Staycation

 This summer we don’t have much planned. We are going to the mountains for a week. Then we are home. We have had enough adventures to last us a lifetime in the past few years so we are looking forward to slow mornings, and sprinklers to run through, and dinners outside while watching the lightning bugs come out. So why do I feel so guilty?

My mom planned amazing two week trips for us; California, Boston, Europe, you name it. Don’t be confused. My kids have been all over. Their Mimi and Papa spoiled them with trips to Disney World and various other places when they could. But our lives are busy. And complicated. And expensive. When I was still up several times a night with the baby, and trying to plan some perfect summer trip, I had a realization. I realized that I didn’t have to plan biannual magical trips for my children. I couldn’t in fact. Some years we may decide that we need an escape. But some years we may need to be in our lives, with no escape. We may need to keep our feet planted right where they are and enjoy it. We need to be a little bored and appreciate what we have every day. We need to find our rhythm as a family again after a year of running ourselves ragged. My plan is to try and unplug and cook and garden and play games. Take some long walks with Charlie, shoot baskets with Zig and snuggle with Weldon. 

I know there will be days this summer when I dream of jetting us off to somewhere exotic. That’s okay. I will remember my happiest memories as a kid were the memories of being home. The memories of the slow mornings and the sprinklers I ran through and the dinners outside watching the lightning bugs come out.