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...

Morning all,

An early start to the day for everyone here as DD2 had a friend staying over - I can normally rely on at least the DDs to sleep in at the weekend, but they were all so excited that they were up by 6 am today. I like to get up before everyone else as I need my peace and quiet in the mornings (even if it's only for 10 minutes) and can normally get quite a bit done at the weekends before everyone starts getting up - so am feeling a bit behind today! But DH has just taken all the DC out into the garden so I'm hoping to catch up a bit now before church, when we'll be returning DD2's friend to her parents.

List for today (a realistically short one for the weekend):

Morning routine doing
Babystep done
Washing
Update calendar
Vacuum pack snowsuits, ski suits etc. (as spring finally seems to have arrived here)
An even earlier bedtime (as I'm still feeling tired despite having stuck to my 10 pm bedtime for the last few days)

Hello everyone.

Lovely day here too and as we let the DC sleep together (in DD's bed) they were awake at the crack of dawn so I declared Sunday officially started about an hour ago .
Since then they have been playing and I have been updating the ads on Gumtree in an attempt to let my flat. Even getting an agent involved hasn't helped yet

MissB - as a local-ish lass any ideas where I might advertise a flat to let in Bedford that I might not have thought about?

Welcome to Nanos and ChairmumMiaow - excellent names both of you Do take the 'babysteps' advice to heart and don't try and do it all at once - this is my 4th attempt at Flying in about 2 years and because I am taking it really slowly this time it is working. Even though I have fallen off the wagon quite spectacularly this week (not even getting all of my routines done ) I got my sink shiny last night and have started today knowing I'm back on track

Not had much chance to catch up with everyone but did pick up about rotting rodents, teenage drivers, wobbly teeth and lots of cooking. Please can we have the slow cooker spare ribs recipe?

Hoping for a productive day - leaflet and poster delivery for car boot sale next w/e, some gardening and then chicken pie for dinner.

Enjoy your Sunday

Morning! Lovely and sunny here and I've got the back door open - bit chilly but feels so nice and fresh!
Woke up in good time having slept like a log
Managed a (brisk) home bless and had a bath and now eating breakfast, having made a mental list Washing is on the line!
feetheart not sure about flat but would it be worth ringing the council to see if they have any 'approved' agents they use? And there's always the Times and Citizen!
We are off to church shortly. Am letting DD2 off as she had to be up early yesterday so requested a lie in today .DD1 is up and about and determined to go to concert rehearsal this afternoon even if she doesn't do much. I am going shopping with a friend - big M&S as sale on
Then this evening:
-check everything ready for tomorrow Sundayeveningnag
-do report for tomorrow
-ironing/sort washing
-go to bed early!

See you all later and hope it's a good day all round! Enjoy your roast, elliepac!

morning, have got 2 days off so making the most of it,
house tidy
dinner in slow cooker
washing on line

to do-
have bath
bake cakes with dd
do lego with ds
park this pm
keep house in relative good order as i want to do a bit of diy tomorrow.

am starting healthy diet tomorrow so also need to get some shopping and do a bit of menu planning

feetheart - I guess I'm sort of picking up where I left off - I had a routine that I followed for a while which I'm picking back up, with adaptations!

And lots of my stuff is day to day stuff that has to be done too!

Anyway, today I have:

• made a massive batch of spag bol
• dug more of the garden
• washing out on line

ToDo

• something with pork! (needs using up!)
• bake something nice with DS
• make landline phone work

I'm working on finalising my morning and evening routines, much of which has been getting plonked in my daily list so far, which probably makes it look bigger!

chairman you are being superwoman! careful with the digging
Nanos I'm sure dhs going to gym pay dividends in the end
Frazzled I'm stealing ideas from here shamelessly for my menuplanning - spareribs tonight and rice
fajitas tomorrow
pot roast with veg Tues
cold pot roast, baked potatoes, salad Wed
vegetable pasta or risotto Thursday
mackerel pate and toast, pumpkin soup Friday
MissB you are very kind to take Guides to Alton Towers. Enjoy M & S, and hope you get to spend loads. I am desperate to throw my wardrobe away and start again. Unfortunately last night I read a quilting magazine and started imagining cutting various garments up and turning them into wallhangings ... I think they just need to go in the recylcling bin, and no more prevaricating.
Positive That must be v.worrying. I know it is so easy to feel v. depressed when you are teenager and not think you have any options - but there are probably loads of things she is brilliant at, but doesn't know yet. Best of wishes helping her.
Mini-Marmite perhaps you could do Flier of the week instead of all of us It must be a fulltime job rounding up the sheep.
SC hope you are out of there! and return with the essence of Spring in your nostrils!
Feetheart mine love "sleepovers" in each other's beds. Unfortunately they do not tend to synchronise their watches
Flat rental must be frustrating.
Ellie glad you are having a relaxing Sunday (hopethat is still the case)
Aberita the only problem with our wicker chest is that they like to throw the contents out and hide there
LOL at the photographer! My mum's friend once had a magazine photoshoot in her garden, and they insisted on printing a photo of a weedy corner instead of the tidy flowerbeds..Not best pleased..

