Some might call my mom a saint. Others might call her insane. Either way, I’m thankful she agreed to come watch our three little high-energy munchkins over the weekend. Because of her bravery and generous time donation, she was able to give my husband and me the great gifts—- rest and relaxation. Believe me. We needed it after a week of cleaning up after three children who’d had stomach viruses.

Mark and I went on a staycation, and  I highly recommend it to parents of young kids needing a getaway. This is the second staycation we’ve been on since becoming parents nearly four years ago. You don’t have to worry with a long car ride eating into your free time, and you actually get out of the burbs and are able to explore the city you live near.

Mark and I enjoyed dining at some upscale restaurants. You know, the kind without a children’s menu. Plus, we had the chance to actually have an uninterrupted conversation while enjoying our meal. I didn’t once have to tell anyone to “sit down,” “use your inside voice” or “stop bubbling your milk.” Even better, I didn’t have to escort anyone to the bathroom throughout the entire meal.

On Saturday, we went to the movies together for the first time in months, and we enjoyed some of the lame St. Patrick’s Day parade and activities. I just find parades to be incredibly strange and so uncreative. How many beauty queens do you really want to see in one parade, and why do all of the floats look as if about a minute’s thought was put into making them?

We also took a leisurely stroll through a mall, and I got to do something I hardly ever do anymore. I had the chance to try on an outfit at the store. When you shop with three kids, you learn to get in and get out as quickly as possible to avoid major meltdowns and embarrassing situations.

The highlight of our staycation was sleeping in until 9 a.m. We took our Tylenol PM to ensure we got the most out of our childfree slumber. The added bonus was sleeping in the day of the time change. I couldn’t have planned that better. That’s like hitting the jackpot! I’m sure we gained an hour of sleep instead of losing an hour of sleep.

It’s wonderful to return home refreshed. As wonderful as children are, they also are a ton of work. It’s nice to get a break from them once in a while…even though I did miss their sweet little faces (well mostly on the second night away). Sometimes I think children need a break from their parents as much as we need a break from them. They had so much fun with Grandma, who’s sole purpose for the weekend was to play, entertain and spoil them. For that reason, I think my children would give their staycation rave reviews, too.

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