Schools In! Five Ways To Spend All Your New Free Time.

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Now that the first week of school is here, I have a little more free time coming my way. I’ve spent some time thinking about how to spend my first week with two kids in elementary school. I decided that after all these years of organizing my life around these little people almost 24/7, I need to find a way to honor myself.  Do something enjoyable for me.  Something beyond enjoying grocery shopping without “helpers.”  Whatever I choose to do this week, I decided to put off all of my “whenever I have the time” projects. We all have them. My big one is to organize all the pictures I’ve just been dumping off my phone and into storage for the last seven years.  It can wait one more week.

free time

It’s time to celebrate having made it to this season of motherhood. I put together some suggestions in case you find yourself in the same boat this week or in the future:

Try a new local coffee shop.

This can happen with little people, but there is something extra nice about getting to go alone.  You don’t have to share your pastry. No one is going to spill their drink.  You can sit as long as you want to. Meet a friend for a good chat over coffee without interruptions or just bring a book or a magazine and enjoy the peace!  Colorado Springs is full of amazing coffee! I feel like I hear about a new one every week. Find a list of coffee shops to try here.

Have a spa day.

There are a few ways you can do this on any budget. Getting a massage would be a great way to reset for the new year.  I’ve eyed the massage chairs at the mall a few times and thought even that would do me some good. A mani pedi would also be nice. My “spa day” will probably end up involving me spending an hour reading labels in the beauty aisles of Target, picking out a foot scrub and a mask, and taking the world’s longest bath in the comfort of my own home. I think I will follow it with a nap. The nap will be the most important part.

Date your partner.

During this last school year, my youngest was in preschool two afternoons a week and my husband and I discovered the beauty of the day date. Lunch out is cheaper than dinner and you don’t need a sitter!  I would pick him up after drop off and we would try a new restaurant or take a hike. I am looking forward to having more than a two hour block to work with this year. Need some inspiration? Find it here, here or here.

Go to the movies by yourself.

Have you ever done this before?  It has been a long time since I have but I actually enjoy it. Watching a movie is a silent activity anyway, so you don’t really NEED someone to enjoy it with. Check out that movie you wanted to see but no one else did!  Eat your popcorn in peace. If you go to the Cinemark Carefree or Carmike Chapel Hills 13 you can follow your movie with some shopping if that is fun for you!

Go for a hike.

One of my kids doesn’t really enjoy hiking, so when we go it can be a lot of work.  I feel like hiking on my own would be a very different and super peaceful experience. Time to think and reflect in the beauty Colorado Springs has to offer. Find some suggestions on where to go here. If I get brave I may even tackle the Incline!

What would you do with six hours to yourself?  What did you do when your kids went to school? Share with me in the comments.

 

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Kristal, Senior Writer
Kristal is a native of California, lived in Utah, and now lovingly calls Colorado Springs home. She grew up in a household with four younger siblings and graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz. She and her husband are raising their elementary school aged children in the Briargate area. With kids in school full time, Kristal is an active member of the PTA, and spends time working in local schools. She is passionate about connecting moms in our community. In her spare time, she enjoys long walks in the aisles of Target, dancing it out in Zumba classes, drinking copious amounts coffee, cooking dinner as a form of therapy, and last but certainly not least, spending time outdoors with her family.