How do you make it to 8:00 AM Mass?

That is a question we hear QUITE often... especially since we have only one bathroom, and eight people that need to shuffle through it rather quickly in order to be out the door and ready to leave for Mass on time.

The key person in all this is my husband, pure and simple. Without him getting us up and going, I don't think there's any way we could make it. Together he and I make a good team on Sunday mornings, but it is his dedication that makes it all happen.

Here's the run-down:

6:20 AM -- DH's alarm goes off. He gets up and takes a shower.

6:45 AM -- DH is in the kitchen, making the standard Sunday morning breakfast -- broiled bagels (bagel, turkey breast, provolone cheese. I add tomatoes and a bit of oregano to mine).

6:50 AM -- Bagels are done. DH goes into the kids' rooms, turns on both lights, and sings a rather irritating rendition of "Good morning, good morning, how are you this morning?" It's enough to wake anyone up... Girls get dressed (they are much better about jumping right to it in the morning. The boys take a bit longer)

6:55 AM -- I'm up and in the bathroom, brushing my hair and putting on makeup.

7:00 AM -- Everyone is in the kitchen. We pray and start eating. We USED to read the readings to the kids at this time, but we've gotten out of the habit (hang head in shame).

7:05 AM -- I have finished the few bites that I can eat in the morning (it's way too early for me!), grabbed a brush and started doing all the kids' hair. The girls have complied nicely, and the boys have all acted like the hair brushing has hurt them somehow. I don't dare try to brush Thomas' hair, or the curls will all come out and he will look completely ridiculous. The best I can do is fluff his hair with my fingers.

7:15 AM -- I have now gone back and made everyone's beds (it's their one day off from bedmaking responsibilities, and I don't want to come back home to a messy house!). For those not yet dressed, I pick out outfits for them to wear. The kids, as you can see, are still eating...



"Hey Mommy! You didn't get a picture of me!"


7:20 AM -- DH gets dressed. I pack the baby bag to make sure we have Marie's juice and diapers. I also throw in this week's Magnifikids and the Can You Find the Saints? book. If we don't have a Magnifikids, I get Sean and Reilly's Bibles ready so that they can find the readings...

7:25 AM -- DH is dressing Marie while I am getting dressed. Kids are now in the back either getting dressed (if not already) or finding shoes.

7:30 AM -- The kids make a mad dash to the bathroom to brush their teeth. Some of the younger ones (ahem) seem to miss out on this process... DH calls out that those who are finished need to report to the van. He buckles in the little ones.

7:40 AM -- Sean (always the last guy finished!) and I battle it out for the bathroom for last minute teethbrushing, bathrooming, etc...

7:42 AM -- Sean is out the door! I put the dog in the backyard, grab any last minute items, and lock the door.


7:45 AM -- Everyone is strapped in and we are on the road! (we usually are going by 7:40 AM, but we were a bit late this morning)

7:53 AM -- We make it to Mass! (Unfortunately, since we were a bit late this morning, someone took our pew.... grrrrrr..... funny how little things like this can make me feel so possessive!)