When the Mice Are Away (this has nothing to do with pest control, FYI)

I love summer because FRESH FRUIT. 

When the girls were newly-minted two-and-four-year-olds, Jake took them to see their great grandmother while she was visiting family in South Carolina. Since this was an overnight visit taking place on Dec. 22, I stayed behind to get as much holiday prep done as possible while loosened from the inherent dangers of assembling Christmas gifts in the same house as Santa-believing preschoolers.

Can I please tell you how much I got done in 24 hours? Gifts were assembled and wrapped, the house was clean top-to-bottom, I knocked out a couple of projects that had been on hold for some time, and I don't remember what else — I probably ran a marathon or invented something or mastered a new skill like tightrope walking — or maybe not, but the point is I accomplished SO MUCH that to this day I remember that feeling of happy satisfaction all these years later.

Guess what? One of my kids is at the beach, the other is at the lake, the hubby is at work, and I have zero pressing work deadlines. This is unheard of. The realization that I can get tons done today without worrying about feeding anyone other than myself, driving anyone across town for a practice of some sort, explaining that being unable to attend a swimsuit sale does not constitute an international crisis, and being fairly confident I'll end the day with precisely as much cash as I started is exhilarating.

Now, before anyone gets the wrong idea — I'm actually one of those people who enjoy being with their kids. They are just the kind of funny, smart, helpful, easygoing people I love being around. And I know in just a few short years I'll be complaining I have TOO MUCH time where I'm not being interrupted for input of some sort while I'm mid-project. I'll be sad when I find my razor clean and sharp and actually in my shower. Or I don't have to worry about the horrors of accidentally trying to shimmy (unsuccessfully) into one of my teenage daughter's jeans. And I'm not nagging anyone to please clean their room/put their own dishes into the dishwasher/"turn out the lights for heaven's sake!"

But this one day that I have to enjoy the silence truly makes me appreciate those less silent ones more. I'm getting to blog (!!), knocking out a couple of projects that involve hammers and power tools, running errands and organizing closets. Will I be thrilled when they start rolling in tomorrow? Absolutely. Will I also be tickled with how much I got done today? Yup. So I'm off to get more done so tomorrow I can enjoy the family without any nagging distractions. Now I just need to decide what to do next ...

(FYI, the best time to cull teenagers closets is when they are away from home. But, shhh.)

What are you up to this fine summer's day?

XO —

Don't miss a post! Subscribe here:

Enter your email address:


Delivered by