5 Favorites – Weekend away edition

Joining Hallie today for 5 Favorites.

1.  Lots of time with Michael

Quality time is my #1 Love Language

2.  Vacation rental houses

These things are the BEST for our family.  We have too many people to fit into standard hotel rooms (both by their standards and by ours), and we have too many food allergies to eat out easily for all meals.  A rental house means that there are bedrooms with doors that close for everyone, a place for Mom and Dad to hang out after the kids are in bed (not the bathroom), a place to make most of the meals, and a washer/dryer so that we don’t have to bring home stacks of laundry.  WIN!  Plus, this one had a gas grill (hello, steak dinner!)

and a fire pit (hello, evening fire with s’mores!) and was a short walk to the beach.  All for what a hotel room would cost – and a lot less than ones that are close to the beach. 

3. Break from routine

Which we all need from time to time!

Hannah watched me play a game or two of solitaire – since I’d forgotten my books (which definitely made a break from routine) – and decided she wanted to learn.

Sim did a certain amount of self-pitch ball-hitting practice, and Michael pitched to him as well.

Sea shell collecting formed a part of every day.

Lima and Nanny joined us for a beach walk – Tess was a bit mystified by the varying terrain on the beach.  She figured out the sections where she wanted to be carried and the ones where she wanted to walk, though. 

4.  Driving less than 2 hours to get away

I’m all for a get-away to somewhere far away and sunny and warm, but since we didn’t have a lot of notice about this weekend being free, we didn’t have time for planning something far away. 

 

Less time in the car…

…more time in the fun.

And I’m glad travel time took such a small percentage of the time to get to our destination – more time to relax and enjoy the time. 

5.  Minimal housework/Enforced Simplicity

A load of laundry each day, some meals, some basic clean-up – that’s it.  Aaah. 

Of course, if our house had this little in it, and each member of our family only had 2 outfits and one pair of pajamas, we could have this little housework all the time.  But I don’t think we could make it without books. 

Don’t tell my children, but this particular one is reminding me to get rid of some things, organize some things, and simplify.  Again.  Ongoing battle.  It reminds me why I really like the book Simplicity Parenting, by Kim John Payne.  And also Organized Simplicity, by Tsh Oxenreider.  Maybe it’s time to revisit these guys.