What I Learned on Vacation (a Baker's Dozen)

It was that crazy, stressful, fun time again to start packing for a week away with 4 other families at a cottage resort.  (as an aside - am I the only one that finds packing stressful?!)

And so off we went, our second annual trip...this time to a different place.  One without raw open sewage, massive holes that our children could fall into, no blaring horns from freight trains in the middle of the night or heavy machinery that could potentially harm our babies.  You know...a normal, pleasant kind of cottage getaway.

I always learn a few things while 'vacationing'.

1.  The first thing being the obvious...or not so obvious to those that don't have children.  Vacationing with children?  Isn't really vacationing at all.  Though fun!  Very fun.

2.  A water trampoline should be standard at every cottage resort...especially for the amount of time most children will spend on it far away enough to barely hear the squeals but within watching distance from the parents. (and of-course life jackets are mandatory)

That smile on my child's face is what he pretty much looked like all.week.long.

3.  Don't bother bringing a book to the beach.  The liklihood of getting any reading done whilst looking after your children is ... well.  Unlikely.

4.  While you wish with all your might that your child might be tuckered out enough to nap on the beach, it won't happen.

Doesn't he look so cozy you'd think he'd fall asleep?
But no...not even a wink.

5.  While getting sick on vacation should be totally universally outlawed it does happen.  Thank God it wasn't me, but my husband. I felt as much sympathy as most woman do when their husband's are sick (which is not a lot - this is also something I learned and I felt so much better knowing I'm not the only insensitive wife out there).  It made me feel like doing this when he was down and out...

Action shot taken by lovely husband.
This is what I look like when I stub my toe.
Stubbing toes...is never pretty.

7.  When your husband has a really terrible awful thumb injury it's a great excuse for him to not do dishes for an entire week. (or going on four now - but at least in the comfort of my own home I have a dishwasher) Two thumbs up for no dish doing (for him).

Note the right Frankensteinish thumb.  Gah.  You can still see his stitches! *shudder*

8.  Picking a theme song for the week and dancing to it every morning is a great way to start off the day.  Our theme song unintentionally became Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men.  My 4 year old son is obsessed.  We had to listen to it about 6 times in a row every morning.  This song will forever take me back to this week.


9. When you wish to have serenity now...hop in a kayak and paddle your little heart out to the middle of the lake until you hear nothing but an occasional bird chirp, a flutter of wings from a bird swooping for a snack and the wind in your ears.  I realized that I feel completely at peace surrounded by water.  And I may have to take up kayaking for sport.

See how happy I look?  SO happy. 

10.  The male species can fall sleep anywhere, anytime, anyplace.

11.  Drinking while teeter tottering with children, while not advisable, is still quite possible.

12.  Accupunture can most definitely be done on the beach...
(and also?  having your tongue read is just as terrifying as having your future told)

13.  Cottaging (and marshmallows) makes my boys VERY happy.  Which is turn makes me look forward to doing it again every year until they refuse...and even then I will insist they still come along.

Memory making for my children is my favourite.