May's Fledgling Flyers: shed that clout May Flyers are out

[elliepac]

Welcome to the May edition of the fledgling flyers where we are going to merrily fly around the maypole, dusting as we go.

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

For those who are curious, these are the Babysteps, which we all hope will restore order in our homes and make our lives a little bit easier with lots of support (and chat, and wine, and a little more chat )

So please come and join us, old and new, from May 1st.

Got any coffee MrsD?

Was busy yesterday, actually slept well for the first time in ages so feel dead today and lack motivation to even be bothered to get up. Dropped ds at school but had to sign him in as he was late (opps) overslept. Any spare energy and motivation hiding in a corner awaiting claiming?

Coffee coming up just for you DEM. If I had any spare energy I would gladly send you it, alas it seems to be missing here too.

Coffee for me too, please! And let me know if you find any spare energy DEM - I wouldn't mind a bit extra myself.

biddy No, it's a Polo - I don't think DH would countenance buying anything but VW (I'm sure I've heard him mutter about the unreliability of French cars). It was getting on when I bought it so it's done me quite well, but I think its time has come and I'd just be throwing money at it now. DH now wants to buy a bigger family car, i.e. wants me to buy one, which does make sense but I'm finding it a slightly scary prospect.

swan I do indeed remember the Hovis advert - I'm older than I sound. Nice as it is here, it's not quite on a par with Gold Hill (if I remember the name correctly; we visited it on a family holiday once). But I do have the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the house now.

Updated list, as I left a few things off before:

Morning routine done
Post birthday card and postcards
Cook dinner
Mission
15 min declutter in kitchen (not before time)
Start looking for new car done, i.e. started - have given up for now

Morning all,

DEM - hope you had a lovely birthday.

Another bad night's sleep and I was going to come home and veg out but somehow I don't feel like it what with the shining sun and everything

I needed to take today's babystep to heart as I need to get into a routine that I will be able to continue doing with the baby - so rather than doing a thorough job of each of my weekly tasks, I'm going to concentrate on just trying to spend 15 minutes on each of them and getting plenty of rest in between.

Today's jobs:

Done:

• Go to hospital for scan (placenta moved, no CS for me!)
• morning routine (just bathroom to finish)
• 15 minutes whizz round bedroom

ToDo:

• 15 minutes in DS's room
• 15 minutes decluttering in spare room
• 15 minutes on hospital bag
• 15 minutes on kitchen.
• evening routine.

Should be easy as DS is at nursery till 12 and then H has him from 5 tonight!

Chairmum it's your house and you can do what you like in it!!!! Remember that. I am full of admiration though.
House is giving me a baaaad vibe at the moment, I really need to make friends with it again, warts and all. I used to feel quite at home here even when it was messy
Have cleaned Augean Stableskitchen
taken dd to school
nitcombed dd whilst she was in my power
bought snacks and slugkiller and bread
now need to do aahing and -nging practice

swan - I'm coming to terms with that idea slowly.

Trouble is, I'm now spending more time in it and it gets very depressing when its all a mess - I want to be able to lounge around with the baby and smile! (And to know that there are clean clothes and nappies etc for the kids)!

I've been very much all or nothing about cleaning in the past, so I'm trying to work out an approach that I can keep going. Its part of general life changes that are slowly progressing from my recent breakup!

Afternoon all,

Heavy going to work today, coursework, revision, coursework, revision repeat ad infinitum and you get the gist of my week. However, am determined to at least stay a little on track so am going to:-

Evening routine
washing
Tea
DS to Beavers and back
15 min room rescue x 3
washing up

Be back later for round-up. Hope everyone's ok!

not sure that i have found much energy, but have got the thing i was dreading over and done with. Which helps. Have eaten which helps. just bedtime to do and then it will be fine, as I will escape.

Birthday was reassuringly normal, for a change. no major dramas, no major ills. never got cake made but was nice. I think i lack energy and go today as my age is catching up with me, and I am feeling the effects of getting back into skating so, much so quickly. And whilst i can cope with the training my body goes into shock so it takes longer to recover.

