Sunday Morning meme

I'm playing along with the Sunday meme (Sunday stealin').  It's a gorgeous morning and I'm up early to enjoy time on the deck before we head to the 11 AM  church service followed by a 2 hour choir rehearsal. I liked these questions. To play along, head to this blog. 

1) What do you typically have for breakfast?

My typical breakfast is either steel cut oats with cinnamon  sprinkled on along with a cup of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and walnuts. I always have one or all of those berries in the house. Plus coffee with unsweetened almond milk.  Another breakfast I eat often is scrambled eggs with vegan sausage or tempah bacon with an orange or berries OR a tofu scramble with broccoli, peppers, onions, and berries on the side. On a hiking day it's either the steel cut oats, or a boiled egg with whole grain toast and maple peanut butter by this company.  If i don't have the pb in the house, I use elderberry jam. 

2) What was your favorite breakfast cereal when you were a kid?

Rice Krispies. 

3) Orange juice, tomato juice or cranberry juice?

I rarely drink juice.  In the winter, I either eat a fresh orange or  clementine/tangerine OR I drink a 4 oz glass of OJ.  In the fall, I tend to like cranberry juice but it has to be the pure kind as in very low sugar.  And again, just 4 oz in the morning.  But typically? I might have juice 1-2 days a week and most likely it's water with a squeeze of lemon first with my vitamins and then a large mug of coffee. If I could only have one juice, it would be pure  cranberry. Tomato juice is for a bloody mary only and honestly I'm not a fan of that drink. My dad used to drink tomato juice before dinner all the time! 

4) What time is your alarm clock set for?

I'm starting my 3rd year of retirement so I no longer set the alarm on my iphone. But when I was teaching for 40+ years, it was set for 5:15 AM.  Now I have  a "hiking schedule" alarm setting:  5:30 for a regular less than 5 miles hike or one that is only an hour  away.  4 AM for the longer, further High Peaks area hikes (due to needing a parking spot at the trailheads).  Those kinds of hikes are typically just once a month now from june-November. So......no alarm for me most mornings! 

5) Do you have any tips for preventing stress and making the morning go more smoothly?

yes, I have a ton of tips because I was a working mom/teacher. 

For working women with children: lay out all  clothese the night before; pack the lunches/backpack with child's help right after dinner so it's done and place backpacks by door or in car if you drive your children; have simple nutritious breakfasts for work/school days. 

General tips:  set your coffee brewer to come on when your alarm rings or like me at 5:45 AM.  Set the warming plate (If you have one on your brewer) to stay hot for 4 hours. This ensures a nice steaming mug of coffee no matter what time you get up in the morning. 

Have your clothing laid out the night before.

Keep easy breakfast items on hand: boiled eggs set aside in fridge; protein bars stocked up; berries and bananas on hand for quick grab n go; pack your lunch if you bring one to work, the night before. stay off the iphone!!!!  

Have a time of stretching/yoga/meditation/reading Scripture (if you're a Believer). 

Train your children to do their homework after school/before dinner or in between those dance lessons, drama rehearsals, etc etc.   

Teach your children to make their own breakfast: put out bowls, cups, spoons the night before. Or if your district offers free breakfast (here in NYS this is new this year: all chldren grades k-12 can choose a healthy breakfast no matter what their family income level is!), have them eat breakfast at school. 

Teach your child ages 7 and older how to use the toaster or microwave 

And learn to be flexible!!

Happy Sunday!!