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 popping in to say hello and to keep the thread on my "I'm on" list

My cooking yesterday went down a storm and I was organised!

DSM goes today (yay!) but that also means that DF goes as well (boo!) so mixed emotions.

DH working Thursday so flying that day, and he's promised to take DS out so that I can declutter a cupboard in DS's room so the toys have somewhere to go... my living room, dining room and bedroom look like bombs have gone off!

Any recommendations for toy storage?!

Haven't read through. Just wanted to say Gaaah!!

Supposed to be moving on to FIL's today and DS1 has suspected chicken pox... :(

morning all
mc thank you so much for your kind offer - we have however resurrected our old TV(which was down the side of the house in a covered area but we werent sure it would work having spent 3 weeks outside!) so at least now have a proper sized if very old and non-flatscreen TV in action again. Thanks again for the offer though - was very kind of you. Hope you enjoy your new TV(and teach dd immediately that it is VERY delicate and one should NEVER throw toys - you would have thought my 13 yr old ds may have grasped this by now !)

blue poor ds and poor you. Hope you manage to make alternative arrangements and that ds isnt too poorly.

feeling quite fed up today really - I think it is like you siad tofee the whole of Christmas feels as if I am stage managing a major performance and that I HAVE to appear happy no matter what.....and it invariably leaves me just exhausted afterwards and abit fed up.....

may try and make myself go for a run in a bit....havent been in about 2 weeks
house also a tip AGAIN despite my endless tidying and I am geting more and more irritated with DC leaving stuff everywhere and not taking care of their new stuff (which we took me so much effort to get for them )
Clearly I am ina very Bah-Humbug mood today....Have the pantomime later which may either cheer me up or tip me over the edge!
Am working tomorrow (which I amactually a little bit looking forward to as it will be a little escape from Christmas chaos ) then off to my parents on Thursday which will DEFINITELY be the final straw....sigh

off to dream of the spring whilst secretly wondering if it is too ealry to take Christmas decs down......

Good morning everyone!!

It's our wedding anniversary today so no flying again! Off out to spend vouchers and a spot of lunch.

Have a good day.

happy anniversary nicknacks have a lovely day

Happy anniversary nicknack

Glad the tv is sorted ofm

Hope it isn't the chicken pox or if it is it clears up and doesn't spoil the Christmas break too much.

Well I was I'll on and off yesterday. I think it was too much wine as I an not supposed to have any and mil kept filling up my very small glass. I've also have a swollen foot and ankle (I think from kicking a cupboard when I got annoyed with DH on Christmas eve ) and by the end of the day had a sore throat. So was feeling quite sorry for myself by the end of the day, but better being I'll now than when I start my job I guess.

The house is a complete mess. Tried to tidy bits yesterday but was thwarted by the lure of new toys by dd who got out quicker than I put away. I also don't have enough storage and lost DH for a few hours when I agreed to a new telly which had to be bought and installed there and then .

Off to Doncaster today I think for some new school shoes for dd and a little bit of sale shopping. It may also be the only way to get dd to get any fresh air. Tomorrow DH has arranged a game of golf with my df so I'm planning on flying and reclaiming my house.

For now I just need some painkillers for my throat, head and ankle

Have a good day everyone

As you are all thinking about flying i will post baby steps later.

Hope it isn't chicken pox Blue, or just a mild case if it has to be.

Right to do:
Catch up on sleep had 15hrs last night
laundry about to transfer to drier
Get up
Go meet friend
watch match
put another load of washing on
put away clean clothes that got hidden before christmas.

Back to relative normality tomorrow. DH is off to play golf and dc's are going to have a DVD day so I can get on with some catching up.

Do some laundry
Fill a charity box and put it in the car
Sort DS's wardrobe
All clean clothes away
Sort dcs books
Clear out car

Not much but easing myself back into flying! Be back later on the laptop for personals.

Happy anniversary NickNacks !

Well, it is chicken pox... We weren't able to go to FIL's because step-MIL's mum is in a nursing home and they can't visit her if they've been in contact with infectious diseases... So we're at MIL's instead, who are less concerned.

Ds1 is not too bad most of the time although he was v miserable at bed time. The friend he caught it from had it mildly so here's hoping...

Glad everyone had a good Christmas!

Happy Anniversary NickNacks!

Beginning - I watched (and recorded) Gruffalo's Child. I quite liked it. Not as good as the Gruffalo, but still appealing. And being 1/2 hour it's a great thing to put on for the DSs which isn't too long but long enough to keep them out of my hair for awhile!!!

