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.

first big encouraging pat to poor Flying oh I remember the climbing on tables stage, pulling everything out stage. They seem like they are delibarately being naughty but it is isn't that really it isn't, it is just that that is what toddlers do! Aargh... My only solution in these situations was to find a friend's house/rainy horrible park to go to and fast, or failing that get someone else round to my house to have a de-stressing chat with however chaotic it was. Please look after yourself. Failing that, jelly babies and a good cry, and DON@T WORRY ABOUT THE MESS.

Knot of anxiety in my stomach again, but hoping dr will say is low thyroid levels so...off to see dr now to check blood test results.
done
all children to school, including ds1 with holiday homework, newly sorted bag and PE kit
ds2 long literary homework he failed to tell us he had a whole Xmas "journal" to write till 8.20 last night
recycling
early night, restored to good humour (bar knot of anxiety) this morning
dh restored to moderate good humour apart from wrestling with ds2 spelling and another wet bed...
parking voucher on car

linzer you are so cool about dd1 birthday party, I am impressed by lack of frenzied neurotic twitchiness. I am already dreading dtws parties in March. I have ordered some Formula I invites, just to take the edge off the situation...Ds2 is already planning it! Help!

Morning all!

Flying - Have a and . DS2 is at that stage as well. I try to remember that "this too shall pass", but don't always manage it...

ChitChat - that sounds sensible! I'm a sucker for stashing things away in boxes and forgetting about them... Labelling is clearly the way forward!

Lauren - enjoy Zumba! I'm really looking forward to starting again on Monday.

Linzer - Hope the party goes well.

Swan - A and for you too! Good luck at the drs.

Right, ta da!
Beds stripped
Sheets washed and in drier
Utility room, kitchen, downstairs loo and dining room tidied, dusted and reasonably thoroughly cleaned.
Sitting room tidied and dusted but not cleaned

Still to do:
Bedrooms, landing, bathroom, study - declutter and tidy
Upstairs dusting
Hoover throughout
Mop floors
Ironing
Clean laundry away
Buy invitations for DS1's party
Junk to charity shop
Palm off baby toys on CM...

That's my break over so better get cracking again...

Done
drs, went fine, burst into tears as usual (seems to be knee jerk reaction to seeing anyone in a white coat) Thyroid inconclusive, she has given me a checklist to fill out so that is something moving forward...
written appt in diary! ta da!

after restocking pasta cupboard
I am now off on some errands including checking my brother's window which he phoned up from abroad to tell me he'd left open...
todo
parking permit from council trip, find bank statement, get permit from car etc.
window trip
BUY WASHING POWDER
find Oyster card
more pencils for kids
post and address thank yous dd has written
what's for dinner - roast
buy potatoes and lettuce, sandwich fillings, apples, grapes whilst out

Right, DS is down for a nap (god knows for how long, he slept 3.5 hours for DH yesterday, so I'm anticipating a 5 minute nap for me today!)

Thank you for the pats and I'm feeling a bit calmer now, and am sitting on my bed with a and taking time for me as I think I've been a bit stressed by DH's lack of cleaning or even tidying up behind himself - whereas I probably should have been more explicit about what he needed to do during the day. But, I stuck everything in the sink in a load of soapy water to steep, wiped some surfaces, and then bunged everything into the dishwasher - so kitchen is a bit better.

DS then "helped" me tidy my bedroom - well, he pulled all my shoes off my shoe rack in my wardrobe while I dusted and tidied. I also wiped my windows and my mirrors with my shiny new e-cloths and am very impressed - they even took off the hair gloop spray marks from the wardrobe mirrors. I then S&S the ensuite with the e-cloth and have a shiny bathroom sink now too!

But, how often do you wash them? I've rinsed them out (and I only cleaned the sink with my cloth as I have flushable wipes for the loo), which the packaging says is fine, so am planning to wash them maybe once a week when I do all my dish towels and just keep rinsing after use? Or am I being a slattern here? (For the record, I do change my dish towels daily, but only do a 60 degree wash once a week for enviromental reasons, and they just sit in a basket waiting for the wash as they're really only used to mop stuff from the dishwasher IYSWIM). Also, bio or non-bio washing powder - the packaging isn't clear!

