Just a 46-year-old mom of 2 in Northern California. My kids are Monkey Monkey(MM) and Drama Llama (DL). I am married to Monkey Hubby (MH). **Tax season excepted (only 4 months of the year), I don't identify with a job tying me down. Of course, I am a happy weekend-vacationeer, so this could be much of they why. I could never see vacationing months of the year. I have no burning desire to see somewhere else for weeks or months of the year.
Anyway, I share, because I am severely limited by childrens' schooling and pets. Today has been a futile exercise in vacation planning. I mostly GIVE UP!
My job is the *least* of it, is all.
*sigh*
I was thinking I should book May vacation that I have been dreaming of for months. IT was just a weekend beach getaway, but I forgot about school. Dh is vehemently opposed to taking kids out of school on a Friday. So we fought about that this morning. {I just completely forgot about school - I can't wrap my brain around the kids having a schedule. I apparently still live the fantasy of their pre-school years - we got spoiled}.
In the end we compromised and came up with a grand vacation plan for the year.
Things discussed:
--Santa Cruz weekend in May (no time off school necessary - since is closer to home). He'd check with his mom for a free condo stay for 2 nights.
--Pismo Beach was put off to summer. I saw cheaper rates during the week, anyway, so felt this was a fair compromise. Maybe we could stay 3 nights, too.
--We decided we really need to go to Denver again to visit my Grandma. We decided to go without the kids this time. Basically just whenever I can snag a good airfare deal.
--We discussed doing road trip when kids have their week off in October. No firm decisions - either up north or down south or in the middle. But one problem we keep coming to is if we are doing all that driving we should "drop in on my Grandma." I think seeing her separately is a good idea - we don't need to *drive* all the way to Colorado. Just felt sort of obliged while "1/2 way there anyway."
--Of course, we didn't discuss any camping trips, but we have a few in the works.
Sound like a solid vacation plan?
Well, I priced Pismo Beach again after some miracle the stars aligned and my dad agreed with the only couple of days I felt would work for us during summer (we had wanted to go with my folks - it was dad's idea to begin with). Kids have such little time off and most of that time is booked already. Only problem was hotel was not available those days. ??? Good grief!!! I threw up my hands and at some point told my folks we should just go in November. They seemed open to that - so may be all that will work. Though I haven't ruled out just pulling the kids out of school one day. To be fair, most the summer rates were pretty high anyway. Apparently we have never been in summer - usually spring or fall - which is the best time to go, but cheaper since the tourists don't know that?? But anyway, the cheap summer day rates I saw were while the kids still have school. & on and on it goes...
At some point later in the day I realized there was no way we could do this road trip with my old/feeble, stressed out cat.
So, basically after talking about it and thinking about it all day, we give up.
I think I will just have to sleep on it, and try again tomorrow.
Or maybe not - I hate things that are overly complicated!
But hey, I wasn't planning to go to Colorado any time soon, when I woke up this morning. That one is easy because the kids can stay home and go to school. Thank you MIL! Dh is very sweet to worry so much about my Grandma. I suppose one good plan emerged today. I suppose we will also entertain the idea of a mini-road trip, sometime this year.
Vacation Planning
March 25th, 2012 at 12:39 am
March 25th, 2012 at 03:44 am 1332647084
Have you thought about a road trip to Denver? You could take the kids and hit a few state and national parks. I have great memories of long trips with my family growing up. Have MIL come stay with your cat.
March 25th, 2012 at 05:01 am 1332651705
March 25th, 2012 at 07:47 am 1332661646
As a teacher, I TOTALLY respect Monkey Dada's perspective. However, one day a year probably isn't a problem. Pat on the back for MD. Thank him for valuing and respecting education!
It does drive me nuts when people say, "Johnny is going to miss school next week. Are you going to do anything important?" or "We went to Disneyland last week. Did he miss anything?" Geez. Give those of us who are trying to make a difference the chance! Any child who misses school is missing something, for sure. The parent may not think that it's a big deal, but I definitely plan every minute of every school day to be educational. And for young children, like yours, it's not always easy to just give the assignment before or afterward. There is instruction that goes with it, class discussion, background knowledge to consider, things to review, related books to read, etc.
Sorry. Struck a chord.
Not that I want you to be miserable, too... but I feel better hearing the planning difficulties. We rarely get away for more than a weekend for the same reasons. If everyone's available, there are no good deals. But usually, one of the swimbabies has a conflict. Meh.
March 25th, 2012 at 03:15 pm 1332688535
@LF - this trip will be better without the kids. They did well last time and my Grandma was happy to meet my youngest for the first time, but I think she really needs a more peaceful "adults only" visit. I'd rather do a road trip where we don't have to be somewhere or have obligations - I think that's the best thing about a road trip - just winging it!
March 25th, 2012 at 03:18 pm 1332688723
March 25th, 2012 at 05:41 pm 1332697291
March 28th, 2012 at 01:08 am 1332896901