You may have heard of the “Yes Day” phenomena as it applies to kids or even families. But what about a “Yes Day”… for mom?! With Mother’s Day coming up, the pressure is on to feel treasured and valued and properly gifted. But guess what, momma, you can take things into your own hands, make your own plans, and do it your way. Throw away the notion that you have to celebrate yourself on a birthday, or on Mother’s Day. There is so much PRESSURE to do it then, and it takes away some of the joy. Plan yourself a day to celebrate yourself… plan yourself a yes day. YES! A Yes Day… for mom.
Recently, I was invited to the opening day of Dollywood amusement park on behalf of Cincinnati Family Magazine. And guess what, reader?! The absolute icon, national treasure and beautiful human inside and out, Dolly Parton was going to be there to celebrate.
“I would love to go, but…” thoughts loomed. It would be so easy for me to sigh a deep sigh of despair and send my regrets. Practical mom thoughts swirled in my head, “Oh, a four and a half drive is a lot…”, and “How would the kids get to school and practice?”. Most of all, I didn’t want to be an inconvenience to my husband or my parents.
Instead, I sighed a deep sigh of hope. I am a person who has a cup that needs to be full, too. I deserve fun. I deserve me time! I deserve a yes day…for mom! So, I planned a little Moms trip. I text my two best mom friends and told them they deserve fun, too, and we deserve us time! Be a little selfish for once, and let your family survive without you for just a few days! Let’s do it! We needed to take these plans off of the group chat and into reality.
And that is what we did. The hotel room at DreamMore Resort was booked. The mom van was full of gas. And we were off. The four and a half hour drive felt like nothing, because we spent it talking and laughing. Our kids got to school and to practice, and we were not inconveniences to our husbands or our parents who made it work while we were gone.
We spent our time at Dollywood doing all of the things we wanted to do. We strolled through the museums at a leisurely (not rushed) pace. We ate a good country meal with piping hot southern foods—while they were still hot! We browsed the cutest little stores for adorable dresses, goodies for our homes, leather purses, cowboy hats, handblown glass, and more. We took in all of the adorable photo opps for Dolly’s I Will Always Love You Music Festival. There was no rush, no real plans, just… hanging out together and wandering the most beautiful theme park around. It. was. lovely. And oh so needed.
Sidenote: Goodness gracious, Dolly Parton is so inspiring. Witty and wonderful. A self-made entrepreneur who sings, acts, writes, and dreams. All while serving sass AND giving back to her community and to mankind as a whole. I just… adore her so.
Our time at DreamMore was similar to our time at Dollywood. Laid back, curious, and fun. We moseyed around the resort, checking out the Dolly memorabilia, the landscaping, fire pits, and overall attention to detail. The resort is an oasis for families to relax and unwind together, with outdoor and indoor pools, dining spots for quick bites (and coffee!) and a sit down restaurant, too. There is a playground, and nice walkways. We browsed the gift shop, which is really an elevated shopping experience beyond just tchotchkes and whatnots—we each got something more than just a typical souvenir t-shirt. I purchased some jewelry, hand towels… even some guitar picks for my kiddo!
During our stay in Pigeon Forge, we also took a little field trip over to HeartSong Resort to see what it was like (gorgeous!) and had dinner at Ember & Elm (if you go, we highly recommend the fried green tomatoes caprese!). There is so much to see at each resort, it is worth checking both out for sure.
Despite walking over 19k steps at Dollywood, driving 4 1/2 hours there and 4 1/2 hours back, I came home feeling rested and re-energized. Taking the time to invest in myself, my friendships and my interests was really rejuvenating. If you love Dolly, I fully recommend a girls trip to enjoy Dollywood and one of the Dolly resorts. You won’t regret it.
If you can’t swing a trip at this phase of life, I still recommend taking away the pressure of a perfect Mother’s Day by planning your own yes day! It doesn’t have to be extravagant, but it does have to be all for you! Invest in you. Recharge yourself. It is not selfish, it is deserved.
Say yes to yourself, and plan a yes day for you!
Wishing you the happiest of Mother’s Day!
Dollywood’s I Will Always Love You Music Festival runs through April 12th. If you miss it, don’t fret—there is always something new around the corner for every season at Dollywood!
Flower & Food Festival runs April 18-June 7
Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration runs June 15-August 2
Harvest Festival runs September 14-October 3
Smoky Mountain Christmas runs November 6-January 3
AND the world’s first immersive indoor adventure coaster, NighFlight Expedition will debut this year.
