How many days to build a habit?

Working on establishing some new norms here before we break for Christmas. Maybe if I "say them out loud" I'll do better at being faithful? Because, you know, the systems rely upon the mama - if I'm not all-in, they crumble.

Mama wakes up at 6:30 (if it's Monday, I pray by phone with Jess!! Very nice way to start the week). Do anything I want to do until 7:30 - drink coffee, read Bible, pray, start laundry, read Holy Experience, fill cups with warm milk and Ovaltine (how did this habit start?!) as the kiddos trickle down. Do NOT check email or go anywhere near the laptop. Texting husband is permitted.

7:30 -wake kids and remind them they have until 8:30 to do Breakfast chores (teeth, clothes on, beds made) and Animal chores (chickens, cat, dog) and be fed. Commence cuddling them (fully knowing this is where we get off schedule entirely). Meanwhile, I wash dishes (um, bc evening routine is missing that key part) and get laundry lass (that's what I should call that hulk of a wonderful machine - hardest working servant I've ever had!) moving and grab a shower maybe. Yeah right, while I cuddle them? Well, sometimes you have to just make hard choices and be thankful you work from home and can look scruffy. Oh, and think about dinner - just think on it. Maybe that will help it become a reality.

8:30 - thank God that they are getting tall and can almost feed themselves. Finish feeding them and convene on the couch for official Cuddle Time: reading out loud (doing some Holling C Holling right now - back to missionary bios from YWAM after Christmas), sing a hymn together, review memory verses. Then get Peter started on his Advent study (so he can have the fresh bread-of-life for us at lunch) and write his list of work for the day (so he can check things off). Keep Ruby at the couch for reading lessons while Isaac starts Math or Explode the Code or cursive at the table. Keep working, being mindful of who needs my focus so they don't get entirely distracted while they wait.

11:30 - say "let's stop for lunch". Now, I still seem to not be actually feeding them until 1:30 (argh, bc daddy returns home hungry at 4), but this is going to get better. We have until 12:30 (in my plan) to Eat, talk about Advent study (we are loving this!!), finish chores and maybe even play. Finish chores: Kitchen, Floors and Bathrooms - 1 area for each big kid. This is brilliant - I haven't decided if they are static and the kids just march off to do - or if I give them daily delights in each area. We'll see. But my kitchen, floors and bathrooms feel happy about this.

Today, we switched areas from last week - so we did a little "mature conversation" practice that went like this (entirely scripted by me):

Isaac: Ruby, do you have any good ideas for me about cleaning the kitchen?

Ruby: Well, one thing I know, you just have to work in life. It's just life. You just have to do it.

Ruby: Peter, do you have any good ideas for me about cleaning the bathrooms?

Pete: Ruby, sometimes we don't want to do chores that are hard. But if we just do them, then they are done and, actually, they hardly take any time.

Yes!!!!!!!

Ok, back to the plan. Finish it all up after lunch, be done by 1:30 or 2. So, in reality, we are still racing to get done by dad's return - but goodness, did you see all that house-help getting done and the glorious responsibility sharing?? I failed to mention that they get a check for each chore done for the day (Breakfast, Animals, Kitchen, Laundry - oh I forgot to describe laundry). Laundry means you delivered to me your dirty and you put away your clean. Look out baby Anna, your day is coming! And each check is 10cents. And no pay if you have a bad attitude.

That's my plan. I have a one-room schoolhouse! With a very entertaining toddler. Better than I ever dreamed (or could have asked or imagined)!