Crazy-ass family

You just can't make this stuff up

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Thank You. And While You're In Advice-Giving Mode, Here's Another Question For You…

Thank you. You are wonderful friends, whether you’re my family, co-workers or friends in the computer. The advice, understanding, and comments I received after my last post were great.

Things are okay. Jim has resigned himself to having a baseball-free summer. He’s even admitted to being able to see it my way now. What a good man. And I’ve sworn that we’ll try again next year. In the meantime, we’re trucking right along.

Caleb is finished school on Thursday, and we are on vacation next week. The fact that there’s no daycare for Caleb on Friday means he’s coming in to work with me, which should be interesting. Happily, both of my neighbouring office-dwellers will be away that morning, so the disruptions should be at a minimum. If you don’t consider me, of course!

So, we’re thinking about our vacation next week, and basically we have two choices:

1) To sit around the house.

a. Pros:
i. It’s quite inexpensive!
ii. There’s no driving involved
iii. The money saved can go toward a down payment for a house (Um, did I mention we’re thinking about moving? Oh. Yeah, more about that later)
iv. It has the potential to be quite relaxing
v. Except for Caleb, daycare is available for the boys. Theoretically, we could go to the movies, shop, or stroll around the Byward market all day if we please. So, relative freedom.

b. Cons:
i. Booooringgggg!
ii. I know we’d end up painting the bathroom. Let’s face it, that sucks when you’re supposed to be on vacation.
iii. We’d end up spending money. I mean, there’s no way we wouldn’t go out and do stuff.
iv. Have I said “booooringgggg!” yet?

2) To go to Smuggler’s Notch in Vermont
a. Pros:
i. Non-stop fun
ii. They have daycare services with specialized, age-appropriate kid’s activities every day
iii. They even have an infant daycare center
iv. Meaning the children, they could be occupied and happy
v. And we could stroll along the beach.
vi. Or sit beside the pool
vii. Alone
viii. Without the kids
ix. And they would still be having fun
x. And we could take them out of daycare and go on the waterslides or whatever if we wanted
xi. But mostly, we could just relax
xii. Without the kids
xiii. Alone

b. Cons:
i. It’ll run us a few thousand dollars, including travel (we’d drive), food, and everything we could think of to include in the cost.
ii. The drive. The kids are pretty good in the car. We have a dvd player and lots of activities, but it’s still a long day’s drive, especially with a baby who would much rather be exploring than sitting in a car seat. That said, the drive is really not worrying me…we stop a lot and usually enjoy the trip.
iii. We want to buy a house. Money toward the house would be good.

Yes, I know the answer is obvious. Especially with the whole wanting to move business thrown in there. But we also must consider this: we need a vacation. NEED.

What do you think?

14 Comments:

At 3:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think you should stay home, but plan carefully and creatively to have fun. Surely you can find some cool things to do that don't cost an arm and a leg.

If you want to go on a day trip, the Thousand Islands are beautiful in the summer. You could drive to Kingston and let the boys explore the fort (they do cool reenactments there). Or you could cross the border to Sackets Harbor and see where the Yanks kicked some serious Canadian butt... I mean, repelled the barbarians... no, uh... Maybe you should stick to your side of the river, eh? ;)

Anyhow make a plan to have fun at minimal cost and stick to it. Save the thousands for the house or something else earth shatterring.

 
At 5:54 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I say you should go on the trip.

You always remember vacations, so I tend to think they are worth the money. :)

 
At 10:29 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Where are you planning on moving? Did I miss this pertinent bit of info? Can you move to Smuggler's Notch? That would solve everything (and you would be closer to our house)...

 
At 7:54 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

See this? This is me keeping my big mouth shut and not telling you to stay home.
. . .

oops.

 
At 8:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Option three. Go on a trip, but much less expensive than Smuggler's Notch. Because you really do need to get away, but the house is very important. First make a budget, (I know, HAH, coming from me...) then figure out where that budget will take you. This will be a project in and of itself, but the information you'll find can be filed and used for the future. I think you'll be surprised at what you'll discover! Anyway, good luck. I'm positive that you'll make the correct choice for you and your family. Yay!

 
At 9:38 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'd go on the vacation. I can't believe I'm saying this, because I am the Queen of not spending money, but you guys need a vacation. NEED. Didn't you say that already? ;)

 
At 10:43 AM, Blogger Boliath said...

Go on the vacation, you NEED it, you said so yourself and as my wise Mum says "there's no pockets in a shroud."

 
At 3:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Stay home. That way, you can come visit us on Saturday. That is, if the kids don't get sick. Or something happens on our end. Or we're all just too tired.

Disregard the above and all thoughts of us. Do what you guys think is the most important.

Jill

P.S. But don't forget to let me know what you've decided!

 
At 8:56 PM, Blogger The Mater said...

Gosh, you could always drive down to my place and help me pack for my move to the Berkshires. hehehehe

Now, seriously, I think oddmix is offering a compromise to staying home or going for the big-bucks Vermont vacation. Oddly enough, sometimes we tend to miss the delights in our own backyard. I've lived in Philadelphia area all my life (which equates to about two of yours), but I did not see the Liberty Bell until my kids were in middle school and I just visited Washington's Headquarters because a friend from Oklahoma wanted to see Valley Forge. A friend from France is coming in two weeks - so I'll get to see my local treasures with new eyes again.

I was to Thousand Islands as a kid (Sophie's age) and loved the trip and the boat ride. Boys do love forts (my grandson Ben and I had a ball in Fort Worden state park) ... so om may be on to something here.

Gosh, that was much more than my two cents' worth.

Re: buying a house - are you gonna check for ghosts first before signing the deed?! Think you all should come join us in the Berkshires! Flutes, accordions, attics, psychic phenomena - we'd have a ball!

Hugs, E

 
At 10:59 PM, Blogger MB said...

I vote for the vacation! Place sounds so wonderful and relaxing. Can I crash! :)

 
At 11:00 PM, Blogger MB said...

Or, come to Vegas and sit by our pool! ;)

 
At 10:32 AM, Blogger Jennboree said...

Go with the vacation. If you all really need it, take it. Perhaps you can get creative and shave off some of the costs somehow.

In the end, your sanity and happiness is most important.

 
At 4:09 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

If you must stay home, be sure to write a belated Ghost Story Tuesday. JENN is to GHOST STORY TUESDAY as WHITNEY HOUSTON is to CRACK COCAINE.

 
At 2:25 AM, Blogger Shannon in PDX said...

yeah! like they said! totally true, when you live somewhere you don't see all the things you would if you were visiting. so plan a trip around your town as if you were a tourist! do your favorite things and/or see/do stuff you haven't seen/done! can you camp in your backyard? make smores? i dunno...have a big party and invite everyone you know! have a theme party! a bbq! heck, dig a pit and roast a pig. the boys would remember that! anyway, i'd save that kind of money for the house, lots of reasons for that. maybe do the big vacation when the boys will remember more?

 

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