Fledgling Flyers - Mad as March Hares

[MiniMarmite]

Welcome to the spring(ish) edition of the fledgling flyers.

Some of us will be flapping falteringly and others flying faultlessly towards making our homes look perennially spring cleaned!

Here you can do any of the following:

• repeat or start baby steps (again!)

• repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

or

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering

This is what it's all about - Babysteps each day to try to get some order back into our home with LOADS of support from our regulars.

So join in! We start this thread on March 1st, but you are welcome to dive in at any point in the month.

Hop along to reserve your place...

Thank you pa, that's very encouraging and what a lovely man. I had come to the conclusion that at least she was there and that was the main thing. It is so difficult sometimes but she does actually like to go as it's somewhere she feels very accepted. Which is entirely as it should be.....
(And she toddled off to confirmation class without complaint. No hoods either. Just a 'pigtail' hat

Well, I have cooked tea and was very good too! Going to have a bath and an early night. See you all tomorrow.

Hi Ladies

Happy Mothers' Day. It looks like it has been quiet here so I hope that means you have been resting and pampered and not doing too much FLYing.

Thanks to Ellie for stepping in at short notice and posting the links today.

We've had a good weekend but only just arrived home from our trip as the traffic was bad AND DS seems to have chicken pox!

I'll be posting tomorrow's link in a moment and the off to bed.

'night.

Good morning Fledgelings,

Today's babystep to add is bedmaking which I find helps me get the day off to a good start and end.

We're starting in a new Zone, the bathroom and one additional room for decluttering and missions.

Have a great day!

MOrning everyone,

DD got up ridiculously early (half 5) so am typing this very bleary eyed and not really wanting to go to work.

Had a lovely day yesterday. Although not really a church goer myself I went with mum to the church we used to go to when I was a child. To contribute to pa and missb's debate, they were very welcoming of children. It was a family service (so no sunday school to take the DC's out to) and they were very tolerant of DD when she found an animal book and started making various animal noises while they were praying
We then had lunch at mum's and came home and just relaxed. Lovely!

However, the downside of this is that I did not lift a finger yesterday and the place is trashed this morning. Need to get on top of it tonight as have parent's evening tomorrow which means that will be late home and then exhausted for rest of week so need to get sorted while I can!

List therefore looks like this:-
General tidy downstairs
washing
drying
ds to beavers
dinner
bathroom

Have a good day everyone and I hope everyone's poorly DC's are feeling better.

Morning all,

I hope everyone had a good weekend and a lovely day yesterday. I have to wait another two months for Mothers' Day as it isn't until May in Austria - hopefully we'll finally be enjoying some warmer weather by then! We woke up to yet more snow this morning, although at least it's stopped snowing now (for the time being). I didn't do any flying to speak of over the weekend, but after having had a bit of a blitz on Friday afternoon the house isn't looking too bad for once.

Thanks for the last few babysteps elliepac and MiniMarmite. I've decided that apart from actually making the beds, I also need to remove all extraneous items from the children's beds when I make them in the mornings - the DDs tend to hoard a ridiculous amount (books, toys and the odd sock or two) in their beds.

List for today (some carried over from Friday):

Morning routine
Washing
Mission
Send invoices to agency
Catch up on e-mail correspondence

Just had some work arrive, so have to rush off but hope to fit in some flying a bit later!

Good morning everyone, hope you all had a nice weekend.

Today

Morning routine done
washing in done
mission
put some washing away (can't see bedroom floor)
take DP to train station
do some paperwork
study for a bit (like I'll have time)
Pick up DS
LUNCH
play time with DS
work till 6
and if by some miracle I can get there in time I might go to my yoga class for the first time this year.

morning everyone, this thread is great, am actually starting to feel in control of the house again. have got off to really good start today,
dressed and beds made
dcs to school and nursery
dinner in slow cooker
dog walked
am going to go in bathroom now and do 15min declutter, then have cup of coffee and go to work,am on a study day today so is nice not to be out of house at 6am.hope you all have a good day,

Morning all

Hope everyone is OK

No Flying for me over weekend either and as a consequence, the house is completely wrecked.

Not a good morning so far. DD back to school but arrived and it was closed. We have obviously not taken note of a "journée pedagogique"!" Then on the way home she was "galloping" along the pavement and tripped and fell heavily hurting her knees, hands and forehead. Cue melt-down in street and home to Dettol and plasters etc.

Then went to office to drop off loo rolls, and newly laundered hand towels and tea-towels etc and had argument with dh (no-one else there yet) as I had the temerity to complain that I was feeling somewhat "unethusiastic" this morning about trying to sort out this house ....

