I’m pretty sure you’re wondering where this post will be going…maybe you’re not. However, if you know me, you’ll know that I am a big fan of travel. The running joke among our friends is that the Houseful will drive anywhere. For the most part that is true. However, after a certain trip to the lower parts of the United States earlier this year, we’ve revamped our travel times. If it’s over 13 hours, we’re not doing it by car!
Anyway, the Mr. and I have come to the conclusion that we will probably be taking three large trips each year. Two where we can drive – and one with just us. I know most of you may think that’s a lot, but trust me when I say that when you are parents, you need as much time to just enjoy doing nothing as possible. And with us, that time of doing nothing is usually OUTSIDE of our own house.
Currently, the cellists’ school schedule kind of dictates when we take our family trips. Usually we do it during winter break, and then flip-flop between his spring breaks and fall breaks. That way, we’re not always clashing with all of the other children in the United States. However, after our cruise this year, we realized that vacations alone are NECESSARY. Before you get to rolling your eyes, I need you to realize that I know how hard it is for some people to leave their children in the care of others for any length of time. I still have the issue sometimes, however, I got over it. Mostly because the rest and time to myself was priceless. I even now understand why a lot of folk wait for a bit without having children. It makes sense, however, circumstances did not allow Mr. Nicholes and I to do it that way, and we had to kind of shift our paradigm. Hee hee.
So, with that being said, our cruise vacation has kicked of the annual Mr. & Mrs. Trip each year, and we have already set our sights on our next big trip. We’ll do a lot of traveling via cruises or places in the states that we’ve been dying to get to, and then go abroad. Mostly, we’ll travel internationally when the kids are a little bit older.
One of the places that I really want to take the husband to is Salt Lake City, UT. Don’t blink, I typed it. But it’s ONLY to stay in a very specific hotel. The Grand America Hotel. I stayed in this hotel a couple of years ago for a National Head Start Association trip and I’ve been in love ever since.
Do you all take vacations without the children? Where have you gone? How do you like the grown up vacations? Sound off in the comments!
~Make It A Fantastic Day
I take trips w/o my children :-|.
Oh and “after a certain trip to the lower parts of the United States earlier this year” … wonder what you mean by that?! O_o LOL
Dude & I should start driving ala the HF *hmmmm*
You take two trips a year Glamazini! NO CHILDREN!!! Just you wait until a little glamazon comes into your life, then we’ll talk again. HMPH! Mark my words.
And it’s TOO SOON! TOO SOON!
And you all should start driving, totally.
Correction, I’m on my THIRD international trip this year alone, FIFTH trip by plane (I think) and maybe 7th or 8th trip total. Yes, we went overboard this year … but for good reason. At anyrate, during the trip that shall not be named You had two infants in the back of the car on the boob so THAT is what I’ll do too: incorporate the HFoN Road Trip technique. Yeah, that’s the ticket!
That’s good traveling there. Hopefully one day, we’ll up our trips to more than one alone trip. Maybe two per year. One national, and one international. I have pretty high hopes here, I know.
We did our first trip on our anniversary. Will def do that again in July. This time we want to go to Denver
And you survived! I’m pretty sure that it was a little difficult to leave the trip, but you appreciated it, right? 😉
Still too soon to mention Texas huh?
YES YES YES – I take trips without the little one. Very important to have that parental “me” time – even if it is just a weekend. Even if it is just a bed and breakfast… do it! I mean take a trip and then… do it!
I think that a lot of parents feel guilty about leaving their little ones. Like they don’t care about them because they leave for some days to enjoy themselves. I figure it is life saving for the children AND the parents because that alone time is SO important!
We haven’t taken a trip with just the two of us yet. We JUST got a week alone last summer. LOL It was the first time since the little one was born. With our families being so far away I don’t see any solo trips in the near future.
You better plan a weekend trip to see the family, and then drop the little one off, and jet away with your honey for a week. They’ll love it, and so will you!
Honestly, that would end up being more trouble than it’s worth. 6-8 hours to get to family just to turn back around and do it again. When he spent a week with my family last summer we were exhausted by the three back to back 5 hour drives. Only option is to get my younger sister to hurry up and move up here. LOL
Husband & I leave for a 6 day NYC trip next week. Couldn’t agree with you more. Having some time, just the two of us does wonders for OUR relationship, therefor our family.