Weekend FLY - Family time!

[SimplyIsGoingToLearnToFLY]

Hello to all.

My PC is on a 'go slow' this morning. Grrr.

www.flylady.net/index.asp

Back in a mo!

I'm up but can't do much as dh, dd and ds are asleep. I think I'm going to get showered and dressed and then I can crack on! Bbl.

morning,
no list today, bad night with dd. thankfully she is asleep.

morning simply and kitten

sorry about rough nighkitten everyone-else Hi

Have parents coming today, and sister and BIL and niece....not really in the mood - my family need quite careful emotional handling and I dont really have the energy for them today...would much rather just chill ho hum
Will no doubt have to endure a string of critisicm on state of house, new dog, DD's choice of clothes, DD3's lack of educational progress....etc and endless grilling about when I am going back to work...(apparently I am only considered a worthwhile human being to my Dad if I am in paid employment...)
Oh well. Will just grit my teeth and bear it..

Will hopefully survive and BBL

Hope you all have nice Saturdays...

galen sympathies on the family, God knows I have my own problems with mine!
Sorry to miss you all this last few days, been a bit busy here (I wonder how I can be so busy when I don't 'work' lol). Our wardrobes are nearly ready yay! Built by DH and DFIL the last few nights, just need some drilling to attach to the wall now, rails and shelves putting in etc - hurrah! Looking forward to putting clothes in!
We are going rollerskating today! I am terrified lol, never been before or even ice skating so should be fun!
Right will be back on later for more individuals, hope you are all ok!

Morning all

DDs party went well yesterday. I will put a cake pic on my profile later. I forget how noisy a few 8/9 yr olds can be though!

I'm having a quiet day today. I've done the shopping and bought all three dc a magazine each.

Ruby - I have a couple of girls for your swap....we could send them all round like the book circles, and have a different one each month!
Mine are actually quite nice sometimes, but horrendous when together....

Wardrobes and rollerskates hurrah
Nice day - yes Simply I will try harder

Rose early, ds2 driving us crackers, then read him a technology dictionary wrapped in a blanket downstairs - very calming
Kitten a joy, and seems to be getting on alright with existing cat (still keeping them sep when unsupervised tho) His mum visits every morning over the fence too!
lots more Starwars (our new cult here)
then we will have the Merlin cult this eve

Dcs all gone to music with dh
I am going in a moment

RANT (no need to read)
Feeling down at ds1's singing lessons which are not going well - think I am projecting too much of my own dreams onto him
"Practising" as opposed to just trying out your own thing is such an issue in this house Had a talk with his singing teacher and we'll try a few more lessons and then if necessary back off.

Why do we all get so hung up on this extra-curricular activities? (it's only just in last two years this has happened) - I suppose the difficulty is to know WHAT they are going to be good at and giving them the chance to try things out whether it's football, ballet, piano, drama.
Add into the mix the dreaded homework, and making time for their friends to come over and you need to be a super PA type.

RANT OVER
Violin lesson next. The violin teacher has fantastic dress sense, and dd is also picking up stylishness from her Today dd went to music school with black boots, two shimmering belts, a navy dress and a sequinned cardy.

Galen - sympathy, I'm sure they are just jealous and/or need something to talk about and can't help themselves starting with most annoying subjects. The only thing to do is smile sweetly whenever they criticise and say how lovely it is to see them.

lol Ruby!
I am going now, definitely.

Hello again to all.

Sorry that I didn't make myself clear swanriver. I was in Good Fairy mode with my wand when I declared that every day from now on was going to be a good one for you! Sorry that my attempt at being funny came across badly. It's not down to you at all to stop horrid days happening so it's not a question of you trying harder. Friends still?

Ruby I love your idea of a pyramid fostering scheme esp the idea that if you break the chain you get your own daughter back! That is a gem!

swanriver (again!) It is difficult knowing what to try and how long to try it for. My two have done between them: music lessons, scouts, swimmming, football, rugby, 3 types of dance lessons, brownies, snooker, cricket and goodness knows what else that I've forgotten about. Once they get to age 12 or 13, I find that they need to cut down as their priorities and tastes change. It's not easy so don't be too hard on yourself.

Jas I'm pleased to hear that the party went well. I'm still a bit miffed that I live too far away to gate crash and have some party food, though!

OYBBK I hope you recover from your bad night during the day today.

Good luck with the visit from family galen.

