Vacation Summary

Alas, the Missouri vacation has come to an end.

As I looked over my spotty entries, I feel an explanation is in order. Basically, June 25 marked the beginning of the 2010 Travel Season. It began with a family vacation to St. Louis and Lake of the Ozarks. July 1-3 the teenager and I are at choir camp in anticipation of the Europe Trip through Minnesota Ambassadors of Music. On July 6, the teenager and I fly out for England, France, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Germany, Austria and Italy. We return July 21.

A few thoughts:

1) You know you're old when Nick at Nite is playing shows you grew up with! Since when is The Nanny a Nick at Nite show???

2) Mandating the family wear the same shirt for one day of vacation is embarassing, yet fun, for all :-)

3) Like they say on the airplane, make sure your own oxygen mask is in place before assisting others... in other words, I need to take time to destress so I can be a better parent.

Mini-Quest: Freak out? (Spa Day!)

La la la! Stress free is me... why the sudden change, you ask?

Spa Shiki.

A manicure, a pedicure, a body treatment to address the stress in my back, a dry heat and traditional sauna, a meditation room, and a whirlpool. Calming music, lemon water, a fuzzy robe... Daughter was relaxing watching her portable DVD player with headphones; Husband and teenager were doing a more active spa: sauna until they can't stand it, then run to the nearby pool. Everyone was taken care of.

We arrived at 11 a.m. The first hour or two was in and out of my zen place, as daughter was getting her hair cut and husband and teenager were roaming around. But between 1:30 and 3:30 I was blessedly alone! I saunaed, I read, I saunaed... and suddenly, I wanted to see my family! So I hung out at the whirlpool and caught the guys as they were in the middle of their active spa and convinced them to hang out for a while. Luckily, we had the place to ourselves because our laughter would have likely disrupted anyone else's peaceful zen!

Since Tuesday's spa, I have gained a little perspective. Daughter lost her headband somewhere between Missouri and Minnesota. Oh well. Believe it or not, I don't care!

Family vs. Food

Vacation is awesome because we EAT.

Teenager watched Man vs. Food, and insisted we stop at the St. Louis stops of Pappy's and Crown Candy. We did, and it was AWESOME.

We have had fabulous buffet breakfasts. Omelets, bacon, heavy cream and strawberries...

This evening we ate at the resort restaurant. Lamb chops, strip steak... and the desserts...

I won't lie and say the vacation has been perfect (see entries below) but it IS true that we laugh way more than we cry! :-) The teenager has been a particular joy this time around (which makes me think there is a lot of hope left for daughter!). He is a lot of fun - hard to believe five years went so fast!

Mini-Quest: DON'T FREAK OUT.

I had a monumental realization today. When it comes to family vacations, I can only handle so much, and then I FREAK OUT.

We're not talking the minor-freak out of yesterday. Like an earthquake tremor, it was merely a warning signal that the richter scale was about to be rocked. I love my family, and the first few days of vacation are always wonderful. But...

But I can only handle the terrible teenager for a few days before I blow. It used to be The Teenager - when we took the kid to Epcot he informed us that it "wasn't quite what he imagined," and that "next year, we should go to Magic Kingdom" (to which I responded "WE ARE IN DISNEYLAND, THE HAPPIEST FREAKIN' PLACE ON EARTH! GET HAPPY!!)

This year, it is daughter. Daughter, whose stubborn streak combined with PMS is enough to drive a saint to cuss (and as my family knows, I don't even pretend I am a saint), has been a little stressful. Usually, her care is spread out among two or three people throughout the day because she goes to school and then spends time with a Personal Care Attendant before returning home. I'm lucky - I usually get to see her after all her needs have been met and we are just chatting and relaxing.

But during vacation, besides her repeatedly telling me she wants to go home and go to school and lists off all the people she misses back home, I am also assisting her with independent living skills (remember, I said she was having PMS), encouraging/pleading/demanding she walk faster, counting to ten when she pouts when I give her an "unacceptable" answer...

So there I was today, crying on the deck with husband. Because I'm a terrible parent! What kind of parent can't handle a week long family vacation without constantly butting heads with her daughter???

And there, as I was crying on the deck, husband consoled me and reminded me that I'm a good parent, I just have limits (interpretation: stop trying to pretend you can do everything!). And I realized that patience is not a personal strength of mine. And that I neeeded God's grace. And that "perfect" family vacations, where I play the role of the perfect mother, do not exist.

So... mini-quest for the rest of vacation? See the warning signs. And don't freak out.

Vacation Quest!

The great family vacation began on Friday at 3 p.m. We are currently in St. Louis - we went to the top of the arch this morning, spent time by the pool, and are likely heading to the zoo. Daughter dislikes change more than ever and has voiced her desire to go home and go to school. Other than one minor freak out this morning at the arch, things have gone smoothly. (And the freak out? We didn't have time to get breakfast, husband had to bury his knife in the forest because he forgot he couldn't bring it into a national monument, and daughter somehow rubbed herself in the face with a black, grease like substance and the only medium available in the bathroom was toilet paper).

OK, I guess my time at this kiosk is up!