Festive fledglings flying through December - the Flylady thread

[TooStressyTooMessy]

Welcome to the December (dare I say the Christmas?!) Flylady thread. This is a really lovely thread where we loosely follow the Flylady system (see the Flylady website ) in the hope of having organised homes and lives.

Every day I will post a link to the launchpad which has everything you need for that day if you do want to follow the system strictly. Plenty of options to follow the system more loosely as well :).

Please do familiarise yourself with the Flylady website, especially if you are new. The Flylady is (understandably) keen that people do look at the website.

On the website there is information for beginners. You can also sign up to the Flylady emails but we would advise not to as there are hundreds of them.

We post our achievements (ta das) and our to do lists and any other general chatter about life / flying.

Information on getting started: www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/

The launch pad is also a good starting place:www.flylady.net/c/lp.php

Fly stands for Finally Loving Yourself. The general idea is that short bursts of tidying / organisation are more achievable than marathon efforts. Flylady advises 15 minute bursts is effort but you can tweak this to fit your own circumstances.

Be kind to yourselves, jump in where you are and be careful not to crash and burn!

Any newbies are very welcome .

**
Flylady also does Christmas missions which I will link to each day. They are really useful and nearer the time she does super missions which help you if you have not managed the regular missions. They are just there to help and as Flylady says... do not worry as you do not need to catch up, just jump in where you are .

Link to the holiday cruising is

here

December’s habit is usually [[http://www.flylady.net/d/habits-of-the-month/december/
pampering yourself]] which is much needed this busy time of year. This can be as simple as taking two minutes to have a cup of tea, if long pampering sessions are unachievable.

The website will update to the December missions etc in the next few days so I will link it again if it is different.

*
A daily summary (which should update automatically every day) is available on the Flylady website at flight plan here.

The link to the current zone and missions is [[http://www.flylady.net/c/sp.php#missions here].

Re. zones, do what works for you. I don’t always stick to the zones myself and do what works best at the time!

daily focus

missions for the week

Flykids mission

beginner babysteps.

The best place to look for an overall summary is the launch pad.

Happy flying everyone.

Please note that while there is lots of information on the website, from a security point of view we would advise caution with putting any personal details in or downloading anything.

Also a huge thank you to Ghoulette for the November thread.

SC does doing an airport run mean your guests are leaving or are yet more arriving . Must be a very difficult part of expat life .

We are lucky to have a spare room and since we don’t live near either set of parents do feel obliged to have them overnight every so often. DH’s parents don’t live quite so far away so don’t always stay over but mine usually do.

I am also trying to figure out where the craft kits etc should go zoo and foxes. Very small amount of progress made with that this morning which is something.

Great work to have already started essay Ive despite the horribly early start.

Enjoy swimming today Laputa.

Tinselette, I think yes it is very much an age thing to realise the dangers and pain of sport etc!

Willow, I’ll definitely swap crafts with skating!

On way to a party now. Hoping to get away with exchanging a present in town too as I need to get a different size. We shall see.

For New Year... I have long accepted that with kids NYE will not be a big night and I used to hate it anyway. Possibly we will try to put some kind of child friendly countdown on the telly if I can find one. We haven’t watched the Strictly Christmas special yet so have they saved to watch .

NYD we are going to friends for lunch. Going out for a run first though. Looking forward to that like a hole in the head .

Catch you all later.

Big wing flaps to all.

We stay in on NYE, take away, board games and fireworks on tv

Morning.

Ta da.
Fire caught.
Animals fed
Bed stripped.
Wash on.

Plan
Sitting room put away anything that doesn’t belong.
Vacuum and dust.

Shouldn’t take long.

Hall
Just need to sort jackets and coats.
Check for cobwebs.

