Monday, March 23, 2009

Making Your Home a Haven: Morning Routine


I'll admit it: there are some days when my home feels more like a high-security prison for mentally ill and hostile persons than a haven, to put it gently.  

There are days when I just seem to forget to put on a happy face and then my children just seem to mirror, if not exaggerate Bad Momma, causing the whole day to go souther than south.  

Totally their fault, riiigghhtt?

Wrong-a-roonie.

What I've noticed over the years is that if I just let nature dictate the course of my day, my nature ((sin, that is)) is to serve myself wholly and liberally, rising as my iron-clad will determines and becoming swiftly irritated if any little wee bodies get in my way with their "Feed me!  Clothe me!  Shelter me!" shenanigans.
 
Structure.  Give me structure.

Now, I don't mean to say I'm up at the crack with my clipboard and whistle, but I need a routine--a morning routine--to get me firmly grounded before those little people even dare to open one wee little eye.

The challenge posted by Tammy is to devise a simple routine of only five items.  Here's what works for me:

1. Start a load of laundry
2. Exercise
3. Shower ((and dress, of course))
4. Make tea
5. Read Bible & pray for my kids ((only me))

This helps to shape a Good Momma, preppin' me for the onslaught of cheerfully meeting the delightful needs of my best beloveds throughout the rest of our blessed day together.

Well, at least until lunchtime.

Need. 

More. 

Prayer.

((And maybe a lick of that Sweet Potato Cinnamon Roll, too!))

Do you follow a morning routine?  Do you get up before or with ((or after)) your kids?  Do you like to play drill instructor with a clipboard and whistle sometimes just for kicks?

14 comments:

  1. I know what you mean!

    Blessings to you as you make your home a haven.

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  2. I'm good with "going with the flow", but freedom is best accomplished on purpose, so a little routine points our faces in the right direction!!

    Our #1 items are the same - I'm pretty sure I could walk downstairs, get into the garage and rotate the laundry with my eyes closed!

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  3. When do you rise? I do those things most days but I'd love to get them accomplished ALONE. LOL. My kids are up at the crack of dawn.

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  4. I am loving this idea (list of 5 things to add structure)....BUT I am super curious...exactly what time do you get up? I have prayed earnestly for a while now that God would make me a morning person...I have started getting up earlier but I am not quite sure that I would be considered a morning person yet as it still takes me 2 hours to start talking. :-)

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  5. PS. I had to tell you this....I was reading your last post with your menu planning and the entire time I was reading through everything, I thought the WW stood for Weight Watchers! Pahh Haa Haa!

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  6. Well, goodness, it seems that morning routines are on everybody's minds today ;)
    I'm working on the morning routine, but it's tricky. So, nothing down pat yet.

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  7. those sweet potato cinnamon rolls look delicious.

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  8. I know what you mean. I need to sort this out as well. Mind you, if someone would make those rolls for me in the mornings I would start my day with a smile on my face :-)

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  9. I had this wonderful morning routine and I don't know what happened to it. Now this is how my day starts...

    [someone is poking me in the eye] "Get up, momma. It's daytime."

    Please pray for me, too. My life has become ridiculous! :o)

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  10. OK,So I am doing a week of "healthy breakfasts" on my blog and am sooo going to use your sweet rolls recipe but am gonna tweak it by using pumpkin YUM! Look for them tomorrow. OH and do you soak your flour before you make them? I think I am going to try it tonight and see what happens. THANKS for posting the recipe...they look so yummy!

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  11. Yep, I have a morning routine. I have less than 10 things. But I need to get up earlier. My struggle is a dh who wants me to stay up with him very late, then wanting to get up early and not getting a nap. I'm getting very tired.

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  12. Yep, I have a morning routine. I have less than 10 things. But I need to get up earlier. My struggle is a dh who wants me to stay up with him very late, then wanting to get up early and not getting a nap. I'm getting very tired.

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  13. I'm so impressed that you can get laundry in first thing in the morning!!

    I don't have much of a routine; it all depends on our plans for the day, and when Hubby is working (he does shift work, so some mornings he's around, some not).
    I really would like to work on getting up before everyone else to have a shower though, it makes the morning so much nicer. But then I'd have to go to bed earlier...

    Hello from the UBP by the way, and thanks for visiting my blog! :)

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  14. I'm afraid I have children who hear my eyelids opening. No matter what early hour I have planned, they are up with me. So, I stay up late for my "alone" time, too!

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I'm gonna shut up now. Please, tell me what YOU think.