We were all snugly sleeping in our tent. The hubs and myself comfortably (mostly) on our bourgeois air mattress, and the kids in their sleeping bags surrounded by 82 glow sticks. Then I heard through my mom half-sleep, a pleading whine, along with the rustle, rustle of dog feet. There at the end of the tent was my ridiculous little dog, who I wouldn’t describe as outdoorsy, staring at me with bug-eyed dog panic. He clearly had to go outside, but maybe couldn’t figure out if the tent was technically already outside. Oh, to be so walnut-brained. After he left the tent and did his business — which I won’t elaborate on, except to say that I think he ate some bad mushrooms while securing the campsite perimeter — and was once again snoring an inch from my face, I laid there imagining how I might save us all if someone with an ax decided to stop by. Finally, I slept. This is camping, family-edition.

This weekend is the breather between school ending, and camp and other summer activities beginning. It’s that time when we collect our children in our arms in disbelief that they are a year bigger and smarter. A lovely time for a family weekend enjoying some art, nature, Dora, and the racing pigs and fried food that is State Fair Meadowlands.

June. Ahhh… The end of car pools, coats and homework crying fits. The beginning of summer, when the memory-making feels almost visceral. The gluttonous gorging on strawberries; gleeful races to the sea foam; the tucked up legs in the freezing movie theater, and yes, the management of a tremendous amount of wet towels. This weekend kicks it all off with good eats, nature-time, sea life (human and animal), and even some beary nice theatre. Welcome, summer. I feel nostalgic already.

Sometimes the full-throttle, leap-into-our-waiting-arms hug from a kid or two is the very reason we drag our tired selves out into the world each and every day, and sometimes... we just want to run the opposite direction. For this, there are 5K runs. Lots of 'em. And lest you feel guilty about this urge to jog, run, sprint, or 80s-style speedwalk away from the big love, you can bring the whole family to cheer you on and enjoy a fun run of their own. My youngest smoked the competition in her first race and she was wearing a tutu. I'm just saying — it's fun for the whole family. So, lace — or velcro — up, and we'll see you at the finish line.

Oh, Mothers. We get the love. We get the hate. We get the primordial hugs from the short people who drop their backpacks and hearts at our feet, with all the hope that we will pick them up and put them back where they belong. We get a warm Sunday in May where one little fist clutches some petrified flowers and the other a hand-printed poem, and a quiet, 'here you go, Mama, I made this for you.' We also maybe want a lovely brunch, a cocktail and an afternoon without any dishes or laundry. Fortunately, New Jersey offers many opportunities for family fun on Mother's Day, from wine tastings to oceanside music. So take the perks, because Monday is right around the corner.

When I was a kid I loved being outside. My mom lived on a farm and my brothers and I spent many a summer getting lost in the cornfields, and locked in the chicken coop. (That last one was just me.) But  upon the discovery of gossip magazines and teen angst, I decided that hot, sweaty, buggy, cold, windy, mild, sunny, rainy, snowy, overcast, undercast, sideways weather was just not for me, and I broke up with the outdoors. Inside and I had a good time, but eventually Central Park and picnics called me back outside, and then I camped. I slept outside. I even had fun, despite the torrential rain. And then I had children, who should really come with a warning: MUST NOT BE KEPT INSIDE ALL WEEKEND. PRONE TO SELF DESTRUCTION. So, we hike. (And camp, but that's another story. Stay tuned.)

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

Oh Mark, you were so wise. Spring is trailing your hand along the baby grass, breathing in that intoxicating smell of possibility, of ditching coats for sundresses, leaving slush behind for the kick-up of magnolia blossoms on the walk to school. It's its own thing, spring, and it needs celebrating. Our Garden State has a slew of great activities from cherry blossom madness to a bluebird meet and greet. Dig in, fellow mothers. We've earned it this year.

If your brood hasn’t experienced quite enough bonding and cabin fever courtesy of New Jersey’s many snow days, you’re in luck! President’s Day will soon be here and with it another day (or two) of scrambling for activities that don’t involve turning on the TV and time-outs. Fortunately, New Jersey’s museums deliver with some great family-friendly events, or if you feel like staying in and crafting the boredom away, we’ve found some clever crafts that will have you hailing to the chief in no time.

Presidents' Day at Newark Museum