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...

Forgot to say hello to MummyD too!!

Morning everyone!

Lovely day here. A bit of sunshine at last.

Hope everyone's dc and dhs who are feeling poorly start to improve today.

Decomposing mouse fumes utterly putrid this morning have all doors and windows open downstairs

-morning routine including dw & wm on & s&s done
-paperwork filing + calendar update
washing pile (continue)
-master bedroom tidy up (didn't finish on Monday so will try and complete today)
-quick supermarket shop
-hair cut
-tidy sitting room
-bathroom all shiny and neat so doing my baby-steps/decluttering in office and master bedroom which I didn't finish on Monday
-friend joining us for family supper so preparing something just slightly more flash than usual

that's it - keeping it realistic today

Morning all,

It's our busy day today - English lesson at school, quick lunch for DD1 and me, DD1's piano lesson, pick up DD2 and DS, DD2's piano lesson, and then visiting a friend who lives about half an hour away. Also have to find time for DD1 to do her homework at some point, although at least I can let them off their piano practice today.

I hope you manage to get rid of the smell soon Stillcounting - it doesn't sound nice! Glad to hear you're feeling better today, though.

Thanks for the links MiniMarmite. Today's babystep will definitely be very useful; I'm losing count of the number of times I've told DH I'll be up in 10 minutes and it's turned into an hour or more... Hope your DS is feeling better today.

Hope everything's OK with your friend swanriver. Things like that really do put everything into perspective and make you realise how much you take your own (and your DC's) good health for granted.

Waves to everyone else - I'm very envious of all this talk of daffodils; it's still very cold, grey and not at all spring-like here although at least all the snow has finally melted now.

Today's list (am actually making good progress with DH still at home but up and about a bit more - the number of times he 'caught' me on the computer not doing anything particularly productive yesterday was getting a bit embarrassing, so I've been putting a bit more effort in today!):

Morning routine done (including 15 min declutter)
Mission
Put washing away
Put birthdays etc in calendar
Pay membership sub
Find photo to send to DD1's penfriend
Sort out tax rebate
Before bed routine
Attempt to be in bed by 10 pm!

It's our BUSY day today too, Aberita with piano, scouts etc. Just trying to collect my thoughts...
bbl

Morning all! No work today so I can some housework done (in theory).

Morning Routine done
mission
Put washing away
Take friend to get wedding dress altered
Declutter bedroom some more
pop into town if I have time
cook
bedtime routine

not to bad.

Morning! And a lovely spring-like day it is here too.
SC thank you - always so encouraging - and I hope the mice decompose quickly!
feetheart I think I have missed your homemade fish fingers - sound lovely though how do you do them?
waves to everyone else and hopes the busy/manic days go smoothly!
alberita that's a lot of piano playing! How do you encourage practice? DD2 should do much more than she does.....
swanriver hope your friend is OK as well.

I am having a day off today. I have done my routines, will drop letters off at school and then taking my mum back home with a spot of shopping/lunch on the way. Then I'm going to see my friend this evening, going out for earlyish meal and then coming home. So lovely day for me. Family are having pizza for tea so that's easy for them all and I won't worry. Sorted - for today, at least!

Incidentally, my mother has noticed that the house looks cleaner , I'm getting through the washing better and it all seems more organised This flying malarky so works - even when you just do a bit
Have good days, all.

MissB I too need to get the practice tips! The thing I find works that if you give the dcs a choice between practice and takingtherubbishoutsomething worse, they choose practice. Oh yes and they are very competitive so the sound of someone else playing their piece, singing their song leads to a stampede. Children do like to showoffshow what they can do
Is your dd 14? I remember never doing much practice at all at that age having only taken it up quite late in secondary school(so it wasn't as if I was fed up - I chose to do piano myself), and I really regret not having formed habits then, and wasted all those lessons. I think I would have quite liked my mother to say "Off you go now, practice time" - it would have helped I think.

SC your household sounds increasingly fun! I wish I could come to dinner, joss sticks and delicious food - give or take a bit of wildlife
The week after our childhood cat died, a mouse jumped out of the cereal box at my Dad. He was mortified as he always used to complain about the way she used to scratch the furniture, do other dreadful things.
And all those years she had been keeping the mice at bay..Admittedly they had been living a bit nearer to us than we thought, just never dared have breakfast with us.

