As I somewhat indicated in my post about blog comments, I have needed to get away a bit. I seldom have time for a vacation during the summer. Plus, what mother would think taking six kids somewhere away from the familiar is a vacation. An adventure, definitely. Relaxing, not usually.
Anyway, now that my children are older, I can get away on my own sometimes and have done so with pleasure lately. I am living with adult children who are getting on my nerves more than they have in the past. It might be that there are more of them in the house than in past weeks and months. It might be that they are getting edgy after months or weeks of unemployment. Who knows? The kids are getting to me, though. Of that, I am certain.
So what does a mother of six do when the kids are getting on her nerves? I do a lot of different things. I might hit the road – literally – in my shoes on a run. This helps keep me sane. I may go with music or just with my thoughts. It gets me out of the house and leaves me with things other than my children.
Occasionally, I hit the road in the car. I take a trip – a day trip or possibly an overnight. I stay with friends. I go to towns I love the things that can be done. I go places where my camera and I can have all kinds of fun. If I go somewhere and stay with friends, I convince them to go on these little jaunts with me.
The end of this week will start the wonderful summer church festival circuit here. I will be able to go to Greece and Italy on consecutive weekends without leaving Endicott. This Friday I will have Greek food for lunch. The following weekend, I will go to St. Anthony’s Feast Days which celebrate Italian heritage.
With the huge June calendar that is hanging in my kitchen having very little white space left on it, I am happy to know that I can escape and recharge locally for a while.
What do you do when you need to recharge?
Nicki's Nook 
Sounds like keeping busy is a must for recharging out of the house 🙂
It’s not really shocking, but I go to the beach to recharge. Even w/ the kids in tow it’s pretty stress free. We’re heading there tomorrow…
I wish I were close to a real beach. I would head there in a second.
Oh Nicki. I so desperately need to recharge. I keep looking at the summer calendar and sighing at its blank state. Our annual family vacation with siblings and cousins and such has been canceled this year, and I feel at a loss.
So recharging? Hmm. With three littlish boys? I don’t know. I’m happy for a Blogher weekend, that’s for sure. And if I could woo my husband away on another secret weekend this summer, that would surely be good times indeed. Maybe I should really start planning!!!
Well, my summer will be full. My mom and stepdad will be here for a week together and then my mom will stay an additional week. In this time, there will be a huge family reunion. Sometimes I love these things. Other times, hate them! This is not a vacation, though.
Well this summer, recharging is going to come in the form of a bunch of trips for me. Later this month I’m off to Vancouver for a week for work, so that will be child and husband free! In August, I’m off to BlogHer in New York, that will just be exciting! And in September I celebrate 10 years of marriage and so my husband and I are away for a week of adult fun in Vegas. But that feels really busy too, so I try to intersperse that with just quiet summer nights, kids in bed, a glass of wine and a good book. That really does a body good.
Holy cow! I want your summer!!
How do I recharge? I’m having more trouble answering that question than I should.
I take a nap on a weekend afternoon. I go to bed early on a weeknight. But these aren’t really about recharging fully. They’re really just getting through the week a little easier.
I take a random day off from work, just to myself – no Husband. That helps, as long as I don’t let myself fill the day with too many chores.
What I really need is to get away. To have a physical change of scenery. To be away from laundry and housework for a few days. Ideally to be somewhere in nature, not in another city. I need to get Husband to commit to this, just a few days away with me. Thanks for the push, Nicki.
Let me know if you get away, Eva. I do the whole going to be when I need to but truthfully, it is getting out of the house where all the responsibilities of life stare me down that help the most.
I still don’t know how you’ve stayed sane with six, Nicki. As for recharging, I’m not very good at it unless I can get out of town, and that’s not an option at present.
I’m walking a bit (weather permitting), and writing as usual. I’m reveling in NOT having to cook – except for myself – if and when I feel like it.
What else? I wish I knew. Some social interaction would be welcome. Why is it that on the incredibly rare occasions when there are not hoards of teens around the house, that doesn’t coincide with the pleasure of someone’s company?
Ah, now that would make for some good recharging.
In lieu of that, there’s more coffee. 😉
Ah, if I only knew when your kids were going to be out of town, I would come down. Probably not the pleasure you are looking for but… 😉
I know exactly what you mean. I’m still recovering from Five for Ten as well, and my blog reading has suffered because of it. As for recharging, I find that unplugging does me wonders. I’ve been devouring books lately and I’m loving it. Exercise also helps me clear my head. For me the biggest challenge is actually prioritizing those things that recharge me.
I never really thought of prioritizing the recharging. Good idea!!
I can see how a vacation wouldn’t sound so enticing with six kids. I hope you’re plannign to write a book about how you do it.
My secret to recharging is to have a day with no plans. Per haps catch a matinee. I may go to museums. I rarely have time alone so once in a while, I take a personal day, go to De Young and MoMa and have a lunch or sip tea at my favorite spot. If I’m moved, I pull out my my notebook and make soem notes about any pieces that moved me.
Happy recharging.
Thanks, Belinda. I wish I were close enough to a big city to go to the museum when I wanted. Maybe a day at the museum at Cornell is in order.
What is it about my summers that make them harder than the school years? Well, without so many kids, they’re a bit like yours: the kids are around with not enough to do.
What would really recharge me is a vacation alone with my husband (dream on), though I do think we’ll be able to swing one night alone in July sometime! I could really use a creative boost of some type. A class, something to get me pumped up about writing again because I’m feeling disheartened.
Linda – I am not participating but did you read – I think on Corinne’s blog – of a creativity boot camp?
Funny you write about this, my recent trip through Utah was because I needed a recharge. I had been working like crazy, and I needed to get away from *everything*. It seems to have worked, and I am asking myself now why I don’t do this all the time.
I wrote about this as you were in the desert, Sean. It looks, from what you have posted to date, like it was a marvelous trip. I so miss days when I could just take off like that.
I like to recharge a the beach or reading a good book in a hot bath or the occasional Sudoku puzzle while my bedroom door is locked. I’ve learned to cope without leaving the house, but I’m fast approaching the age where I can leave the kids alone while I recharge.
I am to that point, Charlotte, where I can leave the older kids – who are all adults – in charge of the baby who is 15. Getting away – literally and figuratively – is fantastic.