In my blog reader survey there were a number of people who asked something to the effect of “How do you do it all?” in regards to work, home life, and keeping up with the blog. I feel like the answer is complicated.

For one, have you seen my house? If you have, or know me you know that keeping it neat and tidy around the clock is not one of my top priorities. And my “cooking” doesn’t extend much further than boiling pasta or grilling the cheese (as in, grilled cheese sandwiches). I get my work in when my kids are at school and whatever is left at night after they go to bed. The challenge for me comes when I haven’t been able to finish all of my work and I’m faced with a tight deadline while the kids are home and awake.

When my husband is home and off of work when I have a looming deadline he will take the kids into the garage and play, or take them out to do something so I can work.

My office is in the playroom for a reason. When my husband isn’t home (well, even when he is) they like to be near me, and I tend to be able to get more done when they’re distracted yet still nearby. But it stresses me out when I attempt to do this for long.

I recently told one of my friends considering leaving a full-time job to be a stay at home mom that I felt like I enjoyed my kids more when I worked full-time outside of the home. I was joking, but I think there’s some truth to it. I was able to compartmentalize work with work hours, and really focus on quality time when I got home. Now we see each other all the time, but I don’t always make time for those quality experiences. When I plan them ahead of time I do ok. But day to day it’s pretty routine.

This week is spring break. I cleared my calendar and made some plans to make magical memories as a family. My husband has half the week off but was against going out of town, so I made a long list of local places I’ve been dying to take my kids. A Dinosaur Park, a drive-through zoo, maybe a trip to an aquarium or planetarium, and some things around the house we’ve never tried like gardening. My husband and daughter are most excited about hitting the pool. It’s a little silly how excited I am, but I can’t help but feel like these are some of the moments we’ll be talking about for years to come.

I won’t be posting too much here this week, aside from updating my Cherish 365 photos. I’ll probably share more on my Facebook page, and next week I’ll post updates from our adventures here.

The break will be good for me. And good for them. A chance to compartmentalize work away and just enjoy my family like we do on vacations. A chance to reset and come back refreshed (I hope). And above all, a chance to enjoy some quality time with the three people I love most.

What are you spring break plans?