Amid the madness, the craziness and the chaos of modern day life that we all get drawn into, is desire, a yearning, a need to remember who we really are and to slow down. As a busy working mummy, where week days run by military precision what I enjoy most about a weekend is enjoying life at a slower pace and wrapping myself up in our little family bubble. I love these days so much, cocooned in our little family bubble is the best place to be. This is why it is so necessary to have down time, or to visit a place where time goes by at nature’s pace, a place where you can unwind, a place where you can let your imagination roam free and most important to me, a place I can make memories with my family. Whether at home, a local park, a favourite city – somewhere you can relax.
Time spent together is worth every second. I love the days when it is just us. When life slows down, when the days are filled with blanket picnics, laughter, kisses, movie nights, winter walks and sometimes an adventure. When we enjoy the simple pleasures in life and if we’re lucky tea and cake. As our time together as a family is often so concentrated, squeezed into two days out of seven, I find myself feeling guilty when we have no plans. When the diary is empty I have been guilty of thinking it is indeed unthinkable that our days are not filled with big plans, days out, play dates and adventure.
Maybe it is because we only have one child, maybe it is not. Or maybe it is because I don’t like to feel like we are letting our boy down by not stretching his imagination and maybe it is because I like to explore. Yet when we found ourselves with a weekend with nothing in the calendar there was a silent but prominent sigh of relief. And so, as a family we all chose one thing that we wanted to do together and the rest we left to chance. Because when life throws you a free weekend you embrace it.
If like last weekend and like us you wake on a Sunday morning feeling spritely – dress the family up, pop on a cosy knit and head out on an early morning walk. Stomp around the ever so peaceful streets, watch as the world around you rises, hug a cup of coffee and enjoy the fresh air. Talk about all the little things you have loved lately, make big or little plans for the day ahead, the week ahead or even the year ahead. Make no plans. Be spontaneous. Stop for breakfast or just walk, walk and talk.
And if you are feeling playful – enjoy laughter and adventure, kick up the autumn leaves, play tag, sing a song, kick a ball, explore the woods, collect conkers, fungi and leaves. Or quite simply just hold each others hands and take a hop skip and a jump. That is my favourite – to hold hands, to chat, laugh and reconnect. As Winnie the pooh once said… Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.
Family time really is the best time. In the words of Julie Andrews, these are a few of my favourite things to do when I’m feeling at bit meh. When life gets in the way, when being an adult feels tough, when I need to let go and reconnect with the two people that mean so much to me. And if all else fails eat cake, drink tea and snuggle under a blanket.
What do you like to do as a family when you want to slow things down?
I’m Kerri-Ann or KA as my friends call me, always found with a cup of coffee in one hand and my camera in the other. I have a huge passion for photography, fitness, fashion and family travel. I started this blog in 2014. It began as my creative outlet after becoming a mummy to our little boy George Archie. I started out blogging about parenting and over the years it has evolved into a blog that covers lifestyle, fashion, family and travel. Today TheKAEdit is ultimately a life and style blog. Thank you for reading x x
Ah I so agree this a lovely post, it is getting harder for us which Jack but we still like to get Joe out for family walks to explore the countryside. All such beautiful opportunities to make family memories x
Oh I can imagine the older they get the less they want to be involved. Glad you still get to head out with Joe x
Nice photos x
This is lovely. We rarely have weekends like this due to swimming and church commitments, but when we do we often spend time snuggled on the sofa watching a film or playing a board game. I think a bit of fresh air and a good old walk is in order next time though! xx
Thank you Morgana. You are so right, fresh air and a walk are definitely top of the list here x
I do like to make sure that the weekends are for us. If that means working later in the evenings during the week, it just means we can fully chill and get quality time together xx
I think you’re right Pam and I definitely follow the same mantra x
I starting singing the sound of music song as I was reading the title, ha ha. I honestly couldn’t agree more! I mean I LOVE summer and it’s definitely my favourite time of year but Autumn is by far the most beautiful season. Nature is an amazing thing isn’t it?! And you’re right, weekends are family time – a bubble of ‘just us’. Gorgeous post xx
Ha ha I hoped that someone would as it was definitely running through my head as I wrote it. I agree about Autumn being beautiful, second to that bright winters mornings make me smile too x
We so rarely get a free weekend these days, the sound of yours is making me very jealous! I would probably choose a nice walk with the dogs and a cafe stop…always a cafe stop! Xx
We rarely do, oddly had two back to back recently which have definitely been needed x
Oh you bring Autumn to life and make me want to love it. Sadly here all month every weekend has been dark, stormy windy beyond anything I have ever seen before. I just am not getting to love it this year. Normally we have been to the pumpkin patch corn maze and carve pumpkins and made piles of leaves to jump in at the park and throw them around. We have not had any of this. I am hoping one last desperate attempt this weekend as hubby took Fri and Mon off for half term which is unheard of. Can’t wait to do some cuddling and watching movies too. Your photos are perfection beautiful and creative every time. #wrc
I have to admit I struggle with having no plans, though I know that we all need ‘slow days’ for physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. I think I’ve got so used to just being on the go all the time that I find it really hard to just stop. When I do let myself it’s absolutely one of my favourite things, just spending time together pottering and playing and talking. Absolutely gorgeous photos Kerri-Ann, really beautiful.