Last week was filled with sunshine, the ocean breeze, and my toes in the sand. The sound of the waves rolling in was peaceful and therapeutic, and the seafood was absolutely divine. Sounds like heaven, right?
It wasn't quite what I expected. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that I was able to experience all of those things, but I found myself an anxious mess and missing home quite a bit. I told my friend that if it weren't for wanting my kids to enjoy the experience, I much rather would have had a "staycation".
For those of you that don't know what that is, it's a vacation at home. You take some time off of work and just relax. No need to hire a house sitter or pay tons of money to send your beloved pooch off to a kennel for a week. No long drive or stuffy flight to your destination, just a lot of rest and relaxation where you're most comfortable.
While you may not want to abandon certain duties such as laundry or dishes (or showering... please do that) you want to be sure that you are RELAXING. Certain things can wait. You wouldn't be able to mow the grass or scrub the toilets if you were out of town, right? Keep little things like that in mind.
If you can't quite think of what to do with yourself and feel compelled to fall back into your normal routine, don't fret! Below you'll find some ideas to keep your family and yourself entertained.
1. Take a nature walk. Leave the cell phones behind so you can truly enjoy your surroundings.
2. Go to a nearby amusement park. Most states have a few, so you'll likely be able to find one somewhat closeby and make it a day trip.
3. Invite friends over for a BBQ. Food+friends= fun.
4. Go to a local pool.
5. Go kayaking or canoeing.
6. Take a trip to a nearby day spa, and get the total package. It will cost a small fraction of what you would pay to vacation out of town.
7. Visit a local farmer's market or pick fresh fruit at a nearby orchard, then come home and enjoy your goodies.
8. Take an art class as a family and reveal each family member's creativity.
9. Go see a movie matinee as a family.
This next one is my favorite...
10. Have the kids spend the night with a trusted family member or friend and SLEEP IN the next morning!
These are just some ideas you can fall back on. Use your creativity. A staycation can be just as fun and relaxing as a vacation (and doesn't cost nearly as much). Just make sure you are getting the much needed relaxation that you deserve!