Staycationing: rest and relaxation

Last week, we had intentions to get out of town with friends for the fourth. Those plans fell through and instead we decided to staycation. We were going to eat together and play together.

We went to a pond and rode ziplines that dropped into the pond. We floated on the pond most of the afternoon. We ate sandwiches and drank Spindrift and fished. We ate dinner together every night: chicken Alfredo and brisket and grilled chicken thighs. We set up a slipNslide in a front yard and we escaped to the creek off the parkway for hiking and splashing and catching crawdads. I also did a handful of other smaller things that really helped me get into vacation mode.

I was absorbed into the first two books of a YA fantasy series. 
I took a nap. 
I stood in front a computer and realized that I really didn’t need to do that right now. 
I took a bath. 
I played games with the boys. 

It felt like vacation. We spent very little money. We went nowhere. Sometimes you can go somewhere and other times you need to stay home, but, either way, you can rest.

Quit working. (If you are parenting, make it as lowkey as possible. I have a kid with disabilities so I know it’s not always low key at all.)
Do things that are fun, not things that are productive. 
Be around good friends, if possible.
Take a nap. Sleep in. 
Eat, drink, be merry. 
Thank God for every moment of it. 

If I were interested in experiencing the city as part of my staycation:

I’d breakfast at Market at Main or The Flour District. I’d take the kids to Amazement Square in the morning, eat lunch at the Depot, and bike Percival’s Island in the afternoon. After biking, I’d grab dinner at WaterDog, eat outside, and let the kids play on the new playground, or stop by Trailhead after returning my bike rentals. 

The next day, I’d visit a breakfast place downtown, either My Dog Duke’s Diner or Squared, the new biscuit place. I’d go climbing at Rise Up or kayak on the James, then grab some lunch. I’d browse some shops and then drop by Palmera, perusing the plants and gifts before grabbing some ruffle chips and dip for a snack. Then I’d go take a nap. Finally I’d make a dinner reservation for Isabella’s or Skyline.