There's no fooling an April fledgling flyer

[MiniMarmite]

Welcome to the April edition of the fledgling flyers where shower screens are shiny and rain never stops play.

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 April 1st (no joke), but you are welcome to dive in at any point in the month.

Splish, splash, swish and swash along to reserve your place...

Purplethat does sound v. hard that he's away for so long, none of us mind how grumpyyou get. Sometimes it's difficult even to say how blue one feels, one just wants to hide. Today I was cheered up by buying dd lots of lovely new white socks that all match but really had to force myself to do anything useful.

How about "May Flying make fledging homes sparkle"? as a title?

Thanks Swan
(Make sure you throw the grotty white socks away otherwise they'll end up matched with the nice new ones after the next white wash...!)

Supervising violin practice sounds a bit like torment to me! - well done

good morning everyone

How about "shed that clout May Flyers are oot"

I am feeling very proud of myself I have accomplished loads and think I will have to moove into thread to ensure continued progress!

Signed up for flying lady emails
cleaned and hoovered DS and Dd rooms
hung up ironing
hoovered rug in living room
swept kitchen floor
3 loads in dishwasher
3 loads in washing sorted and ready for ironing
taken dc to swimming lessons and very assertively
changed to another lesson with more experienced teachers
visited mil
paperwork filing some dating back to dec 2008
make cakes with DS
made soup currently cooking in slow cooker

linder love wildlife parks did you have nice day
optimistic hmm have checked out couch to 5k really what kind of a not a runner ru? I walk on treadmill at gym tried running but was too scared to let go! Could I really do this?

Hope you all take care of yourselves tomorrow! Be kind and give yourself big pat on back at some point today!

Nnnnnnite zzzz

Morning all,

A slightly stressful start to the day here - after all our talk of exercise (or lack of, in my case), I decided that we should make the effort to walk to Kindergarten this morning. Got the DC up a bit earlier and we were actually in good time until a) the saddle on DS's balance bike came off in my hands as I was trying to adjust it, and b) an encounter with a large and noisy barking dog, which slowed us down even more (DD2 is terrified of dogs). So we were slightly late getting to the meeting point and the other children had already left, but DD1 managed to run and catch them up. I did enjoy the walk back home though.

We had a lovely time at the wildlife park yesterday, and then it was back to our neighbours' for coffee - which turned out to be coffee and lots of cream-filled cake, followed by two bottles of sparkling wine, a bottle of prosecco and yet more cake (which seemed to contain more rum than anything else). All very nice at the time but I felt very ill by the evening (I'd only had one glass of wine, I hasten to add - although the rum cake probably didn't help and I have virtually no alcohol tolerance anyway!) and had an enforced very early night. The upside is that I feel more rested today than I have done in weeks.

Welcome back, MiniMarmite - I hope you had a lovely weekend away. And welcome back Nettie!

Also welcome to biddyofsuburbia. This is my third attempt at flying but only my first since I've discovered this thread and it has made such a difference - everyone here is so encouraging and I finally feel like I'm making progress (albeit slow at times!).

swan I'm not sure I can face any more cake for a while so I'd far rather have an M&S nearby! But I do miss Austrian bread and having a wonderful baker's just round the corner when I'm back in the UK.

purplewednesday Glad to hear you're feeling better. My DH also travels quite a lot for work so I know what it's like - and doubly difficult if you're not feeling great to start with.

ellie Hope you had a nice relaxing evening yesterday; always a good way of rounding off the weekend.

Must start work now but I'll be back later with a list once I've got it done - and providing nothing else arrives in the meantime. Waves to everyone I've missed!

Good morning!! Thanks for the welcoming comments! Right I am up and dressed and feeding dcs breakfast and when I've dropped them at school / nursery I will read babysteps properly and let you know how I get on! I think I will shine my sink right now as my very first step

Morning all. I've had a hectic weekend and as a result am feeling knackered and low. Am going to be taking things slowly from now on!

Lots to do today, but will spread it out!

• DS up, fed and to nursery
• Office work
• Empty dishwasher
• Unpack various bags lying around
• Washing on and out
• Pack DS's bag for H
• Menu planning for week
• Shopping List
• Water garden
• Restore kitchen to normality
• Mop kitchen floor
• Swish and swipe bathroom

back to catch up properly later!

