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! 💐

They have been trialling mass testing Liverpool and i think another area already. So infrastructure wise i think this has been planned for a while in the back ground. I know there was talk of hotspot roll out at quick turn around if the liverpool testing worked.

So you know how sudacream is great for nappy rash. Also fab for sore weepy hands. 2 applications and hands no longer ridiculously red raw and throbbing. Which makes the prospect of having to wash my hands a billion times at work tomo so much more pleasant!

Gotta stick work cloths on to wash and set alarm earlier enough to shove in dryer (30mins ish) tomo. i am actually tired tonight. Which is nice and surprising considering the 6pm cup of coffee

I am going to wish you all gentle productive days tomo. I hope home schooling and looking after those that need but done want it goes ok without too much trauma/drama.

A semi-permanent test centre (several portakabins joined together) has been set up next door to where I work in the last couple of weeks.

My aunt and uncle have had their jabs today (over 80 and CEV) .

ToMorrow
write tags for presents that have been sent straight to other houses
shit, I told the vicar I'd send her the minutes tonight. better write them up first thing in the morning...
wrap presents that should be arriving (see how many I can get in the post before the end of the day )

ta da
🦭reading
🦭Duolingo
🦭tracked covid test
🦭fulfilled promise to DS to watch the grinch
🦭put most of laundry away
🦭swept hallway and kitchen
🦭hoovered living room
🦭got DS to zoom tap class
🦭unpacked Cagletini’s new bedding
🦭prepped leftovers for making pasta bake tomorrow

Have I really done that little?! I think I’ve spent a lot of the day in a daze which is not great this close to Christmas 😳 and I just realised that I’ve left towels in the WM all day so need to rewash tomorrow 😳

DH and I watched half of National
Lampoons, will watch the rest tomorrow but don’t think it’ll make it into the festive film tradition as it was quite slow so far! DH is now up with anxious DD1.

Tomorrow I’d like to make a list of what still needs doing - hopefully we will know the test result ASAP but I think we just need to write the list as an “if possible” type thing and then if we get a positive we can strike off anything that is impossible with more isolation. Will to figure out dates of who comes out of isolation when as well!

Haven’t caught up on thread but I have had a busy day. Up by 8am for the joiner and again tomorrow.
I was being creative this morning. Window worked out well and made mince pies and mulled wine social distanced of course. It has increased and people turn up have ten minute chat and away again. People are finding it a boost and now we have several windows near each other it is getting exciting, our neighbours kids have started to come too. I hope the school one works out. It is for the 24th.
It is now one week until 🎄 Christmas 🎄
Did a bit of ironing.Put away a few things, changed curtains. Took them off again. Going to have a big tidy up tomorrow.

Hope everyone is ok. Will try and read posts but may drop off.

Morning all, DD has just been sick all over herself and her bed. I’ve stripped her sheets and put everything in the was, and gave her a quick hose down. She’s feeling rubbish bless her. DS1 woke up because of the nose and now won’t go back to sleep and DS2 is awake for a feed. DH is still asleep, he has work early tomorrow so I’m taking over. Me and the DC are downstairs, hopefully DS2 will get back to sleep soon. DS1 won’t go back to sleep for ages, he’s woke up very active. DD is cuddled up to me on the sofa watching Peppa. I’m slightly relieved that I won’t need to do homeschooling tomorrow as she’s poorly. Will be a duvet day here!.

sing I definitely feel like this year hasn’t been the same as other years regarding Christmas. Normally by now everything seems to slow down and people enjoy the last week before Christmas, but it doesn’t feel like that this year. What your DS said is so lovely, and so true as well.

Oh wooly I hope your foot feels better soon!. FIL is a muppet to say the least, I think he’s struggling to let go of DH and realise he’s a husband and a father now, not just a son. He’s always caused issues, he loves to joke that DS1 isn’t DH’s because (as you’ve seen from the pictures) he’s fair haired and DH and I are dark. I think he wants to cause issues between DH and I, so that he ‘wins’ back DH. It won’t work though, silly man.

hills sudacream is my go to for everything. I have huge tubs of it, I could never be without!. I hope you’ve managed to get a good sleep, you definitely deserve it.