Tomorrow is another day, and i have more training tomorrow - eek. Glad for a break during the rest of the week. Right have child to prove second tea for hollowlegs and then bedtime. Have a lovely evening.

Ellie - hang in there it will soon be over.

Chairmum - try not to do too much and rest as much as poss

Thanks for the coffee earlier MrsD, it helped.

I was just thinking of posting on Facebook that I was knackered, but felt too embarrassed to have it as my first life observation DEM sorry you are feeling so knackered too
Ellie friends with dcs doing GSCEs, so I can appreciate all the work you must be suffering

Done
slugs
Cubs
supper - haddock and boiled pots for kids - now need to turn it into fish pie for dh
park runaround for kids
singing lesson
mission
changed two beds and washed sheets
hall swept
living room rescued and semi-dusted
kitchen cleaned (although it's regressed AGAIN)

todo
cut out 10 little drummerboys for Beavers
kids to bed
pick up from Cubs
more to bed
dh supper
hoover playroom
hoover dd's room
put some sheets back on ds1's bed

got to go - dts sparring in garden - need to extract and put to bed
uniform for tomorrow LAY OUT x 3

DW done
school run done!
Power plate training session (feeling coldy & not up to it but must start to get fit & loose weight so going anyway) done shocking!
Food shop (again)Went to Asda & don't normally thought quicker on way back to nursery but couldn't find anything and in there for 45mins with 2 days of food
school run done
homework done
mission & at least one hotspot NOT done oops but the night is still young.
cooked home made fish fingers for dcs - half salmon, half haddock - ds rejected salmon yet again !!

DEM you sound a bit stressed, hope you are ok. The training will all be worth it and I'm sure once you get into it your energy will return
ellie thanks so much for doing this thread on top of everything else - much appreciated here!
Chairmum I am with you on the all or nothing, I know how you feel - that's why I'm sticking on here in the hope of properly establishing some routines that become second nature. Fingers crossed hey?!Don't give yourself a hard time though - I think that is part of what flying is all about!
MrsD hope tennis was good!
swan slugs or another pest have demolished my new pepper plant grrr. Hope your DD ok!

I am required upstairs by my DD who wants milk so off now. Sorry for probable errors, but typing in haste! See you all tomorrow! You are a great bunch, btw!!

Evening one and all,

Quick check in before I go pick up DS from Beavers.

Not done too bad tonight:-

Evening routine allbarclothes
washing 2ndloadjustfinished
Tea cooking
DS to Beavers and back justabouttofinish
15 min room rescue x 3 done
washing up done

Back later.

Evening everyone.

I have been out and about all day so little flying but some necc tasks done.

Seen lovely friends done
finished list from yest
took DC to farm park
served up diiner put in slow cooker before left
bathed
weight watchers just eaten honeycmb to make myslef feel better.
kids bed
swim bag ready for tomorrow
music and movement bag ready
dw on
wm on
living room room rescued
1 semi hotspot tackled.

still to iron DS clothes for morning
find my clothes
bed

MM hope you have a lovely holiday
DEM your skating sounds fab in no time at all you will be super fit!!
biddy [round of applause emotion] well done for getting on with power plate session. You go girl!
swan i though Slugs was some kinda cool predecor to Cubs!!
ellie hope work goes ok and ur DC have stopped squabbling now (mine still going today)
chairmum you can do it, bit at a time. And plenty rest inbetween. No CS good thing? i know some friends who have been relieved and some who really wanted it.
linzer good luck finding new car.
mrsD hope you made it to the gym, im going to have same internal fight tomorrow after work!!
missB hope you got your work done today you need to.

wave to anyone elsae i havent caught up with. Hope you are ok.

forgive my typos cat sitting on my arm

Evening all,

I'm in bed already after a soak so I think this counts as a good rest. Didn't do any decluttering in the spare room or start on my hospital bag. Really need to get onto that but I need H to go into the loft and dig out the bags I want first really. I do have a list though, and a random collection of stuff in a washing basket!

Now I am going to sleep - I really need it !

