Preparing for Vacation

I always feel guilty for admitting that our family is about to go on "vacation". Vacation...From WHAT!? My whole life is a vacation! I feel self-conscience talking about our upcoming trips, feeling that my friends and family probably think I am completely spoiled...a darn accurate assumption, by the way! It makes me uncomfortable mostly because I know how fortunate we are being able to go places and have that time together, a luxury most families do not get to indulge in.

Now that I have convinced you how much guilt I feel about my trip, let's discuss it!

I realize I only have three children, but the amount of time it takes to get ready for a two week long absence makes it seem like there are many more than that. I am what some (*less organized*) folks may refer to as "neurotic". I break up the packing into stages: pre-packing, packing, and finalizing. (Sussette, stop laughing-I can hear you form here!)

The pre-packing phase starts about two weeks prior to departure, and includes planning meals up to the last day home so we don't have perishables or leftovers, making a list of all the things I can't live without so I don't forget anything, and paying the bills which will be due while we're away.

The packing phase begins one week before we leave and the bulk of this is laundry. The kids are forced to wear embarrassing ensembles for the entire week because their acceptable clothing is off-limits while I fill the suitcases. The other bulk of this week is threatening and yelling at the kids because they will not stop emptying said suitcases, climbing inside, and packing each other. I cannot count the amount of times I re-pack suitcases. It's as if they have never seen their clothes before and they insist on playing fashion show. They also insist on "helping" by packing the items they cannot live without. Their list of essentials literally takes up every inch of available space and takes much time to UNpack and put away. These items include, but are not limited to: babydolls and their many accessories, action figures (all Pirates themed, of course), hairbows (ironically, since she NEVER does her hair), a few random blocks, pillow pets, and a ship (yes, a pirate ship). The toiletries bag is the item of most contention. There is something downright irresistible about that bag. The special "vacation-only" toothpaste and toothbrushes, the somehow different-than-ordinary q-tips, everything in that forbidden bag of temptation. No matter how closely I watch it they somehow always manage to divert my attention just long enough to dump out and ransack the contents.

The three days leading up to vacation is crunch-time! Between training the girl down the street to care for the pool, cleaning out the refrigerator, and checking my list twice these days are pure chaos and excitement. I no longer feel exasperated when the kids ask, "Are we leaving NOW??" To the contrary, my automatic response "Nope, in ___ days" is laced with my own excitement, even upon the umpteenth reply (in one hour...before sunrise...several days to go...).

But of course, no Goodman vacation would be complete without turmoil during the preparing. This year we had car trouble, pool trouble, and grocery trouble. The pre-packing phase was interrupted by the AC in Rick's truck acting "funny". This was our clue that something was wrong with MY truck a couple of years ago so we knew it needed to go in. Without the extra vehicle I was homebound, which prevented me from meal-planning properly. One would think this no big deal seeing that my dear husband, you know, WORKS AT A GROCERY STORE. Sparing you the lengthy details, lets just say the kids and I are sick of ramen noodles and PB&J. The absolute worst fallout from not being able to shop: no coffee. That's right, I was coffee-less two days before scheduled departure! Oh, the inhumanity. That was a wake-up call (er...lack thereof...?) to hubs: he finally brought provisions home.

Like any good mechanic knows how to do, the price tag to repair the truck induced cardiac arrest and we decided to take our chances and take the truck without repair. Prayers welcomed.

The pool trouble started during the packing week. The water was testing perfectly, however it was getting cloudier by the day. After a few days we admitted defeat and called in the repair guy. One painful check and a new pump later, it was STILL cloudy. Not good news when we are supposed to leave within days; obviously we can't leave the pool like that or else it would need to be emptied by the time we arrived back home. So another painful check, several bottles of magic chemicals, and hours of precious packing time spent babysitting the pool, it was finally back to normal and safe to leave. All of the unforeseen complications kinda put a wrench in my planning, but flexible and adaptable momma that I am handled it just fine: bribes and pleading for cooperation was all it took to get back on track, and I am happy to report that I even have spare time to blog.

Inevitably, we will pull out of our driveway and make it out of the neighborhood only to have Rick blurt an explicative and turn back home. Every. Single. Time. He forgets something. I get the house, three children, and myself ready and all he has to do is show up and drive and he still manages to forget something (usually something I find rather stupid, such as checking the back door (I already did it) or his spare sunglasses). Hmm, maybe someone should have made a list. I have spent much time contemplating this and have come to the conclusion he does it just to tick me off. Mission accomplished, we generally spend the majority of the 6 hour drive bickering. Good family memories in the making. ;) Hopefully my next post will be from the beach-less than 12 hours to go!! YAY!