New Weekday Schedule

I remember my mother having a board with a grid of days and times, covered with clear vinyl. She would use a grease pencil to fill in the grids the different activities she planned to do during those times. I also remember in a family home evening everyone writing out a morning routine on index cards. I learned that routines and schedules help make life go more smoothly. They are particularly helpful when trying to add new activities or habits to your life. By connecting a new activity to an already consistently established activity in your life, you greatly increase your odds at becoming consistent with that activity, too. So, to help incorporate my new goals and habits I have come up with the following weekday routine:

5:55 am Wake up, prayer, say good-bye to my Seminary Student, laundry
6:15 am Make breakfast, school lunches, iron dh's shirt
6:45 am Breakfast with the rest of the kid's. Vitamins for everyone.
7:00 am Clean kitchen, clean out fridge on grocery day.
7:15 am Cyrus and Elsie in tub, washed and dressed. Wipe down bath during conditioner.
7:30 am My shower and get ready, wipe down my bath, make beds and tidy room. Do Elsie's hair.
8:10 am Read Country Study picture books at bus stop.
8:30 am Laundry, dinner prep, clean kitchen.
9:00 am Fruit snack and read to Cyrus
9:15 am Exercise, then talent practice (piano, tap, draw)
11:15 am Pick up time, lunch prep, lunch with Cyrus.
Have preschool/play time with Cyrus.
Personal Scripture Study time.
Work on projects for the day.
3:30 pm Little kids get home, go through backpacks, mail, kids have snack and do chores.
5:00 pm Pick up, final dinner prep.
5:30 pm Family dinner, then clean up and pj's, family scripture study and a sweet treat, brush teeth
8:00 pm Family Prayer, prayers and kid's reading time in bed.
9:00 pm Kid's lights out, laundry, my bedtime routine and read.
10:00 pm Light's out, prayer and sleep.

So far, even with dh home (cause we all know that can throw schedules off) things have gone well, if not always to the letter time wise. I worked on my talk for Sunday during my scripture study time. Now, I'm off to do some work for my calling...I'll finish this post later.

There are, of course, interuptions for errands day, play dates, gymnastics and dance classes, etc. But, I don't fret if it doesn't all go as precisely as planned. It's more of a structural frame work to bring a background of order to the unplanned chaos that life so often is.

New Sunday Schedule

Yesterday was the first Sunday of the year and the resulting change from 9 am church to 1 pm church. I much prefer the 9 am. Mostly because I love having the "get everyone ready and to church on time" over with and because I love Sunday afternoon naps. It was also the first day of my planned new personal schedule:

Wake up and shower
breakfast
dinner prep and kitchen clean up
Baths/Showers/get everyone ready for church except for clothes
Work on PP, Faith in God, Duty to God, etc. with kids.
Calendaring and planning for new week.
Noon Lunch
After lunch Dress for church
1 pm Church
5 pm PJ's, Family dinner
After dinner Kitchen clean up, family scripture study then relax time and a treat
8 pm Family Prayer, teeth brushed, kids prayers and in bed reading
9 pm My bedtime routine and read
10 pm Personal Prayer and Sleep

I haven't set times for the morning, because I think it will vary from week. Yesterday it was fast Sunday so there were no big breakfasts. We had leftovers from our New Year's turkey dinner, so there was no dinner prep. And the girls had their showers the night before, so we spent more time than necessary doing fancy hair dos. So, we'll just play that one by ear, simplifying where necessary to make sure we get what needs to be done completed.

One of the changes I am trying to do is to have dinner earlier and to do pj's and family scripture study right after. I'm hoping we will feel less rushed on evenings when there are activities to get to and that pj's right after dinner will help streamline bedtime. We are in the habit of getting out of church clothes right after church, so it felt like we had just changed and we were doing pj's. So, maybe on Sundays we'll just change right into pj's right after church unless we need to go to a fireside or other meeting. Sounds comfy, right?

A Confession

I admit it. I'm nosy. I'm one of those people that if you invite me over I have to check out your decorating, or if we run into each other at the store I glance in your cart to see what you are buying. It's not that I mean to butt into your business. It's just that my sleep deprived brain has difficulty coming up with its own brilliant ideas, so I'm on the look out for yours! One thing, I'm always curious about is how other SAHM's spend their days. To be fair and to make ammends for all the spying I've done, I thought I would share what I would be doing this week. At least besides the laundry, dishes, diaper changing, etc.

Monday: Errand Day: bank, Lowe's, Michael's, Kroger
Kid's activities: Track Practice, Choosy Kids Club
Dinner: Quick Pasta

Tuesday: Paperwork day: bank deposit, state taxes, rsvp's, renew prescripts, Dad's bday card
Prep for family night and Mia Maid class activity (Easter party)
Kid's activities: track practice, family night
Dinner: mini meatloaves

Wednesday: FTPILD (For the people I love day): bake cookies, pumpkin bread, food for mops, sew Easter dresses, call mom
Kid's activities: track meet, scouts, activity day, young women's
Dinner: ham and bean soup

Thursday: Room Focus Day: Nursery: Deep clean, declutter
Mom activity: MOPS
Kid's activities: track practice, gymnastics
Dinner: Breakfast Carmel Rolls - new recipe (Yes, for dinner -Bad Mommy!)

Friday: Clean/Organize Day: sheets, shower, kitchen, vaccuum, mop, organize 2005 photos
Mom activities: Mary Kay Facial (reluctantly), Date with Dad (Yay!)
Dinner: Citrus chicken

Saturday: Garden/Yard/Family Fun Day: finish turning garden soil, plant more seeds
Kid's activities: chores, University Science carnival
Dinner: Welsh Rarebit
Also: Young Women's Presidency Meeting and Young Women and their mom's come over for ice cream sundaes and watch rebroadcast of General YW meeting.

Okay, now I am tired. This is the plan, but it won't all get done. That's okay. Just having the plan, keeps me focused. Now stop watching me!