A Stay-At-Home-Mom Who Doesn’t Like to Stay at Home

Yes, I am a stay-at-home-mom that DOES NOT like to stay at home! I realized early on in mommyhood that I was not a happy camper if I did not get out and see people. I remember the milestone moment when my new Maclaren side-by-side double stroller arrived at my door. I was finally able to get out of the house with my 8 month old twins a little easier. And no, it was not just the stroller that snapped me out of my funk. I also remember sitting on the floor talking to a great friend and just crying my eyes out. As she listened, we came up with a plan to keep me from having any more meltdowns! This led me to keep my calendar full of playdates at local parks, coffee and lunch dates, long walks on the beach with other moms, and a calendar full of things to do! This has left me with many wonderful memories and things to look forward to each year! Here are my TOP 5 that I am looking forward to in the coming months:

1. Gate River Run Diaper Dash and Junior River Run

My husband and I are both runners so we love getting our kids involved in the fun. Most of the time we make posters and cheer for runners, but we also like to participate in some of the kid fun runs. The kids learn that they might not always win, but they still have to try their best (even though my son Will did win the Diaper Dash when he was 18 months old, he has a runner’s build like his dad!). For older children, check out the Junior River Run.  Both of these events are FREE and include a FREE T-Shirt!

2. St. Patrick’s Day Parade

I grew up in Savannah, GA where celebrating St. Patrick’s Day was a part of life.  Through my local moms club, when I was in charge of the activities calendar we did a simple parade at a local park. The kids made some fun noisemakers with water bottles and green glitter, nothing fancy. We all wore green, decorated our wagons and tricycles, sang songs and wished anyone that passed by a Happy St. Patrick’s Day. We then celebrated at the end with our favorite green foods. The moms club has continued this tradition year after year!

3.  St. Paul’s Carnival

We love the St. Paul’s School Carnival for many reasons. It’s where my twins went to preschool so we started this tradition when they were very young. There have always been many games and rides that fit their age each year. It is quite a bargain on bracelet night! We usually go on the Thursday night it opens and ride unlimited rides by buying a bracelet. The kids also enjoy winning prizes from playing fun carnival games, and we always enjoy a corn dog, funnel cake, a snow cone or cotton candy. The highlight of the night is riding the ferris wheel and getting a view of the Atlantic Ocean before the sun sets.

4. Disney on Ice

If you have never been to a Disney on Ice show, you should definitely check it out this year! It comes each year in the spring, and every time we go we feel like we were in that magical place but didn’t have to drive 250 miles to get there! This year’s show, Dare to Dream, is coming to the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena from Thursday, April 4 – Sunday, April 7.

5.  River City Hunt

We did the River City Hunt race for the first time as a family last year. The first year I did it with my friends, but the whole time I couldn’t stop thinking about how family friendly it was! So for the second annual race, I signed up my two older kids. They loved every minute of it! We found clues to lead us to each destination and we had to do crazy things like dance in public and catch a Hershey’s kiss from our forehead to our mouth. My kids were able to explore the Riverside district and learn a little Jacksonville history while we were at it. They also helped with our costumes and team name!

In the past 7 years, I have learned a lot about being a mom. Although I still prefer being on-the-go, I have also learned to cherish the moments that I have with my kids at home (instead of having a meltdown!).