December already! Fledgings will sleigh the pre-Christmas clutter (and eat all the mince pies)

[GoingGoingGoth]

If 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.

This little-and-often system is designed so that you can follow a series of steps and routines each day (which gradually become second nature) in zones of the house which are designated weekly; defining and minimising housework - which in theory should leave you with loads more time to do someting more interesting instead!

At the same time it is intended to reduce that panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. No problem if you miss a day or two; just jump right back in and it will all come around next month again!

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 steps and routines using a three-pronged approach (dependent on the stage everyone is at):

• start or repeat 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.

[And if you are really enthusiastic and have finished decluttering - you can go on to detailed deep cleaning in each zone.]

More info here on getting started and Flying lessons. Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings. Don't be put off by the barf-tastic language of the site - the underlying system is sound!

Thanks to BlueEyeshadow and SlimChance for the November thread.

All welcome!! And remember that December is the new January!

Done
two boys driven to school, early start for ds1, more choir
Ds2 music homework, he did it himself, under supervision no problems (he is so much better at homework first thing in the morning)
otherwise, pretty chaotic here, feel like I've been through the mangle getting everyone out of the house this morning. Dd is not that ill, but ill enough to stay home today, which is relief for all concerned (no 6.30 wakeup). I hope she can have a restful time making xmas cards later, and sorting out the decorations with me.
taken washing down
s & s loo
clean clothes upstairs

Lovely evening with friends last night .

Ta da :

Pancakes for DS2's breakfast
Made packed lunches
Pep talk to DS1 (stomach ache )
School run for DS2 (full of the joys today)
Back home to find DS1 still in bed
Managed not to shout
Discussion about importance of school, managing anxiety, etc etc
Phoned unit and school
Confiscated DS1's computer for the school day and gave him some school work to do
Breakfast

About to start work now. Can't fit any Flying in, so it will have to wait until this afternoon.

Congratulations Just, I'm sure you'll catch up on the cuddles when you do get to see her.

DD was prem (3lb7) and even though she was an awkward baby, it was a relief knowing she was in the bast place. It's amazing how quickly they do grow.

Dd hasn't been happy with the last few night's choices for dinner, but has eaten then without complaining, so this morning I asked what she would like to have tonight, anything I said (thinking chips etc), she wants Coq au Vin with Potatoes Anna!

Done
Beds
Dd to school
Shopping -food this time

To do
Reboot laundry
Litter trays
Rubbish & recycling out
Prep dinner
Wrap presents
Start sweet making
Order gifts bags for sweets -doh!

Congratulations just

Oh no sc - any progress on key or cracking the cupboard open?

Ta da
Woken up by DS kicking me in the head
Got DS ready for shower
Cleared up DS's poo from bathroom floor (uh oh indeed DS)
Showered, dressed, breakfast
Hospital for blood test (fx for results later)
Supermarket shop
Put shopping away
Wash on
Dr Who on! (David Tennant - still on series 2 - don't think I'll catch up in time for the Christmas special this year so reckon I'll have a marathon today).

This week has been hellish with DS sleeping, plus I'm prepping the Christmas show at school next week, and we have parents' evening as well Last night I managed a fuss free bedtime - DS was asleep at 7 - but then he fell out of bed at 9.30 and woke up and would not go back to sleep so ended up with us for the night.

Ta da
Carry on dealing with Mount Washmore
Post last few Christmas cards that have been sitting on the tabel for a fair few days
Doctor Doctor
Hotspots (mess is creeping back)
Decide whether to keep boots I got on Wed (not sure about style and a bit big)

Toffee it's really unfair isn't it...last week of school is one of the most stressful of term..everyone is exhausted and on short fuse, no real work is done, but I can see that getting him to school is worth it as otherwise after holidays it is even more difficult to get a routine going.
Ds1 told me that he was looking forward to next week as he was probably going to miss most of his lessons in choir rehearsals... I think I am more interested in his lessons than he is They are studying "disease" and "plague" in geography atm; I keep finding articles about it in the Guardian and snipping them out. Sad really.

The cleaning lady is tidying the kitchen and I am tackling the utility room. So far
done
7 disgusting pots and pans I dumped in there over the week
I load of washing on
made dd breakfast in bed, she is very very exhausted
cancelled veg box next week as we have too many turnips and cabbages to catch up on again (although I made a delicious curried parsnip and apple soup yesterday for freezer/lunch)
sorted out clean sheets for ds1's room
put away ironing

Congrats to Just and family!! Won't be long, I'm sure, before you'll be getting cuddles.

