#52 Stories--Story #42

What were your most common childhood vacations like--road trips, visits to Grandma's house, camping trips, weekends at the lake of beach?

As a child our family "vacations" were generally a road trip to see my grandparents in Washington state or a visit back to my parent's high school reunions.  They were friends with classmates in each others' classes so they regarded those reunions for either a reunion for both. They always has a good time. We also sometimes took these trips and included a visit to  cousins that we only saw every year or so.

Our family included my dad's parents for most of my growing up years, and because of their infirmities, we really didn't vacation that much.  I recall one big trip to Disneyland with another family in our ward, but I don't remember much besides the trip probably cost too much and took too long away from home and work for my parents--especially my dad.  I know he didn't like crowds, or expenses, or too much silliness.  He still doesn't.

On many occasions, we did spend weekends at drag strips not too far from home where my dad would be racing.  I liked those because we were often left to our own devices--I collected coins from under the bleachers, spark plugs from the pits area, rode bikes all over, and then returned to the camper or trailer for lunch or dinner.  I think we learned to make our own fun on these kinds of weekends.

On our visits to my grandparents' house I remember visiting his animals with my grandpa and   learning to sprinkle salt on the huge banana slugs and watching them dissolve. I loved hearing my grandpa talk to his dogs or horses or cattle.  But it was a place that I never felt really comfortable.  The water was always bad and smelly, with bath tub stained with rust or other minerals. My grandma made me a little nervous because she was a little unsteady mentally. I knew she loved us, but I wasn't ever sure she knew us apart when we were all there together.

For fun things--Frontier Village, beach, or lakes, etc--we did a lot of those things with friends and their families. Sometimes my sister and I would go with Mom and meet our cousins from Palo Alto and do fun things with them. The only camping I remember doing was at Girls Camp--but it was decidedly not normal camping.
 

DST, Spring Break, & Professional Development

It's the perfect storm. Daylight Savings Time began and screwed up our sleep schedules. The Girl this home for spring break. The Boy is off school today for a teacher professional development day. I don't have to go into work until 1 p.m.. Genius Golfer is already gone  to work. Today is one of those days that makes it really hard to feel like I want to go to work. I'd rather be home with my kids.

At least I will be for the morning, but due to the switch to DST, they will both sleep in extra long today. The Girl has a dental appointment. It's part of her mission-prep. She also had a medical check up on Wednesday, for the same mission-prep. She'll use some of her time off go get a new passport too. Plus I have a few things around here for her to try to get done while she is home.

The Boy, on the other hand, only has one day off this week. His spring break comes in April. And he fills his time with golf. But that won't stop me from giving him chores today. He does have to go to the dentist, while The Girl is there today, for a panoramic x-ray prior to having his wisdom teeth extracted just as his spring break begins.

Never a dull moment.

Dragging, And NOT The Fun Way

We are all getting back to "normal" around here today.  The Girl is back in Logan at school ready to start another semester.  The Boy just left for school, having grunted at me as he pulled the door shut behind him.  Genius Golfer was out of here really early, so we might get to see him tonight.  And I am getting myself together to head out to work in a few minutes.

Too bad there isn't some kind of post-vacation treatment I could take to get right back into my regular routine.  so far I haven't found anything.

Let me know if you have something that works for you.  I'd like to try it.

Fall Break Begins, Finally

The kids have a few days off for Fall Break.  But that just means The Boy has football at 8 AM today, The Girl has an appointment to talk with an academic adviser at the University of Utah just after lunch, and Genius Golfer and I are working at the cannery for a few hours today.

Not much of a break, but a change is as good as a rest.  At least that is what they say.  We'll see if that is true this weekend.

Still Out Of It, Mostly

I'm still not feeling 100%, but I have hope that I will catch up and be back to normal after our Fall Break which begins tomorrow.  Can I get a "Hallelujah?"

But this is a new idea that showed up when I tried to add a fun Sunday comic.

Whoops! You're out of space. You are currently using 100% of your 1 GB quota for photos. 

Photos are stored in your Picasa Web Albums account and are included in your 1 GB free quota for photos. Additional storage you purchase is shared between several Google products and is in addition to your free quota.

That is weird.

Unexpected Permission

It is Friday and the first week of fall and we are getting back to normal again after a quick get away this week.  But still, this is one of my favorite memories:

It is the sign that you walk under as you enter Disneyland's Main Street from the ticket stiles.  It gives me permission to leave my cares behind and just enjoy life.  That is good thing, in my book and one I should remember to do more often than just on vacation.

How I Spent My Christmas Vacation

I think I am back now from our week long getaway to warmth and sunshine in Orlando, Florida last week.  As as I recover from our trip, and get back into the routine here at home, I thought I'd share some of the highlights of the trip with you.

