Vacation, Staycation, and Escapism

So we spent last week up at East Canyon, where we have a membership. It was horrible getting up there, packing clothes and food for 7 people for several days. I was so grumpy by the time we got up there and poor Andrew, who decided on July 4th to be newly independent from diapers or pullups of any sort, had not yet gotten used to using a toilet not his own. I was prepared for accidents, but not that many. I was afraid that first night all the progress we'd made would be swept away by another toilet, until I figured out it was because the toilet was too tall, and the upstairs ones were the right height. It only took 3 hours and 4 accidents before I hit the "DUH" button and reset my brain.

Honestly, though, after the first day it was great, very relaxing, and I could forget, for a few days, that real life with all its time pressures was waiting for me at home.

I've talked to a few people this summer about taking vacations, just getting away from it all, and between those conversations and my own observations, I have realized that even if a vacation means more stress for Mom, they are so important to the sanity of the household. And I have to agree. That family bonding time is important, away from the normal ins and outs of life. It strengthens the family unit through common experiences and memories, even if the memories consist of kids throwing up, kids throwing bottles at the other passengers in the airplane, kids throwing up, "AAAAAAHHHH! Mom, he's pinching me! AAAAAAHHHH", kids throwing up....

That being said, Kendall and I have two different definitions of what a vacation is. For me it is doing whatever will cause the the least amount of stress for all parties, myself being the exception. (And now I know why my mom was always working during vacations. I could never figure it out at the time, but now I know that for mom, if the vacation includes the children, there is no vacation for mom, only the same work in unfamiliar surroundings.)

Kendall's definition is exploring, finding interesting places to visit and learn about, expanding one's horizons. That was great in Italy, where every P-day was filled with those visits to amazing places and vistas all crammed into that little boot, but here in Utah it's all too familiar. And if it's not familiar, it's too expensive for a family of 7.

So this year we opted for the staycation approach, something really close by, and within reason. (This is also because Benji is still a horrible child in the car, demanding after about 45 minutes "Stuck! Stuck! Stuck!" at the top of his lungs, pulling at his carseat buckles all the while. He has occasionally been able to worm his way out of the seat, I don't know how, and wandered freely in the car until we can pen him in again.)

But after we came back and reality with all its pressures had reasserted itself, I find myself searching for ways to escape. Not that I'm running away, mind you, but I just am tired and don't want to do it anymore. So I am reading. A lot. Or staying up until 2 in the morning. Too much Facebook. Any and all of it, just to escape it all for a few minutes.

Sometimes it's harder to come back from vacation than to be on one. Sigh.