This past weekend my boys went on a little camping adventure with dad and grandad. Well, them and 99 other little boys in Noah’s class. I had deliberated for months on whether I would go with a 3 month old Hunter but came to the decision that a girls weekend would be good. For both of us.

The boys are at an age where they are constantly busy and always getting into something. They are also at an age where they are very loud and don’t really have an off button or know about a little thing called volume control. It can be a bit of a screaming match, and not necessarily because they’ve done something wrong, but simply because if you live in our house and have something to say, you have to speak loudly to be heard. I’m sure anyone with more than one kid over 2 will relate right? Especially if you have two boys who are as crazy as this kid…..

So what I was really craving was a weekend off from the crazy. A weekend of calm that would enable me time to soak my baby in and really have some special time with her. Of course like any normal mom, I missed my boys the second they were gone. BUT I also enjoyed the time more than you will ever know! Here’s what we got up to!

The boys left at 2pm on Friday so I started off the afternoon in the best way, with my besty and her bubs on my couch with a cup of tea (And maybe some cupcakes!) We still cant get over that we have both has little girls after 2 boys! I mean call us crazy, but it just solidifies the fact that we were meant to be friends and be on this journey together. Special beyond words!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ba4nAcXBSyD/?taken-by=tanyawrightsa

That night, after bathing, feeding and putting Hunter to sleep (routine for the win!) I got back on my couch with a big glass of wine and delicious take-out. My heart almost burst when I realised I had Season 2 of This Is Us on our system. And yes I watched all 6 episodes in one sitting. Now I need to wait for the rest of them which is like torture!

On Saturday morning I woke up to absolute quiet, besides a happy baby gurgling in her cot. It was strange and part of me wasn’t sure how much I liked it at first. I think we become so used to the everyday routines and the parts of our lives that make up our normal that we feel strange when these things are missing. I had to mentally tell my self to enjoy the quiet space and not having two demanding (yet adorable!) little boys to worry about.

So we went for a beautiful walk/run together. Hunter loves being out in the fresh air and our daily walks are probably one her favourite things to do. She’s all smiles from the second the wheels of her Balu stroller hit the ground. This pram has been perfect for our daily walks and sturdy enough for me to break into a little jog too! We came back and I settled onto our lounge floor listening this song from the new Hillsong album. I don’t remember it ever being this quiet in my home guys and as I lay listening to this song  it felt like my soul was being fed. It felt like my tired soul was being replenished in the best way.

https://youtu.be/EuYOnYL6G0Y

From there we got ready and met my mom for a gorgeous lunch at Jonkershuis in Constantia. I have been to this restaurant a few times but there was something about our time there on Saturday that re-awoke my love for it. It’s out in the beautiful open air with views for days and the food is just amazing! I love the everything is locally sourced and fresh and of course they offer only the best of the best when it comes to wine! We enjoyed delicious salads and a glass of Chenin and literally just took in the glorious view. This spot of perfect for families as there is such a great patch of lawn for the kids to play on. Of course I had no running kids with me so you would have found me perched on my chair drinking wine 🙂

On Saturday night I got stuck into another good movie with my mom and even read a book before heading to bed. I can’t remember when last I opened a book guys. And I realised how much I missed it. Reading words that string together a sentence, that form together to make stories… there is something amazing about that! I need to make more time for reading actual books instead of blogs and online articles. Nothing can replace the feeing of turning the pages of a real book and the feeing of devouring each page as the plot develops. It’s magic!

And then on Sunday my beautiful boys returned with so much to report and just like that the quiet was gone. Just like that my quiet space turned into over-excited chaos. But I have to say, as much as I think it’s good we all take time out from the noise and find moments of quiet, there’s something to be said about the loudness that fills our home. It serves to remind me of how much love we are surrounded by each day – a home that is filled with noise and happy chaos. Happy hearts.

They came back dirty, tanned, full of junk food and smiling from ear to ear and I know that the time they spent away from me was just as good for them too.

So mamas, remember to take time out away from your kids if you can from time to time. We deserve the break and it’s good for them too. ♥

Hi I’m Leigh! Did you enjoy reading this post? I really hope so and would love you to stick around a little longer! Please feel free to browse my blog for other articles or to keep up with all the latest news and to be the first to hear about some great competitions, come and find me me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also email me directly at leeloobaggins@hotmail.com or simply subscribe below and never worry about missing out!