Blogs

Daylight savings came at us hard and fast! You wouldn't think one measly hour would make such a difference, but in a household where every moment counts - it sure does! We had to get creative and find a few fun ways to get the little ones out of bed and to the bus stop on time. Dare I say mornings have even been a little fun? Here's what has been working for us - and all of these ideas are Team Epps (Cassidy, Chloe, Lily, Brady and Cole) approved.

And the BEST (fastest) Dressed Goes To…Set a timer and whoever gets themselves ready first wins.

This means teeth brushed, clothes on, and hair brushed is the quickest…and they have to be presentable! Winner gets a small prize they pick after school or a special activity we will do together. A little competitiveness really gets them going in the morning.

Wake Up Dance Party…Music and pulling them out of bed in a full on dance party works wonders. We've started setting the alarm clock to their favorite stations. We grab flashlights and dance around like crazy for three minutes.

It's impossible to not be in a good mood after that.

The Dog Lick Wake Up…The kids adore the dog. So for fun we send in Tana (our 100 pound rottie).

They can't resist the dog slobber. The kisses that accompany it are priceless. As are the giggles. Happiness is guaranteed. I mean really, could you resist this face?

Here's a fun fact - Tana is aunt to Jill Bauer's beloved Rottweiler, Brosky

Warm and Cozy Robes…nothing like warm robes to lure cold and sleepy kids out of bed. Our crew is not fans of cold mornings or of leaving their snuggly covers. They make 100 excuses to stay in bed. Being cold is always a big one.

So, I run the robes to the dryer and bring them up warm. They love it!

A Special Treat to Go With Breakfast…how about enticing them downstairs with the promise of a Keurig "S'mores Hot Chocolate" to go with breakfast? I tried it earlier this week. The kids were downstairs before I knew it.

Look over the recipe below and you will understand why.

No judgments please…every once in a while it's okay, right? Keurig to the rescue again!

Happy Spring and Happy Brewing!

XOXO,

Melissa Fleming Epps