Defining The Family Vacation


I have very fond memories of going on vacation when I was young. We’d all pile into the station wagon. I thought I was so special because I got to ride in the way back with all the luggage. We’d color and do Mad Libs or word finds for a bit, maybe read a little. Before long it would be dark and all of us kids would drift off to sleep only to awake in the morning as we pulled into our destination. Then it was a fun filled week of swimming at the pool and playing at the beach. I thought I was in heaven.

Now that I have my own family, I want to create the same memories for my kids only I have learned it is not as easy as I remembered. Now that I am in the mom role, I have discovered that the term “family vacation” is an oxymoron.


 I really need to come up with a new description for this journey that I am embarking on, because in no way, shape or form is it a vacation. It is more of a:

• Do all the laundry (this is the first half)

Clean the house: Dishes to be done.
Healthy, well-balanced lunch break

  • so you can pack 75% of what you own in the minivan
  • referee and entertain three kids for 10 hours in the car
Thank God the older two get their own seats. That does help.

  • arrive at a destination

  • where you continue to cook, clean, cater to, referee and entertain
  • then load back up
  • spend another 10 hour trip back
  • unload 75% of what you own
  • put it all away
  • do more laundry and cooking
  • then go back to work

I am exhausted just typing it. It is times like this I realize how insane my parents were. It takes every ounce of energy I have to wrangle my 3 + Pete out the door, I cannot begin to imagine doubling that.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Sarah, love your blog. I remember vacations like that. In fact I am so grateful to my Dad for having me create a scrapbook of these trips. It was his sweet way of making sure I would have memories when I got older. All of my sisters did this as well and we love going back to look at them now. Childhood only comes once. Enjoy your vacation! Chris Thalgott
Unknown said…
Enjoy the time with your little ones, Sarah. It's exhausting and never-ending work but those memories are forever. My grown children still love Fripp Island summer vacations. We've gone there for over 25 years..we're not quite sure! We will miss it this year because Reese is getting married in Telluride, Co. in June.
Soak in the sun and the love! Sandy
Sarah said…
Thanks Sandy & Chris,

I wrote this in the car on our trip so the work was really top of mind. I have to say, the kids are having a blast and it truly makes all the effort worth it. I wouldn't change it for anything. Well, maybe a little less rain if I could pick.
Christina said…
Ah yes. Thank you for sending me the link to this post. You described it perfectly!!!

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