Christmas was lovely, just DH, the DSs and myself (our family are all abroad). Church in the morning, turkey in the oven just before we left so juggled the final bits of preparation (ham, sauces etc) with present opening. DS1 loved his Buzz Lightyear. Feel quite chuffed that we got their presents so right this year. But then they're 2 and 4 so not too hard to get it right. Guess it will get harder as they get older.

Boxing Day was also a relaxing family day. A walk in the morning, a light lunch, some time playing with the new toys, then fish and chips for tea.

Today DH took the boys out while I went on a bit of a cooking/baking fest. Need to go on a money diet for a good 6 months so wanted to start as I mean to go on. I made:

• Chocolate chip banana muffins (purloining some of the outrageous amount of chocolate the DSs were given)
• Pumpkins Scones
• Turkey, ham and leek pies (2 individual ones for tonight and 5 more for freezer)

On Christmas evening I made a stock with the turkey carcas for soup later on.

Lounge (and toy area) not in too bad a shape, kitchen a bit messy, will need to spend 15 minutes doing a quick tidy up.

Main thing is the ironing pile which is developing - might spend 1/2 hour on it before bed or first thing tomorrow morning.

DH taking DSs out tomorrow so that I can get some painting done. He sees them so rarely with his long work hours that I haven't the heart to make him join me in the painting just yet - he's enjoying being with them so much. Especially as he will have a lot of travel for the next few months .

Right i have just got in so the laundry and clothes thing are going to be ignore. And as it appears i might have a road trip tomo. I have only one thing. Cook tea for leaving for the masses who are staying here.

Babystep

mission

Wednesday is antiprocrastination day

Right hope you have had good days. i want to be asleep before midnight but as that is unlikely aiming for halfpast.

ice-cold have a good road trip.

I've had too much to drink whilst watching holby and big fat quiz of the year and feel a little yuck. I did however shine my sink first so at least I didn't totally fail at flying.

Just me and dd tomorrow. Loads of toys and Christmas movies for dd to watch, loads of sorting for me to do. Was looking at getting gps to look after dd so I could venture to meadowhell but after sale shopping today, I can't face another crowded shop. I must get the house in some kind of order tomorrow so I'm having plenty of tea (I'll need it) and getting out my timer.

Wow to do the mission tomorrow would take much more than 15 minutes. I think there is more in my lounge that doesn't belong than that does .

Morning happy campers. I haven't slept again so i think the road trip is going to be off. however i have a ta da list

Ta da!
Laundry
complete mental overhawl to approach to life
new master life plan constructed
resolution of the shit sleep fail due to something that triggered a memory about something that i was ignoring and hadnt dealt with yet
wonder what funny cracking noise is when breathing - ribs

Just about to get up and to tackle some more laundry and to out some clean washing away.

MC just do what you can in the 15mins then stop. it's what the fat fairy dictates if you look at the small print

Btw the name's Bitchy. thanks

Sneaking in just to make sure I don't miss the start of januarys thread.

We are currently on a train to London for dc Christmas present to London aquarium.

I have been tackling washing mountain and still not resolved the toy mountain in the lounge but did manage to run broom and Hoover!

Hope you all have a lovely day.

Today has been a good day so far, and I'm sneaking on before dealing with work to show off!

DH is off and has (while I was showering) hoovered the whole of downstairs, thus saving me a job He's now off to the tip to get rid of huge quantities of rubbish while DS naps, and then has promised to take DS to let me finish my work so I can get lots done before tomorrow when he's back at work for a day. Of course this means that DS will sleep until I'm done and then wake up, but not sleep tomorrow. We are also planning a trip to B&Q this afternoon so I will really be living the high life!

I have done the mission today (well, I did it last night really) barring DS's shoes which seem to stay in there so we know where to find them. Still really need to gut the living room of crappy ornaments so I have space for my nice shiny new DAB radio (thanks to Santa/DH), but that will probably have to wait until after Christmas tree is down.

Not much else in the way of flying going on, just the laundry mountain to be done - think there's about 20 loads so will probably be washing until the end of the week so there's space for drying it.

Also really need to get round to setting up my control journal, but that doesn't seem to be happening despite the pretty stationery I have. Maybe one day...

Okay, best get on with the paying job!

Hi. I've been lurking on this thread for some time and hope you'll let me join. I've been flying on and off (mostly off) for about a year and do find, when I manage to do it, that the system helps. This post is really to say to OFM that if you bought your new TV with a credit card then had you thought of claiming on the insurance you get with that?

