Slow Living at 5AM ☕ | Rainy Fall Morning Routine & Cozy Autumn Vibes

There's something about mornings like this, when the house is still and the day hasn't quite begun. These are the moments that I really do treasure, when it's just me and a quiet cup of coffee or tea and space to breathe before the noise starts. It is chilly. We normally go outside at this point and I'm going to drive but it shows me that it's officially we're diving into autumn and it's cold, wet and rainy and it was so dark when I first woke up so it's official. I'm going to get some fresh air. I know it's really good for you to get outside first thing so I'm going to try and get some but I will have to come in pretty fast because it's so rainy. I haven't always had mornings that felt like this. For a long time I rushed from the moment I opened my eyes, reacting, surviving and just really trying to keep up. But I've learnt that how we begin shapes everything that follows, not perfectly but just with intention. So in today's video I wanted to share what that looks like for me lately. The rhythms that bring peace into our mornings here at English Rose Cottage and how even with little ones you can still find stillness in the middle of it all. After my coffee is poured I do like to try and step outside even if it's just for a few minutes. Today it's so blustery and rainy that I really couldn't take it for too long but there is something about that chill in the morning air and the sounds of the birds just starting their day. It just reminds me of life and how it moves in seasons and so do we and it's just so beautiful to me. But as it is getting colder and colder I think I'd rather start my mornings by the fire but as it's still relatively okay I've been outside this morning so I like to sit for a bit outside maybe wrapped in a blanket with my bible and journal and I don't always get long but that quiet moment to pray and set my heart right makes all the difference. And if you're a mum you know that these pockets of time don't really last. Some mornings it's just 5 minutes and other days the children awake before I even sit down but I've learnt that God meets me in both kinds of mornings, the peaceful and the messy and there's something really inspiring about that. And if your mornings look different depending on the season of life you're in that's okay too. After you know postpartum, moving house or going through a stressful time or whatever sometimes what your body needs most is rest and sleep can be sacred so this isn't the goal for everyone to wake up at 5am but this is an insight into my mornings when that does happen. One thing with claw clips is that they don't tend to hold up my horse head of hair so I find that just a few clips hold it up even though these are giant ones. Literally I think they're called giant ones. The children are awake now so time to go and get them and do the morning things. I tell you I think I've found my perfect knits for the autumn and winter and I'm so excited. So I might wear this one today. Let's see. It's so cosy. Or shall I wear... I do have a brown one as well. Let's have a look at that one. I think I'm going to do the cream today. It's so cosy. I'll do the cream this morning. An extra layer of warmth. This looks so perfect and so cosy. I'll see if I can find the links for you and leave them down below. Time to do the next thing. It's so cosy. Okay, the children are downstairs. On days when Josh is out of the house in the morning, I really like to try and get ready first. It doesn't always happen. I don't want to fool you. A lot of the time I'm still in my pajamas for a while, but this morning we managed to get ourselves organized and dressed, and so it's time to get everyone ready. Why am I out of breath? Mornings can be tiring. Yes, they can. And then we can get back into our routine. I haven't done the dishwasher yet, and I haven't done laundry. Normally I'd have sorted those things by now, but it's fine, we're going to do that soon, and then we'll get some breakfast. Are you hungry? Yay! Can I help you? Once I've had those few quiet moments, I do like to try and get ready for the day. Even if I'm not going anywhere, it's not about that, but it's in simple things like making the bed, and washing my face, brushing my hair, and putting on something that feels just put together. Even if it is just jeans and a soft, cozy jumper, it just changes how I show up for the rest of the morning, so I do like to set that intention first thing. And when I take a few minutes to prepare myself, I do notice that I carry just a little bit more calm into whatever comes next, whether that's breakfast with the children, school work, or, you know, the endless cycle of tidying. I think, honestly, our mornings can look very different day to day. Depending on how the children are doing, how the baby's doing, how they're all feeling, what we've got planned that day. Whoa, that was close. So this isn't what it looks like every single morning, but I do like to try and do the dishwasher before breakfast and get that done so that after breakfast it's an easy refill and an easy tidy up. So I'm going to get that done, and then I like to start breakfast for around 8 o'clock. So it's currently 8 o'clock, so I'm a little bit behind. I'm going to get that going because I sent some hungry, hungry children. Well, praise the Lord that Josh is home now. He just went out for breakfast to meet someone. So I'm glad he's home because if he weren't home right now, I don't think I'd be able to start breakfast because it's a little bit crazy. We're feeling a little