Fledglings Fly into July!

[BlueEyeshadow]

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

A huge "thank you" to SanguineChompa for leading us throughout June!!

If your 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 wine 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.

All welcome!!

Apologies for starting the thread so late - it took SC lobbing the duster at me to make me remember it's July tomorrow (and I've blatantly cut and pasted her OP too)!

The first baby step is to shine your sink! See here for the Fat Fairy's tutorial...

No mission because it's Sunday. But here's the flight plan for established flyers

Crikey - mahoosive thunder and lightening here

[Hairs stands on end emoticon]

evening all

am totally exhausted....so apologies for quick visit!

toffee I Home ed'ed the oldest 3 of mine for 2 years. tbh It was fab! AND I think they learned lots more than the younger ones are doing now at similar ages at school.It certainly had it's challenged but was also very liberating and could be loads of fun.and of course I could tailor stuff exactly to meet their own styles and learning needs, which I understood far better as their mother than any teacher ever could.....I did have lots of family members tutting and criticizing and raising eyebrows in the back ground but I chose to ignore them LOL

am finding my chocolate book quite interesting...not I'm brave enough to try it though....it advocates going out and buying 30 of your favorite bars of chocolate as one of the steps.....hmm..

anyway...work truly horrendous at the moment. Some very difficult and unwell patients and all made so much worse by difficult team dynamics, missing staff members and general incompetence....sigh...
I was frazzled at the end of today I have been quite grumpy with dc and that makes me feel so bad. I hate that the job takes so much out of me it leaves nothing for dc sometimes.....grrrr....anyway, rant over....

off to read some more stories with dd3 and 4...am abandoning anymore flying for today bbl

OFM - I'd forgotten you home educated too. It sounds like a really happy memory for you. And good for you to ignore all the tutting relatives. So sorry that work is such a struggle atm. .

Blue - oh, yours is such a familiar story in the Toffee household. If it's any comfort to you, I have just cooked lemon and garlic -chicken in rice, which we all enjoy, and DS2 has absolutely refused to touch a morsal of it. It is still on the table, but I'm running out of hope now. I often cook him pasta so that he will eat, but I decided to risk it tonight. Oh well.

SC - blimey, if only DS1 and I had had even a fraction of what you describe your sister had in her online course. We were sent the logging-on information, then told to simply get on with it and someone would visit us when they had time. DS1 and I had to just sit down and work it out. We have had all sorts of teething problems, mainly to do with DS1 not understanding how he should behave online. We have now had a visit from an LEA teacher, but it was at least a week after DS1 had started the lessons. Also, it was weird that he had to just log onto a lesson and try to join in. We were already halfway through the term and he had no idea what was being studied.

Must go and get DSs to bed now and resist looking up the latest in the Katie Holmes/Tom Cruise soap opera ...

just catching up, hectic week here. DS started football tonight, which meant I had to go from home to town, to school to take DS to speech therapy, to DD's friend to fetch her, to tennis, to football, then home with dozens of bags full of food remains, shin pads, water bottles etc at 7.30. Put DCs to bed and collapsed, looking at the pile of bags.

Anyway, catching up a bit.

Toffee I think you've done the right thing by leaving Ds where he is to see how he gets on with the teacher but checking out all the alternatives. He may well be fine but if he's not then you are armed with all the information.

Blue - no flaming here this is the home of fussy eating. Although chicken Korma is eaten quite willingly by Ds, most things are not.

poor Who, proffers comfy cushion to rest aching bones

what did I want to say?
Blue I was going to cook that very dish this evening but got cold feet at last minute, and deep fried chicken in breadcrumbs instead I feel braver now, knowing for sure that ds2 won't touch it, I might still try it!

waves to all else

and I did another Ikm (or 1.5 who knows?)run this evening with ds2
and read lots of Percy Jackson to him
hung out washing
washed up

off to bed now!

It was very tasty, swan. I should have known better than to expect a good result when they were both tired. Hey ho. The risotto planned for tomorrow will have to be something with pasta instead.

Sorry to hear about your DH, Maggie - that must be so hard for you both. Hope you enjoyed the baby cuddles though and well done on routines paying off with the boys.

Thanks for the Pimms foad! (and the strawberries too, of course?)

Glad toddlers at your house went well Carpe

Toffee - hope you can battle through till the end of term!

SC - send some of the thunder and lightning this way please ? it?s been so humid here today, could do with a good storm!

Engels - have a lovely holiday!

OFM - sorry you?ve had such a tough day at work.

No wonder you?re worn out after all that ferrying WhoKnows!

