Festive Flying with the Fledglings

[ExpensiveDecorations]

🎄Welcome to the December Flylady thread, this is a long running thread with many regulars but newcomers and returners are all very welcome. We love to chat as well as looking after our homes.

Do NOT sign up for the Flylady emails - your inbox will end up very cluttered!

There is an app that you can customise to suit your schedule and home but I haven’t tried it, others on here have, you can customise it and use it for notifications.

There are Baby Steps for starting out, add one thing at a time to start good habits and routines.
There are 5 zones that we will rotate through, don't worry about finishing it all this month, it'll come around again next month! Flylady is NOT about perfectionism!

Daily missions: each day of the week has a different mission.

• Monday: Home Blessing (or as we call it, home bleugh)
• Tuesday: plan & play
• Wednesday: anti-procrastination
• Thursday: errand day
• Friday: clean car & purse out a week. It's also date night (with your significant other, or friends, or yourself!)
• Saturday: family fun day
• Sunday: renew your spirit

Common acronyms we use:

• LOL: load of laundry (we aim to have lots of laughter too)
• Mount Washmore - multiple LOLs
• DW: dishwasher, not wife
• LMS: lose/lost my shit
• DNLMS: did not lose my shit
• BRC/DRC: box/basket/drawer of random crap

I'll try to update links every day, although it could get a bit hectic as we proceed through the month.

Links are below 👇 if I happen to not add links in time, they do update at midnight for you. Ask if there us anything you understand - our motto is No Fledgling Left Behind.

Launch Pad (the heart of the system): https://www.flylady.net/d/new-links/
Zones (different weekly focus areas of the house): https://www.flylady.net/d/zones/
Baby Steps (these build up into daily habits): https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/
31 Beginner BabySteps | FlyLady.net
https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps
Flight Plan (daily summary of the relevant parts of the system) http://www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=0
Festive Flying http://www.flylady.net/d/cruising-through-the-holidays/

DH was home yesterday and to my surprise got some LOLs done (I never did get any done over the weekend). There's only 2 LOLs left of regular laundry, I'll also wash sheets, towels and blankets from the couch. I will need to put the LOLs away though, the one thing he didn't do! He will help me with that though.
He did actually realise what I was talking about concerning workmen coming and the dogs. He came to realise my frustration of not knowing if or when anyone was coming to the house, not knowing if I can leave, that I would need to take the dogs, can they even come with me, etc. Now he understands why I told him I don't want them to come work on the house on Tuesdays anymore!

Other To Dos:
☕️ wash Jeep (it's absolutely filthy)
☕️ pick up a book for the trumpet for DS (I guess I'm not done buying yet!)
☕️ meal planning
☕️ grocery shopping
☕️ deep clean bathrooms
☕️ set up spare bedroom for DD (staying Friday night, possibly Saturday night also)

Christmas To Dos:
🎄 make caramels
🎄 make more peanut butter truffles
🎄 finish Oreo truffles
🎄 put treat gift boxes together
🎄 wrap presents
🎄 paint my nails
🎄 buy scratch cards for Christmas Eve
🎄 write shopping list for food for this weekend (I'm so behind on this!)

This is not all going to get done today, but at least now I have a list to go by!

Ta Das so far (almost 12:30pm):
🎄 3rd LOL in washer (mattress protectors, sheets & towels so far)
🎄 rotated DW
🎄 wiped stovetop thoroughly
🎄 wiped 1/2 the cupboards in the kitchen
🎄 wiped the countertops
🎄 talked to DD on the phone about this weekend 😍
🎄 currently sitting in the carwash

Right, going to post now as I know what will happen in the morning.

Tada!
🎄Work
🎄Sainsburys
🎄Cook dinner
🎄Packed lunch made
🎄1 x LOL washed and into dryer
🎄Proofread an assignment for DS
🎄MAde mince pies
🎄De-pooped litter tray
🎄Ignored zone work. I have a couple of hours free on Friday and most of Saturday to get the house straight.