Right. I've not done much so far today really so I'm going to crack on now. Bbl.

galen Get your Dad working in the garden and say make yourself useful ha!ha!To make you feel better my dad was a gambling womanising,drinker. He didn't put any pressure on me, that's why I'm in the crap job I'm in today (pays good thou). Now thinking about it, when ever we went around to Gran's she got the whole visiting family working (she was only in her 40's then) I can see how this means you avoid emotional chat and have a cleaner house when they leave
Swan DH is suffering at Mo with Ds's Gymnastics. He was blowing steam last week as Ds wasn't paying any attention and DH projected on my lovely Ds, a lazy good for nothing south London villain for his future! Left a black cloud over the whole weekend. P.S DH is head of PE in a tough London School.
Jas, Ruby & Simply Pyramid fostering scheme. LOL
Wendy Enjoy roller skating. at 19 years I thought I was to old to roller skate that was for kids!!!! 19 yrs. What crap!
Kitten try and get a nap later when she Naps,if possible, or just watch crap telly it helps me! Posting list in a mo.
Have a lovely day everyone

Tea break for me and catching up with you all. Dh has taken Ds to Gymnastics I can't bear to watch I have treated today like a week day as I didn't get yesterday off & I want to go adventuring tomorrow in the Ashdown Forest.
So
Done
Cleaned bathroom
W/M on, 2nd load in (can hang out together should save time!)
made beds
Kitchen tidy & floor mopped
Recycling clean stuff done
To do
Hoover front room
sort out yukky sofa! Goose down seats, Don't buy them (DH brought them with another woman!)
Hoover upstairs
Lunch (soup made earlier in the week!
Food shopping
I still haven't brought myself some nice clothes
Make things to take to school timetable.
made a pin board to go on the door on Thursday so it should help!
Going to School parents BBQ. I suppose they have never seen my old clothes I'm going to try the shabby chic look

Simply - I wasn't offended
v v pleased to be rebooted by your magic wand
P>S you have done loads of ministering this morning - that counts

Starbear - There are two sets of genes in my family - supersporty and competitive and the hopelessly uncoordinated drifty lot (who are brilliant at other things of course)
Still, PE teacher sounds cool! The PE teachers at our school are unbelievably dashing and handsome.
Wise words on projection.

Back from music school, now to make lunch

Then off to dd's party far away
wrap present first

BB eve if I get anything good done!

Swan Ah! genes love that topic. Yes, PE Teachers are quite fit! Fell for one at school long hair & very knowledgeable about ethnic things. In the 6th form he asked me out for a drink! (I think he was only in his early 20's)I wasn't very brave & didn't go! So harboured this longing for PE teachers for a while.
Hoover & dusted & a few other things done
See ya later.

P.S Dh & Ds are back ds did well (Thank F**K)

Star How cool to have a PE teacher for a DH!!

Oh it looks like we all have our crosses to bear with family - pah

We are off to mothers this afternoon for her birthday. Bro has cooked lasagnge and I am supposed to bake the cake, but am buying as both me and DH have tereible colds

DH took DS1 to football practice.
I have done some ironing and lots of cuddling

BBL

TM Yep! But I thought he would be really pushy for me to be fit and slim. (a bit of me was hoping!) He is so lovely he just loves me anyway with all the wobble bits.
It nice to have a brother that cooks too! My brother in Canada is a brilliant cook but its too far to go just for lasagna. Hope you both feel better soon!
Pls ignore list just for me!
Cleaned bathroom done
W/M on, 2nd load done
Washing on line done
made beds done
Kitchen tidy & floor mopped done
Recycling clean stuff done
Hoover front room done
sort out yukky sofa! done Dd is now messed up again!
Hoover upstairsDone
Slut dust around the house
Downstairs loo clean done
Lunch done
D/W unloaded & reloaded done
Food shopping DH will do
school timetable will do in a bit
Google route planner for Ashdown Forest

A wee while ago I wrote a post and went to preview it. A message came up saying that MN was offline for essential maintenance and would be back soon and my post disappeared! [not best pleased emoticon] In brief then, I hope the afternoon is a good one for everyone.

Hi all. Just a quicky as everyone is shouting for me!

Had a nice day. Town this am (with the excuse that DS needs a recorder for school). Pils came this aft, it was lovely and sunny so we could sit/play in the garden . Dh and Ds are watching Newcastle on the Telly (DH patiently trying to explain the rules to Ds who is getting bored but won't admit it lol), dd is washing the tiles in the bathroom.

gale I always find visiting and being visited a bit of a chore but usually goes ok in the end (wine is key I feel).

swan tis hard to know where the line between encouraging and pushing is I find.

BB tomorrow.

Oh yeah - I have a fiesty 4 yo for the daughter rotation lol.

