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!

OFM it is very odd that we finish today, all the parents are complaining that not enough hols after New Year (we go back on the 3rd or is the 4th Jan Tues anyway...) However, I am relieved. I think our headteacher is Irish and is determined to get one of the cheap flights back (as you know the tickets are completely booked out in run up to Xmas the nearer you get...)

Toffee that sounds great fun - being a chief dwarf .
We managed three cellophane packets of homemade fudge yesterday which dd helped me make - she loved helping me and decorating the packages.

Blue mine done that if Dad's not there. One of the drawbacks of having a husband who consistently puts his children to bed.

Lauren four dogs and housecleaning! Fingers crossed for the brain op.

I had a wonderful evening yesterday at the Secondary School Carol Concert, having not really attended one since Secondary school No idea what to expect, as school is not a musical hothouse at all. Yet, All the arrangements I remembered from my school days - John Rutter, Holst, obscure medieval plainchant, Appalachian folksongs, descants galore...
I think new musical director must have done something to that school! as hall was only half full, and headmaster seemed genuinely suprised it was so utterly brilliant!!! Ds1 was very good too He was on a complete high when he came out, and I managed to win 4 botttles of wine with £6 of tombola tickets, so we staggered home on the bus feeling v. festive and cheery.

mine do that (Blue) not done that...

It's ok swan I knew what you meant!

Have done house bleugh!! So much nicer now. [Fsmile]

Got to go & fetch ds2 from playgroup party and run errands in pouring rain. Yuk.

Hope your childfree time is productive OFM.

swan My dc are all complaining bitterly that they don't have enough time off BEFORE christmas as according to them that is the best bit...(the build up/anticipation etc...) you can't win I suppose!Concert sounds great

right...well hoorah have finished wrapping DC presents. Am waiting on 2 items to arrive for dd1 and 1 for ds1 then ALL DONE yipeeeee and have reassured myself that they all have plenty and no one dc has been hugely favoured or neglected .... ( I need to work on my irrational worrying that one or other of them will feel dissappointed - sends me into panic buying every year )
so....feeling better about the whole Christmas thing now LOL Still need to get few things for DH and then my parents and sister...but have day off work next Thursday for that

should really get on with the floors now but have been hit by a wave of exhaustion...may need a cuppa break first

BBL

thanks blue hope you don't get too soggy!

OFM may I cheekily ask what you are getting Ds1? (I know he's a year older than our ds1 but still..) We feel a bit stumped this year, as he only mentions computer games, and out of the blue I suggested to him he might like a carpentry set which he seemed rather excited over (considering he is so terrible at craft; maybe that's the reason and he wants to improve in D & T and impress the teacher with his hacksaw handle making skills Dd is also at that awkward age of liking toys sometimes but having moved on...and having far too much stationery/art supplies

Afternoon all

OFM I am surprised at how late your DCs break up. Both DDs school in Sheffield and my new school in Rotherham break up today. I'd prefer more time at the end of the hols that a week before though.

Swan Concert sounds fantastic well done DS and enjoy the wine.

Lauren - I hope all goes well with your DP's granddad's op today. It must be such a worrying time for you all.

Ouch - glad the cookies in a jar went down well. I discovered I'd run out of eggs last night, so ended up rushing to the shop at 7am and making the biscuits first thing.

Swan - the Chief Dwarf was off sick, sadly. Glad to hear you enjoyed the carol concert.

OFM- hope you are making the most of your child-free hours!

Waves to everyone I've missed, but gotta go cos DS2 is yelling for food. Both boys are off sick again . I give up. I could do with going back to bed myself (tired, not ill), but will just have to keep going with coffee. Have an appointment at the hospital later about my gammy leg.

Ta da:
Dressed
B/fasts
Made cookies
Delivered cookies to teachers at DS2's school
Washing up
Unloaded D/W
Washing on
Wiped down counters
Dealt with numerous demands from DC

BBL.

