In my family, we do family vacation big. No, we typically don’t go far away or over the top, we just ALL go together. You know because there is nothing more enticing for my husband than spending his week away from work with ALL of his in laws — in one house nonetheless! Yep, we rent one house and share two bathrooms and one tiny kitchen between 13 people for 10 days. Calculate those numbers. Sounds like every husband’s dream, doesn’t it? Ha!
Oh, but it gets better. You see, one kid is the alarm clock for the whole house. Don’t worry, they take turns. But when the first one wakes up, typically in the wee morning hours, then it is their mission to wake the other kids up.
And it’s not like they went to bed remotely close to their normal bed time. Oh no, my babies got to bed three maybe four hours later than they are used to. Because if everyone isn’t going to bed, then why should they? And who am I to be the mean mom to put them in bed when there are surely lightning bugs to be caught and Pie Face to be played?
And how about the daily planning of events. Have you ever tried to get 13 people (with two bathrooms) out the door at the same time? It doesn’t happen. Every evening we promise to leave the house by 11 the next day and every morning we watch 11 come and go and are lucky to be out by 1, sometimes 2.
Then there’s the drama between the kids who have spent way more time than normal together. It’s the many reminders that they have to share, and the tattles of who pinched who and who had it first. Of course there are also the screams that the baby will ruin cousin’s most precious toy or lose her favorite necklace. And one can’t forget the arguments over who gets to sit where on the golf cart.
We spend months planning the trip, days packing for it and hours putting together grocery lists and dinner schedules. Then we take turns cooking and hitting elbows in the kitchen as we shuffle around each other to get our kids fed — because even with big family dinners cooked every night, the kids always want something different.
Sounds like a great time, huh? The truth is — it was.
You see, amid the chaos of so many people together for so many days are the cuddles and love between sisters, daughters, cousins, and — yep — even sons in law. There’s morning time milk snuggles and bedtime video watching all curled up together.
There’s bubbles blowing, sand castles erupting and counting bunnies on our golf cart rides. (This year we ended up with 117). There’s extra hands to hold onto my kids and look after them while mommy takes a much-needed break. There’s three babies sleeping in one bed and ice cream smiles daily. And there’s so much laughter and giggles that fill the house all week long.
But most importantly, it’s all of us together. For 10 days I am back in the care of my parents — feeling their love and praise and watching them cuddle my girls every chance they get. There’s family bonding and togetherness over morning taco dip and while chasing babies at the lake.
There’s adventures and excursions to the pool and zoo and quite honestly it doesn’t matter what time we get out the door. For 10 days, we have all the time in the world. And we spend it — all of it — together. It’s exhausting and exciting and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
And then it’s over.
Like the balloon of anticipation and fun just popped. Don’t get me wrong, we are so very grateful for the time together and all the wonderful memories created but leaving is awful. From exhausted babies who never want the fun to end, to us grown people who have tears streaming down our faces.
Because even with the stress, the giggles, the matching outfits, the chaos, the fights, the love, the bonding, the 18 cases of water, the games and the bathroom wait time, it was magical. There were memories made that I will forever cherish.
Because, the truth is, the only really bad part about family vacation is that it eventually comes to an end.
So now, we start planning for next year. I mean, I don’t know about everyone else, but my husband simply cannot wait to spend another 10 days in a house with my crazy family.
Happy vacation season!
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
