What’s a Mom to Do?

I absolutely love days like today. Today is a beautiful summer morning…it is a bright and sunny, 77°F morning. While the weather is absolutely gorgeous, what has me so excited about today is the fact that I have an entire six hours to myself! For those of you who have small children, you know how precious our time away from them is.

So, how did I manage to get this much time to myself? One of the local churches provides a nice service to moms on Wednesdays and Fridays called “Mother’s Day Out.” For a small monthly fee, I can bring the kids to the church where they can play with the other kids their age for the day (9am-3pm) on Wednesdays and Fridays. However, I only take them on Fridays.

The reason today is so special is that MDO has been on break for the past two weeks and my oldest son has been out of school for three weeks. So, this is truly the first day I’ve had to myself in three weeks! I was so excited about today that I woke up at 4:21 this morning and couldn’t go back to sleep. So, what’s a mom to do with all this free time? Well, I’m going to tell you what my plans are for the day!

• Work on my tan. This may sound a little silly, but I’m actually looking forward to putting on my bathing suit, and (a light) sunscreen, pulling out the lounge chair and a good book and soaking up the sun for an hour or so. I’m not usually one who enjoys being outside with nothing to do, but today I want to lay back, relax and read the book I haven’t been able to pick up in three weeks while improving my tan…in peace and quiet!
• Do a little shopping. After I’m done relaxing, I’m going to take a quick shower and go to the mall for a couple hours of uninterrupted shopping. For me, I don’t even have to buy anything to enjoy myself. Before I became a mother, I didn’t realize how enjoyable it really is to go and browse alone. Now, I take every chance I get to do this. If I find something I can’t live without great, but if not, I’m just going to enjoy my time.
• Take a walk with a friend. Finally, the last thing I have planned today is to meet up with a friend and go on a 4.5 mile walk on one of our neighborhood trails. I enjoy working out, but on a day like today, I prefer to do the things I don’t get to do much so I’m swapping out the gym for the walking trail.

A lot of people disagree with the fact that I choose to take a day for myself every week, but for me, it’s a must-have. I feel like I’m a better mom when I get some time alone and I also feel like it’s good for my kids to spend a day with others their own age without me nearby. What about you? Do you get much time for yourself during the summer? What do you do when you do get a few hours alone?