Today we went on a family surprise vacation day. It has been a long summer. I have changed jobs and so the two weeks I usually have off with the kids, instead i have been working to set up a new school in a new agency. It has been 2 weeks of high stress, but thankfully the boys have had a great 2 weeks with some fabulous babysitters. I however have felt like I have missed summer this year. Between it being a rainy summer and a loss of vacation days.....I was in need of a get away day.
The boys and I woke up this morning and I announced we were running away for the day.....we were going on a day of surprise adventures and depending on their behavior the adventures would change. My plan was to head to Lake George, spend some time on the beach, wander through the shops and let them each purchase a souvenir and then hit up the outlets for some back to school necessities- sneakers, clothes etc......
Instead, as we drove up to the Lake my eyes were quickly attracted to the parasailors and the boats. For many summers now I have wanted to rent a boat and spend a day on the lake with the boys but between fear and expense, I have talked myself out of it each year. Today, the boys excitement was palpable as we approached the parasailing location, but as Jacob and David looked at the pictures they quickly decided they weren't ready to parasail. We went further up the Lake and found a place to rent a boat, and I decided to live in the moment and take on this adventure!
What a blast....once we got over the initial worry on my part that we could all drown, we settled into a totally fun 2 hours. The boys and I took turns driving the boat, and David protected our bags from the water. He was the most fun for me to watch, because he was the most nervous, but over time he warmed up to boating and he spent the last hour on the boat giggling and smiling and just warming my heart with his smile. Every time we hit a bump and he got splashed he flashed me his toothy grin.
After we got off the boat we went for dinner and then it was time for some junk shopping. I told the boys that they could either have a candy treat from one of the candy stores or they could purchase a toy to take home. We went in and out of multiple shops looking and poking around. We went into one of the stores and we were immediately greeted by an employee, who greeted Jacob by name. I racked my brain to try to figure out who the employee was...did we know her? How did she know Jacob? I quickly realized that she had heard me use his name, and as the 3 boys and I were in the small shop I became accutely aware that their larger than life personalities were taking up too much space in the little shop.
I was just going about life- helping David look for his toy, checking out what David was looking at and stopping Matthew from playing with the toy guns. I was doing the balance of parenthood, and the balance of parenthood for my 3 boys- the constant dance, but I was also in such a happy place. We had been in and out of at least 10 stores. Typically, my boys do not whine in stores, they don't get upset when I say they can't have something, they are some of the best male shoppers I know. These are things I am proud of. We have window shopped together for years, they are pretty darn good at it.
Jacob found a bow and arrow and was over the moon so I paid for his purchase and gathered David and matthew, and as we were walking out of the store I heard the lady comment to her coworker, "that lady has her hands full!" I couldnt help but giggle. Today I had felt a few times like my hands were full, but I was carrying a bag full of towels, bathing suits, a camera, and guiding the 3 children and driving a boat.......my hands were full of items, but in the way of my boys, it was a pretty easy day.
We enjoyed being together, we swam in the Lake, we drove around the lake for 2 hours, we window shopped, went out for pizza and had an all around great day.....funny that to me it was just a regular day, but to her " my hands were full!"
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