Tomorrow?s Friday, woohoo! Here come the links:

Babystep 6 ? all about hotspots.

Tomorrow?s Flight Plan ? Friday is declutter your purse (ie handbag) and car day. Mission is to dust ceilings, light fixtures and windowsills.
*

Am afraid I am of the eat it or go hungry school BUT I am realistic with expectations. Tonight for tea 1 ds had honey sandwiches and tea 2 plain pasta and ketchup. Posh cooking it aint

There hasn't been much flying on the flying list sort of. Those who know me know that I am creative with my list. So here is another creative flying list.

Done
Ds home from school all day.
Laundry x 4 loads.
Go into the next town and run a few errands
Cut some more pieces of big project in progress.
make up pattern for a new project.
cut pieces for new project
make up big pannels for new project
Cut up a fat quarter to make binding for a mini project
Machine attach one side of binding and pin ready for hand stitching.
cut pieces for applique work for two quilt toppers
Apply pieces to topper background materials and sew on
Finish off an old project
Work on some of the nine blocks for the big project
Start attaching nine blocks together in the 2x2 big block patterns.

This does, however, have an aim - to rediscover the lounge and dining room which is currently burried under crafting stuff.

Hi all! Still here and hanging on in there. No flying to report but am doing ok! Mainly focusing on getting these exam papers marked and then my life can resume.

Big waves to everyone!

Just a list dump this morning, glad you're ok ellie!

To do:
Playgroup
Routines
Put away my laundry
Wash DD laundry
Walk dog
Paperwork
Pay car tax
Clean out my bag
Today's mission in whole house
Pick up dog poo
Living room hot spot

BBL

today I am off to a rival Health Club on a friend's guest voucher for a ladies day of sport, training, and possibly a bit of spa. Friend has reassured me that all the other ladies we are meeting with are round and cuddly, rather than lean and wiry. I am interested to find out just how unfit I am in comparison! Or has the running secretly envigorated me...

Feeling more positive today, certainly
done
booked dog visits next week
more piano practice first thing - I've decided I only like baroque-ish music as it sorts my brain out beautifully
3 children to school

Feeling a bit about ds1 yesterday at Sports Day. Dh said apparently half the children did absolutely nothing in Sports Day, if they hadn't been picked for the house teams, and they just sat and watched for 6 hours, other people in their year compete. Ds wasn't even allowed to wander off and see the things he was interested in, like the long jump. In the end he said he went ten times to the loo, because the "loo was a long way away and that was a chance to walk around". I find it extraordinary that the "unsporty" children weren't even encouraged to run or play team events, and just had to sit around all day. What could be more calculated to make you feel unsporty than that???
Maybe all Secondary schools do things that way.. Sheep and goats and all that. Yet no-one makes the unmusical children sit through six hours of concerts in which other people are performing.

Have supply lessons this afternoon so limited flying this morning. Got DS's off to school - DS1 is absolutely shattered and kept trying to sneak back into bed end of term can't come quickly enough here!

Rescued washing from the line - pouring down again (hope it's saving the sun for the hols )
Put a load of towels/bed linen on - specially selected as it can all go in the tumble dryer
Made beds
Contemplated ironing pile some more

BBL!

Morning everyone

Thanks for links Blue

It's after 11 am here and dd and I aren't even dressed! Bit of a lethargic morning after a very late night for everyone concerned. DD could not sleep owing to extreme humidity/thunderstorm etc etc. I was up late reading and raiding the fridge (I put that bit in to prepare you all for extremely poor weigh-in results on Sunday !!!) Must get my act together ...

OFM I dare you to try the first step of that chocolate diet!! You never know, reverse pyschology and all that, it could work!!! [Sorry work proving so onerous atm though]

Toffee you'd think they would at least have an induction or something

Take it steady Whoknows

Witchy you are making me want to revisit my patchwork box ...

Hi Elliepac we were all wondering how you are getting on. Glad you are as OK as can be expected and good luck with exam marking madness.

Swan that is truly awful about the sports day. There's so much pressure nowadays for schools to show off their best pupils rather than make it a worthwhile experience for all the dc but you'd think someone would have the balls to buck the trend. Twas ever thus though sadly - I remember sitting for hours behind a rope at my prep school's sports day watching all the sporty dc do their thing. There's no better way of demotivating dc and making them feel that sport is not their bag What an opportunity missed!

Maggie good luck with battling through end-of-term fatigue

Huge waves to Lauren and everyone else

Better slope off and see what dd and the fur balls are up to ....

super quick wave to all

off for a weekend away in a few hours and currently trying to do too many things at once.

have a super weekend all, see you next week.

sink still shiny - yay!

body clutter - lost the weight i put on the other week, so back to the start - eating half a pack of choc digestives with dd wont have helped i guess!

