Since many are returning from Spring Break trips (not me, mind you, but many), I'm posting my favorite vacation memory.
Our middle son, Chad, was 3 at the time, and we'd been talking up our vacation for weeks. We were planning to drive to Florida and spend some time at the beach.
So on the designated day, we hopped in the car (okay, three kids and tons of luggage. Maybe hopped isn't the right word). Three hours into our trip, we stop for a break at a rest stop, use the facilities, and grab a drink. The stop has a nice wooded area with a trail, so we stretch our legs (read: let the kids expend some energy), then jump back into the car.
Once we're all buckled in, I look over at Chad, who has this huge smile on his face. "I like vacation!" he says. "Can we do dat again someday?"
Now, it never occurred to Kevin or me in the preceding weeks that Chad might not know what a vacation was. And I guess it never occurred to Chad to ask, "Hey, what's this vacation thing you keep talking about?" But he knew by our planning that it was a fun, exciting thing we'd drive to, and in his little mind, he'd just experienced that.
If only we were all so easily amused. We had a good laugh then, and still laugh about it today, usually at the start of vacation. So, what's your favorite vacation memory?
The photo is Chad when we arrived at our actual vacation, walking on the beach for the first time.
Labels: vacation
7 Comments:
So cute! My most precious vacation memory is when I was a kid and my dad and I wanted to go camping in Colorado. My sister and mom decided not to go. When dad and I got there, my dad and I ended up staying in a nice hotel, sitting in the hot tub, and going out to dinner instead of camping. They were so mad, but I loved the special time with my dad.
That's sweet, Julie! Good change on the accommodations. LOL
Oh my goodness that picture is adorable!!!
My favorite vacation--I can't pinpoint one. I love our vacations where the kids and grandkids come along!
My best vacation memory started out as a negative. My dad had bought a new tent and had sealed all the seams according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once dry, the tent was packed into the car with all of our stuff (I sure understand what "hopping" is like! LOL) and we headed to northern Minnesota for a great week-long vacation. One problem: It rained the entire time, the tent leaked, and both my brother and I came down with pneumonia.
How could that be my best memory, you ask? In order to pass the time during 3 months of bed rest (this was in the '50s), my parents brought home stacks and stacks of books. I learned the value of reading and have loved it ever since.
However, these days my idea of camping is the local Hilton!!
I'm looking forward to that someday, Diann!
Oh, Ruthie, that's great! Incidentally, we had the same thing happen with the tent when I was a kid. It rained cats and dogs and we packed up in the middle of the night and left. No pneumonia, though!
Our favorite vacation is when the whole family went to Hawaii together two years ago. Donna and her boys had just become part of the family and it was soo fun to show them the island!
Another fave was when our kids were teenagers and we took them to Myrtle Beach. Kara and I laid on the beach and the boys went golfing then we played miniature golf in the evenings. So fun!
This week has been a blast with Punky. We took her to play miniature golf for the first time and she squealed and chased after everyone's ball. Too cute!
I have sung the vacation song every time before we leave. It's kind of a Carmen Miranda ditty, but it works. Still excites the kids, even though they want to crawl under a rock when I do it now. LOL
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