All I wanted was a bit of understanding but he takes it as a personal affront if I "dare" complain (sigh). It would be so great if he just once said "yes I know it's difficult", instead he just gets cross and/or takes it as a personal insult. I really don't think I am being unreasonable: the most organised and motivated woman you could meet would find this place difficult with plaster falling off the walls, no proper storage, no proper lighting, holes in floors. We've basically been "camping" in it for 8 years and I'm FED UP WITH IT!!!!....

Dh on the other hand, never even notices and could quite happily live out of a suitcase for the rest of his life...

Arrgggh - sorry - I'm whinging AGAIN aren't I? Rant over.

Mother's day second Sunday in May too Aberita (Belgium)

We church hop a bit depending on whether we are riding on a Sunday morning or not, but the one we attend most regularly has a children's service where they all go off in the middle to do an activity instead of having to sit still during the sermon. When I think back to the 2 hr masses I had to sit through at the age of 3 (half the time in Latin) my dd has it easy!!!

Glad you had a good trip away Mini but sorry to hear about the traffic and your ds's chicken pox. It was good of you to post so late last night when you must have been tired.

Hope your day goes well Ellie - trashed is the perfect word for our house today!

MissBennett sorry to hear about your ds1 - & trip to A & E - I hope she is OK

(very impressed with your Buck Pal car sticker!)

Optimistic well done for your ds1 making it back in time

PA hope your headache is better and that all your dc are feeling better too today

Hello to MrsDInky (hope you got your lie in yesterday)

Frazzled and the two Swans, Feetheart and PushmePUllyou (how are you doing?)

How did the party go Swanriver??? I hope you are not too exhausted today.

Fingers crossed with job MummyD

OK (sigh) today's list:

morning routine including dw & wm on & s&s done
washing pile (continue)
master bedroom tidy up and strip and change bed
paper recycling
entertain dd
French study
supermarket shop
do not eat anything fattening

Huge waves to everyone!!

x posts

Glad the system is working for you Frazzled and

hello to LittlePurplePrincess

Morning all,

Quick post today, lots to do.

School run - done
Washing - done, need to put on line
Drive to town half an hour away to pick something up
Help at school for an hour at lunchtime (gardening project)
Some gardening here if time - lovely warm day
Sweep kitchen floor
Declutter bathroom
Go to gym (probably after DCs in bed)
School/ballet/Beavers run.

SEe you later

SC it's Mars and Venus isn't it? My mum's theory was - don't ask them for any input housewise, change everything when they are away on business/at the races. This was in revenge for the v. loud William Morris wallpaper my father had put up in her bedroom.

Anyway I won't bore you with long tales of our/my renovations, all resisted by dh. I finally worked out a simple strategy. Present dh with a solution to a problem, rather than the problem itself!!!AHA - at first he always says no. Slowly the idea sinks in. Then he begins to think it was his idea in the first place.
I still have to get him to see that a large sandpit built into the middle of the lawn put in when dcs were tiny means that there is no room for anyone to run around safely and play sword fights

Ellie that is early - well done on getting so much ready before work.
PAMrsDMsB - I always thought Church was a bit of a joyful style opportunity certainly in ours the girls/teenagers are dressed v.fashionably..whatever that may mean. I'm finding ironically that dd enjoys going to church because she dresses up for it and sees her friends there!

Ds2 Party a SUCCESS, about ten children doing craft and energetic games round house and garden. Dts (8 today) delighted with their presents from us, dd particularily thrilled with a bear with an anorak from TKMaxx - a sort of wild card present I wasn't sure would interest her. She spent the rest of the day trying dolls' clothes on him with her two friends, and playing bear games. So sweet Dh and I completely shattered today though, after building Stwrs lego and clearing up, let alone preparing/tidying house and garden for what seems like a week before hand. Cake too sweet but looked good , I think I need to roll the icing thinner or buy one next time.

LPP good luck with studying

Today TODO
practise singing
bit of laundry put away
make beds
hoover kitchen
breakfast clear

SC is there one major thing that you could get dh agree that you could tackle in house? That you not he would think would make a big difference to your peace of mind. Not generalised gripes but a specific goal??
I find I get overwhelmed by mess, and can't even think what is that will make things better..

SC more musings. We threw everything out of hall yesterday and hid it somewhere and the hall looked so fantastic. It made me want to cry because Irealised how awful the hall usuallylooked and how it cast my spirits down everytime I walked in the door but I hadn't really identified that it was problem I could solve. But I can. So I need to think about some massive re-vamp of hall storage and lighting, and get him to agree to it

Thank you very much for your encouraging words SwanRiver! And at "revenge for William Morris wallpaper". You are right about the specific goal. It's complicated for reasons to do with dh's family and running our own business. Still, if we don't do something to the house soon, walls are going to start falling down and then we will have to pay out an awful lot more!!

