and parcel up scarves
see about a bigger bag for ds' kit. done - possibly from gp's for christmas present
finish cards that have missed postage date
2x trips to tesco done
Drive out to deliever a load of christmas cards done
Make up batch of fairy cakes done and now in freezer
Paint nails just about to do second coat

Will do the stuff missed off from this list tomo. Planning on having a productive day. Thus going to stay away from computer amap.

Thursday's list
Up and out with ds to school on time
ironing
folding
clothes away
make up ds' kit and put into car
put boxes from bathroom into office
put rubbish out
tackle utility room floor (which has still not been finished off )
Put ingrediants into bread machine for pizza base
Coffee with friend
Make up pizzas and cooke
get ds to write remaining cards for training and cards for school friends
ds to training
ds showered and in bed before 10pm
early night.

right i am going to skip personals and go to sleep as soon as this polish has dried. night all.

I have nothing useful to say flying wise. All i have to say is 1 get up to go .

Morning all! It's the usual list dump DP is back tonight so may not make it back on...

Todo:
Bedroom hotspot
Today's mission...is a good one
Dust DDs room
Tidy kitchen
Wash up/ dry/ shine sink
Wash bedding
Remake bed
Playgroup
Laundry wash/dry *2
Hoover later
Food shop
Clean out fridge!

BB at some point!!

Phone flyer here!

My list today is mainly present based - I need to:
• download photos to pen drive
• go to supermarket
• print photos
• do shopping
• WAH job in evening

And that's about it!

Very quick hello, am off out to do the last of the christmas shopping... it has definitely snuck up on me this year, with 2 DC and DS's birthday to complicate matters.
Am not going to write a list as I'm not going to get a chance to do any of it today!

Both DC off school today (feeling sick) Argh! Was up and down like a yoyo last night, with both children feeling unwell and wanting cuddles. Drinking coffee this morning (hate coffee, but it does wake me up). DS2 is singing happily to himself in his bedroom right now. Too ill for school, he says . DS1 is, I think, genuinely unwell and still in bed. At least I have been able to negotiate with DH (who is working this morning), so am hoping I'll be able to get out, on my own, later on.

Incidentally, does anyone ever give end-of-term/Xmas presents to secondary-school teachers? DS1's tutor and the woman he goes to when he's anxious have been so kind to him and I'd quite like to express my appreciation. I have emailed them to thank them, but wonder if I should send something in for them. There is, of course, then the issue of getting DS to remember to give it to them and he is notoriously unreliable.

Ta da list:

2am this morning: Loaded d/w
Cleared up and wiped all surfaces
Finished drying laundry
Before-bed routine
7am this morning: b/fasts for me and DS2
Unload d/w
Reload d/w
More washing up
Sweep kitchen floor
Empty kitchen bin
Contact schools re absences

To do:

AM: Get dressed
Swish and swipe
Hoover
Polish brass
Measure boys' photos for frames
DS2 - finish Xmas cards
Order more Xmas presents online
Ring chemist to order repeat prescriptions before Xmas
MIL here
PM:Xmas shopping (long list)
Give blood and enjoy a rest and afterwards
Make cookies for TA, teacher, wonderful childminder and very lovely school receptionist
What's for dinner? Reheated spag bol sauce from yesterday
Bedtime routine
Finish writing Xmas cards
Before-bed routine

Toffee, you are actually superwoman at your 2am list!

Had a good morning so far:
Tidied living room
Washing up
Dried and put away
Shined sink
Wiped kitchen surfaces
Tidied our room
Put away load of washing
Rebooted laundry

Plus the builder is here, and actually building something!

Feel very positive - I think it was my early night last night. I watched that 'money' programme on BBc iplayer though, and both dh and I realised we're really on a pretty low income - so he's started looking for better jobs.

To do:
Parcel up eBay stuff
Trip to post office
Hoover our room and hall
Make builder constant coffee
Clean bathroom

Bbl!

Not superwoman, Bird - wish I was. Had fallen asleep with DS2 (in a very unsuperwoman-like fashion ), then woke up once everyone was asleep and thought I'd better make the most of it. Had actually had four hours' sleep by then. Also, I couldn't bear the thought of coming down later to the bombsite that was my kitchen.

