In the midst of a busy fall full of extra activities, craft show season and home football games about every other weekend, for two days my family did nothing. We didn’t go anywhere, have any special activities planned or, for the most part, change out of our comfy pajama clothes.
We need a weekend like this every once in a while. After a busy summer filled with trips and camps, preparing to go back to school and then making it through the first couple of months, we needed a break.
The kiddos are pretty resilient. They go with the flow whether it is coming to work with me, heading to my parents for a few hours, having a “daddy day” or doing a day trip filled with fun activities including the science center, zoo, movie theater, jump park or Chuck E. Cheese.
During the week, we have after school activities at least three days a week with more added for special events. I know that I get tired running and coming and going and our schedule is about half as crazy as some parents I know. With the girls barely in school, I am trying not to overload their waking hours, but I know it will only get busier as they get older.
My husband’s schedule is pretty standard with a few later nights thrown in here and there for work projects. Along with my regular work schedule, which is pretty flexible to include some nights and weekends, I have been preparing and attending craft shows both in central Iowa and Council Bluffs. A lot of late nights have gone in to getting everything done and the work has definitely paid off but I do get a little tired after a while.
With the next couple of months just as busy as the past few, it was nice to take a break and just hang out at home. We slept in, as much as the girls would allow, stayed in our jammies, ate tasty food, played on the computer, built forts, had some quality time with the new kittens and just took it easy. Arguments were at a minimum and everybody had some alone time along with family time including our dog and two newest family members, Moe and Carl.
It is not often, especially in the fall, that we get a chance to relax. Soon we will celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas with so many events and activities to attend that the month of January will feel like a vacation.
I love be busy and tend to not do well with long periods of down time but it was nice, just for a while, to have the schedule clear and enjoy some time off.
Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com