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!

Btw fri is clean out car/purse day and date night.

Will also find proper linkies in a mo.

Linzer and blue were off on their christmas jollies.

Ellie's gold star mission was frustrated by leaking radiator and stubborn DH

Justone sleep deprived and suffering from the social expectations of christmas. Just what you can. hope you get some sleep

toffee managed to achive and good list's worth of stuff. Hope you are feeling less frustrated.

PA has a house of ill but no longer puking DC and was swapping notes with OFM on the joys of lots of littlies and sickness bugs

Lauren dumped a list - hope you had a productive day

Swan's household had a lie in but there were still problem juggling all of the dc's needs and flying. Although IceCoolBitchy is kinda catching might have to consider that for another time.

Whoknows got film reviews for arthur christmas and too the dc to enjoy the film.

OFM and MC braved the shops you mad mad people

Hope the pain continues to subside MC

Bitchy was emotional, got antibiotics, went out, did thread round and linkies and is now fucking off to bed.

Night.

babystep is here

mission is here

Night.

Arses forgot poor flying who had lovely boosey christmas lunch and was pondering the merits of house size vs amount of stuff vs appearance of clutter.

It would seem the average flyer has an averaged size house, with poorly designed storage, dc who can also be known as clutter creating monsters, and far too much stuff for storage available.

Here take one house at 2 households = too much stuff for house.

really really sleeping now. night.

we had a great afternoon! Dcs played football with guests in park for a while, then we came back and all 7 children played in the house, and put together an impromptu performance of Dick Whittington from scratch! They loved the fact it was on ITV later that eve too, although we only caught last 35 mins...And best of all ds2 was fine and played/talked happily and wasn't left out.

I have put stocking fillers in two bags ready for two children, but can't find the Ryman's bag with stuff for ds1
rescued kitchen again
chatted to dh [almost amicably though usual simmerings over what is expected of Xmas, leading to baring of teeth and growling from me

Toffee well done for not panicking
dog/shoes sounds familiar
paper chains sounds lovely and soothing too!

OFM I love taking one child shopping - it is a pleasure!

Flying I have five bedroom Edwardian house, with one of box bedrooms converted to bathroom and a loft conversion adding 5th bedroom and loo/basin. Bookseller Husband has master bedroom as his study/office. A smallish family room at back with telly, a smallish "parlour" at front, and a smallish eat in kitchen/diner in between. 50 ft garden. No utility, no drier, no freezer, no downstairs loo (but three loos, and two bathrooms [fconfused) No garage, and a two v. small inaccessible sheds. Without the books it would be a mansion.
Desperately need more storage/restructuring of living space, but difficult to teach an old dog (DH) new tricks. And he likes it the way it is.

MC like you I have v. high ceilings, but short of installing mezzanines, and hammocks for storage, it doesn't really help. Although I am beginning to consider floor to ceiling banks of cupboards in diner - it may be the only solution.

Thank you all for replying to my drunken philosophical ramblings

I think I see why I thought you all live in palatial mansions... t'is the different names people call things. For example, to me a pantry is a large room with oodles of cupboards for storage (think Downton Abbey) whereas whoever has one (on phone so I can't look now I'm typing!) really means a big cupboard - which, now I think of it, seems far more sensible!

Anyway, thank you for making me feel better about my lack of organisation in my standard-ish wee home.

Today is going to be a busy day. We're off in a few mins to the supermarket for food. Then back for DS's nap while DH and I build a futon, then I've got a haircut... and then something else I have no idea about... and oh crap, my WAH job

Think I'll return with a ta-da not a to-do!

Flying I think a large cupboard-like pantry would be heaven! If only I had even that. I could have it. Just politics really. [My mum has a real Downton type pantry separate from kitchen, down freezing corridor, stone floor etc, and apart from being the advantage of being able to leave large roast birds in it, it is possibly a nightmare for an old age pensioner with a broken ankle, trying to negotiate two heavy doors on crutches..so beware of what you wish for! We are trying to persuade her to just buy a bigger kitchen fridge]

all awake late and lazy again, ds2 on his best time yet, 8am! Kitchen looks scruffy but passable.

