Today is Monday.
Last Monday I was at the “big” library, scouring the shelves for new audiobooks for my big boy. Choosing my “baby’s” first book to be taken out. Advising my 4-year-old on which Madeleine video to select. It was a warm and sunny summer day. Perfect for a trip downtown. A smoothie. A day of whim.
For 10 days I enjoyed such whim. I got out of bed—one day early, one day late, the rest at the usual time—and faced each day with no grand plans. It was a vacation in the true sense of the word. Except I didn’t go anywhere. I stayed at home and caught up on the laundry. I weeded a garden. Decluttered a few rooms in the house. I sorted through clothes outgrown, baked a little, read a lot. I thought thoughts from the beginning right through to the end. I wrote in my journal, watched my kids play in the sandbox, built Lego vehicles and dressed up a few dolls.
I went on outings with the kids to the farmer’s market, The Lake, to get ice cream and to see live music on the town green. We met up with the cousins (TWICE!) and played in the backyard. We saw friends, went to the sprinkler park, cashed in a gift card at Border’s and went for a walk after dinner. Sweetie took off a day from work, and we spent the whole day together as a family. Time at home, dinner out. Perfection.
I wish I had another 10 days to do almost exactly the same thing. It went by too fast.
Read More in home, Jen Writes, motherhood, three kids, three kids (six kids)
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Me too. Oh me too.
I love that not only do our work days coincide, but our vacation days, too. Let’s keep that up.
And this: “I thought thoughts from the beginning right through to the end.” Wow, right? Just wow.
I was going to pull that line out as well, it is perfect! My life, right now, is an on-going vacation except that I still can’t think a thought through. It gets lost somewhere on the way.
What an awesome 10-days for you! I’m so glad you were able to enjoy cousins, books, and delicious food.
Sounds like heaven!
Sounds perfect. I love days without expectation.
I think you may have just captured my ideal vacation. Not only is it a great lesson to the kids how rich and full life truly is, it’s also a salute to the kind of parenting I always long for my kids.
Here’s to sprinklers, lazy mornings, and family days. Cheers.
I love a good staycation! My favorite part is getting up early one day, late the next. It is definitely living with whim!
Sounds so relaxing and yet so productive. Some day I too will have a nice little stay-cation and get some decluttering done, mind included!
Oh these are my FAVOURITE kinds of vacations. The kind that leave you feeling rested and in love. Not annoyed, jet-lagged and ready to avoid one another in the days that come. We just had three days off together, this happens so rarely I can count on one hand the number of times it has been that we’ve had that breathing room in the last two years. I feel almost relaxed in my head, except my MIL is coming to visit this week AND I”M NOT PREPARED.
Sounds like a fantastic way to spend a vacation. Nice and relaxing. Sometimes vacations are more work than working is! I’m glad you knew how to take advantage of this one:)
I think I’d need to spend the whole 10 days de-cluttering! And maybe dressing up a few dolls. =>
These days always, always go by too fast. Glad you got to relish it though.
I thought thoughts from the beginning right through to the end.
Amazing how rare that is – and what a pleasure – when parenting little ones. That in itself is a vacation statement!
That sounds like a great vacation!!!
Ice cream and live music. Enough said.
Nothing like a stay-cation to make everything right in the world. And thoughts that get thought through? Well, that’s amazing!
A true staycation is one of the luxuries I crave.
(Although, also? I’d love to be home completely alone. As in, no kids or husbands or chickens or fish to feed and care for.)