Fledglings Fly in Flaming June; C.H.A.O.S. will be banished soon!

[sanguinechompa]

Welcome to the June 2012 Fledgling Flyers thread. Park your mops, buckets and microfibre cloths here!!

A huge "thank you" to Toffee for leading us throughout May!! Hope you have a fabulous holiday in Spain!!

If you're house is a mess and you are strugging with C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (something that undermines family fun) then this is the thread where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of chat, support and along the way.

We advise not signing up to receive the Flylady e-mails as you will be inundated! All the information you need will be linked here on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's tips on restoring order to our homes, and as we are all at different stages we will be using one of the following methods:

• repeat or start baby steps

• repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.

More info here, here and here

All welcome!!

Been fairly manic here today, with one thing and another.

DH still feeling grotty so a cross between a bear with a sore head and a dying duck in a thunderstorm... Not sure whether to , or be with him half the time!! Still, we all survived the dentist with minimal trauma all round. Yay! May have to start saving now for orthodontistry for DS2 though - apparently he's inherited my overcrowded teeth. :(

Have done some work and some gardening so had "earned" beer and pizza for tea. Hope you managed to work some of it off SC!

Sorry to hear that, Lauren - hope all OK.

PA - hope IOW is no longer gridlocked. Imagining the chaos on all the tiny roads - (only heard radio reports).

Oh dear, boys need to get out of the bath.

Had a busy day, starting with a row over grocery shopping

However done
ds1 to orchestra
ds1 to trombone
me to catechism meeting (very interesting helpful discussion about how we proceed new year)
dd to violin
ds2 to football
pesto for lunch
then a brief slump until
dd party (a horrid loud party)
tennis for sons
swimming for sons
deal with ds2 meltdown in the middle (he wanted to watch telly, but then swam beautifully - his behaviour in public is getting worse luckily the minute he is in the water he is a different person
picked dd from party

drove lots and walked lots

also managed to keep to diet today, no snacks at all, and perrier at the health club

Quiet on here today. Hope you have been enjoying yourselves.

Swan well done re: the walking/driving/swimming/no snacking

Blue sorry to hear your dh still under the weather. DD has been referred to orthodontist in Sept. Have been warned that one needs a second mortgage to pay for it all.

Going out for an evenng walk here (still reasonably light at just after 10pm). There is a seminary around the corner and I like to listen to the priests evening sung prayers as I pass by at 10.30pm. It's a lovely calming sound that wafts through their garden and on to the surrounding streets.

So have just got time to post links and run. Have a good evening everyone and 'see' you in the morning.

*

Tomorrow's baby-step, number twenty-four, for 24th June is an important one, swish and swipe

No zones or missions because it is the weekend (but next week we will be starting in Zone 5: The Living Room (June 25-30))

Sunday's focus is renew your spirit

G'night all.

*

Swan - your Saturday activities timetable is very, very impressive!

Engel - glad redundancy is not on the horizon, but sorry DH has to go through undesirable changes.

SC - your evening walk past the singing priests sounds idyllic

Blue - DS1 also on waiting list to see orthodontist. Looks like I should be saving already...

Bitchy - that's a clever trick of yours to extend your lie in .

kiwi - champagne mixed with elderflower sounds delicious. Hope wedding was enjoyable.

WhoKnows - yes, I agree that that is probably what we need to do for DS2, ie look at alternatives whilst supporting him at current school. I really don't want to take him away as he is settled there. But it feels wrong to hand him over to a teacher when I know that she did so much damage to DS1 .

Family event went well and DS2 was amazingly well behaved . DS1 coped well with us being away (provided I phoned him regularly to reassure him). We have brought his friend and his friend's dog - a Jack Russell - home with us for a sleepover tonight. The dog is absolutely lovely and I am really enjoying having him in the house. This bodes well for future dog ownership, surely? . Am taking him for a walk round the block in a minute, then have agreed that he can sleep in the boys' room tonight. DS1 is ecstatic at having both his best friend and a dog with him .

Very little Flying to report today, I'm afraid. I swished and swiped in the bathroom and I have done the washing up. That's it . Will try to do better tomorrow.

Night all.

Toffee - it only works because a. ds hates homework and b. he love computer/tv time and the longer I lie in the longer he gets to do this in the morning. It is, in reality, a win win situation

Did everything on list except ds to shops.

Sunday's list
sheffield
ds to party (32 odd little darlings, party games and a Dj so it is going to be very loud)
find ds' homework sheet so homework can get finished
hide

body clutter

I've lost 4 pounds this week I've awarded myself with a shiny medal!

Well done Lauren!!!!

running late. Anything that means I am runn late before 9am on a sunday is a bad thing imo.

well done lauren !

I managed to go 500 cal over yesterday again, haven't done any "proper" exercise for a week so need to get Shred dvd out today.

Am managing to stick to my morning and evening routines (just about!) but that's it for flying right now!

Rain is coming down here.

sanguine that sounds like a beautiful walk

Body Clutter

I have lost 1.2lb! Actually, I suspect it may be a little more than that as I stood on the scales first thing before doing anything and with my dressing gown on, so hopefully it is actually more - but I'm sticking with the 1.2 as I only wanted to lose 1 per week as a goal.