bit wild. So I'm going to quickly, while I've got a minute while he's in the lounge before he starts work, I'm going to put on some breakfast. We always like to start the day with protein. Protein, protein, protein. It really helps me. It really helps my husband, my children, everyone. So I'm going to do some bacon. This is a new bacon that I've not tried. It's the brand Naked, and it's made without nitrate. So we'll try that this morning. And then I've got some sausage meat to put into pates and some eggs. So a nice wholesome breakfast to start the day, and we are definitely going to use that whole pack. One thing that actually makes me really happy that I think about often is, oh, wow, we need a whole loaf of bread, for example, to feed our family pretty much. And that makes me so happy, because I think when I had just one, I had just Mercy. I used to think about, oh, can you imagine having a family so big that you use one or two loaves at a time? And I kind of used to dream of that. I love big families, and Lord willing, we have a big family. So that makes me really happy that we use a whole thing of bacon. In fact, we're going to need two, because that's only six rashers. But that's a side point. But that does make me very happy. Let's get breakfast started. Throwing bacon in the oven isn't my most favourite way of cooking bacon. But it is fast, and it is easy, and it does mean we eat bacon in the morning, if I can just throw it in the oven sometimes. So this works really well. It only takes about 10 minutes or so. I don't have any beef fat on hand, so I did pick up some beef dripping from Morrison's, which is the best way to do fried eggs. There is no other way. Scrambled eggs, butter, fried eggs, beef dripping. This is just pure beef fat with bone marrow. In the mornings, I like to try and start the day gently with a warm drink and some fresh air. I really like to go outside in the morning and then time in the Bible. And as a mum of three, I've learned that looking after my health is so important and just as important as caring for everyone else's. And for me, that often starts with trying to support my gut health. Things like staying hydrated and choosing what I drink first thing really helps my energy and balance for the day. But here, our tap water hasn't always been at the best. The taste can just be off. And I've tried everything from boiling it over and over to using so many different filter jugs, even adding lemon just to mask the flavor. But nothing has ever quite worked good enough for me, especially for that morning hot drink, that morning cup of tea. This is the Water Drop A2 Hot and Cold Dispenser, and it's made such a difference in our mornings. It gives us clean, filtered water instantly, hot or cold. This is the selling point for me. It can go from 15 degrees Celsius to 95 degrees Celsius instantly. The taste is fresher and smoother, and I love knowing that it's healthier for all of us, especially heading into flu season as well. One filter lasts a whole year with replacements around £70. So it's simple, affordable, and just far kinder to the planet. So this autumn, care for your loved ones with every sip. Water Drop are offering up to $700 off through October 8th. If you're watching this the day this video goes out, that is tomorrow. And so I'll put the details in the description link below. Please be sure to check that out. Breakfast time is a bit of a rhythm in our house, and it's one that I absolutely love. But we always, well, we mostly tend to have pots of tea, open books and the Bible on the table. These days we've been having a fire over breakfast, because we've got a log burner in both our dining room and our lounge. So I love having the fire going through breakfast and then into home school time. But it's never perfectly quiet, but it is one of my favourite parts of the morning. And we all gather here, you know, sit a little sleepy, chatting about lots of different random things, what we're thankful for, what the day might hold. And, you know, sometimes we read a short passage together or talk about something simple that sparks a conversation. But it's not always polished, because we do have three children under the age, four and under. And sometimes the tea spills and sometimes the breakfast is burnt and all of those lovely things. But these are the moments that seem to set the tone for everything else in the day. And I do find that a few minutes of connection before we scatter into the day really does help. It's that kind of giving your children ten minutes of intense, you know, playtime, and then you get an hour because of it, because you've given them the moments of connection. And I've learnt that when we start like this, even just for ten minutes, the whole morning just feels calmer. And it reminds me that, you know, we don't need to tick all the boxes, but we do need to be together. And that's a really important part, and that's why I love home educating so much too. We're together and we can take the morning slow, we're not rushing out the door to get to school or nursery or anything. And also a really strong cup of tea goes a long way too. After breakfast, we usually move into our homeschool rhythm. And right now we're focusing on learning to read, which is such a sweet stage. And we use the Or No Parents guide to teaching reading, and I love how practical it is and easy to follow. We also do a bit of abacus work for maths and handwriting practice after that, but I do try to keep it light and unhurried. I want them to enjoy learning, not just finish the lesson and get it over and done