Morning all,

Paperwork day here today, a big pile of both to-dos and filing sits nexct to me, threatening to topple over and cascade across the floor. Also need to

hoover
go to gym
unpack Ocado stuff when it arrives
start sorting out stuff for NCT sale
clean the insides of all the front windows where the DCs have had their faces pressed up watching the funfair.
ballet
beavers

Out tonight so probably won't post, have a good day everyone.

Morning everyone!

nettie - I truly am not a runner. I don't even walk on a treadmill. I thought I would die having even run for 1 minute, but then I was so embarrassed really at being soooo pathetic that it spurred me on. On Saturday I did run 5 min walk, run 8 min walk and repeat. I did t and I am proud of myself!!

For all you others feeling a bit bleugh it really does help doing a bit of exercise. I know it's difficult when you have babies but my advice would be to get in the fresh air at least once a day...

Hi to Swan - mmm lovely white socks I remember the days...
Purple - glad you are feeling a bit better - it will pass...
Minim - you sound like my DH with your nighttime conference calls . I feel your pain..
Chairmum - take it easy, you always sound like you do so much - don't overdo it will you?
Linzer - reading your alcohol list I was beginning to think that I was a lightweight. I'm glad it wasn't you who drank all that!!!

Today I have a day off and my week is completely topsyturvy as I have swapped days with my jobshare! It is nice having Monday off but lots to do as usual!

Here's my list:
Go to a meeting (nearly a day off!)
Take DD for acupuncture (severe pain all round due to D of E!)
Minishop
Pedicure
Pick up boys from station
Plan my teaching for rest of week
Zones/Missions

Have already done morning routine and 5 min room rescue of kitchen and sitting room.

Have a lovely day all...

Nettie It should have read: 5 min run followed by walk, 8 min run followed by walk repeated once more. Hope that now makes sense.
Sorry everyone!

Coffee finally on here if anyone would like a cup - plenty of chocolate biscuits too. I've finished work for now so have about 40 minutes of flying time; must make sure my coffee break doesn't eat into too much of this! We've got a busy afternoon ahead of us and I think I'm going to be spending half of it in the car - but will walk to meet DD1 from school as all this talk of exercise is spurring me on!

Anyway, today's list:

Finish morning routine
15 min decluttering and/or mission
Pick up DD1
Supervise homework and piano practice
Pick up DD2 and DS
Take DD1 to birthday party up in the hills in a nearby village (they're going llama trekking)
Pick up DS's friend
Afternoon routine (not feeling too optimistic about getting this done, but it's on the list!)
Cook dinner
Pick up DD1 and return DS's friend
Evening routine
Finish translating restaurant menu
Send invoice

OM A glass (or two at the very most) is usually about my limit, but I'm sure my (huge) slice of cake must have contained at least 2 or 3 units of alcohol! Well, that's my excuse...

OM - is that Week 4? I did Couch Potato this time last year when DS broke his leg and I needed some 'me time' and some happy hormones. I always hated distance running at school and just thought I wasn't a runner. I seemed to struggle every week (though Wk3-Wk4 was a real killer) but did it and the sense of achievement after each session was brilliant. I did Race for Life last June as a runner and did it in under 30mins.
I still try and do 2-3 runs a week but haven't been out for ages due to illness and I really miss it.
To anyone thinking about it I would heartily recommend it but beware as it is a little addictive

Talking of illness, I still feel pretty rough and am fed up of being ill (crap patient emoticon)
Wanted to get back on track today as DS at pre-school all day but think I may take a Lemsip (the sign that I'm not good as they are VILE) and go back to bed for a while.

My list today should include:

• try to get morning routine done for first time in weeks
• Wrap and post birthday present for my Dsis (birthday was yesterday, I have apologised )
• Get baby photo of DS developed for pre-school topic
• kitchen floor which is DISGUSTING
• afternoon and evening routines
• DS to swimming lesson

Had wanted to go into town to see Jeremy Vine 'Live from Luton' but think my coughing won't come over well on radio, especially as I want to discuss expenses NOT the NHS

Welcome biddy, sorry about 'me' post but this thread does involve a lot more than Flying

Morning all!

