Picnic Power
Do you ever have one of those days when you get stuck inside? Today was one of those days for us! I work part-time, from home, and had a meeting that took place during Gemma’s nap. After the meeting I ended up jumping on the phone with someone, and then on the phone with someone else, and all of the conversations were so great and so important for my work but I also watched our afternoon outside time slip right through my fingertips.
And that’s OKAY! Something I’ve found in parenthood is that flexibility is everything. Especially for those of us who have parented in the pandemic - when maybe in 2019 we had more clear work/life boundaries but afterwards, there is a lot of gray area in when and where and how we are working and parenting.
Today, as I started to stress about my kids spending a gorgeous afternoon inside watching Octonauts, I thought, “That’s okay - let’s just take our dinner outside.”
I made the same exact meal that I would have made for eating inside (pesto pasta with veggies, but don’t follow me for cooking tips because I genuinely hate it). Loaded the food up in the cutest picnic basket that we got as a wedding present 7 years ago, and we headed off for dinner! We went to the Maryland State House because it has a beautiful sloping lawn that the kids can run around on while we eat. Plus, it’s a block from Annapolis Ice Cream Co. which is a perfect summer dessert.
If you are trying to get outside more, remember that the small choices to get outside are usually the best ones for your family. Try not to stress - just pack up your meal and bring it to your front steps for a little post-work outside time.
