Daily Schedules

Since school started back last week, we have slowly been getting into a routine/rhythm. Going into a new year, I never quite know what our schedule is going to look like, but being completely OCD, I try my best to plan it out and then tweak as necessary. This year has been no different.

I thought that school would take 3-4 hours, but after starting have realized it will only take 1 1/2 - 2 hours (maybe a little more if the subjects get tougher), so that really changes our previously planned schedule.

I know that I always enjoy looking at people's schedules to figure out ways that might work for our family, so here goes:

MONDAY
7:00am - Lee, Luke, and I wake up and do our morning routines (Lee - get dressed, make lunch) (Ashley - get dressed, make bed, start laundry, make breakfast) (Luke - get dressed, make bed)
7:30am - Luke and I eat breakfast and Lee leaves for work
8:00am - Nathan wakes up and eats breakfast (I clean up the kitchen while he eats his Cheerios)
8:30am - Play with the boys
9:o0am - Go to the library
10:00am - Nathan goes down for a nap - Luke and I do homeschool
HOMESCHOOL TIME
10:00am-10:15am - Bible
10:15am-10:30am - Handwriting
10:30am-10:45am - Reading & Spelling
10:45am-11:00am - Math
11:00am-11:15am - Science
11:15am-11:30am - History
11:30am-11:45am - Geography
11:45am-12:00pm - Spanish
Of course every subject doesn't take exactly 15 minutes, some take more, some take less. This is just a rough overview. If we finish early, we just hang out until lunch time.
12:00pm - Luke, Nathan, and I eat lunch
12:30pm - Play with the boys
2:00pm - Nathan naps, Luke naps/rests/has quiet time, and I have my down time (or do some dinner prep and/or chores)
4:00pm - I feed Nathan a bottle and Luke has video game time (he can earn up to 30 minutes a day)
4:30pm - Bathe the boys
5:00pm - Play with the boys
5:30pm - I cook dinner while the boys play
6:15pm - Family dinner
6:45pm - Family playtime (Nathan gets a bottle sometime before bed)
7:45pm - Get the boys ready for bed
8:00pm - Bedtime for the boys (Sometimes Nathan goes to bed earlier, sometimes Luke goes to bed later)
Lee and I have a flexible time until bedtime
11:00pm - Lee and I go to bed (that's the goal at least)

TUESDAY
7:00am - Lee, Luke, and I wake up and do our morning routines (Lee - get dressed, make lunch) (Ashley - get dressed, make bed, start laundry, make breakfast) (Luke - get dressed, make bed)
7:30am - Luke and I eat breakfast and Lee leaves for work
8:00am - Nathan wakes up and eats breakfast (I clean up the kitchen while he eats his Cheerios)
8:30am - Play with the boys
10:00am - Nathan goes down for a nap - Luke and I do homeschool
HOMESCHOOL TIME
10:00am-10:15am - Bible
10:15am-10:30am - Handwriting
10:30am-10:45am - Reading & Spelling
10:45am-11:00am - Math
11:00am-11:15am - Science
11:15am-11:30am - History
11:30am-11:45am - Geography
11:45am-12:00pm - Spanish
Of course every subject doesn't take exactly 15 minutes, some take more, some take less. This is just a rough overview. If we finish early, we just hang out until lunch time.
12:00pm - Luke, Nathan, and I eat lunch
12:30pm - Play with the boys
2:00pm - Nathan naps, Luke naps/rests/has quiet time, and I have my down time (or do some dinner prep and/or chores)
4:00pm - I feed Nathan a bottle and Luke has video game time (he can earn up to 30 minutes a day)
4:30pm - Bathe the boys
5:00pm - Play with the boys
5:30pm - I cook dinner while the boys play
6:15pm - Family dinner
6:45pm - Family playtime (Nathan gets a bottle sometime before bed)
7:45pm - Get the boys ready for bed
8:00pm - Bedtime for the boys (Sometimes Nathan goes to bed earlier, sometimes Luke goes to bed later)
Lee and I have a flexible time until bedtime
11:00pm - Lee and I go to bed (that's the goal at least)

