Weekend getaway not easy to get away with

Published February 24, 2011 in the Commercial Appeal

Last Monday morning, I casually mentioned that I was going to be out of town over the weekend. My 6-year-old, still wiping the sleep out of his eyes, said, "Can I come with you?" I told him that I was going on a girls-only trip to New Orleans.

My 8-year-old immediately wanted to know who the girls were, then clarified, "You'll be gone all weekend?" I explained that I was leaving Friday evening and coming home Monday, but that I was taking Friday off to spend time with them since they were out of school. Appeased for the moment, they got dressed and moved on to brushing teeth and eating breakfast.

My friends have been trying to get me to do a girls' weekend for months -- maybe even years. I usually have plenty of good excuses why I can't go, but after holding down the fort for six weeks while my husband worked out of town in January and February, I decided I was ready for a little break...(Read more).