Today I have for you another installment from the “31” class from Ali Edwards.  You can read more about the class at BPS here,  The class is “officially” over but I am still working through the writing prompts….a little busy with that stuff called every day life…

31/2  Morning

During the week, we start the day early around here (and most times on the weekends too, just not quite so early!).  I find it easier to start earlier in the day and have come to appreciate more the benefits of getting “up and out” early rather than late.  I used to be a far, far bigger night owl than I am now (although I should head to bed several hours earlier than I regularly do) I think that the years I worked in NYC and having to get up every day, sometimes far before dawn, to catch that commuter train into the City has changed my internal clock somewhat.

Like to think it’s that, not just getting older and getting up for the Farm Report like my Grandfather used to do.

So, most mornings alarms go off at 6 and on a good day, Charlie and I both get right up, about half the time there is a failing for the “sleep” button.  Charlie heads to the shower, I head in to get the girls up…we are trying to get them used to getting up with their alarms but Lily needs extra prodding even with her alarm on LOUD…it usually takes her 10+ minutes to get out of bed…with alot of “Lily, time to get up”  “Feet on the floor (which was my mother’s favorite, whereby I would just put my feet on the floor, the rest of me still in bed) “Rise and shine”  etc…  Gwen is much ,much better at getting up and some days is already up and getting ready when I come in to get her up.  The girls wash up and get dressed (usually forgetting something like a belt which means a mad dash back upstairs when they’re supposed to be walking out the door) and I take breakfast orders (bagel, cereal, eggo) and lunch order (sandwiches or leftovers) and I check to see if Charlie wants breakfast or (sometimes) his lunch packed…then I head downstairs.

If Charlie is traveling, I wash up a little and throw on some clothes before heading downstairs, because I have to take the girls to the bus stop.  If Charlie is driving them (which I think is great because it gives him a little more time to spend with them each day) I stay in my pj’s until after they leave.  Once downstairs, I turn on the lights and light the fire under my copper tea kettle to make tea for myself and Charlie.  He takes Twinings Earl Grey with a little sugar and his goes in a travel mug.  I take Twinings English Breakfast with more sugar, and mine goes in a regular mug.  I then start making lunches-I layout their lunchboxes on the counter the night before and, if I’m super organized, I’ve put in the “dry goods” the night before  (chips, treats, fruit cups) and only have to add in sandwiches or yogurts and a freezer pack.

There are usually multiple “urgings” sent upstairs (read yelling “hurry up, you won’t get breakfast!”  “you’ll miss the bus”  “downstairs now”  ) while I am making lunch and breakfast.  I start breakfast for the girls just before they are coming downstairs so it’s hot  for them.  They usually eat at our island table in the kitchen while I finish making lunches, review the schedules, make sure they have all their school things, discuss the day and mediate disputes.

I pack up the lunches and help the girls get them in their backpacks while they are finishing breakfast…todays lunches were:  Lily:  Peanut Butter on whole wheat, yogurt with cookie crumbles to add in, a banana, a container of fresh berries, shark-bites fruit snacks, a piece of home made brownie, ritz peanut butter cracker pack, and spicy nacho doritos and as a special treat, a little bottle of “sunny d”.   Gwen:  Nutella on white bread, cherry yogurt (encouraging her to go beyond key lime) a mandarin oranges & jello cup, a container of fresh berries, fruit rollup snack, a piece of home made brownie, ritz peanut butter cracker pack, smartfood and “sunny d”.  They also each take a big water bottle.  It all barely fits in their lunchbags and it seems like alot of food but they still get to have a morning snack and most days the bags come home empty and the girls are ravenous.  Since the school went “healthy” with their school lunches, the girls can’t stand them so they take lunch almost every day, and I’m fine with that.  The three sheets of lunch tickets I bought at the beginning of the year have not been used up yet, and it’s mid-May.

Charlie comes downstairs in the middle of the pandemonium and some days has an english muffin with peanut butter or butter or, a bowl of cereal and some red grapefruit juice.  He checks his backpack and organizes his stuff for the day while the girls get their backpacks collected, jackets, shoes etc…  if we are running late, it’s “breakfast to go” which is a waffle and syrup in a little cup in a rectangular take out container or, “breakfast in a bag” which is cereal or toast in a baggie.

Charlie gets a good-bye kiss, I walk everyone to the back gate and wave them good-bye and they are off!

The rest of my early morning is tidying up after breakfast, emptying the dishwasher, putting in a load of laundry, making myself something to eat and eating breakfast while I read the paper or check emails and plan my day.  There is almost always a list involved to keep myself organized and on track…I never really expect to get everything done but it’s a good guide and reminder and it’s so helpful to ‘brain dump’ so I don’t have to remember everything.

I find that the days that I get more sleep, my (our) mornings go more smoothly.  The more I can do the night before, and the earlier I get up, the better.  The days that I start in right away attacking my “to do” list I get far more accomplished and feel less guilty about working on a personal project later in the day.  Being home right now, I find it very easy to get off-track and have half the day slip by without feeling “accomplished”…but that is OK on some days, and some days I just need to get it done!  I like the rhythm of the weekdays and I also like the weekend mornings when everyone is home puttering around doing their things but all together in the same house…

…now, second cup of tea and off to vacuum and clean up this place!