Back to Reality

I have to go back to work tomorrow :(




You see, I've been on vacation for the last week; now it's over and time to face the daily grind once again.




This was our inaugural family vacation...before you feel sorry for me or you think, "Wait doesn't she have kids 9, 6, & almost 2, surely she's gone on vacation!" Well yes, I have gone on vacation with the kids; the operative word in the first statement was family. My husband and I have different definitions for vacation: Kelly: not working = vacation (this includes maternity leave) Hubby: going away to a place that doesn't include family visits = vacation. My hubby's family all live in Florida now so going off to see out-of-state family is not applicable to him (even when they were out of town; he didn't go - See Kelly and kid(s) go to his Mom's house, see Kelly and kids go to his g.parent's 50 year anniversary party, etc ). My family is spread out over the mid-Atlantic seaboard and I feel it's important for my kids to know their aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and great-grandparents. So each year I trek here and there solo with the kids. Please don't feel sorry for me, in fact, I've grown to prefer this...I get to choose the itinerary, rules, etc. I remember when I was doing the Eurorail thing after college, Tressa and I met this woman who was going on vacation solo without her husband. Per this lady, this is what they did every year and they preferred it this way. I remember being horrified, but now I understand completely...sometimes you need to be the only one in charge of your destiny (and my kids - sorry guys, you're still minors and subject to Mommy's whims).




So back on tangent, this year, my Husband suggests we start doing family vacations (What?! - where is the pod from which this alien husband emerged?). We started looking at places...Kelly: Key West, other beachy towns...Hubby: Mountain cabin 50 miles from anywhere - do you see the personality differences?! As it turns out, my Mom bought into a timeshare this year and had oodles of bonus points. She generously donated these points to our family vacation goal; what I found out quickly with timeshares is you basically have to plan these things a year in advance...The only place left in the state of Florida through Hilton Grand Vacations (I am SERIOUS) was a new hotel on Marco Island - Sunset Cove

Not too shabby, huh?! We definitely lucked out...the kids had fun in the pool, around town, on the beach, and my favorite, on an air boat ride in the Everglades. Hubby did well also...I think he got to relax a little (I'm guessing this 'cause he was throwing around ideas for next year) - Who would have thunk it?!

If you are interested, I made my very first slide show featuring: (you guessed it!!) our vacation...you are under no obligation!

Thanks for stopping by...

Kelly

Okay...I'm going to have to add the slide show later as it has taken me HOURS to try to figure how to upload the darn thing...I've tried updloading via blogger, youtube, and saving to cd...You Tube has been working on the upload for at least the last hour and currently has 7% uploaded...it really isn't that big or has a great production value. It's going on 2 am and my OCD is really showing itself...I am going to need a lot of coffee in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be sure to check in later for the video (coming out early fall?) and see the alligators ;)