DS2 was sick all over upstairs landing carpet and bathroom floor this morning, so is off school today. He has been perfectly well ever since though .

The three of us sat and played 'Questionnaut' on the BBC website first thing. The boys loved it, we all worked out all sorts of tricky questions and cheered when we got them right and I felt like a proper home-educating mother!

But they are now having a break in front of the telly . Have to persuade DS1 to do some homework shortly.

Swan - I think that's awful about Sports Day. How unfair on your DS and all the other unsporty children. I hope you have a lovely day at the spa with your friends.

Witchy - You in there?

Ellie - it's probably good that you have marking to keep your mind off things at the moment. Glad you are sounding ok, though I know it can't be easy.

Off to switch off telly, persuade DS2 to play with his Lego and resume home ed with DS1 now. Have managed to sort out the washing up this morning, but that's as far as today's Flying has gone. Oh, except that I did mop the entire bathroom floor after DS2's was sick, so that's another job done.

Sitting here deciding whether to go ahead with planned camping trip. Rain is pouring down, we're half packed, DCs are sitting on the airbeds (INSET day here). Hmmm. The DCs REALLY want to go, so do I, but in this weather it's not going to be much fun putting the tent up. We've been to Sainsbury to stock up on Pot Noodles etc

Anyway, it's been an expensive morning so far, DH hit a brick whilst driving home last week and wrecked his alloy wheel and tire, which is going to set us back about £200.

DCs (well, DS) were banned from all screen activities this morning for bad behaviour yesterday, they've played beautifully all morning in between trips to Sainsbos and the tyre place, must ban screens a bit more often.

Toffee - that sounds like a nice morning you have had (apart from the sick)

Swan - that is awful about the Sports Day. Ours got postponed till Tuesday, will have to see if it can go ahead then.

Ellie - glad you're OK, probably as well that you've got those exam papers to keep you busy.

SC - that craft supplies website looked great, going to have a better look at that shortly.

Body Clutter haven't entered anything into MFP for a week, put back on 2 pounds and planning to eat junk food in a tent all weekend. start again properly on Monday I reckon.

Flying not much of that done either, can hardly move for stuff all over the floors everywhere. ANother start again Monday.

Hard one Whoknows. We are big campers here and DD particularly LOVES the sound of rain on the tent when she is all snuggled up inside but putting the tent up in the rain - hmmmm, not so good.
Think we would probably go for it though, its only a few days and DC are waterproof :) We do have a big tent that we can sit inside comfortably though.

SC - really looking forward to long, lazy mornings, only 2 weeks (and counting :))

Toffee - Questionnaut sounds good, will investigate. Glad you are having some positive home ed experiences this week as it sounds as though it has been hard going.
I agree with others that the lack of induction/support for the online learning is rubbish and the randomness must be frustrating for all concerned. OU, who really know about these things, have fantastic support. I remember the first module of my course was all about time management so you could work out how you were going to fit the 12-15hrs of study into your week. It was invaluable.

Enjoy holiday Kiwi and health club Swan, sounds as if you are a bit more cheerful/positive, hopefully the ADs are starting to kick in a bit.

Not very good Flying week here and Bodyclutter a bit rubbish too - I tend not to add things to MFP if I've been bad which probably defeats the point! No running this week either as have had too much else to do or haven't woken up in time.
OFM - sounds like your running is like mine, time out of the day that is just for me. Its amazing how I can put things into perspective when I'm running. Are you training for anything at the moment?

Currently watching tennis and glaring at rain outside the window. We have a huge Olympic Torch w/e here with a Mela, an enormous Notting Hill-style carnival, pop concerts (The Wanted and Oli Murs - too young and poppy for my taste :)) and the torch arriving. Add to that the F1 and Wimbledon finals and I feel there will not be enough hours in the day! Have also learnt today that when the torch leaves here at silly o'clock on Monday morning Lewis Hamilton should be carrying it. So that's DS and I up with the birdies then :o

Better go before anyone notices zero mention of Flying :)

Feetheart. ds is getting up at silly o'clock tomo to watch it. Ex is taking him. I refused. Ds and crowds is not a good combination.

no flying here either.

