This week Bobby and I and the kids are at my parents’ summer house in Virginia, high atop a mountain. My parents had to go back to Ohio this morning because my dad, a teacher, has to go back to work. Fortunately, we brought my BFF Luanne and her family with us for entertainment. 🙂 And we are having a great time! We are relaxing and going out on outings, cooking and eating meals together, and just enjoying down time. It’s great not having to worry about schedules and paying bills and keeping commitments. What’s not great is that since we’re not home, we’re not getting much sleep!
It’s kind of funny, but this week I’ve realized that there is no such thing as vacation when you have little kids. Sophie doesn’t sleep well away from home, which means I don’t either. Of course neither her nor Joshua wants to sleep in past seven! There’s just too much to do and see! So Bobby and I have been taking turns getting up early with them – but after nights staying up late watching movies and playing games with our friends, we are both pretty pooped!
Ah well, maybe in 3 or 4 years, we can make Joshua get Sophie’s breakfast and put on a video while we go back to sleep. Until then, we’ll just have to come home from vacation tired. It’s worth it to get away from it all. I’m just glad I’ve taken so many pictures to help me remember the details! ‘Cause to be honest, yesterday is kind of fuzzy already!
The kids are to the point where they don’t get us up in the mornings. They have learned they can get away with more that way! Faith and Lucy get up, take care of the dog, and get their breakfasts themselves. Having older kids does have its advantages! But I’m sure this comment makes me seem like a bad mom somehow. Well, at least I’m well rested.
We are finally to the point where Abby is old enough and able to get breakfast for her sisters when they get up.
Which means that Mama’s been sleeping in much later lately than I really should be. But it’s so nice to finally have the option! 🙂
With little ones, it is not a “vacation” it is a “trip”. Vacation is when you and your husband get away alone!
I’m laughing aloud at the last comment!!! it’s very true. I have, however, discovered the perfect trip with toddlers : church camp. Since we’re leaders of our kids program at church, we accompanied the kids to camp and took our own kids. It was great – we swam, played at the park, went to “Bible School” as Ethan calls it, and took walks. Meals were easy because you show up at the cafeteria when they tell you to and eat what they tell you to (and since it’s kids camp, the food is always kid friendly!) I think it’s the first “vacation” where i wasn’t ready to come home and get some rest !
My one year old didn’t want to sleep on our mini-vacation, either. Guess he missed his bed, or thought something fun was going to happen while he was asleep. Have fun!
I remember saying that same comment “there is no such thing as vacation with small kids” when we were in Cali for a family reunion…up ALL night with Ashlyn (she was about 22 months at the time) and she was a cranky pants during the day because she was so over stimulated from all the activities. Its only gotten more fun since Avery came along (note the strong sarcasm here!)
Oh, you sound like a real parent. Now you know, You’ve Arrived! I think vacations, when you have kids, should not be called vacations. They should be called “Hell and Chaos disguised as Fun”