Didn't blow out too much yesterday with the girls night - ordered Chinese but only ate half of my order (which was more than enough!), but did have a few glasses (or 6! ) of . Was a nice night, and I walked there and back as well so feel virtuous! Feet bloody hurt from the heels though!

DH has taken DS out to give me a morning to myself so I'm being "bad" and treating myself to a lie in bed and read/MNet. I feel like I should be up and ironing, but I don't often get "me" time - time with DH, or DS nap time yes, but not alone time so I want to make the most of it.

Off to grab a coffee and a piece of toast to make crumbs in the bed with now

Woken up by DS1 bursting into our bedroom to tell us that the visiting dog had just been sick on our new sofa. As DS1 was under strict instructions not to let the dog in our sitting room, DH was furious. "That's it! We're not getting a dog!" etc. DS1 upset. DH . Me acting as peacemaker. Cleared up sick (not too bad - mostly went on DS's blanket, which is now in washing machine. Dog had eaten a snail, apparently, which always makes him sick), then tried to take dog outside, but he cowered away from the rain. Eventually, persuaded him to come outside in a break in the bad weather, where he did his business (which I have yet to clear up ) and then tried to escape over our back fence .

So it wasn't the easiest start to the day, but, oddly, it hasn't put me off having a dog. He is still such a sweetie. No good mentioning a 'W-A-L-K' because he wags his tail and looks excited! Funnily enough, it was always DH who wanted a dog, but now he's the one blustering about not being able to deal with it whereas I am quite enjoying it .

Lots of Flying to do today. Will try to 'renew my spirit' by walking the dog when it stops raining. DS2 is asking me to let him play 'army games' on the Notepad (my computer still not working ): "They are not violent!" he says, "There's only fighting and zombies."

Had very vivid dreams about fighting zombies last night. Think this is a sign that I am spending too much time with zombie-obsessed boys.

Hope you all have a lovely, zombie-free, poo-free, sick-free day .

Just wanted to fly on and say well done to all those losing body clutter :)

I am also losing wait but much more slowly, around a pound a week but I'm up to a stone so far and I hope to keep it off this time (well I can hope cant I??)

DH is working today so just me and the dc to plough through all the regular Sunday jobs.

I managed to do a bit of weeding in the front garden yesterday which although it's a drop in the ocean compared to what needs doing , at least I made a start.

So list...

Empty dw
Mop kitchen
Hoover whole house
Clean bathroom inc floor
Wash uniforms
Dry uniforms
Pack kit bags
Tidy bedrooms
Shower for all
Lunch McDonald's
Cook dinner
Small food shop
Homework with Dc
Write letters to pen pals

Ergh Im dreading it :(

Losing wait omg I do apologise!!!! Of course I meant Weight!!!

nicknacks I agree slow and steady is better, because otherwise it just goes back on! Although I suppose crash diets are a way of reassuring yourself that it can be done...

Toffee we've banned dog from the living room too, so I think that is fine, especially for visiting dog...I think dogs are different when they are visiting too, just like any visitor, slightly nervy... My garden has soo many snails, and I'm terrified of putting down slug pellets for that reason, in case dog eats a dead snail..[Have waved goodbye to at least three tender young clematises this season as a result.. Partly due to bad management though, I think grit would have helped]

When is weigh-in day? Today or tomorrow? I sneak peaked, and it is looking hopeful...

Dd has gone to YET ANOTHER PARTY This time it is ice-skating in Queensway, so dh and ds1 have gone off an expedition to West End to fit around drop and pick up times.
Ds2 had two meltdowns yesterday over telly sport watching limitations so today we have done

handwriting
dancing to some new music, ds2 tends to just listen to same again and again so that in itself is a challenge
cooked lunch together (spicy rice and roast chicken)

and at last he is allowed to watch F1 for two hours, and then it is football this evening again [sigh] for all the males.

So now I have two hours to tidy up. I am feeling a bit ill today, but the mess is making me feel worse so I will try and just get on with it, as Dh has so kindly done all the party arrangements today, organised wrapping present, getting dd dressed, homework etc, negotiating with ds2.

bbl in two hours with something positive to report!!!! [about tidying]

Grooooaaaaaannnnnn

Hwk went ok yesterday as interspersed with ballet and a few 10 min drips here and there in sunshine. Today is not going well. DD tired and bored. Dh ratty because he normally catches up on sleep on a Sunday afternoon, instead of which he feels he has to be on hand to answer maths questions.

Weather atrocious and we are all fed up. Rabbits sleeping or staring out of window at the rain and/or trying to nibble electric cables when they think we are not looking. We've got through loads of revision this morning but still quite a chunk to do. Found myself getting impatient with all the (understandable) eye-rolling and sighing and general reluctance ... so ... have come away for a bit to have a hot bath/Mnsnet.

