Getting on a schedule

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Getting on a schedule

Here is our day…
6:45- My husband gets up & I start to stir (although I am tired from waking up w/ allie every 3-4 hours!)  I can’t for this little bundle of joy to sleep longer!  She will do 6-7 hours on occasion & was doing great, but then got an ear infection & forgot all about sleeping in long stretches! haha. 🙂
7:00am- the kids are allowed to get out of bed at this time (“No talking or getting up before 7.”  They need 12 hours a night & if I let them get up any time, they would not get these 12 hours) , so our door opens at 7 am & they say “Good Morning, Mom!”  (I have made it a point to have them say this.  I don’t want to be woken up by hearing ‘I’m hungry! or Wake up!.   I want a pleasant start to my morning, just like they do) 🙂
I get ready (takes about 5 minutes)  My clothes are picked out & hanging up on my bathroom door from the night before.  All 4 of the kid’s outfits are also picked out & ready to go.   I make my bed while they “shave” with Daddy.  They each have pretend razors and use shaving cream.  They love it!)
They get ready & we all head downstairs around 7:20.   NO TV until they are completely ready- shoes on, teeth brushed…
Breakfast happens here, followed by brushing teeth/mouthwash, shoes one, coat & back pack ready at the door (moved from their hook at our mudroom area bench)
8:10- first one gets on the bus
I use this time to feed our newborn before our 2nd heads off to preschool 20 minutes later.
I get her up, feed her, change her, get her in her carseat (on days I drive)…

TIP: IF I CAN GET ALL OF THE KIDS IN THE CAR FIVE MIN. BEFORE WE HAVE TO LEAVE, (OUR CAR IS IN THE GARAGE) I CAN RUN BACK IN & DO A QUICK CLEAN-UP SO THAT WHEN I COME HOME, IT WILL BE A NICE WELCOME, INSTEAD OF A “BOO! LOOK AT THIS GIANT MESS THAT YOU MADE IN THE KITCHEN. WELCOME HOME!” LOL.

This leaves me with two hours of free time (well- when you only have 2 kids at home, it feels like free time) to do what I need to do & have one-on-one learning time with Ethan (two year old- he’s not in preschool, so I am doing his preschool stuff at home…. I have him watch the Letter Factory at least three times a week.  My older boys learned them in like two weeks watching this fantastic movie!) while Allie (newborn) naps. This is also when I would run errands or go out to my MOPS groups or to the gym. (or as my 2 year old calls it… “Jim’s house”.  hahahaha!!)

12:00 preschool is over & its time for lunch.
12:30- our two year old naps.  Our 4 year old & I have some time together & then he has about 30-45 min. of quiet time. (playing alone) – which is also my quiet time (watch TV, read, get online).

During these next few hours, I do a few things…. I make sure I’m up on my 15 min. of cleaning… (I FOLLOW flylady – ITS GREAT FOR CLEANING SCHEDULES!!!  It is only 15 – 30 minutes a day.  woo-hoo!)   I also TRY to make dinner during nap time, this doesn’t always happens, but makes life so much easier if it does happen.   I prepare it & then when my husband says he is on his way home, I just have to pop it in the oven! 🙂 Easy!  This only happens like 4 days a week- the other days, I am in a frenzy around 4:00 trying to get stuff prepared with everyone home & awake! haha!  Procrastination is never the way to go!   I do this because when I would wait until 5 to cook, everyone is cranky, crying, hungry….  so if I have it prepared earlier, I can just offer some fruit or veggies to hold them over & get them onto something else instead of pulling on my leg while I cook.

Around 3:30 our son gets off the bus & the kids play for about an hour
4:30- homework & chores (read about this)
5:00- bath & showers followed by play time or TV time (I can focus on giving our baby a bath if they are watching a movie on TV)
6:00- dinner when my husband gets home (snacks afterwards if they ate dinner)
7:00 up to bed.  Each of the older boys reads one book to me & then I read them a chapter from a chapter book.  The younger ones get one book & go to sleep.

The rest of the night is free…
I use this time to:

– clean anything left out.  Fold the load of laundry (I DO AT LEAST 1-2 LOADS EVERY DAY- with a family of six, I have to!) & get things ready for tomorrow.
– Get breakfast planned (if its cereal, I get the bowls out, the cereal out & the milk is ready in the fridge for them to pour).   If its frozen wheat waffles, I get the toaster out  (Oh- there is nothing on my counters except our kitchenaid mixer & bottles.  I like a clutter-free kitchen.  It makes me feel good to have it be clutter-free, again this is just for me & what I like.  If you like your stuff handy, but all means- keep it out!! 🙂  It sure is faster! ).  
Before I go to bed I make sure that the kitchen is spotless (I don’t want to come down to a mess & start off adding a mess to a mess) & I make sure that the pillow are back on the couches (from the kids & my husband laying on the ground watching TV & using the pillows on the floor).
Someone once told me to never put off now what your future self won’t want to do later.  So true!

I pick out all of our outfits (the 4 kid’s clothes & my own) & lay them out so I can get ready quickly in the morning. AGAIN- NO STRESS IN THE MORNING BECAUSE I AM PREPARING NOW.

This leaves a good two hours of just down time for my husband & I to watch our shows or play a board game or some time for me to get online while he watches TV or works out in the garage. 🙂

YOU CAN GET ON A SCHEDULE TOO! 🙂