The Freezer Is Your Friend
I knew there had to be something I forgot. We got out the door this morning right on time. That’s a rare event. Getting the three of us ready for school and work and out the door on time takes some doing. Yeah, yeah, I could probably get up at 5:30 and pull it off, but that would require going to bed, well, when the girls do.
This morning, somehow, we were out the door when we needed to be. About 45 minutes later, after dropping off the girls at school, I realized what it was that I forgot: my lunch. That, I could deal with. I deserved a lunch out at Panera, anyway. It’s been a long week.
My key to getting our act together in the morning? Preparation. That is, I do as much as I can the night before. The freezer is my friend. I make the sandwiches for the girls’ lunches and put them in the freezer, along with anything else I can freeze, like yogurt. By the time lunch rolls around the next day, they’ve thawed out, and there’s little risk of the yogurt going bad since it starts the day frozen.
I pick out clothes for them and for me, although I didn’t lay the girls’ clothes out last night. Somehow I got away with not completing that portion of my preparations. But I did iron my work clothes, which I don’t always do, and that saved me some time this morning. I packed my bag, and made sure the girls’ bags were ready to go, too. When morning rolled around, we were ready to go–after breakfast, clothes, hair, and a few other things, of course.
Another key to this morning’s exceptional success: I got Lily’s hair right the first time. Two pigtails, placed perfectly (well, almost perfectly) symmetrically. Here’s a tip for those of you reading this who didn’t grow up doing your dolls’ hair: Run the edge of a comb gently down the middle of the head, from front to back, to ensure a good part. Make sure you’re in the middle, or she’ll end up with one giant pigtail and one runt.
Making lunches and picking out outfits for everyone in the house isn’t my favorite thing to do after a long day, but I’ve found that when I make myself prepare, the morning goes so much more smoothly. And everyone gets to where they need to be on time. It’s great to be able to say good-bye to my girls while not running late!
Image: “Start Time,” Louis du Mont, Flickr (CC)