Single Parent Weekend

This weekend, it's just me and these two:



I will be a single mom this weekend and I'm both dreading and anticipating this at the same time. I have total respect for those moms I know who do this on an everyday basis; I could NOT do it on my own.

Now that I am a stay-at-home mom, I REALLY look forward to the time that my hubby is home with us. I love my boys, but it's very nice to have a second set of hands to help out. Chris usually works a half-day on Fridays and I anticipate having him home in the afternoons so that we can do something fun as a family or just hang out around the house and get stuff done. When I find out at the last minute that Chris has to work later than expected, sometimes, no make that most of the time, I get very angry. I don't mean to get angry.... For me, it's like working a full-time job and expecting to have a day off only to find out at the last minute that you have to work overtime and won't be getting compensated for it. It's not a fun equation. Also, I'm a planner and I don't like it when things don't go as planned. Sometimes I'm short with Chris on the phone, which makes him angry (it's a vicious circle!), but by the time he returns home at the end of the day, I apologize and we're both happy again.

As much as I look forward to the time that Chris is home with me and the boys, I also love the time we spend away from each other. It allows us to be individuals as well as a couple and in my opinion, it strengthens our relationship.

In the fall, Chris plays volleyball in a league in a nearby town. This means that for one night a week, I have the house (and the TV remote) to myself. I know some women who HATE to be alone. I am NOT one of them. When Chris is away, Mimi gets to play.

Well, most people wouldn't consider what I do play. However, I enjoy myself and I get stuff done around the house. It can't really be true, but on those nights that I have the house to myself, I feel more productive. Dinner tends to get cleaned up faster, the boys are in bed a bit earlier (sometimes with two books read before bed instead of one!), and I'm ready for bed earlier than normal. Usually, I fit in an elliptical workout once the boys are in bed (sometimes going longer than normal since I don't feel guilty about not spending time with my hubby since he's not home). Sometimes, I do a little pampering - I give myself facial and sit with a cup of tea and a book. More often than not, by the time Chris arrives back home, (if I'm awake!) I'm in bed with my book or magazine, feeling very relaxed.

This weekend, I'm planning on using my free nights to do some organizing and some work. I know, you're probably thinking, with a heavy dose of sarcasm, "Oh, what FUN!" But I am looking forward to a blissful Sunday night once I see what I was able to accomplish in a few short days.

Here are a few of my ideas:

Meal Planning - The idea of planning my meals for a month at a time instead of a week popped into my head this afternoon when I was trying to decide what to make for dinner. I love having my meals planned out, but I'm not such a fan of taking the time to do that plan, especially on a Sunday night when I just want to relax before the upcoming week. My thinking is, if I planned my meals out once a month, all I would have to do is create my grocery list once a week. That makes me happy.

Organizing and Cleaning My Desk - For about two months now, I've been dreaming about cleaning out my desk downstairs in the basement. I haven't used the desk since we moved into our house three years ago. First, it's in the basement. Second, it's a huge mess! Organizing and de-cluttering are a great relaxer for me and it might be nice to have a workspace apart from the kitchen counter.

Work - Last week, my plan for work actually did work. This week, after a weekend away at the camp, I haven't had a plan at all and let me tell you, this week has not been a pleasant one. I've totally abandoned my list notebook, didn't do a meal plan and school has gone by the wayside. I have been a tired wreck and I believe it's because of my lack of organization (well, that and staying up a bit later than I planned because I've totally gotten absorbed in Jamie and Claire again - love them!). It hasn't been a total wash of a week - the house has been tidy, we've eaten some great meals, had some play dates and read some books for school. However, when I'm organized, the weeks are so much more accomplished. I like accomplishment.

Fun - In addition to my organization, I'm planning on squeezing some fun in, too. Hopefully, we'll be attending the Fair with Grammy and Auntie, and I bet I can convince someone to go apple picking with us one day. How happy would Daddy and Grampy Bruce be to come home to homemade apple pies? ;) And maybe we'll squeeze in a walk on the bike path, too?

I'm sure that once Chris returns home on Sunday night, not only will he be refreshed from his Boys' Weekend Away, but I will be a much more organized, happy wifey.

So, this weekend, after I tire them out with some fun daytime activities, I plan to use the boys' sleeping hours to catch up on work and create a "schedule" for the coming week to ensure that I don't fall behind again.

And, I might just enjoy one or two of these while I'm at it.