How’s your new morning routine going? I’m encouraged at the slow and steady progress I’m making each day in following my New Morning Routine. I’m far from where I want to be, but I’m going to focus on the forward momentum I’ve made this week — instead of being discouraged at how far I am from where I’d love to be!
Here’s how Day 6 went for me:
6:30 a.m. — My alarm goes. And I turn it off and go back to bed. {Yes, I know… I feel like I’m the worst example this week when it comes to early rising and discipline. But maybe I’m an example of how to give yourself grace when you’re tired or something?? ;)}
7:10 a.m. — I get up and realize it’s 7:10 a.m. — yikes! Gratefully, I have a quieter day today schedule-wise, so I’ll just jump in and make the best of the day, even if I’m getting a late start. I head downstairs to clean up the kitchen and living room.
One child wakes up and immediately starts whining. So I send them back to bed until they can have a better attitude.
7:30 a.m. — I’m finished cleaning up the kitchen, so I go back upstairs and clean up our room, make our bed, and go to gather up the laundry in the hampers so I can start a load. I’m excited to realize we don’t have enough laundry to run a load — yay!
I write out a to do list for the day. While doing so, I realize that I’m supposed to go grocery shopping today. So I go back downstairs and clean out the refrigerator to make room for the new groceries and make sure we don’t have any “science experiments” made up of old leftovers growing somewhere in the back of the fridge.
8:06 a.m. — I make some coffee and grab my Bible and books and go back to sit in my comfy chair in our room to read my Bible. Silas follows me upstairs and asks if he can sit on my lap and snuggle. So while I read my Bible, write in my Blessings journal, and read 3 short chapters from Pursue the Intentional Life, I have a little buddy cuddled up on my lap. And I soaked up every moment of it!
8:43 a.m. — Jesse comes in our room and we chat for a bit while I’m cuddling with Silas. I finish with my Bible time and Jesse makes bacon and eggs for breakfast and then the kids and Jesse eat breakfast while I read a chapter from The Saturdays aloud.
Then I head out to the garage to run on the treadmill while listening to my Scripture memory passage (Romans 1) on the YouVersion Bible app. And then it’s time to open the laptop and start on my morning computer work.
How did you do on your morning routine today? Let us know in the comments!
Adriana says
This series has been soooooo inspiring to me! I so wish I could tame our mornings in a similar way. This is how it usually goes during the week:
6 am – alarm goes off. Hit snooze.
6:15 am – Get up, take out dog, wake up 4 kids (this is during the school year).
6:30 am – eat breakfast with my husband, start packing lunches, attend to other dog, sometimes dishes
7:00 am – Go up to take a shower and get ready for day.
7:30 am – Come back down and spend next 15 min. barking orders, trying to clean and pack (on days I go into office, which is 2-3x a week. Otherwise, I work from home and those mornings go much more smoothly.
7:45 am – Leave
I usually get to work under this schedule about 8:15 after I drop kids at school.
Summer is different! I still have to go to work but later is OK and camps usually start at 9. I’m hoping to tune my schedule to get some prayer time in and fitness. I’ll post again.
By the way, where did you get your Blessings journal? I’d like to get or make one similar.
Crystal Paine says
You can do it! I’m cheering for you!
My mom bought my journal for me from Scripture Memory Fellowship. They are really hard to get ahold of and I have yet to find anything that’s similar, so I actually have some pretty exciting news… we’re releasing our own Blessing Journal!!! We’ve been working on putting it together this past year and it’s finally almost done. You can see a sneak peek here: http://instagram.com/p/pJzaTLDz1n/ {I’ll share more details when they are available — I’m so excited!}
Gina says
Heard a great speech recently and one point was “Make your bed every day. Even if the rest of the day goes horribly, at least you got one thing accomplished.” The speech is terrific…definitely worth a read or listen if you have a few minutes.
http://www.lifebuzz.com/10-lessons-from-navy-seal/?fb_comment_id=fbc_878558755493314_878618172154039_878618172154039#!YAvaS
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for sharing this!
Susan says
I’m a firm believer that if you constantly need an alarm to wake up, or if you’re regularly having to force yourself out of bed, then you are not getting enough sleep, or enough quality sleep. Regardless of whether you’re a “morning person” or a “night owl” or whatever, if you’re getting the sleep your body needs (it varies from person to person, but in general 7-9 hours) and you’re on a consistent schedule, then you will wake up naturally.
