Holiday Time!

"My goal is to create a life I don't need a vacation from." 

~ author unknown

As I started my countdown to holidays this year, I found myself wondering how to best invest this time of "no one walking in the door at 7:30".

Did I want to run away and leave this place I call home? NO!

How could I best invest my days if I stayed home? SET SOME GOALS (but not too many)

What do I need to do that I can't do when I'm doing my "day job"? WHERE DO I BEGIN?

Then just as my vacation began, this quote found its way into my awareness. "My goal is to create a life I don't need a vacation from." It was then, that I realized just how gifted I already am.

When holiday time arrives, I am not thinking "I need to get out of here. I need to go. I need to do. I need to play." 

My day-to-day life is a good one. The only thing I wish for, is more waking hours in my day so I can fully revel in my blessings. And that is what holidays provide for me.

This past year, I have been so very fortunate. In between this summer holiday and last year, our family has had three reunions. I have been to Las Vegas with my sister. I ran out to take Mom out for Mother's Day supper on a whim. I have gone "out East" with my mom to visit my uncle and cousin. 

I have had gift cards for a "spa day" sitting in an envelope for nine months. I have not felt the need to run off and be pampered. 

I really prefer to do my pampering at home, where I am most content. I can run to the mall closest to me, spend $40.00 and an hour of my day and come home with prettier nails and feet. I don't have the energy to pack up and drive for the spa experience when I have all I need so close to home.

In between last summer and this summer, I have lived my life like I was on vacation. Sure, I squeezed work and a few side jobs into the cracks. But I have honestly fulfilled every little dream I can think of.

All that I really want to do is relax and spend time at home, invest some energy on our home and spend some of that time and energy with my family.

And that is exactly how I spent my first day of holidays.

My Second Son came and spent the day with me. We went out for breakfast. We shopped for the supplies we would need for the tasks at hand.  I made lunch. After lunch, my Youngest Son joined his brother and put in some manual labor (before and after pictures to follow, when the "after" part is complete).We all worked. Then we cleaned up and met up with my Oldest Son for supper (My Youngest declined the invitation because he was still full from a rather hearty lunch).

There was time for light conversation in between the cracks of our day. I was so appreciative of the work that was done in the time it took me to run out for groceries. I was grateful to have helping hands that are so much stronger and more capable than mine to "get the job done". 

I have the gift of my Second's Sons braun, know-how and willingness to work for one more day. We have a plan. We even have our breakfast menu laid out (hmmm ... I suppose I should be the one who cooks that, shouldn't I?).

By the day's end, our back yard shall look like "someone who cares" lives here. And actually the work which will be complete will most likely only be noticed by those who do live here. Little stuff. But the little stuff all adds up and equals a "pride of ownership" which  has been lost somewhere along the line, these past six years.

Baby steps.

Baby steps + vacation days = "A life I don't need a vacation from"