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!

Oh phew!

Wouldn't have been the same without her!

I think she is too sensible to be banned!

I'm back! In a demonstration of true love, DH decided to investigate why I wasn't able to log onto MN and discovered our broadband provider was blocking it . He emailed them and hey presto - access at last.

It has been awful not being able to log on. I feel all out of touch with you all. However, it has meant that I have finally tackled the piles of laundry (Ellie - I hid them all in our bedroom under a large towel ) and now have lots of clean, ironed clothes hanging up.

We are finally beginning to return to normal following the Xmas period. Tomorrow, I have foolishly invited a friend round to play with DS2 and two friends round for a sleepover with DS1. DH is out for the day, so it will be just me with five boys. The thing I'm most dreading is the endless negotiations with the older boys about which film I will let them watch. DS1 (12) has been given a perfectly good thriller called 'Super 8' which he doesn't want to watch simply because it's a 12. I should have stuck a 15 certificate on it to make it acceptable (18 even cooler, but he knows I wouldn't let him watch it then).

Anyway, am off to catch up with the thread now. It's good to be back!

Can't believe I was last here on Monday - I thought I was away from MN for much longer than that.

PA - thanks for passing on my message. I wish my house was spotless as a result of my MN drought, but, sadly, this is far from the case. I hope you managed to catch up on sleep in the afternoon.

Flying - I bought this to organise the toys in DS2's tiny bedroom and it has really helped.

Making - sorry about your surprise visit. How awful. My DH still cringes at the memories of how his father used to take him to visit relatives unexpectedly. He and his father would turn up on their doorsteps at 9am on a Sunday morning, with his father beaming and expecting to be welcomed in. DH says that the poor relatives were often still in their dressing gowns.

SC - how awful to be off MN for eight days . After two, I was already entering the early stages of grief: I'd been through the denial stage and was well into the anger stage and a long way off acceptance!

Chitchat - Xmas, painting and Flying all within a week - that's impressive!

Welcome, Honu. Please stop lurking and join in. That's a great idea for OFM about claiming on the insurance, btw.

Coos - hope you enjoyed your day out at the London Aquarium (a very good, clutter-free gift, incidentally - Flylady would approve ). We took DS1 there earlier in the year and had a great time.

IceCold - hope you get sleep tonight. Thanks for continuing to post the missions etc in spite of the Xmas palaver.

BlueEyes - it's good to get chickenpox over with, but horrible to cope with, nonetheless. Both of mine felt quite poorly with it and looked fairly horrible. Calamine lotion, baths of bicarbonate of soda (I think...?) and lots of DVDs got us through. I think you can buy something else to soothe the itching from the chemist now. I'm never sure that Calamine works.

OFM - I hope you've recovered from the Xmas period (did work help or hinder?). Good luck at your parents tomorrow.

StNicks - a belated Happy Anniversary!

Linzer - hope you had a good time with your BF.

WhoKnows - how was the food at your ILs this time ? My MIL phoned me today just to tell me that she had cooked the pork right through and it was 'beautiful'. I think she was making a point.

Finally feel as if I have caught up with you all now. Phew. I hope I don't get banned lose contact with MN again

Good to see you back, Toffee - you must have been suffering from some serious withdrawal symptoms.

I'm still at my parents' so don't have much time to post (and little FLYing to post about anyway, although I've been doing some decluttering - not that it ever seems to make much difference), but am trying to at least read all of your posts so that I don't lose touch completely.

We had a lovely day out with our friends on Tuesday and, amazingly enough, no problems on the trains, and have been having a fairly lazy time since then. As usual, I'm managing to spend far too much money - not helped by the fact that a big Next has just opened (a proper clothes shop! there's even talk of a Tesco coming here, although I'll have to see it before I believe it) and it has a half-price sale on at the moment.

Must go as the girls and my parents have just got back from their daily constitutional along the seafront.

Hi all! On my phone again while DS watches a taped 'Show Me, Show Me'

In my defence, it was vaaaairy windy here last night and I ended up sleeping upstairs with a tossy DS so didn't get quality sleep and DH is working today (so he can go for a meal out at lunch time! ) so I need peace and a bit of head space.

Today I need to:
Finish laundry mountain
Take DS to docs
WAH job
Shopping trip to supermarket
Dust and hoover bedroom
Make dinner for DS and I (and have some spare in case DH is hungry despite a huge lunch!)

Think that's all!

DH is off again from tomorrow until next Wednesday so flying will be kept to a minimum - BUT I am determined to use this time to get a control journal organised. Honest!

Hello, and a merry christmas to everyone. I know it's a long time since I was last on one of these threads, but a lot has happened. I guess it's going to take me a while to work out who has which nickname , but then, I know I did struggle with that before.

To cut a long story short, I have been given redundancy (Hooray, got away from that boss at last) and I am now at home with more time to concentrate on the house (at least until I get another job). The last few months have been very stressful, but it's all paying off now. Meanwhile, I have been told that the boss has not been allowed to recruit a replacement for me as yet, and he's suddenly realised just how much I did...... I've even had a call at home after I left.

