Weekend Recap: Family Time

I’ve decided to start this series up again. I feel like I am finally able to find the time to sit down and write for pleasure and not just for work. It’s a balance that I have to really work towards finding. So much of my time is spent at the computer that whenever I have a free second, the last thing I want to do is sit on the computer. Hence, my personal blog falls behind and towards the bottom of my list. But I’ve come to realize that this is a place where I can share the stories of my family, the trials and tribulations that I have as a mother, and of course things that I love. So with that, I have decided to dedicate more time to the blog; revamping old series that got lost in the way, creating new series that inspire me, and of course sharing the story of our lives in the city.

The weekend is always something that I look forward to. Not only because I get to unplug and take time off of work, but because it is the two days of the week that I have my entire family together for more than a couple of hours a day.

Our Friday nights always consist of the same routine. To some it may seem boring or mundane, but I get so excited for it. Friday night Harlan gets to stay up a little bit past her bedtime for family game night. She picks out the game and we sit down on the floor for a little family competition.

MacKay and I are incredibly competitive people, especially when it comes to games. It’s no wonder that Harlan has picked up the same trait. This girl enters the game with her game face on and will stop at nothing to win.

She’s actually really good at all of the games we play, including her favorite game of Go Fish. Friday night she picked out Chutes and Ladders. It was one of my childhood favorites, so I love when she picks this out for us. It was a friendly competition in which Harlan came out the champion. She happily obliged to go to bed shortly after, only because she knew she was the winner.

After game time, MacKay and I cuddled up on the couch and browse the newest movies that are out on Apple TV. We rarely go to the movie theatre to see new releases, so our Friday nights are considered our movie nights. Even if it is from the comfort of our own home.

MacKay decided on Beasts of the Southern Wild. It’s been getting a lot of buzz lately and the little girl in the film was recently nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress. The little girl was amazing, the film took me a little getting used to. Definitely something I need to watch again to get a little better grasp on it.

Saturday morning started bright and early with our typical family gym Saturday. MacKay and I get a couple hours working out in the gym while the girls go into the play area. I usually always dread going because it requires me to get my lazy butt off the couch, but I always feel so refreshed when we leave. My trainer from the Hospital for Special Surgery has given me a workout routine, so I know exactly what I need to do when I get in there. It’s tailored to what I need to work on with my body and can usually be done within an hour. As painful as it is, it feels so good to work my butt off and see the results from it.

A highlight for Harlan every weekend is that she gets to choose her own clothes to wear. She’s in a uniform five out of the seven days of the week and as much as we both love it (and I love that I don’t have to fight with her every morning on an outfit), she likes to express her individuality and budding fashion sense on the weekend. This was her outfit of choice for Saturday. She’s obsessed with this cream lace skirt. She wants to wear it every single day and has even tried to put it over her uniform.

My mom told me that I had a favorite skirt when I was little that I insisted on wearing every single day. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Sunday was a day for dates. After church Harlan and I went out on our monthly date. She had a birthday party to go to and then we walked up and down the west side. We rode the bus, went for Starbucks, and just had fun chatting it up. The older she gets, the more I enjoy spending time with her. She is such a joy.

Next weekend the girls and I are on our own a little bit while MacKay travels for work. We always love a little girl time!

Hope you had a great weekend!