WEDNESDAY
7:00am - Lee, Luke, and I wake up and do our morning routines (Lee - get dressed, make lunch) (Ashley - get dressed, make bed, start laundry, make breakfast) (Luke - get dressed, make bed)
7:30am - Luke and I eat breakfast and Lee leaves for work
8:00am - Nathan wakes up and eats breakfast (I clean up the kitchen while he eats his Cheerios)
8:30am - Play with the boys
10:00am - Nathan goes down for a nap - Luke and I do homeschool
HOMESCHOOL TIME
10:00am-10:15am - Bible
10:15am-10:30am - Handwriting
10:30am-10:45am - Reading & Spelling
10:45am-11:00am - Math
11:00am-11:15am - Science (Every other Wednesday we don't do Science)
11:15am-11:30am - History (Every other Wednesday we don't do History)
11:30am-11:45am - Geography
11:45am-12:00pm - Spanish
Of course every subject doesn't take exactly 15 minutes, some take more, some take less. This is just a rough overview. If we finish early, we just hang out until lunch time.
12:00pm - Luke, Nathan, and I eat lunch
12:30pm - Play with the boys
2:00pm - Nathan naps, Luke naps/rests/has quiet time, and I have my down time (or do some dinner prep and/or chores)
4:00pm - I feed Nathan a bottle and Luke has video game time (he can earn up to 30 minutes a day)
4:30pm - Bathe the boys
5:00pm - Leave for church
5:45pm - Eat dinner at church
6:45pm - Bible classes at church (Nathan gets his bottle in the church nursery)
8:00pm - Drive home
8:30pm - Get the boys ready for bed and bedtime for the boys
Lee and I have a flexible time until bedtime
11:00pm - Lee and I go to bed (that's the goal at least)

THURSDAY
7:00am - Lee, Luke, and I wake up and do our morning routines (Lee - get dressed, make lunch) (Ashley - get dressed, make bed, start laundry, make breakfast) (Luke - get dressed, make bed)
7:30am - Luke and I eat breakfast and Lee leaves for work
8:00am - Nathan wakes up and eats breakfast (I clean up the kitchen while he eats his Cheerios)
8:30am - Go to Co-Op
9:o0am - Co-OP
12:00pm - Luke, Nathan, and I eat lunch
12:30pm - Drive home from Co-Op
1:00pm - Nathan naps - Luke and I do homeschool
HOMESCHOOL TIME
1:00pm-1:15pm - Bible
1:15pm-1:30pm - Handwriting
1:30pm-1:45pm - Reading & Spelling
1:45pm-2:00pm - Math
Of course every subject doesn't take exactly 15 minutes, some take more, some take less. This is just a rough overview. If we finish early, we just hang out until lunch time.
2:00pm- Nathan is still napping, Luke naps/rests/has quiet time, and I have my down time (or do some dinner prep and/or chores)
4:00pm - I feed Nathan a bottle and Luke has video game time (he can earn up to 30 minutes a day)
4:30pm - Bathe the boys
5:00pm - Play with the boys
5:30pm - I cook dinner while the boys play
6:15pm - Family dinner
6:45pm - Family playtime (Nathan gets a bottle sometime before bed)
7:45pm - Get the boys ready for bed
8:00pm - Bedtime for the boys (Sometimes Nathan goes to bed earlier, sometimes Luke goes to bed later)
Lee and I have a flexible time until bedtime
11:00pm - Lee and I go to bed (that's the goal at least)

FRIDAY
7:00am - Lee, Luke, and I wake up and do our morning routines (Lee - get dressed, make lunch) (Ashley - get dressed, make bed, start laundry, make breakfast) (Luke - get dressed, make bed)
7:30am - Luke and I eat breakfast and Lee leaves for work
8:00am - Nathan wakes up and eats breakfast (I clean up the kitchen while he eats his Cheerios)
8:30am - Play with the boys
10:00am - Nathan goes down for a nap - Luke and I do homeschool
HOMESCHOOL TIME
10:00am-10:15am - Bible
10:15am-10:30am - Handwriting
10:30am-10:45am - Reading & Spelling
10:45am-11:00am - Math
11:00am-11:45am - Geography Projects
11:45am-12:00pm - Spanish
Of course every subject doesn't take exactly 15 minutes, some take more, some take less. This is just a rough overview. If we finish early, we just hang out until lunch time.
12:00pm - Luke, Nathan, and I eat lunch
12:30pm - Play with the boys
2:00pm - Nathan naps, Luke naps/rests/has quiet time, and I have my down time (or do some dinner prep and/or chores)
4:00pm - I feed Nathan a bottle and Luke has video game time (he can earn up to 30 minutes a day)
4:30pm - Bathe the boys
5:00pm - Play with the boys
5:30pm - I cook dinner while the boys play
6:15pm - Family dinner
6:45pm - Family playtime (Nathan gets a bottle sometime before bed)
7:45pm - Get the boys ready for bed
8:00pm - Bedtime for the boys (Sometimes Nathan goes to bed earlier, sometimes Luke goes to bed later)
Lee and I have a flexible time until bedtime
11:00pm - Lee and I go to bed (that's the goal at least)

