A perfect day

I turned the big 35 this past weekend. I've been dreading it for awhile -- not so much the day, but the age. Big number and all that.

But this post isn't about the issues I'm having with now being 35. It's about the perfect day.

Having your birthday fall on a Saturday is always a nice treat. And I was lucky enough for that this year. For a few days before, Ryan kept asking me what I wanted to do during the day and I just hummed and mumbled that I didn't know each time. Because although it's nice having your birthday on a Saturday, in my mind, I kept thinking of all the things I wanted to (needed to) get done on the weekend.

But the weather created a plan for us. Instead of the 1-2 cm of snow that was supposed to fall overnight (which is nothing really), we woke up to 10+ cm of snow outside our front window.

So after enjoying a couple of cups of coffee and sitting around in my pajamas while Ryan and the kids shovelled the driveway, we all put on snowpants and went tobagganing.

Now, it should be noted that almost a year ago, Ryan promised Austin that he'd taken him sledding. It was right around the time I sprained my ankle and Austin missed his sledding outing with preschool (because I couldn't take him to school for a week while I was on crutches). It never snowed again that winter and the boys never got to go tobagganing -- to the disappointment of both of them.

So on Saturday morning, just as the snow was letting up, we piled in the car and drove to a nearby hill. It wasn't a very big one -- but big enough when your adventurers are only 2 and 4 years old.

We tobagganed for over an hour, and let me tell you, I can't think anything else that makes you feel more like a kid again (on your 35th birthday nonetheless) than sledding down a hill. And yes, I was sledding down the hill too -- the kids needed a partner every now and then afterall.

After lunch, it was naptime for all -- and yes, even I took a nap. And then I managed to find the time to sit with a cup of tea and read my book in (relative) peace and quiet.

At 6 p.m., the babysitter came and Ryan and I went out with some friends for dinner at the Keg Mansion downtown. We've been friends with this couple for years (and years) but it's an extremely rare occassion these days that the four of us get together as a foursome and not as an eightsome (with the other four all being under the age of 6).

It was a lovely evening filled with good food, good drinks and good adult conversation. Something this stay-at-home, doesn't-get-out-of-the-suburbs-much, 35-year-old mom thinks was the perfect way to end the perfect day.