The Monetary Value of a Good Vacation

Vacations (the right kind of vacations) are really good for your life.  If the benefits of a good vacation could just be assigned some kind of monetary value, then we all could feel less guilt about the time, effort and money that we spend on them.  Since I've recently been in the position to ponder such ponderings--I thought I'd do everyone a favor by laying out the true dollar value --as I see them-- right here: 

Being on vacation makes me remember why I had kids in the first place.  I've always dreamed of taking my own kids on vacations since taking so many as a child.  Even though most of our vacations were accompanied by the soundtrack of my mother reading aloud travel guide books to us--I still hold fond memories of the trips.  (Haha-- just teasing mom.  I'm glad you read us tourguide books and in fact it's probably all your fault I want to homeschool my kids!)

Remembering why I had kids is worth a good $30.  Ten bucks a piece isn't bad --especially since they did cause some trouble on the trip as well.   ("Don't tempt me to leave you kids at Grandma's house--I just might do it!")

Being on vacation also reminds my of why I love my husband.  Now--I promise all the good things about vacation won't be sappy --just the first two--because it's true.  Being on vacation--mimicking the carefree attitudes of our courtship years really reminds me of what I saw in Jeremy that made me choose to stick with him. 

Saving the marriage has got to be worth a good $50 by itself.  (Yeah that's five Hamiltons.)  Although my grocery budget for beef jerky would sure go down. . .

Speaking of groceries-- going on vacation gives me the much needed opportunity to clean out my fridge.   Seriously, I was very proud of how little food was left in the fridge when we got back from vacation.  A vacation is the perfect opportunity to throw out all the old food and don't forget any spoiled produce on the counter either (like the "one time" I did).  And I wiped it all out before putting any new food back in it, and I felt like a very good homemaker.

Good homemaker feelings $20.  It really helped boost my spirits (until I looked in the laundry room--"good feelings gone").

Being gone from my home makes me appreciate it more.  I come back and it feels like "home."  No matter how much I really am ready to move on--it feels good to walk back in the doors of "our house"  as disorganized our belongings and strangely laid-out the floor plan is. 

Coming home again $100--never underestimate the importance of being happy where you're at--at least for the time being. 

But perhaps the greatest reason for going on vacation is the opportunity to get away from it all and experience something new.  It gives you time to think, and gives you a different perspective on life.  We read books on our car trips bringing us more new ideas to think and talk about.  (Hello Ken Robinson?)  Plus our trips are full of adventures, both planned and unplanned, both pleasant and unpleasant.  So I guess what I'm saying is that the very most important thing that this all boils down to is: more. blog. fodder.

Yes, yes, yes, because a blogger who spends too much time in the blogosphere and never thinks of anything else, or reads anything else or does anything else eventually runs out of anything new and relevant to say.  And everyone knows that the ability to articulate new and interesting and relevant ideas in the blogging world is, in fact-- p_r_i_c_e_l_e_s_s!

So don't let the bank-man get you down.  Know that each dollar spent on a family vacation is worth is weight in gold in the virtual world of internet storytelling. 

Reunion-Top and Bottom

San Diego 2010 Top (and bottom) 10!


Wonderful- My Grandmother providing travel and accommodations for our whole family

Horrible- My sunburn (Legs only-- I kept three boys and my face and body sunburn-free all week I just forgot about my legs that first day. . . ouch!)

Awesome- The public reaction anytime we were together as a whole group: "How many of you are there?" (84) "And how many under the age of 5?" (Don't know--they won't stand still long enough for us to count)

Annoying- My brother Mark trying to convince our children that if they eat green things (celery, lettuce, or whatever) that trees will grow inside their body.

Invigorating- Haircut by my cousin--Hooray!

Embarrassing- Not ever finding time to paint my toenails for the beach--Oh well.

Appreciated- My dad taking the "early risers" to walk the beach every morning.

Tolerated- Sand in my bed (and on the floor, and in the diaper bag, and in our food, and in the cars, and. . .)

Cherished- Hanging out with my family in the Legoland parking lot after closing time, eating dinner and creating a jovial ruckus.

Tragic- One week not being nearly long enough to spend with them.


Bonus #11 is both at the top and bottom:

Frustrating--but Hilarious- Owen flat out refusing to put weight on his hurt ankle on our last day. We couldn't fight with him, we certainly couldn't carry him, and his ankle really was hurt. So he was carted happily around the airport in a wheelchair!

Movin' Up

We took one trip as a whole family in the Accord. One really cramped trip home from the hospital.

Technically the Accord fits our whole family, but practically it wasn't such a winning combination. So it was time to say "Goodbye" to Britney.