Toffee boo that is frustrating, whatever reasons, not to get that last morning in. At least next week, they can be off and no-one will tot up attendances.

on the health note and gammy leg; finally went to dr's for a blood test this morning to test me for all sorts of malfunctions - really I'm beginning to feel like a used car

oh dear, I must dash...feeling quite relaxed for once (wonder how long that will last when they get home)

afternoon all
mc yes, DH (teacher) finshes today too...it's because dc are at Catholic schools and they always are a bit different with Hols at Easter and Christmas...wouldnt mind so much but it means that we wont all be off together for a lot of it as DH goes back earlier than dc ....oh well
swan DS1 is getting a Kindle for his main present. His request. He is a TOTAL bookworm though and has 2 bookcases full of books LOL he is getting other bits and pieces but is also not at all into arts or crafts or anything like that and is usually hard to buy for.
DD1 just turned 12 is getting an odd mixture....lots of art stuff including expensive set of colouring pencils, a Hermione Granger wand - she is HP obsessed!, some jewelery,hair curling wand , and some sylvanian family stuff that she would NEVER admit to liking LOL She is also at that sort of "in between " stage!
toffee hope boys are better soon and good luck at Hosp

Right, well - it is amazing how fast 4 hours goes
Still have achieved useful stuff. Hoover has died again though so only managed to hoover lounge....did also dust and clean windows. tidied kitchen and put DW on....
No time for much else now....off to Carol Service any minute....
BBL

OFM yes, ds loves Dh's Kindle. Unfortunately after the great Mummy losing the Kindle debacle we have all been told we are not allowed to borrow it.
Also I am a bit worried that he might download books from unsuitable sections.

OFM I can't make head or tail of the term dates; it doesn't seem to be Catholic here because the two other Catholic Secondaries don't close till 19th, and the non-denominational primary ends today.. Mine are all synchronised this year despite two schools which is fab!

Wooooooohoooooooo. No more work for 17 days ( just to add to swan's confusion i am at a non Catholic school and my dc's don't finish until Tuesday either)

We are in a Catholic country and the DC don't break up until next Friday.

Zero flying here today too, haven't even emptied the DW and put the breakfast stuff in it .

However I have been to the PO and posted cards and presents, been to see a friend, been to nearest big town for last bits of Christmas shopping and picked up DCs from their last day at school. Also done 2 lots of washing and 2 online orders. Oh and I still feel like shit with this cold. Need to get my backside in gear now and do some Flying.

Couldn't believe how quiet it was in the big town, normally you would be queueing for ages to get in the car parks the Friday before Christmas, just drove straight in today like on any other weekday. Poor shopkeepers.

Swan - can't believe anyone would complain about not enough holiday after New Year, I much prefer it this way round, it is BORING after New Year and we are all definitely ready to kill each other go back to school and work on the first possible day.

Swan / OFM - my DS (7) loves my Kindle too, although we haven't found many book suitable for his age/ability in Kindle format.

Really must go, feel like I haven't really caught up with you all this week , hope to be back later, but might not as I am going out on the lash for a quiet drink with friends later

Done
after extreme lack of flying previously....I have in the prescence of my children put three bags in the loft
put a wash on
sorted clothes and put away most of them
put a transfer tattoo on dd's nail
done some festive food shopping (baking items)
rescued kitchen and dd's room
supervised children in varying states of irritability
dealt with two tantrums calmly

we are off to a Xmas party for dd now, ds is going to first bit...
dss were playing quite happily together reading Asterix for a bit There is hope!

Swan - asterix is fab.

OFM not only is ds growing but he has also destroyed his school trousers. Just replaced them so have joys of uniform labelling. tbf he didn't have new ones for sept as the old ones were long enough. Will patch knees for spares at some point. boys. Glad you succeeded in getting so much done when child free. Hope you enjoyed the concert.

Toffee shame about head dwarf being off school

Linzer, whoknows: hope you are managing to survive the festive preparations.

List for friday:
Ds to school on time with present for teacher done
check whether full day of half day and let teacher know letters aren't getting home atm hmm is this a boy thing? done
Brave nearest large shopping centre done
Brave town centre to pick up last present done
Spend evening with sewing machine and to be repaired/ altered pile.
find tip ex.

Wrap anything that stands still long enough and is associated with christmas (well it bloody feels that way) done
Get a prescription for sorted for some meds for ds done
Sort presents out for ds from people who send money so something appropriate can be given done
Start birthday shopping for ds done
Finish sorting anything that has to go in the post in progress
Buy new school trousers done

Sit in corner and hide doing

Just found DS's pile of cards that he wrote for his school friends last week - FAIL!

