Here we go again with my kids off for a whole week and a half for this latest school vacation!
That's right, my kids started yet another long school vacation and it was game on for this mom to keep them entertained all day long.
My kids being kids were bouncing off the walls wanting to play outdoors immediately, as well as from the candy that they each received after another school party to celebrate the impending vacation.
By the way, even though the calendar says spring, mother nature had seemingly forgotten this piece of info as the temperatures even on that first Sunny vacation day was downright cold.
Yet this mom knows the reality of these long school vacations, which throw her whole schedule daily for out the window, especially her work from home schedule.
See the school day hours are for me to get my work done. But during the prolonged school vacations, the ease and routine of this work day schedule goes right out the window.
However, there still is so much beauty in the moments that comprise the school vacation time, even though it might not be ideal for moms like me that work from home and there really isn't any escaping it anyways.
But how exactly do we embrace the beauty in school vacations?
1. Attempts of even entertaining the notion to sleep in have all but been thwarted for this mama as the kids, who seem to battle me on school mornings to drag their lazy bums out of bed, are now suddenly up with the birds just because they can be! However, we lazily cuddle watching cartoons just because we can.
2. Thank god that Trix are indeed for kids as that lovable bunny has saved me from actually cooking breakfast for my little minions to be on a more laid back morning schedule. Actually meal time, in general, has been more or less relaxed with more snacking taking center stage for all.
3. Wardrobe changes for my wannabe princesses are just as abundant and plentiful, as if they are really and truly royalty from the first clothing selection of the day to the very last one, making for more unwanted laundry to pile up. And yet, the fashion shows have been downright entertaining.
4. No matter how many toys that we have in duplicate, the fights are on and more tears have been shed so far over this than Tammy Faye Baker did in her prime. Somehow, though we have fought through these less than stellar moments to find more peaceful ones, as well.
5. iPad usage is on the rise and at the very least keeping this mom from pulling her hair (grays and all) out of her head to have even 5 minutes of peace and quiet during the spring rain showers. Still, I must admit to smiling as my girls sing and giggle their way through another rendition of Meghan Trainor's, "All About the Bass".
6. Yet, Mother Nature has taken some pity on us after the brutal winter she forced down our throats and has thankfully still given us time to enjoy some outdoor fun with new bikes getting a proper workout. Spring might actually be here, which leads to the #7.
7. Since the temperature has rose above 50 degrees this past week, my kids seem to think that they can dress like it is now summer in the Caribbean channeling their best Bob Marley impressions by donning leggings/tights and baring legs for all that will look while hanging around the house. Reminding me that these are the times to savor as we usher in the warmer weather very soon.
8. Some light Spring cleaning commenced with winter boots/coats finally being put on ice for next year, with me wanting to throw a party to celebrate or at least crack open a bottle of wine. Warmer weather and a glass of wine can never be bad thing!
9. Our calendars have been full to the brim with not being short on entertainment by any means to keep us quite busy, thankfully making the days go by quite fast even in the most crazy, whiny moments (these are plentiful as girls do whine best). Still, as fast moving as these days have been, we still have so many memories that we have made to last us a lifetime.
10. Bedtime, what bedtime? Even once they find their way to bed, my girls will have a gab feast complete with singing their favorite Frozen show tunes and more to make me feel like I am getting a nightly concert for free. Still, I wish this would tire them out to not still want to once again be up with the birds like #1 all over again tomorrow! Still, listening to them happy and content at the end of these vacation days, somehow puts a smile on my face making it most definitely all worth it.
Yet, for all the craziness, important memories are being made during the grand and small instances of our school vacations.
See someday just as many have told me, I know I will certainly miss this time where we can spend all of our precious school vacation days together celebrating it all, even the most imperfect moments and as crazy as it sounds actually long for it as it is a much needed break from our daily grind.
So, I relish the beauty in each school vacation with my kids, because I can simply be with them.
Moms, how do you deal with your kids' school vacations?
This blog post is part of a series for HuffPost Moments Not Milestones called 'Lived and Learned: What I Want My Younger Self To Know.' To see all the other posts in the series, click here.