Last week we sold her to a young man who needed a "beater" to drive to work.

Really? When did Britney attain beater status? Sure, we've driven her for 14 years, but I always felt I was riding in style.

Oh well, she needed to be replaced with something with more room, so we got our all-American (though technically Japanese) minivan.

It has plenty of room for 2 adults and 3+ little boys. There's storage compartments and cupholders and even a CD player that won't hold CDs for randsom for undetermined amounts of time.

Oh and as for the color? Well, my sister-in-law tells me the factory name is something like "mocha metallic," but that's not very helpful to our debate--so let's just consult the cop that pulled me over during my first week driving it.

Well there you have it. I guess our new car is tan, although I still hold out that our old. . . well never mind.

And for the record Just because your new vehicle has an "all the time" illuminated dashboard does not mean that your car has "all the time" turned on headlights. Yes, I can see how that might confuse you because your dash was only illuminated in your last car when your headlights were turned on.

And for the second record. . . I'm sure I would have noticed my headlights weren't turned on once it got just a little bit darker.

Car Trouble

People are serious about cars.

And by "people" I don't mean myself or my spouse. I mean "other people," the ones with more mainstream interests.

So, last night at book club I mentioned something about the van we'll be buying from my parents when baby #3 arrives.

And someone asked, "What color is it?"

To which I responded, "You know, some kind of variation of silver, like my (current) car is."

To which someone corrected something along the lines of, "Well your car isn't really silver--its tan." Which was followed by a ten minute debate over the color of my car, with five other women telling me my car is tan and me being the only one insisting that it is not a "bright" silver, but if it was parked between two bright silver cars I would still say, "look three silver cars in a row!"

If I had to identify it's base color it would be "gray," but as a car it is shiny and sparkly therefore I call it silver as opposed to gray, but I would not consider it "tan."

Here for your consideration are a number of items I pulled from my kitchen this morning that I would also consider variations of silver, and if my four year old asked me what color that was I would say, "silver."

Here they are on the hood of my car:

Hmmm. . . Looks to me like some of them blend right in.

Here, in comparison, is a jacket of Jeremy's whose color I would call "tan." It, on the other hand, does not blend right in to the hood.

Now honestly, I used to have this same argument with a guy in high school. And the reason I still continue the argument today is not because I think it's that big of a deal--in fact I don't think it's a big deal at all. Which is exactly why I wonder why in the world other people find it so completely unacceptable that I call my car silver!

So, granted, last night's conversation ended with me conceding that they better just go ahead and wait until we get our van and they can judge the color for themselves. But really, I''m curious, look at the pics I posted, and vote your opinion in the poll up on my sidebar.

P.S. If you vote "tan" I think we can still be friends, and if you think I'm nuts and/or stubborn, I hope you think we can still be friends!

Is There a Doctor in the House?

We had a small celebration in our household. Jeremy has been accepted to a PhD program. We now have an option for what to do with our life. Although I think calling something an "option" implies that there is an alternative. . .

I'm remembering a conversation Jeremy and I had the very first week Jeremy started school here, three long years ago. I remember we were in our car driving through the parking lot in our apartment complex when he was interestedly telling me all about the new innovative multidisciplinary PhD program that the college was opening up. I shook my head at Jeremy.

"Maybe later in life," I said. "We made the choice to begin our family already, so by the time three years rolls around it's going to be time for us to have an income to support ourselves."

Funny how I keep remembering that conversation.

The other thing that keeps returning to my mind, is this little clip. Just a little something that has been sort of our rallying cry for Jeremy's grad school experience. The thing we pull out when the going gets tough and we want to give up. Not that it is inspiring or anything, just something that gives us a good laugh, makes us shake our heads in exasperation, nod them in agreement then pick up and carry on.

For your viewing pleasure:



C'est la vie!

Won-Hundred

Welcome to my one hundredth post (if you don't count my fake posts for my button, contact info, or favorites list, and if you do count the two old school posts I just imported from 2006)! Apparently a 100th post is a big deal in the blogosphere--like it's the first step to having people take you seriously as a blogger or something. I don't know, but I do like a reason for a good celebration.

So I decided to celebrate my one hundredth post by naming it a "won"-hundredth post because for one of my lucky readers--there's a prize to be won!

Yes, I'm doing my very first bloggy giveaway. To thank you, of course, for indulging me and my "musings" on life at home.

I've been feeling crafty, but not the go-out-and-spend-a-bunch-of-money crafty. Also, I decided maybe no one wants any of the crappy crafts I make. So I decided to make something that was functional to raise it's perceived value (insert double eyebrow raise here).

