Running away from home

We ran away from home this past weekend. If you recall past posts, I’ve talked about how we endeavor to escape from reality every so often to recharge our batteries. It was another idyllic weekend spent escaping the to-do list. Here’s a summary of our weekend, in the form of Facebook status updates (that I certainly couldn’t post on Facebook because we tend to disconnect on these weekends…very few phone calls and texts, and no internet). 

Our weekend away according to Facebook:

Katie is running away from home.

Katie has her feet up.

Katie is getting creamed by her 9 year old in 500 Rummy.

Katie is watching Henry play peekaboo with Michael in our new telescope (he just doesn't get it...)

Katie has noticed that when the parents relax the children follow suit.

Katie has not spent this many consecutive hours reading for pleasure since college. I finished not one but TWO great books this weekend. (Sarah’s Key and Gone Girl)

Katie is working on scrapbooks while Henry colors, Ella plays solitaire, Sam plays with dominoes and Max watches toons. A perfect lazy afternoon!

Katie is playing Candyland with Henry and Sam.

Katie is laying on a hammock reading a book and watching the storm roll in.

Katie is longing for a wraparound porch with rocking chairs of her own.

Katie loves bourbon.

Katie thinks Sam is a genius...chopping firewood with a light saber.  Only Sam.

Katie made the mistake of letting the boys watch the three stooges…I feel like my life just changed forever, as evidenced by Max’s constant giggles

Katie is enjoying watching Michael & Sam play Dino Jump

Katie is dancing barefoot in the kitchen with @Michael S. to our “dance in the kitchen” song. Everyone should have one of these, the song that means so much to you that you drop what you are doing and dance together every time you hear it.

Katie stayed in her pj’s all day long.

Katie worries that she is letting the kids watch way too much TV this weekend…and then reminds herself that it is their vacation too, and maybe a little vegging in front of the tube is just what THEY need. At least when it’s not raining they are out running amuck in the fields.

Katie managed to work in a little cuddle time with each of my children this weekend…even the wild wee one who usually has no time for such things.

Katie enjoys late night conversations on the front porch with Michael S. about our life, our love, our children, our future, our goals, our week, our ideas and anything else that pops into our heads.

Katie took a nap today. And yesterday. And maybe tomorrow too.

Katie is happy.

ps...you don't need a cabin to run away to, you can recharge at home...turn off the phones & internet and put the to-do list away.  try it!

spend a weekend resting, relaxing & recharging

we live in a very fast paced world.  we are constantly on the go..school, extracurriculars, appointments, errands, meetings, commitments, responsibilities.  and when we are home we are rarely relaxed, there's always some chore that needs tending to, homework to be done, bills to be paid, and on and on.  you get my drift.  you probably live like this as well.  sometimes it all overwhelms me, and i feel like our family needs a break.  so every so often we spend a weekend relaxing as a family.  we are lucky enough to be able to actually escape our house and recharge the batteries at a nearby cabin, but even if you don't have somewhere to run away to, you can always spend a weekend at home relaxing.  yes.  it can be done.  if you follow a few simple guidelines.

the first thing you need to do is UNPLUG!  turn off the cell phones, computers, ipods, etc.  these are all distractions.  the next thing to do is to think about things you WANT to do on this weekend.  not things you HAVE to do, but things you never seem to have the time to do.  when we go away for the weekend it includes some of the following, which help us focus on our family.  so not only are we unwinding, we are spending quality time together, and without the distractions of our everyday world we are able to listen closely, be present and just have fun.  an occasional escape from reality is good for everyone's well-being, even if that escape is in your own backyard.

some ideas for resting, relaxing & recharging:

take a walk in the woods.  it's not for everyone, but we certainly find it peaceful & calming. 

do i need to explain this one? 

i find that a fire helps us relax...it's mesmerizing 

art activities for the children, even if it is just crayons and paper...drawing can be a fun activity for the whole family. 

i'm a big fan of carry out or pre-made meals when we are spending a weekend relaxing.   

i'm always carrying around yarn for a crocheting project.   

cookies, they make everyone happy! 

a good book, i'm finding it harder and harder to find time to finish books, so when we spend a weekend recharging you will probably find a book in my hands. 

leaving the schedule behind leaves plenty of time for board games galore! 

family movies + popcorn = the perfect time for cuddles

cabin life

what is cabin life?  it's an escape from reality.  it's a magical place where the only things that matter are sewing projects, movie watching, book reading, sitting by the fire, new crochet projects, bread making, drawing pictures of robots, eating good food (and drinking good beer), hanging out on the front porch, and most important of all...just being present with family.

ottie's quilt

a few months back i was asked by sam to make a quilt for his beloved otter. how can i deny him? so despite the fact that i have not yet made sam his own quilt, i went to work on the quilt for ottie (and of course started a quilt for max's sidekick alaska at the same time). this weekend while catching up on some much needed r&r i sat on a big front porch overlooking the licking river and finished up a quilt for an otter. it's a very simple pattern...just four-inch squares sewn together, and then i tied the quilt at the corners of the squares and used store-bought binding (i need to learn how to make my own binding, i've heard it is simple!). this project should have been a weekend project, not a three month project, but that is how things go around here...slow and steady.

a trip to the cabin

this weekend was an unusual one...there was almost nothing on our calendar, and not much on the "to-do" list. so we decided on a short visit to the cabin. we made copious amounts of tasty food, including a tomato pie and cheese & chicken enchiladas, watched a movie with the kids, collected wildflowers, watched for birds, took walks along the river, read books, laid in the hammock, and relaxed on the front porch, enjoying the fall-like weather. it was a perfect way to spend one of the last weekends of summer.

sam's new shirt...

January 2010

country bumpkins

max the explorer

not in the mood for picturesCandyland!
Michael's yummy paninis...
ella, sam and max

muddy little frogs!

This weekend we took the kids to a little cabin in the woods, on the edge of the Licking River. It was wonderful to leave our to-do lists, taxes, laptop and responsibilities behind. We watched movies, ate tasty food, sat by the fire, read, played games, laughed with loved ones and took long walks in the muddy woods. The weather was a bit strange for February....there was snow on the ground, but the temperatures were mild. I suggest everyone take a weekend off from responsiblities, even if you just stay home and do this...it is so refreshing.