Wednesday

http://www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=0

Another 15 mins of throwing out anything that doesn't belong in your bedroom teenage DS because there is Sky Sports up there

How are our morning and evening routines going? I’m OK in the mornings because the DCs are older teens and everyone takes care of themselves. I do find it helps making my packed lunch, sorting my work stuff and putting out clothes in the evening, but that makes the evening routine quite long.

My routines are quite long too ED I think it's worth it though for the smooth running of things

The situation with the workmen sounds a right nuisance Hazel

Ta-da's:

🎄 Morning routine
🎄 I did the Christmas food shop today. December has flown by
🎄 Had the usual disagreement with difficult relatives about what I'm not doing on Christmas Day
🎄 Decluttered a few bits
🎄 Evening routine

The rest of the ta das:
🎄vacuumed the Jeep (it was so bad!)
🎄tried to buy a trumpet book from the local store, it's on back order. I ended up ordering it from Amazon, it'll arrive Thursday)
🎄meal planned
🎄grocery shopping with DH, we got a lot of snacks for the weekend!
🎄2 more LOLs
🎄made caramels
🎄bleached both bathrooms
🎄put present for SIL in a bottle gift bag (it's scotch) after DH went and purchased it, since he was going to the liquor store anyway
🎄remade the bed
🎄handwash dishes after dinner
🎄wiped countertops again
🎄brought the rest of the gifts into the house, as well as my eye cream (I ran out this morning)
🎄sorted all of the treats gifts out, they are all ready to go!

My morning routine is really to get dressed, makeup on, hair done. I feed the dogs, drink one cup of coffee, make my 2nd to go. I get my lunch into my cold lunch bag and fill my water bottle up. If I'm needing to take the dogs I'll have to tackle them to get their harnesses on and drop them off at MILs on my way to work.

My evening routine is to remove makeup, shower, get my clothes out for the next day. I make sure I have lunch ready, usually leftovers. I take my daily meds and give Coco her meds as well, then take her to bed (Dobby still sleeps with us and I'd be shocked if that ever changes).

Well it's almost 11:30pm, I'm sleepy. I still have lots of wrapping to do and the food shop, but we're waiting till closer to the time.

🍒👋

Morning all. Another busy day but a nice one as I’m seeing a friend for lunch (with our LOs) and my work besties tonight.

Best get on with stuff really.

po3.1
❗️Get dressed
❗️Take meds and have breakfast
❗️Make sure kitchen (especially fridge) is vaguely tidy as we have a huge Tesco delivery due by 11

Hazel TBH when I have even busy days with lots of power of threes, there are plenty of breaks as I get overwhelmed! I do need to try and be more proactive about relaxing though, rather than just ending up staring into space/mindlessly scrolling.

It is helping that I want to finish the books I’m reading by the end of December (I like to keep a count of how many I read each year) so that is at least forcing me to relax with a book instead! 😁

Right, tesco delivery is away, a card game has been played.

po3.2
❗️Get me and Cagletini ready to go out
❗️Check present list and possibly order something
❗️LOL

Sing I'm happy to hear you are carving out time to read, it's good to disconnect!

Just stopping by to freak out a little!
I have lots of wrapping to do. Mostly DSs presents, although some are wrapped already. Shouldn't be a problem, although with DD coming to do her Christmas early, DH suggested the great idea of doing all of our presents as well, so she feels included. I agree, however, I still have so much to do!
Also I work all day Thursday and Friday. Friday is now our Christmas Eve!

To top it off a few of DHs presents haven't even been shipped yet and one for sure is arriving the 28th 🤦‍♀️
I'm not going to stress over it though. I'll get done what I can.
Sorry about the freak out!

I am back. In the new house and fully unpacked now (took 1 week and 2 days from everything in boxes to not a single box left 🫠)

Ready to fly again.

Well done @DomesticElf that is seriously impressive unpacking, especially with two tinies to look after!

@HazelNuttyElf don’t worry, we’re here for listening when others need to let off steam.