Hi everyone
Morning sickness has kicked in so really no flying here!
toffee sorry they are still ill
ouch has been super productive! and swan - wish I could deal with tantrums calmly...
whoknows hope the festove drinks cure the cold :)
OFM hope carol service was nice

Builder is still buiding and asking for more money . Hope he hurries up and goes away now, had enough! I slept on the sofa for an hour at luch time with ds, but still tired - need to make christmas presents this evening (biscuits, peppermint creams, maybe fudge - sigh). Also feeling all worried about money - this happens to me sometimes, it's all the economy blah blah stuff on the news, it gives me the jitters. Stupid because our financial situation has not changed since last week when I felt less worried - anyhow, I figure flying can only be a good thing as I think if I can find everything I own, and look after it, and decluter what I don't need and ebay it, that can only help!

Not going to set myself any tasks this evening except making the Christmas presents. That will be enough!!

evening all
Carol service was nice. Dh managed to come as he finished work early.
To add to term date confusion turns out that DDs (Catholic primary)finish on Tues not Weds as I thought.....DD1 and DS1` (at Catholic secondary school) finish on Thurs....all Non-Catholic schools in area(including DH) finished today....need to double check when they all go back cause that is all staggered too and am now worried I'll send the wrong ones back on the wrong day LOL, oh and I am working a random assortment of days....what are the chances of everyone ending up at the right place on the right day???
linzer gosh, yes next Friday is late to be finishing...
ouch I think the letter thing is possibly , but not exclusively , a boy thing. DS1 was/is hopeless, DD1 is brilliant, DD2 however is just as hopeless as DS1, DD3 - cant comment really as her special needs impact her organisational skills, DD4 is great however....and too early to comment on DS2....At least with mine I normally have more than one chance of getting the required information!
whoknows hope you're feeling better soon
swan productive evening !

well, DD3 is in TOTAL meltdown mode. She must have had about 10 screaming fits in the last hour. It is soooo hard for her at this time of year, am doing my best to remind myself it isn't her fault and remain a picture of calm and reason

have now left dh to finish tea time chaos...he is on holiday now afet all

need to try to plan the weekend a bit....fancy a but actually dont have any in probably for the best!

BBL

bird cross posts! hello! Hope building soon concluded!

Okay, sorry ladies, breaking my personals promise as laptop is flat and the charger is upstairs... so using phone to update.

My list looks like:
Wait in for futon delivery
Tidy kitchen
Washing
Empty DW and restack
Shopping trip to big Boots for toiletries
WAH job
Clean long mirrors in bedroom

And I also made up GM's pressie, DM's pressie and SIL's pressie and got them posted off - so all my present shopping is done for this year. Still got to wrap a few, but pleased with myself.

Going to collapse on sofa and watch a film with DH now... guarantees that DS will be so unsettled that I miss most of it!

taking an ASD child to the disco of friends of his twin sister was clearly a mistake. I'll join you OFM in being glad that the tantrums are over.

Not helped by wellmeaning friend insisting he came to party, and not understanding that food needing to appear at 6.00pm not 7.00pm or he would meltdown. In the end I had to take him off and buy some food separately

Still dd had a lovely time, only to capped by her disappointment at being removed too early by a kind friend who dropped her back, before she had performed her dance routine

dh in not so hot so mood, fed up with screeching kids, and now unfortunately talking loud emotional German to his parents on the phone.

Bird that sounds delicious, peppermints certainly a cure for Morning Sickness in this house. What is your fudge recipe? Does it have condensed milk or not, I can never decide. My easy fudge is too sweet but it always always sets.

Whoknows dd's only homemade card, for TA, was left behind...

I've got a few recipies - most use condensed milk - but have failed to make any . Have sat inbed all evening feeling sick and watching trash on 4oD. And ate weetabix for dinner as couldn't think of anything else to eat, had not cooked as dh out at work do and boys ate at preschool xmas tea!

Soooo - flying 0% here. but thanks for the fuzzled.

Seing family toorrow, have to plan ho to hide my sickness and fat tummy...