fledglings falling out of the nest thread

[IceColdBitchy]

Ok So a new year a new thread.
You know the ropes flying the fledgling way.
Decluttering 15mins at a time in each zone.
Babysteps and missions.

Sunday is renew your spirit day and seeing as today is new years days I hope there aren't too many evil hangovers in existance.

Babystep 1: shine you shine. yes we know this one but do you shine it the fat fairy way? cant remember? check here

And for a treat as it is sunday no mission.

Oh and can i just may 2012 bring you productive decluttering and flying so your houses step closer to those of your dreams and house work no longer be that evil monster that dominates.

Morning all. My answer to waking in the middle of the night is ironing. It bores the pants off me in the middle of the day but half an hour's ironing at 3am is very soothing, totally mindless, and makes me feel I haven't wasted the time and am entitled to a short nap some downtime during the day. Then put bedsocks on (feet always cold after this) and go back to bed. You can tell how well I am sleeping or not by the size of the ironing pile!

Posting and running as I need to get lots done today and won't if I try and catch up here :)

• Email all re School Assoc AGM - done
• All up and out with correct books, swimming gear, bones (DD doing bones in science so has resurrected the partial fox skeleton she found last year - teacher has been warned :o) - done
• Partial morning routine - done
• WORK
• Rest of morning routine
• Run - looking forward to this as beautiful cold clear day and have new shoes - simple pleasures :)
• Some time in DC's rooms - big bed move round at w/e - DS now has DD's cabin bed and DD has ebay high-sleeper. Beds look great but rest of rooms look awful as stuff just dumped in heaps to make room for bed dismantling/assembly
• Meeting at school re Reading Buddies
• DS's to Beavers for first time
• DD to Brownies
• Catch up with thread at some point

Work now................................maybe after biscuit/hot drink :)

Honu at ironing idea. So much more helpful than my habit of drinking peppermint tea.

I like your answer to sleepless nights, Honu.

Sorry you had a sleepless night yourself, PA, and best of luck with your travels. Yes, DS does have one good friend at school, but he finds everything about school overwhelming and anxiety-provoking .

Justonemore - I do sympathise! I remember that time with my DSs so well and it's exhausting. You will get time to yourself again one day! Playgroup sounds like an excellent idea. I'm sorry DH is putting work before getting up early. I was astonished to discover DHs who did the early shift in spite of working, as my own dearly beloved DH would never get up in the night or early morning if he was working the next day, even if I had been up all night. He used to say I could nap in the day. Er, when?

No more personals, sorry, as I have to go and do breakfast for a hungry DS1. He is openly refusing to go to school now. He is also refusing his medication, which isn't helping matters. I had arranged with the school that he would do a half day, but he wouldn't go. He has now agreed to go in for the last period of the day, which is Art. I'm being sympathetic to his anxieties, but I have also removed his computer and he won't get it back till he goes to school. Tough love!

Am going to try to do the House Bless/Bleugh today as I didn't manage it yesterday. The house has suddenly deteriorated and needs some care.

Toffee - Happy birthday for yesterday!
Flying - ouch, you poor thing! Hope you aren?t as sore today.
PA - have a nice time away
Life - I know what you mean with overcommitting, I?ve done the same at DS2?s nursery (while it was DS1?s and have remained on the committee). Now DS1?s school is trying to rope me in, and I?ve got the will power of a tissue when it comes to saying no to these things!!

Anyway, failed in flying yesterday, just felt completely lethargic. Wonder whether I should take some vitamins or something?!

Busy day today, DS2 has his 2nd settling in session at nursery but he did so well at his first settling in session (completely ignored me!!! ) that I?ve come home and they will call me if he gets upset. I only live around the corner from nursery so can get there in about 2 minutes. But once I pick him up I have to scoot off to London for the afternoon and then race back to relieve the babysitter (their old nanny) who is looking after the boys for the afternoon. Then need to pack DH's suitcase and get him ready for his trip tomorrow - he won't get home anywhere near early enough to pack properly.

Right, off to do what?s left of my morning routine (while it?s still morning!) and then do some crisis cleaning (all I seem to do )

I did manage to print up all my lists and can leave the folder open to the page to remind myself of what needs doing.... now I just need to DO it!!!

List dump and run as still working a few extra hours:

Ta-Da:
Morning routine
Into town to get fish for fish pie for dinner
Short walk with DS in town
S&S all bathrooms
Dust & hoover dining room
Dust & hoover living room
Phone plumber as bath taps he "sorted" have given up - left message
Make fish pie complete with piped potato!
WAH job - in progress
Washing for DS
Washing for DH & I - in tumble now

To-Do
Stick on some slap and
Wake DS at reasonable time to get out for
Playdate
Sort washing from tumble and lay away

Right on with the motley and try to get things done before DS wakes (hopefully I'll get another 1/2 hour of work done).

Waves and to everyone who needs it!

