Should We Stay or Should We Go?

You can't have summer without a summer vacation. Right?

The kids need it.  We need it.

A break from the routine.  Some fun, family adventures.  Total rest and relaxation.

With this family??  Yea, right!

Vacations include packing 2 strollers, 2 high chairs, 2 pack-n-plays, 4 sounds machines, 2 loveys, 1 blanky,  500 bottles and sippy cups, and 2 singing seahorses.  We have to pay for 2 rooms.  And no one sleeps well.

After looking at the options and facing our reality, Bob and I decided that the perfect summer vacation for our family would be a week-long "stay-cation".  And it has been terrific.


Things started out a little rocky when an unexpected thunderstorm knocked out our power for nearly 2 days.  We turned it into an adventure, laughed at the 105 degree weather, and camped out in our cool basement.  


Thankfully, our power returned in the wee hours of Sunday morning and the stay-cation began!


We joined a great family athletic club and have spent most days at the fitness center and the waterpark.  The children love the Kids Zone, and I am in love with the 2 hours of free babysitting per day at the gym.  Bob and I have ended up right where we began, chatting with each other while running on the treadmill.  (Our romance flourished in the gym at law school.)

I believe this gym membership has added 40 years to my life.  And I'm not talking about the physical benefits.  Having a couple hours to catch my breath has been priceless.

This is how Ryan emerged from Eveley's room during one of our leisurely mornings.

Who needs baby dolls??

Cookies by the pool.

I have no idea who this boy is.  He was in love with Ryan and kept following her around.

The older 2 are taking swim lessons.  Eveley is learning a lot.  And we have been apologizing profusely to Caleb's teacher.

Pool time on the back porch.

And Daddy always has the best ideas.  Water balloon fights from the porch.

The best part of this stay-cation:  the kids are so pooped by the end of the day, they are all sound asleep by 7:30.

We still have 2 more fun-filled days to go!