Comments on: Friday Fragments: My First Free Write

By: Allison

Allison — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:57:33 +0000

Awww, cuz. Hugs, hugs, hugs. Let me say this re: the family vacation thing. When I was a kid we took one, two-week family vacation every year. Not to Disney, not to the Big Apple, not to Aruba, not to Yosemite–TO VINCENNES. And you know what? I frickin’ loved it. Every minute of it.

Chris and I have been saying that we need to go on a vacation for the last ten years. Have we done it? Nope. Did we have a Honeymoon? Nope. Someday . . . anyhow, I write this to mean that sometimes I think a vacation would be nice, but even after a three day visit ANYWHERE, the ONLY place I want to be is home.

We are flying out to Tulsa for four days next week to see my Grandfather PPO (Mom’s Dad) and then out to you all for four days in Oct. That will be A LOT of vacation for us. Will it be exotic? Nope. Exciting? Maybe not. Will it be filled with love? Laughter? Giggling children? A hug for my cuz? YUP.

By: Mrs4444

Mrs4444 — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:35:50 +0000

Fragments/Freewrites…it’s all good. Glad you got all of that off your chest! Family can be a blessing and a curse sometimes, unfortunately.

My kids are in high school now, and we have only taken one major vacation in our life, but we have lots of fun memories they will look back on with a smile. This summer, we didn’t go camping once, which made me feel bad (our son will go off to college next fall-I worry that we’ve missed our last chance to have fun camping as a family, so we’ve scheduled a weekend for the end of September. It’s going to be cold, but I hope it’s at least dry! Your kids, too, can have fun memories from things that don’t cost much. Heck, you could camp in your own back yard-my husband has slept in a tent with the kids at 15 below zero in the back yard, just for fun. You could also do some volunteering together; that’s always fun and memorable.

My family has a reunion every two years that lasts an entire weekend and is a blast! We have a talent show, family “olympics,” and omlettes for a crowd. Let me know if you need any ideas!

Have a great rest-of-your weekend!

By: Kristin

Kristin — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:23:13 +0000

You know, there are things in your day to day that are making memories. A friend of mine just went through one with me and my sister – just a few hours ago. She talked about the day we went to see a movie and my sister came over to babysit. She paid my sister with a bag of Skittles! It makes me laugh now. My sister even finds it funny, but that’s all she wanted.

I hope that you enjoy your family gatherings, even though you are dreading some of it

By: Cousin Amy

Cousin Amy — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:25:30 +0000

Love you Heather and can’t wait to see you all soon!

By: Angie @ Just Like The Number

Angie @ Just Like The Number — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:16:47 +0000

I know this wasn’t where you intended for this post to go, but I’m so glad you let it flow and posted it anyway. It’s so refreshingly honest. I know what you mean about writing that tuition check every month. I look at those numbers and imagine the myriad of places that money could go. I’ve been feeling a bit bitter myself about the fact that our little family hasn’t been on a vacation together since Eli was born. But think about how happy your girls are in school. How much of their lives is spent at school, and what impact will having such a positive experience and environment have on their potential. A vacation is a few days out of the year, while they have to spend the majority of the year in school. What if they were miserable, but it was free? Would it be worth it? I know it’s hard to be objective when you’re looking at your own life. For what it’s worth, when I see you and your kids, or hear about things you’ve been doing with your kids, I sense joy and a family that values each other. That’s what your children will remember. Keep it up and remember: live like no one else so that one day you can live like no one else.

By: Kara

Kara — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 01:19:59 +0000

I feel as if I could have written your fragment about vacations too. We have yet to take a vacation as a family, and I feel the days slip by faster than what I want too. I long for the ability to make memories like I have as a child…but Sara has a great point.

You are doing the best that you can for them…and that is what matter’s.

Have a great weekend!

By: Mrs. Ski

Mrs. Ski — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:42:52 +0000

I, too, have MIL issues. So I feel your pain there. Your children will love and appreciate you whether they get to go on vacations or not. You only can do what you can. And by making sure that they have an education after high school is more valuable than any vacation. I enjoyed reading your fragments! I hope you have a great weekend!!

By: Eternal Lizdom

Eternal Lizdom — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:29:21 +0000

I’m so glad you did FF!

I can hear your sadness, Heather. And it makes me sad!

We’ve done one “real” family vacation when we went to Sesame Place. I gave it up this summer for the playset-that-hasn’t-been-built. We WILL go next summer. My share of our tax return will go towards it completely if that is what it takes to make it happen. The experience we had last summer was worth every penny we spent. I think it’s “easier” for us to find a way to afford it because I’ve yet to NOT have to pay for daycare or school for my kids.

My mom was a single mom until I was 10. When she and my dad married, he wasn’t a family vacation kind of guy. So we didn’t do family vacations. And that’s part of why they feel so important to me. Why it’s something I value. Jeff had them and doesn’t care. I didn’t have them and I DO care! I don’t hold anything against my folks for not doing vacays… but between not having them myself and having such a fantastic time last year… it’s something I value and make a priority.

Hugs to you… Try to remember to appreciate the right now. This is all we have, really. Now is what matters- not what’s behind us, not what’s ahead of us.