Life I multitask the ironing with nettle and peppermint tea. :o
Respect to Flying for the piped mashed potato - I have just made cottage pie for this evening and the mashed potato is piled on top .

Flying - piped potato? I just ladle it on top like you, Honu . I have potato envy now and will have to go and look out piping tips (do you use an icing thingy?)

Chitchat - glad your DS is settling in well .

Have just waved DS1 off. He is going to his last lesson of the day and the deal is that if he goes, he will have his computer returned to him for this afternoon (I've had it hidden away all day). He have had him hoovering and cleaning this morning, which I can't say he was very enthusiastic about, but he did it.

DH is back with lots of old books to value and I have a horrible feeling he wants me to help (prospect of a quick nap fading rapidly)...

I can safely say I have never piped potato in my life Probably mine is always the wrong consistency.

I am sitting here in my anorak. It is freezing. The washing machine is still broken but like Scarlett O'Hara I am not going to think about that now.

Time to pick up the beloved car. Taxi there so need to find some money.

done
reading to Reception in library, lots of shelf sorting
nothing else! except lunch eaten

toffee well done ds! Hope dh found some exciting purchases.

Just a post and run! I also have never piped a potato, I don't even own a potato piper!

Ta da:
Took my mams and my dog out for long walk with DD
Bathed dog
Made corned beef hash for dinner...and ate it with DD
washed up/ dried/ shined sink
Laundry washed and drying *2 but still going

Off to sort toys! Zumba tonight too so will try BBL!

Swan - Got DS1 a Super Mario card in the end. He loves it which is good, but was disappointed it didn't have a badge! There wasn't a single card with a badge for a 5-year-old to be had from anywhere!!

Ta da!
Up early for DS1's presents
Defrosted fish pie mix
Washing
Walked into town with my parents and DS2.
Toddlers and errands
Lunch
Hard-boiled eggs for fish pie

*to do:
Ice birthday cake
Make fish pie (No piped potato here, Flying! No piped icing either... )
Sort laundry
Bins out.

Hope your trip goes well PA.

Playgroup sounds a very good idea Justone. DS2 is 2 and loves his playgroup - he was very sad to miss it when he had the pox.

Waves to all - may not get back on here today.

Just a quick post and run before heading off to school.

Swan - yes, party went fine thanks, it was at a softplay and the staff did party games and all the food, cake etc so easy really (expensive though). Only minor glitch was from one girl announcing she was vegetarian when she was given her food bag containing ham sandwiches and a sausage and the same girls' mum being late for pick up but never mind. DS had a minor meltdown during musical bumps, he has always had problems with losing but we have worked hard on it and he can cope very well now generally but the girl from the softplay announced him out when he clearly wasn't last to sit down (probably because he was the biggest) and he dissolved into tears at the unfairness of it all, poor DS.

Justone - I remember longing for some child free time too, when I did first get it I used to panic and try and fit as much in as I could. Now they are both at school I long for more time with them though .

Toffee - you are doing well with DS1, it must be hard, but he is very lucky to have you. I suffer with mild anxiety (I'm sure that is why my house is so messy, because I spend so much time fretting and putting off, the tax return being a good example)

Better go, back later

Piping was done mainly for DS so he would eat it and so it crisped more for texture. I used a cheapy icing bag and nozzle from ASDA, and just continued on to mine and DH's.

Normally I just splat it on the top - but I've been feeling that it doesn't taste as nice as when it's piped (based on eating out fish pie) so just went for it; it only took me about 3-4 minutes more than splatting.

I'll update whether it tastes better either tonight/tomorrow

You are all doing so well with flying. And are managing to tackle RL too.

Flying fail here.

Couldn't wake up this morning. Spent day asleep. Want to go back to sleep. But it is Tuesday. So just about to take ds to training.

whoknowsoh poor ds being told he was Out...at least it wasn't birthday girl

lauren love the bath for the dog. A muddy walk perhaps? Have you read your dd Harry The Dirty Dog yet? perhaps she is too little, but you must later.

ice hope training and pure clear ice revives murky brains

done
taken dd to piano and back, rather fraught for some reason, to do with a packet of crisps [aargh....] Long walk.
not picked up car yet
violin practice ds1

now attempting to print off a picture of John The Baptist for RE homework, cue gnashing of teeth, as I forgot about that. Printer is now in Dh's study, whether that is better or worse ergomically in terms of inconvenience and trailing wires not quite sure. Still doesn't work 50 per cent of time at any rate.

Washing machine has worked for two washes. I am holding my breath.

I think ds is going to football now. Just read through his RE book, and makes me want to scream how messy/sloppy his work is, but I must control myself as it is good at least that he has done it...NO NEGATIVE VIBES!!!

Supper is what we had last night, except with rice. And extra sausages.

feel tired, freezing and generally fed up,l think I am going to watch CBBC with the children to cheer myself up.

Just popping on to update re piped potatoes...

