Cruising towards Christmas and the New Year - it's the December Flylady thread.

[CotswoldStrife]

Ho, ho, ho - welcome to the December Flylady thread. We'll be following the Flylady method and enforcing order on our houses. Feel free to join in. The monthly focus for December is pampering

I'll be posting links to the daily missions, daily focus and the zone cleaning - don't worry about the detailed zone cleaning if you haven't already decluttered, Flylady recommends decluttering first.

You can probably already tell my personal level of dedication to the internet, not the house as I've looked up the Christmas smileys specially. No washing up was done in the making of this post.

I'll post the first December links tonight!

Cotswold yes, sounds like it's the very same cake recipe! The kitchen smells of bread when the fruit is simmering; must be all the yeast in the stout! Enjoyed- finishing off the bottle though

A day spent playing games with your dd sounds like a day well spent to me .. far more important than cleaning!

Ha! I would love a copy some time if you get a chance (New Year will be fine!).

I think the square cake tin I still use is one that I bought for that recipe!

Cotswold With pleasure! Will pm you tomorrow with recipe!

G'night all!

I would love to see it again, it pre-dated the t'internet for me and I actually hand-wrote it down whilst watching it on the TV. Them w'days.

Sorry Zoo, I forgot, happy birthday to your DS!

Thanks for links Cotswold and for the SC

Ta da:-
Draft answer to one of my portfolio questions written and sent to tutor for advice . Am so tired now but just have to get it done so will be lots of late nights this week.

To do:-
Get ready for bed
Quick tidy up of papers etc - can't leave work out as DDs will try to 'help' me
Sort any urgent Xmas cards for tomorrow
2 minute look for lost ankle support but no longer than that!

Have really been finding my before bed routine so much better now that I do it all day long. It's so much easier just to thug as I go, do I need this tomorrow? I know Flylady says start right after dinner but I am finding it so helpful to do it through the day, whether I'm at home or not. Thanks to all who gave me tips on that when I first joined here .

Think as I go. I'm not a thug (I hope!)

Hello everyone!

I've had a very lazy weekend and it's time to get back on track. My grandparents are coming to stay next weekend and the spare bedroom is currently full of crap.

To do (this spreads over today and the rest of the week)
Get dressed
Get DS dressed
Make beds
Reboot laundry
New load in WM
Vacuum living room
Clear clothes out of spare room
Wash all bedding in SR
Make bed in SR
Air the room out
Polish and vacuum upstairs
Clear out the bedside tables and chest of drawers

Stressy sometimes it takes a thug to tackle the mess so go with what works

SC I've PM'd you about that recipe just in case you can scan it.

DD has a packed day of playing planned, I've just found out that a shop I like is starting it's sale today so hope to drag her there later with the promise of an ice cream as bribery (and a lovely coffee for me). Bring it on! Today, I am determined to make a difference!

Cotswold I hope you find some serious bargains!

I just set my timer for 15 minutes and got on with my to do list. I'm so impressed with myself.
Ta da
Laundry in dryer and sleeping bag on airer
New load in WM including the bedding from spare room
Recycling bin out
Got dressed
Made beds
Picked up DS room
Vacuumed living room
Quick tidy in the bathroom

Cotswold .

Hi all, DD2 is unwell and had to come home from her preschool nativity sing song and party . She started with a cough last night and then this morning we got to the party but she was too ill and wanted to go home. Poor thing.

Ta da:-
Had email from course tutor with some changes I need to make (I expected that) but on the whole I seem to be on the right track with the section I've done so that's a massive relief .
Some laundry on
Exercise

To do:-
Dishwasher
Laundry
Unpacking from weekend
Deliver Xmas cards not given at party
Get organised for a card and present sort out with DD1 after school as it's the last day of term tomorrow. Still have to write almost all her teachers' cards with her .
Look after poorly DD2
Pick up DD1 from school
Possibly some non-school gift wrapping if time

Self-indulgent rant alert > please feel free to totally ignore!

