Fledglings don't makes resolutions in January, they fly through the babysteps.

[BitchytheGreat]

So here it is the dreaded January thread. The thread of resolutions and good intentions for the year that you are lucky if you see through to the end. Welcome to the start of 2014!!

A quick note for newbies, this is a long running thread. We do like new blood around here. However, we do ask you to be respectful that for a lot of us just getting off our arses is not going to help and to avoid suggesting this. We all know life is more complicated then this. So here we do things a little differently. A little bit of flying and a lot of chatter and moral support. Feel free to jump on board and join us in flying.

For those who are new to fly lady she recommends a three step program:

1. Get those babysteps into a habbit
2. Get rid of the clutter.
3. Get that deep cleaning done.

Don't worry if you think you not doing it right but not getting up to it. Some of us have been here for years and we are still decluttering. Because clutter has a nasty way of multiplying if you take you eye off it, especailly if you have kids.

Fly lady ethos tells us a few things that I want you to remember:
No perfectism this is harder then you would imagine
You are never behind just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
It didn't get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy over night accept it will take time to get on top of things and you will be happier.

So jump on board and lets get started.

Oh and I forgot the proper introductions. "I'm Bitchy and I shall be your guide to the fly lady system for January" better buckle up as things normally get a little crazy when it is my turn to take control. good luck

Quickly wanted to dash in and tell you my lovely news....

As you may remember DSIL and coincidently one of my bestest friends is pregnant after several miscarriages. Well she had her 20 week scan this morning, all is well, healthy and normal with her and baby and were happy to learn we're getting a neice. DSIL and DBIL have also provisionally asked me if I will childminder their little one when she is ready to go back to work.

Happy :)

marking place as already COMPLETELY failing to keep up!!

Congratulations on the lovely news, NickNacks .

Spoke to DH this morning. He sounded very groggy and said he's still in pain, but it's different pain now . His blood pressure is very low, so they won't let him out until it's normal. Am going to see him in about an hour.

DS2 was brilliant about getting ready and going into school this morning. I had arranged for him to go home with his best friend after school, as I'll be at the hospital, so he was all excited about that and forgot to be miserable about going back .

DS1 was a different matter. He got himself dressed, but refused breakfast and then refused to go to school. Honestly, I really could have done without that. Anyway, eventually, I rang the learning centre and asked if one of their teachers would come over and deal with him, which they did. This relieved me of the pressure and stopped me losing my temper with DS1 and the teacher is coming back tomorrow to continue helping him. He was brilliant with DS1 and is taking it step by step with him, only asking him to go to his car with him today, not to the school.

Am really anxious about all DH's work stuff, but I'll be seeing him for instructions later. I don't want him to worry about it, though, although I know he is.

MIL is being a star and is staying until DH comes home, which means I'm free to come and go as necessary. I don't know what I would have done without her, to be honest.

Have managed some Flying and put the Xmas box away at last. Also washed our sheets, so DH comes back to clean bedclothes.

Need to have lunch now, then off to the hospital again.

Afternoon all!

Just popping in to wave as this may be my only chance to post today as I'm working in the office.

First day back after time off, and I'm bitterly regretting not winning the lottery - may have to take a punt tomorrow!

Flying is... whatever I can manage! Having said that, I need to iron DH's trousers as he has an interview tomorrow

Good luck all!

nicknacks lovely news

toffee that's good that a teacher has come to help, fingers crossed it makes a difference

Done
Washing up
Ironing
Pack squares for Woolly Hugs

About to head out to:
Recycling out
Post squares & DD's thank you cards
Collect DD

Fingers crossed he's home soon toffee

Ta da

Home bleurgh
Washing on
15 min declutter
Hot spot (bedside table)

To do

Morning routine
Swish and swipe
Dry washing
Put it away
Write letter
Print letter
Finance admin
Walk
Buy Sports bra
Stock
Sink

Had a fab productive day here, I think the early rise helped out somewhat.

ta da
nudge dp to turn off 6 am alarm
wake up to 6.30 alarm
get dp to wake ds1 up (has adhd and is sooooo disorganised in the morning)
tell ds1 3 times that his school clothes are in his wardrobe
help ds3 get dressed
tell ds1 where his planner is
tell ds2 to go downstairs
Get dressed
tell ds1 to do the rest of his morning routine
make pack ups
find meds for ds1
kick ds1 out the door
have cuppa
kick dp out the door
get into an argument with ds2 as he always picks one as soon as his dad leaves!!
make mental note to 1.2.3. ds2 when he tries to argue with me
deal with sulky ds2 as i won argument by 1.2ing him !!!
School run
home and breakfast of porridge and banana whilst watching jeremy vile!!
tidied and hoovered lounge and dining room
shined sink
done laundry
made bed
cleaned bathroom
make a massive batch of bolognaise slimming world style and made up three lasange and three pots of bolognaise.

to do
drop in repeat prescription for ds1
cook tea
clean car whilst waiting at school which reminds me i need to go bye :)
please excuse typos and spelling mistakes havent proof read

Congrats nick

doris best of luck to DP for job interview...