Tastes MUCH better than my previous splat attempts. Made the potatoes fluffier, lighter and crispier on the outside. Think it will now be a permanent feature.

Right off to grab a cuppa and a taste test of my first attempt at cheese scones!

I suppose like "duchesse potatoes" Flying

I can make cheese scones though

DH and I have [drumroll] piled enormous quantity of junk from loft, and a redundant kitchen unit (which we had originally saved from a friend's skip 2 years ago) on the garden path for Junk collection pickup. And emptied piles of stuff from the drawers therewith (that has to be sorted still, and of course we now need some new drawer arrangement

But, it FEELS GOOD. so that is something.
dd had another tantrum earlier over the fact that I put fennel in the salad so feeling a bit fragile after that. Everyone now watchng football.

Hi all, going through a bit of crap at the moment. Could I ask you to have a look at the 'bullying' board please? I have just posted a thread under a NC as it's a bit identifiable. I can PM you the thread name if you can't see it.

swan DD really loves books so I'll order it in at the library so I can read it

I'll have a look now chaos if I can find the bullying section!

Swan - DD probably wouldn't have batted an eyelid to be honest. Well done on junk clearance.

Flying - I haven't done duchesse potatoes for years, might add that to the list of (so far totally in vain) ways in which I might persuade DS to try potato.

Blue - I think cards with badges have largely disappeared since they changed to the new postage system and they all cost extra to post now (or risk the recipient getting charged extra).

Lauren - how's DD now, I have only been reading the thread intermittently this week.

Honu - good idea re ironing and insomnia, only problem is I do all ours in our bedroom and don't think DH would be impressed if I started at 3am!

Not too much Flying here today as it was a work day, but managed all the routine stuff plus after school club / tap / ballet run followed by a nice dinner (beef casserole from the slowcooker).

I have had stern words with the DCs tonight, esp DS, as they have been getting cheekier and ruder by the day, ignoring us when we ask us to do things or answering back. So they have been told it's zero tolerance now, I am determined to re-draw the boundaries before it gets out of hand, one warning and then privileges withdrawn. I have been trying really hard to reward the good behaviour and not rise to the bait when they wind me up for the last 6 months or so and the result has been a much calmer house, but I think ignoring the bad is not enough right now as they just think they are getting away with it. If they spoke to another adult like they do to me sometimes I would be mortified.

Anyway, after these words, DS was an absolute angel, we put all his and DD's clean clothes away together and sorted out new ones for tomorrow while DD rested having cut her knee just before we went upstairs. Awwww.

Complete flying fail here only to be made worse by reading about piped fecking potatoes, my family are just grateful if i can be arsed to mash properly. Seriously flying if bitchy doesn't give you flyer of the day sticker for that i will skate over those hills that lay between me and her and sort her out with one of her ds's hockey sticks.

No time for personals as i have work to do but i will try and find your thread chitchat and i did want to say to toffee that i knowi haven't commented loads on your work with your ds i would like to say how much iadmire you and how lucky he is to have you.

Better go, tonight's lesson plan is on the life of a cowboy. Yeeha.

Lauren Are you a member of the Childminding Forum? It's amazing for help and support especially in the run up to your first inspection. I don't get on there as much as I'd like to lately but been busy MNing working.

Morning routine
Take littlies out in the morning
Home for lunch/ nursery drop off/ naps
Call Ofsted /HA / FIS
Plan rest of this wk and next
Meal plan rest of week
Write up ICE cards & get parents to sign them
Mop kitchen and bathroom floors
Evening routine
Send DH out for MIL's b'day present
Declutter catalogues
See if local PO does Passport forms

Tomorrow's list

Morning Routine
Toddler Group
Library to collect CM pack
Call co-ord re. email address
Call EdenRed
Lunch/nursery/naps
Rubbish/recycling out
Write up ICE cards & get parents to sign them
Mop kitchen and bathroom floors
Declutter Catalogues
Wash our bedroom windows

I planned to deep clean the bathroom but the only chance I'll get is when DD is napping and it's right next to her room and I'll probably wake her. I'll just spend the time MNing catching up with paperwork instead.

Now I wonder how much I've buggered up the striking out above, here goes...

whoknows DD is much better now thank you! I'm just working to try and get her sleep patterns back to normal as she now thinks its acceptable to stay awake until 11 pm and sleep in until 10:30

nicknacks I'm on the forum! I find it really useful and keep lurking on there whenever I feel that everything's done to see what else i can improve on! I also look at other peoples ofsted reports online and read the comments to see if I can do the things that ofsted says is good to do and avoid what people get marked down on, I've just bought an e-book off someone on the forum (Sarah? I think she's a big fish on there ) about risk assessments and it's been invaluable for me! I hadn't even done COSHH risk assessments so I've been busy on with those this week!

just a little afraid of Miss Ellie

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day here

Babystep 18: the eleven commandments to tidy.

missions

night.