Oh great news about the jabs ED, it’s lovely to hear of people having them, it gives me some hope!.

sing you’ve done more than I’ve done today! Housekeeping has fell by the wayside. I’ve never watched National Lampoon’s. I hope you get a plan sorted tomorrow, it might help you to get out of the daze. I find when I can’t control things I just shut down a little, so getting everything under control might just be the thing that helps.

bower the mince pie/mulled wine window sounds lovely. I might have to start something similar!. 1 week until Christmas, I can’t believe it!. This time next week I’ll probably be being woken up by the DC!.

DS2 has gone off to sleep in the time it took to write this, he’s in his downstairs crib. DS1 seems to be settling down a bit and DD’s been sick again, so is just enjoying the snuggles.

isaw hope DD feeling bit better/you are both asleep now.glad your DH chosen back his family not crazy FIL
Sing that blankie looks very inviting
Woolly where do we go after eyebrows?I may already by at that stage?
Hills glad your hands are recovering.my lot are weirdand sudocrem dries our skin out
Foxes mini home party sounds good.bkess him
Bower how are you chickens doing?
Ed yay for the vaccines
MC break would be nice but it's me and zoolets,I've no option but to keep trying plod on

"D"p hasn't made any contact with me since I got cross with him over giftgate.hes told D's and dd2 via text I need contact him about whether he can come over/see D's today.im tired him using them as messengers.i have 1001 things to do everyday,not incl Xmas and I see no reason to make the effort chase after him

Need get up and wrap D's gifts etc.his birthday today(15)

Happy birthday to D's zoo!

isaw hope poor child is better, sing I hope that test comes through. Bower early start for joiner for you this morning. I'm meant to be up painting soon so I can eventually get stuff in wardrobe. Haircut at 10am.

Caffeine calls

I have a weird child who doesn't like the Muppet Christmas Carol. Patrick Stewart's version is our go to. I also like the 1940s version of the Bishop's wife.

Happy birthday to your ds zoo!

Sing I can relate to that dazed feeling too, I had similar yesterday, all the doom and gloom everywhere just suddenly overwhelmed me. Needless to say my afternoon at work was very unproductive.

Isawthat you sound remarkably calm and positive in the face of sickness and mad FIL! I hope dd is better very quickly.

Hills I did hear that we were supposed to be getting the mass testing in our area but it seems to have gone quiet. Lots of places opened up for testing near me but it seems to be if you have symptoms only still.

Well it's officially first day of Xmas holidays here so obviously I'm still in bed with a cup of tea that dh kindly brought up before he left for work. Kids are watching tv, dd is making bead necklaces. She says she has lots of "Christmas preparations" to do today (she is six!) so I'm looking forward to what they might be

I actually have no idea if I'm meant to be home schooling today or not as they closed today fairly last minute but I'm not going to do any tbh. We're going to make mince pies and Christmas biscuits, need to pop the the shops briefly, and I should really wrap some of dh presents!

First I actually need to get out of bed...

X post glittery glad your to do list is a little shorter today! And that's how I picture bowers village too!

Tinselette glittery dd watched some of the Muppets Christmas carol at school this week and she actually cried when she got home because she said she couldn't stop thinking about it and it freaked her out

Woolly thanks it does have its moments from one or two pain in the arse types. My friend has a man who has had armed police visiting at 11:30pm and again at 4:30am this week with sirens and lights and several squad cars. She lives in a culdesac of 8 bungalows of retired people in a quiet village. She is starting to feel a bit frightened of staying home. They have had meetings about him in the village pub 😂 landlord offered to open up for them to have socially distanced meeting and a pint. He put on free snacks and free tea bless him. The housing people have been involved. So not everything is quiet in these little villages but ours is lovely.
DH brought me a mug of tea and has got up for the joiner. I think this is his ...sorry. I need to get up but I want to go back to sleep.

Zoo chickens are fine but were bedraggled on Monday /Tuesday and don’t like the wet. We bought them some meal worms this week. They love those.

Knackered this morning. It is so dark. Just getting light now.
Got loads to do. Sounds like joiners van. Why do I always fancy a bacon buttie on a Friday I don’t eat meat on Fridays. Might have a fried egg.

Will come back and catch up on yesterday’s posts🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋in the meantime.

🎄❄️🎁 Friday 18th December 🎁❄️🎄

Zone - 3 - bathroom

Daily Focus - clean out your car and purse

Today’s Mission - 5 minute bathroom decluttering

✈️ FLIGHT PLAN ✈️

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

Just a couple of funnies today! (Well I think they’re funny anyway 😳)

🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻

sing
Woolly aw,that lovely he's joining in still.i am taking notes over pulling pants over head for nap
Go you wrapping Xmas gift
Foxes hope baking goes well
Bower fingers X joiner doesn't make too much mess!

