How I Do It: My Morning Routine

Unfortunately, the Panthers lost yesterday.  But they sure had a great run this year!  Here’s hoping next year brings more of the same.  It’s been awhile since they’ve had a winning season, and I honestly think it’s helped the morale of our city.  Well, that, and the fact that they’re bringing back the Charlotte Hornets!  Cannot wait!
I had a reader email and ask me to do a post on my morning routine.  Like any other day, I’d love for a routine to become an ACTUAL routine, but as always there are hiccups along our journey, to get out the door!  And while I know y’all would love me to tell you that I’m super organized and have the kids’ lunches made the night before, and their clothes laid out next to their beds, that is definitely NOT the case.  I honestly think I’ve done that once this school year so far…the night before the first day of school!  Come to think of it, I probably should do that, as our mornings would go a lot smoother, but I guess there’s always room for improvement.
Alright, here it goes!
5:15 Wake-Up
6-7 Work-Out
I either run, or go to a work-out class (it’s like a barre class, mixed with pilates, weights, resistance training, etc.).  I also work the desk there 2-3 times per week (5:30-7:15a shift).
7:15 Arrive Home
All children (and the hubs) are still asleep.  If anyone is up when I get home, it’s the girls, and they know to play in their room until I get home.
7:15 Change the Girls into Clothes
This usually involves me picking out clothes for W, while E goes to the closet and chooses what she wants to wear.  E definitely has a fashionable opinion – wonder where she gets that from?  My mom said when I was really young, I had a turquoise dress that I wanted to wear every.single.day until finally, she had to HIDE IT!
7:30 Breakfast
Turn on TV, girls eat breakfast (banana, Nutrigrain bar, yogurt, milk, etc.)
7:45 L Wakes Up
Sometimes L wakes up sooner, but he plays in his crib until I can get in there and change his diaper, clothes, etc.  Then, I bring him to the table to eat breakfast.
8:00 Hubs is Awake, Gets Ready for Work
I make coffee, lunches for girls, and then the hubs sometimes comes downstairs to make everyone eggs, usually in the middle of getting himself ready for work.
8:15 V Wakes Up
Okay, so lately V hasn’t been waking up in time to have breakfast before I take the girls to school, so I normally change his diaper, give him his milk cup and put him straight into his carseat (usually around 8:40), and then instead of running errands, we usually come back home and I let him have breakfast and we play.  I like to do activities with the boys, while the girls are in school, usually right after I drop the girls off, but with this weather being so cold, it’s been easier to get back to our warm house and play there.  The boys are so young, they don’t seem to mind it, and I love that it’s their brother bonding time.  Once the weather warms up a bit, we’ll get back to long stroller rides, trips to the nature museum and the park.
8:30 Load the Car (On a good day it’s 8:30! Usually it’s more like 8:45a)
The girls’ school starts at 9am, and goes until 1:00pm.
Getting the car loaded up in winter takes so much longer than in the warmer months.  We don’t have a garage, so our car is freezing, and if it’s raining, that’ll add another 5-10 minutes to get them all into the car.  Thankfully, the girls are becoming more independent, so they usually put on their layers of coats, hats, and gloves.  I have to bundle up the boys, carry them out and buckle them in.  And I usually have to help buckle E in too, both girls are still in five-point harness carseats.  I’ve had a few readers ask what kind of car I drive.  A suburban.  Love it dearly!
And off we go about our lovely morning!
Thankfully, carpool is offered at the girls’ school, so I’m able to drop them off.  On pretty days though, we’ll walk in, and the boys are pushed in the Double BOB.  I know L is perfectly capable of walking in with us, but he’s never in any hurry, so it’s easier to put him in the stroller.  Plus, it’s much easier to watch two kids walking in the parking lot, than THREE!
Alright, now were y’all wondering what kind of hiccups I was talking about, that have slowed us down at times?
Here are just a few, off the top of my head…
Temper tantrums
Diaper explosions in the crib
Boozer’s throw-up
Lost car keys
Lost gloves, mittens, jackets, shoes, etc.
If you have a house with children, how does your morning roll?
Like I said, I need to work on being more prepared the night before.  That’s a big one for me.
Happy Monday!

36 thoughts on “How I Do It: My Morning Routine

  1. Oh, I've never heard that old wives tale. We had thunderstorms this weekend also and my kids would be so excited! Although, I'm hoping for 10 days. I am running a 10k Saturday morning 😉

    Sounds like you have a great routine! My 3 big kids have to be at school at 7:30 and the 2 littles have preschool at 8:45. Makes for a choppy morning routine.

