On Holiday

Jorma and I have started resuming something that some think is ridiculous and some think is spectacular. We call it, The Day Off. Not four hours out for dinner out with the girls after the kids are asleep anyway. Not a lunch with the girls and then a preschool pick up. The WHOLE day. Here are the rules for The Day Off.
The person that is having The Day Off, gets up with the kids and feeds them breakfast. This way the one that is having Quality Time with Children day gets to rest up. They will need all of their strength. This way the one whose Day Off it is, gets to spend some time with the kids.
Then in late morning the person having Day Off leaves. For the whole day. No calling and checking in. No nothing. Just a whole day of whatever you want to do. Staying home and not being bothered is NOT an option.
We do this so that I have a Saturday off and then Jorma has Sunday on the same weekend, or vis versa so that we don't burn two good weekends in a row with one of us gone.
The first Day Off I ever had, I went to Target. I walked around for about two hours, trying on shoes and dresses, looking at picture frames and browsing lipsticks. I think I bought a new lipstick and a coffee on the way out. I went and ate Mexican Food, I went to a pet store and looked at the puppies and kittens. I went to a coffee shop and read.
Another Day Off I went up to Pattie's for the whole day and laid in the pool with Pattie and Dar and did absolutely nothing. And shortly after that The Day Off fizzled out. It wasn't because The Day Off wasn't needed or wanted. It's because The Day Off wasn't demanded. I don't need to demand a day off to Jorma. I need to demand a day off to myself. Because it's oh so easy just to let it slide because there's a birthday party or an impending grocery trip.
When Jorma and I went out on our anniversary weekend two weeks ago, we went white water rafting, horseback riding and out to dinner or lunch every single meal. We went shopping and had a massage. We saw a movie. We drank. It was spectacular. It led us to one conclusion. If we can't do fun stuff together without the kids, we should at least do it apart - without the kids. And so The Day Off is back in play.
I know some of you ladies are thinking that you'd never be able to pass this off to your husband. Here's how you do it. Tell him you want to start having a day off. Tell him the rules. Tell him he gets one too. He'll say he doesn't need one. He's being a martyr. Suggest to him that if he had a day off he could _________. That blank you fill in with all of the things that he used to do before you had kids. Make it tempting. Or, say, if you are married to someone like Jorma... you could just suggest leaving the house for an entire day without the children or work and watch them leave skid marks out of the driveway. Either way works fine.
If you aren't longing to escape from your children or husband, take a day off anyway. When was the last time you went out and did a whole day of stuff that you really wanted to do without stopping to run an errand or pick up milk? Ever gone to a movie by yourself? It rocks. You can sit where you want to and don't have to share popcorn. Even when you're single it's nice to take yourself out on a date. No push up bra necessary.