Festive Fledglings Flap Frantically Towards A Calm, Clutter-free Christmas!

[SingToTheSky]

OK so clutter-free is a bit ambitious. But anyway, all welcome to join us for a jolly holiday thread, in which we very loosely follow (or at least half-heartedly mention now and then) the FlyLady system of housekeeping.

I’ll be posting links and reminding us all of various tasks up until Christmas Eve, for those who want to follow the system - and if it’s like previous years there will also be some specific extra missions to help us prepare our homes for Christmas. However, we really are just a bunch of frazzled Mumsnetters who will be very happy to welcome you along for chat whether you follow the system or not! We discuss housework, sure, but a whole lot of other stuff too.

We will also continue with the Keep Calm Corner, in which you’ll find various diverting questions, memes etc.

And finally a huge thank you to Foxes who did a fab job of running the thread for the first time in November! 💐

tinseletteyay for finishing decoratingI confess my front rooms still not fully straight,I'm just so exhausted I'm finding getting stuff sorted a long slog

I slept most of the day after get up and walking lil zoo to drop stool sample and script for dd2 before school(45 mins each way) left 715,dropping lil zoo at 815 at school.bitterly cold and my joints hated it.return to row with dd2 about food shopping.
Gave up and went to bed
Collected lil zoo at 11
Returned to bed
Got up at 430
Shop(emergency stuff only)
Wipe and put away
Fed everyone copiously (sandwichy stuff)
Sat on sofa nursing painful shoulders and hip feels like I've done 1000 squats

"D"p was ment help shop Monday,and asked drop script etc for me but was told"not going that way" FFS YOU DRIVE AND I KEEP TELLING YOU I CANT DO THIS SHIT.
We are now barely speaking,he genuinely can't see why I'm cross
No tree up,place tip,need orderxmas gifts
Zoolets are being unhelpful inconsiderate arses

At rabbit in headlight stage

SEND HELP

Oh woolly you sound Proper Overwhelmed :( would a brain dump list help or make it worse? Is there anything that can be reasonably dropped given the covid crap, is everyone understanding of the fact things will be different this year? Could the older ones (well I guess not DS2 🤦🏽‍♀️) be deposited in town with a bit of cash to choose the fiddly bits for DH or would that be too overwhelming?

Mc it wasn’t the first night ever, but we’d given up on the bed for quite a while (my family absolutely sucks at sleep/routines etc) and in fact we hadn’t even got round to taking the side off (it’s a cot bed) but she asked to get in, so she played for a while (as DH and I lazed on the bed in a total fog of knackeredness 😂) and then dozed off. Woke up after a couple of hours but still, progress. And for the first time we risked not putting a nappy on her as she’s seemed dry for a couple of weeks now, and she was definitely dry this morning yay!!!

She’s off nursery today - I finally woke up on time to take her but she’s full of cold (no cough etc thankfully). I’m still waiting to see how DS is, as we have a home ed meet with a reptile education company and I want to see the snakes and lizards dammit! 🐍🦎 I don’t care if DS doesn’t 😂😳

woolly oh honey,how utterly shite
I shall keep fingers,legs,arms,and eyes crossed all turns out ok!
Could you perhaps pick up some flowers or a Xmas cactus to bring you a little cheer at lidl?
In my fuddled head I read it as I'm one present short,and thought short of what?inspiration?sanity?I'm definitely one present short of a sack

Tada
Made self get up at 5 as couldn't sleep as stiff and pulled big girl pants up to maximum heightcats fed
Wash on
Harpic lav
*Kitchen cupboard one- empty,wipe out,reorganise and refill
*Kitchen cupboard two- empty and wipe out
Sift thru all dry fruit and nuts,note what's missing to shopping list
Add baskets to tidy rice,pasta etc
Flours into a tub like dried fruit

Living room
*Pull out sofa one and clean behind/liberate cat toys
*Tidy blanket box of games
*Tidy my me time drawers(full if crap that's chucked in/disorganised)
*Migrate shit tonne of stuff back upstairs
*Wake the rabble
*Porridge

X posts sing yay to dry nights and starting spend time in her own bed for cagletini!

Just running in to say...

We made it to school on time today! Just in time as the queue started to file in.

I dont know how...after mini strops for lil fraggle and big fraggle woke up not smiling.

We did it! I did prep lunchs last night with the kids help even tho I was shattered and just wanted to curl up into bed.

Had to walk back to the school as lil fraggle had dropped her glove on the pavement on my street.

Back in a bit...

Zoo. STOP. SIT DOWN. 👓

Dancing that is awesome!!!

What a start everyone's having this morning....

dancing whoo hoo!

Just been to D's room and found this(lil zoo drawn him with whiteboard n pen

After chew out bloke,he's arrived to take out boots,poundshop and Hobbycraft(all on same estate).might grab lunch items whilst there

Whoa zoo that’s brilliant!!! 😱😍

I’m having a rare tea break at work so thought I’d catch up with you all.

Zoo and Woolly .

Zoo present short of a sack made me smile. It sounds like you have loads to sort but please prioritise yourself. Meds need sorted but the xmas tree can wait. That and gifts are mainly for the DC - can they be used as leverage to get them to help more? You can’t put the decks up and do your online shopping til everything is sorted and you can’t do that without help.. so Christmas is cancelled unless they buck their ideas up?