I've our first NYE everyone wants stay up id rather sleep tbh,but there we go
Be board games,buffet style food n fireworks on telly here too

Stressy craft stuff lives where I can supervise it.namely cupboard understairs-

Forgot to add a walk to blow away the cobwebs.its bright and sunny(but very chilly wind)and it was good to get out and stretch my legs properly.picked up bread n milk on way back

3rd load was in
Find dd2 tangle fidget thing(trapped in sofa reclining mechanisms)
Sort 1/3 her Xmas stuff to new homes
Frustrating phone calls..(rang boots for advise as dd2 has silent reflux and gaviscon advance not touching it whilst so stressed.age prevents sale over counter acid blockers but said expect under doc supervision be issued them and to ring and ask for a script.receptuon staff say needs app.arent any.cant I talk to doc/nurse as we know what's wrong.nope has to be seen try ringing again tom.FFS)
Lunch(except dd2 who too anxious)
Wash up
Wash in drier,more on

Can you leave a message for GP or nurse to phone you back zoo ?

Ta da
Sitting room completed. Looks lovely. Love my Christmas decs. Not sick of them yet.
Hall
Sorted coats and rejigged some to go in kitchen. Cleaned out pockets.
Two loads of wash done and another ready to go in.

DH. I suggested he did kitchen, he did.

😳

Good morning all, back to work today and not ready yet! I had forgotten to update yesterday. Went grocery shopping in the morning, worked part-time job. While I was at work DH and DC cleaned the whole house - vacuumed, mopped, cleaned bathroom, washed dog beds, bathed dog, helped me start getting dinner ready, which I did once I got home. It was so nice.

Last night sat and watched Christmas movie and ate lots of chocolate tonight we plan on taking down Christmas decs as I like to have it down before new years eve. I also have a lot of ironing that needs to be done so if anyone has seen Ned, please send him my way!!

Laputa, I'm sorry you got overwhelmed. The most important thing I did this Christmas was build in alone time for everyone, at every event. It worked amazingly well and DD didn't end up yelling at her cousin (who is a total extrovert and gets alone time purely because she is an only child), so I'm taking that as a win. I also got time to breathe when my family were here and didn't end up crying as usual, so that's a positive.

SC hope you are resting / asleep. Zoo, hope you've got a medic to speak sense. Stressy , we have no direct plans for NYE. In recent years DH has set up a LAN and played online with the big DC (we are a house ful of nerds) but this year DS1 and DS2 are going to separate all-night parties. I shall likely be in bed by 10pm and wake at midnight to curse the people setting off fireworks on the playing field and upsetting the dog! As long as I remember to say Rabbits, all will be well.

Bower, you're doing an awful lot for someone who is feeling rough. Sit down! I'VE at least there was a silver lining with starting the essay although I remember that feeling was often hard to find when tinies got me up at squawk o'clock.

Ta Das
DW rotated
first wash done and drying
bathrooms S&S
family bathroom window dried and cleaned (mould. yuk)
my Christmas presents away
DH has tidied the garden

Plans

• Christmas cards down so I can cut the fronts off and put the tags and ribbons box in the loft for next year
• some books out of the study so we can chase the space and move things around and get some clutter out
• DH wants to pull everything out of the garage and take half of it to the tip. We usually do this on the two equinoxes, not sure there's daylight enough around the Winter solstice!

Reeling a bit as DS1 said yesterday that he definitely considers himself a guest here, he "lives" at Uni and won't be coming back except for the Easter weekend hereafter. He's not quite 18 and a half. I'm trying to see it as we've raised a young man who can forge his own path, but it feels a lot like my first baby grew up and ran away before I got to know him. I've not had enough time.

I almost forgot! Yesterday morning we took out the empty boxes to the garage. We use these boxes for presents as it's easier to wrap. I only keep the small odd sizes now as DH can bring home bigger ones from work. Those bigger boxes did get thrown out this year after use. I'm a lot better at letting them go now. Since they are now out of my bedroom, there's more space in there which made it easier for DC to clean yesterday.

Aw thanks willow yes I am certainly feeling that I need to schedule in a lot of down time. My need for it has got really extreme this year! But then I feel bad if it’s family I’m “ignoring” etc. It’s something I want to work on more this year and balancing everything like that (my need for alone time and my desire to be “present” with family etc) is something I’m working on with my therapist :) I need to email and book an appt actually.