Bbtommorrow

Very brave of you Swanriver - you'd be most welcome!! Yes, I always forget how audacious mice can me. One of our (hopefully now depleted) brood emerged in broad daylight in the middle of a French lesson the other day. I think it wanted to practice the future conditional

Very good tip about music practice btw [notes in CJ]

Hope your busiest day of the wk goes well.

How is everyone getting on?

The sunshine is lovely but it is showing up lots of thumb prints and dusty paintwork in my house. Will look at the crocuses instead .

Hope you are having a lovely day off MissBennett

Hello to LPP and Aberita and everyone else.

Afternoon everyone!
I have a large cup of tea in hand and a good half an hour to catch up with the thread before I have to get my brood from the station! I have had yet another unbelievably busy start ot the week so haven't had time to post or fly!
Anyway I have:
2xloads of washing hanging out to dry
1x load in wash
Enchiladas for tea
Home is blessed
paperwork is partly done
DS1 taken to school after Consultant appointment for arm op.

I still have to:
organise an ongoing to do list
make DH do companies house stuff
make DH claim his expenses!
Take DD to extra French
Driving prac with DS1
Get DS2 to do violin prac.

Hope everyone else having a happy day!

Evening all,

Been out nearly all day today, managed two loads of washing dry on the line though, so feeling virtous. Beef stroganoff from the slowcooker tonight, yum.

I'm really zonked tonight, so going to leave it at that, see you tomorrow.

Evening lovely ladies,

Limited flying here today I have to say!

Loved your description of your management meeting MissB, familiar to lots of us I imagine! I hope you had a good day with your Mum and are having a good evening with your friend.

Glad your rodent situation is getting under control SC (but sorry it is a bit stinky!) and that DD is well enough to go back to school.

Aberita, time to start thinking about bedtime - maybe you are already there? I hope the busy date went smoothly, and for you too SR. I thought your music practice tips were great too - will have to remember them for when DS is a bit older...may have to try them out on myself too!

How did the wedding dress alteration go LPP?

Busy day OM! I hope you are relaxing or sleeping now!

Yum to beef stroganoff MrsD. I noticed an Australian Women's Weekly slow cooker cook book in Waitrose today, looks really good, great pictures. I might buy it for myself DH for his birthday .

Seems a bit quiet today, I hope everyone is ok and enjoying the sunshine (if you have some where you are).

I'm aiming to be in bed by 22:30 so must scoot!

MrsDinky I cooked such a horrid supper tonight - tell me about your slowcooked Stroganoff????Please.
off to watch MadMen now. Generally had a good, peaceful slightly unproductive but not frazzly, day. Reading dd Enid Blyton boarding school stories, so gripping can't believe how mean they are to each other.

Good morning,

Here is our babystep for today, another reading one. I need to take note of number 4! And we should all try to do number 8 - all the rushing around we do, it is important to take care of ourselves a bit too .

We're still in the bathroom and one additional room this week for decluttering and missions.

Have a good day.

Hi MissB, swanriver, mini-m and all of you!

Mrs D & optimistic are eating enchiladas? What do you put in them?

StillC - Hi! thanks for asking about dd2, her chest is okay now but the burning is at its' height - visibility down to about 30 metres because of the smoke. Am praying for rain. When do the dead mice get picked up? Hope it's soon. Arf at future conditional, though.

Well yesterday managed to get morning routine done (inc s&s etc), did a couple of room rescues and caught up on the missions. Today will try for some decluttering as well - our house is full of bits of paper that we're keeping out of inertia.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Morning Ladies.

Been a bit manic for a few days, so very little flying, or time for computer!

OM & MrsD - What is it with enchiladas this week, we had them on Tuesday! Something that I like to cook, but really hate, so do for the rest of the family. Beef Strog sounds yum, though.

MissB - How many times have I sat in meetings like that? Sounds like a fun day yesterday, though.

SR -Enid Blyton........ I love her books. I was such an avid reader of her books a s a child and my DCs were encouraged to read them too. Timeless classics!

SC - Hope the smell has receded a little. Sounds as if life is a bit Bleugh for you at the moment. I hope it starts to improve soon!

