Routines

With school starting and a new puppy in the house, it's time to get back into a routine. Making dinner, sitting at the table, morning routines, all of it.
Summer really shot any routine we had in the foot.  We just kind of winged it and let a lot of things slide.  Bedtimes?  By 9ish most nights.  Breakfast, well they can have it eventually.  Dinner, umm, frozen pizza?
Yeah, now that school is on for both boys, such laxness won't fly.  So time to dig in and re-establish morning routines and evening routines.
Mornings aren't so bad.  I need to figure out an exercise program that fits into the time I have in the mornings.  Suggestions are welcome--I have maybe a half an hour to work with.
Then getting the boys up and moving, Turbo for grade school, Bruiser for preschool--even though he goes in the afternoon, We will be taking him to grandma's house some mornings. So breakfast for both of them--looks like I'm cooking breakfast.  Not my favorite, but I feel guilty of they only have a toasted Eggo.  I can do better than that.  I think.
In the afternoon, it's homework for Turbo, reading time for Turbo (part of his homework), and I get to get back to meal planning. Dinner runs smoother with meal planning, but it really is a pain in the butt. I manage about five dinners a week.  We leave two open for dinner out, leftovers, dinner with friends, etc. Or those nights when the thought of cooking dinner is just too much.  Everyone has those nights right?
Then some TV time as a family--no electronics, or limited electronics--and maybe a walk with the dogs--the puppy especially.
Bedtime for Bruiser is between 7:30 and 8:00.  Some nights he gets a bath before bed, other nights just a bit of extra hangout time, then a story and lights out.
Turbo heads to bed between 8:30 and 9:00.  Some reading time with mom, Harry Potter that we are tandem reading (I read a page, he reads a page) and then lights out after taking his melatonin. Such a great help in reducing the night terrors and sleep walking.
And finally a bit of time without kids for Nick and I.  Not a bad routine really, but it makes for a full day.
Now with a puppy in the mix the routines are a bit off--he is still very little and needs a lot of direct attention.  Happily, I have two very enthusiastic helpers in checking on what the puppy might be into.  the upstairs in mostly puppy proof.  Except Turbo's room, but it has a door that shuts. The puppy won't go down stairs yet so the basement is still not puppy proof.  That won't last long. Generally puppy proofing the basement is the weekend project.
Do you have a routine?  Or routines?  Do they make the day go smoothly?  having one helps me, but I have learned with kids the routine needs to be very flexible.