Tuesday 4...I wasn't going to join in on this one today because I couldn't really think of anything very clever or interesting to say...and besides, should we really be sharing with the world our bedtime routine/attire, etc? But, then as I started reading other's responses to the questions I decided it was tame enough for the general population to read. After all, most of us are way past mid-life and our routines are pretty simple, or maybe even a bit dull...but it makes it more fun to see that we are all quite a bit alike after all. So here goes...everything you ever wanted to know about my bedtime routine. LOL.
Night Night!
Welcome back to the "I refuse to auto post" Tuesday 4 by Toni Taddeo, enhanced by complication from Blogger.
Yes folks, it did it yet again. But, better late than never some say so here we go with this week's questions. I hope you enjoy them.
1. Do you have a set bedtime that you stick to?
Pretty much so. I usually start heading to bed around 9:00, but by the time I've done all my little routine things and showered it's getting close to 9:30 or 9:45 before my head really touches the pillow...and hubby usually either precedes me to the shower or follows me, depending upon what he's watching on TV. LOL.
2. What kind of sleep attire do you prefer and why is that?
If you know me well, you know that "a picture is worth a thousand words", but I usually do both the picture AND the thousand words. LOL. This nightgown is getting almost threadbare from all the wearing and washing, but it is still my favorite. I do have others, but I always come back to this one. In winter I've tried to wear pajamas, but I can't find any that really stay down on my legs. They always want to ride up and get twisted and drive me crazy all night, so I go back to this nightgown and layer on an extra blanket and some socks until my feet get warm enough. This particular nightgown has a previous story...
For more about this same nightgown, you can go back in time HERE to a land far away (our previous home). You'll have to read the whole post to get to the nightgown part. But I think you'll enjoy the story.3. Do you have a night time routine before bed? Wash.. brush teeth.. snack?
Yes, the routine starts with me preparing the coffee pot and tea pot for the morning. Our coffee pot has an automatic timer so it can be set to come on at a certain time. When our son was still here it was set to start about 4:00 a.m. so he could get some coffee before he left for work. Now that he has moved out we have set it to about 5:00 a.m. so it is ready when my hubby gets up. Then he turns on the electric tea kettle that is already filled with water so that by the time I come out the water is hot and ready for my cup of tea.
But, back to bedtime...after I do that we have a little routine with a certain little friend that I know I've been neglecting in writing about lately, Miss Lily Grace. I know you probably think I'm crazy, and you would probably be correct. Every night Lily Grace says good night to everyone in the house, and then I tuck her and her doggie Bailey into bed with "Baby Elva" and her little Boo Bear. They sleep very snugly in the baby carriage next to my side of the bed. I sometimes have to remind them to stop talking and get to sleep...
Oh, by the way, in case you think I'm crazy, wait 'til you see what Lily's big brother Scott gave her before he left:
That's one of his prized golf balls that looks like a soccer ball. He thought Lily and Bailey would have fun playing with it. Yes, our family is all just a little bit crazy, but we have fun.
So back to the routine before bedtime...where was I? Oh yes, let's see...I've fixed the coffee pot, etc., tucked Lily Grace into bed, and now it's time for me to get my shower. Then once hubby gets his shower, we are both ready for bed, and we say our prayers together before going to sleep. I love this part of our routine. We didn't always say them out loud together, but at some point in time we started doing that...he says his prayers out loud and then I say mine and we pray for our family, friends, church, world, whatever and whoever we can think of to pray for, and then we are ready to go to sleep. It's the sweetest time of the day.
Oh sometimes there's another little "friend" that shows up unexpectedly when you least expect him:
Meet "Ratty". We've had this little stuffed critter for as long as I can remember. Most of the time he sits quietly on the dresser. But every so often he shows up in all kinds of strange places, usually at bedtime. Sometimes I get surprised by "Ratty", and sometimes hubby gets surprised. But it's always funny.
These are some of the secrets of staying happily married for almost 53 years.
Of course, there are other "secrets" to staying happily married, but they don't need to be discussed in this particular post...LOL.
4. Quilts? Coverlet? Fluffy comforters? Woolen blankets? What do you need to sleep comfortably?
Well, that depends on the season. Right now in summer (and here in Florida that would be the majority of the year), a sheet and a light blanket that can easily be kicked off and pulled back up as needed is all that is necessary. In winter, we usually put a set of flannel sheets on the bed and add extra blankets as needed. Recently we have learned that since we both like different levels of warmth at night, we each have a small blanket that we can use personally to add or remove as needed.
Now, when it comes to pillows...hubby is happy with one plain old ordinary pillow. Me? I have to have several...First there's "My Pillow" under my head. Yes, one of those, and I do love it. Then I have another flat older pillow that I put between my knees because I sleep on my side. I also have a little tiny pillow, like one of those airplane pillows, that I put under my right arm (because I sleep on my left side) and then in the crook of my left arm I snuggle up to this:
Meet "Bear Bear". He was a gift to me from my hubby during one of my more recent hospital visits. As you can tell by his eyes, he's a "Precious Moments" bear, and he is the softest and most cuddly little fella ever created. He fits perfectly in that space and I really can't sleep without him anymore. You can see he looks well loved.
I am not ashamed to tell you that I sleep with a teddy bear, or that we have a stuffed rat that sometimes scares the bejeebers out of me, or that I have to tuck in my little dollies to sleep at night. These are all a part of my nightly bedtime routine, and believe it or not, they bring a sense of joy and comfort and peace. Now, I'm sure if these sweet things were suddenly taken away from me I would adjust and go on with life...but something very sweet and precious would be missing.
I bet there are some of you out there who have some of these kinds of special things that you aren't telling us about because you aren't sure how we'd react. But I'm here to say it's OKAY! If I can do it, so can you. And I am perfectly sane.
Well, sane anyway.
Better leave the perfectly part off of it.
But here's where my true peace comes from:
"I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."
Psalm 4:8
And that, my friend, always makes me have a good night's sleep...just knowing that God is watching over me...always.
Good Night!
Sleep Tight!
Don't let the bed bugs bite!
Now let's go visit our other friends to find out what bedtime routines they've been hiding...or not...LOL