Must mop floors at some stage?
dw on
children tracy beaker
dd asleep
dh work
coffee drinking
bedroom sorted last night - sort of

todo
HOOVERING. really must do this today. Every day I think oh good, so much mud came in, it really wasn't worth it yesterday...but today I think only a very clean child is visiting, so I might bother.

Hiya all! Just popping by to wish everyone a fantastic christmas! My phone isn't working so I can easily get on here at the minute, and what with christmas I'll be back before the new year have a fantastic time!!!

Justonemore - sorry, didn't mean to ignore you yesterday, hope you had a better night's sleep and feel better today.

Hope all the colds are getting better (I feel fine now but have still got a dreadful cough).

Lauren - thank you, have a Great Christmas!

Merry Christmas Lauren have a lovely time!!

Afternoon everyone! Getting there slowly but surely. Negotiated Tesco at 7.30am this morning and at the risk of sounding like an old person, the cost of food these days is shocking . I remember when you could do your CHristmas shop for £100, didn't get much change out of £200. .

DH is out of the doghouse now, he got up to look after DC's this morning whilst I went shopping and whilst I was out tidied kitchen, washed up etc. He has now gone xmas shopping in typical last minute man style, my mum has got the kids for a couple of hours and I am whipping round the house in a frenetic manner trying to get everything clean and tidy so tonight I know we are all done bar some present delivering tomorrow morning. When I reach this point tonight I shall drink a copious amount of wine.

I am trying to resist the urge to last minute shop for DS. DD has a huge pile of pressies compared to him. I got her a job lot of Disney Princess stuff from ebay for £40 and it means DS's lot looks poor in comparison. I know in my rational mind he has plenty but I don't know if I can resist the urge to top up. I am trying really hard in the knowledge that they are a pair of spoiled brats really and don't know they are born but it is hard.

Anyway, coffee break over. Downstairs done. Upstairs to do.

Back later.

lauren hope you have a marvellous Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Laptop is still drying out in the airing cupboard- fingers crossed it's not ruined!

So measly phone posting I'm afraid!

Ta da

Food shop
Christmas cake iced
Kitchen mopped
Bathroom deep cleaned
Our room tidied- was hideous and took about 3 hours!
All beds washed and remade
3 loads of washing done and currently drying
Hoovered top to bottom
Net lights put up
Boys room tidied
Dd's room tidied

So all that's left to do from my above list is

Lay Xmas day clothes out
All clean washing away
Bleach wm
Prep veg

Am off out tonight for friend's birthday so off to shower and get ready and the last few jobs will get done in the morning. I'll pop back on tomorrow but in case I miss anyone...

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL YOU LOVELY FLYERS AND YOUR FAMILIES!! XXX

Just flying by as am on DH's poky laptop at my parent's house in NI, currently avoiding childcare duties but will be tracked down soon no doubt

I have been a bad Flyer this month and rubbish at keeping up with the thread but I have been with you in spirit and will return full of vim, vigour and New Year's Resolutions to declutter the bloody house as soon as we get back.

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Christmas with plenty of food and drink, grateful, well-behaved DC and people who spoil you rotten - I'm aiming for 1 out of 3

Thank you for keeping me sane company, motivating me when I'm being rubbish and listening to me when I moan. I love this thread and the people on it even if, after two years, my house still does not resemble a show home - possibly less chat and more action needed on my part but life's too short not to have fun.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS one and all

What a lovely post Feetheart

Hear, hear and ditto to everything you say. This thread has kept me sane this year and I'm very grateful to you all for putting up with my eternal whinging!!

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and all good things in 2012!!

Just popping in. Have clearly failed to keep up with you good folks.

Want to wish you all the best of best christmas to you and your family's. I will be back properly in the new year.

[cgrin] [sgrin] can't remember which one worked last year and I'm on the app so can't check.

Leaves Christmas cakes and mince pies, sherry and vodka.

