Mom's Out

Well, I’m home and beginning to recover from my annual girls’ weekend. We go to a friends’ cabin, and when I say cabin I mean 6,000 square ft of luxurious lodge, up in the foothills off of highway 88. We had a great time. Daisy and my friend Krisanne flew out on Thursday…and the weekend began. I had to take Jane, of course, but 25% of being mom is better than 100%. One of these days I’ll be able to go sans children. We spent the weekend eating amazing food (including caramel apples, panini sandwiches, lots of chocolate, and plenty of diet coke), hanging out in the hot tub, listening to the rain, going on walks, enjoying beautiful fall colors and weather, watching “chick flicks,” oh, and did I mention the apple stuffed croissant French toast? Needless to say…it was a dream. This year we decided to really indulge ourselves and brought up two massage therapists…they spent the day on Saturday giving everyone massages—it was delish.

However, upon my return and through cryptic conversations the other women had with their husbands, I found out that our house was the host of the largest and first annual “Mom’s Out” party. It included…and I’m not exaggerating: a free for all party in the barn with hot-and-readys, a bouncy house, baby chickens, very little adult supervision, and a four square tournament. Let me explain, because I understood this incorrectly the first time I heard it…the four square tournament was a four hour extravaganza and competition between the DADS. In fact if any child, no matter what age, stepped a poor little foot in one of the four corners of the four squares…they were immediately whisked away; threatening the validity and seriousness of the competition. The “Mom’s Out” party didn’t end that night, oh no, the next day they reconvened at the park where big Derek, u-tube worthy and Jones crazy, jumped an 8 foot span, 10 feet up from one swing set to the next. Not only did he live to continue taking care of his 2-year-old daughter for the weekend, but it was caught on several phone videos (If I can ever figure out how to post it…I will). You think that this self-indulgent Mom’s Out party is over? No. Next is the hours on the back lawn throwing footballs through a target that they so carefully made out of plywood: painted and marked for points. I believe that most of the responsibility of watching the kids fell on Lily & Kaia, who under the circumstances did extremely well.

I’m happy that they had a great time and were able to fit in just about everything no self-respecting wife would allow in an indulgent 48 hour timetable. We also…had some good times and are all looking forward to next year.