It's just you and your little one (or big one!) for the day, heading out of the house for a special mother-daughter or mother-son excursion. What's the occasion? Take your pick! You can plan a mother-child escape with any age child, for any number of occasions. Here are just a few:

• birthdays
• graduation (pre-K all the way through college)
• coming-of-age
• dad's out of town for work and you need something cool to do in the meantime
• school holiday
• no reason at all

You really don't need a special reason to spend quality time with your child exploring a new place or activity. Here are some fun things to do to have the most memorable excursion.

Lace up those boots. It's time to visit the pumpkin patch to take adorable photos! If you're looking for a patch in the area, this list is a great place to start.

When you have little ones, a pumpkin patch photoshoot is one of the highlights of the fall season. The family can pose all mannerly and civilized in front of a neat row of pumpkins, or you can spice things up with one of these ideas:

Feeling creative? You don’t have to paint the town red to get your fill! From pottery throwing to painting on canvas, I’ve found 7 FUN-tastic places in our area to unleash your inner artist! (Pictured above: Painting with a Twist)

And if you’re not convinced that you should even care, you might be surprised to learn that art can:

• Help you focus.
• Improve your creativity skills and dexterity.
• Be stress-relieving and therapeutic.
• Produce something tangible to cherish as a keepsake.
• Be a positive way to express your emotions.
• Showcase your talents and skills.
• Be soul-freeing.

Break the monotony of dinner and a movie. Next time you're up for a change of pace, try out one or all of these local artistic favorites:

My eight-year-old will have a new BFF five minutes into our stop at Northshore Park. I'm not sure exactly how the magic happens, but literally within minutes, she and another kiddo are racing around the playground, sharing secrets as though they've been best friends for years.

As we get older, things aren't as smooth. Making new mommy friends in your 30's (and 40's) can be challenging. Now, you're not only looking for relationships that will benefit you, you have to think about those that benefit the rest of your family as well. (Or do you?)

Are you taking care of yourself? Sometimes, we moms can be quick to take care of everyone and everything around us, but when it comes to ourselves, we're neglectful. Self Care doesn't have to involve long, drawn-out plans. You know, that trip to the spa for a massage, or the coffee date with girlfriends... yeah, give that up! You don't have time for those indulgences EVERY DAY. Instead, focus on the basics.

You might be surprised how much of these to-dos you miss doing every day. But don't worry about the past. Start from this very moment. Or if it's already past your bedtime, start fresh tomorrow!

Who’s waiting for evening time to go out on a date? Not me! Morning dates are great because you can focus on you sweetheart at the very beginning of the day, before “mom duties’ kick in and you become tired and overwhelmed.

Morning dates give you and your partner an opportunity to prioritize each other, to enjoy the freshness of a new day together, to share renewed energy. If you’re so over date NIGHT, try out one of these ideas on a Saturday / Sunday morning (or any other morning you and your honey can escape together.)

Quick, what do you think of when you hear the two words Riva Row? Me too! I always think about the boat house and the kayaks that you can rent!

Yes it’s true, you can rent kayaks, and you can also rent paddle boards, aqua bikes, and swan boats, and you should certainly try it out sometime.

But aside from the boat house rentals, and aside from the Riva Row townhomes, there’s actually a Riva Row Park. Have you taken the time to notice?