  2. I have a pretty routine day and it's rare if our day is out of wack. The only thing I can do to keep that up is to prep the night before. We have hiccups, of course…I have an almost 6 year old and almost 4 year old…

  3. You sound so organized! I am not a morning person and my husbands leaves at 6:30. Luckily my 6 year old has started getting everyone cereal around 7:45 (he uses a step stool). He loves helping out – sometimes he even brings me breakfast in bed if I'm not up. If he weren't so independent I would struggle. We leave coats in the car since the bulk isnt as safe but I keep I snuggly blanket to put over them. When we get out of the car I put them on then. Honestly usually shoes are in the car too – I really need to get my act together ;). I am so impressed you get up so early to exercise!

  4. I always made lunches the night before as well as picked out clothes. This made the morning routine easier and 2 less things to worry about in the morning. I know it isn't easy with 4 children.

    1. I need to make the lunches the night before! You're right, definitely less stressful, especially when they see me making it in the morning, and want to eat it RIGHT THEN! lol.

  5. WOW i am so proud of you for getting up and going to the gym in the morning. Do you live close to the gym? I love my sleep so it is hard to get up in the morning and go..

  6. Thank you so much for this post! Its really impressive! Maybe it will give me some inspiration to get up earlier. Also, thank you for responding to comments. I've seen quite a few blogs lately where they never respond to question in comments.

    1. Thanks so much, Jenn! Means so much! Working out early is the BEST, you're done early, and then feel energized for the rest of your day! You're sweet to say that about responding, I love responding. Plus, it lets readers know that I'm actually listening. 🙂

  7. WOW your day it a lot too. I have 5 kids 7,5,3, and twins 17 months. I teach 2nd grade and have to be at work at 7:15 each morning. Hubby and I wake up at 4:20 get ourselves dressed. 5:00 Hubby goes into the kitchen to fix lunches and breakfasts for the kids. I am ironing clothes for the kids. Kids wait up about 5:10-5:15 put their clothes on brush teeth,etc. 5:20 getting twins up diaper change, clothes etc. If hubby finishes up he dress on twin while I get the other this is anywhere between 5:20-5:30. By 5:30 I am combing my oldest hair for school while she is still eating sometimes and making sure the boys hair is brushed as well. If all goes well we are out the door by 6:10 this allows me to drive and drop off the twins at my aunts house, 3 yr old at school and at work by 7:15. Hubby has to leave at 6:00 because his drive is 1hr. 20 min. each day. Yes, our mornings are crazy, but we love it and would not have it any other way. There are sometimes in between that I comb my hair and put on makeup. If all the kids acts good then it' a good morning and we are out the down with no problems.

    1. You are a WONDERFUL mother. And your husband is a godsend. Truly, truly blessed. You make my morning look like a cake walk. I used to teach first grade, but it was before I had children. Seriously, don't they become your babies too? 🙂 God bless you!

  8. I literally roll through the house like a hurricane in the mornings…and all I have to worry about is myself, HA! You are so lucky the girls don't start school until 9. I have to be at school no later than 7:15 which makes for tough mornings.

    1. I remember those days! When I taught first grade, I had to be at my door, greeting the children at 7?! And I also remember how when I was pregnant everyone used to tell me how hard it was going to be, to have to wake up with my new baby during the night and early morning. The best part for me was when she'd get up at 6ish, I'd feed her and then she'd sleep till 9! Would never have had that luxury if I was still teaching!

  9. Thank you for posting your morning routine! Love it! Wondering though how you get up in the AM? Do you go to bed super early? Drink high test coffee? Out workout clothes out the night before? Thanks so much!! Love reading your blog!

    1. I've always been a morning person. I just set my alarm the night before for 5am, and then get up (no snoozing). I usually go to bed around 10-11. The hubs and I always have a late dinner, and then catch up on shows after that. Haha. I do drink a lot of coffee, especially now that I've given up my beloved Diet drinks! And I do lay out my work-out clothes the night before. 🙂

  10. Random, but how do you manage boozer and babies?! I'm nannying a 7 week old babe and was told I can bring my puppy with me. She's my fur child and am curious as to how toale everyone happy…

    1. Boozer has always been pretty independent. He has a doggy door off of our kitchen, that leads to our fenced in backyard. So thankfully, I'm not constantly having to let him in or out. Inside, he has free roam of the downstairs, but when we have company over, he freaks out and gets way too excited, so we'll either leave him in just the kitchen or put him in his kennel in the kitchen, but he loves his kennel. He's really really good with the kids, but it doesn't take much for him to run outside. If they start touching him, bugging him…he'll run out. Smart dog. As for feeding him, he doesn't get fed at a certain time of day. I just usually fill it up, whenever I see it empty. He's definitely a grazer. Hope that helps! Nannying is the best job ever! I used to do it a lot, growing up, and I loved it!!

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