Family Vacation

I'm not a huge fan of winter. Don't get me wrong, I love that I live in an area that has four distinct seasons and I appreciate each of them, but winter can get long...especially cooped up in the house with three kids. All I want to do is get them outside.

Fortunately for my sanity, we were able to go to Florida for a couple weeks this January. We rented a house in the Tampa area. We hung out, took day trips, played in the sand, and spent as much time as possible in the pool. Although it is true that you can never take a break from the job of "parent", it was a relief and a joy to be away from the other demands of being home and spend some much-needed, fun time with my family. Sometimes I feel like I don't even look at them during the day, even though I'm with them constantly. Vacation gives us a chance to step back, re-examine, and enjoy what we have.

I wish everyone a little "time out" to find some focus whenever possible.

Keep warm!
Gretchen

 

Read more...

Month #7

Another month and another calendar year has passed. Genevieve is now 7 months old and learning as fast as ever. She is using anything and everything to stand up on, eating finger foods, babbling away, and I'm convinced she is trying to wave "hello". She continues to be an incredibly smiley baby... whenever she's not contained by her carseat that is. ;)

Our family is currently enjoying a vacation in Tampa and thinking of everyone back in Minnesota during this cold snap. I hope you are staying warm!

Gretchen

Read more...

Ahhhh....Vacation!

For my family, January is the perfect time for a vacation. Business slows down for my husband, the holiday season is winding down, and we're all in much-need of some sunny weather and the fresh air of the outdoors. This year, we found ourselves in Florida (the Fort Myers area to be exact). Honestly, we had no clue what we were going to do there. We had done little reading or research on the area before boarding the plane, but it turned out to be a wonderful trip. We went to nature centers, zoos, beaches, islands, museums, and cheesy tourist attractions, but the best part of the trip was just being away from the distractions of home and being able to focus on my family.

Vacation allows us to reconnect and play with our families, to remember all the things that we love about each other and let go of the little things that annoy us about each other. It allows (almost forces) us to "stop and smell the roses" so to speak. And, if we're lucky, we're able to carry that vacation feeling home with us and hold onto it for awhile.

Everyone needs a vacation. It does a family good.

Gretchen

 

Read more...