Mike and I are working on scheduling…. Like scheduling every
area of our life. Our live is so busy and chaotic we forget things… like to appreciate
each other, spend time together, make the most out of the weekends and nights,
etc, etc.
Scheduling things out has been hard… because well it takes
time to do and some trial and error to see what works. So far we know that we
need a date every other weekend. So this means planning things to do and arranging
appropriate child care… not an easy task with four kids and family who helps so
much during the week it is unfair to ask them for help on the weekends… which
means hiring help….which means finding someone and paying someone… Which also means
adjusting our budget… see how everything takes so much planning?!
We are also preplanning at least one family activity a
weekend in addition to what we want to make a normal routine of church and the
gym.
With two working adults and four young children it is very easy to rest on the weekend… let the
whole weekend getaway… and be left with the feeling that you didn’t do anything
because well you didn’t. Going back to work for me has been an adjustment and
we want to make the most out of our weekends… which means planning and
scheduling.
So when I told Mike
my ideas for this weekend’s plans he told me that I was being a little
aggressive… and while part of that statement was true and we did all but one
thing on the list… we did it… and it felt good. I believe the more we do the
less overwhelming the effort to do things… will feel. Because let me tell you
it is a MAJOR effort to get everyone out of the house to do anything.
The first thing we did this weekend was Friday night I
joined the YMCA. I have wanted to do this for a while. I wanted to do it all
summer. But the $120 joining fee kept stopping me…. As the school year started
and I started to think about our fall routines and schedule the YMCA kept
popping back up. I stock their website
on a regular basis browsing schedules and kid activities. (They have so much
fun stuff for little ones). When I went to stock their website on Friday… I saw
they had no joining fee and Friday was the last day of it. So I went and joined
that night!
Mike was a little unhappy that I joined… since it is a
monthly expense… we have been trying to cut expenses and save money so this was
kind of in the opposite direction of that. Mike has recently picked up bike
riding has a form of exercise and has been riding his bike to and from work
daily. He told me I need to walk or run, doing something free for exercise.
Excuse me… who the hell is going to watch the kids?! Long story short… after a
weekend at the Y… he is in love!
Saturday morning we packed all four kids up and headed to
the YMCA. We got there at 9am. We left the kids in child care and they had a
great time! The girls there loved our kids! They said they were all such happy
kids… my heart melted.
I ran, and by “ran” I slow jogged on the treadmill for 2
miles the pace was 13/14 minute miles… so more like a fast walk then jog. I am
so out of shape I was sweating and so bright red and the end. I did a few
weight machines and that was it. (My knees were killing me the rest of the
day!)
We were back in the car at 10:30 and headed home to feed M
and E their 11 am bottle. We gave the kids an early lunch and then packed
everyone back in the car and headed out to Chesterfield Berry Farm to pick
pumpkins. A little early in the season… but we like early in the season… I like
to avoid crowds! The more crowded a place is the more stressful the outing is
for us. Since this was the first weekend of pumpkin picking there were no
crowds or lines! And we also got a lot of freebies! It was a fun stress free
time
We headed back home for nap time…. Where I feel a sleep on
the couch! That night Mike and I had a little date night and headed out to Oktober
fest which was held at Mike’s parent’s church.
Sunday morning we unfortunately did not make it to church
Sunday morning. We headed to the gym at 11:00 (right after M and E’s bottle).
Since my knees where hurting so bad I just fast walked on the treadmill, and
then did some swimming, taking me back to my competitive swimming years. I knew
it would make my knees feel better and it did. After the gym we ended downtown
to go back to the Oktober fest as a family where we ate lunch, let the kids
dance to the German music, and explore the kids play area… while daddy enjoyed
some adult beverages. It was a great outing.
We came home for nap time and I headed the grocery store. We
had no effort frozen pizza for dinner and everyone including us went to bed
happy and early to start the work/school week.
It was a great “aggressive” weekend!
I am planning another aggressive weekend for next weekend. There
are so many good things to do I can’t decide our activity… Virginia State Fair,
Apple Picking, or Lewis Ginter for Butterflies live and the last weekend their
Splash park!
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