Feet greetings to Ireland...I shall be there soon (on 27th) hope you are being spoilt rotten

another good day, although house is slowly descending the depths.
done
hoovered bedrooms x 3
and playroom
cleaned bathroom
got through morning/afternoon and I think dcs finally chilling out in their own special way...

still not managed our bedroom hoovering

ds1 had a friend round (finally - it has taken four invites of four different friends/acquaintances this week to get a friend of his round to play Wii
sent ds1 on long walk in search of first friend (who wasn't there) to get him out of house
made model with ds1 out of cardboard and paint
made meatballs for lunch/general housework
persuaded dcs to to switch off screens at 11 and they did another play! Wow, at last the dressing up box is making sense. Ds2 models himself on Jim Carrey.

dealt with ds1 meltdown at screen switch off, and ds2 meltdown trying to hog Wii from guest later in day....

dropped ds1's friend and his bike home

am shattered! And longing to go out to shops now Dh is back, but dreading what I may find in Morrisons....Armageddon or worse...

model with ds2 not ds1 - present for his Dad.

StNick how did you manage to do all those things with three kids including baby, in tow? [takes off hat]

Feet - lovely message, hope you have a great Christmas.

NickNacks - love the fact that right there in the middle of your Christmas list is Bleach WM. A Flylady through and through.

Nettie - woohoo, missed you!

As everybody is gradually starting to disappear for Christmas - a big festive wave from me, I love this thread and think it has made a real difference to my life, you are all lovely!

Still toddling on with jobs here, today I have finished all the wrapping (left DH on his own to do his this afternoon but he watched TV instead). Still got to make a yule log tonight but going to leave that till the DCs are in bed I think. House is fairly untidy but it is superficial IYSWIM. Planning to send DH and the DCs out in the morning so I can do a short home blessing and sit and peel veggies in front of the TV for a bit. Nearly there.

I would really like to join this thread. I've been lurking a bit the last couple of weeks, since I found out about Flylady, and I think the thread is great. You really are all so supportive of one another.

What's stopped me from posting so far is that I normally read the internet when I'm breastfeeding or eating, which makes typing a bit difficult. There's always so much on my to do list that I feel guilty going on mumsnet at other times. But I would feel bad just lurking, so I'm letting you all know I'm here.

I live in London, am a SAHM (in another life a secondary teacher), and I have 2DC - 3yr old DD and 14mth DS, also a DH.

Hope you'll have me. Happy Christmas everyone!

Hello Lifebegins lovely to hear from you. I know what you mean about feeling guilty spending time on MN when you should be doing stuff, but, hey, we're all guilty of it. I know this thread really motivates me, even if I do spend too much time on here chatting. Pop in whenever you've got time, it might be a bit quiet over Christmas and New Year, but there's always someone around, just ask if there's anything you need to know about Flylady. Happy Christmas!

Thanks Whoknows. I think I know how the Flylady system works, but I'm actually only at the setting up my routines stage.

Hola lifebegins. Very nice to meet you . Lurk away but please pop in whenever you want for advice ( not from me, i'm crap), support and/or chat. I am a secondary school teacher too.

feet what a lovely lady and a lovely post.

I think we are just about ready here. House is clean and tidy, washing done ('s at toffee) and i have come to bed early before the madness begins.

Will pop in tomorrow but just in case i don't get back i will wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I bloody love you ladies. You are more than online acquaintances. I count you as friends. Good job really cos i am crap at flying.

Hello hello
Well, I tried reading all messages since yesterday and this thread is getting chattier and chattier! I did read Flying's post and my answer is that I live in a small 2 bedroom flat, no storage whatsoever, but I have recently moved back from abroad so I have just emerged from pretty much 3 months of decluttering.
My house is very minimalist and not very cosy as a result, but it already has that 'lived in' feel and in a year's time there will be stuff on window-sills and table tops etc, I'm sure!

My eyes hurt too much to read anymore after that, but thanks to all of you who replied! DD2 has been poorly but is better now She was falling asleep on school run in the morning and then would be unwakeable so would not have a nap at home after.... But anyway I'm at my mum's now sitting here while she clears up the dishes so hopefully a couple of days of rest are in order!
I hope so because I couldn't take it anymore..

Who was it who said they cried before Christmas? That was me yesterday morning, crying to my husband (who asked for 10 more minutes in bed as it was His First Day of Holidays) (He's lucky he survived that) that I couldn't take it anymore..

Anyway, I won't hijack our lovely cleaning thread anymore, I look forward to catching up with all your news and reading through properly when I'm more rested... going to bed now!