Toffee glad you had a nice evening out

Goth you'll be shocked to know a friend came over for coffee to my house again this morning. And she brought lovely cookies to nibble. (which of course means she's welcome to come anytime!) She came to help sort out the Joseph costume, which we cheated on and is now done.

ta da
morning routines, school runs
organised DS2's "star" costume at school
back home to socialise again with friend for coffee
checked bank online and took care of a few things
trip to bank for cash
petrol in car
supermarket for groceries
gas and electric money on meter
back home put everything away
load of laundry in washer

to do
hope my deliveries come now while I'm home
at least one more load, possibly two
washing up
hopefully have time this evening to make lemon cake

hello, found you all again!

just out to go to work, but had a semi productive morning:
ta da
dressed, bed, breakfast
2 loads of washing done and hung out
washing up done
swept kitchen
called solicitor
sorted out dried clothes
lunch for me and dd

to do
go to work
deposit cheque at bank
not planning to do much in evening as i dont get back til 7 and kids are fed at childminder

Ta da
put ds to bed, ignore crying which stopped after 10 mins
congratulated self on excellent parenting
15 mins later.....
ignored 10 more mins of screaming
went up to ds
found him and room covered in poo and nappy nowhere to be seen

this too will pass, right?

Calling all angels I remember those days it does pass!! Just seen my youngest in her nativity this afternoon so sweet

Tada err
washing machine is on..
We have a busy day of christmas school performances so my mum is round - she has just been cleaning in my kitchen (she has popped to the shop to buy a sandwich now) clearly I need to buck up my ideas

On a plus note in the last 2 days or so I have created nice photobooks for my mum and sister for christmas, dyed my hair, made cupcakes and helped at fete and been for a night out.

Dd is really not in a good way, her back is hurting her after carrying her knapsack around all yesterday afternoon before the concert don't ask
The weird thing is that the concert has now inspired her to start practising the piano again. She is sitting there experimentally trying out various chords and pieces. She isn't doing lessons atm, having stopped at Grade 1 - 2 transition because of Secondary exhaustion. I'm holding my breath to see if she can be selfmotivated rather than tiger mother motivated.

done
lunch - fried chicken
look at xmas jumpers online with dd for school jumper day - no joy.

sore throat worse, I just want to give up and go back to bed now, but have to pick up ds2 - early closing today.

Make sure you get an early night swan...sounds like you need it. Hope dd's back feels better. Would love to have a piano to tinkle on!

Thanks giraffe...I must be mad to be thinking about ttc #2!

On episode 5 today of doctor who and have asked DH to pick up a takeaway on the way home.

Engles nothing worst than a child that likes to play with his poo, they don't understand it is not a toy How old is he??

I am enjoying rewatching the old series of Dr Who (which you inspired me too do).

Congratulations Just. my nephew was 8 wks prem, this time last year. it was amazing the care he and mum got. Hope you get to see them soon!

Swan hope you can get some sort of rest later.

giraffe sounds like you have had a busy few days, wish my mum would come around and clean!

Ds2 School has decided to have a Narnia day next week (really, if I wasn't busy enough). Now need to think of a costume and make it!!! Argh!!!

Hello everyone! Sorry I didn't get back on here last night after all your helpful suggestions to resolve key-gate

I didn't find it last night, but this morning (Swan you were right. I looked through all the bags and boxes without success and eventually found it on top of the cupboard in amongst a load of boxes that have been stacked up there - where I had already searched 4 times before.) Stillwearingoldsocks your suggestion about the hacksaw made me cackle! DD was rather disappointed when I found it, because she had been crawling around with large magnets and then played 'crack the safe' with a hair grip.

Huge congratulations on your new grand-daughter Just- such lovely news!! Hope you recover quickly and get to meet her as soon as poss!

A very warm welcome to TossedSaladsAndScrambledEggs take it steady!

Waves to Silversixpence, Giraffe and Alice!

Hope you've had/are having a lovely day Angry! I'd strangle the person that came up with the Narnia idea at this time of year

Sorry you are still undergoing school traumas Blue

Have been suppressing my 'twitches' this year Goth for budgetary reasons- I'm usually a dreadful twitcher. One of my parcels (stocking fillers for dd) from Monsoon-Claire's accessories got lost in the post and I'm quite pleased because dd has quite enough hair glitter and animal socks thank you very much so have also been 'untwitched' (if that's the right phrase) by happy circumstance. Arf at gourmet dinner choices - has your dd been watching too much Masterchef?

Very of your country walk collecting Christmas greenery Toffee

Your dd's school concert sounds utterly fab Swan; sorry she is still feeling under the weather

Sorry you are feeling rough Bitchy [hands over honey and lemon concoction] and more of same concoction to Swan

Hope it went OK at the hospital Engels and that you can catch up on a bit of sleep this w/e

Hope your dd is starting to feel better Whoknows and all others who are ailing

Just shivering recovering from school Christmas market. Frozen to core. My nose has never been bright purple before . They did have fire braziers (marvellous disregard of health and safety over here - lots of young boys charging around the open flames and little girls getting close enough to singe their plaits ) Dh came initially but was so twitchy about getting back to work that I sent him back to the office after 15 mins. He was driving me nuts - honestly don't know why he bothered to come!