We've decided to postpone Sunday lunch until tomorrow to free up more time so after bath am faced with the prospect of revision supervision, ironing or tidying boudoir. Don't want to do any of them frankly but feel obliged to set dd a good example so she can see that Mummy is doing something she doesn't want to do either. Bum.

Body Clutter

On the positive front I have just weighed in at 78.8 kilos (was 80.2 kilos this time last week)

Yipppeeeeeeeee!!!!!

drips???!!!

I meant trips!!!

I think I'm 78 kilos. It does say 79 but on the other hand I've just had lunch so that doesn't count surely I think I will have to add my "score" tomorrow morning from a weigh in when I've first woken up [before breakfast

Oh poor SC I feel much the same. I must must do some tidying. The rain is lovely though, no watering...I do love rain/shine weather, very Irish and familiar.]

I've lost a pound this week, surprisingly as I haven't been keeping within my limits very well. If I can lose a pound a week till the end of the year I should be about right! I have managed to keep off the 9lb I lost last year, but I had got back into lazy habits till starting MFP again this last couple of weeks.

Took the DCs swimming this morning and there were lots of other families from school there so I managed a couple of lengths while the DCs played under the watch of the other mums, all the children played really well together, and we walked there and back for a bit of extra exercise. No choice really as the cars are blocked in on the drive.

There's a fete going on on the green opposite us which is making me grumpy, our cars have been blocked in on and off since about 9.30 this morning and there's a tannoy going all day long, short of going out for the day it's hard to get away from it and I'm just not in the mood. DS and Dh are ensconced in front of the F1, I've been over to the fete with DD for a bit but I'm back and feeling restless.

Flyingwise - DH has scored some good husband points by clearing the u bend in the kitchen sink. It wasn't blocked, or even slow, but it was really whiffy and I had tried every chemical known to man to clear it, bleach, washing soda, bicarb/vinegar volcano, Mr Muscle. Resolving to stick soda crystals down it every few days from now on to try and keep it sweet.

Going to be way over calorie limit today, but have weighed myself BEFORE big Sunday dinner and lost 2lbs ( I think - scales not v good).

Everybody cooped up and grumpy this afternoon, and I need to phone my mum.

Better be off. Waves to all and well done to all the bodydeclutterers!

School Fair decluttered - thankfully, as have had 550 bread rolls in the boot of my car since yesterday. The smell of bread was driving me mad (since am completely carb free this week). So have managed 3 childrens parties and a school event without succumbing to cake or party food this week . I'm amazed I had the willpower.

body clutter Have lost 3lbs this week. It was 5 yesterday, but inexplicably up 2 again today .

Have done absolutely no flying, but am now in panic mode as have just arranged babysitter for next Thursday (DD1's parent info eve at her new school) so need to have it looking respectable. Doubley so because babysitter is rich relative who I am secretly hoping will offer to pay DD's extortionate bus fare next year.

Blue, WhoKnows, SC to help with the Sunday blues...

I have managed everything on my list except find ds' homework sheet. I am currently hiding. Am too tired for the battle as is ds. So will let him do it tomo after school. Soon be bedtime and I can't wait.

I am bed now, as I've given up trying to be the angel of the hearth, they really aren't interested in anything except football [sigh]

done
leftover rice with paella topping
ds1 did his violin practice
more playing in the tent
washed up
I played the piano for a bit
found clean shirt ds1
found purple shirt ds2 for Sports week
emptied cat litter
food compost
dw on
washing machine on

sigh, there was I think Dh would take ds1 to a museum or historic site whilst in West End, no, they went to Men in Black 3 Dh said it was completely unsuitable for a 12 rating, but had some good jokes about A Warhol. Dd is good brilliant at iceskating but complained bitterly that I had sent her in tracksuit bottoms when everyone else was wearing mini-skirts All these parties are a bit tiring, I think I'm going to try and get out of the next Big one.

Well, I made the effort to go over and enjoy the fete, had a nice afternoon and evening, then about half an hour ago realised I'd got sunburnt, so now I'm grumpy again. I'd left my hair up, including fringe clipped back, from swimming so my forehead and backs of shoulders have caught it, also my chest. I normally put some SPF on if it looks like a sunny / outdoors sort of day, but it was so cold and cloudy this morning I didn't bother and then didn't think about it. Grrrr.

Not much Flying done - the contents of the undersink cupboard are still all over the kitchen floor as I need to have a sort out before putting it all back. I'm really tired, so think I'm going to have an early night. Thanks for the Foad.

Had a nice day as DH came back from taking DS out, then DS napped and I caught up on the ironing (it's all done ).

Then out for a nice lunch/mid afternoon meal before back for the bedtime routine.

Watching the football now, and DH is getting a tad frustrated at the performance. I'm trying not to snigger

So far bedtime is two and a half hours and counting. Ds is in overtired meltdown and refusing to go to sleep. As a result i am just constructing two plans for tomo. One with the stuff I need to do. And one which involves adhering to our laid out ages ago and have been used rules which mean any more trouble and ds will be coming home to an empty bedroom with only his bed in it. God I hate it when it gets this bad. It makes so much unnecessary work.

Right hope you have restful evenings and see you the other side for a fresh week of procutive flying!