Woken up in a serious grump and day has not got better!

Plumber was here for ages and I couldn't get on as he kept rushing in and out to his car and the dog was being a pain and trying to escape and I had to keep turning valves on and off on different floors. So that's 3 hrs I will never get back. Still, he removed the offending air lock and cleared a blockage in another sink so that's good to have done before visitors arrive.

Then discovered that we have made a serious error (for the second time running) with making on-line appts with dd's teachers. It is a special facility on the the new on-line communication site which magically disappears after a few days and, through illness and frankly, utter incompetence on our part, we seem to have missed it for the second time running

So not only has dd probably failed most of her exams this term, they now must think her parents aren't that bothered either

Thirdly, nipped out to shops aware that dd had to be in school for 1.15pm this afternoon. She was aware too. Had ironed her uniform and polished shoes etc. Left lunch prepped in fridge. Had a feeling I had better check progress, so rang her while I was out and didn't get any reply. So cut shopping trip short and came home, and sure enough, there she was on the sofa, headphones on, deep in to her Ipod. She had 4 mins to get uniform on and out of the door and catch the metro to be on time!! I despair, I really do!!

And now I am at home alone in peace but house is wrecked again after the weekend (having been not too bad on Fri). Dh and dd have left shoes, towels, coats, magazines, papers, cables, mugs everywhere.

I honestly feel like crying or just packing up and leaving them to it for Christmas!

Probably just the remains of the flu speaking, but honestly, why is it always me picking up the crap?

Dh works really really hard and is fab at food shopping and cooking, so I shouldn't complain, but I am so bored of of picking up socks, shoes, hair elastics, pens, empty loo rolls, jumpers and so on.

I've tried (a) leaving them to do it and they don't (b) doing it all myself in the hope that good habits will be transferred (they aren't) (c) writing lists with specific instructions (they eventually do it - but after days of delay - and dispute which frankly wear me down)

I am so over it.

Sorry - rant over - feel better for it though

Cotswold (have pm'd you) no problem at all with recipe, I have checked every ingred and the exact same one is on-line, so very easy to link!

Toostressy oh no, your poor dd, hope she feels better soon. Hopefully there is enough time for her to recover before Christmas. Shame she had to miss the pre-school Christmas party though.

Well done: re course work- don't know how you do it alongside work, child-rearing and Christmas prep

Well done Muppets I need to stop whinging, put the timer on for 15 mins and follow your good example!

Right, time to get back to it and bite the bullet!

SC , that all sounds a bit rubbish. I don't know how these things work but can you call or email the school and grovel and say you made a mistake with the appointments?

TBH I am struggling with finding time for the studying and really don't know how people doing more intense / longer courses do it with young DCs. Actually I do, they don't sleep and have to just survive and find pockets of time but it's not much fun. The end is in sight through as I have to have this all ready to upload onto the computer system by mid Jan and of course it is Xmas so I have the fear now!

SC I feel your pain with picking up stuff everyone leaves lying around! Dp is bad for this. I now throw it all down his side of the bed and leave him to it. Dd is also bad at moving things around the house for no reason, however she's only three so have to cut her some slack.
Baby has had first lot of jabs today and I've been warned of side affects so am bracing for that!

Ta Da So Far

All DC up fed dressed
Doctors
Breakfast pots
Dryer empty and folded
Dryer reloaded
Bottles soaking
Steriliser filled
Lunch for dd and me

To Do Next

Scrub bottles and put in steriliser
Strip bed and put in washer
Put away dry washing

Thanks Toostressy and for the flowers! Much appreciated!

You have done amazingly well to plough through with the studying; it sounds really, really tough. Hope you are able to enjoy Christmas and relax a bit despite what is looming!

We tried calling the school last time we made the same mistake and all you get is a stressed school secretary. It's totally our fault on this occasion but in general, the whole school communication thing is so different/difficult in secondary. The teachers only seem available in very specific time slots which are (a) over-subscribed and (b) quite elusive! The new website portal thing is new to eveyrone and some of the teachers use it and some don't. So different to primary when you couldn't escape the premises without a teacher collaring you and asking for this or that!!