Welcome Honu - stop lurking and join right in. A new thread will be starting for January.

Massive waves and a hearty Hello from Toffee to you all. She has been banned from MN after some very bad behaviour having trouble logging on to MN . She is missing us all, but I suspect she is missing having us to keep her company in the procrastinating! Her house will be spotless if there's no MN to distract her.

Absolutely knackered here! Stupidly wide awake at 3am, gave up and went into work at 6am to get bits done. All done now, so just a short job to do on Friday. I just want to sleep now. DD3 has just put some colour on my hair, so waiting for it to "cook".

Have a good day everyone.

Hi PA, thanks for letting us know about Toffee

I've been doing some procrastinating of my own today. Now I need to get my painting gear on and finish off the spare room.

To do:
Paint
2x loads of washing
15 mins kitchen
15 mins dining room
15 mins lounge
Ioning pile (before I have an avalanche!!!)

You are very welcome Honu Here's to consistency of Flying in 2012 (something I desperately need to work on!)

Just dropping in between one set of visitors leaving (Swan -from earlier in thread - we were (eventually) nine for Christmas - visitors not all staying here thankfully) and we are setting off for Blighty tonight/tomorrow. Dh and dd leaving tonight and I'm following on tomorrow for various reasons too boring to mention.

Had a really lovely Christmas. Really happy and relaxed - the best bit was/is just being able to have a bit of time together as a family without dh dashing off to the office (although "the call" proved a little too strong today). It's times like this which really bring home how much relentless pressure dh is under ordinarily and how much pressure running your own own business involves the rest of the year. It's so lovely just not to have to think about it for three days ... it's like a huge weight is lifted from everyone's shoulders.

Amazing Christmas went so well considering I was ill up until 24th but I managed to get everything done (except cake which is in the oven atm !!) Felt very jaded on Boxing Day (so much so we delayed our traditional Boxing Day spread until last night) but recovered again yesterday.

I am also feeling chuffed because I managed (finally, finally, after years of one or two things always going wrong) to get all elements of the Christmas dinner on time and tasting delicious even though I do say it myself. But my very favourite meal is the cold cuts afterwards with salads ... scrumptious.

Speaking of which, think I am going to have to do some serious body clutter work in 2012 Feeling very porky atm.

Sorry for lack of personal messages, but have to go and tackle the laundry mountain which has been neglected for nearly a fortnight ...won't have any clean clothes for travelling if I don't move myself ...and once that's on and the cake is out of the oven, I must to go and take dd out for some exercise before it gets dark... she is climbing the walls today ... she is one of those high-energy children who needs to to be physically tired/challenged before she can sleep or behave in a reasonably calm manner

Have we thought about January's thread btw? I'm afraid I won't be able to be back on here regularly until the 9th ....but happy to help out thereafter.

Do we want to stick to the same system or perhaps do something new??? I dunno - haven't thought it through - but each of us do one step per day and one round-up per three days or something????

Just a thought!

In the meantime, thanks for keeping us going throughout December Blue and Bitchy. It really is appreciated at this time of year when everyone is so busy.

BBL! Huge waves to all!

Just read down the thread a bit ... procrastinating Mnsnetting before entering laundry of doom ...

and just noticed that Blue's ds1 has chicken pox - that's rotten luck over Christmas - hope he only has it mildly and recovers soon and also that Toffee's family is under the weather too and MC is still suffering. Hope you all feel better soon.

Huge waves to Toffee and PA btw too

Toffee The parlous state of my hell hole home office improved immensely when I couldn't gain access to Mnset for 8 days or so recently. Interesting that it has happened to you too. I wonder what glitches are causing it.

PA - what a thoughtful present your dc gave you and your dh - really lovely

Huge waves to everyone ....

Afternoon all

I'm having a mixed day. MIL and FIL turn up unannounced. They never come here as apparently my house is a mess. Well today is really is as it properly looks like a present volcano has errupted and DD had just had a friend around for 3 hours and got out almost every new present. I could have died. On the positive side friends mum has just offered to take DD out for the afternoon so I can now get on with more tidying. Not a complete waste of time so far though as am on 4th load of washing, cleaned kitchen and have done a paperwork clear-out and emptied a few present bags. I've also drunk an unhealthy amount of tea.

Right, back to it

Okay... What in hell did Toffee do to get herself banned?!

Or have I misread a post?!

Flying Toffee cant seem to log on at the moment, i was teasing her that she must have been really naughty to be banned!!