The Truth....About Vacation.

Ha Ha Ha.....

A continuing frustration about a trip with the kids is other's expectations. They want to hear and imagine this fairy tale break from the farm where everyone is smiling and rested and laughing together, where I get "time to myself" (?).

In reality, kids still fight. You just can't discipline them quite the same (or as loudly), they still get sick, they still misbehave, they still want to eat. Not just the normal but EXTRA because it's "vacation". There is still laundry, dishes, food prep, activity planning, school work (for all). Everybody goes everywhere. Together. Groceries, everything. No, the older boys were not intended for watching the youngers. One does not simply leave kids in a condo unattended in a different state. Your phone goes exceptionally quiet because for some reason people think you want uninterrupted time with the kids and zero adult conversation what so ever. Because we don't spend every day together at home......

Why? Why...if it's so exhausting, somewhat expensive (relatively speaking, we do good here), stressful, etc.?

Because to be truly off you have to be absent. Physically not available.  Because I believe, while book learning is important, what they learn on these trips cannot be taught through books. It has to experienced. Because I have to have a break, if only for a few weeks. It's more like a "pause", the list will still be there. However if I'm not at home, I can't work on it. Because people don't understand that even if you're "off" at home, your mind is still working. You're only "off" if everyone shows up and there is not an emergency.

Was it exhausting? Yes.
Was it worth it? Yes.
Will I do it again? Yes.

Check out this post to learn how we organize and afford our yearly adventure. The Trip by the Numbers

A few things I did differently:

I wonder which unit is ours......

Nothing is more frustrating to color-coded kids than 5 white towels. I brought the colored cups as well. A lot less laundry and dishes to wash!

This year our per person / per day cost was $27.00. Slightly higher than last year, even with lower fuel costs, due to a few great activity ideas of my own.

A few places we experienced:
CrossPointe Community Church
Waldo-Way Dairy
Southwest Dairy Center
Waco / Magnolia
Planetarium
Waterpark
Valvoline Instant Oil Change. (No joke. They thought this was "the best thing ever"!)
Liberty Hall (Tracy Byrd)
Texas Freshwater Fisheries
Texas Small Farmers & Ranchers (Triple B Ranch)
Tyler State Park
Fort Worth Stockyards (including Cow Coliseum)
Canton Trading Days
Gator & Friends wild animal park

As I said in previous vacation posts, I don't share all this to boast or brag that we got away, but hopefully to help you take the leap to spend time with your family.  Yes, you have to take time off of work....I have to PAY people to do the work that the boys and I do at home.  If you have vacation time available, use some of it for fun-not just for doctor appointments and such. Just....Go.  After you save up the funds, of course!