Dcs at park with dh, I've had a busy morning, not v. relaxing, but hoping to do some gardening now.

Well, I made a start on that room Ellie...I sorted out his wardrobe today so thats one thing but now I need to start on the toys. [scared emoticon].

Morning Ladies

Today's babystep is a little friendly reminder about our control journals.

And, new week - new zone - we are moving into the Master Bedroom. Not a moment too soon in the Marmite household I have to say as it has turned into a washing emporium over the last week .

So, 15 minutes decluttering daily in this zone or the daily mission for those who have finished the decluttering.

Have a great day

Evening! Done everything from my list apart from report for work and I'm about to start that now
Had a lovely shop - didn't buy much but got some nice new jeans SR I like the sound of your wall hanging!
DD2 got terrible toothache and I suspect she has an abcess so it will be the dentist for her tomorrow Her face is rather swollen and she is obviously suffering.
DD1 had seemed very chirpy but now says she feels sick and has headache. I suspect anxiety about return to school.
Dh cooked tea - first time in ages, Must try to be more appreciative but still peed off about lack of remembering Mothering Sunday because he 'didn't have time' I work full time. He doesn't. It is his birhtday this week. I know it would be childish not to find time to get card etc but oh so tempting
Anyway, must go and do dratted report.....

MsB Dh has been tiresome today after being lovely yesterday, think he gets fed up with looking after us all and then becomes thoroughly snarky. Hope your dd's toothache can be seen tomorrow, I remember once being so desperate that I bathed my tooth in whisky - it helped, and possibly hot water with cloves.

Spent a long tme tidying kitchen this eve,
and lots of time TLCing to dd who has returned after a great time at Brownies PGL activity w/e, but now just needed lots of cuddles etc.

No gardening done - felt v. tired for some reason. Also feeling mildly peeved that I have already needed to use the ingredients for tomorrow meal in tonight's supper as dh doesn't seem to like spare ribs. Ds did though

TODO
final sweep of kitchen crumbs
locate last pair of uniform trousers and hang on bannisters strategically

Quick post, I've been away and am v.tired. Feel all behind, Sunday is supposed to be menu planning night, but have just sat there for an hour with my recipe books and got nowhere, so am off to bed.

Waved at you DWM as I drove up the M5 in the pouring rain towards Birmingham yesterday.

Whoever wanted the spare rib recipe, it was to serve 4, 1.5kg ribs, 5tbsp ketchup, 5tbsp demerara sugar, 6tbsp cider vinegar, 2tsp english mustard powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, salt and pepper. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in slow cooker pot until smooth. Put ribs in and make sure all surfaces are coated in sauce. Cook for 8 hours on slow. The recipe then says lift the ribs out and keep warm while you tranfer the sauce to a pan and boil for 5 mins to thicken, then pour over, we didn't bother with that, they were delicious without it, but it would probably be even more yummy with it....

Can I ask a really silly question?...

What does "Flying" mean?...

Sorry if I am being a bit thick!!!!

Morning Ladies.

PurpleWed - Not a silly question at all. I could say we are all in training to become airline pilots......no. We are atually following a plan from an American website called "Flylady". She sets out a plan to get your house in order. There is a "grown-up" thread on here for those who are more proficient, but we are just -crazy-- busy mums, some working mums, some at home, who need a little structure to getting our homes to an acceptable level of tidiness. Although reading this thread sometimes it is far more about the social life, meal plans, oddities of life and just having fun and we sometimes squeeze a little bit of housework in if we can be bothered.

MrsD - Thanks for the recipe. That recipe can also be used for hunters chicken, which mine love.
Hope you had a good weekend away and a good nights sleep to feel all bright and breezy today!