So here's the giveaway gift I made. It's a reusable grocery shopping tote. It helps fish to not choke and die on plastic bags. Plus the real reason I use reusable shopping bags: for each one you bring in to use at a Kroger brand store you get five cents off your order. You know that 25cents a shopping trip really adds up.

When Jeremy walked by and saw the green ribbon on it he said, "Now that's cute." So at least he thinks it's cute.

But you don't need to use reusable shopping bags because they are cute, you need to use them because it's what all the hip people are doing these days. . . I mean, because it's good for the environment, and see it's even more "green" because I made it out of an old sundress that I used for a swimsuit cover-up, but I was going to get rid of it.

So to enter this giveaway just leave a comment on this post. You have until Sunday the 21st (Fathers' Day), and I'll announce the winner on Monday, chosen through the most democratic method I can think of. Also, anyone can enter, whether I know you personally or not, as long as you aren't "one of my enemies, I hate those guys."

Good Luck!

As I mentioned before, for the sake of interested parties . . . um you with the funny sideburns, and . . . you hiding behind the curtain, I have uploaded two posts that were actually my first attempt at blogging (over on geocities) a year and a half before I started this blog. I called it Jeanette's Mommy Blog: On Life, Love and Babies. At that point the only exposure I'd had with blogs was one my brother was doing for his son. I had found out I was pregnant, but ended up miscarrying a week later. But if you are interested in a trip down my memory lane, please enjoy:

Introduction and Pregnant

We Don't Bite

Dear Mommies of cute little girls,

On behalf of Mothers of dashing young boys everywhere, I'd like to extend the proverbial olive branch, or maybe it's more of a dangling carrot. Can we be friends? I can't figure out why there is a divide between us. No, our boys don't wear adorable little clippies and homemade headbands in their hair, but they do look pretty cute in an argyle sweater vest. No they don't dress up like princesses, but they enjoy dress-up clothes of a masculine variety: superhero capes and fireman hats. And when you are enjoying activities together such as swimming and playing at the park of course we'd love that too.

I promise our sons won't ogle you daughters in their bathing suits if that's what you're worried about (I couldn't come up with any "rational" reasons). Although, truth be told, your daughters will probably end up messier after playing with our boys, boys just really love making messes, that's all. And maybe there will be more arguments and differences of opinions to work through, but is that really such a bad thing? They need to learn how to get along eventually. And we mothers of boys just think our sons would love playing with your girls, and think that your daughters lives would be equally enriched through their friendships with our sons. So we hope you'll consider giving it a try.

One last thing. As mothers of boys we are still women. Just because we didn't produce any female offspring doesn't mean we don't enjoy quality girl-time anymore. So when you are getting together with all the other Moms of cute little girls, please consider calling and inviting some of those other women along. (You know, the Mothers of dashing young boys.)

Eagerly awaiting your response,

Jeanette

Backfire

We checked out Chitty Chitty Bang Bang from the library the other day.

(On a side note: I have distinct memories of watching that film as a child and being confused--having lived in Germany and been to the castle Neuschwanstein--about weather it was historical at all or purely fiction. So yes, I believe that the reality/make-believe line is often blurred for children watching TV.)

The film tells the story of two children and their inventor father, along with a lovely lady-friend named Truly Scrumptious and of course their magical car Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In the movie they have gone to the country of Vulgaria to rescue their grandpa who was taken by the evil Baron. They see no children anywhere as the Baroness hates children and employs a royal child catcher.

A villager helps hide the children as their father goes to look for Grandpa and Truly goes to find some food. Before leaving Truly tells the children to stay hidden and not to leave.

After a while the child catcher shows up on the street--disguised and advertising "lolly-pops and ice cream" to any children who might be around.


The children look out the window, and decide to leave telling themselves they'll get enough treats for Truly as well.

Trying to help my almost-four-year-old to recognize their disobedience, and perhaps connect that to the negative outcome about to materialize as the child catcher captures them, I prompted:

"Uh-oh! They aren't supposed to go out, Truly told them to wait inside. . ."

Owen turns to me with wide eyes and says, "No, but Mom, He has lolly-pops!"

".   .   . "



Lolly-pops?! Well, then. . . that changes EVERYTHING!!! Oh well, another attempted teaching moment that completely backfired. Such is motherhood. . .

Women vs. Men

Ok, I'll admit it. It was my idea.

We've got these huge trees in the back yard and they are casting shade all over my vegetable garden.

"Let's chop down that branch!" I instructed.

