The idea of a family vacation is such an oxymoron. Not that I don't love Disneyland, the locale of our last vacation, but I'd call it more of a family trip, or even an adventure, but not a family vacation.
This weekend I am about to get a vacation from my family, and call me selfish, but I can't wait. Cue the giddy Go-Go's music, "Vacation." (Sorry, I grew up in the 80s, I can't help it...)
I am leaving town tomorrow evening headed to Austin with two of my dearest mom friends. One of them turned 40 in September, and we've finally aligned our schedules so we could get away. (Gone are the days that you can leave for a weekend on a whim as this has taken months to execute!)
We all have 5-year olds and our kids have been friends for 4 years. What's neat about our friendship is these are women I would have been friends with in my pre-mom days. The fact we have kids has bonded us all the more. You have to have your "A team" of women you can readily admit your faults and celebrate successes. Both of these women fit the bill.
So we are leaving our children with their dads for the weekend and holing up in a resort and spa for two days of bliss. I am considering drowning in the whirlpool tub in the spa and may never return...
What's funny is in my pre-child days, I would have researched every last restaurant and known exactly what spa treatment I would have. This trip has no agenda -- zero. I think this is a testament to the fact my personal needs are few. I could sit in a room for two days, nosh on room service and read uninterrupted for 48 hours and consider it nirvana.
It's dawning on me that I will have to dig deep in my non-existent wardrobe to find items that don't scream "These are my running clothes!" or "This was purchased years ago!"
Perhaps I will go shopping. Perhaps I will eat a meal in a sit-down restaurant and take the time to read the menu and have no worries if Dylan is fully entertained. Perhaps I will stay out late (for me), have a few drinks and listen to live music that is not popular among the preschool set.
As exciting as it all is, Dylan proclaimed with tears in his eyes tonight, "I'll miss you Mommy!" and the maternal tug kicked in -- however, it didn't pull me under enough to boycott this trip.