Family Traditions 101: Brother's Weekend

I love traditions. I love traditional traditions and I love that I get to start new traditions with my little gentlemen! Like Shark Week. Shark Week is a big-freaking-celebrated deal in this household. And the 4-gift Christmas. That one we haven't technically started yet, since they haven't been around for a Christmas, but it's in the works and that's what counts. But here's one I bet you haven't heard of...

Yep, they dressed him stupidly.

It started as "Cousins Weekend." BUT, yes, but. There aren't any cousins in the family yet... just my boys. So currently this tradition exists as "Brother's Weekend." What is Brother's Weekend? I'm glad you asked. It's one Saturday a month where my parents have offered to take our children off of our hands for the whole day. Morning to evening. 

I love the idea of Brother's Weekend. Firstly, because it gives my Dad and sisters a chance to see the boys and spend some quality time with them. Secondly, Andy and I get to relax. And by relax, I actually mean DO ALL THE THINGS. Seriously though, I always make a to-do list that is entirely too long for 2 people to accomplish in a day.  We always remember to work in a dinner out together or possibly some Mario Kart, you know, for old times' sake.

I thrive on productivity (just ask my co-workers!) so sitting around, relaxing, napping, etc all day while my boys are gone is just not appealing to me. That's why we do a full, long grocery shopping trip, clean the whole house, organize, make baby food, run errands... you name it, we get it done on this day.

Just making some pasta salad with Grandma Teenie

This tradition wasn't my idea - and I definitely don't expect this of my parents! But month after month they continue to offer (they claim that my children are "angels" for them!) so it has become a tradition. I can't wait until my sisters have kids and it can be a true Cousin's Weekend. The boys will have so.much.fun. they probably won't even want to come home! Me and all my helicopter-y mom-ness will require them to come home. I don't know how to function when I'm home alone anymore.

What traditions have you already started with your baby? Does your family do something similar to this but you have a different name for it?