1) Getting away together

This was the whole point of the trip.  To get away with our little family while they were all still ours.  The Girl is really only about 18-20 months away from her initial leaving of the nest for college.  The Boy won't be far behind her.  I felt desperate to spend some time with the kids away from friends, computers, phones, TV and gaming and create some good family memories with them.

2) Go somewhere warm

Do you see the shadow on the grass behind these guys?  That is the sunshine we found in Orlando.  This photo was about 7:30 AM on Monday morning last week.  The warmth was very welcome.  So was the humidity--at least for me.  My skin hasn't been that soft since we were in Hawaii or Tahiti.  I love the tropics for that.  But The Girl didn't like the way it made her hair so wavy....Genius Golfer thought her hair looked great, if she'd ever let it loose from that ponytail.  It sure looked pretty on her though--and to think of all the perms I got at her age to give my hair a little of what she gets naturally in the humidity.

3) Harry Potter's Wizarding World at Universal Orlando
Ever since I heard this was being built, I have wanted to go.  Actually, I wanted to live in the REAL wizarding world of the Harry Potter boks and films...it just sounds so much more fun that the reality I live in. Since my imagination from the books and movies is not an option, we took the chance to see what the Universal Studios folks came up with instead.  It was magical, to be sure.  I haven't been that silly-excited for a long, long time.  The movie soundtrack played in the background as we toured the castle, rode rides that will be the closest I ever get to flying a broomstick, and visited shops that were dressed like a film set.  The details at this place were off the charts.  Add to that the crush of fans--from all over the globe--that were there and it really was the closest thing I will ever get to visiting Jo Rowling's marvelous world.  And the butterbeer is really quite tasty too.  So fun!!

4) A long overdue visit with family far far away
With a multi-hour layover in Atlanta, we had the chance to coordinate a visit with Genius Golfer's dad and step mom for lunch and a good visit right there in the enormous Atlanta airport.  They live in the area and they were kind enough to spend their Christmas eve afternoon with us.  I had only met them once before, almost 20 years ago at my sister in law's wedding.  The kids had only ever spoke with them on the phone.  It was a welcome reunion.  It was so good for us to reacquaint ourselves with them, and vice versa.  I was glad that the kids could "meet" their grandparents who care for them so much from across the miles.  Now, at last, they can put a face to the voice or email.


An added bonus was that I felt none of the stress the final weeks before Christmas usually force on me--I didn't have to go the store for gifts, wrapping, or food.  I had finished all the baking and treat-making I had wanted to do earlier in the month. I stayed away from other holiday-harried folks.  I got my Christmas preparations done early and that let me focus on the togetherness I was after for the season.  If for no other reason, I could be easily swayed to run away again next year for that alone.  But a warm weather locale wouldn't hurt either.

The British Are Coming!

This long weekend--yes, I realize it is only Tuesday, but you KNOW it is out there--brings with it some of my favorite people. My British friends! Perhaps you know them too:

The Bennett Sisters....

Mr. and Mrs. Darcy....

Jane and Rochester...

And that woman who played Scarlett...ah, yes. Vivian.

I am looking forward to spending the weekend with these lovely people, listening to their lovely accents, and hearing the wonderful language that modern day has forgotten. With any luck, I will not have to leave the house after Thursday evening and can curl up with a really, really big Diet Coke and a vat of hot buttery popcorn and waste the hours away, with friends who appear on DVD. That is my idea of a great, lazy holiday weekend.

Maybe I shouldn't have so much time to think about it. It is making today and tomorrow and Thursday so much longer.

Foiled, Again

I couldn't keep my eyes open last night. I fell asleep several times on the couch watching "Iron Man" with the family before I realized that I just ought to go to bed. It had been a long week , and it was only Wednesday.

Thank goodness, it is UEA--or Fall Break--Weekend! The kids are out of school Thursday and Friday and Monday! Of all those days, Thursday was my one chance to sleep in. It didn't work.

I mean, I guess I slept in later than normal, but I was really looking forward to a lazy morning where I could lounge around until, I don't know, eleven? That never happens.

Friday I get to get up and head out to help Dear Friend Tammy in Orem and Monday morning I get to get up and head out to my appointment with an academic advisor in Salt Lake. I'll let you know how that goes. She may tell me to get my head out of the clouds and take the job as a teacher's aid and get over my sorry self!

Or, that is just what I fear she will tell me when I take my 16 year old transcript from BYU to her and say, "I don't want to be that anymore. Can't I try something new?"

"NO CLASS FOR YOU!" she may yell in the Soup-Nazi's voice. Oh, that nightmare is way too vivid. Keep your fingers crossed for that on Monday for me.

So, back to the point, no sleeping in today. No lounging around, and no laziness in general. Just a slightly grumpy mom who needed more sleep and yet still has errands and jobs to do while everyone else is "on vacation".

Hope your weekends are off to a better start than it is here. Hopefully it will get better with some cold, icy caffeine, I mean, Diet Coke.