SATURDAY
7:30am - Lee, Luke, and I wake up and make breakfast
8:00am - Nathan wakes up and we all eat breakfast together (I clean up the kitchen while he eats his Cheerios)
8:30am - Play with the boys
10:00am - Nathan goes down for a nap - free time for Lee, Luke, and me
12:00pm - Lee, Luke, Nathan, and I eat lunch
12:30pm - Play with the boys
2:00pm - Nathan naps, Luke naps/rests/has quiet time, and Lee and I have my down time (or do some dinner prep and/or chores)
4:00pm - I feed Nathan a bottle and Luke has video game time (he can earn up to 30 minutes a day)
4:30pm - Bathe the boys
5:00pm - Play with the boys
5:30pm - I cook dinner while the boys play
6:15pm - Family dinner
6:45pm - Family playtime (Nathan gets a bottle sometime before bed)
7:45pm - Get the boys ready for bed
8:00pm - Bedtime for the boys (Sometimes Nathan goes to bed earlier, sometimes Luke goes to bed later)
Lee and I have a flexible time until bedtime
11:00pm - Lee and I go to bed (that's the goal at least)

SUNDAY
7:30am - Lee, Luke, and I wake up, get ready, and make breakfast
8:00am - Nathan wakes up and we all eat breakfast together (I clean up the kitchen while he eats his Cheerios)
8:30am - Leave for church
9:00am - Sunday School
10:30am - Worship
12:00pm - Lee, Luke, Nathan, and I eat lunch
12:30pm - Drive home
1:00pm - Nathan naps, Luke naps/rests/has quiet time, and Lee and I have my down time (or do some dinner prep and/or chores)
4:00pm - I feed Nathan a bottle and Luke has video game time (he can earn up to 30 minutes a day)
4:30pm - Bathe the boys
5:00pm - Play with the boys
5:30pm - I cook dinner while the boys play
6:15pm - Family dinner
6:45pm - Family playtime (Nathan gets a bottle sometime before bed)
7:45pm - Get the boys ready for bed
8:00pm - Bedtime for the boys (Sometimes Nathan goes to bed earlier, sometimes Luke goes to bed later)
Lee and I have a flexible time until bedtime
11:00pm - Lee and I go to bed (that's the goal at least)

Just When You Make a Schedule...

Just when you make a schedule...

THINGS CHANGE!

It seems like around the time I think I have a pretty good schedule, things change. Sometimes it's for the good, sometimes it's for the bad. This time it is both - Nathan is sleeping through the night (12 hours) and Luke isn't consistently napping anymore (some days he does, some days he doesn't). So, back to the drawing board.

I have decided to be a little more flexible as I can't completely control everything (even though I would like to).

Here's my basic routine:

Everyone wakes up between 7:00am and 7:30am and eats breakfast (Nathan gets a bottle and some baby cereal)
Lee leaves for work and Luke, Nathan, and I play and watch cartoons until Nathan goes down for his morning nap
Nathan goes down for a morning nap between 8:30am and 9:00am
During Nathan's nap, I do some laundry, clean up, and homeschool Luke
Nathan wakes up from his nap at 11:00am and eats a bottle and plays
Nathan goes down for a nap around 12:00pm
During Nathan's nap, Luke and I eat lunch and do art projects and play and I will finish up laundry and cleaning if I have some left
Nathan wakes up from his nap around 2:00pm and eats a bottle and plays
Nathan and Luke go down for a nap or rest at 3:00pm and I have my rest time (I Facebook, check email, blog, watch TV, read, research things, etc)
They both get up around 5:00pm and Nathan eats a bottle and plays
Nathan goes down for a nap around 6:00pm to 6:30pm
While Nathan is napping, I make dinner, Lee gets home, and we eat dinner and clean up
Nathan wakes up around 7:00pm or 7:30pm and eats a bottle and some baby cereal
Lee plays with Luke while I feed Nathan
We all play for a little bit
Lee gets Luke bathed and ready for bed and I get Nathan bathed and ready for bed
We put the boys to bed around 8:30pm
We relax and go to bed ourselves

What does your schedule or routine look like?

Putting Babies/Kids on a Schedule/Routine

Let me preface by saying, I understand that there are a million ways to parent and not everyone agrees on every method (hence the reason there are so many). I also know that what works for one parent/family/baby/situation doesn't always work for another parent/family/baby/situation. All of that being said, everyone knows how much I love organization and schedules/routines, so naturally I try my best to schedule/routinize my babies/children.