SR - Glad DD had a good weekend away. I love the menu planning being typed up on here, it gives me ideas too. Going to pinch your fajitas this week. DSs favourite.

MissB - Poor DD2 with toothache. Always worse at night, too. I hope she can get some antibiotics today and it can start to feel better. Also hoping that DD1 can get to school without getting stressed. Been there with DD1. Horrible time when you feel so helpless and just have to stand by and support them going through a tough time. Have you spoken to the school? Ours were really supportive and it made such a difference to DD.

MM - Thanks for posting the links. So glad its the bedroom this week.

LPP - You have made a good start in DS bedroom, dont be disheartened.

SC - any sign of you, or have you left civilisation all together? Hope the smell is getting better.

Feetheart - We have lots of lovely memories of ours sleeping together, sometimes all of them , once all on the landing . I think my favourite was three of them sleeping on the trampoline under the stars one summer. Not a lot of sleeping, but it was an adventure!

Waves to chairmum, nanos Frazzled Ellie Aberita DWM and everyone else I have missed.

Well, I feel like screaming "Call the men in white coats" this morning. I have got off to a flying start!!

So far:
Sandwich marathon
Unloaded DW
Loaded DW
Unloaded Tumbler
Sorted clothes
Loaded WM
Swept Kitchen floor
Bleached Kitchen floor
20 minutes madness tidy in bedroom
Carpet swept bedroom floor
Put away lots of clothes that have been lying around for way too long!

So, to do:
Should be working a long day, but have had to re-jig this week due to DS having a really bad back, so .....
Phone Dr and get appointment for today for DS.
Pop into work at some point and pick up phone messages and post.
Weekly shopping
Attend emergency planning meeting for DD3s future plans >>
Contact Paediatrician for update
Drive to DD3s old school and hand deliver a letter requesting all the records they have on her.
Doing a jigsaw puzzle for relaxation at the moment

That should do for now!

Have a good start to the week everyone.

Hello everyone, hope you are all Flying happily ...

Went away for weekend to Ardennes - house smelling considerably fresher on return - did lots of laundry last night too.

Just popping in to say hello. Will catch up with this thread properly later on and sort out body clutter step for week (getting slack!).

In the meantime, had very good early and productive start to morning:

morning routine inc s&s, wm on, dishwasher on done (on third load of washing this morning)

office linen done

clean kitchen done

recycling

master bedroom

tidy and hoover sitting room, hall, playroom, and downstairs cloakroom

clean out gps

personal grooming

Have a good day everyone. Back in a mo!!

Welcome PurpleWednesday as PA said - not silly question at all. I'm afraid "Flying" actually stands for the barftastic phrase "Finally Loving Yourself" and is one of many mottos on the Flylady website.

Basically "Flylady" is an American woman who has developed a cleaning system for overwhelmed, chaotic and disorganised households that "trains" you to get the decluttering/housework/meal planning/laundry done in as quick a time as possibly using 15 mins bursts of intensely focused effort, built up via the "baby-steps" (another barftastic phrase) which build into daily routines.

Ignore all the cutesy language on the Flylady website - the underlying system is sound - scroll to the very opening post of this thread and all will be revealed.

PA I am exhausted reading the list of what you've already done! Thanks for encouraging words - I need to speak to school about DD1 - did try the other day but call not returned and I've not chased it up.
DD1 has now gone back to bed. Not sure if she is physically or mentally unwell, to be honest and feel more antibiotics will not help but will see about GP later if still unwell.
DD2 on the otherhand obviously now has abcess - VERY swollen face and big lump on gum which is seeping pus so am about to ring the dentist and hopefully that will resolve soon
I need to go to work, back-to-back meetings all day, but will try and get DD2 sorted then leave her in DH's capable hands and will ring a lot......
Do you ever have those days when you want to stop the world and get off for a bit.....?
Be back later for dose of sanity!

Back at lunchtime to catch up with you lovely lot individually!

LOL Personal Grooming SC what can that be.....

Meanwhile, kitchen looking v. tidy for once,
dcs to school in one piece
music practice x 2 supervised
might just get Home Bless done in an hour

singing lesson this afternoon
various other things hanging over me

I'm not telling SwanR but suffice to say it involves a pumice stone, half a pack of sea salt and a jar of body butter

Morning all.

