July's Fledgling Flyers : The dc's drive us round the bend, the school holidays descend, our sanity we will lend, and flying will be our friend

[elliepac]

Welcome to the July edition of the Fledgling Flyers where we are going to attempt to restore order in our houses, chatting 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 July 1st.

quick sign in:
Sink full and mucky,
lounge under 4ft material
bedroom - also under material and hidden lego boxes
Laundry - awaiting shoving in machine
I am very very very tired
ds is on a sleep med break and very very awake.

why doesnt the fat fairy have a magic wand for days like this?

Hi DTG - I have lots of "free" days - well I would have more if I wasn't so disorganised

sink shone, everything in kitchen cleanish and tidyish
still not tackled any papery stuff, though filled in ds2 referral forms for Pysch.
Also cleaned out car and wiped down with "carwipes" what a brilliant invention!
Cubs were impressed by fresh smell, however there is now a box full of horror on the doorstep from said car.

MrsD I used to spend all my time making different kinds on icecream - boo hoo even brown bread icecream and expresso icecream
DEM tomorrow start again, but go to bed now if ds lets you. Best of luck.

I've been too embarrassed at my lack of flying to post much recently. I find it difficult to get on with things with DD1 around in the mornings (and then all three DC in the afternoons), although it's no excuse for not shining my sink at least.

DEM Very tired here too; I'm having to fit all my work into the evenings at the moment and haven't had more than about five hours sleep for days. I keep telling myself that five hours uninterrupted sleep would be a luxury with a newborn! (How are things going, Chairmum?)

DTG Nice to see you again! Austria is hot and sticky and the summer holidays are too long, but otherwise life is good.

Just sent off the last of today's work; my bed is calling. I hope to have slightly more flying to report tomorrow!

Very proud of myself because this evening, instead of falling asleep on either son's bed, I did all the washing up and put it away, polished my sink till it shone, ironed clothes ready for tomorrow, laid all the clothes out ready, put socks in shoes, emptied and made ready the lunch boxes and put out sun cream, a comb, hats and a clean flannel (for DS2's face after breakfast - unbelievable! And he's the oldest too). Also did the missions: cleaned my kitchen counters and even went so far as to boil up some cloves and cinnamon in a saucepan to make the kitchen smell nice (DH, on his way to bed, bleary-eyed, "What on earth are you cooking at this time of night?").

Big round of applause pls!

Still keep looking fondly at my empty control journal, but sadly haven't had time to start filling it up yet.

I think I was inspired to do some serious flying tonight by everyone's lists on this thread. How do you all do it?

PA - hope you are feeling better now. What a lovely 'meshage' though!

Ellie - are you still there or under the marking mountain?

Swan - poor you! I have just had a streaming cold and it was horrible. But it disappeared overnight. You must have gone into hyperactive mode today, with all your activities and your shiny sink. Hope you are resting now (a brandy with the Lemsip works wonders apparently ).

Feetheart - glad there are no illnesses or broken limbs today. Long may it last.

MrsD - pls share that chocolate ice cream

DTG - welcome back and good luck with the missions and control journal.

Hi to everyone else - MissB, Linzer, Ad, DEM (hope son didn't keep you up too long) and all those I've missed.

Linzer! Just missed you! You sound a bit overwhelmed by everything at the moment. I do understand about the working-at-home issue. I am really struggling to meet my work deadlines at the moment and everything else just has to pile up around me. I think that's why I just had to have a go at the kitchen this evening. It will cheer me up to come downstairs to a bit of order in the morning.

I think the boys are getting used to me working on the computer and ignoring them at the moment, but it's hard on them because I'm usually available. Both have grumbled a bit about it, but are remarkably tolerant really. I wouldn't normally expect to work whilst they are here, but have had no option recently.

Like you, I am surviving on too little sleep because I'm having to work at night to keep up. Overslept dramatically this morning and only had half an hour to get everyone up and out of the door.

Congratulations on sending the last of your work back today. Hope you get a good night's sleep tonight.

Linzer it's the same here in Germany. So hot and I haven't slept properly for days because of teh heat. This mnorning it'S abit cooler adn I had a full nights sleep but still feel tired.

I didn't get on here yesterday but I got up to a shined and empty sink this morning, the whole kitchen looked better because of it -proud! If I can keep it up I can go ont o the next step.