I am a huge proponent for the method presented in the Growing Kids God's Way series (AKA Baby Wise/Toddler Wise/Preschool Wise). Basically they use parent directed feeding (PDF). It doesn't mean that you have to absolutely stick to a strict routine, but it helps you organize your baby/child's day so that they are fed, played with, have their hygiene needs met, get adequate sleep, and grow and develop properly. You use your parental instincts and listen to your child, but generally speaking you direct their day/life.

It starts when they are born. You make sure that they get a good feeding (which is difficult at first), change their diaper, and put them to sleep (most babies are already asleep). You wake them every 3 hours (give or take 30 minutes) and repeat the cycle. They generally eat 8 times a day. As they develop more and are more alert, you make sure that they get a good feeding, change their diaper, play with them for about 30 minutes (give or take), and put them to sleep (watch for sleepy cues - rubbing eyes, fingers in mouth, fussy). You gradually change to a 4 hour routine and they start sleeping through the night. As they get older, you drop naps, add food, and do different things, but the premise is that you aim to have a consistent routine each day (especially for waking up, going to bed, naps, meals, bathtimes, outings, specific playtimes, etc).

We have followed all of the books in the series with Luke and he has done so great. He generally knows what to expect each day and it really helps him. We are following it with Nathan and given that he was 5 weeks early and I didn't start the method until almost 2 months old, he is doing great. He is sleeping 7-8 hours each night and generally goes 3 hours between daytime feedings.

Here is what his schedule looks like (in case anyone wants to see):

Roughly 8:00am - Wakes up, eats bottle, gets diaper changed, plays
Roughly 9:00am - Goes down for a nap
Roughly 11:00am - Wakes up, eats bottle, gets diaper changed, plays
Roughly 12:00pm - Goes down for a nap
Roughly 2:00pm - Wakes up, eats bottle, gets diaper changed, plays
Roughly 3:00pm - Goes down for a nap
Roughly 5:00pm - Wakes up, eats bottle, gets diaper changed, plays
Roughly 6:00pm - Goes down for a nap
Roughly 8:00pm - Wakes up, eats bottle, gets bath, gets in sleep clothes, gets rocked
Roughly 9:00pm - Goes to bed
Roughly 11:00pm - Wakes up (we wake him up), gets diaper changed, eats bottle, gets rocked
Roughly 11:30pm - Goes to bed (for the night)
If he wakes at night, he just eats a bottle and goes right back to sleep

We let him nap in his swing during the day. After his bath, he gets put in his sleep clothes (onesie and sleep sack/gown), gets rocked, and gets put in his crib to sleep. After his last feeding of the night, he gets swaddled and put in his crib. I think these specific things help him to know day versus night and when he is supposed to sleep longer.

Of course if he wakes early (30 minutes or less), I give him a few minutes and see if he goes back to sleep, but if he doesn't, I will go ahead and feed him. If he wakes up sooner than 30 minutes early, I give him some time to cry and go back to sleep. I never let him cry more than 15 minutes. I figure he might be hungry if he wakes up. Babies go through growth spurts or could need a diaper change/burp or just some comfort. That's the part that is pure parenting - knowing (or attempting to find out) what your child needs.

You don't just blindly follow the schedule and not understand your child. I think that's why GKGW/BW has gotten negative feedback at times. People assume you have to just make a strict schedule and follow it no matter what making your child miserable all day. I don't recommend following any book or method unless it works for you. You are the parent and you should do what you think is right and what works for you. This has just worked for us and I wanted to share. I have countless friends who it has worked for as well. Hope that has helped.

In case you want to know Luke's schedule, here it is:
Roughly 7:30am - Wakes up, eats breakfast, gets dressed
Roughly 8:00am - Plays while I feed Nathan, plays with Nathan
Roughly 9:00am - Plays, does art, etc
Roughly 11:00pm - Plays while I feed Nathan, plays with Nathan
Roughly 12:00pm - Eats lunch, homeschools
Roughly 2:00pm - Plays while I feed Nathan, plays with Nathan
Roughly 3:00pm - Goes down for a nap (yes, my 5 year old still naps everyday)
Roughly 5:30pm - Wakes up, plays with Nathan
Roughly 7:00pm - Eats dinner, plays with daddy
Roughly 8:30pm - Gets ready for bed (cleans up toys, takes a bath, PJs, teeth, books, prayers)
Roughly 9:30pm - Bedtime

My New Schedule

Since I just posted about how to create a schedule, I figured I would post my new schedule in case people were interested in seeing how I plan to spend my days. I would love to see yours as well and if you would like, I would love to post them on my blog for others to get ideas from you. Just comment or email me at ashley-webber@hotmail.com. Thanks!