Sorry about the lack of links this morning, I have been out all day and into the evening yet again (my social life seems to have taken off this year) but I am also tired and behind with everything too. Does anyone mind if I just muddle through without commiting to posting regular links for the rest of the month?

Tada!
Phoned vet and booked DCat in (possible abscess)
Went to work
Came home at lunchtime and took DCat to vet, given antibiotics
Laptop playing up, abandoned work till tomorrow (given OK by boss)
Did main supermarket shop instead - just a few bits still to get over the weekend, I don’t do online apart from Riverford for veg and meat.
Unpacked food
Wrote cards for local friends
Two x LOL
Went to friends house for drinks and nibbles
Wrote cards for neighbours

About to go to bed, night all!

Elf that is seriously impressive! I still have an unpacked box from our move from England back in 2006 😳 but it is our wedding pictures that are in albums and I haven't got a place for them.. yet! That may change in 2024, maybe 🤔

ED I doubt anyone is going to worry about the links this close to Christmas!

I did get the Christmas Eve gifts almost done, just 2 more to finish up (put in bags with name tags), and those 2 are not needed until the actual Christmas Eve.
I have a headache though, caused by stress, no doubt 😪

Hope you found some motivation eventually Sing

I'm impressed Elf. It took me several years to fully unpack last time I moved

I'm sure nobody will mind about the links ED. The website isn't hard to find anyway. I hope your cat is ok and you enjoyed the evening with friends

Hope you get a chance to relax Hazel. I hate how Christmas can get spoiled by stress.

I'm stressed today too, got some idiot trying to tell me what I can and can't do at the moment, as if I have no decision making capacity over my own life, threatening all kinds of ridiculous things that'll never happen. Bizarre, but as usual this person is convinced that they're right and all their wild imaginings are pure fact. Christmas brings out the worst in some people. I prefer the rest of the year when I can avoid the bat-shittery

Morning everyone!

I have finally broke up from work! This seemed like a very long half term with sickness , childcare etc ! Still so much to do to make Christmas happen so I'm going to blast as much as I can today , tomorrow I'm at the hairdressers and a soft play Christmas party with dd2 . Today I'm taking my older 2 out for breakfast whilst dd2 is at school as they haven't done any Christmassy things so at least I've done a bit of something with them ❤️

I've got a big to do list and I think I'll get overwhelmed by writing a huge list so breaking it down into small chunks of po.3

po.3.1
⛄️ drink morning coffee !
⛄️ washed and dressed
⛄️ make bed

It may seem like very tiny tasks but I'm in danger of procrastinating the jobs because there's so much of it to get done ! So little baby steps will win the day ! I hope you all don't mind me posting on the thread numerous times today 🤪

Oh no @DitzyDaffodils ! If it helps I listened to the diary of a ceo Mel Robbins episode and she talked a lot about 'let them be' it's all about not letting what others do affect your own well being - I've used it a few times since I've listened to it, I know certain people are chatting shit about me at work , I would usually get quite anxious about it but knowing I have no power over their thoughts and opinions of me and adopting the 'let them be' approach, I am not that stressed about it ! Christmas is such a tricky time and I agree with you , it brings out the worst in people ! How are you feeling today ?

@HazelNuttyElf well done for the Christmas Eve gift wrapping ! I hope your head is feeling better ! I'm sure DH won't mind the late gifts - I still haven't bought anything for OH🙈 please don't apologise for a freak out - we're all here to listen to each others venting ❤️

I don't mind @ExpensiveDecorations , you're so kind to volunteer for this month, it's such a busy time of year ❤️ and a cheers to you for having a social life 🥂🥂 sounds like you've been having loads of fun !!

Wowzer @DomesticElf ! You definitely don't mess about with the unpacking - when I moved it took me years of procrastination before getting everything unpacked 😂😂

@SingSongVerilyTheSky happy that you've found a way to switch off the overwhelm by reading 📖 look after yourself, overwhelm is like a vicious circle , it's heathy to carve out some time for yourself ❤️

@Searchingforsanta how's the sleeping going? Are they still coming into your bed? Also this is a huge coincidence but I've just listened to that Mel ribbons podcast about Let Them. I love her. Do you know she has her own podcasts? I love her fasting ones.