Toffeefudgecake that sounds like a very organised and productive evening and you got loads done. I also end up working late most of the time - if I'm not in the kitchen at 10pm I'm at the computer doing work. I only work when dh brings me something to proof read from his colleagues but it's always the type of work 'omg dr. so and so has to hand this in/submit this paper by midnight or by tomorrow morning'!

Morning all,

I've decided to try to be a bit more organised today; I really need to focus on the babysteps and also get back into the habit of making a list.

Done so far:
WM on (2nd load; I was congratulating myself for having almost caught up on the washing as DS was dry again last night - but then discovered that it was DD2's turn last night...)
DD2 and DS to Kindergarten (on bikes so feeling very virtuous)

Still to do:
Rest of morning routine
Afternoon and evening routines
Shine sink
Write packing list for holiday
DS to doctor's
Prepare tomorrow's English lesson
Send birthday card to DD1's godmother (have just had to e-mail her for her address as I've mislaid my address book again)
Forward said friend's address to other friend from whom I'm buying birthday present

Toffee I managed to oversleep this morning as well, but luckily it's not such a rush in the mornings at the moment as there's no school. Permamently tired, though.
How do you manage to work with the DC around? Any tips greatly appreciated! I can get away with working for around half an hour if I have something really urgent on, but any longer than that and it's very difficult.

Also feeling v. fed up as DD1 was supposed to be staying on at my ILs after our weekend there (until today). However, SIL then remembered her DS has a doctor's appointment today (quite why DD1 couldn't stay at home with PIL during that hour or so is beyond me), so it wasn't convenient after all. I could really do with a good rant but this thread isn't the place for it! Was hoping to vent to friend this afternoon but she's had to cancel as her DD is ill, so shall unhealthily bottle it all up instead (I try not to moan to DH too much about his family, but he's quite annoyed with them this time as well).

Maybe I should channel my frustration into doing something productive - I might actually get some flying done then!

x posts admylin - that's great news about the sink; well done! I haven't even managed to get as far as the shiny sink this month.

Glad to hear it's starting to cool down a bit in Germany. Thankfully it's cooler here too this morning but 31/32 degrees forecast for the weekend...

SOrry about not getting on last night, marking got me busy again.

The step for today is here hot spots.

The mission for today is here.

JUst have to get through this week and then i can get back to normal..

Flying visit to let you all know that I managed to not murder anyone yesterday, I got through to bed time (somehow) and feel refreshed, although harrassed this morning.

I have the auditor coming into work to check all my accounting for the past year today, so stress level is through the roof, especially as this is officially my first day back from being away from this office for 2 weeks. [panic]
Getting myself all worked up and running around like a blue ***ed fly!!!!

Will try to catch up with everyone tonight.

Ellie hope you are emerging from your marking marathon.

Flying at home certainly taking a very back seat - so far back it must be out the door and round the corner!!!!
It WILL improve and I WILL have time to draw breath at some point before the summer holidays - I hope!!!

Linzer - 5 hours sleep would be bliss. Ds is having a sleep meds break so there is a distinct lack of sleep. sunday night was up every half hour. Last night he was up til about midnight. Chucked him into school today (mean mummy) and going back to be. Hope chairmum is having lots of luck in the sleep department. super woman needs her sleep.

Night.

Felt like I did lots yesterday but today's list looks suspiciously familiar

• Morning routine
• Work
• 15 mins in kitchen somewhere
• DS and I to friends after pre-school for play/catch-up
• Put away rest of camping stuff (including all the stuff I am still ignoring in the car)
• Email School Assoc committee re 'stuff'
• Hairdresser coming after school for DS and DD
• Pizza for tea
• DD to Brownies
• Afternoon/Evening routine
• Ironing in front of football
• Attempt to catch up with thread
• Collapse into bed early

Better get on then, have a good day everyone

DEM Poor you, that's very little sleep I've resorted to putting ds2 in his room with a paddington story tape. Dd keeps coming down, ds1 seems to believe it is his duty to share supper with us at 9pm at all times This drives me mad, but dh likes to chat to him so it continues...Our children are going to bed late and then refusing to wake up which is very frustrating on school days. Then at weekends they wake up too early [grr]

just off to work now, having done bare minimum here
done
rung dad about freight
kitchen tidy
washed tablecloth
put more on ironing pile
cancelled this morning driving -felt too bleugh for it

still haven't put dates in diary, feel a bit overwhelmed bb when I've done it

Linzer sorry about ILs
Toffee that's amazing

Hmmm, can't work as SAGE won't let me on, more time for Flying then

Linzer - sorry about your ILs. Have a good rant, we don't mind. Channelling the anger into flying is a good idea too.