MY NEW SCHEDULE:

7:00am - Wake Up, Brush Teeth, Wash Face, Get Dressed, Make Bed, Start 1st Load of Laundry, Wash Bottles/Pump Supplies, Unload Dishwasher/Reload Dishwasher, Make Breakfast

7:30am - Wake Nathan Up, Feed, Change, and Play with Nathan (Eat Breakfast)

8:30am - Put Nathan Down for a Nap, Put 1st Load in Dryer, Start 2nd Load of Laundry, Exercise, Shower and Get Ready

9:30am - Fold 1st Load of Laundry, Put 2nd Load in Dryer, Do Weekly Cleaning, Play with Luke, Make Snacks for Luke and Me

10:30am - Wake Nathan Up, Feed, Change, and Play with Nathan (Eat Snack)

11:30am - Put Nathan Down for a Nap, Homeschool Luke

12:30pm - Make Lunch, Eat Lunch, Clean Up Kitchen - Dishes, Wipe Down, Fold 2nd Load of Laundry

1:30pm - Wake Nathan Up, Feed, Change, and Play with Nathan, Read Books to Luke and Nathan

2:30pm - Put Both Boys Down for a Nap, DOWN TIME - Prayer, Devotion, Bible Study, Read, Watch TV/Movie, Scrapbook, Blog, Coupon, Nap, Make Snacks for Luke and Me

4:30pm - Wake Nathan Up, Feed, Change, and Play with Nathan (Eat Snack)

5:30pm - Put Nathan Down for a Nap, Make Dinner, Help Luke with Art Project or Play with Luke while Dinner is Cooking

6:30pm - Eat Dinner, Clean Up Kitchen - Dishes, Wipe Down, Sweep, Straighten Up, Play with Luke

7:30pm - Wake Nathan Up, Feed, Change, and Bathe Nathan

8:30pm - Put Nathan Down for a Nap, Help Lee Put Luke to Bed

9:00pm - DOWN TIME - Prayer, Devotion, Bible Study, Read, Watch TV/Movie, Scrapbook, Blog, Coupon, Hang out with Lee, Have a Snack/Dessert

10:30pm - Wake Nathan Up, Change and Feed Nathan

11:00pm - Put Nathan to Bed, Go to Bed

Creating a Schedule

I am a big scheduler. I like knowing what time I am going to wake up, go to bed, eat meals, do stuff with the kids, do stuff around the house, etc. It helps me because I can work around my natural rhthyms throughout the day. Plus kids really love routine and schedules. They like knowing what to expect. Well my life has been very unscheduled the last year since I was pregnant or a new mom the whole year. I would sometimes go to bed early and/or sleep late or take naps plus my sickenss and/or lack of energy required a lot of sitting and resting so I didn't really do as much as I normall do.

Well now that things are settling down with Nathan and we are going to be getting back to a few things that got put on the back burner for a while - working out, homeschooling, normal cleaning routine - I decided that we needed a new family schedule.

Lee and I sat down when things were quiet and worked out a schedule for our family. I am really excited about it and thought that I would share how we did it.

Since we have 4 people with 4 different schedules and sets of needs, we wrote out what each person did during the course of a day.

Lee's List - Wake Up, Get Ready for Work, Make Breakfast, Lunch, and Snacks, Leave for Work, Drive to Work, Work, Leave Work, Drive Home, Get Home, Eat Dinner, Play with Luke, Help Luke Clean up Toys, Shower and Get Ready for Bed, Bathe Luke, Get Luke Ready for Bed, Put Luke to Bed, Relax/Spend Time with Ashley, Go to Bed

Luke's List - Wake Up, Get Ready, Make Bed, Eat Breakfast, Play Alone, Play with Mommy, Play with Daddy, Homeschool, Arts/Crafts, Watch TV/Movie, Eat Lunch, Read Books, Clean Up Toys, Take a Nap, Wake Up, Eat Dinner, Clean Up Toys, Get a Bath, Get Ready for Bed, Go to Bed

Nathan's List - Wake Up, Eat, Play, Take a Nap (Repeat all day until bed)

Ashley's List - Wake Up, Get Ready, Make Bed, Start Laundry, Wash Bottles/Pumping Supplies, Make Breakfast, Eat Breakfast, Clean Up Kitchen - Dishes/Wipe Down, Feed and Play with Nathan, Workout, Shower and Get Ready, Daily Cleaning, Weekly Cleaning, Finish Laundry, Feed and Play with Nathan, Make Lunch, Eat Lunch, Clean Up Kitchen - Dishes/Wipe Down, Homeschool Luke, Feed and Play with Nathan, Read Books with Luke, Put Boys Down for a Nap, Down Time - Prayer, Devotion, Bible Study, Read, Scrapbook, Blog, Watch TV/Movie, Nap, Feed and Play with Nathan, Play with Luke, Arts/Crafts with Luke, Make Dinner, Eat Dinner, Clean Up Kitchen - Dishes/Wipe Down/Sweep, Feed and Bathe Nathan, Relax/Spend Time with Lee, Feed Nathan and Put to Bed, Go to Bed, Middle of the night feedings (if needed)

Then we put how much time each thing would take (some things we grouped together).

