I had a birthday party today. Well, I didn’t have a birthday party. My 5 year old little boy had a birthday party and I played hostess. I thought to myself, no problem. He wanted a bowling party and I was more than happy to oblige. A little bit of cash would save me a lot of headache. I didn’t have to clean the house, prepare the food, host the games, buy the goody bags, make the cake. Nope. I paid one price so I could show up and have an instant party.
Not sure what I was thinking because no matter how much you pay, having 14 kids at your party will stress you out (especially when you’re battling another seasonal ailment like me). So I got to thinking about how I like to unwind and what I need to relax. Maybe you’ll do the same.
Today’s (Optional) Writing Prompt: Describe, in detail, the way you like to relax.
Here we go…
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My favorite kind of relax is the kind I feel like I deserve. When I’ve had a day that’s either mentally stressful or physically stressful or even both, I’m ready to settle down at home and totally chill. I’d like to say it’s after the kids are in bed but to be honest, I’m lucky if I can get Evan to bed much before me.
Let’s take today for example. Busy day, birthday party, 5 year old on a sugar high. I come home and haul in the birthday stuff, configure new toys, make room for leftover cake in the fridge, clean up the kitchen (again). Then I take the dog for a walk and start thinking about dinner. Trying to keep the family on a healthy track and I made these super yummy baked chicken fingers and salad for dinner and it wasn’t until then that my relaxation started.
Large glass of chardonnay.
Yummy food on my plate. Mostly guilt-free.
Seated on the soft couches in front of the TV.
Watching grown-up TV!
Discovering mindless entertainment like “Storage Wars”
Evan off to bed.
Games on my phone like Scramble and Word With Friends.
Comfortable pajamas. Usually I like nightgowns but when I’m lounging, I like PJ pants.
Super soft comfy socks. A MUST.
If it’s cold, a fire in the fireplace.
If I’m not too tired, a little bit of Bailey’s over crushed ice.
Fall into my bed and pile on the blankets.
Drift off to sleep knowing the day is over.
25 comments
I enjoy reading the way you relax. Love the pj pants and the pile of covers. I can feel the zen coming over just thinking about it. Peace!
We had a birthday party today too! Our baby turned 9 last week. Congratulations on your son’s birthday and what sounds like a successful party. I love the sound of your relaxation! Enjoy…
I like the wine, the pajamas and adult TV! I feel like all I ever watch is PBS and Nick jr….
That’s a really good way to relax. I’ve not have any kids birthday party at all as it’s really too much work and too $$ to pay for one. We normally have a small family celebration where I bake their birthday cake.
I’m going to apologize up front, Fadra, for my exceptionally long SOCS today … I sat down and it just wouldn’t stop … in fact, I have yet a second part of my SOCS to the thoughts in my mind. My SOCS is SOCS on steroids today …. but that’s what happens in the face of a crisis …
Jenn Marie – I’m so worried. I can’t get to your site and after reading the post title, I’M WORRIED. Is everything okay???
I actually read her post last night. I’m sad that her blog seems to be gone as I am hopeful that she is not getting slammed by people who are not being supportive. 🙁
Jenn Marie – Thinking of you!!!
Sounds fantastic! Definitely my kind of relaxing. We love Storage Wars. Last night we discovered An Idiot Abroad on the Science Channel. Hilarious.
I like the relaxing you do! I hope the party was awesome!
Great post. Just thinking about how I relaxed helped me relax 🙂
I like your relaxation routine! We really like watching mindless tv after Daniel goes to bed.
I’m a little out of the loop and didn’t realize there was an optional writing prompt till I’d already written my post. Ah, well, maybe next week.
I do enjoy a nice, hot bath and a glass of wine to relax. Some mindless TV and games on my phone after.
Sounds like wonderful relaxation! I love comfy PJs and socks, too! 🙂
That’s my kind of relaxing! Kids birthday parties always stressed me out. Hosting them at an outside venue helped relieve that stress. And goodie bags? Who ever invented THAT nightmare! After a day of bowling, pizza, and cake, one little boy had the nerve to as me “where is my goodie bag?” In the nicest possible way I looked him in the eye and said that there were no goodie bags, you just spent and afternoon with your friends, had pizza and cake! “oh, ok!”
Watching grown up TV and the Baileys are my favorite too. Happy Birthday to your handsome boy 😀
Hi! Seems like we like a lot of the same things – and you had me at “grown up TV”
Fadra, I love that you “configured toys.” Isn’t that the truth these days? I totally can relate to your way of relaxing. The Bailey’s? Oh, yeah. When I have it that outweighs a glass of wine. Love your prompt today since I used it, too. You deserve another one of those evenings after even one day of 14, five-year old’s. Enjoy.
Ahhh…fire, pj’s, kid in bed, freedom to watch grown up television, Bailey’s over ice (thank you, I now know what my evening treat is tonight, lol!!)
I’m big on comfort – once the kids are tucked in (early – to maximize our evenings) we’re into pj’s and comfy clothes, and down to our cozy basement family room we go. Movie or tv and we are set!
Ahhhhhh… TRUE relaxation! I could NOT agree with you more! You have to genuinely feel you deserve it in order to not have any form of guilt. Love it.
Happy bday to the lil man. Mine’ll be 5 next month. She totally had wanted a bowling party and then changed her mind like 900x. So now we have nothing planned. Amazingly lazy, no? 🙂 Hope you got some relaxation time for yourself!
That sounds pretty much how I like the relax!
I’m so glad this prompt is optional as I never seem to remember to look at it before I start writing, lol. Though I love this prompt and love to relax and share many of those ways with you. Glad to see I’m not the only one who enjoys and can find Words with Friends relaxing. I like to get into bed at night with both my kindle and I-phone, complete my WWF and then read a bit. Oh, and totally with you on the comfy socks:-). T
I’m down with the mindless TV – Most of the time it’s one of the Bravo Real Housewives franchises – Once on the shows – their lives become train wrecks. Like magic.
MMMmmmmm…. mindless television, and word games! Fabulous!
Oooh, totally forgot to mention wine in my post, but that’s a good one. A glass will help work the days stresses out of my shoulders. Two glasses, I might as well just go to bed.