Making time for vacations

 

This past week was a very busy one for my family. We left very early on a Thursday and made a 9 hour drive to a beach town along the Pacific Coast, coming back home late Monday on a 13 hour trek through a huge snow storm. Living in the desert it is always great to make a getaway to a beautiful beach town, and budget-willing, it is something that we try to make a priority to do once a year. Making time for a family trip is so helpful for families. While some may see it as a bigger pain and stress than it is worth, with the proper preparation it doesn’t have to be that difficult.
As a family, we normally try to aim for taking our trip in October. We are a homeschooling family so it is a little easier for us not having to worry about school schedules. Being able to go while others are in school in some of the between season months makes it cheaper and less stressful. Growing up, even though I went to public school, my parents would always have us kids excused for a week so we could take off during these great months. Hotel rates can be as much as $100 cheaper depending on where you go. We have gotten some amazing deals on family resorts during these times. We normally start looking in about August on a variety of travel websites to find the best deals on hotels that are large and family friendly.

In the week leading up to the trip I make a list of what each person will need. I get the list down to the exact amount of each clothing item will be needed. It makes it easier to make sure that everyone has what they need and no one is short on something once you get to your destination. Starting the list a week earlier allows for some wiggle room to adjust amounts or add on new items as you think about it through the week. Then the day before we all pack and the kids each grab a backpack and fill it with some road fun. Being big readers, books are usually the go-to, but there are also some great travel games that we have come across over the years.

The day of, I am up before the kids and am making sure that everything is together and ready to go before I start shuffling groggy kids around. By having everything ready I feel more prepared, and as I have learned over the years, just feeling prepared helps the stress level decrease dramatically. Once we hit the road I keep the thought in my head that it is a fun trip and that things that might seem like a big deal, such as finding a potty in the middle of nowhere with not a place in sight to pull over on a two-lane highway, will only be looked at as fond memories that we usually laugh about later. So why stress now?

If you are not able to make it out of town, have a stay-cation! Maybe pitch a tent in the backyard or have an indoor picnic and stay up super late making memories. All that matters is that everybody finds time away from all of their obligations every now and then to be able to connect with one another as a family.

Fun family ideas for the fall

Fall has always been a favorite time of year in my family. It is a time when we get to visit the apple orchards, pumpkins patches, corn mazes, and go on a hay ride. These are some fun events that most families can do, depending on what is in your area.

We have been blessed to live close to many places that offer such fun events. However, even if such events are not close to your area, there are many fun things that you can do to get the family in a festive fall mood.

Growing up, I found myself dreading the end of summer and all of our fun outdoor events while I had to trade in time for the indoors at school. My mom knew that and worked hard to bring a festive fall spirit to the house. This made the transformation one that we were able to look forward to. Fall was more than just school starting. It was a time when we got to decorate the house, take some fun trips, and bake fall goodies. This is something that I treasured and have made sure to carry on in my family.

To begin with, here is a list of a few things that we do to decorate around the house:

• Put out the fall tablecloth (it is amazing how much that can change the mood!)
• Place out reusable pumpkin and scarecrow decorations
• Have the kids collect some leaves that have changed colors and make a collage to display
• Leaf art! (more on that in a moment)
• Some outdoor fall decorations in the garden to greet us each time we come home

These are really simple fixes that can spruce up any house. The costs came in the first year we purchased the items, but since they are all reusable, we do not have to worry about the cost anymore. To add to the benefit, we did not even need to spend over $20 for all of the super cute decorations.

Once the decorations are up, we start to do little projects. The young kids love to create leaf art (as I mentioned above). It is very simple, and they love it! All you have to do is let them find some leaves of various sizes and shapes. Place under a sheet of plain paper and have them use the side of a crayon to rub the pattern onto the paper. It is amazing to watch their eyes grow in fascination, no matter how many times they do it. Even the older kids can join in and get a little fancier with color blending.

And the favorite event of all: pumpkin carving. When we go to the pumpkin patch, the rule is, if you pick it, you have to be able to carry it. This prevents the little ones from trying to stick with the biggest pumpkins they can get their hands on. It also makes for a great photo opportunity to see each child with their pumpkins of various sizes and shapes that they picked out themselves. Once we get home, they can create any pattern into the pumpkins, usually beginning by drawing out the pattern first. We have had everything from the traditional jack-o-lantern smile faces to airplanes and tractors. The great part about it is that each child gets to truly feel like they own their pumpkin and are proud to display it.

Finally, you can’t forget about their tummies. For fall snacks I like to have some pumpkin pie, spiced cider, or pumpkin chocolate chip cookies on hand for the family. Everyone eats them right up. Perfect to get in the fall festivity spirit.

Why Should I Enjoy Being Home?

This past Labor Day I was working my part-time job at a retail home store and was amazed to find the crowds as big as you would in the days leading up to Christmas. I understand that many people had the day off so they took the day to get things done; however, most people were not buying anything important. I heard many couples say they were out trying to find something to do.

What happened to enjoying family time at home? Or doing a nice family activity like going for a hike or bike riding or just having a lazy day at home?

We are so busy in our lives that we constantly think we need to be doing something, and if we sit down and relax, then we must be lazy. However, sometimes we need that time to unwind after a long day or week. What better place to do that than in our own homes?

I personally find much enjoyment being home, as do my children. There are some days where we are busy running errands all day and we can’t wait to get home and relax. Home is a safe haven. Now, I understand that there are some situations that are less than ideal where this may not be true, however, for the sake of this blog, I am focusing on those who can find peace at home.

Home is a place where you can comfortably relax. You can take time and do something for yourself or for your family. Home should be more than a place that stores your possessions and where you run through to eat or where you sleep at night. It should be a place where you and your family can thrive with love and contentment.

For families that have children, this is especially important. Children are not young forever. They grow, and they grow quickly. Why not start making home a place where they remember and enjoy coming back once they’ve moved out? A place where they love bringing their grandchildren and a place that they would like to emulate with their own family? Taking the time to get to know your spouse and/ or children can be such a joy.

I find that by being joyful at home myself, my family is able to find peace at home as well.