Sunday, April 8, 2012

A day off

Today was Easter. I traditionally do all the prep for the holidays. And I cook a big meal. And serve it on what are the best dishes we have with a tablecloth and candles. And I make dessert. And it's different than a standard every day dinner.

But, this year I didn't do that. It's been an exhausting couple of weeks. I've been super overloaded with work. For both jobs. I've been scrambling to complete cover materials due to my publisher in addition to my regular deadlines. At my part time hospital job where I usually only work about five or six days a month, someone quit and I've been working some extra days. And not light extra days. There's been a baby boom and each day has been ridiculously busy. I'm just worn out right now.

My husband also had to work the holiday, which happens more years than not. I think this is the third year in a row? Or he's worked like 3 of the last 4 Easters. It's just not the same with him gone. I don't feel like going to so much trouble when all of us aren't here to enjoy it. I figured later this week when we are all at home, we'll do a big meal. But today, I took the day off. We went out for lunch.

Our neighbors invited my 8-year-old son to go to their family's farm for the day and he was thrilled. So, we were down another person. The four remaining boys and I went out for a buffet lunch. (*Note to self: Don't take kids out for a buffet lunch after they've devoured a pound of jelly beans, chocolate eggs and Peeps.) None of them were really that hungry, but they each had a plate of real food before heading over to the dessert section.

It was nice not to have to cook or clean up. On the way home, we went to their favorite park to play outside. The boys enjoyed running around. And on the way back, we visited dad at the fire station. It wasn't the ideal holiday. But it was a day out of the ordinary - a day off for me. Sometimes days like that are the ones you remember best years down the road.

Here they are hanging out at the park:




And getting ready to race out to find some eggs.


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