Your hall example is a very good one though. Mars and Venus indeed. I don't think many men "get" how demoralising it is to live like this....and even one small positive change would make such a difference. Feel like packing up and leaving it to the mice to enjoy this morning (harrumph)

I'm so pleased the party went well. It sounds as though you put loads and loads of energy and effort in to it - lucky dc - and happy 8th birthday to your dts. (Sorry - not sure what dts stands for - is it your dd? - many happy returns to her!!) The way toys are marketed nowadays, you would assume that 8 yr old girls are no longer interested in dolls and bears, but I remember playing with mine till I was at least 11 (explains alot !!), and it's so good to see young girls actually being allowed to be and act their age for a change.

Have a good sing today!!

Hope everyone else has a good start to the week!!

SC dts = dear twins

Oh thanks - sorry - 8 yr old twins - FANTASTIC!!! Many happy returns to both of them! Hope you have a lovely day!

Happy Birthday to mini-Swanrivers, hope you all have a lovely day.

Beautiful day here and if I'm quick I might get time to do a little in the garden before picking up the DC.

Had a lovely, but busy, day yesterday. DD had her first Church Parade for Brownies so up and out by 9am , DH managed to get to tennis and 'use' his birthday present for the first time, DC and I went shopping and ended up not getting what we had gone for but finding the ideal storage boxes (I've been looking for about 18mths so am very happy ) then lots of work in garden and lovely roast cooked by DH and DD.

aberita - I should probably join you in removing extraneous items from beds, particularly DS's. Today this includes a large plastic Buzz Lightyear, a large plush Mr Incredible, 2 Mr Men books, a foam sword and a small puzzle and an origami cat under his pillow (). Thing is I'm pretty sure he will notice, retrieve it all and put it all back so I'm not going to bother

frazzled74 - glad you feel a sense of control is returning. It is amazing how much difference little things make, even when it seems to descend into chaos it doesn't seem to take as long to get it back on track.

MM - sorry to hear about chicken pox, hope they are not too bad. We were recommended calamine and aqueous cream for the spots. It seemed to work well and wasn't as strange as calamine on its own (or maybe its just me that has a thing about calamine!)

Today is the day I have to myself and I seem to have done quite well so far, helped by being able to open windows let the fresh air in. I have:
Been for a run
Morning routine
Put last night's ironing away
2 loads washing done, 1 hung out, 1 waiting to go
Cleaned kitchen floor
Hoovered living room, hall and stairs
Sorted children's books on bookcase half-way up the stairs

Need to:
2 mins Hotspot
Peg out 2nd load of washing
Make Macaroni cheese for easy tea (and remember to get last of Christmas gammon out of freezer to go with it!)
Pick up DC from school/pre-school
Afternoon routine
DS to swimming - different class/different day as he has gone up a level. Wonder if he will get in the pool?
Evening routine
Bed before 10.30pm if possible as I wake up so early

Better move if I am to get it all done.

Right - Singing over for a week so now officially down to earth again.
TODO
wrap another present
what's for tea - leek and potato soup dh
pasta bake for kids, carrots, cabbage on side
make flapjacks NOW
hoover kitchen NOW
keep everyone on music practice /homework track
play lego or might they go and do it themselves....now they are eight
hoover bedroom - no can't face it...
thankyou letters - maybe later

Evening All!

A busy day at work for me today but came home to some yummy food cooked by DH and not too much mess so I think the flying schedule I've put up in the kitchen must be helping . Oh, and it turns out that DS might just have spots rather than chicken pox!

Ellie don't work too hard this evening - don't want to undo all the benefits of having a rest yesterday .

Aberita, SC and anyone else not in the UK, perhaps we need to do the May one too so that we get to share your celebration (and I remember to remind DH to send his Mum a card)!

I hope you managed to get to yoga LPP.

Glad you are feeling back in control Frazzled.

Glad DD is feeling better SC and sorry you had a bad day. I think sometimes DH's don't see things the same way we do! Not on the same scale but I have a hallway that has been waiting to be plastered for nearly two years and it just gets me down to have to greet guests in an unfinished hallway.

How is DD doing today MissB?

Glad the DCs had happy birthdays SR and well done on a successful party.

MrsD it has been sunny here so I hope simiar where you are for your gardening.

Glad you found ideal storage boxes feetheart - always a mission of mine.

I hope DS had a good birthday OM.

