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! 💐

Morning all. I’ve decided I’m no longer watching the news, I can’t control it and if there’s any updates to our lockdown DH will alert me. This morning has been busy, not really anything been done just getting the DC fed and dressed and DH off to work. DS2 has gone down for his nap now and me and the big 2 are doing salt dough decorations. I have quite a lot of activities planned for lockdown but I think a lot of screen time will be in store for us too and I definitely don’t feel guilty for that!. It was my cousins little girls 1st birthday yesterday and we FaceTimed her to celebrate, she’s so lovely bless her.

Brilliant list tidy, I find if I start going I do get confident and can get loads done. But as soon as I fall off the cleaning wagon it’s so difficult to get back on.

So funny sing with DS’s crossword!. Well done on not LYS.

No worries dancing! Don’t let the picture fool you, she can be a little terror sometimes!.I hope you’re feeling a little bit more awake. And well done on transforming the living room it sounds gorgeous.

bower well done on getting most of the wrapping done!. It sounds like you had a lovely day with your friend, I’m glad you were able to see her in person.

Good luck with the wrapping THAT

wooly well done on getting the presents wrapped, I still have quite a few to do.

How frustrating ED, at least it isn’t too much of an issue.

I hope you manage to get your appointment sorted out hills

Bins are also taken out the evening before, but we have multiple different days for different bins/bags/boxes. It’s a faff!.

Harry has woke from his nap, and I’m nursing him. The salt dough is in the oven, and the big 2 are doing some colouring at the table. It’s going smoothly so far.

Oops sorry cross posted, glad the appointment was sorted hills

And that’s fine by me sing, I’ve barely done any flying recently so it is a chat thread for me

I have done loads of flying and it is still a chat thread

Well since the boudoir has a 7’ bookcase still in it and I can barely move for stuff I don’t think I will be doing it. Maybe try to make it safer will be my aim.

I have local cards to deliver and the cakes to ice plus one cake to make for DS3 this is because it is a lighter cake and doesn’t keep as long.

Fine by me sing sounds a good idea.
Love the Boris meme.
Book one isn’t true for me either.

Bins. I sometimes forgot but they go past our house and then turn as the bottom half of the village is a different area so different day. This means I can run downstairs and out and plead. The road is only a lorry plus parked car width so they do stop. DH is now in charge and remembers bin but when it is bank holidays he always asks me instead of checking the printed timetable on the fridge next to the door.

There’s loads to do . He is sitting doing a puzzle and yes I am on here but he has just got up . I am having second cup of tea. I had one earlier and made porridge. Then put away a few things, checked gifts and wrote on the three boys cards. I need to pack away paper and a basket to go upstairs. Kitchen is fairly tidy and I took meat out last night. Yeah me!
Thanks for my star ⭐️Woolly we have some new sharp knives he needs to watch it. He did paste the bits of wall paper down so I can paint them. It probably needs reappearing but a quick fix will do for now. Right home bleugh and off for the paint. Will try and ice two cakes tonight. See you later. Good luck with children, partners and animals today.

I’m leading the bloody thread and have done fuck all flying :o

‘Twas ever thus.

Lovely Muppet Christmas appreciation in the Guardian www.theguardian.com/film/2020/dec/21/a-meta-masterpiece-why-the-muppet-christmas-carol-is-the-perfect-festive-film

'God bless us, every one!' or God help us every one which might be more appropriate

Never eat singing food

I am working today but have decalcified the coffee machine and painted three wardrobe door panels with a further coat after 2pm. No normal flying done but pressing ahead to get wardrobe done so boudoir floor becomes clear again...

wise words tinselette

I am trying to motivate myself to hoover the car. I don't want to but i am not going to want to another time either.

WE HAVE HEATING! It’s a saturnalia miracle :o

No idea how but the radiators are suddenly on and I can hear the boiler clunking and whirring. No running water from hot taps still but that might catch up?!

The others have gone to asda for the fresh food shop. I know I have loads to do but it’s probably my last chance for peace and quiet for a few days so I am having lunch to myself and watching The Middle. Otherwise I’ll only end up stuck in overwhelm mode later.

Not feeling it today
Up most night back acheand feeling rubbish.i can smell sour milk,so suspect I've eaten too much cheese recently

Hugs zoo

Bonus question for fledglings... anyone have any new year traditions? We’ve never done a set thing and usually stay home just us anyway. Obviously no choice this year 😂

I just remembered I forgot to get coke for coke floats as I wanted to make them at Christmas, but it occurred to me we could have them on New Year’s Eve instead and make it a yearly thing 😂

Would a hot water bottle help zoo? Poor you.

Coke floats sound great sing - you could call them Hope floats to celebrate the hopeful start to the next year.

Given our advancing age and the presence of a child in the house, we can no longer crack open bottles of fizz on New Years Eve with the promise of a lie in and the capacity of the young to ride the wave of a hang over.

