Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

I want to start off by saying I love my kids...I really do. I love them, I enjoy hanging with them (most of the time) I even love all their strengths and weaknesses....I love watching them grow and change and become more of who they are deep down. 

But this blog post is about how much I enjoy when they are not around. lol This week is March Break here in New Brunswick. Usually we try and do something as a family, even just hanging at the house with movies and popcorn and homemade pizza, or sliding or skating. But this year I decided I wanted something different. Two of our girls were invited to go away for a few days....that got me thinking that if we could kick everyone else out, Ben and I could have the house to ourselves for a few days. (Well, ourselves...including two cats, two dogs and two lizards....but no other humans). Sure we could find somewhere for us to go to be alone, but there is something relaxing about being at home, it's our bed, our couch, our kitchen to make meals....it is nice to go to hotels but I was looking for time alone to "connect" with Ben and I wanted it to be in our home. 

So, we did it....we pawned off all of our children (even our adult ones...lol) to grandparents/relatives....and we had three glorious nights and two full days alone in our home. Now, if you are reading this and you do not have 8 people living in your house on a regular basis then maybe you just won't understand the joy that I felt these past few days....how much my soul needed the peace and quiet that comes from a (basically) empty house...with only the love of my life, my best friend to keep me company. 

It was just as relaxing as I was envisioning....we were able sleep when we wanted, watched whatever movies/tv shows we wanted to watch (in whatever room we desired....since no one else was waiting for their turn at the living room tv...lol), we were able to eat whenever we felt like eating and whatever we wanted....with no one complaining about any of the meals. We made Coconut Curry Stir Fry (we have kids who do not like coconut so that would have been a complaint), liver and onions (not everyone likes liver...big shocker...:P), we had smoothies and each got a FULL GLASS....this was very exciting to me cause I usually end up having to share with what feels like a million other people....we bought baked chips and my favourite candy and NO ONE asked for any of it!!! lol 

Both mornings we were actually up and out of bed way earlier than we usually are....hahaha But just the idea that the house was ours for such a short amount of time, made us want to take full advantage of the few precious hours we had. No work (well I think Ben did make some posts and replied to a few emails), no other responsibilities than just hanging with each other, spending our time connecting and being together with no distractions. (Even the dogs behaved...) 

Then Wednesday morning we prepared ourselves....we mentally had to psych ourselves up to get ready for the chaos that we knew was coming. And like I said, I love my kids....but the quiet was so nice, you know? So, we decided to ease back to reality, we went to lunch at Guacamole (my latest fav restaurant) and then went to Costco....if anything is chaotic it is Costco. lol Then we did it...we went to my mother-in-laws to pick up three of the 6 kids (Ya, we only have five...but Amadeus' finance lives with us...and to us she is one of the kids :), and it did not take long at all to make us look at each other over the room and say with our eyes "What have we done....let's go back to the house without them." hahaha Just kidding, not that bad but it was not "peaceful" at all. They were noisy and started fighting almost right away. Oh the joys...

We are not back into routine yet, since it is still March Break...the three oldest have decided to stay where they are till the end of the week, so kinda like a soft opening of a new restaurant....we are easing into having a house full again. 

And you know what? It's not horrible...I had a cute little six year old wake me up this morning needing batteries for a camera, cause I cannot say I don't have any since he saw the 48 I bought from Costco yesterday...lol He lost a tooth while he was away (so much can happen in 72 hours). I can tell you I did not miss the next part...when he found out there was no SD card in the camera and his older sister had it but would not give it to him "Cause it has important photos on it that cannot get lost"....so a small tantrum ensued...ugh reality hit me in the head. lol 

In the end, I am so thankful that we had the chance to spend some, much needed, time alone....and I am just as thankful that the chaos has come back, it helps us do more than just lay around and hang out all day together. Our children make us better humans, cause if it was not for them, we would most likely do jack all....hahahaha And maybe if alone was our normal we would not feel that way, but since it is not, I will still be looking forward to the next mini staycation Ben and I can take together...but try and enjoy the chaos for what it is, which is that I have a family that I love and loves me and we even with all our issues...we still all choose to live together in this crazy house.