I'm not sure how I'm working with the children here, to be honest. I think I'm just so panicky about getting the work done that they pick up on it. They do interrupt constantly, of course, and I'm not as productive as when I'm alone, but at least I get something done. Yesterday, DS2 went out into the garden and, luckily, went into a little reverie. I set up the baby monitor so that I could hear that he was all right (couldn't see him) and I could hear him chatting away happily to himself whilst I worked. Later, I gave him some water and washing-up liquid to spray the aphids and that kept him busy and happy for a while longer. Of course, he's not always like that and sometimes I just have to give up on work. Or turn the television on (thank god for the new Thunderbirds DVD DH bought him the other day!).

Sorry you aren't getting enough sleep - it's horrible. I went to bed late last night and therefore overslept again this morning. We were up and out the door within half an hour, but I could do without the morning panic.

Ad - another late bird and proofreader! What is it about this thread?! Well done on the shiny sink. It really does give you a psychological boost in the morning.

DEM - your broken nights sound like hell. I have been through it with both boys and it was just awful. Why does yr boy need sleep meds, if you don't mind me asking? My DS1 still has a difficult time getting to sleep at night, but at least he doesn't wake up again till morning. Being woken up every half hour or so is torture. Poor you. Things are so much easier to cope with if you are getting enough sleep.

Managed to do my routine this morning, so kitchen is looking fine. No washing today, because I think I need to put some washing away before I start on the next load.

Back to work now...

Don't have to do today's mission because my mum sorted out all my containers for me when she cleaned out my cupboard - whoopee! (And I don't understand why I had about 5 containers and 22 lids. Where did all the missing containers go?)

Hi everyone - sorry was awol yesterday. Am feeling rather low with money worries/bank phoning up etc.

Anyway, today I need to:

Do washing up
Clean kitchen counters (definite hotspot)
finish sorting ds old clothes currently strewn all over living room floor.

Right, back from work, need to
todo before pickup
ironing
post CAMHs form get Ist class stamps (as it secondclass envelope)
tuna pasta for supper?
buy giant laundry bags for freight-dad's car
hang out tablecloth
find some more spare framed pictures from upstairs to send to Eire
cancel veg box for next week
pay bill
diary dates
buy jif
piano
put clothes away in bedroom
send envelope to mum with sae to various holiday clubs that need to be paid in Euro forhols

will start with stamps errand and laundry bags

has just spken to DSis in Eire, she is finding it very difficult supervising 3 actionpacked teens(one a French exchange) and I broken limbed 8 yr, all boys needing leadership and five mile walks. She is in countryside, and not particularly energetic herself, so no immediate bootcamp solutions. Making me realise I must gird my loins for hols or it will be disaster!!!! must get ultra fit for camping /survival etc.

Toffee your children sound v. sweet, you must have inspired them by hard work.

Swan - thanks. DS2(4) is very sweet, but DS1(10) is often surly and argumentative and behaves like a teenager already. He does respect me working though (knows he's going to get a treat when I get paid).

Sorry to hear you are sending forms back to CAMHS. Have been through all that with DS2. Hope they can help whatever the issue.

Queen - sorry about the money worries . That's familiar to me too! If it's any help, I complained about bank charges last month and they actually reimbursed me. Look up the Martyn Lewis money website, which gives you lots of advice. I followed it, complained to the bank that we were in dire straits financially and they were contributing to that and hey presto - money reimbursed! (They had taken about £300 from our account, bloody thieves!).

Have been working all morning, so no housework done since morning routine. Might put a bit of washing away after lunch, but work has to be top priority at the moment (and checking up on Mumsnet, obviously).

Need to update my list to keep myself on track:

Washing 3rd load on
Ironing done
Afternoon routine
Shine sink
Evening routine
Write packing list for holiday
DS to doctor's
Prepare tomorrow's English lesson almost done
Send birthday card to DD1's godmother done
Forward said friend's address done

DEM Hope you managed to get some rest - it makes my four or five hours look like a good night's sleep.

