Get Away!

It's fall break for our family!  That means a week off of school for most of the kids.  We usually take the RV down to the beach and camp with friends, but this time we were unable to get reservations at our regular spot.  Disappointment doesn’t mean we’ve been defeated.  RV spots may be filled up but that won’t stop us.  Not going somewhere for fall break is not an option for me this year.  I need a break!  We all love the beach and also love the together family time we get to spend together there.  Getting away from home and the regular responsibilities that go along with running a household helps me be a better mom overall.  So, this week we will try a vacation rental home site and take our changes with a new type of vacation for us.  Why is a vacation a must?  Studies show that taking a vacation is good for the soul for many reasons.  De-stressing reduces my chances, as a woman, of a heart attack by 50% and 30% for my husband. Getting away restocks my energy reserves so I can return to my regular to-do’s with greater stamina.  I like to think of vacation as absence makes the heart grow fonder.  When I’m absent from my normal, sometimes mundane, to-do’s I don’t mind them so much when I return from a relaxing time away.  I also like to have something to look forward to during the planning stages of a get-away.  It makes me happy to plan and feel prepared for things, whatever they are.  Yes, I’m a list maker.  I enjoy the meal planning away from home, organizing the essentials to take along, getting ALL of the laundry up to date so packing can begin and gathering ideas of things to talk about as a family while we’re gone.  When we’re away together as a family we’re all unplugged and more in tuned with each other.  We’re all on the same page about enjoying our time together.  Game time is bonding time, so we play lots of games.  I’ll be honest and admit that I’m a bit of a germaphobe so staying in a stranger’s rented house makes me a little anxious.  I may even bring my own cleaning supplies just to give me peace of mind.  Weird, I know… The pictures of the house we’ll be in look amazing and the cleaning fee attached to the rental tells me that someone should be doing a great job, but I still worry just a tad.  All in all, getting away and having my toes in the sand for a few days wins over the potential negatives.  So, make the time and plan your next get-away so you can come back to real life refreshed and revitalized.  Bon Voyage!