Independence Day Comes Early for this Mom?

It looks like I may celebrate Independence Day a wee bit early this year. My in-laws asked if they could take Natalie and Michaela Byrd to a T family reunion in North Carolina this weekend. T will be working, so it will just be me for most of the day.

After some initial trepidation, the prospect of spending two whole days doing whatever. the. heck. I. want. won out.

Everyone parents differently, and my in-laws are pretty fantastic. I don't worry about them losing one of my kids, or accidentally teaching them bad words (I already did that), or letting them roam the hotel unattended. I tend to be a worrier, and my worries revolve around car crashes and sickness and snake bites and general maladies and tragic events. I went all Dr. Phil on myself once and deduced that this most likely stems from losing a parent as a teenager.

Once I told myself to stop acting like a head case, the idea of going Ferris Bueller for a couple of days really seemed like a great idea.

The only problem is, I am so lame in my old age, I can't think of anything to do now that I know I'll have free time.

I didn't seem to have this problem as a teenager, or newlywed with no children. What to do? Dumb question- sleep in, buy stuff at stores, meet friends for fun stuff, sleep in, and buy more stuff.

So that's not really going to work for me. The guilty mom-side of me feels like I should use those two days to paint something, fold something, iron something, cook something, or just generally be productive.

The selfish real side of me wants to go shopping, get a pedicure, read a book by the pool without a three year old hanging around my neck in a cold wet bathing suit, watch a movie, frolic in a meadow...you know.

And also, my friends are all busy having no breaks, so I don't want to rub it in or anything by driving through the neighborhoods shouting "I'm free! I'm free!" or seeing if they can take the whole day off to cater to my whims and fancies of shopping therapy.

I am weighing my options and trying to find a little bit of balance:

• Get up early on Saturday to Yard Sale and then sleep in a bit on Sunday
• Treat myself to lunch out
• Make a meal plan for next week...and use coupons (scary, unforged territory!)
• Finish sorting donations for Salvation Army
• Read a book by the pool
• Complete a craft project for an upcoming Crafterminds campaign
• Get a little work done for another blog related deadline
• Convince T to go out on a date after work, even if he is tired and doesn't feel like it--I will win him over with my charm and "rapist wit" (name that movie quote!!)

I probably won't get to everything on the list, but I'm sure gonna try!


{What would you do if you had a day to yourself with no commitments?}

*Did you miss the June Silhouette Promo? A $199 package deal or 25% off your our purchase in the shop (excluding download codes and gift cards). Just use my code SERENITY when you shop! I used the Temporary Tattoo Paper to make some Child Safety Temporary Tattoos (great for those summer amusement park trips!)