Swim was good, then I did a little sales shopping - all stuff that was needed, plus hotel chocolat 😏😂

Well done for figuring out what was needed willow BTW. A great result!

Willow it sounds as if you did your job as a parent... raising an independent adult. I can imagine it just be hard though. Is it his first time away at uni? I remember it being such a shock and a weird feeling to come back ‘home’ after the first term and it was the first time it didn’t really feel like home. In fact I commented on a thread recently about it. Lots of posters said totally normal .

Laputait's ok to need time out,and great thing about your family is you all adapt to each others needs
Willow there's never enough time.in those early years I was always firefighting and waiting for the zoolets to be able to dress themselves etc but I blinked and dd1 is getting married in the summer,dd2 is picking college/6th form applications.ds is,well,D's.lil zoo is 12 and no longer needs me for a school run.i miss the little things,but am trying to accept they are never yours to keep forever,just to hold their hands til they can walk alone(but that doesn't mean it's any less painful)

DS books homed
Lil zoo books homed
Lego that's done is put upstairs,to do us in neat pile on crate Lego that lives in front room(standard bricks in crate not sets)
All dd2 stuff allocated home in correct spaces.tudying her part room has made much easier as make up has joined make up,dvds to dvds etc
I have less than a 1/4 outstanding.pretry much Lego that's to build and board games to play before put away!go me- it usually takes me to mid January to make space for everything as I get overwhelmed in clutter and get no where fast!!

2more loads washing done.i only have a towel load to go in once current loads done,and my washing!
Bedrooms(excluding mine) are habitable,but not pristine --some battles are best left for another day
Girls are now tictok dancing and D's is playing spiragraph which has been a surprise huge hit
I'm recipe sorting which I find very relaxing

Great news re DS enjoying Spirograph zoo.

I am part-way through sorting out stuff under DD1’s bed. Am at the wishing I had never started parade. Giving myself another half hour then will investigate baths / showers etc.

part not parade. There is no parade .

Perhaps there should be a parade? It might make it all easier!

Erm question... was it agreed I’m doing January thread? I can’t remember if it was definite! It’s fine either way I’m just checking :)

Great idea Willow .

Laputa, I know someone volunteered and it was agreed but I have been trying to remember who! I think it might have been you, not sure if anyone else can remember? Thank you .

Launch pad

Christmas missions

Pretty sure was Laputa who agreed to do January

I agree with willow a parade might've made it easier stressy as long as you came out from there alive tho,it's all good

Well another load washing done.this is what happens when I clear up.loads found festering in unexpected places/behind/under gawd knows what...
Explains why I thought they had plenty of stuff but were wearing same few items on rotation as rest of their wardrobes were in shallow grave of filth

Dining table needs clearing,but I've reached CBA stage.time sit my butt n watch bit mindless drivel on TV!
Last day of the decade tomorrow...

Last day of the decade

Willow Thank you but I quite often feel 🤢 sick. GP and I think it is probably the medication. I need to be on it at the moment. I thought I might be getting the lurgy that is rife around here.
I did have a rest too. We went out for two hours. DH drove for about half an hour and we bought some lamb shanks, meatballs and a piece of beef for NYD. Then up to M&S to get some prawns.Bought a few more things then back home for a cup of tea. Put tea on lamb shanks to slow cook and later potatoes, carrots and peas. I had a plant base yoghurt too. Cat had a bit of my lamb as it was a bit much. I didn’t do the bedroom but need to remake the bed.
If we keep the sitting room tidy I can use the rest of the week to sort the boudoir. If DH is willing he could help get the paper etc put away in the loft.

Laputa yeah! I’m not the only one to cut up previous cards. I use them for tags too but also went to a course once which helped you to re invent them as new cards using up greetings. Rejigging and adding bits.

No parade 🦓🦍🐘🦛🦏🐃🦘🦒🐫🐪🐂🐄🐎🐖🐏🐕🦌🐐🦙🐑🐩🐈🐓🦃🦚🦝🐇🕊🦢🦜🦡🐁🐀🐿🦔🐆🐅🐒🐢are you sure?