Our Fourth of July | Why Staying Home Can Be So Good

every year, my husband takes the week of the fourth of july off and we just stay home.  nothing fancy, no big plans.  just a simple staycation.  in the days before kids, we would take day trips to our favorite local wineries and make pitchers of sangria and bowls of guacamole and watch food network.  but with two babies now, our winery days are on hold and we are loving the days of sidewalk chalk, bubbles and ice cream dates.  and while we love going on trips and having an agenda of activities, we are also homebodies and love, love, love a good staycation.  staying home can be so good.  it’s a way to refresh, relax and just be.  and to be honest, we mix our slow family fun with a little to do list of things we need to catch up around the house.  because, while staying home can be so good, it feels even better to get things done.  and i’ve been begging my husband to allow me to go crazy organizing the garage…

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Our Fourth of July | Why Staying Home Can Be So Good

with the girls being so little, we didn’t plan anything extravagant for the fourth of july.  they are too little for sparklers and are in bed long before its dark enough to enjoy fireworks in the neighborhood.   and lately, we’ve preferred living out days that are less planned.  it allows us to just enjoy our time together, without running here and there.  don’t get me wrong, we love to organize and plan outtings…but when it comes to holidays, we really enjoy life in the slow lane.  we have intentionally done this for the last few holidays and it pairs well with giving us that precious time with our kids without exhausting ourselves with activities.

the only must have for the fourth of july?  dressing the girls in their sweet red rompers and coordinating bows.  other than that, it was a day of learning how to ride a new pink tricycle, having a yummy bbq, going out to ice cream and later that night, praying that the fireworks didn’t wake the babies as we poured some wine and watched a patriotic classical “the american president.”  and oldie, but a goodie.

and at the end of the day, my husband asked if i had a good holiday and it was so nice to talk about what a great day we both had.  and to realize that we both truly enjoy a slower, less planned day with the girls.  it’s always so nice to hear that as a wife too.  i always place a lot of pressure on myself to plan and organize and do and make every moment a memory making moment, but to hear that we both enjoy a simple day is refreshing.  and that memories are made in the simple moments.

that is not to say that we didn’t absolutely tackle a list of to do’s while he was home for a week!  the last of our lawn furniture was assembled, a bird house with food was hung for our toddler (we are still waiting for birds, but the squirrels love it), our new dining table arrived, the girls’ outgrown clothes were organized in bins and placed in the attic, the girls got a new bubble machine from target that is hands down the best $11 we spent all week and we both took days to ourselves.  mixed in throughout the week were a few family coffee dates and a couple more ice cream outings.  or “cold cream,” as our toddler likes to call it.

and that garage?  you could eat dinner off our garage floor.  spotless.