Then we started with our wake time. We decided that Lee, Luke, and I would wake up at 7:00am and do our morning things and then I would wake Nathan up at 7:30am and start his routine. Then we decided on a bedtime for each of us. Luke will go to bed at 9:00pm. Nathan, Lee, and I will go to bed at 11:00pm (until Nathan starts sleeping all night). Then we decided on a naptime for Luke (and Nathan). His naptime will be around 2:30pm to 4:30 or 5:00pm. I wanted to have time in the afternoon when both boys napped together so I could have some downtime.

Then we decided on meal times. Breakfast is around 7:30am (yes, I will eat while I feed Nathan for now), lunch is around 12:30pm, and dinner is around 6:30pm.

Then we decided on when we would homeschool, I would workout and shower and get ready, when I would have focused playtime with Luke, and when I would clean and Luke would have alone playtime. We also decided on when the boys would get their baths and factored in time to get ready for nap and bed (clean up toys, read, pray).

I did all of it in an Excel spreadsheet. I put all the time slots (15 minute increments) from 7:00am to 11:00pm and each of our names across the top. I plugged in everything and that way we could see where each person was all day.

That was our basic daily schedule. Our weekly schedule will be the same spreadsheet but with different things added in. For example we go to church Sunday morning from 10:00am until 2:00pm (driving time, church, and we go out to lunch, so I will have that change on the schedule. We will have a different weekend schedule, but will try to keep wake time, bed time, meal times, naps, and Nathan's schedule consistent those days.

If anyone is interested in seeing the Excel sheet, just email me at ashley-webber@hotmail.com and I will send it to you. You can just change it how you need to. It's super easy to use.

NOTE: This is our proposed and ideal schedule. There will probably be tweaks and changes (especially when Nathan goes to a 4 hour schedule or our homeschooling takes more time, etc) and we probably won't follow it exactly each day (hey, that's life), but it is good to know what to expect each day.

Life with a Newborn - Tips Included

As anyone who has ever had a newborn knows, they take a lot of your time and mental/emotional focus. We are big on scheduling our babies as soon as possible. I am a huge proponent for the Baby Wise series. The books tell you exactly how to take care of a newborn, how to get them on a routine, and down the road how to deal with bigger issues like discipline, potty training, and eventually the teenage years.

Basically you put the baby on a 3 hour rotation (which is what they do at the hospital anyways) and you feed them, keep them awake (if they will stay awake after), and then put them down for a nap. It discourages feeding them until they fall asleep as well as using props (like rocking to sleep, co-sleeping). When you follow this eventually they will learn to sleep through the night.

It worked beautifully with Luke because we started from the beginning. He slept through the night (8 hours at 2 months and 12 hours at 3 months) really well and never looked back. At almost 5 years old he still sleeps great (10 hours at night and a 2-3 hour nap each day).

Nathan has taken longer for 2 reasons: 1) I held him and didn't really work on the schedule/sleeping alone thing for 7 weeks and 2) he was 5 weeks premature so it has taken longer. But now he is doing pretty good. He is almost 12 weeks (7 weeks adjusted age) and he does a 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hour routine all day and goes 4-7 hours at night (average of 5 hours). He is getting there.

So I have about 1 1/2 to 2 hours between feedings and playing with him to do all the other things - eat, personal hygiene, workout, homeschool, play with Luke, cook, clean, do laundry, etc. I have learned to work fast and use every minute of time that I have.

If I have 5 minutes, I will quickly wash bottles and pumping supplies (I nurse but pump for when we are away from the house and middle of the night feedings since I sometimes fall asleep during his feedings) or unload the dishwasher. I might quickly prep something to eat for later. I might go through a room and straighten up. I might quickly start/change out laundry. I might make beds.

If I have 10 minutes, I will maybe prep some things for dinner that night or wipe down and sweep the kitchen or run a vacuum in the living room. I might quickly fold some laundry (even if I can't get it put away).

If I have 15 minutes, I might wipe down a bathroom or vacuum a floor. I might take a quick shower and throw on some clean clothes. I might iron a few items of clothing.