I'm back at work today too... But DH & I managed to do that dastardly deed this morning at five am .... Desperate to conceive number two....

Happy epiphany everyone else...

aliama, dd once licked the shiny metal toilet roll dispenser in queensway macdonals toilets, bleugh is the word!

Well done gossipwitch esp batch cooking, I need to get on with some of that our fridge and freezer are an embarrasment!

managed to do clear the decs and hoover but have to sort another box of advent bits. still lots on my list to do but at least things look tidy!

Dear god I am tired. Is it bedtime yet?

NickNacks fabulous news
Toffee Hope dh is well enough to come home soon. It could be the anaesthetic knocking his blood pressure down. It is know to be a side effect for me. Fingers crossed that is all it is and he is back to normal bp in a day or so.
Hands Gossip flying gold star

Ds has just stripped his bed and taken it down stairs for me to wash. guess I had better put it on to wash and remake his bed

Is the homeroutines app only on iPhone or can I find ot on Andriod too?

DH and I were just chattign about scheduling properly, esepcially when we need time by ourselves (i.e. me running, marking time, writing - him guitar practice, garage/project time). I think it might be the way to go. We both moan that we don't get time to do things (well, I do, especially marking) because we never think ahead. Think I really need to start working better with a calendar to structure our time.

Babystep 7 is one that i find incredibly useful. Layout your clothes.

Tuesday is planning day: life plans, meal plans, exercise plans. it all counts. Get is done get it planned.

Missions here

keep decluttering your kitchen. 15mins is not a lot but 5x15 is. Amazing what you can get done over the course of a week!

How can I be so worn out, she's been at school! I'm blaming the earlier morning.

Done
Beds
DD's packed lunch
Dd to school
Greengrocers - got apples for chutney
Co-op -forgot vinegar for chutney
Recycling out
Cat litter tray
Washing up
Ironing
Dry clothes away
Pack squares for Woolly Hugs
Post squares & DD's thank you cards
Corner shop for vinegar & mayonnaise
Collect DD
Made coleslaw for dinner (to go with baked potato)
Made beetroot chutney
Made apple sauce with leftover apple from ^
Washing up
Bleach dishcloth arf the mopping up beetroot stains.
Boil hand warmers

glad to hear dh on the mend toffee

great news nn

Good work still ! I am wondering how we will ever conceive DC2 with DS's sleep like ti is at the moment (the ninja crept into our bed again last night at God-knows-what-time and then spent most of the night kicking me)

Ta da
mopped kitchen floor
hoovered downstairs
one load of washing - 2nd waiting to go
hospital to make appt/pick up form
supermarket
marked 2 projects that are due today
washing-up

Off out for a run in an hour.

feeling rather flat. A combination of back-to-school-itis (otherwise known as I-didn't-do-my-homework-syndrome - disclaimer because I KNOW what a pain homework is over the holidays!: I did not give any of my students homework over Christmas except my Year 12s who begged me for an extension over the holidays instead of giving in their work just before Christmas.), it being January which always makes me feel blue and emotional, and having to go back to the hospital again.

I just want to whole mc to be over so I can move on. It's like having a wound and everytime I go back it gets picked open and starts bleeding again, so it's just not healing Everytime I think I'm okay I get floored by my emotional reaction to having to walk down the corridors to gynaecology and be surrounded by pg ladies. Plus, one of my colleagues who is lovely, but very socially unaware, is pg and has just started spreading the news so am expecting non-stop commentary for the next 6 months. She doesn't do it on purpose, she's just oblivious and managed to keep it up through the whole of her last pg and throughout bf stage . Normally I'd be able to avoid her fairly easily but for the next few days we have several INSET sessions and we're in the same team so won't be able to leg it everytime she starts flashing her scan photos around. I'm kind of dreading going into school for that reason - plus since it was my birthday I have to take in treats at break so everyone will be wanting to kiss me three times (Ducth stylee)

Ah well, heading out for a run should clear my head.

sad house here as we are now minus a guinea pig

:( eustacia

Toffee hope dh is well looked after and home soon.
Engels sorry you're having to cope with colleague as well as everything else.
Eustacia
All plans changed today as a result of large tree from next door crashing down. Withstood terrible jokes about Be flat, and a flat, and wretched neighbour screaming about curses.
No flying but managed, English, a bath, about to do dinner, quick listen to friend and then off to a memorial event for friend. Oramorph and dark rum, could be interesting. Don't think I'll be driving back.

Thanks everyone.

Apologies to all the proofreaders on the thread.... Need to learn how to spell niece

toffee hope dh is ok and recuperating well at home ?

