Every weekend, I think that I'm going to get so much done. Then most weekends are so all consuming busy that I feel like I don't get anything done. And in the few moments that I have to accomplish my never ending to do list, I'm too exhausted or unmotivated to do anything!
However, this weekend was a little different. Maybe because it is what feels like the first official weekend of summer for me. Although Memorial Day weekend is typically what we consider the kick off to summer, I spent that weekend along with the few week days following on Eva's Senior Trip to Hilton Head Island.
The following weekend, I was still trying to figure out what day it actually was! That weekend was jammed packed with catching up on household chores like cleaning and laundry and grocery shopping. It also included our annual Parish Festival plus my nephew, Ethan's, graduation party. By Sunday evening, I was again exhausted and felt completely unready for the next week.
This weekend, though, was slow paced while still chipping away at many tasks on my to do lists and several social events as well.
I would like to say my weekend got off to a good start due to my decisions on Thursday evening. It has been a very long time since I've had time in my house all by myself. Thursdays used to be my "me" night, but as the kids have gotten older, they spend more time home or coming and going through the house than they did when they were younger and still spent time at their dads. However, this Thursday I had a blissful few hours that I took complete advantage of!
When the house was empty, I took a nice long, hot shower and soaked in silence. For dinner, I heated up a Roasted Tomato and Chicken Risotto (one of my Factor meals that I'm really enjoying) and poured a glass of wine.
In my bedroom, I set up my bed tray and a side table for my food. Selected "Emily in Paris" from my Netflix queue, sprawled out across my bed and organized my life. Well...part of my life at least. I cleaned up the dozens of work emails I had, created my to do list, blocked out time on my calendar to complete my work tasks the next day and week and even was able to answer a few emails. In just a little over an hour, days worth of stress and overwhelm dissipated when I was able to make sense of all the things I needed to work on.
I went to sleep earlier that night than most and sleep soundly.
Friday morning, I was able to start with a clear head and a renewed sense of how to be most productive in the day. By early afternoon, my to do list was almost complete and I just had one more meeting prior to getting in a little pool time.
In the afternoon, I packed up my laptop and work supplies and grabbed my pool bag. I love summer Fridays in which we are "offline" by the afternoon. Although I still need to be available and responsive for urgent items, it's awesome to spend these afternoons lounging in the pool.
When arriving at my parent's pool, I realized my nieces and friends were also lounging at the pool. A little annoyed, I focused on answering a few more emails and then found a shady place to read for awhile. Eventually, they packed up on went on with their day leaving me with a few joyous hours of floating in the pool all by myself.
In the early evening, I placed an order for Dominos Pizza to be delivered and packed up my stuff to head home. It was just Eva, Layla and I at home that night. I had decided on a pizza and movie night on the big screen and projector in the basement. Eva didn't participate because a). she's 18 and does what she wants and b). she had the ACT early the next morning. Layla, however, begrudgingly obliged because she did not have an option. We watched the Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, a classic summer move that I had not seen in many years. Layla said it was too long and too boring. I really can't trust her assessment, though, since I'm pretty sure she was on her phone the entire time just with it hidden under a blanket so I wouldn't know.
Following the movie, we all retreated to our respective bedrooms for the night.
Saturday morning, I was up early to make Eva an avocado toast with poached egg prior to her leaving for the ACT. During that time, I indulged in several cups of steaming, strong black coffee. I drink coffee every day, but for some reason the coffee that morning was exceptional. After Eva left and I did a little catch up on personal emails, I took one of the most glorious naps of my life. As much as I love to nap, I don't really get much more than 20 minutes and/or I can't sleep at all anyway. That Saturday mid morning was completely different. I felt like a new person when I woke up!
The rest of Saturday afternoon was spent running a few errands and going to two different graduation parties. Layla was again thrilled that I drug her along to all of these activities as well. Wrapping up the last grad party, I realized we were only a few minutes away from a Catholic Church with a Saturday evening Mass at 5pm. Thinking since we were already out and dressed up, we might as well fulfill our Sunday Mass obligation on Saturday night. Then, we'd have the full day on Sunday to do whatever we (I) wanted. And my big plan was to spend the entire day relaxing at the river.
The Sunday morning weather had much different plans, though. I awoke to the sound of rain which continued until the late afternoon. Quickly, I determined that a river trip just wasn't in the cards for the day. So, instead, I poked around the house all day completing odds and ends like putting away clothes, cleaning kitchen cabinets, dusting and sweeping floors, making a mental to do list of household repairs and updating our family calendar for the rest of the month. By the afternoon, I decided I needed to prep as many meals and snacks as I could. Mainly because I had some fruits and veggies that weren't going to make it through the week if I didn't do something with them. I made omelet bites, sliced veggies, prepped smoothie bags, made a banana pudding, pre cooked sheet pan fajitas for later in the week and made a Creamy Tomato and Italian Sausage linguine and garlic bread for dinner that night.
By Sunday evening, I am relaxed and happy. I am again sprawled out over my bed with a Netflix show and organizing my work for the next day.
It has been a long time since I've found this level of contentment. And I'm so glad I'm here right now in this moment.
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