Sunday, October 5, 2014

How to Have a Perfect Family Saturday

Husband works a lot of weekends, so I often load up the kids and the dog and head to the lake with my family. But this weekend, he promised we had him ALL DAY SATURDAY, so I jumped at the opportunity to plan an activity.

It went so flawlessly, I thought I should share my plan (in case any of you may want to tackle the perfect day).

1. Plan to go to an apple orchard to pick apples. Tell your three year old the plan so she will talk about it incessantly all week, thus rendering Husband unable to even think about canceling.

"A" is for apple. We're going to an orchard. We're going to pick apples, Daddy. Are you excited?!

2. Plan the entire family's wardrobe in a matchy-but-not-too-matchy fall color scheme.

3. Charge the camera.

4. Pack only the essentials for the day (complete change of clothes for both kids, lightweight jackets and heavier coats just in case October in Alabama decides to get too crazy, blankets, toys, books, and a cooler packed with five juice boxes, apple sauce, squeeze fruit, yogurt, cheese, Uncrustables pb&j sandwiches, and, of course, goldfish).

5. Plan to leave at 9:00 and get breakfast at Waffle House first.

6. Plan to leave at 10:00 and drive thru somewhere for breakfast.

7. Actually leave at 10:40 and google "Does Jack's serve breakfast all day?" on your phone while Husband drives. 

They do not.

8. Use Urban Spoon to find something off I-65. Choose Mama Goldberg's. Call in your order.

9. Exit for lunch. Send Husband in while you fetch the 23 items your children have dropped on the floor in the 7 minutes you've been on the road.

10. Eat lunch in the car on the way to the orchard. 

11. Google the orchard to check the exit. 219. We got this.

12. Sit in standstill traffic for no apparent reason.

13. Four miles from the exit, look up the orchard website for actual directions. See this.

14. Look at Husband and hope he doesn't freak out. Watch him smile and say, "well, that seems about right."

15. You are now in Jemison, AL.

16. Drive a few more miles to Clanton and go to Peach Park instead.

17. Try to explain where you are to the three year old while she asks, "are we here? Is this the orchard?"

18. Successfully distract her with a playground. Watch her light up as she plays with Daddy. Watch your husband swing on a swing set. Watch your baby giggle in a swing.







19. Buy ice cream. Buy some produce from the stand (including APPLES) and head home.

20. Realize the day was pretty perfect anyway.