I used some of my payoff to take a chunk off the mortgage, and DP took an equal amount out of some investment he had in the stock market to do the same. With stock market so iffy, we thought paying off half the remaining mortgage was a sensible thing to do. While he is still working, he is still overpaying, so we estimate we can clear the whole thing in about 5 years!

And if things go pear-shaped, we have considerably cut down our outgoings.

So today, I am:
Making stock from the bones of Xmas dinner
some washing
chasing a plumber to fix the boiler (which packed up on Xmas morning) we're coping at present, but another couple of days......
clearing out a cupboard to ditch some lots of accumulated crap to make way for the important stuff, which in turn has been moved to allow installation of the Xbox/kinect, etc.

And I confess the garage is only now receiving the attention it deserves. I plan to get rid of nearly everything in there, and have a tumble drier, freezer and a dartboard in there, with the carpet remnants covering the concrete. I have told DP we can have a small shelving unit to store the essential DIY stuff!

Hello everyone.

Leaving for Blighty early eve.

Sorry to repeat myself but does anyone have any thoughts about Jan thread? Anyone volunteering? Shall I start it? I'm away until 9th but happy to pick up steps and round-ups thereafter.

Being pedantic because much easier all round (and for person running thread) to appear 'in the green' as it were.

Or - do we all want to carry on in the same way? If you are about and have any thoughts about it either way, please let us know!

Toffee glad you are back! Arf at your stages of grief! Wierd that similar thing happened to me.

Hello to ¨Linzer good that you are able to take it relatively easy for once

Waves to Darts (good that you are back) PA Ellie Nettie Blue Bitchy MC OFM Honu ChitchattingElf Whoknows Feet Swan and everyone I've missed ...

Off to Blighty now

Maybe someone who hasn't run thread before would be kind enough to volunteer? (It's a great way of getting to know everyone on the thread and study the Flylady website in depth at the same time) Although on reflection the latter might not be a very strong inducement

Back for 9th - when happy to run thread if no-one else steps in in

In the meantime, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!!

Linzer - glad you had a lovely day with your friends. And yes, I was suffering MN withdrawal symptoms.

Flying - it really helped me to have a control journal. I have put all my Xmas stuff in it too and this year added reminders for next Xmas (eg. don't leave the giblets in a plastic bag inside the turkey ).

Welcome back, Darts. It sounds as if you have been very organised with your money. Glad to hear you have decluttered your job .

SC - I don't mind volunteering for next month. Sounds as if it might be tricky for you as you're away for a while.

I have retreated to my bedroom with a cup of tea and a packet of Viscount chocolate biscuits. DH left this morning to spend the day with a friend and won't be back till late (and will probably be in no fit state to help then anyway). DS2 had a friend round till 2pm and DS1 had and still has two friends here who are sleeping over. The house is very full and noisy! After spending all morning putting up with constant demands and interruptions, I finally lost it with DS1 (who was showing off in front of his friends and being very rude to me). Surprisingly, he backed down, apologised for his behaviour and later came up and gave me a hug. He's been sweet ever since . Long may it last.

My BF, who is coming to stay for New Year's Eve, has suggested we go out for a meal together tomorrow night so I can have a break. I can't wait.

Today's ta da list:

B/fasts
Hoovering
Room rescues - dining room, sitting room
Unload and reload d/w
Washing on
Unload tumbledrier (yesterday's washing)
Tidy kitchen hotspot
Rubbish out
Recycling out
Get DC to write thank-you cards and post them
Confiscate memory stick of 'Grave Encounters' from DS1 which no, DH, I don't agree is suitable for three 12-year olds
Two shifts of lunch: youngest 2 DC, followed by oldest 3.
Break up Nerf gun fight between oldest and youngest
Cajole DS2 out of a sulk so that he'd play with his friend
Deal with various computer issues
Help with Lego building

To do:

More laundry sorting and ironing
Make dinner (gnocchi, garlic bread and salad)
Washing up
Bedtime routines
Sort out film for DS1 and his friends (dreading this as it usually involves an argument). Provide popcorn.
Make up guest beds
Cajole older DC to turn the light out by midnight or before.
Bedtime

Oh feck it I will happily post linkie but am shit at round ups so will happliy joint run thread if the linkies bit is a bit intimidating. Just woken up. was glorious nights sleep after a very busy but lovely day.

Today is thursday which means it is errand day.

mission

today's babystep

Hello lovely flyers!

Well as ashamed as I am to say it- I've still done NOTHING since Christmas. We are both still off work and are enjoying staying in PJ's, watching DVDs, playing on iPads and laptops etc and generally letting the kids mooch about with their christmas presents. Have had brief sessions of everyone tidying up so it doesn't get too disgusting but no flying going on. Will get back on track in the new year.

I've decided that each time a room in the house gets successfully decluttered I will treat it with decorating. In most cases this involves adding or replacing some furniture which should add to the ease of keeping it clean and tidy. Well that's the plan anyway!

