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!

SillyBilly thank you for the lovely update, I'm so glad you got to do this.
Honu I'm in the same boat.

No flying today despite it being supposed to be first day of crisis clean to make Christmas possible.

Not content with LEA trying to bankrupt me and cease d/s right to home ed, HMRC have ridden up on the other flank and are trying to do the same.

The first lot are blackmailing me they'll blow his education out of the water if I turn to the law over what they're illegally trying to do, and the second lot are incapable of reading the law and their own legislation and believe they can use the rules applying to students leaving home ed to the ones who dont!
Legally they can't, but they can destroy what's left while I prove that.
Arrrggghhh!

(HMRC threads on home ed board for those who may later face this stuff)

Am about to go to orthodontists but ready to either kill or have a heart attack.

Sorry you are still having so much trouble, Just .

Ta da :

Put rubbish out
Made packed lunches
B/fasts
Cajoled/nagged/bullied DC into going to school (only four more days, thank goodness)
Work all morning
Collected DS1 from school
Waitrose
Home for lunch
Queued for over half an hour in PO to send work packages
To chemist to collect prescription
Visit friend
School run
Snacks for DS2 and his friend
SAT DOWN and drank ! (Phew)

To do

Morning routine
Dinner
Wave DS2's friend off with his mum
Bedtimes
Evening routine
Borgen
Bed at decent time

Sorry, am not keeping up with the thread very well at the moment. Work is interrupting my MN time .

Oh Just :( twats the lot of them.

Am too tired to be arsed with any flying. Need to go sleep so I shall bid you a Good night, and see you all tomo.

They are, *Bitchy.

What have I done?

Morning routine (basically, kitchen rescue and bathroom rescue)
Dinner
Waved off DS2's friend
Opened bottle of wine with DH
Spent some time looking for phone which was ringing
Found phone in our bedroom
Phoned mum in case it was her on the phone. It wasn't, but we had a nice chat anyway

Am tempted to get rid of the phone altogether. It's so stressful when people want to speak to us!

Well I had all good intentions of getting what I hadn't done today, done after school run, that was until ds1 came home with yet another war wound from scrapping at school. So I interrupted cleaning with a phone call to the school, and a thread to see if this sort of thing is normal, dp has just told me he had a few issues in yr7/8 too.

Just, that's just really crap,

Everyone else, I'm envious of your tada lists.

LINKS FOR 17 DECEMBER 2013

*
Da da dahhhh! It's Babystep 17 reasonable bedtimes yeah, right!

This week we are in Zone 3 the bathroom & 1 other room. Detailed cleaning list for those that can be bothered here

Sneak Peak for this week's missions, today we are cleaning bathroom bins, and in the other room spend 5 minutes collecting anything that can be given away.

It's tuesday, Planning Day, remember it's a quick clean, not in depth.

December's monthly habit is Pampering.

Flight Plan for today.

*
Christmas Holiday Cruise Mission 12 is to get anything that needs mailing done, finish those cards and online ordering. Eek!

Just off to do the round up whilst watching Kirsty on 4+1

SUMMARY

Blue & Toffee has a Borgen geek fest

Blue good news on finding the book bag.

dizzy planned on tackling her hot spots

Toffee got her oven cleaned! But had DS who couldn't sleep Monday night, belated

WhoKnows had a busy weekend and her DH hoovered. well done on your DS scoring at hockey.

Swan Ohhhh at DS singing at Kew.
I'm sure everyone thought the advent candle holder looked lovely but don't be tempted to keep it
And at your baby growing up. considers buying a big Tupperware box to put DD in, that will work
Well done on the drive to Brentford, hope the tree buying wasn't to stressful.

Honu is concentrating on her cards, good job, the Fat Fairy will be after her

Engels has a boomerang DS, who prefers her bed I loved that stage. Now I just get squished between DH and DCat

SC made a good point that we're often the disciplinarian as they do the fun stuff/ignore the bad behaviour.
Could the stomach cramps be stress rather than food poisoning? You have been doing a lot.
Fx for DD's exams.
Pinterest is something I try to avoid otherwise I'll never be offline.

Bitchy has caught up on her sleep and is feeling better -Look Out World!

Gossip did DH sort the garage? Hope your shoulder feels better soon. At least you are resting when you are MNing.

