When my husband announced he’d be off for the kids’ winter break, I had mixed feelings. The four of us together for eleven days with no real plans sounded like the perfect recipe for a bubbling disaster. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family. But there are many weekends I don’t think I’ll survive, when I think we all can’t wait for Monday to come. The kids fight over who gets which vitamin at breakfast, who gets to brush their teeth first, and the grumpiness escalates from there.
I can handle them fine on my own for a week. They run off in their pajamas and play while I have a little “work” to do. But throw another adult in the mix and they suddenly need to be supervised. They need someone to play with them. This usually translates to my son begging my husband to be with him 24/7 and my husband not getting any peace.
I needed a plan. Eleven days together couldn’t possibly go well if we didn’t have a schedule of fantastic places to go. Our usual winter break of the kids and me lying around the house in our pj’s, playing games, crafting, watching movies, and playing the day by ear would drive my husband crazy, I thought. He would be bored in the house, the kids wouldn’t leave him alone, and I wouldn’t be able to stand the tension.
Or so I thought.
I never did make that plan. And we did lie around the house playing games, watching movies, reading books, and just doing whatever we wanted. The kids played with friends a couple of times. Save for one meltdown and a few minor fusses, our vacation went smoothly. We snow-tubed our way down a mountain one day, toasted in the new year together, and discussed every Star Wars character we could think of. We broke in my son’s new basketball goal, learned a new domino game, and broke household records and slept in every day. We drove dolls around in their new pink jeep, made the best chocolate-chocolate chip cookies ever, built the city of Atlantis, and made Lego starships take flight.
The night before my husband had to go back to work, I could tell something was wrong. He was sad. Since our son was a baby, that’s the longest time we’ve had at home together as a family to just be. To just enjoy each other, to have nowhere to be, and to go where the days took us.
We didn’t do anything fancy. We didn’t go far. But we defied all expectations and proved that sometimes the best times are those that are unplanned.
Mom in the Muddle 
I loved reading this. Mostly because I had the same dilema before Christmas break! My husband said he would be home until after New Year, and I was so skeptical! Not only do I have a 3 month old to take care of, but a one a half year old, as well as a needy dog. That’s alot of cleaning..then throw in a grown man..I was cleaning non stop for two weeks! But it was great having him home, and it was also the most time he’s been here. I’m glad you got to spend quality time with your family!
Sometimes we plan a vacation together somewhere or time off to do special things and it never goes as planned. I learned it’s not always what you do that matters. We really did have a fun time and a much-needed break. It doesn’t always work that way though!
You know Star Wars characters!? There’s hope for you yet. hahaha
Ah, that is awesome and so sweet. Glad you all had a wonderful vacation at home doing nothing but hanging out and being a family.
That sounds lovely. I think we ended up in the parallel universe as your other family – the one that is at each other’s throats.
That’s too bad. But we have many weekends like that. I know exactly what you mean! That’s why 11 days together was such a miraclewe can most often barely get through a weekend.
“The four of us together for eleven days with no real plans sounded like the perfect recipe for a bubbling disaster.”
I agree! But plans go awry so easily, don’t they?