So to-do/ta-da:
Tidy & dust bedroom - done, but still to hoover as DS needed to go for a nap
Plan dinner - done, stir-fry
Organise kitchen - more or less done, still crap to lay away, but l can see surface area now*
Plan shopping list - going to sit down with DH tonight and tell him he needs to help with this as I struggle to remember stuff
Mop kitchen floor - will do tonight as stir-fry always creates greasy splatter
Start a GOALS list - done - all the stuff I want done short term (like sorting out DS's wardrobe so his stuff can go in there) but need to discuss with DH in terms of timing

Eeek - DS stirring...

It will get better Flying.

right so far i have on my Ta Da List:
stripped bed
disassembled bed
put christmas decorations away
reassembled bed
put other decorations away in loft
Tidied and sorted windowsil
cleaned windowsil
Remove unsorted washing to downstairs (aiming to get folded later)
Sorted out training kit drawer
Sorted out the odds and sods drawer so kit can be split between the 2 different types (although I appear to now have three drawers of my kit stuff alone)
Rearrange book shelf shelves.
Tidy and rearrange shelves on bed
Sort through and cull any electrical leads no longer required
Recharge electric toothbrush - oh how i have missed the luxary. Will be throwing out the manual one that is due replacing.
recharge ds' ikea ghosty and discover the older one is for the bin
Laundry - 2nd load going on now.
Find letter with ds' hospital appointment on
Find missing bank book
Recharge brick as the antique is playing up and i suspect about to die :(
Clean top of chest of drawers.
Watch Kung Fu panda 2
Check swimming kit for later
Make up school bag
get ds to school on time

Tons left to do so that i have a bed to sleep in but on a plus not have found my control journal and am beginning to feel like there is a room under the boombsite.

Flying - sorry you had a rough night. I agree with Swan's sensible advice - your son is just being a toddler and it's so much harder to cope with when you haven't had proper sleep. You need to lower your sights on such days and just cope with getting through it, I think. I remember having to take all the chairs out of our dining room into the garden because it was the only way I could get anything done in kitchen. Why? Because otherwise DS2 would climb on the chairs and onto the table and I spent my life dashing between kitchen and dining room to rescue him from toppling off. It's only a phase, but it's bloody hard work!

Re: e-cloths. Well, maybe I'm a slattern, but I don't even wash my bathroom e-cloth once a week . Maybe I should? I rinse it out daily and dry it on the radiator and wash it when I remember. It is only used for wiping round the sink and bath, so I never consider it very dirty. I wash the kitchen e-cloth more often because it's used to wipe down surfaces that I put food on. I change my hand towels and tea towels daily.

Swan - sorry the dr's appointment was still inconclusive. That's frustrating when you want a definite answer. But at least you are following it up.

Linzer - I had the 'opening the door to the postman in PJs' moment last week, so I know how you feel. I think it was the afternoon though, which was even more embarrassing! I expect they are used to it.

Sorry you are both suffering from faulty boilers, Honu and Ellie - and it's so cold today too!

Feet - I'm just as bad at burning the candles at both ends. MN is often to blame here too. Late at night is often the only chance I get to go on MN uninterrupted and without annoying comments about me spending too much time on MN from DH.

CheerfulYank - don't despair about the clutter. It didn't get like this in a day, remember? We are taking some old videos to the dump where they are put up for sale for anyone who still uses them.

Should we be sending out a search party for Bitchy yet?

Ta da list:

Get dressed
Swish and swipe in bathroom
Breakfasts
Get ready for school routine
Email school (DS1 too ill for school again)
D/W unloaded
Reload D/W with breakfast things
Put washing on
School run
Vist friend

To do list:

Finish AM routine (put 2nd load in w/m, tumbledry first load)
15 - 30 mins ironing
Put laundry away
DS1 - write thank-you letters
De-Christmas the house
Room rescue - DS2's bedroom
Paperwork - pay bills, post forms
What's for dinner? Spag bol
Collect DS2 from friend's house
Bedtimes
Before-bed routine

I'm sure there's more, but I'll stick to that and then anything else is a bonus.

No search party required - I see you have survived the bombsite, Bitchy .

Toffee I appear to have found this smooth hard thing that runs from one side of the room to the other, and whilst it is not clear it has potential

Do you think we have one of those in our bedroom too? DH has just gone up there to declutter and has taken the hoover. I will ask him....

