First Day Of Vacation

Yes, I know it sounds odd.  But it really was my first day of vacation today.  And why?  Because my husband and kids went back to their respective usual daily occupations today for the first time since December 20th!

I love all four of them dearly.  Truly, I do.  But what most people who aren't primary stay-at-home caregivers just don't seem to *get* (I have no idea why) is that a vacation for other members of the family, particularly all of them at once, is by definition NOT a vacation for the primary stay-at-home caregiver!  Quite the opposite, in fact.  Especially when the vacation in question is Christmas break, with all its attendant responsibilities (shopping, cooking, wrapping, decorating, un-decorating, baking, etc) in addition to all the usual chores like laundry and vacuuming and such.  Having the family all home just means that more domestic work needs to get done, and sadly, Santa's elves just don't seem to be available for housekeeping detail.  

Got home from our trip Saturday night.  Spent all day yesterday getting the kids ready for school today (packing lunches, finding backpack stuff, etc) and taking down and putting away all the Christmas decorations.  But today?  Time for Mama D to have a mental health day.  10-mile hike in the hills above a beautiful nearby reservoir (pic below...isn't that GORGEOUS??): a serious workout on a freezing-cold day but it burned the proverbial carbon off the ol' cylinders and I'll sleep well tonight.  If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy, and Mama really needed that day off!