Jen says
I have loved to see that nearly every day things don’t go according to your goals! I am an all-or-nothing type, and I get so discouraged if things get derailed that I give up. If I had a week or two like yours after setting goals, I’d just assume it’s not going to work for me. Thanks for showing that it’s worth it to keep trying to move towards your ideal. I have a newborn (and a 2yr and 4yr old) so I keep thinking, oh someday I’ll have a routine…..but I’m inspired to come up with one now! It might help grow me out of my all-or-nothing-ness!
Crystal Paine says
While I still am shooting to do better about getting up earlier, I don’t ever expect to do my morning routine “perfectly”. But I’ve found that writing it out and aiming for it, helps me be a lot more focused and productive. Without a plan, I tend to be a lot more distracted and less efficient.
Bob says
Stay safe while running, do not listen to loudly, it could be dangerous with all the cars.
Bob says
Could you please add o to my to (too), sorry.
Thank you and take care 🙂
P.S. Your blog is awesome by the way 🙂
Jen says
She runs on the treadmill. 🙂
Bob says
Yes, but most people who listen music while running on a treadmill do it as well while running outside. I told it to her just in case.
I do want her to get hurt in the future. Have a good weekend 🙂
Jessica Hanson says
Today was a major fall back 🙁 I woke up at 7:40 and realized not going to make the gym workout class in time, both boys were still sleeping so I went back to bed also, for five minutes 🙁 oh well, but after a slow wake up I decided to eat cereal and pick up few odds and end get kiddos dressed and take a walk, when got back decided to accomplished my morning routine. Finished before lunch!!
Crystal Paine says
Hey, it sounds like you redeemed your fall back. GREAT job!
Roma says
Awake at 4:15 and made coffee
Started bible reading\ prayer at 4:30 ( historical reading plan)
Exercised at 5:45
Make bed then clean up kitchen at 6:15 did this while listening to the book of Philippians on audio.
Forgot to pray for missionaries so off to go pray some more
Showered and got ready to run errands.
I am a morning person and don’t have littles anymore. I look forward to whatever the Lord has in store. Thanks for letting me share!
Crystal Paine says
Sounds like you had a great morning! Thanks so much for sharing!
Julie says
I wonder if I start whining in the a.m. if my family will send me back to bed until my attitude changes ! That would be a GREAT experiment to try . LOL !!
Jen says
Haha!!
Crystal Paine says
😉
Ashley P says
It was actually a lazy morning for me today. I didn’t have to make coffee for my team (never do on Fridays), so I stayed in bed 10 minutes later than usual, fed the baby, played with him a bit, watched a video online, and went to work.
Now, once I got to work, the laziness was over. They moved my desk last night to a new computer so I’ve spent all morning setting up all my applications, documents, and webpages. Now I’m going to have to work extra hard to catch up. At least I was able to get ahead yesterday so catching up won’t be as bad.
Crystal Paine says
At least you got a little extra sleep to make up for all the extra work on your plate on Friday! I hope you’re able to have a somewhat restful weekend!
Challice says
Oh! I LOVE the Saturdays! Oh the memories! Gone Away Lake is also fun.
We’re doing Homer Price right now by Robert Osomethingoranother. Fun fun fun!
Carrie says
I love The Saturdays, Gone Away Lake, and their sequels too! I haven’t yet done The Saturdays with our kids, but we did the Gone Away Lake books a couple summers ago. Some of my all-time favorites. 🙂 We also really enjoyed Homer Price, and its sequel Centerburg Tales! So many good kids’ books out there . . .
Crystal Paine says
We’re loving The Saturdays! And we LOVED Homer Price! Such a fun book!
Kristin says
Love these posts of your morning! 🙂 and yes, showing that you hit snooze on the alarm is a great example of giving yourself grace. 🙂
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for your kind encouragement!