Good day in the end (SIMPLY you can stop waving now)
Violin practice ds1 directed
Took dd to her party which took all afternoon - lots of helpful talk about secondary schools (another problem at moment although ds1 is only in year 5)
Watched Merlin en famille
Kids in bed nice and early
Brief collapse but have rallied and tidied kitchen thoroughly
Dared to open all paperwork in hall (bills alas) and reorganise into urgent and pending
Also, I have put some dates in diary

Scatty - what a useful daughter - do not swop her for now
Starbear - that is a pretty productive Sat!
TM - colds need cuddles

Good morning all.

I'm glad to hear that swan. My right arm was getting a bit tired!

I went to bed early so I'm up early. I think I'll do some paperwork quietly on the kitchen table whilst dh and dd are sleeping. Ds is on a scout overnight trip. I hope he is managing to sleep outdoors. I expect so, he's done it enough times before. Bbl.

quick morning all

Survived the family visit yesterday . Not too bad actually.Kids enjoyed it anyway which is the main thing.

However have managed to fall out with DH already this morning so that doesn't bode well for the rest of the day.

Am now hiding in bedroom with a coffee and my lappy to regain composure.

Poor doggy has not taken well to the new food we are trying her on and had upset tummy in the night...kitchen not pretty first thing - eeeewww - cue mop and bleach

So all in all not the best start to the day...

On the positive side it is a lovely sunny Autumn morning...

Just trying to decide if I am up to trying to contain DS2 through Churvh or not...then will formulate plan for the day.

Will be back for individuals when I have some more caffeine in me LOL

swan re extra curricular activities - it is hard! For a while I was a bit on the pushy side...BUT when I was little I was MADE to go to ballet and I HATED it and wa obviously no good at it at all. I remember vowing NEVER to make my own kids do something they didnt like (well other than the essentials like maths LOL) So I did ease off a bit, and now they do what they really enjoy and if they are not really into something I try to ease off. It is hard though esp with DD1 - who will often drop- stuff just because she "cant be bothered" even if she likes it so some encouragement is needed. Hard to distinguish though where encouragemet ends and untoward pressure starts...tricky one....

COO-EEE (Grouchy waves franticly)

Hello to all

Simply The rugby is for GOjr. I can't run anymore due to Boris and a huge bum

Sorry I missed you all yesterday I was tired/hungover/bit sore Last night was a girly mums night with lasses from the local school. I met some lovely ladies and had a great time tho the armpit waxing was rather painful

GOjr was fab on Friday afternoon at the rugby. Last few weeks have been a bit of a nightmare with him, y'know, the not listening/sulking/crying/not participating sort of thing. We laid the law down with him and told him if it continued, he would loose his PC. It worked and he did everything that could be expected, only loosing his focus in the last 15 mins. He even apologised to a littlie (mind you compared to all of the kids GOjr is huge) and took him his ever present teddy to comfort him (awwh, bless)

He helped me make the night time cuppas last night but the silly boy went and spoilt everything by telling me to eff off DH is going to take sanctions with him but personally, I think he was just saying what he's heard at school IYKWIM. Sadly it is a well used everyday term for many of the kids there, and their parents

By heck, I ramble

I've caught up with the thread and a few FLY jobs and thanks Simply, you have reminded me of my stitching task for the day.

I will potter by all day I'm sure

Morning all

For those who are feeling less than perfect mums this morning take a look at the blog

We had a really ncie afternoon yesterday and mum was really pleased with her pressie, although she was less than a good host and kept shouting at the children. Dinner was lovley - Bro is a fab cook and we dont often all get together.

Both DH and I are battling with our colds and it was my turn to get up with the mini's this morning.

I need to:

Ironing and put away
List some stuff on ebay
Package some stuff to post tomorrow
Plan for the day
Whats for lunch and dinner

Oh and I thought I would add my 2p worth on afterschool activities.

DS1 does swimming on a Tuesday and Football practice on a Sat and that is it. I find it hard accomodating that with dinner, reading, homework and cuddles. We said we will deal with each thing as it comes, but I dont want to overload them, even through therre is loads of peer presure to do so.

I used to do band practice twice a week for 2 hours and it was a huge commitment and at times I hated it. I too swore my children would never have to do anything they didnt want to or that I would let it impact on our family life.

It is such a middleclass thing. Bro and SIL's club is in a really deprived area and SIL has started to run a youth club once a week with the help of the local council and first night they had 20 8-15 year olds (20p per week), this week she had over 70 children turn up. There is nothing for these children to do in the area at all and the parents can not afford the cost of out of school stuff.

I love my SIL - she is great, she got a local business to donate for 2 laptops, also got a table tennis table and they have a pool table too.