Also today:
morning routine inc dw, wm, s&s, rabbits
key search!
lots of moving of boxes up and down stairs
carried superfluous chair up to roof
white bra wash
nude bra wash
hoovered and dusted downstairs
sorted Christmas file
put away clean and ironed laundry
tidied boudoir
dining room table hot spot
found winter shoes I was looking for
ironed three pairs trousers
emptied dw
more laundry

To do:
start wrapping parcels!

Take-away for us tonight. I am too bushed to cook.

And [says quietly] have lost best fountain pen....

Have a good weekend everyone!

Oh yes, meant to say (sorry to bore everyone but significant Flying step here!) owing to home office clearance, for the first time in years, have a separate Christmas wrapping station away from main sitting-dining room, so ribbon and sellotape and cards won't be permanently all over the dining room table. Whey hey!!!

Christmas wrapping station sounds good, SC and glad you found the key.

Have been keeping the Twitch under control so far by buying stuff out of the money that DH's grandparents sent...

Found the best solution to school Christmas fair - boys went with CM and I gave her the money afterwards. The school gets the money, the boys get to have fun and I don't have to brave the crush. Result!

Very impressed by (and of) the Christmas wrapping station, SC. Relieved that you found the key at last.

GrannyJust - congratulations! I think you're our first thread granny. (And you have pipped PA to the post ).

Swan - poor DD . I hope she feels better soon. I agree with you about end-of-term-itis.

Ta da

Lots of work
Loaded dw
Put one load of washing on
Productive conversation during lunch with DS1
Productive telephone conversation with LEA contact
Revised timetable and emailed it to her
School run
Dinner

DS1 is happy because his timetable is now more manageable for him next week, so - hopefully - he will have a good last week before the holidays.

Am about to have a film night with DS2. We're tucking ourselves up on the sofa to watch 'Despicable Me 2' .

LINKS FOR 14 DECEMBER 2013

*
Babystep 14 is to read the essay on using a calendar

This week we are in Zone 2 Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room. Detailed cleaning list for those that can be bothered here

No mission's as it's Family Fun Day so go have fun!

December's monthly habit is Pampering.

Flight Plan for today.

*
No Christmas Holiday Cruise Missions either

I have been out all day, have just got it. Am out all day tomo. off to sleep

I'm a granny. I have a 28yo DSS, 27yo DD, 7yo DS, 4yo DS.......and then 8yo DGS (DSS's) and 7yo DGS (DD's). Feeling very old now.

Toffee I'm also very of the Christmas greenery walk. It makes me miss going out in the woods in the states and getting pine boughs to decorate with.

Nah, you are not old alice, we have marked passings of time with thread babies previously thus the thread grand children are a passing. Something that we will connect stuff too.

ah... I was worried everyone else was loads younger and now I've outed myself as an oldie.

Well i won't tell anyone if you won't.

naughty corner bar for some festive fun and ?

I bought a BOX of wine today.

Ho ho ho Happy Christmas, eh?

He's 2.2 angry.

Just finished series 2 od doctor who and cried as david tennant said goodbye to Rose

Bedtime now!

SUMMARY

Even earlier than normal tonight, as I'm trying to get an early night (ha ha)

Just is a DGM! Congratulations

Blue had nativities and school meetings all in one day, can't all be good.

Swan had a brilliant school concert yesterday. Has a inspired DD (hope her back gets better soon, school bags can be so heavy)

dizzy had a quiet day, they can be nice.

Toffee had a lovely evening with friends last night, but DS1 had school work at home. Hope next week goes better. The movie night sounds lovely, we often do one on a Friday but tbh I was tired and so she's had an early night

Engels has had a poo themed day it does get better, honest. The DT marathon sounds lovely (watching a creepy MS episode atm)

Alice is even having friends over -you party animal I'm just jealous. So pleased the Joseph costume is done. You don't sound like a granny, but that's probably due to your 7 & 4 yos. I may only have a 9 yo, but if I'd been 'more organised' I could have had a 26 yo.

Silver has found us (darn it ) welcome back.

giraffe has also been to school performances and made some photo books amongst a whole range of other things in the last few days.

Angry has to plan a Narnia theme costume for DS2. Have you though of dressing them as a Penvensie boy, so just a 1940s theme, shirt, cricket type jumper and trousers? Has to be easier than a fawn.

SC found her key! And I had visions of you with a crowbar last night. Hopefully the fountain pen will turn up too. Fx
Love the idea of a wrapping station, it's more like this

Blue good idea re school fair, they can be a nightmare. We only get a spring fair not a Christmas one.

Bitchy is having an early night

I have fulfilled my DD's culinary request, she does like cooking programmes SC but mainly Bake Off and Nigel Slater. I do CaV occasionally, it's easy with Quorn, so wasn't a problem. Will be pizza tomorrow.