Toffee I think you're right about the children picking up on your panic and allowing you to get on with things a bit more than they would normally. The TV is always a good standby too; the only problem is that I haven't found anything that works for longer than about half an hour, an hour at the v. most.

Toffee and admylin We should form a sub-group - flying proofreaders! No chance of a RL get-together, though, with us being in three different countries (at least I assume you're in the UK Toffee - whereabouts are you, if you don't mind me asking?)

Checking MN is an essential part of my working routine, I must admit. It gives me an incentive to go upstairs to the computer in the evening, but I have to restrict myself to only checking at set times/when I've finished a section, etc.!

QoD Sorry to hear about your money worries.

swan I don't envy your DSis; it makes me realise I might have it relatively easy after all...

Have had a good rant in the German corner (sorry you had to hear even more, admylin) so have got ILs out of my system for now, I think. I was feeling in a much more positive frame of mine until yet more work arrived - so my hopes of an early night tonight have yet again been dashed.

Toffee my ds2 adores Thunderbirds too!
linzer that's a good sign, re:telly watching limited to 30 mins, mine could watch it for hours which makes them thoroughly bad tempered. They do prefer dh to watch it with them though

done
CAHMS [how do you spell it?)form posted
tax return posted (from Dec 09!
paperwork ruthlessly sorted -hence finding tax return again, last time I found the letter from bank saying where was it? which I then ignored thinking must be some mistake, now I've found it in a drawer still no penalty as owed something

laundry hung out
ironing done (dh can do his shirts later)
gas bill paid
papermountain reduced
violin lesson paid
new bin bought
freight bags bought
jif forgotten
various uniform for kids ordered
junk from car sorted, washed, chucked etc

diary filled with lots of dates, more to come but a start.

swan hope you have some joy from cahms
Linzer sleep is all relative. if you normally get more then 5hours makes you feel rough. I am just glad we only have to go through this every 100 or so days.

Toffee because he lacks melatonin or something that lets him sleep. when not on the sleep meds this is his normal sleep pattern and was until last sept when someone on here suggested the melatonin and I askedfor it from the doc who said it was a suggestion that could be tried. The melatonin has helped reduce a lot of the behavioural issues we had before hand too which is an added bonus. Thankfully though he only needs half of the dose the doc prescribed which is actually less then the company's medically recommended dose for success. But if we dont take these breaks it has been suggested that the melatonin might stop working. Which is a fate worse then a weeks worths of no sleep.

Todays to do list was:
morning routine - at speed cos over slept. woke 8:20 left house 8:40 got to school 8:45am
sleep done got 3 hours and feel worse for wear though know it will have helped
afternoon routine mostly done
Evening routine - needs to wait until after tea which is cooking. when asked what ds wanted for tea the reply was spagetti with meatballs. No meatballs so going for the ketchup option. I like lazy cooking sometimes. ds is vegging with tv. life saver this week me thinks

right as coffee has now hit brian might go see if i can catch up properally and remember this time.

Right, today, have done:

School, pre-school etc runs
Take DCs to tennis after school (alas only DS can play, much to DDs annoyance as it is for over-6s)
Shopping with DD for non-supermarket stuff (market day here)
Washing - one lot
Mega watering of garden. Have put sprinkler for an hour onto each of 4 sections of border to give it a huge soak, my nightly waterings just aren't doing it.
Mulched said borders and topped up potato sacks with compost
Made ice lollies with DD
Moved a crate of board games from corner of living room to shelf understairs following relocation of toolboxes to garden shed. Hoorah!
Tidied DDs bedroom (had to in order to find some missing paperwork, which turned up in my bedroom under a pile of clean washing
Cleaned all kitchen counter tops and top of fridge, and swept floor.
Phew.

DS is running in and out of here re-enacting every kick of the Uruguay-Holland game as it happens, am going to give him a red card and send him to bed at half time. I'm planning to go to the gym later.

Wow MrsD
we too are in midst of football. dd is totally uninterested and making a poster instead, making me feel like a thoroughly bad mother for not having an A3 sheet in house (she is making it out of several A4 sheets stuck together)

furtherdones
delicious tuna pasta rejected by all except ds1 (cream, fried chopped onion, lemon peel and tuna)
dd made herself supper [ah well, that's one way to get them to learn to cook]
swimming afternoon - not a great success, but now everyone seems refreshed and at least clean
otherwise everyone has been in a rather trying mood, including me!