Apples and Oatmeal and Routines and Naps

apples in oatmeal 2
I accidentally woke up at 5 a.m. this morning then could NOT go back to sleep. So, bear* with me. This could get confusing.


The photo above is a picture of my breakfast. Oatmeal (the steel-ground type, which makes it look vaguely like a scene from the last time you had one mixed drink too many), apples and cinnamon. During October, I will work an apple into almost every meal. Later today I'll be making chicken salad and incorporating ... apples. Earlier this month we had pork chops with a sauce made from ... apples. (Not to be confused with actual applesauce, which also has a rather upsetting consistency.)


The reason I am telling you this is I am a big fan of the routine, particularly in the mornings. I have a couple of variations of breakfast, try to roughly stick with the same work routine, keep my closet semi-organized so I can find something decent to wear every day with as little thought (and ironing) as possible.


I do this because I find the fewer decisions I have to make in a day, the more I accomplish. I try to take the easy decisions off the table (get it? Table. Breakfast. Haha. Easily amused, I know.) to make room for the decisions that really require some thought.


What are your routines? Do you have a favorite breakfast you eat every day (please share recipes in the comments section. Or better, come make it for me), a certain time you work out, times you check e-mail? What about things you do to stay on track during the day? For example, if I estimate writing an article will take two hours, I'll set an alarm so I don't spend four hours writing only to discover it's time to fetch children from school and I've failed to accomplish something important on my to-do list.


Sadly, a nap is nowhere in my daily routine. I sense I'll be needing one long about 4 p.m. this afternoon. Oh, well ... at least I'll have that chicken salad for comfort.


XO - Amy Mac


*I had to double check I was using the appropriate spelling of "bear" in this reference. I was pretty sure "bare with me" was going to give the post a whole new angle, but still had to check. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I WAKE UP TOO EARLY.

1 comment:

Jane said...

I have a new routine for exercising now that all my kiddos are at school at least 3 days a week. It has been 11 years since I've been able to say that, somebody has always been home waiting to start PreK. Anyway, I ride my bike on the new greenway to Knuckle Up where I kickbox for an hour and then I ride home. This takes about 2 of the 4 hours of my alone time on MWF, but it's exactly what I want. I also enjoy reading a daily devotional while I enjoy a gatorade or protein shake after my long hot shower that is without distractions from the small footed people in my life. I am happy to proclaim these 4 hours are "all about me." Ironically, a statement I say a lot to my kids but not in the positive form just used.