Beginning Anew ... Again

For several years, we had a certain "bedtime" routine for every night - it began in an attempt to make "bedtime" calmer and less stressful in our then household of young children and toddlers. The goal was a period of Quiet Time for everyone, in hopes of "bedtime" going smoothly with minimal disruption. (and it worked !!) Here's what we did:

The children would finish their chores, and then would prepare for bed (baths, PJs, etc). While they were getting ready, I would prepare some hot herbal tea -- everyone had their own special tea cup or mug.

Sometimes we would have Peppermint or Spearmint. Occassionally it would be Chamomile. And other times we would each choose our favorite tea - like Mixed Berry, Blueberry, Lavendar, or maybe Sleepytime. (no milk, lemon,honey or sugar - just plain herbal tea. We were trying to CALM everyone - HA !)
Finally, we would turn out nearly all of the lights in the house (we are preparing to go to bed, of course) and would gather in the Family Room. The children would all gather 'round Mom (or sometimes Dad - he read all of Robinson Crusoe once and no one will ever forget it ! He did a great job !!) .... cups of hot herbal tea in hand. First we would say our evening prayers, and then we would settle in for the Bedtime Story.

This routine continued even when the children began getting older - well past the toddler and young "active" years.

However, this "routine" got lost following our housefire last spring. And it somehow was forgotten completely until just recently when Cherub 5 remembered out-of-the-blue .... immediately everyone agreed that we needed to begin anew.

So we took a trip to the Grocery to buy a few teas for the beginning of our new Tea Collection -- we started with the old favorites. Peppermint and Spearmint. Mixed Berry and Blueberry. Vanilla Chamomile, Sleepytime, and Apple Cinnamon.

We are planning a trip to the Antique Stores in town (soon) to get new TeaCups for everyone - each is to select his or her own special teacup. In the mean while everyone agreed that our regular coffee mugs would suffice.

And we agreed that we would "officially" begin this new (old) routine just after New Years - as a Family Resolution.
On Tuesday evening (January 1st) we began with our chores after dinner. Then everyone got themselves ready for bed, while I made the tea and brought it to the Family Room.

After everyone was ready, we gathered together to sip our tea. We first said our evening prayers. And then we began with Chapter 1 of Arthur Ransome's SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS. This book is a favorite of our family, probably because we have spent much of our last two summers going to visit Lake Oconee in Georgia with my parents -- and exploring islands, boating, and "adventure-seeking" nearly like the Walker Family in the book. We do not use sailboats - but we intend to try it someday soon !

After the book and tea are finished, everyone heads off to bed after putting their cups in the sink and then brushing their teeth .... relaxed, warm & toasty, and with adventures enough to inspire the best of dreams.

Now - what will we read NEXT ?