Alice had a huge list

Angry did a lot for a CBA day,

Just wish I could help with LEA/HMRC

I did most of my list today, plus made tablet (Scottish grainy fudge, it's addictive)
Got a busy day tomorrow, DD's Christmas Concert in the morning followed by a job interview in the afternoon. Fairly confident, I've done that kind of work before and it's only a 3 month contract, so it's not like I'll get bored. Only downside is that it's a hour travel each way, and I've got used to being at home. So I'm seeing it as a win-win whether I get it or not.

Goth I did a lot on CBA day, maybe should of said I did a lot grudgingly.

Brilliant Cub meeting. Loved all the cards I got saying Thank you for making Cubs fun. Cheered me up no end!

Must be that time of the month for DH being a pain. Both watch Ripper Street at the end we decide to go to bed. DH goes straight to bed. I however, set d/w, t/d and w/m, switch off all light downstairs, let the doggy out, check on all 5 boys, speak to 2 of them, retuck in the other 3. Switch off lights upstairs, tidy family bedroom . Walk into our room and hear him snoring!!!

I even made all the packed lunches before Cubs!!

*family bathroom

I feel like death despite having slept. mind is running 100 miles per hour, body is dead, breathing is an issue. lol. sleep would be nice.

Evening all,

Up late again . Not much Flying as it was a work day, but a good evening. Started off badly trying to get the DCs back on track with their chores (clothes away, DW emptied and washing up) however they did it all nicely in the end. Then we had tea and all went swimming, got them off to bed and I have had a mega cooking/baking session to use up contents of freezer and vegbox. Have made tomato pasta sauce, squash and parsnip soup with thai green curry paste, apple and blackberry crumble, cheese scones and mince pies, phew. Off to bed now, will catch up tomorrow.

'mind is running 100 miles per hour, body is dead, breathing is an issue. lol. sleep would be nice.'
Blooming cyber twin! Hopefully you've made it off to sleep even if only for a bit. If not, Terry Pratchet, the answer to being unable to think, breathe or sleep

Well not many of the fires got put out today!

Ta Da

• Almost all of the last xmas presents bought
• menus planned for week and ingredients bought
• birthday presents bought (only DD could have 2 sets of twin girls in her class with birthdays a week or so before xmas!)
• D/W emptied
• Dry clothes away
• Kitchen/recycling/food waste bins emptied
• S/S x 4
• Pots washed and sink shined

Very late post, dp sorted out the car thing, I do have to pay excess, but get it all back from other Insurance company, neck and shoulder have been playing up, luckily a friend gave me cocodamol, its ok atm, and of course when I'm busy, I forget to take any so end up putting up with and hour of pain before next lot kick in. Was just checking in on another thread, and you know when you read someone's horrendous story and you feel great empathy and pain for them and would love nothing more than to hug them :( that's how this one thread has me right now.

Turns out fever induced dreams can be as weird and interesting as pregnancy induced dreams.

Feeling fragile this morning but got an early meeting I am running late for. Will be back to curl up in the naughty corner with blanketgate.

Morning lovelies!

[Plumps up fluffy cushions and arranges throws comfortably in naughty/recuperation corner for Bitchy's and Just's return ... and adds another extra-fluffy set for Gossip!]

[Nicks piece of Scottish fudge and sticks behind ear for later] Very impressed by your home-made Christmas crackers Goth (something I always intend to do and never get around to it).

Angry very touching re: your grateful cubs!

Whoknows you really sound on top of things - think you should win thread's most consistent Flyer of the year award! - Hoping to follow your good example one day! V impressed by all your cooking and it's a very good idea to empty the fridge and freezer in prep for next week ..will try and do the same.

Swan congrats on pushing driving frontiers! Hope you find a tree that meets your dh's exacting expectations !! Wish dd was a tad more anxious about exams as that would possibly prompt her to do more revision - I'm afraid she is worryingly relaxed about those - they certainly don't cause her to lose any sleep unlike playing horse- games in her bedroom until the early hours!! It's other things that trigger her anxiety.

Waves to EngelsBlue Toffee Honu Alice Dizzy Feetheart Ellie PA Stillwearing Jdub and everyone else!

