Routines {Our Favorite Friday Hangouts}

Every Friday my son gets dropped off at his great aunt's house and my daughter and I have a little one on one time. It's a great day to catch up on the weeks house cleaning or work that I hadn't yet had the time to finish. But we also get to go out and enjoy ourselves for a bit in the mornings after we do drop off. 

One thing I love about Fridays is our standing play date. Without fail, just about every other week, we end up heading to story time at The Yellow Book Road after dropping off Brother. Then we head over to Con Pane with friends to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee and something to nibble on.

The Yellow Book Road features a new theme every week and they always include a few books geared to children under two as well as some fun music they play and dance to that go along with the theme. My daughter loves getting her groove on with the other kids.

Last week the theme was kittens. And they sang Soft Kitty. For any Big Bang Theory lovers out there I'm sure you're now singing it to yourself.

After the quick 30 minute story time we make our way across the street to indulge a bit in pastry (my one major weakness). I so look forward to this every week. It's like a little treat to myself.

Sure, some mamas love going out and getting pampered or head out to happy hour for a margarita on the rocks or watermelon martini. I wait all week for a brioche twist, a piece of delicious buttery bread with nuts and chocolate folded inside. And oh my is it amazing.

Paired with a cup of coffee and it's my breakfast and lunch all in one.

There are also delicious cookies, scones, and breads to choose from. And their sandwiches are filling and unique. One of my favorite sandwiches is their Turkey Cobb. Turkey breast, avocado, bacon, and gorgonzola cheese (that I usually omit and sub brie for) with crisp lettuce and tomatoes atop a fresh rosemary & olive oil bread. I order a 1/2 sandwich and it's still enough food to feed two!

Once we let our food settle we head over to the park to get some more energy out of the kids before heading back home for nap time. Watching my daughter socialize without her big brother is quite fun. She definitely has a big personality and it shows when she plays with her friends.

The best part about our Friday morning playdate is the fact that it's so casual. If we wake up too late or my son doesn't get dropped off at his great aunt's house in time we can just skip the storytime and go straight to brunch. And if we skip brunch... well then I just pop in and grab my order to go and than take a little stroll to the NTC park for some fun in the sun.

And even if a friend or two cannot make it, no big deal! There are plenty of other kids and mamas at all locations for my daughter to socialize with. Plus we like to get all of our shopping done after playtime since it's right next to a Trader Joe's and Vons.

So if your local and free Fridays and have a little one come on out to The Yellow Book Road for story time. It's a fun, relaxing morning that's perfect for moms and kids alike.

Do you have any weekly routines? A standing play date somewhere?

 

For the love of coffee and morning routines

I didn't drink too much coffee before having kids. Sure I'd have the occasional cup of joe every few days or so and I'd indulge in a frappacino once in a blue moon (until I realized how many WW points are in one) but I never quite needed coffee that much. Yes, I did enjoy it but it wasn't a part of my routine. Now that I have kids? I have to have a cup, or two, each morning just to get through the day.

A bad picture of my favorite Peets Coffee in my Got Milk mug

I'm not quite addicted yet. I can go a few days without coffee and wont get a withdrawl headache (but I know friends who do!) but I just drag on the ground on the days I don't have my cup first thing in the morning. So I have a routine. One that is practiced every day and that my kids know about. As soon as mommy wakes up it's time to make coffee. Some days my son helps out but most of the time he's still in bed and my daughter tries to lend a hand. She loves trying to take the coffee scoop out of my hand when I'm putting grounds in the filter.

Once the coffee is brewing we can start the rest of our morning routine. I take my son to the restroom and then change my daughter's diaper (unless Daddy has already done so) and than we get dressed. By the time we're all dressed it's breakfast time. Mommy has her cup of (hot) coffee and checks her email while the kids eat yogurt or oatmeal and fruit (breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you know!) and watch a show on PBS Kids. If I didn't give the kids their breakfast while I enjoyed my coffee  I'd be left with cold coffee. And that just wouldn't cut it.

I never thought much about this routine but realized over time that it helps us get going on our day. If I don't start the coffee right away I find that we are all slacking in the morning. We end up running late to whatever was planned for the day or don't even make it to our activities. When mommy sticks with a routine a lot more gets done. And the family, as a whole, is a lot happier.

What routines help your family get going? Have you found that having routines help your family as a whole?