Feeling better this morning so i will make the most of it.

So far have:
emptied dishwasher and tidied up sink
tackled kitchen side hotspot
hung 2 loads of washing out
put another load on to wash
ironed a couple of essentials

still need to:
buy highchair
shop for tea tonight
couple of bits of paperwork/phonecalls
put grit in bowl for hens
collect DH car from garage (he has gone to scotland with colleague who is driving)
Have battle with DD after school about reading and spellings

Nettie - like your suggestion for thread title btw

Puree (?sp) veg for baby

will let you know later if i have done all this.

I've had enough exercise for one day already, walked ds1 to physio and back.
Violin practice x 1
PE kits x 3
my singing voice has expired again
feeling very nervous about annoying neighbours when I practice
chairman please take it easy
Nettie loving assertiveness!
Biddy I'm really trying not to panic this morning with catchup, and just steadily do a bit of tidying.
Optimistic yes getting out is the key, except when you come back to....horrors.

Need to
quick routines, laundry, beds, dw, worktops, milkbottles
put casserole in oven
ring bank again to chase up PIN number
home bless - just rescuing really not sheets or hoovering, but tidying is bad enough
wash kitchen floor truly filthy
pay for school dinners on phone

singing practice for lesson this afternoon

Purple don't have a battle with your dd, just leave it till next week when dh is back, one week of getting her spellings wrong won't be the end of the world. Just read her a story instead, I'm sure that's just as good if she hates her reading books.
Had a long chat with dd's longsuffering violin teacher. Dd (now 8)does hardly any practice loves the lessons but otherwise...., I feel v. depressed by it and veer between compulsion and neglect (whereas ds1 just practises away quite placidly) I said to teacher that I felt it was pointless to continue at this pace - and she said not at all, she is improving albeit slowly, just whatever you do don't sour the atmosphere and turn it into a battle of wills. She said she always told parents when it was OVER.

I'm doomed - no sooner had I written my long list than yet more work arrived. I should have learned after last time... I didn't manage to walk to meet DD1 either as it suddenly started pouring with rain just as I was about to leave. The rain then became a thunderstorm, so the llama trekking has been postponed - but at least it means a little less chauffering this afternoon, I suppose.

swanriver - because I have been doing my routines none of the jobs are very big at all and DS will enjoy helping me And the office work I did while DS was at nursery involved sitting on my bottom

• DS up, fed and to nursery - done
• Office work - done some
• Empty dishwasher - done
• Unpack various bags lying around - done
• Washing on and out waiting to put out
• Pack DS's bag for H
• Menu planning for week
• Shopping List
• Water garden
• Restore kitchen to normality nearly
• Mop kitchen floor
• Swish and swipe bathroom

I can honestly say I have achieved O today.
My singing is not floating at all it is squawking.
I have hunted down about two more friends to add to my pathetic facebook list

My mum has llamas linzer nasty beasts they are too, but low maintenance I am told
Feetheart how strange, I love Lemsip , possibly in same way that I love smell of chlorine, it makes me feel all cosy and safe. Sorry you are still suffering.

Still pouring with rain here so have just had a mad dash to Kindergarten to pick up DD2, DS and friend. Now back home so MUST get on with my afternoon routine; I am ignoring the work that keeps arriving (until this evening at least).

swan You can add me as a FB friend if you like. I don't want to put my FB e-mail on here as it's my RL name, but you can e-mail me at traungold @ hotmail . com. I could do with someone on FB to kick me off when I'm spending too much time on there!

• DS up, fed and to nursery - done
• Office work - done some
• Empty dishwasher - done
• Unpack various bags lying around - done
• Washing on and out done
• Pack DS's bag for H done
• Menu planning for week
• Shopping List
• Water garden done
• Restore kitchen to normality nearly done
• Mop kitchen floor
• Swish and swipe bathroom

Plus impromtu school run for my niece. So I'm not bothering with the rest today now.

