Stay-cation 2010

This is why I love living in Colorado: Staying home on vacation can be just as fulfilling as going away. There is so much to do and see, so close to home. I'm not even talking about all the national parks and forests, museums and so on available to us. I mean seriously close-to-home. Our home.

We are rarely together at home as a family, and even when we are--we're usually exhausted. Before vacation even started my husband announced that this week needed to be more about what we WANTED to do, rather than what we NEEDED to do. I had to agree. I have a pile of projects, books, and things I never have time to do, because work, laundry, and all the kids' needs come first.

We made a list on our bathroom mirror. (Isn't that where you keep all your important notes? It works really well, you should try it.) It included wants, needs, maybes, and musts. Something I added as priority: get into a routine. What?!? That doesn't sound like a vacation. In previous vacation experiences it always stinks to get back to the daily grind. People say, "I need a vacation to recover from my vacation." I didn't want that. Come Monday morning I want to feel rested, accomplished, refreshed and ready to tackle to the world again.

We've already been on two long bike rides, played in the garden, cooked together (ate all our meals together, at the table!!!!), had a breakfast date, and enjoyed some movies at home. Tonight we're taking the kids to the movie theatre for the first time (a steal of a deal, since I found free movie passes in my coupon box).

Tomorrow starts our get-back-into-a-routine plan. Early rise, early bed time. Our day will be more organized and planned, but we always maintain a flexible schedule. Still, we have lots of fun planned: rock climbing, library, and probably more biking, gardening, and sewing.

While staying at home doesn't necessarily have the thrill of visiting a new place or getting away from it all--bringing balance back to our home definitely has its advantages.