Nope, apparently not, but DH is going to keep looking. He thinks we might have one somewhere.

Hoover? well i won't go so far as to say there is enough of it for that yet. Could he be dusting the books? Or perhaps just broken something? Let me know what you discover.

Hang on a mo, Toffee isnt he supposed to be working from home? how did you get him to declutter?

x-post

I have just had to microwave the cheese on my lunchtime nachos as the grill is broken - it did work but felt !

Flying - glad you are feeling a bit better, hope DS sleeps for a nice long time for you.

Toffee Linzer - I do the 'opening the door to the postie in dressing gown' far too often too and not only does he live locally but he's a dad at school

Bitchy - scary, scary list

Right, list update:

• All up and out with relevant bags, kit, bits of paper, etc - done
• WORK - contract invoices - done now chasing rubbish payer
• Many phone calls re work/home - done some, more to do
• Sign up to Virgin Giving - done

Need to warm up so not going into freezer yet - Christmas decs here I come........

:o at you two

Bitchy - he says he's having a day off. Which means he is suddenly getting very virtuous about doing housework and very judgemental about me meeting friends for tea and sitting around on MN. Cos I never do any housework or childcare, do I ?

at your postie being a dad at school, Feet.

OK, I am really, really going to log off now.

Good Afternoon

dwm being an official at paralympics sound cool. Well done on all your batch cooking.
out Thanks for clearing that up i really was trying to place you Sorry to hear about ds but hopefully that means you can get some actual help now?
swan hope ds was ok at school drop off. mmm lentil soup... Aw at dr meltdown im exactly the same when faced with someone like that. I think its a crontrol issue with me. As in i feel out of control.
blue hope ds2 does not end up with the pox.
flying ive gor my sink reflections had it for about 2 m onths and not even openede it yet My DH is exactly the same. if thats any consolation.
whoknows hope you managed to dry off ok yesterday.
mc hope first day went well.
jellysweets hiya
chitchat love the dont mop another day put it off till next week now that wouldnt teach me anything i just think great i dont have to do it!
notvery i go ton bed earlier but tend to watch tv and mn in bed do you think that counts too.
toffee hope ds is a bit better today. Flylady hasnt taught me the perfectionist issue yet. i always put myself under pressure to get it all done. {stresshead} Can i beg forgiveness for dropping out and abandoning you on monster thread.
ellie and honu bummer about heating but loving the diagnosis
bitchy hope you dont get lost in the quagmire
linzer lol at self photo taking.

My ta da list

up and everyone disapatched to school, nursery wokr.
dw on
bed made
house respectable enough.

still to finish work pick up ds
put away clothes
put washing on
test smoke alrams
pick up dd
accept ocado shopping
plan what to cook contemplate cooking depending on what time it arrives.
bed early, tv to be swtiched off to prevent watching professional masterchef at 3am

have a fab day hope to be back later.

Burnout. Going to clear bed (dump stuff back onto floor) and tackle a craft ufo until school collection time. (in about 30mins.)

Done
pleased with myself! Parking Permit (that took 2 hours)
Organised Planner/ Wall Calendar with puppies
Large new diary
small address book for handbag
assorted stationery for dcs and self (very boring stuff that counts as errand not shopping I hope)
potatoes, snacks and washing powder

only haven't yet reached brother's house so that hanging over me Why can't he get his neighbours to shut his alley [with bars on it]window

knot of anxiety hs returned...

Nettie hallo, I think you would make a good governor because you are good with people, energetic, and clearly very organised, also dedicated and resourceful! And of course discreet!

Toffee Dh said he went to the office yesterday and no-one was there! He felt a fool for bothering to go in, as everyone else clearly thought it was a holiday...I think he was worried I might try and talk to him about Plans. He hates plans.

I mean that's why he was so eager to stay in the office...Everyone has the bug you mentioned too. He is expecting to get it any day from the noisome tube..where people keep coughing and sneezing on him.

Hope ds1 can just relax and not worry about school, and get better. No point struggling in to give everyone else bug anyway..