Woolly that’s so frustrating about isolating and Christmas plans. Is there anyone else who can have FIL for Christmas? We are in a similar (but not as difficult!) boat as DSis and DN are supposed to be coming to us on Christmas day but he now has to isolate and if he develops symptoms then they might not be able to . It’s all rubbish. DEFINITELY just buy the log.

Well done Dancing! 🎉

Mc my DH was awkward with Dd as a baby too. He’d never really had much to do with babies and as soon as she cried he’d hand her back. I think he felt self-conscious and thought I was much more capable (ha!). The first time they were left together he did fine, because he had no choice. He’s fantastic with her now, much better at playing than I am.

Tinsellette yay to the end of decorating being in sight and at GP drama.

Bower your 60th sounds lovely, and what a special thing to do with your friend. I love Edinburgh, it has such a unique atmosphere.

This mornings ta Das:
✅ bathed grubby DD as she was too tired last night. Cut her fingernails which were caked in paint and various other nursery mank
✅ rest of kitchen sorted
✅ LOL on and clean stuff upstairs. DD’s Christmas top ironed.
✅ arrived at work in time for a cooked breakfast.

Must get back to work. Catch you all later.

Zoo I agree the DC need to help more. I totally get it about the difficulties helping with shopping etc (did anyone say anything about other diagnoses? From what you’ve said I’d eat my hat if DS isn’t dyspraxic) BUT they still need to find ways to help you and it would be good like up says to give them incentives or consequences. They could be natural consequences like you must get through a lot of baking ingredients for making all your lovely cakes etc so maybe they stop getting those unless they start helping you carry more shopping. I hate to think of you running yourself further into the ground because they refuse to help you. I worry that one day you will totally crash from it all 😰

(Sorry for the vent I just worry about you ❤️)

🎄❄️🎁 Wednesday 9th December 🎁❄️🎄

Zone - 2 - kitchen

Daily Focus - antiprocrastination!

Today’s Mission - fridge clear out!

Today’s Holiday Mission - not updated yet so look back on the list if you want to here

✈️ FLIGHT PLAN ✈️

🎄❄️🎁 The Keep Calm Corner Advent Calendar 🎁❄️🎄

Festive reptile memes - who knew they were a thing?
My question is Do you like reptiles? Have you had, or would you have one as a pet?

I reeeeeally want a crested gecko. I love all lizards but they are easier to care for (room temperature etc) - I have a vet nurse friend who has oodles of animals so she is my go-to for info! I just love them, they’re so cute. I love snakes too. 🦎🐍

🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻

Forgot the pics...
Sorry if you’re squeamish 😳🙈

Apparently i have feelings about lizards/reptiles as pets. That was a learning experience.

I need to get moving but it is cold and i feel like shit. So i am going to have to just suck it up and run errands I think.

Ooh sorry hills 🙈 hope I haven’t offended. 💐

No offense at all. Perfectly simple question.

Just apparently I am super opinionated in my old age. I did not feel the need to expose anyone else to that opinion. Especially as i didn't realise I was that opinionated

We have working cooker!!!! Now i just have to learn how to use it. But first braving the post office and a spot of training at work

Thanks hills :o and YAY for working cooker!!!

Hope you’re having a nap now woolly

I had a nice afternoon but it was somewhat chilly. DH has just popped out to meet DD1 as she injured herself somehow at school. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Hope dd is ok sing

Glad you feel a little better now glittery Xmas can be overwhelming at the best of times! Covid has made it very complicated that's for sure.

Glad you have a working oven hills that's good news

We have been Xmas shopping today, so once again not much flying as we got home, sorted all the kids presents to see what we had, then had to go collect the kids, then they wanted to play board games, then ds had a huge strop so we decided he was too tired for games so have stuck the TV on instead I've had a quick whizz round to try and "reset" everything, dishwasher is on, washing on for tomorrow morning, toys tidied away. Jacket potatoes are in the oven so just need to get the toppings ready.

I haven't done any missions or zone decluttering for aaagggeees... usually Wednesday is my catch up day for those bits and also home bleugh. I will have to squeeze a lot in on Friday I think 😬

Did the post office run but discovered did not have the information for the customs forms picked up customs forms. Will have to go back when have the details. thankfully not too bonkers in there though.

Hit a massive pot hole on the way home which sounded like it took out the underside of the car. Going to have to crawl under that tomo morning. Hopefully not too much damage as need to book its MOT for the next week or so.

Right de people and outside. and then to stoke up the new beast and cook some tea for the peoples.

Uho 😫 hope it’s nothing bad.

Crap evening here, the cold got to me again and DH is in bed as they increased his amitriptyline again - he has to take some in the morning as well as at night, so that’s marvellous as he will just be tired all day although it might be a bit worse due to flu jab? Can adults get a bit sniffly after them too? Thankfully DS/DD2 didn’t when they had their spray.

Totally didn’t feel up to cooking (DH does most of it but after the walk to collect DD1 he was really dizzy) so bunged some nuggets fries and frozen veg on, and put it all on one big plate as no energy to serve out 😳

And while I was doing that, Cagletini asked DD1 to cut her nails and she did but managed to cut her finger so there was screaming for quite some time. They have helped me with a few little chores to try and stem the flow of disaster but the reality is the house is an absolute dump right now

I now have rice on for me and DH as I got a reduced spicy half chicken that’s in the oven 😋 hoping that and the fresh chocolate cake I bought will put the world to rights a bit!!!