I just feel crap for letting dd down. At least we have already arranged a meeting with her titulaire (form head) on Friday though.

Thanks Afreshstart! Ooh baby jabs are stressful! Hope side effects (if any) are not lasting!

That actually sounds like a good new strategy ie pick everything up that doesn't belong and bung in laundry basket for dh and dd to sort out themselves. We have lots and lots of steep stairs in this house so putting stuff away takes effort! Might teach them a lesson! Although bed might be better because they won't be able to get in without putting stuff away first!!

Congrats on your productive morning!

long-lasting I meant! (Can't seem to spk English today )

If the system is new and full of bugs/teething problems, whatever, it sounds as though you won't be the only ones to have made mistakes with it, SC - try not to fret too much about it. Surely they must make allowances for ill health with the exams??!

House is a tip here, but I've decided to leave stressing about it until just before my parents arrive! Will try to bribe the boys into tidying their rooms at some point in the next day or 2 as well...

Is it too early for ?

I have no wine in and DH on call tonight anyway so will take the , thanks!

Ta da:-
Loads of laundry!
Unpacking from weekend
School pick up
Tea
Reboot laundry
Forced DD1 to write Xmas cards to teachers
5 mins decluttering - DD2 wanted something at the bottom of one of her toy baskets so figured I may as well look through the stuff

To do:-
Put DD1's cards in envelopes and sort out teacher gifts. Left till last minute as usual
Cancel a direct debit
Make to do list for tomorrow
Bathtime
Bedtime
Studying - must do at least an hour tonight
Before bed routine
Check my parents' present as may need to add something to it tomorrow
If time, look on Moongpig / similar for card to give DH from children - might have to get them to choose online now with DD poorly
Put away suitcase

I'm wary of writing that I've had a good start to the day because large time I wrote my car off fifteen minutes later, but generally it's been ok here. Dh is off and is in task mode so between us we've got a lot done. I've been out in his car for the first time since the accident and it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought it would be. We've been out for a test drive in a potential new car and liked it. Probably a few more to try before deciding but it's good to know I've definitely found at least one that's fine.

Ta da's
Food shop
Emptied porch for new furniture coming tomorrow
Loads of cards done
Been to post office with parcels
Been to vets
Bought more decorations
Spoken to insurance company

To dos
Paint skirting boards (how many times have I avoided this?!)
Wrap done presents
Finish decorating the house
General tidy

Forgot, lots of people having a rough time. Sending ,, and as needed.

Today has been very unproductive but I've coped with low mood better than I usually would so I'm giving myself a pat on the back anyway. Me and DP decided we are going to start buying a bottle of wine a week today, we've never had alcohol in the house before but it would be nice on days like today

Ta da
Two 15 minute blitz
Sink shined (DH washed, I dried)
Two loads of laundry sorted
DC fed and cleaned up after
Kitchen counters wiped
Living room picked up

To do
Get DS to bed

Hi all sorry I'm a bit behind on the thread...I feel like my brain is in a fog as ds has been sleeping really badly! Anyway, dh had today off so not much flying done
Ta das
Nappy bin emptied
Dishwasher on
Washing folded
Room rescue bedrooms and living room
Dusted dressing table after I saw thick dust floating around on top of it this morning!
Dinner made and kitchen tidied

Hope everyone ok sorry some of you are having such a tough time

Colds all round here and feel like I'm trying to run through custard... Basics only done today, plus washed kitchen floor

Hi all
sc also feel your pain
I nag n do myself til snap. And threat launch anything on x room floor
Did follow thru once n I give a warn of 5 mins
Amazing how fast zoolets can move under pressure
I've evicted 10 binbagd random crap over 48hours
Go me rethless declutterer!!

I have a pristine cupboard olunder stairs,put out 18carrier bags paper recycling today
Went town few bits and wrap half gifts