MMmango - Sounds a bit scary having all that burning and smoke around.

MM - thanks for posting the links.

Waves to Feetheart PMPY Aberita Frazzled LPP Ellie DWM and everyone else.

Plan for today is:

To office to do a little extra work (Should be day off, but need to get some work completed!)
Hoover upstairs
Supermarket shop!
GO to "interview" with DD3 at college
Deal with the fallout from that interview!
make scones - cos I ant to!!
Big family roast for tea today.
Have a bit of time for myself with a book I need to finish before starting my book club one.
Out for meeting this evening
Hopefully home in time to catch the end of the darts.

Right off for the sandwhich marathon.......

Have a good day everyone.

Morning!

swanriver I will try your tips for encouraging bribing paino practice! 'Tis true, I probably was not diligent in that area at that age but it all changes when you pay for them I guess!

Again, I've done my routines. Got back last night to find no one had washed up But I didn't either as it was so late. Will catch up this evening.

Had a lovely day off - coffee and lunch out and shopping with mum - bought fab new bag in M&S 50% off sale for Maundy Thursday and also all the required birthday cards. (Did not, however, buy the 'not your daughter's jeans' from the little boutique near my mum - they may be raved about as being a good fit but at £98.50 they are way off budget!)
Then had lovely evening with friend and a good old chat

Bit knackered this morning though - can no longer burn the candle at both ends!

DD1 still off school but a little better. Rather worryingly, she told me that handfuls of her hair are falling out - can't see any bald patches but will keep an eye on it....

Anyway, better go to work. Hope you lovely ladies all have good days. Be back to catch up later - Guides tonight but will try and do the mission at least!

Morning ladies!

MMango - I put chicken and spicy tomato sauce and cheese in mine. My 3 DC love them and they're great if we want a quick supper.

I actually ended up doing 2 meals last night as the DC and Ds1's GF ate all the enchiladas! . I had a go at Jamie's pea and prawn risotto which was delicious and left it for DH as i was out singing. When I got back there was a ketchup bottle on the side! . Honestly some men have no taste!!

I'm tossing up whether to go to yoga this morning or not. I should really but on the other hand it takes 11/2 hours and I know I am going to be lying there thinking about ironing and tescos which is not very relaxing!! I have got a lot to do as 'stuff' keeps cropping up this week (including my birthday tomorrow). For example 2 out of 3 DC didn't have a clean shirt and the 3rd one ironed his own .

Right, if I'm not going to yoga I'd better make a list.

ironing
washing
hang it out
town for 'bits'
pay bills
post a cheque
TESCOS

I shall be back later to update.
BTW 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' to SRs DTs - sorry it's a bit late! 8 is such a lovely age I think!

MOrning all,

am sat here at my desk watching a lovely spring morning and not able to go out and enjoy it . You can bet that with all this lovely weather this week by the time we get to the weekend it will be raining!

Flying has gone by the wayside this week really, so much so that I am back to washing uniform the night before and getting up early to dry in tumbler .

Anyway, tonight is the first night that I can leave school relatively on time so am hoping to do a bit of catching up so I don't spend all weekend doing stuff and can, assuming it stays around, enjoy the lovely spring weather!

List looks like this:-

washing
drying
tidying

SImple yet huge in content!

Have a good day everyone!

Clothes laid out last night for World Book Day
but we were woken very early by excited children at 6.00am and then bouncy cat [aargh]
far from using extra this time productively both me and dh ended up feeling thoroughly tired and dogeared, not quite getting up, not quite going back to sleep etc etc

supervised violin x 1

TODO
menuplan - still
thankyou letters - still
hoover bedroom - still
garden - still
work this morning at school
3 loads of laundry
rest of the week's homework dcs

Morning everyone!

It's a lovely sunny day here for a change; I hope it's a sign that spring is finally on its way. I did make it to bed by 10 last night (or a few minutes after...) and wish I could say I woke up feeling refreshed and revitalised - but think I have a bit more sleep to catch up on or possibly need an even earlier bedtime.

swanriver Thanks for the piano practice tips; atm the DDs are normally quite good at doing their practice as long as I remind them - although I very often don't remember until just before bedtime... I'm sure your tips will come in useful sooner rather than later, anyway - I had to be virtually forced to do my practice when I was younger and still have nightmares about turning up to a lesson having done absolutely no practice at all!