Toffee I did at you describing not being able to log in and going through the stages of grief.

SC I would offer to take over January but I haven't mastered the art of linking yet. I'll practise and maybe do February?

I have thought of a thread title for January and it rhymes! Funnily enough, I ran the thread last January too. Shall I go ahead and start it if no-one else wants to?

New nickname for the new year . The whirly bit is meant to be me tackling my house and life (ever hopeful).

Toffee that would acutally be wonderful if you would as I would prefer a month san computer not that it will happen. Love the new name too!!!

Otoh i am going to stick to this name for a bit. It is fabulous to have you back darts I am the regular namechanger who spent most of your past life here being confused by. .

Right there will be no to do list and no ta da list as i am having a doing feck all but sleep day. About to go cook tea and once eaten will be heading into a hot bath and then back to bed. Ds is away and looked after so will just be today and then try to get up and normal function human hours to get stuff done tomo. Hoping to feel more human too. My goal for January is to work to normal human day/night patterns. ie not 15hrs sleep feck all sleep patterns.

Have a good day!

Hiya all!!!

I'm so sorry I've been awol for so long and would like to say a huge happy christmas and an early new year to everyone (incase I'm not back before)

Despite me not being able to get on here much I've still been doing the basic flying apart from the missions so the house doesn't look too bad!

While I type my DP is busy tiling me a new travertine floor in my kitchen and hallway which I LOVE!! as a joint christmas present to us, and this has spurred me on to look for new furniture and start to spend some money on the house as a lot of the furniture was inherited or handed down when I moved in (but still not awful IYSWIM)

I am going to try my very best to get on here on a morning to list dump and an evening to catch up and ta da...It's tricky without my phone access as DD likes to smack computer keyboard etc and DP complains that childfree time should be "our time" and not MN time

toffee you're new name makes me want a twirl for some reason!

I hope everyone is ok!!!

Off to drool over playroom furniture now!

New thread for January is here.

IceColdBitchy I'm hoping to keep up with the nicknames this time Luckily, some nicknames seem very familiar.....like mine (I don't change it much).

We did manage a good Christmas, despite the boiler, and the kids have a kinect and xbox, which I will shortly be joining in a game for. Thank goodness I haven't connected it to the internet yet, or the kids would more than likely post the videos!!!!!!!

Meanwhile, today's list is:

Making stock from the bones of Xmas dinner done
some washing done
chasing a plumber to fix the boiler (which packed up on Xmas morning) we're coping at present, but another couple of days...... done
clearing out a cupboard to ditch some lots of accumulated crap to make way for the important stuff, which in turn has been moved to allow installation of the Xbox/kinect, etc. done

So not bad for today. Plumber came and made a temporary fix, pending getting a new part. Heating and hot water are on (YAY) but I'm sure it's going to take a little while for the house to properly re-heat.

Welcome back Darts - I was probably Mrs Dinky last time you were here. I was thinking of you the other day when PA started a thread to discuss the PDC World Championship.

Thanks for starting the new thread Toffee - great title.

Back later.

Ha, the kids will be going up to bed soon, after a couple of very late nights, and DP wants to have a soak in the bath now the hot water is restored.

Soooooo, I get the chance to try the kinect on my own........

Safe journey SC (although I'm probably a bit late) and enjoy your trip "home" (I have to make a conscious effort to call Austria and not the UK home!).

Welcome back Darts and lauren.

Thanks for the new thread, Toffee - love the new name. I wanted to be VienneseWhirl but someone had already taken it.

Horrible wet and windy day here today, but we managed to get into town in the morning. I restrained myself shopping-wise as we're going to struggle to take everything on the train as it is, but did meet up with an old school friend and her husband for coffee and discovered a lovely new(ish) cafe in the process. Also took some clothes that I'd decluttered to Oxfam; they included an M&S skirt and for once I remembered to ask for my M&S voucher, but was disappointed to see it's only valid in January. There's no M&S for miles around and I'm unlikely to get to one until the summer at the earliest (if only they accepted the vouchers in Bratislava...), so I passed it on to the friend I met as she's off to London next week.

Off to put the DC to bed now and then continue packing and decluttering, although think a may be waiting downstairs for me first (my parents are very good at providing tea and coffee at regular intervals).

Have just noticed that Lidl has a Shiny Sinks cleaner on offer next week, just in time for the New Year and all my good intentions.

But was to see that the wine that costs us about £1.50 back in Austria is on offer at £3.59 here!

ftw!

Right having just seen the craziness that is january's thread i feel we might need a list of all the people on it. blimey

Friday is clean your car and purse out day.

missions

babystep

January thread looks mighty scary already!! Good luck Toffee you are going to need it!!!

I won't be around much in January. Away on Monday for the week for a staff conference, back for a week, then away for the rest of the month over to Germany. So I wont be around a lot......don't forget me!

Still not done a lot since Christmas around the house. I probably wont do a lot now, just get things sorted for my absence next week.

Thanks for another month of your company everyone!

It does look scary, PA, you're right. I'm a bit scared of going back there .