I mentioned in a previous post that I finally admitted to myself that I need to plan for some time for me, a time to recharge. Day one of this new focus began on Saturday morning. Everyone was awake; the little ones were being fed and were to be left in the capable hands of my wonderful hubby. I took a quick shower, put on some comfortable clothes, pulled my hair back and headed out for MY morning. I was on the way to Total Woman Gym and Day Spa in Mission Valley for a massage. 
It has been quite a while since I had a massage, thinking back, I think it was shortly after my son was born…and he just turned 6! Since that time I have had two more babies and I’ve acquired a very bad case of what I call mommy-back. I’m constantly hunkering over to nurse the baby, carry the baby, change the baby, you get the idea; I carry a lot of stress in my neck and shoulders.
Since I pulled into the parking lot a bit early, I decided to take a non-rushed moment to check emails and take a quick peek at my news feed; after all, this was MY morning! I was not about to rush this brief hiatus from my normal responsibilities. A moment later, I got out of my car and thought, no one can see the mess of crumbled fish crackers, kids’ shoes, toys and any other number of junk items now floating around my car – I’m on a “me” day (or morning, at least)! I walked into the lobby and asked for directions to the spa, they pointed me toward the elevator and I thought; no one knows I’m a crazy, stressed out mom of three…I may be able to pull off just being a normal person on the way to the spa! Then, I looked into my purse, only to discover a diaper. Yes, that’s my reality!! Thankfully, it was clean!
I really was able to leave all of my normal stress aside as soon as I entered the building. Though Total Woman Gym and Day Spa is also a gym, the entire facility has a very spa-like feel. The lobby is very well appointed and one of the first things you see is the grand, sweeping staircase that leads to the gym. This trip, I wasn’t there to work out, I was ready to be pampered; so I headed straight to the day spa! I checked in at the spa reception desk and went into the locker room to change into the robe and sandals that were waiting for me in my locker, before heading over to the client room to wait for my massage therapist. My therapist, Rebekah, came to greet me and asked if there was any particular spot that was bothering me. I mentioned that I tend to carry stress in my shoulders, and she did a wonderful job utilizing trigger point release to alleviate the tension. It was an amazingly relaxing massage and I was truly pampered! As the massage was ending, I was already looking forward to my next visit!
In addition to the great staff, a HUGE plus for me was how spotless the entire facility was! I’m a bit of a germ-freak, and this place scored big in that regard! Also, when I was booking my appointment, they inquired if I would need to utilize their Kids Club. I had already made plans to have hubby take care of the kids this time around, but it’s great to know that they offer a safe place for my kiddos while I get a bit of pampering!
Use of the gym does require a membership, but the full service day spa is open to the public. If you are interested in trying the gym, sign up for a one day VIP pass and give it a try! If some pampering is what you need, call the spa and schedule a treatment; you’ll be glad you did! It really was an exceptional way to start my weekend!
*Total Woman Gym and Day Spa provided my massage complimentary. Opinions are my own.
Our Life With Kids 