So Jeremy held the ladder while I sawed(the old-fashioned way--no chains involved), and I held the ladder while Jeremy sawed. And eventually the branch came down.

And great was the fall thereof.

Once it was down my thought was "That was a crazy ridiculous idea, I can't believe we didn't get hurt!"

Jeremy's thoughts, which he voiced, were: "Alright! Let's chop down another one!"

Are you kidding me? Weren't we both standing here when that thing crashed down to the ground?!

Men!

Not-so-Green Thumb

Our house has a few shrubs in front, that line the street.

When we bought the house it was still late winter, so the shrubs were bare. As spring hit they started growing without abandon! The once neatly trimmed shrubs were shooting spindly branches out every which way. . . so I trimmed them back.

I was proud of myself: Look at what a good steward I'm being of this property!

The following spring I was busy--or maybe lazy-- and I kept watching those shrubs grow out of control, until finally one day I went out and saw this:


Little groups of buds all over the shrubs. Within a week or two the buds were replaced. . .


. . .by beautiful delicate white blossoms spilling out of the shrubs.

Well then, who knew?

Awesome Cake

Birthday celebrations require a cake. Homemade birthday cakes are one of the few "rules" I set for myself as a homemaker. Your rule may be something about your family always having clean underwear, but my rule is homemade birthday cakes.

The problem this week was that I was kind of burned out from (read: I still haven't cleaned up the mess from) the last cake I did about a month ago for a church function.


My mom said, "You have to spend at least as much time on Jeremy's birthday cake as you did on that cake." Or else I'm a bad wife or something lame like that.

Well, fate smiled upon me and I spent a fraction of that amount of time on Jeremy's cake, and it still turned out to be the most awesome cake ever!

Here are the Four Reasons why Jeremy's Birthday Cake was the Most Awesome Cake Ever:

1. Kroger brand now sells totally generic confetti Cake mixes with generic edible cartoon image decorations in the box! Jeremy picked out ROBOTS (that happen to be able to shape shift into cars and helicopters) Not to be confused with Transformers. You can also choose generic Princesses or generic Sports. Generically Awesome!


2. Jeremy requested that his cake be "tall" instead of "wide." A request to which I lovingly obliged, even though the darn layers were so thick it took an hour in the oven for each one.


3. Our Kroger store also sells Multi-colored candles. (12 is almost right.)
   


4. Most awesome of all--they have Multi-colored flames!

I'm an awesome wife. To further prove my case: Jeremy received one gift yesterday. His second gift should be shipped to him this week, and his third gift should be shipped to him the following week. I'm totally awesome because I always plan ahead to punctually provide for my loved ones.

Spring Chickens

So we're nuts.

Since we're supposed to be graduating, getting a job, and leaving, we decided that now would be a great time for us to start the backyard flock of chickens we've been thinking about.

Oh you only think I'm joking.

And Mom and Dad you only wish I was joking.

But I'm not. Meet the girls:









They are currently in my 29 gallon glass tank with a heat lamp. They need to stay in-doors for 6 more weeks.

Amazingly that coincides perfectly with the date that my parents and brother will be in town for Jeremy's graduation. My dad "gets bored" on vacations and "loves" having random projects to do instead. Building a chicken coop and run will be the perfect way to keep him occupied the weekend he's visiting!

Punctuality

Oh yeah! I am the model of punctuality. Remember that $5 rebate I told you about? Well, although I mentioned it was good through February 16th, that was actually the purchase dates it was good through. The last date that you could actually mail the rebate form in was March 2nd--yesterday.

So being the being the bright shining model of punctuality that I am, I mailed it off . . . yesterday. I can't bother with getting things done early, see because I'm too busy getting other things done on time.

Now I was very excited yesterday afternoon to realize, that if I could find a stamp, then I could simply put the envelope outside for the mailman to take away and I wouldn't have to go out with both boys in tow to get to the post office before closing. (Amazing and novel system that the US Postal Service is.)

So I started rummaging. The first stamp I found had a picture of an apple on it. It was for 34cents, and was dated with little numbers in the lower corner with --I kid you not-- the year 2001. Um. . . Jeremy and I had not even met in the year 2001.

I also found some 39cent stamps from 2006. Hm. . . getting closer, but I'm pretty sure stamps are up to 40-something cents now.

Finally I came across some more stamps from 2006, but these ones were First Class. SCORE!

Let that be a lesson to me: buy First Class stamps from now on!

(Oh yeah, and after I snapped this picture the mailman drove by =TOO LATE!= and I had to chase after him down the street to take my mail. Did I mind? Nope. I walked back congratulating myself, "Just in time!")