Spent the day passed out. Knee is fooked. It's been a while. So hitting very strong meds tonight.

plan:
School run
pack ds' stuff
kill green chopping things
drop ds off with ex
tame house a bit
early night

Only thing that can go wrong with that list is the taming house

Need to pick up DC.
Don't want to leave tennis, don't want to get wet.
Sadly school will be unimpressed at 9yr old and 6yr old walking home on their own - boo hiss :)

I love the sound of rain pattering on the walls of tent too. However, that is only if the sun eventually comes out, unremitting rain is a bit

I have had a very energetic morning, for some reason the spa part didn't materialize just the exercise So I swam 12 lengths, ran 1.5 km in rain on a running track, used exercise bike for Ikm and enjoyed a delicious lunch of steak and chips afterwards with four other ladies.

back home, and just time to fit in some mindfulness washing up, before taking dts to a swimming lesson at a different pool. I've given ds1 a key, as I can't face trying to get him to come with us, and I think he wants to just watch Wimbledon.

Toffee whoknows it's lovely when the team comes together isn't it - when everyone is getting on it just makes you realise what a stressful feeling it is constantly reconciling warring elements in household.

Wow Lewis Hamilton the name of ds2's green bear. He will be jealous.

Feet - Yes, the lack of support for the e-learning was rubbish. Questionaut (sorry, it's one 'n', not two as in my original post) is here. We started doing it when DS1 was off school in Year 6 and it's still useful revision for KS2 stuff. You have to solve a puzzle on each level to trigger the questions, then answer enough correct questions to get to the next level. There's a neat story to it as well. And we all love the illustrations and music.

Swan - no spa ? That's not fair! You deserved a morning of pampering. It sounds as if you do quite enough running around in your daily life as it is.

Bitchy - sorry you have a bad knee .

WhoKnows - I wonder if you've gone camping after all? It's sunny here now - I hope the weather has improved where you are too.

DS2 has been absolutely fine all day, in spite of starting the day by being profusely sick . On the other hand, I suddenly felt dreadfully ill around 1pm and had to go to bed (ah, the advantage of having children who are old enough to ignore for an hour or two now ). I most definitely have the bug too - am feeling exhausted, achey, dizzy and generally bleugh. I don't even fancy a glass of wine tonight, so I must be ill.

DH came home to a dishevelled wife who'd just woken up, an untidy kitchen and two children in their PJs . And the ironing basket is overflowing.

DS1 has gone off to have another sleepover with his best friend . They breezed out of the house together, chatting 19 to the dozen and not giving me a backward glance, let alone a goodbye. Made me smile to see them so happy and preoccupied.

Think I'm going to have to go back to bed...

evening all
feet yes, I do actually really relish the running as it i about the only hourish that I get to myself where I don't have to meet anyone's needs/answer anyone/talk to anyone/wipe anyone's bum etc LOL I am currently trying to work up to a 15 K run in Ireland at the end of August - sadly half of it is up a mountain and it is called "the warrior run" lol
bitchy hope knee recovers soon
sc I may try to pluck up courage to try the beyond chocolate idea!Some of the reasoning makes sense....I think it is about that when you class foods as "good" or " bad" or have certain "forbidden foods" you end up craving them all the more and then eventually over induldging. The idea though is also only to eat when hungry and not to satisy other needs (tiredness,stress,boredom,sadnes etc) which is the bit I think I will struggle with....maybe I could just do the eating vast numbers of chocolate bars bit and leave it at that
toffee hope ds is better soon. DS2 has odd vomiting thing going on too...

Have reached the end of an horrendous week at work ...hoorah!
Today was jst as bad...added to by phone call from nursery at luch time to say ds2 had been sick.... luckily was bale to dispatch DH to collect. DS2 now seems OK although admittedly not 100% but is eating and hasnt been sick again...odd

will give in to temptation of wine tonight I think.....have been good all week...need to construct list for weekend...BBL

toffee X posts - poor you . Hope you feel better soon.

Oooh, please can I join? My house is chaos, we are renovating our new house and DC1 due in 12 weeks so will probably just lurk this month and hopefully clear some clutter pre-move.

Wish I'd found this before signing up to FlyLady as they really do bombard you with emails!

Hello Angelico, welcome

Well, I have returned from Swimming Pool No2, and managed to watch the tailend of Andi Murray winning at same time. Dd went swimming in her pjs (always a thrill) and I hope is moving up a stage, ds2 watched tennis the entire visit, but as I couldn't face playing tennis with him, that was my fault

No flying done here whatsoever, Dh seems to have put the dw on. I've sent ds2 for a run around the block. The husband and elder son have gone off to buy food.

I suppose I had better put some laundry away. Then I'm escaping off to the pub with a friend I haven't caught up with for ages. She is playing important part in NT Carousel, so you must all go and see it!!!!

Toffee I'm so sorry, what a horrid start to weekend, at least one less child in the house - that's lovely he is off with his friend.