Also apologies to those of you ttc and going through miscarriages, my post earlier was possible a bit insensitive. It's just DSIL has been there (mc this May and August) and I've been the only one she could confide in. It's just a relief it's all going well now. Thinking of you all too xx

I have caught engel's back to school itis. I also have i haven't done my homeworkitis. This will make for a stressful week but i had a lovely holiday so fuck it. Unfortunately DS has also got haven't done my homeworkitis and is a little less calm about it than me. He is such a little worry wart and we have already had tears about it tonight. I do worry about him going to secondary in september. This kind of thing, imo, is where it shows that he is just about the youngest in the year and lacks emotional maturity in some areas.

toffee hope DH is on the mend.

nicknacks lovely news

Hope everyone else is ok.

Back to work today...boooooo!

Today

further dones
cooked cheesy potato bake
cooked rice with ham stock from gammon...will have to use it for fried rice tomorrow as no-one ate it except dd
cooked large batch of beef stew with old veggies
history homework with ds2 (diary of a serf)

children all came home by themselves - despite the terrible weather, I think ds1 is still feeling quite "amused" by school, and wants to be fitter. Long may this mindset last, not expecting it to though

ds1 luckily still goes to homework club (so when he walks in the door he is "free") so he is now enjoying singing along to Tangled with his own piano version

dd is in a very stroppy flouncy teen mood, but has done homework without any requirement for supervision so I forgive her

ds2 has been very good company this evening..he was telling funny stories about school today - I can only describe him as a cross between Jim Carrey and Graham Norton

Dh is in a state of nerves about work again I think when you work from home and the holidays end it feels a bit formless and odd.

toffee I hope you got through today and are not feeling too anxious about standing in for dh over the next week. So glad MIL is being helpful.
Just tree
Goth and Bitchy I feel tired despite doing very little.

Sorry to hear your news Eustacia

Just sounds like you're having an awful time of it.

NN not insensitive at all! Life goes on, and being occasionally miserable about my own situation doesn't stop me being happy for others except for annoying colleague who got pg so easily both times she doesn't know she's born This sounds awful, but I find it easier to be happier for someone who I know hasn't had it easy

ellie I have such a pile of marking and with the Christmas show I just didn't get it done before the end of term and, well, holidays are holidays! (as opposed to half terms which are fair game for homework in this house! I always end of spendng a large chunk of my half term catching up with marking and planning) plus DS's nursery has been closed for the last 2 weeks

swan your children sound wonderful (stroppiness and all!)

Have just been out for a lovely run in the rain with my wonderful friend and feel so much better for clearing my head. Just made myself a very healthy lunch and snacks for tomorrow, and laid out my clothes (wearing the dress DH got me for Christmas) so am hoping everything'll go smoothly tomorrow in the Engels household depending on how much sleep DS lets us have tonight

Night night all.

DH is home ! I went to the hospital to see how he was and ended up bringing him back with me. He is walking like an old man and has a bagful of painkillers, but is otherwise fine. I am attempting to be a good nurse. DH did suggest I buy a nurse's uniform... . (Not that he's in a fit state to do anything about it).

Bitchy - that's interesting. Didn't know anaesthetic could do that. His BP is back to normal now anyway.

Still - 5am . That's dedication for you.

Engels - sorry, that tough for you with your pregnant colleague.

(Hmm, I think the novelty of having DH home to nurse may wear off pretty soon).

Ta Da
I managed to get myself out of bed and back to work after the holidays.

Morning routines all done... including building in swishing and swiping which is something I want to achieve at least 3 times Mon -Fri mornings, before a proper clean of the bathrooms on Sat mornings.

To Do
Packed lunches for tomorrow
Empty dw when it is finished
Bit more prep for tomorrow's teaching... will do this in an hour when I've watched the next episode of The Wire, which DH and I are working our way through atm.

Toffee Nurse's uniform? Funny - bet it hurt him to even chuckle about that. I remember after my appendix was removed, I was moving a bit like a very old person as well. Won't be long though - the recovery was pretty quick, barring any complications. (And I was pregnant, so even with horrific morning sickness, I recovered quite quickly!)

Not much done today as DS2 was still home and wanted to sit on my lap most of the day. Silly kid. But my list for tomorrow is unbelievably long!!!

Toffee glad to hear DH is home.
Sorry about your GP Eustacia
So today was back to school for us today and I got up at 6am to give myself more time in the morning and it did make things run a bit smoother.

Ta da
Beds made
Bins emptied
DW run and unloaded
Cleaner run through DW
Washing hung out
WM reloaded
Bathroom cleaned
Downstairs dusted and hoovered
Ironing hung up
Laundry folded and put away
Dd taken to dancing
Lunches made
Diet stuck to
Some reading done for course (should really have been more but I'm tired and not feeling up to maths.

Still to do
Reload DW
Wipe down kitchen sides
Bath
Read and collapse in to bed

Hopefully I will catch up with you all tomorrow.