Family Vacations

Over the years my husband and I have tried to take a week or so each summer to play and party with our children. We would select a destination each year that fit with our travel and cash constraints. Some years we would go camping, sometimes we would rent a beach house, a time or two we headed south for a bit of Disney Magic, we have gone on Church History trips and had a few American History destinations as well. Anything was fair game as long as we had the time and money.

It was fun to set up the destination, organize the travel arrangements and set off for a bit of fun and relaxation away from our everyday lives. As the children became busy with their own schedules as teenagers and college students it was sometimes challenging to figure out a time we could all be together, but we usually were able to figure it out. Now that our children are grown, have children of their own and live in different states and countries it is becoming quite difficult to get everyone together, but still we try.

Sometimes one of our children will invite us to come along with them as they take their children on an adventure. We have enjoyed traveling cross country, the beach, camping and amusement parks this way.

It is fun to get away from it all and see the world with different eyes for a few days. I have learned that it is nice to make the trip as long as possible because sometimes it takes a few days to let go of the stress of home and work before you can start really enjoying the fun of something new. I have also learned that you need to be flexable, such as the year we were going to go camping at the beach until the weatherman predicted rain for the week, we quickly adjusted the budget and found an inexpensive cottage that was worth the price.

Families grow together when given the opportunity to work, laugh, cry, pray and play together. I have vivid memories of family vacations as a child. I tried to give my children opportunities for fun and travel when they were young. I am enjoying watching them take time to travel with their children to fun destinations that will make memories to last a life time and bind the family together in love and happiness.

Family, hard work that is worth every effort.