@ExpensiveDecorations I don't think anyone is worried about your thread leadership. We've all in the naughty corner at some point this month and to run a December thread is a huge task!

@SingSongVerilyTheSky how many books are you on? I read 10 this year but I stopped reading during then summer and that was the end of that. Mind you I'm pretty happy with 10 as having young bids I hadn't read any books for years.

@DomesticElf well done you for unpacking. What an achievement!

Ooo has she @cosypompoms ? I've listened to one of her Audiobooks (I can't remember off the top of my head which one ) I really enjoyed listening to it, it made a lot of sense! I will have a search for her podcast and give it a go thanks! Dd2 has slept in her own bed the past 2 nights and went back to school yesterday. She's still on antibiotics but seems a lot better thank goodness ! I've managed 16 books this year which is a huge improvement , I'm hoping to finish at least this one that I'm on and maybe another whilst I'm off work over the break 😊 I did a 12 books , 1 a month , recommended by 12 friends which was a really good challenge and opened up genres that I wouldn't usually read !

Po3.1 ✅

Po3.2
⛄️ hair & makeup
⛄️ breakfast pots and quick tidy of morning 'stuff'
⛄️ dd2 ready for school

Po3.3
⛄️ school run
⛄️ out for breakfast
⛄️ call into shop on the way home to spend the £17 I have saved on the loyalty card on Christmas junky treats we wouldn't normally buy throughout the year (posh biscuits , Dr Pepper , heros etc)

@Searchingforsanta here's a random episode for you from Spotify

open.spotify.com/episode/1Mj50IhyUS0BOgnEdtWUyb?si=Q5SFP_SJQLSf9gygvCh8Sw

@Searchingforsanta here's one on the Let Them theory

open.spotify.com/episode/6Z2wR3WNIHlhJDELXNYcTi?si=4ncjI0hBS328Zt3CbeXCDQ

Glad you’re in the new house elf congrats 🤩

Hazel well done for wrapping! I haven’t wrapped a single gift yet 😳 DD1 has been wrapping a fair bit though so it’s not too bad, and some things which we haven’t even bought yet don’t need to be ready until 28th anyway.

I am in town ready for a long overdue eye test. Then need to collect my meds and go to Primark.

If I manage to finish what I’m reading/listening to (a big ask as I have lots of uni work too) I’ll be up to 11. 2021 (first year I counted) I read/listened to 15 and last year it was 17, but I didn’t have as much going on with work and uni then. I’d like to aim higher next year because it’s so much better for me to read than mindlessly scroll my phone etc 😬

Yes that's what I swapped it for @SingSongVerilyTheSky , I have wasted hours of my life scrolling at least reading is more relaxing! You have had lots on recently and I'm guessing your uni work involves a lot of reading / researching ! You're doing so well to juggle it all !

Po3.2 ✅
Po3.3 ✅
Plus cleared and wiped the table for wrapping

Po3.4
⛄️wrap all of dd2 presents
⛄️wrap all of ds presents
⛄️wrap all of dd1 presents
This one is dependant on time as I only have until 1.00 so I'm going to get started and see how far I get!

Thanks @cosypompoms I'm going to listen to it whilst wrapping !

Po3.4 ✅✅❌ - dd1's presents will have to wait as I ran out of time .

Tada
🎄 dd2's carol service and I've brought her home with me so we're broke up for Christmas!!

I'm going to have a coffee (a new habit that I'm trying to start is to have full switch off breaks during the day so I don't burn out ) read my book for 20 minutes before deciding on my next task . Dd2 has came in from school and dived under a blanket with her tablet so I'm guessing she needs to switch off for a little while too!

We ended up braving the shops for last few bits and took the kids to McDonald's as an end of term treat . Nothing else much done today ! Still got so much to do but I'm off to bed soon. I just keep kidding myself that it'll get done but forgetting that it's me that needs to do it 😂

I hope everyone is doing ok .