Well so not motivated today, but here goes so far

• wipe down kids table
• wipe down kitchen sides and sink
• Take DD2 to get weighed as Im a bit worried she's not gaining enough weight. tried, but baby group doesnt start back till next week so I couldnt
• Clean Bathroom
• ring council re garage. We think someone tried to break into it the other day and now the door is dodgy. Dont like leaving my car outside as I dont live in a particularly nice area so rent out a garage.

Oh dear its now after half 3 and Ive only tried to do one thing. Though in my defence trying to get DD2 weighed did take 2 and half hours because the group is the other side of town and I arranged to meet a friend before group started for lunch, so I have been out.

The thing is kids table and kitchen sink are late afternoon/evening tasks.
Right off to tackle bathroom and ring council.

Regarding bed, im quite happy to go after 11 as long as I make sure my tasks are done by 9

Will be back to do personals later when I have actually completed my tasks.

Hiya all!

Impressive list bitchy
linzer I answered the door to the parcel force man in a duvet over the Christmas period, in my defence it was 7:15 am and he was knocking AND ringing the door bell for at least 5 minutes and I didn't want him to wake DD up. I gave him my sternest paddington bear stare

at toffees husband decluttering and hoovering

DD was scratched a bit mauled at playgroup this morning and parent of attacking child did nothing!! I think it took longer for me to get over it than DD case of pfb!!

Ta da:
Picked up dog poo
Nagged DP into putting up picture
Playgroup
Kitchen hotspot
Nagged DP into fixing bathroom blind
Had a meeting with a potential mindee and parent
Washed up

Still to do:
Washing and drying *2
Dry dishes and put away
Put away laundry
Hoover
Sweep and mop kitchen floor
Zumba

BB tomorrow!

good morning!
well, the good news is that ds1 hasn't thrown up overnight, the bad news is i'm only half way through the laundry he created yesterday (bedding, my fave ). fingers crossed that is it and the girls don't come down with it now.

right, today:

finish putting the christmas stuff away (had to keep dropping it yesterday every time ds1 ran for the bathroom)
make veggie soup
two job applications
wmx3 (conservative guess)
dwx2 (one done - it looks like dh overfilled it last night so i had to take stuff out and re-run it before breakfast )
take dd1 to climbing
get dd1 and 2's ski stuff out for this afternoon
distract ds1

i think that will do for this morning.

no wildlife of late, feet (tis v cold and the bears are hibernating i hope) but i've signed up for a x-country skiing course in a vain attempt to kill or cure, so if anything is going to jump out on me, it will be when i'm incapacitated by planks in the woods...

mc - oooo first day new job. hope it went well! i think you had your interview just before i disappeared!

toffee, the psych has given us some ideas for ds1 in the interim, but we'll get the written report some time this week, and don't see the paed until the 17th (although i need to change that appointment. in true chaotic stylee, i have managed to book not one, not two, but three appointments for 0930 on that day...) i know she is looking at meds, but it's all a bit overlapping, so not sure where she's going to start.

on a lighter (hopefully) note, i've also signed up for a 'ten pound challenge' at the rec centre, which runs over six weeks (gym and aquacise). i soooooo need to get control of myself as well as the house! and ten pounds off would be a great start!

Motivational list...

ta da!
Beds stripped
Sheets washed and in drier
Utility room, kitchen, downstairs loo and dining room tidied, dusted and reasonably thoroughly cleaned.
Sitting room tidied and dusted
Bedrooms, landing, bathroom, study - declutter and tidy
Upstairs dusting
Hoover throughout
Mop floors
Ironing
Recycling bin emptied
Got shredder working again
Called loft insulation people

Still to do:
Remake beds
Clean laundry away
Buy invitations for DS1's party
Junk to charity shop
Palm off baby toys on CM...
What's for tea (for the boys)?
Clear 2/3 loft

Better go and do the out and about things...

Flying and Blue sounds like you are going through a similar phase to me, although I hope I coming out the other side now that dd2 is almost 2, she has started to play a bit and sometimes lets me get on with things.
But the toddler phase is so frustrating.

I can't even begin to compile a list, both children are constantly 'I want this' 'Help me do this'.
I'll really miss dd1 at school tomorrow but at least normal order will be restored.

I hope I can soon start to get some to do lists together and actually start doing things.. you lot are making me feel ashamed...!!!

I think I'll open the naughty corner , join me if you can or if you want to leave efficiency aside