Need a list for today, feeling a bit behind

Morning routine - done
Clean bath and basin properly
Hoover front room (including move furniture)
Hoover rest of downstairs (no moving furniture)
Hoover upstairs
Tidy master bedroom
Sainsburys shop (tempted to try Ocado, fed up with Sainsburys)
General tidying
3or 4 lots of washing
Ballet/Beavers run this afternoon
Gym this evening

Was going to do some gardening, but the weather is getting gloomier by the minute.

I really don't feel like hoovering......

DS is home from nursery this morning and I'm knackered from being up late with him (poor thing was coughing so much he kept being sick) so I shall just be doing my morning routine for the moment.

If he goes off with his Dad this evening I shall also

• hoover through the house
• do some paperwork

Well DP is poorly so I'm not venturing into the bedroom to do todays mission. I will continue tidying DS's room instead.

OK

lunch break catch up

I'm enjoying all the mean planning tips on here and am stealing them too

Oh dear, thought we might be through the worst of the ailments now spring nearly here but lots of people still suffering I see.

sorry to hear your ds is ill ChairmumMiaow hope he feels better soon and that you both manage to get a good night's sleep tonight. Well done re: your productive Saturday btw.

Swanriver enjoy your singing and congrats on yr orderly kitchen

Poor you MissBennett - sounds as though you have your hands full as well - hope your dd1 and dd2 start feeling better soon and that your day improves. You deserve a medal re: Alton Towers trip.

Crikey PA - you are on a roll this morning - bleaching the kitchen floor no less!! That definitely earns extra fly points. Hope your ds's back improves and that your meeting regarding dd3's plans goes well today x

Mini-Marmite - thanks for steps and for my lovely virtual scented flowers (much fresher here now thanks!). Mightily relieved we are focusing on master bedroom officially (although I have supposedly been unofficially sorting it out for the past fortnight or longer ) HOpe the hen party went well yesterday.

Frazzled - good luck with the healthy eating. I am starting (again) today too!! I swear by bicarbonate of soda to get smells out of rugs, mattresses, car seats, fridges, microwaves, the lot!

MrsDinky - hope you are not feeling as tired today and thanks for spare rib recipe - looks delicious

Feetheart - good luck with letting your flat

Elliepac - glad I'm not the only one with driving ishoos - my particular trick is driving past the same parking spot at least three times before I work up the courage to stop and have a go Well done re your productive w/e

You too Optimistic - sounds like you had a good w/e

Needanightoutsoon hope everyone is feeling better in your household too. Well done with your decluttering!

littlePurplePrincess lol re your dh's "award ceremony & medal". I feel your pain

Hello to Aberita, I also struggle with the early bedtime commandment. Succeeded for a week and a half but felt terrible!!! Now I just try and get to bed before 11.30pm (wake up 6.50am) in general and if I'm really struggling I go to bed one night a week at same time as dd (7.30pm).

Where has MummyD gone? We miss you!

I'm sure I've missed lots of others - waves frantically!

All scrolled out. Back with body clutter step later!

oh no LittlePurplePrincess - another patient - hope your dp feels better soon

BODY CLUTTER STEPS FOR WEEKS BEGINNING Monday 15th & Monday 22nd March

Please ignore if you are not watching your weight or CBA!!

(Sorry - have scrolled and scrolled but can?t find last week?s ? must have mis-posted or missed it completely ? apologies ? think I will just continue these to Easter if that?s OK with everyone and then will see what we want to do although am away first half April without Internet access - am running out of tips too!)

Last week?s tip:

Eat an apple a day (Stillcounting)

This week?s tip:

Swap carbs for pulses at the evening meal (and no carb snacks after that). (Mini-Marmite)

And try and maintain previous week's tips:

• number 1, drink between 1 and 2 litres of water a day

• number 2, eat five portions of fruit and veg a day

• number 3, write down what you eat, how much and how often

• number 4, walk as much as you can during the day (10,000 steps is a good target to aim for) and remember to lay out your walking clothes the night before!

• number 5, eat only at defined meal and snack times (3 meals and 2 healthy snacks ideal) and don't pick in between. Remember "Kitchen pickers wear big knickers"!!

• number 6, cut out alcohol completely or restrict to x nights per week

• number 7, keep a low calorie/low fat snack in your handbag

• number 8, make low fat soup and eat it rather than chuck it

• number 9, don?t eat lard!