Amie says
I am still working on a morning routine for the summer. There’s really no need for an alarm clock in my house. I have a 9 mos old that still wakes up 3 times a night to nurse (11, 2, and 4). Yes, yes, I know. My husband gets up and slips off to work around 5 and usually my other children descend upon me by 6:30. If there is ever an opportunity to get extra sleep, I take it. Today, things went like this:
Finished nursing the baby (yeah, he nurses again around 6:15)
Got up when the other children came in – around 6:40
Changed the baby and put him in his pack and play
Slipped outside to plant a few seeds in my garden and water it
Let the dogs out
Cleaned up after the dogs
Made the “big” boys breakfast
Bagged some flash frozen bananas
Made breakfast for myself and the baby
Put the baby down with a bottle
Started a load of laundry
Started a loaf of bread in the bread machine
Sat down to pump and use the computer
Got up to make snacks (bananas, drinks, and cheese)
My plan for today is to have the kids help out with housework… washing down base boards, putting away their laundry, and picking up their neglected playroom. I have a bunch of errands I need to do around the house: litter boxes, turtle tank, mopping, clean out the fridge, and deep cleaning the bathrooms. Hopefully, we will have the afternoon free to have some fun. I have no idea what I want to make for dinner tonight. My husband and I purchase our meat in big family sized packs and then freeze meal sized portions. That way we just take it out to thaw the day we cook it. It will be either pork, chicken, or something with ground turkey because that is what I have. lol.
Becky says
Amie, my 9 month old is the same way. Loves to nurse through the night and wake up nice and early for me! 🙂
Crystal Paine says
“If there is ever an opportunity to get extra sleep, I take it.”
Good for you! I love that you’re giving yourself grace. That’s a beautiful thing!
Elizabeth says
Looks like such a peaceful morning. Seems like we’re always running here even on the weekends (this weekend is a convention and we’re having all our siding stripped and insulation put into the attic and walls hooray! yes we didn’t have any) and I could use a simple morning.
Yesterday was:
7:02 – up/coffee/PC
7:26 – Start breakfast, conversation w/Husband on phone
7:34 – eat breakfast/PC
7:48 – … I wrote down “Got confused” I think I lost time due to mind blanking, pick up laundry
7:50 – make lunch … which was promptly stopped because I noticed someone (could have been me who knows) put away my bento box damp and there was mold trying to form .. yum…. not! So I cleaned it up and put it in the dishwasher for a second cleaning
7:54 – pack my gym bag, which was harder than it sounded I need to tackle the folding it took me forever to find gym clothes, Repack new lunch (a can of soup and a water)
8:04 Get ready for work
8:18 Iron shirt for work… noticed the cuffs, collar and pocket covers were all wrinkled
8:39 Start Laundry
8:40 Start Dishwasher
8:42 Leave for work
No schedule just total chaos. Another blog I read was talking about ‘being a homemaker’ and my response was that I wasn’t a homemaker I was just ‘disaster relief’. LOL
The cuddle time sounds awesome though! I miss my girls. I’ve got a few more weeks before I get to go swoop them up at BNA.
Tracy S. says
I got an extra half and hour yesterday, too. 😉 Everything went fairly well otherwise. And I had to send one if mine back to their room for attitude yesterday as well! Must be something in the air between Nashville and Birmingham. 😉 We did have a good conversation about how attitudes are contagious. Good learning moment for him and a rather convicting one for me.
Sarah Mae says
Good morning, friend! Day 4 of my new routine, day 3 of getting up at 4:30 to do the couch to 5k (I took off yesterday and slept until nearly 8am)! It feels so great; there is something exhilarating about getting up before the sun rises to workout. Weird, especially for me!
Now off for some coffee and reading! 🙂
Crystal Paine says
You’re SUCH an inspiration! And I’m so proud of you!! Now you just need to move to our neighborhood and we can get up and run together. 🙂
Jenni says
I had to take off the last two days for minor health reasons, and I have found I missed it (though it was nice to sleep until 8!!). But tomorrow I’ll start up again. Hoping I get up!! :).
Ai @ Less to More says
I’ve noticed that you do laundry everyday. Is that better than having one big laundry day? I usually do laundry in two days: one day for kids clothes, another for mine and my husband’s. But I’m wondering if the once a day thing may be more efficient.