Well I got gifts wrapped,traditional made door banner features insect drawings,and quotes from interstellar this year!
Helped lil zoo wrap gifts for friends
Made her crumpets and walk her to school

Woke other two
Frenzy texts with "dad" first up arguing it wetso don't want do social distanced walk.can I stand in doorway?(he always feels need change things a bit so he is in charge) I made very clear D's wants a walk,so are you coming or not?seems he is...I'm pick lil zoo up at 11.hes here 1130

Two loads laundry done,need power thru some jobs as post walk I go be very tired/fit for very little

That's such a lovely Christmas tradition glittery 😍

Ta da
Up, showered and dressed
Dc up and dressed and breakfasts
Cleaned kitchen ready for baking
Dishwasher is on
All the rubbish out to bins
Made biscuit dough with the dc, it has orange and mixed spice in so smells very festive
Dough is chilling so stopped for a cup of tea

The dc have taken the break to mean "get all the sleeping bags out in the living room and then the lights off so mum can't even read her book for five minutes"

I have managed to get them to at least put a lamp on for me. I sometimes don't know who's really in charge in this house. I suspect dd is 😂

Made me think of your chickens the other day bower when there were chickens loose on our high street (it's a village high street so not overly busy luckily) , there were many why did the chicken cross the road jokes on our village Facebook page

Just escaped to bedroom for 5 mins. Swished the basin and put loo cleaner in for 5 mins before swishing and swiping it with new brush.

Zoo very tidy/tired joiner is sweeping up as he goes. He has a new baby boy😀 door is out and new one in process of going in. He does shifts with his wife😀

Zoo he must drive you bonkers.

DH last night kept asking me about Mulled Wine? I wanted to shout, “ It is written on the bloody box you CAN read!” I was trying to get mince pies done then he says “You better put those in now. “I think...without the bloody lids on welll six have and no brushed egg. They would have been in the oven if you hadn’t kept asking me about Mulled Wine. Instead I quietly said “I think I know been making them 43 years.”
Woolly that is something I haven’t watched in a long time. Ah sounds lovely and snuggly with all your family and I love the fact the DS1 is going to watch it at the same time. Will he get home for Christmas?

Hi everyone, thank you so much for being so supportive. It honestly has made me feel so much better about myself. I worry on mumsnet because everyone feels so different to me but this little thread is so lovely and I really feel like I’ve found some friends here. I’m going to try and get back into flying today. I hope you don’t mind if I just jump back in, I’ve read through everything but it would take me forever to reply to everyone because I missed so much

Morning, welcome to tier 3 . Just caught up while having an early lunch as taking a relative to a hospital appointment soon.

Yesterday I got half the kitchen deep cleaned and also a bit of tidying in the utility. I also hand washed a few of DD’s soft toys that had got a bit grubby but aren’t suitable for chucking in the WM. We had a walk with my DF delivering some cards, then spent the afternoon doing out gingerbread house and decorating my cake. It’s not perfect but I am proud of how it’s turned out.

Today’s ta das:
⛄️ our bed stripped and remade
⛄️ sorted cards and gifts to hand to relative when I pick him up.
⛄️ quick tidy of living room
⛄️ bit more of bathroom floor scrubbed
⛄️ LOL in
⛄️ ordered DF’s birthday present. It’s early jan and I’m always disorganised with it so feeling virtuous.

Hoping I should be back at a decent time so I can have a last blast at cleaning and one more peaceful cuppa before it’s time to pick DD up. I’m aiming to have minimal stuff to do over the weekend so we can have lots of family time.

Sing that was a lovely thing your DS said about Christmas. Got my fingers crossed for test result today so you can plan. The blanket looks amazing.

Happy Birthday to boy Zoolet today, hope you all have a lovely day Zoo - with or without effort from ‘d’p.

Hope poorly DD is feeling better now Isaw, and you got some more sleep.

Woohoo on starting the wrapping Woolly

Glad you’re feeling calm Tidy, you sound like you’re doing great.

Right. Time to go. Back later, hopefully with more ta das.

Biscuits have been made and decorated. The mess!! but the dc seemed to enjoy it. Need to go to the shop now. I've wrapped 2 presents for dh...I suppose it's a start.

I was going to make mince pies too. I think I've been overly ambitious tbh. Baking takes so much longer with the dc!