Managing the mayhem in March - who wants motivation to babystep through the month with us?

[carrotsandcelery]

Starting from March 1st lets babystep our way through the month, throwing in the odd mission.

Sign up here if you want to join in.

We have pointy sticks -> to get you off the sofa and chocolate and stickers as rewards.

Let's end our CHAOS and enjoy our sparkly homes.

Will that do? I have no chocolate

Cake is good! Thanks, carrots.

can I live in a shed like this please?

zoo here are my lentils recipes - including lentil shephards pie & spag bol. How about some [[http://bessiesveggiefood.blogspot.com/search/label/slow%20cooker slow
cooker]] or casserole type meals for tea that you can make in the afternoon & just dish up when you get home? Do you have a freezer? You could make double so you have an easy no-prep meal another night.

DD1 is always so tired after pre-school that bath & bed has been a nightmare (usually ending up with her sobbing in her bed & me in the bathroom), but the last few weeks instead of having a bit of a play when she gets home (5:15ish) we've been going straight upstairs to do bath/bed & it has made such a difference. Tonight they were both in the bath at 5:30 & lights out by 7 - no fuss & no (well, not much) arguments!

Took DD2 to the Dr earlier & they've said she shouldn't swim tomorrow , but will be fine for next week - am trying not to think about how much money 3 missed lessons have cost

DH has been saying he'll put a cupboard up in the utility room for about 4 months now. Tonight I got a kitchen fitter man round who says he will fit it for £40. So I need to go buy a cupboard pronto!

carrots I have never seen Ben & Holly - should I? Glad DS has had a good end to the day, was he still chuffed about his presentation?

bessie that shed would be perfect. I would keep it pristine and clutter free and let the rest of them wallow in their... stuff!

When dd was that age she had to go straight to bed after nursery.

I feel your pain about the missed lessons bessie. Dd missed £15 worth of lessons tonight because of a school thing. This is the second time this term they have done that. It was a great school event but I do wish they would vary the days.

I hope dd's ear is ok. They get a lot of ear problems until their tubes grow wider I think. Once they are wider they can flush out bugs more easily.

Ben and Holly is mildly amusing. After 11 years of kids tv I have had enough really. The odd thing will get my attention but I struggle with tv for grown ups too.

Dh appears to be making a You have no idea how happy that has made me. He is my knight in shining armour tonight!

useful tips on crisis cleaning

Now I know where I have been going wrong. My tops aren't low cut enough!

MrScout loves, Loves, LOVES The Big Knights so was not surprised to find he likes watching Peppa Pig and Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom with Toddler. We gave MrScout The Big Knights for his birthday and he was over the moon.

The Big Knights??? Are we going to have to start watching more kids TV? We have a hard drive full of Peppa Pig, Waybaloo & Charlie & Lola. DH likes the Night Garden, but I only like the Tombliboos.

DD1 got DH some turtles to play with in the bath for xmas

The Big Knights is aimed at adults. But they're the creators of Peppa Pig and Ben & Holly. Toddler used to like ITNG but then started getting really scared which is when we switched to Peppa. I don't like Waybaloo and TS won't sit for it.

? I have never heard of them but I can see the Peppa Pig influence

Yup, that's them carrots. Though I think they came before PP.

Hahaha I like the Big Knights!

I've been up since 5. [yawn]

I was woken twice in the night by DD but managed to go back to sleep so got up at 6.30.
Am just having a coffee to wake myself up.

Morning! The sun is out here

I'm being blinded by the sun where I'm sitting but I'm too tired to move.

I've been productive this morning, though.

With MrScout working stupid hours for the rest of the month I've decied to restart my decluttering plans with gusto. Must dig out those unputtogether file boxes and get started.

Toddler is awake. Has been for a good half-an-hour. But he doesn't want to get up -- "Books, Mummy. Read. Bunny, Baby, Creamy, Dopple." So he's books under the covers reading to his family of bunnies.