Evening all,

On a personal note, got everything done on my list the challenge is to keep it that way. I have parent's evening tomorrow so it will be a late one so I don't want the morning whirlwind to touch ground tomorrow morning.

chairmum take it easy, you are doing brilliantly and this really is about establishing manageable routines so you are in the right place . Most importantly, you must take care of yourself and your baby, as sr wisely said, it is just a house, it is you and your DC's that make it a home, not how clean and tidy it is.

nettie i thought i'd had a busy day! Brilliant round-up !

biddy well done on getting the power plate done, you are an important part of the 'great bunch' but thank you, you gave me a much needed warm fuzzy feeling after a tough day . Being leader is a good thing for me this month because I am continually reminding myself of what I need to do at a time when otherwise I would be going to rack and ruin (or rather my house would!)

sr impressive lists today. I think knackered is a perfectly acceptable, facebook status btw, that's just life isn't it!

dem glad you had a 'normal' birthday! Skating sounds so exciting, I take it you must be pretty good to do so much training, much better than my tentative wobbles anyway!

mrsd looong list! I have the same problem with Ds' bedroom. Full of stuff that is broken/lost pieces etc. Need to get him out of the way so I can have real good go at it!

linzer of freshly baked bread. I have a Spar shop .

Hello to everyone else. I hope you have all had a good day and managed to keep on track as much as real life lets you.

Hello everyone,

Today's babystep is inspirational messages. Now personally I am not going to write them down but a bit of inspiration never did anyone any harm. Feel free to add any you have. My own personal favourite is " Life is a rollercoaster, you've just got to ride it" by Sir Ronan of Keating .

These aren't inspirational but made me smile so sod it ,

?Housework is a treadmill from futility to oblivion with stop-offs at tedium and counter productivity.?

"My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint."

"My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance"

But that's not us anymore is it ladies now we are flying .

The mission for today is [[http://www.flylady.net/pages/FlightPlan_Missions.asp here].

Happy flying!

Well, why didn't that work. Try again. Today's mission is here

I really need to get back into this Flying lark but your lists are frightening me, though not as much as the state of our house
Admittedly we have just had a very interesting weekend as ended up with 3 extra children due to friend's illness PA you have my utmost respect, 2 days of 5 children was plenty for me. DH was heard to utter at the end of yesterday '2 is the perfect number'

The mess bomber made it as far south as Bedfordshire whilst I was ill and seemed to make a second run over the w/e - need the bomb squad here at the very least

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all ATM so am going to list what I have done today to try and prove to myself that I have actually achieved something:

• Went for a run (first time in nearly 2 months and it was hard work)
• Most of Morning Routine (failed on cat litter again!)
• Stripped 2 out of 3 beds
• Work, manage to catch up on quite a lot
• Caught Mary Portas' chat
• Went to nice bra shop and managed to buy 1 nice bra. Need to go earlier next time so I don't have to rush off to pick up children.
• Repatriated frog Girl-cat brought in for me. New school pond now has a resident
• DS to swimming lesson

Watching lots of 80's stuff this evening and cringing at all the memories
Just need to finish washing up, shine sink and get to bed before 10.30pm

Sorry I can't catch up individually, night night all.

Well, I did go to the gym (only stayed 40 mins) and play tennis but didn't do much else on the list and have eaten a Mars bar. ice cream and 2 packs of crisps along the way, so not really such a healthy day (note to self - do not get sucked in to trying all the new flavours of Walkers Crisps like you did last year).

Anyway, will try again tomorrow, although my right arm may be so stiff that housework will be impossible (first time playing tennis since school).

Ellie - one of your quotes made me think - what is my favourite household chore? I like unloading the dishwasher when it has just finished and everything is warm and squeaky clean. Apart from that, zilch.

DEM - you're welcome, never need an excuse to stop for a cuppa of any description Chez Dinky.

chairmum - you need to take it easy, yes, but I know excatly what you mean about noticing the house more once you are at home more, I was working 3 days a week till 6 months ago, now unemployed SAHM and so conscious of the state of the house.

SR - wow, busy day, no wonder you are tired. What did you get for the slugs? I alwasy say I won't do pellets, but I always end up using them, but think the ones I have now are so old that they probably don't work any more.

