What's Your Secret?

So, I am not a morning person.  I am a night owl.  I enjoy the peace and quiet of nighttime.  Everyone else is sleeping, so there is no one there to ask me to wipe them, or feed them, or change their diaper, or be the judge in a dispute over who gets the orange slinky (even though there are enough slinkies to go around for all, they are apparently not all created equal!!), and nor is there the constant barrage of "Mom, will you help me?" (or "me-me" if it's Rachel =).  And, since it's the end of the day, and I've usually gotten all my chores done and to-do list finished, so I can just veg out and relax without feeling guilty.  You can't do that in the morning.  There's no sitting around enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee, because there's too much other stuff pressing to get done:  laundry, dishes, breakfast; kids who need to get dressed, clean their rooms, brush their teeth, and whatever other catastrophe that may unexpectedly show up; oh, and of course, I desperately need to brush my teeth!  So, no, I am most certainly NOT a morning person.  Now, don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE being a wife and stay-at-home mom.  I'd much rather the pace of being at home than the hustle and bustle of a traditional career:  the quiet that comes with folding clothes and washing dishes (assuming the kids are napping, of course), the wonder in the 1st grader's eyes when she picks up on something new in school, all the "I love you's", the funny things they say, reading book after book on the couch, and the silliness of just laying in bed with the kids in the middle of the day.  But, to get up early and take the day by the horns...not. my. style.  The problem is, I feel really guilty about not getting up really early (and, by really early, I mean at least 30 minutes before the kids get up).  It's not that I don't try...because, I do...sometimes.  I set the alarm clock, I set the alarm on my cell phone (and put it in the bathroom, so I actually have to get out of bed), I beg for the graces to get up just half and hour earlier, and I have kids who rise shortly after the sun does.  But, I just usually end up slapping the snooze button 2 or 3 times (OK 5 times!) and turning off the cell phone.  And, the kids are good about just snuggling quietly with me until I get up.  I guess they know me well enough to know that if Mom is laying down, it's in everyone's best interest to leave her alone =)  I just can't seem to make myself get up as early as I would like to, unless I know I have to for an appointment or some other commitment.  It's like one of those cartoon moments where there's a little white angel on one shoulder and a little red devil on the other, and they are laying out the pros and cons of sleeping for just 20 more minutes.  Unfortunately, the little red devil wins most of those battles O_o.  So, I know I *should* try and get up half an hour earlier, but I just don't know how.  And, really, I could try harder, but it is one of my biggest weaknesses.  I have no motivation to try harder.  So, if you have any really great tips or secrets, I would LOVE to hear them!  And none of that "the early bird gets the worm" nonsense!...do you seriously know anyone in their right mind who wants worms besides birds??  I didn't think so.  My goal is to be one of those mothers who is awake before the kids get out of bed, already dressed, morning prayers said, and breakfast cooking.  Is that too much to ask??  Maybe I'm just being unrealistic or overly idealistic...and, maybe the kids don't really care...maybe they like things the way they are...they do get disappointed on those rare days when I actually am up before them fixing breakfast, because they didn't get to lay in bed with me for a few minutes before the the day starts.  Maybe that is just our quiet little family time to start the day; a little gift from God that I should just leave alone.