If I have 30 minutes, I might quickly workout. I might do an art project or craft with Luke.

I am learning to use every bit of time that I have. It helps a lot to not worry about doing something perfectly or getting it completed but taking whatever time I have and using it to make things run smoothly. By the end of the day I've usually gotten quite a lot done once I add up all those 5, 10, 15 minute increments. It's really paying off.

Couponing - Weekly Schedule

A lot of people have asked me, "How much time do you spend couponing?" and "How do you do it?" People seem to want to know how I actually plan my trips and how much time it really takes me. I decided that I would do a post with my basic weekly schedule.

What Is My Weekly Schedule?

SUNDAY
Coupon at CVS (their deals start on Sundays - earlier I get there the better)
Coupon at Rite Aid (their deals start on Sundays - earlier I get there the better) (I only go to RA if there are a good amount of deals)
Coupon at Kroger (I only go to Kroger if there are a good amount of deals)
Buy Sunday paper(s) for the coupons (if there are $150 and up I get 2; if less, I get 1; on the 1st Sunday of the month, I buy 3-5 because they have a ton of coupons including P&G)
Clip and organize coupons (at the end of the month, I pull expired coupons)

MONDAY or TUESDAY
Plan my trip(s) to Harris Teeter on Southern Savers

WEDNESDAY
Coupon at Harris Teeter (their deals start on Wednesdays - earlier I get there the better)

FRIDAY OR SATURDAY
Plan my trip to CVS on Southern Savers
Plan my trip to Rite Aid on Southern Savers
Plan my trip to Kroger on Southern Savers

How Do I Plan My Trips?

I go to Southern Savers (http://southernsavers.com/) and click on the store I am looking for deals at (I generally shop at Harris Teeter and CVS, but I also do Rite Aid and Kroger if there are enough deals to warrant the drive).

They have a checklist maker and I just quickly click the deals I am interested in and print the list.

If there are printable coupons that I need for the deals (only if I absolutely want them/they are a great deal), I print and clip those.

I go through my binder and find the coupons I need for the deals.

I put it all together in the ziploc bag for that store.

I go to the store and get my deals.

How Long Does It Take?

I would say that clipping and organizing coupons, looking up the deals, printing the IP coupons, pulling the coupons, and organizing my baggies takes no more than 3 hours a week (if that even). I have gotten pretty efficient.

At first it seemed like it took me a lot of time since I was learning all the stores policies, looking for every deal, going to every store, and didn't quite know what I was doing.

Now I can clip the coupons I know I want (I don't clip them all anymore) in 15 minutes probably (more if I get multiple papers). Same with finding the deals. I only get the ones I need/want/are rock bottom deals, so I don't spend as much time on that part. I do all of this during downtime (like when I am watching TV at night).

I also zip into and out of the stores really quickly. I know the lay of the land at each store, go through my list, get my stuff, and check out. Unless there is a coupon problem, or I have to think on my feet, it takes just a few minutes to get my deals. I would say I shop faster now than I did before since I only go in and get what I want, I don't dilly-dally and look at all the deals. I can't imagine walking aimlessly around with my giant coupon binder doing the math in the store. That would be nuts for me (and very impractical since I usually take Luke with me). I would say I spend an hour or two (at the most) at the store each week (including getting my fresh stuff each week).

So I spend no more than a total of 5 hours (probably a huge overestimate) planning and shopping. I probably spent at least 1-2 hours before. The way I look at it is, I have cut my grocery budget from $600 or more to $450 or less and I get at least twice as much for that amount (including lean meats, fresh produce, milk, and bread each week). TOTALLY WORTH MY TIME! :)

The Power of the Planner

One of the biggest things to organize is time. I will confess that I have struggled with this off and on for my whole life. I am the type of person that needs to have everything on a list or in a chart to almost be able to function. I can't just wing it all day and get everything done. I also could forget appointments and when I am supposed to do something with someone if I didn't have it written down.

Over the years I have read tons of books on time management and they all say the same thing - YOU MUST HAVE A PLANNER. I have also spent hours looking at different planners, calendars, PDAs, and other organizers for time. I have loved some and hated others. After all of that, I finally found what works for me. I have to have the monthly calendar view as well as a weekly/daily view with time slots. I like to be able to see birthdays, anniversaries, appointments, bills that are due, and big things on the monthly view and also like to be able to fill in specific time-oriented things on my weekly/daily view so that I can plug in things I need to get done. Sometimes my day just has the big things and other days I like to plug in everything that I need to do (even shower/get ready, workout, cook, clean, etc).