Must go, DH has arrived home.

Waves to PA, DWM, DEM, PMPY (hope you are ok) and everyone I have missed.

Morning All, over halfway through the month now!

Today's babystep is a reading one.

and this week's zone is the bathroom plus one other room for the decluttering and missions.

Happy FLYing.

Bit quiet on here isn't it?
Going to post and run and I might make it to bed early

2 mins Hotspot - done
Peg out 2nd load of washing - stuck it on airer in the end
Make Macaroni cheese for easy tea - done and eaten
Pick up DC from school/pre-school - done
Afternoon routine - done
DS to swimming - done and he was brilliant and loved it
Evening routine - will finish off and then hopefully bed

Night night all

Evening all!
Routines done but no more. Did the mission when I 'bottomed' the bathroom last month so that's good but no progress elsewhere and still overwhelmed by paper.
swan glad party and birthdays went well - sounds like fun!
SC sorry it's all been a bit grim - your DH sounds a bit like mine, who fails to notice washing, hole in ceiling, dust, cobwebs, rubbish, overflowing compost, sick children, oh and yesterday, the fact that it was mothering sunday. All a bit demoralising really. Hope your day improved though.
Waves to everyone else and thank you for enquiries re DD. She is feeling a bit better today but hasn't been to school. Which is part of the problem as illness has I'm sure contributed to poor AS results last week. So all very stressful really.
I have decided not to go to 3 day conference this week. Will take day off to return mother and see friend but then come home. Just feel mentally exhausted and unable to cope with anything extra. So glad 2 and a half months worth of fluttering means I'm at least on top of the washing and can have clean sheets
Night all.

Evening all,

Managed everything on the list except declutter bathroom, which will have to wait. Just got back from the gym, which I am quite enjoying, to my great surprise. It's just trying to find time to go that's the problem.

SC - you sound a bit down, sending you lots of positive thoughts. If it's any consolation, my DH will never do any DIY or house maintenance unless it is either a dire emergency such as a flood or an "improvement" to our audio-visual facilities. I have also been here 8 years and seen very little progress. And he really is totally oblivious to it all.

MM - has impetigo been ruled out for DS? My DD got spots a few weeks ago and that's what it was, antibiotics shifted it v.quickly but it is very contagious.

Feetheart / Aberita - we don't have too many extraneous objects in DCs beds, just more teddies than Hamleys. Although I found a Domino in one of the pillowcases from our bed when I took it out of the dryer the other week, how that got there I do not know. DH and I do not play dominoes in bed .

SR well done on the hall. Out hall used to be the most almighty tip, I installed lots of pegs, shoes racks and pinboards for all the notes from school a couple of years ago, it has made so much difference. No more bags and coats all over the floor.

Anyway, off to bed, want to do some reading. I finished that Red Riding book yesterday, it was possibly the most violent, bleak, and unremittingly grim book I have ever read, but I did enjoy it . The characters are completely unsympathetic so I didn't find it upsetting. Maybe I'm just weird. Think I'll start something lighter next though.

MrsDinky LOL "audio-visual facilities" is that tellies?
Actually now I am grateful for dh's extreme disinterest in how house looks as I can go to bed leaving mess everywhere having spent evening watching telly.

Done
clothes laid out

MrsB hope tomorrow revives - best wishes for your dd too, and yours too SC and here's to our lovely laidback dhs

Morning everyone!

A slightly less rushed start than usual to the day here, as DD1 doesn't have to go to school today. It will be nice to spend some time with her without the two younger and noisier ones around, and I'm also planning on getting her to write - finally - thank you letters to her godmothers for her Christmas and birthday presents (they have received e-mail thank yous but not a proper letter yet). It's eerily quiet here for this time of day; DH is ill and off work, so not up either.

Stillcounting I hadn't realised you were on the continent too - so I'm not alone in having to wait for Mothers' Day! It's a teacher training day here today too; luckily DD1 is getting to the age where she'll remind me about things even if I forget to put them in the calendar (not an unknown occurrence). I hope you have a better day today.

swanriver A belated happy birthday to your DTs! I have to admit I always dread the DC's birthday parties (DS is insistent that he'll be having one this year too; I was hoping to delay it for another year) and always breathe a huge sigh of relief once they're over. And once the tidying up is done, of course!

feetheart I also wonder whether there's much point in removing everything from the DDs' beds when it will all find its way back by the same evening (not necessarily the same assortment of items though), but at least the beds do look better during the day!

MiniMarmite Where is your DH from, if you don't mind me asking? Thanks as always for the babystep and mission - will have a quick read now before I wake the DC.