Long weekends ain't what they used to be...! (They're better.)

There was a time when the January/ February long weekends invariably meant new snow boots and fresh powder and copious amounts of après-ing. A couple of years ago for MLK weekend I even managed a double whammy: two days at the beach, an all-night drive, and two more in the snow. Long weekends are sacred, and I always feel an obligation to squeeze every last second of fun possible out of them.

This year, I was a little bummed at the thought of spending four whole days hanging out at home, but the weather was too cold to do anything big outside with Finley, and our February travel schedule loomed, hectic and more than a little intimidating.

So home it was! And we ended up enjoying the heck out of our low key family time. And finally caught up on some sleep.

Friday I had the day off and daycare was open, so- feeling like terrible, deadbeat parents- we dropped Finley off and went for a swim and a leisurely lunch. Finley didn't seem any the worse for the wear, and it was nice for us to get to catch up. Seth always makes dates special (even if they tend more toward lunch than dinner these days, when we can manage them) and sent flowers. And insisted on dessert.

Otherwise, our weekend involved sleeping in and football and a mimosa or three. Finley cheered for the Seahawks, and I managed a commissary trip. (Seth used the grocery bags for Finley's first art project- not her favorite.) After a lot of hibernating due to the weekend's "wintry mix," the sun finally peeked through Monday and we took the princess for a walk on the canal. She mostly slept.

She also proved to be a rotten sous chef on risotto night (one of my favorite treats to myself, complete with La Boheme and polishing off the unused pinot). Finley, it seems, has been swayed by her Dad's preference for Five Finger Death Punch (seriously, that's a band??) and starting fires. So this bodes well.

We capped off our lazy weekend with one of Finley's (rare but invariably ill-timed) trademark "you guys have to work tomorrow, so I'm wide awake at two am" evenings. After lullabies and rocking and bouncing and cursing and mountains of bottles, you eventually just get loopy. It was a funny moment that we'll no doubt look back on with fondness someday (although not one day this week): Seth and I, goofy from sleepiness and frustration, giving in and cracking up with our wide-awake and laughing baby.

It wasn't fresh powder or hot buttered rum, but I'll take weekends at home with my little family any day.

Two photos of the week: Finley cheering during the playoffs, and waking up after her hike. Both made me laugh.