Every now and then my body likes to remind me that, well, I might be … pushing it … a bit much.

But it understands my responsibilities: husband, two kids, job, extended family, friends, volunteering, rabid blog habit … and it’s really quite thoughtful of others in how it goes about giving said reminders and only does so when it thinks there might actually be time to really seize the moment.

This weekend the planets aligned to gift me a day for ME.

And it was GLORIOUS.

So I thought I would blog about for my Monday parenting post: to let other parents know that, much like the elusive prairie whale, once you enter parenthood, these days do sometimes REALLY. STILL. HAPPEN.

I am Louise; a mother; who got a day off.

This is my story [cue Law & Order music].

Last week was a busy bordering on chaotic work week: holidays converged with deadlines to … proactively challenge me to be all I could be. In the middle of the week I had a volunteer meeting to coordinate and chair for an event I’m incredibly excited about, but that took a chunk of time to successfully plan. I also submitted an article for posting on another blog (more on that soon!) And all this was piggy-backed on weekend #2 of coordinated party planning which is something I can do well and enjoy but – as an introvert – find a bit exhausting.

Last weekend we celebrated my two-year-old’s 2nd birthday, complete with family and friends and Dora and bouncy castles and people from out-of-town and an older sibling grappling with it not being about her and a younger sibling finishing a round of antibiotics and I made two lovely salads and various hors d’oeuvres and there were chips and veggies and hubs smoked some cheese and pork tenderloin and I decorated in this adorable owl theme from the party shop and we are all still pretty excited that the Dora balloon we bought is STILL floating around the house all helium-proud because that gives the girls something to squabble over a week out from the party because, well, MEMORIES.

The weekend before? We hosted my parents and brother’s family to celebrate my mother’s birthday. Kind of like the above, but with more food and drink planning and less bouncy castle.

Which brings us to this weekend, on the end of said work week and a Thursday night out to celebrate a good friend’s birthday.

Friday night found the hubs, me and kids at a friend’s house for swimming and a barbeque. Three couples including us + kids.

I went to check on my kids circa 9:00pm and fell asleep on the couch with them. I am equal parts wild party and rude. I was forgiven. Our friends are awesome.

Before I dozed off though, I recall the menfolk made manly plans to golf Saturday morning. Nine holes. Starting at 10:00am.

“Okay. When will you be home?” asked our hostess.

“About noon?” suggested the other man at the table.

To which our host responded:

“Dude! You never give a time! You say you’ll be home when it’s done.”

Icy death glare from hostess. Discussion as to whether this was a sound approach to marital bliss ensued while I went to check on our kids and pass out.

As the dead sober driver for the evening, I suspect my rationale was along the Wham-like lines of “wake me up before we go-go.”

——

Cue Saturday morning.

It’s my morning with the girls anyway.

Apparently 10 hours of sleep (10:00pm-8:00am and bless the girls for sleeping in) didn’t quite cut it because I still felt wiped.

Hubs went golfing and after a slow morning of Dora NO Winks NO DORA! we went to the gym.

Because, you know, routine. That’s what we DO on Saturday morning.

I figured I was already tired so I might as well give’r and did hills on the treadmill for 45 minutes while the girls were occupied at playcare.

After I changed we had a smoothie and lunch at the gym – nice and leisure-like – before we all went home for a nice (bless them AGAIN and likely our friends for late-ish swimming the night before) three-hour nap all-round.

Which brings me to golf-guilt and “about noon” which was actually “sometime after 4:00.”

Girls were still sleeping, so all good. But a little manly “I had a fun-time and pushed it” meets “exhausted wife on the couch” is apparently what it took for the “dinner-making, kid-putting-down, let’s all leave mommy alone” movement to kick in.

It started circa 4:45 Saturday afternoon and, notwithstanding a few snuggles and hugs, lasted through until about 4:30 the next day.

It was AMAZING. A million times thankful.

What did I do with this freedom?

I’d love to tell you I wrote three articles, or volunteered at a soup kitchen, or worked out, or meditated, or renewed a neglected old friendship…

But, in pretty much this order, I instead:

• Finished Season 4 of Heroes (I’m lacking closure)
• Drank some wine
• Got halfway through a James Patterson novel (cannot remember the last time I read a book)
• Went to bed early
• Slept in until around 10:00am Sunday morning!!!
• Did not blog (sorry I thankful-flaked Lizzi! I had good intentions, but … COUCH!)
• Read random fun stuff on the Internet (mostly) without being interrupted
• Got through most of Season 2 of Orange is the New Black
• Had a glass of wine while watching said show
• Remembered to schedule enough time to get off the couch and shower in time for Sunday night dinner at my parents
• Returned home, hubs put girls to bed, and I kept watching Orange is the New Black

These awesome pictures are from here (and there’s MORE!).

So, so wonderful.

What did you do the last time you were gifted with unexpected time to yourself?

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It’s Monday, so I’m linking up with Meredith’s Manic Monday Blog Hop over at Perfection Pending and again with Mommy A to Z’s parenting hop as well.

They are both great hosts with great hops. Do spend some time visiting those posting there.

Oh! And if you liked my post – or my blog – show a blogger a little love and give me a vote over at Top Mommy Blogs. While you are at it, while surfing around the hops, spread the bloggy love to other Top Mommy Bloggers given a number of the other blogs on these hops are members too (including both awesome hosts).