These days we watch the countdown to 12, perhaps with a single whisky - ds now stays up with us. Then we have a roast dinner with all the trimmings the next day with something sparkling. We always watch the New Years' Day concert from Vienna - it's not my usual kind of music (Strauss etc) but it is upbeat and there are incredibly twee filmed scenes of Viennese ballet dancers in castles. And we go for a walk later.

Shakes fist at 2021 - behave!

View from my temporary home office in dining room...

Lovely tinselette! Cute reindeer.

Just finished the DVD, the others are back with the asda shopping and Cagletini has fallen asleep. So I’m off to get as much of my assignment done as possible.

How is it only 3!😫. I feel like it should be bedtime!. We painted the salt dough decorations, then the big 2 played on their own, then they helped plan an activity for DS2. I wrote down different activities we can do with him and what the activity helps to develop and the big 2 had to pair them up and then choose what one to do. We did tummy time and the DC took it in turns to sing/dance in front of DS2 or to the side of him so that his eyes would follow them. I think we might make it a daily thing to get them involved with him a bit more. Lunch has been made, snacks are being made and then we’re going for a walk. Then when they get back they can do some independent play because I need a break!.

hills at least you’ve done some flying!

I hope you get the icing done bower

I’m glad it isn’t just me who isn’t doing much flying right now sing, my house is a bomb site!. Yay for heating!

Lovely view tinselette I’m going to sound stalkery now but I love seeing glimpses of everyone’s homes, it’s nice to be able to properly picture you all!

I hope you got a nap zoo, please take some time for yourself.

DH loves New Years more than Christmas, we usually have a big get together at my paternal grandmothers, practically everyone’s invited. My DM, DSF, DGM all go even though my DM and DF divorces when I was little. DH’s mum and SF and sister all come too. It’s lovely really. My step mums sister goes, all the grandkids go, it’s lovely that everyone gets on so well. That definitely won’t happen this year though.

Minimal flying here

1h20min study done. Hungry 😳 so will take a quick break for sustenance! Got 3 of 12 questions done.

Helped D's muck out the boy dungeon and put up mini tree/lights.he has 3pk glittery Dino's fromsainsbo adorning it

Bathroom
Windows and sills wiped
Tiling cleaned
Radiator and bath skirt wiped
S+s

Just took zoolets and glosticks little very local stroll light seeing.ds hates be out in the dark and highly irritated girls kept stopping for selfies by best lit ones.highlystressful,but hipefulkygirls enjoyed it at least!

4LOL achieved

Almost caught up on the thread!

I got some more work done but then a headache took over so I’ve had painkillers and dinner. Now watching Muppet Christmas Carol with the girls!

Thanks Isawthat I just had about 20 minute chat with her near the cow shed but good to see her. She has been down and anxious this week. She has two family members that are vulnerable so think that is probably got to her.

Tinselette ‘ never eat singing food’ ?🤣 like the tree pic.

So Ta bloody Da

I cleaned some of my boudoir. I made the bed that lead to rearranging the quilts which lead to the basket of whatever. Turned out there was some clothes in there that could be put away. So did that. Put rest back in so looks tidier. Put shoes away x2.
Tidied bedside area.
Dressed.
Went with DH and bought paint. Summer linen is just another white bugger. It looked darker like linen. It will have to do until summer. I do not want to be painting at this time.
One wall finished and half of another before we needed to go to theAdvent Window walk about a mile. I threw spatchcock chicken and some sauté potatoes with onion in had asparagus with it as it needed eating. Lovely smell when we worked in.
DH hovered. This is a thing! My college friend asked me if DH did it. Her DH does it, it drives her mad. I shall be including a note in her Christmas card... now hovering. She will understand. I am warning you. Remember this.

Put some stuff away. Loaded dishwasher.
Did LOL
So fairly productive.

Tomorrow
Need to finish painting. Load car boot with a few things for errands.
Bag to Women’s refuge I forgot to put it in the boot today.
Organise piles of random crap. Good tidy around for Christmas.

Ta Didn’t
Icing of cakes. I painted the dining room instead.
Ironing.

Ta das:
🎉 Aquariums sorted X3. Who needs exercise when one can carry full buckets of water..
🎉Home bleugh successfully completed. I find it the most tedious part of the whole flying thing. I might invest in one of those feather dusters so I don't have to remove all the stuff from shelves every time I need to dust and wipe the shelves.
🎉 Morning and evening routines
🎉LOL X2 including folding and putting away
🎉 Went for a walk

I feel like I need to paint something too 😃 Hope all the painting projects go well!
Strength and sellotape to everyone battling with wrapping!

Personally, Ive always been a New Years girl (that's when Santa came when I was a kid in a far away land). It's typically traditional to have all family get together and have a big meal overnight, equivalent to Christmas dinner here I guess. Re traditions, ours was if you write your wish on a piece of paper and when clock starts striking midnight, you burn it and down the ashes with the glass of champagne whilst the clock strikes 12, then the wish will come true. It's quite fun to do, although ruins the champagne!

Another night of insomnia is very tedious
I've had 1 HR and 40 minutes...
Been awake since 130
Scoured news