Have managed to get myself dressed, which seems to be a major achievement this morning, as I couldn't find any clean clothes to wear (tsk tsk - very unFlylady of me). As a result, I am modelling a very unusual combination (for me) of dress with jeans. Am not sure if it works or not, but then, as my Granny used to say in her brisk, Scots way, who'll be looking at me, anyway?

BBL

Morning!

Right today is going to be a day of many updates as i have failed at staying off the computer

Up and out with ds to school on time done
ironing -All right way out and about to start
folding done
clothes away
make up ds' kit done and put into car
put boxes from bathroom into office
put rubbish out
tackle utility room floor (which has still not been finished off blush)
Put ingrediants into bread machine for pizza base
Coffee with friend
Make up pizzas and cooke
get ds to write remaining cards for training and cards for school friends
ds to training
ds showered and in bed before 10pm
early night.
Finish off scarves done
Finish wrapping presents have in house done
Sort parcels for postage tomo in middle of.
Write last lot of cards in progress
Find missing address book so can send the 2 cards know have addresses for but can't remember.
Get two photo's printed
Retape stick

Hi everyone!

Gah! I go AWOL for a few days and now I have this mahoosive catch up to do!!! You lot are better at chitchatting than me!!!

Only a few personals from me, as I just can't keep up!

Thank youLinzer, DS2 is much better now. I know what you mean by them being hard work. He needs grommets in and adenoids out, but we are on the waiting list. When he?s feeling ill the pressure on his ears makes him really distressed. He won?t sleep unless he?s absolutely exhausted, and just mopes around the house grizzling at everything.

Welcome BigEyes, what a big list, but you're doing well!

making - Oh I dream of the day I can list the actual jobs to do in a room and it will then be done ? I feel as though I?m nibbling at the edges, but it will get done!!

Ouch - great advice to Big Eyes ? I?m living with the crisis clean method at the moment. Are you a knitter??? I have loads of yarn and haven?t knitted for so long, feel guilty pulling out a hobby with all of this chaos around me!

fuzzled - we still love you, even without the personals!!

Oooh, Bird - I have about a book sized list of things to go through and declutter. Are you for hire???

Ellie - I feel your pain, Parties and Nativities up to the eyes here too

Swan You do Tapestry? Are we a crafty lot on this thread? (Is that why our houses are in chaos?????)

Right, Today's list

School and Childminder Run done
Sort out Nursery fundraising money done
Catch up with Flying thread done
Arrange babysitting done
Sort out clothes for Party tomorrow night
Pack overnight bags for everyone for tomorrow night
3 loads of washing 1 done
Unload dishwasher
clean up after breakfast
reload dishwasher
Go shopping for presents
Buy clothes rail

Theses are the urgent things, hopefully will get a few others done as well.

I seem to be sitting in the middle of a chaotic pile of Xmas mayhem mixed with laundry

Dh stayed behind this morning so that we could have some time without the children, and tidied the kitchen, and gave me firm instructions to just do one thing...PUT THE CLOTHES AWAY, as I was showing signs of festive rabbit in headlight. Then I lost the blooming dongle (still can't understand Home Hub) under a pile of craft stuff where dd had thoughtfully stored it, (or maybe I did) blamed it on dh for tidying it away, etc etc, he was uncontactable at work..really things are not improved by the fact that there is absolutely no STORAGE IN KITCHEN, yet umpteen "cosy" "homespun" activities going on in it....

however

done
was nice to DH, he is in a good mood
children have delivered their 90 odd cards
found dongle again
everyone at school in chipper mood
presents delivered to school office, lollipop lady, cards to library and Senco
organised a friend to visit ds1 next week (so far he has no social life organised for hols at all. [I'm trying to do what you do Toffee which is just to suggest he asks some of his new acquaintances/friends come round and watch a DVD here next Tues afternoon, as a "start".]

todo
make moussaka for tonight
most of yesterday's list
other things...can't remember what they are, or don't dare remember what they are
PUT THE CLOTHES AWAY
library books!!!!!