10 Mar Spring Break, Single Mama Style

So let me give to you straight and honest – I AM TIRED!

Motherhood, for most of us, is an exhausting experience.   The early mornings, late evenings, and on-going day to day activities can leave most moms feeling both physically and mentally drained.

My “non-mom” work consists of 2 different jobs – one takes place during daytime hours when my daughters are at school and the other takes place a few evenings a week.  I try hard to arrange my work schedule so that I am available to be with my children during after-school/homework time and when I have to work in the evening I am always home in time for my kids’ bedtime and pre-bedtime hours. It’s a busy schedule, and as a Single Mom I find myself very aware of how important it is for me to be present and available to my girls.

This week is Spring Break for both of my daughters, and fortunately I am able to be on Spring Break as well.

It’s been a long, cold and harsh winter and I feel as though my kids and I need a change of routine and a break from the monotony that accompanies the regular school-day schedule.

Our plans for this Spring Break are simply to stay home and enjoy some of the stuff that we don’t get to do on a regular basis. Hopefully there will be a lot of sleep (to help with the exhaustion that we all are feeling) and a lot of laughing and fun as well.

So, I thought I would share with all of you some of the things that my girls and I are hoping to do during our stay-at-home Spring Break.

1.  BAN THE ALARM CLOCKS!  Spring Break = No Specific Wake-Up Time!  This is possibly one of the greatest things for me as I am used to my alarm clock ringing at 5:30 am on a regular basis!  Sleeping-in will definitely be the best remedy for my mommy-exhaustion!
2. GO OUT FOR BREAKFAST!  My daughters and I love going out for breakfast. During this week we are trying to go to a different breakfast place each time and get our fill of all of our favorite spots.
3. BAKE A LAYER CAKE!  We love to bake, and this year we have decided to bake a triple-layer red velvet cake with homemade icing – all made from scratch!  Wish us luck!!!!!
4. EXPLORE NEW PLACES!  We live in the suburbs and it is my goal to hit the city or country for a change of scenery.  I love walking around downtown and discovering new favorite spots.  (if it wasn’t so darn cold outside, we would be exploring every day!)
5. HAVE A CHOCOLATE FONDUE PARTY!  One of our favorite things to do is to melt chocolate, dip fruit and marshmallows into it, let it chill in the fridge, and then DIG IN!  This is a perfect treat any time of day!    
6. HAVE AT LEAST ONE PAJAMA DAY!  Let’s face it, PJ-Days rule, and the best ones involve the three of us (and our dog Peaches)  cuddled up on the couch or on my bed watching movies or television.  We have already had a “Say Yes To The Dress” and “Pretty Little Liars” marathon – I wonder what we will watch next?
7.  CATCH UP WITH FRIENDS!  This week, we are trying to make plans with as many of our friends as we can.  It’s a perfect time to see people and re-connect.  We are so fortunate to have such amazing friends, and it is always refreshing and fun to be with them.
8. FAMILY GAME NIGHT!  Such an easy and great way to have fun!  We love to play cards, scrabble, or have a Wii marathon which includes Wii fitness, Just Dance and of course Super Mario.  
   
9. STAY ACTIVE!  Since it’s so cold outside, we are planning to take advantage of some indoor physical activities.  Our to-do list includes a trip to the indoor rock climbing gym, the indoor trampoline park, and maybe even bowling.  The goal is to choose some activities which are fun and physical.
10.  GYMNASTICS!  Both of my daughters are on competitive gymnastic teams and they have trainings during the Spring Break.  There are also “open-gym” slots during the break when the girls can go and practice their moves outside of their formal training times.  And guess what, my 2 gymnastically-obsessed daughters would not miss any opportunity to flip and jump at their gym club!

This is just a little taste of what we like to do and hope to accomplish during our Spring Break.

The goal for me is to relax, sleep, laugh and have fun!

Let me know if you have any suggestions for other activities that you like to do.

Stay warm and have fun!

Xox,

Susan