MiniMarmite Thanks for today's babystep. I really need to print out the list with no. 4 highlighted, as that's my downfall too. I would probably have finished today's to-do list if it hadn't been for the computer/Internet... (if anyone sees me on Facebook/MN (anywhere but here, obviously!) etc please kick me off!)

missbennett I had the same problem as your DD last year with my hair falling out. The doctor didn't seem too worried as it wasn't coming out in clumps and I didn't have any bald patches - she said we often tend to lose more hair than usual at certain times of the year but did some blood tests just in case. It turned out my oestrogen levels were low (which may or may not have been to the cause) and she sent me to see my gynaecologist; it's all sorted out now, but it's probably worth getting your DD checked out if the hair loss carries on for much longer.

Today's list:
Morning routine doing
Washing doing
Print out baby step
Mission
DD1: homework, piano practice and letter to penfriend
DD2: piano practice
Before bed routine

Day has gone drastically wrong already!!

DH went for a bike ride and got a puncture. Why does this always happen at the furthest point from home. Good job we live on an island and he cant go any further than 15 miles away from us, though! So, had to go and pick him and bike up straight after waving DCs off to school.
Went into office and the printer and computer are not communicating, so I cant print off what I came in to do.
I officially give up and am going home.

I will give today another hour. If it does not improve I will hide under a duvet and wait for tomorrow!!!!

Hi ladies,can i please join ? am i too late ?

iam so excited that i have found you and this thread, im new to MN and ive been at a loss with my disorganised schedule for some time, ive sort of relied on a list in my head which with so many TO DO's something always gets forgotten.

So on reading the thread i shined my sink ! and i feel great its spurred me to do the ironing !.

my to do for today now is go get an extra bumper pack of post it's so that i can begin my journey to becoming a fly lady.

Any advice greatly welcomed and i wont be offended im sooo pleased ive found you this is sooo my thing xx

Hello everyone!

I need to join in too. Started FLYing about 7-8 months ago but then got pregnant (had horrid first trimester), have had a bad time generally and just split from H last week.

I'm not feeling too down about everything, but I do need to get back to keeping on top of everything as it's just me now, and I have to do it all - but I can do it the way I like.

Today I have:

• shined my sink (and my cooker top)
• put a wash load on

I need to:

• change bed covers
• put washing out to dry
• make veggie risotto for dinner
• wipe down all the kitchen counters
• sort out a big pile of hats and blankets from the kitchen to where they should be
• put DS's clothes away.
• do a couple of bits of (work from home) paperwork.

Just about to take DS to nursery so I will get started on those when I get back

Morning Afternoon all,

Welcome on board Needanightoutsoon love your name. As you have probably seen if you've read the thread no subject is too trivial to be discussed here and the answer is usually a microfibre cloth! THe main thing to remember at first is not to overdo it and burn out, try doing everything in 15 minute spells, lists help tremendously.

PA - oh dear, hope you aren't under your duvet.

MM and SR - my DH bought me this
slow cookbook 1 for my birthday, subsequently I bought this slow cookbook 2, the stroganoff is from the 2nd one. Cook stewing steak with mushrooms and onions plus flour and water for 8 hours on low, mixed in sour cream, dijon mustard and chopped dill all to taste at the end, yum.

MMango for enchiladas I put chicken, tomato sauce made out of passata, onions, herbs (pref. coriander) inside with some sour cream and chees on top. Also use refried beans for me and DH, but too spicy for DCs. Sometimes use pre-cooked BBQ chicken for extra yumminess.

MissB - I agree with Aberita re hairloss, get it investigated by the Dr. I developed alopecia last year, mine was clearly defined bare patches, so did a lot of reading up on this, generalised hairloss is more likely to be hormonal or maybe vitamin deficiency. My hair has grown back now, I am almost certain mine was stress related.

So far today have done some gardening and a tip run, also washing, empty DW, school run etc. Heading off to the gym shortly, then a bit of cleaning, hopefully a bit more gardeining with DCs after school and spare ribs in the slowcooker tonight. Thank you to everyone on this thread who nudged me towards buying the slowcooker, it is great!