And I don't have to cook tonight - a friend is picking me up to go to hers so I will be able to relax

Hi everyone! Well my first day of fledgling flying is going OK! So far I have (in addition to the usual) achieved the following:

been to garden centre and got hose/watering can/plant labelling sticks to finish the veggie patch which I finally got round to on Saturday
Finally ordered DS's school photo which was taken in roughly October
Sorted papers/post
Sent various forms back to school
Promptly replied to a party invite (unheard of)
Sorted DS's bd party with other mum
Taken DD to dance shop to get ballet stuff for new class which has a 'uniform'
Gone into kids boutique next door and bought her a raincoat (which she does need) and a dress & leggings (which she does not) whoops.

Oh, and shined sink!

Feeling better for having achieved something. Ignoring the nagging in back of mind re: the rest of it!

Next: on with the tea..oh and really must clean out car as have someone elses DD in it tomorrow and it's a health hazard! This is the best place I've found on here, thanks for having me, I am feeling motivated!

Hello! Thought I'd drop by to see how you are all getting on.

Its good to see some new 'faces' amongst the regulars - welcome aboard.

I have been pottering along - wouldn't say it was flying exactly but I am on top of the washing and ironing and the place does still look better than before I started - but have had v little time to post

I am determined to do something this evening so need to do a list.

1. DW on done
2. Get DS off the DS to learn his words trying!
3. 15 mins declutter dining room
4. wait for Tesco delivery & put it away
5. empty DW and put on again
6. eat!
7. DS to bed
8. 1 load of washing in WM
9. me to bed

Back later

Evening all,

Well for a work evening I feel like I have had a very positive evening. Have, in the order listed:

Played with DC's in garden
DS to Beavers
DD to bed
Tidied dining room/swept floor
Tidied living room/swept/mopped floor
Washed up
Cleaned kitchen surfaces/tidied surfaces etc.
Washing on
Picked DS up from Beavers
Dinner
Tidied up from dinner
Washing in from line/more on line
Washing in tumble drier
Shined Sink
Collapsed in heap

dwm!!!! hello stranger. How lovely to 'see' you. We missed you, keep popping in even if you are very busy , lord knows we all know what that's like.

biddy what a fabulous first day! Careful you don't burn out. I sympathise with the car, i like to call mine a mobile office/toyshop/sweetshop, that excuses much of the mess .

chairmum hope you had a nice evening at your friend's.

sr i would be honoured to be your facebook friend. First name is quite obvious. Second name is an irish name related to the process of making leather, if there are millions of me which i suspect not i live in lincolnshire, that should do it. Or tell me to sod off, no offence will be taken .

purple glad you are feeling a bit better

feetheart sorry to hear you are still not feeling good. Lemsip to me is psychological, it instantly makes me feel better .

linzer llama trekking for a birthday party, how exciting (even though it didn't happen) most we ever get is soft play or if, particularly adventurous a farm park.

om well done to DD for D of E, bet you are so proud, even if she is feeling it a bit now.

Anyway, had better go, have some homework to ddo.

Thank you for not telling me off ellie! You all sound so busy & I keep wondering why I have so much trouble fitting in making my sandwiches in the morning when PA does it x 7

Anyway - quick list check

1. DW on done
2. Get DS off the DS to learn his words done
3. 15 mins declutter dining room done can't really tell though
4. wait for Tesco delivery & put it away done
5. empty DW and put on again not yet, might leave till morning
6. eat! done
7. DS to bed done
8. 1 load of washing in WM done
9. me to bed soon!

Hope to stop by tomorrow - keep flapping!

Its felt like a long day here but i do feel as though i have got a lot done.

Bought a highchair but need to take it back as it doesn't fit at the dining table.

Swan good advice re DD battles. Just got her to read tonight. She is perfectly capable, she has to be in the right mood
Biddy glad you have had a good start to the flying! My car looks like the inside of a skip and I could do with a spot of flying there. In fact I will make a concerted effort at the weekend.
Mrs D Hope you had good night out!

Off to bed with a book now, see you in the morning!

Lovely to see you DwM - we missed you!
LOL at get DS off DS
Feetheart - yes I'm on Week 4 and your post has made me feel as though I am going to be able to do it! My problem is each week is taking about 10 days because I find it so difficult to fit in ( also hate anyone to see me so prefer to go out early or late!)Sorry you are still feeling ill - what have you got if you don't mind me asking?
hello to everyone else and well done to Biddy
Where's pA, MissB SC.....come back!!