Biddy - my DS rejects at least 90% of everything I cook, it's bloody annoying. To say the least.

Waves at everyone else, and shuffles off to see if DH finished the washing up while she was out.

Well my inspirational quote (to beat perfectionism and procrastination you understand)from my organised Auntie is "If A Job's Worth Doing, It's Worth Doing Badly"

Also I do love the old fave It's no use crying over spilt milk - that has kept me going on many a sad occasion

mrsd final call - yes, sadly pellets. Otherwse there are NO flowers. The slugs in this garden even shred bluebells.

Evening!
Quick pop in for me as it's late.
Managed to finish the presentation I had to do but late home and then we went to friends house for curry. Was lovely
Just home. No flying done but washing in machine to hang out tomorrow.
Very of everyone's impressive lists!

One of my favourite and possibly inspirational quotes?
'Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. But she did it backwards and in
high heels.'

See you tomorrow!

I'm awfully sorry and understand if you wish to remove me from facebook and kick me off thread but... I do have a cleaner come once a week and she does ironing too!!!

Nettie I've just been on that thread too (excellent advice btw).

And (I haven't wanted to admit this either) I have a cleaner. (But my house is still a tip. A generally clean tip, but still a tip.)

Good morning ladies

Sorry about the absence over the past few days. Combination of lurking cough and feeling rough, not enough sleep on election night and I am too old to do that EVER again (well, maybe doing it again later on in the year if they cant get their act together, but I will have forgotten how bad I felt by then!!) Real life has also got in the way a bit! - how dare it!!

I am impressed with all the lists and activity on here! I am limping along the runway with a little flutter here and there, I am so of those of you with cleaners. I used to have one when DCs were younger and the wonderful feeling of walking into a clean house once a week is fondly remembered.

Ellie - Sympathies about the teenagers and GCSE work. As a mum to them I recognise the mantra. I am at a loss as to which line to go down, the "Dont worry, we are proud of you whatever" - to which the response has been "You mean you dont care what ever I do!" and a "Do you think you should be actually opening that book to do revision, or is it all on the front cover and facebook?" to which I get "I have done loads of work, you have no idea! I have only just clicked on facebook to see if everyone else is revising!"

SR - I have seen far worse on facebook! I am always a bit hesitant about what I type on there because it is so public!

MrsD well done on the NCT sale.

LInzer - Mmmmmmm smell of fresh bread..... mmmmmm!!

Chairmum Definitely a good thing about no CS. Having had one, it takes so much longer to recover. I cant be doing with the "too posh to push" crew. - I will hide my soapbox before I explode!!!

Feetheart Well done on surviving 5DCs! Do you now have empty food cupboards?

MissB - love the quote!

SC where are you?
DWM hugs to you and I hope this month is going ok for you.
Waves to Biddy, Nettie, and everyone else I have missed.

Long day at work yesterday, then a brain numbing evening of filling in an online application form for a job for DH. THREE hours it took!!! I had lost the will to live half way through, let alone work for the company!!

Exciting day today as I am moving offices! After months of workmen disruption/freezing cold office/computer problems/everything being upside down Today everything is going to be moved to a lovely large, clean fresh office. It even has french doors out onto the garden, which will be lovely in the summer. It will probably take the rest of the week at least to get everything straight.

So not much time or energy for take off at home. I think I will stick with minimal babystep routines for the rest of the week and anything extra will be a bonus.

Looking sunny out today, but toes nearly dropped off when I opened the door for the cat! Good job I have been too disorganised to put my winter woollies away yet! Always a plus to not getting around to things.

MissB - your quote has started my day off with a big smile

Morning!
PA good to see you and hope the office move goes well.
We too are suffering from the revision stress and whatever you say is never the right thing, as PA points out!!!
Feetheart chaos in Bedfordshire must be a geographical phenomenon then? So I can't help it - she said hopefully
Right, must go off to work and try and tame the mess later on.......though 'tis swimmming tonight. And I must at least attempt to show interest in DDs even though often rebuffed! Don't you just love teenagers