Friday school pick-up was an exciting one for sure. Sophia ran to the gate of the schoolyard with her bag filled with Easter goodies. Her preschool had their annual Easter egg hunt that day, as the following week was Spring Break. The children were all full of excitement, and you could tell by the look on every mom's face that we were all thinking the same thing: send wine! 

As Sophia ran up to me, she couldn’t wait to ask me her excited questions: “Mommy, we are going on vacation next week? What hotel are we staying it?!?!” Oh my goodness, was she in for a world of disappointment as we walked to the car and I fastened her into her car seat! This began the very long and not-so-happy ride home of me explaining to my child the fun and excitement in our staycation! I told her that the school is on vacation, so we get to have lots of fun as a family spending time together and taking a break from our normal routine. The truth is I have nothing planned and I’m in the business of winging it! My husband will be at work, and the weather here in New England still needs to decide if its winter or spring.

What exactly is a "staycation," anyway? I have been coming up with a few fun things to do with the girls during the day to make this week enjoyable. There's always going to the zoo, aquarium, parks, and playground if the weather allows for it. I love to think outside of the box too! In our house, we enjoy crafts and baking, so those activities are at the top of our list. We love trying new, exciting foods and experimenting with cooking. On our baking list, we are going to attempt macaroons, and for crafts, of course, we're coloring eggs!

Since it’s the week of Easter, I have been actively looking for local activities. Stew Leonard’s and Chick-fil-A are two of our family favorite stops. So, tonight, we are going to have dinner with the Easter Bunny. And the girls could not be more excited!

I have filled our staycation week with fun activities both at home and at fun locations, while also keeping a close eye on cost and time. I want to ensure that each activity is both budget-friendly and not too time-consuming since I am braving it solo with my girls. Just something as simple as planning a fun playdate can make the week exciting for both your kids and yourself! In fact, some of my greatest friendships have come from playdates and meeting other moms.

If you run out of ideas, be sure to check out your local library.  This week shows a few rainy days, so I am certain we will spend some time at our library. The girls love to play with the toys and stop by for the drop-in story time. I think their favorite part is checking out a new movie and a book before we go home. There is always something fun you can plan for a week home with your children. Remember, when all else fails, have a glass of wine!