Don't you just love those days that run as smooth as silk? Ah, but then I wonder...what is in store? LOL The calm before the storm, per say.
I know it's been FOREVER but I've actually been busy blogging daily on my fitness blog, so you can always get a little update on me (although definitely fitness-slanted) whenever you want. Just click on my profile and you'll see the link there.
I think I've finally figured out what works well for me, for our family, as far as a schedule goes. I wanted to post it so I can look back for future reference if ever need be. Keep in mind that this is the SCHOOL days schedule and I only have 4 little ones at home during this time. When the big kids are home all day, that's a whole 'nother animal.
But the funny/ironic thing is, the reason why it doesn't go that great on those days, is all because of me. I am lazy, oh yes I really am, and when I don't have to get up early in the morning? By gosh, I am not going to! But I see that is where things start sliding and it just keeps on going from there. So during the summer, we'll have to see what we can do to fix that. =)
I haven't quite perfected our schedule yet, but I am tweaking it's little heart out and am finally getting some great results. First, it was Motivated Moms that really "motivated" me - ha ha. Really, though. The little checklist has done wonders for me but I don't follow it exactly. Not yet, anyway - maybe soon.
I've written before about how schedules just drive me bonkers and I feel so constricted. Well, I figured something out. If I schedule in time for ME, enough time, then I am perfectly happy to work hard on my other duties during the day, knowing that time is coming and I have NO GUILT enjoying that allotted time for me to relax. It's really nice!
Here's how we do it:
6:40 am - I am excited to roll out of bed each morning because this is when I weigh myself. =) It's always fun to see the scale and/or body fat percentage dropping especially when I've worked hard on exercise and eating the day before.
I wash my face in COLD water (this is awesome!), brush my teeth, get dressed to shoes and fix my hair. I hate to clean the bathroom, I mean it really gets put off way too much during the week. So my solution? I do it a little at a time, BEFORE anything else in the morning.
So each morning I do just one of the following in BOTH bathrooms (takes about 3-8 min):
Organize/wipe down sink & counter
Wash mirrors
Wash toilet inside/out
Sweep/Wash floors
Wipe down shower w/magic eraser
So far it has worked out really well! It's taken care of for the day and not this looming chore that I keep putting off and feeling guilty about every time I step foot in there.
Next, I get all the kids' clothes put out, down to their socks & underwear. I know I could do this the night before, but I like doing it in the morning - works for me!
Next, I make the 3 older kids' lunches, and get my kinder her snack.
At 7:40 they all wake up, and of course it's super busy with fussy tired hungry kiddos. At 8:00 we all pile in the car and I take 3 of them to breakfast at school. Back home at 8:15 I get cereal for the two little ones, and my one 8 year old who doesn't like breakfasts at school. This is a special time with him, because it's suddenly just him and the little ones. Makes him feel important and we have a little one-on-one.
I deliver him to school at 8:35, and we're usually back home at about 8:45.
DS2 goes down for a nap, and so does DD 6m. DD3 does something quiet like watch a movie or paint, or play with playdough.
This is my time to exercise! And my time to talk myself into doing it, lol. It has helped SO, so much to have this time slotted out - every single day, it is my exercise time at 9:45.
I begin with stripping down, then step on the scale for my final bodyweight check of the day - it is usually about 6oz down from my previous weigh-in so it's just a little fun thing I like to do. Plus, it gets me street clothes off and helps me to put on my workout clothes. I usually check some of my favorite blogs real quick for inspiration, and/or make a quick blog about how I'm going to work out whether I feel like it or not! Keeps me accountable because then it's out there for all the world to see.
I've got work to do!
Mon-Wed-Fri I do my warmup, then pushups training, then 20 minute circuit workout, then Diva Derriere. Tues-Thurs I do my warmup, then 15 minute circuit workout, 18 min. HIIT jumprope/jumping jacks, 5 minute rest, then 20 minutes of moderate cardio (aerobic dance).
All in all, I usually start at about 9:10 or so, and my workout generally lasts about 60-70 minutes. It's all chopped up and varied so I don't get bored, it's not like one long workout.
At 10am I wake up DS2 - he usually doesn't sleep, just has quiet time in his bed.
Approx. at 10:15, I brush my skin all over my body for 5 counts, then hop in the shower. I have to get my daughter at kinder at 11:15, so ANY spare time I have between the shower and picking her up, is spent tidying around the house as fast as I can. More done now, means less to do later!
DD6m wakes up at 11am for a bottle, and then we're off to get my sweetie at school.
11:30 we're usually back home, where I promptly make lunch for the 5, 3, and 2 year olds. By this time I am REALLY looking forward to my breakfast! I like to workout on an empty stomach and wait for a full hour once completed, for maximum fat burning. I usually make oatmeal and eat it while the children are eating their lunch, around 11:45.
At 12pm the two littlest ones go down for a nap and it is time to bless my home!! For the next hour, I work hard to clean and tidy everything - kitchen, family room, living room. I sweep, do dishes, pick up toys, start laundry, and also in the back of my head, plan for dinner. If I need to start the bread machine, I'll do that, or throw something into the crockpot.
I rarely get everything done that I need to, but I like to make it presentable so that if someone were to just drop by it would be pretty darn nice looking! Sparkling maybe not so much, lol, but at first glance - a cozy clean home.
1pm, it's my time! I love this time. (of course) I get to do whatever I've been wanting, usually blogging or surfing the net or reading a book. DD3 goes down for a nap at this time, usually playing quietly in my room in her little corner until she falls asleep at about 1:30 or so. DD5 plays on the computer or watches a movie.
2pm, it's naptime for Mom. I try to carve out this time for me to get some rest, due to the ever-growing demands at night that keep me from sleeping then. I'm usually sleepy from reading or lying on my bed with the laptop so it works well! I set my alarm for 2:55.
3pm, we're off to get the kids at school! It's super busy after that, we do homework after an hour or so of play. The kids help clean up the house or if it's clean already, I give them a chore or two that needs done like folding towels, emptying the dishwasher, vacuuming, etc.
4pm I start thinking about dinner again and make a salad, pasta, or whatever else needs done. This usually takes up all my time (in between helping with homework, kissing booboos, reading books, etc) until dinnertime.
6:15pm we usually eat, as that is when DH gets home. We spend about 45 minutes around the table together, then it's busy again with chores in the kitchen and making sure the kids do them, and do them well. Doing them well is the trickiest part, isn't it?!! =)
8pm we put the kiddos to bed, and I start picking up the house so it'll be clean for the next day. My daughter does the dishes, but there's always some food that needs to be put away, DH's lunch to make, floors needing swept, etc that keeps me quite busy.
9pm DD10 and I usually watch a movie together or I am on the laptop doing this or that...it's quiet time. DH goes to bed around 9:30 so sometimes I'll go to bed with him, or stay up with DD, just depends. I try to be in bed no later than 10:30.
So that's it in a nutshell! =)
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