G-Rents

Summer vacation is quickly approaching. A time in the past where I would consider stocking up on more alcohol than usual, knowing that I would have in my house 24/7 3-6 weeks, three rambunctious boys. I would frantically scrabble through my coffee drenched brain, trying to figure out how to entertain, and keep quiet, our spawns, while J would be on conference calls right below our feet. It was a time of celebration for a year completed, which lasted all of 48 hours, before the boys, having realized that they were also stuck together whether they wanted to be or not, inevitably would begin to chafe of the confinements of one another company, and the annoyance of brothers began to emerge.

That's why I would stock up on my BFF's wine and brandy. But not anymore. I have a new weapon to add to my arsenal of sanity, as of a few months ago, and this summer, I plan to use it to its fullest potential.

It's called "THE GRANDPARENTS."

After years of trying to get my mom to move to our area, this past winter she and her husband finally made it here. They now live ten minutes away, in a nice complex. Even better, they have a pool right across from their house. Even better than that? They have a place with an extra bedroom...... just for the boys.

Since the move, the grandparents want to see the boys as much as possible and vice versa, so I've been taking them over every few Friday nights, where they spend the weekend with the G-rents. I pick them up Sunday evening before school. It's been a win/win situation for everyone involved. The boys get to run crazy without having to worry about my crazed eye glare and "projecting voice" talent that I learned as a kid who was bitten by the theater bug, that seems to emerge whenever my patience tank begins to run on fumes. G-rents get to enjoy their lovely little G-kids, until they are run ragged, then get to send them home all sugared up and snickering at the thought that they have the ability to send them on their merry way without having to deal with the ramifications of children ramped up on candy. And we parental units have started to actually have some time to ourselves on go on those things we always heard about but never got a chance to try..... date nights. It's crazy!!! We actually get to go out as a husband and wife and pretend it was like 12 years ago when we didn't have kids ( or kids on the way) and we can do fun GROWN UP things! Like eat at a restaurant that doesn't offer crayons! And has real, fresh food, not frozen patties microwaved for 30 seconds and slapped on a plastic bun. It's freaking heaven!

And with summer on the way ( oh hell let's call it like it is with us living in NC, it's already summer-esque here) it's warm enough that at the G-rents place, the pool is open. With it being actually warm enough to swim in, the kids are FRANTIC to finish school and head to  Camp Grammy. But eh best part is that everyone involved actually wants them to stay for at least a week. A WEEK! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?!!! It means that I, SRM, and J, get to pretend that we are grown ups without children for a full 7 days!!!! That's 168 hours. 10080 minutes. That, my friends, is insanity! In a good way!!!

But now the question is, what the hell do I do with all of that extra time?! Sleeping in is, of course, obvious. So is catching up on a few tv shows, a book or 5. But after that? If the weather holds, I'm fantasizing renting a kayak from the local park, plugging my earbuds in, and drifting on the lake solo. Maybe take a few hikes without having to worry about pacing my steps to that of a three year old. What about finding a quiet corner in Starbucks, slowing sipping my venti café mocha while I play on my laptop. Maybe even brainstorming about blog ides? Oooh! What else?! I need ideas peeps, and I need them now!


So yay to the G-rents for finally making it down here, and making everyone happy, most especially during track out vacations!