Hey all! I haven't disappeared in the clutter, just had some really busy days! I have a strict rule of no laptop during the day as that's DD time (unless they're both asleep). In the morning while they're eating breakfast and at night when they're asleep!
I have managed to keep all the babystesp going.
Ta-da
Dressed to my shoes
sink shined
washing up done and away
wm on
all breakfasted
beds made
bathroom swish and swiped
hot spot done - table in living room
what's for tea?

to do
clothes away
15 min room blessing - living room (only when DD1 is alseep, no point when she's awake!!!! )
play date at mates' house ( yay!!! )
Scrub the cabinet doors in kitchen and shelves
15 min room blessing - dining room
hot spot - bedside table
make candles for Mothers Day

I've got a timer off e-bay that came yesterday, so really looking forward to using it!!! How sad is that
Do we want to share our meal plans? I do a two week plan based on what I've got in the house, but really decide that morning what we are having and then cross it off the list and replace it with something else. That way I always have 2 weeks worth of dinners but am not tied down to anything specific. Most of it is slow cooker as with 2 kids it's a darn sight easier!!!!

Go Scout!

Camper am v impressed by your laptop restraint, and your list do early in the morning!

I'm sure everyone would like to swap meal plans (do you have increasing picky toddlers to feed?) Mine is always here (no excuse for DH to not know what we're eating or how to make it! )

Well done! Camper.

I need to wash up/dry up, do meal plan and start shopping list and try to fit in paperwork (hotspot) somewhere.

Not sure if I will share my meal plan --as I'm crap at cooking-- but will pinch ideas of others if you don't mind as I often lack inspiration.

I don't know what to do today.
I was going to take DD2 to be weighed, but that can wait.
I really should go see my grandparents (my parents are on holiday, so I AM IN CHARGE!), but I've still got a bit of a cold & I hate to take germs round to their house.
It is sunny, so I want to do stuff in the garden.
I have done enough housework this week, although I would like to do more missions & decluttering & hotspots.

DD2 has just gone for a nap, so I will prep up lunch while she sleeps & try to think of a plan.

Morning everyone!

Camper that is an impressive list again.

The sun is shining here too and it makes me feel much chirpier.

I did a 15 min declutter at 11pm last night! TA DA!

I hadn't planned it that way but I had heaped everything onto our bed while I polished and hoovered etc and had forgotten about it. I couldn't bring myself to make a mess in the otherwise tidy lovely room so I got my head down and sorted it. Dh eventually helped by putting away his stuff. It is so much nicer in there now (although I have to hoover again as Twilight slept in there and has left a small black rug for us (of her cast fur).

This mornings Ta Das:
Washed and dressed to shoes
Dc's breakfasted (by dh)
Ds's food made
Dcs to school
Wm on
Dw on
worktops cleaned and polished (granite)
hot spot on floor by shutter unit tackled (bags and bits and bobs)
carpets shake 'n' vac sprinkled ready for hoovering
email about dd's party sent
small bit of ironing done but I need to do much more

I am now having a

I would like to share meal plans and recipes. I feel we are getting a bit repetitive again so I need some inspiration.

I am thinking of making the sausage and lentil stew I linked to up thread tonight as we will be in and out over the course of the day.

Dh and I have the hospital again today for ds. I am looking forward to it as I feel we have gone "off the boil" with our approach to him (see rants upthread) and need to refocus. We are also going to look over the questionnaire we have filled out about him and the one the school have filled out which could be interesting. Hopefully this will lead to a more specific diagnosis and therefore a more specific treatment. Fingers crossed.

bessie can you phone your grandparents and see if they need any shopping and that sort of thing?

Could you break the day up into sections? eg devote 3 separate 1/2 hour or 15 min sessions to house and garden? It is amazing how much you can do in the garden in just 1/2 an hour.

You could walk Twilight for me as I am not sure where that fits into the day yet (Pup is going off up hills with a friend so he is ok).

Hoovering done, bathrooms swished, some of laundry folded, toilet rolls purchased yesterday unpacked and put into cupboard in bathroom... I bought Andrex as it was on promotion and discovered that it contains codes that if you register, earn points for money off things. I bought 2 9 packs as they were cheaper in bulk and got 20 points which is already enough points for money off. It is worth investigating whether these really are good deals but I thought I would pass it on just in case.

bessie if you have no chores feel fere come and help me!haha

good luck with ds carrots

i am a total saddo when it comes to recipes and meal ideas...bring them all on!

i got woken at 4.45 and sent dd2 back to bedabd as id been woken i got up and made a start.by breakfast time(7am) id managed to finish sorting all kitchen cupboards,clean all paintwork,wipe light switches and plug points,wipe radiator

since kids breakfast i have
made beds
ironng
washing
organized next 2 days menus
been shops
paid bills

have just had incident with possibly the arseyest taxi driver EVER
shoppings away and had breakfast
for my next trick i shall have alook at ikea for bedroom ideas,and return shortly