Yargh! Didn't get enough done yesterday!! Still wrapping! Stomach cramps disappeared (and no one else had them) so could have been stress Goth yes, although have very few demands/schedule compared to everyone else on here so don't know why. Went through horrible bit of fatigue at about 5pm when dd's French tutor was here. Sounds awful but couldn't wait for her to leave! Felt so tired and old that I just wanted to lie on the hall floor and blub But then ate half a ton of [http://oneperfectbite.blogspot.be/2009/09/cougnou-bread-of-jesus-brussels-belgium.html#.UrADd-LsuZg cougnou]] and felt miraculously better! [Makes note to re-start diet in NY]

This morning I am doing more wrapping and parcelling up while waiting for my tree delivery! [squeals with excitement] followed by trip to Post Office with wheelbarrow full of packages at this rate. Then have to write more cards. Then make trip to Grand Place to scent shop which has kindly offered to exchange the gift box things which arrived damaged aftering ordering on-line. Then school run, then help dd make present for classmate [thank you very much teacher for that one] - turns out they were all given Secret Santa type mission at the beginning of December to make a hand-made present for a specific child in their class and of course dd casually mentioned it last night as she was going up to bed. Just hoping the other dc have left it until the last minute too!

Keep going everyone!

[Places trays of steaming hot tea and coffee on naughty bar along with plates of croissants, buttered cougnou and pain au chocolat - on the basis that we need the fuel, oh yes]

Oops, just try that link again

cougnou

[Sold traditionally at this time of year]

SC - thank you, alas my post did not reveal the fact that I am sitting surrounded by bags of unsorted, unironed clean laundrym an overflwoing basket of dirty laundry, a house badly in need of home bleugh, am helping at school from 11-3 and ILS are due at 3.30! Help!

Oh dear Whoknows that sounds like a bit of a tough balancing act!! You'll get there!!!! (proffers )

that cougnou sounds lovely SC

Already fallen out with DH, yes I could have gone to bed earlier, but as he didn't come to bed until after 1 (waking me) again, he's in the dog house.

It's a bit like a cinnamon enhanced tea cake or a cold hot-cross bun (if that makes sense) ¨Goth

They are meant to resemble the shape of a swaddled infant but in reality remind me of bottle-nosed dolphins

And sympathies - dh woke me at 4.45 am this morning - off for day business trip

Had better step away from the screen; I've decided I loathe wrapping parcels!! Procrastinating horribly and I've got to get to post

Could some kind person administer swift kick up rear please ???

Got sent home. Some people complain about their GP receptionists, ours is lovely. Although I am beginning to wish that i had taken her up on her suggestion of an emergency appointment today. Seeing the doc tomo though so not too bad. Just lost the hearing in one ear. wheezy coughing for england with a nose that is doing a great impression of a tap. Oh don't you just love cold and flu season?

SC that sounds lovely. Almost tempting to eat.

Right that is it. Curling up in bed and dosing up on all sorts of exciting meds. Good luck with all the flying hopefully this will burn itself out by the end of the week at which point i will be panicking.

[Tucks Bitchy up]

[Applies boot to SC's rear] Will you return the favour please? Suffering from email paralysis and need to get on with something, anything!

This afternoon will be madness but can't face any of the stuff I ought to be doing now either.

[Wanders off to make and in search of motivation]

Hope doc can sort you out tomorrow Bitchy and you feel better soon

How about power of three Blue ? [Applies boot in rtn]

Just posting to remind myself I have done something. Will come back and read the thread later.

Ta da :

Unloaded d/w
Reloaded d/w
Shined sink (soaked in bleach because there are brown stains )
Wiped all kitchen surfaces
Tidied kitchen hotspot
Put washing on
Put remainder of yesterday's shopping away
Emptied all the bins in the house
Hoovered upstairs and down
Swept stairs
Cleared up spilt earth from DS1's pot plant
Swished and swiped in bathroom
Put bleach down loo and left it to soak
Changed loo roll
Room rescues in three bedrooms
Room rescue in sitting room
Tidied hall
Ordered a couple more Xmas presents
Had b/fast

Then DH arrived home just as I turned on MN. "Ah, so that's what you've been doing!"

To do

Work
Collect prescriptions from chemist
Lunch for DS1
School run
etc etc