Here is the planner I am currently using:

Of course everyone is different and some people can remember everything. I don't know how they do it especially the more responsibilities they have. If you are a person who just wants to know when big things are going to happen, you could just post a calendar in your kitchen and write things on it. If you like to have some space for each day to write a list of what is happening and maybe have a little room for a To-Do List, then having the time slot style might not work as well. There are planners that have monthly views and then each week with blank space for the day. Some people prefer to have a ton of space for each day. For that you can get a daily calendar which gives you a page or two for each day.

Whatever method you choose to use, the key is to use it. Write things down and keep your planner handy so you know what things are coming up and where your time is going. It really helps.

Creating a Routine/Schedule

I have always been really into having a routine/schedule. I think it stems back to high school. When I was in high school, I had classes, homework, always worked a part-time job, babysat and had somewhat of a social life. I knew that without organization I would let some area fall and that wasn't going to be good. My mom required good grades in order to keep my job and have a social life. If I didn't have a job, I wouldn't have a car and other fun things I enjoyed getting. So, I had a plan everyday of what I had to do and when I would get it done. This rolled on through college.

When I was pregnant, I didn't have a job or that many responsibilities, so I became a very unscheduled and lazy person. I didn't like that. When Luke was born, I was all about getting him on a schedule so that we could have normal sleeping habits in our house ASAP. By putting him on a schedule, Lee and I got back into having a schedule for ourselves. I flourish with routine. I like having a time slot for each thing I do. It just makes me more productive. Ever since Luke was born, we have had a schedule and I really think it keeps everyone (especially Luke) sane.

That being said, I thought I would write out step-by-step directions as to how I create a routine/schedule for myself in hopes that it will help others.

Step 1: Get out a blank sheet of paper and write down all of things that you want to accomplish in a given week. I like to divide the paper into weekly and daily things. There are things you only do once or twice a week like activities, playgroups, and grocery shop. Then there are the things you want to do every day like pray/devotion, play with kids, sleep, and shower. Nothing is too insignificant. Obviously you won't have the same exact things in the same spots every week, but as a general schedule, put the things you do (or would like to do) on a normal basis.

Examples of what I do:

Daily - Prayer/devotion, Bible study, reading, sleep, hygiene related things, spend time with Lee, spend time with Luke, prayer/devotion with Luke, Bible reading with Luke, homeschooling Luke, cook meals, daily cleaning, exercise, fun time (ie TV/movie/Wii/craft)

Weekly - Bible study/MOPS, grocery shopping, coupon planning, library storytime, Monkey Joes, church, date night, weekly cleaning (put on specific days)

Step 2: Figure out the things you have to do and fill them in at the appropriate times. From that you can see where you have blocks of time to fill in the variable things.

Step 2: Figure out your wake time, bed time, and meal times.

Step 3: Look for blocks of time that you can complete the various tasks you have to do and fill in the ones in a way that makes sense for you.

Make it work for you. Realize it is an ideal and that it won't go that smoothly every day (if ever). You can even make a back up routine or a more basic one with just wake times, bed times, meal times, and the things that are in stone. That way you have flexibility with the chunks of time. If you do that it helps to make a to-do list for each day and that way you don't forget to do something.

Here's My IDEAL Routine/Schedule:

7:00am - Wake up, Devotion/Prayer/Proverb of the Day, Get ready
7:15am - Make our bed, Wake Luke, Help Luke make his bed, Start a load of laundry
7:30am - Make breakfast and Lee's lunch
8:00am - Eat breakfast
8:15am - Clean up from breakfast
8:30am - Chores (M - 1st floor, W - 1/2 2nd floor, H - 1/2 2nd floor, F - 3rd floor)
*Tuesday 8:30am - Leave for MOPS/Bible study
9:30am - Homeschool Luke
10:30am - Snack, Leave for outings
11:00am - Outings (M - Grocery store, W - Library, Grocery store, H - Monkey Joes, F - ?)
12:00pm - Return home, Unload, Make lunch
12:30pm - Eat lunch
12:45pm - Clean up from lunch
1:00pm - Play with Luke
2:30pm - Give Luke a bath, Read books, Get Luke ready for nap
3:00pm - Exercise
3:45pm - Shower
4:00pm - Bible study, Read
4:30pm - Blog, Coupon
5:00pm - Scrapbook, Sew, Watch TV, Relax
**Wednesday 5:30pm - Go to church
6:00pm - Snack, Cook dinner
7:00pm - Eat dinner, Clean up from dinner
7:30pm - Downtime until bedtime
**Wednesday 8:30pm - Return home from church
9:00pm - Help Lee put Luke to bed
11:00pm - Be in bed watching TV or reading until I fall asleep