Tracy S. says
It works better in my house to do it about once a day otherwise that’s all I’m doing all day long and I get overwhelmed and crabby. Also, I don’t hear my 9 or 4 year old tell me they’re out of undies or socks when I do it regularly. 😉
Ashley P says
I just throw mine in when the hamper is full. Usually every 2-3 days.
Susan says
I too prefer to do a load whenever we have a full load’s worth of wash. This way it never piles up.
I’ve wondered how Crystal retrieves the laundry from her kids’ rooms every morning without taking them up. 🙂
Jessica says
I used to do laundry all in one day, but since having our second child and moving to an apartment with an outdoor laundry room, I found that I just couldn’t seem to get it done in one day. It was really frustrating to me to not finish. So I was inspired by Crystal to do a load laundry every day. I do a particular load on each day. For example, on Monday, I wash towels, plus dia my and my husband’s shirts, underwear, etc (basically, not our heavy clothes)
Jessica says
I accidentally posted the above comment before I finished. What I was saying is that I do towels on Monday, my and my husband’s light weight clothes on Tuesday, delicates and sheets on Wednesday, kids light weight clothes on Thursday and everyone’s heavier weight clothes on Friday.
We cloth diaper our two youngest, so I wash diapers on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Ai @ Less to More says
Wow! I didn’t expect to get so many responses! Thank you, everyone, for sharing your laundry system. Ok, I think I’m convinced that spreading the laundry loads throughout the week is definitely less overwhelming. Maybe that will get rid of the thing in the corner of my bedroom called Mount Laundry. 🙂
brooke says
We have five kiddos. We have (and have had for years) some bedwetters in the bunch. So I often have to do with 3-4 loads per day to keep up. But at least 1-2 of those loads are blankets/sheets … easy to fold. I used to have one laundry day when the kids were fewer and smaller. I spent the entire day on it. But over time, the loads increased. I also have found it nice to have a “do this right now” basket in front of my washer. It has the blankets/sheets that were wet on and we can also throw in any wet towels, washcloths, urgently needed items. That way no one runs out of the really important stuff. 🙂
My morning schedule hasn’t been time dependent. We’ve been through a lot of crisis over the last years and it has made a “timed” schedule impossible. But regardless, things go best if I fold a load/start a load of laundry, put away all the dishes from the day before out of the dishwasher, make my bed once my littles crawls out, and get ready from the start.
But I get stumped on exercising. Our schedule is very randomish (husband’s work), so any given day I can’t count on a particular time to exercise. I am tempted to stay in workout clothes all day just in case the time arises, because if I am already nicely dressed I tend to not want to go change and get all sweaty! A schedule is definitely hard (very hard, actually) right now. Additionally, my youngest 3 tend to get up around 6am. 🙂 And often neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed their vitamins or something to eat. Time alone with a spread of little to teen is a really high commodity around here.
Crystal Paine says
I usually try to do a load from start to finish 4-5 days per week. This works pretty well for us and helps us to keep (mostly) on top of the laundry.
Jessica Claire says
This week we have VBS at a local church so my morning routine has been thrown off a little. But I am ok with that for VBS! We just moved and our 7 year old wasn’t in school long enough to make any friends. So I am trying to get him out and about this summer with other kids this way.
As far as my routine goes, my husband set the alarm clock for 4:45 PM instead of AM. We went to bed pretty late last night though so I was thankful for the extra hour of sleep. It was probably better this way. However, I do hope to wake up at 4:45 AM tomorrow morning! 🙂 This way I am able to nurse our newborn and get to the gym before he leaves for work in the morning. I also ran a few errands this morning. I am trying to get all of my running around done in the morning time so I am home during the afternoon for nap and then the early evening to start dinner. So success there! Although I don’t have a strict routine, I feel good about the general idea I have going on here. And really, who can have a strict routine with a newborn and 2 older boys anyway, right?!
Thanks for the daily encouragement to get my rear in gear in the morning. I never would have thought I could work out in the morning! It has helped tremendously!
Crystal Paine says
You are doing a GREAT job! And if you’re going to get up at 4:45 a.m. tomorrow, you’d better get to bed right now. 😉
Jennifer says
I hope you remembered to eat some breakfast!
Crystal Paine says
Whoops — I forgot to mention that I ate after I finished running (just updated the post with that info). Thanks for looking out for me! 🙂