What have you registered for for the Stitching Jubilee?

I so want to go, but it's the start of hockey season. Sigh

Have a blast and tell us all about it

Cheryl,

Maybe you can convince your family that a weekend away for mom is great therapy and the you will be around for the rest of hockey season.

When I first attended the Spirit of Cross Stitch in Sacramento in 1991, it was my first time away by myself from my DH and kids. My girls were into soccer, and other activities, and Spirit was at the beginning of soccer season. I left my DH lists of who was going to take the girls to soccer practices and which practices he needed to be home in time to pick them up. I left the girls lists of what they needed to do as well.

The first year, my buddies and I left on Friday morning and came home Sunday afternoon. The second year we left on Thursday morning and came home on Sunday afternoon. The third and subsequent years we left on Wednesday morning and came home on Sunday afternoon.

In 1991, my girls were 10 and 13, and to my amazement the three of them got along just fine and they got wherever they needed to go. I thought that my DH would have given them fast food all weekend long, but I should have known better. They did have McD's once, but then they went to our favorite local cafe, Chinese take out, pizza, well, you get the drift.

When they saw how happy and relaxed I was when I returned home, they asked if I liked it enough to "go next year". After that, it was a given that I would go, and even the other parents involved with their activities made sure that the girls were "chauffeured" around. They thought it was great that I could enjoy my hobby/passion and that I could get away. FYI, I was also working full time, so this was a real treat for me.

When my oldest was old enough to drive, she took over the "Chauffeuring" of her sister. They were both responsible for getting themselves to school via bike or bus, so that part was already taken care of.

In fact, one year when the hormones were raging in our three woman house, they said I should have stayed longer. Thank goodness the teenage years are behind me.

So after all of this, if there is any way on earth that you can get away for even a couple of days, move mountains to do so. It will do wonders for you!

Let me know if you can work it out.

Marianne T. (with an empty nest, loving it, but missing my 27 and 30 YO DDs)