Wednesday, February 18, 2009

But Everyone Else Is Doing It

And I don't get to! Stomp, stomp! Pout, pout...

Tropical beaches, mountain vistas, ocean views. Nearly everyone we know these days is planning, has just returned from or is leaving soon on a vacation of one kind or another. 6 sets of couples just returned from a cruise that left out of Florida just over 2 weeks ago. 6 couples, all with children, most with children in school. How did they find people to do their parenting and running so they could get away alone? How do parents do that? It baffles me.

Our neighbors left for Cancun over the weekend, sans children. My sister is spending a month (!!) in Hawaii this spring. My cousin has trips planned to fun locals that you can read about on her blog.(although some of their trips are work related) Hubby's cousin had a trip to Las Vegas planned for last week, however her husband got snowed in at work and couldn't get home for them to go. And a tiny, evil, vindictive part of me was sort of glad they couldn't go, that's how jealous I was, but the other 99.9% of me was so sad for them especially when they have yet to get any of their money back. Several acquaintances have recently returned from ski trips, and still more are planning trips that leave very soon.

Perhaps it's the weather these days making people decide to head out to far reaching locals. Lord knows it's not a lot of fun being here at the moment. But my biggest wonderment still comes down to how do they do it? How do you pull your kids out of school to take them along, or if you aren't taking them, how do you find someone willing to uproot their lives to take over yours for a while?

I am so incredibly jealous of all of them. Our biggest deterrent though has to be cost, and perhaps it's because I don't work full time or even part time at the moment. How do you pay the every day bills and still take trips? Any money we would have that is extra goes to paying for a hotel room to take our girls to a state swim meet, plus the fees that go along with swimming that meet. Then there are the hotel bills we will be paying for a medical appointment out of town for Miss 15 in April, plus the medical appointment costs.

I'm crabby, tired of the weather and so jealous of everyone who gets to take a trip that it makes me resentful and irritated. Today, I am not feeling one bit generous or giving. Today, I am feeling frustrated and petty.

Stomp, stomp, pout, pout! No Fair!!

1 comment:

Ronica said...

In my defense:

*my daughter is only 20 months old. She's not in school. I'll be in your situation in a few years. Right now, it's just finding a place for the dog. We have a good kennel for short trips, working on the DC trip. She can come to the beach.

*OBX is within driving distance.

*we are renting a huge house on the beach with a whole bunch of other families, keeping costs down. (here's the link: http://www.twiddy.com/homes/4x4/carova-beach/a-shore-pleasure.aspx)

*the France trip only requires one plane ticket. Rowan flies in our lap until she's 2. We'll be paying in other ways--yikes. We will be sleeping on friends' couches, and Dr. B's ticket is paid.

*DC is in driving distance, and the school is paying for the mansion we're renting. We're sharing it with about 16 college kids. Again, paying in other ways.
:)

So don't let it eat you up too much. You're always welcome at our house, if you can get away! :D