Morning Routine

Here is an article that I read recently:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthaettus/2014/11/17/morning-routines/

First, I wanted to point out that there NO evening routines!  I want to see BOTH!

Let's review my morning routine.

5:25 AM - alarm goes off, and I jump out of bed - I am the first one to shower.  After the shower, I do my hair, and put on my make up (I would be a scary ghost if make up was not applied.)

5:48 AM - into the bedroom and confirm that my hubby is awake. . . . . I might jump out of bed, but he shuffles (not a morning person).  We make the bed together, locate the remote, and turn on the WBZ news for the weather and traffic.  I jump into my clothes (which I mentally picked out while I was in the shower) and put on my jewelry (every day I wear jewelry). 

6:00 AM - Enter Naomi's room, to confirm she is awake - 50% of the time she is dressed and playing; the other 50% of the time, she jumps out of bed, goes to the bathroom and gets dressed.  I then enter Mark's room . . . . . . wear the alarm has been buzzing for a few minutes, and he is DEAD asleep.  DEAD asleep.  Turn on the lights and basically yell his name until he wakes up . . . . . . he shuffles out of bed (not a morning person), turns off the alarm, resets the alarm for the next morning, and shuffles to the bathroom to shower.

6:05 AM - I bounce to the kitchen, where I empty the dishwasher (and dish drain if needed).  The breakfast table has been set the night before - post dinner clean up.  I text my BFF to talk about the morning routine with the kids . . . . . I check my email, to confirm no dire personal emergencies.  I start a CD, and I pour the medication for the kids for their breakfast, pour the waters for breakfast and then start packing a lunch and snack for Naomi, pack a lunch for Mark and pack Adam and myself a lunch.  In the kids lunches, I write a little note. 

6:15 AM - Naomi comes downstairs, and we put on her earrings, and she gets the newspaper, and then pours her cereal, and I pour her some milk.  I return to the lunches.  If Mark comes home after school, there is a note on the front door with his tasks listed (call your mother, have a snack).

6:30 AM - with any luck Mark, the preteen, shuffles downstairs, hopefully with his hair brushed and his eye glasses on (most mornings I have to send him back upstairs to complete one if not both of those tasks).  He pours himself a mountain of cereal and some milk, and starts to eat.

6:35 AM - Adam comes down to breakfast and makes the coffee.  Finish up packing the lunches and putting the lunch boxes in the backpacks with Mark's cellphone.

6:40 AM - Adam and I each have a bowl of cereal.  We read the newspaper, and we discuss with the kids any interesting news stories, such as 12 feet of snow in Buffalo or news about Israel.  Gentle reminders about the afternoon routine.  Naomi likes the comics and the cancan.  Each kid brushes their teeth and reads at about 7 AM.

6:55 AM - grab coffee, walk around saying goodbyes and get my bags and leave for the day.

Adam makes sure everyone has weather appropriate jackets and shoes, and gets the kids on the buses, and then he leaves.

7:20 AM - arrive at the office.  Use the treadmill desk for 30-60 minutes (depending on the day) to check my email, the news and other interesting websites.  Make sure my to-do list is in good order, and make sure I know about each appointment.