with. And some mornings it flows beautifully, others it really doesn't. And, you know, things go wrong. Someone might lose their pencil halfway through, their baby needs an app or isn't napping, and, you know, we just have to roll with it, and that's the reality of it. And I've learned that learning happens best when the atmosphere is peaceful. Not perfect, just peaceful. And sometimes that means taking a break to read aloud or step outside for a few minutes of fresh air. And honestly, I do love that about homeschooling. It's flexible enough to fit the real life happening around it. And if you're in a season where your mornings look different, maybe you're, you know, going through a rough season at the moment, then please know that that's just OK. Routines change with the seasons, and sometimes the most intentional thing you can do is rest. And, yeah, you don't need a perfect structure, but finding small ways to begin your day with peace and gratitude and routines that you enjoy can really help. By late morning, the house starts to definitely come alive again. The breakfast pots are done and the lessons are finished. And I usually turn my attention to whatever it is that needs doing around our home. Today it's laundry. Well, actually, every day it's laundry, really. Because, you know, let's be honest, it never really ends. But there's something quite grounding about it, though, kind of like the sorting and the folding and bringing order to a small corner of the day, even though it's just laundry. It's one of those things that I'm always tackling. It always feels like such a good win. And then it reminds me that homemaking isn't about finishing a task, because we never really finish, do we? But it is about being faithful and doing one small thing every day, a load of laundry, wiping down the counters, tidying the toys. It all adds up. And it's not glamorous work at all, but it is work that matters. And I try to keep these rhythms gentle, not rushed, not perfect, just steady and always going. There is peace to be found in that ordinary stuff when you stop seeing it as a list of chores and start seeing it as care, caring for the home, caring for the people in it, and even for ourselves. If I have a bit of extra time in the morning, I do like to try and get ahead on lunch. Today it's my favourite, soup and fresh bread. Nothing fancy, just simple food made with love and time and attention. The day's been resting by the window and I'll bake it while the children play. I do like to have quite a lot of independent play during the day. It's really good for the children's imagination. I love being involved or watching them play. They're so good at it. It's quite inspiring. But anyway, there's something so comforting about the smell. Filling the kitchen with freshly baked bread. Bread making has become one of those quiet habits that I never expected to absolutely fall in love with. But there's so much patience in it too. I love the waiting and the kneading and trusting that something small will grow into something nourishing. It's such a picture of what homemaking feels like really. The small things we tend to each day, the meals and the laundry and the messes, they grow into something far bigger than we can see in the moment. And of course, it doesn't always go to plan. Some days the bread burns, or it doesn't rise, which happens frequently. The washing might stay in the washing machine for too long and the house feels louder than peaceful. But I'm learning that peace is not found in perfection. It's found in the posture of our hearts while we do the work, this good work. And for me, that peace comes from remembering that all of this, the home, the work, the family, is part of a calling. And it's not small. It's not a small calling at all. It's sacred. And it's where our faith can meet the everyday moments of our life. And honestly, soup and crusty bread with thick lumps of butter, that's the reward at the end of it all. It's the kind of lunch, simple lunch, that brings everyone to the table. The cheeks red from playing outside, that's such a beautiful thing to me. Chatter filling the kitchen, that's when I look around and think, yeah, this is enough. This is brilliant, wonderful and lovely. And these slow, steady rhythms, the laundry, the bread, the simple meals, they don't just fill up the day. They shape the home and they remind me that quiet work has meaning. So much meaning. Well, thank you so much for joining me this morning. It's been so fun to bring you through our morning routine. I do want to reiterate that this is not always what it looks like every single day. Every single day is so different. I do try and have routines that we stick to. We always do home educating, I'm pretty much always doing laundry, tidying up and getting ready, and obviously getting everyone ready for the day. But that all looks different on each day, depending on what we have going on. So thank you so much for joining. We're going to finish up some homeschool stuff here and then put away laundry and then it's lunchtime. If you do love these kind of videos, please do subscribe to this channel and maybe like the video. There's a new thing that's come out called a Hype and that helps more creators get shown to different people on YouTube. So if you could give me a Hype, that would be really cool. I don't know if it works, I'm not sure. But if you have the time and you have the capacity, that would be really helpful for the channel. Thank you so much again for watching. I love spending time with you guys and I'll see you in the next one. Yes, my darling!